April is always a time of enjoyment. For Adagio and her girlfriend, it turns out to be the month they confessed their feelings to each other a year ago~ Adagio has quite a few plans, but will they go accordingly?

Hello, everyone~ I'm glad you're here! This is officially the longest chapter I've written to date. I will probably outdo myself again sometime, but I have to tell everyone two different things. One, I want to say thanks to a good friend of mine for giving me the idea of correlating siren magic to fast food restaurants~ Second, I want to give Mon a big thanks for the inspiration to give Adagio a new pair of boots that will come into play in the future! Thanks, Mon! I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter since it took me two weeks to write it~

April. It’s always a weird time of the year. Technically, it’s spring, but it can still feel like winter or it can be just as hot as summer. Every day, you have to decide correctly whether you will be wearing a bunch of layers or not. If you decide incorrectly, you’re pretty much screwed. Especially since my daily routine is waking up, going to work, eating lunch, working till I come home, eating dinner, and going to bed. Rinse. Repeat. Sometimes, I have enough free time to hang out with some friends or Sunset, but it really depends on the day. Today is not one of those days…

Pulling the keys out of my purse, I quickly unlock the door, trying to escape the cold and oncoming storm. It’s been raining non-stop for almost a week. If it keeps going for any longer, it might ruin some of my plans… After Valentine’s Day last year, I purged Sunset from my life, trying to keep her away for her own good. In a week, it’ll mark a full year since I confessed my feelings to Sunset on that beach. One full year. Hopefully, the rain will stop by then. Some of my plans require a more… dry climate.

“Hey, honey~” Sunset’s voice echoes from the kitchen, the sound of the oven accompanying her words. I wasn’t expecting Sunset to cook something for us tonight, but it’s a pleasant surprise, nonetheless~ Our anniversary is quickly approaching and only a couple things could ruin it. One of those being her…

The demon in my mind hasn’t left… Ever since she threatened Sunset’s safety, she’s come and gone as she pleased. Despite my searching, I’m no closer to finding out what she’s planning. She said so herself. She has a plan. I just don’t know what it is. Now, I can’t even tell Sunset about her. I can’t tell anyone since she’s pretty much always watching. I’m on my own, trying to find out what she is trying to do. My biggest clue is her mannerisms. She’s always criticized me for not pursuing power. She thinks exactly like me and she’s ruthless. Like how I used to be… It’s not hard for me to deduce a couple of key interests of hers.

Taking off my scarf, I gently hang it on the rack, slipping my jacket off of me. It’s smart of her to not blow her cover… Why should I be impressed? She’s something in MY mind. Of course she would be cunning and intelligent. That’s what I am… She wants power and not much else. At this point, it’s a duel of sirens, trying to decide who is the real Adagio. I’ve never heard of this happening to any other siren, but regardless, I don’t plan on letting her fulfill whatever plans she has. All I have to do is realize what she’s after. If it was magic, then her logical choice would be going after our lost magic. I’ve checked my shoebox, but…. it wasn’t touched… So, she hasn’t moved my personal belongings. As much as I try to get in her head, my anniversary with Sunset is the only day I want completely free from her influence. I already agreed to not tell anyone about her, so hopefully, she doesn’t invade my special day with Sunset.

“Alligator?” Sunset’s voice breaks me from my train of thought, making me shake my head and look up from the floor. Standing in the entrance to our small kitchen, Sunset looks back at me with a concerned expression, wearing jeans, a t-shirt and socks, complemented by an apron with a picture of the sun.

“Sorry, Sunny~ I just got lost in a train of thought. How are you doing?” I ask her with a smile, kicking off my boots and walking over to her. The love of my life looks at me with a raised eyebrow, rubbing my shoulder slowly.

“Really? May I ask what you were thinking about?” she asks me with a chuckle pushing me slightly. It’s hard to answer her question immediately…

“I was just thinking about a special day, that’s all~” I whisper, bringing my hand to Sunset’s cheek.

“Oh? Have you decided what you’re going to wear?” Sunset says with a wink, looking down at my body momentarily. “I bet a couple of the dresses I own would look pretty good on you~”

“If you want to help me decide what I will wear, we can do that after dinner. I was actually thinking of what I have planned for our anniversary,” I whisper, feeling a little flustered at the thought of wearing a dress. I wouldn’t do that normally, but if it’s for Sunset, then I would do it in a heartbeat. Of course, I could wear that suit again, but… if it’s our anniversary, I’d rather look pretty than professional. Nothing wrong with making myself a bit of eye candy, right? She’s probably going to do the same for me.

“As long as you don’t take up the afternoon and nine. I have a couple plans of my own, after all,” Sunset teases me with a wink before turning around and walking back inside the kitchen. Rolling my eyes slowly, I can’t help but chuckle at her response. Both of us have our plans for this day and she refuses to tell me what she has in mind before I tell her my own ideas. I suppose that’s fair though. That means both of us will be surprised a week from now.

“What are you making?” I ask Sunset, changing the topic of our conversation towards dinner. Looking inside the kitchen, I see the oven is still cooking something, but it’s hard to make out what is inside the pan. The air smells like… cheese. Cheese and spice. At the sink, Sunset is washing the dishes, the hot air making her sweat slightly. “Hey, let me do that. You already made us dinner,” I tell her, rolling up my sleeves and walking up to the sink. Sunset hesitantly backs away from the sink, chuckling at me.

“How generous of you~ I didn’t think you would want to do that after your long day at work.” For some reason, Sunset’s comment rubs me the wrong way. Of course I’m tired, but it’s not like I would force her to do even more work. If anything, it should be equal between us unless one of us is sick.

“Your internship and classes are just as tiring as my job, Sunny. I can do something as simple as the dishes. You went through the trouble of making us dinner, so it’s the least I can do,” I tell Sunset quietly, giving her a smile before I scrub one of the cooking utensils she probably used for our meal. “We’re a team after all. Right?” Those words are the same ones she told me right after our first big fight. They’ve stuck with me and I can’t forget them simply because of how true that statement is. I may be my own person, but I left my individuality at the door when I decided to date Sunset. We’re a team now. Not two people who do whatever they want.

“Yeah, you’re right~” Sunset whispers before pulling on some oven mitts. From the action, I can only assume that the oven will beep within a minute.

“What did you make?” I ask once again, reiterating my curiosity before our topic got sidetracked.

“I made us some lasagna,” Sunset tells me with a big smile before a loud beep makes my ears ring. It seems that even if I am mentally preparing myself for a loud sound, it still causes some discomfort. Sunset quickly opens the oven, taking the pan out and setting it down on the top, a delicious smell filling the whole room instantly. The first time I had lasagna was when I made it with her… One of my first true cooking experiences, now that I think about it.

“You made it without me, huh?” I ask with a slight pout, ultimately happy to have dinner, but feeling a little sad I couldn’t get off work faster to make it with her.

“Don’t worry,” Sunset tells me with a wink, walking over to me before laying her lips on my cheek. “I’ll let you help me next time~”

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“Is it just me or do I try things on for you a lot of the time?” I ask from inside our closet, pulling on a dark blue fabric. At this point, I’ve already tried on three dresses and I haven’t exactly been impressed with how they look on me. We probably should have done this before I ate lasagna, but here we are. The one thing that makes me a bit flustered about this situation is that all these dresses are owned by Sunset. I don’t exactly have a big wardrobe. I have my suit, a couple different outfits, and then my hoodie and jeans. I used to have a black dress for my nightclub job, but… I didn’t like the memories associated with that. I really should spend more money on clothes. I think it would probably benefit me a lot. Hell, maybe Sunset would try on some of my clothes then as well. It’s an ironic and funny thought when I think about it.

“I can’t help it if you look good in a lot of the clothes you try on,” Sunset tells me from behind the door, a quiet chuckle barely being heard. “Besides, you seem to have fun when we do this~”

“More like you’re having fun,” I retort, rolling my eyes slightly. I can’t help but find her statement a bit humorous since she’s probably the one who enjoys this the most. I can only remember a couple times where Sunset tried something on for me instead of the other way around. Given, she already has a pretty big wardrobe, so it’s not like she needs to try on anything. Thankfully, Sunset and I are roughly the same size, so mostly all of these dresses fit me. One thing I have noticed is that Sunset is slightly bigger in bust size… I never even thought about that since it seemed like we were the same size. Then again, I’m not exactly comparing whenever we do see each other. Some other things are on my mind… I also found out that my hips are a little bigger than hers. These two areas may not be that big of a deal, but it does interfere with me wearing some of her dresses. Even if it fits me, it’s not exactly tailored for my body in the best way. Still. I have to make do with what I have. I can’t exactly afford to go buy a new dress.

“Can you blame me? You look stunning~” she teases me, causing both of us to laugh a little. I look stunning, but I feel a little jealous of her. It’d be nice to judge her trying on a couple outfits as well. I suppose I will see her in a dress soon enough. Just a week from now.

Taking a deep breath, I look down at my body, trying to make sure the dress fits just right. This one fits me the most compared to any of the other items, so I think it looks pretty good on me, but Sunset thought every one of them looked nice on me. “Okay, I’m ready.” Grabbing the door knob carefully, I take a moment to make sure everything is correct. I don’t want another skeleton situation… Twisting the doorknob slowly, I open it in front of me, looking towards the floor for a moment. Before walking out, I lock my eyes with the woman sitting on the bed, giving her a small smirk as I step into our room. From the look in her eyes, I can tell that Sunset enjoys the view, giving me a small clap as I pose for her. Sunset giggles when I spin around, showing her every possible angle that I can be seen from. The dark blue fabric shines slightly in the lights of our room, giving it a gala sort of vibe.

“Adagio,” Sunset says in a whisper, her eyes absolutely glued to me. Her eyes dart around me, scanning each part of the dress and how it compliments me. “It looks beautiful on you~” she tells me in a soft tone, her gaze almost making it look like there are hearts in her eyes. I can’t lie. It’s honestly pretty nice to see Sunset in a dreamy state like this.

“You said that about all the dresses,” I briefly disregard her sentence, looking down at the dress in an attempt to hide a small blush. Every time she calls me beautiful or cute, it makes me so unreasonably happy… My body feels flustered and a smile always comes to my cheeks. Sometimes, I wonder if she’s actually doing it on purpose.

Standing up off the bed, Sunset walks over to me and brings her hands to my shoulders, her soft touch making me feel even more flustered. “I know that~ All the dresses have looked beautiful on you. But… do you know what’s prettier than this attire?” Her question, as innocent as it is, rolls off her tongue with a lovestruck look caught in her eyes. Every part of my body knows what the answer is to her question. It’s so simple that an ant could guess it. At the same time, I don’t necessarily… want to guess. My mind craves the answer she so clearly has on her mind. I don’t like to admit it, but her admiration means the world to me… Just knowing that she has that special interest in me each and every day makes my heart flutter, reminding me I am worth something in the end. “You are~” she whispers quietly, cupping my cheek in her hand with that same dreamy look staring into my soul. Within an instant, my cheeks flush right as Sunset brings her lips closer to me, kissing my nose ever so softly. Half the time, I feel like I’m completely in charge, and the other half? I’m completely at her mercy, following her lead with a happy smile. Perhaps it’s because she tamed this siren, making me hardly bare my teeth at anyone. Anger used to be such an issue, but… with her, it’s rare for me to feel the effects of that rage. She makes me feel… complete.

