Arc 4: Chapter 25
“I see. So it’s similar to a scrying spell?”
The fairy-like Setsuna nodded. “That’s right. So long as my original body isn’t too preoccupied, I’m able to maintain this connection. It’s very useful for espionage and communication.”
“And once again done with paper charms.” Sunset leaned back, bracing herself with her hands. “I’ve got to see if I can learn that style of magic. It seems really versatile.”
They’d found a large boulder near the path and had decided to rest and eat lunch. Sunset was chatting with Chibi-Setsuna while Nodoka tended to Negi’s injuries, Asuna watching on with a conflicted look on her face. Sunset had wanted to keep going and put as much distance between them and Kotarou as possible, but Setsuna had shot that down, pointing out their need for rest and for Negi’s injuries to be treated. She’d also pointed out that, after so sound a defeat, Kotarou would be exhausted as well and would most likely decide to retreat and regroup.
“So, what’s our next play?” Sunset asked. “I mean, it’s not like they’re just going to let us waltz right up to the Kansai HQ just because we beat their pet dog. That woman from before is probably waiting for us further up.”
“Maybe,” Setsuna said, frowning up the mountain, “but I don’t think so. That trap was very well designed. If it weren’t for Nodoka-san, we’d definitely still be stuck in there. At the very least, if we leave now, we’ll be able to catch them off guard. It would be better to stay off the path, though, just in case. We’ll travel through the forest, keeping the path in sight as we- ah!”
“Setsuna!”
Setsuna cringed, her form beginning to blur and distort. “O-oh no! Something’s happening to my physical body! I can’t maintain concentration-” Her sentence was cut off in a burst of smoke, a paper charm fluttering to the ground a moment later.
“Th-this isn’t good,” Chamo said, picking up the charm and giving a worried look back towards the city. “Something must have happened back on Setsuna-neesan’s side!”
Sunset grit her teeth, punching the ground. “Damn it! They’re going after Konoka again! That’s why that woman wasn’t here. The swordswoman is probably with her too.”
“Wh-what do we do?!” Asuna asked, panicked. “There’s no way we can get back to them in time!”
“Nichi Ane-chan!” Chamo shouted. “Don’t you have that teleport spell? Can’t you get back there?”
Sunset shot a glance towards the city before shaking her head. “Not a chance. It’s too far, and I’m not familiar enough with Kyoto to get anywhere but my hotel room from memory even if it wasn’t. The Magic Door spell is designed specifically for small-range jumps. I’ve been working on the formula for something longer, but there’s way too much that could go wrong if I try to just throw it together.” A shiver ran down her spine. “I’d rather not get there only to discover that I overshot by half a mile, wound up a hundred meters in the air, or left my entire lower half behind. What about your staff, Springfield?”
Negi shook his head. “I’m the only one who knows how to fly it, and I need to deliver the letter so we can stop these guys for good. Besides, if it came to a fight, I wouldn’t be much good. My magic is too flashy; everyone would see it!”
“Damn it!” Sunset cursed. “There has to be something we can do. Even another body there, someone who can help keep an eye out, would be better than nothing.”
“Wh-what about the paper charm?”
Everyone turned to Nodoka, who ducked her head and blushed. “I-I don’t really know what’s going on, but that’s how Sakurazaki-san was able to talk with us, right? If one of us uses the charm, we could go back and help.”
“That’s a great idea!” Chamo shouted, running over to Negi and leaping up onto his shoulder. “Aniki, we can go and check on them! Meanwhile, these three can go with your real body to the Kansai HQ!”
“A-alright,” Negi said. He took the charm from Chamo and looked it over. “I think I can figure out how this works. Just a moment.” Mere seconds later, the paper vanished in a puff of smoke, a chibi version of Negi taking its place.
At which point, Negi promptly passed out.
“O-oh no!” Chibi-Negi cried, panicking. “My body!”
“Relax, Springfield,” Sunset said, walking over and examining him. “It’s just unconscious. I think you put more of your awareness than you meant to into the charm. Don’t worry; Asuna can carry you up while Honya and I keep an eye out for threats.”
“Wh-what?” Asuna pouted. “Why me?”
