Sunset parked in front of her office, an errant thought crossing her mind. Applejack clearly had not seen the videos online of her acting as Fenix. There was a distinct lack of her trademark 'we need to talk' voice. If that woman ever became a mother, her kids would get away with nothing.
That thought only distracted her from the matter at hand. She couldn't avoid telling AJ about the new kind of cases she was getting. Hell, how long was it before the rest of the girls found out? This was something she needed to get ahead of. She just needed to figure out how to broach the topic.
Taking a deep breath, she crossed the threshold into her office and looked around. Adjacent to her own desk, Sugar was now sitting at a reddish brown desk.
“Safe trip?” Sugar asked, looking up from her phone.
"Yeah, just bummed I lost the demon suspect," Sunset answered, hanging up her jacket and helmet. "I'm gonna work out a battle plan after talking to AJ."
Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow. “Why not just talk to her?”
Sunset quirked a brow back. "So talk to Scoop? Guess it couldn't hurt to warn her about things." Opening her fridge, she pulled out some cheap soda. “I don’t normally talk to suspects upfront, but this isn’t a normal case.”
Sugar nodded, slipping her phone in her pocket. "That's an understatement. Applejack and her brother are upstairs by the way."
“Right.” Sunset stretched out, mulling over a few greetings. “Why don’t you go get something to eat? I’ll probably be a while.”
Standing up, Sugar went to grab some of her books. “Alright, call me when you want to get back on the case.” With that, Sugar walked out the door.
Taking a long moment to center herself, Sunset made her way upstairs. She had never moved out of her loft, not when it was already roomy enough for two. A few, sparing, uses of Equestrian gold and the building was theirs. These days though, it was just hers. She still had Twilight’s things, she could never bring herself to sell or put them in storage. Instead, she opted to keep them in the spare bedroom. It was like she half expected Twilight to just sheepishly walk through the door and apologize for being gone so long.
She didn’t even realize she was frozen in place until a deep laugh broke through to her. A tear rolled down her face as she tore her gaze away from the door. Wiping at the tear, she threw open the door with a hasty smile.
"Hey, AJ, did you save me any beer?!"
Applejack greeted her with a bright smile and a tip of her hat. “We ain’t seen each other in months and the first thing ya ask is iffin’ I saved ya some booze.” Reaching down, she pulled a brown bottle from a half empty box and tossed it to Sunset.
Sunset caught it easily and walked up to the cowgirl. "I had to ask the important question," she retorted with a cheeky grin.
Applejack hadn’t changed at all since high school. If anything, she almost looked younger than her high school days. Farm life obviously agreed with her. Tall and muscular, she put the rest of their friend group to shame. If she started posting pictures online, Sunset had a feeling that the comments would be flooded with "fitness goals".
Shaking her head, AJ couldn't hide her own smile. "Fair 'nuff, smartass."
“Sunset,” Big Mac spoke, giving her a nod and a slightly raised bottle.
"Hey Big Mac," Sunset returned, cracking open her beer. "How're the wife and kids?"
“Good. Ambrosia’s startin’ kindergarten next week.”
"Time really does fly huh?" Sunset said with a smile. "Next thing you know you'll be putting a shotgun on the table while talking to the first boy she brings home."
Snorting, AJ socked Sunset in the arm. “Don’t be given’ him any ideas, Sunny. He’s enough of a papa bear as it is.”
Taking a long sip, Big Mac had a big grin on his face. "Ah don't need no gun to scare some little punk."
“I can see that,” Sunset said, glancing at his arm. “Even if AJ can still bench higher than you.”
Big Mac snorted, chugging the rest of his beer. "Only cuz of that dumb magic rock of hers."
Sunset frowned, leaning on her counter. “Yeah... magic tends to cheat doesn’t it?” Sipping her beer, she slid a bag of chips on her counter towards her and grabbed a handful. "So, I've got something I gotta let you know about."
“What kinda thing?” AJ asked, setting her beer down. “You uh... seeing someone else now?” Wiping her mouth, she gestured with her head. “Can’t say Ah ever thought it’d be Sugarcoat but, if she makes ya happy...”
Sunset was surprised by her immediate reaction, to burst out in hysterics. “Y-you think Sugar and I are dating?” Needing to catch her breath, she looked straight into AJ’s eyes. “Wow, that makes what I wanted to say easier to get out. I’ve had to use the powers I got after Twilight went Midnight that one time. Sugar is helping me investigate cases that involve demons.”
