Things hadn’t cleared up by the time everyone arrived for supper, but Sunset invited everybody in anyway. Most of the girls smiled when Sunset explained her bloodshot eyes away by saying she’d been cleaning with bleach, but Ascentia gave her a concerned look. No words were exchanged between then, Ascentia simply held up her phone, showing a text from Adagio asking to drive the three of them home, and also to make sure they were all okay.

The two of them hugged briefly before joining everybody in the dining room, where Sonata was quietly serving everybody.

“It was so nice to invite us over, girls,” Ascentia smiled, laying a hand on Sonata’s shoulder.

Giving the best smile she could, Sonata nodded, “It was… long overdue, really.”

“Mm-hmm,” Aria agreed, brushing some of her hair back, “It was a little short notice, but we’re glad you made it.”

“Of course,” Ascentia smiled, kissing Twilight’s cheek, “Fluttershy was relieved at not having to cook.”

“But knowing her, she’ll beg to help clean,” Rainbow quipped, snickering,

“Oh, you two,” Fluttershy smiled, “But I’ll help you girls clean, if you’d like.”

“Sure… thanks,” Sunset managed a smile of her own, “For now, let’s all just… enjoy this, shall we?”

“Mama… I wanna eat in your lap,” Sunrise pouted.

Ascentia smiled and lifted Sunrise into her lap, “There’s my girl.”

Sunrise looked over to Sonata and pouted, “I’m sowwy about Auntie-Dagi...”

Looking up at her, Sonata sniffled, but managed a smile, “Thanks, sweetie.”

“I’m sowwy, too…” Spectrum spoke up, pouting sadly.

“Little late on the draw, kiddo,” Rainbow whispered.

“Rainbow!” Fluttershy whispered, swatting the back of her head.

“Ouch… Okay, okay, sorry.”

They all sat down together, mostly eating in silence, aside from the occasional request to pass something. Of course, it did occur to everyone just how empty the table seemed without Adagio there. Even if there was likely not any room for her to sit if she were actually there. The silence continued for a while, no one really sure what to say or to do. It was heavy on everyone’s minds at this point.

“Mama?” Sunrise asked, looking up at Ascentia.

“What, sweetie?” Ascentia asked softly.

“How come you came out of the hopsicle okay, but Auntie-Dagi didn’t?” Sunrise asked with a pout.

Ascentia hesitated, “...Sunny, this… isn’t the time to ask that.”

“Why?” Sunrise asked, blinking.

Twilight sighed, reaching over to place a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, “Sweetheart, please. We’ll talk about that later, but not now.”

“Hey, wait,” Cielle spoke up. Ever since arriving, she’d been exploring the club, despite it being empty. “I’ve got a question. How did Adagio get off scot-free running off and sleeping with a fifteen-year-old girl, but then my gal Dash gets committed for almost sleeping with a fourteen-year-old?”

“C-Cielle, please, don’t,” Fluttershy pleaded.

“No no, I’m serious!” Cielle shook her head, “What’s up with that?”

“I don’t know… Adagio didn’t get caught until it was too late to press charges I guess,” Rainbow rolled her eyes, “And I was committed for more than that.”

“Honestly!” Twilight hissed, “Cielle… seriously. There are children here! Can you keep your mind out of the dirty gutter for five minutes? Why don’t you ask about their bedroom lives? Oh, go ahead, I’m sure that would be a hoot!”

“Hey, I’m just pointing out an obvious hypocrisy here,” Cielle huffed, “Rainbow was just fine and they haul her off to the looney bin, but this lady could shack up with three teenagers and nobody says a word?”

Sonata sniffled, trying to hold back the urge to cry as she shook a little bit.

“Will you stop it?” Twilight reached over and swatted Cielle’s head, “It’s completely irrelevant at this point!”

“It’s totally relevant! You knew about these three the whole time, but you had Rainbow committed and not her?” Cielle bit back, swatting Twilight’s hand away.

“Don’t you turn this on me! And I did not have her committed just for that and you know it! You should know that better than any of us!” Twilight snarled in a whispery, low voice, “Just stop with your nonsense! I had no reason to press any sort of charges against Adagio!”