Sunset smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Because out of the two of us, who can shoot fire out of her hands, and who managed to land a blow on dog-boy earlier?”
“...”
“Exactly.” Sunset stood and activated her artifact. “If they’re going for a two-pronged attack like this, then we’re probably in the clear. Still, better safe than sorry. Go on, Springfield. We’ll handle things from here.”
“Come on, Aniki!” Chamo shouted, jumping onto Chibi-Negi’s back. “Let’s go! Konoka-neesan is in trouble!”
“R-right!” With that, Negi turned and sped off down the mountain, soon passing out of sight.
“Well, that’s that then,” Sunset said. “Come on, girls. That letter isn’t going to deliver itself.”
“Yeah yeah,” Asuna muttered, picking Negi up and carrying him piggy-back style. “Although, are you sure we shouldn’t wait here for them? What if Negi gets back and says they need help?”
“We’re already more than an hour away,” Sunset pointed out, leading them up the mountain, “and that’s assuming we book it at full speed and the trains are cooperative. Springfield knows that there are other competent members of our class, and it would be faster to get one of them. If he calls on us, then it’ll be because the issue isn’t time-sensitive.” Nodoka giggled a bit, and Sunset looked back and raised a confused eyebrow at her. “What?”
“He he. I’m just surprised to hear you call the other girls competent.”
Sunset shot Nodoka a glare. “Some of the girls. Some. And only a little. And if you ever tell any of them that I implied anything otherwise, I’ll steal your diary and sell all of your secrets to Asakura.”
Nodoka just giggled again while Asuna rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah,” she muttered. “Got to keep up that hard-ass appearance, right? What, you want everyone thinking you’re some sort of soldier or something?”
“Well that’d be appropriate,” Sunset replied, shrugging. “I am a soldier, after all.”
Asuna stumbled, nearly dropping Negi. “W-wait. Seriously? You’re only 15!”
“Actually, I’m 36.” This time Asuna did drop Negi. “My trip through the mirror into this world stuck me in a younger body. Of course, since humans live shorter lives than my original species, I guess the ages are roughly proportional.”
Silence was her only response for a while as they continued up the mountain, Nodoka and Asuna mulling over what she’d just said.
“So, a soldier, huh?” Asuna finally asked, deciding to tackle the less nonsensical topic.
Sunset nodded, ducking under a branch and scanning between the trees ahead of them. “Specialist Hikaru, Mage 1st Class, Canterlot Division. Graduate with Highest Honors from Tenko’s School for Gifted… Unicorns, I suppose. Personal Student to the Sun - Graduate. Degrees in Spellcraft and General Combat Magic. Specialization: Evocation. Talent-Based Sub-specialization: a unique style of wielding traditionally opposite elements in conjunction with one another.” She chuckled and smiled over her shoulder. “Been a while since I’ve had a reason to say that whole thing aloud.
“Anyway,” she faced forward again, “I spent 15 years in the… Dark-Mage Hunter Contingent before Tenko pulled me into Magical Weapon R&D for the last 5. Still saw plenty of action, though, whenever they needed my help.”
“Y-you went into the military when you were 16?” Nodoka asked, dumbfounded.
Sunset shrugged. “Most of us did. Honestly, you humans are weird when it comes to ageing. Back home, you usually knew about what you wanted to do with your life shortly after getting your... “ Sunset shook her head. “Yeah, I’ll need your diary to translate that one. Anyway, you usually had a good idea by about the time you were 8, and general education ended at 12. From there, you could go to Trade School, University, or straight into the workforce if your career didn’t require anything else. Standard military service could begin at that age, too, but officer training took a few years at Tenko’s School for the Mage Corp or… West Point Military Academy for anything else. Even the Royal Lawn Ornaments had to do at least 2 years at West Point.”
“Royal Lawn-”
“The Guard, Asuna. The Royal Canterlot Guard. Think of the British Royal Guard you see outside of Buckingham Palace, add breastplates and spears instead of uniforms and guns, and you’ll just about have them.”
“Wait a minute.” Nodoka frowned as she considered everything that Sunset had said. “You’re saying that by the time we’ve graduated and are getting ready for College, everyone in your world is already done with school and a few years into their careers?”
