Spirit Detective: Sunset Shimmer

by Blue Horizon

Spirit Detective - Toddlers, Eggs, and a Dream of a Kiss.

Sunset felt the curl of her muzzle as she frowned. It was a slow frown, one that matched the pace of her brain as she looked blankly ahead.

When Botan had opened the final set of metal doors and led her to the fancy looking desk at the back of the room, Sunset had known she wouldn't have met this Lord Enma person. She expected maybe a prince, or princess, looking like what Flash or Rarity believed themselves to look like, or maybe a young-ish assistant who knew a thing or two about everything. The colorful ogres, at least that's what Botan called them, threw her off. They clearly weren't human, but neither was she.

But standing before a toddler, a toddler, in some weird fake purple getup wearing a Jr. cap while sucking on a pacifier of all things simply broke her mind. So, she stared.

Then the toddler snapped his fingers. "... hello, anybody in there?"

Sunset blinked and gave a jerky nod. "Yes, uh, sorry, but yes."

"Oh, wow, you're actually polite!" The toddler paused. "Well, more polite than expected... you can call me Koenma, and I'll be in charge of your test. If you can call it that." I looked away from the tod- Koenma and briefly glanced at Botan who was giving a small smile and nod.

"Now, normally in an abnormal situation like this, we'd give you an egg to hatch that will hopefully guide your spirit back into your body before keeping it there." Koenma jumped back onto his desk and placed a small golden egg next to where he sat. "The problem with this, however, is that it could take over a century! Which, obviously does no one good. So, we're going to expedite this process, hopefully, which is where the 'test' part begins."

Sunset looked up from the egg. "And when does it end?"

Koenma smiled. "When it hatches and hopefully doesn't devour your body and soul, of course!"

"Wai–"

"Now, I know that probably sounds bad. Which it is! But like I said, we're gonna expedite this process and get you back into your body as soon as possible. The main issue is, you're unloved and have zero spiritual energy thus the egg can't even begin to grow, let alone hatch. Lucky for you, I already created a list of people who have at least some spiritual awareness that you know and could possibly help." Koenma paused and frowned. "Whether or not they do is... really up in the air." Koenma opened up a drawer, nabbed a folder, and tossed it at Botan who shrieked in surprise but managed to catch it. "In there is the list of people who may help, sorted from most likely to least. Since your body has been kept alive, you only have today and tonight to communicate with those who may help. And even then, you can only choose three, so choose wisely."

Sunset looked at Botan then back at Koenma. Her ears wilted and she momentarily found herself grinding her teeth as Koenma's words sunk in. "Only three?" She snarled. Koenma nodded. Sunset took a deep breath and could feel the hot air leave her nostrils as she exhaled. She opened her mouth, then closed it, shook her head again then nodded. "Alright, fine. How would I convince them, let alone talk with them?"

"Through their dreams, it'll be the easiest for you there. Canterlot has a lot of weird stuff going on all the time, but surprisingly not much of it involves the spirit or demon realms, so there aren't many spiritually aware people there, and those that are are fairly weak compared to those from other areas." Koenma shrugged. "Nevertheless, Botan will help with everything then once you're back in your body, she'll explain the next portion. Now bye-bye and good luck!"

***

"You've gotta be bucking kidding me!" Sunset screeched.

Botan nervously chuckled, and Sunset couldn't help but wonder if Botan could sweat in her ghostly body. "Well..." she trailed off looking at the floating papers circling the stomping unicorn.

"No, this isn't a test, this is an execution! These are my top choices‽" Sunset's magic flared and thrashed the windows of the hospital room they hovered by, which to Botan's surprise, actually rattled them. "I need to convince my vice principle, the girl I saved, or the person who replaced–" Sunset paused and looked at the paper again then screamed. "Unresolved sexual tension, are you serious? That's my third best option!"

Botan winced and looked back into Sunset's body's room. The lights had been turned off, and a cleaned human Sunset lay motionless tucked into her hospital bed. Botan motioned the unicorn closer to the bed and, more specifically, the golden glow that slowly grew off the body's feet. "This isn't gonna be easy, Sunset, but you need to take advantage of how they feel for you." Botan cringed at her word choice, but continued. "You only have tonight to convince them, and up until midnight tomorrow to awaken your body's spiritual awareness. Normally you'd have days then weeks but... you're not human, Sunset. And if you fail... truly, I am sorry."

Sunset groaned and collapsed onto her haunches at the base of the bed. "No, its fine this has just been a... it has been a day." She studied the papers in silence until the sun finally fell. "I think I'll do Sweetie Belle first. If that's okay with you, Botan."

***

Slipping into Sweetie Belle's dream had been surprisingly easy. The thirteen year old had collapsed onto the bed, tear stricken and disheveled, shortly after the duo floated into the Belle's home. Sunset hovered and watched as a similarly distraught Rarity whispered soothing words to her younger sister, as they both seemingly cried themselves to sleep.

