Kamen Rider: Fire and Steel

by thunderclap

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Equestria Girls, Kamen Rider, Sunset Shimmer, Main 7 (EqG), Profanity, Sugarcoat, Violence, Twilight Sparkle (EqG), Human, Drama, Mystery
Length: 40355

Canterlot has become the home of dark forces looking to strike a deal. Lucky for it a certain Private Eye can bring them to light. As long as she can keep up with the rent at her office that is.

A lot has changed for Sunset Shimmer since her high school days. She's opened up a Private Investigation firm. Granted, she mostly takes on small time fare like following cheating spouses and looking into insurance fraud. But lately, a much bigger case has fallen into her lap. One involving dark forces that seem to be acting towards some larger goal. Lucky for her, she might just be enough of a gumshoe to stick this case out and take on anything they can throw at her.

This story is related to A Passing Through Kamen Rider. Reading it is not required.

Featuring co-author: shagohad12

Credit for new coverart goes to Malunis. Be sure to check them out.

Published 2019-07-03 23:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2022-05-25 02:30:40 UTC

Sins of the Father

“In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost.” -Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy.

A mist had settled over the streets of Canterlot. A gentle wind blew, a welcome relief in what was sure to be a scorcher of a summer day. Within the walls of a brick and mortar shop labeled Setting Sun Private Investigations, a young woman checked and double checked paperwork while feigning ignorance of her ineffective A/C.

Nothing major had come in for at least a week. Just the usual boyfriend following and disability fraud. It paid the rent but it didn’t get her anywhere else. It didn’t bring Sunset any closer to where she wanted to be.

In her periphery, the downturned picture frame seemed to nag for her attention like a siren's song. She ignored it though, knowing every aching detail of the image within by memory. Some nights she swore it was what greeted her when she closed her eyes.

A quick shake of her head brought her out of her reverie. A sharp, self-deprecating laugh passed her lips. Her life might as well have turned into film noir. If she played it by type, she’d reach for the bottle of whisky stashed away in her lower drawer.

Thankfully, her addiction was non-alcoholic. Reaching into a drawer, she produced a small packet of preserved peach slices. Her mouth watered as she broke the pack's seal, the aroma hitting her nose a scant second later.

Being a former pony came with some interesting quirks. One of them was an absolute weakness for fruit. Especially peaches. She could eat a peach for hours. Shoving one of the long, thin shavings into her mouth she savored the taste.

The ringing of the bell suspended above her front door broke her out of her reverie. Straightening up, she put on the perfect image of a professional. In walked a face that caused a flash of recognition to go through her.

"Sugarcoat?" she asked, standing up from her desk.

“That is my name,” the newcomer responded, voice even. “I’m tempted to ask if you’ve been fulfilling the stereotype of your occupation, if you have to ask who I am.”

Sunset smiled and shook her head, taking in the woman's appearance. She had kept the twin ponytails she'd had in her high school days. With it she had a periwinkle button up blouse on that had slight ruffles at the ends of the sleeves, a thin white wrap that sat on her shoulders, black skinny jeans, and feminine boots that had buckles on the front.

"Which ones? There's a mile long list of P.I. jokes and stereotypes."

Walking with purpose, Sugarcoat stood in front of Sunset’s desk. “It doesn’t matter if you’re good at your job.”

Sunset folded her hands over her desk. “I might be a biased source, but I’m very good at my job. So, I’m guessing this isn’t a social visit. What do you need help with, Sugarcoat?”

Scrutinizing Sunset’s face for some unknowable element, it took Sugarcoat a moment to respond. “I think someone might try and harm my father.”

“Did the cops say they didn’t have anything concrete to investigate?” Sunset guessed, rolling her eyes. While she respected the police most of the time, they did have some practices
that only seemed to serve to allow crimes to happen rather than preventing them. That’s why she stayed as a P.I., so she could pick up the slack the cops left for her.

Sugarcoat shook her head. “No, I want this discrete. My father is a very oblivious person, but I’d rather not disturb his work with this sort of thing.”

"And why do you think your father might be harmed?" Sunset questioned, grabbing her pocket notepad. "Have you intercepted some threatening messages intended for him? Have the feeling he's been followed lately?"

“I’ve been noticing someone following him,” Sugarcoat explained. “A man in a suit. I saw him standing outside my father’s home on days I visit.”

"That could be something on the up and up," Sunset assured, jotting the initial details down. "A collection agent of some kind. Is there anything else that seems relevant? Even a minor detail could make a difference in my investigation."

Sugarcoat pushed her glasses back into place, shifting uneasily. “My parents are... estranged. It could be related to that.”

Adding that to her notes, Sunset nodded to herself. "Hmm… a divorce attorney, or a paralegal maybe? Is there anything about this man that's making you feel this way?" Something clearly didn't add up, Sugar had never been one to make a hasty decision.

“I don’t know,” Sugarcoat said, her lips tugging downward. “That’s why I’m hiring you. If you can’t do that, I’ll hire someone else.”

Nodding, Sunset reached down to one of her drawers and pulled out an invoice. Desperation, another thing Sugar wasn't well known for. “Alright, I’ll keep surveillance on him for you. I’ll give you a discount since you’re a friend.” She slid the invoice over to Sugarcoat and indicated the pen cup on the corner of her desk.

Taking a pen, Sugarcoat pulled the invoice closer to her. “I’ll be coming with you,” Sugarcoat spoke, her tone brooking no protest.

Shrugging, Sunset stood up from her desk. “Okay, hope you don’t mind riding on the back of a motorcycle.”

“That depends, do you still deserve your license?” Sugarcoat responded, holding the invoice up. “I am paying you for this.”

Rolling her eyes, Sunset went to retrieve her spare helmet from the closet. “I haven’t been in an accident since high school.” Tossing it to Sugarcoat, she moved for her coat. Well worn, and well loved, her leather jacket rarely ever left her wardrobe for long. Pulling it on, she grabbed her keys from her pocket and walked out the door.

Right in front of her office was her trusty bike. While it had cost her a pretty penny, the sleek red and yellow machine was worth every single one. Hopping on, she waited for Sugarcoat to get on before inserting her key.

“We’re heading to the university,” Sugarcoat informed, pulling her helmet on. “I hope you remember where that is. You didn’t stay long, Sunset.”

Revving the bike to life, Sunset kicked up the kickstand and pulled out onto the street. “Wow, way to sound judgemental, Sugar. Higher education only held me back. And yes, I know where Canterlot University is. I’ve had several cases that took me there.”

“Good, then.” Taking her seat behind Sunset, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

Sunset had to chuckle, driving in silence. The mist was slowly dissipating, carried away on the breeze. The sun bore down, leaving Sunset thankful for the tinted visor on her helmet. As always, the city seemed all too peaceful. The biggest problems in general seemed to be the little grievances that would find their way to her office. It had been years since a magical catastrophe like the ones that had been all too common for the city before.

An ache grew in her heart, and Sunset fought the urge to touch the geode hanging from her neck. She kept in contact with her friends, visited them even. But now, those bonds of friendship just felt like chains. She hated thinking like that. Especially when the magic of friendship had not only saved the city so many times, but herself personally. But, ever since...

She shook her head, refusing to continue down that line of thought. Sunset knew that line of thought was toxic for her. She’d lost entire days of work to it before and she was bound and determined to not let it happen again. Not when an old friend wanted her help.

The ride went on for half an hour before the duo could see the gates of the university. Given the time of year, not nearly as many students could be seen milling about.

Pulling into the parking lot, Sunset put the kickstand down. “Alright, we’re here. Where’s your dad work?”

“Science wing, he’s the head of the Meteorology department,” Sugarcoat explained, pulling off her helmet and shaking her hair out. “He’ll be on his lunch break soon.”

“Does he take his lunch break on campus or does he leave?” Sunset asked, not pulling the key out just in case.

“If he left campus, I would have told you to go somewhere else,” Sugarcoat said, stepping away from the bike. “We’re going to be late, Sunset.”

“Can’t blame me for asking, not everyone knows their dad’s complete daily routine,” Sunset pointed out, pulling out the key and following the other woman. How on earth Sugarcoat kept her friends astounded her. Then again, Rainbow Dash was blunt too and she managed to keep friends.

CU’s campus was rather spacious and the lawn was kept perfectly manicured. The buildings were rather basic in design, but Sunset knew that within no expense was spared in providing a comfortable and up to date space for education.

There wasn’t much conversation between them, not that Sunset knew what to talk about. She had a feeling that attempts at small talk would be met with one word answers.

"So, what have you been up to lately, Sugarcoat?" Sunset questioned, taking a stab at conversation despite herself.

“Working,” came Sugarcoat’s curt response, much as Sunset imagined it would be.

Resisting the urge to pinch her brow, Sunset pressed on. "What kind of work? Is it something you're excited about?"

“Research. I do a lot of freelance work around town.”

"Sounds pretty interesting." Sunset perked up, her interest piqued. By some miracle, she had gotten a complete sentence out of the woman. “What kind of research? Is it weather related?”

"No, my research lately has been more about the occult. Old superstitions, sacred grounds, rituals, demonology and even cryptids."

Sunset couldn’t stop the snorting giggle from escaping. “Sorry, it’s just hard to imagine anything that doesn’t come from Equestria being here.”

"I'm actually working on a hypothesis that a lot of supernatural stories are a result of Equestrian magic bleeding into our world. Can't publish that though, I'd get laughed out of universities." Sugarcoat looked back, her gaze centering at Sunset’s collarbone. “If only they saw your trick.”

"Trick implies deceit, what the girls and I did was all the genuine article," Sunset countered, her hand going to her geode.

Sugarcoat’s look became pointed. “I was talking about the armor.”

Sunset glanced down at her other necklace, the red feather seeming to absorb the sunlight. "Oh yeah, that. I've never really fought in that suit so I sometimes forget this thing is something more than jewelry."

“Good to know it’s being put to good use.” Sugarcoat’s tone implied derision, as did her eyes for the few seconds they lingered before she turned back. “The on-campus Hoofburger is around the corner.”

Sunset narrowed her eyes, before taking a deep breath. "Sugar, you never saw experienced Riders in action before. The suit isn't something to break out at the drop of a hat. It's for fighting things that friendship lasers and speeches can't put down."

Sugarcoat ignored Sunset’s response, coming to a stop. “We’re here.”

Sunset found a comfortable spot to observe the fast food joint without arousing suspicion. She could look through the main window to observe a middle aged man that matched the description Sugarcoat gave her on the ride over. Keeping her distance had the added benefit of making it easier to see anyone suspicious approaching Sugar's father.

Sitting not too far away, Sugarcoat pulled a small book out of her back pocket. Flipping it open, she proceeded to hide her face in its pages.

Scanning the building, Sunset idly wondered what anybody could want with a meteorologist. It was likely something personal, but for the sake of not harshly judging a man she didn’t know, she left that thought there.

Once she had gotten back on track, she spotted something that gave her pause. A man was trying very hard to be inconspicuous while still keeping an eye on Sugar’s father. He was in a sharp suit and a tan tie patterned with black diamonds on it. Black hair was gelled back in a way that was stylish without looking wet or greasy. His features were angled, almost like his head was trying to form a diamond shape to match his tie and his pale eyes almost appeared yellow depending how the light hit him.

Slipping her phone out of her jacket, she turned her back to them. She hated contributing to the zombie that was the selfie, but it always provided her with an inane excuse to photograph subjects. With the photo snapped, she zoomed in so she was out of frame without distorting the image to the point of uselessness. With that done, she offered the phone to Sugarcoat.

“Do you recognize that guy, Sugar?”

Taking the phone, Sugarcoat glanced at the image. “That's the one I've seen around my father’s house.”

"He seems to be monitoring your dad, think we should keep an eye on him?" Sunset inquired, taking her phone back and watching Sugarcoat's father eat. Apparently he was lucky enough to retain the metabolism of his youth. She'd never seen someone so thin put away so much.

'His stomach must be a bag of holding,' she thought with a suppressed snicker.

Sugarcoat was silent, watching the man watch her father. “He might be a legal server, like you said,” she finally spoke.

"Then why is he sitting at a different table?" Sunset pointed out. She wanted Sugar to be right, but her experience had taught her that caution was a crucial behavior to follow.

“I don’t know. I’m not a legal expert, Sunset.”

"Alright, just asking." With the exchange over, Sunset returned her focus to her current job.

Once Sugar's father had finished his prodigious meal, he shuffled out and went towards the science building. A minute or so later, the man in the suit followed. Sunset made a point to pretend to be watching the clouds roll by.

“He’s definitely being followed,” Sunset commented, turning to Sugarcoat once the suited man had left. “I don’t think he’s a server, not after that opportunity.”

Getting up, Sunset started to take notes while she walked. She could feel a tugging at the corners of her mouth. Somehow, an interesting case had fallen into her lap. The pieces were scattered at the moment, but putting them together was her job. She just needed the lynchpin to spark her eureka moment.

“Then who is he?” Sugarcoat pressed, gesturing after him. Her frown returned, displeasure clear on her features.

“I don’t know,” Sunset admitted, weaving through the students milling about between classes while keeping the mystery man in her sights. “But I aim to find out.”

Holding a hand up, she pressed into a doorway as the man finally approached Sugarcoat’s father. They spoke for a moment before the strange man led his target into an empty classroom. Motioning for Sugarcoat to follow, Sunset slunk closer to the room.

Sunset pressed her ear up to the door and brought out her phone. Bringing up the video recording function, she slid the microphone portion under as much as she dared to.

“...hasn’t talked to me yet,” came the muffled voice of Sugar’s father. “How much longer?”

The voice that replied was thick with honeyed words. The tone itself wriggled into Sunset’s ear, soothing her worries. “These things take time, Mr. Drops. Your wife is a very opinionated woman. You understand.”

“Fine, just please, I want my family whole again.”

“Of course, of course. And that’s exactly what I intend to do. We merely have to pen a contract the two of you can agree on. I wouldn’t want you two agreeing to... unfair terms.”

Sunset pulled away from the door before the conversation could really die down. Motioning with
her hand, she led Sugar around the nearest corner and showed her the video. “It sounds like this guy is helping your parents get back together. What gets me is the bit about a contract.”

Regarding the video, Sugarcoat shifted her stance. “My mother can’t stand my father. I don’t think there’s anyway they’d reconcile.”

“That guy sounded confident,” Sunset pointed out. Pocketing her phone, Sunset crossed her arms over her chest. “I think we need to keep following him.”

“You think, or you know?” Sugarcoat questioned.

“Let’s just follow him,” Sunset deadpanned. It just had to be Sugarcoat, Sunset thought as she stalked after the man. Any other Shadowbolt would have done. Well, maybe not Sour Sweet. If Sugarcoat’s bluntness had only gotten worse, she loathed to think of how much worse Sour Sweet had gotten. She’d have probably strangled Sunset in her office.

When the man walked towards the parking lot, Sunset took careful note of his car before rushing back to her motorcycle. Tossing Sugarcoat her helmet, she wasted no time in getting her bike started. Once she got a bead on the man’s car, a black luxury model, she kept her distance to avoid rousing his suspicion.

The entire ride, Sunset had to keep her mind on the mark. It had been a long while since she had been this close to another human. Since she had felt the touch of another woman. Gripping the handles tight, she pushed the feelings out of her mind. If Rainbow Dash were there, she’d joke that Sunset just needed to get laid. Not entirely inaccurate, but it missed the real point. Dash was famous for that brand of statement.

Their route took them through several of Canterlot's back alleys and side streets. The ability to take shortcuts like that was exactly why Sunset had her bike. Cleaning bugs off her helmet was a small price to pay for the freedom of movement a motorcycle provided.

Coming to a stop at the end of the block, Sunset pulled her helmet off. “Alright, we’ll scope out the building and see what we can find out. Try not to stand out in either extreme.”

There was a middle ground to tailing someone. Look out of place, you get made. Conversely, if you look too in place, you get made. It all came down to acting like you belonged.

"Sounds fine to me," Sugarcoat responded, pulling off her own helmet. "Should we check out his car too?"

“If we can without being seen,” Sunset responded, getting off her bike. “Try to get a shot of the plate.”

Looking up at the building, nothing seemed out of place about it. From what she could tell, it was just an ordinary office. She took a few snapshots, making sure to get the name. Never hurt to research a mark's place of employment.

Sugarcoat knelt near the car, interacting with something on the ground. Grabbing something, she held it up. “I found something.”

Sunset gingerly took it and inspected the odd debris. It was shed skin, but the markings on it suggested a reptile of some kind. "Looks like mystery man owns a big lizard or snake," she commented.

“I know a few people at the university. I can have it looked at,” Sugarcoat suggested, holding her hand out. “It won’t take long.”

"Alright, I've got the plate number and the name of the office, I can do a basic look up while they examine the skin." Handing the skin back to Sugar, Sunset hopped on the bike. "Keep that safe."

“You don’t have to tell me things like that,” Sugarcoat responded, slipping it into her pocket. “I’m not an idiot.” Placing her helmet back on, she sat behind Sunset. “I can walk from your office.”

"Not an insult to your intelligence," Sunset argued, turning the bike and going down the alley. "Unlike you, I'm not looking to demean a friend at every opportunity."

Sugar was quiet as she put her helmet on. Slipping her arms around Sunset’s waist again, she said nothing in response.

"What, not even an apology?" Sunset huffed, all the annoying moments of the day finally coming out. "Every time I've opened my mouth today you've either insulted my character, my general aptitude, or my ability to do my job in response. All the while, I'm helping you."

“I’m sorry,” Sugarcoat said, her voice muffled by the engine and her helmet. “Things have been... tough. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

"Everyone's got problems, it doesn't justify treating others like dirt," Sunset pointed out. Years ago, that would've been hypocritical coming from her. However, she liked to think she'd come a long way from the wannabe queen bee bitch of her high school days.

“Just drive,” came Sugarcoat’s curt response. Her grip tightened and she fell silent.

With her peace spoken, Sunset revved the engine and continued on to her office.

Sins of the Father pt. II

Sitting at her desk, Sunset looked over her available evidence. The license plate was an obvious avenue to pursue, that would get her a name at least. Going to the DMV website, she punched in the plate number.

“Let’s see who pays your bills,” she muttered to herself, leaning back in her seat. “Mr. Anguis.” With his name found, she typed in the name of the business. Much to her surprise, it wasn’t a mediation firm or anything involving legal matters. Instead, she found that it was a pharmaceutical sales firm.

That put a wrench in her thought processes. Why would a pharmaceutical company involve themselves in the life of a meteorologist? A quick search of Sugarcoat’s mother revealed that the woman worked for an automotive company.

“So he’s not an incompany lawyer doing an employee a solid...” Drumming her fingers on her desk, Sunset cleared her mind to sort out the problem. There was one other avenue to explore, social media. If Anguis was online, things he said might give hints to his motivation, or at least unveil a connection that she hadn’t found yet.

Only for her search to turn up... really banal things. Sure, a part of her wanted the intrigue of getting nothing, but the reality was, Mr. Anguis was a rather boring person. He mostly posted about upcoming medicine or how amazing a hospital was. He didn’t even post pictures of his food, the number one crime of the basic internet user. It was almost suspicious in and of itself that his social media was so toothless. Something else stuck out to her, a lack of posts about a pet reptile. No pictures, no complaints about mess, nothing.

The guy was a mystery in his mundanity. Intriguing in an uninteresting way. What was she supposed to do with this information? The only hope she had was the skin flakes Sugarcoat found. That had to lead to something.

Pulling out her phone, she bit her lip. There was one potential option. She knew someone on the police force that she could ask to scope out Anguis's apartment. She immediately tossed that idea away; there was no way she'd get his help.

“I just have to hope Sugar gets something good,” she muttered, lightly tossing her phone onto the desk.

Not knowing how long the analysis could take, Sunset decided to grab a drink and take off her jacket. Kicking her feet up, she casually surfed the net and decompressed a bit after firing her mind on all cylinders for several hours straight.

Almost on instinct, a hand made its way up to her necklaces. She took the second one, holding it up into her line of sight. It was an odd little feather, so unassuming but capable of so much. Sugar might not have approved of her lack of using it, but she was resolute. Something like this couldn't be used to solve mundane crimes. A part of her knew that when the time came to awaken its power, she'd act.

A frown wormed its way onto her face, a thought wriggling into the center of her mind. She suddenly had the feeling that once she truly woke the power up, it would be like the myth of Pandora's box.

"But is it hope or despair that sits at the bottom of this box?" she wondered aloud, taking her hand off the feather. Logically she knew who she could ask for advice on the matter. Hell, her newest journal still had pages but…

It didn't feel right to ask Princess Twilight for that. Not to mention all the wounds the exchange would open. Once her thoughts turned to Princess Twilight, Sunset couldn't help but flash back to the night she had received her feather pendant.

The world was falling apart at the seams. Like a broken pane of glass, the world she had left behind was plainly visible underneath. Twilight’s human counterpart had transformed into what would only be called a psuedo-alicorn and she was deadset on ushering in armageddon.

"Twilight!" Sunset called out, rushing towards the out of control teen. "You can't do this! If you don't stop, both worlds will be destroyed!"

“So what!?” Twilight snapped, her manic eyes locking onto Sunset. “This world never did anything for me! Always bringing me down, treating me like dirt! But now, I can clean the slate.” Twin streams of magic jumped from her palms, cutting away another chunk of reality. “I’ll simply dissect both worlds and when I know everything there is to know, I’ll make something better out of what's left!”

"That's not the answer!" Sunset declared, rushing over to the portal statue and starting to climb it. "I've been where you are right now, corrupted in the same way! I can help you, as a friend!"

Twilight sneered, exploding the statue with a bolt of magic. “Do you think I’m a child? That your juvenile placations will deter me? I will be constrained no longer by simple minds like yours!”

Sunset hit the pavement hard, her vision blurring for a moment. "Friendship isn't a constraint," she croaked out, rolling over and slowly standing on shaky limbs. Pain lanced through her leg, a piece of the statue jutting out her calf. That didn't matter, there was still time to stop this.

“It’s just another way weak minds shackle those above them.” Flying high, Twilight might as well have been a vulture, waiting to feast on the world's corpse. “I’d be lying if I said it was a shame you couldn’t understand. You’ll just have to accept you’re not as smart as you think you are.”

"I do understand," Sunset stated, looking out amongst her friends. "Feeling like I was better than everyone else. Like the world owed me what I wanted and Faust help who was in my way. I've been exactly where you are Twilight, but my friends pulled me through. Made me better."

Another streak of magic and Sunset found herself staring at Canterlot Castle. A dull throb of homesickness coursed through her. It would have been a picturesque view, if it wasn’t for the purple factures framing it. She needed to do something, Twilight wasn't in her right mind. Looking around, she spotted the device Twilight had used to steal magic on the ground near a crack in reality.

Diving for it, Sunset nearly screamed as the shard in her leg scraped against the ground. Her mouth tasted blood, teeth biting down on her lip. Ignoring the hot, irony liquid, she pushed herself back onto her feet.

Looking up at Twilight, she found the clasp on the device. "Twilight, there's one magic you still know nothing about. And it's the most powerful kind of all."

“Oh?” Twilight asked, her black wings seeming onto a dark angel. “Please, enlighten me. You are supposed to be the expert after all.”

Pulling the device close to her chest, she opened it, prismatic light pouring out. "Friendship." The light poured over Sunset, obscuring her from view.

Magic. It burned through her clothes, through her skin, into her very bones. So much. Too Much. Much like when she put on Princess Twilight’s crown, she felt it begin to twist and warp. Something formed over her head, forcing her to stare out at the crumbling world through lenses. The rest of her body followed suit, the magic solidifying into armor.

An eagle like shriek echoed across the broken school yard. The excess magic flowed off her hovering body, forming into the shape of a bird. It lasted a few fleeting moments before the magic faded away. Sunset slowly lowered to the ground, nary a sound.

Examining herself, she found that her chest had a "V" of red and yellow feathers that went down to a point at her waist. Along the underside of her arms were more and gave her the appearance of having wings. She was now wearing a belt, the buckle in the shape of a yellow sun with a red bird at its center. Her boots now had a flame pattern on them and a heel in the shape of a bird's talon. Hands scrambling to her face, she felt out the helmet. The mouth area was shaped like a beak, though it pointed downward and barely rose away from the helmet. Finally, at the forehead, twin feathers swept backwards and almost formed a crown of her own.

Gathering the flowing magic, she pushed herself off the ground and up towards Twilight.

