A Shimmering Heartbreak

Chapter XII: Back to the Cave

When tragedy falls upon Adagio's happy little life, she struggles to find what was stolen from her partner and herself, but her search leads to unexpected meetings. New facts are learned and some things are a bit clearer. Are things looking up for Adagio? Let's hope so.

DISCLAIMER: This story includes references to depression, depressing thoughts, insecurities, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts based around all of these concepts. If you do not want to read a story with slight references to these, I would urge you to click off.

Author's notes at the end of the chapter~

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Chapter XII: Back to the Cave

Normally, my long walks across the city would be accompanied by a few pit stops to help me rest my legs and think about my situation, but this isn't the case today. The nightclub is halfway across the city from the music studio and I sure as hell don't want to get there late. I never expected myself to even approach that place again, much less have business there, but desperate times call for those kinds of extreme measures. Either way, I am just dying to hear what Rich has to say about what happened last night... Even though he clearly loves his family and keeps his promises like an honorable person, Filthy Rich is still the king of organized crime in this city. Hell, he's even been trying to get into office as the mayor, which would surely give his profits an even bigger boost. If there's anyone in this city who knows what happened to Sunset and I's apartment, it would be him.

On the off chance that he isn't the one responsible for the act, then he can still help me find our lost belongings, given the network he's in charge of. It's unlikely though... Rich always had these sorts of operations to make things look like a simple break-in when it's really a cash in. That was the sort of ship he ran, even when I agreed to do certain deals for him. Just thinking about his ugly mug makes me want to vomit, the feeling of anger raging inside me. If he was the one who hurt Sunset, I'm not sure what I would do... I guess the only reason I'm willing to talk to him now is because I owe the man the benefit of a doubt. Let's just say that he and I have both kept our promises to each other... Maybe there's a mutual sense of respect...

I just wish we could meet somewhere safer. Somewhere better... This part of town always has that stench of alcohol, stained streets, run down buildings and pawn shops on practically every corner. To kick it all off, trash litters the sidewalks, despite the trash cans beside public benches. I wouldn't want Sunset to touch this place, even with a fifty-foot pole. Fortunately, I still know how this part of town works... Keep your head down, avoid the holes in the walls and only start fights you know you can finish.

Keeping my head down doesn't necessarily mean letting myself get picked on... Even though I let Trixie do that at the arcade, this is a different story. You need to look like you know where you're going and like nothing is going to stop you from getting there. If someone looks confident and has a face that screams 'Don't fuck with me', then they look less like a target and they may give you a challenge instead. As much as I'm trying to be a better person now, this is not the time to let people walk all over me.

"Come on, you have to have something on ya." The sound of a groggy and dazed voice hits my ears as I look up from the sidewalk, surprised at what I see. It's not abnormal for local drunkards or addicts to harass the passersby for some cash, but the person this guy is bothering instantly causes me to feel uneasy. The woman in front of the disheveled man has a bright green dress that contrasts nicely with her yellow skin, her pink hair flowing down her shoulders.

"I-I'm sorry, but I really don't have anything on me," the all-too-caring woman states, trying to de-escalate the situation. Nervously, she backs up and tries to keep eye contact with the man, despite her clear feeling of fear. Normally, I would just walk away from an interaction like this since it's less likely for something to happen to you if you just turn a blind eye, but I can't do that this time... Even if this was happening to a different woman, the man seems too irrational for his own good, making it dangerous to argue. What makes this situation even worse is that it's happening to Fluttershy of all people, a person who wants to avoid conflict like the plague, even if it means letting herself be walked over.