Author's Notes:

Anyone reading this now will notice about 4000 more words. It has been completely revamped to take in some advice from people, hopefully improving the story for the benefit of many.

Fic contains the following:

Oh, The Humanity Bonus

Rainbow Rocks Redemption For All Bonus

The Medium is The Massage Bonus

Sunset Shimmer's Sweet Short Skirt Bonus

Tantric Rarity Bonus

Sonatashy Teasing Bonus

Don't Even Think About It, Aria Bonus

Let them sleep.

Adagio Dazzle leaned against the side wall of the Sugarcube Corner coffee shop. Her fellow Sirens were back home, hopefully still in bed and dreaming pleasant dreams. She had left Aria and Sonata each a note telling them where she had gone and to meet her when they had the strength.

Reality had become much clearer since the final Battle of the Bands last night and they hadn't taken their defeat as well as she had. There had been tears, and panic, and Adagio had coaxed them both to bed with the promise of a different morning. She hoped the rest would let them recover while she determined their new lives.

Frankly, she had no clue what to do. Energy here was the thinnest of gruel, the weakest of magic available in this barren universe. She had hustled, raced, and fought through the last few centuries, all to keep herself and her compatriots fed.

That assumed it had been centuries, at least. One lost track of time in this place. The three of them had been young women here as far back as their memories allowed, and Adagio wasn't much for memory.

She rubbed one calf against the other. For the first time in ages, she had no plan, no angles to figure out, and no people to enchant. Most of all, there was no hunger for power. Whatever magic she once possessed was gone. Their amulets were shattered, and Adagio was the only Siren to hold onto her pieces. Aria and Sonata had abandoned their shards when they had fled the stage.

Well, if she had no plan, perhaps a coffee? A coffee would help. The last six months had been a struggle as she crafted an illusion in hopes of a final payoff that would have restored everything. Coffee had played an integral role in that plan as she had searched the town for the source of the Equestrian magic, having a cup here and a cup there, as she sat and listened for some talk of that first sighting.

Sugarcube Corner may not have been the best place to loiter, given how many Canterlot High students hung out there. But it was after lunch and even if she did run into anyone, chances were they wouldn’t remember her — or the previous night at the concert, thanks to the hypnosis of her song.

Inside, she inhaled the hot scent of coffee and pastries and winced at the twinge in her chest. Ever since that rainbow wave from those two. . . . Breathing carefully, Adagio hunched her shoulders higher and proceeded to the counter. This place may have been full of pathetic, unseeing, and unworthy beings who had no clue of the worlds around them, but they had discovered coffee and for that alone, she had allowed them a small spot of warmth.

The stocky woman behind the counter was far too cheerful, but Adagio's capacity for snark had the stuffing knocked out of it rather roughly. She sighed and sucked it up.

“What will it be, dearie?”

Mrs. Cake. That was her name. The Dazzlings hadn't stirred up too much trouble in the shop, mostly because of Adagio's love of the dark brew. Well, they wouldn’t trouble here any more, not in the near future. “Ahh, large coffee, one sugar?” Another pang came from her breastbone and she fumbled in her pocket for the change, the sudden pain making it difficult to move her arm as she set her money down on the counter.

Nodding, Mrs. Cake reached for the pot and one of the good cups she kept on the higher shelves. “If you don't mind my saying so, it looks as if you could use some of their help.” She tilted her head towards the back of the store.

Two girls stood there, talking to other customers. One was a soft blue and the other was a severe pink, with colour-swapped hairstyles. They were obviously sisters. Between them, however, stood a strange contraption that was half-chair, and half-torture device that she had once seen in an ancient minotaur castle back in Equestria.

She glanced uneasily back at Mrs. Cake, who set her coffee down and scooped up her money. “In what way?”

“Oh?” Mrs. Cake looked surprised. “Haven't you ever had a chair-massage before? You just looked a bit stiff and I thought . . .” She waved. “They're offering free sessions for the rest of the afternoon if you change your mind.”

Thanking her, Adagio sloped away from the counter and slid into a booth. She nestled the cup in her hands, letting the heat soak through her. The weather had turned cold and rainy, unusual for the middle of April, but it matched her mood.

She settled down into a brood, sipping her coffee occasionally and having a long think about the situation. She was ordinary now, as were Sonata and Aria. They couldn't feed on energy any more to keep their voices strong. Their voices were gone anyways, which meant they really didn't need the amulets to provide the energy. The vicious cycle had been broken. Still, it felt like there was a void deep in her chest and she sighed as she gingerly fingered her bare collarbone.

Her pride was gone, too. It had withered away in that one, brief moment of clarity after that shockwave had hit her. She was nothing more than soft clay in the presence of shining silver. The stark terror of that realization had changed her and she could still feel it when she had woken up that morning. There was nothing she could do but put away all her longing and lusts for power and adoration. Adagio deserved none of it, wanted it no longer.

Her gaze turned back to the twins, who had managed to coax someone into their chair. As she watched, the person had their arms on two cushions and their head was in some sort of pillow with the middle cut out. The blue one stood behind them and slid her fingers down their back, while her sister sat in front, talking quietly to the invisible face and caressing their palm.

Normally, a sight like that would have been the impetus for a little song, a little nourishment, and a little strife, just to show that everyone could be put under the spell of a Siren. Now? Nothing. No display of power. No arrogance to make them all submit to her whims. No amulet, no negative energy, and no light snack.

But she wouldn't starve. None of them would. They were plain, normal young women. And that would rankle Aria no end. Up until yesterday, it would have rankled Adagio, too. But whatever Princess Twilight and Sunset Shimmer had done had hurt her. It had kicked her last illusion out from beneath her feet and her eyes were opened for one brief moment. She had been about ready to throw herself down right there and declare the battle over, if not for her fellow Sirens. They were her responsibility, no matter how much the three of them argued, and she would have kept fighting for them.

Of course, then the giant crystal alicorn had dropped onto them from above, the light had come through her eyelids, and they had lost it all. Perhaps if they had stopped resisting, the Rainbooms might have spared their voices, but it had been too late.

As she savoured her coffee some more, her gaze went back to the twins. They had finished with their client and were adding fresh towels to the chair for their next victim. It looked inviting, especially to a Siren sore in both body and heart. But she didn't dare get up. Sonata and Aria depended too much on her for her to indulge herself right now.

“Ah-ah,” chided a voice. “There's no real excuse for letting yourself suffer, darling.”

Blinking, Adagio held still as a shadow moved across the table. One of the Equestrian magic-bearers knelt in the booth in front of hers, leaning her crossed arms over the back. Oh, sea foam. It was that overly-emotional girl with the mass of curly purple hair. ‘Glory’, perhaps? No, no, it was ‘Rarity’. She hadn't bothered to learn too many of the magic-bearers' names while at the school, but she remembered this one. “I suppose not,” she agreed cautiously. “But I'm trying to look out for more than just myself.”

“I understand. I've just seen that look before, in the reflection of a store window when I dearly wanted something, but was resolving to save my money. Responsibility can be quite the burden.” Rarity scanned the rest of the shop, then slipped out of her booth and took the seat right across from Adagio, dragging her coat, purse, and school bag along with her in a jumble of accessories. “You three fled the stage before we could reach you,” she said, leaning closer and lowering her voice. “Sunset Shimmer is very worried.”

Adagio snorted and took another sip of her coffee, liking the warmth that it brought to her throat. “Her concern is touching. Did you all vote out that ego-obsessed rainbow-haired leader of yours? Or did she just slip in and take things over?”

“She’s taken over nothing,” Rarity said firmly, “but she remembers all too well how she felt after receiving a similar spell." Her frown grew as she studied Adagio. “I must say, there was a great deal more remorse on her part, but you look more . . . haggard than she did. Are you all right?”

“Peachy,” Adagio muttered. “I was going to save the waterworks for a more private moment, but if you’d like me to bawl my eyes out here, I suppose I could work up the energy.”

Rarity didn’t huff, but her body straightened and she subtly iced over, as only the best of the drama queens could. “Well, If you feel that you can handle this on your own, merely say so and I will go my own way.”

As she made to rise, Adagio sighed heavily and set down her cup. “All right, yes. We need help.” She could have waited longer before giving in, but she didn’t have the voice to shout across the coffee shop. “You’re right, I’m hurting and it’s because of those spells she used.”

"Oh dear," Rarity fretted as she sat again. "She was concerned it might be more physical for you, as opposed to the emotional toll she suffered. I believe she called it 'a physical manifestation of metaphysical distress'." She paused, and to Adagio's surprise, reached across the table to cup her hand. Her skin was warmer than it should for having been outside. "How bad is it?"

Adagio couldn’t understand this much caring from someone who had beaten her. If she had defeated the Rainbooms, she wouldn't sit across from them, holding their hands and saying kind words; she would have stepped over them on her way to glory and adoration. “First, tell me why you’re doing this. You won.”

“Yes, we did win,” she replied. “I may not be from Equestria or understand the sort of magic that goes on there, but I still understand that it's a terrible loss for you. So, tell me? Pretty please?” She squeezed Adagio's fingers.

Taking a slow breath, Adagio let it out again. She wanted help, as much as it was weakness to admit it. “It’s right here that it hurts the most.” She traced a line between her breasts. “She hit right here. But the alicorn? It blew apart our amulets and —” She frowned, rubbing at her head. “It just hurt. Here, mostly.” She rolled her shoulders and made a face at the throb of pain from somewhere in her back. “There, too. I’m feeling —” Adagio gestured, failing to find any words to describe her current state of mind. “Empty? I don’t know.”

“What about Aria and Sonata?” Rarity asked.

"I... I don't know. I... they were stunned from everything when we ran off, and I got them home, of course, but..." She sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, they were still asleep when I left this morning." She had failed them as a leader. It had been her plan and they had followed along. Once she figured out what to do next, she would let Aria take over and fade into the background.

Rarity glanced at her watch. “Still? Darling, it's nearly one o'clock.”

Adagio gave her a look.

“Ah . . . .” Producing her phone, Rarity set it on the table. “I've already let Sunset Shimmer know that I've found you. She’ll be by soon, so if you like, we can go and see how your friends are. Would you care to call them?”

She hesitated, then reached for the heavily-bedazzled phone. Things like phone contracts were a bit beyond her, so their apartment had only a basic landline that came pre-installed with the unit. She also struggled to type in her number, having rarely used it in the short time they had been in town, but managed it on the third try, putting the phone up to her ear. “Aria? Did I wake you?”

“Ugh, Adagio? Are you still at that coffee shop?” Aria yawned into the receiver at her end. “You know we have coffee at home, right? And I have my own phone. You didn't have to get me out of bed.”

“You weren't in bed, because you read my note. How are you feeling?”

