//------------------------------// // Sins of the Father // Story: Kamen Rider: Fire and Steel // by thunderclap //------------------------------// “In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost.” -Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy. A mist had settled over the streets of Canterlot. A gentle wind blew, a welcome relief in what was sure to be a scorcher of a summer day. Within the walls of a brick and mortar shop labeled Setting Sun Private Investigations, a young woman checked and double checked paperwork while feigning ignorance of her ineffective A/C. Nothing major had come in for at least a week. Just the usual boyfriend following and disability fraud. It paid the rent but it didn’t get her anywhere else. It didn’t bring Sunset any closer to where she wanted to be. In her periphery, the downturned picture frame seemed to nag for her attention like a siren's song. She ignored it though, knowing every aching detail of the image within by memory. Some nights she swore it was what greeted her when she closed her eyes. A quick shake of her head brought her out of her reverie. A sharp, self-deprecating laugh passed her lips. Her life might as well have turned into film noir. If she played it by type, she’d reach for the bottle of whisky stashed away in her lower drawer. Thankfully, her addiction was non-alcoholic. Reaching into a drawer, she produced a small packet of preserved peach slices. Her mouth watered as she broke the pack's seal, the aroma hitting her nose a scant second later. Being a former pony came with some interesting quirks. One of them was an absolute weakness for fruit. Especially peaches. She could eat a peach for hours. Shoving one of the long, thin shavings into her mouth she savored the taste. The ringing of the bell suspended above her front door broke her out of her reverie. Straightening up, she put on the perfect image of a professional. In walked a face that caused a flash of recognition to go through her. "Sugarcoat?" she asked, standing up from her desk. “That is my name,” the newcomer responded, voice even. “I’m tempted to ask if you’ve been fulfilling the stereotype of your occupation, if you have to ask who I am.” Sunset smiled and shook her head, taking in the woman's appearance. She had kept the twin ponytails she'd had in her high school days. With it she had a periwinkle button up blouse on that had slight ruffles at the ends of the sleeves, a thin white wrap that sat on her shoulders, black skinny jeans, and feminine boots that had buckles on the front. "Which ones? There's a mile long list of P.I. jokes and stereotypes." Walking with purpose, Sugarcoat stood in front of Sunset’s desk. “It doesn’t matter if you’re good at your job.” Sunset folded her hands over her desk. “I might be a biased source, but I’m very good at my job. So, I’m guessing this isn’t a social visit. What do you need help with, Sugarcoat?” Scrutinizing Sunset’s face for some unknowable element, it took Sugarcoat a moment to respond. “I think someone might try and harm my father.” “Did the cops say they didn’t have anything concrete to investigate?” Sunset guessed, rolling her eyes. While she respected the police most of the time, they did have some practices that only seemed to serve to allow crimes to happen rather than preventing them. That’s why she stayed as a P.I., so she could pick up the slack the cops left for her. Sugarcoat shook her head. “No, I want this discrete. My father is a very oblivious person, but I’d rather not disturb his work with this sort of thing.” "And why do you think your father might be harmed?" Sunset questioned, grabbing her pocket notepad. "Have you intercepted some threatening messages intended for him? Have the feeling he's been followed lately?" “I’ve been noticing someone following him,” Sugarcoat explained. “A man in a suit. I saw him standing outside my father’s home on days I visit.” "That could be something on the up and up," Sunset assured, jotting the initial details down. "A collection agent of some kind. Is there anything else that seems relevant? Even a minor detail could make a difference in my investigation." Sugarcoat pushed her glasses back into place, shifting uneasily. “My parents are... estranged. It could be related to that.” Adding that to her notes, Sunset nodded to herself. "Hmm… a divorce attorney, or a paralegal maybe? Is there anything about this man that's making you feel this way?" Something clearly didn't add up, Sugar had never been one to make a hasty decision. “I don’t know,” Sugarcoat said, her lips tugging downward. “That’s why I’m hiring you. If you can’t do that, I’ll hire someone else.” Nodding, Sunset reached down to one of her drawers and pulled out an invoice. Desperation, another thing Sugar wasn't well known for. “Alright, I’ll keep surveillance on him for you. I’ll give you a discount since you’re a friend.” She slid the invoice over to Sugarcoat and indicated the pen cup on the corner of her desk. Taking a pen, Sugarcoat