//------------------------------// // A Certain Magical Sunset - Act 1 - 11 - Sunset - First Day in a New World // Story: A Certain Magical Sunset // by Babroniedad //------------------------------// Sunset - First Day in a New World Tuesday, August 19 - No idea the local time, 7:30 AM Canterlot time Sunset awoke. Yawning and opening her eyes, she smiled while she watched her still sleeping friend, a slight puddle of drool on her lips and gathered on the pillow between them. She laughed quietly, kissing her sleeping friend on her forehead. Twilight's eyes fluttered open. “Hi, Sunny!” she smiled. “Hi, Drools! I love you, girl!” grinned Sunset. “Love you too,” sighed Twilight. “Wait, Drools?” She lifted her head then saw the pool on the pillow. “Oh ugh! And you love me anyway. Lucky me,” she groaned, grinning. “Forever and ever, BFF!” smiled Sunset. She rolled over to sit on the edge of the bed, then transferred to her chair and rolled out to the bathroom. When she returned, she put her backpack onto the bed and picked out an outfit for the day. While she was dressing, Twilight returned from her morning ablutions and did the same. “Your mom and aunt are both up and playing in the game room. No sign of Dash, no surprise there. I guess we should wake her up before breakfast,” said Twilight. “Sounds good, I’ll start breakfast!” Sunset agreed. “And yeah, no surprise. That girl could sleep anywhere through anything. Sunset rolled out to the kitchen area and pulled out everything she needed for breakfast, placing it on the counter. While she was setting everything out her mom came up behind her. “What are you doing, Sunshine? Do you want some help?” She leaned over behind Sunset, hugging her and kissing her head. “Hi, mom! Good morning! Just making breakfast, but sure, happy to have some help!” Sunset happily replied. She kissed her mom back on her cheek. “Oh, Sunbeam. Thank you for being my daughter!” Celestia smiled at Sunset. Sunset blushed. “Ah, mom… Thank you for being my mom! I love you.” She squeezed her mom's hand. Twilight smiled at them as she came out of Dash’s room. “I would say you too were too corny for words, but you both are so darn adorable that I just can’t resist!” she laughed as she hugged them both. “Okay! Country breakfast for our first breakfast on Mars?” “You know it!” agreed Sunset. “Got the ‘fixins’ right here, as AJ would say.” “Well let’s see if we can disprove the theory of ‘too many cooks’,” grinned Twilight. “I’ll start the tofu bacon.” “I got the pancakes!” smiled Celestia. She pulled a mixing bowl, measuring cup, and whisk from the cupboard, starting on the pancakes. “Okay, I’ll start the eggs then. Scrambled today, hope no one minds!” Sunset announced as she took another bowl and whisk from the cupboard. She cracked the eggs into the bowl, throwing the shells into the sink. “Should you be putting those shells in the sink?” asked her mom. “How does that work here anyway?” “Oh, it’s fine. We have a disposal unit. It gets rinsed into the sump tank. We’ll use the sledge from the sump tank to make fertilizer for the hydroponic farm,” answered Sunset. “Twilight thought of everything.” She smiled at her friend, who blushed. “Uhm… yes, it’s all fine. It should be almost like being at home for the most part,” Twilight agreed, placing the vegan bacon strips on the rack for the convection oven. “I tried to make it as simple and natural as possible,” continuedTwilight. “I figured living here would be hard enough without having to completely change all our habits.” “That’s why I love that big brain of yours!” Sunset blew her friend a kiss prompting another blush. She took some spices from the spice cupboard and mixed them into the eggs. “Okay, eggs are ready! I’ll wait to cook them until after you’re done, mom. We only have one stove.” “Okay, I’ll call you when I’m done. You have time to go pester your Aunt or friend if you want,” Celestia smiled. “Will do. Thanks, mom!” Sunset said. She wheeled towards the game room. On entering, she found her aunt in the middle of an arena combat game, cackling madly into her headset. “Nightmare Moon rules the night! And any arena! Take that, you blackard! And that’s from Mars! I’m still beating your backside!” she crowed. “I find that extremely difficult to believe. No one has been to Mars yet,” replied Luna’s game partner from the