//------------------------------// // Arc 5.2: Chapter 36 // Story: Student 32: Sunset Shimmer // by Show Stopper //------------------------------// “Wh-what are you doing in here?!” Sunset looked up, staring for a moment at Ayaka’s expression. Flushed. Irritated. Terrified. Yes, Sunset thought, looking down at the object in her hands as she tightened her grip. This would be perfect. ***** Sunset yawned as she slouched in the limo, her feet propped up on the couch-like seat. She had to admit, she was impressed. Even the royal carriages in Canterlot weren’t as needlessly opulent as this, with plenty of room to stretch, plush seating, and a mini-fridge stuffed with drinks and snacks. She’s made sure to be as messy as possible with the mini-cakes and sodas without making it too obvious that it was intentional. I hope you appreciate the effort that this is going to take, she thought, letting her soda spill just a little as the limo turned a corner that she should have been able to easily compensate for. Being a bad guest without being so bad you kick me out immediately is no easy feat. Finally, the limo pulled to a stop alongside a towering wall. Sunset quickly drained the last of her soda before crumpling the can and tossing it on the floor. She waited until the driver was just outside and reaching for the door before shoving it open. She stepped out, stretched, and let out a long, loud yawn. “Ah. Nichibotsu-san.” Sunset looked over to see Ayaka standing next to a large gate, dressed in an elegant white sundress. The class representative wrinkled her nose at Sunset’s behavior before schooling her face back into a pleasant smile. “I hope the ride over was pleasant.” Sunset shrugged. “Yeah, it was okay.” She stole a glance back at the interior of the limo before slamming the door. “Sorry about the mess, though.” The driver’s irritation was well-hidden, but Sunset was used to well-trained servants and saw the slight narrowing of his eyes at her. Ayaka apparently noticed it too, as she cast a slightly worried glance at the limo. Perfect. “Not a problem, I’m sure.” Ayaka gestured towards the gate. “Shall we head inside? I have tea set up in my room.” She eyed Sunset up and down. “Though I’m surprised you decided to wear your uniform for a casual get-together.” Sunset shrugged. “I don’t have any other clothes,” she admitted. “Just a few sets of this and my pyjamas. Doesn’t really bother me; I’m almost never off-campus anyway.” “My! How awful!” Ayaka shook her head. “We simply must take you shopping before Golden Week is over!” Sunset shrugged again and walked up to the gate. She hesitated a moment, staring up the long drive towards the mansion. The massive, multi-story structure looked like it was pulled straight from victorian England, with two extensive wings extending to either side. The sprawling grounds were well-tended, with paved paths leading through beautiful gardens and around impressive fountains. Trees lined the main road, their broad canopies providing shade while leaving plenty of space between the trunks through which one could enjoy an almost uninterrupted view of the grounds. Okay, this is actually really impressive, Sunset thought, looking around as Ayaka led her up to the mansion propper. These grounds rival the Royal Canterlot Gardens, and the house is better than most noble vilas I’ve seen. Honestly, this whole place is nothing short of magnificent. “Not very traditional, is it?” Sunset asked as they walked. “I mean, it’s pretty, I guess, but a lot of people must consider a European house in Japan to be a bit of an eyesore.” Ayaka’s shoulders stiffened for just a moment. “Actually, the town rather seems to enjoy the foreign appeal. It’s an exotic look, after all.” “Exotic. Sure. Let’s go with that.” Sunset barely held in a snicker at Ayaka’s tensed jaw. “In any case, we’d best head inside. The tea is steeping and should be ready just as we arrive.” Ayaka led the way inside, the better to hide her face. Sunset could guess what was displayed there: a combination of frustration with Sunset, resignation, and regret at having ever extended the invitation for tea. “I was kind of surprised at the invite,” Sunset offered as they made their way through the long, high-ceilinged hallways of the manor. “I got the impression that you didn’t like me that much.” “Your first impression did leave a little to be desired,” Ayaka admitted, and Sunset took it as a victory that she’d been able to wrest the minor insult from her so quickly. “But several of our classmates have vouched for you since then, and you do seem to have become less confrontational as of late.” She sighed. “And besides, very few in our class seem to share my taste for the finer things, and I couldn’t help but overhear some of your conversations with Miyazaki-san about your appreciation for European high society.” “What can I say?” Sunset asked. “I might enjoy roughing it up in the boxing ring, but that doesn’t mean I can’t like refined things too. And Europe just seems so… nostalgic, somehow. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had some ties there that I can’t remember.” Ayaka seemed to accept the explanation without question, and Sunset rolled her eyes. It hadn’t been difficult to fake an interest in European high society; for some reason, it seemed to mirror Canterlot noble society almost perfectly. All she’d had to do was memorize a few Family and brand names, and it had been a cinch to convince anyone who she “just happened” to be talking around that she was a connoisseur of all things prim and proper. It hadn’t taken long at all for her to manipulate Ayaka into inviting her over for tea, especially as she’d been sure to be on her best behavior following the school trip. “Here we are,” Ayaka said, leading Sunset into a sitting room furnished in soft, light colors that exuded a feeling of spring. Sunset kept her expression disinterested as she inwardly admired the beautiful floral themes and elegant affluence. A side door led deeper into the mansion, no doubt to Ayaka’s bedchambers. A small table set for two sat in the middle of the room, angled to give a breathtaking view of the extensive gardens that continued behind the house. “So, Nichibotsu-san,” Ayaka said, sitting down and gesturing for Sunset to do the same, “how have you been adjusting to the class?” Sunset sat down with one leg up on the chair, noting the irritation in Ayaka’s eyes at her lack of proper posture. “It’s been going well. I’m near the top of the class, club activities keep me busy, and the idiots around me are more tolerable every day.” She plucked a couple of sugarcubes from a bowl and plopped them into her tea, stirring it loudly with her spoon. “The ones who don’t hate my guts, that is.” Ayaka’s jaw tensed with every loud *clink* that Sunset’s spoon made against the side of her cup. “I’m sure that no-one actually, erm, hates you,” she said diplomatically. “You’ve simply rubbed them the wrong way. Give them time; more of the class comes around you each week, it seems.” Yeah, that’s the problem. Sunset put down her spoon and took a loud slurp of her tea. Too sweet. Dang it, this tastes like it would have been a great blend. She grabbed a couple more sugarcubes, tossing one into her tea and the other into her mouth. “I guess,” she said around the sugar as she began stirring again. “I just wish it weren’t so hard to find intelligent conversation partners. I mean, the Library Expedition girls are great, but everyone else is either utterly unmotivated academically or incapable of human interaction.” Ayaka took a sip of her own tea, half to hide her displeasure at Sunset’s lack of manners. “Oh? And what about Izumi-san? I hear that you’ve begun spending time with her, too.” Sunset’s spoon stopped and she hesitated. “Well… maybe not all of them are that bad.” She quickly drained her tea, hiding a grimace at its cloying sweetness. “Still, it’s nice to get away from all the chaos and child molestation. I swear, if the genders involved were reversed, you all would be in prison for how you’ve treated Springfield.” Ayaka’s cup hit its saucer with almost enough force to crack it. Sunset held back a wince. Crap. Did I go too far? I don’t think I’ve done enough to get her to rant about this to the rest of the class. “Well, I think we’re rather done with the tea,” Ayaka said, her tone carefully measured. “Unless you’d like another cup?” “Er, no thanks,” Sunset mumbled. “I’m good.” Actually, I’d love to actually try it the right way, but something tells me we need to move on if I don’t want this to end too quickly. “You were going to give me a tour of the place next, right?” Ayaka took a deep breath, and Sunset could tell that she was debating whether to cancel the rest of the day. “Yes,” she finally said, somehow managing to wrestle a smile onto her face. “Of course. Leave everything