Pressing my lips against hers, I complete the engagement she was too hesitant to continue. My heart flutters with each passing second… She’s so perfect, despite her own thoughts. “I love you too, Sunset,” I whisper, reading in between the lines of her actions. Every single part of me forces me to cling to her, not wanting this embrace to end a second sooner than it has to. I know I have a few more dresses to try on, but for now… just stay here with me.

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Each day drags on far longer than they usually would. One could chalk this up to summertime coming ever closer, but I know that the real reason is the anticipation. Whenever my mind anticipates something, time seems to drag on for so long, making me count down the seconds until the moment finally comes. The thing I’m looking forward to this time is my anniversary with Sunset. It’s five days until our anniversary and my mind is doing nothing but making me watch the seconds pass by. Every day I sit in my office, one of two things passes through my mind. The thoughts of the demon plaguing my mind or my plans for this anniversary… The warm air does nothing to distract me from those thoughts. It seems like everything reminds me of something Sunset and I did together, giving me a few more ideas that I could try to pull off. Most of these are fruitless since they can’t possibly fit within the day we have scheduled out. Regardless, it might be worth it to keep these ideas for a future anniversary.

For now, my attention needs to be on this anniversary and the demon that could sabotage it. I need to find out what her plan is and what she’s doing when she takes control of my body. One siren against another. If I want to see more than one anniversary with Sunset, it’s almost guaranteed that I need to stop her before she does anything else. My investigation, however urgent as it is, can wait until after this special day with Sunset… I’m hoping that if I don’t bother her, she won’t bother my day with Sunny. After that, though? Then it’s fair game…

One of my preparations for this day is the exact reason why I’m walking through the city now. It’s been a while since I’ve been to Rarity’s store. The last time I stepped inside, I needed her to fix my scarf. It’s not like I’m scared of the place. I just haven’t had an excuse to actually go there again since every time I’ve seen Rarity was at another social event or we agreed to meet up at a mutual location. Have I ever seen Rarity’s home? Huh… I’ve gone to everyone’s homes except hers. I honestly find that hard to believe since I’ve been running around this city a lot more in the past year than any other time. I know she has a house and not an apartment since Sweetie Belle mentioned it when I helped the Crusaders. Though, it’s hard for me to remember which time I helped them since they often find excuses to get me involved. By “they,” it’s usually Apple Bloom.

If I remember correctly, Rarity’s shop should be pretty close to the coffee place Sunset and I went to the first time she agreed to hang out with me. To this day, I’m still surprised that Sunset agreed to try being my friend due to what I did to her the time I saw her before that. Regardless, I’ve only been to Rarity’s shop twice, so its exact location isn’t exactly imprinted on my mind. It should be just down the street from the coffee shop, so that would place it… around the next corner, right? The coffee shop is somewhere to my right, so this next intersection should be the street where it’s located.

Quickly walking towards the four-way stoplight, I look down the street to my right, only seeing a couple of bland stores before the coffee shop. That would mean Rarity’s store is directly to my left… Looking to my left, I can’t help but feel relieved and pretty smart, seeing a familiar store with purple accents. Yep. That’s it. The store that refuses to be a “tragedy of modern and ancient architecture.” Rarity told me that herself on one of the many times I’ve gone over to the Apple Family home. Unsurprisingly, she’s there a lot of the time to either help out or just spend some time with her girlfriend. It’s a little surprising she doesn’t live with Applejack at this point, but then again, maybe Sunset and I jumped the gun a little too fast with that. Sunset didn’t really want me to keep living in that part of town and we thought it would be easier to split the rent of one apartment. And let’s face it… She and I always sort of acted like we were dating when we were friends.

Shaking my head slightly, I quickly cross the street, walking towards the clothing shop with a deep breath. Every time I ask Rarity for a favor, I can’t help but feel a little guilty. Maybe it’s because I don’t spend a lot of time with her… She and I are definitely friends, but I don’t spend as much time with her than I do with Rainbow Dash. Though, it would be nice to hang out with her a bit more. She and I can easily talk about luxury and fashion. The next time I could possibly hang out with the fashionista is after the anniversary… Opening the door to the clean, sleek and sparkly store, I walk inside and take a look around, seeing Rarity at the cash register. Gently, she hands a receipt to a woman with a smile, giving them an encouraging look.

“I’m sure you’ll love this~ If you have any problems at all, just come back and I will happily exchange this for something else,” Rarity happily tells her, waving the woman off before spotting me. An excited expression comes to her face before she composes herself, walking with the woman to the entrance and turning her sign to temporarily close the store. “Adagio darling!” she exclaims the moment she locks the door, hugging me as she leans her body weight against me. A dramatic embrace, but a typical one for Rarity. “What brings you here today? Is there another piece of clothing I can fix for you? Wait, please don’t tell me it involves Rainbow Dash’s antics again! She’s a good friend, but she has no idea what a good attire can mean to a person.” Rarity brings her hand to her head, seemingly frustrated with Rainbow Dash and her previous “crimes against humanity” as she would put it. “How is Rainbow Dash anyway? I haven’t called her lately.”

“One question at a time, alright, Rarity?” I ask with a chuckle, shaking my head as I make my way further into the shop, looking at the decor briefly. “Rainbow Dash is doing fine. She actually said she was going to ask you if you wanted to come with her to some rock concert since she had an extra ticket.” Rarity’s eyebrow raises slowly upon hearing this, walking towards a small table with two chairs on the opposite side of the room.

“I haven’t heard of this, but I do have a relatively free schedule~ When she asks me, I’ll probably accept it.” Sitting on one of the chairs, Rarity offers the other seat to me, wanting to have a friendly chat with me. “Do you want anything? Tea? Water?” she asks me kindly, offering me different beverage options before I shake my head.

“I’m alright. Thank you anyway,” I tell her with a slight wave of my hand, sitting down in my seat slowly. “And no, I don’t have another piece for you to fix, thankfully~ I just came here to talk to you about something else that’s important to me.” Feeling the scarf around my neck, I can’t help but feel grateful to Rarity for fixing something so precious to me. It was the first gift Sunset ever gave me and the thought of losing it makes me feel really depressed. Hence why I usually wear it, no matter the circumstance. Unless I’m doing something risky or if it’s really warm outside. “Don’t freak out, but Sunset and I are having our first anniversary in five days.” Regardless of what I said, Rarity’s face lights up with excitement, her eyes seemingly beaming with that same enthusiasm she has for making clothes.

“Oh my gosh, darling! I had no idea it’s already been a year since the two of you got together! Do you have anything special planned? Oh, you have to do something special!” Rarity emphasizes with an enamored look for the topic of love. She’s always been in love with love itself, often focusing on romance above all else. “Applejack and I went on a nice boat ride for our first anniversary~ Of course, that was my idea. Oh, and we also went swimming in the ocean for our second anniversary! Although, it was dark and no one else was around and… Well, I think you get the idea~” Rarity coos as if she’s reliving a lovely memory, tracing her finger in the shape of a heart on the table.

“Well, I do have a couple things planned. That was actually why I wanted to talk to you.” Here comes the embarrassing part… The part where I will inevitably feel guilty asking her for a favor. “I’m a siren. I don’t know much about love and romance. Sunset reassures me that I’m a great girlfriend all the time, but… I’ve never once taken her on a ‘proper’ date. I have multiple ideas that I’ve already paid for, but… I was wondering if I could ask for your opinion on the main part I’ve come up with?” I ask slowly, hanging my head slightly. It’s alright to feel a little ashamed, right…? To feel guilty that I haven’t taken Sunset on a “real” date before. I mean, she hasn’t taken me to some romantic dinner either, but I guess that’s because we’ve never really thought about that idea. Now that it’s getting ever closer to our anniversary, that idea becomes a little more tantalizing.

“Go ahead, Adagio. I’m listening~” Rarity tells me with a kind smile, clearly reassuring me that it’s alright to ask for her opinion.

“Sunset and I already figured we would both make plans, so I kind of reserved time around dinner. I kind of… scored a couple tickets to go to a piano recital from Fluttershy. It happens right before dinner and Sunset-”

“-has always wanted to go, right?” Rarity interrupts me, seemingly shocked by my words. “Sunset has always said how much she wants to go see a piano recital. Especially in a seat in the front three rows of the audience. Did… Did Fluttershy get you tickets for that?” Rarity asks me hesitantly, a hopeful and cautious look on her face.

“Front row, right in front of the middle of the stage,” I say with a small smile, happy that I could get these tickets for her. Rarity’s face looks relieved and happy to hear that news. “So, Sunset and I are going to the piano recital before dinner. I’m planning to dance with Sunset after dinner as well, but there’s only one big problem with this plan.” Taking a deep breath, I brush the hair out of my face, trying to think of the right words to say. “I… don’t know any of the ‘good’ restaurants. I was kind of hoping maybe you had a recommendation or even some connections?” It’s not exactly my proudest moment to ask Rarity this kind of thing… I was hoping I could do a better job and actually find a good restaurant for the two of us to attend, but that was harder to do than I thought it would be. Besides, I’m not exactly flush with cash right now… I’ve been saving up for this night for a while, but I don’t think I can afford a restaurant that charges up to a thousand dollars for one meal.

“Hmm… I see. Well, I do have a couple of connections,” Rarity says with a thoughtful look before her eyes light up, quickly getting up from her seat and walking over to the counter. “I know just the thing! There’s this beautiful place that serves top notch food and usually offers dances for couples. It’s four-and-a-half stars, and the owners owe me a favor since I designed their attire! Just give me a second to find the number.” Rarity frantically searches the drawers, pulling out a piece of paper with a relieved expression. Getting out of my seat, I slowly approach the counter, seeing Rarity write something down on a small note. “I’ll call them tonight~ You need to call them tomorrow morning so that you can confirm who you are and you’ll be the one cashing in my favor. Don’t worry, I’ll give them the details~” she tells me with a smile, handing me the note. Taking the note slowly, I can’t help but feel incredibly lucky that Rarity had an opportunity like this… I’m really glad she’s willing to help me with something like this, especially since I don’t know what I’m doing.

“Thank you, Rarity. This really means a lot~”

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The day’s warm atmosphere is ever present as I walk along the sidewalk. It’s a busy day in the city today… It’s probably due to the fact that school has let out and mostly everyone who has an office job is out of work right about this time. Unfortunately, it makes traveling through the city a bit slower than I would like. Right now, I have somewhere I need to be and it’s a bit annoying to dodge and weave through the crowds. This is the last thing I need to check up on before our anniversary, so I would prefer to do it quickly… Once again, the minutes go by slowly each day that passes by. With each day, my anticipation for our anniversary only gets stronger. Is it wrong of me to be excited? The answer is obviously no, but I wish I didn’t have to count down the minutes.