pulled the invoice closer to her. “I’ll be coming with you,” Sugarcoat spoke, her tone brooking no protest. Shrugging, Sunset stood up from her desk. “Okay, hope you don’t mind riding on the back of a motorcycle.” “That depends, do you still deserve your license?” Sugarcoat responded, holding the invoice up. “I am paying you for this.” Rolling her eyes, Sunset went to retrieve her spare helmet from the closet. “I haven’t been in an accident since high school.” Tossing it to Sugarcoat, she moved for her coat. Well worn, and well loved, her leather jacket rarely ever left her wardrobe for long. Pulling it on, she grabbed her keys from her pocket and walked out the door. Right in front of her office was her trusty bike. While it had cost her a pretty penny, the sleek red and yellow machine was worth every single one. Hopping on, she waited for Sugarcoat to get on before inserting her key. “We’re heading to the university,” Sugarcoat informed, pulling her helmet on. “I hope you remember where that is. You didn’t stay long, Sunset.” Revving the bike to life, Sunset kicked up the kickstand and pulled out onto the street. “Wow, way to sound judgemental, Sugar. Higher education only held me back. And yes, I know where Canterlot University is. I’ve had several cases that took me there.” “Good, then.” Taking her seat behind Sunset, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Sunset had to chuckle, driving in silence. The mist was slowly dissipating, carried away on the breeze. The sun bore down, leaving Sunset thankful for the tinted visor on her helmet. As always, the city seemed all too peaceful. The biggest problems in general seemed to be the little grievances that would find their way to her office. It had been years since a magical catastrophe like the ones that had been all too common for the city before. An ache grew in her heart, and Sunset fought the urge to touch the geode hanging from her neck. She kept in contact with her friends, visited them even. But now, those bonds of friendship just felt like chains. She hated thinking like that. Especially when the magic of friendship had not only saved the city so many times, but herself personally. But, ever since... She shook her head, refusing to continue down that line of thought. Sunset knew that line of thought was toxic for her. She’d lost entire days of work to it before and she was bound and determined to not let it happen again. Not when an old friend wanted her help. The ride went on for half an hour before the duo could see the gates of the university. Given the time of year, not nearly as many students could be seen milling about. Pulling into the parking lot, Sunset put the kickstand down. “Alright, we’re here. Where’s your dad work?” “Science wing, he’s the head of the Meteorology department,” Sugarcoat explained, pulling off her helmet and shaking her hair out. “He’ll be on his lunch break soon.” “Does he take his lunch break on campus or does he leave?” Sunset asked, not pulling the key out just in case. “If he left campus, I would have told you to go somewhere else,” Sugarcoat said, stepping away from the bike. “We’re going to be late, Sunset.” “Can’t blame me for asking, not everyone knows their dad’s complete daily routine,” Sunset pointed out, pulling out the key and following the other woman. How on earth Sugarcoat kept her friends astounded her. Then again, Rainbow Dash was blunt too and she managed to keep friends. CU’s campus was rather spacious and the lawn was kept perfectly manicured. The buildings were rather basic in design, but Sunset knew that within no expense was spared in providing a comfortable and up to date space for education. There wasn’t much conversation between them, not that Sunset knew what to talk about. She had a feeling that attempts at small talk would be met with one word answers. "So, what have you been up to lately, Sugarcoat?" Sunset questioned, taking a stab at conversation despite herself. “Working,” came Sugarcoat’s curt response, much as Sunset imagined it would be. Resisting the urge to pinch her brow, Sunset pressed on. "What kind of work? Is it something you're excited about?" “Research. I do a lot of freelance work around town.” "Sounds pretty interesting." Sunset perked up, her interest piqued. By some miracle, she had gotten a complete sentence out of the woman. “What kind of research? Is it weather related?” "No, my research lately has been more about the occult. Old superstitions, sacred grounds, rituals, demonology and even cryptids." Sunset couldn’t stop the snorting giggle from escaping. “Sorry, it’s just hard to imagine anything that doesn’t come from Equestria being here.” "I'm actually working on a hypothesis that a lot of supernatural stories are a result of Equestrian magic bleeding into our world. Can't publish that though, I'd get laughed out of universities." Sugarcoat looked back, her gaze centering at Sunset’s collarbone. “If only they saw your trick.” "Trick implies deceit, what the girls and I did