“Ya mean that fancy suit?” Frowning, AJ studied Sunset’s face intently. “And what’s this about demons? Things leaking through the portal again? Well, good thing we’re havin’ that get together Ah guess.”
Shaking her head, Sunset’s expression turned dark. “No, these things aren’t from Equestria. The thing I fought, I’d never heard of anything like it from Equestria. These are from this world.”
“Now wait a minute, you and the princess said there ain’t no magic here,” AJ said, her features darkening. “Ya can’t tell me ya’ll have been wrong fer years.”
“I’m looking into it, but for now it looks like I was wrong,” Sunset admitted, glancing over at one of her bookshelves. “I’m in the middle of a case involving a demon, I’m hoping to dive deeper into what’s really going on here.”
Reaching out, AJ put a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Ya well, we ain’t gonna not help ya.” Her grip tightened slightly into a light squeeze. “We already lost one of us. We ain’t gonna lose anyone else.”
“I don’t know if friendship lasers will solve this mystery, AJ,” Sunset admitted with a dry laugh. “But I’ll take what help I can get.”
“That ain’t what Ah meant and ya know it.” Pulling away, AJ reclaimed her beer. “Mac and Ah are just a phone call away. Well, maybe not Mac.”
“Ah can try, but between work and mah family, Ah’m busy these days,” Mac relented, throwing his empty bottle away. “Ah’l help when I can.” Smacking his lips, he turned his soft gaze to Sunset. “Armor still givin’ ya trouble?”
Grimacing, Sunset dug a nail at the label on her beer. “He gave me the third degree as soon as he heard the police report after my first fight with a demon the other day.”
Mac grunted, wrapping his arm around AJ and pulling her into a hug. “Ah can see why. Ah don’t know what I’d do iffin’ anything happened to AJ or Bloom.”
“Why do you think I’ve never stood up to him?” Sunset grumbled. “At least Spike still talks to me.”
“How ‘bout we don’t focus on the depressin’ stuff for now?” AJ suggested, offering Sunset a small smile. “How did ya end up with Sugarcoat anyway? Can’t be the easiest person to work with, Ah imagine.”
“She was my first client with a demon-related case. She’s helping me research demons so I know what I’m going up against in these cases.”
Draining the last of her alcohol, AJ tossed the empty bottle away. “Didn’t seem like she changed much. A tad too honest fer my liking.”
“You’ll never believe me, but I actually heard her tell a joke earlier,” Sunset reported with a mischievous grin. “But enough about my new employee, how are things with you and Rarity?”
“Thinkin’ of poppin’ the question,” AJ replied happily. “Been savin’ up fer a ring and Sweetie Belle’s been helpin’ me plan a big proposal. Ah might be simple, but Rares loves big gestures.”
Sunset nearly lunged at her friend, throwing her arms around the taller woman. “That’s great! I know she’ll say yes.” She had to stamp down on a bit of envy, she had never gotten the chance to ask that same question of Twilight.
“She’d better,” AJ replied with a laugh. “Ah’ve put more plannin’ into this proposal than this year’s harvest.”
Mac grunted, taking a look at his watch. “We should be headin’ out soon, AJ. Ah still hafta pick up Amy from her grandma’s.”
“Alright.” Giving Sunset a quick hug, Applejack pulled away. “It was good talkin’ to ya, Sunny, hope to do it again soon. Also, if Rares says yes, would you be mah Maid of Honor at the ceremony?”
Sunset blinked, the suggestion catching her off guard. “Wait, me? Wouldn’t Dash be a better choice?”
“Ya really think Ah could get Dash t’help me plan a weddin’?” Applejack deadpanned. “She’d just want everything to look ‘cooler’.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Sunset said in agreement. “I’d love to, AJ.”
“Thanks, Sunset, it means a lot.” Giving one last smile and wave, AJ exited out of the loft with Mac not far behind.
Left on her own, Sunset took in the quiet. It was mostly quiet these days, though if she closed her eyes she could still hear the chiming of Twilight’s laughter.
With the others gone, it was hard to keep the green-eyed monster from creeping in. She was happy for AJ, she really was, but a nagging part of her wouldn't stop reminding her of what she'd almost had.
Moving across the loft, Sunset stopped in front of the rather nicely sized tank. Moving the lid slightly, she reached down and scooped up its occupant.
“Hey, Ray,” she greeted, holding the tiny lizard in her hand. “Having a good day?”
Ray responded by rushing up her arm to her shoulder and flitted his tongue out at her.
