Still running from the children’s fierce dart guns, Sunset quickly shoved a pair of adults apart as she hopped onto an escalator. Coco hurriedly offered an apology to the scowling couple as she was pulled after her. Continuing her plow-thru, Sunset raced to the top of the machine and up to the second floor. Once there she instantly dove behind the wall with Coco in tow. Like a cautious turtle, she carefully slid her head up and glanced at the floor below them. The Crusaders, plus one, had just made it around the corner and were now searching the crowded area for any sign of the girls.
Not as dexterous as her pony ears, Sunset had to turn her head and strain her human ears to hear the kids over the constant noise of the crowd below.
With toy guns in hand, the group stopped in their tracks and looked around. Scootaloo sat the toy on her shoulder and groaned. “Agghh, we lost them. What now, General?” she droned sarcastically.
Button frowned at her. “It’s not my fault Gibson tried to stop us. Nevertheless, we have to find the demonette… demoness… whatever I said last time!”
Apple Bloom walked up to him and gave him a curious look. “Why? We’ll probably see her at school Monday. Also, now that ah look around, ah don’t think Sunset has cast her spell on this place yet.”
Button turned and glared at her. “We have to find her! I can’t let her escape, because...” he narrowed his eyes dramatically and muttered, “now it’s personal!” His voice was low and serious.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shared confused looks as they silently debated which one of them was going to trigger his next line. Eventually, they turned to face Sweetie Belle who, until this point, had been eying up the dress shop across from them. Button still had his eyes narrowed, patiently waiting for them to ask the question he knew they had.
With a sigh, Apple Bloom nudged Sweetie Belle to get her attention. She then nodded towards Button. Sweetie Belle seemed to get the message and stepped forward to ask the question. “Umm…”
“Sunset has stolen something from me, from my family,” he began. He looked upwards as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. “Something so sacred that I hesitate to even find the words. She has violated our honor...” he whimpered.
Surprising themselves, Button's display of emotion was enough to recapture Scootaloo and Apple Bloom’s interest, and their expressions snapped from boredom to concern.
“Oh no!” exclaimed Sweetie, who was already concerned.
Woah,” gasped Apple Bloom.
Scootaloo’s expression didn’t last very long as she quickly leveled a look of disbelief at the crazy kid. “Oh yeah? What’d she steal?”
Like a furious kitten, Button growled and clenched his fist. “It is an unforgivable offense, a catastrophic crime worse than the selling of the Oculus to MyStable. Worse than the ending of Mass Effect 3 even!”
“What is it?” asked Apple Bloom.
“I... I can’t. It’s too horrible to speak of. Just like the fabled—”
“Get on with it!” yelled Scootaloo. A few onlookers turned towards the direction of the outburst.
“She has stolen several video games from our store!” Button finally exclaimed.
Surprised at this sudden accusation, Coco, who was listening along with Sunset, glanced down at the four cases still clutched in Sunset’s other hand and gasped. “Sunset, you took the games?!”
Sunset turned and, putting a finger to her lips, shushed her.
Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle had gasped in shock, horrified at this revelation. Apple Bloom, however, sat a hand on her face and shook her head sadly. “Seriously, is that it?” she asked. “You have like a hundred of those things in your backpack.”
Button shoved a finger in her face. By this point his eye was twitching rapidly. “Well how would you feel if Sunset took several of your apples?!”
Apple Bloom opened her mouth to respond, but shut it when she found that he had a point. Scootaloo, however, had not found the same empathy. “So what? Now we have to look for her all across the mall?”
Button nodded and Scootaloo groaned. “Fine,” she muttered. She went silent for a few seconds before grinning. “Fine! Let’s split up then. Me an’ Bloom will go upstairs while you and Sweetie search downstairs.”
Button nodded and chuckled darkly as he rubbed the top of his gun with a crazed look in his eye. “Yes… yes… I will find her!” He turned to Sweetie and lifted his gun. “Are you ready, Sweetie?”
“Yeah!” she cheered.
