A Naruto crossover. When Sunset Shimmer went through the mirror, it brought her from her world of peaceful quadrupeds, to one of warrior bipeds. Now she needs to figure out a way to fit in, and fast.
Sunset Shimmer thought the Mirror was a path to power, but when she went through the portal, she was stripped of her magic instead. She indeed was transformed, but not to the Alicorn she had foreseen. In a world so unlike her own, she must adapt to survive. But how can she adapt to a warrior-world of humans, when she is so accustomed to the relatively peaceful pony world of Equestria? Crossover with Naruto.
Wet and cold, Sunset Shimmer coughed and sputtered as water was forcibly ejected from her lungs. She managed to crack her eyes open painfully, her vision blurred and distorted. Despite this, she noticed above her a creature with a bright, blonde mane. Creature being the optimum term, as even with her sense of sight failing her at the moment, she could tell that whatever she was looking at was not a pony. It made to say something, but she couldn't hear it very well for the water in her ears. She gasped, taking in as much air as she could before coughing it back out.
She shivered. The cold night air on her soaking wet form giving her a chill throughout her entire body. As her vision began to fade further, she watched the...thing, remove its coat, draping the garment over her like a blanket. She let total darkness begin to claim her as she felt herself being lifted off the grassy river-bank.
With her eyes closed, she felt the rush of wind around her, and as she once more cracked her eyes open, all she saw were the stars above flying past in a blur as whatever was holding her dashed through the night. Her lungs burned, but at least she could breathe now. She was beginning to feel warm, the heat of the new creature off-putting the cold of the night air on her soaked body. Several questions formed in her mind as she slipped into blissful unconsciousness. Just what had her? What was it planning on doing to her?...Where had that mirror brought her?
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
When she awoke yet again, she noticed the strange creature was no longer around. In fact, nopony was. Her head was pounding, and the white of the room was unbearable to her sore eyes and head. “A hospital,” she thought. “I'm in a hospital...well, at least that...whatever it was...didn't do something horrible to me. Question is, what happened, and why am I in the hospital in the first place.” She tried to remember something...anything from the night before, but everything was a blur. She brought her hooves to her face to rub her temples, when she realized that whatever she was touching her face with...they weren't hooves. Confused, she cracked her eyes open and got a good look at the appendages at the end of her forelegs and gasped in shock.
No longer the hooves she'd had since birth, there at the end of her now naked forehooves were two hands, similar to those of a monkey. Reaching up in a panic, she felt her mane, but felt neither muzzle or horn on her face. Rocketing from her back, despite her sore body's protest, she rolled out of bed, collapsing onto the ground as she noticed her hind legs were now far longer than her new arms. Scurrying on all fours, she managed to reach the window. Using her new hands, she grabbed the window-sill and used the glass to get at least a cursory look at herself.
Her coat was gone, leaving her flesh naked, save for her mane. That and her eyes were the only thing she seemed to recognize about herself. Thinking back to the night before, she remembered seeing some of the features she now bore on the creature that had obviously brought her here. Maybe it had done this. Or perhaps the portal had when she crossed over. It wasn't entirely unlikely, if perhaps whatever this species was was the dominant one in this new world. She looked down at herself, and took note that whatever world she was in, at least the hospital hadn't changed much. Even the hospital gowns were nearly identical.
Turning her head, she noticed that hers was wide open in the back, revealing her tailless backside to the new world...Oh yes. Undoubtedly identical... She sighed with a small amount of comfort, noting that at least she still had a cutie mark, though only on the left side. Closing the gown, she blew a strand of mane from her face, before wobbly standing on her hind legs. She assumed since they were longer, these creatures merely walked on the two of them. And she would even if they didn't. She was NOT going to walk around with a raised flank everywhere she went. She wasn't that kind of mare.
On wobbly legs, she made it back to the bed. At least she was the only occupant of the room. As she lay her head back on the pillow, there was a knock on the door, before a female poked her head inside. Obviously from the clip-board and the white coat, she was the doctor here. “Well, glad to see you awake dear,” she said. “You sure are lucky someone was around to fish you out of the river.”
“River?” Sunset questioned. Maybe this doctor could fill in the parts of the previous night that were lost to her. The doctor nodded.
“Of course. One of the local genin, Naruto, brought you here. Sweet boy, not sure why everyone dislikes him...anyway, he told us you were wandering one of the training fields. Said you could barely walk straight and were babbling something, but he was too far away to hear what. And then he said you fell into the river and got swept under.” Sunset Shimmer widened her eyes. That would explain some things. Why she remembered feeling cold and wet.
“What happened next?” she asked. “How did I get out of the water?”
“Little fuzzy, I'd imagine,” the Doctor replied, humming. “Well, after Naruto fished you out, he performed basic cpr. Luckily, it's required by the academy for all graduates to have at least a grasp of how to administer emergency care. Granted, he didn't do it very well mind you, but still, he saved your life. Once you'd expelled most of the water in your lungs, he brought you here. Oh, and he brought your things too. They're over in the chair in the corner, with your clothes.” Raising her brow, Sunset looked over to see her saddle-bag laying atop a set of clothing she hadn't seen before. Were those hers? Did the portal clothe her upon transition? That meant being naked was probably not as acceptable here as in Equestria. “Don't worry, he didn't remove them, one of the nurses did. And you must have dropped your bag some time before you went in the water, so your things didn't get wet...You look pretty young yourself, dear. Are you a genin too? I haven't seen a headband with your clothes...”
“Young?...Am I young?” Sunset thought, trying to come up with some answer to the question. Back in Equestria, she was considered an adult, with all the rights and privileges that came with it. More, actually, as Princess Celestia's prized student. But she was in a strange land, and the wrong answer could get her in a LOT of trouble. “Well, she looks bigger than I am...” Comparing herself to the doctor was not easy, as the majority of her form was covered by her white coat, but Sunset could at least see that the doctor was taller, and her form was...somewhat curvier, with a larger chest. Did that have something to do with telling age here? Was chest size really so important?
“I'm not a...genin...I think...” she said, trailing off as she continued to try and come up with some form of cover. “And I'm here to...here to...” As she began to rub her temples again, her headache returning, the Doctor's eyes widened. Sunset didn't know it, but she had just given the Doctor all the backstory she needed.
“Oh dear, I see. I'm so sorry...I hope that in time, the memories come back, but until then, you're welcome to stay here at the hospital.” Now Sunset's eyes grew wide. This doctor thought she had amnesia...this could work to her advantage. It would certainly go a long way toward explaining quite a few things. Quirks of her Equestrian life that they obviously wouldn't have here. As the doctor left the room, Sunset lay back and closed her eyes. Who had pulled her from the river? Somebody named Naruto. Maybe she could use his kindness to her advantage. After all, she couldn't stay in this hospital forever. She needed to get out and see this new world. Looking to the table beside her desk, she noticed the glass of water. She at first tried will it towards her...to use her magic to telekinetically bring it to her. When it didn't work, she sighed, her eyes looking up to her now non-existent horn. Gripping the object in her hand, she brought the glass to her lips, sipping the water slowly. Ironic, as it seemed that the life-giving liquid had nearly cost her her life the previous night.
Despite the doctor's attempted exposition, Sunset Shimmer wished she had more to go on. She'd really need to see this 'Naruto' and ask if he knew just what happened. Maybe she really did have some form of amnesia concerning last night. This was really bugging her. As the student...well, former student of Princess Celestia, Sunset prided herself in her abilities, and her knowledge. Not knowing something that should be totally simple, it was infuriating. It was unacceptable.
Her piece of solitude didn't last, as the door once more opened, this time revealing what she could only assume was a male of the species. Unlike the doctor, he wore darker colors, with a green vest and a face mask. His left eye was covered by his askew headband, and his silver mane seemed to go against every law of gravity Sunset Shimmer knew. “Hi” he said simply, his cheery voice doing little to offset the unease that mask inspired in the unicorn.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Twenty minutes later, Kakashi exited the room. Waiting outside, the aged Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood with an impassive look adorning his face. “So?” he asked of his Jonin, who just sighed, scratching his head.
“I really don't know what to say,” Kakashi replied after a moment. “I don't really think she's an amnesiac...not completely, at least. She seems generally confused about last night though.” Sarutobi nodded, and motioned for Kakashi to continue. “I don't really find her to be any form of threat. Her chakra levels are practically non-existent, the symbol she is wearing is not affiliated to any known village, and she was found with no weapons. In fact, she was found with almost no possessions at all. There was a journal though. It might be encoded, but I doubt it. It reads more like a diary than anything else, and several of the entries seem to be addressed to someone name...Princess Celestia...”
Sarutobi quirked a brow at that. There was something about that name that rang familiar, but he couldn't place why it sounded like he had heard it before. He decided to look into it. For now, he needed to decide what should be done with the girl. If Kakashi didn't believe that she was an enemy shinobi, that was good enough for the Hokage, but it didn't mean she didn't have some ties to another village as a civilian. Civilian spies were rare, but not unheard of. They weren't often utilized as they weren't as plugged into the village's secrets as a shinobi was. He would need to find some way to keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't get into any trouble.
“Anything else?” he sighed, really wishing he could smoke his damn pipe right now. Damn Hospital rules.
Kakashi sighed. “Only that she seems eager to meet the boy who pulled her out of the river. Wouldn't be the first time a civilian has developed a crush on a shinobi savior...but I never thought Naruto would be the shinobi...” Despite the seriousness of the situation, Sarutobi couldn't help but chuckle. If that was indeed the case, it was indeed a comical occurrence. But he would have to meet this...Sunset Shimmer himself, before he could truly write off her presence as a benign happening.