Sunset gently stroked her tiny friends head, feeling the darker emotions ebb away. “Sorry I didn’t bring you out to talk with AJ and Mac. My friends don’t come over as often as they used to.”
Tilting his head back, Ray opened his mouth. Sunset took the gesture to mean all was forgiven.
Sitting down on the couch, Sunset continued her ministrations. Everything came pouring out, as it always did with Ray. He didn’t judge, he didn’t argue, he just listened. She told him everything, from her fight with Botis to her envy of Applejack.
The only thing Ray ever seemed to want from Her were rubs on the head and crickets, both things she was more than willing to give. Well, the second one did have a limit. She didn’t want him getting fat.
"I think I've talked your ears off enough for tonight. Wanna chill with some games, Ray?"
Ray just sat calmly on her shoulder, licking his lips nonchalantly. Smiling, Sunset grabbed a controller and started up an action game. She was usually partial to horror, but it always caused Ray to wig out on her shoulder.
She played into the night, putting aside demons and magic. Tonight it was just her and Ray.
Shining Armor paced the hall outside the interrogation rooms of his precinct. Nothing was adding up. None of the recent suspects in the drug bust could tell him how a reporter managed to figure it out before it went down. He didn't get the feeling that they were lying, genuine confusion was hard to fake. And not even one of them was suspicious of the others of being a mole.
One thought kept pricking his mind. Magic. It always came back to magic in Canterlot. He just needed proof. Unrolling the newspaper in his hand, he examined the name of the reporter.
"Seems like an obvious place to start," he muttered. The conversation already played out in his head, the same as it always did with reporters. A lot of talking in circles and refusals to reveal sources. He started walking, grabbing his phone from his pocket.
Dialing a number quickly, he put the phone to his ear. "Turnabout, you got a minute? I need some help getting a search warrant on a journalist, Double Scoop."
“And has this journalist done anything to deserve a warrant?” Turnabout’s voice asked.
"She's managed to report several crimes before they've happened. I just talked to suspects in that big drug bust and no one seems to have any ideas how she did it. Come on, Turn, that's gotta be probable cause to poke through her place and car."
There was a sigh on the other end before Turn answered. “I’ll talk to the judge, but I can’t promise you anything. Can you send me copies of the articles so I can present them?”
"Ya, I can do that." Suppressing his own sigh, Shining spoke again. "If this is what I think it is... I know who to talk to."
“Alright, I’ll call you back after I get the judge’s decision,” Turn said, the sound of shuffling papers in the background. “I’ll swing by your desk if I manage to get the warrant."
Turn cleared his throat, his voice lowering. "I hope for both our sakes it isn't what you think it is. That business with that 'Phoenix’ person is trouble enough. I'm not looking to drink myself out of a job like Mallet did."
“If we handle things right, you won’t have to, Turn,” Shining assured, putting on a forced smile. “I’m heading out once I send you the articles, good luck with the judge.”
"Right, thanks. I'll let you know when I get a chance." Turnabout excused himself, the call clicking off.
Sighing again, Shining quickly went to his desk and sent Turnabout links to the articles. Once that was done, he forced himself out so he could talk to the one person he knew who could tell him about magic.
His stomach turned at the thought of her. He hated her presence, he hated that his little brother still talked to her. It was a test of patience during visits to his parents, who insisted on continuing to display photos of her and his sister.
He wasn't even safe in his own home. Cadance would always tell him that Sunset wasn't to blame for what happened to Twilight. Even worse, Flurry would ask when 'Aunt Sunny' would come to visit again.
But it was her fault. If Sunset hadn't come, if she hadn't brought that damned magic, his sister would still be here.
The entire drive to her office, he tried to find a way to rationalize a way out of going. This only served to fuel his irritation when he knew he had no other choice. Magic was Sunset's purview and he just had to deal with it.
Swallowing his pride, he reached out and knocked on her door.
Another woman answered, whom he took a moment to recognize. Sugarcoat, he recalled. She had been a Shadowbolt along with Twilight.
"Business or personal?" Sugar asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"Business," Shining replied quickly. "I need to talk to Sunset about a case I think involves magic."
Sugar held fast at the door, crossing her arms in a show of obstinance. "What kind of magic?"
"A reporter is making articles about crimes that haven't happened yet. And suspects in those crimes aren't leading me to a mole for her to be using."
Regarding him for a moment, Sugarcoat stepped to the side. "It's a demon."
It was Shining's turn to quirk a brow as he entered the room. "A demon? I know Canterlot has seen some weird things, but that seems a bit far fetched."