It’s alright. There’s only one more thing I need to do. Then I can just focus on getting to our anniversary with little to no problems. There are so many things to do in general, but I’m just glad that I’m relatively prepared for this special day. All I want is to make sure that our anniversary is a great day for her. I’m sure she’s probably prepared ways to do the same for me, but I have no idea what she’s planned. The last thing I have to check is the thing that cost the most out of everything I planned for this day. Taking a deep breath, I walk forward, making my way towards the jewelry store. Despite the fact that Sunset already has some, she doesn’t have a lot… Nor does she have items she wears casually or such. If anything, she keeps them all in a special box, but I thought it would be nice to actually get her something she might feel comfortable wearing outside of the apartment.

This store in particular allowed you to make custom orders with whatever type of jewelry you desired. Then, once it’s ready, it will be shipped to the location closest to you for pick up. I must have ordered this gift a week ago at this point, but I’ve checked with the store every couple of days just to see if it’s arrived yet. The hardest part about this order was making it online, but I had a little bit of help from Apple Bloom. Of course, she was excited as all hell when she saw what I wanted to get Sunset, but I made her promise to keep her mouth shut. Thankfully, she keeps her word when she promises something.

Quickly walking inside the store, I can hear some chatting of patrons, the shine of the store ever present. Of course, everything is overly clean and organized. It’s true that I like luxury, but all the overwhelming colors seem like they’re trying to give people a headache. All the glass showcases hold the really expensive jewelry, tempting any person that comes in here without a mission. I, on the other hand, have a specific goal in mind. Walking towards the counter, I briefly look at some of the rings in the display before looking towards the woman behind the counter. Her hair has a shine that makes it look like she used some kind of product in it. As an added accessory, she has a couple of small gems glued to her face, adding to the store’s aesthetic.

“Welcome to the Crystal Empire! How may I help you today?” the woman asks in a kind and rehearsed tone. Every time I’ve come here, I’ve had to deal with the same few lines they’re trained to say. If I had to deal with the same clerk every time, then they would know me at this point.

“I have an order under the name Adagio Dazzle. It’s probably not in yet, but I just wanted to make sure,” I say quietly, pulling out a receipt from my bag. I wouldn’t usually be so straightforward, but at this point, I’m pretty tired of coming back to the same store every few days. Apple Bloom said an email would help me know when my order is ready, but I have no idea how to operate that. Sunset could probably teach me since she has to use an email for her school activities. Then again, what would I check my email on? I don’t have a computer and my phone is an old flip phone that can hardly operate the few apps it has.

“Alright, let me check on that for you! It will take a few minutes, so please be patient,” the woman says slowly, taking my receipt and walking into the back of the store. I’ve been through this song and dance before. Every time, they walk into the back and go check their stock, making sure my order isn’t there. They take about five minutes before they finally come back just to tell me the bad news that it isn’t here. Is it really that wrong of me to hope it’s here by now? Taking a deep breath, I look around the store, noticing the multiple people looking at the jewelry displays. Most of the people are grouped into twos, making them look like couples scouting out some pieces they could try to buy. On the other hand, some people are alone, looking at the selections with a nervous or concentrated expression on their faces. In one corner of the store, two women stand next to a ring display, looking down at the apparel. One of them has green skin and hair, some white in her hair that offers a good contrast to all the green. The woman she’s standing beside looks familiar to me for some odd reason. Her yellow skin and her pink and navy blue hair makes me feel like I’ve seen her before… Didn’t I see her at that ice cream shop a couple months ago…? It was right after that ball game that Rainbow Dash wanted us to go to. Her name tag said something like… Bon Bon? I can’t remember…

“Miss Dazzle?” the voice of the woman makes me look back to the counter, her hands holding a pink box. “Was this what you were looking for?” she asks me kindly, sliding the box across the counter and opening it in front of me. Inside the box, a gold chain bracelet shines brightly, a symbol of the sun interlocked with a musical note. The sun is a bright red gem and the musical note is purple, both colors contrasting the gold nicely. The red sun was inspired by the peculiar necklace Sunset owns that has an orange pendant with a red sun inside it. As for the purple musical note… Well, that was my contribution. I thought that since she’s given me so much to remind me of her, maybe it would be nice if she had something to remind her of me. Something she can look down at whenever she gets stressed and remember that I will always be here for her. Just like what I do with my scarf and my coat.

“Yes, it is. Thank you very much,” I say quietly, taking the receipt and the box from the woman. Closing the pink box, I put it in my bag before I walk towards the exit, looking at Bon Bon and the other woman one last time. It seems like a lot of love is going around this week. Now, all I have to do is wait until our anniversary. Only one question remains in my mind. Will she like it…? All I can do is hope that she will like the gesture.

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The warm light of the sun spills into our room in the early morning. Sunset and I opted to go to bed early last night, so it’s not a surprise that I woke up a bit before the sun rose above the horizon. Despite the cool air in our room, I feel pretty warm, holding onto the one I love with a smile. Our white blanket covers the both of us, but the main heat I feel is from Sunset’s body. Despite the fact that I’ve been resting my head on her chest the whole night, she’s had no problem breathing. Her arms have never let go of me for a second and I can’t be happier for that fact. Her soft skin makes me want to stay here forever most days. Today is a little different though… As much as I love this embrace we’re in, we have a long day ahead of us. Full of surprises for each other.

Taking a deep breath of the one I love, I slowly push myself up, feeling my stiff muscles come to life again. The blanket slides down, baring my skin to a little more of the cool air in the room. I don’t usually like waking up so early, but my mind is too excited to wait any longer. This whole week, I’ve been counting down each second that passed by, making me anticipate this day even more. It’s finally here. It’s been a full year since I told her those three words. The words that ultimately changed our relationship and how we acted around each other. Looking towards Sunset’s face, a small smile is on her face, her eyes still closed. Slowly, her hand rubs my shoulder, clearly showing me she’s awake.

“How did you sleep, Alligator?” Sunset whispers, opening her eyes to look at me. Her soft touch makes my heart beat a little faster, a happy feeling coming to my mind. Seeing her in such a relaxed state makes me want to go back to sleep in her arms. Leaning down on my elbow, I gently kiss Sunset, laying my hand on her stomach.

“Not the best, but that’s simply because I’ve been so excited,” I whisper quietly, kissing her cheek slowly. Sunset giggles in response, clearly happy with the attention.

“Well, I’ve been excited too~ I can’t wait to see what you have in store for the day.” Sunset’s hand slowly strokes my hair, making me sigh happily. Again, a small part of me just wants to hold onto her and never let go. Just being able to stay with her. But today is about us. The whole day is ours. I made sure to get the day off. We have all the time in the world to cuddle, but this day is about us. We can cuddle later on in the day. “Alligator? Do you remember what happened a year ago?” Sunset asks with a dreamy smile on her face, still stroking my hair as gently as she can. That day was really emotional for the two of us. I remember almost every single detail like it was yesterday.

“Of course,” I whisper, slowly rubbing my hand on her stomach. “I had been avoiding you since Valentine’s Day due to the fact that I believed you deserved better than me. I woke up that day and found a letter in my mail slot. One with three different papers inside.” Remembering that time is… a little difficult. At that time, I was still heartbroken from pushing myself away from Sunset. The words “Read this if you still care…” are imprinted on my mind and I still can’t believe I hurt her that much… Her letter reminded me just how much I loved her and how I owed her a reason as to why I was pushing her away. “I read your letter and I wanted to talk to you just one more time. Just to tell you why. I didn’t want you to think it was your fault that I pushed you away,” I say slowly, my smile fading for a moment. “I didn’t think anything would come of it. I thought you would surely hate me. For loving you and pushing you away.” Looking down at Sunset’s stomach, I can’t help but frown at the pain we both felt when I pushed her away… It hurt us both so much and I realize now just how wrong I was to do that. “But the best part of that day was when I finally told you I loved you. Despite the fact that I was crying, it felt relieving to finally tell you this secret that had been on my mind for so long. I never knew that you loved me too.” A smile comes to my face, gently resting my head on her chest once more. Sunset, gently scratching my scalp, happily sighs to my answer. Her embrace holds me close and we both take a moment to just rest before we get ready for the day.

“You know what I remember?” Sunset asks me quietly, only the sound of our breathing being heard in our room. “I remember losing the person I loved, vying for one last effort to get you to talk to me again. Seeing you at the beach absolutely broke my heart. You were crying your heart out and all I wanted to do was comfort you again. If you remember, I did that a lot while you were healing from your head injury.” During and after. I remember it pretty well… Sunset was always there, making me feel better whenever she could. She even gave me the nickname Alligator due to how argumentative I was. All she wanted to do was comfort me. We cuddled, watched movies together and even slept in the same bed as each other that one time. It’s hard to forget those days. They were… really special to me. “Hearing you tell me in such raw emotion that you loved me, fully expecting for me to not reciprocate those feelings, made me feel so… conflicted. I felt sad for you and angry that you had pushed me away, but I felt so happy that we shared these feelings for each other. It was so nice to finally have you back in my life~” Sunset’s hand gently moves down from my hair to my back, holding me close to her with a happy sigh. “God, Alligator. I can’t believe it’s been a full year. We’ve had our ups and downs, but one year is still one hell of an accomplishment,” Sunset tells me with a giggle, happy about this special day of ours.

“Especially for a siren and a pony of all things. Who would have thought I would lay a pony?” I tease her quietly, sitting up in our bed with a stretch. Certainly not Aria or Sonata. I had no intention of being romantically involved with anyone, much less a pony.

“No no. It’s not ‘lay.’ It’s ‘making a nest,’ isn’t it?” Sunset tells me with a teasing tone, pulling herself off the bed and giving me a wink. Her messy hair only adds to how cute she is.

“You remembered?” It’s surprising that she remembers something so obscure about siren culture. Then again, I barely told her anything about it in the first place, huh…? I just figured she would forget after a while. It’s been months since I told her that and we never talked about it again.

“Of course~ I wouldn’t forget something so important to my Alligator~” she tells me with a giggle, resting her head on my shoulder. “Though, I have been curious about sirens recently. Would you mind telling me a little more?” Raising my eyebrow, I can’t help but smile at Sunset’s request to know more about me and the culture I was raised in. I know a lot about pony culture, but it’s always nice to learn something new from her.

“What would you like to know?” I ask her quietly, trying to remember everything I can in case she asks me a really random question.

“How did your magic work? Was it just the ability to influence others’ minds?” Sunset asks me quietly, her hand slowly grabbing my own, crossing her leg with mine. Sitting on this bed, both of us disregard the light of the sun, making this moment our own. We have the whole day to ourselves after all.

“No, not necessarily. Sirens had just as many spells as unicorns. We could cast runes and incantations for practically anything, the more powerful spells only being accomplished by higher level sirens.” Taking a deep breath, I try my best to remember what it felt like to have that kind of power. The ability to bend my words and tune, sewing magic into the world itself… “We could do such things as simple as summoning fire or as complex as astral projection. Tell me a spell and we could probably do it. Except for time travel,” I say quietly, remembering one of Sunset’s stories from Princess Twilight. Apparently, she had gone through multiple time travel adventures. Sirens never found out a spell for that. “We could slow down time though.” Sunset moves her head off of my shoulder, looking at me with a shocked expression as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Wait. What the hell? Why didn’t you use that when you were fighting us?” Sunset asks me quickly, curious to hear my response.