“Everyone except for farmers,” Sunset clarified. “Most… not sure how to translate that. Most non-unicorn non-pegasus farmers start work as soon as they can, sometimes dropping out of school as soon as they get their… a little after they turn 8. By the time I officially joined the Mage Corp, some farmers my age had been working for about half their lives. Heck, I’ve met more than one girl who started work at the age of 6 because they discovered their talent early and it didn’t require much education. Most party planners end up that way. My kind matures quickly and then ages slowly compared to humans.” She frowned. “Which makes dealing with these stupid immature hormones again really freaking annoying.”
Nodoka giggled before staring Sunset up and down, considering her again. “So, um, you mentioned unicorns and pegasi?” Her eyes lit up. “You… you used to be a unicorn?!”
Sunset hummed for a bit before nodding. “Yeah, check your diary. I’ll do my best to give you a clear picture.”
Nodoka quickly pulled out her card, summoning her tome and opening it up. “Nichibotsu.” The page began to fill with text, but Nodoka’s eyes were fixed on the picture. Sunset as she knew her was depicted, standing next to a small, horse-like creature that stood about three and a half feet tall. It bore a horn on its forehead and Sunset’s familiar cocky smirk on its face, its mane and tail shaded in two colors that Nodoka assumed corresponded to Sunset’s red and yellow hair. On its flank was an image of a two-colored sun, split in two down the middle.
“Unicorn pony,” Asuna read aloud, looking over Nodoka’s shoulder. “Yellow coat, mane and tail the same color as my hair. My cutie mark represents my ability to cast spells of opposing types, with a special focus on pyromancy and its opposed cryomancy. The other types of ponies are ‘pegasus ponies’ (plural: ‘pegasi’) and ‘earth ponies.’ Technically there are also ‘alicorns,’ but I don’t really want to think about HER right now, so you can probably stop reading right now before you read about-”
“AHEM!”
Asuna looked up and flinched at the glare that Sunset was shooting her. “Er, right.” She joined Nodoka in examining the image. “It looks like you’re only about a meter tall.”
“Sounds about right,” Sunset replied as Nodoka closed and dismissed her book. “I mean, we have a different measuring system than anything here on Earth, but a meter sounds accurate. Guys were usually a few centimeters taller, and most kids are a little more than half that height when they earn their… ‘cutie mark,’ was it?” At Asuna’s nod, Sunset shook her head. “How the heck did that translation work out? Anyway, it looks like a lot of this world’s mythical creatures are based on creatures from my world, especially with regards to the legends of Greece and Rome. Unicorns and pegasi are just the tip of the iceberg.”
“W-wow,” Nodoka whispered, stars in her eyes. “A whole world full of magical creatures. I'd love to see that! Wouldn't that be great, Asuna-san?”
“I don't know,” Asuna hedged, shifting Negi higher onto her back. “Dealing with this brat already gives me enough headaches. But I'm sure Nichi-chan would be more than happy to show you and Negi around whenever she goes back.”
“Oh, that'd be great!” Nodoka beamed at Sunset. “I'd love to see your world some day!”
Sunset shot a brief glance over her shoulder before turning forward again to hide her scowl. “Eh, it's really nothing special,” she muttered. “Different species, same problems. I'm sure the magical world here is the same way. Besides… I might not be the best person to show you around over there. I didn't have the best reputation, after all.”
“Somehow, I don't find that hard to believe,” Asuna quipped, smirking.
“Besides,” Sunset continued, ignoring Asuna's comment, “this world is actually way more interesting. The technology you have is just incredible! Telephones. The internet! Bombs that can wipe an entire city off the map!” Sunset shook her head in wonder. “You guys do things with electricity on a regular basis that even the most powerful of mages would need hours of prep and a giant spell array to even begin to reproduce. No-one is going to believe half of what I've seen here when I go back!”
Silence overtook the group again, and Sunset eventually looked back to see what had happened. Both Nodoka and Asuna looked contemplative, the former sadly so.
“That's right,” Nodoka muttered after a while. “You'll be going back eventually, won't you? Once the portal opens up again.”
