This story is a sequel to The Freeport Venture
Sunset Shimmer, the Magus of Freeport, has taken plenty of jobs since her arrival in the city. Though she's picky about what work she'll do, especially when the job is offered by one of her least favorite ponies in the world, the large bag of gold that came with the latest request was enough to change her mind.
And that's how she finds herself attending a high-end auction, where one of the rarest and most dangerous tomes of magic in the known world is being sold off to the highest bidder. With some of the world's wealthiest scum and villains attending, who walks out with the book could have consequences far beyond the islands.
Chapters (3)
No question of favoriting this, it’s great to be back in Freeport. :D
Ah, Strumming. What a fine way to start off the book.
Hmm...a tome of dark magic...Being as it is that I still wonder about how Sunset eventually wanders through the EQG portal with dark intents despite the good angle she's had so far in this series, I wonder if something happens with her and the Black Codex in the end.
As far as suspects after the book right now, Mr. Bad Gryphon is bad. I don't suspect Fancy Pants is the bad guy, but he may be up to something.
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I suspect it's related to the Inspiration Manifestation.
Just going off the synopsis, here's the plan: Step one: Arrange so that the book is 'accidentally' burnt to ash to prevent anyone from misusing it. Step two: Secretly steal the book for yourself. Trust me, nothing could possibly go wrong.
6549992 Isn’t the Free Port version of Sunset Shimmer set in a universe where she doesn’t go to Earth?
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I completely missed the memo if this is the case.
6549992 Maybe that's the hidden catch. Strumming wants to catch Sunset reading the book so she can arrest her again.
6550041 This takes place before season one and EG may or may not happen. There was an easter egg or two that hinted that it may happen, but it hasn't been confirmed either way. I'd imagine if it does happen, that Sunset will be alot more savvy about how she does it; then again, she has been getting lessons from a spy (manipulations skills) and already has a penchant for rationalizing dark magic as necessary. I'd say that whether or not she goes through the mirror in the future is one of the bigger mysteries of her story arc.
Calling it now, Fleur is more than a pretty mare: she's a badass bodyguard.
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I will confirm that this story diverges away from Equestria Girls. The events in those movies will not happen in the Freeport Ventures or any related stories.
In other words, there's no telling what will happen to Sunset.
Ah Sunset and Strumming. If this was Winningverse Cloud Kicker would be poking her head in to say "Just bang already!"
Also, love the idea of having Fancy Pants in this city of liars, whores and thieves---actually it makes it sound like King's Landing now that I think about it. Neat.
Yay, new Sunset in Freeport fic! And a multi-chapter one at that (well, the last one was also just really long too). Though after Sunset's initial arrival in Freeport, I hope she's not tempted by that black magic book. And that's assuming that its "just" a book, and not some sort of dark entity in itself.
Interesting mix of characters. This isn't canon (at least not quite, though the previous Sunset fics could still fit with EQ thrown out), so it'll be interesting to see what divergences there will be, who to trust, etc.
It's here! More of the adventures of magus bacon-mane
Bits just started to dance before Sunset's eyes.
Pre-reading question: How long is this going to be, and how quickly will it update?
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Three chapters, with daily updates.
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I'll contain myself and read it all in one go, then, I think.
FINALLY we get a new updates!! <3
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Dang, that fast? I always hope for longer, but then again that might distract from the other bits of the Kickerverse. Trade offs, I guess. Definitely looking forward to more.
New Freeport Venture story! Rejoice!
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Depending on the time line this could be the first meeting of Fancy Pants and Fleur.
Gotta love Sunset Shimmer. This is a good one.
Ooo this is shaping up to be interesting. Im curious about Fancy pants' angel in all this
Upvoted and added it to my favorites before even reading it. I was right to do so.
What is "Freeport"?
6550999 It's the port/city/place Sunset Shimmer is staying in. You could read the prequels if you want more information.
I'm going to bet Sunset either makes a copy of the dark codex for herself, or speed reads through the important parts in secret before handing it over. She'll probably use the justification that since she's working for the greater good, having more knowledge couldn't possibly hurt her, and that the knowledge could somehow come in useful at some point.
If Equestria ever invents the internet though, they'll have a massive issue on their hands. When anyone could become a dark lord in secret by going on the pony version of the deep net, they'd have an huge increase in domestic terrorism. In the real world, people still need to purchase parts for bombs if they want to become terrorists. In Equestria, unicorns have the equivalent of bombs on their head and can learn how to use them in secret.
6550140 Or they plan to use the knowlage in the tome for something else? It was hinted about basic necromancy, and I think they could be wanting it just for that. What could a Upper Class rich pony need with that book? maybe to revive a dead loved one perhaps? like a foal? im getting some pet cemetery vibes from them.
Oooh. New Freeport book!
Saves to follow list
Okay, haven't even read the story yet, but I'm making a completely off the wall prediction, based on the timing of this story's release.
The tome is Oleander's tome, or the in-universe equivalent: The Unicornomicon.
I'll be surprised if Strumming isn't lying at least a bit.
That definitely sounds like a book that needs to be taken off the market.
Hmm. My guess would be something like that last option, I don't really see even a slightly younger Fancy as being into black magic for its own sake. Fleur's presence on the cover art is interesting too, but I can't quite remember if either of them have established personalities in the Winningverse.