A silence doubled as a shrug, then Aria sighed. “Dunno. Sore, I guess. That light kinda hurt. Sonata's saying that her hair hurts, too. I swear, she's still the worst.”

The tension in her chest eased, and she allowed herself a small chuckle. “Tell her things are going to be fine, okay? They will be, because I won't let us go down like this. Neither will the Rainbooms.”

Aria's groan was more disgust than pain. "Really? What do they want now? Haven't they already knocked us down enough? Do they wanna step on our fingers next?”

“I've got one here with me,” Adagio said. “And she's offering help. She knows they went too far.” Rarity's scowl of surprise gave her some small satisfaction. “I'll be back soon with a couple of them. It's all we can really do now, Aria.”

“Feh!” The other end of the line snorted and Adagio pictured Aria folding her arms, the phone held between her shoulder and ear. “So I guess we're not going anywhere?”

“Not for the moment.” Adagio debated her next words, then forged ahead. “I promise, we're going to get through this.”

“Uh-huh.” Aria puffed another breath into the phone, putting more attitude in her voice than any one of the three hundred students they had rubbed shoulders with at Canterlot High. “Fine. But if I see any sparkling, I'm hauling ass, Adagio, help or no help.”

“Just stick close.” She found the 'END' button and flicked it as she handed the phone back. “They're feeling the same way I am. Aria's got some rather strong opinions of what you seven did.”

“Ah, well, I think I can forgive her for any. . . rudeness she might have said,” Rarity said, accepting the phone back. She glanced at it, then set it back down and steepled her fingers.

“She's not her usual sunny self,” Adagio said. “And we're all a little cranky about the giant crystal alicorn you girls dropped on us, as if the little love tap your two leaders gave us wasn't enough.”

Someone approached and she looked up reluctantly, expecting to see Sunset Shimmer looming over their table. To her relief, it was merely those twins who offered the massages at the back of the shop.

“Miss Rarity!” the pink one chirped. “We didn’t know you would be out of class this soon.” Beaming, she looked from one to the other. “Would either of you care to be next?”

Rarity pushed a curl of her violet hair off her face and waggled her fingers at the twins. “Oh, Aloe! Lotus! Ah, yes, I had a spare period for my last class and I had . . . agreed, yes, to meet my friend here.” She patted the back of Adagio’s hand. “This is Adagio Dazzle, and I think it would do her a world of good if you two could look at some of the pain she’s been having in her back.”

The old Adagio, pre-Rainbow Smackdown, would have snarled at them and batted them away, or used a few choice insults to get them to leave her alone. But in her current state, she simply shook her head. “There’s no need,” she said softly. “We're nearly done here.”

“Very well,” the blue one said, frowning as she gazed at Adagio’s slumped posture. “But if you change your mind, we'll be here most of the afternoon. You do look as if —”

The bell over the door jangled and a girl with a thick flare of yellow and red hair came into the shop. Adagio breathed in sharply as the tense gaze of Sunset Shimmer fastened on her, but Sunset’s frown softened, a look of concern taking over as she came around Lotus and Aloe and slid into the booth beside her.

“How bad is it?” she asked. She blinked as she realized there were three other people staring at her and she glanced up at Lotus and Aloe. “Ummm. Sorry. Were you in the middle of something?” She looked over at Rarity next, who had her head propped on her palm.

Adagio shook her head. “No, nothing. But if you two could take Rarity for a little bit, I'd rather have a chat with Sunset here. We could use the space for ourselves.”

Both Aloe and Lotus looked disappointed, but Rarity quickly hopped out of her seat, dropped her tiny white jacket over the hook at the end of the booth, and let them lead her over to their massage chair.

Adagio carefully raised her hands to her own shoulders, palms out. “I think we need to talk.”

“Oh, I'm sure we do.” Sunset Shimmer looked down at the table. "But just let me grab some tea first.” She held out her hand. “Did you want a refill?”

Nodding, she let Sunset take her cup back to Mrs. Cake and nestled into the corner of the booth. Over at the back of the shop, Rarity was pressed down into the slope of the chair with Aloe at her back and Lotus trying to gather up her hair. Of all the girls at that school, she would have made a good Siren, especially with her voice and outrageously complicated hairdo. Then again, she seemed much too generous and kind-hearted to ever want to rule the world.

Did that mean she and the other Sirens would become more like the Rainbooms over time? Even with all her experience, knowledge, and age, she was still in her late teens now. At least she was done with puberty. Ugh.

Sunset Shimmer set two cups down and took off her leather jacket. As she sat down, one hand reached beneath the table, obviously straightening her orange and red micro-miniskirt. The other pressed a stir-stick down on her submerged teabag. “Rarity says that you’re hurting. I am so sorry about that, but you were about to enslave this whole dimension.” She leaned to the other side and grunted as she tugged on her skirt again. “I tried that last year and it isn’t really the smartest choice in the world.”

“Yes,” Adagio agreed, unable to hold back on the sarcasm now that the infamous Sunset Shimmer was here. “Your 'most hated person in the whole school' status has inspired me. I can see how you would loathe people looking up to you or wanting to make you the center of their lives.” She blew on her coffee. “Then again, you seem to be the new leader of the Rainbooms today. What a difference a little victory song makes, hmmm?”

Sunset blushed and shook her head. “No. I’m just . . . Rarity and Fluttershy are helping me on their own. This isn’t some sort of Rainboom Reclamation Project that Princess Twilight gave us. It’s . . . it’s all me.” She shrugged. “I’ve been there before and I thought I could get a head start on helping you, that’s all. It’s easier when there’s fewer people.”

They looked at each other, then Adagio tilted her head and raised her cup. “Thank you for the coffee.” She sipped and closed her eyes as the dark roasted flavour hit her tastebuds. “Mmm. So, what’s your plan for helping us? Is there a first step of recovery for failed villains here in Canterlot High?”

“Maybe. If it’s what I had to go through, it’s not the greatest first step, either.” She twirled her stick around the string floating in her tea, lifting it out and into a napkin in one smooth motion. “But before all that, I’d like to see if we can do something about how you’re feeling. It’s probably all the magic we threw around yesterday.” She widened her eyes. “You came very close to winning.”

“We waited too long,” she admitted, rather unhappily. “It was you who was supposed to give up in despair, not pick up the microphone and take over.” She grunted softly as another twinge hit her and she let go of her cup to press a warm hand between her breasts.

Sunset leaned closer. “Whatever we did, you’re still hurting. Please, let us help; I know we can.”

Adagio sighed. “Right now, I’m not sure whether I want all of you Rainbooms out of my hair or if I should accept your help. But for Aria and Sonata’s sake, I’m leaning towards the latter." She straightened again, took a long drink of coffee, and sighed gratefully. It helped her get her thoughts back in order. “I’ve told the others that you were coming back to our apartment. You can see things for yourself there, if you like. Then we can talk about what you did to us.”

Sunset sipped her tea some more and thought about it. “All right. I do want a third person to help balance you three out, though. No objections to Fluttershy joining us? She’s very soft and harmless.”

She nodded in agreement. “Sonata will like her. Just keep the pink one away. She makes all of us nervous.”

She grinned as she glanced to the side. “Right. Then she can help us pry Rarity out of Lotus and Aloe’s chair. I think she’s almost become a part of it.”

Looking at the sight, Adagio refrained from sighing in longing. When this was all done, she would find the twins and pay whatever they wanted for their attentions.

_-_-_-_

“You have a very lovely place,” Fluttershy murmured, as she, Rarity, and Adagio watched Sunset Shimmer try to coax a reluctant Sonata off her spot on a leather couch.

“Quite,” Rarity agreed, looking around the spacious living room. The Sirens were obviously used to the finer pieces in both furniture and art, having lived through the times when those pieces had been created cheaply. “I could imagine a lovely apartment like this once we graduate.”

“I doubt your first place will look anything like this,” Adagio told them, “even if you do have wonderful parents who will loan you the money. We had a couple centuries' worth of compound interest to draw on.” They had also given up a similarly luxurious place in the city when she had pinpointed Canterlot High as the source of Equestrian magic. She patted them both on the shoulder. “But you're both still young; feel free to keep dreaming. Shall we see what Miss Shimmer has come up with?”

What she appeared to have come up with was a triangle of low-backed chairs in the middle of the living room. Aria Blaze slumped in one of them already, with her hands in her lap, her hair down, and looking practically comatose. Sunset had tried to get Sonata to another one, but she was passively resisting and Sunset gestured to Rarity, who rolled her eyes and went to lend a hand.

“Is she all right?” asked Fluttershy. She was indeed the waifish sort, just as Sunset promised, with long pink hair and a wallflower presence. Just the sort of girl that wouldn’t antagonize Aria or scare Sonata into withdrawing into her shell.

“She's always been the most sensitive out of all of us,” Adagio said, “and when she's feeling ill, she's even worse to deal with. Just give her a little time and she'll snap out of it.” As the two girls helped Sonata sit down, she walked over to sit in the third chair, taking a moment to turn it around and straddle it back-to-front.

Sunset Shimmer had surprised her by being far more capable and thoughtful than originally suspected. Even on the walk over to the apartment, she had refused to talk about the sort of help she had in mind, only saying she preferred to have all three ex-Sirens together before making any conclusions.

She had also politely asked Adagio to accompany her on a brief search of their luxury apartment, acting on the assumption that traps loomed everywhere. She had apologized, but claimed it was what she would have done prior to her own conversion, and couldn't shake the need to make absolutely sure.

Adagio approved of that casual paranoia, because it was exactly what she would have done if she'd walked into enemy territory. She had stood back and watched Sunset check jewellery boxes, drawers, and closets for additional amulets, and not gotten in her way.

Then it had been back to the spacious living room and brief conversations with both Aria and Sonata, neither of whom were inclined to add much to Adagio's already-described aches and pains. Sunset had sighed, given it some thought, and begun hauling in chairs from the kitchen.

With all three ex-Sirens now seated, she stood in the centre and turned, looking at all of them. “I'm sorry you're feeling this badly. It could be the shock of the transition. Believe me, I've gone through a few transformations while I've been here. Especially ones that involve a rainbow.”

“You said this one was different,” Adagio said, leaning on the back of her chair.

“Yes.” she said again. “It was my power combined with the Elements of Harmony that caused the Alicorn Wave. It had to be done, even if you had thought of stopping the fight. Your amulets had gathered too much magic and there was no turning back. Smashing them was the only way to separate their power from your bodies and save you.”

“Oh,” Sonata murmured, finally looking up. She hadn't put her hair up in her ponytail and it hung down around her shoulders in a thick mass. Without her amulet, her throat looked long and soft. “You planned all that?”