“It’s from hell.”
Shining's expression went blank. "Are you serious?"
“Sugar? Do we have a client? Sunset called from upstairs. “I’ll be down in a minute.”
"It's a certain blue-haired cop!" Sugar called back. “I can kick him out if you want!”
An audible groan came from upstairs. "No, I'll talk to him!"
Sitting down at her desk, Sugarcoat kept an eye stare on Shining Armor. “She’ll be right down.”
Finding a comfortable place to stand, Shining kept an eye on the stairs. He was starting to regret his choice to visit. Fishing a cigarette from his pocket, he slipped the slender cylinder between his lips. “Work here long?” he asked, fiddling with his lighter.
"A couple days," Sugar commented, pulling out a book. "And don't smoke in here."
Shining Armor savored a deep breath of nicotine, letting the smoke escape his nostrils. “Hm? Did you say something?”
"Don't. Smoke. In here," Sugar repeated curtly, glaring at his cigarette. “You’re being an unendearing dick. How are you still married to Dean Cadance?”
Taking another drag of his cigarette, he blew the smoke towards the door. “You’re not in high school anymore, you don’t have to call her Dean. As for my marriage, it’s very healthy. With Flurry in Elementary school, we get more chances to have couple’s nights when our days off align.”
Sugarcoat's frustration grew, dropping the book onto her desk dramatically. "If you continue to be an asshole, I'm going to get unpleasant. Put. It. Out." She punctuated each word with a movement, rising from her seat like a looming predator.
With one last puff, Shining put the cigarette out against the bottom of his shoe and flicked the remains into the closest trash can. “Fine, don’t wanna go home smelling like it anyway. Cadance keeps bugging me to get on the gum and quit.”
"Then maybe you should drop the pulp stereotype and do so." Easing herself back down, Sugarcoat kept her hard stare. "Maybe have a good cry instead of being a tough guy."
“Don’t assume I haven’t cried about my sister,” he snorted, leaning against the wall. “I did my mourning, this is something else.”
"Okay!" Sunset clapped from the landing, interrupting their antagonism. "I'm not leaving you two alone in a room again. Shining, please tell me you didn't just come here to provoke my assistant. Though if your here to vaguely accuse me of things I'll have to tell you plainly, I'm not the one who pissed in your cereal."
“No, I’m not here to blame you for this one,” he answered, turning toward her. “I’m just here about a reporter named Double Scoop. I was going to ask if you knew of any magical artifacts that let someone see the future, but your… assistant said she was a demon.”
Sunset shot Sugarcoat an unamused look before seating herself behind her own desk. "No, she isn't a demon, she's working with a demon. And no, Equestria has nothing to do with this." She felt the need to stomp out any potential blame; lest they devolve into the regular shouting match.
“How can Equestria have nothing to do with this?” Shining questioned, looking between them. “Everything supernatural Canterlot has dealt with has been related to Equestria. Why is this suddenly the exception?”
"This book, the Ars Goetia was written two thousand years ago," Sugarcoat said, cracking open her tome. "Any magic from Equestria is only a thousand years old. The last one manifested a symbol that matches that of a demon in this book."
Shining thought back to the video, recalling a symbol that had burned into the grass. “Sugarcoat, do you know where I can get a copy of the Ars Goetia? I want to confirm your story.”
"Any occult bookstore."
Running a hand through his hair, Shining nodded. “Thank you. I’ll come back if this doesn’t add up.” A sudden realization struck him. “Hold on, how were you so sure magic wasn’t involved? Have you been investigating Scoop?”
Sunset clicked her tongue, suddenly finding her nails quite interesting. Looked like she need to give them a cut. "If I was, I couldn't say. Clients do expect privacy. I will say this though, you're better off leaving this to that Fenix woman. She's probably more suited to fighting demons."
Shining’s expression went blank. “Are you seriously trying to pretend you’re not Fenix? Or is this just a petty way of trying to annoy me?” Shaking his head, he continued. “Anyway, I’m in the process of getting a search warrant on Scoop. If that happens, you have to stop your investigations, or I’ll have to bring you in on obstruction of justice.”
"I'll keep that in mind," Sunset agreed, putting her feet up. "Have a nice day, officer."
“Alright, I’ll get out of your hair for now,” he said, waving and turning on his heel. He quickly exited the building, using his phone to look up an occult bookstore nearby.
