Sunset Rekindled

by EldritchNexus


Viva Las Pegasus!

The rest of the cruise was relatively uneventful. It was at sunset when the S.S. Mirabella pulled into the marina of Las Pegasus. Passengers left the ship in droves. Sunset Shimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, Radiant Dawn, Teddy, Quick Shot, and A.K. Yearling decided to leave the ship together. They passed through the docks, and came into the streets of Las Pegasus.

"This is awesome!" said Teddy.

The streets were packed with ponies wearing flashy outfits and wagons were being pulled at great speed along the roads. The large buildings were lined with neon signs and billboards for various products. Spotlights shone left and right throughout the city, illuminating pegasi flying in the sky. Quick Shot went to the curb, and whistled for a taxi. Right on cue, two of them stopped for him.

"I need you guys to get me and my colleagues to the Golden Colt Hotel, understood?" he said to the drivers, who both nodded.

"Sunset Shimmer, why don't you come along with me and Ms. Yearling?" asked Quick Shot. "Your friends can take the next taxi and follow us."

"That sounds good to me!" said Sunset.

Sunset, Yearling, and Quick Shot went into the front cab, while Radiant, Trixie, and Teddy went into the back cab. The two taxis went on done the streets, making turns every so often. Las Pegasus was one of the most glamorous places most of the ponies present had ever been. Quick Shot climbed out of his seat, took a breath of the city air, and shouted:

"Viva Las Pegasus, everypony! I hope you all enjoy visiting this city as much as I enjoy living in it!"


Mr. Summserset sat in the office, with his head over his hooves.

"...And so we were too late to collect the artifact from A.K. Yearling, sir." said Mr. Yellow.

"Hmm...I actually suspected this." said Summerset. "Boys, I'm going to be hosting the opening of my new casino tomorrow night."

"Do you want us to provide security for you, sir?" asked Mr. Blue.

"No." said Mr. Summerset. "Ms. Yearling will have suspected that I was the one that sent you three to take the ring from her. I'd rather not trigger even more of a panic. You three will stay and guard my building. Dismissed!"

"Yes, sir." said the three henchponies at once, who turned away to enter the elevator.

The elevators doors opened for them, they went in, and selected the first floor. When the doors close and the elevator began to descend, the three henchponies started talking to each other.

"So, am I the only one that thinks that attacking A.K. Yearling like that seemed a little..." said Mr. Blue. "Weird?"

"Hey, for all we knew, she was an obstruction in our boss' goals." said Mr. Yellow.

"Besides, it's not like we roughed her up." said Mr. Red. "Otherwise, we might've wound up delaying her books, which would certainly attract a lot of unwanted attention."

"Don't you think that there would've been more than just a few books being published at stake?" said Mr. Blue.

"Are you saying you don't agree with the boss' orders?" asked Mr. Yellow.

"That's not what I'm saying at all." said Mr. Blue. "It's just--never mind."

Mr. Blue scratched his head nervously, running a hoof through his short golden mane. He felt a strange sensation again.

"What's wrong?" asked Mr. Yellow.

"It's probably nothing." Mr. Blue said.

"Something came up, didn't it?" said Mr. Red, taking out the red-and-black talisman clinging to his neck. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"I said 'It's probably nothing'!" said Mr. Blue, who checked his own talisman, which he kept concealed under his suit. "And it really is nothing."

When they reached the first floor, they departed without another word.


"Lesson learned:" Nose Nip muttered. "Never put two unicorns from Baltimare on the same boat. That's just asking for trouble."

"What was that, Nips?" asked Frosty.

"Nothing." said Nose Nip.

Scarlet Blaze, Frosty, and Nose Nip were walking through the docks of Las Pegasus. They got onto the streets, which were as wondrous as Frosty made them out to be.

"Ya see?" said Frosty. "I told ya this place was great!"

"And now that we're here, we can find where this Summerset lives, and then find out what happened to my husband." said Scarlet.

"Yeah, but are you sure we'll actually find your husband in this city?" asked Nose Nip. "This place is huge! One of the biggest I've ever seen! How are we even gonna find anything here?"

"I'd like ta wait till morning." said Frosty, starting to yawn. "We were on that dinky old boat all day and night! We gotta find somewhere cozy to sleep."

"I think we should call a taxi." said Nose Nip.

"Yes, that's a very good idea." said Scarlet. "Now do it."

Nose Nip whistled as loud as he could and two taxis came their way...only to pass by them with blinding speed.

"What gives?!" Frosty yelled after them. "We got money for ya, ya cheapskates!"

"Obviously, those taxis were occupied." said Scarlet. "It looks like we'll be walking."

"I wish we went on dat cruise ship." grumbled Frosty. "I'm sure they could've at least given us a map!"

"I don't need a map to find a place for the three of us to sleep." said Scarlet. "Unicorn's intuition!"

"I hear ya, sistah!" said Frosty, laughing.