Sunset hesitated, but shook her head. “No. I don't even remember the rainbow that hit you. It happened because that's just how our magic works. But I understand how it happened because I studied magic. I know most of its effects. Like this.” She stepped around behind Aria and her fingers slid down her slim back, pushing her forward.

As she felt her way cautiously down the sides of Aria's spine, Sunset kept talking. “A lot of what you're feeling is just the spots where magic had linked with your physical selves and, when it was taken out, it happened too abruptly. Like, here . . .” The soft, sudden groan from the Siren in front of her made her smile. “Wings.”

Fluttershy squeaked in understanding and moved to Sonata's side. Bending down, she whispered a couple of words and Sonata nodded, sat up straight, and gathered her hair up. She accepted a hairband and gave a couple of quick twists of her wrist to bare her neck. It took only a few seconds of pale yellow fingers stroking along the base of her skull before she gave a small gasp and arched. Fluttershy glanced up. “Tails,” she confirmed.

Adagio saw where this was going and pulled her own hair clips out. As the orange tide rolled down her shoulders, she leaned back into Rarity's warm hips, giving silent permission for her touch. The soft, searching pressure of fingertips on her scalp made her eyes flutter, then a pair of sore spots flared and she hissed in pain. Rarity exhaled behind her. “Ears.”

All of them in the triangle, both sitting and standing, looked at each other. Then Rarity spoke. “Maybe we should take them back to see Lotus and Aloe.”

Sunset Shimmer hadn't stopped rubbing Aria's back. “Not quite. See, those are the easy spots. They're just tender. But your last one, where your amulet and your voice had merged? That's a bit tougher. All of you are perfectly fine talking; you just can't sing.” Her kneading made Aria squeeze her eyes shut as the knotted muscles stubbornly refused to budge. “And yes, it's painful. It will be unless something fills that void.” She sighed. “I just don't know what we can use to fill it.”

Adagio exchanged a wistful look with Sonata. “We filled it with our songs. It took away the pain of being lost in the seas of Equestria.” Rarity's fingers teased the tender spots on her head and she shivered, her eyes flicking closed as the pain faded into dull pleasure. “Mmmmph.”

“There we go,” came Rarity's soothing voice, stroking the nape of Adagio's neck with her other hand. She obviously delighted in pleasing others. “Sunset, is there something we can do to help, then?”

She cracked one eye open to watch as Sunset Shimmer let Aria go. The ex-Siren immediately pouted at the loss of her massage, but she still watched Sunset stepped back into the middle of the trio. Sonata had cuddled right back into Fluttershy, with the shy girl's arms draped over her collarbone and chest. Both of them seemed pleased with the closeness of their new friend. Then again, anyone who gave Sonata a pat on the head and an excuse to snuggle was welcome.

“We can't transfer new magic into them,” Sunset admitted. She hefted a small drawstring bag in her hands. It had the shards of both Sonata's and Aria's amulets, and she had gently asked Adagio to submit her own pieces before they had stepped into the apartment. “Without these, they have no ability to absorb it in their current forms, so the pain won't stop, even if we do try.” She frowned. “Although, they fed off negative energy to begin with. On this world, energy is roughly the equivalent of magic in terms of volume. So maybe there's another type of energy we can use to seal up the void, instead.”

Sonata eeked and her high ponytail twitched as her head bobbed up. “No shocks! No shocks!”

“No, no shocks,” Adagio told her, reaching out past Sunset to squeeze her hand. “They aren't going to hook you up to anything, Sonata.” She shrugged at the others. “We once had a feast at a midnight showing on Halloween. It left an impression on her.”

Rarity giggled briefly behind her, having stilled her own massage and just gone back to pressing her warm body into Adagio's back. It felt amazingly good after the cold weather she had been out in all morning. If she angled her head one way or the other, she could feel the firm curve of the younger woman's bust against the back of her head. And she knew Rarity could feel it, too, given the occasional intake of breath when she did it.

“Obviously we're not going to hook anyone up to anything,” Sunset confirmed, rolling her eyes. “But there has to be something we could do to get you better before we start discussing the rest of your options.”

“Oh, believe me, our options are easy to discuss.” Adagio ticked them off on her fingers. “We leave town and begin a new life. Or we stay here and begin a new life.” She heaved a semi-dramatic sigh and leaned her head right back, Rarity surprisingly welcoming her in with the same crossing of her arms over her shoulders and chest that Fluttershy did to Sonata. Oh, now this was comfortable and a lovely head-rest.

Sunset looked rather nonplussed at the sudden closeness of both Sirens with their magic-bearers, but sighed. “Yes, those are your two basic options. But we could also see if Princess Celestia would let you back into Equestria, even without your magic.” She looked thoughtful, even as Adagio doubted that possibility.

“Um, if they fed on negative energy before, what if we tried positive energy first?” Fluttershy asked. She ducked her head at everyone's inquiring looks, but gestured. “Good thoughts tend to change me if I'm having a bad day, after all, especially if they come from my friends. I don't even need an amulet to know it's making a difference.”

“If that's the case, darling, then this is definitely something you're already doing,” Rarity pointed out. Her fingers caressed Adagio's collarbone, causing a pleased murmur. “You should see the look on Sonata's face.”

“She always looks like that,” Aria cracked, “Especially when she's thinking about food.”

Sonata blinked, her contented smile disappearing. “Awww, I haven't even had lunch yet.”

“They needed negative energy before, so positive energy wouldn't have made any difference,” Sunset muttered. Her fingers moved as she knelt down and sketched old Equestrian symbols and new-world equations together in the air. “Because that would be the Elements of Harmony and we already saw what they did.”

Feeling a moment of regret, Adagio sighed. She had played these girls all wrong from the start. Sunset Shimmer was a brilliant tactician, when she wasn't crippled by anxiety and self-doubt like Aria. And the magic-bearers were powerful, if slightly kookier than Sonata. Then her brow furrowed. “Sonata? How's your chest?”

“Umm?” She tilted her head to the side, her upswept ponytail tickling Fluttershy's chin and making her squeak. “I dunno. Still sore.”

Adagio questioningly traced a path from her own clavicle down to the top of her stomach and raised her eyebrows. Sonata nodded, and so she looked at Sunset. “No change. Just being friendly isn't making a difference.”

“No measurable difference,” Sunset corrected. She pushed up on her knee, getting back up and flashing a glimpse of scarlet underwear as her skirt hiked. “Maybe we can't heal these wounds right away. This may take some time.”

That wasn't what Adagio needed to hear. “Or there has to be a direct energy transfer, but it's not as if people in this world can just wave their hands and give you spare energy.”

Rarity laughed. “No, but some people do think crystals will do wonders. Or . . .” She trailed off as she slowly squeezed Adagio's shoulders. “Hmmm. Ahh, Sunset?”

“Yes?”

“I might have an idea. But I'd rather not say in front of everyone just . . . yet.”

Sunset Shimmer threw up her hands. “It's got to be better than what I'm thinking of right now.” She turned. “Fluttershy, do you think you'll be all right with Aria and Sonata for a bit?”

As Fluttershy squeaked in uncertainty, Adagio got up carefully. “I'm coming, too. If you think it's going to work, I'm the one you should test it on first.” She was still head Siren until she stepped down, so she would continue to take responsibility for Sonata and Aria. That meant risking whatever spell the Rainbooms came up with.

She pointed at the other two. “Both of you behave, all right? Sonata, don't hoard the pretty girl's fingers all to yourself. If Aria needs a turn, let her have it. And Aria, no insulting her. We're still throwing ourselves on their tender mercies here.”

“Pffah,” Aria scoffed. “What are you gonna do, Adagio? Take away our magic? They already did that.”

“Oh no,” she crooned, smiling. “If you make her uncomfortable and I hear about it, I'll let this one give you a makeover.” She indicated Rarity with a tilt of her head. “I've seen her when she's enthusiastic. Believe me when I say that you don't.”

Aria made a face and nodded, crossing her legs and slouching further down.

None of the three said another word until they were behind the closed door of her bedroom. Then Adagio quickly sat on her bed and motioned for Rarity to take the chair at her desk, just to leave some distance between them.

Sunset leaned her back against the door, ignoring both bed and cushioned wicker chair. “All right." She breathed deeply and let it out, starting to cross her arms but caught herself and put them behind her back. “Rarity? What did you think of?”

“Well.” Her blush was incredible, especially on skin that white. “I do spend a lot of time with Lotus and Aloe, as you know. They're darlings and simply amazing with their hands.” She gestured at Adagio. “You saw for yourself.”

“Yes, and if I'd hesitated any longer, they might have had me over their chair in short order. Although, you're quite skilled yourself, if your earlier attentions mean anything.” She had enjoyed the little massage more than she thought, although she wasn't sure if it was the company or the actual touch. “Although I thought that wouldn't be enough on its own to help us.”

“It's not,” Sunset Shimmer said, making a little circling motion with her hand to encourage the point.

Rarity’s embarrassment seemed to deepen. “Lotus, ah, also does a particular sort of massage for women. She said it can be intense and it releases a great deal of energy. I must admit, it certainly has some very pleasurable effects.”

“I'm not your mother, Rarity,” Sunset prompted. “I'm not going to judge you for whatever you're doing, as long as it's safe, sane, and consensual. So just say it.”

Her fingers tapped the lower part of her stomach, just above the waistline of her skirt. “It's a very intimate vaginal massage, and it takes some time and a great deal of concentration. But it's everything we need: Positive, energy-laden, and affectionate. And I — well, the receiver, in this case — may experience some very strong emotions. The Sirens may need to experience the same thing.”

Adagio felt her mouth drop open at the daring of the suggestion. A quick look at Sunset Shimmer found a less-surprised look on her face, though. Well, this was the last thing she had expected. “Wait,” she said slowly, “Are you saying you're going to just get me off once or twice and that's all I need?" She gave a hoot of laughter. “Oh, yes. If I had a nickel for every pretty boy that’s told me that over the centuries, darling. And maybe a dollar for every sexy girl that’s made the same offer.”

“Yoni massage,” Sunset said, looking thoughtful.

It was Rarity's turn to blink. “You know it?”

“Somewhat. Every library, no matter if it's a school or a castle, has a few books that teachers or Princesses would prefer their students not get into. Ponies have an equivalent for the art of tantra, I know that much." Sunset pushed herself upright and attempted to pace, only to find she had nowhere to really go. Scowling, she planted her feet. “In a way, she’s right. This is a real magical technique. And it might be a way to fill that fissure in your chest. But you have to be comfortable with it.”

