Clothes Don't Always Make The Woman

Chapter 19

Industrial District, Little Shanghay Borough

What many comic books and movies fail to convey is how their stalwart protagonist manages to get around. Sure, there are some instances where they might be able to use their powers, such as flying to get from point A to point B. Or they might have a specially designed vehicle. Moi? Not so much. I am but an average person with average means of transportation at my disposal.

To that end, I did not want to bring my personal vehicle to the scene of the crime. The risk was simply too great. What if the mafia goons, or worse yet, the media happened to find it? My solution wasn’t very elegant but it was effective. I decided to board the subway train and get off at the nearest station adjacent to the industrial district. Since drawing attention to myself was decidedly NOT ideal, I went “commando” and wore a purple, ankle-length sundress that was easy to get in and out of, along with a pair of sneakers. A handbag concealed my mask.

Now, came the tricky part. I was quite comfortable in my own skin. That pretty much goes without saying considering that I have been a nudist my entire life. However, the situation I found myself in was completely alien to me. Something that I’d thought about on occasion but never put into practice. Carefully, I folded up my dress and placed it in the handbag along with my sneakers and began to fix my hair into a tight bun using an elongated pair of titanium fa-zan. Once that was done, I placed the mask onto my face and it seemed to mold to my contours as if by magic. Erm—I suppose it technically was considered magic. Imagine that!

My body shuddered with nervous anticipation. I couldn’t quite shake off the feeling of wrongness as I crept closer to the warehouse Louie had mentioned. Despite the cool evening air, my skin was coated in a thin sheen of sweat. It made me acutely aware of the breeze and the fact that I was nude. For a brief moment, I contemplated my choice of heroic attire. I took in a deep breath, let it out of my nostrils slowly, and hardened my resolve. This was how Madam Adamantium should fight crime! Bared flesh was her calling card; it’s what made her unique.

Yet, I was still Rarity Belle, through & through. The sensible part of my brain argued that I would suffer swift legal repercussions if I was caught by the MMPD. Not only would I be arrested for vigilantism but indecent exposure too! Perhaps, in due time, the people of Manehattan would grow accustomed to my methods but the consequences of breaking the law continued to occupy my thoughts regardless of how careful I’d been to conceal my identity.

One of the major advantages of forgoing footwear is that you’re much quieter while running or just walking in general. However, I found it necessary to harden the soles of my feet since the surface of the pavement was so rough and uneven. It would’ve caused all sorts of nasty little cuts and bruises, if I’d chosen to traverse it without the aid of my powers. The same logic applied when I started climbing the metal side ladder, in order to access the warehouse roof.

I crouched on my haunches next to one of the skylights (sitting down on a filthy warehouse roof was out of the question). It was a moonless night, so I wasn’t worried about anyone inside catching a glimpse of my silhouette. Besides, the warehouse itself didn’t appear to have that many people ambling around inside in the first place. I nearly jumped out of my pearly white skin when Sweetie’s voice came through the microphone inside my mask. She sounded worried, and I assured her that I was just surprised to hear from her so suddenly while I was “in the zone”.

“Louie says he’ll meet you in a few minutes.”

“How on earth is he managing to transmit all this information to you?”

“I dunno. I guess they must have tiny rat-sized phones or something.”

With nothing else to do for the time being, I peered through the skylight to try and take stock of what was contained within the warehouse. My mask didn’t exactly have night vision goggles built in, so it was difficult for me to see anything beyond vague outlines of crates and the infrastructure. From what I could tell, it looked like your typical semi-abandoned building. I say “semi” because it was obvious that people had made an effort maintaining the interior space.

When I felt something furry brush up against my leg, I couldn’t help myself. I let out a girlish squeal of terror in response. Thankfully, none of the mafia goons seemed to notice given that there was a significant amount of background noise going on outside (such as ships being unloaded). However, Louie looked unamused. Or at least as much as a rat could. Cheeks flushed red, I apologized profusely and assured my partner that I was committed to the mission at hand.

Fine. Just make sure ya keep the screams ta a minimum from now on.