For now, he would put off meeting the new girl. He had many more things on his plate at the moment, especially with the upcoming Chuunin exams. For now, he would leave it to Kakashi. The silver-haired ninja was chronically tardy, but his loyalty was unquestionable. And while his judgment wasn't nearly so, Sarutobi trusted the former Anbu. “I leave her in your hands. Keep me informed of her actions and when she starts to show any signs that she might be remembering the events that transpired last night, bring her to me.”
As the Hokage left, Kakashi sighed once more, running his hand through his hair. Easier said than done. It was obvious that Sunset Shimmer didn't trust him. Turning, a smile formed beneath his mask as he caught sight of the blonde hair of his student. The blonde genin was carrying two to-go containers of Ichiraku Ramen. When the blonde caught sight of his teacher in turn, he dashed over.
“Kakashi-sensei!” he shouted. “They told me that girl's awake. I figured she wouldn't exactly feel like hospital food, so I got some Ramen to go. I didn't know what kind she liked, so I figured plain Miso would be good.” Kakashi shook his head as he placed his hand on Naruto's hair and ruffled it.
“Well look at you,” he said, teasing. “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you have a crush on this girl...” Naruto blanched.
“No way, Sensei. I just helped her out. I feel a little responsible for her, that's all...” Kakashi flashed an eye smile.
“Well, that's great you feel that way. Because as soon as she's clear to leave, I've decided that she's going to be released in your care.”
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Sunset was interrupted from her attempts to understand her new fingers and toes. She wiggled and flexed the toes particularly, almost intellectually, as understanding that she didn't have previously washed over her. She would have to examine the mechanics of it all further, but the way the toes flexed and extended led her to believe that they were key in how this species managed to walk upright while keeping their balance. In the middle of all this scientific discovery, she looked up at the resounding shout from outside of the room.
“WHAT!” It said, and Sunset Shimmer was now intrigued. Tenderly placing her feet back onto the somewhat cold floor, she stood. Her legs were still rather shaky, not used to supporting the whole of her body-weight. But she now understood that she could manipulate her toes to better keep her balance. Flexing her toes to somewhat grip to the floor, she tentatively took a few steps toward the door. She placed her ear to it, trying to hear the commotion outside. Unfortunately, after the initial shout, the conversation had become somewhat muffled. She reached for the handle and began to pull the door, when from the other side, somebody else pushed it open. Not expecting the sudden change in her hand-hold, she couldn't manage to stay upright and twisted, before falling onto the one who had thrown the door open.
Her eyes were assaulted by the orange jumpsuit he wore, but just the same, she threw her arms around his form, stopping herself from total collapse. Looking up, she looked into the shocked blue-eyes and bright blonde mane of her support. Something about that mane clicked in her brain. This must be Naruto. “Whoa!” he cried, trying not to spill his ramen. “Are you ok?”
“Are you the one who saved me? Naruto?” She asked. When he nodded yes, Sunset internally grimaced. She knew what she had to do, despite how demeaning it was. Naruto suddenly gasped as the arms wrapped around him tightened, squeezing for all they had as the red-and-blonde haired girl buried her face in his chest. “OH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN REPAY YOU!!!!” Perhaps it was a little much. In fact, she almost gagged at her own over-acting. But hey, she had just been through a traumatic experience, she had to act like it. And then, she thought it was time for a more subtle finish. She quickly let go of the slightly-shorter blonde, turning away as though embarrassed, and clearing her throat. “Thank you, I mean...” Kakashi and Naruto just stared for a moment, unsure of what to think.
“That was weird...but then, I guess I might have been right about that crush...hopefully, it will make it easier to convince her to live with him.” Kakashi thought, while Naruto didn't know what to think. Kakashi just sighed, placing his hand on Naruto's head. “Ms. Shimmer. This is Naruto Uzumaki. As soon as the doctor gives it the ok, you'll be staying with him.” Naruto grumbled a bit and Sunset smirked on the inside. Perfect. She could have him wrapped around her brand new finger in no time. While she was planning her next move, her stomach began to rumble, and despite herself, she blushed. “Well,” continued Kakashi, turning to leave. “I'll leave you both to eat and check with your doctor to see how soon you can be released.” Sunset stared at the containers that Naruto held up as her stomach growled again. A fearful thought crossed her mind...what was it that this species ate?
She accepted the container, as well as two thin sticks, walking over to the bed and sitting down. Opening the lid, she took a sniff. Well, it certainly smelled good. She watched as Naruto opened the lid of his own container, and gripped the sticks in his hand, manipulating them into a rudimentary clamp to scoop the noodles up. Eating utensils? Apparently ones that flaunted the apparent benefits of having opposable digits. She attempted to mimic the finger movements of her blonde savior, but failed. Miserably in fact, as the sticks didn't grip, but slipped passed each other. Her eyes went up to the boy before her. If he noticed she was having trouble, he paid it no mind.
Trying again, she again failed, frustrating her. Oh, what she wouldn't have given for some hay-fries right then. Or a nice garden salad. Deciding to just wing it, she just held the sticks together, digging them beneath the noodles and lifting a large amount from the broth. Before they could slip back into the broth, she dove at them, shoving them all into her mouth, slurping in any that hung from her lips. She repeated the process until her noodles were all gone, and then, noting that Naruto's broth in his now empty container had been drained, she tentatively brought it to her lips and drank it down as well.
She wasn't sure, to be honest, just how she felt about the food. It definitely had a pleasing flavor and warmth, but gripping the noodles like Naruto had was going to take a lot of work. She looked up to see Naruto just sitting at the window-sill, looking at her quizzically. Her eyes closed in frustration.
“What?!” She nearly growled out, cursing herself when the orange-clad boy jumped, startled by her outburst. She was supposed to be acting sweet and awkward to gain his trust. Once she had that, and only then, could she begin to let loose her true feelings. She had to be very careful what she said and how she said it until then.
“Sorry, didn't mean to stare...” He stuttered out.
“Then why were you?” She asked, her eyes narrowing subconsciously. Damn it. Like those stupid sticks, it was gonna take a long time to shake her habits.
“Your hair...” Sunset raised a brow, and absently grabbed a lock of her red-and-blonde mane.
“What about my hair?” she replied, curious to just why it was captivating him.
“I've never seen anything quite like it...” Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed. “I've seen silver, white, even pink, but blonde AND red is kind of new to me...it's unique.” Despite herself, Sunset Shimmer swelled in pride.
“I'm much more than unique,” she whispered under her breath, before going silent. She toyed with the sticks in her fingers as she tried to come up with something to say. All she could come up with in this case was her question. “What happened last night?”
“I'm a little curious about that myself...” Naruto said. “I was out training, and then I heard a scream coming from over by the memorial stone. Before I could check it out, you stumbled out into view, dropped your bag, did a few drunken twirls and fell toward the water. The current had you before I could get you. When I pulled you out, you weren't breathing...” Now Naruto went silent. What more was there to say. Sunset frowned. She didn't have more than a few scraps to go on, but she did manage to glean one scrap she didn't have before. Something about this 'Memorial Stone...' It wasn't much to go on, but it very well could be the point where the portal back to Equestria was. Now if only they could get out of this hospital so she could verify it...and make certain she hadn't been followed...
“Maybe we can go take a look at it later?” She asked. “It might jog a memory or two...” Naruto smiled, nodding his head.
“Sure thing. It'll give me some more time to get the apartment clean, too.” Sunset Shimmer raised a brow. How could he show her the memorial stone and clean his apartment at the same time? Even if magic worked in this world, even she as Celestia's student wasn't aware of any duplication spells...well, any that would duplicate a living being, that was...But if he was telling the truth, perhaps living with the blonde would be more beneficial to her than simply getting out of the hospital.
“Haha, what? Do you know how to be in two places at once, or something,” Sunset asked, attempting to sound sweet and ignorant again. She hoped she'd have his trust before too long. She died a bit inside every time she had to act stupid. Naruto didn't respond. Rather, he held his hands in front of him, forming a cross with his fingers. Sunset's eyes widened as Naruto became engulfed in smoke, which filled half the room. She coughed a bit as the smoke dissipated. When it did, the transformed Unicorn nearly fell from her bed in surprise.
Standing before her, between the shocked girl and her blonde savior, stood three smirking duplicates. “Yes,” announced one of the duplicates.
“Yes we can,” continued another. For once since arriving, Sunset Shimmer did not have to act dumb. She couldn't even find any words to sputter out. This was insane! She couldn't use magic at all in this world, and yet here was one of the inhabitants performing a spell she had never even heard of, and performing it without any sign of concentration or strain. Could she do that too? She would have to keep an eye on this boy, and the others like him.
Tracing the names carved into the large, dark stone, the hand, its nerves new and strange, felt a cold twinge, causing the owner to shiver somewhat. Sunset Shimmer, upon being sure the blonde idiot was too distracted in telling his tale about some 'bell test' or whatever he was jabbering about, sunk her hand into the stone as cleanly as if sinking it into water. A slight glow formed a ring around the point of contact, and within the stone, Sunset could feel, and even see, her fleshy, pink hand return to its original hoof form. Naruto began to turn to look once more and Sunset quickly pulled her hand back out just before he was able to look at her.