Adagio shrugged. “Well, if it does work, I’ll be very happy." She eyed Rarity in a different fashion now than she had before. It wasn’t often a young woman like her would make such a bold suggestion. There had been the occasional girl before, usually of the giggling, drinking, and flushed variety at some club somewhere. It was always a club of some sort, no matter what the century, and it had always meant some soft fumbling in the dark, a sense of urgency to their motions, and so often everything had been over before they even made it back to her place. “But if it doesn’t work, I think I still might get something out of it. Let’s try it.”

“Well, Rarity,” Sunset said, “since you’re both on board, how soon can you get hold of Lotus and Aloe to arrange it?”

An awkward silence fell and Rarity cleared her throat. “Well, given the situation, the desire to get them fixed quickly, and the need to keep the knowledge of our magic under wraps, I sort of thought that . . .”

“You?” she asked.

Rarity nodded. “I've been learning from both of them for a while now.”

Sunset groaned and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. “I’m so glad, but here's the thing with this case. It requires a dedicated, patient, and experienced practitioner. I can't imagine you've been adequately prepared by Lotus, even if she's been petting your pussy for the last two years." She held up a hand and tch-ed as Rarity opened her mouth. “If you've been doing it longer, I don't want to know.”

“I wasn't going to say that,” she murmured. “I'll have you know I am very patient and dedicated with my work. As for experience . . ." She coughed. “I'm afraid, as a lady, I can't reveal the extent of my love life at this time. And I'm more appalled at your use of language there. 'Petting my pussy' indeed!”

Sunset winced. “Sorry." She pushed off the door and rolled her shoulders, appearing more in need of a massage than any of the Sirens. “Sorry, both of you. I’m assuming so much here." Looking despairingly at Adagio, she turned her hands up. “Does it matter if it’s Rarity that does this? You can say no. You’re not obligated to anything.”

“What, and miss the sight of that lovely blush?” Adagio smiled. “If Miss Rarity is so generously offering her time and her skills to help me, I would be very happy to accept.” Oh, there was nothing like the thrill of a tease to make the heart thump just a bit harder.

“And if it does work?" Rarity suddenly looked even shyer, hiding behind her purple curls like Fluttershy seemed to do. “That would leave Sonata and Aria.”

Adagio shrugged. “They're nearly five hundred years older than anyone here,” she said mildly. “They're very aware of their own bodies. Perhaps they can see your friend Lotus about the same treatment. Does that sound good?”

Sunset passed the look onto Rarity, whose blush seemed to intensify. “Yes, if it works, we can ask her. She would be happy to arrange the, ah, service.” She squirmed a little.

“Great.” Sunset laughed softly, quite red in the cheeks as well. “I wasn’t about to suggest an orgy. Fluttershy would faint, Aria would probably be into it, I would be self-conscious, and I don't even want to know what Sonata's reaction would be. No!" She scowled at Adagio as she opened her mouth.

Too bad for her. Adagio grinned to herself as she knew exactly what Sonata would do and it was everyone's loss that they would never find out.

“So, can I trust you two to give this a proper going-ov-" She coughed and caught herself. “Um, take some time to prepare and, I guess, come find us after you're done?”

Tugging at her neckline, Rarity gave a soft, exasperated growl. “I do wish I had dressed better for the occasion." She snapped her fingers. “Ah! Luckily, I did bring some of my workout clothes in my bag. I just left it out in the hallway. I shall return more appropriately clad for this sort of work.”

As the door shut firmly behind her, ex-Siren and ex-unicorn regarded each other warily.

“I won't hurt her,” Adagio said, curling a hand into a fist and holding it out to Sunset Shimmer. “I promise this on the rarest of blue pearls in the oceans of Equestria.”

Sunset smiled at that and bumped it with her own fist. “And I swear to you, on the homestead that I miss so much, that I never intended to wound you so deeply. When this is done and we're sure your magic is gone, I will contact Princess Twilight myself and find you amnesty back in Equestria. Unless you'd rather stay here and begin again.”

“We might." Adagio looked down at herself. “But it would be nice to swim again. The water here, as a human, isn't quite the same." She gave herself a little shake and fluffed out her hair. “Let's just see how nimble Miss Rarity's fingers are.”

Blushing, Sunset glanced away from her preparations. “I should leave you to it. I'm not a voyeur." She rocked up onto the soles of her boots and made for the door, her hips swaying.

“No,” Adagio agreed, laughing. “More of an exhibitionist in that skirt. You've flashed me a couple of times already.”

Swearing, Sunset tugged down on the hem, but barely got it down past mid-thigh. “It . . . argh! Pinkie Pie grabbed it last sleepover and threw it in the laundry, but she shrunk it! And it was my best one, too.”

“It's your only one. I haven't seen you wear anything else all week!" Still laughing, Adagio got up and gave it a proper yank, making Sunset stumble and shriek as the waistline slid down past her hips, exposing another flash of red, this time from above. “If you like, Sonata's your size. Go grab a pair of her yoga pants from her closet. But I just think you've got this cinched too tight." As she reached for the zipper to help, Sunset yelped again and swatted at her hand.

“It's okay! I can get Fluttershy to fix it! Somehow." She caught herself on the door and blushed, then opened it. “Umm, best of luck with Rarity. Have fun!" Sunset scurried out and the door slammed behind her.

If her chest hadn't been so sore, Adagio would have laughed some more. It was a sad day when she couldn’t provoke just a little bit of a response from whichever pony was getting in her hair.

_+_+_+_+_

Adagio closed the bathroom door behind herself and checked that the corner of her towel was still tucked beneath her armpit. She felt somewhat better after some time under a hot shower, albeit slightly strange. Rarity had made a suggestion or two; she had followed them with some small sense of rediscovery about herself. Things were certainly changing and she felt somewhat off-balance.

Halfway down the hallway, just in front of her bedroom, was Fluttershy. She leaned against the doorframe with her arms loosely crossed over her chest. And she looked resolved, but also frightened.

Well, now this was familiar territory. “Hello,” Adagio drawled, slowing down as Fluttershy straightened up. “Is there something you'd like to say?” She was used to these sorts of confrontations through the years. People would figure out that the arguments, the strife, and the hypnosis were something she and the other Sirens did. There was never any proof, since no one believed in magic crystals, but so many had tried, in place after place, to do this exact same thing. Warnings or intimations that they 'knew things'. And it was almost always the quiet ones who thought they had found their backbone.

Fluttershy nodded as she squared her shoulders. “I know what this is,” she said, her meek little voice barely audible, “and I know what Rarity's planning. I just wanted to say that . . . I hope you feel better and that it's very pleasant for the two of you!” She squeaked the last word and shivered as she closed her eyes.

Flabbergasted, Adagio laughed and reached out to pat a slim shoulder. “I do think that is the first time in centuries that someone has wished me well on the way to bed. I hope this works, but it seems a bit strange. Does your friend Rarity have a little crush on me or something?”

“She, um, she feels badly about hurting you,” Fluttershy admitted. “I mean, I do, too, but not enough to . . . eep.” Her heated gaze flicked past Adagio and back down the hall. “I think I should be just be getting back to the others. Ummm, Sonata's very nice, by the way.”

“Yes, she can be adorable at times,” Adagio agreed, smiling. “But it's all a trick and that's how she lures you in. Go on, then. You're free.” She watched Fluttershy scurry away and sighed to herself. That had been it; her final confrontation. No more would she have to see shadows on walls, people waiting for her against parked cars, or angry hands holding elevator doors open. She was done with it, and she paused to acknowledge its passing before going into her bedroom.

The lights were dimmed and Rarity had scrounged pillows from the linen closet, as well as a soft pad for Adagio to lie on. Half a dozen candles warmed the room and Rarity had closed the thick curtains to drop the room into near-darkness.

Rarity sat cross-legged on her bed, sipping at a glass of water, Her damp hair hung down her back in a long plait, purple against a white, half-zipped sweater and track pants, with her feet bare. The zipper was nearly at her navel, showing off deep, full cleavage. And, most of all, she had removed her long, flashy purple fingernails, which had been apparently pressed-on. Her own nails were trimmed close and she wore no polish or lacquer.

Sashaying around the foot of the bed, Adagio twitched a curtain aside to peek out. The rain had stopped, but the sky was still stormy. Having no interest in the rest of the view, she shut the drapes again and turned around to face Rarity. “I suppose you missed your last class of the day.”

Shrugging, she set her glass down on the nightstand. “I'm very far ahead in my sewing class. As long as I show my work and write the tests, I'm allowed a certain amount of leeway.”

“Yes, to practice music, to put on parties, and to save the world." Adagio eyed her. “Just how much talent do you have?”

“Never you mind." Rarity's smile was slightly eager as she leaned forward, giving Adagio a brief glimpse of gorgeous curves, only to zip herself right up and give a groaning, back-arching stretch that exposed a bare length of firm stomach. “Shall we begin?”

“In a second.” Adagio sat down beside the younger girl and picked up one of her hands to examine it. The fingers were long and slim, and she gently dug her thumbs into the soft palm, eliciting a small intake of breath. “Explain this massage to me, now that we're alone. You were rather . . . vague with Sunset Shimmer.”

Rarity sighed and her hips shifted a little closer on the bed. “A yoni massage is something quite intimate. At its very basic level, you lie on your back and breathe deeply, focusing on that, no matter what. I can work on you until you felt ready, then I would, ahem penetrate you, lightly at first.” She murmured as Adagio's pressure worked over her finger joints. “Mmmm. The pace is meant to be slow and exploratory. It is very much a vaginal massage, not something more sexual. Your arousal should gather energy and focusing both it and your breathing should be enough to fill the void left behind by your amulet." With effort, she slipped her hand free. “Any questions?”

“Maybe,” Adagio admitted, “but I think they can wait. Shall we get started?” She reached for the edge of her towel, only to be stopped before she could untuck it. “What?”

“Oh, darling,” came a pleased purr, as blue eyes gleamed very close to hers, “this may be an intimate, even sacred ritual, but there is such a thing as proper anticipation. You must be one of those ladies who does not savour her presents." She looked worried. “Has . . . anybody ever given you a present before?”

Struck by the closeness and the warmth of Rarity's breath on her cheek, Adagio nodded. “Often.” Some of them had even been unprompted gifts. Siren spells enthralled admirers rather easily.

“Oh, good." Rarity's relieved slump was almost comical against her practised, seductive stretch just moments before. “Now, come and lie down just here . . .”

Adagio allowed Rarity to lead her to the cushion on the floor and she lay down on her back. Rarity untucked her towel and unrolled it from beneath her body, keeping her front covered. Sweeping a warm sheet over her, Rarity flicked the towel away at the same moment, revealing nothing.

