It was a dark and stormy day; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets. Rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty lamp posts that struggled against the darkness. I was outside the campus of my high school grounds and a sudden thunder-clap shook beneath my feet. I was alone. As I panned around with apprehension, a mysterious floating apparition appeared right before my eyes in a distance. It wore nothing but a long white transparent gown extending down longer than its body. It also had long, black hair. She pointed in my direction, though it's my guess she was pointing at the gem around my neck. Her lips were moving, but her voice was silent. As I comprehend this unknown object, her body shifted closer to me from where she levitated, increasingly in speed. Not knowing what to do, there were no options for me except to run. But something was holding me back. Like a dark magic spell was cast upon me. I was unable to move or scream. I could hear my voice attempting to scream but my mouth couldn't move. As the apparition finally caught up to me, I instantly woke up due to the fright.

I had realized that I was still in my bed, feeling relief that it was just a dream. Well, a nightmare. I squinted at the time on my alarm clock, it was 2:23 am. Since I'm up for a bit, I got up and walked towards the kitchen to get a cup of water. I didn't want to over think what my nightmare meant, but what's more important is that I need to wake up early in the morning because I promised Moon Dancer and Cuddle Bug that I would meet up with them at the diner for breakfast.

HUMANAVILLE
7:47 PM; THURSDAY
HUMANAVILLE LIBRARY

A week has passed and the school winter break is finally over. Back to reality of a high school girl, back to searching for colleges with Moon Dancer and Cuddle Bug. A little overwhelm at this point, considering my winter break wasn't technically what I would say blowing off steam, enjoying time with friends and family, candy in the sky type of deal. Instead, what I get is an ongoing drama of my never ending illuminating gem, Adagio being hospitalized because of my own uncontrolled stupidity, and hiding my boyfriend under my small bed to keep the damage control in check.

Moon Dancer urged me to go to a local pharmacy for an emergency contraceptive pill when she and Cuddle Bug heard my story about that night. I don't know, Cuddle Bug and I thought it was funny. But sure as Moon Dancer didn't think so, and she can be really scary sometimes. She warned me not to do anything stupid again then schooled me about the consequences that I'd be facing and all that shenanigans. Moon Dancer, just like Adagio, has the same low opinion about Sandal Wood: One who cannot be trusted, a womanizer. They can think all they want, but they can't take me away from him, no matter how hard they try.

Moon Dancer sat on the other side of the table from me and Cuddle Bug within this uncrowded, spacious library. "I'm hungry.." Cuddle Bug said quietly as she laid her head down on the table in front of a long print-out list of open college enrollments. She blinked and looked towards Moon Dancer's direction, then me and remain fixated at length as a protest to take a break. Cuddle Bug knew my soft spot, she knew I wouldn't say no to that, because of course, Moon Dancer would automatically turn her down. Cuddle Bug made a sad puppy face and raised an eyebrow directing at me to nudge Moon Dancer. But Moon Dancer looked so engrossed on her list, highlighting possible colleges that she would like to apply for. Nevertheless, I insisted.

I cleared my throat and lightly tapped my fingers on the table, "Ummm, MD... It's almost eight.."

Moon Dancer looked up and re-positioned her eye-glasses, "Yeah?" then continued looking through her list.

Cuddle Bug and I exchanged glances. I tucked my lips and delayed a response, "So... Should we get going and continue this some other time?"

"Are you stopping because of Cuddle Bug?.."

Cuddle Bug's stomach growled loudly as if a lion was stuck inside her stomach. She then let out a squee smile.

I raised an eyebrow at Moon Dancer, "Ya' know, I've been wond'ring how you girls treat each other when I'm not around. I'm curious..."

Moon Dancer chortled, "You really wanna know?"

I relinquished a faint smile with an attentive look, "..Yeah.."

"I make Cuddle Bug as my personal slave. Whenever I ask for things on demand, she would do it. Hell she would get a can of soda and open it for me while I relax on my own barcalounger."

My eyes widened, "Really?"

Moon Dancer popped the cap that was placed on the other end of her highlighter and covered it with slight irritation, "Uhh, Yeah... lemme first introduce you to my friend called sarcasm..." She then let out a sarcastic smile, then continued, "If you really believed that I would do something like that, then you're in trouble."

I sighed, "What the hell crawled up your ass?.."

"It's the opposite thing that crawled up in yours when you let him finished inside you."

Cuddle Bug sensed the heavy atmosphere between Moon Dancer and me. She tried interrupting, "Umm, girls, I don't feel hungry anymore..." Cuddle Bug's voice was too soft for Moon Dancer and I to hear, and couldn't care much for her as we both continued with our useless argument.

The tone of my voice began increasing in volume, "Is this all about Sandal Wood?"