"Please stop this, Twilight, I don't want to hurt you," Sunset pressed, holding out a hand.

It took a moment for Twilight to recover from her shock. Her manic features danced a line between anger and curiosity. "Neat trick, Shimmer. I'll enjoy picking it clean!" Collecting her magic in her hands, her midnight wings propelled her forward with murderous intent.

Sunset swore she still had aches from that fight. When it was over, the armor had disappeared and in its place was her feather necklace. She couldn't even count the number of times she'd apologized to Twilight for hitting her.

"Sunset!"

Sunset flailed in her chair, her frantic movements succeeding in her to the floor. Hissing through her teeth, she peered over the edge of her desk to see the silent judgement in Sugarcoat's eyes.

"You could have knocked," she complained as she pulled herself back into her seat. "Or even just said hello."

"I did, but you were so out of it that you didn't hear me." Dropping a paper bag on the desk, Sugarcoat took her seat. "The lab results came back."

Sunset perked up, grabbing the paper bag. "Great, what did your friend have to say about that skin?"

Sugarcoat adjusted her glasses, staring through the bag. "It didn't match any reptile on record. He made a point to state that it had a third helix."

"That's impossible," Sunset balked, pouring over the findings. "All life has a double helix structure to its DNA. The only exception is the murky talks about early cells being mostly RNA based, but that's a single strand."

"That's what Division said," Sugarcoat elaborated, reaching into the bag. "Almost threw me out of the lab." Hoisting a small, clear jar into view she stared at the discarded skin inside. "The only conclusion is that it isn't normal."

Sunset caught the insulation before Sugarcoat finished speaking. "It's not from Equestria. While magic can influence genetics and vice versa, it doesn't just give things a tri-helix." She thought over all her findings, drumming her fingers on her desk. "Sugar, we need to go talk to your dad. I'm pretty sure he's making a deal with the source of that skin."

"That much is obvious." Sugarcoat set the jar down, sliding it closer to Sunset. "What I want now, Shimmer, is an assurance. You're not normal, and neither is the person bothering my father. I want to know you'll do what you have to to keep him safe."

"If this guy tries something, I'll protect your dad, I promise," Sunset stated, getting up to grab her things. "Would your dad be home yet?"

Sugarcoat nodded in affirmation. "He'll be home. He had nowhere else to go."

“Then I’m gonna need you to give me directions as we go, come on.” Pulling on her jacket, Sunset walked out the door.

Once the pair were on the bike, Sunset remained silent while Sugar fed her directions. They exited the city proper and drove towards a suburb that had some small, but still nice homes. A stray thought fluttered before Sunset, would said suburb be analogous to Ponyville? That would be something she’d have to investigate later, other matters took precedence.

Turning onto the final street, one ominously labeled 'Shades of Death', Mr. Anguis's car pulled into the driveway of a middle house. Two men got out with him, almost certainly bodyguards. Mr. Drops greeted him at the door, ushering the bizarre man inside.

"Let's hurry," Sunset pressed pulling into the driveway and jumping off her bike. Removing her helmet as she walked, she went to ring the doorbell.

Sugarcoat slide in front of Sunset, holding up a key. "I have a key." Her back to Sunset, she opened the door and strode inside. "Dad?" She called hesitantly, gaze shifting back and forth.

Sunset’s senses went on edge and she pushed herself in front of Sugar. “Does this place have a basement, or attic? Anywhere secluded?"

“Yeah, there’s a door to the basement right by the kitchen, follow me.” Sugar led the way, making sure to keep quiet as she walked through the rooms with practiced ease. "Here." She stood by the door, hand on the doorknob.

Sunset let her hand go to her feather, and nodded at Sugar to continue. Squeezing through the opening door, Sunset sank low, tensing her body. There was no way of knowing how old the steps were, which meant she had to plan each step perfectly. Luckily, she’d had plenty of experience in taking steps quietly, one of the perks of being a seasoned PI. As she stepped down, she kept her ears open for conversation.”

"-elieve those are excellent terms, Mr. Drops. They were approved by your wife, after all." As before, Anguis's honeyed words drifted into Sunset's ears.

Even if she wasn't being addressed, they almost made her stop and consider. Resisting the temptation, Sunset continued down the stairs. Near the bottom, she caught sight of one of the bodyguards, standing off in a corner. There was nothing she could use to distract the bodyguard, the steps were clear of anything and the basement was mostly unfinished. The only real attempt at furnishing it was a ping pong table off to one corner.

"Yes, I think I can agree to these terms," Mr. Drops voice came over the sound of rustling paper. He sounded dazed, his words long and drawn out.

It was do or die time, jumping the rest of the steps, Sunset burst in on the scene. "Don't sign anything, Mr. Drops!" Standing in front of the stairs, she found the two men sitting across each other at a small table, a thick tome of papers in Drops’s hands. “I’m a private investigator and friend of your daughter. Whoever this man is, he’s not a mediator. He works for a pharmaceutical sales firm.”

Mr. Anguis tittered, rising from his chair. "Ah, Ms. Sugarcoat. Is she here with you? I can understand her hesitation. Parental separation always impacts the child the most. Perhaps she would like to look over the contract herself?"

Biting the inside of her cheek, Sunset focused on the pain. Every word from his lips sounded like a promise, urging her to comply. "I don't know who or what you are, Mr. Anguis, but there won't be any contract signing today. My client would be very happy if you stopped bothering her father."

“That’s not something I can do,” Anguis said, his calm tone shifting slightly. “Please Miss Investigator, let’s just talk this out like adults. My employer could use someone of your occupation on call." A predatory smile cut his face. "Why, I just so happen to have such a contract." Reaching into his coat, he produced another thick tome. "Why don't you look it over while I finalize things with Mr. Drops?"ok

There was that urge again. The one that made her want to forget what she was doing and listen to him. She had to push it down and glare at him. “I’m not working for anyone you’d associate with. Tell me, does he have three helices in his DNA too?”

"Ah, you've been snooping." Anguis tsked, placing the tome on the table. "Some things aren't for anyone to know, Miss. Questions like that often lead to someone going missing."

Sunset smirked, the man's honeyed words were gone and irritation had fully shown itself. "Why Mr. Anguis, was that a threat?"

Stepping closer, Anguis's skin began to harden in patches. "You're a smart woman, Ms. Investigator. At least you seem to be. If faced with a premature end, what would you want your last words to be?"

Pulling the feather off her necklace, Sunset flourished it like a skilled fencer. "I dunno, I'll tell you if I feel like I'm about to face that." Putting the feather to her forehead, she once again felt the rush of magic. Fire cloaked her body, forcing Anguis to back away. The sound of an eagle screeching filled the room as the flames died and Sunset was left in her armor.

Anguis hissed, his body trembling. Jerking his head, a lump began to travel up his throat. Much too large for his mouth, his lower jaw fell away. The majority of a snakehead slid from his jawless mouth, hissing in fury. His right hand twisted and convulsed, the fingers elongating. They lengthened into snake tails which coiled around each other in a spiral. As the tips touched, they united into a massive rattlesnake rattle.

Inky black flames sprouted from his hand and a wickedly curved sword sprang into existence. Brandishing it with a slice of the air, he lurched closer. "You will die, Miss! I will enjoy crushing the life out of you."

"Seriously creepy," Sunset commented, taking in Anguis's new appearance. Dropping into a stance she narrowly dodged a slice from the blade.

Anguis lashed out with ferocious speed, his changed right hand moving to wrap around her wrists. Jumping back, she narrowly avoided the tip of the rattle. Sunset’s mind raced, weighing her options. It was obvious that Anguis had her on reach and possibly speed, a dangerous set of advantages to have in an enclosed space like they were.

Movement to her left reminded her that they weren’t alone in the room. One of the bodyguards charged her, throwing a punch at her helmet. Sunset threw her arm in a sweeping motion and sidestepped, deflecting the punch with ease and taking her out of the way of the blind charge. If the bodyguards were normal humans, then Sunset could spend all day avoiding attacks. They did however make her predicament more annoying. Glancing around the room, she spotted a window that looked out over the yard.

With the idea of paying Sugarcoat back, Sunset ran for the window and leapt through the portal. Tucking into a roll, she turned back towards the house. “Come on, you ugly bastard, come get me!”

Anguis didn’t need to be told twice, slithering out of the window with unnatural flexibility. Striking forward, he opened his mouth wide to show off two massive fangs. Fangs too long to fit in his mouth normally. Sunset rolled out of the way of the attack, hopping back to her feet and pivoting to keep the snake-man in sight.

Sunset was in trouble, she couldn’t keep dodging Anguis forever and she doubted she’d be able to punch her way out of the situation between his sword, fangs, and his bizarre tail arm. She needed a weapon of some kind, anything would do. As another swing of the sword and Sunset threw her hands up in an attempt to catch it.

Before it reached her, balls of flame sprang into her hands. The flames grew, and from them twin swords with blades ending in a hook solidified. The guard consisted of two short parallel bars, connected by a small crescent blade and instead of a pommel there was a spike at the end.

Kicking Anguis away, Sunset found that she instinctively knew how to wield such weapons. Brandishing them, she stared Anguis down. "Isn't this the part where you tell me your plans, Snek?"

“What do you think this is, a Saturday morning cartoon? I’ll tell you nothing.” Anguis’s neck extended, lashing out towards her neck, his fangs glistening with venom.

Spinning on her heel, she hooked the snake-man in the neck and sent him charging through a fence. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re like something out of a horror manga. Maybe you should let them trace you?”

A loud hiss rumbled out of Anguis's mouth and he bit down on his sword. Once venom coated its surface, he started swinging with abandon at her and sent sprays of it towards her.

Rolling to the side, Sunset glanced at the spot she had been. The grass browned, withering in moments and crumbling into dust. She could only roll and dodge while the envenomed onslaught continued and large patches of grass suffered a similar fate. Once she saw the lack of liquid on the blade, she charged at him and spun on one heel to kick Anguis in the stomach.

Anguis whipped his tail arm into her chest, the large rattle acting as a mace. The sound of the rattle buzzed in the air, a droning racket that burrowed into her ears.

She rolled along the ground, destroying a flower bed along the way. The rattle came down again and she was forced to roll to narrowly avoid it slamming into her head. Swinging her sword outward, she caught his ankle with the hook and yanked hard to send him face first into a pile of mulch.

A hulking form slammed into her, bringing her to the ground. One of Anguis’s bodyguards straddled her body, an expression of pain etched onto his features. With a sickening sound akin to tearing paper, his body ripped through his skin. A plainative ‘baa’ passed his lps, his form expanding and growing until it had become a goat-like monstrosity.

Sideways pupils stared down at her, malformed fangs jutting from its mouth. Acting on her brief moment of shock, it brought a fist down on her chest, black nails scraping her armor. Yellow bile poured from its maw, radiating a sickness Sunset couldn’t place.

Grunting in pain, Sunset gripped her swords tightly. Before the goat could take another swing, she stabbed both spikes on her weapons into the sides of his neck. More of the bile flew along the ground and her body and Sunset was forced to give a mighty heave to force his slackening body off her. She blanched as it began to stir, raising up even as it choked on its own bile.

If stabbing it in the neck did nothing, Sunset wasn't sure how she'd put the thing down. Crossing her swords, she took a defensive stance. The goat-man charged at her, throwing a punch at her face. Thrusting her fist forward, she met the attack with the blade on her crossguard.

Something hard impacted her in the side, sending Sunset tumbling along the ground. Groggily, she turned her head to find the other bodyguard had become a goat-man like his companion.

Anguis stepped forward, his blackish blade glinting in the sunlight. “Mortals are always so overconfident. If you had taken my offer, you could have kept your life.”

Using her swords, Sunset pushed herself to her feet. "I've got a bad habit of not selling my soul to strangers." She took in the trio, weighing her options. “Especially ones as ugly as you.”

"Still with the quips." Shaking his head, Anguis brought his sword up above his head.

A small object sailed through the air, colliding with Anguis’s face. It shattered on impact, covering his face in liquid and glass. The beast snarled, tongue darting in and out of his mouth madly. In an instant, anger morphed into a mask of pain and Anguis's hand went up in a wild attempt to wipe away the liquid. Sunset caught a whiff, it was obviously men’s cologne that had been thrown.

Seeing her chance, Sunset pressed her hand down on her belt on instinct. Flames engulfed her swords and she brought them up in front of her. In a fluid movement, she sliced both horizontally and the flames rushed off their surface to take the form of a phoenix.

Anguis’s shrieks became screams of agony. The scent of cooking flesh wafted through the air, pieces of Anguis’s skin charing off. Snake coils tumbled out as the human body burned away, almost as if he had been disemboweled.

The first goat creature gagged, more of the yellow bile dribbling from its muzzle. Seizing and sputtering, the bile poured from the wounds on its neck. Gurgling in agony, it grabbed at its throat as the disgusting fluid began to eat away at its body.

Its twin bleated, the sound distorting into a hollow mockery of natural sound. Fur began to wilt away, revealing bubbling skin. Stinking of decay, the creature’s muscles began to drizzle off its bones. With a final bleat, its legs gave out, ending in the creature liquifying on contact with the ground.

Flames spread out from Anguis’s body, burning a pattern into the grass around him. His movements slowed, the sounds of his agony falling silent. The fire burning around him flared as the symbol completed, dying away before Sunset could blink. Anguis’s body remained upright, a charred black statue surrounded by a circle of ash.

Sugarcoat rushed over, examining the markings on the ground and the circle of ash. “I think I recognize this.” Pulling out her phone, she took a picture. “I’ll need to look at this later, for now, I’m gonna go check on my dad. You might wanna get gone before the cops inevitably show up and ask questions.”

“Yeah...” Looking from Anguis’s body, she glanced at the two puddles that had once been the goats. “That... wasn’t what I was expecting...”

“Agreed.” Sugar went back into the house, but before she crossed the threshold she turned back to Sunset and said, “Thank you.”

“Y-yeah...” Sunset gave her a thumbs up, already walking to her motorcycle. She didn’t dare remove her armor, not until she was away from prying eyes. And if the flashes from various windows were anything to go by, she’d probably be on the web before she got home.

When she sat on her bike, flames covered it and caused her to panic for a moment. When they died down, her bike had undergone its own transformation. Folded in wings went along the side of her bike and when she revved the engine she could hear far more power behind it. The kicker was the new orange windshield and the headlight area was now in the shape of a stylized bird head.

Peeling out of the driveway, Sunset had to resist the urge to get her bike up to full throttle. It didn’t take her long to return to the street her office was on, pulling into an alley to undo her transformation. When she was safely in her office, she let out a mighty sigh and flopped face first into her couch.

She didn’t know how long it took her to fall asleep, the weight of the days events crashing down on her mind. When she came back to the world of the waking, she was dragged there by the sound of pounding on her door.

The landlord was the usual suspect, but she’d paid her for the month. Creeping towards her door, she picked up the bat she kept hidden in her umbrella holder and opened it a crack. “Hell-” she stopped and made an effort to close it when she saw the bit of unmistakable blue hair.

“We need to talk.” Pushing into the room, Shining Armor paid no heed to the person in his way. “Shut the door.”

Sunset closed her door and put the bat away. She had to fight to keep a grimace off her face. “Please, make yourself at home,” she deadpanned. “There’s some beer and greek yogurt in the fridge. I’d have more to offer, but I didn’t expect a social visit today.”
“It isn’t one,” Shining correted, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “Care to explain? He asked, showing her a picture of herself in armor.

“Looks like someone really likes birds,” she said, giving a noncommittal shrug.

“Don’t play stupid with me, Shimmer,” Shining growled, shoving his phone in his pocket. “I saw the videos from back then. Canterlot’s been magic free for five years. Five. Years. And I get a call about magic.”

Sunset crossed her arms over her chest, meeting his glare with a flat look. “Well, looks like you’re just as good a detective as always. Did you even think to investigate why I suddenly put on that armor? There was a monster attack, one that didn’t rear its ugly head from my old neck of-”

“I don’t want to hear it!” Shining Armor snapped, grabbing her by the front of her shirt. “I don’t want you bringing more of that goddamn magic here! Are we clear?”

“How about you let me go or I bring my security footage to Canterlot’s IA office,” Sunset warned, placing a hand over his.

Holding her gaze, he released his hold on her. “Keep your nose clean, Shimmer. I don’t want to have this conversation again.” Opening the door, Shining Armor departed as quickly as he arrived, slamming the door behind him.

Sunset winced for a moment, waiting to see if the door would hold. When no horrible sounds came, she allowed herself to relax. “Great, now I need a beer… or five.” Turning around, she went for the fridge.

Breaking News

Hope not ever to see Heaven. I have come to lead you to the other shore; into eternal darkness; into fire and into ice. - Divine Comedy, Inferno.

A couple days had passed since Shining Armor had given Sunset a verbal lashing. Life had returned to normal for the most part.

All except for her wriggling anxiety over what she had fought that day. There was no way things would stay peaceful. Anguis had even said he worked for someone, and she had a sneaking suspicion he didn't mean his manager at his office job.

She had spent hours poring over her older books, gifted from Princess Twilight. There was nothing on Anguis, nor the symbol that had appeared upon his death. It made her uncomfortable, like she was once again blundering into rogue Equestrian magic.

Except, the books were fairly comprehensive. It seemed that her initial thoughts might be right. Whatever Anguis was, he was never Equestrian. Which meant this world wasn’t as magicless as everyone thought.

Sighing, Sunset flipped on her television and chewed on a peach slice. The news sprang to life and just as she was about to switch the channel, something caught her attention.

"-ot much is known about this armored woman," a news anchor said, making sure to enunciate his every syllable.

Part of her fight with Anguis played behind the anchor's head, looping as it cut out the bloodshed. Sunset studied her movements, noting that she couldn’t tell what was her own knowledge, and what had been gifted by the armor.

"There have been attempts to identify the woman, but so far nothing has been conclusive," the coanchor added, showing off her polished teeth. "However, several online groups have taken to calling her Fenix."

“Fenix huh?” Sunset asked, shoving the rest of the peach into her mouth. “Phoenix too long of a word for 'em?” Rolling her eyes, she wiped her hand with a napkin. "Friggin' netspeak." She couldn’t help but peek at the door, expecting Shining Armor to burst in like a drunken adulterer. More than once those types had taken their spouses leaving out on her.

She knew all too well that people would blame others for their own follies. All she had done was illuminate their own betrayals of their marital vows. That was just her job, it almost always pissed someone off.

Before Sunset could dwell on her past work, a knock at the door grabbed her attention. Turning off her tv, she went to answer it. Opening her door, she found Sugarcoat standing impassively before her door; a large tome tucked under her arm.

"Sugar, good to see you," Sunset greeted, ushering the woman inside. "What's with the book?"

Walking over to Sunset’s desk, Sugarcoat dropped the book like one would drop a bowling ball. It puffed out dust, which hovered over the desk for a heartbeat.

Waving her hand to clear the dust away, Sunset eyed the tome. It was leatherbound, the material shrunk from age and several spots were cracked or missing entirely. Set into the cover was an odd, geometric symbol of some kind and a title that Sunset could hardly make out.

“What am I looking at, Sugar?” Sunset questioned, her nose wrinkling at the musky smell of aged leather.

“A relatively complete guide on demons that ancient scholars and alchemists were known to summon,” Sugar answered, leafing through the pages. “But I think you should see this.” Settling on a page, she pointed to a familiar symbol. “His name was Botis.”

Sure enough, the symbol that had appeared in the yard was on display, as well as a description of the beast Sunset had fought. “I was right, Equestria has nothing like this.”

Sugar placed a finger on the next page. “He’s the seventeenth demon in the Ars Goetia, and one of the Presidents of hell.”

“Hell, yeah, the closest thing we have to that is Tartarus,” Sunset noted, looking over the page. “So, he said he worked for someone. Who’s the highest ranking demon?”

“I looked into it.” Pulling the book open, Sugar flipped towards the end. “Baal. Ranked first in the Goetia, he’s the greatest of the hellish kings and leads the legions of the inferno.”

“Then finding him is probably something I should consider,” Sunset stated, studying the new symbol. “But, if one of the lower guys gave me such a hard time, I’m not packing enough heat to take on someone like him.”

Sugarcoat closed the book, wafting more of its musk at their noses. “We don’t have enough heat. As of today, you’re hiring me.” It wasn’t a statement or a demand. Just a firm tone and a matching gaze.

“Say what now?”Sunset questioned, pinching her nose.

“I’ll be your assistant,” Sugarcoat said, gesturing to some open space by the door. “You’ll need someone who knows about these types of things.”

Sunset hated to admit it, but it wasn’t a bad idea. Though, it meant that Sugar would be in harm’s way. Even if she were against it, Sugar knew the risk and there’d likely be no way to talk her out of her plan. Sighing, Sunset crossed her arms. “I guess we should discuss your payment.”

“I’m glad you see it my way.” Picking the book up, she held it to her chest.

"I've known you long enough to know you weren't gonna back down," Sunset retorted with a wry smile. “I can’t pay you a steady rate, but, we can work out a fixed percentage from any cases that come in.”

"I'll only ask to be on cases we confirm to be demon related," Sugar answered, adjusting her glasses. "You can keep all the money from normal cases."

Sunset raised her eyebrow. It made sense business wise, but personally it didn’t sit right with her. “Sugar, I can’t just selectively pay you. If you’re going to be here daily, I have to pay you at least somewhat consistently.”

"I already get paid from my research grant. These cases are something I can use to further my demonology research," Sugar pointed out, patting her book. “But thank you for your concern.”

Shaking her head, Sunset extended her hand. "Alright then, looks like we're partners in this. Ready to dive into Hell?"

"You should feel bad for that joke," Sugar deadpanned, but still accepted the handshake. “But yeah, I’m ready. I’ll need a desk and a computer first.”

Sunset winced, crunching the numbers in her head. "Okay, I think a trip to Pikea and some online sniping on parts can sort that out," she said, nodding. "Gonna be eating nothing but cup ramen for months," she concluded under her breath.

“Why don’t you ask Applejack to make you a desk?” Sugarcoat questioned. “I’m sure she owes you a favor or two.”

"Because if Applejack thought I was on tough times, she'd go into hyper helper mode," Sunset pointed out, rubbing her chin in thought. "But maybe if I play things carefully, I can avoid that." Nodding to herself, she pulled out her phone.

She hesitated over Applejack's number, her thumb hovering above her friend’s face. Brushing it off, she tapped the screen. Sunset could navigate Applejack’s concerns, just like she did with everyone else's. Sucking in a deep breath, she put it to her ear and heard the *click* as the line connected. "Hey Applejack, it's Sunset."

“Well Ah’ll be a sleepin' jackrabbit! Ah haven’t heard from ya in months, sugarcube!” Applejack’s rough country voice crackled through her phones tiny speaker. “Ah was startin’ ta think you were avoidin’ me.”

"No way," Sunset scoffed, chuckling. "I've just had a lot of cases come in. Mostly small fry stuff, but it ate up my time."

“That’s good t'hear. Ya know, Rainbow’s comin’ back in a few weeks. Rarity’s been talkin’ about havin’ a get together.”

"Same meeting spot as always?" Sunset questioned with a knowing grin.

“Eeyup.” A pause came through, lingering like a heavy weight before Applejack spoke again. “We’d understand if ya don’t wanna come, Sunset. Ah know what it’s like ta stay away from things that remind ya.”

Smile faltering, Sunset could feel a lump in her throat. "If I was averse to all reminders, I'd have moved out of this city. But thanks for being understanding."

“We all miss her, Sugarcube. But, that’s gettin’ off topic. Didja just call to flap yer gums at me?”

"You caught me, I did have another reason to call you. I have a new assistant and I need a desk for her. Care to call up your brother and I pay you two in cases of that beer I know you both like?" Sunset offered.

“What kinda wood? Apple, Cedar, Evergreen?” Applejack listed off a few other types of wood,almost sounding like a salesperson.

“I’ll go with cedar,” Sunset replied. “That way bugs won’t mess with it when they find a way into my building. “Way to go above and beyond as usual, AJ.”

Applejack laughed, deep and warm. “Aw, come off it, Sunset. Apples look out fer their friends. Sides, Ah ain’t gonna say no to free beer."

"When can you two come over?" Scooping up her keys, Sunset took a moment to think over how many cases of beer she could conceivably carry with her bike. Once she had conceived of a way to manage in one trip, she cracked a smile. "Think you can pull Mac away from the Mrs. and rugrats by the end of the day?"

“I reckon I can fer a friend. Heck, Sugarbelle might just tell him to. Ah still think she thinks she owes ya.”