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom watched as their friends dashed off into distance past the escalator and, soon enough, out of sight. Once she was sure they were out of earshot, Scoots turned to Apple Bloom and said, “Yeah, they’re made for each other. Let’s get out of here.”
Apple Bloom looked at her unsurely. “Are you sure we should just leave them here?”
Scootaloo shrugged. “They know their way home, and Button’s gotta crash from his sugar high sooner or later.”
“We really shouldn’t have dared him to eat that much chocolate earlier,” lamented Apple Bloom.
With that, Sunset watched the two girls walk away. With a sigh of relief she stood up and helped Coco up afterwards. “Alright,” she began, “we should be good now as long as those two stay on the first… What?” She turned to look directly at her friend, only to find that she was still frowning at her.
Coco glanced down and Sunset followed her gaze to the video games that she was still holding onto. Turning her head back to her she shrugged in confusion. “What?”
“Sunset, you stole those! We need to return them, quickly.”
“I did not steal them,” Sunset defended. “Well… I didn’t mean to, okay? I was just holding onto them when I heard you scream, and I guess I forgot to drop these.”
“Then we should—”
Sunset stopped her there. “I will,” she assured. “Later, when we leave. I might end up buying these anyway. Right now let’s just find presents for the other girls.”
Coco thought on it for a second before shaking her head. “We should go back and buy them first. It would be bad if security caught you without a receipt.”
Sunset groaned audibly. “But I don’t want to talk to Gibson again.” Before Coco could say anything, Sunset noticed something behind her friend. “Oh, hey look, a jewelry store!”
Coco then made the mistake of turning to look, giving Sunset an opening to dash past her and into the store. “Sunset!” whined Coco, still frowning in disapproval.
Sunset poked her head out of the door and waved her over. “Come on! We can probably find something for Rarity in here.”
With a small sigh, Coco made her way over to the store. On her way there she took a second to stop and look at the sign that read: “Diamond’s Jewels.” Outside of the store were a few pale white standees showcasing a couple of the necklaces and rings sold inside.
Walking inside, the girls came to see a wide shop filled with large glass cases containing countless pieces of jewelry. The floor consisted of polished wood and the walls were a pristine white. As expected, the place was crowded with people looking for gifts. Sunset paid them no mind. She had learned, with some help from her friends, that the entire town wasn’t after her and the times that she swore people were looking and talking about her were really all in her head. If she wasn’t in school, and she didn’t bother anyone or bring attention to herself, no one would mind her presence.
“What are you doing here?”
Well… mostly anyway.
Sunset peered down into a case that held a beautiful set of matching rings, trying hard to ignore the annoying question that she knew was directed at her. Coco, meanwhile, had gravitated further in, apparently spotting something Rarity might enjoy.
“Hey! I’m talking to you!” said the voice, clearly annoyed.
“Like, maybe that demon transformation made her deaf or something,” said a second, more obnoxious voice. Afterwards both voices engaged in a bout of laughter.
Sunset sighed and turned around to see two younger girls. One with styled pale violet hair with white streaks running through. She wore an expensive looking, and rather shiny, golden yellow jacket and matching boots. On her head was a pristine diamond tiara that Sunset had long ago confirmed to be fake.
The second girl had braided grey hair with a single light grey streak running through it. She had on large blue glasses as well as a bright purple jacket and, for some reason that Sunset still had not managed to figure out, wore a small silver spoon around her neck. Sunset remembered them as a couple of middle schoolers that had tried to challenge her rule at Canterlot High when they first showed up. Despite herself, Sunset smiled at the memory of when she knocked them down a peg.
She immediately shook herself out of her reverie and reminded herself that she wasn’t like that anymore. “What?” she asked. Though it was obvious what they wanted.
“Oh look, Silver Spoon, it can hear us,” said the wannabe princess.
“Then maybe it can answer your question, Di,” said the wannabe follower.
“Yeah, like I was saying. What are you doing here in my store?”
Now this was news to Sunset. She raised her brow skeptically. “Your store?”
The spoon minion scoffed. “Well duh, Diamond Tiara’s dad owns this whole mall.”
Sunset simply stared at her plainly. “That doesn't mean that you own the stores inside. I can be here if I want.”
