Adagio looked herself over in the mirror. Yep, she still looked good. Even without her old flamboyant dress, she still stood out. Fashion sense - expert level. She might hate having a job but she would still look great doing it. She left her bedroom and went to the living to wait for Sunset.

Soon a burning sensation in her brain that she had become quite familiar with took hold and she was brought down to the floor.

"Well? Why have you not done as I have asked? Sunset remains uncorrupted! I tire of you Adagio. Do something soon or I will make you suffer as beyond imagination."

"I . . . I have news," Adagio stammered out through the pain. "The girls, Sunset's friends, they all have new powers, new names."

"What is this? Tell me more. And don't try to bluff me Adagio!"

Adagio felt the pain subside. It didn't go away completely; but it did decrease to the point where every thought, every breath was a labor.

"Sunset, Twilight, and the others. They have a magic when they are together. That's how they were able to defeat me."

"I know this already. I've seen into your mind. You better have something more than this."

"I don't know the details; but apparently when you crossed over, you amplified whatever they had. They've gotten new, mystical names and even greater powers. I don't know much else outside of that. They are planning on hunting for you though."

A new burst of pain seized hold of Adagio.

"Have you told them about me? How are they planning on hunting me? Speak to me girl!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Adagio screamed then the pain stopped. She knew exactly what had happened. Sunset was home.

*********************************************************

Sunset walked through the door and saw Adagio in the fetal position on the floor; crying. She ran over to her, knelt down, and grabbed a hold of her.

"Dag, what's wrong?" Fear radiated from her voice.

It took Adagio a bit, but soon she recovered enough to talk. "Nothing. I, I get these excruciating headaches sometimes. I guess it's from being separated from the power of the gem stone."

Sunset hugged Adagio. "Dag, I'm so sorry. You sure you want to go to work?"

"Yes. Just, just let me fix my make-up." Adagio went to her bedroom and started to repair her make-up as best she could in the time she.

Sunset called from the front room, "I met a guy today." Sunset's voice was happy and light. Even a little proud.

"Oh?" Adagio tried to hide her disappointment and sadness. She had been growing closer and closer to Sunset over this past week. Close enough to even start developing what she took for romantic feelings. It was hard to tell. She had never really felt anything positive toward anyone before. From what she understood from reading and watching their (human's) fiction, romantic was the best way to describe what she felt.

"He's young, seventeen, but he's really cute. Charming as well. I'm thinking of going out with him this Friday."

"Well, congratulations then." She hoped her good will didn't sound as forced as it actually was.

"I could ask if he has a friend. We could do a double."

"No thank you."

"Why not? It couldn't hurt. And it'd be nice to have wing gal there."

Adagio looked down and fought back tears. "I'm not into guys," she called back; trying to sound aloof and indifferent.

"Oh! You're a lesbian?"

Adagio laughed to herself. Apparently, she thought. "No. Not into anybody. Not like that."

"Oh," Sunset said in disappointment. "Ok then."

Adagio came out in to the living room and stood in front of Sunset. "Well?" she asked with some trepidation.

"Dang Dag! You look great. I feel sorry for the human race for not being able to date you."

"Yeah," she said quietly. "Well let's go."

Adagio was quiet the whole ride to the mall. Sunset knew there was something bothering her but she also knew if she pushed, Adagio would just retreat further into herself so she kept her mouth shut. Sunset pulled up in front of the store where Adagio worked and Adagio got out.

Before she shut the door, Sunset finally asked her, "Dag, are you ok? Seriously. You don't have to go to work. We can just relax at home today if you want."

Adagio shook her head. She turned to walk away but then halfway turned back. "Thank you Sunset, for everything." Then she left.

******************************************************

Adagio went about her work in a haze. She still did it well. One thing Adagio never did was half butt something. Emotionally she was gone though. Even mentally she was mostly checked out. Only using enough of her brain to accomplish her job but nothing else. It was in this haze that she was taken surprise by a voice behind her.

