> Sunset Shimmer vs. The Gauntlet of Villains
>  by Brian Sheil
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Let the Challenge Begin!
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunset Shimmer made her way downtown to a brand new escape room challenge. As she went inside the building, she was waiting to try this new game. From another room, somebody watches a monitor. As Sunset stood in line, she was then grabbed by two figures that look like hazmat workers. After dragging her down a hall, the hazmat workers threw Sunset into a strange room.
As Sunset recovered, she heard a familiar female voice. “Welcome to the game, Sunset.”
Sunset saw that she was in what looks like a Police interrogation room. She looks at herself in the mirror. Suddenly, the image of a familiar face appeared in the mirror.
“Adagio?” Sunset blurted.
“That’s right.” Adagio answered. “Looks like we got you.”
Sunset saw the two hazmat workers join Adagio Dazzle. They were revealed to be her cohorts, Sonata Dusk and Aria Blaze.
“Hey!” Sunset demanded. “What’s going on?”
“We heard that your coming to this place.” Aria informed. “So, we decided to set up a little challenge of our own.”
“Like most escape room challenges,” Sonata said, “You need to use your wits and other attributes to escape each room. It’s straightforward, and if you reach the end, you’re free.”
“There’s one catch.” Adagio added. “You’ll also need to get past ten of the most dastardly desperados that ever stood between a teenager and her freedom.”
Adagio’s image disappears as a door opened in the back of the room. Sunset is a little weary. Those girls are still upset about what happened at the battle of the bands.
Sunset enters the door, and it closes. As she looks around her surroundings, she looks like she’s in a room where police practice their sharp shooting. Suddenly, she heard machine gun fire, and ducked down to the floor. She then notices small lead pellets on the floor.
“Some one is firing a BB gun.” Sunset thought out loud. 
Sunset looks up, and sees a hefty man wearing a marigold colored trench coat over a brown business suit. He’s also wearing a black tie, black shoes, and a marigold fedora on his hat. One look, and she got worried.
“Sweet Celestia!” Sunset gasped. “Alphonse, the Gangster!”
“If you want to get past me, sweetheart,” Alphonse announced, “just hit the bullseye over my head.”
Sunset soon saw some baseballs on the floor, stored in a basket. “If I can get close, I can throw these balls to the target. But, I have to avoid those ball bearings Alphonse shoots.”
Taking the basket, Sunset zips to avoid the rapid fire of Alphonse. As soon as she was behind a barrier, she throws a baseball hard. It hit the bullseye, and the gangster gets hit with steam as a door opens next to him. Sunset rushes over and goes through the door.
“That’s takes care of you, sweetheart.” Sunset said as the door closes. 
She now finds herself in a brick layered room, like in medieval stories. As she looks around, a realistic looking blade struck the floor, and scared her. That blade is of an axe belonging to a muscular man wearing a black executioner style outfit complete with a hood. 
“Bruno: The Headsman!” Sunset gasped.
“Try to get past me, young one.” Bruno said with a growling low voice.
Sunset soon looked around, and saw a hole in the floor. It might be away out. Bruno gave chase, swinging his ax as he goes. Seeing a chance, Sunset ducks behind a pole, stuck her leg out, and trips the Headsman. As Bruno recovers, Sunset finds a secret in the hole.
“There’s a spiral staircase.” Sunset said. “Going down.”
Sunset went down the stairway, as Bruno stood up, and watch her vanish. “Oh, phooey!”
At the bottom of the stairs, Sunset sees a door that leads to what looks like a bridge. But, guarding the door is a creepy man wearing a tuxedo with a carnation on the left of the jacket. He has black hair and a curly mustache. He wore a top hat and a flowing cape.
“Great!” Sunset grunted harshly. “Mr. Van Louse: the Landlord.”
“Greetings, young one.” Van Louse greeted. “If you want to cross the bridge, it will cost you.”
Sunset was miffed. “How much?”
“My payment is the answer to this little riddle. ‘What’s the beginning of every ending and the end of every race? It’s the beginning of all eternity, and the end of time and space’.”
Sunset started to think about what the landlord said. Thirty seconds later, she spoke. “I got it. The letter E!”
“If what you say is true,” Van Louse said, “Then what’s your logic?”
The red and yellow haired girl gave her answer. “E is the first letter of the words ‘Ending’ and ‘Eternity’. And, the last letter in the words ‘race’, ‘time’, and ‘space’.
“Well done, my dear.” Van Louse cheered as he stepped aside. “Proceed to your next challenge.”