“Oh, so Miss high and mighty about pedophiles has pretty selective decision making,” Cielle scowled, “Let one go, commit another, kill a third, and-”

“Hey!”

The two of them looked around to see Ascentia glaring at them, handing Sunrise to Fluttershy and standing up.

“Twilight! Cielle! Living room! Right now!” she barked, looking absolutely livid as she stormed off to the living room.

Everyone was shocked, staring at her with wide eyes. Even the three women in particular who were in mourning were broken from their sadness to stare with awe. Despite Ascentia’s tall, intimidating stature and absolute strength; she was never the type to raise her voice like this. That in itself was amazing, if not for the tension in the room.

Twilight stood up, as did Cielle, with the both of them looking both surprised and guilty. They followed after her, neither of them speaking a word, while the rest of the table watched. The door swung shut, but it may as well have been wide open once Ascentia started shouting.

“I don’t know what you two think you’re doing, but those three just lost their wife! That woman was nothing but nice to us for as long as we’ve known her, and welcomed us into her home with open arms, and you’re gonna spit on her fucking grave?! Whatever shit you were about to spew, put it aside, go back in there, be good friends to Sunny, Aria and Sonata, and if I hear one more peep out of either of you I’m gonna drag you both outside and show you both just how much these fucking scars used to hurt!”

Rainbow looked at Fluttershy, eyes wide as she silently said “Shit’s getting real…”

Fluttershy nodded sadly, soothing a whimpering Sunrise.

Sunset looked at the the door, then back down at the table, “...Does this… happen a lot, at home?”

“No,” Fluttershy shook her head.

“Not really. Twi, Cielle and I are pretty prone to raising our voices,” Rainbow muttered, “It’s when these two get angry and start yelling that you gotta watch out.”

Sonata sniffled again, getting up, “I… need to pee… I’ll be right back…”

Sonata retreated from the dining room as Cielle and Twilight slowly came back in. Cielle looked ashamed with herself. Twilight looked absolutely terrified.

Cielle sat back down, wringing her fingers, “I’m… I’m sorry about what I said. I was being rude and immature. I got carried away and I apologize.”

Twilight couldn’t speak. She just sat there, shaking a little bit.

Ascentia came back into the living room, still looking furious as she sat back down, casting a glare to both Cielle and Twilight. Her face softened as she turned to Sunset and Aria.

“I am so sorry about them,” she said softly, “That was completely unacceptable.”

Aria waved it off with a light nod of thanks, continuing to eat her food.

“It’s… It’s all right,” Sunset murmured, not looking at either of them.

Ascentia laid a hand over Sunset’s and patted her gently before returning to her own food.

“...Mama?” Sunrise asked quietly.

“Yes sweetie?” Ascentia asked, looking over to her daughter.

“...Can I still eat in your lap?” Sunrise murmured, not quite looking at her.

“Of course,” Ascentia said, beckoning her over.

Fluttershy smiled, gently letting the little girl down. Sunrise went over to Ascentia, climbing up onto her lap. Ascentia kissed the top of Sunrise’s head and continued to both eat and feed her daughter. Moments later, Sonata returned, her eyes bloodshot and her face wet; indicating that she’d been splashing her face in cold water.

“Sonata, I’m sorry about them,” Ascentia said softly.

Letting out a small sniffle, Sonata wiped her eyes and nodded, “It’s… It’s okay, Asy.”

Ascentia reached over and patted Sonata’s hand, “I promise, there’s not going to be any more outbursts from them like that.”

Sonata nodded, giving a tiny smile, then looked back down at her phone. She then turned to Sunset, gently tapping her shoulder, “Um… Sunny?”

“Yeah?” Sunset asked, rubbing her eyes as she looked up to her.

“It’s not possible to get voicemail from a dead person, is it? ‘Cause… there’s a voicemail message, but it came twenty minutes ago. From Mommy’s phone,” Sonata said, biting her lip.

Everyone looked up with surprise, eyeing her phone.

Sunset looked at the phone screen and shrugged, “It could be any number of things, Sona. Delayed delivery, someone else has her phone, I don’t know,” she said quietly.

Aria spoke up then, “Here, I’ll take it. I’ll fix it over for you.”