“That's...really interesting,” Sunset stammered, having not been paying attention in the slightest. The blonde didn't seem to notice at all and continued talking. Casting a glance back to the still-open portal, Sunset repeated in nothing more than a whisper, “Very interesting.” She just hoped that nopony else had followed her. Though as she looked down at her now-human form, she realized that the only identifying characteristic she had were her mane and her cutie mark. While the one she still bore on her left flank, or whatever humans called it, was rendered invisible via the magically conjured panties and skirt, the one emblazoned on her purple shirt would act as a direct target. Luckily, she had been granted a jacket, though the fact that it was made of leather had nearly made her sick.
Shivering again, she rubbed her arms and looked to the ground. In doing so, she noticed something. Grooves dug in the dirt below, as well as two, tiny craters. Crouching low, she instinctively rested her knees in the two craters. From this position, she reached her hands out and gently rubbed her fingers through the grooves, squeezing her hands into fists, slightly digging up the earth loosened by what made the grooves in the first place. She realized with no small sense of certainty that it was likely herself. By this time, Naruto had taken notice and was watching the girl in front of him in curiosity. This curiosity turned to alarm when Sunset Shimmer gasped, her left eye beginning to twitch as she threw her hand to her head, gripping it as though in pain.
Sunset's mind was on fire. And she remembered. Remembered going through the portal. Remembered the shock. Remembered everything.
><Flashback><
“Ugnnn,” she groaned. The trip wasn't quite as smooth as she was expecting it to be, but she could worry about that miscalculation later. She shook her head, and tried to blow some mane out of her eyes. Upon failing that, she reached up to merely brush it away, and froze. Before her, where her hoof should have been, was something else. She wanted to scream out in shock, to leap in fright, but she was silent, still. When she was finally capable of doing...well, anything, she immediately began to hyper-ventilate. Upon attempting to run, she found she was unable to get any speed going. Turning, she noticed that the part of her hind legs that were connected to the ground, were not her hooves, nor were they the ends of her legs, which extended beyond her tailless rear.
Wobbling to her feet, she used a nearby tree for balance. “This isn't happening. THIS. ISN'T. HAPPENING.” She repeated this mantra over and over, hoping that it would somehow make her situation any less real. This was not what the mirror had shown her. She was supposed to be made an Alicorn. A Princess. Somepony worthy of ruling over pony-kind. As she continued to utter incoherent reassurances, her brain began to go into total melt down. Not merely from shock, but also from sensory overload, all the new nerves in her hands and feet firing off at each tiny brush, sending signals to her brain from sensors that never existed until moments ago.
Luckily, her feet were covered by a pair of boots, keeping stimulation to a minimum. But her hands had no such luck, and were needed to keep hold of trees just to keep the unicorn upright. As she exited the treeline, she found no more to grip and began to tumble. Had she been more concerned with her surroundings, and not herself, she would have heard the shouting voice before it was too late. One step too far and a twist and suddenly she found her lungs filling with water.
Her hyper-ventilating wasn't helping, as she couldn't stop sucking in the river water as she was swept away in the current. Flailing her limbs, trying with all her might to get to the surface, she was hindered by both lack of visibility and being cast around by the river's strong pull. Her lungs burned and she was unable to think, to act, to...do, anything. As things began to go dark, she felt a sudden jerk as she was ripped from the cold water, to the cold air.
A blur of blonde and orange descended upon her, and while she couldn't clearly hear due to lack of oxygen, and water in her ears, she knew he was trying to speak to her. While she couldn't move, she watched him begin pressing against her chest, hard. He forced her mouth open, and began leaning toward her face as everything went completely dark.
><Flashback End><
Opening her eyes, Sunset blushed as she noticed the blonde's face was rather close to hers. Uncomfortably so. Blushing, she pulled back as Naruto knelt down beside her. “Sunset, are you alright?” he asked, looking worried when the red-and-blonde-haired girl scrunched her eyes closed once more, rubbing her temples as she tried to abate the headache.
“Fine, I just-” She managed to stop herself. Her entire plan hinged on everyone believing she had amnesia. Telling them now that she remembered would not only ruin that, it was liable to get her interrogated, tortured, and then killed. If Naruto described these 'Shinobi' correctly, than they were a warrior culture, meaning if they thought she was a spy, she would not be looked upon kindly. “I just, got a headache. I'll be fine in a minute.” To be fair, it wasn't a total lie. She did have quite the headache now. Luckily, the hospital had given her something for that. She wasn't sure what precisely it was, all she knew is that it made her feel fabulous.
One fatal flaw Sunset was actually willing to admit about herself was that she had no tolerance to drugs or alcohol. She didn't even remember what had happened the first and only time she had tried some hard cider. And the headache medication the Equestrians had was nowhere near as strong as the stuff the Doctor had prescribed, yet any sufficiently high dose tended to cause the unicorn to become anything from drowsy to downright loopy. By the Sun above, if their medications were this strong, she didn't even want to imagine the alcohol. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the bottle of pills and quickly took one, swallowing it and waiting for the magic to happen.
Looking up at the blonde who she had been released to, she took the hand that was being held out to her, glad for the help up. She brushed some hair from her face, looked her savior deep in the eyes, and forced herself not to gag as as she moved her face close enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her face. She smirked when she saw the blonde blush, knowing that at least her disgusting displays of false flirtation were at least having their desired effects. She decided to push it just a bit more for now. She bit her bottom lip a tad and fluttered her eyelashes.
She ceased her flirtatious behavior, however, when the blonde began to pinch the bridge of his nose. As Sunset Shimmer's eyebrow quirked, Naruto's eye began to twitch. “Are you ok?” she asked, and while he seemed to be in some sort of pain, he merely nodded, waving off her concerns.
“Yeah, just a headache. Damn clones. What were they thinking?”
“Your clones?” Sunset questioned. “What do they have to do with it?” Naruto continued to pinch the bridge of his nose as the headache subsided.”
“Not really sure,” he replied with a shrug. “It only happens when a bunch of them disperse at once. It just gives me a headache for some reason.” Filing that information away, Sunset decided to try and find out more.
“So your clones disperse and it gives you a headache? That doesn't sound healthy,” she said, offering one of the headache pills to the blonde, though he refused. “Have you ever tried to find out what the headaches are?” Naruto began to rub the back of his head sheepishly, and Sunset knew in the pit of her stomach that the answer was going to irritate her.
“Well, to tell you the truth, it never crossed my mind to try and find out...” Yup, Sunset's gut was right. Here was a boy who could make copies of himself, with evidence that it put some sort of strain on his mind, and he hadn't even thought to try and discover just where this particular side effect was coming from.
“Sweet Celestia, this boy really is an idiot!” she thought with disdain. “And I have to act like some silly filly with a crush on him...It might make it easier to gain his trust and worship, but by the Sun, this plan is going to be torture of a magnitude far beyond whatever this village can do to me, I'm sure of it...”
Forcing a smile, she once more took hold of Naruto's hand, before trying to pull him in the direction of the village. “Well, come on,” she said, trying to sound enthusiastic. “If your clones dispersed, it must mean they've finished cleaning your apartment, and to tell you the truth, I could really use a bath that doesn't involve me drowning in cold, dirty water.” It was true. She really did feel somewhat dirty, and with everything going on that day, a nice, relaxing bath sounded amazing. So busy was she, lost in thoughts of hot water and quiet contemplation, that she didn't notice the smirk plaster itself across Naruto's face.
She had gone two steps before Naruto had swept her up, bridal style, and leapt to the trees. Despite herself, Sunset let out a shrill scream as they left the earth. Now, she had been in the air numerous times riding in chariots pulled by Pegasus ponies. But those were magic. They were unaffected by gravity and so nopony ever had to experience the gut-dropping feeling of falling back to earth. This was different. Every leap Naruto made, she felt in the pit of her stomach. She felt the pull of gravity as they descended to new tree branches and soon moved to rooftops, and she tightened her grip on the blonde.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!” Sunset shouted, her eyes scrunched closed, not willing to look down. Naruto just laughed her off, his love of pranks calling overshadowing the fact that the girl in his arms might be deathly afraid. It also served as a revenge of sorts. Naruto would be the first to admit that he wasn't always the brightest, but he could tell the multi-colored-hair girl was hiding something. He knew better than anyone how to conceal ones' true feelings, masquerade as something you were not. He couldn't definitively say she was outright lying. Heck, maybe she really had lost some of her memories, and it was just throwing him off. He shook his head before, much to Sunset's horror, he took one more mighty leap, nearly double the height and distance as before, and came to an easy landing right outside his apartment.
Sunset felt her escort come to a stop, cracking a single eye open to notice they were at what must have been the apartment. She took a minute to collect herself, before glaring at the blonde who still held her in his arms. Plan be damned, she couldn't contain her irritation. “Put. Me. Down.” she said, as calmly as she could. Naruto smirked again, having managed to get the intended rise from his house guest. However, he followed orders like a good soldier, placing the unicorn-turned-human back on her feet.
Regaining her balance, Sunset really wished she had her magic so she could really give the human a piece of her mind. However, the Earth Pony way would have to do for now, she decided, whipping her arm out and with the palm of her hand whacked the idiot upside his spiky, blonde head. Not her style, but it certainly made her feel better.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The apartment was small, but livable. Despite the condition it was in, it still had hot, running water. And as she shed the clothing the portal had provided her and sank into the hot water of Naruto's bath, she sighed in bliss. This was the first real non-stressful moment since arriving, and she wanted to savor it. She sunk down further, submerging herself to the chin, as she began to do some further investigations of her human form. Her immediate attention fell to her chest, taking the mounds in her hands and giving them a few gentle squeezes. As her hands brushed her nipples, she shuddered and had to stifle a low moan of pleasure.