here; one of my maids will take care of cleaning up.” Sunset nodded and stood. She kept her antagonism to a minimum as Ayaka showed her around, making her barbs small and her insults subtle. Eventually, Ayaka led her to the mansion’s recreation areas. “And this is our pool,” Ayaka said, leading Sunset into a large room, its walls mostly made of glass and its temperature maintained higher than the rest of the house. “I usually swim for exercise at least once a week.” “Nice,” Sunset said. “Though with how obviously excessively affluent the rest of the house is, I expected this to be olympic-sized at least. This looks downright normal.” Ignoring the barb about “excessive affluence,” Ayaka asked, “You were expecting this room?” Sunset nodded. “Asuna told me a bit about this place the other day. She said she always took the chance to go for a swim whenever she came over.” She shot Ayaka a grin. “What do you say? A quick swim before we finnish the tour?” Ayaka hesitated. “I… admit, I wasn’t planning on swimming today. Maybe some other time-” “Oh come on,” Sunset pleaded. “The swimming club always seems to be using the pools at school, and it’s been ages since I’ve been deep enough in Library Island to use the lakes down there.” “Well, I suppose… wait.” Ayaka shook her head. “Library Island has-” “Great!” Sunset began stripping off her clothes, flinging them over to Ayaka. “Asuna said you keep the water at the perfect temperature for swimming. Here’s hoping she was right!” “W-wait a minute!” Ayaka shouted, finally losing her composure a little as she pulled Sunset’s skirt off of her head. “Let me get you a swimsuit at least! There’s no reason for you to get your undergarments soaked!” Sunset considered that point for a minute, clad only in her bra and panties. “I guess. I mean, it would be a pain to have to wait for them to dry.” “Exactly!” Ayaka let out a sigh of relief and turned away. “I’ll be right back with-” She was cut off as she felt something impact the back of her head. “Geronimo!” Ayaka turned as a loud splash sounded, looking down to find Sunset’s undergarments at her feet. “NICHIBOTSU-SAN!” Sunset surfaced and floated on her back for a bit, exposing her naked body to the air. “Ah, that feels good. Perfect temperature, just like she said.” She looked up at Ayaka and smirked. “Come on, class rep. It’s just us girls here. No need to bother with swimsuits, right?” Her smirk turned slightly lecherous. “Unless your staff has a habit of peeking on your guests.” Ayaka’s face turned beet-red, and she couldn’t help but shoot a glance towards the still-open doors. “Th-that’s not the only issue!” she stammered. “I-it’s completely inappropriate! And this room is full of windows, besides! What if someone just happens to be walking by? What about the gardeners?” Sunset shrugged, standing up in the water. “What about them? I don’t mind if they get a bit of a show. Not like I minded if anyone saw me swimming beneath Library Island. Come on! The water’s great!” With that, she turned and began swimming in earnest. Ayaka let loose a long sigh before turning for the door. “I’ll be right back,” she muttered, before closing the door behind her. Sunset kept swimming for a minute, making sure that Ayaka was really gone before pulling herself out of the water. “Right,” she muttered, “that should just about do it. Now for the finishing touch.” A quick flare of her ki saw her dry and she quickly dressed again. She pressed her ear to the door and, hearing nothing, snuck out into the hall. Her parents’ room should do, she thought. Find their jewelry, try it on, get “caught” with it and give an “unconvincing” excuse about just trying it. She’ll think me a would-be thief without the hard evidence to back up her accusation, and her rage should be enough to influence the rest of the class. At the very least, those who are less determined will stay away from me. She sighed as she made her way upstairs. Makes me wonder if all of this is actually worth it? I mean, is all of this really taking less effort than it would take to be cordial to the rest of the class? She considered the wild and unpredictable antics of her classmates and winced as she darted down a hallway towards the east wing of the house. It’s telling that I can’t really answer that. She quickly found Ayaka’s rooms again and began making her way further down the hall. “Should be one of these,” she muttered, checking one door and