Sonata handed her her phone, relaxing a little, “I’m sorry, everyone… I’m a mess. Lately I’m jumping at every sound, seeing things, even hearing things…”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Ascentia said softly, stroking Sonata’s shoulder, “I’ve been there, I know how it feels.”

“I know… I just… We want you guys to have a good time, too…” Sonata murmured, “We also want to make Mommy’s memory mean a lot…”

“It does,” Ascentia smiled, patting Sonata’s shoulder, “We’re all here, aren’t we?”

Sunset smiled at her and briefly touched her hand.

“Yeah… you are…” Sonata smiled, “Can I… Can I show you guys something?”

“Sure,” Ascentia nodded, to which the others tentatively followed.

They all went to the living room, gathering around the couch. Sonata meanwhile retrieved a thumb drive, placing it into the DVD player, and searching a few files. She highlighted one in particular, turning to the others.

“Here’s a video I took of Mommy… It was back when we first got here.”

Aria visibly brightened, “Oh no… it’s that one, isn’t it?” She managed a giggle.

Ascentia chuckled, “What one?” she asked as she sat down next to Sunset, rocking Sunrise in her lap.

Sunset giggled, “It’s funny… She caught Mom doing a little happy dance and celebrating her first week since opening the club.”

“Uh-huh,” Sonata smiled, pressing play.

The video started, with the camera coming into focus. It was a little shaky as it moved forward, indicating Sonata trying to keep a balance on it. The view then came around a corner into the kitchen area, where a much younger Adagio was dancing happily to some unheard music.

“Adagio!” Came Sonata’s voice from off-screen, “There you are! Look at you go!”

“It’s not unusual to be loved by any-wha?” Adagio wheeled around, looking surprised, “...How long have you been standing there?”

“I don’t know, a couple seconds! You’re just so happy, I want to document it!” Sonata giggled, even wiggling the camera a little bit, “Say hi to the camera! It loves you!”

Adagio put her hands on her hips and attempted to discreetly turn off the stereo, looking embarrassed, “Yes, I know the camera loves me, sweetie.”

Sonata let out a whimper, “You don’t have to be embarrassed… I like watching you dance and looking all smiley… I wanted to keep it…”

Adagio was still for a minute, before a smile started to slowly creep across her face. She gave an excited giggle as she turned the stereo back on and started dancing again, the excitement at having her business overtaking her embarrassment as she grabbed Sonata by the hips and started swinging her around. The camera was whirled around before being put down, presumably on a table, as the two danced in and out of view.

“Whoooaaa!” Sonata laughed, “This is fun!”

“I know you! I walked with you once upon a dream!” Adagio giggled as she twirled Sonata around like a ballerina.

“Yay! I love that one! Ooh! My turn! I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam!” Sonata sang back, giggling.

“Yet I know it’s true, that visions are seldom all they seem!” Adagio sang, hoisting Sonata into the air.

“But if I know you, I know what you’ll do!” Sonata laughed, waving her arms like a bird.

“You’ll love me at once! They way you did,” Adagio twirled her around.

“Once upon a dream!” The two of them finished in unison as Adagio set Sonata onto her hip just off-center from the camera before the two of them fell over out of frame, giggling like schoolgirls.

“Oh, that was adorable!” Sunset giggled, “It’s been ages since we saw this one.”

“Yay! Auntie Dagi!” Sunrise squealed, reaching for the screen.

“Auntie Dagi!” Spectrum mimicked her, “Mowe!”

Even Sonata was giggling with glee, looking through the videos as it ended, “Hey, I know it’s not Christmas yet… But let me show you this one… It was our first Christmas ever since Sunny came to live with us!”

On the screen, Sonata and Adagio were huddled outside Sunset’s bedroom door, whispering quietly.

“You ready?” Adagio giggled.

“Ready,” came Aria’s voice from off-camera.

“Of course!” Sonata giggled, winking at the camera, or Aria. Or both.

After a quiet countdown, the two threw open the door. Adagio ripped the covers off Sunset’s bed and the two of them held her down as she was jolted awake and started tickling her senseless.