Sunset chuckled and shook her head. "Have you tried telling her I don't hold favors over people's heads? Well, not anymore I don't."

“Yeah, yeah, Ah know. Anyway, it was nice talkin’ to ya, Sunny.”

"Before you go, I gotta ask: have you seen the news lately?" Sunset questioned, thinking back on the broadcast.

“Nah, Ah don’t watch. Too much depressin’ stuff on there nowadays.”

Sunset chuckled nervously and nodded. "Okay, see you soon, AJ."

“Cya ‘round, Sunny! Don’t be a stranger!” The line clicked as AJ hung up.

"You sound happier after talking to her," Sugar commented, startling Sunset for a moment. “You should do it more often. It might lift your mood.”

Sunset crossed her arms over her chest and set a look Sugarcoat's way. Opening her mouth, she prepared to let loose a tirade that would culminate with telling her new assistant to mind her business. Only for the words to die in her throat. Sighing, she grabbed her jacket. "You might be right."

Holding the book to her chest, Sugarcoat stepped towards the door. “Planning on going out?” Her usual antagonism had toned itself down, most likely a conscious effort. “Want me to come with you?”

“Sure, you can come if you want,” Sunset answered, opening the door. “I’m just grabbing the beer I’m gonna pay AJ and Mac with. We can stop at the electronics store near it too. We might find some budget parts for your computer.”

Dropping the book back on the desk, Sugarcoat joined her at the door. “I could make a few calls. Between CHS and CP, one of our old classmates could be in a position to cut us a deal.”

“Good idea.” Reaching into her pocket, Sunset handed her assistant a bluetooth headset. “You can use this and make the calls while we ride. It’s hard to hear your phone through a helmet. Not to mention the wind from the ride.”

“Right.” Putting the bluetooth in her ear, Sugarcoat pulled out her phone. The walk to the street went right by her, too busy synching the ear piece to her phone. She was already in a call by the time she was seated and putting her helmet on.

Sunset chuckled at how she had to basically lead her assistant like a child. Revving the engine, she pulled out onto the streets.

The trip to the liquor store was simple enough; go in, grab a few cases and get out. A few college age guys hung around the back, their conversation carrying to the front. Sunset paused, turning her head slightly.

“-bet she’s a babe under that helmet.”

"You would say that, Drift," the largest of the guys said, smirking at his friend. "I bet you'd want her to step on you and knock your snake around instead of that monster."

Drift scoffed, giving his friend a shove. “You know damn well that chicks in leather are hot.”

Sunset could only roll her eyes, but couldn't help but smile. Sure, she could let their meathead attitude bother her, but really it was just funny in a way. The obvious being that they were unknowingly saying it all in earshot of the one they were talking about. She decided to take it as a confidence boost, over anything else.

Getting on the bike and securing the beer, she gestured to her ear at Sugarcoat inquisitively. When she got the go ahead she asked, "How're the calls going?"

Sugarcoat tapped at her phone again, not bothering to look up. “I think Lemon Zest might have something for us. She owns an electronic shop on Sunrise Way.”

“I know that street,” Sunset remarked, letting her motorcycle roar to life. “Though I’m surprised Lemon didn’t become a musician or run a music shop.”

“I never said she didn’t,” Sugarcoat corrected, grabbing onto Sunset. “It pays to have a backup plan.”

“Glad she’s doing alright,” Sunset said, nodding. The rest of the ride was spent in silence, Sunset idly wondered about the trajectory of her career. If it weren’t for stumbling into Botis, would continuing to be a PI be a smart move?

She didn’t have the money to go back to the university, nor did she think she could requalify for any scholarships. Given how things were in Equestria, Sunset always put going back at the bottom of any relevant list of choices. She shrugged, letting the train of thought roll to a stop. Despite all the downsides, she did enjoy her job more often than not.

Lemon’s store turned out to be what Sunset expected. Loud EDM music blared over the speakers, assaulting her ears like the flapping of immense wings. She could only describe the customers as dance floor techs, at least two she recognized as local djs.

Lemon Zest herself hadn't changed at all. Heading banging back and forth, she almost had a sixth sense of what her customers wanted. After a hug filled greeting and some pleasantries, Lemon hooked them up with a motherboard and a CPU for cheap.

Placing an order for a box on the counter, Lemon slide it over. "I'll give you half off, but!" She held her phone up, showing off Sunset's armored form. "You have to let me make some noise about this get up."

Sunset groaned, running a hand through her hair. “Are you asking to make a theme song for me or something?” She whispered, looking around the fairly busy store.

"Hell ya!" Lemon pulled her headphones down, an action reserved only for her closest friends. "Spider-Man has the Ramones, Skeleton Man has a song. Even Captain Planet has a song!"

Putting her phone down, Lemon made a show of scratching a record she had set up next to her. "It'll burn the airways baby! I can get V-Scratch on this, maybe rope in that cello chick she rooms with. Might need to get someone for the lyrics though."

“Are those two still not an open item?” Sunset asked with a chuckle. “The sexual tension was thick enough to cut with a knife back in high school, can only imagine what it’s like now. But if you’re dead set on making this thing, then I have a condition of my own. You make sure there’s heavy guitar riffs.”

"Whatever you say, Firebird." Lemon rang them up and cashed them out. "It was good seeing you two. Now get outta here, you’re diverting the flow." With a wink, she pulled her headphones back up and resumed what she had been doing before hand.

Sunset turned on her heel and waved to Lemon. “Don’t be a stranger, Lemon! I’m only a few blocks away!” After getting an affirmation, Sunset exited the store with her new acquisitions in tow. Once she pulled out onto the street, she let out a small sigh. “Is it possible that Lemon is even more energetic ten years after high school? How does she do it?”

"Cocaine?" Sugar offered, the ghost of a smile on her face.

“Was that a joke?” Sunset questioned with a chuckle. “And here I thought you were allergic to those.”

“I can joke when I want to,” Sugar replied. “Better she’s high on her art than anything else.”

“Agreed.” With that, the pair rode back to the office, the hum of the bike’s engines the only sound.

When they pulled up to the office, they found a strange man pacing in front of the door. His face, a deep shade of blue lit up when he spotted them. “Ah! Excuse me! Would either of you young ladies happen to be the operator of this business?”

Sunset pulled off her helmet, holding it under the crook of her arm while offering him a handshake. “That’d be me. Sunset Shimmer, how can I help you?”

“Oh, forgive my rudeness, I’m Head Line.” Taking the handshake, he offered her a weak smile. “And I have a case I want you to take on.” Reaching into his shirt pocket, he pulled out a photo of a young woman. “This is Scoop, a journalist at the paper I work at. Lately, she’s been getting breaking news, even when it’s seemingly impossible.”

“Isn’t getting breaking news a reporter’s job?” Sugarcoat questioned, pulling her helmet off.

“I wouldn’t be here if it was as simple as that,” Head Line retorted, frowning. “Her latest article was about a drug deal, before it even happened. We asked her how she did it, but dodged the question. I’m worried she’s gotten tied up in something, but the police didn’t find anything in a preliminary search.”

Sunset shared a look with Sugar before gesturing to the building. “Why don’t we take this inside? We can discuss things more easily if we’re all comfy.”

“By all means,” Head Line replied, letting out a deep sigh. “Thank you for not dismissing me outright. The police wrote me off once their search was done.”

“We... ‘specialize’ in strange cases,” Sugarcoat said walking into the building. “Nothing to thank us for.”

The trio gathered around the sofa, Head Line sipping at a glass of water Sunset had gotten him. "It all started a couple weeks ago," he started, looking down at the floor. "Scoop is normally a great reporter, but she got into a slump. Then, she made a sudden comeback with these great stories."

“Was she acting strangely at all before her comeback?” Sunset asked, pulling out her note book. “Say anything weird? The more you give me the easier my job is.”

"No, she didn't say anything weird." Shaking his head, his mouth scrunched up in thought. "Really, her dodge was the weird part. Scoop normally shared her methods and sources freely. She always said we were a team and encouraged all of us to get to the truth."

Sunset nodded, scribbling on the paper. “That’s not much to go on, Mr. Line. I need something to start with. A lead to go out from.”

“I can give you places she goes outside of work hours and her home address,” Head said, putting down his glass. “Other than that, she’s been tightlipped so I don’t have much myself.” When given a pen and a piece of paper, he quickly wrote down a list of places. "There, I also gave you my number so we can keep in contact. I'll call you if anything else comes to mind."

Taking the paper, Sunset opened one of her drawers. “Thanks, that’ll help a lot.” Reaching in, she lifted out a short stack of papers. “I keep a general contract for all my cases, why don’t you look it over and let me know if those terms are good for you.”

Head Line nodded, reading over the contract for a few minutes. "This looks fine. Not that I thought you'd try anything funny."

“Still, it’s good to come to an agreement,” Sunset said, watching him sign it. “We’ll get to work right away, Mr. Line.”

"Thank you, and I don't mean to sound rude, but I'm hoping Scoop isn't in any kind of trouble and this is for nothing," he stated, putting the pen down and drinking the last of his water. “I’d better get going.” He stood up and quickly exited the room.

Sunset looked over the list of addresses, wondering where to start. “So, think our reporter has become tangled up in normal crime, or something else?”

Sugarcoat shook her head. “Many of the demons in the Goetia give knowledge of the future. It could be any one of those.”

“That’s just perfect.” Sighing, Sunset grabbed her helmet again. “Looks like we have to do this the old fashioned way. Maybe we can narrow it down.” Gesturing to the book, she grinned. “Time to earn your first paycheck, Sugar.”

“The first of many I’m sure,” Sugar replied, scooping up the book and flipping through it. “Call me once you have any info on our demon. Even a hint at an animal motif might help me.”

“I got you on speed dial.” Sunset slipped the earpiece on, synching it to her phone. “I’ll call you on the way there and send you anything strange.”

Sugar nodded, taking a seat at Sunset’s desk. “Be careful, partner.”

With a thumbs up, Sunset exited the office.

Sunset rolled to a stop,finding herself in front of an apartment building. Pulling out her phone, she called up Head Line. When she heard the ringing stop she said, “Mr. Line, I’m in front of Scoop’s apartment complex. Do you know which floor she’s on?”

“She’s on the fourth floor, room 408,” Line said.

Sunset wanted to comment on how easily he had that information. An ex-boyfriend or current one maybe? She stifled her urge to question it; he wasn't who she was investigating. Reaching into her bag, she grabbed a set of binoculars and looked towards the fourth floor.

“Is that in the front, sides, back?” Sunset questioned, scanning the side of the building. “I need a bit more than that.”

"It's the right side from the front door to the complex."

Sunset’s inner detective screamed, begging her to ask the question on the tip of her tongue. He was one described bedroom away from basically confirming what she already thought. Not that it was her business. At least not on a personal level. She would only ask if it seemed like it would impact her investigation. Swinging her leg over her bike, she walked across the street to get a good view of the right side of the building.

Sunset clicked her tongue, finding her angle didn't lend her a good view of the apartment. Searching for a better angle, she moved through a list of reasons for watching the building. She settled on surveyor, with a runner up of an urban photographer. Bird watcher was a third option, but that usually came with follow-up questions.

Eyes settling on the fire escape of the neighboring building, she jumped up and grabbed at the bottom rung. Grabbing on, she hauled herself up and grabbed onto a higher rung with her free hand. With a few more rungs, she was standing on the landing of the first set of stairs.

“With this job, who needs a gym membership?” she mused to herself.

Proceeding up to the correct level, Sunset brought her binoculars up to her eyes. “Alright, Scoop. What have you got going on?” When she finally found the correct window, she zoomed in. “Hmm, framed newspaper clippings. Either she’s proud of her work, narcissistic or both.”

Freeing a hand, she reached into her pocket and dialed Sugar. “Hey, Sugar. I’m in a good spot now. Don’t see anything too interesting yet.”

“Okay, be sure to call me when you have more nothing to report.”

“I’m just going to keep the line open, if that’s alright with you. Saves me from having to redial you.”

“Fine, but I’m not going to be a wellspring of conversation,” Sugar replied, the sound of rustling paper in the background. “I’m in the middle of making a light reference guide for you. Some of the terminology is middle English and throws beginners off.”

“I know how to read middle Ponish, Sugarcoat,” Sunset commented, adjusting her view. “Can you see what you can find on Scoop?”

“Are you asking me to look her up through social media or through her paper? Because Head Line never named the paper he works for and there’s at least five in this county.”

“Both if you can,” Sunset answered, still finding nothing out of place in the main space of the apartment. “And use Head Line’s name to get to the paper.”

Sunset went silent, seeing movement within the apartment. A young woman strode to the front door and threw it open for a thin man. He had snowy white skin, short spiky brown hair a grey windbreaker and jeans.

Scoop, Sunset assumed it was Scoop, herself boasted a lanky figure. Standing a head taller than the man, she bore deep orange skin and white striped brown hair. She ushered the man inside, locking the half dozen locks behind him.

Pulling out a camera, Sunset snapped a few pictures as Scoop typed away at a laptop while the man seemed to be answering questions in a trance.

"Sugar," Sunset whispered, zooming in on the man. "I think I found a demon."

"Does he look like he's a demon or are you making assumptions?"

"He's answering questions in a trance while Scoop is typing what I can only guess is her next article, you tell me," Sunset deadpanned. "We got a list of suspects yet?"

"A few, only two of them are at the same level that Botis was. Barbas, a lion demon who can answer about hidden or secret things and Camio, a thrush demon who can truthfully answer on things to come. Hope it's one of those, or else you'd probably die in a fight with the others."

Sunset tsked, watching the scene play out before her. “The hell is a thrush demon? That just a walking tongue covered in fungus?”

“A thrush is a small bird. I think they live in Europe,” Sugar said, very obviously grossed out by Sunset’s comment. "Why would your mind jump to a fungal infection?"

“Because that was the only thrush I was familiar with,” Sunset shot back. “Now, can we get back to the matter at hand here?”

Sunset let her binoculars hang around her neck, creeping towards the stairs again. She felt that she’d had enough enough to confirm demon involvement. Now, she could wait by her bike to hopefully follow the demon.

Hours passed, with the only real movement at the apartment being a few birds flying, delivery boys bringing take out, and some people leaving for evening shifts. Not once did she see any signs of the man from Scoop’s apartment.

Frowning, she tapped her earpiece. “Can demons teleport, Sugarcoat?”

“There’s no reports of that that I’ve come across,” Sugar replied. “But they can return to Hell through their summoning circle. Was there signs of one in the apartment? It’d likely be done in chalk or salt, with candles around it made of a specific wax to bind the demon to its summoner.”

Sighing, Sunset climbed onto her bike. “Right. I’m coming back to the office. See if you can’t find a way to track these things.”

"That's a tall order. By the way, Applejack arrived about twenty minutes ago. I only told her you were on a case."

Putting her helmet on, she pulled the key into the ignition. “Did she say why?”

"The desk you asked her to build," Sugarcoat stated, an eye roll obvious in her tone.

“...She finished it in a day? Why am I not surprised?”

"Super strength and southern hospitality are a hell of a match. She says you still owe her a drink.”

"I'll be sure to repay her soon." Sunset pulled out and started to head for the office. "How do you like the new desk?"

“It’s nice. Applejack should go into carpentry.”

"Maybe as a side gig, but she loves that farm," Sunset mused, her irritation flickering to the back of her mind. "Can't wait to see the handiwork."

Part of her hoped it was the Thrush demon. Even if his true form was as monstrous as Botis’s, she’d trounce him. Little neighborhood birds should know not to encroach on the territory of a raptor.

Breaking News Pt. II

Sunset parked in front of her office, an errant thought crossing her mind. Applejack clearly had not seen the videos online of her acting as Fenix. There was a distinct lack of her trademark 'we need to talk' voice. If that woman ever became a mother, her kids would get away with nothing.

That thought only distracted her from the matter at hand. She couldn't avoid telling AJ about the new kind of cases she was getting. Hell, how long was it before the rest of the girls found out? This was something she needed to get ahead of. She just needed to figure out how to broach the topic.

Taking a deep breath, she crossed the threshold into her office and looked around. Adjacent to her own desk, Sugar was now sitting at a reddish brown desk.

“Safe trip?” Sugar asked, looking up from her phone.

"Yeah, just bummed I lost the demon suspect," Sunset answered, hanging up her jacket and helmet. "I'm gonna work out a battle plan after talking to AJ."

Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow. “Why not just talk to her?”

Sunset quirked a brow back. "So talk to Scoop? Guess it couldn't hurt to warn her about things." Opening her fridge, she pulled out some cheap soda. “I don’t normally talk to suspects upfront, but this isn’t a normal case.”

Sugar nodded, slipping her phone in her pocket. "That's an understatement. Applejack and her brother are upstairs by the way."

“Right.” Sunset stretched out, mulling over a few greetings. “Why don’t you go get something to eat? I’ll probably be a while.”

Standing up, Sugar went to grab some of her books. “Alright, call me when you want to get back on the case.” With that, Sugar walked out the door.

Taking a long moment to center herself, Sunset made her way upstairs. She had never moved out of her loft, not when it was already roomy enough for two. A few, sparing, uses of Equestrian gold and the building was theirs. These days though, it was just hers. She still had Twilight’s things, she could never bring herself to sell or put them in storage. Instead, she opted to keep them in the spare bedroom. It was like she half expected Twilight to just sheepishly walk through the door and apologize for being gone so long.

She didn’t even realize she was frozen in place until a deep laugh broke through to her. A tear rolled down her face as she tore her gaze away from the door. Wiping at the tear, she threw open the door with a hasty smile.

"Hey, AJ, did you save me any beer?!"

Applejack greeted her with a bright smile and a tip of her hat. “We ain’t seen each other in months and the first thing ya ask is iffin’ I saved ya some booze.” Reaching down, she pulled a brown bottle from a half empty box and tossed it to Sunset.

Sunset caught it easily and walked up to the cowgirl. "I had to ask the important question," she retorted with a cheeky grin.

Applejack hadn’t changed at all since high school. If anything, she almost looked younger than her high school days. Farm life obviously agreed with her. Tall and muscular, she put the rest of their friend group to shame. If she started posting pictures online, Sunset had a feeling that the comments would be flooded with "fitness goals".

Shaking her head, AJ couldn't hide her own smile. "Fair 'nuff, smartass."

“Sunset,” Big Mac spoke, giving her a nod and a slightly raised bottle.

"Hey Big Mac," Sunset returned, cracking open her beer. "How're the wife and kids?"

“Good. Ambrosia’s startin’ kindergarten next week.”

"Time really does fly huh?" Sunset said with a smile. "Next thing you know you'll be putting a shotgun on the table while talking to the first boy she brings home."

Snorting, AJ socked Sunset in the arm. “Don’t be given’ him any ideas, Sunny. He’s enough of a papa bear as it is.”

Taking a long sip, Big Mac had a big grin on his face. "Ah don't need no gun to scare some little punk."

“I can see that,” Sunset said, glancing at his arm. “Even if AJ can still bench higher than you.”

Big Mac snorted, chugging the rest of his beer. "Only cuz of that dumb magic rock of hers."

Sunset frowned, leaning on her counter. “Yeah... magic tends to cheat doesn’t it?” Sipping her beer, she slid a bag of chips on her counter towards her and grabbed a handful. "So, I've got something I gotta let you know about."

“What kinda thing?” AJ asked, setting her beer down. “You uh... seeing someone else now?” Wiping her mouth, she gestured with her head. “Can’t say Ah ever thought it’d be Sugarcoat but, if she makes ya happy...”

Sunset was surprised by her immediate reaction, to burst out in hysterics. “Y-you think Sugar and I are dating?” Needing to catch her breath, she looked straight into AJ’s eyes. “Wow, that makes what I wanted to say easier to get out. I’ve had to use the powers I got after Twilight went Midnight that one time. Sugar is helping me investigate cases that involve demons.”

“Ya mean that fancy suit?” Frowning, AJ studied Sunset’s face intently. “And what’s this about demons? Things leaking through the portal again? Well, good thing we’re havin’ that get together Ah guess.”

Shaking her head, Sunset’s expression turned dark. “No, these things aren’t from Equestria. The thing I fought, I’d never heard of anything like it from Equestria. These are from this world.”

“Now wait a minute, you and the princess said there ain’t no magic here,” AJ said, her features darkening. “Ya can’t tell me ya’ll have been wrong fer years.”

“I’m looking into it, but for now it looks like I was wrong,” Sunset admitted, glancing over at one of her bookshelves. “I’m in the middle of a case involving a demon, I’m hoping to dive deeper into what’s really going on here.”

Reaching out, AJ put a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Ya well, we ain’t gonna not help ya.” Her grip tightened slightly into a light squeeze. “We already lost one of us. We ain’t gonna lose anyone else.”

“I don’t know if friendship lasers will solve this mystery, AJ,” Sunset admitted with a dry laugh. “But I’ll take what help I can get.”

“That ain’t what Ah meant and ya know it.” Pulling away, AJ reclaimed her beer. “Mac and Ah are just a phone call away. Well, maybe not Mac.”

“Ah can try, but between work and mah family, Ah’m busy these days,” Mac relented, throwing his empty bottle away. “Ah’l help when I can.” Smacking his lips, he turned his soft gaze to Sunset. “Armor still givin’ ya trouble?”

Grimacing, Sunset dug a nail at the label on her beer. “He gave me the third degree as soon as he heard the police report after my first fight with a demon the other day.”

Mac grunted, wrapping his arm around AJ and pulling her into a hug. “Ah can see why. Ah don’t know what I’d do iffin’ anything happened to AJ or Bloom.”

“Why do you think I’ve never stood up to him?” Sunset grumbled. “At least Spike still talks to me.”

“How ‘bout we don’t focus on the depressin’ stuff for now?” AJ suggested, offering Sunset a small smile. “How did ya end up with Sugarcoat anyway? Can’t be the easiest person to work with, Ah imagine.”

“She was my first client with a demon-related case. She’s helping me research demons so I know what I’m going up against in these cases.”

Draining the last of her alcohol, AJ tossed the empty bottle away. “Didn’t seem like she changed much. A tad too honest fer my liking.”

“You’ll never believe me, but I actually heard her tell a joke earlier,” Sunset reported with a mischievous grin. “But enough about my new employee, how are things with you and Rarity?”

“Thinkin’ of poppin’ the question,” AJ replied happily. “Been savin’ up fer a ring and Sweetie Belle’s been helpin’ me plan a big proposal. Ah might be simple, but Rares loves big gestures.”

Sunset nearly lunged at her friend, throwing her arms around the taller woman. “That’s great! I know she’ll say yes.” She had to stamp down on a bit of envy, she had never gotten the chance to ask that same question of Twilight.

“She’d better,” AJ replied with a laugh. “Ah’ve put more plannin’ into this proposal than this year’s harvest.”

Mac grunted, taking a look at his watch. “We should be headin’ out soon, AJ. Ah still hafta pick up Amy from her grandma’s.”

“Alright.” Giving Sunset a quick hug, Applejack pulled away. “It was good talkin’ to ya, Sunny, hope to do it again soon. Also, if Rares says yes, would you be mah Maid of Honor at the ceremony?”

Sunset blinked, the suggestion catching her off guard. “Wait, me? Wouldn’t Dash be a better choice?”

“Ya really think Ah could get Dash t’help me plan a weddin’?” Applejack deadpanned. “She’d just want everything to look ‘cooler’.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Sunset said in agreement. “I’d love to, AJ.”

“Thanks, Sunset, it means a lot.” Giving one last smile and wave, AJ exited out of the loft with Mac not far behind.

Left on her own, Sunset took in the quiet. It was mostly quiet these days, though if she closed her eyes she could still hear the chiming of Twilight’s laughter.

With the others gone, it was hard to keep the green-eyed monster from creeping in. She was happy for AJ, she really was, but a nagging part of her wouldn't stop reminding her of what she'd almost had.

Moving across the loft, Sunset stopped in front of the rather nicely sized tank. Moving the lid slightly, she reached down and scooped up its occupant.

“Hey, Ray,” she greeted, holding the tiny lizard in her hand. “Having a good day?”

Ray responded by rushing up her arm to her shoulder and flitted his tongue out at her.

Sunset gently stroked her tiny friends head, feeling the darker emotions ebb away. “Sorry I didn’t bring you out to talk with AJ and Mac. My friends don’t come over as often as they used to.”

Tilting his head back, Ray opened his mouth. Sunset took the gesture to mean all was forgiven.