Shortly after Shining Armor had left, Sunset had exited the office to have a talk with Scoop. She was hoping she could put an end to this case before he could ever get his warrant. She'd be seeing him more often, no doubt. Truthfully, if things continued or escalated, eyes with much more authority would turn towards Canterlot.
On the bright side, Shining hadn’t shouted at her once during his visit. That was the first time that had happened in years. Maybe this was progress? Perhaps she could even see Flurry again. She and Twilight had talked about adopting before. Of course, the caveat always was after they got married. Sighing, she continued down the road towards the bar Scoop was supposed to frequent.
It was a semi-decent place, though a little too artsy for her. The kind of place whose menu mostly consisted of fruit drinks and made most of its money on ladies’ nights. Though if they did have something like that, she might have to come back. She never could say no to cheap drinks.
Sunset put the idea of inviting Rarity to join her in the back of her head. The fashionista would probably have the time of her life flirting with guys to get all their drinks for free, only to let the shoe drop and reveal she’s dating another woman. She’d call it punishment for them never bothering to ask if she was available.
The interior of the place, called Neely's, certainly lived up to her expectations. A modern aesthetic, 'bar science' design, close but not claustrophobic spaces to encourage conversations and more importantly, spending. Even the music was trying to be artsy, some sort of modern jazz that softly played throughout the room.
It wasn't normally her kind of place, harboring a preference for the homey, comfortability of dive bars. Had stronger drinks too. Glancing around, she tried to find Scoop. When she didn’t find signs of her right away, she went up to the bar, ordered a drink and found a seat to keep an eye out for her.
Her drink was far sweeter than what she was used to, too much lemon. Slipping her phone out, Sunset mimed a few selfies. Each gave her an excuse to peer about the room. The only context she would possibly call selfies useful. After a few minutes, she caught sight of Scoop, the woman glancing at her phone she had sitting on the table. Grabbing her drink, Sunset made her approach.
"Hey there," Sunset said, her easiest smile on display. "I saw you drinking alone and thought you might like some company."
Scoop jumped a little in her seat, but quickly settled down and kept her gaze on her phone. “Um, I guess that’s fine. I’m Double Scoop.”
Sunset took the seat across from her. "I'm Day Tripper, nice to meet you, Double Scoop."
“Don’t know how good I’ll be for conversation, I’m waiting on a call,” Scoop admitted, drumming her fingers on her phone.
"Anyone important?"
“Just someone who’s helping me with my job,” Scoop answered, giving Sunset a quick smile. “Nothing exciting like someone wanting to run off and elope with me.”
Sunset giggled, leaning in a bit closer. "That's good to hear. Means I have a bit more of a chance with the pretty lady across from me."
Scoop chuckled and waved her hand. “Sorry, I don’t swing that way. Tried it once while I was tipsy in college and it wasn’t for me.”
"Well, it's not like a hobby. You like who you like," Sunset replied with a faux pout. "But, I do think it’s good to experiment. Never know what you'll find out about yourself."
“Well, I had just heard a lecture on human sexuality being less about hard lines and more of a spectrum with tons of bleedover,” Scoop explained, gesturing. “My roommate and I were close, she had a messy breakup the weekend before, mix all that with some wine coolers and we made out and messed around. She came out as bi a few days later and I realized I can like girls emotionally, but guys get my motor running.”
Sunset nodded, feeling the warmth of alcohol building in her face. "I can understand that. Took me awhile to understand that part of myself. Sweetest girl I ever met helped me figure it out."
“Sounds like there’s still some feelings there,” Scoop pointed out, resting her chin on her hands. “Why are you hitting on me when you could be chasing a girl that special?”
"It's..." Sunset bit the inside of her cheek, focusing her thoughts. Pushing the rest of her drink away, she cleared her throat. "I'd rather not talk about it. High School was a long time ago and I'm currently a free agent."
Scoop paled, her expression falling. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to open up old wounds.”
"It's alright, I set down a landmine and walked right on it." It was always better to put a little truth into a cover. Sure, a full lie was just as well, but a sliver of truthfulness always made it just a bit more real. Especially with alcohol loosened lips. She revived her smile. “So, what do you do for a living?”
"Oh, I work at Canterlot Times," Scoop said, lifting her face. "Nothing too big but I have made the front page a few times."
Sunset’s face lit up her smile grew wider. “That sounds really impressive. Wait, I think I recognize your name now. You wrote the drug bust article, right?!”
"It wasn't that big of a deal." Blushing, Scoop rubbed her neck. "Just some good ole' fashioned investigating and a good source or two. I was just happy to help get those guys off the streets."
