//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Plans and Doubts // Story: Resort Island Adventure // by JustNewHere //------------------------------// “Was it really necessary to drop me off, Cadance? I’m perfectly capable of driving by myself.” “Nonsense,” the pinkette replied in turn, grin never once faltering after the other’s seventh complain. “I rarely get the chance to do so and besides! A hardworking hard worker like yourself shouldn’t be lifting a finger on your First. Ever. Day-Off.” “…you’re patronizing me aren’t you.” “What? No. I wouldn’t dare try to patronize someone as smart as you. I mean, I’m practically an idiot compared to you, especially in the concept of relaxing.” Twilight sighed but she knew she deserved all the sass from her sister-in-law right now. Still, as the scientist took to staring out the window, that didn’t mean she would sit there and take it all. Deciding to change the subject after her eyes played tricks on her when she saw a brief flash of a familiar cowboy hat and fancy purple hair, Twilight turned to the other and decided now was the time to say it. “I just want you to know…I’m only on this trip because you all wanted me to, not because I want to.” Cadance hummed, nodding as she watched the road. “Good enough for us.” “Really?” Twilight stated, deadpanned. “You’re not at least a bit guilty for guilt tripping me?” “I wouldn’t say wanting my sister-in-law to relax could be counted as guilt tripping but if it got you on a plane to a resort island, then no I’m not even remotely closed to feeling guilty.” “I honestly don’t understand why you’re all insisting this, it’s completely unnecessary.” This time, Cadance exasperatedly sighed. “We’ve been over this Twily, it’s not going to change our minds.” “Not even when I’m on a breakthrough on finding a cure for all types of illnesses?” Twilight hopefully asked. The other shook her head. “Not even if you found the ability to be immortal.” Then Cadance parked the car to the side, staring at her relative with a soft look. “What you have been doing ever since you graduated Twi, it’s great I’m not going to lie but it had been all for the world. Right now, can you focus on something more important?” Twilight scoffed as she gripped her handbag tighter. “What could be more important than the world, Cadance?” the scientist muttered, then she looked up as a pink hand was on her shoulder. Amethyst eyes glanced at pained light purple ones. “Don’t tell me you honestly believe that there’s nothing else that matters than the world,” the pink hand squeezed tighter, “tell me you don’t believe that.” Twilight couldn’t bring herself to look anymore. She saw the airport through the car’s windows and took off her seat belt. Cadance sighed at the other’s abrupt silence before she followed suit and made her way to the back. The former admin of Crystal Prep could only stare as the person she watched grew up take out her suitcase and started pulling it towards the doors. Biting her lip, she didn’t want to end it like this, so she ran up and pulled the woman into a hug. Cadance felt the other freeze up upon the unexpected contact, so she squeezed tighter, trying to pour every bit of love she got into the embrace. When she pulled away, she could only stare sadly at the neutral expression on the other. Twilight fixed her glasses, nodding to her sister-in-law. “Expect to hear from me after three days. Thank you for the ride, I believe I can take it from here.” Then she turned, not looking back to see the saddened gaze following her. “I-I can’t do this.” Tempest raised a brow from her position leaning against a beat-up jeep. She eyed the nervous teen standing close to her, anxiety practically radiating out of every inch of the smaller girl as Sunset stared at the doors leading to the airport then around the hustle and bustle outside the building. “It’s like I’m sending a kid off to her first day at kindergarten,” Tempest thought with a grimace. Movement from the corner of her eye made the agent’s mood do a one eighty however when a very pretty female gazed at them with an odd soft look. Briefly side eyeing her partner, Tempest fought a small smile threatening to form. With the semi-identical look of a black skull shirt and jeans ensemble and paired with the same colored eyes, the agent pieced together that to an outsider’s point of view she might as well look like the teen’s older sibling. Or her mother. The scary thought briefly occurred to her, but Tempest decided to delude herself with the latter idea instead. Shuffling, the agent made sure to make a show of placing her hand on top of Sunset’s head, ruffling it like an older sibling would to their nervous kin. Sunset’s momentary panic did subside for the time being when she now focused her energy on glaring at the other, completely missing a glimpse of rainbow and pink hair that passed by. “Chillax Sunshim,” Tempest lazily stated, continuing to ruffle the annoyed girl’s hair. She briefly glanced at the same pretty female who gushed at the sight before focusing back on her partner. Hey, she might as well kill two birds with one stone. Pushing thoughts of her inevitable conquest later away the purple woman then continued, “you’ve ridden planes before, didn’t you?” “Yeah,” Sunset responded as her hair was now messed up. Grunting, she pushed her partner away as she fixed her hair. After a few tugs and hand movements she added, “but it’s not that.” At Tempest’s look, the teen looked away with a huff. “Okay, not entirely because