finding some sort of den or study. “Residential rooms are usually grouped together, especially for family members.” She opened another door and froze. This room was decorated as if for a child. A very young child. Sunset stepped inside, curious and confused; Negi’s records said that Ayaka didn’t have any siblings. Blue wallpaper with various animals covered the walls. A bright blue crib sat against one wall, a blanket patterned with trains sitting within. Stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes lay all around, a few juvenile board games sitting up on some shelves next to a small chest of drawers. The room looked carefully, lovingly put together. It was also unused. A fine layer of dust covered everything, the curtains drawn and the lights off. Sunset walked over to the dresser and examined the pictures there; one a picture of Ayaka’s family, taken when she was about 6, it looked like; another of Ayaka alone. A lone teddy bear sat on the dresser, obviously well-loved by the signs of wear and tear. Sunset picked it up and gave the room another sweeping look. Another look at the bear. Another look at the family picture: the father beaming with pride, the daughter almost bouncing with excitement, the mother positively glowing with her hand resting on her belly… “Oh.” “Wh-what are you doing in here?!” Sunset looked up, startled to find Ayaka standing in the doorway. She stared for a moment at Ayaka’s expression. Flushed from her run up here. Irritated at Sunset leaving, on top of every other annoyance throughout the day. Terrified at finding her in this most sacred of rooms. A baby’s room. What should have been her sibling’s room. Her brother, by the color scheme. Sunset looked down at the bear in her hands and tightened her grip. Yes, this would be perfect. This would cement it, wouldn’t it. Let her know once and for all that I’m an irredeemable monster. Just a little damage. A small tear in this toy. This toy that must have been hers, once. That she was going to give to her brother. Sunset stared at the bear for another moment. And slowly, gently, put it down. She walked past Ayaka, not looking her in the eye. “I’m sorry,” she muttered, and she made her way out of the mansion. ***** “Nichi-chan? Are you okay?” “Mph.” “It’s just, you seem kind of down since you got back from the class rep’s house.” “Mph.” “Did… did something happen?” “...mph.” ***** The sun had just gone down when the knock sounded at their door. Yue answered, surprised to find Ayaka standing outside in simple jeans and a t-shirt. “Class rep,” she said. “It’s late.” Ayaka nodded. “I’m aware. However, I have unfinished business with your roommate. May I come in?” Yue shrugged and stepped aside, allowing Ayaka to enter. She found Sunset laying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. “Nichibotsu-san?” Sunset’s eyes slowly turned to Ayaka before just as languidly turning back to the ceiling. “Mph.” Nodoka sighed, looking up from her book. “She’s been like that since she got back.” “I see.” Ayaka studied Sunset’s expressionless face for a moment before sighing. “Nichibotsu-san, please come with me.” Sunset raised an eyebrow, still looking straight up. “Mph?” “Because we have unfinished business left over from earlier today,” Ayaka answered. “You left before I could say my piece, and I would know why what you saw and came to understand affected you so much.” “Mph.” “I’m not going to drop it.” Ayaka crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “So you can either come with me now, or you can hear about this every day until graduation.” “Mph.” “...there will be sake.” “...mph?” “No, not amasake. Sake. And something harder, if we need it.” “...mph.” Sunset stood up, nodded to Yue and Nodoka, and followed Ayaka out of the room. Nodoka and Yue stared in amazement as the door closed behind them. The room was silent for a moment before Nodoka spoke. “How?” Yue shrugged. “She does manage to talk with Zazie-chan well enough, even over the phone. I guess grunts are a little more expressive.” Nodoka considered that for a moment before nodding. “Mph.” ***** “So, how exactly are we getting away with this?” Ayaka took a sip of her sake before answering. “My family finances this establishment. I occasionally come here to blow off steam, as it were, and the owner is gracious enough to let it go without saying anything.” Sunset hummed in response as she took a drink of her whiskey. “Nice