She really hoped Naruto couldn't hear her as she continued to explore her new form at a much more in depth level. Her mind was reeling from the new sensations from her hands on her breasts. As her appendages continued to move, almost on their own, down her body, her breathing became more irregular and ragged. The actual purpose of her explorations were drowned beneath waves of pleasure as her fingers, unbidden, moved to a place that had not changed much.
Slipping her fingers between her legs, she lightly began to rub her lower lips. She couldn't contain a moan this time, as she felt as though her entire form was on fire. She continued to entertain herself with simple strokes and caresses, before she couldn't take it anymore. When Sunset Shimmer wanted something, she took it. And take it she did, plunging a finger inside of her. Then two. She gasped as she explored herself with a human hand. This was not the first time she had explored her own intimate areas. It was, however, the first time she did so without needing her magic to compensate for her hooves.
Her back arced sharply and suddenly, as her fingers nicked her clit, sending a veritable blast of sensation through her entire body. She continued her assault on her body's pleasure points, the heat building to near unbearable levels as she came closer and closer to her final release.
Part of her mind was screaming to stop. The rational, calculative part of her brain that knew that not only was this neither the time nor the place, but that it would be incredibly embarrassing if Naruto found out, making it that much harder for him to take her seriously. The other part of her brain, however, was riding the high from her pain medication, and cared only for the promise of climax. And it didn't have to work much longer.
She felt every muscle in her body tighten and her upper thighs began to quiver. Her already erratic breathing became labored as her head began to spin. She felt as though she were going to black out from the intensity. It was like a volcanic eruption of pleasure, flowing from her sex and rippling through her quivering form. So focused on the pleasure of cumming, she barely even tasted the coppery-tang of her blood, Sunset having bit her lip hard enough to cause it to bleed in an attempt to keep from screaming out and alerting her roommate. It was the most intense orgasm she could remember. Part of her entertained the thought that it might have been the secrecy that turned her on, but of course, the more likely scenario was that she was just loopy from painkillers and it made every pleasurable sensation feel heightened.
As her orgasm began to die down, she felt light-headed, her vision blurry. Slowly, she sank further into the hot water, until everything below her nose was submerged. She couldn't move. Her body felt like a limp noodle. Even if she could move, she didn't really want to. Her mind and body still reveling in the aftermath of her first human orgasm, she let the heat of the water relax her and calm her down. When she was finally able to think clearly again, she sighed, beginning the arduous task of actually cleaning herself. Groaning at having to move, she gripped the bar of soap in her hand, thanking Celestia that the boy actually had soap and shampoo...though she would have to see about getting some conditioner. A girl had to look her best, after all.
While she lathered her mane with the shampoo, she contemplated where to take her plans concerning the blonde whom she was staying with. She knew she had to get him to trust her. But more than that, she had to get him wrapped around her finger. To that end, the quickest way was going to be to seduce him. The question was, how far was she herself willing to go to keep both her cover and her new, unwitting lackey...
The general consensus seemed to be that the two were kids, which meant she wasn't likely to have to meet Naruto's more...primal needs, she thought as she began to rinse the suds from her red-and-blonde hair. At least she hoped. There was still way too much about human culture that she didn't know about. She had pleasured herself on numerous occasions, but had never actually been with a stallion. It just seemed like it wasn't worth her time. She had studies, she had plans, and neither involved having a coltfriend. If it came to it, she knew she would need to do the deed with this blonde human. But she prayed to whatever god existed in this world that it wouldn't come to that. The more tame elements of a relationship she could handle easily enough.
So absorbed in her thoughts, Sunset was only half aware as she stepped from the bath and began to dry herself. And that was why, as she wrapped her mane in the towel, she forgot one of the first rules she had deduced about human culture.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
“Much better,” Sunset announced, leaving the bathroom. Naruto, who had been keeping himself busy making some ramen, looked up as the girl stepped into the kitchen area and froze. Sunset Shimmer quirked an eyebrow as her roommate's right eye began to twitch uncontrollably. Looking down, Sunset realized she had failed to put any clothes on after her bath, leaving her naked form on display for the blonde. As she examined herself, more embarrassed that she forgot something so basic than at actually being in the nude, her breasts, while not overly large, jiggled energetically with each movement.
That was all Naruto could take, a bit of blood beginning to trickle from his nose as he fell backwards, he and the chair he was in crashed to the floor. Unsure of whether this was a normal human reaction, Sunset used her arm to cover her breasts as best she could, and tentatively took a few steps forward, bending down and with her other hand began to poke the blonde. “Hey,” she said. “Are you ok?”
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
From outside the window, unseen by the two, Kakashi leaned against the wall, content with simply listening in on the two. He had for a moment thought this might have been a bad idea, but realized there really wasn't a good alternative. If he was wrong, and Sunset Shimmer was a spy, placing her with any Shinobi, even a competent one such as himself or Anko, would be a bad idea. Naruto, while a genin shinobi, knew next to nothing concerning village secrets, but could still defend himself in the event that Shimmer turned on him, which a civilian wouldn't likely be able to do.
Of course, at this point, he was convinced that she was no shinobi. No self respecting shinobi or kunoichi could or would act like that. That didn't mean she wasn't lying or keeping secrets. But her lack of anything resembling subtlety in her act spoke volumes about her level of training. That is to say, no training at all. Deciding to leave the two to work out their predicament, he used the shunshin, as he needed to report in to the Hokage about Sunset's progress.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Naruto began to come to, opening his eyes to find himself staring at the breasts of his charge. He was frozen for a moment, before leaping to his feet, turning his head. Thrown off balance for a moment, Sunset fell onto her shapely rear, with a soft “oof!”
She glared up at the blonde as he dashed out of the kitchen. She heard the sounds of rustling and drawers opening and slamming shut, before Naruto rushed back in, carrying a blue bundle, which he dropped in front of the girl before again averting his eyes. Sunset stopped glaring before taking the bundle, which turned out to be some pajamas, and knew what the boy wanted. She quickly pulled on the pants, before buttoning up the pajama shirt. The boy was slightly smaller than her, but he luckily wore baggy sleep-wear, so the garments were not too tight, aside from a few select areas. She made a mental note to get some pajamas for herself.
Once she was fully dressed, Naruto finally turned back around, and Sunset Shimmer internally smirked seeing the blush adorning his cheeks. Apparently, her unintentional bout of nudity had managed to help more than hurt. Yawning, she leaned into the blushing boy, laying her head on his suddenly rigid shoulder. “I think it's time for some sleep...” she announced. Indeed, it was already dark outside, and with all the...excitement of the last few hours, she felt like she needed a nap.
“Y-yeah,” Naruto said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. “You can take the bed for tonight, it's in there...” Sunset watched him point toward the bedroom, and while she pouted on the outside, inside she was relieved. She was right, he had no expectation of having intercourse. Either that, or he was simply being a gentleman to lure her into a false sense of security. But that was a level of irony she couldn't see the idiot before her pulling off. Either way, her virginity would remain intact for the night. However, she still needed to keep up appearances, and to that effect took his pointing hand in her own and lowered it, jutting out her lower lip in a pout of epic proportions.
“But if I take your bed, where are you going to sleep?” she asked, attempting to sound as innocent as possible, fluttering her eyelashes. Naruto was sweating now, his cheeks aglow with his blush.
“Don't worry about me,” he stammered in reply. “A blanket or two on the floor, and a pillow are all I need.”
“You don't have to do that,” Sunset announced, silently gagging at herself. “I can take the floor just as well as you can.” She didn't mean it of course. But how would it look for her to just take the offer without making herself appear to be a considerate, caring individual? Naruto, as predicted, just shook his head.
“No way!” he replied, smiling brightly and giving her a thumbs up. “You're a guest. And besides that, you just got out of the hospital after nearly drowning to death. What kind of heartless person would I be if I made you sleep on the floor?”
“But I just can't ask my rescuer to sleep on the cold floor,” Sunset cried. She pressed into Naruto's chest, her still-damp hair hanging over her face, shadowing the grin that she couldn't repress. If the blonde saw anything, he certainly didn't show it.
“Like I said,” he replied, trying and failing to wiggle away from the girl. Something was definitely not right. Any other girl would have agreed right away to take his bed and let him sleep on the floor. Hell, most girls would have knocked him out cold upon him seeing them naked. This was way outside of his comfort zone. “You just got out of the hospital. You were in the hospital because you almost died in a river. I can't let you sleep on the cold, dirty floor. What else would you suggest?”
This was it. The part where Sunset would 'begrudgingly' agree. But when she opened her mouth, what came out was something totally different than what she in her mind had told her mouth to say. “Well, we could always just share the bed.” Naruto went rigid and Sunset's hand flew straight to her mouth. “What did I just say?!” she screamed in her head. “And why in Tartarus did I say it?!”
Her eyes, seemingly in response to her question, darted up to the kitchen table, where sat, among other things, the bottle of headache medication the doctors had given her. It was then that it clicked in her mind, and she knew she would have to be careful if she ever took those pills again. If they were responsible for her masturbation session too, they not only made her loopy, but down-right horny. And that was a very bad combination.
“A-are you sure you'd be comfortable with that?” Naruto asked, his voice shaky and faint. Sunset cursed under her breath. There was no way to backtrack from this, but as long as the blonde refrained from attempting anything funny, then...