Sitting down on the couch, Sunset continued her ministrations. Everything came pouring out, as it always did with Ray. He didn’t judge, he didn’t argue, he just listened. She told him everything, from her fight with Botis to her envy of Applejack.

The only thing Ray ever seemed to want from Her were rubs on the head and crickets, both things she was more than willing to give. Well, the second one did have a limit. She didn’t want him getting fat.

"I think I've talked your ears off enough for tonight. Wanna chill with some games, Ray?"

Ray just sat calmly on her shoulder, licking his lips nonchalantly. Smiling, Sunset grabbed a controller and started up an action game. She was usually partial to horror, but it always caused Ray to wig out on her shoulder.

She played into the night, putting aside demons and magic. Tonight it was just her and Ray.

Shining Armor paced the hall outside the interrogation rooms of his precinct. Nothing was adding up. None of the recent suspects in the drug bust could tell him how a reporter managed to figure it out before it went down. He didn't get the feeling that they were lying, genuine confusion was hard to fake. And not even one of them was suspicious of the others of being a mole.

One thought kept pricking his mind. Magic. It always came back to magic in Canterlot. He just needed proof. Unrolling the newspaper in his hand, he examined the name of the reporter.

"Seems like an obvious place to start," he muttered. The conversation already played out in his head, the same as it always did with reporters. A lot of talking in circles and refusals to reveal sources. He started walking, grabbing his phone from his pocket.

Dialing a number quickly, he put the phone to his ear. "Turnabout, you got a minute? I need some help getting a search warrant on a journalist, Double Scoop."

“And has this journalist done anything to deserve a warrant?” Turnabout’s voice asked.

"She's managed to report several crimes before they've happened. I just talked to suspects in that big drug bust and no one seems to have any ideas how she did it. Come on, Turn, that's gotta be probable cause to poke through her place and car."

There was a sigh on the other end before Turn answered. “I’ll talk to the judge, but I can’t promise you anything. Can you send me copies of the articles so I can present them?”

"Ya, I can do that." Suppressing his own sigh, Shining spoke again. "If this is what I think it is... I know who to talk to."

“Alright, I’ll call you back after I get the judge’s decision,” Turn said, the sound of shuffling papers in the background. “I’ll swing by your desk if I manage to get the warrant."

Turn cleared his throat, his voice lowering. "I hope for both our sakes it isn't what you think it is. That business with that 'Phoenix’ person is trouble enough. I'm not looking to drink myself out of a job like Mallet did."

“If we handle things right, you won’t have to, Turn,” Shining assured, putting on a forced smile. “I’m heading out once I send you the articles, good luck with the judge.”

"Right, thanks. I'll let you know when I get a chance." Turnabout excused himself, the call clicking off.

Sighing again, Shining quickly went to his desk and sent Turnabout links to the articles. Once that was done, he forced himself out so he could talk to the one person he knew who could tell him about magic.

His stomach turned at the thought of her. He hated her presence, he hated that his little brother still talked to her. It was a test of patience during visits to his parents, who insisted on continuing to display photos of her and his sister.

He wasn't even safe in his own home. Cadance would always tell him that Sunset wasn't to blame for what happened to Twilight. Even worse, Flurry would ask when 'Aunt Sunny' would come to visit again.

But it was her fault. If Sunset hadn't come, if she hadn't brought that damned magic, his sister would still be here.

The entire drive to her office, he tried to find a way to rationalize a way out of going. This only served to fuel his irritation when he knew he had no other choice. Magic was Sunset's purview and he just had to deal with it.

Swallowing his pride, he reached out and knocked on her door.

Another woman answered, whom he took a moment to recognize. Sugarcoat, he recalled. She had been a Shadowbolt along with Twilight.

"Business or personal?" Sugar asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Business," Shining replied quickly. "I need to talk to Sunset about a case I think involves magic."

Sugar held fast at the door, crossing her arms in a show of obstinance. "What kind of magic?"

"A reporter is making articles about crimes that haven't happened yet. And suspects in those crimes aren't leading me to a mole for her to be using."

Regarding him for a moment, Sugarcoat stepped to the side. "It's a demon."

It was Shining's turn to quirk a brow as he entered the room. "A demon? I know Canterlot has seen some weird things, but that seems a bit far fetched."

“It’s from hell.”

Shining's expression went blank. "Are you serious?"

“Sugar? Do we have a client? Sunset called from upstairs. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

"It's a certain blue-haired cop!" Sugar called back. “I can kick him out if you want!”

An audible groan came from upstairs. "No, I'll talk to him!"

Sitting down at her desk, Sugarcoat kept an eye stare on Shining Armor. “She’ll be right down.”

Finding a comfortable place to stand, Shining kept an eye on the stairs. He was starting to regret his choice to visit. Fishing a cigarette from his pocket, he slipped the slender cylinder between his lips. “Work here long?” he asked, fiddling with his lighter.

"A couple days," Sugar commented, pulling out a book. "And don't smoke in here."

Shining Armor savored a deep breath of nicotine, letting the smoke escape his nostrils. “Hm? Did you say something?”

"Don't. Smoke. In here," Sugar repeated curtly, glaring at his cigarette. “You’re being an unendearing dick. How are you still married to Dean Cadance?”

Taking another drag of his cigarette, he blew the smoke towards the door. “You’re not in high school anymore, you don’t have to call her Dean. As for my marriage, it’s very healthy. With Flurry in Elementary school, we get more chances to have couple’s nights when our days off align.”

Sugarcoat's frustration grew, dropping the book onto her desk dramatically. "If you continue to be an asshole, I'm going to get unpleasant. Put. It. Out." She punctuated each word with a movement, rising from her seat like a looming predator.

With one last puff, Shining put the cigarette out against the bottom of his shoe and flicked the remains into the closest trash can. “Fine, don’t wanna go home smelling like it anyway. Cadance keeps bugging me to get on the gum and quit.”

"Then maybe you should drop the pulp stereotype and do so." Easing herself back down, Sugarcoat kept her hard stare. "Maybe have a good cry instead of being a tough guy."

“Don’t assume I haven’t cried about my sister,” he snorted, leaning against the wall. “I did my mourning, this is something else.”

"Okay!" Sunset clapped from the landing, interrupting their antagonism. "I'm not leaving you two alone in a room again. Shining, please tell me you didn't just come here to provoke my assistant. Though if your here to vaguely accuse me of things I'll have to tell you plainly, I'm not the one who pissed in your cereal."

“No, I’m not here to blame you for this one,” he answered, turning toward her. “I’m just here about a reporter named Double Scoop. I was going to ask if you knew of any magical artifacts that let someone see the future, but your… assistant said she was a demon.”

Sunset shot Sugarcoat an unamused look before seating herself behind her own desk. "No, she isn't a demon, she's working with a demon. And no, Equestria has nothing to do with this." She felt the need to stomp out any potential blame; lest they devolve into the regular shouting match.

“How can Equestria have nothing to do with this?” Shining questioned, looking between them. “Everything supernatural Canterlot has dealt with has been related to Equestria. Why is this suddenly the exception?”

"This book, the Ars Goetia was written two thousand years ago," Sugarcoat said, cracking open her tome. "Any magic from Equestria is only a thousand years old. The last one manifested a symbol that matches that of a demon in this book."

Shining thought back to the video, recalling a symbol that had burned into the grass. “Sugarcoat, do you know where I can get a copy of the Ars Goetia? I want to confirm your story.”

"Any occult bookstore."

Running a hand through his hair, Shining nodded. “Thank you. I’ll come back if this doesn’t add up.” A sudden realization struck him. “Hold on, how were you so sure magic wasn’t involved? Have you been investigating Scoop?”

Sunset clicked her tongue, suddenly finding her nails quite interesting. Looked like she need to give them a cut. "If I was, I couldn't say. Clients do expect privacy. I will say this though, you're better off leaving this to that Fenix woman. She's probably more suited to fighting demons."

Shining’s expression went blank. “Are you seriously trying to pretend you’re not Fenix? Or is this just a petty way of trying to annoy me?” Shaking his head, he continued. “Anyway, I’m in the process of getting a search warrant on Scoop. If that happens, you have to stop your investigations, or I’ll have to bring you in on obstruction of justice.”

"I'll keep that in mind," Sunset agreed, putting her feet up. "Have a nice day, officer."

“Alright, I’ll get out of your hair for now,” he said, waving and turning on his heel. He quickly exited the building, using his phone to look up an occult bookstore nearby.

Shortly after Shining Armor had left, Sunset had exited the office to have a talk with Scoop. She was hoping she could put an end to this case before he could ever get his warrant. She'd be seeing him more often, no doubt. Truthfully, if things continued or escalated, eyes with much more authority would turn towards Canterlot.

On the bright side, Shining hadn’t shouted at her once during his visit. That was the first time that had happened in years. Maybe this was progress? Perhaps she could even see Flurry again. She and Twilight had talked about adopting before. Of course, the caveat always was after they got married. Sighing, she continued down the road towards the bar Scoop was supposed to frequent.

It was a semi-decent place, though a little too artsy for her. The kind of place whose menu mostly consisted of fruit drinks and made most of its money on ladies’ nights. Though if they did have something like that, she might have to come back. She never could say no to cheap drinks.

Sunset put the idea of inviting Rarity to join her in the back of her head. The fashionista would probably have the time of her life flirting with guys to get all their drinks for free, only to let the shoe drop and reveal she’s dating another woman. She’d call it punishment for them never bothering to ask if she was available.

The interior of the place, called Neely's, certainly lived up to her expectations. A modern aesthetic, 'bar science' design, close but not claustrophobic spaces to encourage conversations and more importantly, spending. Even the music was trying to be artsy, some sort of modern jazz that softly played throughout the room.

It wasn't normally her kind of place, harboring a preference for the homey, comfortability of dive bars. Had stronger drinks too. Glancing around, she tried to find Scoop. When she didn’t find signs of her right away, she went up to the bar, ordered a drink and found a seat to keep an eye out for her.

Her drink was far sweeter than what she was used to, too much lemon. Slipping her phone out, Sunset mimed a few selfies. Each gave her an excuse to peer about the room. The only context she would possibly call selfies useful. After a few minutes, she caught sight of Scoop, the woman glancing at her phone she had sitting on the table. Grabbing her drink, Sunset made her approach.

"Hey there," Sunset said, her easiest smile on display. "I saw you drinking alone and thought you might like some company."

Scoop jumped a little in her seat, but quickly settled down and kept her gaze on her phone. “Um, I guess that’s fine. I’m Double Scoop.”

Sunset took the seat across from her. "I'm Day Tripper, nice to meet you, Double Scoop."

“Don’t know how good I’ll be for conversation, I’m waiting on a call,” Scoop admitted, drumming her fingers on her phone.

"Anyone important?"

“Just someone who’s helping me with my job,” Scoop answered, giving Sunset a quick smile. “Nothing exciting like someone wanting to run off and elope with me.”

Sunset giggled, leaning in a bit closer. "That's good to hear. Means I have a bit more of a chance with the pretty lady across from me."

Scoop chuckled and waved her hand. “Sorry, I don’t swing that way. Tried it once while I was tipsy in college and it wasn’t for me.”

"Well, it's not like a hobby. You like who you like," Sunset replied with a faux pout. "But, I do think it’s good to experiment. Never know what you'll find out about yourself."

“Well, I had just heard a lecture on human sexuality being less about hard lines and more of a spectrum with tons of bleedover,” Scoop explained, gesturing. “My roommate and I were close, she had a messy breakup the weekend before, mix all that with some wine coolers and we made out and messed around. She came out as bi a few days later and I realized I can like girls emotionally, but guys get my motor running.”

Sunset nodded, feeling the warmth of alcohol building in her face. "I can understand that. Took me awhile to understand that part of myself. Sweetest girl I ever met helped me figure it out."

“Sounds like there’s still some feelings there,” Scoop pointed out, resting her chin on her hands. “Why are you hitting on me when you could be chasing a girl that special?”

"It's..." Sunset bit the inside of her cheek, focusing her thoughts. Pushing the rest of her drink away, she cleared her throat. "I'd rather not talk about it. High School was a long time ago and I'm currently a free agent."

Scoop paled, her expression falling. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to open up old wounds.”

"It's alright, I set down a landmine and walked right on it." It was always better to put a little truth into a cover. Sure, a full lie was just as well, but a sliver of truthfulness always made it just a bit more real. Especially with alcohol loosened lips. She revived her smile. “So, what do you do for a living?”

"Oh, I work at Canterlot Times," Scoop said, lifting her face. "Nothing too big but I have made the front page a few times."

Sunset’s face lit up her smile grew wider. “That sounds really impressive. Wait, I think I recognize your name now. You wrote the drug bust article, right?!”

"It wasn't that big of a deal." Blushing, Scoop rubbed her neck. "Just some good ole' fashioned investigating and a good source or two. I was just happy to help get those guys off the streets."

Sunset felt the tug of a smirk try to form at the corners of her mouth, knowing it was time to cut the crap. “That source wouldn’t happen to be a demon, would it?”

"W-what?" Scoop blinked, her eyes going wide. "What are you talking about?"

“I mean, you’ve been printing these stories before they even happen,” Sunset pointed out, putting an elbow on the table. “Plus, none of the suspects are fessing up to ratting out the crimes. Doesn’t seem normal, ya know?”

Narrowing her eyes, Scoop's hand drifted under the table. "And how would you know that? Ah, I see. You're one of those incompetent jackoffs on CCPD. What, not a fan of being upstaged? Maybe you should do your job properly."

Sunset chuckled, waving her hand. “Nah, I’m not a cop, I just know one. I’m a private investigator. And I happened to see your informant while he was in his little trance." Shifting her eyes, she tracked Scoop's disappearing hand. "Relax, I'm just here to talk. Not like I can get you sent to jail; having a demon informant isn’t against the law."

"And what makes you think its a demon, Ms. Tripper? You must spend a lot of time on the internet to have such outlandish ideas like that."

Sunset's chuckle turned into a full on laugh. "I'm going to guess you came to town relatively recently. Canterlot has a lot of outlandish things in it, we just don't talk about them. Plus, instead of laughing me off, you’ve gotten awfully defensive." Collecting herself, she gave Scoop a serious look. “Seriously, Scoop, this demon is going to do something to you. He’s looking to get you to sign a contract, if you haven’t signed it already. You need help.”

Scoop held Sunset in a tight gaze before rushing to her feet. Holding her arm out, she brandished a taser. "Don't come near me. You even blink funny and I'll scream my head off, got it?"

“Please, just listen to me,” Sunset said, putting her hands up to show she wasn’t a threat. “Don’t make a deal with this guy, he’s gonna get in your head, it’ll sound so tempting, but don’t. Trust me.”

Despite the situation, she felt a shiver crawling up her spine. It settled on her shoulder, whispering Zero's words as clear as they had been those days before the Fall Formal.

“You don’t know anything about me,” Scoop growled, the taser trembling in her grip. “I need Camio. I need him to keep my job. All I want is to get the truth out there. Is that so wrong?”

"It is when you use something you don't understand to do it." Sunset risked standing up, doing so slowly. "How long before he makes you print things that get people hurt? Some things are secret for a reason, Scoop."

Scoop flinched, pulling the trigger on the taser. Sunset’s pulse raced, but due to Scoop’s shaking hands, the twin prongs buried themselves harmlessly into the floor at Sunset’s feet.

"Just tell me where he is," Sunset pleaded, noting the looks and whispers. She had a good two to three minutes before the bouncer arrived. "Please, Scoop."

Dropping the taser, Scoop hung her head. “He’s at a hotel on Fortunae Street. The one right next to the park.”

Relaxing the tension in her limbs, Sunset nodded. "Thank you." Taking out her wallet, she put enough on the table to cover them both. "Just so you know, your co-workers care for you a lot." Hustling past the crestfallen woman, Sunset beelined for the exit. Thankfully, she didn't cross paths with the bouncer.

Getting on her motorcycle, she rocketed down the street towards the given address. Given how out of sorts Scoop was, she was likely going to call Camio to tell him someone was on the way. That was fine, would make it easier to find him. He’d be expecting a woman, not a firebird.

She supposed they were the same thing at this point. Fenix was just another expression of her inner-self; a far better one than all the goofy outfits her geode saw fit to put her in. Except the hair, that layered look was something she wished wouldn’t take hours to do in the morning. Still not worth the outfit as a whole though.

When she reached a distance of two blocks, Sunset's hand left the handlebar. Grabbing the feather from its necklace, she placed it against her helmet. The familiar warmth washed over her as fire spread over her form. The flames continued to grow, covering her bike as well. In a matter of moments, both she and her bike were transformed.

Sunset threw her head back and screamed with the eagle screech, unable to contain the feeling of power. She blushed beneath her helmet, slightly embarrassed by her outburst. She brushed it off, stopping in front of the apartment building Scoop told her about it.

Cracking her knuckles, Sunset made her way into the building. She stopped in the lobby, looking over the room listings in the hopes of finding her demon. It occurred to her that she should have asked what name he’d have been checked in as.

She resisted the urge to facepalm, not wanting to look unconfident in the suit. She’d have to think carefully. If Camio was a bird demon, he’d likely want a high up apartment that would give him easy access to the roof.

“Come on, come on, come on,” Sunset muttered to herself, looking over the higher room numbers. “Give me something!”

After a few moments, she spotted something, a name that stuck out to her. "C. Thrush," she read aloud. "Well, that looks like a good place to start."

Turning towards the stairs, Sunset paused long enough to glance at the desk clerk. Said clerk, a blue skinned teenager, had her phone out. Obviously recording the weirdo in armor, she gazed on in detached amusement. She thought about giving her a warning to get people out, but given the look on her face, it would fall on deaf ears.

Sunset rushed up the stairs, taking a few at a time. Perhaps it would’ve been best to transform when she reached Camio’s room? It was more than a little silly rushing upstairs like this.

How did superheroes make it look so easy in comics or movies? The only upside was that she was moving fast and barely felt the climb. The perks of barely understood, bird themed magic.

Eventually, she reached the floor where she believed Camio was holed up. She walked along the hall, looking for the room number she saw. Upon reaching the door, she delivered a swift kick that sent the obstruction off its hinges.

"Hi! I'm here because I heard there was a bird stuck in this apartment!" She called out. “I can only imagine it’s not doing so well in this cooler climate.”

The door shifted where it had crashed, revealing the white and brown man from Scoop's apartment. "That's gonna void my lease."

“Oh, I’m hoping it’ll void more than that.” Summoning her swords, Sunset leveled one at the man’s chest. “Like whatever you have going on with Double Scoop.”

"She and I have an arrangement," Camio replied, loud snaps and cracks filling the room as his legs reshaped to take on an avian appearance. "I give her good material, and after she gets on the front page a few times, she signs my contract."

They’re all going to do that, aren’t they? Sunset thought, watching the display in morbid fascination. “Well the arrangement is off. This is my town, pigeon, and I don’t plan on sharing my nest.”

"You might be a bird of prey, but do you know what we smaller birds have that you don't?" He asked, his skin peeling back and feathers sprouting all over his body. “A flock.”

The nearby window broke, several streaking forms pouring into the room and swarming Sunset. Warped caws echoed off the walls, sharp needle-like beaks struck at her armor. Sunset waved her arms, trying to knock away the rats with wings.

Camio snickered as a more birds fluttered into the room, filling the space with frantic angry caws and frantic feathers. “Not so cocky now hm?” Blood spattered the floor as his arms rotated back, breaking and reorienting themselves as feathers ripped through his flesh.

A growl tore from Sunset's throat, wisps of flame rising from her swords as she swung them through the cloud of birds. As the searing metal cleaved through the demonic avians, Sunset prayed that Fluttershy would never find out. Even if they were demons, she’d never be forgiven for harming them. While she hewed through the flock, she charged at the still morphing Camio.

Using the flurry of birds to conceal his movements, Camio melted into the sea of black. A limb struck out, sharp metal stabbing at the back of Sunset’s knee.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Sunset fought to keep her balance. A sudden thought struck her, likely an impulse built into her powers. She put her swords hook to hook and began to twirl them in an almost dance-like pattern. Fire streaked from the motion of her sword, filling the room with the smell of burning feathers.

One, two, three. Precise jabs landed on her back, never hitting the same spot twice. “You stink of the other world, Raptor. You don’t belong here.”

"I belong more than you do," Sunset said, forcing herself to keep her momentum despite the searing pain.

“Do you? You come here and taint the Goddess’s creation and have the audacity to interrupt my work?” A jab came from higher up, aimed at her helmet. Thin metal slashed across her helmet, the tip inches away from her eye.

"Like I care what you have to say," Sunset shot back, the flames around her swords glowing white hot.

There didn't seem to be an end to the swarm, no matter how many burned away, it never got any smaller. She'd need to up her firepower, but she didn't want to burn the whole building down. Glancing at the broken window an idea came to her. Giving a silent prayer that the arm feathers were for more than just decoration, she leapt through the window.

Spreading her arms like the bird she resembled, Sunset felt the wind rush against her, catching on her feathers. After a moment, her descent slowed, and she angled herself towards the small pond at the center of the park.

Landing nearly plowed her through a tree. Tucking into a roll, Sunset sprang back to her feet, brandishing her swords. The police would be here soon, either called by one of the hotels guests or the desk clerk. Camino needed to be put down and soon.

Descending upon her like an ink cloud, the demonic thrush cast a shadow over the serene park. More than a few bystanders screamed, barely audible over the cacophony of bird calls.

Concentrating, she focused on the fire coming off her swords. She needed it hotter, bigger, strong enough to fry all those turkeys at once. Sunset needed to burn, hotter than she had ever burned before. She didn't even react as Camio stabbed out from the flock, all that mattered was fanning her flames. Smoke rose up from her armor, threatening to light up at any moment.

With a primal roar, Sunset swung her swords, great gouts of flame rushing off of them and slamming straight into her avian assailants.

The flock ceased to be, replaced by a floating bonfire. The thrush screeched and squaked, their feathers alight with white fire. Camio wailed, the rest of his human guise burning away. A humanoid bird, a blight against the white light hovered above her. A gleaming rapier poised to strike from his strange wing limb.

"Wow, you're even uglier than I pictured," Sunset joked, catching her breath after her exertion. “But hey, your less disgusting than Botis, so there's that."

Camio chirped angrily, lashing out quickly to stab at Sunset. Faster than Sunset could react, it slipped past her guard and pierced into her shoulder. Before he could pull away Sunset grabbed his blade, locking him in place so she could punch him in the beak.

“Come on, Cammy. This can’t be that hot. You are from hell after all.”

Bringing his leg up, Camio clawed at Sunset's calf while wrestling for control of his rapier. "Common misconception, not all of Hell has flames."

“Ya well, it doesn’t matter.” Sunset slugged him in the side of the head, her armored first snapped his head back. “You're getting a one way ticket back, asshole.”

Sunset released his sword, letting him stumble back from the blow. She felt compelled to drop her own swords and put her hand to her belt. An eagle-like cry filled the air, the talon heels on her boots extending. Then, flames shot out from her shoulders, taking the shape of wings.

“In fact, I’ll send you along right now!” The wings flapped taking her into the air. Once she rose up high above him, she dove down, poising her leg for a kick, fire erupting around her foot.

Camio tried to flee, but his wings wouldn’t carry him, leaving him to take the flaming kick straight into the chest. Her momentum kept them moving, only stopping when Camio’s back slammed into a nearby tree.

Much like Botis before him, Camio's body turned to cinder. Flames spread outward and down, burning Camio’s symbol around the tree. What was left of him crumbled away when Sunset stepped back.

Sighing in relief, she didn't even take a moment to examine the symbol, she needed to get back to her bike before cops could swarm the area. As the adrenaline ebbed, the pain in her shoulder throbbed into existence.

Gritting her teeth, Sunset pushed forward despite the pain demanding her attention. By some miracle, she managed to get to her motorcycle without collapsing. Using the digital assistant on her phone, she called Sugarcoat.

“Sugar, you any good at first aid?” Pulling herself on, she turned her head in time to see the first squad car pull up. “Cause’ I’m gonna need it.”

"I can put on bandages, but if you think you need stitches, go to the hospital," Sugar answered over the line. "No way am I gonna let you get gangrene."

Pulling off, Sunset pushed through the pain to recall the directions to Canterlot General. “Stay on the line. If you hear a crash, call 911.”

"I can do that," Sugar assured, her voice getting serious. "Is the demon dead?"