My earlier question regarding his communication method was solved. It was rather adorable, I must admit. Louie had rigged some sort of harness to his body, which allowed him to carry a smartphone underneath his belly like a kangaroo. Clever and efficient. I expected nothing less from the leader of a clandestine clan of intelligence gathering rodents.

“I’m at a loss as to where we should enter the warehouse. You don’t expect me to break the skylight and swoop in like some avenging crusader, I hope?”

Nah. That’d cause way too much of a ruckus. We Whiskers are all about bein’ sneaky n’ stayin’ hidden. According ta my scouts, there’s a ventilation shaft big enough ta fit a human up here on the roof. The access hatch is just over there. See it? The big square shaped metal thing?

I blanched. My body would barely fit in there. “How will I know where to exit?”

Don’t worry about it. I’m goin’ with ya.

Out of necessity, I had to crawl on my hands and knees and enter the shaft headfirst. I hardened my skin just enough to avoid injury but that didn’t change the fact that the inside of the duct was dusty and covered with cobwebs. Louie didn’t seem to mind all the filth. But then again, he was a city-dwelling rodent. One of these days, I would experiment with my powers and figure out a way to ionize all the dirt and grime from my skin. A fabulous, sparkling super heroine such as myself, should look her best while fighting crime. My reputation was at stake!

I had been worried about making a lot of noise while my hands and knees bumped up against the metal surface. However, the ventilation shaft was much sturdier than I anticipated. I suppose it would have to be for a building of this size. After what felt like an eternity, we finally reached what appeared to be another access hatch. I opened it gingerly and took a peek into the room. There wasn’t anyone else around, so I repositioned my body as best I could and tried to land on my feet. Much to my chagrin, I flailed around in the air and landed flat on my rump.

“Not as elegant as I would have preferred, but it got the job done.” I muttered.

“You’re doing great, sis. Keep up the good work!” Sweetie encouraged.

“Oh! I nearly forgot you were still on the line, dear.”

“S’okay. I was maintaining radio silence so that you could concentrate on the mission. It’s what any good sidekick would do. I’m the Robin to your Batman, Rarity! Ok, so maybe I’m not quite on Robin’s level yet. More like Barbara Gordon. Working behind the scenes is my jam. Yeah!”

I blinked slowly, choosing to ignore her comment about being my official sidekick. We would have a conversation about that later. “Have you been watching the video feed this entire time?”

“Mhmm. I can hear everything too!” Sweetie exclaimed, her pubescent voice cracking at the end.

“What exactly do you plan on doing with said footage?” I asked warily.

“I figured it would be a good PR move if we set up a fan page for Madam Adamantium. Donations only, of course. We don’t want the citizens of Manehattan to think that you’re saving their bacon just for the sake of money. That’s so not cool! What do you think, Rarity? Are you impressed?”

“I—erm—I’m not sure what to think, darling. Is the website secure?”

“Totally! Button taught me all the tricks to keep it triple encrypted so that the cops and the bad guys can’t trace our IP. I’ve also linked our VPN to an internet satellite service that changes it every hour, on the hour, to a different location. We’re as safe as we can be online. I promise.”

“Even so, I’m not keen on the idea of people using my… image for unsavory purposes.”

“Comes with the territory. People will sexualize your pics whether you like it or not. Think of it as a good thing, Rarity! You’ve got a stellar bod! There’s nothing you need to be ashamed of. Being nude makes you more badass ‘cause you don’t need a costume to fight villains.”

I let out a disgusted sigh. “I appreciate the compliment, but I’m still worried that it will give people the wrong impression. My lack of attire is meant to embody my lifestyle and synergize with the nature of my powers, not some fetish that gives me a sexual high while fighting crime.”

“Right on, sis! I’ll try my best to portray Madam Adamantium as an ally of justice and freedom, instead of some horny exhibitionist weirdo jacked up on super powers.”

My skin flushed a shade of pink. “SWEETIE BELLE! Did you have to phrase it that way?!”

Louie tapped my foot with his paw in order to get my attention. Hate ta interrupt your conversation ladies, but stealth is the name of the game right now. Keep the lips zipped.