Diamond Tiara grinned. “Didn’t you read the sign? This is the store my daddy bought for me. Which means I don’t have to sell you anything. So leave.”
Sunset, realizing that they were just trying to get a rise out of her, returned the grin. “I’m pretty sure you’re not old enough to work here yet. You don’t have any actual power here.”
“Actually...” Sunset turned to see that one of the actual workers had made their way over to them. He wore a clean white dress shirt and a black tie that matched his smooth slicked black hair and glasses. He also had on a nervous look as he glanced between Sunset and Diamond from behind the case Sunset was looking at. “She’s right. Technically, she is the owner and we still have to listen to her. Plus, since her dad owns the mall, legally she could call security and make you leave.”
Sunset’s jaw hit the ground. “Are you serious?!”
“Yes. He. Is,” Diamond bragged, flipping her hair. Sunset turned to her and swore that if her grin were any larger it’d pop off her face. “So be grateful that I’m only making you leave this store.”
“Yeah,” copied the copy. “Isn’t Diamond Tiara so generous?”
Diamond Tiara let out a dramatic sigh. “I know; it’s so exhausting being this nice.” She cut the act and frowned. “But still, leave,” she ordered.
Like an angered lion, Sunset growled at the girls. “Listen you! I—” Out of the corner of her eye she could see people starting to look their way. Diamond and Silver Spoon were still smirking and Sunset realized that they wanted her to cause a scene; probably so they’d have an actual excuse to make her leave the entire mall. Not that she would mind.
Leveling one last look at the girls, Sunset quietly stomped out of the store. Coco noticed her leaving and made after her. “Sunset what’s wrong?” she asked. “Why are you leaving?”
Sunset simply scowled. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just go.”
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon watched the two girls leave before finally bursting out in laughter; much to the confusion of the other patrons. Behind them, the worker at the counter cleared his throat loud enough to grab their attention.
Calming down, Diamond reached into her pocket and pulled out a few cash bills before handing it to the man. “Nice job, Shill. That’ll teach her.”
The man eagerly counted the money she handed him. “Sure thing, boss.”
~~~
“That was so mean…” Coco muttered. Having finally gotten Sunset calm enough to tell her what happened, Coco despaired at the way her friend was treated.
Sunset sighed. “Yeah, that’s how things usually are. No one’s outright attacked me… well except the brats at the game store, but everyone’s pretty much been doing everything they can to get back at me. Small stuff like locking me out of class at the last minute, or even stupid things like ‘accidentally’ hitting me with a ball in gym… repeatedly.”
Coco gasped and stopped walking to turn to her. “Sunset that’s terrible! Why haven't you said anything?”
Sunset stopped and gave her a small smile. “It’s nothing I don’t deserve. Plus, talking to you about it just now made me feel alot better. It’s alright.”
“But Sunset…”
Sunset turned and continued down the mall corridor. “Come on. Let’s try Fluttershy next. I saw on the map that there’s a small pet shop at the end of this hall.”
Coco wavered slightly as concern spread across her features, and she resolved to find a way to help her friend somehow.
~~~
“Ah… Ahhh choo,” Coco quickly raised a tissue to her nose to catch her sneeze. Meanwhile on the other side of the table, sat Sunset who was giggling uncontrollably. “Jeez, I didn’t know you were allergic to animals.”
Coco sniffed and blew her beet red nose into another tissue. “Neither did I,” she muttered miserably. “I’ve never had a pet before. I don’t even know which of them I was allergic to.”
Sunset chewed through part of her sandwich. After being forced to distance themselves from the pet shop, Sunset decided that it was lunch time and subsequently grabbed something from the nearby Wubway. They were now sitting inside the store at a table near the front window, with the stolen unpaid games sitting off to the side. “Well it was probably that fluffy dog… or the cat… or one of the several other animals you just had to pick up.”
“But they were all so cute!” whined Coco.
“They really didn’t like you though did they?” grinned Sunset, now picking up her drink.
Coco dejectedly touched the bandage covering one of the many scratches on her face. “I probably shouldn’t have just picked them up out of nowhere like that.” She quietly nibbled on her own sandwich.
