Gunsmoke

by Wanderer D

Chapter 06: Friends

Gunsmoke

by Wanderer D

Chapter 6: Friends

The radio crackled.

"This is Nightmare Moon. I have the enemy sniper in my sight. They haven't spotted me yet. They're hiding at the top of the pyramid, facing east, between two broken-off pieces of rock. It's good cover, but I have a good angle."

"Roger that," Surgeon replied. "Mirage?"

"One scout, heading northwest, towards Coyote's position. He's being followed by about a hundred meters distance by two automatic rifles. I can sneak behind them."

"I can draw their fire and let you do your thing," Coyote's reply came through. "Pero no se me distraiga, nena. I want my sandwich to be a celebratory-wich."

"As if."

"Good, I'll leave them to you two," Surgeon spoke up. "Lion, I see a heavy gun user setting up a base on the north east side of the ruins. That's the leader. The two grunts with him are again automatic rifle users. What the hay are these people playing at?"

"Nothing serious, which is good for us," Heavy Collar replied on the radio. "If you three can get them to focus on you, I can sneak behind them and blow them to pieces."

"I can't see them from here," Nightmare Moon informed them. "So I cannot back you up. It'll be you guys on your own."

"Provided Nightmare Moon shoots the sniper first, we'll be fine," Thunderbird, their last addition, confirmed on the radio. "My guess is that they're betting we'll concentrate all fire on them, allowing their sniper to pick us up."

"Let's do this quick, guys. There's a football game I don't want to miss," the Lion's voice crackled into their radios.

"Right," Surgeon said. "We're in position, confirm everyone."

"Ready."

"Ready."

"Ready."

"Listo y hambriento."

"Ready."

"Ready."

They could hear Surgeon's smile. "Bring down the night, Moon."

"With pleasure."

The shot was heard clear through the ancient pyramid valley, and it wasn't a second later that Coyote dashed right between two stone pillars, in plain view of the scout, who shouted for his comrades to join him. The three took cover behind some collapsed rocks, shooting mercilessly in Coyote's direction, where they could see him cowering.

This left their backs uncovered, and Desert Mirage wasted no time in running in. The one that heard her was the scout, who turned in surprise, his gun raising too slowly. Twilight's shot got him in the throat, just as Sunset blew the rifleman on the right's head off.

The other rifleman spun around, ready to shoot her, but he suddenly twitched and collapsed, revealing a smirking Coyote standing behind him, his smile wide. "Seems like nobody told him: you don't turn your back on el Coyote."

They heard the battle coming from the other side of the field until the ground shook with an explosion strong enough to send flames up in the air. It didn't take a second for the message declaring them the winners to appear hovering above the battlefield.

Congratulations!

Winner: Team Surgeon

"We need a new name," Mirage grumbled.

Sunset opened her eyes and blinked. The room was pretty dark. She took off the Amusphere and pushed herself up, stretching and glancing at the time. Eight Pm. Plenty of time to finish homework.

She had to chuckle at the way Vice Principal Luna had delivered her class' work that morning. Nothing like finding out one of your authority figures was also an avid gamer than her confirming it by reminding you of your earthly duties.

Sunset stood up, turning the light and her monitor. She needed to get started, but the fight from earlier had left her a bit thirsty, and she needed something better than some soda. But first, a shower.

She entered the bathroom and turned the shower on, stripping and quickly jumping in so that she wouldn't get too cold. As the warm water cascaded around her, she felt herself relax. Her thoughts went to the battle and how easy a time they had had.

It wouldn't be like that, with several groups already taking notes of how others were defeated. Right before leaving the game, she had been hounded by two information brokers, each wanting to know about her technique, and her plans and what strategies the squad had planned.

She shook her head. What kind of moron would tell them that kind of thing?

Once Sunset felt clean enough and had rinsed the shampoo off of her hair, she stepped out, drying up and slipping into her PJ's. and wrapping a towel around her hair as she made her way to the kitchen.

She grimaced at the pizza leftovers. She was hungry, but that was way too recent and she had little motivation to cook anything, so, drink it was. And thankfully, she had plenty of beer.

She had just twisted the cap off when someone knocked on her door.

Curious, she checked who it was and blinked in surprise, before opening the door. "Vice Principal?"

Luna grinned and lifted her hand, showing a bag with several containers inside. "Chinese?"

Sunset shook her head with a smile and stepped back, letting her in. "What's this about?"

"Celebratory dinner, after our first team battle. I felt it was warranted."

Sunset chuckled. "Sure thing, let's go to the dining area."

Luna nodded, then stared at the beer in Sunset's hand. "Aren't you a little young to be drinking beer, Sunset?"

