Pink Scorch

by Muggonny

Epilogue I

“Hi, welcome to Artereats, how may I—”

The hostess stared in shock at the trio that stood before her. Two ponies, one in a spandex suit with a water jug tethered to her back with two hoses—one half melted—dragging behind it. The other was a teenager who appeared to be no older than fifteen. Behind them stood a giant bipedal robot. The mare in the spandex suit had a frazzled mane and was covered in bruises and scratches all over, while the robot had a window smashed in. Also, it was covered in various anime decals, for some reason.

She cleared her throat. “Um, we don’t allow weaponized mech suits.”

Bliss placed a hoof on the mech’s arm. “Why don’t you go back to the lab? I’ll bring you back a slice!”

The robot said something that, to the hostess, sounded like a sexy form of gibberish, and Bliss responded, “We’ll get home safely, don’t worry! Maybe we’ll have time to finish the final season of That Time I Died and Got Reincarnated as a Primordial Being before bed.”

The mech raised a gargantuan arm and patted her on the head with a finger. “Tanoshinde kudasai, Bliss.”

She hugged its hand and it left.

“Right this way!” the hostess chirped.

They were seated at a table by the window, where Namaste had the perfect view of the blistering orange sun drifting below the skyscrapers. Bliss quite literally had her nose in the menu, kicking her hind hooves out playfully.

“Soooooo,” she said, laying the menu flat against the table and giving her big sister a smile that could end wars, or at least stop a battle long enough for both sides to go Dawww before one of them recognizes the distraction and throws a grenade into the Panzerkampfwagen. “Are you finally gonna give in?”

Namaste tore her eyes away from the sunset and spared her little sister a glance, and only a glance, before turning back to the window. “Yeah, sure, get whatever you want.”

Bliss stopped kicking her legs out and leaned forward. “Wait, you mean it? You’re not worried I’ll go into a grease-induced coma, or get diabetes, or die from a clogged artery… or get diabetes and lose my ability to walk… or get diabetes but lose my ability to see—”

“Get whatever you want, I don’t care.”

For a few seconds, the only noise to accompany them was the conversations of fellow patrons and pop music blaring over loudspeakers. Her ears drooped, an inkling of what her sister was worried about scratching her brain.

“Hey Nam, we did what we had to do. I mean, you saw that demon pone. She was making some very ominous threats! Not very kawaii, if you ask me.”

Namaste sighed, her breath fogging up the window. “I suppose… and it wasn’t exactly you that did it, either. Not like last time, no…”

“Hi!” a feminine voice said. The two turned their attention toward a kirin wearing a black apron with the Artereats logo on it. “Are you two ready to order something?”

Using her magic, she took a notebook from her apron pocket, followed by a pen, and clicked it. She held the ballpoint to the pad in wait.

“Can I, uhhhh—” Bliss plastered her face against the menu, kicking her hindlegs out again “Can I get the uhhh, hey how many calories does the Ultimate Pizza Supreme have?”

The kirin’s smile faltered a little. “I’m not sure… I’d have to ask the chef.”

“Nah it’s good. I can take the rest to go so that I don’t exceed my daily calorie allotment.”

“Don’t you mean goal?”

“Allotment.”

“Right…” The kirin took a moment to write the order down.

“Oh, and make it stuffed crust!”

“Gotcha. And to drink?”

Bliss tapped her chin. “I want a float. Rootbeer-flavored. With a lemon garnish!”

“Okay!” The kirin smiled at Namaste. “And what would you like?”

“I’ll have an orange peel.”

She blinked. “As a… as a side?”

“No, just an orange peel.”

“Would you prefer a whole orange?”

Namaste thought about it for a moment. She shook her head. “Nah, just an orange peel.”

She scribbled down her order. “Riiight, and what to drink?”

“Freshly squeezed orange juice, and just give me the leftover peels.”

“Okay!” The kirin chuckled nervously. Clicking the pen, she tucked both it and the notebook in her pocket. “I’ll have your food out shortly. In the meantime…”

Her horn glowed again, and from a different pocket, she took out two laminated cards, setting them on the table. “If you’d like to play in the arcade, these cards are good for five free games!”

“Thanks,” Namaste said. Bliss thanked her as well, and the kirin left.

Bliss swayed side to side, her short mane bouncing on her head. “Can I go play in the arcade now?”

