Arc 5.3: Chapter 40
“Oh my.”
“Why is there a boy here?”
“Maybe that doggie from before changed into this kid?”
“No way! But what should we do, Chizu-nee?”
“My, this is terrible! He has a really bad fever. I really think we should call a doctor. Natsumi, carry him over to the bed.”
“Eh? But it’s a naked boy!”
“What are you shy about? He’s just a child, so it’ll be fine, okay? It looks like he’s pretty light.”
“It’s not- But this kid looks like he’s a first-year in middle school!”
…
“Hello, is this the doctor’s office? … Yes, um-”
“KYA!”
*SMASH*
“...Stop! Do not call anyone!”
*****
By the time Sunset and the others left the villa the next day, a downpour had started outside. Sunset glared out at the rain, half-wishing she’d left the rest of the girls to discover Negi’s training alone.
Probably would have been caught out in the middle of it anyway, she concluded before sighing. “Really wish I had my old magic,” she muttered. “A basic shield spell would keep us all safe from the rain.”
“I can’t believe none of us thought to bring an umbrella,” Konoka moaned.
“I’m sure Eva-san would let us borrow hers,” Asuna hedged, “but she probably only has one or two.”
“Nothing for it,” Sunset sighed. “We’re all going to get soaked. Hopefully the baths aren’t too crowded.” She turned back to Evangeline. “Thanks again for putting up with the madness.”
“Yeah, thanks Eva-san,” Asuna agreed, grinning. “Hey, do you think we could come and borrow your resort sometimes to study?”
Evangeline raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have a problem with it, but I don’t really recommend it for girls because it’ll add to your age.”
“Eh! Really!”
“Hey, that’s no problem,” Ku Fie said, leaning in. “It’s not a big deal if it’s just two or three days!”
Sunset and Negi shared a look at that, a certain shared resignation passing between them.
“In any case, we’d better head back,” Setsuna suggested. “This rain is only going to get worse.”
A final round of goodbyes, and they were off. True to Sunset’s prediction, they were soaked in seconds.
“Mou,” Nodoka moaned. “We really are going to need baths after this.”
“Eh, I’m fine with that.” Sunset smirked. “Public baths are one of Japan’s greatest traditions, after all!”
Yue rolled her eyes. “You know full well that we don’t share your perverted appreciation, Nichi-chan. I’m surprised you don’t…”
Sunset stopped walking. Stopped listening. Stopped paying attention to the rain. The wind. The mud beneath her shoes. Everything.
Everything except a feeling of twisting wrongness in her chest.
Dark magic! She turned back to Evangeline, barely making her out in the rain. The vampire was staring curiously off to the side, as if trying to see something, but ultimately shrugged and retreated back into her cabin.
Did she sense it too? No, if she had, she would have had more of a reaction. Sunset turned and jogged to catch back up to everyone. She and Setsuna keep giving me odd looks whenever I bring up dark magic. Maybe humans can’t normally sense it? Sunset opened up her magical senses, trying to trace the magic.
Nothing. It’s like it’s being cloaked or suppressed. There’s still a dark aura, but if they can’t sense that… Sunset walked up beside Setsuna and leaned close. “Keep on your guard. I think something’s infiltrated Mahora.”
Setsuna tensed, her hand going to her pocket where her pactio card rested. “I don’t sense anything.”
“I do,” Sunset insisted. “But it’s suppressing its presence. I can’t tell where or what it is. Just… stay on guard tonight.”
Setsuna nodded, and they continued in guarded silence to the dorms.
*****
“Wh-what’s wrong?!”
“It’s all right. It seems he just lost consciousness again. But who is this kid, really? I’m certain he isn’t just a runaway boy.”
“And what’s with the dog ears and tail?”
“Hm. In any case, we should get him warmed up. Here, I’ll lay him on the couch. Go get some blankets for him, Natsumi”
“R-right!”
…
“But really, what should we do with this kid?”
“Hm. We’ll need something to tell Ayaka when she gets home.”
“mmh… Negi…”
“Eh?! He said something like ‘negi’ in his sleep.”
“tell… him… danger… is… coming…”
*****
“Ah! We’re finally back!”
“Mou. My clothes are soaked.”
