//------------------------------// // A Night on the Drive (Electro Swing — Fanfic) // Story: Sunset's Isekai // by Wanderer D //------------------------------// Sunset's Isekai A Night on the Drive (Electro Swing — Fanfic) By Wanderer D & Lord Regulus, AKA Rego Canterlot, the shining beacon of pony-kind’s power, glistened atop Mount Canterhorn under the night’s brilliant moonlight. Since its founding, the capital had always been known as a proper place for proper ponies to properly enjoy a proper evening. They attended extravagant galas, art auctions, and fancy soirees, all to see themselves be seen by those worthy of their attention under the spotlight of Princess Luna’s nightly display. However, secreted away under thick canvas canopies and surrounded by sound dampening wards to protect the city’s serenity, bustled a wretched din of debauchery: Dressage Drive. Here, common ponies burned what little hours remained of their free time amid the many bars and nightclubs of the once respectable venue. While a useful siphon for plebian bits, the wild strip was a forbidden place, rightly reviled by any civilized pony of Canterlot. Nopony worth knowing would dare be seen setting hoof upon its dirty cobblestones. “Wait, Luna! For Hades’ sake, wait!” a husky, but soft voice cried out as her royal highness, Princess Luna, burst forth from yet another one of the numerous nightclubs on her shaky hooves. “Neigh! Though it is still early in the evening, our night is not forever. ‘Tis the bittersweet curse of good company that makes time even shorter! Our schedules rarely align like the planets, so we must continue if we are to experience the Drive to its fullest!” Hot on Luna’s trail, Athena squeezed herself through the pony-sized doorway, nearly breaking it as she tried catching up to her fleet-hoofed friend. With a loud crack, the massive minotaur freed herself from the frame with a quick apology to the upset bouncer. She stumbled over her flowing orange dress as she chased the lopsided princess into the busy streets. Despite running a restaurant with a bar herself, she was completely out of her element on the Drive. The restaurateur looked around, catching sight of her friend’s nebulous mane as it quickly bobbed down the street. She wasn’t sure if Luna’s unsteadiness was from the excessive dancing, drinking, or mixture of both, but it could only end poorly. The princess was plowing through each place they went to, barely taking the time to look around. To Athena’s growing frustration, her royal friend was giving the term ‘bar hopping’ a more literal connotation. “For Styx’s sake, Luna. Just slow down! We don’t need to burn through the whole blasted Drive in a single night! I’m not even dressed right for half of these places…” Athena trailed as she looked down at her orange stola, covered in sweat, stains, and all matter of other, unknowable materials. “I thought we could just pick a spot and spend the night there.” “When gazing upon the night sky, one does not simply settle for one lonely star in the endless expanse.” The princess leapt onto a nearby light pole, twirling around it with a hoof extended towards the spotlit canvas covers above. “Not when the tapestry of the universe unfurls before you!” The princess’ eyes bugged as her hoof lost its grip and she collapsed to the ground. “Luna! Are you okay? For the love of—How are you still so eloquent when you’re drunk anyway?” Athena asked as she helped her friend to her hooves. “Our speech is still coherent? This error must be rectified at once. Your princess of the nightlife has yet to reach peak inebriation. Now come! We spy a most unique secret in the alley over yonder garbage cans!” “Garbage cans?” Athena asked with trepidation. Luna flared her wings to help balance her unsteadiness as she raised one of her hooves to point out the door she had spotted. Following the trail, Athena noticed the quiet, unassuming door, which was already suspicious enough to be on the Drive. A lovingly-worked door, constructed with some golden-red wood, was nestled in a stone archway. A crystalline version of a blazing sun cutie mark adorned the door. It was far enough away from the rainbow of lights on the drive that it only glittered in the light of an out-of-place oil lamp that hung next to it. “Oh, no. I really don’t think we should…” Athena muttered as the Princess reared up on her hind legs. “To adventure!” Luna battle-cried as she leapt over the cans at full gallop. She somehow cleared them perfectly and caught herself before running muzzle-first into the door. “Luna, please! Can’t we just go back to the Labyrinthyum? I’ll grill you up a portobello mushroom steak and get some water. Whatever you want! We really shouldn’t keep—” “We do not wish to! Are we—Am I not the princess of the nightlife?” Luna interrupted with a sloven hoof stomp. “If it is not meant to be explored, then explain the loveliness of the sizeable doorway’s welcoming design!” Athena paused, errantly flicking her crescent moon earring as she pondered what such a beautiful door was doing in an alley in the first place. It was also strangely large for an Equestrian door, even by Canterlot’s standards. She’d still have to duck down, but it wouldn’t even be that tight of a fit. “Well, it might be someone’s home for all we know.” “Then all more reason to see who dwells within! Anypony living on the Drive must surely be adventurous as it is an illegal act to establish a permanent residence. At the behest of my sister, we have studied the most dull of modern zoning laws of our land and I know this area to be a purely commercial district. If it is truly a home, I will arrest them personally after getting to know whoever is wayward enough to live in such a lively place.” Approaching the suspiciously humble door, Athena noticed the words on the sign. “‘Sunset’s Eyes-kai’? I’ve never heard a pony name like that before.” “Perhaps it is meant to be read as ‘Izzy-kay’. Regardless of the spirit of this place, we shall meet this Sunset and demand an explanation, a drink, or whatever service lies within.” Luna unceremoniously shoved the door open, nearly slamming it against the interior. She opened her mouth to shout something, but was greeted by the gentle chime of a bell. “Aha! The portal greets us as we enter. This is a business! In that case, we shall have the finest of whatever it is you provide for your patrons, Sunset Izzy-kay!” “L-Luna! You can’t just—woah…” The minotaur gazed at the warm lights and welcoming atmosphere, completely different from the rest of the neon wildness of the Drive. The brick and mortar walls were lined with panels of dark, almost black, wood, decorated by an array of storied pictures. All of the overwhelming noise of the outside world vanished as the bell behind her chimed once more, leaving only a serene quintessence in the still air. “Oh thank goodness, I can hear myself think,” Athena said to no one in particular. Her eyes caught the nearby wall as she found herself briefly wondering what sorts of creatures were pictured there, but was immediately pulled away to keep an eye on the royal pain. Past the alicorn, the minotaur looked over behind the bar itself. There was a considerable assortment of drinks and glasses extending all the way down to the end of the establishment, stopping only where the bar turned in to connect with the wall. Arranged before them were shelves four levels high above the sink, containing bottles of all shapes, sizes and implied prices.  