Marius, on the other hand, sounds like a good candidate for being snuck to Canterlot for trial as the EIS likes to attempt.
Bad form, Sunset. You don't leave an auction without paying. Cue the violence.
Well, that was easy... Nice and free of any complication! A quick epilogue and...
Ah, who am I kidding. All hell will break lose next chapter if Sunset's past says anything about it. I'm getting the feeling that Fleur is a Magus herself, although it seems odd that EIS wouldn't have known about her being there if she was. I especially enjoyed the tense little meeting with Fancypants and his date. Poor Sunset's world is going to be rocked badly, post-rainboom.
I wish could have gotten an auction estimate on the Codex. I don't know Exchange rates enough to appreciate how much Sunset overbid. She didn't even let him get to "let's start the bidding at..."
I always enjoy Sunset's attitude in these. It seems like Goldtalon's auctions might be the kind of circles she would need to deal with again, yet instead of taking this opportunity as it is to perhaps infiltrate and get to know said circles, she is all about shock and awe. And fire.
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It's not as if they don't know where she lives, and I can't imagine that she could be expected to carry around that much gold with her. I'd imagine that, along with the public acknowledgement of the debt from bidding, she would be signing an agreement on the terms of payment before leaving, at least. She may have already, for that matter. Freeport doesn't seem like the kind of place that you want to renege on a publicly made verbal deal for that kind of money, especially if you have ties to the Council running the place.
Wow. Fleur's kinda a bitch. Granted, Sunset does have a...checkered past, but you'd think she'd at least show restraint!
I did like how the narration referred to her in...less than flattering terms as the conversation went on
I knew there would be complications between sunset and fluer but what I did not expect is the subject of the argument.
at shimmer's threat.
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Yep, given her annoyance at Sunset's assumed title, I'd agree that Fleur is a magus.
Ouch, see how quickly Celestia passes you on for a younger model.
Wow, that is definitely a way to make waves at an auction. Now I kind of want Fancy and Fleur to show up at her tower to convince her to give it up for Princess and country, then have Sunset pull the charred remains of the book out of her fireplace and give it to them. Then tell them to have a nice voyage back to Canterlot.
She would of course only burn it after making a copy for posterity. Secretly of course.
I'm sure things will go nothing like that, so let's see what the next twist is.
Well, things seem to be going well... and that's usually a bad sign for the future. Although since this is supposed to be a three-chapter story, not sure how much more can be done in one last chapter (unless its word count is way higher than the first two).
Looking forward to the conclusion. While Freeport Sunset is a fun character to follow, its nice to get reminders of how flawed she still is (and naive). If/when she finds out about a new student of Celestia's, well, there's going to be fire.
That was.....surprisingly easy. Way too easy. So when are things going to go to hell in a handbasket, and how big is that handbasket going to be?
Well, it'll be interesting to see who comes after her first. Will it be the mercenary warlocks of Marius? Or maybe the unassuming ninja Fleur? Hopefully we can tune in tomorrow and find out! And either way, I see much fire in the future here.
Strumming was Puzzle and now Sunset has a rather large debt with no way to pay it and some goons after her head and newly acquired book.
As much as I love Sunset in these stories, I'm hoping she gets taken down a peg in this one. When reading about a character overflowing with arrogance it makes them more enjoyable to have a hard time. The first story did a fantastic job of that in how her journey had alot of self imposed problems that we were happy to see her overcome. Whereas I feel the story of her easily handling Glimmer left Sunset seeming like as big of an unlikable hypocrite as Glimmer herself.
The thing that really excites me in this story though is the dark magic angle. Mainly because as much as warlocks and cults sound scary, I'm on the side of magic just being a tool myself. (I always played a necromancer in Elder scrolls games. I'm gonna use the dead to save the world and no one can stop me!)
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Yeah, at a high-end auction like this they're not expecting her to have the money on her, especially given the practical issues of carrying that much cash. Goldtalon would probably just contact her bank the next day to transfer the funds. Now if Sunset couldn't pay what she owed, things would get ... interesting.
And yes, I'm sure absolutely nothing will go wrong. The last chapter certainly doesn't involve a battle where someone tries to take the Codex by force.
Well that was... anticlimactic. I mean obviously this isn't the end but damn.
Oh...that went WAY too goddamned easily. Incoming fun times...
Yep, pretty much what I figured he was there for. Good ol' Good Guy Fancy Pants.
Ohhh....that's an interesting little tidbit there. And plenty reason why that book and its kind should be kept away forever - written by dark magic-wielding, battlescape-changing madponies.
Celestia almost certainly knows she needs a future Magic bearer (especially in this 'verse with this slightly prescient Celestia), and you quite effectively took yourself out of the running for that, Sunset.
Woah, Fleur is salty. I'm guessing there's a friendship between her and Cadance, and that's prompting her to take the most negative possible view of Sunset.
Nice.
We're definitely set up for some action next chapter. Fancy (and Fleur even moreso) probably think they need to get the Codex away from Sunset for the general public good, and there's no way Marius won't be trying something too.
Assuming that there are no anti-teleportation spells (which I doubt, seeing as how she could easily levitate, and did not mention it), and that she does not have to sign any paperwork, why didn't Sunset just teleport away to her tower, or to the Council?
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Cross-town teleportation is beyond what she can manage safely.
Well that was anti-climatic. Though I imagine that the next chapter will have a MUCH more satisfying conclusion.