speakers. “Trust me, I would know! I’ve been following the updates on Martian exploration religiously. I seriously plan to go once people can emigrate.” “Hi, Dr. Sombra! Is that you?” asked Sunset leaning over to speak into Luna’s headset. “Aunty Luna is not lying. We’re on Mars.” “Hi, Sunset! Yes, it's me. So good to hear from you! Hope you are doing well. And seriously, you're not kidding? I know you girls love to pull people’s legs all the time,” responded Dr. Sombra. “Nope! Not kidding. It was Twilight that made it possible. She invented a quantum entangled transporter. We used it to teleport to Mars yesterday. We created a bunker on Mars. We have a great view of Olympus Mons from our front door!” Sunset replied. “By the Maker! You jest! Though the things that girl gets into!” laughed Dr. Sombra. “I don’t doubt if she really set her mind to it, she could do it. She is an amazing scientific prodigy. I was always delighted by her discoveries and inventions under my tutelage at Crystal Prep. Wow though, that’s a lot to take in! I do find it difficult to believe.” “You want to really blow your mind? If it helps you to believe me, yesterday morning, before we came here? We used Twilight’s device to visit the moon. She supercharged the lunar rover while we were there, then Dash and I used it to photobomb the Chang’e site!” laughed Sunset. “What!? That was real!?” Dr. Sombra laughed out loud. “There’s a clip making the rounds on the internet. An angel with rainbow hair was driving the lunar rover over the moonscape waving her hands like a loon! Hahaha!” Dr. Sombra roared with laughter. “I thought for certain it was a hoax, though a good one. Wow! That makes sense now! That was your friend with the rainbow hair, right?” “Got it in one!” laughed Sunset as she pulled back from the headset. She smiled at her aunt. “And you doubted me why?” grinned Luna, her controller still twitching in her hands as she battled her old friend in the arena melee. “Honestly? It’s too good to believe,” answered Dr. Sombra. “But in this case I’d be thrilled to be wrong! So… any chance I can come by for a bit? They do say seeing is believing. Maybe you could convince me with a visit to your other-worldly hideaway?” Luna looked at her niece with a grin. Sunset nodded back with a smile. “We are having a sleepover Saturday night with the girls. Maybe you could come during the day and we can make a day of it?” answered Sunset. “Did you hear that? Is Saturday good for you?” asked Luna. “For a trip to Mars? Any day or time works for me!” laughed Dr. Sombra. “I could clear anything to make that date!” Luna laughed. “It’s not a date, you old stallion, no matter how many times you ask!” “Not what I meant, but you can’t blame a gentleman for trying,” laughed Dr. Sombra. “You know you like me.” “Yes I do,” agreed Luna. “As a dear friend. Not ready for anything more right now.” “But someday! Someday you will be. And I’ll be there for you, waiting,” said Dr. Sombra, warming. “Daahh! Dr. Sombra, I didn’t know you were a romantic!” grinned Sunset. “I think you two would be perfect for one another!” “Do not encourage him!” scolded her aunt with a grin. “He doesn’t need it. He is an incorrigible goat enough on his own!” “Sounds like love to me!” sang Sunset as she rolled back out of the game room. She rolled over to Dash’s bedroom and knocked on the door. “Come on Dash! Rise and shine! Breakfast is almost ready!” she called out. “Five more minutes, mom!” Dash mumbled. Laughing, Sunset opened the door. She wheeled over to her friend. Sticking her finger in her mouth, she wet it thoroughly then stuck it into her friend's ear. “Wha… Ugh!” Dash shot up from the bed. She smacked Sunset’s hand away and rubbed her ear. She scrunched her eyes and scowled. “Dang it, Sunset! What’d you do that for?” “Dash. Where are you?” Sunset grinned. “Sleeping over at your... “ the lights in Dash’s eyes turned on. “I’m on Mars! We’re on Mars! We had a sleepover on Mars!” “That’s right!” smiled Sunset. She then knuckled her friend's head. “And, if you don’t hurry up, get dressed, and ready for the day, you’re going to miss our very first breakfast on Mars. Up and at ‘em sleepyhead!” She rolled back out of the room while Dash threw on her clothes and raced over to the bathroom. “Mission accomplished!” she announced. “My turn on the grill yet?” “Almost, Sunshine! Just