“Yeah, he’s dead. So are a lot of birds.” Turning down a back alley, Sunset removed her armor away from prying eyes. She had to resist the urge to clutch her shoulder, which now felt like a glowing iron rod had been rammed into it.

"Fluttershy can never know about this fight," Sugar replied, obviously trying to lighten the mood. "Which hospital are you going to? I'll meet you there."

“Canterlot General.”

"I'll be right there," Sugar said, the sound of movement in the background. "How are you holding up?"

Sunset grunted, driving through a red light. “I’m feeling a little woozy but... I’m still awake.”

"Then just keep talking to me," Sugar pressed, the sound of an engine's hum filling the silence. "Say anything that comes to mind."

“I flirted with Scoop. Wasn’t too bad at it either.”

"...And why did you think it was a good idea to flirt with her?"

Another turn and the hospital came into view. Just another block. That’s all she needed to do, one more block. “Got her guard down, made her easier to talk to. Wasn’t into it though.”

"Is this a sign that you're thinking of flirting with girls that are into it?" Sugar questioned.

Coming to a stop, Sugarcoat’s voice faded out into an indistinct whine. Staying upright became a challenge, one Sunset had become too tired to overcome. Weakly kicking the kickstand into place, she fell off her bike and onto the parking lot.

Black creeped up on Sunset's vision and the muffled voices came upon her.

Maybe I’ll see you again, Twi, she thought to herself as the blackness of unconsciousness claimed her.

Homeward Bound

If the present world go astray, the cause is in you, in you it is to be sought- The Divine Comedy

Sunset felt the tug of consciousness on her mind. Slowly but surely her senses cut through the fog dampening them. Smell came back first, the overpowering scent of antiseptic almost made her gag. Then came hearing, a soft beeping at the forefront with a lot of bustling activity in the background.

Swallowing dryly, Sunset was made quite aware of how dry her mouth was. Sitting up and opening her eyes, she spied a styrofoam cup with a straw sitting on a tray over her bed. She grabbed it and greedily drank from it. The water inside was room temperature, but she didn't care.

A dull ache in her shoulder reminded her of why exactly she was in the hospital. Presumably medicated, it didn’t bother her much. A lot less than it should’ve anyway. Taking a moment to take stock of herself, she felt bandages in a few spots along her body as well as bumps she presumed were stitches.

Letting her head fall back on a pillow, a long sigh escaped her. "Thank Faust for modern medicine."

Now came the wait. Glancing at the door, she tried to pick through the white noise. She frowned, not hearing anything that seemed connected to her. Looking down, there was a small button on the same tray her water was on. She pressed it, hoping it would call a nurse.

Laying her head back, she chuckled to herself. Wonder if the princess ever got put in the hospital following a fight? She dropped the thought quickly, as thinking of the princess drew her thoughts back to her own Twilight.

Her train of thought was derailed by the door opening and a middle-aged nurse with pink hair entering. "Hello, I'm Tender Heart, was there anything you needed?" Walking inside, Tender grabbed Sunset's chart off the bed. She gaped, looking up with sympathy-filled eyes. "Oh my, you're the stabbing victim that was brought in, how are you feeling, dear?"

“Medicated,” Sunset spoke, licking her lips. “How long and what’s the damage?"

"Looking at your chart, we're going to be holding you overnight and you'll get examined by a doctor in the morning to see how those stitches are holding up. And, you got lucky, no arteries hit and no deep tissue damage. As long as you follow doctor's orders, you should make a full recovery. We also managed to get you a transfusion, but we're still going to be giving you a few special meals to help compensate for the blood loss."

“That bad, huh?” Sunset asked, touching her shoulder. “I thought it was pretty bad. I didn’t think I’d get out so soon.”

"The stitches are the hard part," Tender said with a giggle. "If it looks like there's some muscle damage when the doctor does his next examination, then he'll probably keep you longer so we can keep an eye on you and ensure it heals properly. Honestly, you don't seem like a danger to yourself so we'll just give you a spiel about being careful with the stitches, give you a prescription form for the pain and let you rest at home."

Sunset nodded. “And how long have I been here?” Sitting up, she patted at her neck. “My necklaces, where are they?”

Putting down the chart, Tender pointed out towards the hallway. "Your things are kept in a storage closet for patient belongings down the hall. If you want, we can have them brought in and put out of the way. And I believe you've been unconscious for at least four hours since you were found in the parking lot."

“Anyone visit yet?” Sunset questioned. “And yeah, I’d like my stuff, please.”

"Yes, we have a young woman who came in asking for you. I'll send a message to the waiting room for her while I get your belongings." Turning on her heel, Tender exited the room.

“Thanks!” Sunset called after her. Spotting a remote on the nightstand, she turned on the news and watched with interest.

"-o word has been given by the hotel on the supposed bird attack in one of the rooms," a newscaster said. "However, videos have been found that put Fenix on the scene. Including one that show her fending off sword strikes seemingly appearing from a cloud of birds."

Phone footage suddenly appeared on the screen showing bits and pieces of Sunset's fight. She had to wince whenever she saw herself getting stabbed and she swore her stitches started to itch.

"The police haven't given an official statement on whether or not they plan to hold Fenix accountable or if an investigation will be pursued against her," an anchorwoman continued, turning to the camera.

Glancing at the door, Sunset groaned. Sooner or later, Shining Armor was going to bust in and yell at her. A visit from him without yelling only meant future trouble. She could only hope he wouldn't divulge her identity to his superiors.

When the door opened again, Sunset half braced herself for the man in question, only to relax when Sugarcoat's face popped in.

“I heard you were awake,” Sugarcoat said, closing the door behind her. “Feeling okay?”

"As okay as I can be," Sunset replied, smiling at her assistant. "Pain meds help. And thanks for talking to me during that mess, I think it saved me."

Sugar sat down, putting her hands in her lap. “We’re friends, you don’t have to thank me.”

Sunset smiled, nodding. "I appreciate that. So, did you tell Head Line the job is done?"

“That is my job,” Sugar said, nodding.

"Good because I'm pretty sure my insurance is not gonna like covering this and I'm gonna need the money," Sunset replied with a sheepish grin.

Sugar quirked a brow. “Wait, you have insurance? Must’ve been a headache to set up for yourself.”

Rubbing her neck, Sunset chuckled weakly. “Yeah well, when you have a small stock pile of gold coins, it helps a lot.”

“Have you heard about your condition yet?” Sugar questioned, leaning forward in her chair. “They wouldn’t tell me anything when I got here since we’re not married or related.” Her eyes fell on the front of Sunset's bed, just where her chart hung.

“Yeah, just some stitches and special food,” Sunset replied, muting the t.v. “I’m on the news again, no shocker there.”

"Yeah, they were playing it in the waiting room." Turning her head, Sugar shrank in a little. "I didn't really watch."

“It’s not really much, they missed the good bits,” Sunset assured, smiling.

"Forgive me if I don't want to see my friend getting hurt," Sugar shot back, leveling an unamused stare at Sunset.

“Relax, they didn’t show that part.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. A moment later and Tender entered with a bag in tow. "Pardon the intrusion, but I have your things." With a practiced smile, she set the bag down on a free chair. “Just let me know if you need anything else!”

“Thanks.” Sunset nodded. “Could you pass me that, Sugar?”

Sugar gave a quick affirmation and passed over the bag after giving it a quick peek. “I think your jacket has seen better days.”

“Yeah well, nothing Rarity can’t fix.” Opening the bag, she pulled out her jacket. She was infinitely grateful that it hadn’t been cut apart to treat her. And that it was, mostly, black. Frowning at the hole in the front, she vowed to have it restored as soon as possible.

She pulled out her phone next and turned it on. Going to her contacts, a thought wormed into her brain. She knew Shining Armor would be showing up, it was only a matter of time. So why not call the other sibling to hopefully balance things out? She tapped the name and put the phone to her ear.

It took a few rings before he answered. “Hey, Sunny.”

"Hey, Spike, good to hear your voice," Sunset greeted, letting her jacket drape over her lap. "How are you?"

“I’m doing well. Gabby and I just got back from apartment browsing.”

"Oh wow, that's super exciting," Sunset replied, a smile worming its way to her lips. "If you're still looking, there's an apartment building on my street looking for tenants. I actually found the super's cat a few times so I can put in a good word for you. Plus, there's a diner right next door that has the best fries in the city."

Spike chuckled. “It’s always fast food with you. You know, I joined the track team because of how many calories you and Twi suckered me into eating.”

"Hey! You know I learned how to cook nice Neighponese meals while I worked at that sushi restaurant!" Sunset protested, putting on a faux pout. She winced, her outburst having caused her to jerk her shoulder suddenly.

“So uh... how are you doing? I saw you in the news a few times. Is everything okay?”

"Sorta, got a little banged up and am in Canterlot General right now," Sunset explained, chuckling weakly. “I’m okay, so don’t drop everything and rush to see me, got it?”

"I was only gonna whoop Gabby in Super Smash sisters for the umpteenth time," Spike assured. "We'll be right over. But let me guess, you're looking for a Shining Shield?"

“...Yes...”

There was a dinging sound in the background, obviously getting Spike's attention. "Oh, Gabby's scones are done. Want me to bring some with us?"

“Only if there's enough for me and Sugarcoat.” Turning to Sugarcoat, she asked. “You like scones?”

"Yes, I do," Sugar replied, giving Sunset an odd look at the sudden question. "Especially ones with fruit."

“Yeah, make sure there's enough for Sugarcoat.”

"Come on, you know Gabby makes a lot," Spike retorted with a laugh. "We should be there in about fifteen minutes. Don't go anywhere," he joked, hanging up.

Exiting the call, Sunset let a bit of tension leave her body. Spike was one of the few remaining pillars in her life. Without him, she’d have broke when Twilight…

She groaned, her head hitting her pillow with an audible sound. It seemed like every train of thought led back to Twilight. Her disappearance was the albatross hanging from her neck. A part of her wanted to put an end to it, but then some wriggling doubt and guilt would creep in.

“I take it Spike is stopping by?” Sugarcoat asked. “Is it really a good idea to stir up sibling resentment?”

"There's no resentment." Sunset frowned as she said that. "At least none that I've seen. The two are just on opposite sides of this. They're both still close. You should've seen Shining blubber like a mama hen at Spike's graduation."

“And one loves you and the other hates you,” Sugarcoat said, her gaze slightly edged. “How many arguments have they had over you?”

Sunset frowned, shaking her head. "I don't think Shining hates me. I think he's angry and in his mind I'm the obvious target. I mean, if he hated me he would've exposed my identity as Fenix first chance he had."

“If you say so.” Sugar pushed her glasses up, regarding Sunset with a sympathetic eye. “Grief changes you.”

Looking down, Sunset was reminded of her earlier train of thought. "Yeah, I know." Looking up, she forced a smile. "Oh, can't believe I haven't asked. How's your dad doing after the Botis thing?"

“He’s doing alright. Doesn’t remember a whole lot of it.” Shifting in her seat, she glanced at the door. “I used a few cleansing methods. I don’t know if any of them worked.”

"Cleansing methods?" Sunset repeated, her interest piqued. "Is that something you've come across during your research?"

Sugarcoat shrugged noncommittally. “A lot of places where you can find them. I don’t know if they work, they aren’t from Equestria.”

The two continued talking for a while, Sunset always keeping an eye on the door. It was a nerve wracking wait, each approaching footstep making her heart speed up. When the door finally opened, her heart nearly leaping from her chest, only to sigh in relief when a bit of green hair poked through the crack.

“You got your clothes on?” Spike inquired, peering around the door.

“I’ve got a blanket and hospital gown on,” Sunset answered. “What? Did you think I was gonna host a nudist party in here as soon as I woke up?”

Walking inside, Spike snickered. “I dunno, maybe it’s a pony tradition.” Stepping inside, he passed her a wrapped plate of scones. “Fresh from the oven.”

“Where’s Gabby?” Sunset asked, taking a scone and holding the plate out to Sugar. “I wanted to thank her in person.”

“Hello!” Gabby peeked in after Spike, giving her a wave. “I wish it wasn’t in a hospital but it’s good to see you, Sunset.”

“Same,” Sunset agreed with a chuckle. “But chalk that up to me developing an allergy to using my phone,” she joked with a sheepish smile. “But anyway, how was apartment hunting?”

The conversation stayed light and friendly, something Sunset needed greatly. The afternoon passed with laughter and a good amount of scones. It of course came to a screeching halt when the door swung open to reveal a seething Shining Armor. Sunset braced herself, knowing what was about to happen.

Looking to each of the rooms occupants, Shining groaned. “Spike, Gabby. Why am I not surprised you're here so soon.”

Spike crossed his arms over his chest, his expression hardening. "Probably because your first instinct when Sunset does anything is to scream your head off."

Standing up, Gabby put a hand on Sugarcoat’s shoulder. “How about we go to the cafeteria and get us some drinks? I bet Sunny is dying for anything that isn’t water.” Practically pulling the older woman, she edged her towards the door.

Sunset sighed, thankful that the two didn't have to hear everything. "Is this going to be the part where you tell me to stop being Fenix?"

“You should have told me,” Shining said, his face conveying a deep seeded frustration. “Don’t give me that ‘client confidentiality’ nonsense. You’re lucky you didn’t burn the damn hotel down.”

"And what was I going to tell you? To evacuate the place?" Sunset retorted, not budging. "If I had done that, there's no telling what the demon would've done."

“That’s not the point!” Shining snapped, slamming a fist back against the door. “You can’t just do whatever you want. This isn’t high school, the city won’t keep covering for your bullshit.”

"You think I'm doing this because I want to?" Sunset balked, doing her best to sit up in bed. "I never asked for freaky superpowers! I'm just doing what I can to help people!"

“Oh yeah, and all it cost was my sister!” Shining Armor hissed, his teeth grating. “A lot of good you did her! You’re the reason she almost tore the goddamn world apart and now she’s gone!”

"Now who's the one spouting bullshit!?" Spike boomed, stepping up to his older brother. "Twilight was the one who stole all the magic! She gave in to Cinch's pressure! Cinch is more to blame for that than Sunset! Sunset warned Twilight about magic. And Twi's disappearance had nothing to do with magic! You need to get that thought out of your head." His expression softened and he put a hand on the other man's shoulder. "I miss her too, but this isn't the solution."

Shining paused, unable to respond for a long while. His brother had never raised his voice like that. At least, not to his older brother.

A soft rapt came from the door before Redheart peered in. “Excuse me, but could you keep it down? I understand tempers can flare but there are other patients around here you know.”

"Sorry ma'am," Spike replied, the fire in his eyes dying. "We'll be more quiet from here on out." Returning his gaze to Shining he added, "Isn't that right?"

Grunging in agreement, Shining Armor turned his back to them.

Sunset silently watched the pair, bracing herself to get out of bed. She gasped, pain lancing through her where her injuries were their worst as the i.v. kept her from leaving the bed.

Sighing, Redheart stepped over and eased Sunset back down. “Relax, lay back and relax. You’re not getting out of that bed for a while yet.”

Sunset took a moment to control her breathing, nodding and settling onto the pillow. "Spike, can you make sure Ray gets fed for me?" Stifling a groan, she turned her head towards the young man. She hated feeling useless. She had been self-reliant for so long that asking for help doing something so basic left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

“Yeah, I can do that,” Spike nodded. “You still keep his dust in the same spot?”

“Of course,” Sunset said, pushing her negative emotions down to force a smile. “Makes it easy on me to find every day. Just don’t let him charm you into getting extra food. I don’t want to come home to a fat lizard.”

Chuckling, Spike shot her a smile. “I got it, I got it. Don’t overfeed the reptile.”

She shot Spike a look. “Ray is not just a reptile.”

Spike put his hands up in surrender. “Hey, I never said he was.”

“Sorry,” sighing, Sunset looked up at the ceiling, “I get defensive of Ray. I know you weren’t trying to insult him.”

Shining Armor seethed in his corner of the room. His own brother couldn't see what was plainly obvious. Why was he alone in seeing what happened to Twilight? Silently, he walked out the room to get back to his work. His only solace being that Fenix's name wouldn't turn up for a while.

Days off were always something Shining Armor treasured. Any time he could spend with two of the most important people in his life was time he couldn’t afford to waste.

Sitting on his couch next to his lovely wife with tablet in hand, he browsed for family friendly activities. "Hmm, hey Caddy, which do you think Flurry would like more: that petting zoo on the other side of town, or the amusement park?"

“You know, that’s a pretty good question,” Cadance said, glancing at the tablet. “She has been hinting that she wants a pet... the petting zoo might be just up her alley.”

Shining smiled at the thought of a family pet. "Just as long as she doesn't ask for something crazy, I think we could afford a pet. You want to call her down while I make us some sandwiches for a little picnic lunch there?"

Standing up, Cadance moved to the bottom of the stairs. “Flurry! Come on down, sweetheart, we’re going out today!”

The sound of rushing feet preceded Flurry bursting down the stairs to jump in her mother's arms. The little girl was wearing fairy wings on her back and holding a toy sword in her hand. "Where are we going?!" Flurry beamed, looking up at her mother excitedly.

“We're going to the petting zoo,” Cadance explained, catching Flurry with only minimal effort. “Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

"Yeah! I love animals!" Flurry giggled, tossing her toy in the nearby umbrella stand to put it away. "Will we be able to keep one? I want a lamb."

Cadance giggled, setting Flurry down. “I don’t know about a lamb sweetie. We don’t exactly live on a farm, do we?”

Pouting for a moment, Flurry nodded. "Okay, no lamb."

Cadance had to remain strong. Flurry's look was effective even though she knew the little girl was trying to tug at her heart strings.

Patting Flurry’s head, Cadance set her down. “Now, why don’t you get ready to go? You don’t want to keep the animals waiting, do you?”

Nodding, Flurry rushed off to hang her wings up in the closet and grabbed her shoes to put on. Grinning, she looked to her mother for any indication that she had completed the given task. When Cadance only gave her a thumbs up in response, Flurry kicked the door closed and rushed back to her mother's side.

Patting her daughter's head, Cadance turned toward the kitchen. "Shiny, we're ready! How's that picnic lunch looking?"

“It’s looking great!” He called back to her. “Why don’t you go out into the car?”

"Don't keep us waiting, we might leave without you!" Cadance teased, taking Flurry's hand to go to the car.

Putting the little girl in her booster seat was a quick process, only made slightly harder by her vibrating with an excitement that seemed to threaten to have her vibrate out of it.

“I’m so excited!” Flurry gushed, her smile bright and sweet.

"Is there an animal you're most excited to see?" Cadance inquired, taking her own seat and checking the glove compartment for the story book just in case Flurry needed entertainment.

“Oh um...I wanna pet a goat!”

Cadance chuckled, her daughter's energy always seeming to outpace her own thoughts. "I'm sure you'll get to."

A few moments later, Shining came out with a large cooler bag slung over one shoulder. Getting in the car, he placed the bag in the backseat and started the engine. “Are you two ready?” he asked, adjusting the rear view mirror.

“Flurry’s been ready since I told her about the idea,” Cadance chirped, relaxing in her seat. “She wants to pet a goat.”

“Ya!” Flurry piped in.

“That’s something we can arrange,” Shining assured, an easy smile on his face. This was exactly what he needed. Sunset and Fenix were the furthest thing from his mind. If perfection existed, he’d put up a moment like this as a candidate.

The drive to the petting zoo was easy enough, and Shining didn’t have to spend too long to find a parking spot once he was there. Getting out of the car, he made a quick check so he could find the car later.

Lifting Flurry of her seat, he placed her on his shoulders. “Comfy?” he asked, grabbing the picnic supplies. Flurry nodded, putting her hands on the side of his head. They walked into the petting zoo, quickly paid and started looking over the several sets of pens. Setting his daughter down, he led pointed her to the pens. “Which one do you want to go in first?”

“Goats, Daddy!” Flurry said, pointing towards a pen in the back.

Walking with her, he led his daughter into the pen. Before he let her go off, he knelt beside her. “Okay Flurry have fun, but remember that you need to be gentle with animals. Just like what Fluttershy has taught you.”

Flurry nodded, quickly moving over to one of the goats.

Cadance watched from the sidelines, giggling as she had to watch her husband get surrounded by baby goats sniffing at his bag. Her giggles developed into a full blown laughing fit as he started to do a jig of sorts in an attempt to escape the hungry horde without accidentally stepping on one of them.

“Do you need some help?” she called, trying to catch her breath.

“Buy a handful of that feed!” Shining called out, now balancing on one foot while holding the bag over his head. “And chuck it in here!”

“Alright, alright, you big baby.” Stepping over to one of the dispensers, Cadance slipped in the fifty cents. Retrieving her feed, she tossed it next to the baaing horde.

The effect was instant, the crowd of ‘kids’ dispersed and started eating the pile of food. Shining relaxed, going over to the fence of the pen and handing his wife their bag. With a kiss on the cheek he said, “Thanks babe.”

“Honestly, sometimes I think you’re the babe,” she retorted, poking his cheek.

Shining chuckled, leaning on the wooden beam and watched his daughter get nuzzled by one of the goats. “I’m whatever you want me to be, honey.”

His eyes settled on one of the caretakers, a clipboard in his hand and he was obviously taking inventory. Detective instincts kicked in, there was a nervous air to the man’s body language. Exiting the pen and walked over to the caretaker. “Is there something wrong, sir?”

The caretaker jumped slightly, clearly absorbed in his task. When turning to Shining, he settled down. "Oh, nothing wrong per se," he said, lowering his clipboard. "Just counting the animals as a safety precaution. There's been a string of missing animals in the city lately. Mostly pets, but the owners don't want anything happening to the little guys."

“Missing animals huh? How long has that been going on?” Shining questioned. A sinking feeling overcame him, the kind that told him that work was going to intrude on his life.

"I heard about it a couple days ago, but it might've been going on longer though."

“Alright, thanks.” Resuming his spot at the goat pen, Shining Armor slipped out his phone. Looking at his contacts, he bit the inside of his mouth. After a moment of debate, he sent Sunset a message.

"Honey, I know that look," Cadance said, her eyes glinting slightly. "Are you letting work time impact family time again?"

Shaking his head, Shining put his phone away. “Nope. Just passing on a message. I’m here one hundred percent.”

Cadance eyed him skeptically for a moment before nodding. "Okay honey." Kissing his cheek, she left the matter there.

Things had finally settled down with Sunset and she was able to relax at her office in peace. The only notable thing was that she had received a text from Shining Armor the day before about the missing animals in the city. She decided to ignore it. Shining Armor would see magic in an empty jar of mayonnaise being left in the fridge by accident. She might look into it in her downtime, but first she needed to take on a job.

Sugarcoat placed a cup of water and a few pills on the center of her desk. “I’m your assistant, not your nanny. Take your medicine.”

“I was gonna do it,” Sunset griped, taking the cup of water. Once she had the pills down she muttered a quick ‘thank you’ to her friend.

Retaking her seat, Sugarcoat typed away at her computer. “We still owe Gizmo fifty for setting this thing up.”

Sunset looked up from her paperwork. "I can take care of that." Standing up, she made sure to mind her bad shoulder. "Maybe while I'm out I can sniff out a small case. Maybe find a missing pet for someone?"

“Isn’t a missing pet beneath us?” Sugarcoat asked. “We have hit a certain... standard.”

"I can't exactly go demon hunting like this," Sunset countered, pointing to her stitches. "Besides, people appreciate the act. I've gotten customers referred to me by people I've found pets for."

Shrugging, Sugarcoat didn’t protest further. “I need to stop at Ray’s Occult Bookstore. The Ars Goetia isn’t all encompassing.”

Getting up, Sunset grabbed her helmets. "Alright, I'll give you a ride."

“Just don’t crash,” Sugarcoat commented, closing her laptop. “I’d hate to see you in the hospital again.”

"Oi," Sunset protested, tossing a helmet to the other woman. "I have yet to crash my bike. You're in safe hands with me. Now cut the chatter and lets go.”

Hiding a smirk, Sugar put on her helmet and got onto her seat. "Looks like I hit a nerve. You must have gotten so many lectures on motorcycle safety.”

"When the most advanced tech in your home world is airships and trains, you take personal transportation seriously," Sunset offered, rolling down the street. "Seriously, even just phones would blow the minds of a lot of ponies."

“I can only imagine. Ray’s shop is on Fourth and Marigold.”

"I know that street!" Sunset chirped, making a turn. "My favorite hobby shop is there." A smile spread across her face. She had half a mind to pop into the shop to say hi to the owner. And maybe peruse the manuals for an obscure tabletop.

