As you swing open the door to your room you hear the crinkle of paper. Right there, stuffed under the door, a note.
"Meh," you groan, bending down to get it.
Hello, Anonymous, this is Sunset Shimmer. Please meet me in the Hotel's in-house fine dining area at 6pm. Dress sharply. This is Non-negotiable.
Fine, I'll go to this silly meeting, but I won't like it! After a quick shower, you're feeling better. Most of your skin was a nice babyish red-pink, and tingling but you bet there isn't any lasting nerve damage. R-right? All too soon it's 5:50 o'clock, and time for your date business meeting. You hadn't even known there was high class food court in this hotel. Nothing says decadence, class and upper crust like food court.
Unfortunately for you, soda machines, vending machines, and cooks stuck in dead end jobs behind glass, cooking low end food is not what you find. Rather, red carpets, up tight servers and a smartly dressed maître d'. There is a long line of ponies and other monsters, some with their sweethearts or by themselves. Before you can even sigh in disappointment, the surly-looking head waiter pushes past the others to reach you.
"Come with me, monsieur," he bows slightly, and then spins back around to lead you in.
With a hearty chuckle you wave to the grumbling group left behind, feeling smug as a bug in a rug. The stallion leads you toward the back, to a semi-circular booth. Sunset Shimmer was already waiting, magically sipping on some white wine, or some grossly colored water, it's hard to tell from this distance. The dimness of the lights and the darkness of the booth and table made this area seem cut off from the rest.
The stallion bows deeply and leaves the two of you. When you just stand there like an idiot, Sunset pats the open space next to her, "sit, you dunce."
"What's your game, Sunset?" you demand (quiet but forcefully), eyes squinting.
"I've already ordered for you," she replies listlessly, ignoring your question.
Reluctantly, you sit next her, feeling her warm thigh press against yours briefly before you readjust yourself a pinch further away, "what did you get us?"
"Why, a five course salad, naturally."
Your teeth grind themselves to dust, "so, how did your bout go?"
She brushes her hair to the side, revealing a strange highlight in it. With a sprinkle of magic, she takes off some illusions from her face, and body, showing one half of a pair of Irish sunglasses. Lacerations, other bruises, not pretty. She quickly restores the glamour.
"You won though?'
"Was there ever any doubt?" she replied. It would take two sentences to describe her smugness with this statement. If I hadn't done it that way instead. Wait a second. . .
"I guess not. I beat you though, so it's possible," a malicious grin plastered itself on your face.
She took a deep sip of her drink, and you did as well, "don't get so uppity. We will have a best of three, in which I will beat you twice in a row."
"Is that why you're here? To beat me up and prove you're a strong capable mare who don't need no man?"
She huffs, "sort of. More exactly I'm here to," she looks around, "stop the villains and their plans."
You turned your head, suddenly assuming a guarded stance, "I'm here to simply win a place in the best villain group since NWA."
"I don't know who or what that is."
"All you gotta know is they got an appetite for destruction."
"Regardless," she puts her hooves up, "we don't know each other well, but I think we have enough mutual respect to be honest with each other. I know you knocked Celestia down enough pegs to put her unconscious, and the Mega Forces came in and captured her. And I know you arrive here with Iron Will as your partner."
You peered around nervously, before leaning in close to her, "how do you know about that?" you ask, with a hushed harshness.
"I have my sources. Besides, I was in when Chrysalis and her Changelings steamrolled Canterlot, then Sombra and the others followed, all bringing their own goons. It wasn't as bad as you might expect, but the weird part was that Twilight Sparkle and her other friends haven't showed up with the Elements of Harmony yet."
"What is so weird about that?"
"Those Elements are the big problem solvers. There has got to be a reason they haven't popped them off and blasted the villains back off into space again."
"Not sure what to tell you."
She gives you a disbelieving look, "weren't the two of you a pair for quite some while," she clops her hooves together and rubs them a bit. Damn sensual hoof movements.
"Meh," you grunt dismissively, waving her off.
The waiters bring over the first round of salad. It looks like salad, tastes like it to. What you want me to describe it? What is this, a fucking story written for enjoyment or an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives?
"Wow, this salad is real mack daddy patty," you say, stuffing lettuce in your mouth. Sunset only gives you a disapproving glance.
"There was a reason for me bringing you here," Sunset finally says after a pause, pushing her plate away.
"Oh, I thought it was because we had such good chemistry."
"You failed chemistry twice, so I'm not inclined to believe your opinions about it."
HOW DID SHE KNOW?
"I don't think you or Iron Will quite know what you're getting into here."
"Pfft, as if you do?"
"Better than you two dunces, yes."
"Fine then, Miss Know-it-all, enlighten me about the situation."
"The Mega Forces are trash."
"But—"
She presses a hoof to your lips. Suddenly it strikes you that this is essential the same as if you were to take off your shoe and press your foot against her face.
"No interrupting. Each member is strong, and together they are formidable. However, they are also all incredibly stupid and not at all that evil. I have reason to believe they are being backed and directed by someone far stronger."
"Who?"
"I have some ideas, but not enough solid evidence," she lets out a sigh, "takes a lot more than those four idiots to topple Canterlot. They had some background help, for sure. Some of which you provided."
"Me!? Hey listen, all I did was what I'm good at."
"Swinging your fists like a drooling monkey, yes, I know. You knocked out 3 alicorns."
"And you think you can beat me in a rematch, meh," you cross your arms.
"Their mistake was underestimating you, moreover, underestimating the power of that suit," she brushes your arm, "but it's worthless now isn't it?"
"Ye, pretty much."
"Looks nice on you," you turns her head away almost immediately, "not as if I care for suits."