“Of course,” she replied. “I-I'd prefer it, actually.” Seeing that Naruto was looking at her skeptically, not truly believing her, she internally groaned, before leaning forward and planting a kiss on Naruto's whiskered cheek. His blush immediately doubled, as did her own. The things she did to keep up appearances.
Moaning in her sleep, Sunset Shimmer's body prepared to awaken, while her mind was enthralled in her glorious dream. She ruled over Equestria, a glorious alicorn. Celestia stood before her, begging forgiveness, but Sunset was having none of it. Her head raised high, her horn began to glow brightly, preparing a powerful spell, fully intent on banishing her former mentor to the farthest reach of the globe. However, it was somewhat hard to focus.
Despite desperately wanting to see this dream through, she couldn't overlook the strange jabbing feeling digging into her ribs. Her human ribs. She looked down at herself, her perfectly manicured hooves melting into her horrid human hands. She looked to her side, the Crystal Mirror showing her the painstakingly slow process of becoming human. “No!” she shouted in despair, her horn vanishing, fizzling away like a fuse. Her muzzle drew into her head, and her fine coat began to recede, leaving her gazing at a human face. “No, no, no, this isn't fair! This wasn't supposed to happen!”
“You got exactly what you deserved,” Sunset looked up to the now towering Celestia standing above her. Ironically, the Princess of the Sun was now blocking off the life-giving orb she brought into the sky each morning as she looked down at the human with disgust and disdain. “As far as I'm concerned, you can stay a human, robbed of your magic until the day you die. There are other, far better, potential students than you. In fact, I'd been planning on dropping you anyway.”
“Liar!” snarled Sunset, swiping at the giant Celestia. Her attempt to harm her teacher was made far less impressive by the high pitched squeal she let loose when her tail, her last remaining pony-feature, snapped like a rubber band, retracting into her now-human tail-bone. Celestia just laughed snidely.
“Oh, so sure? What about young Twilight Sparkle?” The phantom asked, twisting and contorting into something dark. “You refused to even recognize her potential, even after I told you about her entrance exam.”
“That was a fluke! You know it, I know it! She got scared and lost control. Not the hallmark of a good apprentice,” Sunset shot back. “You would never replace me with a silly little filly with power incontinence.” The jabbing in her ribs was getting incessant, but she continued to stare at Celestia, whose hoof raised threateningly. “You'll see. I'll be better than your new pet. And I'll be better than you.” She braced herself for the inevitable slam of Celestia crushing her like an ant, but the jabbing feeling returned in force, forcing the dream to dissipate.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Sunset shot up with a start. As she did, her journal --- which she didn't remember bringing to bed with her --- dropped from her stomach into her lap. The book, emblazoned with her cutie mark, glowed and shook, before falling still. It then repeated this, vibrating and flashing, letting her know she had a message. And only one person could have sent it. She entertained the thought of reading what Celestia actually had to say, and her fingers slid across the hard-cover, beginning to reach for the edge in order to rip open the magical journal.
However, her dream still fresh in her mind. Sunset narrowed her eyes, before throwing the book clear across the room. She flinched upon hearing a groan respond to the noise. Turning, she noticed the blonde boy, Naruto beginning to stir. She had almost forgotten about her new roommate.
Naruto sat up and yawned, rubbing his eyes. He looked out the window to find it was still pitch dark out. “Wha-?” he began, yawning once more. “What is it? What's going on?” Sunset just laid back into her pillow, her red-and-blond hair cascading around her face.
“Nothing...just, having trouble sleeping. Don't let me keep you up, Naruto.” The blonde just nodded absentmindedly, before dropping back into his own pillow, falling asleep in moments. Sunset gazed at the human warily for a moment, and upon being certain he was once more deep in sleep, sighed. Feeling a bit of tightness, she opened one of the buttons on her borrowed pajamas, letting off the pressure from her breasts. She began to once again prod the mounds of flesh upon her chest, serving as one of the indicators that she was now a human. Turning to the boy at her side, she began to become curious about the anatomy of a male human.
Realizing what she was thinking, she blushed profusely. What was wrong with her? Could it be the medication? Perhaps some sort of hormonal imbalance due to the shift from one form to another? She blinked owlishly at the idea of the latter, before getting out of bed and moving to the bathroom. Of course, she thought. Back in Equestria, she was a properly adjusted adult, for all intents and purposes. Here, she was considered a human adolescent. If her human form was in the process of puberty, her hormones would be out thrown out of whack. Combined with her matured mind, this would only throw her off even more. Even further still from her pain pills. This was going to make things all the harder for her.
Running some water into her hand, she splashed it into her face, trying to cool down. “Ok, Sunset, get. A. Grip,” she monologued. Despite knowing what they were doing to her, she took one of her pain pills, popping it into her mouth and swallowing it down. All of this was giving her a migraine. The effect was almost immediately. A few deep breaths later and she slowly made her way back to bed. Her vision was beginning to blur, her lack of tolerance to pain meds rearing its head. She registered plopping down into her pillow, before she was out like a light.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Naruto rolled over in his sleep, lost in his dream land. Something about an all-you-can-eat ramen binge. Rolling over, he was broken from slumber by...something. In his hand. Squeezing his fingers, he noticed that whatever it was, while not large, were definitely squishy. Squeezing a few more times, a foreboding chill ran through him as his ears picked up a distinctly...feminine-sounding moan. Slowly turning over, he cracked his eye open, his vision focusing, running down from his shoulder, past his arm and to his hand, which was currently grasping the exposed breast of his bed-mate. He tried to yank his hand away, but Sunset grabbed it in her sleep, bringing it back over her erect nipple. Despite the fact that she was still deep in her own dreams. And judging by the way she was blushing and moaning, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what those entailed.
He finally managed to pull his hand away, but by doing so, he wound up pulling himself clear out of bed. As he fell to the floor with a crash, Sunset began to stir. Yawning and stretching, she sat up, before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “G'morning,” she mumbled out through a mouth stretched by yawning. As Sunset stretched her human form, she felt a familiar pressure within her. Leaping up --- luckily keeping her balance --- she raced toward the bathroom. Reaching it, she barely removed her pajama pants and sat down before her bladder began to empty. As she relieved herself, her mind drifted to the wonderful dream she had been having prior to waking. She couldn't remember the exact details, but she definitely remembered the feeling. She reached down, brushing a hard nipple with a gasp.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself. “Bad, Sunset Shimmer. Bad,” she thought to herself. “You need to calm down. Your hormones should normalize a bit once you've had time to adjust to your new body. All you need to do is hold out until then...” With the way she was feeling, she knew that that was far easier said than done, but she was confident that she could do it. And if she did slip up, her plan was to infatuate Naruto, and so any problems controlling herself could easily be turned to her advantage. She finished her business, and went back to the bedroom, where she raised a brow upon seeing the blonde simply laying face-down on the ground next to the bed.
“Is there any reason you're on the floor?” she asked, tilting her head. Naruto spoke, but he didn't move.
“Oh, you know, just checking how well my clones cleaned up yesterday,” he stated flatly. This was obviously not the case, and Sunset knew that, but she knew that that was likely to be the best --- maybe the only --- answer she would get. “Could you maybe put on your clothes. Or at least re-button your top?” he asked. Sunset blinked, before looking down. Her breasts, both poking out of the open top, were proudly standing at attention. And while not huge by any means --- especially compared to some of the human females Sunset had seen --- they were larger and more developed than those on most girls who were around her physical age. It had been so uncomfortable in these pajamas that she must have opened more buttons up in her sleep. As she tended to the situation, buttoning back up, she began to wonder...what else did she do in her sleep last night?
A knock on Naruto's door broke the awkward silence that had fallen between the two, and as Naruto made his way to the door, the red-and-blond haired girl followed slowly behind. Pulling the door open, Naruto yawned, contrasting the bright and cheery demeanor of his sensei. “Hi.” Kakashi said simply, sliding the orange book he was reading into a pouch on his vest. Sunset Shimmer looked at the silver-haired man cautiously. Something about him just unnerved her. It might have been his need to cover his face, or the fact that he obviously seemed suspicious of her. “The Hokage was wondering if he might have a word with your new roommate.”
“Uh, yeah,” Naruto said, somewhat confused. Hadn't Kakashi already interviewed Sunset? Why would the old man personally wish to see her? “Let me just go get dressed-”
“Alone,” Kakashi stated flatly. “Sorry Naruto, but what will be said is going to be between the Hokage and Ms. Shimmer. Besides, wouldn't you prefer to get some training in? The Chuunin Exams officially begin in four days.” Naruto visibly paled at that. From the time he had rescued Sunset two nights ago, he hadn't spent a single moment doing any training.
“Gah!” he shouted, dashing for the bedroom. “You're right, Kakashi-sensei! I can't afford to slack off. Not with the exams right around the corner!” Sunset was a little confused now. Exams? What Exams? She was almost blown off her feet by an orange blur as the now-dressed Naruto made a beeline for the door. “Sorry Sunset!” he yelled over his shoulder. “We can meet up later for some lunch!” And suddenly, the blonde was gone, leaving the transformed unicorn alone in Kakashi's presence. She attempted to hide her nervousness, but the way his lone eye gazed at her, seemingly bored, and yet, so focused...
“I'll just...get changed into my own clothes,” she said after a moment of silence, and at Kakashi's nod, eagerly removed herself from his sight. Removing the sleep-wear, she took her time redressing in her portal-provided clothing. Not long enough to arouse Kakashi's suspicions even further, but just enough to give herself a moment to think. She had yet to meet the Hokage, and wasn't sure what to expect. If Naruto was to be believed, the Village Leader was a nice old-man. However, he was also supposedly the most powerful warrior in the village. And if he was anything like Kakashi, she wasn't sure how pleasant this meeting was going to be.