“Oh, jeez…” Sunset chuckled, shaking her head, “You girls were evil…”

Sonata laughed, “It was Mommy’s idea! We really wanted to get you going that morning!”

“Merry Christmas, Sunny! Now you’re getting a present! TICKLES!” Sonata declared on-screen, laughing.

The two of them pulled Sunset’s shirt off and started tickling her sides and under her arms, as Sunset squealed and writhed between them, “Girls! GIRLS! STOPPIT!”

“No!” Adagio grinned as she flipped Sunset over and started tickling her back.

“Let’s just say you’re screwed, Sunset,” Aria said dryly from off-camera, coming closer to the bed.

“Aria, that was bad!” Adagio scolded jokingly, before she pulled Sunset’s pants down and tickled her legs, “But yeah, you are.”

“Noooo! Stoppit! I surrender!” Sunset squealed, still trying to wiggle away.

Adagio and Sonata held her down and tickled harder while the camera shaked ever so slightly.

“You’re all ours now!” Adagio giggled as she dug her fingers into Sunset’s thighs.

“All ours!” Sonata tickled her ribs.

Adagio pulled Sunset’s pants off, leaving her naked as the girls hoisted her up and carried her out toward the living room, “Aria, stop masturbating! It’s Christmas,” she stuck her tongue out at the camera.

“Yeah, no!” Aria followed after them with the camera, “I can masturbate whenever I damn well please, thank you very much.”

“Aria!” Adagio stuck her tongue out at her, “Every time Mommy turns around, you’re fiddling with yourself.”

“I live in a house with three beautiful women. How can you expect me not to?” Aria said dryly.

“O-kay, too inappropriate for the kiddies!” Sonata stopped it there, giggling, “It gets… very sexy from there on. Here’s another one!”

She selected another video, which was this time having the camera focusing on Aria. She was sitting at the dining room table, with some papers in front of her and a pen in her hand. The camera crept up, zooming in slightly on her face. Aria looked up, giving an annoyed sigh.

“Ma, why are you filming me?” She asked, rolling her eyes.

“Why wouldn’t I film you?” Adagio asked innocently, “You’re very photogenic, sweetie.”

“Apparently,” Aria went back to her paperwork, “You and the camera love me, it seems.”

“Yes they do,” Adagio giggled, angling the camera around, trying to see down Aria’s shirt.

Aria looked up, “What are you doing?”

“Trying to see your pretty cleavage,” Adagio giggled as she continued to angle the camera.

Scrunching up her face, Aria blushed and looked back down, “Maaaaaa….”

“Whaaaaaat?” Adagio whined playfully, “You’re pwetty Ari-baby.”

“Pwetty? Now you have a speech impediment? ...Fine, Ma, go ahead. You’re lucky I don’t have a bra on right now…” Aria pouted, adjusting her blouse a little bit.

“That’s Mommy’s baby,” Adagio giggled.

“Adagio was a dirty old woman, wasn’t she?” Ascentia giggled, giving Sunset a playful shove.

Sunset laughed, “You bet she was.”

“Yep, dirty old woman…” Aria snickered, “Much as I got lippy, I loved every second of it.”

“Mama… I’m tired…” Sunrise whimpered as she snuggled into Ascentia’s neck.

“Okay, Mama will put you down for a nap,” Ascentia smiled, taking Spectrum as well, who was also yawning, “Say goodnight.”

“Goodnight Pwetty Sunny…” Sunrise yawned, waving to her.

“Night, Auntie Sunny…” Spectrum yawned, giving a little wave and closing his eyes.

“Awww….” Sunset smiled, holding her hands over her heart. She got up, kissing the two tots on the head, “Goodnight, you two. Auntie Sunny loves you.”

Ascentia put the two of them to bed, before coming back out into the living room and sitting down, “So you were saying that Christmas got pretty sexy, were you?”

“Maybe,” Sunset winked, “You’d like to see that?”

“Any objections?” Ascentia asked with a smirk.

There was a collective ‘No’ as everyone snuggled up with their respective lovers.

Sonata grinned, selecting the video again and fast-forwarding to where they had left off, “Then here we go! Christmas sexy time!”

“Doesn’t your hand ever get sore, Ari?” Adagio asked with a giggle as she and Sonata carried a giggling and squirming Sunset into the living room and dropped her on the sofa.

