The Start of Sunset and Sunny's Super Salty Sushi Shack
Sunny Flare carefully tied the cotton fabric around her waist. Taking a deep breath, she stared at the reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was a little heavy, but it wasn't a cause for concern. Sunny stood in the girls' bathroom at Crystal Prep; school had just ended, so she had quickly changed from her school uniform to her new work uniform.
"Hurry up, Sunny!" Indigo Zap tapped her foot on the marble walls. "You can't be late for your first day on the job!"
"Oh yippee." Sunny rolled her eyes at Indigo's impatience. "Thanks for recommending me for the job, Indigo."
"Anytime, gurl," Indigo replied cheerfully as they walked out of school. "Lemon Zest and I might come by later, see how you're adjusting."
"Thanks. For coming to see me and driving me, too."
"I would've applied for the job myself, but I have a bajillion sports," Indigo continued. "Making sushi sounds so metal! Fish guts everywhere, right?"
"Yes, I'm definitely looking forward to the fish guts." Careful, Sunny, don't let loose your inner Sour Sweet. "At least I won't have to do it on my own. Ms. Arigato told me that another girl also signed up to work the sushi truck on the same days as me."
"Fish-slicing competition!" Indigo sighed wistfully. By now, they had pulled out of the parking lot and were on their way downtown, where Sunny's work waited.
Sunny chuckled. "I'll have to deal with annoying customers, though."
"No more annoying than Principal Cinch!" Indigo countered. Sunny snickered.
They talked over the hum of the engine as they sped through downtown Canterlot. Soon, Sunny's new work came into view.
"This is my stop," Sunny remarked, grabbing her backpack. "I'll see you in a few hours, Zap."
"Got it, Flare." Indigo winked as Sunny stepped out. "By the way, you look really hot in that outfit."
"Indigo!" Sunny protested. Indigo cackled as she sped off, leaving Sunny alone to start her job.
Arigato Sushi was a pink truck with a sloped roof. The wheels were painted like smiling sushi, and the entire thing screamed kawaii (Not that Sunny was into kawaii stuff, it was all Lemon Zest). Miss Arigato, the owner of the shop, had instructed Sunny to go through the back door. She had explained how to operate all the machines during the interview last week.
Sunny set her backpack down outside the door and stepped inside. A copy of the menu hung next to the window. The cash register sat directly below the menu, waiting to be stuffed with bills. Several cases of frozen fish were stacked on the right side, and a pot of rice simmered on the stove. Next to the fish, a girl had her back to Sunny, scrubbing her hands in the sink. Her hair was tucked in a bun and she wore the same smock as Sunny, except hers was a bright blue, while Sunny wore a magenta variation.
"Good afternoon," Sunny remarked, stepping inside. "My name's Sunny Flare-"
"Sunny Flare?" The girl turned around, revealing a familiar face. Sunny would know those teal eyes anywhere.
"Sunset Glimmer?" Sunny's mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Sunset dried her hands with a towel. "It's Shimmer, actually. Wow, I mean... what are the odds?" Sunset chuckled. "I haven't seen you since that slumber party Twilight had."
"Yeah, that." Sunny remembered all too well what Sunset was talking about. Sunny had been downright cruel to Twilight (not to mention the rest of the Wondercolts). "It's complicated, but I hope you realize I am sorry."
"You only apologized like twenty times on MyStable." Sunset smirked. "No worries, I've done way worse."
Sunny shrugged. "So, why are you here, dearie? And how'd you get here before me? Canterlot High is way further than CPA."
Sunset brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "CHS gets out earlier than CPA, so I had more time. I'm here to make some revenue, same as you. I need something to pay the bills."
"Alright." Sunny vaguely remembered that Sunset was from a magic horse world, but she didn't pursue the subject. "Enough chitchat, we should begin work."
"You can take orders, I'm content cooking," Sunset answered. She reached past Sunny and slid the window open. "Arigato Sushi is open for business!"
Customers immediately crowded around the window. Sunny began taking orders. Most people were there for sushi, so Sunset was kept busy. After five orders, Sunset asked, "Sunny, can you chop up some peppers and carrots while you order?"
"Sure, if you give me some," Sunny answered as she deposited coins into the register. Clink.
Sunset tossed a full pepper to Sunny. Sunny began to chop, keeping her eyes on her customers. "Welcome to Arigato Sushi, how may I help you?"