Sunset felt the tug of a smirk try to form at the corners of her mouth, knowing it was time to cut the crap. “That source wouldn’t happen to be a demon, would it?”
"W-what?" Scoop blinked, her eyes going wide. "What are you talking about?"
“I mean, you’ve been printing these stories before they even happen,” Sunset pointed out, putting an elbow on the table. “Plus, none of the suspects are fessing up to ratting out the crimes. Doesn’t seem normal, ya know?”
Narrowing her eyes, Scoop's hand drifted under the table. "And how would you know that? Ah, I see. You're one of those incompetent jackoffs on CCPD. What, not a fan of being upstaged? Maybe you should do your job properly."
Sunset chuckled, waving her hand. “Nah, I’m not a cop, I just know one. I’m a private investigator. And I happened to see your informant while he was in his little trance." Shifting her eyes, she tracked Scoop's disappearing hand. "Relax, I'm just here to talk. Not like I can get you sent to jail; having a demon informant isn’t against the law."
"And what makes you think its a demon, Ms. Tripper? You must spend a lot of time on the internet to have such outlandish ideas like that."
Sunset's chuckle turned into a full on laugh. "I'm going to guess you came to town relatively recently. Canterlot has a lot of outlandish things in it, we just don't talk about them. Plus, instead of laughing me off, you’ve gotten awfully defensive." Collecting herself, she gave Scoop a serious look. “Seriously, Scoop, this demon is going to do something to you. He’s looking to get you to sign a contract, if you haven’t signed it already. You need help.”
Scoop held Sunset in a tight gaze before rushing to her feet. Holding her arm out, she brandished a taser. "Don't come near me. You even blink funny and I'll scream my head off, got it?"
“Please, just listen to me,” Sunset said, putting her hands up to show she wasn’t a threat. “Don’t make a deal with this guy, he’s gonna get in your head, it’ll sound so tempting, but don’t. Trust me.”
Despite the situation, she felt a shiver crawling up her spine. It settled on her shoulder, whispering Zero's words as clear as they had been those days before the Fall Formal.
“You don’t know anything about me,” Scoop growled, the taser trembling in her grip. “I need Camio. I need him to keep my job. All I want is to get the truth out there. Is that so wrong?”
"It is when you use something you don't understand to do it." Sunset risked standing up, doing so slowly. "How long before he makes you print things that get people hurt? Some things are secret for a reason, Scoop."
Scoop flinched, pulling the trigger on the taser. Sunset’s pulse raced, but due to Scoop’s shaking hands, the twin prongs buried themselves harmlessly into the floor at Sunset’s feet.
"Just tell me where he is," Sunset pleaded, noting the looks and whispers. She had a good two to three minutes before the bouncer arrived. "Please, Scoop."
Dropping the taser, Scoop hung her head. “He’s at a hotel on Fortunae Street. The one right next to the park.”
Relaxing the tension in her limbs, Sunset nodded. "Thank you." Taking out her wallet, she put enough on the table to cover them both. "Just so you know, your co-workers care for you a lot." Hustling past the crestfallen woman, Sunset beelined for the exit. Thankfully, she didn't cross paths with the bouncer.
Getting on her motorcycle, she rocketed down the street towards the given address. Given how out of sorts Scoop was, she was likely going to call Camio to tell him someone was on the way. That was fine, would make it easier to find him. He’d be expecting a woman, not a firebird.
She supposed they were the same thing at this point. Fenix was just another expression of her inner-self; a far better one than all the goofy outfits her geode saw fit to put her in. Except the hair, that layered look was something she wished wouldn’t take hours to do in the morning. Still not worth the outfit as a whole though.
When she reached a distance of two blocks, Sunset's hand left the handlebar. Grabbing the feather from its necklace, she placed it against her helmet. The familiar warmth washed over her as fire spread over her form. The flames continued to grow, covering her bike as well. In a matter of moments, both she and her bike were transformed.
Sunset threw her head back and screamed with the eagle screech, unable to contain the feeling of power. She blushed beneath her helmet, slightly embarrassed by her outburst. She brushed it off, stopping in front of the apartment building Scoop told her about it.
Cracking her knuckles, Sunset made her way into the building. She stopped in the lobby, looking over the room listings in the hopes of finding her demon. It occurred to her that she should have asked what name he’d have been checked in as.
She resisted the urge to facepalm, not wanting to look unconfident in the suit. She’d have to think carefully. If Camio was a bird demon, he’d likely want a high up apartment that would give him easy access to the roof.