We both muttered our apologies to the rat, and followed his advice. While I had become more proficient with martial arts and the ability to harden my body at will, I wasn’t too keen on engaging in combat if I could avoid doing so altogether. Thankfully, my eyes seemed to have adjusted to the gloom and I was able to see more clearly than before… only to squint from near blindness when we came upon the central distribution area.

Several large fluorescent lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating the mafia goons below. They appeared to be moving wooden crates around, no doubt bound for one of the ships moored outside on the dock. Seeing as there were no holes in the crates, I had to assume the contraband contained within was not of the living variety. It was then I thought back to what Louie had said. Those must have been the illegal antiques. Or weapons… or drugs. Honestly, I didn’t care what was inside of them. The point was that the Magnolias needed to be stopped!

“Louie,” I whispered nervously, “do you have any idea where the animals might be?”

My boys are still working on that bit of intel, Miss Rarity.

“Alright but what do you suggest we do in the meantime? I’m only one woman. You can’t possibly expect me to take on all of those goons myself AND haul the crates out of here!”

For the record, that was never the plan. Our number one priority was, and always has been, the trapped animals. Rescue them first, then worry about all the other junk. Maybe you oughta take a breather, Miss Rarity. You know, ta calm your nerves. Havin’ the jitters’ll get ya killed.

I placed my hands on my hips and scowled at him. “Your bedside manner could use some work.”

Louie stood up on his hind legs and made a sharp, chittering squeak in protest. Yeah, well… I ain’t a doctor. Sugarcoating wastes time. Good news, Miss Rarity. My boys finally managed to locate our target. Looks like they’re being held two rooms over from here. Let’s hustle.

Sure enough, while we were slinking about behind some crates, we spotted a series of cages right where Louie’s comrades said they would be. There was some sort of exotic monkey, a large snake, and a pair of baby Tropical Blue Macaws. Curious. I was under the impression there would be many more in captivity than this. Don’t get me wrong; I counted it as a blessing in disguise. It meant that I had fewer targets to save, and thus, made the rescue easier.

At least in theory, that is. Despite the lack of animals, by no means were there a lack of guards. From just a quick count, I spotted at least a dozen of them patrolling the immediate vicinity. All of them armed to the teeth with submachine guns, knives, and truncheons. My stomach started doing back flips while I contemplated the best plan of attack. I would need to harden my skin substantially and for a sustained period of time if I wanted to avoid getting shot. Or more accurately, avoid having the bullets penetrate flesh and bone. The impacts would still hurt, of course. But a few bruises and welts were worth saving the lives of those poor animals.

Much to my chagrin, I recognized one of the men guarding the cages. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the same greasy-haired mobster I ran into the night I saved Doughnut Joe’s life. Lorenzo, I believe his name was. At the time, I had no means to conceal my true identity (such things happen when a lady is teleported from an alternate dimension bereft of all earthly possessions). That said, I don’t believe he recognized who I was. Thus far, I hadn’t noticed an overt mafia presence in the neighborhood where I worked or near the apartment complex.

Lorenzo was busy chatting with his men and they appeared to be on “lunch break”. Many of them had submarine sandwiches and bags of snack foods, but as their leader, he had something a bit more expensive. A live King Crab to be precise. Talk about ostentatious! Who eats luxurious seafood in the middle of a dingy warehouse at one o’clock in the morning? People with no class, that’s who! Annoyance aside, I focused my attention once again on formulating a plan.

At present, it was one Rarity Belle versus six Magnolia lackies. A surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins, making my heart beat like a staccato drum deep within my chest. The distinct, unpleasant clamminess of sweat coated my skin from head to toe. I felt both nauseous and excited simultaneously. Quite frankly, I wanted nothing more than to remain calm and composed, as a proper superheroine should. Instead, I was a quivering, nervous wreck!

As the inside of my mouth became a giant cotton ball, I suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Sweetie must have heard me trying to suck in oxygen and offered a whisper of encouragement. It helped steady my nerves somewhat, but I would need to dig deep within my psyche to muster up the courage for battle. I concentrated on the baby macaws. The little darlings needed my help!

“Lay down your weapons and surrender, foul villains! None shall come to harm if you comply.” I intoned whilst striking a bold pose. I was thankful that the mask enhanced and distorted my natural voice, otherwise it wouldn’t have sounded quite so intimidating.