“You see, it's all about the moment,” she explained as she knelt beside Adagio and tucked her orange hair to the side, doing her best to bare at least a single shoulder. “That lovely, exquisite mark in time when you see her nude, be it in the doorway, rearing up above you, or spread out gloriously beneath you." She propped Adagio's head on a pillow, arranging her so she could look down her own body. Another pillow went beneath Adagio's hips. “The joy is in the anticipation of that moment.”

Adagio reached up from beneath the sheet and stroked Rarity`s cheek, causing the younger woman to purr and tilt her head. “So, what do I do first?”

“You lie here and breathe deeply,” she murmured. She tucked Adagio's hand back down against her side, then turned the sheet up, uncovering Adagio's bare legs. “All right. Let's begin. Like this:" She inhaled slowly, turning her hands in and up, then breathed out, rolling her wrists back down.

Adagio matched her breathing, finding it similar to how she used to practice for coming onto land from the sea. But she carefully put that memory aside and continued to breathe, in and out. Things would be well. Sunset Shimmer had promised they would be. She would be whole again. Breathing in through her nose, Adagio let it out slowly.

All her tension took over. Her shoulders tightened. The caffeine had worn off. Her headache returned with a vengeance. “Mmmmph!”

Rarity looked up. “I recognize that sound,” she said, rolling the sheet back down to cover Adagio’s feet. “You really should have gone for that chair massage first.” Still on her knees, she slid around and rubbed the front of Adagio's shoulders, stretching out the muscles. “You could have kept your clothes on, too.”

“I would have felt selfish,” Adagio said, groaning in her throat at the pressure. “I don't trust easily.” She put a hand on one of Rarity's knees. “Not even you, not even now.”

Rarity crooned softly as she slid up the sides of Adagio's neck and stroked her jawline, seeking out the lines of tension all the way up to her forehead. “You can trust me, I assure you.” She glanced down at herself, smiling. “I have no magic with me now, not without my friends or my instrument. I am perfectly safe and I'm here to help, remember?”

“So I've been told.” Rarity's scent was warm and womanly, with a faint reminder of the vanilla conditioner she had worn before her shower. “Do you have to be so enthusiastic about it?”

“Well, what if it were me?” Rarity smoothed her palms over Adagio's collarbone and neck, keeping the pressure light. “I would want someone to care about me, because there's no doubt that you're dealing with a very difficult situation. And your fellow Sirens look like they need the same care.”

“We wouldn’t have helped you,” Adagio admitted, the kneading easing some of her pain, but the void in her breastbone was still there and its continued emptiness ached. She had to talk, to tell all. “We would have walked right over you. Once you were beaten, you would have been forgotten.”

“Well, yes.” She paused to unzip her sweater a tad, revealing her own long throat. “I rather suspect that is what you would have done.”

“You would have been at our mercy,” she whispered. It was like a scene in one of those old war movies where a soldier would lie dying and give his last confession. She was about to undergo something new, in the hopes of her body being restored. The spirit of who she used to be was long gone, thanks in part to the girl now kneeling over her. “Once we had drained your magic, you would have joined all the others. Would it have been so bad?” Another pang of regret ran through her. Rarity treated so well and it was so much more than she deserved. “You would have loved adoring us. We would have been your light, your love, and your all.”

“Perhaps, but it would have all been an illusion of love, meaning nothing.” Rarity's fingers resumed gliding in slow circles. “You would have been hungry again soon after, I suppose,” she added.

Adagio sighed and lifted her chin as Rarity's fingers rubbed her. Her breathing slowed beneath the kneading. “But we would have been strong,” she breathed.

“Great power, with only a great desire for more.” Rarity traced the edges of Adagio's throat, from one shoulder to the next, tapping here and there. “Hardly seems worthwhile, does it?” She plucked Adagio's hand off her thigh and mimicked the earlier finger- massage she had received. “Feeling any better, darling?”

“Not yet.” Adagio let Rarity knuckle down the inside of her forearm. This was a very confusing day. From her shame at everyone's kindness to the now-fading despair of a new life she never expected, she was dealing with a whole jumble of emotions.

“Very well. We can keep doing this.” Rarity lightly kissed the back of her hand, the press of her lips nice and soft.

“If we're going to wait until I'm better before we start making me better, we might be a while.” Adagio opened her fingers and Rarity obliged them with another kiss. “Go ahead and start on me.” She smiled tiredly. “As nice as it is to watch you worship my fingers.”

“It will be even better to watch me worship your yoni,” Rarity promised, tucking Adagio's arm beneath the sheet again. She let both of her hands rest for a moment, then she slid back down Adagio’s body and uncovered her legs once more, bringing the bowl of massage oil within reach. “If you feel out of sorts, do tell me, and I will stop for as long as you need to.” Her fingers dipped down into the oil.

Seconds later, Rarity straddled Adagio's feet and pressed a hot, slick touch to her calves. She leaned forward, her small jacket hanging half-open. Her white breasts swayed softly as she massaged up and down, caressing bare shins with oiled fingers.

Tilting her head, Adagio took in the sight. Rarity pressed firmly on her body, pausing once in a while to gently curl and hook a fingertip into a sore spot. The long strokes revealed tender areas, as soft gasps and moans accompanied the dull, throbbing pain. Rarity's violet plait dangled off her shoulder now, half-laying over Adagio's foot, and the former Siren smiled and flexed her toes to tease it. Rarity responded with a long slide of her cupped hands up her shin, then back down to her ankle.

“Normally, an ordinary massage would do your feet as well, but unless you're feeling any pain, I would rather leave those alone this session,” she said. “And I want you to be honest if they hurt. I've seen those shoes you wear.”

“Fine girl to be talking to me about footwear,” Adagio muttered. “I've seen the boots you wear.”

“They're very good for my ankles, I'll have you know,” Rarity said. She inched her thumbs higher, sliding them carefully around the curves of Adagio's knees, and coaxing soft moans from her. Rarity's breasts constantly threatened to tip out of her sweater, but her zipper had plenty of staying power. She remained safely tucked away, although a light sheen of sweat developed along her throat and neck.

“Is this enough pressure?” she asked, caressing Adagio's covered thighs. At her nod, Rarity smiled. “Good. Remember to relax. Your breathing's fine." Kneeling back, she rolled the sheet up to Adagio's hips, just shy of exposing her groin, and moistened her fingertips again before kneading her thigh. “You're doing quite well.”

“Feels a little strange,” Adagio murmured, shifting her shoulders as she settled into the cushion. Her hips were tilted upwards, her head angled so she could watch Rarity work. The lightly-spread oil kept the friction slow and delicious. Adagio groaned as Rarity's hot fingers worked all the way up to the join of her thighs, down again, then repeated the process on her other leg.

Still, she couldn’t close her eyes and let the touch take her away. It was one thing when she was fully clothed and sitting with Aria and Sonata out there, but not here by herself.

Rarity paused her kneading. “Look into my eyes,” she coaxed. “Try to connect with me.”

Adagio sighed again, feeling more relaxed than she had in a while, but she was still alert and found herself gazing into those blue eyes. Their shine was almost liquid in the candlelight and, as Rarity slid her hands up and down warmly on her thighs, the two women watched each other. Then she couldn't bear it any more and looked away, a lump forming in her throat.

“You don't have to be completely comfortable,” Rarity whispered again. “This is healing, so you'll be many things: Uncomfortable, sore, emotional. All of that is okay.”

She shook her head and her breathing picked up again as tears prickled at her eyes. All the strength she'd shown, all the weaknesses she'd desperately camouflaged, all of it swirled in her sore chest and there was no way to hide it from this girl.

Rarity settled her palms on Adagio's hips, letting her own breath hiss out.. “Refocus, darling.” She dug her thumbs in slowly as she inhaled, then eased up as she exhaled in demonstration. “Come now, you were doing fine,” she prodded gently.

Nope, she couldn’t go on Wincing, Adagio clutched the sheet to her chest and sat up, the mood broken. The pillows under her hips wobbled and she nearly lost her balance, but Rarity caught her shoulders and the two struggled briefly before stabilizing.

“We can stop, tell Sunset that it hasn’t worked,” Rarity said quietly, moving back to give her space. “Maybe call Twilight back from Equestria. Perhaps the Magic of Friendship alone, without Sunset Shimmer’s power, would be enough to heal you.”

Shaking her head, Adagio held up a hand and tried to slow her breathing down. “It’s all right. Just . . . need a second.” Blinking, she sat there in the near-darkness. Her earlier casual mood had evaporated. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I would have . . . . She looked up at Rarity. Was there magic in this, too, unbeknownst to her? The girl had said this was something sacred and intimate. That, to her, implied the possibility of power. Could she control the power flowing into her? Could she trust it? Could she even trust the magic-bearer that knelt in front of her?

She could stop this right now and accept there were no other ways to heal. Or she could lie back down and accept that a little pleasure from a pretty young thing might be her saving grace.

The two women exchanged a look. Rarity still breathed calmly, although she also appeared quite warm in her outfit. She had obviously planned out a slow, steady session, but perhaps not this slow. The sheen on her chest had a few lines of sweat running down her cleavage and Adagio watched it trickle. What should she do? Aria and Sonata depended on her. What would they do if it was her health on the line?

“If we continue,” she said quietly, “you won’t tell anyone what you’ve seen or heard?” She peeled the sheet off her chest and glanced down at herself. “Except that I’m very beautiful? I wouldn’t mind that.”

Rarity giggled and readjusted herself inside her half-closed sweater. “Darling, what do you think I meant by ‘sacred and intimate’? If the receiver wishes to talk about it, she may, but the giver does have a duty to her client.” She pretended to look over her shoulder, then leaned forward on her hands and knees. “If you’re worried about losing control, I will have you know I was a wreck for my third session.” She blushed. “Too much stress and a fight with Applejack in the same week and I was, well, very in need of a good cry, apparently.”

Adagio thought a little more, reaching out a hand to Rarity. She needed to be touched and was almost pathetically grateful when their fingers gently twined together. Sonata would do this to save her, she knew that much. Aria might grumble, but in the end, would probably do the same. Was there any other way?

No.

She stroked her thumb across the back of Rarity’s hand. “Can we try this again, then?” She would take her best option and submit to the ritual, believing that it would do everything she had been promised.

Nodding, Rarity helped her lie back down and rearranged both pillows and sheet. Sitting back, she brushed her sleeve across her own shining forehead. “You are free to express your emotions if they come up, darling. Do you want to start to breathe with me?”

Adagio let her breath out and, waiting for Rarity to inhale, began to match her once more. Their chests rose and fell together as she lifted her gaze to those blue eyes. Rarity resumed stroking her covered legs, soon tucking the sheet aside to resume the gentle circling of her hipbones as she slid over to straddle her again.

The lump in her throat faded and she lay quietly as Rarity knuckled her hips and waist with light pressure. She had to trust the process, trust her touch, and give herself over to the sensations. It didn’t hurt that it felt so so good.