“Nah,” Aria shrugged, “I alternate.”

“Gotcha!” Sonata cooed, getting onto the couch as she lifted her nightgown, “Be ready, Sunny! I’m gonna sit on your face!”

“O-O-Okaaaay…” Sunset giggled, “Just PLEASE stop tickling me…”

“Would you rather Mommy tickle something else?” Adagio chuckled, drifting her hand over Sunset’s nethers.

Sunset let out a whimper, “...Maybe…”

Adagio giggled as she watched Aria sit down with the camera, her hand still deep in her pants, “Oh Mommy’s feeling mean this morning,” she smirked as she tickled Sunset’s stomach.

“Nooooo!” Sunset squealed, batting her hands at her, “Stop it!”

“Incoming!” Sonata declared, gently sitting on Sunset’s face, “There we go!”

Adagio looked up and giggled. Sunset’s face was completely covered by Sonata’s nightgown as she rocked back and forth over her, “Having fun, Sona?”

Giggling, Sonata lifted the hem of her nightgown up around her neck so Sunset could see, and also to showcase her own naked form, “Mm-hmm! Sunny’s mouth feels so good!”

Adagio ran a hand down Sonata’s back before she got up, “You have fun, Mommy has to make breakfast,” she giggled as she stood up and sauntered off to the kitchen.

“Yaaay! Christmastime breakfast!” Sonata giggled. She then leaned down, parting Sunset’s legs and fiddling with her sex.

Sunset moaned in both agreement and arousal as she dove into Sonata’s nethers.

“Oh good, Ma makes the best breakfasts ever!” Aria smiled, sinking down into the chair.

Giggling, Sonata nuzzled Sunset’s mound, “Oh, yes! Her food is heaven in our mouths! And speaking of mouths….” She parted the folds, leaning in to suckle along her labia.

“Hey, what’dya know? Breakfast and a show,” Aria snickered as she focused the camera on the two of them.

“Mm-hmm,” Sonata hummed against Sunset’s sex, licking and suckling everywhere she could. She broke away every now and then to moan, before diving back in.

Sunset quivered and whimpered underneath her, still shaking off the last dregs of sleep as she eagerly lapped at Sonata’s sex, all the while the sound of sizzling from the kitchen filled her ears, along with the scent.

“Aahh…. ahaaa...aaah…” Sonata moaned, then proceeded to give some attention to Sunset’s nub.

“Holy crap, you two are hot,” Aria bit her lip as she set the camera down on the end table, digging deeper into her own sex as she watched the two of them.

Glancing at her, Sonata winked, “You like this, Ari? You enjoying yourselfie?”

“Oh yeah,” Aria grinned as she leaned back in her chair.

Winking again, Sonata went back to ravaging Sunset’s sex, now sticking two fingers inside of her. She thrust a little, using her mouth to play with her nub. Sunset whimpered and shivered, redoubling her efforts on Sonata’s sex as she bent her leg up.

“You three having fun in there?” came Adagio’s voice from the kitchen.

“Yes, Mommy!” Sonata called to her, “Don’t worry, you’ll see it all on tape!”

“Oh I know I will,” Adagio giggled as she peeked her head out and winked.

Giggling, Sonata went back to work on Sunset’s mound; eagerly rocking her hips back and forth against her mouth. Aria adjusted the camera before picking up her pace, fingering herself faster and harder.

“Sona… I’m almost…” Sunset whimpered between licks.

“Mmm… good girl, Sunny…” Sonata cooed between licks.

Sunset moaned sharply as she rapidly reached her climax, releasing over Sonata’s lips as she buried her mouth between Sonata’s legs. Grinning widely, Sonata happily lapped up whatever she could, pulling back a bit to moan.

“Oooh… so yummy, Sunny! Nghh… I’m almost there, now… keep it up!”

Sunset lapped harder, a struggle in her post-orgasm lethargy, pulling Sonata’s hips down against her mouth while Aria watched intently. Within a few more moments, Sonata climaxed as well, squealing happily. She went limp, feeling her juices spilling along Sunset’s mouth.