Sunset walks through the door and onto the bridge. I guess Mr. Van Louse isn’t so bad after all.
As she crossed the bridge, she went through the door. Just then, she looked at the walls. It was digital images of fire, the temperature was hot. At to her left side, Sunset saw a bald man wearing a roman type robe and playing a harp.
"Oh no!" Sunset gasped. "Nero, the Fiddler!"
"That is correct." The villain responded. "Try to cool this place down."
Sunset looked around, getting nervous. Soon, she saw what looks like a valve used in showers.
Hmmm, if something like this can change the temperature in a shower,"  Sunset thought, "it can cool this room. And, hopefully, put Nero in his place.
Feeling the valve, it was indeed hot. Taking off her leather jacket, she used her shirt as an oven mitt. She turned the valve. Soon, the digital flames faded away, and the temperature started to get cooler. 
"Okay." Sunset said in relief.
Not needing to rely on her shirt now, she continued to turn the valve. Now, ice is displayed on the screens. The temps dropped and got Nero upset. "Brrr. This is too cold for me. I'm leaving!"
The Fiddler left the area, and the passageway he guarded revealed a ladder. Sunset puts her jacket back on, and starts climbing it. She reached the top, and found herself in what looks like a funeral home. 
"Oh boy." Sunset quivered. "I wonder who I'll run into here."
Suddenly, a coffin started to open. From it rises an elderly man with dark gray hair and almost white skin. He wore a dark blue suit with white shirt and a black tie and shoes. He stood up to display his dark purple cape. When Sunset saw that he has fangs, she knew who she's facing. "Count Nibbleneck: The Vampire!"
"Greetings, child." The vampire greeted frightently. "I'm in the mood for a bite!"
As Count Nibbleneck reached for Sunset, she darted past him. Seeing a door, she opened it and went on through. She then slammed it on his face. "Not today, fang face!"
Sunset found herself in a bare room lined with stone. Then, she saw a hulking form of what looks like man with light green skin. And wearing an orange outfit with brown boots. When she saw bolts sticking out of this creature’s neck, she knew it was a Frankenstein type monster.
Soon, a sort bald man in a brown room entered the room. He stood by the monster.
“Frank, and his friend, Stein.” Sunset figured. “Two creeps for the fright of one.”
The short man, Stein, pointed to Sunset. “After her, Frank!”
The monster growled. “Raaaaar! Okay, boss!”
Frank chased Sunset. She was amazed that Frank can keep up with her. Spotting a bucket, Sunset grabbed it, and quickly put it over Frank’s head.
“Hey!” Frank shouted as he ran about. “Who turned out the lights?”
“Hang on, Frank!” Stein shouted as he ran over to his monster. 
Seeing a chance, Sunset saw a door outline, pushed the wall, and the section revolved, helping Sunset escape. The maiden finds herself at a western bar.
“Now, I’m in a western movie?” Sunset thought out loud.
Shots were fired and Sunset ducked behind the bar. She then saw some small steel balls on the floor. “More ball bearings? Who’s the shooter now?”
Sunset peeled from the side, and saw her answer. It’s a young man with scruffy light brown hair, and has a flat white hat on. He wore a light blue long sleeve shirt, red bandanna around his neck, blue jeans, black boots with spurs, and a belt with gun holsters.
“Of course.” Sunset figured as she ducked back. “Kid Rotten: The Outlaw.”
Putting away his BB shooting six shooters, Kid Rotten marches to the bar.
“Better come out, you varmint.” Kid Rotten calls out. “I’m-a comin’ to get ya.”
Sneaking from the side, Sunset grabs a bottle and sneaks up to the outlaw.
“Hey, Kid Rotten!” Sunset called.
As the outlaw turned, Sunset hits him with the bottle. As he tries to recover, Sunset grabs a wooden stool and smashes it on him. She rushes to the swinging doors and says goodbye to her host. “Adios, sucker!”
Exiting the room, Sunset sees a slide and slides down. When she reached the bottom, she sees a table in the next room with a bag underneath. Then, she sees a figure in front of an elevator.
This person is a big burly man with a gruffly beard. He has a patch over his right eye, and wears a blue military style jacket over a red and white striped shirt. He has on bulky yellow pants with brown stripes. 
He has only one black boot because he has a wooden leg. When Sunset sees a parrot on his shoulder and a captain’s hat on his head, she realized who it is.
“Jeremy Swash: The Pirate.” Sunset figured.
“Ahoy, matey.” The pirate greeted. “Here be your challenge. There be 16 tiles in that bag over there. When assembled right, they form me treasure map. When that’s done, you’re welcome to ride this elevator.”