She walked back to the door, seeing Kakashi waiting patiently for her. Upon his single eye meeting hers, he turned around, motioning for her to climb onto his back. “We can't just walk there?” In her mind, the question sounded much less...whiny, than it had coming from her mouth. Kakashi just sighed, shaking his head.
“This is the quickest way across the village, and given that the Hokage is an incredibly busy man, the sooner we get there, the sooner he can speak with you,” the Jonin replied, running a hand through his gravity defying hair. Sunset hesitated for a moment, before climbing onto the older man.
As he took his first mighty leap, her breathing hitched and Kakashi felt her grip on him tighten. A fearful action. And a reflexive one at that. She may be hiding something, but this wasn't it. She was no shinobi.
Sunset, for her part, noted that Kakashi was making the ride quite a bit smoother than her trip with Naruto the evening previous. Her eyes narrowed. The blonde was purposely jerking and shaking her, the little jerk. Trying to frighten her. If she wasn't supposed to be seducing him, she would have had to give him a piece of her mind. But what was done was done, and to be honest, the smooth ride didn't do much to alleviate the nausea building within her, the constant up and down taking its toll on her body. The wind flying past her ear made it hard to think, let alone hear anything. She tried cracking an eye open, but immediately closed it. The wind in her face and the rush of shapes and colors below her were severely increasing her nauseousness. Would she ever get used to this?
Once they finally landed outside the Hokage's tower, Sunset practically leapt from Kakashi, her legs wobbling as she placed her hand over her mouth, desperate to keep herself from vomiting. Sure, Kakashi's motion was smoother, but the trek was longer. Yet another thing she wasn't faking, Kakashi noted.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Sarutobi sat at his desk, staring at the girl blankly as they sat in silence for a solid two minutes. Not really uncomfortable silence, as Sunset had grown used to these in her last few weeks in Equestria. However, something about the look in his eyes was different than Celestia. Harder. Colder. She wasn't one of his villagers. Not one of his people. And though he didn't know it, she wasn't even technically one of his species. It was like he was attempting to look through her, and as much as she would have preferred otherwise, she met his gaze. She knew eye contact was a major key to appearing truthful. She just had to sell it.
“Celestia.” That through Sunset for a loop. How? “In your journal, you mention someone named 'Celestia.” Well, that explained it, Sunset thought. If they read her journal, then what was she even pretending for?
“So, do you think I'm a spy? Or just crazy?” she asked. Before she could speak any more, it felt as if gravity in the room increased ten-fold. The pressure was intense, and she found that she immediately began to sweat. She even had a bit of trouble breathing. As she sat, squirming, Sarutobi sighed, standing and beginning to walk around her seat. She felt like she was being circled by a shark.
“I don't know who this Celestia is, nor do I know of any place known as Equestria. So, care to tell me why they sound so familiar?” the old man asked, and despite the crushing pressure he was exuding, Sunset noticed that his voice was quite calm. Full of confidence. He wasn't hoping she'd give him the information. He KNEW she would give it to him. Knew she was absolutely no threat.
“I was trying to learn about Equestria,” she gasped, sweating profusely. “Celestia is supposed to be the princess of a place called Equestria!” Despite it all, she still managed to smirk inside. If he wanted information, he'd get it. The best lies were always the ones veiled in truth. Celestia was indeed the Princess, and in a sense, the mirror was a part of Equestria, fueled by magic.. Sarutobi narrowed his eyes, unsure of what to make of her answer, but even still, he lessened his killing intent.
“Care to explain?” he asked, continuing in that calm voice. The gears in Sunset's mind were working in over-drive, forcing herself to come up with a plausible scenario that wouldn't get her imprisoned...or worse.
“It's complicated,” she announced, brushing hair from her face. “But let's just say Equestria is a place...far away...” Sarutobi just stared at her, that gaze once more burning into her brain. “And the inhabitants of Equestria aren't technically...human.” She had to rack her brain, but she was able to recall the word these beings used to refer to their species. Sarutobi just raised a brow, before moving to his desk, pulling out a pipe.
“If you have a story, I have the time,” he said, sitting once more. Sunset had to fight a smile from surfacing. Oh, she had a story all right. It wasn't going to be totally factual, of course, but it would definitely be a story. She took a deep breath, centering herself. And then she spoke.
“My journal acts as a means of communicating with the Equestrian Princess. I got it as a gift, and once I learned how it worked, I began a correspondence with her. She became a teacher to me.” she began, adding a bow of her head for added humility. “However, in my studies, I came to learn of dark secret the princess had been hiding. A portal, linking Equestria to this place. She wished to rule over this land as well as our own, but found that going through the portal strips her of her powers, and turns Equestrians into humans. Against the shinobi forces of this world, her armies would stand no chance, but she kept the portal, trying to work out a way to truly extend her rule. After I discovered her lust for power, she attempted to cut off contact. I managed to find where the portal enters this world, hoping to find some way to close it.”
She paused for a moment, feigning catching her breath, but in reality, she was thinking of a way to finish her story without any more loose ends then she had already left. “But I wound up traveling to Equestria instead, and Celestia sent her guards after me,” she continued after a moment. “I was lucky to escape back through the portal. The Equestrians wouldn't dare follow me here. In my panic, I ran and must have tripped and gone into the river, where Naruto fished me out...”
Sarutobi listened patiently, showing no emotion as he looked for any sign the girl was lying. This girl... She was smart. She knew how to be specific, yet vague at the same time. She tried to stick to vague speech when she could, never specifically referring to the Elemental Nations as 'home' or 'our' world.
“Can you show me this portal?” the Hokage asked, puffing on his pipe. Sunset appeared hesitant, but nodded.
“Only if we can just walk there. No offense, but if I keep getting dragged along roof-hopping, I'm going to puke.” Despite the severity of the situation, Sarutobi chuckled. “Also,” she continued, “It would probably be best if it was just the two of us. Not that I don't think you can trust your men, but being as important as a portal between worlds is, I wouldn't trust just anyone with the knowledge of where it is.”
While his shinobi side suspected some sort of deception, he knew she was right. Better to keep this classified. Stepping up behind Sunset, he gripped her shoulder tightly, and she let out a yelp as in a swirl of wind, the two vanished.
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“Fascinating,” said Sarutobi, tentatively sinking his hand into what was supposed to be solid stone.
“The portal, if my studies were correct, should only be open until tonight. Then it will close 'for thirty moons,' according to the old texts,” Sunset announced, holding her stomach. Oh, they had walked there alright. But not before the Hokage had used Shunshin to bring them to the middle of the village. Sarutobi nodded absently. All this time, a portal to a new world had been hidden right under his nose. Was that why it had all been so familiar? The name Celestia, ringing through his mind, stuck in like a splinter. He knew he had heard the name before, but each time he tried to recall from where, he came up blank. Every time an answer would come within reach, it would fade away in his mind.
“I will have to keep an eye out. To make sure no human goes through by accident. And none from the other side come through to here,” he muttered to himself, before turning to Sunset. “Unfortunately, Ms. Shimmer, there are several aspects of your story that are impossible to verify. However, you have at the very least been cooperative, and for that, you have earned some leniency. As it is, I cannot merely grant you asylum here.” Seeing her begin to pale as the gravity of those words began to sink in, he raised a calming hand to stop her reaction before it could begin. “However, I can place you under probationary status, so long as one of my shinobi vouches for you. I'm sure Naruto will, of course. Since you are staying with him at least for the moment, he will act as your probation officer.” He watched Sunset's demeanor shift slightly.
“You aren't going to tell him about this, are you?” she asked. “He's...sweet, and I'd prefer him to think of me as the girl he saved, and not 'the weird girl who talks to a book'.” She hoped Sarutobi would take her hesitation as her trying to find the right word, and not as her being disgusted at even saying it. Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, before sighing.
“Perhaps it is best that he not know. The information you have shared will be between us and only between us,” he announced. “If your information is correct, than the portal is about to close, and we can deal with things again once it re-opens.” Sunset nodded, giddy inside. Sure, the Hokage was obviously still suspicious , but she had managed to plant enough doubt in his mind to ensure she could reap the benefits of that doubt.
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With the upcoming Chuunin exams being held in Konoha, shinobi from all villages were flocking to the Village Hidden in the Leaves. The newly formed Sound village was no exception, despite their far more sinister purpose. While the majority of the group from Sound was making their trek on foot, there was one wagon being pulled by horses. Looking out from the covered transport, three pairs of eyes looked on disdainfully at their mode of travel.
“What a pain...” said one of those pairs of eyes, purple in color, her voice laced with irritation. “We couldn't get to Konoha any faster?” Again, she looked toward the beast of burden pulling their wagon. “And they couldn't have picked some other animal to pull this thing? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for enslaving people and equines, but for some reason, I feel a bit insulted.” Another pair of eyes looked at the first. This pair held the hue almost similar to that of a raspberry, and held a far away look.
“I know. These two haven't said a word this whole trip! Talk about rude.” The walking shinobi turned toward the wagon, as from within, the sound of flesh being slapped reverberated through the wooden structure, bringing with it a surprised yelp. “Hey!”