“Mmm…” Sunset mewled as she licked up Sonata’s juices, pulling back to wipe her cheek from whatever dribbled down.

“Thank you, Sunny…” Sonata crawled off to give her room, giggling.

“You’re welcome…” Sunset breathed, “That’s a way to wake up…”

“Mmm-hmm… Mommy wakes us up like that sometimes…” Sonata curled up on one side of the couch, “Nothing like waking up and seeing her beautiful face right there between your thighs…”

“Mmm…” Sunset smiled as she closed her eyes, “Kinda like when she’d get grabby down at the bar…”

“Mmm-hmm…” Aria murmured, having come herself, and was licking her hand, “Aaahh… much better.”

“You’re gonna be right back to it in a few minutes, ya know,” Sunset smiled, looking back over to her.

“And if I do?” Aria took the camera again, aiming it at Sunset.

“Hey, it’s your carpal tunnel,” Sunset snickered.

Aria blew a raspberry, “Very funny.”

“So did she?” Ascentia asked.

Aria shook her head, “No I didn’t… I was just jilling off during breakfast.”

“Good times,” Sunset chuckled.

“Such good times!” Sonata breezed the list of videos, and stopped, puzzled, “Uh… I don’t remember that video being on there. Aria?”

“Mm-mm,” Aria shook her head.

“Sunny?”

“Nope, I didn’t add a video to it,” Sunset shook her head, “It’s dated… a few months ago. Huh… Check it out, maybe Mom put something on there and we just didn’t see it.”

They pressed the button and saw Adagio holding onto the camera and directing it at herself.

“Is it recording? Yeah, that’s the… there we go…” she said as she set the camera down on the table and sat down, “Hello girls, Mommy’s making this video in case she-”

She was cut off when her phone rang, and she sighed and fished it out of her pocket, “Hello… what are you calling for? No I told you that was a one-off! I don’t need any more disposable funds! I don’t care, find someone else to… oh that’s just lewd, and not the good kind of lewd.”

She hung up the phone and shook her head, “Where was I? Right. Mommy’s making this video in case-”

Her phone rang again and she groaned and picked it back up, “Yes? Stop calling, you jackass! No I don’t need double the… I am a respectable business owner… I didn’t say the business was respectable, I said I was! No they are not the same thing!”

She hung up again and growled in frustration, “Anyway… Mommy’s making this video on the off chance she-”

The phone rang again and she growled in open anger and picked it up, “No! A thousand times NO! I am not selling my body to you! I don’t care how much money you’re offering! I am not a prostitute!”

There was a few seconds before her eyes widened and she slapped herself in the forehead.

“Hi Mrs Dusk…”

“Oh no, that was just a… what? You’re kidding me, right?” Adagio looked confused, “No… because I’m married to your daughter, that’s why! The girls downstairs are one thing, this is a completely different thing. No. No. No! I’m hanging up the phone now.”

“Anyway… in the unlikely chance that something-” The phone rang again.

“Antsy Oh My Shorts!” Adagio yelled as she answered the phone again, “WHAT?! I’M VERY BUSY!... Huh? Oh, well where are they going? Oh… well just get me a turkey club… uh, coleslaw I guess. I’m not even gonna eat it… what are you getting? No, you see I always order the wrong thing… no no, I’ll just stick with that. Okay, bye… wait what? Oh, a cherry Coke. Okay thanks… love you too Sona… buh-bye.”

Adagio didn’t even get to speak before the phone rang again. This time she just hit the speaker, “If this is about sex or sandwiches, I’m not interested!”

Rainbow’s voice came in on the other side, “How did you… know?” she asked before there was the click of her hanging up.

Adagio sighed as she looked at her phone and noticed she had ten more missed calls, “Oh fuck it. In case I die, I love you girls,” she said before getting up and huffing as she flicked off the camera, “Can’t get a moment’s fucking pe-”

“Wow…” Sunset wasn’t sure whether to laugh or not, “I guess she couldn’t resist showing us the raw cut of that, huh?”

“Silly Mommy…” Sonata giggled.

Ascentia laughed as she wrapped Sunset into a hug, “Yeah, she’s a silly one…” Next Chapter: Worthless Gutter Trash Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 36 Minutes