Both girls sat in relative silence for a few more minutes before Sunset sighed and leaned back in her seat. “So what now? I completely forgot that Fluttershy works at the animal shelter. So that was a waste of time.”
“We could get her an animal accessory. I bet she would love something for her pet bunny.”
Sunset glanced at her curiously. “Which one? I’m pretty sure she brings each and every animal home with her. Celestia knows she brings them to school often enough.”
Coco shook her head. “No, she has a special bunny friend named Angel Bunny.” She picked up her drink and took a sip.
“Sounds cute,” hummed Sunset. Bored, she started leaning back in her chair, far enough for the chair itself to be tilting back and balancing on its back legs. “Seriously though. I have no idea what to get her or Pinkie. I don’t even know where to start with Applejack. I don’t know what she likes besides apples. Maybe we should just ask them what they want...”
“I don’t think we can do that, Sunset,” said Coco.
“Why not?” asked Sunset.
“W-well… because,” stammered Coco, trying to get her words in order, “Christmas presents are supposed to be a surprise. If we ask them it won't be.”
“Yeah,” muttered Sunset, still rocking backwards in her seat. “Pinkie does love surprises. Ugh, this is so frustrating. How are we supposed to find out what to get them?” Sunset finally returned to her normal seating position and slumped over the table. “I don’t even know enough about most of them to make a good guess… Some friend I am.”
Coco reached over and gently touched Sunset’s shoulder. “Don’t say that. You’re a great friend. This just means that you need to get to know them better. I do too, actually. In fact, that’s what we’ll do starting Monday; we can just talk to them and ask them about themselves.”
“Oh really...” she muttered skeptically. “They’re gonna know something’s up. I’ll have to get them to talk without letting on that I’m getting them something.”
Coco smiled reassuringly. “Then that’s what we’ll do. Plus, I guess it really doesn't matter if they find out that we’re getting them something, as long as the present itself is a surprise.”
Her good mood, as usual, seemed to be contagious because Sunset herself found herself smiling. “Thanks Coco. I—”
“Button, wait!”
With the instincts of a startled cat, Sunset ducked under the table. A second later, she reached up and dragged a confused Coco under with her just in time for two kids to walk past the sandwich shop.
Button limbered along sluggishly, clearly tired and exhausted. Sweetie stammered after him, clearly concerned. “Button, maybe we should just get you home. You don’t look so good.”
Button stopped and slumped up against the glass of the sandwich shop. It was apparent that the sugar rush was over and had taken its toll in passing. “Yeah… my stomach hurts,” he muttered. “And I can’t believe that security guard took our guns.”
“In his defense, you did threaten that you could quickscope him from a hundred meters away.”
“I could!” he defended. He sighed and dipped his head. “But I really do need to get those games back. They’re expensive and Mom would kill me. Oh, and Gibson too.”
Sweetie leaned against the glass next to him. “You can leave it to us. The girls and I will make her return them for you,” she said softly, giving him a kind smile.
“Thanks Sweetie,” mumbled Button. “I think I’m gonna head home and get some sleep. That’s the last time I take a dare from Scoots. My stomach feels like it’s been →↓← ⓀⓅ comboed by Ryu and Ken.”
Sweetie Belle giggled at his nonsensical remark. While the other girls would simply gape in confusion, she was the only one who hung around him long enough to make sense of his obscure reference, even if she didn’t always understand its source. Both she and Button stood up and started down the corridor. “I should get back to Rarity’s too. I get to stay at her place this week so I need to clean her stuff out of my room.”
With them gone, Sunset poked her head back up. “Well that’s that then. Looks like we can go…” She turned to see Coco frowning at her again. “What?”
Coco stood up, grabbed the games and turned to leave the shop. “We’re returning these… now.”
I'm gonna say the combo has something to do with diarrhea joke foot..... Blame ScrewAttack.
Loved the bits of SweetieMash as well as Button's the really weird and funny things he says. Why do I see the CMC plus Button trying to help Sunset out after they learn she is trying to redeem herself and making a mess of things?