of that. I’m more nervous of being recognized right now.” Cyan eyes then continued to stare around the place, eyeing everyone going about their day and none the wiser of a formerly magical pony in their midst nor of two agents of an organization aimed to handle the supernatural threats standing by beside a beat-up jeep. “We got you a new passport,” Tempest drawled. “That’s not enough.” Sunset then eyed the other. “Also, ‘Sunshine Shimmer’, seriously?” Tempest shrugged. “Hey don’t blame me, I didn’t pick it.” She looked up and down at the teen. “Although it couldn’t hurt to have a backup plan when the ‘strong genes’ excuse doesn’t work out.” The older agent placed a hand under her chin, mulling for a bit before moving towards the back of her car. Opening the trunk, she rummaged around before letting out a faint “Got it!” and produced a large sun hat and big shades. Pleased, she wasted no time in slapping the hat on the teen’s head, ignored the groan, and then placed the shades for last. “Now you can't be recognized,” Tempest stated as she crossed her arms. A minute later, she was fighting the urge to laugh out loud. Sunset, for her part, glared at her partner. This was not what she had on mind. Still, the sight of her co-worker threatening to hold back laughter brought a small smile on Sunset’s lips. “And considering how I nearly hit her stubborn head with a glass, I guess I deserve it,” she thought with a hint of guilt. She was thankful she still had someone to consider as a friend, even one such as annoying like Tempest Shadow, and who had forgiven her when she went (in Tempest’s words) “demon mode” and lost control of her temper. Sunset lightly touched her hand at the reminder, cyan eyes staring at the amber hand that she knew on worst days have shifted into red claws. She still couldn’t figure out how that came to be. Shouldn’t she be using good magic since she was an alicorn now? The unanswered problem frustrated her, and not even Princess Twi- Shaking her head, Sunset pushed her thoughts about the pony princess away and settled with watching her partner keeling over. Unimpressed, the fiery haired teen asked with a bored, “Are you done?” to which was promptly replied with a soft wheeze and then an out of breath, “almost.” Tempest wiped a tear away, hands on her hips and let out a “Phew” before faint chuckles were all that was left. “Sorry. I gotta say though, you looked more ridiculous than Grubber did when he wore it as a disguise.” “Wait, Grubber wore this?” Sunset asked with a grimace. The older woman waved a hand away in dismissal. Her phone vibrated after a beat, signaling a text. “Shit, no time to change now kiddo,” Tempest stated after she read the message. She started pushing the disgruntled teen towards the doors. “Anxiety gone, here’s your lunch and make sure to use protection. Have a fun trip!” The agent said in one breath, ignored the embarrassed cry from her partner, and shoved the lunchbox she prepared on the teen’s fumbling hands. Cyan eyes watched as the faint red and gold blur disappeared among the cluster of people going in. Tempest let out a relieved grin. “Mission accomplished Agent Shadow. Job well done,” The purple woman congratulated herself with a pleased smile, dusting her hands off as she went back to her jeep. Her phone vibrated once more, this time signaling a call. At the number, Tempest sighed before answering with a lazy, “Yello?” The person from the other end started speaking, to which the agent aptly replied with a, “Yep got her on board and inside the airport now.” The caller asked something. “All I can say is that I piqued her interest enough, not gonna be excited when she calls to say it was nothing but a fluke though.” When the voice responded, the agent rolled her eyes. “Yes, I made sure the others got theirs too. Although I gotta ask, how’d you managed getting those?” Tempest furrowed her brows in concern. “Huh, and you sure you can trust this one?” Worry filled tones spoke over the speaker, urging Tempest to shush the person on the other end as she tried to act casual, especially when the pretty lady from before started walking towards her. “Alright, sorry. It's just the professional in me but it might be nothing really. I’ll try to update you with info that’s not entirely classified before I send a team immediately if something bad did come up. If I were you though, I’d trust them to work it out all by themselves. I mean, they did it before, right?” The voice from the other end let out a murmur of worry alongside begrudging agreement. Tempest rolled her eyes before replying with a neutral “Sure. Anyway, I’ll be going now- The voice on the other end spoke hurriedly. “Yes yes. No need to thank me and all that shit. I’m happy to help.” The call ended, making Tempest rub her head with a hint of guilt. Shaking her head afterwards, she silently convinced herself that she was doing the right thing. When she came face-to-face with the person who was eyeing her and her ‘sister’ earlier, the agent’s guilt was forgotten as she grinned. A beat before she shifted it into a charming smile. Smoothing back her mohawk, Tempest said in greeting, “Hey, I’m Fizz or as my little sister likes to call me, ‘best sissy.’” The person before Tempest giggled, twirled a lock of her hair, and allowed the purple woman to escort her towards the direction of a nice romantic café. As she opened the door to let the other one in first, the agent looked back one last time at the direction of the airport. “Good luck kid.”