“I want you to come in with me,” Sugar said. “Ray knows a lot.”

Sunset put a pin in her thought, plans of a homebrew with Spike and Gabby to celebrate their new apartment bubbling in the back of her head. "Okay, but if he offers me a puzzle box or monkey's paw I'm bailing on you."

The ride was short, only a few blocks. Ray’s shop was tucked between two larger buildings, sporting a modest sign and large windows.

The windows held enough occult paraphernalia to decorate at least three goth girls' rooms. Hanging up her helmet, Sunset eyed the store skeptically. She trusted her assistant’s judgement, but the place was creepy. Might’ve had something to do with her old world favoring bright colors in everything.

Sliding off the bike, Sugarcoat removed her helmet. Taking a moment to fix her hair, she proceeded inside. “Ray, it’s me, Sugarcoat.”

“How can I be sure of that?” Came a voice from within the bookshelves. “You might be a class-3 possessive entity using Sugarcoat’s body. If you’re really Sugarcoat then you know what you have to do.”

Walking over to the counter, Sugarcoat rapt her knuckles on the wood in an erratic, strange pattern. “There.”

Popping out from a bookshelf that swung on a hinge in the wall, an odd looking man wearing what looked like night vision goggles approached the counter. "Excellent, your pattern confirmed what your aura is telling me. Welcome back, Sugarcoat."

“Her aura?” Sunset questioned, finding herself staring at the strange man.

"Yes, I spent ten years studying under a Yogi," Ray said, regarding Sunset. "He taught me about the ambient energy that all life gives off. Using his teachings, I created this, goggles that let me see that spiritual energy." He brought his hands up and tapped the side of one of the lenses. The lenses zoomed, studying Sunset.

Sunset blinked, taking a step back. “What? Am I that interesting or something?”

"Your aura is about to undergo a change. Something in you or your life is about to undergo a development," Ray explained, pulling off the goggles. Offering a smile, he extended his hand. “I’m Ray, but I imagine Sugarcoat’s already told you that.”

"That and the name of the store," Sunset replied, taking the offered hand and shaking it. "I'm Sunset Shimmer, a pleasure." When she made contact, a tingle went up her arm, alerting her to her ability to read his mind. She ignored it, letting the feeling fade on its own.

“Ah, so you're Sunset Shimmer.” Stepping back, Ray eyed her critically. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Are you really a small equine from another dimension?”

Quirking a brow, she turned to Sugar. "Did you tell him about that?"

“I didn’t say anything,” Sugarcoat said, shaking her head.

"Um, ponies in my world are human-sized," Sunset explained. "Don't know where you got small from."

Ray pursed his lips. “Hm, perhaps I’m misremembering. It’s been a while since Wallflower explained it all to me.”

"Wallflower's a regular here too?" Sunset questioned, looking around the shop and trying to picture the flower loving girl in such a macabre setting.

“Wallflower’s my niece,” Ray corrected, putting his goggles on the counter. “Now, what can I help you ladies with today?”

“We’re here to talk about Demonology,” Sugar cut in, leaning on the counter. “Specifically in regards to the Ars Goetia.”

Ray walked to a bookshelf, shuffling through the titles. “You know, I had an officer come in here the other day. Showed me a demonic symbol, burned into a lawn. I’m going to hazard a guess that you’re the one who took care of it.”

“There’s been another one,” Sunset commented, running a hand through her hair. “But yeah, I fought it.”

Grabbing a few books from the shelf, Ray spread them out on the counter. “The sigil must have been their essence returning to Hell. You destroyed their physical form, but not their essence.”

Gaping, Sunset took in that bit of news. “Are you saying those two are still alive? What’s gonna stop them from coming back.”

“Relax,” Ray said, holding a hand up. “It’ll most likely be decades or centuries before they store up enough power to reenter the material plane. For now, they’ll be trapped in Hell.”

Sunset relaxed slightly, but she remained unconvinced. “Alright, I guess that makes sense. So, do you have any ideas on how we can figure these demons out? So far we’ve been using plain investigation work.”

“Maybe some goggles? Or that scanner you keep messing with?” Sugarcoat suggested, peering down at the books.

“The scanner is for ghosts,” Ray dismissed, waving his hand. “I’d have to completely redesign it if I wanted to have it detect demons. However, I might be able to make some new aura goggles for you. Something to see the divine spark, perhaps?”

“Divine? What could possibly be divine about these things?” Sunset scoffed.

Flipping one of the books open, Ray stopped on an illustration of a luminous female figure. “It’s from what we know as the oldest creation myth; the story of the Goddess.”

Sunset recognized the basic gist of the drawing, it was a less pony version of artist interpretations of Faust she had seen. “Ok, walk me through this like I’m from another world and haven’t studied human creation myths.”

“I’ll give you the short version: In the beginning, there was chaos and from that chaos came the Goddess. Driven by loneliness, she created the angels. With them, her ever loyal companions, she sculpted the material world from the formless chaos.”

Turning the page, the book displayed a winged human amid combat with three titanic beasts. “But, the goddess did not realize she had not been alone. Three primordial beasts emerged into the new world, and took form to match: Ziz of the sky, Leviathan of the water and Behemoth of the land. The Goddess and her angels quelled these beasts, making way for what would become life.”

Another page, this one showing a weeping Goddess. “As the Goddess filled the world with life, she tasked her angels with keeping order. And they did, but so deep was their devotion to her and the task she gave them, that they began to intensify. Keeping order was not enough, to truly impress the Goddess, they had to ensure it could not be broken.”

“The Goddess could not bring herself to harm her creations, so she empowered a mortal to do so. The greatest of the angels, the Light-Bringing, was felled by the champion, and the angels were placed in what we know as Hell. The Goddess wept, having blamed herself for cursing her angels so. She wept for so long, and so hard, that she crumbled away to dust.”

"Well, that's certainly a tale," Sunset said, mulling over the story. "But I don't get it, the demons I've seen so far didn't seem motivated by order."

“What’s more orderly than controlling what news people get?” Sugarcoat asked. “Control what they digest, control what they think.”

Sunset nodded, thinking the situation over. Sugar made a good point, but targeting Sugar’s father still didn’t make sense. What did a Meteorologist have to do with forcing order? It was something to think about. For now, they just had to worry about the next one.

“There’s still one thing that’s bugging me,” Sunset said, looking over the story. “Why now and in this city?”

Putting a finger and thumb to his chin, Ray pondered for a moment. "Hard to say, could be coincidence. Or it might be due to all the magical energy that's saturated the area over the years. Something else we’ll have to look into.”

Sugar and Sunset spent a little more time at the shop, picking up a few more tidbits while they were there.

After their trip to Ray’s, Sunset decided to return to her office. Her thoughts drifted back to the text Shining had sent her. It was probably not a good idea to keep the man waiting. Especially with their rocky relationship.

Anything could be demon related, she realized. Anything and everything. Which didn’t help her in the slightest. She’d need to do more digging with Sugar, that way there wouldn’t be any surprises waiting for her.

A knock came from her door, followed by a familiar face peering in. “Hey, Sunset, ya busy?” Applejack asked stepping inside.

“Nah, I just got back from a quick drive,” Sunset said, getting up to greet her friend. “What brings you here?”

Stepping inside, Applejack moved cautiously. “Well ya see... Winona’s up and gone missing. Ah’ve been all over the farm and the neighborhood but, Ah ain’t found no sign of er’ anywhere.”

Sunset froze, her hand drifting to her phone. “Yeah, a lot of animals have gone missing lately,” she said, her words coming out slowly. “Shining Armor texted me about it.”

“Ah’d appreciate it iffin’ ya could look for her.” Applejack sat across from her, her expression dower. “Money might be a little tight but, Ah can miss a ring payment or two ta pay ya.”

“AJ, I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Sunset assured, putting on a small smile. “I’ve still got some old Equestrian bits stashed away. I’ll take your case and you keep your money.”

“Sunset, Ah can’t hire ya and not pay ya,” Applejack protested, frowning deeply. “Not only would that be a poor thing for a friend ta do, it’d be against what the Apple family stands for.”

“Fine, but not so much that you’re digging into the ring fund,” Sunset retorted, putting a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Making you pay like that would be a poor thing for a friend to do too.”

“Ah can agree ta that.” Applejack smiled, holding her hand out. “Guess it’s a deal then, huh?”

“Of course it’s a deal,” Sunset agreed, shaking the hand. “I’ll find the old girl faster than you can say sugarcube.”

With the deal struck, Sunset walked AJ out and had the farmer lead her out to where she had last seen Winona. Sunset couldn’t help but hope that Shining was wrong about this relating to a demon. Yet, she had a feeling that would be in vain.

Homeward Bound Pt. II

Sunset kept her eyes peeled as she rode down the street in AJ's truck. Normally she knew the city well enough to go into a sort of autopilot. She only pulled her focus up while on jobs that required her to look for something specific. This was one of those times.

She kept telling herself that Winona wasn't the wandering type. It seemed more and more likely that she was dealing with a connected case of stolen pets. But to what end? The usual explanation of money didn’t quite sit right with her. Not now.

Sunset was pulled out of her thoughts by the truck suddenly stopping.

"We're at the park Winona likes best," Applejack commented, undoing her seatbelt. “Ah don’t think she’s here though.”

"If we can find signs of her, that'll be a good start," Sunset offered, taking off her own seatbelt. "We'll also check out Sweet Apple Acres later." Stepping out of the truck, she scanned the peaceful park. "Can you lead me to where she'd go here the most?"

“Sure can!” AJ slid out of the truck, adjusting her hat. “Right this way, sugarcube.”

Sunset followed after her friend, her bad shoulder threatening to lock up on her. Ignoring it, she stopped to examine several places, using the zoom function of her phone's camera to get a closer look. Despite that, she found nothing that suggested Winona had been through the park. No one they talked to had seen her either.

“Where exactly was the last place you saw her?” Sunset inquired, turning back to AJ.

"Back home," AJ answered, rubbing her neck. "Right after Ah brought in the last of the day's harvest. She was barking up a storm tho. Not sure at what.”

Sunset bit the nail on her thumb, her suspicions all but confirmed. "Then let's go there now, we might get some clues."

With a quick nod, AJ led her back to the truck and pulled back onto the road. Sunset spent the ride in thought. Something had to be connecting the missing pets, she just needed to find out what.

“How’s Sugarcoat workin’ out?” AJ asked, breaking the tentative silence.

"Pretty well," Sunset replied, glad to be pulled out of her line of thinking. "Her knowledge on demons has been coming in handy. Though, she knows weird people. She took me to meet a shopkeeper who talked about my aura. Said it was going to undergo a change soon."

"The hay's that supposed t'mean?" Applejack questioned with a quick snort of a laugh. “That more of that ole’ pony stuff?”

Sunset shook her head. "Seemed different than how we use it. In Equestria, aura is what we used to describe the color of ponies' magic. Mine was the same color as my eyes."

“Musta been a pretty color then,” Applejack said, turning onto her street. It didn’t take long for her to make another turn and pull onto her long driveway. “Twi always gushed about it.”

Sunset's smile twitched, memories of Twilight talking about their brief excursion into Equestria bubbling to the surface of consciousness. "She also swore she wanted to study the mechanics of pegasus flight."

“Ya, that sounds like her alright, never could satisfy her brain.”

With an opening like that, Sunset couldn't resist. Smirking she said, "Nah, but I was pretty good at satisfying something else."

Coming to a stop, AJ turned the truck off. Sharing Sunset’s smirk, she stepped outside. “Ah know it hurts, Sugarcube, but ya can’t just not think about her. That jus makes it worse.”

Filing out of the old pickup, Sunset sighed. "AJ, I have to avoid thinking about it. Otherwise, I spend hours just spiraling into it. When she first disappeared, I think I stayed up for a week straight searching for clues. I only slept because my body literally collapsed on me. Faust AJ, I nearly assaulted her lab assistant because I was so desperate to find something!"

AJ grunted, adjusting her hat. “Ah guess we’re just different like that. Iffin’ Ah stop thinking about Ma and Pa, it’s like they’ll have died all over again. Not that Ah think Twi’s...” Closing her mouth, AJ gestured across the farm. “Winona was over there.”

Taking a deep breath, Sunset did her best to ease her nerves. "It's okay, AJ, I know you're trying to help." Kneeling down, she examined the spot where the farm girl indicated. "Maybe I just need to learn how to not think of it as one of my cases?"

“That might help,” AJ said, standing off to the side. “Ah’ma go in the house and make us somethin’ t'eat. Take yer time and do whatever ya need ta do.” Giving a nod, AJ turned and made herself scarce.

Sunset scratched her chin, examining the ground. She could swear that she could see the faint outline of some tracks. With no real way to measure it, she made a mental note of them and looked for something else.

Moving away from the tracks, Sunset moved to examine the nearby bushes. There didn’t seem to be anything interesting for a while, unless one was interested in spider nests. She was almost ready to turn her search elsewhere when something stood out in her periphery. Carefully navigating past the complex web, she pulled out something stuck in the bush.

Upon further inspection, it turned out to be a piece of a pet food bag of some kind. Applejack wasn't the type to leave trash around the farm. Still, best to ask if it was hers.

With the scrap in hand, Sunset walked over to the farmhouse. The instant she approached, the tantalizing scent of Apple family cooking wafted up to her. Licking her lips, Sunset gave a knock and stepped inside.

"Ya find anything yet?" AJ called out, poking her head out from the kitchen. "Ah've got most of the food ready, still workin' on one last thing." Grabbing oven mitts she added, "Ah guarantee you'll love it."

"Found what I think are tracks of some kind and this." Holding her hand out, Sunset displayed the scrap she found.

Taking the small scrap, AJ eyed it in befuddlement. “Huh, now ain’t that somethin’. This brand used t'be Winona’s favorite but they went outta business a few years back.”

Putting a hand to her chin, Sunset scrutinized the paper. "So an out of date pet food? That's definitely bizarre. You don't happen to remember where you bought it, do you?"

“Not really no.” AJ shook her head. “It’s been years, Sunset.”

Smiling, Sunset took the scrap back and pocketed it. "No worries, I wasn't expecting it to be that easy. Do you have any plaster though? I was thinking about getting a better look at those tracks."

“Why on earth would we have plaster?” Giving Sunset a look, AJ sighed. “I can drive ya out ta the hardware store after we eat, alright?”

"Hey, Apple Bloom bought a ton of weird crap back in the day, is it that out there she might've got it for crafting?" Sunset retorted with a giggle.

"Fair point," the farmer conceded, pulling something out of the oven. "Wash up, soup's on."

Sunset stepped up to the sink, letting the water run over her hands. It was a small moment, just a nice meal with a friend and her family. It had been awhile since she had eaten with friends. The case could wait until after she had soup in her belly.

Once Sunset had set the plaster into the tracks, she headed out with Applejack to look into the other missing pets. Going through the texts Shining Armor had sent her, she settled on a place to start. The closest lead was a little rancher on the outskirts of Canterlot.

Stepping out the truck, Sunset thought over what she would say as she approached the front door. Raising her hand, she rapt her knuckles against the wood.

The door opened to reveal a middle aged woman with azure skin and dark blue hair loosely pulled up. "I'm not buying anything."

“That’s fine, I’m not selling,” Sunset assured quickly. “I’m actually investigating the rash of missing pets. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

"Come in," the woman said, stepping out of the frame and moving further into the home.

With a soft smile Sunset took the invitation and followed the woman into a living room. "Thank you for your time, ma'am."

“Citrus.” The woman led her into the living room. “I’m Citrus Fall.”

"Sunset Shimmer," Sunset greeted, taking a seat on a couch. "Can you tell me anything that sticks out to you about your missing pet? Even the tiniest thing could help.”

Citrus snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know who did it. My bitch of a next door neighbor. I’ve tried calling the cops on her, but they told me there was no proof for a warrant.”

Sunset flipped open her notepad, making a few notes. “Are you sure it was your neighbor? Any reason to suspect she’d steal your dog?”

“Because she’d always harass my dog sitter whenever he’d walk by her house. Always going on about poop on her lawn even though he’d always clean up after her.” Citrus rattled on a few minutes more, her complaints becoming more and more petty.

Something else stuck out to Sunset, an element she hadn’t considered. On the surface, there was no common thread between the victims. But maybe she had finally found a way to breach that surface. “You mentioned a pet sitter, can I get their name?”

An exasperated sigh met Sunset’s question. “Of course I got their name. What do you take me for, some kinda chump?”

“No, I just want to get into contact with them.” Chuckling weakly, Sunset threw her hands up defensively. “That way I can get their side of their encounters with your neighbor.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, I got that.”

Pulling out her notepad, Sunset offered it for Citrus to write down the pet sitter’s contact info. Taking it back, she looked down at the name. “Bramble?” she read aloud, raising her eyebrow.

“Yeah, good kid,” Citrus said, huffing. “Loves animals. And it only took him a second to get Cookie to love him too.”

Closing her notebook, Sunset slipped it into her pocket. “Thanks for the info. I’ll do my best to find your dog.” Excusing herself, Sunset left the house. Speed dial was her next move, connecting her with Sugarcoat. “Hey, Sugar, I need you to do a background check.”

Sunset could hear rustling in the background. "Okay, who do you want me to look up?"

“Kid named Bramble. He’s a dog sitter apparently.”

"Bramble, got it, " Sugar responded, audible tapping following her words. After a couple minutes, she spoke up again. "Okay, found his personal site and Bookface profile. I can get you his business number."

It only took a few minutes for Sunset to find a nice coffee shop. Once she was settled in, she called Bramble’s number. “Hello?” A valley girl accent passed her lips; a pretty good one if she said so.

"Hello, this is Bramble's Petcare, Bramble speaking, how can I help you, Ma'am?" A young man's voice answered, his tone filled with a gentle warmth.

“Yeah, I’m going out of town for a few days and I need someone to look after my furbabies,” Sunset said. The urge to vomit was strong after the use of that word, but she kept a straight face. “Do you watch more than just dogs?”

"Of course," Bramble said, excitement creeping into his voice. "I can look after cats, birds and various reptiles. Basically anything that doesn't require an exotic animal license."

"Cool, really cool, and would a spotted gecko fall under various reptiles or nah?"

“I can look after one of those. Do they need anything special?”

"Just the usual attention and tank cleaning," Sunset answered, looking at her nails. "But he does enjoy watching people play video games. Also, grasshoppers are a sometimes snack because I'm worried he'd get fat if I don't. But don’t like, leave any in there with them. Those little creeps can like, super hurt a reptile.”

"I'm impressed," Bramble said after a prolonged silence. "You sure know a lot about caring for your gecko."

“Well, duh. I want my little guy to be safe.”

"Always good to hear. And how long exactly do you want me to watch your gecko?"

“Do you think you can do the weekend? My girlfriends and I are hitting the beach~”

"Can do! Can I have your contact info? I'll email you my rates for either kennel service or home visit."

“‘Course!” Sunset rattled off her information, though she used Sugarcoat’s address. She didn’t need him getting suspicious that her place of business was her place of residence.

There was a sound of pen scratching against paper for a few moments before Bramble spoke again. "Alright, I'll send an email with rates for everything. Was there anything else I could help you with?"

“Nope! That was it, thanks!”

“Okay, can’t wait to hear back from you!” Bramble chirped, ending the call.

With that part of her plan completed, she shot a quick message to Sugar to fill her in. Her ears were still ringing from Sugar’s verbal lashing. An internal note was made, not to let Sugar know after the fact.

Chuckling nervously, Sunset put her assistant out of her mind and set off to get Ray for her meeting with Bramble.

Sunset put the finishing touches on setting up Ray's tank. Sugar had given her the go ahead to use her place. The little home was surprisingly well furbished. Somehow, she had always pictured the perriwinkle girl as keeping a spartan home, stocked with only the bare essentials.

"Okay Ray," Sunset started, kneeling down by his cage. "I know this is a new environment, but you need to help me sell this."

Ray tilted his head, staring up at her. The little creature was perched on his sunbathing room, basking in the heat lamp's rays.

"Yes, I promise I'll give you those special treats for doing this," she assured, petting his head with a finger. A soft giggle passed her lips as Ray nipped at her fingertips.

Pulling away, she went to grab her phone for when Bramble called. She cleared her throat, ready to put on her fake accent again. Once the phone rang, she picked up with a sugary sweet voice, "Hello~ How can I help you?"

“Yes, hello. This is Bramble, I’m speaking to Sunny Vale, right?”

"Yes! Hey Bramble, are you on your way?" Sunset chimed. “I’m just making sure my little scalie boi has everything he needs!”

"Yes, I'm on my way!" Bramble answered. "I just wanted to confirm the address." He proceeded to ramble off the info. “Is that right?”

"Perfect! Can't wait to see you in person! Your voice is totes adorbs!" Sunset almost threw up in her mouth before she could finish that sentence. “Just give a knock when you get here!”

"W-will do," Bramble stammered out, his blush visible even through the phone.

Clearing her throat, she smiled down at Ray. “Just play it cool, Ray. I need you to keep him distracted for me, alright?”

Ray tilted his head at her, letting her know in his own way he understood. He was rewarded with some head rubs and a small cricket.

A few minutes later and there was a knock on the door. Putting Ray in his tank, Sunset went for the door. “Coming!” Suppressing her urge to scream, she put her accent back on. “Hello there~ You must be like, Bramble!”

Bramble smiled, a little nervous from the energetic greeting. "Yes, and you must be Miss Vale." The young man had lightly tanned skin and a very lithe figure. His scruffy hair was the same tree bark hue as his expressive eyes. He wore a green polo that had a stag logo as well as the name of his pet sitting service and a pair of grey cargo shorts.

“That’s me!” Sunset smiled, ushering him inside. “So, like, he’s not gonna do much cuz he’s a lizard just make sure he’s got water, heat and food.” Her expression turned stern, hands firmly planted on her hips. “But don’t leave crickets in his tank. They could hurt him.”

"Of course, the last thing I want is to hurt a little animal," Bramble said with a nod. He walked up to the tank, his eyes lighting up. "Oh wow, this little guy looks so happy! And he's clearly very healthy."

Reaching into the tank, Sunset rubbed a finger against Ray’s head. “He’s my little ray of sunshine~”

"Well, I can only hope I'll take care of him half as well as you do during your trip." Reaching into his pocket, Bramble pulled out an invoice. “It shouldn’t be too much, since he doesn’t need much interaction. I’m kinda surprised you didn’t ask a friend to watch him. Er, not that I don’t want the business.”

"Well, all the friends I trust with him are coming on the beach trip with me," Sunset replied with a giggle. "Other people underestimate what goes into caring for the little guy so I'd be worried they'd ignore my instructions."

Bramble nodded, passing the paper to her. “I’m happy to take care of him. He’ll be just as happy and healthy as he is now.”

"Good to hear," she replied, taking the paper. "Can I pay you a little extra to give him some extra attention? Can't be too careful with all the petnapping lately."

Cringing for a moment, Bramble nodded. “Sure! He won’t go disappearing on my watch!”

"Awesome! By the way, have you heard anything about those petnappings? A lot of what's going around sounds like soccer mom gossip." Grabbing a lock of hair, she twirled it around her finger. “Cause that’s really scary. My friend’s dog just went missing too.”

Bramble stiffened up, his features drooping. “Y-yeah, one of my regular clients just had their dog go missing. A lovely collie getting up there in years but still has plenty of spunk. Sure hope that old girl’s safe.”

“Have you heard any details?” Sunset pressed. “I mean, you’re pretty big in the pet sitting circle, right?”

Rubbing the back of his head, Bramble’s eyes darted around the room before settling on her. “Not really, just what my clients have told me. None have them have gotten a look at anyone that might’ve done it. Well, except Mrs. Fuzz who lost one of her cats. She says she saw some kind of beast take it, but she says wild things all the time.”

Sunset gasped, delicately covering her mouth. “What kind of beast? It wouldn’t like, eat a gecko would it?” Ah, she had him now. Just a bit more. “You gotta tell me!”

“Well, she said it was a half man, half horse,” Bramble explained, chuckling nervously. “But, there’s no way that…” he paused, as if he suddenly remembered what city he was in. “Okay, so there’s like a fifty fifty chance there’s a real monster running around. But horses are opportunistic cannibals and since the digestive system of this so-called monster is mostly horse, I don’t think it would eat the pets.”

Groaning, Sunset rubbed her neck. “Okay, but like if I leave Ray with you, he won’t disappear?”

“Of course,” Bramble chirped, trying to look confident. “I won’t let anything happen to him.”