“Let’s hurry up and take a bath!”
“Yeah!”
“Are you coming, Nichi-chan? ...er, Nichi-chan?”
Sunset blinked, bringing herself back. She’d been growing more and more distracted as they’d neared the dorms. The dark presence had grown thicker, its source nearby. Still, she couldn’t pin down its exact location. “Sorry,” she said, shaking her head. “Lost in thought. What was that, Honya?”
Nodoka gestured towards their room. “I was just asking if you were going to come to the baths with us?”
Sunset hesitated. On the one hand, the source of the dark magic was definitely in the building. She could practically feel a miasma creeping over her skin. On the other hand, she had no idea how to pin it down. Whoever was causing this was good - very good - at masking his presence. Running around searching for anything unusual would be unlikely to yield results.
Plus, she was soaked to the bone.
“Go ahead,” Setsuna told her, holding up her card. “I’ll handle the patrols tonight. At least until you’ve warmed up.”
Sunset gave her a grateful nod before turning back to Nodoka. “Let’s go, then. The sooner everyone’s out of their clothes, the better.”
Yue raised an eyebrow as they headed off towards the baths. “Because they’re soaked and we’re going to the baths?”
“That too.”
*****
“What the hell is happening with this kid?! Crashing into my stomach the minute I see him!”
“Calm down, it’s okay, Ayaka.”
“I’ve already apologized several times.”
“You’re telling me to calm down after that?! Who the heck is this kid, anyway?!”
“Oh! This child is Natsumi-san’s brother, Kotarou-kun.”
“W-what?!”
“Eh?”
“Brother. Riiiiight?”
“A-ah. Yes.”
“S-sure.”
*****
“Penny for your thoughts?”
“Huh?” Nodoka blinked a couple of times before translating the English phrase. “Oh.”
“Yeah, you were kind of lost in thought there,” Sunset said. She leaned forward to look at Yue who was walking on Nodoka’s other side. “You too.”
“It’s just…” Nodoka sighed. “I never realized that Negi-sensei had such a sad past. And you too. When I found out that you and Negi-sensei were mages, I got so excited. I thought you two looked so cool when you were battling. And I thought, ‘if i can use magic too, then maybe I can…’”
“I think we both took it really lightly until now,” Yue agreed. “It kind of seemed like a game. But these things have consequences. There’s a whole world of magic out there.” She stole a glance at Sunset. “Two worlds, apparently. And we’re just sort of stumbling our way in without regard for the bigger picture. We went overboard.”
The two girls shared a sigh. “I feel so embarrassed,” Nodoka muttered.
Sunset smiled, touched at their concern. “Hey, cheer up. Most of Equestria is a lot happier than what I showed you, and I’m willing to bet that most of the magical world is… well, no worse than Earth is, in any case. Yeah, there are monsters and demons and dark forces, but most of that lies on the outskirts of society. Heck, even without magic, Earth has gangs, violence, natural disasters, and more than its fair share of horrible accidents. You aren’t being insensitive thinking that magic is awesome and wonderful; it is. And all of the baggage that comes with it is for the adults to deal with.” She snorted. “Or those like Negi-kun, who think they’re adults.”
“I guess,” Yue muttered. “But it’s hard to think like that when-”
“EH?!” Nodoka turned to Sunset with wide eyes. “‘Negi-kun?!’”
...crap. Sunset looked away, her face glowing red. “I-I mean Springfield! Those like Springfield-ku- SPRINGFIELD who think they’re…” She sighed. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”
Yue smirked and stopped, crossing her arms. “Not a chance. So? Why the sudden change in address?”
Sunset groaned but came to a stop as well, along with a starry-eyed Nodoka. “I mean, what’s there to say? With what he’s been through, I get it. He forces himself to act like an adult because he feels subconsciously responsible for what happened to his village. He doesn’t like seeing people get hurt - much less killed - in front of him because it reminds him of the villagers; it’s no wonder he protected Evangeline like he did. And… he showed real competence on the Kyoto trip. I guess… I think I can let up on him a little and just let him be a kid most of the time.” She chanced a glance back at Nodoka and Yue, the former beaming like the sun, the latter smirking like a cat who’d just spotted a particularly plump mouse. “Oh would you wipe those looks off your faces?!”