In front of all of them was a creature unlike anything she’d ever seen before. "Welcome to Sunset's Isekai, my little bar in the Omniverse," the creature behind the bar said. She was dressed in smart black pants, a long sleeved white shirt with a black vest, and didn't seem too threatened by the sudden intrusion of a princess and a minotaur. A true professional. “Another subspecies of your kind, Athena?” The princess mumbled quietly as she inspected the owner of the bar. “Just how many variants of minotaurs are there?” "The correct term at this point would be 'human'," Sunset offered, "I haven't been a minotaur since I had to fight alongside Kaz at the Coliseum." She cleared her throat at Athena’s bafflement. "Not that it matters. Human. Just human." “I am unaware of who this ‘Kaz’ is or what business a strange minotaur would have in Cloudsdale, but well met, bartender! Bring out your finest menu so that we may see what you bring to Dressage Drive’s nightlife.” “Luna, please. You’ve already had more than enough,” Athena begged as she cautiously drew closer to the bar. “Neigh! The night is no longer to be feared, and I intend to enjoy its bounty to the fullest! Now, tell me, do you have something strong enough to best an alicorn princess?” "Well, I don't think of it as a competition to knock you out, but I have things for all tastes," Sunset said, pulling out two menus and setting them on the bar. "Please, have a seat and take a look." “You have my thanks, Sunset Isekai.” Luna fluttered into her seat, clumsily pawing at the menu with her hooves before reaching for it with her unsteady magic. “Do you also have a specialty concoction to bring a unique flair to your humble eatery, or is the lack of such spice the reason your bar is quite empty this evening?” "Sunset Shimmer, your highness. As for unique… my bar is outside time and space," Sunset said, leaning over to rest her elbows on the bar. "I have drinks that don't exist in this world and defy the laws of magic of at least a hundred others. I have everything from a humble rye whiskey to actual dragon milk." She winked. "Whatever is your pleasure you can find here… and since I have all the time in the universe, I can make sure my visitors get what they want." Luna grinned blearily and slammed a foreleg down. “Ha! I like this one’s colorful excuses for such a barren bar! Perhaps developing a quick tongue would benefit your humble establishment, Athena.” “Thanks…” Athena rolled her eyes and picked up the menu. Curious by the strange bartender's claims, the restaurateur began thumbing through the menu to see how she could’ve fit hundreds of things within such a thin booklet. To her horror, the first offerings seemed to be familiar dishes pulled straight from Minossus, but with a vegan twist like her restaurant. Was Sunset trying to edge her out of business from the Drive? “Oh my… this is strange indeed,” Luna muttered with a dull edge. “You’ve so brazenly put meat offerings front and center, Sunset Shimmer. I will have to figure out if I’m supposed to fine you or throw you in the dungeon after dinner.” "I hope you enjoy your time here regardless," Sunset Shimmer replied, unflinching. “M-meat?” Athena balked and turned back to see what page Luna was looking at to find only a random selection of various waters. Confused, she kept turning and turning, letting the pages flow like a flip book. Her heart began to sink as they kept coming and going as the booklet flowed through stranger and stranger things. “I-I don’t understand! What’s going on here?” Athena muttered as she began getting lost in the infinite scroll of thin pages. The booklet pulled at her, feeling as if it was drawing her inside the dark spaces between the lines. They sped by faster and faster in her futile attempt to reach the other side. There had to be an end to such madness. "Ah," Sunset said, leaning over to place a finger between the pages. "It seems you wanted to see the entire menu… it's… not a good idea for mortal minds." She laughed a bit self-consciously. "Um. Sorry. It's just designed to show first drinks or dishes that the creature holding it would find appealing. As I said… I'm not really a local bar." The hostess leaned back, studying Luna for a moment. "Although, I have to admit, skipping the drink section and going straight for the meat is not something that happens often with ponies."  “Such peculiar magics we have at play here.” Luna giggled as she flipped through the menu. “And such enticing horrors! We are not even sure what this ‘veal’ is, but it does seem most delectable.” “V-veal?” Athena had heard of the barbaric practice before, but had never seen anyone with the gall to sell such an innocent creature as tender meat. As if sensing Athena's apprehension, Sunset shrugged. "To be fair I had no idea it was listed there. And if it's any comfort it wouldn't be the veal you're thinking of, Miss Athena." She cleared her throat. "I really need to check the menu more often." “Well, this night is for making grave mistakes, so please! One lemon veal scaloppini with mushrooms and whatever is the best wine pairing!” Luna's smile rang hollow as she closed the menu. Taking a deep breath, her horn glittered with shimmering midnight, but sputtered out with a rain of blue sparkles. “Huh… we thought it was mere salt inebriation, but we can no longer sense our moon.” "Okay, one veal scaloppini, with a glass of House Foxmantle Pinot Noir," Sunset said, writing down the order. She tilted her head when she heard Luna's mutter and nodded. "Since we're in a different dimension, you'll have to step outside for your magic to link up to your world again, Princess," she informed her gently. “Still relying on such farcical claims, we see. Very well! Instead of calling the guard to arrest thee for tampering with our magic, we shall venture beyond this realm to retrieve our teeth,” Luna snickered darkly as she stumbled out of her chair. Athena followed her with a worried gaze before looking back to the bartender once Luna was out of earshot. “Please, Sunset. I know she’s a princess and everything, but you can’t give her any of that! Do you have something that might sober her up?” "Is it unusual for ponies to eat meat in your universe?" Sunset asked. “What