“Ergh, for the last time, except for the 'summon' animals, the animals in this world are not sentient,” the last pair of eyes, a deeper pink than the former, glared. The owner speaking through grit teeth, irritated at the idiocy of her teammates. “Meaning they do. Not. Speak.”
“Doesn't mean you had to hit me...” Sonata Dusk replied, rubbing the back of her head.
“I thought it was a good enough reason,” Aria Blaze replied, almost bored in her tone. Adagio Dazzle rubbed her temples to stave off the migraine that was building beneath her skull. She looked onward to the gates of the village, just peaking over the horizon, imagining how after all was said and done, the payoff for working for the sound village would be great. 'Working for' being a relative term. She and her cohorts worked for no one. Least of all the snake-man who served as the Otokage. Luckily, the trio had a talent for getting what they wanted, for far less than what was asked of them. Once the invasion started, the amount of negative energy would be nearly palpable, with the song amplifying this negativity. And once she and the girls got to singing, powered by the collective energy of three armies, they would absorb enough power to force every being on the planet into submission.
“Soon,” she thought to herself, sliding her thumb over the sleek metal 'sound' forehead protector. “Oh yes. Soon”
Next chapter. Yay! No big note for you, nothing I can say here that can't be said in the comment section, I suppose.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own MLP: FIM
As the morning sun streamed through the window, the eyes of the girl within began to flutter open. Sunset yawned as she attempted to maneuver out of the blinding sun-beams. “Ugh,” she groaned, shoving her head underneath the pillow. “I blame Celestia for this...I don't care if she's in another world...I don't care if she has no power here. This damn sun in my face is somehow her fault, and it's one more things I'm going to get her for,” she thought with disdain. As her eyes began to adjust to the light, she removed her head and turned to her still-sleeping roommate. Only a few inches from her face, she took note for what must have been the hundredth time since arriving in Konoha, his strange whisker-like cheek markings. Ordinarily, these wouldn't have bothered Sunset so. The boy who she slept next to for the last week was only useful insofar as providing her with food and shelter here. But he was the only human she had seen so far that had the markings. It set him apart, and her curiosity would not be sated until she knew why.
As he rolled over a bit, coming into contact with her, she blushed profusely and removed herself from the bed as something poked into her thigh. The past few days she had woken to find Naruto with more than just morning breath. And while her hormones were beginning to balance, something about that always brought to the forefront of her mind, the idea of perhaps actually mating with the blonde. An idea the rational part of her mind found greatly disturbing. Damn that portal, placing her adult mind in the body of a pubescent child. Rubbing her eyes and shaking those thoughts from her, she decided to start her morning as she had the last few, with a shower. A nice, icy-cold shower. Seeing as Naruto was still sleeping...and judging by the blanket tent was having a very nice dream...she simply stripped the pajama's off before picking up her clothes. She sighed, as she looked at them, and the discarded sleep-wear.
She had been wearing the same thing for a week, and while normally, she didn't wear clothing of any kind, it was beginning to bug her. They would need to be washed, and soon, but she had no other clothes. Naruto had promised to take her shopping that week though. Perhaps she could convince him to take a break from his training and make that shopping day today, she thought. Stepping into the tub, she started the water, her toes curling as the cold liquid splashed and waved around them. Bracing herself, she switched to the shower head, and gasped as the cold water began to pelt her body. She felt her skin begin to tighten, bunching into hundreds of tiny goosebumps. She sighed in relief as the strange tensions she had felt moments ago seemed to wash away. Though her nipples did both become erect, it was only from the cold, and not from her body's new instincts.
As the water streamed over her bed-head, matting it down as it became drenched, she absently began trying to mimic the strange hand-signs she had seen Naruto and Kakashi use. Whatever they were, they had to be the key to using human-magic. Sunset believed that perhaps the various combinations served to act as a way to regulate the flow of their magic, in a way not unlike how Unicorns used their horns. If she could figure out how exactly it worked, she'd be much closer to achieving her goals. Something was missing, though. She wasn't sure what. But the human-magic just...felt different than Equestrian equivalent. She'd need someone to teach her, and Naruto might be her only option. Kakashi just gave her an uneasy feeling. The Hokage still didn't truly trust her, and even if he did, he was probably busy with his upcoming event, these 'Chuunin Exams.' But she was sure Naruto could be manipulated into either teaching her, or at the very least provide the proper materials to allow her to learn on her own.
Reaching down, she grabbed the bottle of shampoo given to her by Naruto's teammate, Sakura. While she didn't get to actually meet the girl, it came with a note offering apologies for her having to live with the blonde, as well as the advice that if he tried anything, or got too annoying, to simply whack him in the head. Apparently it must work for her, because when she had read it, Naruto just grumbled and rubbed a spot on the back of his head as though the mere thought of such things induced phantom pains.
Sunset took in the fruity aroma of the hair-care product and sighed in contentment. Whoever Sakura was, she certainly had good taste. She had been provided an assortment of hygiene products from Naruto's female teammate, wrapped in a decorative gift basket. She was a bit disappointed that her human form couldn't stomach the foods she normally ate. She found that out the hard way when she tried to sneak a bite of one of the flowers the girl had also added into the basket. Luckily Naruto had been out training at the time, so he hadn't seen her gag and spit out what would have been a tasty treat to her pony-self. She hated this body. It was awkward and weak, and she didn't know how to use magic. Not usually one for nostalgia, Sunset Shimmer was beginning to feel homesick, if only for the fact that she missed being her talented, Unicorn self, as opposed to her pathetic, human self. But she couldn't go back even if she wanted to. The Portal had sealed the previous night, and wouldn't open again for thirty moons.
Scrubbing the sweet-smelling shampoo intimately into her red-and-blonde locks, she sighed again, though this time, it was not from contentment. Comfort, was what she was missing. She wasn't used to feeling vulnerable and awkward, and it made her severely uncomfortable. She wanted comfort, and she wanted it then and there. Those thoughts began to stew within her, her grin fading into a scowl. She tried desperately to bite her tongue, but she couldn't hold it in. “Naruto!” she shouted, her smile returning for a moment when she heard the satisfying thud that meant her roommate had fallen from the bed to the floor. She wished she could hear his grumbling over the water and through the door. Oh well. She was sure she'd hear plenty of that later.
“What?!” He yelled from behind the bathroom door, rubbing the lump on his head as he heard the water shut off. He began to think maybe saving this girl was going to be the death of him.
“Could we go clothes shopping later?” Sunset asked, trying to sound as sweet and innocent as she could as she began to wrap her mane in a towel, doing the same with the rest of her body. She didn't want a repeat of her first night in the bath. It took her a few tries to learn how to wrap the towel and keep it up, but eventually managed to get it. “Mine are starting to get a bit...rank,” she continued. It took a moment for it to click in Naruto's head, as he was still tired.
“Oh, uh, yeah, I guess so...we can go after breakfast,” the blonde replied. The bathroom door opened and before he even realized what happened, he felt Sunset's lips brush his cheek. Naruto froze as a girl, the girl who was living with him and slept next to him at night, gave him a peck on the cheek.
Sunset thought she might have gone too far, too soon. Naruto had gone totally rigid and she peaked over her shoulder as she walked past him. She finally turned away and smirked darkly when she saw him rub his cheek gently, a dopey smile and blush creeping across his face. Just like she learned in all those psychology classes back at school. Classical Conditioning. If he gave into her, he'd get a small 'treat.' If he did not, he would get nothing. Once he was more comfortable, she could begin instigating punishment for failure as well. By the time she was done, the boy would be her obedient little lap-dog.
As Naruto slunk into the bathroom to perform his own morning ritual, Sunset quickly got dressed, her nose crinkling a bit at the smell beginning to permeate her clothing. She scowled. It wasn't easy to keep up the charade, and what made it even worse is that she had not had a single cup of coffee the entire week she had been in the human world. It was starting to make her irritable. Hopefully when they went out shopping, she could find a store or stand that sold the glorious brew, or at least a decent equivalent. It probably wasn't the healthiest drink of choice, but it helped keep her up for cram sessions during her studies. Unlike her mentor, who drank hers rarely, and with heavy cream and sugar, Sunset drank hers black as the night. The pony who ran her regular coffee shop would usually make some crack about how, for Sunset, she made it extra strong for her, so as to 'blacken her teeth and rot her stomach.' That coffee pony was the only mare in Canterlot Sunset didn't hold any real disdain for. But then, the only thing the Coffee Mare did to annoy her was speak at a rate she had never heard before. How anypony could speak that fast was a mystery, but considering she drank almost as much coffee as she sold, it was likely the constant caffeine rush. She made a killer cup of Coffee though...
A hand on her shoulder made her jump, and she turned to see Naruto, properly dressed and prepared for the day, if not a bit tired. It's not that she couldn't understand why. Every moment not spent with her, and even some spent together, had been spent training for these 'Chuunin Exams.' And as they were beginning tomorrow, he was probably worked into a frenzy beneath those tired eyes. Oh to be young and insecure, Sunset thought, remembering when she used to become a wreck before tests and exams. She hadn't done so since she was filly.
After an uneventful breakfast of some instant-ramen for Naruto and a bit of fruit for Sunset --- brought to her by Kakashi, who knew she'd never survive on Naruto's Ramen-only diet --- the two set out on their quest to buy some new clothes for Sunset Shimmer.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Naruto grumbled as he handed over the very last of the money from his frog wallet to pay for his and Sunset's lunch. Said girl smiled brightly as she put down her numerous bags of clothing and took a seat at the ramen stand. “I really appreciate this, Naruto,” Sunset announced, leaning her head onto Naruto's shoulder, causing Naruto to blush, while the girl taking their orders gave the two a sly look. She chose not to say anything though, instead relaying their orders to her father, the ramen chef. She'd already grilled Naruto for info on his new girlfriend, who he insisted was not his girlfriend.