Sunset rolled her eyes. "I happen to be a few years older than your average highschool student, even if I don't appear like I am."

"Oh?" Luna asked. "Then what's your real age?"

"Old enough to drink in Equestria, and just about right for this country."

Luna eyeballed her. "You don't look it."

"I was a pony, remember? I had pretty much graduated before coming here."

Luna laughed. "Fair enough, Sunset."

"Would you like a beer as well?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Depends on what it is."

"Stout, can't stomach lagers."

Luna grinned. "Good girl. I'll take one. I'll also set up dinner while you get it."

Sunset couldn't stop laughing. In fact, she had to put down her chopsticks or risk them flying out of her hands.

Luna, however, did not look amused. "It is certainly good to see my honorless defeat brings you so much joy."

"I-I'm sorry," Sunset gasped. "I just didn't expect that it was the Surgeon that took you out in the last Bullet of Bullets."

"He cheated!"

"You're the one that tried to cut a plasma grenade with your lightsaber," Sunset pointed out.

Luna coughed and took a drink. "Yes, well, he should have given up when I cut his shotgun in half."

Sunset's grin didn't fade while she returned to her food. "You're a riot, Luna."

"What happened to 'Vice Principal'?"

"Faded away with a beer. Don't worry, it will return tomorrow at school."

Luna grinned and clinked her bottle with Sunset's. "As well it should! Friendships and formalities don't mix!"

"Hear, hear!" Sunset giggled. She took a sip and smiled at Luna. "I'm glad you think of it that way, Luna."

"Why wouldn't I?" Luna asked after a moment of contemplating the bottle in her hand.

Sunset shrugged, leaning back on her chair. "I dunno. I was afraid you wouldn't see it that way, I guess. This afternoon, after we met in the game and talked and had such a good time, I immediately wrote Princess Twilight and told her you were my new friend." She smiled uncomfortably at Luna's look. "I just... thought later that I had jumped the gun, or that we would be only friends in-game, you know?"

Luna nodded. "I understand what you're saying, Sunset. And the truth is, I thought about leaving it at that but... well, I saw what happened this morning."

Sunset's smile went away.

"And I worried... both as an educator and an acquaintance," Luna continued, reaching over and placing a comforting hand on Sunset's for a quick squeeze before letting go. "But, when we met in-game... I also felt a connection that I never expected to feel with you. It wasn't hard to figure out Desert Mirage was you... naming your guns 'Sunset' and 'Twilight'," she said with a smile. "But when I sat down with you and the others, I wasn't Luna. I was Nightmare Moon, and Nightmare Moon saw you as an adult, a fellow gunslinger and a potential teammate.

"It opened my eyes, in a way, to see you there being you without being who you were the last two years, or who you became the last one. I realized right there that I liked you. Your quirks, and personality, the way you looked at things and how you acted."

She took a deep drink, finishing off her bottle and putting it on the table. "I realize this is a bit pretentious of me, but... I also thought: This is someone I would like to be friends with." She smiled at Sunset. "And after the battle, I wanted to celebrate with you that we were a part of this team with the tragic name."

Sunset snorted and smiled.

"So I came here to see if I could be your friend in real life too."

Sunset nodded. "But what about you being the Vice Principal and me being a student?"

"We can be friends," Luna said, shrugging. "Just as long as we both remember that my duties to the school cannot be ignored, and I can't turn a blind eye to what happens there."

Sunset nodded and gulped. "About that, I don't know if I can be friends with Rainbow Dash and—"

"You don't have to," Luna interrupted, drawing a surprised look from Sunset. "I'm not saying that you shouldn't, but I'm not going to force you to be their friend just so that I can have an easier time at school dealing with students. Life isn't that easy, and high school... well, most of my students are teenagers. They're just figuring out what they want, or changing their plans, or dealing with hormones or discovering talents or deciding what college to go to, if they want to go to one at all. It's easier than the big world outside, for sure, and there's plenty of unnecessary drama... but it's all part of growing up, and as long as they keep it mostly civilized..."

"I get it," Sunset sighed.

"That said, you still need to not rampage like a Fire Pokemon at school." Luna gave her a warning glare, waiting until Sunset had chuckled, nodded and started taking another sip of her beer. "Even if it's super-effective at shutting up Rainbow Dash."

She almost wasn't fast enough to dodge Sunset's spit-take.

Twilight's lab at Crystal Prep was a forbidden zone for most people, including staff and the cleaning crew for several reasons she had cited and defended in a fifty four-page essay. The door had a warning sign and was usually locked.