“Come on, come on, come on,” Sunset muttered to herself, looking over the higher room numbers. “Give me something!”
After a few moments, she spotted something, a name that stuck out to her. "C. Thrush," she read aloud. "Well, that looks like a good place to start."
Turning towards the stairs, Sunset paused long enough to glance at the desk clerk. Said clerk, a blue skinned teenager, had her phone out. Obviously recording the weirdo in armor, she gazed on in detached amusement. She thought about giving her a warning to get people out, but given the look on her face, it would fall on deaf ears.
Sunset rushed up the stairs, taking a few at a time. Perhaps it would’ve been best to transform when she reached Camio’s room? It was more than a little silly rushing upstairs like this.
How did superheroes make it look so easy in comics or movies? The only upside was that she was moving fast and barely felt the climb. The perks of barely understood, bird themed magic.
Eventually, she reached the floor where she believed Camio was holed up. She walked along the hall, looking for the room number she saw. Upon reaching the door, she delivered a swift kick that sent the obstruction off its hinges.
"Hi! I'm here because I heard there was a bird stuck in this apartment!" She called out. “I can only imagine it’s not doing so well in this cooler climate.”
The door shifted where it had crashed, revealing the white and brown man from Scoop's apartment. "That's gonna void my lease."
“Oh, I’m hoping it’ll void more than that.” Summoning her swords, Sunset leveled one at the man’s chest. “Like whatever you have going on with Double Scoop.”
"She and I have an arrangement," Camio replied, loud snaps and cracks filling the room as his legs reshaped to take on an avian appearance. "I give her good material, and after she gets on the front page a few times, she signs my contract."
They’re all going to do that, aren’t they? Sunset thought, watching the display in morbid fascination. “Well the arrangement is off. This is my town, pigeon, and I don’t plan on sharing my nest.”
"You might be a bird of prey, but do you know what we smaller birds have that you don't?" He asked, his skin peeling back and feathers sprouting all over his body. “A flock.”
The nearby window broke, several streaking forms pouring into the room and swarming Sunset. Warped caws echoed off the walls, sharp needle-like beaks struck at her armor. Sunset waved her arms, trying to knock away the rats with wings.
Camio snickered as a more birds fluttered into the room, filling the space with frantic angry caws and frantic feathers. “Not so cocky now hm?” Blood spattered the floor as his arms rotated back, breaking and reorienting themselves as feathers ripped through his flesh.
A growl tore from Sunset's throat, wisps of flame rising from her swords as she swung them through the cloud of birds. As the searing metal cleaved through the demonic avians, Sunset prayed that Fluttershy would never find out. Even if they were demons, she’d never be forgiven for harming them. While she hewed through the flock, she charged at the still morphing Camio.
Using the flurry of birds to conceal his movements, Camio melted into the sea of black. A limb struck out, sharp metal stabbing at the back of Sunset’s knee.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Sunset fought to keep her balance. A sudden thought struck her, likely an impulse built into her powers. She put her swords hook to hook and began to twirl them in an almost dance-like pattern. Fire streaked from the motion of her sword, filling the room with the smell of burning feathers.
One, two, three. Precise jabs landed on her back, never hitting the same spot twice. “You stink of the other world, Raptor. You don’t belong here.”
"I belong more than you do," Sunset said, forcing herself to keep her momentum despite the searing pain.
“Do you? You come here and taint the Goddess’s creation and have the audacity to interrupt my work?” A jab came from higher up, aimed at her helmet. Thin metal slashed across her helmet, the tip inches away from her eye.
"Like I care what you have to say," Sunset shot back, the flames around her swords glowing white hot.
There didn't seem to be an end to the swarm, no matter how many burned away, it never got any smaller. She'd need to up her firepower, but she didn't want to burn the whole building down. Glancing at the broken window an idea came to her. Giving a silent prayer that the arm feathers were for more than just decoration, she leapt through the window.
Spreading her arms like the bird she resembled, Sunset felt the wind rush against her, catching on her feathers. After a moment, her descent slowed, and she angled herself towards the small pond at the center of the park.
Landing nearly plowed her through a tree. Tucking into a roll, Sunset sprang back to her feet, brandishing her swords. The police would be here soon, either called by one of the hotels guests or the desk clerk. Camino needed to be put down and soon.
Descending upon her like an ink cloud, the demonic thrush cast a shadow over the serene park. More than a few bystanders screamed, barely audible over the cacophony of bird calls.