“Well, our powers were weakened a lot of the time we were here, making us usually resort to just manipulation tactics. It was only in the final battle that we could use our other spells effectively. Hence why you saw us in our siren forms and why we moved so fast. Of course I slowed down time in multiple instances during that battle. It was my ego that caused our downfall.” Bringing my finger to Sunset’s chin, I give her a wink, chuckling at the thoughts in my head. “I was using my top spells and you still beat me. Proud of yourself?”

“I’m more confused as to how we won in the first place,” Sunset tells me with a conflicted expression, presumably thinking about our battle.

“It’s due to that ‘magic of friendship’ or whatever. I feel icky just saying that,” I tease her with a chuckle, giving a fake shake to act disgusted at the thought of friendship. Slowly getting out of the bed, I walk over to the dresser, opening the shirt drawer.

“And let me get this straight. You could only keep this power by feeding off of negative emotions?” Sunset asks me with a confused tone to her voice, making me stop in my tracks. Huh… Of course those stupid unicorns never bothered to learn our magic down to its true roots. Instead, that old fool Star Swirl the Bearded opted to just banish us to another world without magic. Maybe they were too intimidated to dare try and figure out our magic from the inside out.

“Sunset, don’t believe that nonsense. The unicorns who wrote that down were utter fools,” I state quietly, pulling a shirt over my body slowly. “Wouldn’t it be disadvantageous for a species to solely rely on negative emotions? We could feed off of any emotion. Happiness. Sadness. Love. It was all power to our magic, but those damned sorcerers believed they understood us without taking a moment to actually study our magic.” Turning around to look at Sunset again, I take a deep breath to calm myself down. There’s no use in thinking about that stupid wizard again. What happened can’t be undone. Besides, being banished to this world turned out to be a gift. I got to meet Sunset and fall in love. “In short, we can feed off of any emotion we desire. Negative emotions are especially potent though due to their more volatile and pure forms. Think of anger as a… meal from a five-star restaurant. It’s a lot more filling and makes you more satisfied. Now think of happiness as a meal from a fast food restaurant. Not exactly the best, but it will do.” Anger especially was pretty pure in its expression. Sadness could be felt in different ways, just like happiness or other emotions. Anger, on the other hand, is almost universally felt in the same way. Pure, unbridled anger. It was a pretty powerful source of energy for our magic. Not using our magic didn’t mean we would lose it necessarily, but we would lose our talent at it. Magic is like any skill. You need to practice to keep it.

“Oh? I suppose the wizards working in Canterlot didn’t really know as much as they thought they did. Though, now I’m curious. You mentioned fire before. What was your word for it?” Sunset asks me with the same curious look in her eyes, not moving from her spot on the bed. Fire. Huh… It’s been a while since I thought of the siren language. I haven’t had the need to use it at all, but remembering it is almost… nostalgic.

“Rodon. The word for fire is rodon. So, if you wanted to say ‘the fire in my heart,’ you would have to say ‘rodon nayva.’” Forming a small heart with my hands, I smile at Sunset, seeing her enthusiasm to learn more. “Love is very similar to the word for heart. The word we use for romantical love is naytra.” Sunset’s eyes widen upon hearing my explanation, standing up slowly.

“If naytra is the word for love, then… how would you say ‘I love you’?” Sunset asks me quietly, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. Her eyes never break away from mine, her warm smile making my heart skip a beat. I know just where she’s going with this and I can’t help but find it endearing. It’s pretty nice to teach her these new concepts… To share a part of my life that I don’t get to talk much about. Most people don’t even know I’m a siren and the people that do aren’t really interested in it. Moving my hand up to her cheek, I slowly press my lips against hers, a smile coming to my face.

“Naytra ven tru. That’s how you say it,” I whisper after our embrace, the feeling of her lips lingering on my own. For a moment, the two of us swing back and forth, just looking into each other’s eyes. Sunset’s smile gets bigger after my statement, giggling to herself as we stand here.

“Then naytra ven tru too~” Sunset tells me with a teasing and loving tone, clearly aware the last word of her sentence isn’t in siren language. So, grammatically, it doesn’t make sense, but the intent is what matters. I can’t help but chuckle at her words, pushing her away slightly.

“Enough about this though. We should get ready now. I have somewhere to take you after all~” I tell her with a wink, reaching for the drawer with my shorts.

“Hmm? Alright, if we must~ How should I get dressed?” Sunset asks me, looking towards the closet before giving me her signature mischievous grin. “If you want me to get dressed at all~” Throwing a pair of shorts at her, a small sound of a thump can be heard as it makes contact with her face, doing little more than confusing her.

“Nothing more than casual. You’ll see once we get there~”

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“So, why are we going to Rarity’s store?” Sunset asks me with a curious hum. Her voice smoothly flows through the warm air of the morning just as a car drives by. The trees sway back and forth slightly, giving the day a more magical feel. The casual sounds of the city accompany us with each step of the way. Sunset’s assumption about our destination is actually false. There’s a different reason I decided to bring us this way. Of course, there are dozens of stores in this part of the city, but it is understandable that Sunset would make a rationalization about the pretty odd route we’ve taken thus far. Each car that passes by serves as a small reminder of just how packed the city is. Regardless, it isn’t that difficult to pass by other civilians and make our way towards our destination.

“We’re not going to Rarity’s store. Unless you’re dying to see her today of all days. I figured today would be focused on the two of us,” I tease Sunset with a smile, holding her hand as we walk. Normally, we would take the motorcycle to get to our destination a lot faster, but I had a very particular route in mind. One that ultimately required us to walk here. Especially since the last time I made my way here, I was on foot. Why not tie it in to that emotional irony and walk here again instead of driving?

“Then where are we going?” Sunset asks me with a small giggle, clearly confused about my decisions.

“You’ll see soon enough~” My answer isn’t a lie. In fact, we’re getting close to the store I decided to bring us to. Sunset will learn exactly why I had chosen this route and the location as soon as she sees it. At least, hopefully. I can’t help but feel nostalgic on this walk, remembering a time that was a long time ago. It feels like a hundred years, but I suppose that’s normal when you change a lot. Change is always a weird subject. In one way, I feel like I’ve changed every aspect of my being, but another part of me feels like the exact same person I was before. Just a bit kinder and more empathetic. And without the lust for power… Regardless, I may have changed, but the city sure hasn’t.

Turning a corner pretty swiftly, I see Rarity’s store in front of me. We’re pretty close. As I said before, we aren’t stopping at her store. Instead, we’re going a little further down the street. Passing by Rarity’s boutique, Sunset’s eyes trace the windows, probably looking for our friend. Once again, a confused expression comes to her face, looking back at the boutique and then to me. I know this route is confusing, but it will all become clear in just a minute.

“I am so confused. Where are we going that requires us to go pretty much right next to Rarity’s-” Sunset stops mid sentence upon us coming to a four way stop light. Her eyes look straight ahead and her mouth hangs open. Hopefully, that’s a sign that she remembers the place exactly like I do. In front of us, there’s a store right on the corner of the block on the other side of the street. It’s pretty obvious from one glance that this place is a coffee shop.

“Do you remember where we first hung out as friends?” I ask her quietly, both of us crossing the street as soon as it’s safe to do so. Sunset doesn’t respond for a moment, looking towards the shop’s doors with wide eyes. It seems that she remembered it as soon as she saw this location.

“We went to get coffee together,” Sunset tells me in a low voice, surprised that this is the destination I decided on. Opening the door for Sunset, the sound of customers inside is pretty nostalgic. Of course, the location smells of all kinds of caffeinated beverages, giving it a happy atmosphere. Well, it’s a happy atmosphere for everyone else. Just like the last time I was here, the overwhelming smell is almost sickening to me. The buildup is just a lot to take in. Regardless, it’s nice to be here again. “You were asleep on that counter,” Sunset tells me quietly, looking at the counter with a smile on her face. I remember it like it was yesterday. The barista asked me multiple times what I would like to order, but I told her I was waiting for someone else. I even mistook Sunset’s tap on my shoulder as another barista, making me seem a little pathetic on my part.

“That weird route we took? It was the path I walked when I came here the first time,” I tell Sunset before grabbing her hand, walking over to the counter. Obviously, we didn’t go all the way back to my old apartment, but we did walk the majority of the path here. I thought it was pretty nice to go the exact way I did more than a year ago. Meeting Sunset as her friend for the first time here was really nice. Now, we’re girlfriends, coming back to the same cafe just to capitalize on some old memories. What can I say? It’s nice to do something like this? Especially on our anniversary.

“You walked all that way just to see me?” Sunset asks me with a surprised expression, both of us sitting down at the counter. Thankfully, the store isn’t that full, so only one other person is at the counter, sitting a couple seats down from us. That walk back then was made out of desperation. The little hope I still had in the universe was placed in this last ditch effort to make a friend. To find happiness in the dark life I was leading. Now, I’ve found more than happiness.

“I was serious when I told you I wanted to be friends,” I tell Sunset with a wink, leaning slightly on the counter. “I was willing to walk a long way to see you and give your advice a try. That should say something about my commitment, huh?” Looking towards the barista, I politely ask for two black coffees before she says anything, remembering the exact order that Sunset asked for back then. I remember almost everything Sunset has told me about herself. How can I not? It’s an important part of her and forgetting those aspects would only make me a bad friend. And partner…

“This really is the perfect way to start off the day,” Sunset says slowly, her eyes looking around the shop with a smile on her face. Bringing her hand to mine, she smiles at me with a flushed expression. “Why am I not surprised that you would think of something so sentimental?” It’s not like I try to think of sentimental things. I just get ideas that would be nice to experience with her. I suppose it's mainly based on nostalgia. Okay, fine. I do think of sentimental things, but I can’t help it.

“The way you’re reacting to this makes me really curious to see what you’ve planned~” I tell Sunset quietly, teasing her about the upcoming day. I’m sure I will love whatever we will do today, as long as we do it together.

“You’ll see, Alligator~ You’ll see~”

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The city’s sounds get busier as we approach the more populated areas, cars passing by and people walking down the sidewalk is a common occurrence. There are so many mixed smells, combining the best and worst parts of the population in one fell swoop. Thankfully, we aren’t that far away to our next destination. Once again, this is something I planned, but after this, I will be following Sunset for a change. Honestly, I can’t wait to see what she has planned, but I’m also excited to see what she thinks of this. This part of the city is filled with businesses and high price buildings, making it a super busy place at almost any hour of the day. I suppose that means it’s a blessing we didn’t take the motorcycle. We would be stuck in traffic for hours.

“So, my Alligator brought us to get coffee to start off the day. I’m pretty curious to see what you’ve got up your sleeve now~ I’m willing to bet it’s something sentimental again,” Sunset tells me with a giggle, her eyes looking around at the tall buildings. Seeing her wonder and excitement makes it all worth it in the end. All the time I spent anticipating this day is finally paying off and I get to see every moment of joy in her eyes. It’s almost as powerful as the time I gave her that present a little more than a year ago… I felt so happy. My heart was beating so fast and it felt like my world was filled with blinding lights of beautiful colors. That feeling of pure joy has returned and I can’t help but wish that this day will last a lifetime. Sharing this happiness with her is so… wonderful~

“Well, you’ll see in just a second. We’re almost there,” I respond to Sunset with a smile, trying my best to withhold the urge to cry. This feeling of happiness in my heart is so… overwhelming. So wonderful, yet hard to manage. I’m barely able to hold back the tears, her warm smile striking my heart just a little more. Looking away to keep any form of composure I have, I take a deep breath, walking us through another crowd. We’re almost there. I’m so happy that Sunset has been enjoying this day so far~ Turning around a corner, I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, looking towards the building I’ve brought us to. “Sunset. Welcome to the Gamepad Emporium~” Aiming my hand towards the three story building, Sunset’s jaw drops even further than it did when she saw the coffee shop. A look of pure shock and confusion sweeps over her face, her mouth fruitlessly trying to form words.