was all the genuine article," Sunset countered, her hand going to her geode. Sugarcoat’s look became pointed. “I was talking about the armor.” Sunset glanced down at her other necklace, the red feather seeming to absorb the sunlight. "Oh yeah, that. I've never really fought in that suit so I sometimes forget this thing is something more than jewelry." “Good to know it’s being put to good use.” Sugarcoat’s tone implied derision, as did her eyes for the few seconds they lingered before she turned back. “The on-campus Hoofburger is around the corner.” Sunset narrowed her eyes, before taking a deep breath. "Sugar, you never saw experienced Riders in action before. The suit isn't something to break out at the drop of a hat. It's for fighting things that friendship lasers and speeches can't put down." Sugarcoat ignored Sunset’s response, coming to a stop. “We’re here.” Sunset found a comfortable spot to observe the fast food joint without arousing suspicion. She could look through the main window to observe a middle aged man that matched the description Sugarcoat gave her on the ride over. Keeping her distance had the added benefit of making it easier to see anyone suspicious approaching Sugar's father. Sitting not too far away, Sugarcoat pulled a small book out of her back pocket. Flipping it open, she proceeded to hide her face in its pages. Scanning the building, Sunset idly wondered what anybody could want with a meteorologist. It was likely something personal, but for the sake of not harshly judging a man she didn’t know, she left that thought there. Once she had gotten back on track, she spotted something that gave her pause. A man was trying very hard to be inconspicuous while still keeping an eye on Sugar’s father. He was in a sharp suit and a tan tie patterned with black diamonds on it. Black hair was gelled back in a way that was stylish without looking wet or greasy. His features were angled, almost like his head was trying to form a diamond shape to match his tie and his pale eyes almost appeared yellow depending how the light hit him. Slipping her phone out of her jacket, she turned her back to them. She hated contributing to the zombie that was the selfie, but it always provided her with an inane excuse to photograph subjects. With the photo snapped, she zoomed in so she was out of frame without distorting the image to the point of uselessness. With that done, she offered the phone to Sugarcoat. “Do you recognize that guy, Sugar?” Taking the phone, Sugarcoat glanced at the image. “That's the one I've seen around my father’s house.” "He seems to be monitoring your dad, think we should keep an eye on him?" Sunset inquired, taking her phone back and watching Sugarcoat's father eat. Apparently he was lucky enough to retain the metabolism of his youth. She'd never seen someone so thin put away so much. 'His stomach must be a bag of holding,' she thought with a suppressed snicker. Sugarcoat was silent, watching the man watch her father. “He might be a legal server, like you said,” she finally spoke. "Then why is he sitting at a different table?" Sunset pointed out. She wanted Sugar to be right, but her experience had taught her that caution was a crucial behavior to follow. “I don’t know. I’m not a legal expert, Sunset.” "Alright, just asking." With the exchange over, Sunset returned her focus to her current job. Once Sugar's father had finished his prodigious meal, he shuffled out and went towards the science building. A minute or so later, the man in the suit followed. Sunset made a point to pretend to be watching the clouds roll by. “He’s definitely being followed,” Sunset commented, turning to Sugarcoat once the suited man had left. “I don’t think he’s a server, not after that opportunity.” Getting up, Sunset started to take notes while she walked. She could feel a tugging at the corners of her mouth. Somehow, an interesting case had fallen into her lap. The pieces were scattered at the moment, but putting them together was her job. She just needed the lynchpin to spark her eureka moment. “Then who is he?” Sugarcoat pressed, gesturing after him. Her frown returned, displeasure clear on her features. “I don’t know,” Sunset admitted, weaving through the students milling about between classes while keeping the mystery man in her sights. “But I aim to find out.” Holding a hand up, she pressed into a doorway as the man finally approached Sugarcoat’s father. They spoke for a moment before the strange man led his target into an empty classroom. Motioning for Sugarcoat to follow, Sunset slunk closer to the room. Sunset pressed her ear up to the door and brought out her phone. Bringing up the video recording function, she slid the microphone portion under as much as she dared to. “...hasn’t talked to me yet,” came the muffled voice of Sugar’s father. “How much longer?” The voice that replied was thick with honeyed words. The tone itself wriggled into Sunset’s ear, soothing her worries. “These things take time, Mr. Drops. Your wife is a