Scarlet, Frosty, and Nose Nip started asking around for directions, but everyone they met was either too busy for tourists or didn't know. Eventually, in order to avoid the heavy traffic and crowds, they went into the back alleys of the city. Little did they know that this was where the more wretched inhabitants of the city lived.

"Scarlet, do you have any real idea where we were?" asked Nose Nip. "I don't like the look of this place!"--he started sniffing the air--"and it smells like my grandma's house out here. Do you have any idea how bad it stinks there? She keeps cats, you see? There's like six or seven of them, and--"

"Nips, pipe down!" said Frosty. "I think we're being watched!"

Right on cue, there were at least five stallions in fancy suits and hats staring them down, and another three coming up behind them. Hoof-falls from behind Scarlet indicated more were coming up from behind.

"Hello, cutie-pie." said the leader, with a smooth voice, to Scarlet. "What's a lovely lady like you doing out here with the likes of us? Word of advice, sweetheart: Ditch your boyfriends and come with me. I can getcha somethin' much better!"

"I don't have time for this!" said Scarlet. "Get out of our way, or you'll regret it!"

"Ha! Bloody tourists." said another thug. "These ponies have no idea who they're messing with!"

"And who are we messing with?" asked Nose Nip.

"We're the Iron Horses!" said a third thug. "We run this side of Las Pegasus! And anypony that comes our way better be doin' it for a good reason! We don't like anyone messin' with us! That includes you three! Let's get 'em!"

The dozen or so Iron Horses ganged up on the trio, but were all knocked back by Frosty and Scarlet's combined concussive blasts. Nose Nip struck down any thugs that came up to him with his strong hooves and muscular legs, while Scarlet unleashed scattered magical blasts from her horn in all directions. The struggle lasted only ten seconds.

"Hey! Who's been roughin' up my boys, huh?!" said an angry, gravelly voice.

A short earth pony in a pinstriped black suit came up to Scarlet and her companions. He was smoking from a corn-cob pipe and had a five-o'clock shadow around his mouth. His short black mane was also visibly balding.

"So what's goin' on here?" said the earth pony. "What beef do the three of yous have against my Iron Horses?"

"We don't!" said Scarlet. "Your boys apparently have a beef with us!"

"Yeah!" said Nose Nip. "Is this how everypony is Las Pegasus treats new visitors?"

"Look, I'm terribly sorry about what my boys tried to do!" said the boss. "Call me Mr. Steel. I'm the big boss of the Iron Horses!"

"Do you guys work for Summerset?" asked Scarlet.

"What? Summerset?" said Mr. Steel. "Heck no! That stallion's been trying to drive me and my boys here out of business, with his casinos and his skyscrapers and his army of thugs! But why are ya lookin' for him?"

"I've got some personal matters to attend to with him." said Scarlet Blaze. "I've been looking for my husband, and I think Summerset might help me find him."

"Oh, I see." said Mr. Steel. "Well, as much as I hate pointin' peeps in the direction of my competition, I guess I could tell ya where Summerset is! He lives downtown, in one of them big fancy skyscrapers on Corona Avenue. Can't remember which one, though."

"Thank you." said Scarlet. "But I'm afraid we'll need a place to sleep. Could you be kind enough to accommodate the three of us?"

"What?" said Mr. Steel. "We ain't a hotel! And there's no way I'm letting you three spend one more minute on our turf after what you did to my boys!"

"Please?" said Scarlet. "I am very sorry that this whole thing happened."

Scarlet opened her purse, and levitated a small bag of money out of it.

"I'll make it worth your time!" said Scarlet in a singsong voice.

"You're a shrewd businesspony, ma'am." said Mr. Steel, grabbing the bag. "Okay. You three got yourselves a place. But you're not allowed to eat any of our food, okay? Boys, show 'em where they'll be staying."

"Thank you!" said Scarlet with a smile.

And then the three were led to a rundown apartment complex on the far side of the city, away from the bright and flashier buildings that ran along the middle. Despite the dreadful lighting, sounds of vermin congregating in the walls, and water dripping from broken pipes, they were quick to fall asleep.


Sunset Shimmer and her friends finally arrived at the Golden Colt Hotel. After checking in and saying farewell to Quick Shot and A.K. Yearling, they all took the elevator to the nineteenth floor, where they all found their rooms. Sunset's room had amber-colored wallpaper and a bed with golden sheets and pillows with ruby-red cases. Next to the bed was a refrigerator that contained bottles of--among other things--ginger ale and iced tea, as well as jars of pickles and frozen fruits. Sunset took a swig of ice-cold water from the refrigerator and laid on her bed, wondering about all the things she would be doing tomorrow.

She went over to the window, where she held a beautiful view of the entire city. She could see for miles. There was heavy traffic on every street and even in the air, as pegasi raced between destinations in the dark moonlit skies. She could even see a few of the larger clouds in the sky had their own neon-lit buildings constructed on top of them. It was truly a marvel that could only ever happen in Equestria.

"This is gonna be the best vacation ever." said Sunset.