“Well of course she will,” Asuna chirped. “I mean, if nothing else, I'm sure her family will want to know that she's alright.”
Sunset stiffened slightly before shaking it off and continuing on. “That’s… not really a concern. My brother and I haven’t spoken in a while; he probably doesn’t even know that I’m gone.”
“Eh? You have a brother, Nichi-chan?” Nodoka asked.
Sunset smiled and nodded. “Yeah. His name is… Nikko. Hikaru Nikko. He’s a firefighter over on the east coast back home. We write each other every…” Sunset trailed off, realizing she couldn’t remember the last time she’d written Sunshine, even before she’d left Equestria. “Well, we write when we have the time.”
“And what about your parents?” Asuna asked. “I’m sure they can’t be too happy with you running off to another world.”
“Sunset! No! We can't! The fire’s spread too far! It's about to collapse!”
“They're still in there! I have to get them out! THEY'RE STILL IN THERE! MOMMY DADDY!!!”
“Sunset! We can’t go back in there! Sunset! SUNSET!!!”
“Nichi-chan!”
Sunset turned, throwing Nodoka’s hand from her shoulder. She stared at her friend, eyes wild and unfocused. Nodoka backed up a few steps, clearly shaken. “N-nichi-chan?”
A moment of silence passed. Sunset took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slowly, closing her eyes as she did so. She turned away and resumed walking. “I’m fine,” she muttered, as much for her own sake as for Nodoka’s. “I’m fine.” She took another breath, this one far steadier, and pushed as much calm into her voice as she could fake. “Sorry, just remembered something bad from back home. Anyway, my parents aren’t in Canterlot anymore. They retired a while back, and I haven’t really been in contact with them since. Anyway, we should cut the chatter; dog boy might have more allies than we know about, after all.”
She kept her eyes straight forward, refusing to let Nodoka and Asuna see her tears, and refusing to acknowledge the sound of a burning and collapsing home that played incessantly through her mind.
*****
The oppressive silence continued until Negi awoke and explained what had happened with Konoka and Setsuna while they rested. Apparently, the Onmyou and the swordswoman had attacked near Cinematown, where Setsuna had decided to lead Konoka. A fight had broken out, disguised as a performance, and Setsuna and Konoka had managed to escape with Negi’s help. Unfortunately, Setsuna had been almost killed in the fight, prompting Konoka to activate her magic instinctively.
“So now we’ve got to drag Konoka into this mess too?” Asuna complained. “The number of normal people in class is dropping way too fast.”
“Please, Asuna,” Sunset chided playfully, “leave comments like that to Chisame. Besides, do you really think that more than three or four people in our class really qualify as normal? I was planning on telling Konoka anyway. With Honya and Yue in on the secret, and Springfield’s irritating habit of accidentally showing off his magic, it was only a matter of time until Konoka found out on her own.” Sunset smirked and crossed her arms. “Heck, Haruna will probably find out before long; Yue, Nodoka, and I already have a bet going on how long it will take.”
Asuna groaned and put her head in her hands. “Great. Just great. First the class paparazzi, and soon the class gossip. What are the odds of there being anyone left who doesn’t know by the end of the year?”
Nodoka pulled out a small notebook and began flipping through it. “Yue-chan gives that 3:1 odds, if only because some of our classmates are a little oblivious. 5:1 for half the class knowing by the end of Summer Break.”
“That’s where I put my money,” Sunset chimed in.
“Eh? Really?” Negi leaned over, looking over the list of odds. “What parameters did she use to get these?”
“WHAT DOES IT MATTER!!!” Asuna shouted. “And why are you betting on things like this in the first place?!”
Sunset shrugged while Nodoka showed Negi the odds sheet and explained how Yue had calculated them over the last few days. “We’re bored middle-schoolers,” Sunset explained. “And intelligent ones at that. What did you think we did when we weren’t reading?” She turned to Negi. “In any case, are you sure Setsuna can handle things herself?”
Negi looked up from the notebook and nodded. “They escaped from Cinematown, and it didn’t look like there were any pursuers. They should be here soon.”