Utterly perplexed, Lorenzo blinked in confusion. “Uh… what the actual fuck?”

The awkward silence and piercing stares that followed were UNBEARABLE. I cleared my throat. “Erm—yes you heard me the first time, I’d wager. I’m a reasonable lady, so I’ll give you lot a chance to surrender before the situation becomes violent.”

Lorenzo’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Wait a minute; I know you! You’re that sparkly naked bitch from before! Yeah. I’d never forget a crazy mook like that. The boss was VERY unhappy when he found out about Joe. Ya know, it’s a good thing that you decided to show up tonight. I was tasked with gettin’ rid of ya. Saved me the trouble of havin’ ta canvas the entire city.”

“One and the same, good sir. My name is Madam Adamantium. Defender of Manehattan!”

Lorenzo turned off the safety on his submachine gun. “You must have a few screws loose up in the old noggin. Not that I care. I’d gun ya down all the same. It’s a real shame ‘cause you’ve got such a smokin’ hot bod. There’s no way I’d ever mess around with that brand o’ crazy. That shit ain’t worth it. Say your prayers, sparkle bitch. I’m gonna send ya to your maker.”

The arrogance of that man! I adopted a defensive stance. “You may try. BRING IT ON!”

Out of an abundance of caution, I flooded my body with mystical energy, making it sparkle like a diamond in the sunlight. My display seemed to have cowed the remaining goons, as they hesitated to take action against me. I’d wager that they’d never seen Equestrian magic in action before. Lorenzo, however, didn’t hesitate to open fire on me. The movies and television truly don’t do gunfire justice. It’s so much louder and frightening in real life.

The bullets flattened like little copper pancakes when they impacted my torso. Suffice to say, the sensation was quite painful, akin to being stung by a swarm of massive, angry metal hornets all at once. There was no doubt in my mind that later on I would have a smattering of red welts and ugly purple bruises. Grimacing through the pain, I took advantage of Lorenzo’s momentary confusion and barreled towards him with my shoulder, intent on a ramming attack.

Yes, I know the maneuver wasn’t exactly elegant. But as Rainbow Dash said: sometimes you have to do what’s practical, not what looks cool. My momentum combined with the hardness of my body, sent Lorenzo hurtling towards the stack of crates where they’d been having their lunch break earlier. The crate he landed on shattered into hundreds of wooden splinters instantly.

Lorenzo groaned in pain, struggling to get up. “Ngh. Fuck. You’re gonna be harder to kill than I originally anticipated. No wonder the boss has such a keen interest in you. You’ve got magic powers! There’s no other explanation for how a naked weirdo survived gettin’ hosed with lead.”

I strode towards him, crossed my arms underneath my breasts, and tapped my foot against the concrete floor. “All the more reason you and your men should surrender to me, Mr. Lorenzo. Fret not, for I am a patient woman. I shall give you one more opportunity to do so.”

“Fat chance o’ that happenin’, sparkles. GIT ‘ER TONY!”

Before I had the chance to ask what was going on, a sharp pain radiated from my upper vertebrae all the way down to my toes. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, one of his goons had jammed a taser into my neck, trying to incapacitate me with its electrical shock. The pain was utterly dreadful. It felt like all of my muscles were cramping up simultaneously. I had some difficulty regaining my senses through the pain, but I managed to elbow the offending ruffian in the stomach, which caused the taser to loosen from his grasp and clatter on the floor below.

Panting and nauseous, I stood on wobbly legs and faced Lorenzo once more. My vision clouded around the edges, but I fought the overwhelming urge to pass out on the spot. “Men without a sense of honor ARE THE ABSOLUTE WORST! Now, you shall face my wrath, cur!”

I was hellbent on teaching that slick-haired scalawag a lesson, but my righteous fury was halted in its tracks when the ground began to shake. A loud gurgling-hiss pervaded the air when what I can only describe as a gargantuan crustacean rose above the shattered crate, brandishing its claws like medieval scythes. Without rhyme or reason, the giant King Crab snapped one of the mafia goons clean in half, spilling his entrails onto the floor below with a wet splat. I choked back the bile that threatened to rise in my throat. I’d never witnessed such a horrific scene before.