does that even—Yes! Very, very yes!” Athena said while pulling at her horns in a panic. “I moved to Equestria to get away from meat, but that’s not what I’m talking about. From one restaurant owner to another, you have to know when to cut someone off. Especially if you’re the one running a bar. I shouldn’t have even had to ask!” Athena fumed, slamming her hands firmly on the counter. Sunset sighed. "Fine, if it's not her usual fare it would be bad practice to feed her something she might really regret later when she's finally sober." She hummed and tapped her fingers on the bar. "I have a couple of mocktails that will sober just about anyone. I'll give it to her on the house, and dare her to drink it in one shot if she hesitates. It's worked with other Lunas before." “Other Lunas?” Athena shook the strange detail out of her head, failing to understand anything of what the bartender was talking about. After a moment, she took a deep breath and shrank back into her seat. “Look, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that. It’s just… it’s been a really stressful night and I don’t know what to do! “Luna came by the Labyrithiyum, but she looked like she needed something more than just her usual,” Athena admitted as she rested her forehead on her hand, trying to calm down. “I tried to find out what was wrong, but then she asked if I was free tomorrow. I couldn’t make her wait until then and figured ‘Hey, it’s a slow night,’ and closed early. I threw on my best dress, expecting to go someplace quiet to talk, but all we’ve been doing is rushing down the Drive building a royal tab!” "I dunno," Sunset said, "I think you look lovely in that dress. But, I get your point, it's sometimes hard to keep up with some immortal beings, or long-lived princesses. Trust me, I would know. Let me get started on that drink to sober her up. We won't get more visitors at all, so maybe you can still have a good time with a more relaxed Luna, and some more… normal dishes." “Th-thanks, Sunset,” Athena said with a slight blush at the unexpected compliment. “But, it’s not the drinks, the dancing, the dishes, or the dress. I can usually key into my customer’s emotions pretty easily, but Luna is just so different. I know something is eating at her, but I can’t put my finger on it. It’s like every place we go to, before we have a chance to get comfortable to talk, she gets frustrated and flies off. I like having a good time as much as the next… whatever you said you were… I just feel like I can’t do anything for her when she needs someone to help,” Athena sighed as she looked back at the door. She drummed her fingers on the bar, noticing that Luna was taking her sweet time with her teleportation. “She must really be struggling with her magic out there.” "Oh don't worry, Space-time, remember?" Sunset said, only earning a confused look from the minotaur. "It’s like very powerful time magic,” she added and the minotaur nodded along. “The idea is to provide a place for everyone to feel safe and able to talk about their problems. I can't solve them… but I can lend an ear, provide a drink or dish, and maybe help them leave with just enough clarity of mind to get started on the right road. Be them princesses or fellow bartenders." She poured a crystal glass of iced water for Athena. "Here, just relax for a bit. Take a deep breath, Luna will come back when she comes back, and she won't know some time has passed in here." Athena pushed a small smile through her anxiety and took a drink of the water. The unassuming liquid danced upon her tongue, with the crisp coolness of snow melted from the top of Mount Canterhorn. It wasn’t invigorating cold, but like the fresh side of a pillow. “My goodness. I never knew water could be so amazing.” "It was bottled in Rivendell, so I was assured that its quality would 'cleanse the fears and worries of any who drink it. 'Very ceremonial bottling’." Sunset replied with a grin. “But it’s just water…” Athena trailed as she looked through the side of the glass curiously. "Well, yeah, but chilled water is really sometimes what you need. It's not alcoholic, it doesn't have random, weird flavors… It's great for calming nerves, as much as hot tea at times. Depends on the occasion, and the elves were very proud of it, so I figured it would work," Sunset replied, glancing at the wall where the picture of her visit to Middle Earth was. Athena took another sip and looked over her shoulder to where Sunset’s eyes were pointing. Across from them was the wall covered with pictures. She hadn’t gotten a good look at the photos when they first came in, but it was like a star-studded wall of fame with all manners of creatures the likes she had never seen. Griffons weren’t that surprising, but changelings, alicorns, more creatures like Sunset, and a smorgasbord of other things both enormous and tiny. “Is that rabbit wearing a police uniform?” "Yeah, that's Judy Hopps, the fox is her partner in both senses of the word, Nick, and you might not believe it, but I'm the red and gold wolf in the black leather jacket next to them." “Not really. I’ve seen changelings before. Just not ones that weren’t trying to, you know… do whatever their plan was. I mean, you seem nice. But I guess that’s what changelings do?” Athena tensed at the thought, realizing a changeling would act ‘nice’ in order to lull their prey into a false sense of security. Sunset started laughing. "I've been a lot of things, but I'm not a changeling." She snickered, summoning her favorite picture over. "Here, take a look. This is clearly me, and these other creatures are all from different worlds and times. My semi-adopted daughters, Lena and Dani, my not-quite-mom Celestia—”  “Your mom is Princess Celestia?” "I said ‘not-quite-mom’. Totally different. I grew up in Canterlot, as a unicorn, and Celestia adopted me as her student before Twilight," Sunset said. "But that's… a long story. If you look carefully at the other pictures, you'll see there are a lot of Celestias I've met." “Wow. okay.” Athena was at a loss for words at the various solar princesses as they came and went in a slideshow of suns. “Is she a changeling in this one?” "Yep, that’s Alternia… it's a sad story, but you'll be happy to know that the local Celestia endorsed her, and they're good friends." “It seems like stories about the princesses are always sad. At least she seems nice.” She looked at the picture of the changeling queen, smiling softly and regally like the princess she knew. “Luna is just going through a lot right now. I just hope she finds her own happiness by the end of it.” Sunset nodded. "Want to talk about it? How long has she been back in your world?" Athena took another drink of the elvish water to help collect her thoughts. She’d have to look up where this “Rivendell” place was later. “A few months, I think. She first turned up last year