“Guess we’ll just have to wait, then.” Sunset sat down and took out her own notebook. “Just as well; now’s a good a time as any to piece together that long-range teleportation spell. Know any powerful figures associated with travel?”
“Hm.” Negi closed his eyes as he pondered. “Well, Hermes and Mercury are the Greek and Roman gods of travel. Rome also had Abeona and Adiona, who watch over the departure and safe return of travelers, respectively.”
“Departures and returns, huh?” Sunset nodded, making a few notes. “Considering how this spell works, that fits perfectly. Now, what about stone or the ground?”
*****
By the time Konoka and Setsuna arrived, Sunset had finished her first draft of the long-range teleportation spell. Unfortunately for their plans to tell Konoka about magic, the two of them weren’t alone.
“So, why did you tag along again?” Sunset asked as they continued up the mountain, Asuna carrying the still weakened Negi piggyback.
Asakura shrugged, Negi’s staff in hand and propped up against her shoulder. “Seemed like more fun than waiting around Cinema Town without answers,” she replied cheerfully. She pointed ahead of them at Haruna and Yue who were grilling Nodoka for details about what had happened with Negi. “Besides, those two were rather insistent on following Konoka anyway; I just gave them a little bit of help.”
“By hiding a GPS tracker in her clothes?”
Another shrug. “Hers. Yours. Negi-sensei’s. A reporter has to know where the news is happening, you know?”
Sunset rolled her eyes, making a mental note to check her clothes and luggage for bugs.
“In any case,” Asakura lowered her voice, her smile turning slightly predatory, “what did happen to Negi-sensei? He’s looking a little too exhausted to have simply tripped down the mountain a bit.”
Sunset glanced to the side, checking to make sure that Konoka wasn’t listening in. Thankfully, she seemed to be fully absorbed in checking over Negi. “A little run-in with a werewolf,” she muttered. “He ambushed Springfield and Asuna and trapped them in a bent-space field. An infinite space loop,” she clarified, seeing Asakura’s confusion. “They couldn’t get out unless they found the glyph that trapped them, and dog-boy wasn’t going to make it easy for them.”
“So you had to go in and beat him up?” Asakura asked.
“Something like that. He was actually pretty tough; we eventually had to just escape and close the spell up again behind us. It’ll take him a while to get out, but he’ll be back.” Sunset looked down at Asakura’s hand and raised an eyebrow. “And I do hope you realize that none of this can be on record.”
Asakura grinned mischievously and lifted her hand up, revealing the recorder she’d been hiding. “Nichi-chan, with me, everything is on the record. Don’t worry; I’m just collecting material to use when all of this finally comes to light and I get the exclusive I was promised.”
“Ah! Look! Isn’t that the entrance?”
Sunset and Asakura looked forward at Haruna’s shout. Sure enough, they seemed to be approaching the front gate of a large estate. The thickness of the surrounding woods combined with the setting sun and the ancient look of the place to create a semi-foreboding atmosphere.
“All right! Let’s go!”
An atmosphere that was promptly shattered as the rest of the Library Exploration girls, Konoka included, rushed forward.
“Ah! Wait, everyone!” Asuna shouted, pulling out her card and hissing at Negi. “That’s the enemy base, right?”
“Looks like it,” Sunset muttered, whipping out her own card as the front gate creaked open. “And it looks like they’re waiting for us. Get ready for round three!”
“Welcome back, Konoka-ojousama.”
Sunset blinked in confusion. “Or not?”
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Why did you have Sunset a brother? Her only "relative" seems to be Celestia since she seems to be an orphan.
9771803
I never read the comics, so I'm inventing a different backstory for Sunset.
9771815
What you implied with the quick flashback seems to give a pretty strong impetus for Sunset's desire for power.
So Sunny is 36? Interesting ....
And yes, teenage hormones added to a full adult libido could be a bit distracting
Royal Lawn Ornaments! Oh, I'm sharing that one.
question, as my memory is fuzzy on this, but by this time hadnt Asakura met Sayo?
10312366
Not yet, no.
my only problem is the fact then Celestia isn't " Sunset mother in all but name" in this story.
9771803
honestly, her blood family is my only problem with this story, even thought the author said than it have a reason.