Cool Girls Don't Look at Explosions (monster-of-the-week, Ember)
Even its critics would call Canterlot a very modern metropolis. Perhaps spurred by its position on multiple ley lines, the city seemed locked in a never-ending renaissance of arts and science. Tech businesses flourished, museums and galleries won international acclaim, and local politicians were never more certain that monsters do not exist. Anything that damaged its reputation as glittering, progressive, and monster-free was always discreetly kicked from the limelight, by Mayor Ma’am’s stiletto heels if necessary.
Sunset was in one such area that had been kicked – far from the museums and even the Everfree, an urban sprawl of abandoned construction and closed factories. Such had its own art in the form of daredevils, graffiti, and basketball, flourishing in odd mirror of the public side of Canterlot.
And its own monsters.
Almost midnight. Exactly the time and neighborhood Celestia warned her against, concealed pistol or no.
Sunset coolly checked on the hand-me-down motorcycle she bought off Torch, tuning out the mocking laughter to her side. She didn’t notice the cyan girl storming forwards until she spoke.
The voice, normally cheerful and irreverent, came out as a snap. “Tell me he’s lying.”
“He’s a demon, of course he lies,” Sunset muttered, fiddling with her bike. “Unless speed demons are different, I guess. You tell me.”
She glanced over to the subject and source of the laughter – a skull-faced, cow-horned creature with spiked leathers and a motorcycle that put Sunset’s to shame. Enough chrome decorated the outside to build a second bike, literal flames were set to erupt from seven exhaust pipes, and it had an engine designed to be as obnoxiously loud as possible.
Ember growled, leaning above Sunset’s crouch. “Tell me you didn’t bet your soul.”
Sunset shrugged. “I bet my soul.”
“God-dammit!” Ember yelled, drawing a fresh laugh from their rival. She learned down, hissing angrily. “This is exactly what speed demons do. Find a young twerp who thinks they’re invincible and goad their ego until they bite. How many times have you even ridden a motorcycle?”
“Six, not counting when you taught me.”
“Right? Six! You can barely keep balance and you’re racing a literal speed demon!”
“It’s only to the end of this road.” Sunset rose from the work. She winced at some grease stains on her hands and wiped them together. “You kill a speed demon, he just comes back. His end of the bet is he’s banished from Earth forever if I cross the line first. Seems like the only way to keep him down for good.”
“Your mom is gonna kill me,” Ember groaned, then froze. “Crap, what am I gonna tell my dad? ‘Hi, pops! Your girlfriend’s daughter sold her soul on my watch, hope it doesn’t ruin your chances!”
“I didn’t sell my soul, I bet it.”
Ember threw up her arms. “A rookie against a speed demon, you basically gave it away! I can’t believe it, this is why no one likes amateur hunters. You kill one suburban-ass vampire and think you’re G.I. Joe.”
“Thirty seconds, Sunshit!” The demon roared with glee, now sitting on his motorcycle and gunning the engine.
“‘Sunshit.’ Real original.” Sunset muttered it lowly. “Hey Ember, are there any of those 24-hour diners around here? I could destroy a hamburger right about now, I haven’t eaten since four.”
She climbed onto the bike. “Also, move.”
Ember took a few steps back, though nagged the whole way. “I can’t protect you! This is bad news for both of us!”
Sunset donned her helmet – another hand-me-down, this one from Ember. It still reeked of the gel she used to spike her hair. The demon crowed to the sycophant edge-lords who cheered it, while a handful of other watchers looked worriedly to Sunset.
Local bikers had rigged the traffic stop for their races. Its yellow light became the thirty second warning, then…
Green.
Flames bellowed, engines roared, and the speed demon gave a last, rancorous laugh before an explosion detonated his bike. Others stared, but Sunset simply puttered forward along the impromptu racetrack. Nice and slow, only wobbling a little, moving easily to the finish line.
“I slipped a phosphorus pellet down one of those stupid flame-exhausts while he was posturing.”
As it happened, there was indeed a late-night diner nearby. Terrible coffee and a mediocre burger, but Sunset shoveled it down all the same.
Ember poked grumpily at her bacon and eggs. “You could have told me.”
“Nope,” Sunset said around a full mouth. She swallowed and went on. “I tell you, you calm down, he knows something’s up. Couldn’t let him get suspicious the ‘rookie’ was pulling one over.”
A pause. Then, “Although it is a little annoying to still be called ‘amateur hunter’ after two years in the business. I put up with it from Harshwhinny because she’s mom’s friend and it’s not worth the fight. It’d be real cool if I didn’t have to take it from you.”
“Fine,” Ember grumbled. She flicked back an errant bang of hair, folded a whole pancake into her mouth, and gulped it down in three bites. “I can’t say you’re wrong, but you still made me shit myself back there. Maybe give me the same courtesy and share your plans next time.”