Lorenzo clumsily scrambled to his feet, running towards the exit. “Fuck this noise. I’m gettin’ outa here!”

I allowed Lorenzo and the rest of his henchmen to escape. They were outmatched in every way that mattered and I had a much BIGGER problem to deal with at present. Who would have imagined that a simple rescue mission would turn into this? Taking a page from Fluttershy’s book, I attempted to communicate with the creature. Perhaps, I could reason with it.

“Hello, darling. I know you’re angry and confused right now, but I need you to calm down.”

Its beady eyes shifted towards me, accompanied by another gurgling hiss. I screamed in terror when it grabbed me by the waist with its claw and tried to snap me in half like the poor soul earlier. However, I was made of sterner stuff. I could feel the immense amount of pressure being exerted against my flesh, and I knew that if this continued, my magic reserves would deplete. In a desperate gambit, I pushed my powers to the limit and slammed my fists against its claw with all of my might. With a thundering crack, the claw shattered and I was freed from its clutches.

Not wanting to waste an opportunity to strike while the iron was hot, I clambered atop its bumpy, armored carapace and aimed a precision strike against the spot where I estimated its brain to be. My energy was fading fast. I felt light headed and weak all of the sudden. NO! Just a few more moments. Keep it together, Rarity! Alas, the strike didn’t do as much damage as I’d hoped.

A hairline crack formed while I was flung into a pile of nearby crates. My powers managed to cushion the impact, but my magic reserves were entirely depleted. Exhaustion washed over me like a wave and I could feel every ache and pain that had accumulated from the battle. I laid flat on my back, staring up at the warehouse ceiling, wondering if this was the last image I would ever see. The crab continued to rampage, causing destruction in its wake, but not targeting me specifically. Perhaps, I had caused some brain damage? It mattered little. The crustaceous fiend needed to be stopped before innocents were harmed. I was the only one capable of doing so.

By sheer coincidence, the taser that had been used on me earlier was lying on the floor next to my hand. Summoning what little energy I had left, I rose to my feet, body trembling, and staggered forth towards the beast with the taser clutched in my grasp. Without the aid of magic skin hardening, I suffered a host of little cuts while I climbed atop its back once more. Eyelids heavy, I channeled the remaining dregs of energy I had available and jammed the taser into the tiny opening created by the crack.

The smell of sizzling shellfish filled my nostrils. Ironically, it was rather pleasant given the fact that I was essentially cooking crabmeat. Dare I say, it made me a bit hungry. In mere seconds, the creature collapsed with a mighty thud that shook the ground below. I managed to slide off of its back, and promptly curled up into a Rarity ball on the floor. Never had concrete felt so inviting~

Believe me; I wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and embrace sweet unconsciousness. The adrenaline had long since worn off and I was in bad shape. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a yellowish red blur. As the object drew closer, I realized that it was none other than Sunset Shimmer. Albeit, she was fully clothed this time around.

“Holy shit! Rarity, you look awful.” Sunset remarked, worry in her voice.

“It’s good to see you too, Sunset. Might I ask what you’re doing here?”

Sunset chuckled. “Isn’t it obvious? Sweetie was freaking out and told me to come help you ASAP. Plus, I’m one of the few people in this world with expertise in Equestrian magic. Seeing as how you managed to kill a giant crab, I’m betting magic has something to do with that.”

I gestured towards the cages. “Would you mind setting the animals free? My original intent was to save them from a life of captivity. Goodness me. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Going to the hospital might raise more questions than I’m comfortable with. What to do…”

“Here. Drink this,” Sunset advised while handing me a vial full of viscous purple liquid, “it tastes like a fried boot but the potion will help heal your wounds in a jiff. Princess Twilight sent me a crate full of these babies just in case things got hairy in our universe.”

“Blegh! This is worse than the cough syrup mother used to give us when we were sick.”

Sunset shrugged. “I tried convincing Twilight to enhance the flavor, but she claimed that it would upset the archano-chemical composition or something along those lines. Just a word of warning: the purple gunk doesn’t heal you instantly and the healing factor comes at a cost.”