Before too long, Rarity slipped her hand beneath the sheet and stroked Adagio's belly in slow movements. Her eyes were bright with interest, or possibly arousal, and the zipper on her sweater had inched down some more, although it was impossible for Adagio to say precisely when she had seen her lower it. As it was, the mere edges of her dark nipples were visible and it stirred Adagio's own long-denied arousal.

Both of them continued to breathe deeply as Rarity's gaze held hers. The irony was not lost on Adagio that she had gambled it all on making every single person in that world adore her, but only in losing it all had she finally come across that adoration. She sighed. “A little more, please?”

Nodding, Rarity pressed down harder, stroking in circles. Her touch slid just shy of the underside of Adagio’s breasts and barely brushed the edge of her mound. Back and forth she went, up and down, both hands alternating strokes, and soon it was impossible for Adagio to say just which hand caressed what.

Then she blushed as the last few clicks came from Rarity's sweater, her breasts finally spilling out into view, and Adagio eyed them greedily. If this had been more about sex, she would have cupped one right away and tugged on that pretty nipple, just to hear what sort of moan Rarity would make.

But it was Rarity who cradled herself between her biceps, smiling as she slid her hands out from beneath the sheet and shrugged her sweater off, one sleeve at a time. Her back arched and her hips popped as she struck a pose with her plait hanging over her shoulder into her cleavage. Her fingers hooked into her waistband and she pulled one side of her pants down, then the other, showing off her violet curls neatly buzz-trimmed into a diamond. Then she pushed her pants down over her knees and agilely kicked them off.

“Hello, pretty,” Adagio murmured, smiling. “How long have you been waiting to get those off?” Rarity was quite slim, but she had some wonderful lines on her, especially along her thighs. And, to her credit, she had been the first to get naked.

“This is the last step before we become serious,” Rarity said. She laid the back of her hand against Adagio’s thighs, one at a time. “You’re not getting too cold. That’s good. So, here we go." Her fingers took hold of the edges of the sheet and drew it down, exposing first Adagio’s breasts, then her dusky nipples. Adagio cooed as the air in her bedroom warmed her skin. She arched as well, letting the fabric trail across her skin and the underside of her breasts before she was laid bare in front of her partner.

Rarity lifted herself up onto her knees as she slid up to straddle Adagio's stomach, leaving space between her body and the last bit of sheet. She gazed upon the ex-Siren's small breasts, smiling, then covered them with her slick palms. “Mmm . . . lovely handfuls,” she breathed, tracing the undersides and rubbing in slow circles.

Adagio matched her, breathing in deeply through her nose, then letting it out again through her mouth, feeling her belly flex with the effort. Having put her trust into Rarity’s plan, she breathed with her whole body now, like she used to do as a Siren in Equestria. Her breasts tingled from the attention, Rarity lightly plucking at one nipple. The soft tug made her moan, but she wanted to be fondled where the ache and the need was the strongest, deep in her chest.

“Touch me?” she whispered, tilting her chin up. Her breasts naturally flattened out to the sides while she lay on her back, exposing her breastbone.

Rarity braced her hands on either side of the pillow. To Adagio's surprise, a light kiss brushed her lips, then another. She angled her head the other way and Rarity slipped her tongue into her mouth. Now her breasts weren't the only thing tingling.

The kiss broke just as gently and Rarity nuzzled her nose, pressing her palm into the space between Adagio's breasts. “Soon,” she promised. “I'm almost ready to start." Her next kiss slipped her tongue in again, swirling around and making Adagio's thighs tremble.

Rarity offered several more soft kisses, before breathing against Adagio's lips and sitting up. “Do you feel ready now, Miss Dazzle?”

Adagio moaned softly at her and nodded, quite happy to continue experiencing this. She would trust now, open herself up to the warmth of attention and the promise of pleasure.

Pushing herself upright, Rarity smiled as she slid all the way down to kneel at Adagio's feet, scooping the sheet off her body. Her hands cupped the backs of Adagio's knees, slowly spreading her open. The cushion cradled Adagio, and there she was, on display in front of another woman for the first time in a good, long while.

Adagio moaned as the warm air caressed her bare groin. She had taken care of that little detail during her shower at Rarity’s suggestion, and now she knew why. A palm settled on her belly and her inhale expanded her stomach beneath Rarity's touch. “Ohh, my, that's different.”

Smiling, Rarity nodded. “And you're very beautiful and warm." Her palm coasted lightly, barely brushing her mound, and Adagio's exhale carried the hint of a groan. “Now . . ." There came the soft swish of fluid and Rarity held a cupped hand just over her body. She tilted it to the side, opening her fingers, and oil overflowed onto the former Siren's mound, dripping down and coating her in wet heat.

Splayed open beneath her, Adagio lay there and watched as she was covered from her pelvis to the join of her thighs in gleaming oil. Rarity massaged it into her mound with delicate concentration. Thumbs stroked up and down, palms fondled, and the warm, firm pressure of her touch rocked Adagio's soft mound back and forth against the firm bone beneath.

Soon Rarity settled down cross-legged in front of Adagio, her own thighs exposed, a glistening sheen on the violet diamond that topped her groin. Adagio could almost imagine their positions reversed: the younger woman where she was now, spread out on her back and on display. Easy for Adagio to kneel over and worship. The delicious thought made her almost purr in satisfaction.

Rarity smiled at her as she set to work. Her massage slowly circled Adagio's mound, then the pressure slid down and squeezed her outer lips between thumb and finger. Cooing, Rarity slid her fingers up and down, sending lots of small sparks up along Adagio's spine.

“Ahhh . . . aaahhh . . .” The slow kneading demonstrated Rarity's patience at the massage. She plucked and stroked, lightly tugging on Adagio's labia as she worked them up and down. Once in a while, Rarity would glance up and hold her gaze, as if she wanted nothing else in the world. Adagio was wet now, and not just from the oil. She could tell that she was edging towards sopping. Her labia swelled beneath the attention, growing plump and soft, and Rarity’s fingers continued to knead her.

Then the pressure changed and her back arched as Rarity's touch moved lower. The palm flat on her belly slide down and two fingers spread her open, revealing the full shape of her pink pussy. Rarity sighed and puffed a warm breath over her, the fluttering against her freshly-shaved mound making Adagio close her eyes and almost whine in want.

“Good girl,” murmured Rarity. “That's it." Her fingers slid up and down, squeezing, kneading, and keeping the pressure constant. “Tell me if you want more or less, darling. Or if I should slow down." She rolled her thumb down against the base of Adagio's pussy, then briefly flicked away to dip her fingertips into the oil before coming back with another wet stroke, pulling another moan from Adagio.

“It's nice,” Adagio whispered up at her. For a being once defined by her voice, she found it hard to properly find the words for this. Her very moans used to be musical, now they were deep and soft, appropriate for a woman of her centuries. She was nice and aroused, yet still in control, despite Rarity’s touch squeezing her inner labia.

“That's excellent." Rarity admired her as she kneaded. “Now, please remember to keep relaxing and breathing, darling. This may be somewhat arousing." The pad of her thumb slid around in a careful circle, and she caressed the hood of Adagio's clitoris, coaxed into surrendering its hidden gem. The sensations made her thighs tremble, and she shuddered as the swirls began. One slow, sweeping stroke around the firm little nub, then the swirl reversed.

Several sharp little 'oh!'s came from Adagio as Rarity strummed her, and a light squeeze of her clitoris between fingertips made her want to arch her hips right up off the cushions. Gentle pressure on her mound brought back the urge to breathe deeper and she relaxed once more. “Ohhh . . . ohhh . . . ohhh . . . mmmm . . ." Adagio sighed and pressed her palms flat onto the pad beneath her, breathing harder and channelling the swirling energy that surrounded her.

“Just like that,” Rarity murmured, patting the back of her thigh. “You're doing very well." Her fingertip rolled around Adagio's clit, and Rarity made a pleased little noise at the response she got. “My word, you are wet, aren't you?”

Adagio's only response was to flick her eyes shut again and sigh. She hadn't been this aroused in ages, mostly because she had neglected that part of herself. Pleasure was feasting on emotions, on wielding power over others. It wasn't submitting to such intimate, loving treatment, not even at her own hand.

Rarity's knuckles brushed her slit and she opened her eyes again, Oh, was it time for this? She dearly hoped so. Adagio had forgotten what it was like after so long without. Sure enough, a soft touch parted her labia and then Rarity's middle finger sank nice and slow into her.

With her left hand cupping Adagio's mound, Rarity's middle finger eased deeper. Her finger turned, stroking in and out as she explored, and then Adagio's thighs quivered as a fingertip curled gently to brush her G-spot. “Ahhhh!”

Rarity's stirring continued as she kneaded back and forth, pleasuring Adagio in slow waves now. The pressure increased, then slackened, then picked up again, changing her speed and angles carefully, gently. All of it, the touch, the sight, the soft, wet sound of being fingered deeply helped Adagio build up and up, pushing her on towards a peak.

Then, on a particularly devilish little plunge, Rarity slipped another finger inside her and rolled her hand to the side. Her thumb swept over Adagio's clitoris, while her left hand cupped her mound, rocking her back and forth.

“Keep . . . going." Adagio breathed hard. Rarity's blue eyes gleamed at her in the candlelight and she could see the lust and adoration in them. “Ahh . . . ohhhh . . . ohhhhh . . .” She could feel the climax building, and while the urge to cry was also there, the sheer bliss of those fingers massaging her pushed past it. Her vision blurred, tears swimming in her eyes, but she squeezed them shut and kept breathing.

“Come for me, darling, if you like,” Rarity purred, sliding her thumb over her clitoris some more, first pressing up, then letting her other thumb stroke over her hood. “I'm sure it will be dazzling.”

No, those perky nipples, and the gorgeous, matted curls between Rarity's legs were dazzling. Her alabaster thighs were soaked in her own arousal and Adagio couldn't believe that she was the cause of it. Then the two fingers already inside her slipped all the way up, right to the knuckles, and Rarity tucked her thumb beneath her clit to tease the glistening nub.

Adagio came apart beneath her touch, sobbing out her orgasm as her hips churned off the mat. The hot, hard climax flexed her thighs, her vaginal muscles rippling against Rarity's fingers curled nice and deep inside her. “Ahhh! Ahhh!" She tossed her head from side to side and pressed her palms flat on the ground as she bucked. “Hnnngh! Nnnngh! Nnnngghhaaaahhh!”

As she slid down from the crest, Adagio breathed harder, Rarity's fingers still buried up inside her, the tips stroking against her G-spot some more. The pressure roiled, the wave of another climax approaching.