very opinionated woman. You understand.” “Fine, just please, I want my family whole again.” “Of course, of course. And that’s exactly what I intend to do. We merely have to pen a contract the two of you can agree on. I wouldn’t want you two agreeing to... unfair terms.” Sunset pulled away from the door before the conversation could really die down. Motioning with her hand, she led Sugar around the nearest corner and showed her the video. “It sounds like this guy is helping your parents get back together. What gets me is the bit about a contract.” Regarding the video, Sugarcoat shifted her stance. “My mother can’t stand my father. I don’t think there’s anyway they’d reconcile.” “That guy sounded confident,” Sunset pointed out. Pocketing her phone, Sunset crossed her arms over her chest. “I think we need to keep following him.” “You think, or you know?” Sugarcoat questioned. “Let’s just follow him,” Sunset deadpanned. It just had to be Sugarcoat, Sunset thought as she stalked after the man. Any other Shadowbolt would have done. Well, maybe not Sour Sweet. If Sugarcoat’s bluntness had only gotten worse, she loathed to think of how much worse Sour Sweet had gotten. She’d have probably strangled Sunset in her office. When the man walked towards the parking lot, Sunset took careful note of his car before rushing back to her motorcycle. Tossing Sugarcoat her helmet, she wasted no time in getting her bike started. Once she got a bead on the man’s car, a black luxury model, she kept her distance to avoid rousing his suspicion. The entire ride, Sunset had to keep her mind on the mark. It had been a long while since she had been this close to another human. Since she had felt the touch of another woman. Gripping the handles tight, she pushed the feelings out of her mind. If Rainbow Dash were there, she’d joke that Sunset just needed to get laid. Not entirely inaccurate, but it missed the real point. Dash was famous for that brand of statement. Their route took them through several of Canterlot's back alleys and side streets. The ability to take shortcuts like that was exactly why Sunset had her bike. Cleaning bugs off her helmet was a small price to pay for the freedom of movement a motorcycle provided. Coming to a stop at the end of the block, Sunset pulled her helmet off. “Alright, we’ll scope out the building and see what we can find out. Try not to stand out in either extreme.” There was a middle ground to tailing someone. Look out of place, you get made. Conversely, if you look too in place, you get made. It all came down to acting like you belonged. "Sounds fine to me," Sugarcoat responded, pulling off her own helmet. "Should we check out his car too?" “If we can without being seen,” Sunset responded, getting off her bike. “Try to get a shot of the plate.” Looking up at the building, nothing seemed out of place about it. From what she could tell, it was just an ordinary office. She took a few snapshots, making sure to get the name. Never hurt to research a mark's place of employment. Sugarcoat knelt near the car, interacting with something on the ground. Grabbing something, she held it up. “I found something.” Sunset gingerly took it and inspected the odd debris. It was shed skin, but the markings on it suggested a reptile of some kind. "Looks like mystery man owns a big lizard or snake," she commented. “I know a few people at the university. I can have it looked at,” Sugarcoat suggested, holding her hand out. “It won’t take long.” "Alright, I've got the plate number and the name of the office, I can do a basic look up while they examine the skin." Handing the skin back to Sugar, Sunset hopped on the bike. "Keep that safe." “You don’t have to tell me things like that,” Sugarcoat responded, slipping it into her pocket. “I’m not an idiot.” Placing her helmet back on, she sat behind Sunset. “I can walk from your office.” "Not an insult to your intelligence," Sunset argued, turning the bike and going down the alley. "Unlike you, I'm not looking to demean a friend at every opportunity." Sugar was quiet as she put her helmet on. Slipping her arms around Sunset’s waist again, she said nothing in response. "What, not even an apology?" Sunset huffed, all the annoying moments of the day finally coming out. "Every time I've opened my mouth today you've either insulted my character, my general aptitude, or my ability to do my job in response. All the while, I'm helping you." “I’m sorry,” Sugarcoat said, her voice muffled by the engine and her helmet. “Things have been... tough. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” "Everyone's got problems, it doesn't justify treating others like dirt," Sunset pointed out. Years ago, that would've been hypocritical coming from her. However, she liked to think she'd come a long way from the wannabe queen bee bitch of her high school days. “Just drive,” came Sugarcoat’s curt response. Her grip tightened and she fell silent. With her peace spoken, Sunset revved the engine and continued on to her office.