“I-I… How… What? Huh?” Sunset barely says, sounding as if she’s a broken toy. “Adagio. That… is the biggest arcade in the whole city… It takes months to get in line to get tickets! Not to mention the tickets are so expensive… You’ve got to be joking, right?” Sunset asks me in disbelief, still trying to comprehend this whole situation. In truth, it does take months to even be let in. There’s a waiting list and time slots for each party that goes in there. Multiple well-known celebrities have visited the arcade and boasted about their time there. The tickets are pretty expensive, but the bigger problem is waiting. Almost every time the arcade opens time slots for another party, the tickets are bought out pretty much instantly. Only about thirty people are let in the building at a time and if there’s a cancellation, you aren’t given your money back. I suppose the whole allure of the arcade is why it’s so sought after. For a music teacher, this feat would surely be impossible.

“Uh huh,” I say quietly with a nod, pulling Sunset along as we approach the building.

“Seriously, what are we doing? You didn’t get us a reservation, right…? Adagio, this place is… it’s an arcade heaven. All types of games from the past and present are kept here. It costs so much and takes so much time to even get here…” Sunset’s tone is full of doubt and reluctance to believe that we’re actually going to go inside this building of fun and excitement. Honestly, her doubt is understandable. It’s hard to believe something like this would be possible at our financial level right now, but it’s still happening nonetheless.

“Let’s just say that I saved up for months for this day~” I whisper into Sunset’s ear, walking towards the building’s entrance. The outside of the building has bright blue and silver colors, sporting a more sci-fi appearance. With the budget to keep a three story arcade this exclusive, it’s not surprising they had enough money to stylize the outside. Due to the building’s exclusivity, there’s not a line in sight. The only hurdle to us getting inside is a man in a suit standing beside the entrance. In his hand, he holds a clipboard with a frown on his face, seemingly tired.

“Wait… Did you really…?” Sunset asks me slowly, a shocked and conflicted expression coming to her face. Months ago, she was so embarrassed to go to an arcade in a mall, fearing that someone in college would be too old to play those arcade games. Even though she’s only in her early twenties, she’s afraid she would be invading the space of teenagers today. I don’t give a fuck whether the high school kids look at her weird, she deserves to play the games she wants. Sunset has been sacrificing her own wants and needs for far too long. So, wouldn’t it be nice to get her a chance to play at the highest sought after arcade in the whole city?

Walking up to the man, he holds his hand out for us to stop, looking at the clipboard. “Do you have a reservation?” he asks me, clearly ready to either check us in or turn us back around. Pulling a piece of paper from my pocket, I hand it over to him, seeing his eyes look back and forth between the clipboard and the receipt. “You’re the reservation under Adagio Dazzle?” he asks me quietly, responding to him with only a small nod. As soon as he asks me this, Sunset’s eyes quickly look over to me, all sense of doubt erased from her mind and being replaced with joy and conflict. “Go right on ahead,” he tells us, giving me the receipt right before opening the door for us. As soon as we take our first few steps inside, the bright lights and loud music of an arcade hits my senses. If it wasn’t for this place’s highly sought after image, I would dare to criticize them for the lights, but regardless, it seems like a lot of fun. The whole building is practically one large room, cut up into three stories. At the center, there’s a marble statue of the arcade’s logo, opening up to the other floors above us. From what it looks like, there is some natural light on the statue, so I can only assume the opening goes all the way to the roof. Surely they would have a window there, right?

“Adagio, how much did this cost you?” Sunset asks me with a weak voice, her eyes looking around at the arcade with tears slowly falling down her cheeks. I just hope those tears are from happiness more than anything else. From the way she looks at the arcade machines and games, it looks like she can’t believe she’s actually here, able to play in the largest arcade the city can offer. The only kinds of teenagers here are the ones who would have enough money to afford a ticket to this place, so most of the people here are our age or older. No one here would taunt her for enjoying a simple game.

“Don’t worry about it, alright? I promise I could afford it without going into debt.” Bringing my hand to her cheek, I make her look at me, giving her a smile. “Today is about us. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just focus on playing whatever games you want to, okay?” Gently wiping away the tears from her cheeks, Sunset presses her forehead against mine, taking this moment to breathe.

“You’re so thoughtful, Adagio~ You remembered where we had coffee and that I like arcades, so you went above and beyond to give me just that. Thank you~” Sunset whispers, holding onto me with a big smile on her face. Being able to give her the same happiness she gave me all that time ago is the best feeling ever. She deserves the world~

“Thank me by beating me at a hundred games,” I tease Sunset, not exactly confident in my own abilities to win at these games. Sunset giggles in response, brushing her hand through my hair.

“We’ll see~”

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The air feels so much cleaner here… Almost as if it’s made fresh just for the two of us. The wind feels so nice on my face and I can’t help but enjoy the scenery. The leaves in the trees rustle and the grass sways from side to side. I honestly didn’t expect this would be somewhere Sunset would want to take me, especially after the time we had at the arcade. Sunset’s plan is a lot simpler than my own. She decided that what she wanted to do with me is eat somewhere outdoors. In other words, she wants to have a picnic. As the perfect scenery, Sunset picked the Apple Family orchard to set up our picnic. Lots of open space and shade, so it gives us the perfect opportunity to have a fun and relaxing meal.

Leading us further into the orchard, Sunset stops at a clearing right next to one of the apple trees. A bright smile spreads across her face before locking her eyes with me, holding the basket up to eye level. “Do you like this spot?” Sunset asks with a cheerful tone, holding my hand a little tighter. Something about her energetic enthusiasm makes me feel so happy to be here. Even though we’ve never had a picnic before, I can’t help but feel like it’s magical nonetheless. Everything with her feels so nice… Going to a ball game, getting ice cream, holding hands, movie nights… Every moment with her feels like I’m living the best life I can. Sunset clearly put a lot of effort into this idea and I’m sure I will love it.

“It’s perfect,” I whisper, staring into her kind eyes. The spot and this moment in general are perfect. The double meaning of my statement seems to allude Sunset as she sets the basket on the ground, unfolding a blanket with ease. It doesn’t take long for the blanket to be set on the ground, both of us sitting on it and taking a moment to watch the opening. Gently grabbing the basket, Sunset opens it with a smile, looking towards me with a wink.

“I didn’t know what you would like, but I took a good guess~” Reaching inside, Sunset passes me a sandwich that’s inside a ziplock bag. I can’t help but feel relieved to see that the materials she used to make this didn’t consist of peanut butter. Back when I was working in that godforesaken night club, the only thing I could afford to make was peanut butter sandwiches. Needless to say, the taste has run sour with me at this point. If I never have to eat peanut butter again, it will be way too soon… Instead, Sunset made my sandwich with ham and cheese. Ham is my favorite lunch meat out of all of them, but that’s hardly a challenge when turkey tastes stale or has a certain tang to it. Thankfully, Sunset knows exactly what I like.

“You asked me some questions earlier today. I think it’s my turn to ask you some,” I say quietly, taking a bite out of the food Sunset made me. The cool wind brushes the hair out of her face and it feels pretty relaxing to sit and enjoy it like this. Bringing her sandwich to her mouth, she bites into it and hums quietly, swallowing it within a couple seconds.

“You have questions for me?” Sunset asks me with a coo to her voice, clearly amused that I would be curious about her as well. “Go ahead~ What do you want to know, Alligator?” This peaceful time of the day gives us the perfect atmosphere to have this picnic. I never suspected that this would be something she would want to do with me, but it’s pretty nice~

“You were a pony in Equestria, but in this world, you have no problem eating meat. Doesn’t that cause a bit of confusion?” Sunset’s eyes widen to my question, looking up at the sky for a moment. The shade of the tree falls on her face and a smile crawls across her lips as she looks up to the clouds. Each moment that passes by feels more beautiful, seeing her enjoy every second of the wind and the sun.

“Honestly? Yeah. Sometimes it does make me feel awkward and weird. Especially since cattle were just as intelligent as us in Equestria, but here? I guess it came naturally?” Sunset shrugs her shoulders slightly, taking another bite of her sandwich before taking a deep breath of the fresh air around us. “At first, I tried being vegan, but my taste buds changed when I came here. Combined with the fact that not every place offers vegan or vegetarian meals, it kind of just changed naturally. The people who made lunch at school only offered food with meat in it some days, but yeah. I guess it’s just normal for me now.” Reaching her hand up to the sky for a moment, Sunset sighs happily, leaning her back against the tree. “That’s not something I regret though. I genuinely tried and I realized that it’s not for me. Fluttershy is still a vegetarian though.” Honestly, that fact doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. She’s always loved animals and found value in all kinds of life. Her being a vegetarian is something I kind of expected from the start.

“If you don’t mind me asking, does it ever cross your mind that I’m a siren? I mean, you know that, but have you ever thought how it would be if we were back in Equestria?” The fact of the matter is that the two of us are completely different species, both transformed into humans by this world. Sometimes, it feels a little weird to me to think that I’m literally in a relationship with a pony. A creature that is… by all intents and purposes, the complete opposite of my species.

“Oh? Well, sometimes, yeah. I actually find it a little comical~ Thinking about me, a small pony, dating a larger than life siren. It’s only because of this world that we’re the same species by technicality, which makes our relationship pretty odd, huh? I’m not even sure this sort of outcome would have ever happened in Equestria,” Sunset tells me with a smile, finishing her sandwich with a cute and wholesome expression written across her face. “Honestly, that’s one of the reasons I’m so glad we both met in this world. I… never would have had you in my life otherwise. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me.” Sunset locks her eyes with mine, giving me a nervous smile after her statement. For some reason, those words cause both of us to feel a little nervous, my cheeks instantly flushing. Breaking her eye contact from me, Sunset reaches for the basket to get some of the other food she packed inside, only for me to grab her hand gently.

“Sunset,” I whisper, bringing her hand closer to me. “I’m just as glad as you are.” Those words she said to me felt so… nice. So kind and full of purpose. She really values every moment we spend together and it shows through her actions. Gently, I press my lips against her hand, looking up at her and enjoying the flustered stare. “I love you so much too, Sunny~”

=======================================================

The clock is getting ever closer to five… That’s the time the piano recital begins and I can’t help but feel a little anxious, worried about how Sunset might react to it all. Sunset hasn’t spent that much on our anniversary, focusing on the more sentimental items. Yet here I am, apparently trying to show her up… I just hope she doesn’t feel insecure. I have enjoyed everything she’s done for us. She got us an opportunity to watch the first romance movie we watched in a theater she rented. She even took me bowling and I have enjoyed every single moment with her. Now, there’s only one more thing we are going to do before we go to the recital. I have no idea what it is, but that’s to be expected since she kept everything else as a surprise. Regardless, she’s been leading me into a part of the city I’m pretty familiar with.

