//------------------------------// // The Gourmet World 02 // Story: The Many Destinies of Sunset Shimmer // by ratedoni //------------------------------// The Gourmet World 02 To call the office big would be an understatement; it was after all the most important office in the modern world, even higher than any country or faction in what was known of the human world, this was the office of President Celestia of the Equestria Gourmet Federation so in a world that focused entirely in food and how to obtain said food you can bet anything you have that this woman seating down behind a dark oak table was important. Right now she was overseeing several papers that one of her most promising researchers had brought her, something about a permission to study specimens like Rocket Iguana and TNTangerine, all of them forbidden from entering the market and constantly being monitored due to the hallucinogenic and extreme addictive properties of both ingredients. Looking at the obviously nervous Twilight Sparkle in front of her, Celestia had a bad feeling concerning the young researcher, not because she thought she could misuse the findings or take advantage of getting close to the ingredients to get high as a kite, but because she was still too naïve and too fresh to jump right into the dangerous part of the Gourmet Era they lived through. Twilight Sparkle was brilliant; there was no denying it, after all she was the one that discovered the medical uses for the Red Wave Algae, she had a bright future in the EGF but there were things she still missed. Experience was the obvious one, she had spent her whole career inside a laboratory and compared to most researchers she still had very little time working, but in opinion of Celestia, what she truly was missing was the most important part of the EGF ethic: love and respect for the food. Celestia herself knew exactly how out of touch some of the researchers down at the labs were, more worried about ‘how’ they could do something instead of ‘why’ should they do it, it was a dangerous mindset that she had tried to stomp with various degrees of success and she wanted to make Twilight learn before it became a problem. Looking at her side, inside her cupboard she saw a bottle she hold dear to her heart, a black glass bottle with a moon imprint, that was the first ingredient her sister had discovered and quickly found a way to artificially grow the flower, since then it had become kind of like the product everyone in the world remembered Luna Dijon these days. The bottle had been a gift, the very first deluxe edition of the Moon Flower Brandy. Thinking about ingredients made Celestia find a possible solution; if what Twilight needed were experience and understanding about ingredients and what it meant to other people, then she needed to go where the ingredients were… and there was only one person she could trust to give that lesson to Twilight, and fortunately she had all the right to call for her help, well, more like Sunset was forced to go along with Celestia’s decisions. “I see that you plan on moving to bigger ingredients, I suppose your research is going well Twilight” “Yes President Celestia, so, do you think it will be possible for me to start investigating the ingredient list I gave you?” Twilight said; she was basically shaking on place due to how nervous she felt. “I suppose I could give you access to the ingredient you ask” Twilight’s smile appeared “but first I have something in mind for you, EGF’s celebration for Flurry Heart’s birth is being prepared and they do need some ingredients for the Crystalling, and I believe you are perfect for that” and the smile was gone in an instant. “Wait, what? But Miss President, I am a scientist, I don’t do field research! Or hunt for ingredients!” “Oh, I know that, that’s why I have the perfect team to accompany you, well, it is more like a couple right now, I am giving the order to accompany you to Sunset Shimmer” at hearing that name Twilight’s neck hair stood up in fear; she, like the rest of the Human World, knew exactly who Celestia was talking about, one of the greatest Gourmet Hunters in the known world but also one of the most dangerous. Sunset Shimmer right now was in a specially made prison called Gourmet Prison 7, constantly monitored and with the highest security of all known prisons in the Human World, why was she being paired with that kind of monster? “But… but… she is…” “I know, Sunset Shimmer was found guilty of the ASSASSINATION of every member of the criminal organization Honey Trap, but you won’t be going alone Twilight, I also know someone that will keep Sunset under control all the time” Celestia said knowing how well behaved Sunset was when she worked with Fluttershy. ----- Thinking about it now Twilight got the impression that she was better off not asking about any kind of permission, her job until now had been slightly boring but it was the safest place for her, just herself and the machines, now looking at the trees hiding ridiculously dangerous animals and things that would poison her and eat her in one bite Twilight wanted to go back running into her bed and hug Smarty Pants until everything was fine. She then screamed when a bizarre form jumped out at her from one bush, closing her eyes she waited for death but nothing happened, tentatively she opened her eyes to watch Sunset Shimmer stepping on the new obviously dead human sized frog. “Check it out, a Feast Frog, I thought this guys didn’t even attack things that were their size” She said holding the beast with one hand as if it were made of foam; the frog itself was a deep red with green splotches everywhere, it’s mouth full of serrated teeth that made Twilight gulp; in her opinion that had been too close. “That is so nice” Fluttershy then said checking the catch and checking for anything weird “oh poor one, this one was so hungry, no wonder it attacked Twilight” “What do you mean by that? This thing is huge!” “Well, their teeth are in fact not very strong, they break easily and they usually use them to munch on the big insects that grow in this swamp” Fluttershy said thinking about what she knew about the creature. “But that’s the thing, they tend to live in the center of the swamp, this one here was way away