during the Summer Sun Celebration as far as I know, but Princess Celestia keeps everything about her so secret. The papers said her royal sister was freed from the clutches of Nightmare Moon after being lost for a thousand years, but Luna told me she was Nightmare Moon. I believe it too. You’ll see why when she gets back.” "She was," Sunset said gently. "I'm not sure how similar her situation is to other versions of herself, but if she just returned from the moon, bear in mind she's been gone from Equestria for at least a thousand years. It's… it's a lot to deal with, especially with how different the world is for her. The fact that you're her friend is without a doubt doing her a lot of good." “You really think so?” Athena cupped her glass with her hands, rubbing the outside and letting the condensation soak into her furry fingers. She hadn’t noticed until now, but the glass fit comfortably in her hands rather than the little pony ones she always had to constantly refill. It was a small thing, but the quietest details were always the ones that welcomed customers the loudest. “I always kind of feel like an oddball anywhere I go. I mean, I’m a simple minotaur cook who is terrified of killing anything for their meat that wound up opening a meat-less Minoan restaurant in Canterlot. Maybe if Luna had someone—somepony more normal…” Athena’s mind drifted back to Hearth’s Warming. Seeing the weakened princess, battered, broken, and so lonely. She was begging for forgiveness for something that Athena couldn’t even wrap her head around as Luna clung to her desperately. She’d never seen the illustrious guardian of the night look so helpless. "Luna... Celestia, Nyx, Cadance... no matter which alicorn, creature, or goddess you run into out there, you've gotta remember that, for the most part, they're people too," Sunset said. "Sometimes they're scary, or very good at hiding their inner-selves. Then there's the ones that seem simply too alien to understand at all, but for the most part every one of them has a way to connect to just like us." She nodded towards the picture of the sweet-smiling changeling queen. "Take Alternia for example, she might've pretended to be Celestia, but she was afraid of losing everything if ponies discovered her true self. All across that wall, anyone you see, be it a mouse or a god, they're just like you or me in some way or another." She reached over to pat Athena's hand gently. "And Twilight has always been right. Friendship is magic. We all need friends. Especially those of us who are long-lived." Athena smiled and took another soothing sip of water. “I really can’t imagine what it’s like living forever. I mean, I didn’t even think about that when I got to know Luna. When Fancy Pants… wait, do you know—I guess it’d be a different Fancy Pants somehow. Well, he’s a friend of mine and kind of a big deal. When he was an ambassador, he helped me open up the Labyrinthiyum and often used it as a regular spot for diplomatic dinners for more carnivorous guests since I offer meat substitutes. I guess he was keeping it in the spirit of things when he brought the princess over one night. After some initial… awkwardness… we really hit it off.”  Athena smiled warmly as she thought about the better nights with her favorite customer. “Now, when my restaurant is empty—which is a lot after dark—Luna sometimes comes in to get her coffee before starting her nightly duties. The last thing I ever expected was to become friends with one of the co-rulers of my new home.” Sunset grinned. "It must be nerve-wracking. Especially with how judgemental some ponies can be, but, you're doing a good job. When you both walked in, your concern was for your friend first, and you didn't hesitate to try and get help to sober her up rather than letting her do something that she might regret later. If you're willing to go out with her for a girl's night, I think she really did find a good partner in crime. Is this the first time you're both doing this kind of thing? What do you usually do?" “I’m not sure about crime or anything. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this, really. I’m kind of a homebody since I’m so… well, big. Even for a minotaur, I’m huge, so I already don’t fit into a lot of places, physically or mentally.” She ran her thumb along the rim of her glass, taking comfort in the low hum of its crystalline vibration. “To be honest, I didn’t want to go out at all, but she just seemed so upset. I thought getting some fresh air might help, but she kept saying that she wanted to ‘forget everything’ for a while. I just don’t know what to do.” "That's a sign right there that she trusts you, and if she has a lot on her mind, I'm not surprised she's overdoing it to keep her head clear," Sunset said. "At least we now know that she also enjoys the quiet times with you. When she comes back, let's make sure you two get some time to talk, alright?" “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear you say that.” With a large sigh and sniff, Athena released all the tension she didn’t know she had. Her shoulders relaxed as she hunched down over the bar. “Everypony has just been ‘yes, your highness’ this, ‘anything you want, Princess’ that, the entire night. Between you and me, I think she snuck out. I know they’re super stealthy, but I haven’t seen a single Lunar Guard.” "Well, I don't blame her," Sunset said. "Guards can be a pain, especially for a girl looking for some time for herself and her friend." As if on cue, the door to the restaurant was thrown open, shifting the two’s attention towards Luna. “Behold! Your princess returns with double the teeth!” she announced while holding a U-shaped case aloft in her magic. Popping what looked like a set of cheap costume teeth into her mouth, she shifted her jaw back and forth, causing a subtle flash of magic. After running her tongue along the outside, she grinned, showcasing her sharpened pearly whites ready to tear through meatier food. “They’re fake,” Athena whispered leaning towards Sunset. “I think…” "Right." Sunset cleared her throat, ducking under the bar for a second before setting a low glass with a slightly-glowing blue-black drink. "By the by, Princess, please have this. It's a cocktail for you, on the house." “We see no domicile to place it upon, but we shall partake in thy most generously gifted beverage.” Luna took the offering in her magic and swirled the glass around. Looking through it, the liquid within seemed to mist around in deep blues and purples in an ever-shifting orange light that was never seen for long. The glass glowed with a bright outline as the mixture swirled around the edges. “Such a deep, mystical hue this beverage has. What do you call this?” "Midnight sun." Sunset said. "It has the tiniest bit of magic to add fizz and glow to it." “Heh… of course you would serve your princess of the