“There’s no such thing as a miracle drug, in my experience. What is the cost, if I may ask?”

“Like all powerful magic, the healing potion requires a crap ton of energy from the user in order to function at peak efficiency. So—yeah… the major downside to chugging a full vial is it’ll knock you out cold. I’d wager you’ve got about another thirty seconds until naptime, Rarity.”

“I’m already at the brink of exhaustion from fighting the—”

Let’s just say that I was IMMENSELY thankful Sunset had decided to come to my aid on such short notice. Otherwise, I would have been left unconscious and at the mercy of a criminal organization intent on disposing of me. Healing potion side effects notwithstanding. Thus, I proceeded to pass out, my body’s energy reserves depleted in their entirety.

I slowly cracked open my eyes after an unknown amount of time had passed. At the very least, I could tell it was early to mid-morning and that I had been laid to rest in my own bed. Sunset was nowhere to be seen, but Extravagance was fast asleep by my side, snoring softly. I immediately regretted trying to move. Every muscle contained within my body screamed in protest. I cried out in pain, waking up Extravagance, and sending my little sister scampering into the room like a lightning bolt, the sound of her bare feet pattering against the dining room floor as she did so.

A curly-haired marshmallow blur lunged onto the bed, embracing me for dear life. I let out a wry chuckle and rubbed Sweetie’s back as a gesture of assurance. “Good morning, sister dear. I do hope my recent heroic endeavor hasn’t caused you too much grief.”

Sweetie snuffled; her eyes wet with tears. “I’m so glad you’re finally awake, Rarity. You’ve been out cold for an entire day! Sunset said it might take a while before your body recovers completely, b-but I was starting to get SUPER worried! So—um—how do you feel?”

I managed to muster up enough strength to sit up in bed. My head was killing me, of course. A few aspirin tablets, a hot bubble bath, and a large cup of café au lait were in order. “Like I’ve been run over by a garbage truck. What—happened after I vanquished the giant crab?”

“With Fluttershy’s help, we managed to relocate all of the displaced animals. The Whispering Whiskers took care of distributing the leftover crab meat. Would’ve been a real shame if such a luxurious commodity went to waste, right?”

“I suppose it would,” I mused whilst trying to picture how the Whiskers would accomplish such a feat, “in any case, I’m glad that everything worked out. It was a rather challenging battle.”

Sweetie placed her hands on her hips and shot me a stern look. “This is exactly why you need people to back you up, Rarity! I dunno what I would’ve done if you’d…”

Feeling guilty, I gripped the covers and frowned. “You’ve made your point, darling. From now on, I’ll be relying on my team for support. This includes additional training on my part.”

“Does this mean I’m your OFFICIAL sidekick now? Do I get to wear a mask too? OH! I’ve got a few ideas as to what my superhero name would be.”

I shook my head. “Accompanying me in the field is terribly dangerous, Sweetie. Especially for a teenage girl without the aid of magic. I FORBID IT! However, I’m open to the possibility of a logistical support assistant, so long as they are out of harm’s way. It’s a vital role, I assure you.”

“I’ll go make you some soup ‘cause I’m sure you’re hungry. Be back in a jiff!” Sweetie didn’t give me a direct answer, but I’m certain the wheels were turning around in her head. She simply needed some time to think it over, and reach a decision. I laid back down and sighed.

Extravagance nestled into the crook of my arm and licked my hand after I ruffled the fur along his forehead. Like clockwork, my stomach let out an awful rumbling gurgle that made me blush. I’d taken to keeping a stash of protein bars handy for just such an occasion and retrieved one from the bed stand drawer. Chocolate peanut butter. The wrapper made it sound as though the nutritional supplement would taste like a candy bar, but it most certainly did not. I suppose it could have tasted worse; all things considered. Regardless, I ate it quickly to replenish calories.

Feeling a bit more alert, I got out my phone and called Sunset Shimmer. It rang a few times, but she eventually answered. For some reason, my fiery-haired friend sounded like she was panting or out of breath from a strenuous activity. I could hear Flash Sentry’s muffled voice in the background, muttering something. I really hope they weren’t doing what I suspected they were doing. “Good morning, Sunset. I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“Rarity! It’s great to hear your voice again. I take it the potion must have worked its magic?”