from home” Sunset said feeling as if their job had suddenly become harder just by meeting this low level animal. “So what you are telling me is that this frog was in no way dangerous?” “Not at all, it was probably due to hunger that it decided to risk it all for food, but is not bad, the meat of this species is excellent, it may not be as rare as other meats but it can be used for many different recipes” Fluttershy said thinking on ways that she could prepare such a catch. “I suppose that is something that a chef like you would think about Miss Fluttershy” “I’m surprised you know about her Twilight, you seem a little…” Sunset tried to say while continuing walking, the Feast Frog on her shoulder as the catch of the day, the other two women quickly following her, knowing well that the presence of Sunset deterred most monsters and those that would like to attack would find a very quick death. “I look too much like an egghead? Is okay, I know I’m not very fashionable… either way, how could I not know of Miss Fluttershy? She is the head chef of my family’s favorite restaurant ‘Paradise Hall’” “Velvet and Night Light are loyal patrons and I was capable of seeing when Shining Armor asked Cadence to marry him” Fluttershy said remembering that dinner date at her restaurant. Soon both Fluttershy and Twilight spend their time talking among them while Sunset tracked down the monster they came to hunt. Soon the thick mass of foliage started to change and the road became bigger, tracks of huge beasts were found around but there was something that picked Sunset’s curiosity; all the tracks that they had found were moving away from the center of the swamp, as if a mass exodus of creatures had occurred overnight. Whatever type of monster made all this happen it meant that it had become the top predator. After a couple of hours and a few beast being encountered, including a Mushroom Tapir and several Red Water Snakes that left Twilight hanging for dear life on a tree branch, they soon reached a clearing on the swamp with what seemed an hidden lake. Both the researcher and the chef were astonished at what was present in the river, half of its body lying on the ground while the rest was still in the lake. “That’s a Deep River Lobster! That is a high level capture ingredient!” Fluttershy, the one who had recognized the dead lobster, was surprised at the size of the chuck missing from the lobster’s side; its powerful shell was so hard that even Gourmet Hunters had difficulties piercing. “I think we found where the Cragadile has ben living! Be careful, we don’t know if it is still close!” “That bite seems recent; I think we just interrupted its meal” Twilight said before a long shadow appeared on the lake, the next second a torrent of water was splashed everywhere as a gargantuan mass of rock and meat, for a second, the three humans were left in darkness under the shadow of that monster as the size seemed to hide the sun. The creature hit the ground shaking the whole place. Twilight, being the least experienced member on the expedition fell backwards, Fluttershy quickly going to her side to help her get back and away from the huge Cragadile, they both needed to get to a safe distance, she knew how much Sunset worried when the pink haired chef was in the line of fire whenever they found out a dangerous creature. For her part Sunset hadn’t moved, she had simply watched the way the Cragadile had moved, the way the rock-like scales seemed to warp around to make the huge alligator be able to move at a speed you did not expect from a creature that size. “So you are the reason why we saw all those creatures and birds leave the center of the swamp, you are quite the big guy” she said before having to dodge a lunge from the Cragadile, the huge jaws of the animal seemed to graze Sunset as this one dodged right into the tail of the Cragadile sending her flying. Sunset rolled and got back into her feet looking uninjured after the attack ‘this thing is not only strong but fast, but still doesn’t explain how it was capable of catching a Deep River Lobster, or why its body was on solid ground, Cragadiles take their prey into the water and eat them there. That’s when Sunset put attention to the place where the lobster was left and the different holes around the corpse, but by then it was too late, from under Sunset something had sprung and took hold of her limbs, at the end of each vine there was a big mouth-like protuberance like a Venus Fly Trap. “I see, that’s how you got the lobster and the rest of your meals, you use White Evervines for your hunt, carrion plants that eat the remains of your food, you two have become partners after so many decades that even now, without even having a real brain, they just attack everything around you for food” for all answer the Cragadile seemed ready to lunge once again while Twilight was close to bite her nails off. “She is going to get killed!” “No, she isn’t, she now knows the limits of her enemy, is the Cragadile that is in trouble” Fluttershy said knowing well the outcome that the fight would have; the Cragadile for its part had no idea of what was happening, it is said after all, that animals have a kind of sixth sense that let them know when danger is close; the Cragadile, after 400 years had become an incredible creature but since it had become the top predator in the swamp had forgotten all about dangers, its ignorance at sensing danger was the one thing that didn’t make him turn around and run away. “So, great Cragadile, after all this time, your meat under all those rocks must be amazing, so now, let me show you my gratitude to the meal you will bring us” Sunset said before giving a terrible grin to the creature and at that moment, Twilight realized that the true predator in all the swamp was none other than Sunset as the aura around her seemed to harden, creating a figure made of pure fire, as if suddenly a demon had materialized in the world “let me show you my own weapons, Flame Spores!” she said before the veins appeared to have been cut by an invisible force but looking closely one could see small particles flying around Sunset. The Cragadile suddenly jumped in the air with the intention of eating Sunset, but this one never stopped grinning; she raised