So it was a big surprise for Mr. Custodian—the janitor in charge—when he noticed the lights in the lab were on. After all, he had personally locked the doors after Twilight Sparkle had left, so he knew she wasn't in there.

His hand hovered over the doorknob. Should he risk it? Twilight had had an extensive talk with all cleaning staff about how bad things could get if they stepped in and messed around with her experiments. Words like, 'explosions' and 'implosions' as well as 'trans-dimensional torque realignment' had been used extensively, and he had no intention of finding out what that even meant. If it even meant anything.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, the lights turned off and everything went silent. Mr. Custodian gulped and released the doorknob. It was eerily quiet. As if something was expecting him to breathe too loudly before doing something unspeakable to him.

He felt his body shaking as he took a step back, then another. It wasn't worth it. Nope. Not worth it.

He quickly gathered his things and walked away to the other side of the school.

Dear Princess Twilight,

I know, another letter, so quickly! And you haven't had time to respond to the previous one.

I hope things are doing well over in Equestria. I'm writing to tell you that my suspicions were correct. I do have a new friend in Luna. I swear, Twilight, I never expected it.

This is the best thing that could have happened. We have so much in common! I hope to talk to you soon and tell you more, but for now, I must finish my homework.

You've been there.

You know how it is.

Your friend,

~Sunset Shimmer

Applejack waited next to the entrance to the school, early that morning. She waved a hand when she saw Sunset walking her way from the parking lot, pushing herself off the wall to stand straight as her friend approached.

"Well howdy, stranger," she greeted with a slightly forced smile. "How you doin' today?"

Sunset looked around, but she saw no sign of Rainbow Dash, she walked into the school, side by side with Applejack. "I'm doing okay, AJ, yourself?"

"Alright, I guess," Applejack responded awkwardly. "Uh, listen, before we get into class... we went to see you at your place last night, at around six." She scratched the back of her head. "Ah get you're upset with Dash but, couldn't you have at least opened the door?"

Sunset took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I was busy doing something and I couldn't hear you, AJ, that's why I didn't answer but..." she stopped and faced the other girl, grimacing. "If I'm perfectly honest, I don't want anything to do with her."

"She's our friend," Applejack said. "It'll make things difficult and—"

Sunset placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. "AJ, I appreciate what you're trying to do. You, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie? You're all friends in my book, but Rainbow Dash crossed a line with me."

"Look, sugarcube, I realize we all could've been better friends, hay, Rarity pointed out how selfish we've been by only doing what we wanted and not finding out about you, but you can't let a friendship die just like that."

Sunset closed her eyes. "Until last night... I would have done anything to hear that. And I am still glad to know that you girls are thinking of me, but it would also be selfish of me to force you into this kind of thing. I want to be your friend, but I can't be Rainbow Dash's friend. And you girls are best friends..." she sighed. "I'll be happy to hang out with you as individuals, but as a group, or with Rainbow Dash involved, I can't. Not right now. Please understand that."

Applejack sighed and nodded turning to go. "Ah don't like it. Ah wish you'd change your mind. Ah know you don't have that many friends here besides us... if you start feelin' lonely... remember that we care. Even Dashie."

Sunset sighed and headed towards her own class. This was probably going to be a long day.

---

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Comments

[dangerbrony]

I couldn't sleep so I decided to read for a while. To my immense pleasure, I saw this had updated. I'm glad the thing with Rainbow isn't just going away and I look forward to more.

[nobody dreamer]

Glad Sunset didn't miss anything when she was in-game. Even if she had heard Rainbow last night, she still isn't in the mood to forgive. At least we had Sunset and Luna getting on very well, in-game and out. I've seen the occasional fic where Princess Luna and Sunset bond, as well as the idea of Luna as a gamer (MMO and Pokemon apparently), but don't think I've ever seen all those ideas combined before, well done.

And then there's Twilight's lab, that's probably not good. Curious if the fic will continue on with the team battle or go back to the girls' disagreement or some other angle.

[BigLurker]

Ought to be interesting to see how the group dynamics change; will the Humane 5 hang out less as a group so to give time to SS and RD equally?

Nice chapter. One thing MLP never showed until season finale is that sometimes you lose a friend and can't magically regain them...

[ShadowPony12]

6690548 To be fair, talking it out like rational civilized human beings wouldn't be my definition as "magical", but mature neutrality? Not really sure if you get my meaning.

I can vouch -from my own experience- that doing as such can mend even the most hopeless of friendships. They start from square one, but it will and can mend. It is not like they flat out hate each other, then that would an issue.

Just my thoughts, but I can see where you are coming from.