"So what is your goal here, then, if not to take your place with the MF?"
She looks back at you intensely, eyes surrounded by rings of confidence, beaming, "to test my skills as a fighter, and redeem myself by helping retake Canterlot."
You furrowed your brow and tapped your fork on the table, "so, what are you saying?"
"I want you, and Iron Will, to help me in this goal. We can do some good here, covertly."
"F-friends? Allies? You want to be pals?"
"Perhaps not in some many words," she rolls her hoof, "but yes. We worked together in the past, briefly. We can do it again," her face was still, but underneath that facade you could see excitement and hope, she wanted to fight with you again!
You stick your your hand for a shake, "cooperation, yes, I can agree to that."
Cutely, she slides her hoof into the cup your your hand and the two of you engage in a rigorous shaking of appendages.
"To our newfound partnership!" you declare, clanking your glass against her's and polishing off another drink of champagne.
"Long may it last," she adds, looking down at her now empty cup.
The balcony on the outdoor set of stairs leading to the various hotel floors was nice. Smooth stone rails, the landing is tiled and fresh, feeling without bump or dip under your shoes. The night air is cool, compared to the day's earlier warmth, and a subtle breeze tickles the trees and your hair.
"So, what did you do after I beat the shit out of Luna?"
"Excuse me, *we* beat the shit out of her."
You give her the Costanza glare, but drop the subject.
"I continued on my study to become a more powerful magician," she says proudly, puffing her chest out, "I researched great monstrous beasts to better understand their power, artifacts and enchanted items of antiquity that could bestow power, and even reached out to my old comrades to work with them."
"Sounds amazing, anything good come out of it?"
She shakes her head bluntly, "nothing but a single lead being pursued by my former friend and former underling—Trixie Lulamoon. We had a falling out over it though. Do you remember her?"
"My fists do."
"Close enough."
"She was chasing after a powerful amulet last I spoke to her, legend says it grants the abilities of an alicorn to whoever wields it."
"Wow, because they're so impressive."
She shakes her hoof and tsks at you, "those with power often forget how to use it to its full potential."
"That doesn't make a lick of sense."
Sunset nods before pacing up the stairs to the fourth floor, opening the door leading to the halls of the hotel's interior, "I would not expect someone with as few brain cells as you to understand."
You follow behind her and enter, speaking quietly as you pass, "and yet you I've beaten you once and you desperately need my help."
"Not desperately!" she barks after you.
The pair of you walk along the soft red carpet of the upper hall, just next to you a dark wooden railing prevents jumpers from ending it all, but also provides you an amazing view of the other floors. And an amazing view of the large lava monster looking up at you from across the way, on the second floor's walkway. Two yellowy, burning eyes gazed right into yours, scorching a hole in your soul. With one hand he crushed a bellhop to the wall, screams of pain coming from the poor fella, and with the other he pointed right at you. You snort like Iron Will does, and follow quickly after your date, wondering how it would go down if you had to fight that thing. . .
"Lavan has his eyes on you, huh?" Sunset says, throwing her head to look back at you.
"Yeah, I think its my shapely ass he wants," you mumble.
She smirks, "like you want mine," she waggles it at you.
"M-meh," you falter, fumbling with a large hotel key, trying to occupy your eyes, as you finally approach the door.
"What are your plans, when you leave this place?" Sunset asks.
"Well I owe Iron Will a year or something as his roommate, so I'm going to chill with him," you say with a grin.
"You seem happy about that," she replies.
You look down at your cup, face slightly red in embarrassment, "yeah, it'll probably be a bit of fun. He's a good guy, I think. What about you?"
She looks aloof for a moment, but recollects herself, "I'm looking for a new residence and base of operations for my research, as I have too many enemies in Ponyville. Aside from that, I want to devote myself to being the best possible fighter I can be, even if it means enhancing my magic with potentially dangerous magical artifacts."
"How can I judge?" you say with a shrug, "I used and abused this magic suit, pretty much what you just described."
After some mini-bar drinks, snacks, and much time spent chatting, Sunset suddenly stands erect and confident in the pillowy, blanket cover circle the two of you made.
"I have deemed it too late for me to return to my hotel room!" she declares, woozily falling into your lap, little bubbles popping above her head indicating her intoxication.
"Well where are you gonna stay?" you ask stupidly.
"Right here," she says softly, sticking her tongue out, "but only because it's late, not because I want to."
There is a pause, but she speaks up again, "why didn't you and Twilight work out?"
You lean back on the bed, suddenly sobered from your tiredness.
"Aside from getting her mentor caught by the worst people on the planet?"
"Pfft, come on, anyone reasonable could see past such a small mistake if they were really in love."
You sit and ponder, small brain trying to figure things out on its own, "to be fair I never really wanted a relationship with her. Just sort of happened after I beat Nightmare Moon."
"See, I still like you even though you bullied my mentor," her eyes go wide, "er I mean! I don't, uh, hate you! Like is a strong word."
You look down to see her blushing hard, nervous grin on to keep up appearances. What a cutie. You mean, uh, sweet. Yeah, cute is a strong word.
"Well, I think neither of us was really to 'into' more than the idea of the other. If, if that makes any sense?"
"I guess I get it," she mumbles, nestling her muzzle into your chest.
You put a hand on her mane and awkwardly stroke it, but it quickly starts to feel natural. Her inherently extra-warm body gives you some tingles, she's like an electric blanket!
IN THE NEXT EPISODE:
Will Anonymous continue to ogle Sunset Shimmer's rear?
Will Lavan stop staring at Anonymous?
Did Anonymous and Sunset get it on?
FIND OUT NEXT TIME ON HORSE LA HORSE!