“Another?” Rarity whispered from between her legs. The wet sounds of her fingers working back and forth made Adagio moan and nod. She wanted to ride the wave, like the Siren darting towards the surface and the crest once again, daring to break the surface and snatch pleasure and glory from the crash of sea foam.

Her second climax was even more intense, causing another arch and wail as she soaked Rarity's wrist this time. Sodden, slick, and streaming, Adagio was amazed that Rarity could even conjure up any more friction at how wet she had gotten. Crying, sobbing out her bliss as the energy spiralled inside her, Adagio accepted the gift from the girl of generosity. No power could bring her this sort of adoration and pleasure.

The shame from her loss, her actions, and the ache in her breastbone grew sharper as she exhaled all the hurt she had and had caused others. She cried it all out as she writhed in submission to the soft skills of Rarity.

Finally her orgasm receded like the tide and she breathed harder as she came back to herself. Her body hummed and her thighs and stomach felt heavy. She lifted her head slightly from her pillow to look down at a pleased Rarity. “Hmmm. Hmmmm." Blushing, she could see her bare, shaved mound shining in the candlelight.

Then her partner reached around her thigh and picked up a small shaving mirror. She tilted it downwards and Adagio caught her breath as she saw herself for the first time. Her swollen pussy gleamed, her pale amber folds parted and pink inside, spread open by Rarity's hand, with her clitoris unhooded and on full display.

“See?” Rarity said. “Look how pretty you are." She swept a thumb up the length of her slit and Adagio shivered at the stroke. “Now, let's get you turned over.”

Adagio could only moan at her, but she closed her legs long enough to roll onto her side, Rarity nudging her over onto her stomach. As Adagio settled face-down onto her pillow, she hugged it to her chin with both hands. Cushions canted her hips up, hiking her rump into the air.

“Last one, I promise,” Rarity breathed from behind her, even as Adagio heard the patter of new oil dripping off fingers onto the cushions below. Seconds later, the hot, wet stroke slid up the folds of her pussy and she moaned deeper. Slowly, lightly, and then deeply, she found herself penetrated again, this time with three fingers working their way in. Fresh massage oil swathed her poor, throbbing clitoris and she cried out because she was hot and sensitive there.

“You've got your energy all inside you." The stroking began again, that slow, rolling, in-and-out motion that circled around and around her inner walls. “Now we just have to bring it the rest of the way up,” Rarity finished, her middle finger curling down once more to stroke the thick ridge of her G-spot, making Adagio cry into her pillow once again.

Lifting her head, Adagio did her best to breathe, but at this stage, she marvelled that she could even do that. Her hips swayed as Rarity stirred her honey pot, and she arched them up even more against the pressure. If she didn't come right then and there, she would fly off into the stars from the sheer energy roiling around in her pelvis.

Maddeningly, Rarity kept the stroking slow and firm, rather than pounding her fingers into her with wet slaps of her palm against flesh. She had been so patient, so sure, and so confident, and now it all came down to this for Adagio. She would heal, and find a way to fill the void her mistakes had left inside her.

Adagio wanted to raise herself up onto all fours and look back over her shoulder at Rarity. Watching her work would be so sweet, but the slow thumbing of her clit played havoc with her senses. As the thick pressure curled for the third time deep inside her, she gave one last whine, hiked her rump higher into the air, and gave it up to Rarity in a hot, thrumming flare. “Ahhh! Ahhhh! Rarity . . . Mmmmmm!”

The rush pooled low in her belly, spreading through her like a spring that surged up deep from underground. Her orgasm soaked her thighs again and Adagio moaned deeply as she rocked back against the pressure on her G-spot. The ache in her chest warmed, sadness at her loss and joy at her freedom mingling in her throat. Adagio cried out, her chest full of emotions, and she hugged her pillow tightly and sobbed them out in long, gasping breaths.

Finally, the arch in her back went down, and her hips slowly eased their roiling as she caught her breath. She was loose and liquid, her whole body heavy, and Adagio slowly undulated like a Siren swimming through a warm current. She settled herself down, groaning as she rolled over onto her back. The soft padding beneath her was still dry, since the cushions beneath her had taken the brunt of her climaxes, and she only had to shift her hips once or twice to find a comfortable spot.

She breathed hard, but not heavily, body truly humming now. The head to toe tingles reached the old sore spots in her back and neck, dissipating the aches. Damp tracks of tears tickled her cheeks and she reached for the sheet that had been cast aside, bringing it up to dab at her eyes.

Rarity knelt beside her, pressing a damp cloth onto her mound and tucking another between her breasts. The warmth made Adagio sigh and she reached up to gently stroke Rarity's forearm. “It doesn't hurt. Well, not as badly.”

“Good,” Rarity said, nodding. “Very good. I think you're going to be okay. Just lie still for a bit." She dabbed at Adagio, the firm pressure soaking up some of the oil she had been christened with. “You did very well with that session, Adagio.”

“Mmm. I'm glad,” she murmured. Oh, pearls at any price, that had been as filling as a good argument. She was loved and adored, and it was intoxicating. What good was coffee now? “Is that the end of it?”

Rarity looked surprised. “Mostly, yes. But you shouldn't get up right away. Your body's been through a lot and you need to absorb everything.” She paused to refold the cloth over Adagio's groin and held it there.

Adagio nodded. “That's fine. I can do that." She tugged on Rarity's arm and smiled wider. “But I think I want to see about taking care of you.”

An adorable squeak came from Rarity as her meaning sunk in and a fiery blush took over those white cheeks. She had no hair to hide behind, though, and couldn't disguise her intrigued expression.

“See?” Adagio purred. “You're sopping wet, and I think you deserve a little bit of thanks for all you've done for me today." She fondled Rarity's knee. “So why don't you just bring those tight little thighs up here for a little bit?”

Looking uncertain, Rarity shifted. “Darling, there isn't supposed to be anything sexual about this. It's simply a massage that's supposed to . . . .”

“Arouse me within an inch of my very long life?” she asked, chuckling. “Oh, it did that, but it also got you very worked up, dear, and I want to watch you roll those lovely hips over me." She couldn’t help herself. All the relief from pain, the multiple orgasms, the sincerity and love in the dimness, it all had stoked something in her. Returning the favour, pleasuring Rarity, that was her new goal. Maybe see what wonderful noises she could wring out of her. “You said yourself that the session is over, so if I dip my tongue into you now, it has nothing to do with the massage, does it?”

Rarity let a slow breath out and looked thoughtful, then her resistance crumbled and she nodded.

Adagio reached for her and helped guide a slender white leg over her chest so Rarity straddled her face. “Mmmm. There we go,” she said, settling her head back on her thick cushion of hair. She tucked her orange mane in so Rarity didn't kneel on any of it. The length of that firm, pale stomach was a fine view, right up to the underside of Rarity's breasts and the soft, incredulous expression on her face.

First things first. Adagio lifted her hands and brushed a palm across each breast, enjoying the generous curves. She had watched them tumble free, bounce softly, and generally hold her attention, and now she could play with them. Rarity’s soft moan was musical and Adagio luxuriated in it, causing someone else to sing out as she played them with soft plucks and strokes.

“Poor little thing,” she murmured up at Rarity, “having to watch me climax so much and not be able to do anything for yourself. Let Adagio take care of that for you.” She patted those pretty thighs, tilting her head to kiss each one and causing more adorable little gasps from above. Oh, Rarity was so wet, and Adagio smiled as she got a grip on those hips and tugged, coaxing her lower and lower . . .

Her first lick up those plump little lips made Rarity moan in long-held relief, and Adagio puffed a content breath over her diamond-trimmed pubes. She smiled as she paid attention to them with some light tongue swirls and a little kiss. Then she resumed tonguing that hot little pussy that was so primed for pleasure.

Rarity cried out again as Adagio settled to her task of lapping her up and down. Her shining clit was already exposed and Adagio took great pleasure in teasing it with the tip of her tongue. Sucking it into her mouth, she caused Rarity's hips to rock and quiver. She had to squeeze a little more firmly, but Rarity's churning and rolling was finally corralled. For her part, Rarity moaned softly in surrender, Adagio smiling as she tongued her treat some more.

“Mmmmm,” she breathed, flicking her eyes up to see Rarity watching her, blue eyes wide with disbelief. “Ohhh, never been eaten out before, pretty? Not like this, yes?" Her tongue delved between the plump labia, Adagio almost purring with pleasure now as Rarity twitched with each slow lap. “Hmmm . . . hmmm . . ." She pulled back again, smiling and kissing the softness of that slender thigh. “Just watch, then, darling.”

Adagio hadn't expected any of this to happen, but she was hardly going to let someone who had massaged the most intimate parts of her just walk away. Not without something in return. Especially a lady who had stopped when she had faltered the first time.

Given that kiss they had shared earlier, she would have said there was a little attraction there. Rarity was a pretty girl, if a bit slim for her liking, but that didn't matter. Adagio was grateful for one of the few times in her life and she would express it, especially if she and the other Sirens received amnesty for their return to Equestria. If she and Rarity never met again after today, she wanted to be remembered for the right reasons.

The cute, frantic panting from above was a good sign and Adagio buried her face into Rarity's little muff, nosing at her pearly clit and lavishing lap after lap against her wet heat. She was so tender and wet and responsive that Adagio decided to show her how a Siren would use her tongue to pluck seaweed from the ocean floor.

Rarity gave a soft shriek that she quickly muffled in the crook of her arm.

“You can let it out,” she murmured, kissing the spot she had just so thoroughly debauched. “My room’s the furthest away from the living room. I doubt Sunset and Aria are using her room, either." She mmmed and smiled as Rarity's blush darkened. When she was through, the girl would never forget just what a proper eating-out meant.

The next lick coaxed another moan, this one unfettered, and Adagio hummed as she resumed lapping. Her tongue swirled around and around the firm little nub, provoking louder and louder cries. She had a good, kelpie-strong grip on those thighs and all of Rarity's squirming and writhing was for naught, as her pussy was slowly devoured. She had no choice but to surrender to the inevitable.

The long, violet plait brushed Adagio's belly and the sensation caused her to snort softly against Rarity's violet pubes. She nosed up to kiss them lightly, just as a reminder that she had shaved herself completely bare for the little vixen. Then she dipped her chin down once more and gave Rarity's clit a slow, pulling suck. Once, twice, three times.

Rarity yelped, her thighs quivered, and her climax filled her as her hips rolled into the suction, her orgasm pressing her right down against Adagio's mouth. “Oh! Oh! Ada- Ahhh!” she whined, sharp little cries mirroring the flexing of her thighs as she came. Then it was all over and she slumped, panting, and Adagio was slithering free from beneath her body.