night a sunlit beverage,” Luna mumbled wistfully as she eyed the bubbly drink. “Still, you will not best us by shining sunlight at such a dark hour, Sunset Shimmer. We shall partake of this paradox posthaste!” With wild abandon, Luna knocked back the subtly glowing drink in one large gulp before slamming it down to the counter triumphantly. “There! We have eclipsed thy defiant sunlight and—oh heavens…” Luna’s face crumpled into a cringe of sour contempt as one of her eyes twitched violently from the magic working through her system. "Uh, step back," Sunset said to Athena, watching the alicorn carefully. Despite her massive frame, Athena launched herself cleanly over the bar to Sunset’s side and ducked for cover as Luna’s cheeks filled with a dangerous pressure. Luna, with all the dignity befitting a princess, released a deep, royal belch. Mystical fire spewed from her mouth in a nebula of dark clouds amidst a fiery orange ribbon of flaring solar winds. For a moment, the Luna’s dark coat flickered to a lighter blue as her mane and tail lost their ethereal luster, but roared back to life as the starlight dissipated and rushed back into her body. The force of her alicorn magic reeled her back and she collapsed in a heap to the floor. Sunset leaned over to look down at her. "Well, she's breathing." She immediately noticed Athena cupping her mouth with her hands in abject horror. "Not that I had any doubts, mind you," she clarified, for the benefit of the minotaur, "But I thought you'd like to hear that and be sure after that display. Come on, let's help her up." Sunset rubbed herself on the shoulder with a guilty smile at the minotaur's visceral terror. She reached out with her hand, helping Athena to her feet. "Don't worry, I was joking. It's a perfectly safe drink with some flashy results. She'll be up and about in a moment, so I was thinking maybe we could carry her over to one of the tables, so she can sit somewhere more comfortable." Athena nodded quickly before running to the princess’ side and picking up the little pony. She gently placed her friend in a seat, laying her unconscious body on a table and stepping back to make sure she looked comfortable, or at least how passably comfortable a pony propped up in a biped’s chair while drooling face down could be. “Umm… you wouldn’t happen to have any Tartarian coffee beans and ashen amaranth, would you?” After allowing Athena out of the bar straight into her restaurant—priceless reaction there—Sunset sat down next to Luna, brushing the alicorn's mane out of her face while she recovered.  Luna shifted from the touch with a miserable grunt. “Why doth mine skull tremble with the righteous fury of the Elements’ rainbow crushing the Nightmare once more?” she mumbled with a royal amount of slobber running down her cheek, her mane somehow fraying despite its ethereal aura. "Well, we had to sober you up quick before you did something you’d regret, princess," Sunset said. "Athena stepped out to get you your favorite coffee, so… I guess we have as much time as you need to get yourself together and talk if you want to." “We cannot recall how many years it has been since we have partaken so liberally, but it would also appear we have failed to drain recent failures from our mind. ‘The memories of the night will never yield its lessons to the cleansing morning light’ indeed. Not even for the one who commands it.” Sunset sighed. Unfortunately, she knew all too well what it was like to want to forget past mistakes. Granted, she hadn't quite reached Nightmare Moon levels of regret, but it had been very close. "I've had many guests come here trying to drown their memories with whatever was available, princess, but I don't think it ever helped them in the end. You were already on the right track when you went to find your friend before falling off the wagon." “We know the truth of your words, fair Sunset Shimmer. But… its siren’s song tempts in the moment. Just because we know better does not mean we will be better than we are.” Luna chewed her lip. She yelped in surprise as she drew blood, forgetting she was still wearing her sharper teeth. “It would appear we have made many a mistake this night and cannot stop ourselves from further worsening it.” "Well, there's no judgment here," Sunset assured her. "I've… also been hit by the Elements of Harmony. Between Athena and I, you're in company that not only understands, but also cares." Luna searched Sunset’s eyes deeply, as if peering through her very soul. “How curious. There is truth in your words, but I do not recall hearing another time the Elements had been—oh, wait. Yes. You said you were a traveler. Please forget the words we uttered of your arrest in our stupor. Instead, as a representative of this realm, please depart from this Equestria at once and take your… establishment with you. Such influences upon worlds can prove disastrous if they reveal fates too similar to ones that have yet to make themselves known.” Sunset nodded. "The bar is very careful about who walks in, and how anycreature is exposed. You won't be finding out the future from me, Princess… and no guests ever do. We don't talk about Bruno." “It is as well that we do not know what this ‘Bruno’ is you speak of. You are both wiser with years beyond our original reckoning if you know not to interfere on such a whim.” Luna sighed as her eyes flickered with an unpleasantness shooting through her. “Unlike our most recent student who seems to have unknowingly blundered his way into weaving another’s fate. Perhaps had we been a better mentor, we would be of help to him in his time of great need. Alas, we seem incapable of doing much of anything anymore.” "Well," Sunset said, getting a bit more comfortable in her seat, "Athena mentioned that you had just recently returned. I imagine there's a lot of things you're still catching up with, and adding an apprentice to that?” “Ill-advised, we know. Quite a quirk of fate that we found such a gifted one so shortly upon our return. He’s a most unique pony among the others of his noble class who honors us by accepting our help to hone his talents. Such potential should’ve been realized for its true nature at a much younger age, but we were…” Luna briefly flinched with regret as her frown deepened further, “...indisposed. As a result, he struggles to overcome the most basic obstacles that would be mere child’s play had we been there for him.” “Don’t beat yourself up about it. It's normal that you'd have some small issues when it comes to doing stuff as well as you did before. Give yourself some space and time to consider your moves, I'm sure he'll improve under your tutelage." “But that is just it, Sunset Shimmer! We had time. We had space. And we threw it away!” Luna grit her teeth as she ripped her tiara off and cast it aside with her magic. “Our ponies have paid dearly for our