two more batches and I’m done,” answered her mom with a smile. “I’ll start setting the table while I wait,” Sunset replied. She pulled five plates from the cupboard, rolling over to the table to set them out. She returned for the cups and silverware settings next. Those in place, she snagged some cloth napkins from the storage room, setting those on the table as well. Taking a pitcher from the cupboard, she placed it on the counter, then pulled a can of frozen apple juice from the freezer. “Don’t tell AJ!” Sunset snarked aloud as she opened the can and popped the frozen juice into the pitcher. Twilight chuckled. “Definitely not!” she agreed. Sunset filled the pitcher with water from the sink and used a wooden spoon to stir it. The juice melted into the water, turning it golden as the aroma of apples filled the room. “Wow!” Sunset exclaimed as she brought the pitcher over to the table, “That’s some good stuff for a concentrate! Where did you get this, Twilight?” “It’s from AJ’s farm. I removed the extra water with reverse osmosis, then flash froze it into the cans so I could still enjoy her apples after the climate apocalypse!” Twilight explained. Sunset laughed and shook her head. “Oh, Sparky, don’t ever change!” she teased. Twilight grinned and raised her eyebrow, throwing a towel at Sunset. Sunset grinned back mischievously. Celestia beamed happily at them both. “All done, Sunspot, the grill is yours!” She smiled, taking the tray of pancakes and placing them on the table. She left to tell her sister breakfast was ready. Sunset rolled over to the grill, wiping it down to clean off the last of the pancake batter. Beside her, Twilight removed the bacon from the convection oven. “Do you want to use the oil from the bacon to make the eggs, Sunny? The bacon is done,” she asked. “Yes please!” Sunset agreed. Twilight removed the rack of bacon from the oven. After taking the bacon off and placing it into a serving bowl, she handed the rack to her friend. “Here you go!” she smiled. She placed the bacon on the table next to the pancakes, then went to the cupboard to pull out syrups. She also brought over a tray of butter from the fridge. Sunset poured the fresh spiced oils from the bottom of the rack onto the grill, still warm from cooking the pancakes. Spreading it around with her spatula, she adjusted the heat and slowly poured out the eggs on the grill. They sizzled, the smell of eggs and bacon filling the common room. Celestia and Luna returned from the game room, Rainbow on their heels. “That smells fantastic!” Rainbow grinned. “I bet it tastes fantastic too!” snarked Sunset. “Take a seat, snooze button!” She grinned at Dash. Dash stuck her tongue out at her, then smiled back. The girls took their seats. Celestia served up the pancakes, passing out the plates and passing around the condiments. By the time they were ready to eat, Sunset joined them at the table with a steaming tray of scrambled eggs. “Enjoy!” Sunset smiled as she set the tray of eggs next to the bacon. Turning to her mom, she smiled and took her mom’s plate of pancakes. “Thanks, mom!” “No problem, my little Sunshine! Hey!” Celestia scowled and laughed as she watched her daughter prepare to eat her pancakes. She shook her head with a smirk, then took her sister and Sunset’s hands and bowed her head. Sunset and Luna took Twilight’s and Dash’s hands, then Celestia led them in harmonic grace. “Eat up!” she called out when done. Breakfast was enjoyed by everyone, Sunset being sure to get lots of pictures of them eating and enjoying themselves to mark the occasion. When everyone was finished, Sunset asked, “So, what do you all have planned for the day?” “What do you have planned?” reflected Dash. “I’d love to stay and explore. I haven’t even been outside yet.” “I have to go to work, so I’m leaving in a bit.” Sunset turned to Twilight. “Sparky, do you have anything planned for the day? Maybe you could stay for a while and show everyone around? Not to put you on the spot or anything!” she said as she gently placed a hand on her friend's knee. “Eh, no worries. I don’t have anything going on today so I was sticking around for a while anyway.” She smiled at Sunset, giving her hand a squeeze. “I'll stick around and show everyone the sights. Who wants to join me for a hike on Mars!?” Twilight asked enthusiastically. Dash’s hand shot