Botan instructed Sunset to place the tip of her horn to Sweetie's forehead, close her eyes, and 'slip in' as she said.

After a few moments of feeling like something had been leaking from her forehead, she opened her eyes, and found herself standing in a sunny open field. Still as a unicorn. A groan escaped her muzzle as she wondered around the luscious silken grass billowing in a soft wind. She could here the faint laughter and squeals in the background.

The three girls, the Crusaders as they liked to call themselves, were flinging colored snowballs at each other under both the sun and moon that managed to shine through musically shaped cotton candy clouds. "Dreams are weird," Sunset grumbled. She trotted towards the trio and called out to the girl she was here for. The moment the name left her lips, she found herself in a blank empty room with the confused girl.

"Sweetie Belle," she repeated. The girl turned and immediately latched onto the shorter unicorn.

"So adorable!" Sweetie gently scratched behind one of Sunset's ears with one hand while stroking her mane with the other.

"Just two years, Sunset, just two years. Better than Luna at any rate," the unicorn grumbled to herself. "Listen, Sweetie Belle, we need to talk." The girl froze, scrunched her face, and stood up. And to Sunset's dismay, found the girl a foot taller than herself.

"Sun... set?" Sweetie Belle tilted her head and slowly circled around the unicorn. "Huh, you even have you shirt tattoo on your legs." Sunset groaned, sat back onto her haunches, and motioned for the girl to do the same with a hoof.

"Sweetie Belle, I–" the girl poked her muzzle and let out a soft giggle and Sunset could her the 'so cute' under her breath before she swatted the arm away. "Look," she snarled. "I don't have a lot of time, and believe me when I say this is gonna be equally as weird for you as it is awkward for me." Sweetie Belle tilted her head letting her lengthy curls fall over her face. Sunset sighed. "In the simplest of terms; this is a dream and I'm dead." She clicked her tongue and flared her nostrils. "I need your help to make that temporary."

"I- what- dead?"

Sunset watched the girl's emerald eyes widen, her smaller hands gently gripped the sides of her hair and let out a small screech as the memories of Sunset's bloodied human corpse flooded through her mind. Tears slowly fell and within moments she fell forward sobbing into her mane only taking the occasional breath to choke out an apology.

Sunset remained frozen until she jerked a hoof up and awkwardly pat the girl's back. "I need you to stop and listen." Sunset winced at her flat tone before shrugging it, and the girl, off. "Yes, I died. Yes, it sucks -" she looked at the girls tear stained makeup and clicked her tongue "- but you're gonna fix it."

Sweetie Belle snorted and wiped her eyes and nose across the sleeve of her sundress and nodded. "Even when dead, you're still a right bitch."

Sunset glared, then shifted her muzzle into her trademark smirk. "And yet, I'm also the reason why you are still alive."

Sweetie Belle let out a wail and tightly gripped her side to control her sniffles. "What... what do you need me to do?"

Sunset cringed. "I need you to kiss my body, on the lips." The two sat in silence letting the sentence hang in the nonexistent air. "Sweet Celestia, that felt even worse saying it than being told it."

Sweetie Belle couldn't stop the snort that escaped from her lips. "Scoots used to joke that your bitchiness came from unresolved sexual tension... which is why you always went after my sister so hard." Sweetie wiped her eyes again and smiled. "Never thought the baddest bitch in Canterlot would pine after me instead."

"Sweetie Belle, first off, you're thirteen–"

"Fourteen!"

"– and secondly I'm not even human. I don't have any interest in anything but my goals, and everything else was just a means to an end. Now are you going to help me or not?"

Sweetie Belle crossed her arms and tilted her head. "How do I even know this is real?"

"When you wake up, visit the hospital. The lower half of my body should be glowing, and I'll need some human with spiritual awareness to kiss me on the lips by midnight tomorrow night."

"This sounds like a cheesy romance movie that Rarity would love." Sweetie half grumbled and half laughed. She then scratched the side of her face and brushed her curls back behind her head. "Will you," she paused, "will you explain things when you wake up?" Sunset hesitated but nodded. "Alright, I'll kiss you on the lips. Like CPR, right? Can't be worse than that..."

Sunset gave a small smile. "Thanks Sweetie Belle, I only really have three options for help and you were the least awkward and most likely choice to follow through."

Sweetie raised an eyebrow. "Oh, who were the other two?"

Sunset looked away and frowned. "Vice Principle Luna and you wouldn't know the other since you're a freshman." The human let out a bark of laughter and nodded. "Thanks for not, uh, asking a whole bunch of questions and freaking out too much. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

***

"Well, this isn't good." Botan whispered. "It's already past midnight and they're drinking coffee."

The duo hovered above Luna who sat next to her older sister and niece while sipping their drinks and staring listlessly at Sunset's unconscious body.

"How did we miss this, Tia." Luna took another gulp of her lukewarm coffee before glaring at the paperwork that had been thrown across the floor. "Forged documents, fake address, no guardian at all, just... how?"