And I wonder how things will turn out when they return or pay for the games.
Probably I'm wrong... double Shoryuken?
...If you're going back to the store you can pay for them instead of returning them Coco. Then you'll have at least some of your shopping done.
Also, I see Button has conveniently forgotten that her 'theft' was pretty much his fault.
Diamond and Silver being brats again. Surprise, Surprise.
Great chapter! Can't wait for the next one.
5734450 it'll always be diarrhea joke foot for all of us that watch Death Battle
THANK YOU COCO POMMEL!
Everybody(pony) needs a friend that acts as a conscience!
5736103 That's... I... wat? ... MOTHERFU--
derpy.ponychan.net/chan/files/src/134469589658.jpg
IT'S THERE YOU SAW NOTHING!
had*
My guess for what's gonna happen when they return the game is that creep blackmailing Sunset into doing certain... favors for him. I'm just glad this story isn't rated mature or this would end very badly.
5735477
Hahaha yeah well it's not really their fault but the translator they used. But I do know that if you kick a person in the right place it will cause them to void their bowels- Man Answers from SpikeTV. The true deadly and feared diarrhea kick.
5736447 Wait a minute, that's a thing? You can do that?
5736510
Yep all you have to do, if I remember correctly, is kick the person between the legs in area between the genitals and the anus with the tip of your toes it will either cause them to void themselves or just hurt a lot. It depends on your aim and the amount of force you put in it. But please don't try this out though, for a lot of reasons.
If your really curious see if you can find Man Answers? Manswers? on the internet or Netflix cause I don't think SpikeTv is airing the show anymore. Which sucks cause it answered a lot of important answers of the universe, well for men anyway. Like it is possible to use a katana -Japanese sword- to cut a speeding bullet in half but it would probably still kill you.
5736611 the reasons for not trying it seem obvious
5736692
Outside of self-defense and it is the only move you have left that is. Hopefully that time will never come but if it does, but get away from your would-be attacker.
5736723 it sound incredibly painful
5736812
Of course it would be painful that area is very sensitive after all. And it's embarrassing if does work.
5736893 thanks for telling me that could happen
5737318
You're welcome.
Granted I never heard of it actually happening anywhere or to anyone but that's probably for the sake of the uh, victim. I mean I wouldn't mention any names if I saw it happen for real. That would be a real dick move, I would just tell the story but omit the person and place.
You know now that I think about it, I vaguely recall a scene from either a movie or tv show where that happened but I can't remember what movie or show.
5737881
I found the video! VIDEO LINK View at your risk!
5737913 did you mean to send the video link to me? It says you sent it to yourself on my screen
5738530
Yeah I was falling asleep when I tried to sent to you.
Yep, Crap just got real..........
Wubway?......
Okay, I find that hilarious for some reason. Who runs that shop, Vinyl Scratch?
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/7/30/385620__safe_animated_equestria+girls_vinyl+scratch_dj+pon-dash-3_spoiler-colon-equestria+girls_party+hard_wubs.gif
Loved the update and I hope for more soon!
5741436 th06.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/f/2012/293/c/b/wubway_by_dori_to-d5idlzb.jpg
You're welcome
5741436 5749057 Also a great story! Wubway Check it out.
5749057 5749120 Well there you go.
No one can stop it.
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5967321 Thanks man, the next chapter will be out very soon I promise
Is the combo Haduken? I don't play fighting games...
Hmm the only two moves i know that have a half circle motion for ryu or ken is the tatsumaki senpukyaku
Gee, Button Mash, maybe they wouldn't have 'stolen' the games if you hadn't chased them out of the shop with your insane antics. Diamond Tiara is a bitch even as a human in this fimfic, I see, and Vinyl's parents must run a restaurant with that whole 'Wubway' namedrop.
Unfortunately I got nothing to that Street Fighter move. The only ones I remember offhand are Hadouken and Shoryuken and I'm decently certain it's neither of those.
Is that the shinku hadoken? P and K? And back half circle? All their moves I know are z or qc based.
well, now we know that diamond's family situation and apology was bullcrap