up. “Me! Me me me! Heck yes!” Celestia and Luna looked at each other and laughed. They nodded. “We’re in!” they chorused. “Bummed I’m missing it,” smiled Sunset. “But I’ll be back after work. I’ll give you a call, Sparky. You can let me know what’s going on.” “Your bet, Sunny!” smiled Twilight. “I hate to eat and run but I need to get going or I’m going to be late. I have the lunch crowd today,” said Sunset as she cleared her place, putting her dishes in the sink. “No worries, Sunbeam! See you after work!” her mom called out to her as she rolled into the control room. A moment later a magenta flash came from the room. Luna and Dash cleared their places. Luna then pulled Dash into the game room with her, Dash looked confused but following. “I’ll help you clean up,” smiled Celestia. “That was a wonderful breakfast! Thank you for providing that for us.” She loaded the dishes into the sink, then filled the sink with water and some dish soap from the pantry. “No problem!” smiled Twilight while bagging up the leftovers and placing them into the fridge. “Thank you for making breakfast and helping me clean up. Those pancakes were fantastic!” “Why thank you, Twilight,” Celestia beamed. “I had lots of practice making them for my sister.” As Celestia cleaned each plate and utensil, she set them on the counter. “So Twilight, I have a question for you,” Celestia continued. “Sure thing, Ms. Celestia. What do you want to know?” asked Twilight as she took a dishrag and wiped down the table. “My sister and I... we were wondering… what are your intentions with my daughter?” she asked with a smile, not missing a beat while washing down the dishes. Twilight stopped. She turned to face Celestia. “Um.. what? Er... What do you mean?” she looked flushed and flustered. Celestia stopped washing the dishes and turned to face Twilight. She smiled. “Let's sit down for a moment, shall we?” she asked. She took Twilight by the hand and led her back over to the table. Taking a seat there, she gestured to the one next to her. Twilight gulped, then sat, head down and hands in her lap fidgeting. Celestia reached over and placed her hand gently on Twilight’s chin, tilting Twilight’s head up to face her. “Twilight, I’m not angry. I’m not here to judge you or condemn you. I just need to know. What do you plan to do with my little Sunbeam?” She smiled kindly. Twilight looked into Celestia’s eyes, visibly shaking, then teared up a little. “Nothing bad! I promise!” She looked back down, hands wringing nervously. “It’s just… well. It’s just… I just..” She stopped for a moment, going completely still. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, she opened her eyes and looked back at Celestia. “I love her. I love your daughter,” she confessed. “Ever since she came into my life, I’ve realized how much I’ve been missing. When I was possessed by her crazy equestrian magic during the Friendship Games, I was completely out of my mind. She was the one who talked me back down! She literally brought me back to earth. She helped me reclaim my humanity. She did that for me. My best friend literally put her life on the line for me when I least deserved or expected it!” A tear rolled down Twilight’s cheek. Celestia took her hands, smiling in encouragement. Twilight continued. “I knew right then that I loved her. I’d never known another person, being, whatever, like that before. I’d never had a friend that literally was willing to walk through the gates of hell for me, to pull my soul back even if it meant risking her own.” The tears were now freely rolling down her cheeks. “I love her so much! She’s the dearest sister I never had! She’s the soul that burns with mine! I want to spend the rest of my life with her, to never leave her side. I want to be her best friend forever.” She smiled happily, closing her eyes. Tears streamed down her face, her shoulders shaking with repressed sobs. “So you love her? And she loves you. Have you been together?” asked Celestia, pulling her in for a hug. “All the time! Every chance we get!” smiled Twilight. She stopped, then pulled back and looked at Celestia. “Wait, what? Ah… you mean together together?” Twilight laughed, wiping away a tear. “No. I thought you meant together like spending time together. Or together time doing stuff, not together together… I mean that kind of together… you know..” Celestia