“You . . . ahh . . . haahhh . . .” Rarity pushed some of her loose bangs out of her eyes and stared at Adagio. “Oh, my word . . .”

Adagio, for her part, leaned up against the side of her bed and stroked the newly healed spot in her cleavage. “I'm a former Siren. I do remember how to breathe through my ears." At Rarity's incredulous giggle, she smirked. “What, would you like another example?”

She shook her head and flopped onto her back. “Ooof. Once was enough, thank you." The two of them gazed at each other. “Is it . . . are you . . . ?”

“It feels fine,” Adagio assured her. “I can't believe it really did work." She took another deep, content breath, and let it out again, still amazed. She looked at the nude girl with more gratitude than she had ever thought possible. “I hope I wasn't too forward in . . ." She gestured, suddenly unable to find the words for their post-coital situation.

“That magnificent display of cunnilingus?” Rarity asked. Her blush was back. “I must admit, you're the first woman to ever, well, 'demonstrate her thanks' in such a way, let us say. While I am usually nude around Lotus or Aloe, they are strictly my teachers in massage and very professional about it.”

Adagio blinked. “Really? Then what was that kiss earlier? Because that was very passionate of you." It had felt very practised, not a first-time-kissing-a-girl at all. If Rarity was fully straight, Adagio would be quite surprised.

Sighing, Rarity found a pillow that wasn't damp with oil or other fluids, and tucked it behind her hips as she leaned against the bedroom wall. “Yes, it was. And I apologize, because the massage is not supposed to be sexual, but you just looked so delectable and . . . desirable." She motioned with her hands. “We may have been on different sides in this fight, but I secretly admired some parts of you and your songs. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight were so insistent that you had to be stopped, I didn't really think much more about it. And it wasn't as if talking with you was an option in the last week. You were too far gone already.”

“Yes, we were,” Adagio agreed, “and it's all right. I've rarely had someone kiss me who truly meant it and who wasn't under our spell." Here in the darkness, with only a few candles to illuminate their shared nudity, confession came easily. “Although I can't say that Sonata or Aria would react the same way if you did that to them during their treatments." She thought about it briefly. “Well, maybe Sonata. She'd love that bit where you showed her just what her lady parts look like in a mirror.”

Rarity giggled again. “I suppose. Well, that will be up to Lotus, perhaps. Or, if we can come to an arrangement, it would be me." She frowned. “If it is, though, would you want to sit in on it? I believe there would be more trust in the room if you were with them. Or would it make you uncomfortable to see your fellow Sirens in that state?”

“I've seen them naked before,” she said, smiling. “And I could tell you stories about the time Sonata had a boyfriend and got just a little confused about some seduction techniques. I'm more uncomfortable with seeing them in pain, and I'll do nearly anything to restore them." Adagio chuckled. “Plus, if there's a chance of seeing you nude and aroused again, I want to be there.”

Tilting her head to one side, Rarity looked thoughtful as she toyed with the fringe of her plait, circling the tuft in her palm. “Perhaps staying here is a better option than going back to Equestria? The others will come around soon, just like they did for Sunset Shimmer. And it's not as if you three have to return to Canterlot High. There cannot be any knowledge there you truly need, what with being hundreds of years old.”

“Knowledge? No. We were just after the magic from Equestria." Adagio watched her, considering the process of staying behind and trying again. “We've lived quietly for ages and we've certainly taken care of ourselves. Going back to Equestria would mean undoing a great deal of work. Visiting, though? It would be very good to go back home, if only for a short while.”

The truth was, if Rarity captured her interest, she would stay. But Aria and Sonata would have their own feelings about which world they preferred to live in. She had planned to let Aria make the decisions when things had settled down, but perhaps now, she wouldn't want to take over. There would have to be a formal Sirens' — well, ex-Sirens' council — and Adagio would actually listen to the two of them for once in her life.

“Aria and Sonata have to be heard, once they're better,” she finally said, “and then we'll see what we're going to do next. As for right now?" She reached for the cloth that had fallen off her chest and brushed it over her chin, mopping up some of Rarity’s arousal from her face. “We do need to clean ourselves up and get out there to let them know that everything worked.”

“After you, darling." Rarity stretched her legs out with a groan and wiggled her toes. “I am going to need a moment before I get up to go anywhere.”

_-_-_-_

Wrapped in one of the blankets from her bedroom closet, Adagio leaned on the doorway to her spacious living room and regarded the sight in front of her.

Fluttershy sat on the floor with her back up against the couch, settled between Sonata's legs. Her long, pink hair was piled up in the former Siren's lap. Sonata leaned over her shoulder, listening to quiet instructions as she kneaded Fluttershy's back slowly, one hand cupping her shoulder.

Sonata saw her first and blinked. Fluttershy, for her part, eeped and gazed at her, wide-eyed. Then chairs rattled in the kitchen and Aria and Sunset Shimmer appeared, both with glasses in their hands.

Adagio smirked. “Don't let me interrupt. It's good for her to learn new things." She stretched a little, keeping a grip on the end of her blanket. “It's worked. I'm feeling better." She nodded at Sunset Shimmer. “You and Rarity are going to see to it that Sonata and Aria will be feeling better, too. Then we can talk about what we're going to do next. I still haven't been able to figure things out and I'm going to need some help.”

“Me, too? For realzies?" Sonata's brow furrowed. “Don't you usually just tell me what to do? I mean, that's how it's always been.”

“Yes, but we have options." Adagio thought about it, then waved a hand. “I mean, we had options before, but they were exactly the same as they are now. We just have something now that we didn't before.”

“What's that?" Aria murmured.

“Hope." She sighed. “We have hope. That's the difference." Then she looked over her shoulder as Rarity came out of the bathroom, re-dressed in her workout pants and a hastily-borrowed top. She had selected a low-cut one, and due to their differences in cup size, Rarity was demonstrating just how one defined the word 'cleavage'.

As she came into the room, the other four women stared.

“Oh. Um.” That was Fluttershy.

Sonata nodded. “Yeah. Um." She looked Rarity up and down, then slyly winked at her fellow Siren. “Good um, too.”

Adagio laughed and straightened up. “You’ll learn soon enough. We owe Miss Rarity a very large debt, though.”

Sunset Shimmer looked at both of them through her fingers. Whether it was in exasperation or not was difficult to tell. Not that Adagio cared. Miss “I Was a Teenage Demon” had signed off on the whole process and she had no room to complain if Rarity reaped a little reward for her efforts.

For her part, Aria hadn’t said much, vanishing back into the kitchen instead. Some of Adagio’s concerns were beginning to take root. The earlier session with all six of them had shown Aria suffering as much as Sonata or herself. She hadn’t raised a peep of protest either when Sunset had leaned into the massage. That had been unusual for the rather surly Siren.

Perhaps Adagio would talk to Rarity and ensure that no matter who did it, Aria would be next in line for healing.

She just hoped it would work for them as it had for her.

She patted Rarity on the back. “You might want to explain to these two what’s going on, if Miss Shimmer hasn’t already." Fluttershy had sussed it out somehow before confronting her about it. She wouldn’t blame Sunset if she had prepared the others for failure ahead of time. Sunset seemed the sort of woman who specialized in not getting people’s hopes up. “I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

Her bedroom reeked with the musk from their activities, and she went over to pull back the curtains and open a couple of her windows. The air outside was wet and cool, the breeze immediately blowing through and ruffling her thick hair. Adagio made a pleased noise and felt the goosebumps on her forearms, turning around to let her back get some of the cool air. The candles had all gone out in their little glass holders, and Rarity had already gathered up the pillows and cushions, taking them down to the laundry room for later washing. Very polite guests.

As Adagio rummaged through her closet to find something suitable to wear for her company, she heard a noise, and she turned around.

Sonata stood in the doorway.

Adagio raised her eyebrows at her. “What's the matter?”

Peeking over her shoulder down the hallway, Sonata leaned in. “Are you all right, Adagio? I've never seen you like this. Or, well, it's been a while. You're more . . . human.”

She let her breath out, glad it wasn't something more serious. “Sonata, we're all human now. I came to that realization very early this morning, and I've been accepting it ever since. Didn't you feel the power when that spell hit you in the chest? That was it. That alicorn beam may have broken our amulets, but that shot broke my heart.”

She nodded, her eyes as wide as Fluttershy's. “Yeah, I felt that, too." Sonata pressed her palm to her throat while looking at Adagio's. “Is it really better?”

“I think so." She took Sonata's hand and brought it to her collarbone, just above the tuck of her blanket. “We're going to have to talk about how comfortable you'll be with what you have to do, but believe me, it's worth it.”

Sonata's cheeky grin made her smile even more. “Oh, you mean, like that time I thought I was supposed to —”

“Mmmhmm.”

“And instead I had him —”

“Yes,” Adagio said, nodding. “There are a couple of people who can do it, apparently. Rarity is one." She had a hunch that Fluttershy might be holding back some of her own skills, but it was merely that. A hunch.

Sonata, for all her ditziness, could sometimes catch on quickly. “So, should I choose the other one? You seem to like Rarity." Beaming, she looked as if she were already set to hare off and do what she had to get herself healed.

She shrugged. “You can choose whomever you like, Sonata. As Miss Rarity assured me earlier, there is nothing sexual about it at all." She turned back to her closet. “At least, that’s what they say. The reality is much, much more pleasant. Now, come on and help me find something so I can wash up and get her scent off me.”

“Yeah, I wasn’t going to mention it out there." Sonata wrinkled her nose a little, still grinning. “Or let you hug me. You two really went at it, didn’t you? Is she that good?”

Sighing, Adagio stepped back to let Sonata flip hangers and open drawers. “She was very good. Confident, patient, and caring. I simply had to reward her after she restored me." A cotton and spandex top landed on her bare shoulder and she accepted it as Sonata leaned deeper into the closet. “And what about you and that Fluttershy girl? She seems very comfortable to lean on.”

Sonata shot upright with a whoop of triumph and handed Adagio a pair of sweatpants that had actually come back from the laundry. “Well, yeah! She’s soft, too. And she really makes the best noises when she’s being cute and embarrassed.”

“Maybe you could choose her,” Adagio suggested, reaching past her to snag one of her favourite pairs of underwear. The temptation to go bare beneath her sweatpants to tease both Sunset Shimmer and Rarity was immense, but she knew Sunset would be looking for some revenge after that little adventure with her micro-miniskirt. “She looks as if she knows more than she’s letting on. Oh, and Sonata?”

“Mmmm?" She perked, looking happier than Adagio had seen her look in days.

“Let me tell you a little secret about Miss Shimmer. I want you to pass it onto Aria and see if the two of you can’t . . .”

As she continued explaining, she led Sonata back out into the hall and shut her bedroom door behind her again.

_~_~_~_

FIN
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