Sunset waved her empty mug to the waitress, smiling as coffee briefly triumphed over sleep. “Yeah, okay. Deal. And, uh, speaking of plans...”
She gave a light chuckle, suddenly far more nervous than with the demon. “Has Torch said anything about marrying my mom?”
“Not the ‘M’ word specifically, no.”
Ember shrugged, tightening her mouth. She and Sunset got along fine as friends, and the same as hunters despite a few kinks in the line. ‘Sisters’ was a trickier question.
The slim biker topped off her coffee along with Sunset’s. “He’s into her, definitely, but who gets married these days?”
“My mom is super domestic,” Sunset confided. “I think she’d be over the moon to get married for real.”
“Has Celestia been...” Ember fidgeted, letting a droll smile eclipse her nerves. “You know, thinking she’s being discreet, but quietly sounding you out on them having a baby?”
Sunset arched an eyebrow. “Torch has, I take it?”
“Yep.” Ember rolled her eyes, but the smile grew. “Out of the blue, Dad started talking about how loved and appreciated I am and how no amount of additional family members will change that. Real subtle.”
Sunset flushed a little, scratching her cheek and grinning. “Well, nothing like that from Mom, but uh… past experience when I magically turned into a baby for a while showed she’s big on the idea.”
“Hey, if it makes them happy, I’m in. I ain’t gonna be a brat about it and neither should you.”
“No complaints,” Sunset said. “What about your mom?”
“Hm? Oh.” Ember gave a dismissive wave. “I don’t have a mom. Dad plucked me from a trash heap when I was a baby. I don’t know who my ‘real’ parents are and I couldn’t care less.”
Sunset flinched. “Oof, I’m sorry.”
Ember shrugged. “Don’t be – I’m way better off with Dad than those assholes. And I made up my mind at the start of this to support him however it goes.”
“Yeah, I get that.” Sunset smiled into her coffee. “Sometimes family is about choice, you know? Moms...”
“And dads...” Ember added.
“And sist–”
They both said it, and both stopped at the same beat. Each returned quickly to their meal, not ready for that conversation. Not yet.
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That definitely was awkward enough for the two to qualify as sisters!
Nice work
Aww, they're cute. I wonder how Ember will feel about get sister's love life. I mean, besides confusion and "nope, not my problem!" that is.
The awkward sisterly talk is amazing lmao.
I'm excited for that baby.
If it happens
If they consider it
If it isn't a taboo
Now I'm waiting for Torch and Celestia's baby.
Interesting name.
Goddammit.
You're planning something.
Relax. She's Joseph Joestar. She never plays fair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69BMS6LIw8Q
... That's fair.
Hm...
Sounds about right.
Subtle as a speed demon taking a bath in kerosine.
Oh.
Yeah. Family isn't just biological. It's the people you give a shit about and who give a shit about you.
Immensely.
10236341
The JoJo comparison is pretty valid. Joseph would absolutely have done something like this, while Jotaro would have somehow won fairly despite having no idea what he's doing. (For those playing at home, he probably didn't know anything about poker and was actually panicking so hard that he completely dissociated during what most sources call a bluff)
Harshwhinny wouldn't approve of Sunset's method, but I'm sure Redheart would've enjoyed it.
How the hell did I miss this chapter getting posted?
Regardless, more Ember. I can ALWAYS use more Ember. Excellent as always.
Step-sister shenanigans with these two are absolutely tantalizing. They have perfect stubborn sib vibes. Torchlestia is also intriguing across both worlds.
HOW DID I MANAGE TO OVERLOOK THIS STORY TILL NOW? I'm so sorry. Glad that
my suggestion made it in.
Typical city corruption now ain't it, lmao
11473785
One of the ideas which ended up on the drawing board was for Sunset to have a meeting with Mayor Ma'am. Low-key it's a setting of the boundaries for the city's new hunters, but Mayor Ma'am continually insists that monsters aren't real to the point of abject ludicrous denial ("Of course I understand that this little 'LARP' as the teens call it requires some realism, and the police of course understand this as well and will stand out of the way of your little augmented reality adventure."). Sunset naturally has none of this and points out the obvious truth that it's all real, missing some fairly obvious winks and kicks until the mayor breaks down and begs Sunset to humor her and pretend. She can't handle monsters being real, after all. She can barely handle the budget!
Please tell me this is her being a rules lawyer....
It is! Just, make sure you don't try that trick with any Fae, they are way better at subverting the intent of an agreement while sticking to the letter of it for any but the most devious of humans to match.
But some cocky asshole like this who can't even come up with decent insults? Yeah, they are just asking to have their deals explode in their face.
Plus, I am down for Celestia x Torch! I just hope someone warned him that anything worth celebrating will bring forth the attention of The Pink One.