dereliction. A sky filled with stagnating stars, a withering Dreamscape, and our sister’s terrible suffering while we slept for a thousand years; all because we—because I wanted more? How pathetic! None of it should be, but it is. And now, I cannot even right my wrongs! There is naught to do but gaze helplessly from afar as fates crumble around me!” Sunset rested her arms on the table, contemplating her hands for a bit as she thought about Luna's words. "I've heard… that the first step to help others is to help yourself," she said slowly, allowing for Luna to hopefully listen to her words and cool down her emotions. “That assumes one is worthy of the opportunity. The world never forgave my sins. They were merely blanketed by another. What you see before you, this meager waning crescent… she fails to see what can be done to repair so much damage.” "You deserve it." Sunset stated. "We all deserve a second ch—” “Be still!” The princess slammed her hooves on the table and glared at Sunset. “Second chances? Do not shower us with mere platitudes! You know not of what you speak!” Luna roared as her eyes flared with the blinding fury of a pulsar. “Praytell, what would a traveler know of this Princess Luna before you? Our soul may rhyme with a million branches across infinite realms, but what of our severed stem that cannot make amends? We were never given a first that we might rectify our mistakes!” Sunset sighed, but didn't interrupt Luna, simply motioning for her to continue. After a moment, the princess gasped as she realized her fiery temper. She lowered herself into her seat and sunk her head in shame. “Meager platitudes, Sunset Shimmer. Do not be so cruel as to offer us—to offer me honeyed words that ring hollow from ignorance born from the assumptions of witnessing a thousand moons.” "Platitudes?" Sunset asked, meeting Luna's eyes with her own. "Is that what it is to let people talk about their fears, or their hopes? I speak from experience, Luna. Just because you can string some fancy words together, doesn't mean I agree with them. You're not the only pony or creature that has come to this place with their soul torn apart by regret, and while I'll be the first to admit I can't fix all problems with magic, time travel or the perfect drink—" “‘The perfect drink’?” The princess chimed in over her hostess. “Yes. I believe it was this search for such liquid salvation that brought me to your humble door, correct Sunset Shimmer?” Luna chuckled bitterly as she retrieved the menu from her former seat at the bar. She flipped to the next page past the meat section. It was different than before, displaying an incredible array of mystical drinks, each bearing curious and strange effects. “Then perhaps one of these wondrous concoctions may grant the mercy my sister bestowed upon all of Equestria and purge my memory of the Nightmare as well?” For a few seconds, Sunset simply stared, stunned. She had to have heard wrong. There was no way Celestia would just… strip the memory of her sister from everyone living at the time. Would she? "She. Did. What?" “The fault ultimately lies with me. In a vision of the past, my sister showed me the path I forced upon her. After my… violent departure… our ponies only grew more disdainful of the night, some going so far as to pray for Celestia to purge it from Equestria.” Luna took a deep breath and gazed towards a lamp on the wall, glowing with the comfort of a sun at twilight. “Ironic, is it not? I wished to bring about eternal night and force my little ponies to recognize its beauty. To appreciate my work. To… to simply want me around.”  Luna took a shuddering breath as she forced the past behind her. “But my rage made them shun everything all the more. Sister tried to repair the damage I had wrought, but their fears festered into a zealous warsong that pleaded for her to destroy the Nightmare’s night and all who dwell within it. In the face of such reckless hate, she did the only thing she felt she could… “She burned it all away, rendering it to naught but ash with her morning star. Upon a red dawn ‘Luna’ was purged from history. The memories of me were cleansed from the minds of Equestria along with the sunlit city her subjects had built in her name. There was neither a Princess of the Night nor the cataclysm she tried to create, only legends of a terrible Mare in the Moon and the silent suffering of the lonely sunrise.” After taking a moment to process Luna’s story, Sunset looked up at the lost princess. "Someone I love deeply once told me that 'to be forgotten is a fate worse than death'," Sunset whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you'd been… erased from the memory of all that lived before you were banished." Luna gritted her fangs and her eyes began to water. “If death is truly preferable, then why does forgetting sound so blissfully sweet? To throw all to oblivion and allow it to be wiped away and buried as the future bears down upon us all? Time doesn’t simply heal wounds, Sunset Shimmer, it folds everything within its annals. Those that come after us may never hear our names or know the actions taken before the eternal dream whisks us away to Elysium.” Luna’s tears flowed freely from eyes filled with ancient sorrow. “Why can’t I just forget like the others and be happy?” "I don't know, Luna. I don't think that forgetting everything will solve it. Things still happened, you can't just simply walk away and forget." “I envy you, traveler. You may bounce between worlds on a whim. Whisk yourself to a place and never dwell upon the fates playing within any world.” Sunset frowned, glancing at the pictures around her. She bit down her tongue, stopping an angry retort so she could take a deep breath. "Is that how it seems to you?" she asked patiently. "This place… my purpose through entire centuries has been to be there for people when they need someone.. I know I can only do so much, but every picture on the wall behind you, every creature there shared their sins, their hopes, their fears and their happiness with me. I've seen absolute despair, and incredible courage. And, you know what? I choose to carry it. I choose to remember it," she declared, touching her chest. She picked a random picture from the wall and let her eyes study the smiling faces of three sirens. "I remember all of it. All of the similarities and all of the differences. Every guest I talk to is etched into my heart. I see people walk in to have one last chat just before they have to go back to their deaths. Sometimes knowing it, and sometimes not. And I can't stop them, because I'd be interfering with their fate, or their destiny, or their choices. They will always be remembered and I am always here for them to return. Even if eventually, they will not. Even my best friends will be gone one day when they just don't have enough time left." She smiled a bit