Sunset beamed, grabbing the rest of her things. “Thank you so much! Like, you're a total life saver!” Giving him a small, quick hug, she made her exit from the apartment.

Pulling out her phone, Sunset strolled to her bike. Setting up her headphones, Sunset focused on her vehicle. “Hey, I think I have a description for a demon for you,” Sunset greeted when Sugarcoat picked up.

“Lay it on me, I have the Goetia handy,” Sugar responded, ruffling pages in the background. “So what’s our baddy this week?” Even through the wireless connection, the sound of the heavy tome carried weight.

“It was described as being half horse half man,” Sunset explained, starting the bike and pulling out into the road. She didn’t have a destination in mind yet, she just needed to get away from the apartment. “So mix that with a connection to animals.”

Sugar said nothing for a few moments, the crackle on the line from shuffling pages telling the private eye her assistant was on the job. “I’ve got a match. Buer is described as a Saggitarius who gives familiars. He also teaches philosophy both natural and moral and about herbs and plants. He might be turning the pets he’s kidnapping into familiars.”

Pausing, Sunset looked down into the visor of her helmet. “What’s a familiar?”

“Interesting, so there are differences like that between the magic cultures of our worlds,” Sugar noted before answering. “Anyway, a familiar was a being or spirit that was bound to a magic user in service. Their shapes differed wildly, some being lower demons while others resembled common animals. The magic user would use them as assistants and even for protection.”

“Do you have any way to track them?” Sunset asked, driving through downtown. “I don’t think Ray makes for good bait.” With the question asked, she began to think on it herself. Bramble was the common link between all the victims she’d encountered. And then there was that pet food label she’d found. “Actually, I think I have an idea. This demon’s gonna need a place to store all these stolen pets. Sugar, can you give me a search on abandoned pet stores in town? It would’ve needed to sell Puppo dog food and Bramble had to work there at some point. Can you look that up?”

The line went quiet, save for the clicking of keys. “You know I’m not a hacker, right?” Sugar questioned, slight irritation bleeding through.

“Sorry, just had that come to me,” Sunset said. “If you can look up abandoned pet stores in Canterlot I’ll do the leg work from there.” She added “Thank you,” after a beat. It wouldn’t do to have her assistant displeased.

There was another pause on the line before her phone buzzed in her pocket. "I just texted you the addresses. Good luck out there, Sunset."

“Thanks. I have the feeling I’m going to need it.” Hanging up, Sunset poured on the gas. Stopping only to learn her destination, she crossed the city. The warehouse in question sat in a small corner of the business district. Right by the waterfront.

Besides the graffiti and a tarp flapping in the breeze where a skylight once was, the warehouse was mostly intact. The skeletal frame of a sign loomed over the sliding, metal doors, no indication on what it might have contained at one point. Listening closely, she tried to pick up on the sounds of distressed animals within the ridged metal walls but there was nothing but the cacophony of the city around her. Hopping off her bike, Sunset carefully approached the building. She moved around the side, looking for another entrance. There was no way she was going to knock on a demon’s front door.

She was in luck, the fire exit was able to be opened from the outside. Moving carefully, she snuck inside, keeping the door open with a loose cinder block she noticed outside. With the light from the open door, she could make out the shapes of abandoned equipment and even a forklift, but still no signs of the animals.

Slipping her phone out, she snapped a few pictures. Document everything. With magic involved, it was quite possible the camera would pick up what her eyes couldn’t. Sticking close to the shadows, she quickly examined the photos. There was no change among them, so illusion magic was out the window.

She crept deeper inside, continuing her investigation. There had to be something here. Even if it meant tearing up the floorboards, she’d find her answers. In one corner of the warehouse, the light from her phone revealed something interesting. Along the floor, leading up to a stack of shipping containers was a long scrape on the cement. Leaning down, she ran her fingers along it. The mark was fresh, meaning the containers were moved recently.

Slipping between two of the containers, Sunset tried to get a better look of what was behind the containers. Once she was out from between the containers, she could finally see what was being hidden. Cages. Rows and rows of cages with various animals inside. She was about to celebrate her good fortune when she noticed something odd about the denizens of the enclosures.

They were still. One would imagine that distressed animals would be restless in an unfamiliar environment. Especially with the sound of her approach.

“Right... familiars...” she muttered to herself, moving through the rows. Winona was here, trapped somewhere in this prison. “Winona?” she asked aloud, peering from cage to cage.

She stopped towards the center of the rows, almost moving past it. In the corner of the cage was the old collie, curled up and shivering. Whatever pacifying effect the other animals had gone through hadn’t had a chance to fully work on her.

Kneeling down, Sunset reached into the cage. “Hey Winona, it’s gonna be okay,” she cooed, putting on a smile. Placing a hand on the collie’s head, Sunset scratched the old girls ears. “I’ll get you home, promise.”

Winona licked Sunset’s hand, perking up for a moment. After a few moments, her ears swiveled to something and she started to bark in clear warning.

Even as her head turned, Sunset’s free hand grabbed her necklace. “Sorry girl, looks like you’ll have to wait a bit longer.”

A grinding sound filled the warehouse, one of the containers moving along the floor. After a few moments, a person came into view. At first glance, it looked like a normal man. If said normal man was a waiter at a western themed steakhouse. He was wearing a black cowboy hat, a golden pin of an arrow on its side.

He brushed dust off his long white sleeves and primped his black vest. “Now what do we have here? A lost little varmint? Gonna need a bigger cage.”

“Save it.” Sunset stood up, tearing the feather away. “Just tear through the cowboy suit and let’s get this over with.” Casting a quick glance around, Sunset cursed herself. She couldn’t risk burning the animals with her transformation.

Buer, tipping his hat back. “Ah don’t think ya know who yer dealin’ with. Ah never deal the first blow.” Fishing into his vest, he pulled out a remote. With the push of a button, all the doors on the cages swung open. Before Sunset could question his actions, he let out a shrill whistle.

All the animals besides Winona burst to life, rushing out towards Sunset. Their bodies morphed, exaggerating their fangs and claws. Eyes widening, Sunset bolted towards the exit, still not willing to transform so close to the now demonic pets.

One of the hellhounds pounced, leaving a claw mark on the back of Sunset's jacket. She didn't have time to lament the fate of her favorite article of clothing, the horde closing in.

“You call yourself an angel?” Sunset hissed, peering over her shoulder. “How does this please your goddess? Tell me that."

"Well now, sounds like someone's done some readin' lately," Buer noted, leaning against one of the containers. "But we ain't been angels fer a long time. Our Mother's rejection twisted our forms and stripped us of our beauty."

Climbing onto a crate, Sunset took a moment to breath. “No wonder she rejected you. You're all psychopaths.” Ignoring the pain in her back, she brought the feather to her forehead. “You can think on it when I send you back to hell.”

Buer whistled again, watching the flames consume Sunset. "Listen to ya on yer high horse. Ya'll sound like my big brother."

Sunset ignored the demon's words jumping down to attack the demon. Her charge was cut short by a pair of demonic dogs pulling her down by her ankles and slamming her to the floor. Their weight kept her down, hot breath on her neck. She gave a silent apology to the animals, shifting her weight in an attempt to throw them off. A yelp escaped her lips, claws and fangs digging into her from all sides.

With a mighty heave, Sunset managed to get back to her feet. Glancing to her side, she noted the distance between her and Buer. Her hook swords couldn't hit him and her firebird attack would leave her exhausted and wide open if it couldn't finish him off.

“I see, you're just a coward then,” Sunset taunted, her eyes shifting between the various animals. “That seems about right for centaurs.”

"Do ya really think ya can goad me into gettin' close t'ya?" Buer retorted, pulling the pin off his hat. Pricking his thumb with it, the metal shifted and expanded into a bow and arrow at the taste of demonic blood. "Even when Ah join the fray, Ah keep mah distance." Knocking an arrow, he let one fly at Sunset's bad shoulder.

Hot fire sprang from Sunset's shoulder, followed by a sudden numbness. Grunting, she removed the projectile, she took note of an oily substance glistening beneath her blood. “Trying to poison me?” she asked, tossing the arrow away and the fletching catching fire midair.

"Ain't it amazin' whatcha can make with plants? That little concoction is just things from the area." Buer showed off another arrow, showcasing another poison as it dripped off the projectile.

“And what, pray tell, does it do?” Sunset asked, cursing herself for not having transformed sooner.

"Numbin' agent, makes the limb heavy and harder t'use," Buer answered, whistling again to sic the animals on her. "Makes prey easier t'catch."

Sunset tried to move her arm, finding the act bordering on impossible. Gathering her thoughts, she tried to assess the situation. It was clear that Buer wasn't going to let her fight him directly, but she didn't want to hurt the animals. For all she knew, any injuries they sustained while under Buer's influence would remain after his defeat. She needed some way to deal with them nonlethally. Inspiration hit her, the water. She could lead the horde into the water and deal with the demon afterwards.

Her legs were already moving, her boots pounding against the floor. “If you think you're going to catch this bird, you're dumber than I thought.” Her speed increased as the swarm of creatures fell in behind her. Thanking herself for her foresight, she barreled through the fire exit. She only came screeching to a halt when she was just on the edge of the waterfront.

When the horde was upon her, Sunset leaped up, the demonic pets rushing past her and into the water. Before she could celebrate, a large doberman leapt onto her back. It’s added weight sent both it and her into the water.

Sunset tried to swim up for air, but between her numb arm and the demon charged doberman, she was sinking like a rock. Water was slowly leaking into her helmet, worsening the situation further.

“I just had to be a phoenix, didn’t I?” she mused. “I couldn’t be a penguin or something that could swim...” Water reached her mouth, forcing her to hold her breath. Looking up, she reached out with her hand. 'This can't be how I die. Not here. Not now,' she thought, desperately trying to muster up whatever strength she had left.

As if in answer to her pleas, Sunset's hand glowed with blue light, bubbles forming around her fingers for a brief moment before they converged into a blue and copper feather. Without hesitation, she placed the new feather to her forehead. Water swirled around her, changing her armor and draining her helmet so she could breathe.

Her skirt changed, one side riding up her left leg while the right leg was nearly covered by the now feather-like design. Her arms and torso gained a feather pattern the whole thing looking like muscles in the right light. A long plume of a feather shot out from the top of her helmet, flanked by two smaller almost triangular feathers. The lenses of her helmet became more almond shaped slanting to give her a predatory glare. The entire ensemble was a deep blue, the feathers accented with a multitude of colors.

A sense of calm washed over her, the water itself helping her back to the surface. Breaching the surface, water coiled around her like serpents. “As it turns out, water suits me just fine.” The serpentine water pushed her up and back onto solid ground. The water coiled around her arm, turning to ice before shattering and leaving a bulky harpoon gun in its place.

Another wave of her hand created more tendrils, each lifting a sunken animal from the water. Several unburdened limbs lashed out, striking at Buer. Sunset grinned, feeling the numbness fading from her arm.

Buer brought up his arms, the tendrils knocking him to the ground. Grunting, his body started to spasm. "You really want me to get my hands dirty, huh?" The demon questioned dropping the accent. The sounds of bones cracking filled the air, two legs splitting to four. His boots burst apart, the feet curling and shriveling up, nails dominating the now hooves. Fur burst out over his legs, his lower half elongating into one she recognized from Applejack's farm. Curled horns grew from either side of Buer's head making him look more like a goat than a horse and a new tail flicked at the air.

Scrambling to his hooves, Buer knocked another arrow and let it fly. Sunset made no move to dodge, the arrow burying itself on the feather pattern on her chest. Swearing in the black speech of hell, he loosed another arrow towards her.

Sunset brought up her weapon, deflecting the arrow and approaching the demon. With her free hand, she brushed the first arrow off her, the projectile glistening only with poison as it clattered to the ground. "Didn't even feel that."

A jet of water propelled her forward, the tip of her harpoon grazing Buer’s neck. Buer spun around, rearing up on his front legs and kicked out with his rear hooves. Water cushioned the impact, allowing Sunset to jab at his exposed belly.

Buer nearly lost his balance from the blow, his hooves scrambling for a moment as he regained his balance. This gave Sunset enough time to follow up with a brutal kick to where fur met human skin with the talon-like heels on her boot.

“You call yourself a centaur? You’re not even a quarter of the terror Tirek is.”

The demonic centaur bristled at the taunt, gripping an arrow tightly. "That might be more insulting if I understood that. Now shut up little game hen!" With Sunset in such close quarters he was forced to stab downward with his dart like a makeshift dagger.

Sunset laughed, feeling the metal scrape against her helmet. It just rolled off her back, like so much water. Slipping out from under Buer, her harpoon cut into his backlegs. She danced around a kick, grabbing the limb before he could retract it. Fighting against Buer’s struggles, she brought her elbow down on his knee.

Buer cried out, his knee jutting out at an unnatural angle. Sunset back stepped away from another stab from the demon now standing on three legs. Taking aim at Buer's chest, she pulled the trigger and sent it hurtling towards the centaur, a rope dangling behind it like the tail of a comet.

“Seems like this hunt's not going your way,” Sunset commented, flinching only slightly as the harpoon pierced Buer’s chest.

With a hiss of pain, the demon removed the harpoon from his torso. Sunset's disgust returned, oil black ichor pouring from his wound. Shaking off her discomfort, Sunset, retracted the harpoon, charging at her foe while her weapon returned to her.

“Come on, show me that patented demonic strength,” Sunset taunted, driving her harpoon into Buer’s shoulder. “You steal animals and twist them to your agenda. Do you really think your mother would approve of harming her creations?”

"You leave Mother out of this!" Buer boomed, punching Sunset in the helmet. When that had no effect, he tried to pull his shoulder free from the harpoon. "She betrayed our purpose."

Digging the blade in further, Sunset snorted. “She made you wrong and it tore her apart. You’re pathetic, and more than a little pitible.”

Pressing the symbol on her belt, now depicting a wolf-headed bird, water propelled Sunset upward. The water remained behind, turning to ice and locking the centaur in place. Positioning herself for a kick, water coiled around her leg, turning to a deadly spike as another water jet sent her careening back towards Buer. In an instant, she made contact, spearing her foe through the heart.

“Tell your friends I said ‘hi’.”

"Y-you'll meet them soon enough," Buer croaked. "It'll be Hell on Earth." Frost spread from the mortal wound, death's icy grasp. It claimed Buer, leaving him nothing more than a cold cadaver.

The ice fell away, a demon seal appearing where Buer once stood. With the centaur gone, Sunset heard the pitiful whine and mewls of confused animals all around her. Ensuring that the animals were safe, Sunset slipped out of her armor. Two feathers now decorated her necklace, stark contrasts in color.

Sunset didn’t dwell on that thought for long, returning to the warehouse and finding Winona’s cage. “Hey girl, I came back. Just like I promised.” Coaxing Winona out, Sunset bit back her hesitation and dialed Shining Armor’s number. “Shining, are you near something to write on?” she questioned once she heard the tone that let her know the lines connected. “I’ve got an address where you can find all the missing pets.”

“Great work,” Shining complimented, surprisingly genuine. “Okay, I’m ready for the address.”

Relaying the information, Sunset clipped a leash onto Winona’s collar. “There’s another one. This one in frozen chunks. Weird seal too. Just so you know.”

“So another demon case. But what did it want with housepets?”

“It was turning them into familiars,” Sunset explained, guiding Winona along. “But I don’t know that. I was just looking for a friend's dog and found the cages open. I only called you to ask what I should do.”

That actually managed to get a dry chuckle out of the man. “Right, right. Don’t worry, you won’t be on the record. Unless you change your name to Jane Doe in the next few hours.”

Sunset grinned, making her way out of the warehouse. “Good to hear, Officer. Now if you excuse me, I have to figure out how to transport a dog on a motorcycle.” Hanging up, she glanced down at Winona. “Okay, so, how do we get you home?”

Winona barked happily, putting her front paws up on Sunset’s leg. With another motion, she gave what almost felt like a hug. Quirking a brow, Sunset knelt down. “Are you saying you’ll hold on?”

Taking that idea on faith, Sunset swung her leg over her bike. “Alright, come on then. You better hold on tight, Winona. AJ will put me six feet under if anything bad happens to you.”

Winona barked, hopping onto the bike with Sunset. True to what the old girl indicated, she put her paws around the woman and even bit down gently on her arm. It wasn't enough to hurt, but just enough to keep the collie steady.

Eyeing Winona for a moment, Sunset slipped her helmet on and brought her bike to life. The mantra of slow and steady limited her speed. As confident as Winona was, Sunset refused to risk her life. The pace made the trip agonizingly slow, yet the relief Sunset felt when she pulled onto Sweet Apple Acres that much sweeter.

With Winona in tow, Sunset walked up to the front door. Or rather, half-walked half-dragged along as Winona barked up a storm in excitement and nearly tore Sunset's freshly healed arm from its socket.

“Hey, AJ! I found Winona!” she called, giving a few good knocks. “She’s really happy to be home!”

There was a commotion from within the house before Applejack swung open the front door so that the only barrier between her and her canine companion was the screen door. "Winona!" AJ cried, kneeling down and letting the collie jump into her arms. "Ah was worried sick about ya, girl." Winona's only response was peppering her owner's face with sloppy licks.

Sunset smiled, enjoying the sight of the reunion. “Wasn’t too much trouble, just someone who was taking animals he shouldn’t. I took care of it.”

Applejack looked up at Sunset with a warm smile, the new feather catching her eye. "That wouldn't happen t'have anything t'do with that new addition to yer jewelry, would it?"

A noncommittal shrug spearheaded Sunset’s response. “It’s a new thing I’m trying out. Seems to be doing well for me so far.”

Applejack shook her head, standing back up. "Suppose it don't matter much right now. Come on, let me pour ya somethin' t'drink and I'll pay ya fer yer troubles. Rares should be home soon too, if ya wanna say hi to her."

Sunset shook her head, jerking a thumb back towards her bike. “I’d like to but I can’t. I still have one last thing to do before I call this case closed. You can pay me later.”

"Fine, but ya know Rare is gonna talk mah ear off 'bout me seein' ya twice before she's seen ya lately," AJ commented, helping Winona into the house. "So you wrap this case up right quick or else she'll get that faintin' couch of hers out."

Slipping her helmet back on, Sunset gave a thumbs up. “If she’s gotten easy to faint, don’t let her watch the news.”

AJ laughed and gave Sunset one last farewell before entering her home. In a matter of minutes, Sunset was back on her bike, ready to retrieve her own pet. During the commute, she called her faithful assistant and updated the silver-haired woman about Buer and her new power.

Unlocking the door to Sugar’s apartment, making sure to announce her presence with a firmly shut door. Her stern look killed Bramble’s smile as he came to greet her. “We need to talk, Bramble,” Sunset said.

"Sunny, what happened to your accent?" Bramble questioned, wilting under Sunset's oppressive gaze.

"You were working with a demon." Sunset closed the distance between them, watching him stumble backwards. "Do you have any idea what he was doing to those animals?"

Bramble fell backwards to the floor, a look of utter shame on his face. “H-he said he could help me make medicine that could save so many animal lives.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small journal and offered it to Sunset. “A-at first I had no idea what he was doing, but when Mrs. Fuzz told me about her cat, I figured it out. I tried to confront him but he said breaching our contract would, would…” he trailed off, shuddering.

"Would what?" Sunset' pressed, towering over him. "I need to know, Bramble."

“That my soul would be forfeit and he’d put me under his command as one of them,” Bramble answered, holding himself while he shook like a leaf. “H-he told me he’d order me to do terrible things to people. I-I know it was selfish and those poor critters needed me, but I was so scared!”

Sunset sneered in disgust. How could creatures so divine stoop to such things? Bramble was just a kid. She knew exactly why the goddess locked them all away. Kneeling down, she held a hand out. "It's okay, you don't have to worry about him anymore."

Blinking in confusion, Bramble took the offered hand warily. “Wh-what do you mean? He decided to stop hurting animals?"

"No, he got sent back to where he came from." Rising up, she pulled Bramble off the floor. "He won't be bothering anyone for a century or two."

"H-how do you know that?" Bramble questioned, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "He said normal weapons couldn't hurt him."

Smiling disarmingly, she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know for a fact that Canterlot's new super hero turns demons into paste. That woman is something of a bird of prey. Just watch the news tonight."

Bramble nodded, sighing in relief. “Are the animals safe? I know I don’t have the right to ask that, but I need to know.”

"By now, they should be in police custody," Sunset answered, removing her hand from Bramble. "They'll get them home soon." Smiling chipperly, she glanced over his shoulder. “Did Ray give you any trouble?”

"He shuddered at me and made some shows of discomfort at first, but he settled down once I adjusted his heat lamp and put on a gaming livestream from my phone," Bramble rattled off, his discomfort momentarily gone. “How did you manage to get a gecko to watch video games?”

Sunset shrugged, walking up to the tank. "Ray and I just understand each other." Reaching in, she gently scooped Ray into her palms. “Hey buddy, I missed you.” Ray opened and closed his mouth a couple times, settling into her palms. When offered her shoulder, he eagerly took his perch.

Neo-Gen Evangelion

"The man who lies asleep will never waken fame, and his desire and all his life drift past him like a dream, and the traces of memory fade from time like smoke in air, or ripples in a stream."

-The Divine Comedy

Sunset sat in her office, doing her finances for the month. If her math was right, then she was safely in the black. Even with a hospital bill. That was at least one thing she didn't have to worry about.

In her other hand was a stress ball that she idly squeezed while she worked. Other than some occasional pain, her arm was healing nicely. In fact, all her injuries healed nicely. Was this a side effect of her using the feathers? Was her body changing even when she wasn't Fenix?

Sunset didn't have time to dwell on that train of thought, a knock at the door demanding her attention. Closing her ledger, she went to answer the door. “What can I do for you?” she asked, opening the door.

On the other side of the door was a young woman roughly Sunset's age with long black hair spilling down her shoulders and icy blue eyes hidden behind chic slim glasses that were the same light gray as her skin. Flanking her were what Sunset assumed were two bodyguards, one lean and the other built like a solid brick wall.

"Hello, are you the investigator of the Setting Sun agency?" The woman asked with a smooth voice, adjusting her glasses.

“I’m the proprietor, Sunset Shimmer.” Stepping aside, she ushered them in. “Please, take a seat.”

The woman took a seat in front of Sunset's desk while the guards stood behind her. "I've heard that you've made quite a name for yourself in this town," she commented, opening her leather satchel. “Enough to be our final choice.”

"I see," Sunset commented, taking her own seat. "I certainly appreciate knowing I have a good name, but I never got yours."

“Nebula Breeze,” the woman introduced. Opening her briefcase, she placed a few folders on the desk. “I work for Neo-Gen Technologies, Head of Operations in Canterlot. We’ve had a few robberies over the last few weeks.”

"I've heard of Neo-Gen," Sunset started, opening one of the folders. "Spearheading experimental tech in several fields. Like the pacemaker specially designed to be MRI safe. So, why are you asking me and not the police to investigate this?"

The papers before her detailed a robbery from last week. An aerospace lab had been ransacked the day of project completion. Besides some blueprints there were some small pieces of advanced gps tech that were missing.

"This is a sensitive manner," Nebula explained, waving to the folders. "Neo-Gen has managed to secure a very important contract with the government's space program. It'd reflect badly if word got out that this happened. So we'd prefer this to not make it to police records."

“I can’t imagine the stockholders would be too happy to find out about this either,” Sunset said, dropping the folder on the table. “Is this everything you have?”

"No, that's everything I'm willing to share with someone that's not officially on the case," Nebula replied, a small grin on her face. "The rest is at the scene should you agree to our terms. Either way you'll have to sign an NDA, but the CEO has authorized me to pay you quite handsomely."

Steepling her fingers, Sunset scrutinized the woman. There was a nagging at the back of her mind. She knew this Nebula someone, but nothing came to mind as to how. “I see no reason not to take the case. I assume there’s a deadline?”

"I like you already. Sharp," the other woman praised, crossing her leg. "Yes, we have to present our progress to the ASA representatives in two weeks. So you have one week and three days to complete the case. And before you ask, the remaining days are what we'll need to get the lab back in order."

Reaching across the desk, Sunset smiled. “Well then, I’ll have to get started right away. Thank you for coming in, Ms. Breeze.”

"Agreeing without even hearing the pay? You are intriguing, Ms. Shimmer," Nebula noted, giving the private eye a quick handshake. "The contract and NDA will be at the lab. Be sure to read both."