Moon Dancer leveled with me, "Yeah, and hiding this whole mess from your family. It's just messed up."

"I have secrets of my own that they don't need to know about.."

"And it's alright to tell us?" Moon Dancer stood up from her seat while placing a hand on her own chest to convey her argument. She lowered the volume of her voice, "You're scared of something, Clair... And I don't know what it is." Moon Dancer faintly shook her head and continued, "They're your sisters for Pete's sake. They're trying to save you.. Least you can do is tell them what you've been up to."

I questioned, "How is that going to help me?.."

"Will you just trust me on this?..."

"So... What you're trying to make me do is... Confess..."

Moon Dancer is a very smart individual, perhaps too smart that sometimes she lets her sarcasm attitude take the side of her. She chose not to continue with the discussion or argument any longer. She began packing her stuff in her bag, "Clair, you're a smart girl, right? You figure this one out." She then zipped her bags closed, "I can't eat out with you girls tonight, perhaps some other time." She held her side satchel bag pack by her shoulder, and off she went towards the library exit.

Cuddle Bug and I remain seated for awhile. She gave an awkward grimace as if she expected me to say something. I rolled my eyes instead. She initiated, "Ummm... Maybe we should get something to eat?"

I let out a suppressed sigh, "Cuddle Bug?... Can I ask you something?"

"Sure!"

"Do you ever use your brain at times like these?"

Cuddle Bug's expression turned into a frown, and stuttered, "Oh... Well..."

I cut her off and gave her a hand signal to stop, "Just forget it... Don't need to answer that.."

Feeling slightly stressed, I slid my chair back then rubbed my aching eyes, down to the rest of my face and moaned in dismay. "Cuddle Bug, Cuddle Bug..." I then stood up from my chair, then began packing all of my stuff in my satchel bag pack, "I'm going home... I'll just see you girls tomorrow." As I packed the last text book, I zipped my bag closed and stormed out the exit without a courtesy to say goodbye to Cuddle Bug.

Cuddle Bug was left alone in the library feeling at fault that she had brought up the litany of problem to begin with when it was already dealt with. "If I wasn't hungry, all of this could've been prevented and all of us would still be here." She thought. She felt guilty, so when all hopes are lost, she would eat ice cream, and that's exactly what she will be doing tonight. She packed all of her things, left the library, and makes her way to Baskin Robbins before she heads back home.

HUMANAVILLE
4:02 PM; FRIDAY
TALL TALE FABRIC STORE

The discussion that Moon Dancer and I had the previous day in the library made me reconsider the decision of telling my sisters about Sandal Wood. I couldn't really find any logic reason, but nevertheless, what could be worse than Adagio dragging my ear down the sidewalk all the way home? Lots of things, I hope.

Adagio is a district manager at a big fabric company. She had mentioned to me multiple times to pay her a visit if I wasn't at all busy. I have never went inside a fabric store before, so this would be kind of a treat. I entered through the automatic doors to an immediate display of various rolled up fabrics on tall racks, aisle after aisle. There were wide varieties of different colors and patterns. They were beautiful. The store looked really small from the outside, but the inside spoke for itself, it's literally a warehouse. With this much space in a fabric store, I thought this place would be crowded. My guess is that such people tend not to spend time learning a skill that requires a lot of time with very meticulous work. From what I've heard, it takes a lot of passion and a good eye. As I continued examining through the vicinity of this store, seeing Adagio from a mid distance talking to an employee in her open office. I was a little surprised that she actually wore her hair different this time. Rather than her usual afro-like hair style, she had worn it down straight with a pony-tail. I guess she finally took my word for it. As I finally approached the office, I poked my head in with a grin, "Hi Adagio."

Adagio turned her head to a familiar voice, and her expression of exasperation turned into a grin, "Oh hey, Clair, what's up?" She pat on a nearby vacant seat in her office, inviting me to sit down.

I sat down, "Ummm, you seem busy today. Should I come back some other time?"

Adagio had a green, plain rolled fabric held on her right arm and she was flipping through the pages of what seem to look like a list of customers' names laid on her office desk. She skimmed through the list with her left index finger, "Well yeah, you caught me in a slightly busy time, but it's okay. What's up?"

I couldn't help but notice how pretty my sister looked with her hair down. So I complimented her, "Adagio, you look really pretty with your hair down... Why don't you keep it like that?.."

Adagio sighed, "Clair, hon.. I'm really busy right now, please make it quick.."

"Fine, but lemme take a picture of you first." I quickly unveiled my phone from my pocket, then snapped a photo:

Adagio, with no signs of emotion, "Clair... I swear to Celestia that if you post that up on facebook, I will make your life miserable."