smiled, placing a finger over Twilight's lips. “Stop! We know where that goes... I get it. Not together.” Twilight nodded. “Not like that. She likes boys. She still kind of has a crush on Flash really. She told me. Haha! Not sure I was supposed to mention that…” She flushed a little. “And the truth is... so do I really. Not that any of them have asked me out or anything! Except for Timber,” she grumped. “Anyway... no. I love Sunset with all my heart! But I don’t think of her like that. She completes my heart. That’s it, that’s the truth!” She smiled. Celestia hugged Twilight tight. “Dearest Twilight! Don’t ever change!” she laughed. “You are a complicated and wonderful young woman, and my daughter is lucky to have you! Just know that whatever you two decide to do with your lives, you both have all our blessings and love!” Twilight looked up at her in relieved happiness. Celestia kissed her on the forehead with a smile. “Welcome to the family, Twilight Sparkle. You are loved!” She hugged her tightly once more. Tears in her eyes, Twilight wept with joy, smiling happily. Peering around the doorway from the game room, Luna fist pumped. “Yes!” she called out quietly. Dash, right beneath her, copied the motion with a giant grin. “That was so awesome!” whispered Dash. “Indeed!” agreed Luna quietly. “Not one word of this Ms. Dash. This is nobody's business but their own. I was supposed to keep you busy playing games, but your concern for your friend was so evident I couldn’t ‘leave you hanging’ as you say.” “Mums the word Ms. Luna! I promise!” agreed Dash as she crossed her heart and poked a finger in her eye. “Umm.. not sure what that was supposed to be,” observed Luna with a raised eyebrow. “But I will take you at your word. Please do not disappoint me.” She pulled Dash back into the room and fired up a PVP game. “Quick! Take a controller and look like you’re having fun. I don’t wish to explain myself to my sister.” Together they started a round of arena combat. While they played, Twilight and Celestia entered the room. “So, did you get all that?” Celestia asked her sister. “My dearest sister, I don't know what you mean,” answered Luna. “Every word!” squeed Rainbow. She threw down the controller, ran over, and gathered Twilight into a huge hug. “Dash! You promised!” groaned Luna as she put down her own controller and turned off the game. “Traitor!” she grinned. “That. Was. So… AWESOME!” Dash called out as she danced around with Twilight in her grasp. “Twilight Sparkle! You are AWESOME! I am so glad you’re Sunset’s friend!” “Um… and your friend too, Dash!” called out Twilight as she was danced around the game room. Setting her down at last, Dash looked Twilight straight in the eye, smiling ear to ear. “And your friend too! Forever!” She pulled Twilight into a hug again. “Yay!” peeped Twilight. Celestia stood behind her sister watching the antics of the two girls. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist watching, Lulu… you never could.” She gave her sister a gentle hug. “Not when it concerns people I love and care about deeply. I never could and I never will.” Luna smiled, giving her sister’s hand a gentle squeeze. “That’s one of the things I love best about you!” Celestia said as she rested her head on her sister's shoulder as they watched the girls dance around the room. “You have a protective and generous heart.” She kissed her sister’s cheek, then rested her head against hers. “As do you, dearest sister,” replied Luna with a smile. Thank the Maker for the good things in your life; Praise the Maker for the hard and bad things, for in these challenges, you will grow in wisdom and strength - The Celestial Teachings Mikoto - Academy City Nunotaba Shinobu walked through the S-Processor Pathology Analysis Research Laboratory facility, rehired just that morning supposedly for her skills as their former Testament expert. The lab supervisor was leading her through the facilities, everywhere filled with researchers frantically backing up systems and packing away lab data and equipment. “We’ve had a bit of trouble recently,” he explained as she watched the frenetic activity around her. “Unfortunately, we have no choice but to move. We’re in the midst of transferring our operations right now.” She nodded absentmindedly, watching. “What would you like me to do?” She asked. “Ah, nothing