“For the most part,” I admitted with a resigned sigh, “however I still feel terrible. It shall take some time before I’m running at one hundred percent again.”

I could hear the faint echo of water trickling and a soft grunt of relief from her. Was she sitting on the toilet, taking care of business? Have at least a shred of decency whilst talking on the phone with your friend, woman! She yawned loudly and smacked her lips. “S’to be expected, ya know. Take some time off, Rares. Celestia knows you deserve it.”

I took her suggestion in stride, choosing instead to ask a question. “How did you manage to arrive at the warehouse so quickly? I might not have been in the best state of mind at the time, but even I know it would have taken quite a while for you to drive there on your own.”

“Oh—erm—after I transformed from that whole incident with Sci-Twi, apparently some of my magic abilities came back. Like teleporting, for example. It takes a great deal of concentration and power, since my human mana pool isn’t nearly as big, but I’ve become proficient enough.”

“Curious. Given what I’ve been through all these years, I’m inclined to believe that anything is possible when it comes to Equestrian magic.”

Sunset chuckled. “Don’t I know it! Just don’t expect me to start blasting bad guys with Super Sunny Solar Beams anytime soon. And the whole nudist vigilante bit? That’s all yours, girl.”

I blushed after an awkward cough. “I prefer ‘ally of justice’ but point taken.”

“Don’t sweat it, Rares. I’m sure Manehattan will warm up to Madam Adamantium someday.”

“One can only hope,” I agreed, “I’ll let you go then. Thanks again for your assistance.”

“You’re welcome. I gotta hop in the shower and wash off all this funk. Later.”

I rolled my eyes after hanging up. “At least their marriage doesn’t lack excitement when it comes to matters of the bedroom…”

“What was that?” Sweetie asked innocently, carrying a plastic tray into my room.

“Nothing, dear. Just catching up with Sunset. Is that chicken noodle?”

“Yep! The kind that has those little star-shaped noodles. Don’t worry; I only heated it up.”

I smiled. “Someday, mother and I shall teach you how to be a proper chef. Mark my words.”

Tapping on the window diverted my attention from Sweetie to the veranda, where a certain clandestine rodent had appeared. While I would never find a giant rat like Louie adorable, I had developed a degree of respect for his skills and professionalism. He hesitated to come any closer, fearing that I might act adversely to his presence, but I invited him to sit on my bed. Like before, he wore his phone harness and was carrying a brown paper bag on top of his back.

Good ta see you’re awake, Miss Rarity. Me and the boys were worried ‘bout ya.

“Aww that’s very sweet. I appreciate the concern. What’s that you’ve got in the bag?”

Louie squeaked. Part o’ the spoils from our little adventure in Little Shanghay. That jumbo-sized crustacean ya whacked is gonna fill a lot o’ empty bellies for a while. Figured I’d whip up somethin’ ta help ya feel better. Crab Cakes. From a recipe I found in an old cookbook.

I opened the bag expecting to see a lump of barely edible… crustaceous goop but was instead greeted by a pair of perfectly delicious, golden-brown crab cakes. The aroma was divine as well. “My goodness! I had no idea we had a gourmand in our midst.”

Louie offered me the equivalent of a rodent shrug. Lived in the wall of a swanky seafood restaurant back when I was just a pup. Picked up a few things from a friendly sous-chef who worked there. Got ta eat all the leftover scraps too. Those were the days, I tell ya!

“Thank you again for all you’ve done, Louie. Be sure to send my regards to your comrades. Would you… like to stay for some chicken noodle soup? I’m sure there’s plenty leftover.”

Sure. I could use a snack before headin’ back ta the hideout.

After insisting that he wash his paws first, I invited Louie to sit at the table with Sweetie while I shared one of the crab cakes with Extravagance. While I was quite hungry, I didn’t want to overdo it and wind-up puking everything back up again in an hour. Training would come later. For now, I would rest, recuperate, and dabble in more mundane matters such as planning out my next set of jewelry designs. Yes. Normal life things. It would be a good change of pace.