“We’ll be done with this before four, right?” I ask her quietly, trying to make sure the two of us can get ready before we go to the recital. As much as I try to be calm about this endeavor, I can’t help but hope that this won’t last two hours. I put a lot of effort into planning our evening out. Just… try to relax, Adagio. I’m sure we will be able to make it. Enjoy this time you have with her. This is a day all about us, right?

“Don’t worry, Alligator~ We’ll have plenty of time to go home and change for whatever your plans are~” Sunset tells me with a wink, still leading me down the sidewalk. Sunset only knows that I have been planning our dinner plans and related activities for weeks now. The only thing I told her about my plans is that it would probably require a more elegant attire. I guess that’s why she wanted us to try on dresses a week ago… Thankfully, not many people are walking in the city at this time. Cars are pretty absent as well, giving Sunset and I some time to ourselves. Even though it’s pretty bright outside, the wind is still cool. I thought it would get pretty warm throughout the day, but thankfully, that didn’t happen. This part of the city is a place I’ve memorized, recognizing almost every corner. The only question that’s still in my mind is, “Why are we here?”

Leading me around a corner, I can already tell where we’re going. In just a few minutes, we would be approaching Garden Hooves Park, making me a little curious as to why we would be going to this park. It’s not like we’re going to pass it. It’s a pretty emotional place for me since a lot has happened there. Sunset knows this. She’s heard all the stories I’ve had about this place and she’s even come with me a couple times. I’ve had antics with Apple Bloom at that park. I had long conversations with friends there. And I overheard Sunset’s friends’ doubts on Valentine’s Day there… Regardless, that place is full of memories and I should have expected Sunset to capitalize on that.

Walking right next to the park, Sunset looks inside with a smile, turning her gaze to me and nodding to the park. “Are you ready?” she asks me quietly as if her plan was something I needed to prepare for. What is this summer mist planning?

Giving Sunset a smirk, I take a step inside the park, chuckling to myself. “I’m always ready, Shimmer~” I state confidently before locking my eyes with hers once more, giving her a small wink. “As long as it’s with you~” Sunset blushes to my words for a moment before giggling, holding my hand just a little tighter.

“Good~ I hope you will enjoy it then,” she tells me with a proud look on her face, leading me further into the park. The playground is surprisingly empty, just like the rest of the park. The tables with the overhead roof are still here, just like the last time I was here. Honestly, not a thing has changed. I almost expected things to be a bit different since Sunset has put so much effort into this day. I wonder why she’s bringing me here. And why I need to be ready for it.

“The last time I was here, the Crusaders were trying to find Applejack’s dog. It was a long search, but we eventually found her. The funny thing is that she wasn’t anywhere near here. She was close to Equestria World,” I say with a small laugh, remembering the adventure that Apple Bloom dragged me on. “The time before that, Rainbow Dash and Applejack brought me here after we celebrated Dash’s interview with her college. We didn’t really do much other than talk, but it was still pretty emotional for her.” Walking towards one of the tables, Sunset and I sit down, looking out at the rest of the park.

“It was pretty impressive that she decided to apply to college~ She was so close to her team, but then she decided to leave due to that whole ordeal with steroids and such. I’m glad she confided in you. I just wish I could have seen her hurting before,” Sunset tells me quietly, shrugging slightly. Honestly, that feeling is understandable. Sunset has been Rainbow Dash’s friend for longer than I have, so it hurts her that she couldn’t have seen Dash’s pain.

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. I don’t think anyone could tell something was wrong. Dash is pretty good at hiding her pain, so the only way we could have known is by her telling someone.” Patting Sunset’s shoulder, I see Sunset nod slowly, happy to hear my reassuring words.

“Yeah, you’re right. Still. I’m glad that you have gotten to know all my friends~ It took a lot of work, but it’s really nice to see you getting along with everyone. You’re part of the friend group, you know?” Part of the friend group. For some reason, I can’t help but feel a little surprised to hear that. Yeah, I’ve gotten to know everyone, but I thought I was still kind of like an outsider and such. It’s nice to hear that they consider me a part of the group after everything I’ve done. Before I can respond, Sunset wraps her arm around me and happily sighs, resting her head on my shoulder. “Anyway, are you ready for your surprise?” Sunset asks me again, confirming with me that I’m actually ready. Giving her a small nod, Sunset brings her phone out of her pocket, tapping the screen a couple times before turning it off once again. A small part of me can’t help but feel a little anxious about what this surprise is going to be…

Despite the fact that the park had been pretty quiet thus far, a rhythmic squeak can be heard somewhere around us. Every couple of seconds, the same sound would echo and I can’t help but feel like I’ve heard it before… It’s not the sound of a theater curtain being pulled back, but it sounds like a wheel. Why can I recognize this sound? It takes me a moment before I can finally tell where the squeaking is coming from. Looking towards the entrance to the park, my eyes instantly widen. What is she doing here? Walking towards the entrance, Apple Bloom enters the park with her wagon behind her, her bow slightly bouncing on her head with each step. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that wagon… But why is she here in general?

“Hi, y’all! Did someone call for the Crusader Delivery Service?” Apple Bloom asks us as soon as she gets close enough to us, a box as big as my lap sitting inside her wagon.

“Delivery service? What is this about?” I ask the young cowgirl with a raised eyebrow, confused about her wording.

“Eh, it’s another attempt to find my meaning in life. And my big sis said I need to get a job since school’s about to let out and all,” Apple Bloom says with a slight shrug, an annoyed look on her face due to her sister’s demand. “Anyway! I hear today is a special day~” Apple Bloom gives me a cheeky wink, knowing exactly what this day is all about. If anything, she was the biggest force in getting me to confess my feelings to Sunset. Even if it was after my attempt to push her away. “I have a package from a Miss Sunset addressed to a ‘cute Alligator,’” Apple Bloom reads off a message on the box, acting as if she’s a real mail carrier. The name “cute Alligator” almost makes me blush, knowing exactly who put that down. Sunset has really gone all out on this anniversary, huh?

“Thank you, Apple Bloom. It’s nice of you to help Sunset with this,” I tell her quietly, accepting the box and resting it on my lap.

“It’s not a problem~ You two enjoy your day now, alright?” Apple Bloom states with a smile, turning her wagon around. Normally, the young cowgirl would have no qualms staying around to talk some more, but this time, she seems pretty self-aware of how special this day is for the two of us. Instead, she opts to leave us alone, giving us a small wave. “See ya!” Without saying another word, Apple Bloom runs towards the entrance to the park, the squeaking of her wagon following her. The box in my lap doesn’t feel as heavy as I thought it would. Regardless, I wait until the squeaking of Apple Bloom’s wagon fully disappears before I dare to open it.

Gently dragging my fingers along the box, I can’t help but wonder what’s inside. “Open it already~” Sunset tells me with excitement in her eyes and smile, clearly anxious to see what I think of her gift. I wasn’t planning on doing something like this until later. I wanted to give her the bracelet after dinner, but… I suppose now wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t even expect for her to give me a gift after everything else we’ve done for the day. It’s… really nice. She’s put so much work into this day and I can’t help but feel… so thankful. I love her so much.

Opening the box, my eyes instantly scan the green fabric inside, making me feel a little confused. What is this…? A blanket? It’s too big to be another scarf. Gently, I grab the fabric, pulling it out of the box to examine it. The first thing that catches my eye is the pattern on the fabric… It depicts the imagery of scales running along the back. I can tell it’s the back due to the sleeves and the hood at the top, making me chuckle slightly. She got me a hoodie that’s like an alligator? Turning it around, I see the front of the hoodie has a lighter green pattern, symbolizing the belly of an alligator. On the right side of the chest, two letters are stitched in orange thread. A.D… She put my initials on this hoodie too…

Looking towards Sunset, I see her eyes looking at me with a happy smile, almost tearing up as the moment goes by. “Do you like it?” she asks me quietly, gently reaching out to feel the fabric of the hoodie. It feels really soft… Everything about this hoodie makes me remember a dozen memories, holding each of them as close as possible. “I know it’s not necessarily the best gift, but I thought that you’d be a bit cute, you know? I know you said you didn’t mind the nickname, but I hope this isn’t too much-”

“Sunset,” I interrupt her, gently grabbing her hand with tears threatening to form. “I love it… I love it so much. You put so much thought into it and you gave me something that reminds me of all the times you’ve called me that name~ Thank you,” I whisper, bringing the hoodie closer to me and hugging it with a smile. This is so thoughtful. So special. No one else is allowed to call me an alligator other than her. It’s our thing. And because of that, this hoodie means so much to me. Taking a deep breath, I drop the hoodie back inside the box, wrapping my arms around Sunset. I’m somehow able to hold back the tears, despite every urge in my body making me want to cry from the overwhelming feeling of happiness. “Thank you~”

“There is another gift inside that box,” Sunset whispers with a giggle, returning the hug as happily as she can. Despite the fact that people may look at us weirdly for the nickname she gave me, I couldn’t be happier about it. Leaving our embrace, I feel a little curious to see what this other gift is that Sunset got me… Picking up the hoodie, I look inside the box only to see a shoe container inside, making me raise my eyebrow. Shoes? She’s already bought me these black boots I have on now. Or is it something else inside…? Slowly, I trace my fingers on the lid of the box, opening it with a curiosity eating at my soul. After removing the pieces of paper on top, I can’t help but take a deep breath, looking at the contents of the box. Inside, a couple of high-heel purple boots greet me, making my heart stop beating for a second. They look exactly like… “I saw them and I thought they looked a lot like the boots you wore when we first met~ I noticed that you didn’t really have those accessories anymore, so… I thought that maybe you’d like them~ Since they fit your sense of fashion exactly~” The only thing that makes these boots different from the ones I wore before is the lack of spikes on the back of the heels, but otherwise? They look exactly the same…

“I love them,” I say quietly, unsure of how I actually feel… How do I feel…?

“I know you’ve been dressing more confidently recently and all, but it’s just been my black jacket and some hair bands you’ve been putting in your hair. They’re not nearly as flashy as the stuff you liked before, so I thought that maybe this could be another good step to dressing as confidently as you can~” she happily tells me, proud of her choice of footwear. If she put so much effort into this choice, then why do I feel so hesitant to accept it…? It does fit my sense of fashion, but… Am I really ready to embrace that part of me again? I’ve been going with more tame clothes so far. Every time I look at these boots, it reminds me of the person I used to be. The one who tried to hurt Sunset and her friends. It’s something that haunts me… As much as I’ve been trying to be confident once more, I don’t know if I’m ready for this yet.

“They’re great,” I whisper, feeling the shoes with a hesitant touch. They feel just like the ones I had… It’s as if she took them straight from my past self. The evil siren I used to be. Putting the lid back on and the hoodie back on top, I look towards Sunset with a smile, nodding quietly. “I love them, Sunset~ Thank you~ I actually have something for you too.” Reaching inside my bag, I gently pull out the pink box, seeing the curiosity grow on Sunset’s face.