at all. Just sit back and relax. This is the first time we’ve attempted to make a transfer of this scale.” “I see,” Shinobu mused. “Just your presence alone is reassuring,” explained the lab supervisor. Another researcher ran into the room, panicked. “Sir! Excuse me!” “What is it?” Asked the supervisor. The researcher whispered into the supervisor's ear, “It seems she’s appeared over at the Pathology Analysis Laboratory!” “I see,” nodded the supervisor. “That means we’re safe here for now. Finish the transfers, quickly!” The researcher nodded, running from the room. Shinobu’s eyebrow raised at the comments. The supervisor turned to her. “I’m terribly sorry, I need to take care of an emergency. Will you please wait in my office, if you don’t mind?” “Of course,” nodded Shinobu, following him into the office. Mikoto was stressed. Things were not going the way she had planned. As she entered the facility, she found a young blonde girl, clearly an esper and roughly her age, waiting for her. Sighing in exasperation, Mikoto greeted her. “I might as well ask, who hired you guys?” The girl just looked at her, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Mikoto continued. “If you’re only following orders, you might want to rethink that. There’s some very psychotic stuff going on in this facility.” The girl scoffed. “Meh, that. Whatever.” She smiled. “Our clients have their own goals. Whether or not our target’s a good person, or what kind of life they’ve lived up to now, we honestly couldn’t care less about that stuff,” she admitted with a grin. Mikoto looked shocked by her callous answer. Still smiling, the girl continued. “Oh, and by the way, you know… about that whole driving me into a corner thing?” An explosion rang out behind and above Mikoto just as she said that slamming down a huge steel door behind her. “Gotcha!” crowed the girl. “And the hunter becomes the hunted! It’s almost cliche,” she added, looking at her nails. “Turn around and take a look,” she invited. Mikoto did, noticing taped lines all over the floor around her. At that moment rag dolls poured out of the ducts, piling up around her. The girl laughed. “You have no escape route, and nothing to use as a shield!” She pulled out half a dozen lit flares. “Ta da! Try to survive THIS!” She tossed the flares out, igniting the tape fuses on the floor. “Yeah, I guess I messed up,” noted Mikoto, scratching her head as she watched the fuses burn towards her. She smiled. “I guess that’s what I get for trying to talk things out. And here I should be conserving my energy, not wasting it on something so pathetic.” Clenching her hand into a fist, she pulled her hand up into the air, ripping the steel floor apart and cutting off the burning fuses. “Shit! She lifted the floor up and cut my fuse lines! Oh crap crap crap! She’s a level 5!” The girl panicked. Lightning crackling from her hands, Mikoto charged the girl, calling out, “I hope you're ready for this!” Thinking quickly, the girl pulled a small grenade from her ear, tossing it to the floor before Mikoto. BANG! A blinding flash of light seared Mikoto’s eyes, blinding her tearfully. “Damn it!” she swore, stopping her charge. “I hope you enjoyed the Flash Bang! And it serves you right for underestimating me,” sang out the girl. “Idiot! My ears are ringing, and I can’t see anything!” thought Mikoto. “Heh!” laughed out the girl as she pulled several mini rockets from her skirt. “You know what the greatest high in the world is for me? Trapping over-confident psychics like you!” She launched her rockets at the blinded and dazed Mikoto. They spiraled in on her, detonating on impact while the girl laughed in unrestrained glee. “That’s what you get when you take on the likes of me!” She danced and sang in place. “I just snagged half the payout! Oh, what do I want to buy? What do I want to buy?” As she danced, she looked over to the clearing smoke from her explosions. As the smoke cleared, her dancing ceased. “Where’s her corpse!?” gasped the girl. “I mean, I know the explosion wasn’t strong enough to blow her to smithereens, but.. Well.. er.. Then that means…” “Well, you’ve clearly done your homework on electromasters,” came a voice from behind her. “Eep!” the girl squeaked. “But, you don’t get to my level without sensing electromagnetic waves of motion, or did you not know that?” taunted