"Can I have, uh, the raw fish thing?" A teen boy asked in a dazed tone.
"You mean the sashimi, honey?" Sunny asked sweetly.
"Ya. Also I want a fortune cookie?"
"We don't sell fortune cookies."
"Sunny, here's that sashimi." Sunset passed a disposable tray to Sunny, covered with tempting slices of meat.
"That was fast," Sunny muttered. Sunset winked and resumed stirring rice and rolling seaweed.
"What do you mean you don't sell fortune cookies?" The guy scratched his head in confusion.
"Just pay for your sashimi," Sunny responded.
The guy pulled out a crumpled ten dollar bill and threw it at Sunny. He yanked the sashimi tray from her grasp and strolled away.
"Hey, wait! You forgot your change!" Sunny called, waving the bill he had left. But the boy was too far gone, so Sunny sighed and set the money aside.
The next person requested three dishes of sushi. By now, Sunny's mouth was parched from talking, and the sushi Sunset was preparing looked pretty tasty.
"Sunset," Sunny whispered, "can you sneak me a sushi?"
Sunset shot Sunny the stink-eye. "We can't cheat a customer out of their sushi."
"The woman ordered eighteen!" Sunny hissed as she rummaged around for change. "She can survive without one!"
"I'll set aside some sushi for you," Sunset sighed.
"Excuse me? Why are you taking so long?" demanded the customer, clutching her purse indignantly.
"Our chef is hard at work," Sunny assured her. "Even though Wondercolts don't know the meaning of work. Here's your change, ma'am!"
"What did you just say?" Sunset asked as she passed the order to the customer.
Without looking up, Sunny smugly replied, "You heard me."
"I've worked harder than you ever have," Sunset whispered under her breath.
"Next!" Sunny called loudly, ignoring Sunset entirely.
As the customer recited his order, Sunny felt a thunk hit the back of her neck. Slowly, Sunny reached behind her to feel her temple. When she pulled back, there was a large clump of wasabi on her fingers.
"Did you just throw wasabi on my hair?!" Sunny shrieked, whirling around to face Sunset.
"Oops, my hand slipped." Sunset chuckled. "Green is definitely your color, Sunny."
"You little brat!" Sunny seethed. "That's disgusting!"
"You better get back to your customer," Sunset retorted as she began to slice up another fish. "He's probably pretty impatient by now."
Still annoyed, Sunny returned to the rightfully aggravated customer and forced a smile as she took his order.
They filled order after order, until eventually there was a lull in the crowd.
"How many more hours until our shift ends?" Sunny asked, taking a bite out of a sushi roll.
"Two hours," Sunset replied matter-of-factly. "Want to switch up? I'll take customers and you make the stuff."
"Sure," Sunny answered. "I don't want to deal with another question about fortune cookies."
Sunset and Sunny swapped places. As she did so, Sunny stepped on something slimy.
"Ew!" she shrieked, bouncing on one foot. "I just stepped on a rat!"
Sunset giggled. "Do you really think that was a rat, Sunny?"
Sunny's eye twitched. "Rats carry diseases, and I'd rather not get infected." She glanced down at the ground. There was no rat, only a deformed fish that displayed its crushed innards. "...Oh. Well," she huffed, "I might get salmonella!"
"Your mess, you clean it up," Sunset reasoned as two new customers approached the stand. "Hi, welcome to Arigato Sushi, how may I help you?"
Sunny gingerly threw the fish outside, then returned and washed her hands in the sink.
"Sunny, do we have any anko paste?" Sunset called over her shoulder. "Check in the cupboards."
Sunny bent down and retrieved a sealed bowl filled with azuki beans. "Yes, but it'll take a bit to make."
Sunset conversed with the customer, then relayed the information back to Sunny. "She doesn't mind the wait."
Sunny busied herself with the red bean paste while Sunset chatted with the customer. Sunny soon finished the dish and passed it on to Sunset.
Suddenly, Sunset turned back to Sunny, a look of panic in her eyes. "Sunny? Can you take over the customers for a little bit?" Without waiting for a response, Sunset wrapped her arms around Sunny's waist and shoved her to the front.
"Why?" Sunny asked, peering out the window. No suspicious magical monster in sight.
Sunset sighed. "There's some girls walking by, and long story short... they'd be mad if they caught me anywhere near fish."