“Oh? You didn’t have to-”

“Says the one who got me both a hoodie and a pair of boots,” I interrupt her, pushing her shoulder slightly. “Besides, I wanted to. It’s something that I had been thinking about for a while.” Truthfully, it has been something I’ve wanted to get her for a while. I wanted something she could have to remind her of me, but I never knew what would be appropriate to give her. I already gave her the jacket, but she only wears that when it’s colder or if she’s going on a rough adventure. It’s a durable jacket that can be easily cleaned, thankfully, but she doesn’t have something she can wear all the time to remind herself of me like the scarf she gifted me.

Handing her the box, I see Sunset’s surprise turn into a curious smile, gently feeling the surface with a small nod. Now it’s my turn to await her reaction to the bracelet, anxiously wondering what she might think of it. The last thing I would want is for her to be disappointed in it. It didn’t cost as much as other pieces of jewelry, so she shouldn’t be guilt-ridden about the price. Opening it slowly, Sunset’s face turns from curiosity to complete shock upon seeing the contents inside, her cheeks blushing almost instantly. For a few moments, she doesn’t move, just keeping her gaze on the gold bracelet with an ambiguous expression. Does she… like it? Did I get something that she doesn’t like? Maybe I went too far…? Please say something…

“You got me a bracelet?” Sunset barely asks me, gently removing the item from the box. Her eyes look at the piece, inspecting it from top to bottom. “Adagio, this is beautiful~” she whispers, a small smile coming to her lips. Slowly, a tear falls down her cheek before she wipes it away, her smile getting bigger by the second. “It’s perfect~ It wouldn’t have been right without the purple music note~” she tells me, pointing out the charm that’s supposed to represent me. Quickly engulfing me in a hug, Sunset holds me as tight as she can, grateful for the gift. “Thank you so much, Adagio~ I… I don’t know what to say! It’s perfect!” A few of her tears rub off on me, reaffirming to me just how much she enjoys the gift. I was hoping she would love it this much~ Returning the embrace with equal force, I can’t help but enjoy this quiet moment. I’m glad I could have gotten her a gift that would make her day like this, but the best gift is being with her in general. The best part of the day is yet to come, Sunset. Just you wait.

======================================================

Unlocking the front door, Sunset and I walk inside, a part of me already feeling tired. I can’t risk letting myself listen to that part of me though. We have a whole evening left to go and I don’t want to miss a single moment of it. The door closes pretty easily, my hand quickly turning on the light to our apartment. Even though the evening is getting late, there’s still a lot left of our special day. Putting the box down on the coffee table, I take a deep breath before taking off my jacket.

“I suppose we’re going to get ready now?” Sunset asks me with a smile, making me nod slowly. Her fingers slowly leave my own, her body walking away from me. Both of us know what time it is and thankfully, we are prepared for the ensuing events. Both of us have a dress and I have our tickets tucked away safely in my bag. Kicking off my boots, I follow Sunset towards our room, stopping just short to walk inside the bathroom entrance. Sunset looks towards me with a smile, blowing me a kiss as gently as she can. “I’ll see you in a moment then~” Is all she says before walking inside our room, closing the door behind her. She had purposefully kept the dress she’s going to wear a secret from me, making me wonder exactly what’s behind that door.

Closing the bathroom door behind me, I look at the shower, gazing at the hanger with a black cover on it. Before we left for the coffee shop, I put my dress in here, preparing for the night in advance. Regardless, the best part about this attire is that Sunset doesn’t have the slightest clue what it is. Walking towards the hanger, I gently take the black cover off of it, revealing a purple dress with a gold belt. Despite its simple design, it looks really pretty, almost shining in the light. One arm has a sleeve, leaving the other arm exposed to the elements. Regardless, it’s something that kind of fits my style at the moment. Sort of flashy with simple designs… Maybe someday I’ll get back to the full fashion sense I once had…

This dress, contrary to the ones I tried on before, actually fits my body perfectly. It should after all. Rarity put her talent into making it for me last minute. When I went to see her a few days ago, she absolutely refused to let me leave without a dress that fit me correctly. She called it a crime against our souls if I went out in a dress that wrinkled too much due to faulty placement for my body type. So, to the best of her ability, she made a dress for me within a couple hours, throwing together a simple, yet beautiful design. When I tried to pay her for it, she didn’t let me. All she told me was that the best thing I can do to repay her is by showing Sunset the time of her life. Otherwise, I have to give the dress back. I honestly hope she was joking about that, though…

Quietly removing my jeans, socks and shirt, I can’t help but take a deep breath, preparing myself. Picking up the tights I laid out beside the dress, I pull them on quietly, biting my lip in anticipation. I can’t wait to see what Sunset thinks of everything we’re going to do. The recital. Our dinner. A dance. I can’t wait… If it wasn’t for all the help I got from Rarity and Fluttershy, our anniversary wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting and amazing as it is now. Reaching up for the dress, I can’t help but admire just how soft it feels, making me feel even more guilty for not paying Rarity in the first place. She put a lot of work into this dress. All I can try to do is live up to it. On nights like this, I often ask myself how Sonata and Aria would look at me now… I can’t help but remember exactly how I treated them and how they would have reacted to my actions. They probably hate me… Even though they sent me postcards for a while, it felt more like an obligatory gesture, just trying to burn down the bridges between us as kindly as possible. Even though we left on bad terms, they still felt the need to send me those updates. I never bothered to send one in return… Besides, they would probably get lost since their postcards were never sent from the same address more than once.

I couldn’t ever tell what was actually going on in their lives… Aria would only buy generic cards and write her name in them before sending them to me. Sonata would put a sentence wishing me well, but not much more than that. All I can hope for is that their lives are going well. A part of me will always wish to see them one more time, just to talk and apologize for my past actions. Regardless, they would probably find my current life either pathetic or weird. Me, the leader of the sirens, in a relationship with Sunset Shimmer. Honestly, it does sound weird, but that’s how life has unfolded for me.

Slowly putting my hair back up with a hair band, I finally look in the mirror. It looks… amazing. It fits me just right and it’s just the right shade of purple, making me feel a little more confident in myself. It looks stunning… For a moment, I start to believe everything Sunset’s told me about how beautiful I am in her eyes. Hopefully, she thinks the same of this dress.

Slipping on a pair of high heels, I take a deep breath, opening the bathroom door with a small smile on my face. “I’m ready,” I call out, watching our bedroom door for a reply.

“Just give me a moment!” Sunset’’s muffled voice tells me, the sound of hurried movements making me chuckle slightly. The intention wasn’t to make her hurry. I was just trying to tell her that I’m done so that she doesn’t have to wait on me. I don’t mind waiting for her to finish getting dressed. I mean, both of us are trying to look nice for each other, so there’s no point rushing that process. Within a moment though, the door opens, Sunset quickly stepping out and brushing the hair out of her face. The dress she has on shimmers red, flames extending up from the bottom. Instantly, I recognize where I’ve seen this dress before, the memories of a night close to a year and a half ago coming to the front of my mind. A night full of neon lights, whiskey and confrontations. This beautiful dress she has on almost makes her look like she’s glowing, making me remember every single movement of that night she came to give me a bit of advice. Back then, I absolutely hated the dress, but now, I can see it for the beauty it is. Sunset’s nails shine a bright red, every part of her mimicking that night. It’s as if the Sunset from that time walked straight through time itself, appearing here. The only difference is the gold bracelet I gave her today. “I hope you like it? I don’t want it to cause any bad memories, I just thought that maybe it would be nice to be in the same dress I was a year and a half ago,” Sunset tells me softly, a slightly guilty expression coming to her face.

“You look so beautiful, Sunset,” I whisper without even thinking about it, the words slipping out of my mouth as soon as they can. Every part of her is so… perfect. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to look away from her right now. Everything about her standing there makes me feel so blessed to be with her… To be able to wake up next to her every single day and go to sleep with her in my arms every night.

“You look amazing too, Adagio~ Where did you get that dress…? It looks… stunning,” Sunset tells me quietly, clearly impressed with my choice of attire. Her eyes wide with surprise look at my dress, her hand slowly reaching out to me. Slowly, I respond to her longing touch, walking forward and letting her feel the fabric.

“Rarity made it for me last minute. She said it would be a crime if I didn’t have a dress that fits me perfectly,” I tell her with a quiet smile, bringing my hand to her cheek. Sunset blushes to my touch, both of us taking a moment to just stand here and admire each other. She’s so beautiful… “I wanted to look my best for you, after all,” I whisper again, the only sound in our apartment being our own quiet words. The world feels as if it’s revolving around us and I can only seem to look into Sunset’s eyes, both of us standing still.

“If you’re going to kiss me, then do it already,” Sunset whispers with a bated breath, her hands pulling my hips closer to her. The clock ticks by and it gets ever closer to five, but a part of me doesn’t care at this moment. All I want to do is to be with her, no matter what we’re doing. Slowly, I press my lips against hers, feeling the pure ecstasy racing through my veins at the touch. The taste of her cherry chap stick lingers on my lips, making me wonder if she put it on specifically for me.

“I love you,” I whisper between our kisses, Sunset never letting me go for a second.

“I love you more~”

========================================================

The wind blows pretty fiercely outside, making me feel pretty happy that Sunset and I got here early. Opening the doors to the city theater, Sunset quickly makes her way inside before me, following her in without a moment of hesitation. The warm indoors feels much better than the cooler environment outside. Both of us decided to take the motorcycle here, but that didn’t turn out to be the best decision when it gets chilly in the evening. God, it was cold, riding that motorcycle… The city theater is pretty empty, considering the fact that a piano recital is happening soon.

Grabbing a hold of Sunset’s hand, I quickly walk towards the person attending the box office, reaching inside my bag. “Hi, I have two seats for the recital. I was wondering if we could go ahead and go to our seats before everyone else gets here?” I ask in a quiet and kind tone, noticing the woman looks tired beyond her years.

“May I see your tickets?” she asks me in return, her voice sounding like she absolutely doesn’t care about anything anymore, but she’s still going nonetheless. Sunset looks at me with a confused expression, still unsure why we’re here.

“Wait. A recital? What’s going on, Alligator?” She asks me with a curious tone just as I hand the tickets to the woman, a chuckle coming from my lips. She doesn’t know what this is about… She doesn’t know what recital is happening and she is unsure why we’re here in general. Holding onto her hand a little tighter, I give her a reassuring smile, letting her know that she’ll find out soon.

“You can go in,” the woman tells us in the same tired voice, handing me back our tickets. I can’t help but feel a bit excited that we can go ahead and sit in our seats, avoiding the major crowd that will be here any minute now. Quickly walking towards the door of the theater, I let Sunset inside first, following her in. The theater seems so much bigger than I had ever imagined… Bright red curtains, carved structures in the walls. A hundred or more rows of seats. All of it makes the atmosphere feel majestic and magical. Seeing Sunset here is perfect~

“Why are we here, Adagio? I mean, you’ve kept it a secret from me the whole ride over here. I think it’s about time I find out what we’re doing here,” Sunset tells me with a smile, a curious look still in her eyes as we make our way down the aisle.

“Well,” I whisper, chuckling at Sunset’s confusion. “There was a pianist who was coming to the city and it just so happens that they are doing a recital here.” Sunset’s eyes instantly look toward me with a surprised glance, unable to say anything for a few moments.