to have connections like that.” “You would know, wouldn’t you?” “Mph.” “Oh, none of that.” Ayaka glared at Sunset. “The jig is up, as they say. You don’t have a reaction like that without some substance behind it, and you don’t get that sort of substance without a powerful memory or two.” She took another sip of her sake. “I won’t ask why you’re faking amnesia, or what exactly your goal is in joining our class, but you could at least acknowledge that the facade has fallen away.” Sunset was silent for a minute before draining her glass. “Fair enough,” she muttered as she lifted the bottle, pouring out another measure of amber liquid. “If nothing else, my preference in drink would have cemented your suspicions. So? What did you want to know, if not my reasons for keeping up a facade?” “Who was it for you?” “...right to the heart of the matter, huh?” Sunset took another drink and looked around. They sat in the corner of a small, hole in the wall bar. Were it not for the expensive collection of spirits and the well-kept air of the place, Sunset would have thought it a dive. The place was empty save for the bartender, who was busy wiping down a glass that Sunset was certain all bartenders kept just beneath the counter for times when they had nothing to do and wanted to maintain the right atmosphere. It was the sort of place that the stallions in her battalion would have dragged her off to after a particularly long mission to drink their cares away as they laughed and sang and traded brags about their latest success. Eventually, Sunset realized that Ayaka wasn’t going to let her get away with not answering her question. She took another sip of whiskey before sighing. “My parents. I was just a kid, and there was a fire. It was my fault.” Ayaka put a hand to her mouth, which did a poor job of hiding her shock. “Oh, Nichibotsu-san. I’m sure it wasn’t-” Sunset looked her dead in the eye. “It. Was. My. Fault.” When she was sure Ayaka wouldn’t argue, she continued. “I was a kid, and I didn’t know what I was doing. But still… yeah. My brother pulled me out just in time.” Ayaka nodded and looked down at the table. “Childbirth complications. He lived for three minutes, twenty-three seconds. I never even got to see him.” “My life’s been pretty good, all things considered,” Sunset muttered, staring into her glass. “Things happened that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Opportunities.” “My parents gave me so much love and affection,” Ayaka whispered. “Even more so afterwards. And it’s been ten years.” “You think time will take the pain away,” Sunset agreed. “Make it more bearable. But that stupid little thought sticks in the back of your head…” “What if?” Sunset nodded. “Guess that’s why you cling to Springfield so tightly. Heh.” She shook her head. “You should know, real siblings grow out of that ‘you’re my precious little pumpkin’ phaze pretty quickly.” Ayaka shrugged. “Yes, well, I never had the opportunity to experience it myself, so…” They sat in silence for a while, broken only be the pouring of liquid. “Damn it,” Sunset eventually muttered. “This means we have to start liking each other now, doesn’t it?” “I certainly hope not!” Ayaka answered, sticking her nose in the air. “I don’t know about you, Nichibotsu-san, but I hardly find this an experience worthy of friendship.” Sunset snorted. “You can drop the honorifics. We’re sitting in a bar drinking to the memory of our dead relatives. Calling me by name is the least you could take away from this.” Ayaka chuckled, shaking her head. “Very well, Nichibotsu. Still, friends we may not be, but I still feel we need not be enemies.” She downed the rest of her sake and stood. “In the spirit of that, why don’t you join me and Negi-sensei for a little Golden Week excursion. We’re flying out to my family’s resort in the south pacific tomorrow, and I don’t believe you’ve ever had the chance to visit the ocean.” Sunset considered that for a moment before knocking back the rest of her glass. “Sure, why not?” She stood up, grabbing the whiskey bottle as she did so. “I’ll even try to stay out of your way so you can enjoy your little pseudo-romantic retreat.” Ayaka rolled her eyes and nodded to the bartender as they left. “I thought I cleared up how I see Negi-sensei.” “Right. Pseudo-insestuous retreat, then.” Ayaka punched her in the arm, but there was a wry smile on her face as they began walking back towards campus.