Principle Celestia sighed and looked away. "I always thought she was Sunset's younger sister who simply took her name. I didn't think that–"

"That's the problem, you could never think with Sunset!" Cadance stood leaned against the bed. "When you took us in, you always ignored whatever the original Sunset did until the very end. And now, it seems like you were doing the same thing again! I just..." Cadance collapsed onto the bed. "I just can't believe you'd make the same mistake with her literal clone. Just how, auntie? At least Lulu has an excuse."

The living trio fell into silence again. And Sunset couldn't help but watch as each of them shed silent tears. Eventually, Cadance stood again. "I'm going home, let me know if anything changes and I'll let you know if Shinny can find anything else out about her case."

Neither Celestia or Luna spoke for the remainder of the night and quietly gathered there things before leaving to prep for the upcoming school day as the sun began to rise.

"Well, that's really not good," Botan said. "I really hoped you convinced this Sweetie Belle last night."

"Yeah, so do I."

Author's Note:

Hey everyone, it has been a long ass time. I've mostly moved away from writing and reading fimfics (I've shockingly moved on to Hermione Granger [HP], Naruto, or Hero fics... or manly whatever I kind find that strikes my fancy off other sites). Anyway, I was reading a YuYu fic and then I remembered that this existed. While I procrastinate on my grad application, I figured why not try and push out another chapter.

I wrote this off my phone and it isn't edited, and as it shows, my writing skills have atrophied... but, like I said, why not? And since Sunset will be back alive soon... maybe my interest in this fic will be jump started too. Since it has been so long though, I lost some of my personifications for various characters, so I hope that Sunset isn't too OOC. But remember, she may be a frigid and angry bitch, but she's also intelligent and partly in shock with a limited timeframe to be brought back to life. I'm not the biggest fan of this, so I may go back and edit it later... but I'm actually looking forward to having Sunset actually alive again to kickstart the actual plot. So, there may actually be a new chapter sometime this year! And if you expect Sweetie to take Keiko's role... well,

In terms of reading, I've been reading hundreds and hundreds of fics off other sites this past year, (my current fave of mine is a Tanya [Youjo Senki] and Dresden Files crossover fic, along with a Sakura [Naruto] in Hero Academia) so if you're curious about what non-fimfic fics are worth reading. Let me know, and I could link some... or maybe I'll put it in a blog.

Anyway, sorry that it has been so long, I hope you enjoyed this and can forgive me for the lower quality compared to the previous chapters... like I said, and like you've read, it has been a while.

Comments

[prism heart]

Huh, an update. I forgot this was a story on my tracking list.

[luckyboys121]

Good to see this back up, and while this does need an editing pass, you're nowhere near as rusty as that description claims. Your sense of humor is especially on point (the gag about unresolved tension had me in stitches)

Glad to see you writing this again, hope to see more but understand you got a life to live and stuff to read so I will be patient and ready for it whenever that maybe

[CaioCoia]

Wow I really missed this fanfiction and it was one of I loved most... But it came in turn of something I may be kinda disappointed into seeing... I don't know if Sunset will actually interact with the cast of yuyu hakusho or would be that kind of parody where it would be focused more on Equestria girls cast... Which I usually kinda against it... Still I love soo much this idea, I hope you keep writing more and more chapters. I missed this fiction so much.

[nightshroud96]

Cool that this is getting another chapter

[AxelFones]

I'd be interested in hearing what fics you'd rec.

[Twilight_Shimmer]

Nice to see you still alive and kicking! And even more you give us a wonderful update to this story! I highly look forward to whatever else you turn out for this story as so far its been a very very interesting ride. Now as to Sweetie Belle? I could see Sunset taking on a second sister role to her which could have some cute and amusing results

[Blue Horizon]

11336215
Maybe a spoiler but... all but Yusuke, Keiko, and Kuwabara will be main characters in modified roles... in some fashion. Hiei has always been a fave, so there is no way he isn't reprising his role. And Kurama is.... well, his role is really fun.

11336248
Sure, what franchises would you be interested in?

[CaioCoia]

11336308
Okay, let's see how it will go, thank you for replying me. And good luck for the next chapters XD.

[Pinklestia]

Nice to see this back.

[badninja]

Great to see this story returning. Now I wonder who Sunset will finally get through to? Hopefully Luna at the last minute.

[MosAnted]

So glad to see this story live again!

[Cheer]

Huzzah for survival!

[The Voice in the Water]

Wait, so Swibs is going to be the one to get Sunny back in her body? A bit unexpected, but okay.

[The Sixth Child]

...or...

You be the judge!

[Roboman3000]

Hope you can make more soon

[Pinklestia]

11336792

Well, better that the other two choices.

[LooniestRumble]

I Suddenly remeber this story and came back to read the few chapters it had, only to notice there was a new one, nice surprise.