“Wait… We’re here to attend that recital?” she asks me slowly, still seemingly in disbelief at my words. I find it a little funny that she is still surprised at this point. I’ve already blown her mind a few different times today, but her pure joy and surprise is so cute and I love it. The blush on her face doesn’t go away as she looks around the theater, tracing the walls and the stage. This same blush only intensifies as we go further down the aisle, her face telling me she notices how much closer we’re getting to the stage. “Y-you got us tickets to a piano recital…? Really?” she asks me quietly, still in disbelief we’re here.

“We’re here, aren’t we~?” I ask her with a teasing tone, giggling at her tone for a moment. Since we got here early, there’s practically no one here other than a couple people at complete opposite ends of the theater. Sunset tugs on my hand, stopping in the middle of the aisle suddenly and making me look back at her. “Is something wro-”

My mouth instantly shuts as I see a few tears stream from Sunset’s eyes, her gaze locked with mine as a wide smile crawls across her face. Instantly, my heart stops, my mind running crazy with thoughts about this whole situation. Even though she’s smiling, it still concerns me to see her crying. Did I say something…? “Adagio,” she whispers, barely able to speak. “How many things did you plan for this night? Why did you go through so much trouble just to make sure everything about this day is perfect for me?” she asks me quietly, quickly grabbing me in a hug tight enough to stop my breathing. “I barely did anything compared to you. I took you to a couple places, but not nearly as fancy as this or as thoughtful as this. I told you I wanted to go to a piano recital like five months ago, but you remembered that,” she whispers into my ear, a happy tone in her voice making her sound overwhelmed.

“Sunny,” I respond in an equally quiet tone, holding her gently and feeling pitiful for Sunset’s clearly guilt-ridden mindset. Running my fingers through her hair, I gently shush her, pulling her along. “Your gifts to me were just as emotional for me and I loved every second with you~” I reassure her, walking closer to the front of the audience seating. Drying her tears with my thumb, Sunset giggles slightly, walking close to me. Her emotional state makes me want to protect her even more than usual.

“I know you liked them, I just feel a little guilty I didn’t think of doing something this nice for our anniversary,” Sunset tells me with a shrug, a smile still on her face at the fact that we’re here. “I mean, at least we’re not in the front row. Then I won’t have to feel so bad~” Sunset pushes me slightly, her words making my eyes widen slightly.

“Yeah, about that…” Sunset’s expression turns from happy to surprised once more as we make it all the way to the front row, a sheepish grin coming across my face. “We are sitting in the first row. So…”

“And now I feel depressed and guilty again. You just have to keep one upping me, huh?” Sunset asks me after taking a deep breath, both of us walking over to our seats and sitting down in front of the stage. Giggling at her statement, I can’t help but find this whole situation humorous, holding her hand gently.

“Then how about you just try to enjoy the performance and we’ll see what the night brings,” I whisper into Sunset’s ear, hearing more people walk into the theater. It’ll be filled soon, so these are the last few moments we have alone. Taking the moment, Sunset presses her lips against my cheek, giving me a kiss full of emotion. Is this her way of thanking me…?

“Deal~”

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The sound of the waves from the ocean make this walk feel more magical, the bright light of the moon bouncing off of the water’s surface. Despite the fact that Sunset and I are still wearing our dresses, she insisted on coming to the beach, giving me one of those irresistible looks again. Our dance and dinner was just as great as the recital, pouring our hearts into our conversations and actions. That dance floor probably never looked as good as it did with us swaying from side to side on it. I could almost swear other couples were staring at us. Regardless, I wouldn’t have denied Sunset this request, even if I wanted to. I enjoy this beach just as much as she does, making it feel almost poetic that our anniversary gets to end where our relationship started.

Taking a bite of the cherry cheesecake, a big smile spreads across my face, grateful that we decided to bring along our desserts on our walk. For a while, I was a little afraid I wouldn’t be able to get a piece of this heavenly food today, but those fears were vanquished as soon as I saw the menu. That was the first thing I looked for when I picked it up. It’s not every day that I get to eat some cherry cheesecake. It wouldn’t have necessarily ruined the anniversary for me if I couldn’t get it, but it’s a nice bonus regardless.

“You seem to be enjoying your dessert~” Sunset coos as we walk along the sand, taking our time to take in the fresh air and the beautiful scenery. She’s right. I am enjoying it to my fullest, not daring to swallow for at least a moment. Every moment of this otherworldly taste is another moment of bliss. Every day of my life since my magic was taken away, I had to be tempted by the dessert, knowing I couldn’t afford to get it. Now that I finally have a job and an apartment that lets me save up a little of my money, I can get this treat for myself, but that wasn’t always the case.

“What can I say? It’s my favorite food and I don’t get it very often. Bite me,” I mock Sunset in a teasing tone, laughing to myself slightly. As a response, Sunset pushes me with a roll of her eyes, joining me in my laughter. I’m glad that Sunset likes my sense of humor. It would be pretty hard to joke with her if she didn’t. Especially since my humor airs on the bitchy side rather than jokes dads would say. I can be quite rude when I want to be, but I suppose it really depends on if the person knows my sense of humor and my personality. The only one close to being the same amount of bitchy I am is Rainbow Dash, but I think I’m still winning that competition.

“I mean, I have bitten you~ You didn’t seem like you hated it though~” Upon hearing Sunset’s teasing remark, I almost gag on my bite of cherry cheesecake, making Sunset laugh a little harder. I’m usually the one making innuendos, so when she makes one, it catches me off guard. It’s a good joke though.

“Why did I not expect that?” I ask after swallowing my bite, looking up at the sky and feigning a sigh. Even in small moments like these where nothing else matters other than our playful jabs at each other, I feel so lucky to be with her. It’s like every part of her completes me, complimenting my more brash and confident demeanor with a funny and wise outlook from her. Spending one full year with her has been really… amazing. I’d never trade it for anything else. I don’t care what treasures any god could offer me. None of them could be as amazing as her and the time we spend together~

For a few moments, silence passes between us, our walk down the beach never faltering. When we were first getting to know each other, I would have been nervous about silences like these, but it isn’t that big of a problem anymore. Now, I can sort of tell her thought processes without either of us saying a word. I know she’s probably thinking of something sentimental to say right about now. She always does on long walks like these. Taking another bite of my cherry cheesecake, I aim my gaze towards Sunset with a curious look. Her face tells me she’s content, but… there also seems to be some conflict in her eyes. Is something wrong…? I thought our anniversary was everything she could have wanted.

“Alligator,” Sunset says slowly, closing the takeout box with her cake inside. Her lips open hesitantly as if she wants to say something, but she can’t seem to find the nerve. What do you want to say, Sunny…? I always want to hear what she has to say, even if it turns out to be bad news. She trusts me enough to know that by now. “What do you think of a year? You know, since you’re thousands of years old,” she asks me with a melancholy tone to her voice, looking up to the sky.

“A year?” Honestly, the concept of a year is a little weird for me… In some aspects, it seems like a small, miniscule spec on my lifetime, but in other ways, it also feels like a long time. “I guess I would say it feels like a long time ever since my magic was taken away.” It’s a pretty interesting thought. A little more than two and a half years ago, I lost my magic at the Battle of the Bands, so a lot has happened within that relatively short amount of time. I went through poverty, shitty jobs, bad living situations, gaining friends, feeling happy, switching jobs and even falling in love with one of my friends. So much has happened and yet, it still feels like it’s a short time if you just classify it as a couple of years.

“So, our relationship has been a long one in your eyes?” she asks me in the same tone as before, her eyes still looking up at the stars. Her questions seem like they’re leading to some point, but it’s too vague for me to actually tell what she’s trying to say.

“I suppose so,” I respond with a slight nod, walking closer to Sunset to try and calm her just in case she’s feeling depressed. “It has been a pretty long year, huh? With everything that happened between us and your friends. How can it not seem like a long time?” Sunset nods to my question, gently pressing her shoulder against mine with a slight chuckle.

“I guess I’m just a little conflicted. This day has been so special and I have loved it so much, but is one year really that much of an achievement?” In a moment, I can understand Sunset’s conflict. In a way, she’s right. In some regards, it isn’t that big of an achievement, but for us, we wanted to have a big celebration.

“We wanted to do this. Isn’t that what matters? Having a big celebration because we wanted it?” I ask her quietly, closing my box as well. Sunset nods in agreement, sighing to herself. Once again, a small silence passes between the two of us before Sunset grabs my hand, leading me over to a bench.

“You’re right. And I should stop being a coward at this point,” she says with a deep breath, motioning for me to sit on one end of the bench. Cowardly…? What is she talking about? How in the world could she consider herself cowardly when she saved her school from magical threats countless times? If anything, she’s usually pretty brave.

Sitting down next to me, Sunset holds my hand and looks in my eyes, not saying a word for a few moments. Both of us sit in the light of the moon, looking into each other’s eyes and I honestly don’t know what I should think. What is so important that she needs to tell me? From all her actions, it’s pretty evident she has something on her mind. What is it?

“Adagio, I have a question I want to ask you,” she tells me as quietly as a mouse, a nervous look in her eyes and the shaking of her hand making me aware of just how anxious she feels. She’s asked me tons of questions before. Her actions are the reason I feel a little worried about this question in particular. It’s as if she’s afraid to say the words in case it’ll change our relationship forever, but what kind of question would do that?

“What is it?” My question prompts Sunset to remove her hand from my own, waiting a moment to take a deep breath.

“Well, I… You know how much I love you, but I want to reaffirm that notion. You mean the world to me,” she tells me with a warm smile on her face, seemingly getting rid of her hesitation. Putting our desserts on the bench, Sunset reaches towards her bag, biting her lip slightly. “I… really do love you. With all my heart. Our relationship has meant the most to me for a long time now, despite the fact that it’s only been a year.” Reaching inside her bag, Sunset slowly pulls out a black box, making me raise my eyebrow. What is that…? It looks familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve seen something like it before… Sunset’s eyes widen as soon as she says those last few words, the conflicted expression coming back to her face. “Despite the fact that it’s only been a year,” she repeats herself in a whisper, talking to herself for a moment. Sunset’s eyes look down at the peculiar black box and back up at me, biting her lip and trying to force herself to say something, but no words come out. “I… It’s too soon,” Sunset whispers again, tears coming to her eyes as she pushes the black box back into her bag.

“Too soon?” I ask her in response, pulling her into a hug as soon as I see the tears. “Sunset, what were you going to ask me?” Sunset shakes her head quietly, not saying a word to me for a few moments. Instead, she holds it all in, taking deep breaths.

“It’s… It’s nothing. Don’t worry. I was just being an idiot, that’s all,” Sunset tells me quietly, trying to wipe the tears away.

“Sunset, you’re not an-”

“One year is a long time, but I’m sure we’ll last for many years to come. There’s no need to rush anything, right?” Sunset asks me with a small smile, the light of the moon reflecting in her eyes. Wiping away her tears, Sunset tries to take deep breaths, making me wonder what made her act this way. She was sad just a second ago… But if she’s sure she feels better… That question she had on her mind can’t seem to leave my mind though…

“Yeah, we don’t have to rush anything~”