sadly. "I love being able to be here for all of you… but I wouldn't necessarily wish it onto another as if it were a better existence than a normal lifespan." “The pain of departure is great indeed, Sunset Shimmer. But you see, you are the one who is allowed to fill that wall in the manner you see fit and cherish the ones who patronize your bar. You are not such a powerful creature that commands the flow of fate upon a mere whim. That is where I envy you, traveler: an immortal without the trappings of consequence and the disaster it brings.” Sunset held herself back and leaned away for a moment, studying Luna. "I think I understand you a little better now, Luna," she said. "And as much as I would like to continue this back and forth… I would much prefer to do for you the one thing I can truly offer: I'll listen, and I will remember. If you want, you can tell me everything that the world forgot." “You? You would subject yourself to my story? But—but there would be no point!” Luna floundered, her eyes darting back and forth as if she was fighting her own words. “No. Your forgiveness wouldn’t matter. You could forgive the most heinous act and be done with me the moment I step out the door!" "No, I won't," Sunset said, sliding a card over the table to Luna. "That's my promise. That card will let you come here anytime you want. My doors don't open just once to my friends." She grinned, a small, little girl grin, glancing behind Luna as the princess took the card in her hoof. "And I'd like to be your friend and Athena's if you'd both let me." “You wish to be my friend?” Luna smiled with a hopeful, hesitant gleam that faded almost as quickly as it came. “Then, please. I know it’s wrong, but I can bear this weight alone no longer. If you truly wish to help me… please. Help me forget.” "If I do that, Luna, you will stop being you… more specifically, the you that understands what went wrong before, and how to prevent it." “I don’t care! I hate the pony I am! Knowing the sweet lies my sister has woven… My jealous attempt on Celestia’s life became the evil Nightmare sealing away a lost princess within the moon to rob the world of her beauty. My quest for night eternal is now just a ceremonial eclipse performed every decade on the anniversary of my banishment. Did you know I devoured ponies for their magic? My crime against nature was reduced to a mere children’s fable told to prevent the overindulgence of sweets on a holiday called Nightmare Night! Can you believe it? Cannibalism turned into a day of foalish celebration?” Luna's grim smile crawled across the princess’ face as she laughed at the absurdity. “Do you see now, Sunset Shimmer? The truth, my truth, is unforgivable. Not even Harmony itself could pardon this!” Luna slammed the menu closed and reopened it, revealing the first page still brimming with all the mouthwatering meat she secretly craved. “This page? This is what I am. So, if it is within your power… Please, I beg of you. Grant me this selfish desire and help me forget this. Let me be forgotten!” Before Luna could grovel any further, she felt a tight pull behind her as a familiar, fluffy firmness enveloped her. The princess' eyes widened in dread as teardrops fell onto her muzzle from above. “No. Please, not now.” Luna whispered to herself before looking up at the minotaur, tightening her crushing grip on the princess as she cried softly into her friend’s mane. Only a few gasps of air escaped her as she desperately hugged the princess, refusing to let go. “Athena? When did you—” “I’m so sorry, Luna. I’m so sorry all of that happened. I didn’t know.” Athena gripped tighter as her tears began flowing even faster. “I didn’t know anything!” “N-no! That’s not—You were never meant to know any of this!” “But then, how am I supposed to help my friend if she won’t tell me what’s wrong?” Athena pleaded. “Because! All I have done to my little ponies, my nation, my sister…” Luna fell limp in the minotaur’s arms and she did her best to look away and hide her shame. “I have so little now, Athena. To lose anything more… I-I can’t.” “Luna, listen to me.” Athena sat the princess down, wiped her eyes, and kneeled down to meet her friend who couldn’t help but look away. “What you did a thousand years ago might be really scary. Terrifying, actually, but you need to allow yourself to forgive your mistakes. The princess I know is better than that now, and you shouldn’t forget that.” “But, what I did was reprehensible. Barbaric. Look at me, Athena Cypriel. These meat-hungry fangs, this vile scar on my soul, if the Elements wouldn’t wipe away such wickedness, then I know I am unworthy of forgiveness,” Luna stated matter-of-factly. “That’s because you never asked, you stupid princess!” Athena retorted and smacked her friend lightly on the head, snapping Luna back to attention. “How am I supposed to forgive you for something I don’t even know happened?” “B-because you shouldn’t forgive me! You weren’t there to bear witness to my sins, Athena!” Athena smiled and nodded. “Exactly. I wasn’t there.” “... Pardon?” “I wasn’t there, Luna. You don’t need to apologize to me,” Athena pulled the bewildered princess into another tender hug. “The only thing I want you to do is to forgive yourself.” “How can I? My mistakes are—” As quickly as the hug came, Athena pushed the princess back, holding Luna by the shoulders. “The only mistake that I’m aware of is you making me sweat in my favorite dress while chasing a bar hopping princess all across the Drive! You’re lucky it didn’t tear on anything. This thing is expensive, you know!” Athena whined as she puffed out her cheeks.  Without thinking, Luna reflexively gasped and clopped her front hooves together nervously. “We are truly sorry! We did not mean to ruin your lovely attire nor your evening!” “No worries. Nothing a little dry cleaning won’t solve, right?” Athena said with a dismissive razzberry. “I forgive you for everything.” “Wait... everything?” “Mhmm!” the minotaur replied with an enthusiastic nod. “Just like that?” “Just like that. You're my best friend, Luna. Of course I’d forgive you! That’s a no-brainer.” Athena squeezed Luna like an oversized plushie pony. Hearing the pops of the princess’ spine, Sunset was glad not to be on the receiving end of the muscular minotaur’s bone-crushing affection. She wasn’t sure if those were just tears of joy anymore. After giving the two friends a moment, the bartender politely coughed into her sleeve. "I think it's time for some refreshments," Sunset said. "Do you want to get another coffee, Athena? After that, I suggest we close down the shop and bring out the ice cream, cake, and some movies." “Another coffee?” Athena blinked and cupped her mouth in horror as she suddenly recalled the reason she left Isekai in the first place. Looking back towards the door, she saw the discarded mug shattered into