“Aak!” The parrot squawked. “Good luck.”
Opening the bag, Sunset places the tiles on the table. Seeing these tiles have lines and other patterns, she starts places the tiles down and studies them. Soon, she sees a pattern, and starts to put the puzzle together. After about three minutes, Sunset said that she was done. The parrot looked at the results.
“Puzzle completed.” The parrot squawked. “Puzzle completed.”
Jeremy Swash walks to the table, and sees the picture.
“Well done, lass.” Jeremy Swash praised. “You solved me puzzle. Now, I can find me treasure.” He soon showed Sunset an elevator door. “Go right ahead.”
Happy, Sunset walks to the elevator. The door opens, and she walks in. “See you later, Captain Swash.”
The door closes, and the elevator goes up.
As soon as the elevator door opened, Sunset finds herself in a room filled with monitors.
"With all of these screens," Sunset thought out loud, "there must be computer equipment in this room. I have a feeling I'll be facing a genius. And, I think I know who it is."
"Hello, young lady!" Called the voice of a squeaky sounding man.
Sunset saw a slender man with white hair of the sides of his head. He has on a white lab coat over a white shirt and black tie. He also wore blue business pants and black shoes. He adjusted his glasses to see Sunset Shimmer. "Nice of you to join me for my experiment."
"I thought so." Sunset figured. "Dr. Deranged: The Mad Scientist!"
"Correct, Miss Shimmer." Dr. Deranged replied. "Have I got a challenge for you?"
He turned on a screen, and presented pictures of six ponies. Sunset recognized them "Hey! It's Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends from Equestria."
"That's right." The scientist let out a nasty laugh. "I believe Equestria is where YOU'RE originally from. Right?"
Sunset was shocked to hear that. "You did research on me. Haven't you?"
"Yes, I did. I must say, you look pretty beautiful as a unicorn."
Dr. Deranged then brought up six symbols under the ponies. He explained the challenge. "These ponies, collectively known as the Mane Six, are associated with  these Cutie Mark Symbols. You need to match these symbols to these ponies correctly. Good luck."
Looking at the screen, Sunset starts to think.
"Twilight is no problem." Sunset said as she touched Twilight's head and drew a line with her finger to a magenta star surrounded by six sparkles. "Now for the rest."
She connected Applejack to the three apples, connected Fluttershy with the butterflies, Rarity with the three blue diamonds, Pinkie Pie with the party balloons, and Rainbow Dash with the cloud and colorful lightning bolt. The screen flashed green, meaning Sunset won the challenge. The mad scientist was shocked.
"What?!" The doctor yelped."How did you do that so well? I know you and Princess Twilight Sparkle are connected. But, how did you manage to figure out the rest?"
"That's easy, Dr. Deranged." Sunset replied. "When I see those ponies, I think of my friends."
"Oh, the ponies' human counterparts. Clever thinking, Sunset Shimmer." He pressed a button, and a door opened to his left. "Go on to your final challenge."
Sunset went to the door and readied herself. Okay, this is it. My tenth and final challenge awaits.
The doors opened, and Sunset finds herself in a dungeon. There’s a door to the far side of the room. But, in the room was a bubbling cauldron. Stirring liquid in it is an old woman with white hair. She wore a long brown gown, a plaid shawl, and a pointed hat. There’s a black cat on her shoulder.
“My final challenge is against,” Sunset figures as she begins to panic, “Lucretia: The Witch!”
“That’s right, dearie.” Lucretia replied. “You’ll need to get past me to head for the exit!” She grabs her broom, and aims it at Sunset. “Try to dodge these!”
The witch fires lightning from her broom. Sunset dodged every zap. But, she’s staring to get worried.
If I don’t get past that sorceress, Sunset thought as bolts keep getting zapped, I’ll never get out of here!
Just then, she sees a large mirror on the floor near her. This gives her an idea. Waiting for Lucretia to strike, she raises the mirror. A lightning bolt comes out, and she raises the mirror. This bounces the piece of electricity back to the witch. 
“Oh no!” Lucretia yelped. “It’s coming back!”
Her black cat hopped off as the bolt strikes Lucretia. The witch gets zapped, allowing Sunset to sneak past her. Seeing a door, Sunset goes through it. She then realized that’s she’s outside.
“Hey. I made it! I’m free!” Sunset Shimmer cheered as she gets out her smartphone. “Hello, police? Can you come to the Escape Challenge building? There are some unscrupulous characters that are not supposed to be there.”  


THE END