“S-sorry,” Nodoka said, giggling. “It’s just nice to hear you finally being so nice to Negi-sensei.”
“Indeed,” Yue said, her smirk remaining. “The rest of the class will be happy to hear it, too.”
Sunset glared at Yue. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
“...I’m going to be buying the drinks for a month, aren’t I?”
“Two months, or I go straight to Konoka-chan and Asakura-san.”
“Extortionist.”
“Softie.”
Sunset sighed and started walking again. “Let’s just get ourselves cleaned up.”
“Mm. Sounds good.” Yue was silent for a beat. “So, does this mean Honya has some competition for Negi-sensei’s affections after all?”
“Eep!”
“YUE!!!”
*****
“What’s the matter, Kotarou-kun?”
“Oh, nothing. I just think this is pretty nice. I’ve never eaten like this. I mean, eating together at one table. Eating together as a family seems kinda fun.”
“Oh, Natsumi-san’s home must be rather cruel.”
“It’s a normal family! Perfectly normal!”
“Here! Eat some more!”
“Haha, thanks!”
*ding-dong*
“Huh? Who could that be?”
“I’ll go look.”
…
“Hello? May I ask who this is?”
“My apologies, miss; there may be a little fuss here. I have something to talk about with a particular boy in there.”
*****
“The school festival’s next month. I can’t wait!”
“Ah. But there’s midterm tests before that.”
“Hey, don’t remind me!”
“I actually like the timing of it.”
“Ah! Nichi-chan!”
Sunset sat down next to Yuuna and began scrubbing herself. Well over half of the class was in the humongous bathhouse the dorms provided. Sunset had left Yue and Nodoka to chat with Haruna about her manga manuscript, preferring to talk with some of her tutoring students. On Yuuna’s other side sat Ako, Akira, and Makie. It was to Ako that Sunset turned as she continued. “Think of the festival as a reward for all your hard work leading up to the midterms. It’ll be good motivation to go all-out on them.” She smirked at Yuuna. “And it’ll make you feel really guilty if you enjoy it despite doing poorly on the exams.”
“Don’t put it like that!” Yuuna whined. “Now I have to study, or I’ll have that hanging over me the entire festival.”
“Mua ha ha!” Sunset cackled as she lathered up her arms. “And thus my evil plan to make you care about studying begins to take root. Tremble in fear as I corrupt you all into being diligent and successful students!” She looked down the line, frowning a bit at Makie. “Well, most of you, anyway.”
“I can’t help it,” the gymnast cried, scrubbing her hair. “No matter how much I study, it doesn’t stick! Maybe I’m just doomed to be Baka Pink forever.”
“Well, it’s not like academics are the only important thing,” Akira reassured.
“True,” Sunset conceded. “Heck, most of the class could probably get by with professional athletics if they really tried. Much as I hate to say it, Makie just isn’t great at book-smarts; going all-out on gymnastics might actually be the best course.”
“Really?” Yuuna perked up. “Then in that case-”
“Not you.” Sunset doused Yuuna with a rinse bucket as she glared at the basketballer. “You actually have some ability with academics when you actually put forth effort. And that crack I made back at the world tree wasn’t just to get all of you off my back; those melons on your chest are just going to get bigger.”
Yuuna pouted at Sunset, missing the envious glares that Ako and Makie shot at her chest. “Don’t remind me,” she grumbled, starting to lather up her hair. “I’ve already outgrown my bras twice this year. It’s starting to get really annoying.”
Akira cleared her throat as Ako and Makie’s death glares intensified. “You seem unusually sociable tonight, Nichibotsu-san.”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Is that unwelcome?”
“No. Just… surprising.”
“...fair enough.” Sunset let out a sigh. “I admit, I’ve been beginning to question whether it’s worth it to push back against the class anymore. I mean, it turns out that most of you are half-way interesting and decent people underneath your unwarranted energy and rampant pedofilia.”
Three sets of eyes turned to Ako, who nodded. “It was a compliment. Mostly.”
Sunset chuckled. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m never going to tire of the class’s pervasive immaturity. But… I guess I don’t really hate anyone anymore.” She shrugged. “I’m not going to go out of my way to make people like me, but if people really want to befriend me or whatever, I guess I don’t have to fight back so much.”
