//------------------------------// // 8. Pancakes and Cats // Story: Sunset Nikos // by Diokno44 //------------------------------// After the rather action-packed park misadventure, the group of seven reconvened at a local CHOP (Canterlot House of Pancakes), to get a quick fluffy, buttery meal before heading back to Valor´s place. The sun had ticked to midday over the dimension of Arcadia. Sunset watched her reborn friend Nora, now known as Morganite Pie, engaged in a pancake eating contest with Pinkie. Sunset smiled a bit, flashing back to fonder times of needing to constantly restock on things like pancake batter and syrup, and new aprons for Ren. Speaking of Ren.... Sunset cleared her throat, getting the attention of the two Pies. Both had crumbs of syrupy hotcake splattered on their face which, in unison, the duo brought down their gullets with a swipe of their tongues. "Hey Nora, can I ask you something?" the orange haired hammer wielder leaned against her reforged Magnhild. It was nearly identical to the one Sunset had known, except this one had a carving on either side of the hammer bit, Ren and Nora's crossed over each other, and the weapon had silver accents in the runic language of ancient Atlas. "So after I, yah know," she shivered, remembering that, in order to begin her current life, she had died with her windpipe closed off, struggling to breathe. "I mean, I know how Jaune turned out," she smiled as she felt Valor wrap an arm around her waist, "But what about you and Ren?" she asked, curious. The others, sans Pinkie, turned to face Nora. Nora meanwhile, bore a look as if she had seen Ren naked and covered in maple syrup (Which, if one of the myriad of memories Sunset had of her life back on Remnant, had happened at least once, and, with a blush growing on her cheeks, recalled Jaune having been tangled up with Ren during said incident), a smirk on her face, her eyes sparkling. "Oh, Renney, well, after we kicked Salem's ass and saved the world from Angra Mainyu," Sunset and Valor cocked their heads in united confusion, as did the rest of their friends, "Oh, you know that tale of the twin brothers, the Lord of Light and the Lord of Darkness," Valor and Sunset nodded, "Well, Angra Mainyu is I guess is kind of the "mortal" translation of the Lord of Darknesses name. Anyway, after that, and after I confessed to Ren after he saved me from a King Taijuta baby, we hooked up." "And, what about the others? Ruby, Blake, Coco...." Sunset asked, as the faces of her old friends, one of which had been there when the arrow had pierced her heel, then her chest. "How did they do?" she asked. "Oh, they were doing alright before Ren and I ended up here," Sunset let out a sigh of relief at Nora's words. Another one of her old team had ended up here. "Ruby and Weiss got together, they have two kids, Mei and another one that was one the way. Weiss was the head of the Schnee Dust Corp, and made some MAJOR changes." she grinned. "Yang ended up in a polyamorous relationship with Sun, Blake, and this one Illia girl Blake apparently knew." she listed off on her fingers. "Well, that and Yang some how ended up with a harem." she chuckled. "Coco and Velvet got together, and they're running Coco's family's fashion business," Rarity perked up at this, interested. "Um, let's see. Neptune apparently got together with that Reese girl from the Festival, Fox became a detective." Nora shrugged, "All that comes to mind really." Sunset smiled, "Well, its good to hear they had good lives." The gears in her mind then clicked into place. "Hold up Nora, if the four of us got here, do you think there's a chance the others did too?" she said, as Jaune and Nora's eyes widened. "Hmm, yah know, I DID hear some rumors about a girl with cat ears apparently working at a book store downtown...." Nora munched conspiratorially on a rolled up pancake. "But then again, could be any cat Faunus really." she tapped her chin, then glanced at the clock. "Talked to her a bit, and when I mentioned Remnant, she kind of did that surprised sputtering thing, said she had a lot of books to sort, and dashed into the back." "Hmmm, well, I guess we could check it out after we finish up." Sunset asked, eyeing the remaining two and a quarter pancakes on her plate. The next five and a half minutes passed in relative, save for the sound of forks and knives hitting porcelain, and the occasional sipping of a soda or shake. Once they had finished up, and tipped their waitress, Sunset led the way to the local bookshop. The mustard and ketchup haired girl slowly pushed open the door, as said door jingled. Inside, atop a ladder behind the counter, an ebony haired girl with a panther ear headband turned to face them. Familiar gold eyes locked with Nora's sky blue, and widened. She then glanced at the others, suspicious. She slid down the ladder, setting her small stack of books atop the counter. "So, you came back." The girl said, sizing up the group, as she took a seat. Her nametag read Kage N. Neko "Yeah, I mean, you kind of freaked, so, I gotta ask, are you, yah know...." Nora gestured to herself. "Oh and uh, sorry if I came on a bit too strongly last time." she said. The girl, who looked to be about 19, sighed. "Its fine, and yeah, I'm from, well, Remnant." she said, "Did I know you there, you look familiar." she said, her eyes narrowing, as she rubbed her chin, trying to sift through her memories from Remnant, muddled by those of her current life. "Um, maybe. I'm Nora, this is Pyrrah, and tall and somewhat muscular there is Jaune, or well, back on Remnant." Nora grinned, gesturing herself and to her former teammates in turn. The sound of books thumping against the floor could be heard as the girl's amber eyes widened. "N-Nora? Pyrrha? Jaune....." she muttered, eyeing the three. "Yeah, i-it's us." Sunset said, taking a hestitant step forward. "Let me guess, Blake?" she said softly, as the girl gave a smile. "I'm glad to see another familiar face." she said, giving the girl a quick hug, as did Jaune and Nora, though Nora did squeeze a bit too tight. "I'm glad to see you two alive again." Blake sniffled a bit, picking up the books. "Yang will be overjoyed to hear the good news. She's, ah, busy with Illia," She blushed softly. "Sun's watching the kids, he took them to a Light Cycle race happening about two hours away from here." she said. "Hold up, Blake right?" Rainbow asked, to which the former Faunus nodded. "So, how did you have kids with, alongside others, two gals? Were they were herms or something? Or do you guys have some kinda dick magic." "Well, Pyrrha's told you about Dust right?" Blake asked the assembled group of Arcadians nodded. "Well, there are some kink-based types." she rubbed the back of her head, smiling sheepishly, flushed. Jaune checked his watch, "It's getting late guys, and I think Blake needs to get back to work. We'll catch you in the morning." the band either got into Applejack's family truck, or rode with Pyrrha or Shimmer, and began the drive back to Jaune's home. Blake smiled, shaking her head. She began shelving what books hadn't been shelved. Boy, would she have news to tell her family.