Mikoto. “So, knowing exactly what was coming, I latched onto the walls, then ceiling, then came up behind you while you were celebrating. Nice dance, by the way.” The girl made to run. “Hey! Don’t make any sudden movements!” warned Mikoto. “My lightning is faster than anything you can toss at this range, and won’t leave enough of you to fill an hibachi.” Blinking, she grinned. “Oh, good. My vision is coming back. Not that I needed it.” The girl stood there trembling. As her eyes cleared, she noticed the young woman more clearly. “I didn’t realize in the dark, but you're a foreigner.” Just then, the burst out an impassioned cry in a language Mikoto didn’t know, but sounded vaguely Latin. “What the heck is she saying now? She was speaking Japanese a minute ago,” wondered Mikoto. “You like that!? I made it up!” shouted out the girl, tossing a bottle at Mikoto as she spoke. Mikoto launched a bolt of lightning at the bottle, exploding it between them. “More explosives! Does she ever give up!” she groaned. “That is Academy City’s very own vaporous explosiveL Ignis!” cackled the girl. “The vapors are completely harmless to breath. But they fill up a place fast. In other words, this room is now a gigantic bomb! Imagine what’ll happen if you use your electricity now.” Saying that, she launched across the room, delivering a sharp kick into Mikoto’s midsection. “Crap!” thought Mikoto. “Can’t use my powers, I have to fight her! Oh, this is bad!” As she thought, the girl launched into her again, tossing her across the room then trying to slam down into her with her feet, which Mikoto sprang away to avoid. “Is she mental? Just her shoes could set this whole place off! What is she thinking!” Mikoto thought as she rolled and dodged away. “Do you have a death wish?” she called out. “Oh please! I’ve been doing this kind of work for a long long time. I couldn't do it if I were afraid of something as lame as dying!” She kicked Mikoto again, sending her flying across the room. She continued laying into Mikoto, battering her brutally. After several moments of this, Mikoto was left standing, breathing heavily. “Well, you’re a real trooper, aren't you? I was hoping we could play longer, but… I have to finish you off before Mugino and the others get here.” She kicked out a sharp blade from her shoes. “You know how I said it didn’t matter what sort of life my targets lived? I’ll admit… right before they die, there's something weirdly moving. As I pluck away their life, I feel I have absolute control of their fate. In the end, they were just losers born only to be killed by me. Know what I mean?” Grinning evilly, she approached Mikoto. “So, how about giving me a good old fashioned scream on your way out!” She launched at Mikoto. And was shocked when Mikoto blocked her every kick and punch effortlessly. “Born… to be killed? Even under a terrible fate like that, some live with it. They don’t run or resist, or ask for any help. They just accept it, like it’s some unavoidable truth.” Visions of her sisters ran through her head. “SCREW THAT!” she screamed. With a flash of magnetic pulse, she ripped the knived shoe from the girl's foot, hurling it across the room. “What the hell?” called out the girl in shock just as Mikoto came up from behind, pulling her into a chokehold. Pulling herself together, the girl grunted, flipping Mikoto over her head, throwing her down to the floor and ripping her out of the chokehold, but knocking several of her fuses down to the ground at the same time from the intensity of her throw. Glaring down at Mikoto, she raged. “Not bad for an amateur, too bad you have no chance of beating me!” Just then, both girls watched as one of the fuses landed on one of the taped strips. “Ah crap!” called out the girl as the fuse lite. She was tossed and tumbled across the room in the resulting explosion. Rolling to her feet, she laughed. “Cripes, that was close! I almost blew myself up in my own trap! Can’t lose these legs, they're my best asset!” She laughed, then noticed Mikoto across the room, lighting arching up from her hand in front of her. Mikoto turned to the girl, smiling. “Well well, you really had me going there. Haha, listen to me, I’m starting to sound like you. Guess I’ve been hanging around you too long.” Lightning arched from her hand to the surrounding area as she advanced on the girl.