"Hey Adagio!"

Adagio nearly jumped. She wasn't used to having people sneak up on her. Well, not allowing them to at least. She turned around and saw human Sunset Shimmer standing there.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at school?" she asked genuinely surprised.

"We had a water main break at school so they left us off. You can Google it to see if I'm lying," Shimmer said with a smile. "I caught a bus here to see if you were working. It paid off."

Adagio looked at her watch. "I go on break in half an hour. Can you wait until then?"

"Sure!"

The time passed extremely so. So slow, Adagio thought she might be in a localized time warp. Her break did come eventually and there was Shimmer waiting for her by the door that lead to the rest of the mall. The two hugged and walked to the food court. Shimmer just got an iced coffee while Adagio got a salad and bottle of orange juice. They both sat down at a table and started talking. Shimmer started first.

"You ok? You look - sad."

"I'll be fine. First let me check," Adagio took out her phone and looked to see if Shimmer was telling the truth. "You lied," she said bluntly with a hint of humor behind it.

"I never said I wasn't. I only said you could check to find out for sure."

Shimmer smiled even more broadly. This made Adagio smile as well and she shook her head. "You're going to get in trouble you know." She tried to sound serious but failed.

Shimmer blushed and looked down. She waited a bit before continuing. Her voice was soft and shy. "Um, I just wanted to see you. I think it's obvious by now, through my texts and everything that I'm gay. I'm gay and, well, I like you. I mean liiiike you like you. And, judging by some of your texts back, you like me to. In that way. Am I wrong?"

Adagio looked all around the room and then down at the table before finally speaking. "No. No you're not."

Shimmer had been worried that she miss read Adagio but now that she knew she hadn't, she felt like she was going to burst with joy. "So, would you like to go on a date sometime? Maybe this Friday?"

Adagio looked at Shimmer for a second and then started to lean into her. Shimmer was surprised at first and didn't know what to think until she realized that Adagio was coming in for a kiss. Shimmer slowly leaned forward and the two kissed. Slowly, softly, gently at first. Then the kisses grew faster and more passionate. They grabbed each others heads, caressing each others cheeks, pulling their bodies in closer.
Then Adagio suddenly pulled back.

"What's wrong? Did I . . .," Shimmer started to ask in fear that she did something wrong or that maybe Adagio was just playing with her.

"You're not my Sunset," Adagio said almost apologetically.

Shimmer stared at Adagio. She knew, she actually knew she wasn't the other Sunset Shimmer. "How?" she asked.

"I, I live with another Sunset Shimmer. The another straight Sunset Shimmer. I have developed feelings for her for which she could never experience for me. I was going to use you as her stand in. But I can't. I won't. I'm sorry. I'd still like to be friends and maybe later; who knows. But for now, it wouldn't be right or fair to lead you on and use you."

Adagio couldn't believe the words she just spoke. All of Adagio's life was using other people. Now she couldn't. Maybe it was just she was too prideful to accept a consolation prize. Whatever the reason, she couldn't go on.

Shimmer looked down. "Oh. Well I thank you for your honesty. Actually, I already about the other Sunset. My school played the school she went or goes to. I'm not sure if she's still there, but I'm guessing not. The day I met you, I was here trying to find her. Ever since meeting you though, I've completely forgotten about her." She stopped and then added with a laugh, "You're just that good looking."

Adagio laughed as well. "Thanks. You as well."

Shimmer then stopped laughing and got really serious. "Can I meet her?"

"I don't know. I'll ask. She's going out on a date this Friday I think. Then we're going to a sleep over on Saturday. I'll see about Sunday." Then Adagio got somewhat stern. "But only if you go back to school, understand. There's a monster lose you know."

"Oh yeah, some sick crime gang or something. Ok I will. And Adagio, thank you. People as good as you are hard to find."

"You have no clue," Adagio replied bitterly.

The rest of Adagio's break they talked and Adagio ate. Once done, they hugged goodbye and went their separate ways.