“Well, I did promise, after all. And I guess I could understand not wanting to wear sweaty, dirty clothes all the time...” he replied, and Sunset noticed for a fraction of a second that he sneaked a look at his own garments, themselves sweaty and dirty.
“Why didn't you get anything for yourself while we were out?” Sunset questioned. When Naruto raised an eyebrow, she cleared her throat, before clarifying her question. “I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the orange since...um, but you've probably been wearing that jumpsuit since before you pulled me from the water. Don't you get uncomfortable after a while without washing it?” Truth be told, she didn't really mind his clothing. Back in Equestria, the colors were so vibrant and bright, while everything in the human realm was rather dull and drab. Naruto's clothes, while probably not really suited for the line of work that Ninja's were in, offered at least a touch of familiarity to Sunset. And she did, in fact, appreciate his love of orange...after all, while a different shade, her natural coat color was orange, and it was also the combined result of her twin mane colors...
Naruto blushed, suddenly noticing an itch growing across his back. “I guess I just never really noticed,” he replied. “When you're a ninja, you spend most of your time training or on missions. No time to be worried about how your clothes smell or feel, unless it interferes with your missions...and thanks, by the way. Everyone usually gets on my case about the orange.” Sunset smiled slightly. Good, she thought. She'd just need to keep it up and soon he'd be eating out of her hoof...or hand, she supposed. She couldn't really get used to thinking of herself as human, despite rapidly training herself to refer to things in human terms.
As their ramen arrived, Sunset's eye twitched ever so slightly. That was another thing she'd been having trouble getting used to...chopsticks. To be fair, she had gotten a basic grasp of using them, But while the dexterity in her fingers was improving, she couldn't understand the usage of the eating utensils in any practical sense, and it caused no shortage of irritation. It was as if the species had specifically crafted them to spite any creature without hands. She quietly ate her noodles, savoring the flavor, while next to her, Naruto quickly scarfed his food. Despite herself, she couldn't fight a genuine smile watching the boy next to her devour his food. She didn't know why she found it amusing. Naruto had finished his two bowls by the time she had begun to drain her broth. While she couldn't understand how he could eat it for every meal of the day, she had to admit, she was developing a fondness for dish. She'd have to get the recipe. When she finally returned to Equestria, triumphant as an ascended Alicorn Princess, she'd have her personal cook add it to his own recipes.
“Well, personally, I like your clothes,” Sunset finished as she likewise finished her broth. But maybe next time we go shopping, we can find something else you can wear for training, and something to wear when we're just hanging around your apartment?” Naruto looked uncertain for a moment, before Sunset unleashed her secret weapon. A peck on the cheek. Just like that morning, a small smile graced Naruto's lips and he nodded his consent.
“Sunset Shimmer, you certainly know how to work that boy,” Ayame laughed, and even her father chuckled, neither noticing one of their other customers perking up at the declaration. As the transformed unicorn and the blonde ninja left the stand, said customer stood and ran out, watching the two as they walked, but not following. As she re-entered and took her seat, she took note of the curious gazes she was met with.
“What was that all about,” Aria asked, but was cut off by a signal from Adagio that clearly called for her to be silent, before she requested a container to take the rest of her meal to-go. Sonata and Aria shared a confused look before quickly following suit, packing up their remaining ramen to eat later. Adagio was half-way down the street when her fellow sirens caught up to her.
“So what's up, Adagio,” Sonata asked. “What's the big rush?”
“We need to find that girl,” their self-proclaimed leader announced. “The one who left right before us.”
“The one who was getting all touchy-feely with her boyfriend?” Aria scoffed. “What exactly is so important about her that we had to leave before finishing?” Adagio's eye twitched slightly as she glared at Aria.
“Who cares about the stinking ramen?!” she demanded, ignoring the massive sneeze someone down the way had let loose. “The only reason we're bothering to eat real food is because we can't afford to draw Konoha's attention to our...other method of sustenance. But that's not the point! Did you not hear what the waitress called her?” Aria was about to retort, but realized that no, she hadn't actually heard it. Sonata, likewise, hadn't been paying attention at the time and just shrugged.
Adagio just palmed her face. She would tell them both later. Right now, she needed to focus on finding the girl. The humans might not have realized the name's significance, but Adagio knew better. It was definitely an Equestrian name, meaning the red-and-blonde-haired girl either had some ties to Equestria, or more likely, was from Equestria herself. Standing on her tip-toes, she managed to see the two rounding a corner, and took off at a sprint, darting through the crowded street, her fellow sirens barely keeping pace. Turning, she just stared at the two in annoyance. “Are you both coming?”
“Yeah, yeah, don't get your panties in a twist...” Aria demanded, growing more and more frustrated with Adagio's lack of answers. “But it would be really nice to know why we're following those two. You know, the last time we did anything 'spur of the moment' like this, we ended up banished.”
“Well, technically, we nearly took over Canterlot, and then we got banished,” Sonata reminisced, before having Aria slap her hand over the blue-haired girls' lips, preventing her from speaking further.
“Don't talk about that in the open, in an enemy village, you airhead!” she hissed. She took her hand off of the girl's face only when Sonata released a muffled apology. Adagio grabbed both of them by the wrists, sick of waiting for them to keep up, and instead, pulled them along with her. If this girl was indeed Equestrian, it would definitely be worth the trouble of chasing after the two. She still just barely had a line-of-sight with them, but luckily as they moved clear of the shopping district, the crowds began to thin, allowing them to more easily keep pace. They continued following, trying their best to make it look casual in their gait, and eventually managed to trail the two all the way back to the apartment that they were apparently sharing.
Adagio committed the location to memory, making a mental note to return, hopefully when this 'Sunset Shimmer' was alone, so she could have a little 'chat' with her. Nodding, she turned and walked past Sonata and Aria, both of who looked a bit irritated at having just arrived, only to turn back to the Inn the Sound teams were staying in. Aria's fists began to clench and un-clench dangerously as her eye began to twitch. Sonata, while still miffed to some degree, just wanted to know what exactly they were doing running around the village, instead of just finishing their ramen...their delicious...delicious ramen.
“Well, great. What, does she chase us now?” Aria asked, her voice laced with snark. “What was that all about anyway? What's so special about that girl?”
“I'll explain once we get back to our room, away from prying eyes and ears,” she replied.
“Oh, good, cause between the food and the running around, I could use a nap,” Sonata announced, wiping her brow. Aria scoffed.
“It's a good thing we're not actually competing in the exams. You wouldn't last half-an-hour,” she said, causing Sonata to blush and puff out her cheeks in a pout.
“Yeah, like you'd do any better,” replied the blue-haired siren.
“Would you two just keep from speaking until we get back to the Inn?” Adagio stated rather calmly, despite her mood. The two other sirens opened their mouths and made to talk back, before Adagio whipped around, hitting them both with a searing glare that even forced Aria to swallow her next words. Reigning in her expressed fury for the moment, Adagio sighed in temporary contentment at finally having her companions be silent for a moment.
Of course, now the two scared-silent sirens were even more intrigued by just what it was Adagio was waiting to share with them.
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Sunset lay sprawled across Naruto's couch, digging through his scroll collection for anything that could give her some edge in this world. There were many references to chakra, and she could see that while similar in many respects to magic, the two had separate, volatile properties that were mutually exclusive. Chakra was an internalized energy that while ambient in nature, was a by-product of it, not its creator. Magic was different. It shaped and guided reality, with the various ponies simply utilizing the magic either passively, or actively in the cases of unicorns and alicorns. Magic was a creator. Chakra was the created. There was no telling what could happen if magic and chakra were allowed to truly co-exist in one world, which was probably why the mirror had a fail-safe, closing after three days.
Of course, it was all speculation on Sunset's part. She wasn't really likely to find out what happened when magic was introduced to a magic-less plane. The good news was, if the portal had made her human, it had likely given her a human's chakra network, and thus, learning to use the power of these shinobi. She looked up suddenly at a sudden knock on the door. Looking down at herself, she scowled. “Great,” she growled under her breath. “Just when you get comfortable, someone shows up and makes you put on clothes.” The naked girl stood, tucking the scrolls beneath the couch cushions as she slipped on a simple, burnt-orange tee-shirt, with some brown sweat-pants. Not the cutest choice, but she hadn't expected to see anyone but Naruto for the rest of the day.
Stepping up to the door, she cracked it open, revealing three smiling girls, each wearing a headband like Naruto, though theirs had musical notes on them rather than the stylized leaf on the blonde's. “Um, hi?” she said, trying not to sound too rude. She didn't know these people, so better not to upset them. “Are you here to see Naruto? Cause he's gone out to train.” One of the girls, with an almost orange hair-color, gripped the doorframe, leaning into Sunset.
“Actually, Sunset Shimmer, we're here to see you,” she replied, and Sunset's eyes narrowed.
“How did you- How do you know my name?” she asked, defensively. The three girls just shared a look, before returning those intense gazes and Cheshire grins to Sunset.
“Now, now, let's not get off to a bad start,” the apparent leader of the little band continued. “After all, we Equestrians have to stick together, right?” To her credit, Sunset didn't bat an eye, but her mind was still going a mile-a-minute. As the girls got in closer, Sunset's expression never changed from the cold indifference.