Sunset sat in silence as the trio left, staring after Nebula. That nagging feeling wouldn't leave her. Wracking her brain, she worked through her memories from freshest to oldest in some attempt to make it go away. Nothing came to her, causing a groan of frustration to escape her lips as she hung her head.

Was it the orphanage? That was a place she'd rather forget. Still nothing, she couldn't recall anyone that matched Nebula's appearance. Letting the matter drop, she placed a call to Sugar Coat. She let her know that she was on another case and would message her again if things seemed demonic.

It'd feel good to be back on a normal case for once. High profile to be sure, but just one case without supernatural implications wasn't too much to ask, was it?

Pulling out her phone, Sunset started to input the address to the lab. Before she could hit enter, the screen displayed that she was receiving a call. A pit of despair formed in her stomach once she saw the name on her Caller ID. Mom.

Accepting the call, she greeted with “Hey, Mom. How are... things?”

There was a huff on the other side of the line, irritation plain in her voice. "Oh, fine and dandy. Just been enjoyin' retirement while my little girl was apparently in the hospital with a stab wound."

Sunset cringed, sinking back into her seat. Of course her parents would find out. Why would she possibly think they wouldn’t? “Mom, I’m okay. It won’t even leave a scar, I promise.”

"Sunny, you're too smart to think that was my concern," her mother retorted, sighing. "You were hurt and I don't even find out from you? And not one call when you were out?"

“I’ve had a lot going on...” Sunset weakly countered, desperately trying to sink even deeper.

"Too much for even a text or call to your pa or me?" The disappointment in her voice was more than enough to make Sunset wish her chair would swallow her into the cushion. “Ah mean, really, Sunny.”

"Sorry mama," Sunset squeaked out, feeling like a child under the older woman's scrutiny. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

"Well ya did," her mother stated, her voice softening. "And your father's been worse. He stayed up all night woodcarving when we learned."

Rubbing her forehead, Sunset felt a headache coming on. “Why did you let him do that? That’s just going to ruin his sleep cycle.”

“You don’t think I tried to get him to bed?” her mother huffed. “The man didn’t even give me a word while he was working. Sometimes I swear you do share blood with him. Both of you shut out everything when something really upsets you.”

“You’re not wrong...” Sunset muttered. “Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys. Things have been complicated over here... I’m sure you’ve seen the news.”

“I have,” the other woman admitted. “Was Fenix something you cooked up or did folks online come up with that one?”

“No, that was all online. I wasn’t even going to pick a name.”

"I kinda figured," her mother said, chuckling. "You're a little bit more creative than all that. Just a bit though, you were the one that named a horse Captain Clippity afterall."

Standing up, Sunset gathered up her materials. “Oh come on! That was a great name.” With a bit of dexterity, she pulled on one of her back up coats. “I actually just got a case, Mom. How about I stop by when I’m free? I’ll even bring a friend.”

"I'll hold you to that," her mother said, chuckling just a bit louder. "Good luck and don't be a stranger, Sunny."

“I promise I won’t. Love you. Tell Dad I love him.”

"Will do." With that, the other woman ended the call.

Sunset slipped her phone into her pocket, enjoying the silence. How her parents had been so accepting of all of this baffled her. Never once had they shown her anything but love, even after her misdeeds had been revealed.

Most days she felt that she didn't deserve them. Just one of many things that kept her so motivated. Shaking off the mental fog, she headed out the door to start the case.

NeoGen’s aerospace lab was a recent development. Built out of an old airport, the company had spared no expense in restoring and renovating the existing structures. A gate halted her progress for a brief moment, but once the guard was given her name she was on her way again.

Finding the main lab was simple enough, the sleek steel and glass structure striking a stark contrast over the renovated structures. “Excuse me,” she asked, walking to the main desk. “I’m Sunset Shimmer. I was hired by Ms. Breeze to look into the recent break in.”

The young woman at the desk couldn't be older than twenty, with bubblegum pink skin and cotton candy blue hair done up in a tight ponytail. Her eyes lit up when Sunset introduced herself. "Welcome, Ms. Shimmer! Ms. Breeze gave me some items for you when you came." Reaching onto her desk, she slid what looked like two contracts to Sunset. "These are your non-disclosure agreement and work contract. I have a visitor's badge for you once you've reviewed and signed those."

Perhaps she should’ve consulted legal advice? A sudden wave of paranoia washed over her. Scanning over the text, she tried to remind herself that she wasn’t dealing with any demons. Unless corporate lawyers counted.

Flipping to the end of the non-disclosure agreement, she found a summary of the terms in more layman's terms. It basically meant that she wasn't allowed to discuss the case in detail with friends or family as well as online. Even after the experiments became public.

“Seems reasonable enough.” Signing her name, she slid the papers back. “Ready when you are.”

"Excellent," the receptionist chirped, pulling out a visitor's badge, "then I'll show you the main lab that was ransacked."

Despite advances in technology, Sunset had come to a certain realization. When taking notes, it was best to do so by hand. Lingering stigma made a good number of people assume typing on your phone meant a lack of attention.

Flipping open her notepad, Sunset began a short series of questions. “I didn’t catch your name, Ms?”

"It's Bazooka Pop," the receptionist answered, keeping her gaze locked forward. "But you can call me Poppy, everyone else does."

“Mhmm. Okay, Poppy, did you notice anything out of place leading up to the break in? Anything out of the norm?”

"Well, we're not sure break in is the right term. The alarms never went off and we checked the door and window locks and none of them were tampered with. I was interning in the flight lab up until that night and everything was pretty normal."

An inside job then. Someone who knew what to look out for and how to erase their footprints. “So, the building was locked up one night and in the morning you noticed what happened?”

"Our night security guard was the first to notice it," Poppy explained, leading her into an elevator. "He's been brought into the lab for you to talk to while you do your investigation of that room. Plus, he has the footage of the incident so you can see what has us worried."

That comment intrigued Sunset. There was something off about the footage, that much was obvious. Perhaps the thief had found a way to tamper with the cameras to hide his crime?

The lab itself was situated on the third floor. In fact, it took up a good portion of the floor. A vast open room spread out before her, broken up by rows of tables. Various machine parts littered the table tops, though she only recognized a small portion of it. The room was in disarray, electronics and circuit boards broken and littered along the floor. Standing off in an untouched corner of the room was a light blue man likely in his thirties with a laptop.

“Ah! Here he is now. This is Mr. Night Beam, our night guard.”

"Hey Poppy," Night greeted, giving the pink girl a quick smile. "This the P.I. we hired?"

Nodding, Sunset extended her hand. “That would be me, Sunset Shimmer. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Beam.”

Night took the offered hand and gave it a brisk shake. "Same. If Ms. Breeze went out to hire you personally, then you must be good at what you do. I've already got the footage of the incident cued up if you wanna take a look." He moved the mouse, causing the screen to come to life with a media player on display.

“What am I looking for?” she asked, leaning closer to the screen.

"Just wait," Beam assured.

The footage continued and after a couple minutes the door to the lab opened. The only issue was, no one seemed to walk through. Then, various blueprints and other bits of electronics were lifted into the air by an unseen force. It was at that moment that Sunset's hopes for a normal case were completely dashed.

"Wow, an invisible perp," Sunset commented, feigning shock. "That's certainly a new one." Scrutinizing the screen, she offered a suggestion in the hopes of grounding herself in mundanity again. “Is it possible the footage has been tampered with?”

"Our cameras operate on a closed network," Beam explained, waving a hand. "Tampering with the footage would require a direct line in from the security room. Everyone who has access to said network, myself included, has already been cleared via an internal investigation."

Of course they were. Couldn’t she just get one case that wasn’t supernatural? “Is this all the footage?”

"This was the most eventful footage, but the entire night is saved up if you want to review all of it for anything. The day guard and I have been doing that already so if we find anything we'll get in touch." Beam tapped the flash drive and nodded to her. "You've been given permission to take the footage to your office as well."

Stepping away from the computer, Sunset began the great mental debate. Was it demonic or was it Equestrian? Wracking her brain, she tried to recall if there were any artifacts known for granting invisibility. Nothing came to her after a moment's thought. Regardless, with a supernatural element introduced she'd need to call her assistant.

“What specifically was taken?” Sunset asked, bringing out her pen again.

"Blueprints regarding an experiment that's been put on hiatus," Beam answered, reaching under the laptop and handing her a folder. "A botanical experiment trying to form a greenhouse on a space station for potential colonization projects. The blueprints were for a lens array. In the folder is a dossier on all the experiment team's members."

That was... new. She clutched the folder, almost to her chest. That was the sort of thing Twilight would kill to be a part of. Her voice failed her for a moment before she hid behind her professionalism. “Have they been questioned?”

"The ones that were moved to other projects have been," Beam admitted. "But some of the members were let go from the company. The project's leader took the hiatus especially hard. He had to be escorted out by security."

That was certainly suspicious. There was some clear motivation for the theft. If it weren't for a potential demon fight, Sunset might think this case could solve itself. Just to be safe, she asked for the full project roster.

“Can I copy this?” Sunset asked, looking over the document.

"As long as you don't share the info with those not part of your firm, then you can scan any data you need for the case," Beam assured her. "Fair warning, breaking that NDA can cause the company to rescind payment and then take legal action. So be careful with what you copy and how you use it."

“Yeah, I got it.” Only Sugar needed to know any of this. And even then, she just needed to see the parts about the demon. "Appreciate the heads up though. I think I'll go over the footage a bit more and search the lab a bit before talking to the people on the list."

Sunset rewound the footage, playing it at half speed so she could take the events in more detail. Just because she couldn't see the perp, didn't mean she couldn't see everything they interacted with. She'd use that to guide her search of the lab.

Stepping away from the computer, she began to walk around the lab. She settled on where the blueprints had been taken. It looked like something had dropped after the robbery had occurred. Kneeling down on the ground, an errant piece of plastic caught her eye. Grabbing it with a gloved hand, she recognized it as part of an employee ID.

A grin wormed its way on her face, this was a beautiful breakthrough. All she needed was to pair this broken piece with the ID it came from and she could put someone at the scene. And if that employee couldn’t be found, then that would only leave one person.

"I think I've got something," she said, placing the piece into a bag. "I'll look a bit more here for anything else."

Sunset continued examining the room, using the footage as a means to focus her search. She tried dusting for prints, only for that venture to bear no fruit. 'Careful enough to not leave prints but left behind part of a badge?' she thought to herself, cleaning up her gear. Pulling out her notepad, she scrawled out her findings and initial thoughts.

With the room thoroughly examined, Sunset bid the staff a fond farewell and set to work on the next part of her investigation. Once she was clear of the Neo-Gen labs, she called her assistant.

“We couldn't go one case, Sugar.” Speeding away from the parking lot, Sunset drove back into the city proper. “I need you to look up demons that can turn someone invisible. I’ll share more with you in the office.”

"Invisible?" Sugar repeated, surprise managing to creep into her normally even tone. "That'll be tricky to go up against, but I should be able to find that quickly. I've got the Goetia transferred to PDF format now."

Sunset laughed, finding that rather amusing. “Sorry. It’s just sorta funny. This centuries old tome, now available on tablets. Must have taken a while to do that.”

"Yes but it's worth it since it saves us time with the intel you provide. In fact, I've got two hits in the same rank as you've been fighting: Foras and Glasya-Labolas."

“Gimme everything you got on 'em.”

"Foras is depicted as a strong man, teaches all forms of logic and ethics, can make men witty and live longer. Knows about herbs and precious stones, can locate treasures and recover lost items," Sugar listed off, her deadpan returning. "Labolas is much less charming. Depicted as a dog with griffon wings, he's the author of manslaughter and bloodshed. Knows the past and future. Can influence the minds and incite love in the summoner's friends and foes alike. And to top it all off, he incites murders."

That second one set off Sunset’s alarms. Murder was a rare crime in Equestria, and only slightly more common here. Did this disgruntled employee summon an evil dog to exact a more intimate revenge, or had the demon come to him with a seductive tongue?

"Foras sounds less like a demon and more like a Moral Philosophy professor with an outdoorsman lifestyle," the flame-haired gumshoe decided to vocalize, putting her dark thoughts behind her. “Dig up what you can on Labolas. See if Ray knows anything about how he fights.”

"If anyone has memoirs of magicians and alchemists that summoned demons, it'd be him," her assistant agreed, a rustling filling up the background. "It'll take some time to find them though."

Magicians. That word had taken on a new meaning in recent days. At least it did in the context of this world. Magic existed here, faded enough to be easily supplanted by invasive Equestrian magic. Where had it gone? How had it become so... decrepit?

She'd need to visit Ray herself when she'd finished this case. Old forces of this world were stirring. Four demon related cases in such a short span of time was a pattern she couldn't ignore. Waiting for these incidents to fall into her lap wasn't enough anymore. Sunset could only hope that the pages of long forgotten history might shed some light on the encroaching darkness.

Ray’s shop had a certain atmosphere about it, almost as if it were a world unto itself. Shelves full of books bound in faded and cracked leather. Strange artifacts that caught the eye and refused to let go. It carried a mix of smells, exotic incense that lingered on your clothes for hours. It was Sugar’s favorite perfume.

Approaching the counter, she tapped the bell. “Ray, I need your help with something.”

Stepping out from the back room, Ray put down a rag and an odd little gem he had been polishing. “Ah Sugar. Sorry I wasn’t at the counter. A potential Maresopotamian Soulstone I purchased from an online auction came in today and I had to test it. Turns out it was just a common opal. How can I be of assistance?”

Tapping at her tablet, she held the screen out to him. “We have another demon, Glasya-Labolas,” she said, indicating the sigil emblazoned on the tablet.

"That is quite the one to run into," Ray said, stepping out from the counter to lead Sugar among the shelves. "For being among the lowest rank of the Goetia, Labolas has one of the highest body counts attributed to him. Hence his colorful nicknames."

Following behind him, Sugar’s eyes roved over his inventory. “Have you ever considered converting these tomes to pdfs? I did it for the Ars Goetia.”

Scratching his chin in thought, Ray nodded to himself as he stopped at a particular corner. "Hadn't considered that. Most of those attuned to the occult prefer thick tomes and candlelight reading to tablets and such. Might be a good way to draw in fledgling occult researchers." Waving a hand to a few shelves, he turned to Sugar. "These shelves contain the lion's share of Summoner's journals I've collected. This'd be your best bet in Canterlot to find further info on your demon."

Touching the spine of a random tome, she could sympathize with the sentiment. There was a certain feeling that came with old leather and non-electric lights. “I meant more in terms of preserving the knowledge. Books like this won’t last forever.”

"Also true," Ray conceded, tracing the shelves himself. "No matter how well I treat them, these books will start to show their age. I'd better bring my scanner to the shop and get to work on that. It'll cut into my relic studies though."

“I could do it,” Sugarcoat said, pulling her hand back. “I’m already studying these, no reason I can’t scan them as well.”

Pulling out a leatherbound journal, Ray began skimming through it. "I'd appreciate that Sugar. I'd compensate you of course.” He began to make an offer when something crossed his mind. “Sugar, how would you like to be my apprentice?”

"Apprentice regarding what?" Sugar questioned, quirking a brow. "Given your career and hobbies, that could mean a number of things."

Ray spread his arms out, finger brushing against various artifacts. “All of this. You spend so much time here, you almost know as much about the shop as I do. Perhaps not about the things in it.”

Humming in thought, Sugar turned toward the man. "That would certainly help my post grad research, but I don't know how much time I could dedicate to an apprenticeship with how often I'm helping Sunset."

“And how often does that work bring you here?” Ray countered with a quirked eyebrow. “I’ll pay you of course, which we can discuss later. Does thirty-five per book scanned sound good?”

"Point made," Sugar admitted, nodding. "Okay, I'll take you up on this deal." She extended a hand to seal the agreement. They shook on it, exchanging a pair of smiles. Pulling her hand away, Sugarcoat pulled a book off the shelf. “Are these alphabetized or in order of the Ars Goetia?”

"That'd be pedestrian," Ray scoffed, a look of offense on his face. "They're arranged by rank and then alphabetical order. Higher shelves are the lower ranks."

A phantom smile tugged at her lips. If she hadn’t known any better, she’d have said Ray was a distant relative to Twilight. Shaking off the nostalgia, Sugar narrowed her search to the higher shelves. She idly pulled out a journal, scanning the pages for Labolas's name. Repeating this a couple times, she finally hit pay dirt.

Reading from the beginning revealed the journal belonged to an apprentice alchemist who had regaled the pages with stories of abuse at the hands of his mentor. She followed along and eventually found where the apprentice had begun his plot to summon the demon to depose the master alchemist.

Under the influence of the demon, the apprentice's writings morphed from daily recollections to psychotic ramblings. It reached a point where Sugar’s stomach couldn’t take another line of sadism. Pushing her glasses up, she rubbed at her eyes as if to wash away the horror.

“Does Equestria have to deal with murderous spirit?”

"That's a question best left answered by your pony partner," Ray commented, putting away the journal he'd been looking at. "Looks like you found the answer you needed, but not the one you wanted. Such is the unfortunate side effect of occult research."

Sugarcoat placed the book back on the shelf, her eyes lingering on the old leather. Reaching for her phone, she dialed Sunset. If this really was Labolas, then the fiery detective needed fair warning.

Sunset stood out against the white picket fences of Bridle Way. It made her self-conscious. All perfectly organized and maintained. The local HOA had been a source of income before. People didn’t like it when people snuck around their homes to report things.

Green Thumb, the project head, lived just at the end of the development. A neat little blue house, all but identical to the ones around it. Parking at the end of his driveway, Sunset hung her helmet up. This would be tricky given how little information she could give out. She thought carefully, coming up with a script before dismounting from her bike. Taking a deep breath, she approached the door and knocked.

After some disturbance inside the home, the door opened to reveal a woman around Sunset’s age with pink skin and pale yellow hair. Tucked behind one of the woman’s ears was a white flower, a lily Sunset guessed. “Hello, is there something I can help you with?”

Smiling at the woman, Sunset gave her rehearsed spiel. “Hi, my name is Horizon Glare. I’m a part of Neo-Gen’s internal investigation team. Can I ask you a few questions about an incident that occurred there?”

The woman’s smile faltered, but there was a glint of understanding in her eyes directed at the fiery haired woman. “That’d be my husband you want to talk to then. He’s in the greenhouse out back. I’ll brew up some jasmine tea. Greeny’s gonna need it if he’s gonna talk about that again.”

Sunset nodded, stepping inside behind her. “It’s just a few standard questions. It won’t be anything intrusive.”

Nodding, the other woman led Sunset through her home and out the back door. Once outside, she was impressed by the garden. Every edge was framed by neatly trimmed hedges with several flower beds scattered around in every color of the rainbow. At the back of the yard was an impressively sized greenhouse, the insides partially obscured by the specialized glass. Green Thumb could be seen inside, watering a tall flower Sunset couldn’t identify. Opening the door to the green house, the pink woman poked her head in to get her husband’s attention.

“Honey, there’s someone here to see you. It’s a work thing.”

Green lifted his gaze up, frowning. “Work huh?” Standing, he dusted off his pants. “Who is it this time?”

“She says her name is Horizon from an Investigation team at Neo-Gen,” Lily explained. “She has some questions about an incident at the lab.”

Frowning, the older man moved to join his wife. “Must be something important then.”

Lily led him back to Sunset before disappearing to make the tea. The private eye extended a hand, offering an apologetic smile with it. "Sorry to bother you, Dr. Thumb. But Neo-Gen is chomping at the bit to get things squared away. I'm Horizon Glare and I'll try not to take too much of your time."

Shaking her hand, Green settled into a well loved recliner. “That’s quite alright. Now, could I ask what this is about? It’s not often I have someone from IA paying a home visit.”

"It's about a matter that took place a few nights ago in the lab you were heading," Sunset answered, letting the statement hang to gauge for a reaction.

Green sank back, a long sigh escaping his lips. “Right. The break in. The morning after, everyone was given time off until it gets resolved. I’ve been spending so much time with the plants it slipped from my mind.”

"Let's get the obvious question out of the way," Sunset said, forcing her relaxed demeanor as the opening tactic bore no fruit. "What were you up to the night of the break in?"

“It was date night,” he began, glancing towards the kitchen. “She got to pick. We went down to Snapshot’s Drive-In. Shows all sorts of old movies. Gone With the Breezies was playing.”

"Do you have the ticket stub or receipt? The time on it can do a lot to clear your name, Doctor."

“I should still have it...” Leaving his seat, Green retrieved a stack of papers from a nearby drawer. Returning to his seat, he shuffled through the stack. “Aha!” He produced a pair of tickets, offering them to Sunset.

Sunset thanked him for the tickets and examined them closely. Sure enough, the time on the tickets put him at the drive-in during the timestamps of the footage. Pulling out her phone, she snapped a photo of them. "Thanks for the cooperation, Doctor. Can I also see your employee badge?"

“Of course.” Exiting the room, he left Sunset to her devices.

Sunset sat in thought about the doctor, he had a fairly tight alibi despite having strong motive. That and the fact he had no hesitation to show the badge made things complicated. Scribing into her notes, she glanced up to see Lily carrying a tray.

“Do you need any help?” Sunset asked.

"Oh no, I've got this taken care of," Lily assured, sitting the tray down on a nearby table. "How do you like your tea? I personally recommend a bit of honey with this jasmine brew."

“That sounds nice.” Sunset shifted, tapping at her notes. “Has your husband mentioned anything odd about his work recently? A disgruntled coworker? A strange event? Anything like that?”

"Disgruntled would describe the entire team." Lily chuckled at her statement, deftly preparing Sunset and Green's cups. "Green and the team knew that their project was in the running for getting axed. It was the Sword of Damaclops as he put it for a while. The project funding wound up going to an experiment involving multi-use spacecraft. A little more flashy than plants."

A whole team of suspects. “Would there be anyone you can think of who’d take the closure particularly hard? Enough to commit theft?”

"I can't personally say. Given the NDA Green signed, I only get bits and pieces. Neo-Gen doesn't play around with those things." Lily sighed and handed Sunset her cup. "I hate to say it, but that company gives me the heeby jeebies."

Accepting the cup with a smile, Sunset savored her first sip. “Heeby jeebies? Anything specific?”

"It's just all the hush hush nature of things," Lily answered, waving her hand a bit. "Plus, when's the last time you heard about them getting into any kind of hot water? Or even criticism?"

That was true. In brief research she had done, there was no bad press associated with Neo-Gen. Its CEO hadn’t embezzled funds, there were no harassment scandals, no data leaks. For a company of that size, being that utterly squeaky clean seemed off. Maybe not full on alarm bells, but it piqued her curiosity.

Sunset finally nodded, sipping at the tea. "You're right, can't say I recall hearing anything like that about the company."

When Green returned, a thorough examination proved his ID was intact, if well worn. “I’ve already asked your wife but, do you know anyone disgruntled enough to resort to theft?”

“We all took the news hard,” Green admitted, taking his own cup. “I’d like to think we’re all above such a thing but my assistant director almost needed to be escorted out like I was.”

“But if you had to make a determination,” Sunset pressed. “Who would it be?”

“My best guess would be Solar Spark,” Green relented, taking a long sip from his mug. “She was always a little quiet and distant, but actually had a long conversation with me when the axe officially came down.”

Sunset jotted down the name and the brief description. Thinking for a moment, she considered her next question. Ultimately, she decided not to push any more. "Thank you, Doctor. I know it was rude of me to ask that of you. I'll take my leave."

Shining Armor put a hand on Flurry’s head, running it through his fingers. She was finally asleep, giving him a moment’s rest. How did she contain so much energy? A mystery even a detective couldn’t solve.

"Hard to believe a chain smoking grump has such a gentle side," Cadance teased from the doorframe. “I’m glad you're softening on Sunset.”

"You did make a compelling argument for doing so." Shining sighed, trying and failing to resist the urge to scratch at the patch on his bicep. "I’m not inviting her to the house, but I won't sit out of family gatherings if she's invited."

Cadance walked over, exchanging Flurry for a phone. “You got a call from work.”

"Seriously? Those taskmasters; I know for a fact that Compass hasn't been getting this many extra calls." Grumbling, he accepted the phone and tapped away. Resigning himself to his fate, he dialed into the station.

His shoulders sagged with each word. A silent alarm had gone off at the Canterlot Natural History Museum. Ending the call, he turned to his wife. "How quick can you get me my head coach job back at Crystal Prep?" he joked, giving his wife a weak smile as she pushed him out the door.