an arm and all the red particles began to spin at high speed around it “take this, Flame Execution!” Sunset screamed bringing down her arm as a flame-like sword appeared and was thrown into the Cragadile; the impact was so powerful that send the beast spinning through the air before colliding behind Sunset due to the momentum “thank you for the food” Sunset simply said placing her hands together. ----- Night had fallen quickly on the swamp but the three girls were as comfortable as if they were in a restaurant back in Canterlot City, the swamp itself had also lost the sense of danger and apprehension, it was clear that without the Cragadile the ecosystem of the swamp would be able to recover and grow into the same fountain of good ingredient it had been before. Right now both Sunset and Twilight were relaxing and waiting for the moment Chef Fluttershy would put the finishing touches on their dinner. “Are you all sure that we can eat part of the Cragadile? I mean, the meat is supposed to be used in the EGF party” “Twilight, is okay, this thing is huge enough that everybody will be able to eat, besides, you are telling me you want to miss on Fluttershy’s cooking?” Sunset said obviously enjoying the night sky; finally she was capable of watching the stars. “Well, when you put it like that, how could I say no to a 6 star chef’s cooking?” Twilight said being infected by the redhead’s good humor and also relaxed against a tree turn while they watched Fluttershy work and passed the time with small talk. A couple of minutes later and it seemed that everything was ready. “I hope everything is okay, this is the first time that I work with some of these ingredients” she said but both Twilight and Sunset weren’t sure if what Fluttershy had said was just modesty, it just looked so amazing “first we have a creamy Deep River Lobster tail; I used the insides of the White Evervines and mashed them, that way they had a flavor similar to cream cheese” she said pointing to a plate where the lobster’s meat was put on top of a white thick cream “also, I used the Feast Frog and made a stew with some of the mushrooms that we got form the Mushroom Tapir” this time there was a big bowl with a thick broth of meat and big mushrooms inside it, the smell alone could turn people crazy with the meat cooked just to the point of being soft to the mouth and the mushrooms adding enough flavor to make it mouthwatering “and finally, here we have the Cragadile Steak; I took one of the stones from the Cragadile and after heating it, the stone was perfect as a natural stove to cook it” The meat that was presented to them was something spectacular. The meat juices filled the plate and almost sparkled with the light coming from the fire they had made, there was a thin line of marbled fat that seemed to accentuate the color; it was as if the meat and its juice were mirroring the light from the fire. “Wow, all these dishes look incredible!” Twilight said before taking a sip of the Feast Frog stew, immediately she felt a rush of flavors all around her body, the flavor of the soup itself after being boiled with the meat was amazing but the meat alongside the mushrooms were tasty and smooth to her mouth, this was something that Fluttershy had made in the middle of a camp site? The lobster was rich too, the cream heating her up inside while being light enough that she wanted to taste more, and the Cragadile Steak… it was basically melting on her mouth, it was strong but almost buttery and soft, never before had Twilight been as satisfied with a meal as that moment. “You truly went all out this time Flutters!” Sunset all but screamed after the meal just as she took Fluttershy by the waist and put the usually shy chef on her lap much to the delight of the girl who immediately hugged Sunset. “You two seem to… have a good relationship” the researched said watching the interaction between both the Gourmet Hunter and the chef. “Well, I do hope so, after all we are married” Fluttershy’s answer was more than enough to surprise Twilight and leave her wordless. “Believe me, it is quite the tale” Looking at both spouses made Twilight recover from the surprise and smile back at them, after the excitement of the hunt and the more than good meal she had all but forgotten the real reason why she accepted coming to this adventure, in fact, she couldn’t even remember why she wanted to start researching those dangerous ingredients. “You know what… I would love to hear the story” Twilight said before both Sunset and Fluttershy began the story, each one interjecting on it with their own tidbits much to Twilight’s delight. ----- President Celestia. I haven’t done one of these reports in such a long time now but I think this is the perfect opportunity for something like this. We have concluded the hunt of the Cragadile and I hope everything goes well in the celebration of my niece; the three of us are alright and have returned to Canterlot City. I guess the only bad thing that came from this travel was to see Sunset returning to her jail cell and being separated from Fluttershy once again. In regards to my petition to be allowed to research dangerous narcotic ingredients I find myself in the embarrassing situation of asking you to forget it and in its place, would it be too much of a stretch to ask for a small favor? If there is any ingredient that the EGF is looking for I believe it could be quite useful to maintain the current team which I’m part of, the results that were brought in seem quite good but we will need to do more field research to find out if the same kind of results could be found. P.S. With the letter you will find a bottle of Red Water Snake Liquor, who would have thought that a snake’s blood could be made into a very good alcoholic beverage? P.S.S. There was enough for 5 bottles but one is with me to study, another with Chef Fluttershy as a cooking aid, another one in Sunset’s cell and the other one was a gift to the Prison Ward Gilda; hope you and Vice-President Luna enjoy it. Both Celestia and Luna read the letter once more while they raised their glasses filled with red liquor as a toast; it seemed that the future of the Gourmet Age was brighter than ever, a new team had been created and adventures awaited them.