[BigLurker]

6690947 I guess my point when I said 'magically' is that you can't always say "I'm sorry" and make everything instantly better. With Sunset standing firm and Dash being stubborn this might take some time and effort...

[ShadowPony12]

6691185 I figured. Though, I am pretty sure AJ was suggesting for them to talk about it, the sorry was just a starting point for them to interact. Other than that I totally agree an "I'm sorry" isn't a miracle word just an ice breaker.

[BigLurker]

6691203 True. But RD strikes me as the sort who hates admitting they're wrong. She tried once and got rebuffed (no answer at the door). It'll be harder for the others to get her to try again, IMO...

[ShadowPony12]

6691226 I completely agree. Hooray, hormonal teen drama.

[BigLurker]

6691236 I admit, I considered myself one of the less hormonal ones going through that time. In retrospect, I have no clue how I managed to not walk off a cliff in a moment of abstract stupidity...

[ShadowPony12]

6691327 Ha, same. I think we all do.

Oddly enough, Freshmen-most of Junior year I was calm and rational, but Senior year came around I lost my level headed nature and became more emotionally inclined. You know what I mean? Mistakes were made that year, mistakes were made.

I think at one point I got so caught in a school rivalry for an upcoming football match that me and several other people went to the opposing school -the night before- and silly stringed our school colors all over their campus and to add insult we posted up images of our team mascot on their walls and doors even lockers.

Funny thing is, we lost the next day. Instead of being miffed I laughed at the sheer karma.

[Nova Arc]

Just ran through all the chapters. This is getting intense. It's not the first story I'm seeing where RD and Sunset's friendship is broken, but I love the portrayal here. Keep up the great work.

[pahnazd]

Well, at least some hope about resolution of the Dash situation.
So about Twilight's lab... I presume that pony Twi made her way over. Unless it was something else.
This is going to be amusing.

[lordelliott]

I read the last chapter on my lunch break when it went up, but I ran out of time to comment! Now I've forgotten what I wanted to say, except that I lol'd at Luna being into Pokemon, especially given my previous comments. I'm enjoying the whole thing but am especially looking forward to the results of the magic experiments and Sunset using more of her powers.

[Ganondorf8]

I really like how Sunset and Luna have developed a bond of friendship due to enjoying the same online game, and despite one being an authority figure and the other a student, such barriers mean nothing when it comes to being friends. Still, Luna gets to shine by saying just the right words, and her reaction to Sunset's "age" were priceless alongside what she said about the students of CHS and their inner struggles.

[Corejo]

Bad touch, Luna. Bad touch!

Well setup, all this is. I'll def be reading this through.

[Csquared08]

"That said, you still need to not rampage like a Fire Pokemon at school." Luna gave her a warning glare, waiting until Sunset had chuckled, nodded and started taking another sip of her beer. "Even if it's super-effective at shutting up Rainbow Dash."

Alright, I'm with Core now. You're the worst.

[TheKableGuy]

"That said, you still need to not rampage like a Fire Pokemon at school." Luna gave her a warning glare, waiting until Sunset had chuckled, nodded and started taking another sip of her beer. "Even if it's super-effective at shutting up Rainbow Dash."

I burst out laughing when that happened.

[Deadmanx513]

yay for sunset and luna friendship!!

[djthomp]

I like this developing Sunset and Luna friendship, pretty much exactly what I was hoping for, older Sunset and everything. And I see now that it wasn't stubbornness, she was just in-game.

Here's hoping that her and Dash do eventually reconcile, even if it takes a while.

[ForSpite]

We have so much in common!

Rebelling against Celestia! Being consumed by Dark magic before defeat at the hands of Twilight Sparkle ! Being from Equestria.... Wait... No, wrong Luna. Whoops. Huh. I guess this line of thought works better with the Dazzlings.

Well, at least they both like drinking and playing video games, that’s something.

[Skeeter The Lurker]

I see a setup for one insane misunderstanding happening.

Along with some fire.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[Skeeter The Lurker]

Also I literally just started this today with the physical copy I have.

Figured I'd leave comments on the chapter I end at for the time.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[The Scarlett Mare]

"Listo y hambriento."

I just love this
like, have a character use their native language more than English is just
a sign of a good author, I think
really good thank you

[sunset-starlight]

"It opened my eyes, in a way, to see you there being you without being who you were the last two years, or who you became the last one. I realized right there that I liked you. Your quirks, and personality, the way you looked at things and how you acted."

Ready...set...SHIP!!!!!!!!

[WifeOfSunsetShimmer]

10490734
I have not been exposed to this ship BUT they do look cute together and their personalities do match hehe ALL ABOARDDD!!!