I chuckled, and took another glance of my sister's photo, "Wow Adagio, you could've at least pulled a smile..." I then hid the phone back in my pocket. Adagio remain her eyes at me, waiting for the real purpose why I came here for. It only took me ten seconds to finally realize, "Oh ummm, it's about that night when you girls came to my apartment for dinner."

Adagio seemed puzzled, "Why, did you get a stomach ache?"

"No no no." I took a deep breath, and thought to myself that I should've at least prepared what I'm about to say.

As taking another deep breath, a nervous male employee abruptly popped in, waving at Adagio as a signal for needing urgent assistance about an incorrect order that he had placed in the company's computer for a customer. Adagio assured him that everything will be alright and that she'll be right over there momentarily to help him out. "Clair, could you just tell me later when I get home? I'm rreealllyy busy right now."

To my relief, I agreed upon Adagio's plan, "That's what I thought. I'll just tell you later." I stood up and paced the exit from Adagio's office.

"Hey Clair." Adagio called out for me.

I turned around, "Yes?"

"I'm serious... You will tell me later. I'll be expecting your call." Adagio's tone of her message gave me chills like a brisk, mountain wind. She had already sensed what was wrong, and she knew it.

"Yes, Adagio. I will call you later.." I turned back around, and walked towards the store exit.

---

After spending about fifteen minutes of walking, deep in thought about the nightmare I had a couple of nights ago. What could it mean? Most importantly, who the hell was that creepy lady, who levitated, on mid-air? This has gone way over beyond my knowledge of anything I have experienced my whole thousands of years of my life. I haven't said a word to anybody because I wouldn't think they'll take me seriously. Whoever she was, I'm sure she's bad juju. From here on out, I must keep my eyes peeled for omen.

"Clair?"

My eyes widened as I stumbled upon a person who I least expected at this time of the day. Sunset Shimmer, surprised as I am, stood right before me with a faint smile. She held a side satchel bag that looked identical to mine by her shoulder. She continued, "We can't keep bumping onto each other all the time like this." Sunset Shimmer let out an innocent smile and scratched the back of her head.

"Sunset Shimmer.... I have nothing to say to you... You humiliated me in front of everyone." I gave her an angry look, then continued to walk by-pass her.

"No Clair, wait." Sunset quickly grabbed my arm tightly to a halt, "I was actually hoping that I would see you somewhere.."

I glowered further at Sunset's hand on my arm, then looked at her with the same expression, "Get off me." I threatened.

"Clair, it's not a coincidence that we met up again."

"I said... GET OFF ME!" I pushed her away with force, and she finally lets go of my arm.

Sunset gasped, "Clair... I wanted to apologize for what I've done... I really mean it."

"Yeah... I've heard that before..." I was uninterested whatever words came out of her ass, so I went along and kept on walking. I've learned my lesson, after many mistakes of trusting her, not to deal with her anymore.

After about a few feet away from walking the opposite direction, she persisted again to draw my attention, "Clair... I can really help you with your gem."

"Bite me." I retorted.

Sunset watched me continue walking away, she attempted one last time, "Have you had any weird dreams lately?"

I paused for a moment, turned my head around with furrowed eyebrows and a head-tilt, "How do you know about that?.."

Sunset grinned, "Well.. Princess Twilight didn't choose me to be her student for nothing. I can tell you more only if we meet up tonight at Sugar Cube Corner.. Oh but promise me that you won't just walk away like you did before."

"How do I know if this is not one of your traps again..." I questioned.

"I pinkie promise that I'm telling you the honest truth."

"What the hell is a pinkie promise?..."

Sunset paused to smirk momentarily, "Oh... never mind that.. It's a word that one of my friends came up with. It's a long story."

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever, I still have some time to kill, do you wanna just walk there together?"

Sunset acted like she's really willing to help out, but like I said, I must keep my eyes peeled for omen. "Sure!" She responded with delight, "Cakes are on me, lets go." She was more enthused than when I last saw her. She probably changed for the better, or may have felt badly about the night when she humiliated me in front of everyone at the Christmas Showcase.

As planned, we both agreed on walking together to Sugar Cube Corner. I remain silent throughout the time while she was the one doing all the talking. It's just difficult for me to reclaim my trust towards someone who back stabbed me in the worse possible way. On the contrary, it wouldn't hurt to get a few bits and pieces of information, despite of what I have been warned by Adagio about not dealing with her anymore. But she may be on to something, maybe she can find a cure for my curse. One thing I fear is when all this is over, would my singing voice remain the same?

Author's Notes:

Sorry again, real life caught in the way. The drawing of Adagio in this chapter, all credits go to SkycatcherEquestria, and her deviantart site is here: SkycatcherEquestria