pieces. “Oh, right. It kinda slipped my mind in the heat of the moment.” The minotaur shrunk sheepishly away, poking her index fingers together as she looked around. Sunset always found it adorable when gigantic creatures shied away. It reminded her a little of Scorpia the first time she stumbled into the bar. “Is there a mop I can use?” “Here my friend, allow me,” Luna lightly laughed as she enveloped the shattered mug and coffee in a glimmer of midnight magic. The cup teleported to the table whole as the spilled liquid was whisked from the floor and shot around in a vortex of cleansing magic before draining back into the repaired mug. “Twould be a most egregious sin to let this divine mixture go to waste. And I suppose a motion picture would not be unwelcome. Though the noise of the reel does tend to distract from the images flashing before us.” Sunset grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. I have blu rays, data crystals, etcetera. No reel. Let me bring you my collection so you can pick what you like." “I see! Then perhaps we would all enjoy the fish’s display. I’ve never seen one perform. Is it much like those flea circuses that I’ve heard about?” The chime of the bell faded as the door closed behind Luna and Athena as they left Sunset’s Isekai. Stepping past the garbage cans, the two looked around as the Drive was still bustling with the noisy activity of the night. Luna closed her eyes and focused on herself, feeling the connection to the moon once again and chuckling. “Nary five minutes have passed since I retrieved my omnivores.” “Are you serious?” Athena sighed as sleepiness bore down on her broad shoulders. “But we had dinner, a movie, chatted for what felt like hours, almost had a sleepover… I don’t know how much more ‘nightlife’ I can take.” “Indeed. Funny how such things work. Perhaps this will be a rare night that I join everypony in restful sleep. I wouldn’t mind trying to explore the world of that Baron character the girl was writing about.” “You mean the one in that movie we watched?” “Yes. I must say, the imagination of the maker of that work of art was truly inspiring. If we ever meet again, I will most assuredly enjoy seeing more of the works of that strange, grinning jiggly monster at the start.” “I think Sunset said it’s name was Ghibli or Toto-something.” “Regardless, perhaps I will meet him one day and ask him to share his dreams with me,” Luna remarked as she looked at the card she had received from her new friend. “A most beautiful world shared within an already amazing story.” “I don’t know about that,” Athena looked up at the shimmering canvas of lights overhead and brought her finger to her head as she absently flicked her earring in thought. “It was kind of weird at the end. Why do you think that girl asked him to marry her anyway? I mean, I’m usually all aboard for a romantic ending, but it seemed a little out of nowhere to me.” “I believe it was a shared spark of creativity, the inspiration that is shared between artists that allows the other’s work to shine all the brighter. His violin inspired her story. Such a collaboration of minds and hearts brings beauty to the world. It was indeed a most lovely affair.” “I guess…?” Athena crossed her arms, not completely convinced. “I mean, that girl almost destroyed everything she had though. I don’t think I’d propose to someone if I almost ran my store into the ground while distracted by something else like that.” Luna chuckled as she looked up at her confused friend. “You know, once a pony finds their talent, they doggedly pursue their dreams to realize what fate has in store for them. I suppose it is easier for me to relate to finding a fate worth realizing.” “Well, whatever the reason is, I’m too tired to think about it.” “I can see that. It would be rude of me to keep you up any longer, my friend. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your friendship. For listening to me. For everything.” Luna forced a smile. Parting at night was always a lonely affair, but to keep others awake during her night was cruel to those who worked under her sister’s light. “Now, stand close to me, I will teleport us to the Labyrinthiyum.” “Whoa, wait a sec! I’m not that tired. It’s still a nice evening. At least I think it is,” Athena said as she looked up at the thick canvas blocking Dressage Drive from the outside world. “Why don’t we walk it? We could see the actual stars for a change before I turn in for the night. It’s kind of one of the downsides of living underground.” Luna’s small smile broadened like the moonrise. “Of course, dear Athena. I would most certainly enjoy that.” "So you had a movie night and didn't invite us?" Lena asked, helping Dani move tables back to their place. "Hey, there were a lot of emotional things going on," Sunset said, using her magic to stack several plates one over the other. "Plus, Luna and Athena both take some time to get to trust people. They're a bit shy, and I didn't want to take away from their bonding moment. I'm sure they'll be happy to have another girl's night here sometime, and provided they don't mind, maybe I'll have you and the others over." "Well, I guess I can forgive that," the young duck said, starting to work on the chairs. "It must have been intense if you brought out the ice cream." "I think… it was just the right thing to offer, at the right time." Sunset placed the dishes on the counter, then carefully picked up the coffee cup Athena had gifted her—a white mug with the restaurant’s logo: two marble columns lining the sides of a stone slab, depicting the imposing doorway with the tagline, ‘Labyrinthiyum: Get Lost in the Flavor.’—using a quick spell to clean it and reinforce it, before walking behind the bar. In many ways that cup perfectly represented that world's Luna. Full of darkness, broken, and then mended by the love and forgiveness of her first true friend after returning from the nightmare. It would always have an important place in Sunset's memories… another reminder of the importance and value of friends in times of darkness and doubt. She studied the area for a moment, then decided to place the cup between the jar of pure love-detection-jam that had been given to her by Cheval, behind and above Bernard's terrarium. "So," Dani called out, bringing the now-framed picture of Luna, Athena, and Sunset to the bar. "Did you ever tell her that you actually know a bunch of Athenas and they're all goddesses?" Sunset snorted. "No. I don't think she'd appreciate that tidbit of information quite yet." She picked up the picture, smiling at how comfortably uncomfortable Luna looked when Athena had hugged her for the shot. "I'm just glad those two found each other." She took the picture over to the wall, hanging it next to the table the three of them had been sitting at earlier. "I'm looking forward to seeing where they go from here."