Sunny zeroed in on the girls in question. Three girls were walking down the sidewalk, each with outrageous hair and heavy makeup. One had orange curls, one had a blue ponytail longer than Sour Sweet's, and one had purple pigtails. "Well, Sunset Shimmer, I suppose it would be a shame if someone were to..." Sunny grinned maliciously, "...call them over here."
"Please don't!" Sunset adjusted her bun anxiously. "You Crystal Preppers are meaner than I ever was!"
Sunny smirked. "I'm joking, Sunset Shimmer. We're going to be working here together from now on, I don't want you mad at me." She winked. "Yet."
Sunset inhaled. "I'm staying in the back until they leave, okay? Okay."
Sunny turned to face the window, only to be met by an enraged old lady. "Excuse me? I have been waiting her patiently for almost three minutes! You teenagers need to shut your traps and serve your customers, like you're supposed to be doing!"
"Apologies, ma'am," Sunny answered smoothly, ignoring the tick in her left eyelid. "What can I get for you?"
"Nothing!" fumed the woman. "I am speaking to your manager about your incompetence!" She glared at Sunny and hobbled away.
"Yeesh," said the next customer, stepping forward. "She sure was a hag."
"Indigo!" Sunny laughed, fist bumping her friend. "Sorry you had to see that. Hi, Lemon!"
Lemon, who stood next to Indigo, was too focused on her headphones to do anything other than wave.
"Sunny, let's get going!" Sunset reminded her.
"I'll have some sushi," Indigo order casually. "Lemon and I are gonna stick around 'till your shift ends, by the way. See how things go."
"Wow, thanks." Sunny took Indigo's money and deposited it into the cash register. "Hey, guess who I'm working with?"
"Who?" Indigo leaned in, trying to glimpse Sunny's coworker. "Hey, isn't that the magical bacon girl from Canterlot High?"
"The one and only?" Sunset winked from the stove.
"Ewww!" Indigo recoiled, grabbing Lemon's hand in disgust. Lemon raised an eyebrow. "That's so nasty, Sunny!"
"You haven't spent as much time with the Wondercolts as I have." Indigo and Lemon had been absent from the post-Friendship Games slumber party fiasco. "It's not too bad. Except for the part where she threw wasabi at my hair." Sunny turned to show off the dried spot of wasabi. Sunset giggled.
"Nice, Sunny!" Lemon Zest cackled, speaking for the first time since her arrival.
Indigo smirked. "I see you're having fun with the Wondercolt."
"Honestly, we should try to be friends." Sunny smiled and rolled her eyes.
Sunset laughed. "My friends and I are happy to spread the magic of friendship to anyone who seeks it!"
"Such a cliche!" Sunny taunted.
"Anyways, here's your sushi," Sunset said, passing the tray through the window. "Enjoy!"
"Yas!" Lemon squealed. She scooped up two rolls and popped them into her mouth. "Yum!"
"Lemon!" Sunny scolded. "That's not polite!"
Lemon Zest winked. Indigo grinned. "See you later, Sunny!" They stepped out of line to finish the rest of their dish.
The rest of Sunny and Sunset's shift was uneventful. Wasabi, sushi, sashimi, wasabi, sushi, sashimi. Before they knew it, it was time to close shop.
"So, what did you think of our first day?" Sunset asked, sliding the window shut.
"Good," Sunny responded evenly. "Would have been better if not for your wasabi stunt."
Sunset chuckled. She washed her hands under the warm sink water. "You can leave, if you want. I'll finish closing up."
"Okay." Sunny paused at the doorway. "I'll see you tomorrow, Sunset."
"See ya." Sunset grinned.
Sunny picked up her bags and headed over to the table where Indigo and Lemon were waiting. Indigo was tapping away on her phone, while Lemon Zest had her eyes shut, listening to her music.
"Ready to go, girls?" Sunny asked, looming over them.
"Ya." Indigo stood up. "That sushi was delicious, Sunny. Like, can you make some more?"
"Tomorrow," Sunny promised. "For now, I just need to go home and start my homework."
Indigo, Lemon, and Sunny walked over to Indigo's car. As she got in, Sunny looked back at the sushi shop. It would be her new home for the next few weeks.
Author's Note
Buy it today!
There are several references to the chapter book Twilight's Sparkly Sleepover Surprise, in case you don't understand the "slumber party fiasco" Sunny mentions.
I might publish bonus chapters if people are interested.