“So does that mean you’re going to-”
Sunset held up a hand, stopping Ako’s question before she could become too excited. “Sorry, Ako. But I don’t think that I’m ever going to get along with the cheerleaders. Too much bad blood already.” She lowered her hand and looked away, hiding the twinge of regret on her face. “I was… really harsh with them. Didn’t hold anything back. And it’s not like I’m going to take back anything that I said that was true. ‘Sorry for the way I said all that’ isn’t really going to cut it when the substance of what I said cut so deep. The most I can do there is avoid them where possible, and be civil where not.”
The four girls shared looks of surprise before Akira spoke again. “You’ve… changed.”
Sunset snorted and started rinsing herself off. “Not really. Just… Negi-kun reminded me of something.”
“Eh?” Ako asked while the other three reeled from Sunset’s change of address towards their teacher. “What’s that?”
Sunset stood, staring off into the distance. “That other people have so much behind them that you can’t see.” She shook her head and turned back to the baths. “Bah, I’m gonna go soak. I need to relax after…”
Something was wrong. Sunset’s eyes darted back and forth before slowly scanning the room. At one end of the baths, Chisame and a few of the other girls were freaking out about something. At the other end, Haruna was looking around in confusion. And in between…
Honya? Sunset’s eyes started darting from face to face, trying to find some sign of her friend. Yue? I was sure I saw Ku Fei and Kazumi in here too when I came in. Where are they?
“Nichi-chan?”
Sunset looked down. Ako was staring at her, along with the other three. She flinched at the look on Sunset’s face. “N-Nichi-chan? Is something wrong?”
“...no.” Sunset turned back and began walking out of the baths. “Just remembered something I need to do.” She faked a sigh of exasperation. “Looks like I won’t be getting that soak after all.”
Once she was alone in the changing room, Sunset darted for the lockers. Sure enough, she found Nodoka, Yue, Ku Fei, and Kazumi’s clothes still there. She dried herself off with a quick burst of magic before pulling her own clothes on and storming out of the baths.
Not good. I didn’t see Mana in there, so there’s only one thing that those four have in common that the rest of the girls in there don’t have. A connection to magic. If I’d been with them, would I have been taken too? Setsuna damn well better have found something or I-
“Nichibotsu!”
Sunset skid to a stop, looking back to see Setsuna approaching from behind. “I’m glad I found you! Asuna-san and Ojou-sama are missing!”
Sunset grit her teeth. That just leaves Negi. “We’ve got to find Negi-kun,” she snapped, turning and charging back down the hallway. “Nodoka and the others went missing in the baths.”
“I think he’s patrolling the north side of the building,” Setsuna said, charging along beside her. “If we hurry, we can-”
“Adeat.”
Setsuna was slammed into the wall, gasping in pain and shock as Sunset’s gauntleted grip around her neck tightened. Sunset glared at Setsuna, her other hand cocked back into a fist and burning with fire.
“Sloppy work,” Sunset spat. “Setsuna doesn’t know that I’ve switched from calling our teacher ‘Springfield.’ She does know that I’ve called Miyazaki Nodoka ‘Honya’ for as long as I’ve been in the class. If she’d found that students were going missing, she’d have her sword out already.” Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “All of those are pretty minor though, compared to your biggest mistake. If Konoka went missing, Setsuna wouldn’t be nearly as composed as this. Drop the illusion, whoever you are.”
Setsuna struggled for a minute before suddenly going limp. “Damn. You’re pretty good.” She smirked at Sunset. “He was right, you really were the wildcard in this situation. Fine, I’ll let you see my real form.”
Sunset lurched slightly as she went from pinning the figure in her grasp to holding it up. Setsuna’s body melted into a viscous fluid which reformed into a smaller girl made entirely of some sort of slime. It wore a simple dress and had its hair up in two pigtails. The slime-girl grinned at Sunset.
That grin grew strained as Sunset just continued to glare. “Um, you know, this is usually the part where people freak out.”
“I’ve seen a lot freakier things than you,” Sunset retorted. “Now, what did you do with the real Sakurazaki Setsuna? The other girls, too. I assume you were behind their kidnappings?”