“Sure, go ahead. Take my card, too.”

“You sure? You don’t want to join?”

Namaste waved her off. “I’ll join you in a little bit. Just uhh…” She rubbed her back. “I think I took a hit to the spine. Just give me a few minutes to rest.”

“Okay!” Bliss chirped, grabbing the cards with her mouth and scampering off.

All alone, Namaste continued to watch the sunset. Ah yes, the sunset, she thought. And it’s the color of an orange! How amazing.

Several moments passed.

Several more moments passed.

She suddenly felt very weak.

Dad… what am I going to do with her?

Her ear flicked, and she felt a vibration against her flank. “Lunchbox phone!”

She placed the lunchbox on the table in front of her and dug through her emergency kale stash. Taking the phone out, she almost dropped it when she read the caller ID.

The Replacement.

An indescribable feeling built up inside her. It was like a kindling doused in lighter fluid, and all it would take was a simple spark to develop a raging fire.

She accepted the call. Placing it to her ear, she let out a very languish, “Hi.”

“Hello? Namy, how have you been?”

Silence. Then, “Fine.”

“That’s awesome! And what about Sugary Bliss?”

“She’s also doing fine.”

“That’s good to hear. You two eating well?”

“We’re always eating well.”

The stallion on the other end of the line chuckled, although he sounded nervous. “And how about your mom? I haven’t heard from her in a while.”

“I don’t know what she’s been up to. Probably drinking her life away in some alley. Per usual.”

“Right…”

More silence.

“So. Freshly Squeezed. It’s all over the news right now. Know anything about that?”

A single strand of hair stuck out from her mane. “No. I don’t. I’ve been spending the day with Pulp.”

“You mean Bliss?”

“Whatever. I had nothing to do with it.”

“I’m not throwing out accusations, alright Namy! Just several eyewitnesses claimed that they saw a deranged mare coming out of the bathroom and shouting something odd like ‘In the name of good health!’ before throwing a juice box and blowing up the face of the building.”

“Sounds like a cool pony. Would gladly grab a glass of banana-kale with her. She sounds hot, matter of fact.”

“Now, Namy, I know I’m not you’re real dad, but—”

Namaste snorted. “So far the best thing you’ve said this entire conversation.”

“Namy. I need you to listen. I’m not him, no. But I still love you, and I want the best for you, especially Bliss. And I need to know… was she there?”

“What’s it to ya?”

“Well, more eyewitnesses claimed that a robot decked out in anime decals came crashing through a building, and… there was a filly inside.”

“Know nothing about that. Sounds awesome, though. Wish I was there to see it.”

“Namy, Namy—” The voice on the other end of the line sounded frustrated, but it stopped itself. When it continued, it had a much softer voice. “Listen, you’re Sugary Bliss’s legal guardian. It’s up to you to make sure she has the best possible life. And… if you love your sister just as much as I do, then I think it’s best if you let her stay with me for a while.”

No response. Namaste didn’t have anything to say. The kindling was already reduced to embers.

“Namy, she’s very impressionable for her age. She looks up to you. If you want to be a good role model for her, then I think the best-case scenario is that you hand her off to me until you work some things out. I’ll even pay for therapy. I’ll support you every step of the way. I was your age once. You’re in a very confusing time in your life and you’re just trying to figure out your purpose. Please… don’t make this hard for yourself and especially don’t make it hard for her.”

No response. The kindling was now a fine powder.

“Namy, please—”

“Fuck off!” Namaste shouted before ending the call.

She threw her phone into the bed of kale and slammed the lid shut. Her head hovered over the box, anxious thoughts dancing across her mind.

The demon hybrid. Pulp’s innocent face. Pulp inside the mech suit, punching the demon hybrid in the face.

Her mom, shouting at her for sneaking a donut in the middle of the day.

Her dad’s deformed body, blinking at her with more eyes than she could count. His mind completely gone.

She stared out the window in time to catch the sun get fully devoured by the cityscape. The only traces of light left a measly sliver.

“I’m a good big sister,” she said to herself.

Sugary Bliss won a stuffed donkey that night. She named it Nam Nam, after her big sister.

Author's Note:

Comments

[Ri2]

No Juice, you aren't.

[Screw]

I like how Juice Mare is practically Anon Mare, but in good health.