Concentrating, she focused on the fire coming off her swords. She needed it hotter, bigger, strong enough to fry all those turkeys at once. Sunset needed to burn, hotter than she had ever burned before. She didn't even react as Camio stabbed out from the flock, all that mattered was fanning her flames. Smoke rose up from her armor, threatening to light up at any moment.
With a primal roar, Sunset swung her swords, great gouts of flame rushing off of them and slamming straight into her avian assailants.
The flock ceased to be, replaced by a floating bonfire. The thrush screeched and squaked, their feathers alight with white fire. Camio wailed, the rest of his human guise burning away. A humanoid bird, a blight against the white light hovered above her. A gleaming rapier poised to strike from his strange wing limb.
"Wow, you're even uglier than I pictured," Sunset joked, catching her breath after her exertion. “But hey, your less disgusting than Botis, so there's that."
Camio chirped angrily, lashing out quickly to stab at Sunset. Faster than Sunset could react, it slipped past her guard and pierced into her shoulder. Before he could pull away Sunset grabbed his blade, locking him in place so she could punch him in the beak.
“Come on, Cammy. This can’t be that hot. You are from hell after all.”
Bringing his leg up, Camio clawed at Sunset's calf while wrestling for control of his rapier. "Common misconception, not all of Hell has flames."
“Ya well, it doesn’t matter.” Sunset slugged him in the side of the head, her armored first snapped his head back. “You're getting a one way ticket back, asshole.”
Sunset released his sword, letting him stumble back from the blow. She felt compelled to drop her own swords and put her hand to her belt. An eagle-like cry filled the air, the talon heels on her boots extending. Then, flames shot out from her shoulders, taking the shape of wings.
“In fact, I’ll send you along right now!” The wings flapped taking her into the air. Once she rose up high above him, she dove down, poising her leg for a kick, fire erupting around her foot.
Camio tried to flee, but his wings wouldn’t carry him, leaving him to take the flaming kick straight into the chest. Her momentum kept them moving, only stopping when Camio’s back slammed into a nearby tree.
Much like Botis before him, Camio's body turned to cinder. Flames spread outward and down, burning Camio’s symbol around the tree. What was left of him crumbled away when Sunset stepped back.
Sighing in relief, she didn't even take a moment to examine the symbol, she needed to get back to her bike before cops could swarm the area. As the adrenaline ebbed, the pain in her shoulder throbbed into existence.
Gritting her teeth, Sunset pushed forward despite the pain demanding her attention. By some miracle, she managed to get to her motorcycle without collapsing. Using the digital assistant on her phone, she called Sugarcoat.
“Sugar, you any good at first aid?” Pulling herself on, she turned her head in time to see the first squad car pull up. “Cause’ I’m gonna need it.”
"I can put on bandages, but if you think you need stitches, go to the hospital," Sugar answered over the line. "No way am I gonna let you get gangrene."
Pulling off, Sunset pushed through the pain to recall the directions to Canterlot General. “Stay on the line. If you hear a crash, call 911.”
"I can do that," Sugar assured, her voice getting serious. "Is the demon dead?"
“Yeah, he’s dead. So are a lot of birds.” Turning down a back alley, Sunset removed her armor away from prying eyes. She had to resist the urge to clutch her shoulder, which now felt like a glowing iron rod had been rammed into it.
"Fluttershy can never know about this fight," Sugar replied, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Which hospital are you going to? I'll meet you there."
“Canterlot General.”
"I'll be right there," Sugar said, the sound of movement in the background. "How are you holding up?"
Sunset grunted, driving through a red light. “I’m feeling a little woozy but... I’m still awake.”
"Then just keep talking to me," Sugar pressed, the sound of an engine's hum filling the silence. "Say anything that comes to mind."
“I flirted with Scoop. Wasn’t too bad at it either.”
"...And why did you think it was a good idea to flirt with her?"
Another turn and the hospital came into view. Just another block. That’s all she needed to do, one more block. “Got her guard down, made her easier to talk to. Wasn’t into it though.”
"Is this a sign that you're thinking of flirting with girls that are into it?" Sugar questioned.
Coming to a stop, Sugarcoat’s voice faded out into an indistinct whine. Staying upright became a challenge, one Sunset had become too tired to overcome. Weakly kicking the kickstand into place, she fell off her bike and onto the parking lot.
Black creeped up on Sunset's vision and the muffled voices came upon her.
Maybe I’ll see you again, Twi, she thought to herself as the blackness of unconsciousness claimed her.