The slime-girl giggled. “Me and my sisters, yeah. But we did have one more targe-”
Fire bathed the wall beneath the girl’s feet. She let out a squeal and jerked her lower half up from where it had been oozing down the wall. “I suggest you don’t try that again,” Sunset said, moving her fist back up. “Or my next shot won’t miss. And I promise you, my flames burn hot enough to flash-fry even something as wet and slimy as you.” She tightened her grip on the slime-girl, dismissing her left gauntlet which held her. “Now tell me, where did you take them?”
The slime-girl chuckled nervously, eyeing Sunset’s fist full of fire. “Erm, you know, strangling me like this isn’t actually doing anything.”
Sunset’s grip tightened, her hand closing entirely around the girl’s neck, her fingers pressing against the wall. There. Now, if Setsuna can channel her ki into her sword to reinforce it, I should be able to… “Maybe, but it helps me feel powerful.” Sunset smirked as she slowly, subtly began channeling ki through her fist and into the wall. “Not that I really need the confidence boost. Now tell me what your objective is and where you took my comrades, or you’ll find out what the inside of a bonfire feels like.”
The slime-girl swallowed nervously. “Erm, sure. Sure. We aren’t gonna hurt any of them, so you can, uh, tone down the threats. We’re only really after Negi Springfield.”
“I see.” Sunset felt her ki spreading through the wall, strengthening and reinforcing it. She kept a steady flow of ki moving through her left hand even as she maintained the magic burning in her right. “And where exactly are the girls being held hostage?”
“E-heh, hostage is such a strong word,” the slime-girl said, her eyes darting around nervously. Sunset cocked her fist back slightly and the slime-girl’s eyes went wide. “Th-th-the big outdoor stage! The one by the university!”
“I see.” Sunset’s eyes narrowed further. Just a little more… “And it’s just you and your sisters?”
“Um, yes?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Er, no. There’s, um, another guy with us. I swear, he’s the one really in charge. W-we’re just following his orders.”
“I see.” That should do it. “Thank you for the information.” Sunset’s fist began to glow brighter. “It was most helpful.”
The slime-girl’s eyes widened. “W-w-wait! I told you what you wanted! You have to let me go! That’s how being the good guy works!”
Sunset shook her head. “I’ve never been very good at being the ‘good guy.’ And even if I were,” Sunset sent out one final pulse of ki into the wall, ensuring it would stand up to the coming onslaught, “you kidnapped my friends.”
The rushing of flames drowned out the slime’s brief screams.
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Was half-expecting the Slimes to be this worlds version of the Sirens. Guess not with that quick execution.
Grim
10670746
She's a soldier.
10670791
Or an exterminator.
small text?
10671052
GAH! Can't believe I forgot to do that! Thanks for catching it.
Damn Slime... we knew you not. I don't feel sorry for them though. Cute as they might be, they were monsters sealed away. And the whole kidnapping thing.
10671606
Sunset here didn't get a Rainbow of Friendship to the face and also has a different background for the sake of drama.
10671052
He means like this.
It's time to search dirty laundry on them Sunset, you cannot allow yourself to be the victim, you must counterattack.
I like this turn of events, she is a shonen protagonist, but it's only go so far before she know her true strength
If their species could (i don't think they can) the slime girl would be pissing herself.
I love good ole exorcist Sunset, i did missed her.
Damn that’s brutal but eh makes sense lol also awwww slimes are adorable depending on who you ask and thankfully saunter couldn’t freeze so she flash fried freezing a slimes way more brutal,and crueler
What really appeals to me about your version of Sunset is that even as she moves deeper into the "good guys" camp, she retains a bit of her darker side. You'd seldom see her acting so ruthlessly in other fics unless she's being portrayed as an outright villain.
11354684
My biggest gripe with Equestria Girls is that Sunset fully dropped like fifty percent of her personality post-reformation. Though I love her redemption-to-mentor cycle, I do take issue with that. I much prefer stuff like Long Road to Friendship and Spectacular Seven where her personality retains its sarcasm and wit even as she turns good. I've tried to emulate that a bit here.
Glad to hear I'm doing a good job.