Sunset Shimmer walked back to her car. Her plans were to get back home, take Adagio to work, then start researching the names her friends now had. That's when she heard it. A song like she never heard before. It was pounding, aggressive, yet melodic. Entranced by it she walked through the school parking lot trying to find it's source. She eventually came to an old, convertible muscle car with one of the students inside, seat leaned back, hands behind his head, nodding his head to the music.

Sunset carefully walked up to him and asked, "Excuse me, but what song . . . "

The boy jumped and said in surprise, " Oh my god, your Sunset Shimmer! Your awesome!"

Sunset was taken aback by his reaction. No one, even after the Battle, had ever greeted her like that. "Uh, thanks?"

"Sorry, that came off as a bit strong. Let me introduce myself; I'm Valhallen." He stuck out his hand. Sunset looked at it tentatively, then shook it. "It's just that between seeing you turn into a demon and an angel, I mean, that's like an album cover come to life!"

Sunset didn't know weather she should feel complimented, insulted, or to just runaway from this guy. But she decided to take as a compliment and ask, "So what song is that? I never heard it before. It's really good."

"Oh, that's 'Electric Crown' by Testament. They're one of the legends of thrash metal." Val said enthusiastically.

"Thrash metal?" Sunset asked.

It was then Val went into the entire history of metal for her. As he spoke, he'd flip through one song after the next, giving her an example each style metal there was. Sunset was taken by the music and how diverse it was. It went from melodic to literally, just noise; from light speed fast to geologically slow. Every example he played for her brought her new joy. Soon she was also noticing how cute he was with his longish, ginger hair and bangs over the eyes.

After he was done, he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"It's amazing. Can you burn me off some of this? You chose the songs."

"Absolutely!" Val said enthusiastically. He was always looking for a metal convert.

"Thanks," Sunset said then thought for a second. "Shouldn't you be in class? I mean the bell rang a while ago."

Val shrugged. "Yeah, but I just didn't feel like it. And what about you? Shouldn't you be as well?"

Sunset awkwardly smiled. She had to tell him something. So she decided to tell him part of the truth. "I dropped out."

"Really? I'm kinda thinking the same thing. Unfortunately my mom won't sign the paper work for me. So I come here, sometimes I go in, sometimes I chill here. Mom takes the car away from me when the school calls, I show up, I get the car back, and the cycle repeats."

Sunset grew concerned. "Why would you want to drop out? Do you know how that will effect your future?"

"Aw, look whose talking. But, honestly, I don't care. The world is going to Hell in a hand basket. Global warming, terrorism, the economy, resource depletion, it's all down hill. There is no future, so why worry about it?

"So what about you? Why'd you drop out?" The questioned was pointed but not mean spirited.

Sunset grew red. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him the truth but she had to say something. She started to speak but then stopped. Why lie? He had seen her transform, witnessed magic, so why not tell him the truth?

"Because, I'm actually from another dimension. In fact I'm a thirty year old adult trapped in a teenagers body in this realm. A monster from my dimension escaped here. It's the one responsible for the latest killings. So I'm tracking it down and I'm going to kill it. After that, I'm going back home where I won't need a high school diploma."

Sunset looked at Val to see what his expression would be. His hair hung over his eyes making it hard to read.

"Oh. Well that's cool then." Val's tone was unemotional and matter-of-fact.

"You're not surprised by that?"

"Sunset, I've seen you and your friends change. I've seen the portals open up during the Friendship Games. Why would I not believe that?"

"Good point."

"Can I help?" Val asked bluntly.

"What? Uh, first I don't even know you,"

"Valhallen, well Frederic Valhallen. I'm seventeen, I lift weights, I've taken martial arts training, I play guitar, love horror, only child of a single mother, poor, we live with her sister, my aunt, I'm brilliant but don't apply myself academically according to most of my teachers, nihilist, I don't have many friends, but the ones I do, I'm loyal to the end. I also like Paddington Bear. Know me now?"

Sunset looked at him with a expression that was a mixture of puzzled, amused, impressed, and worried. "Not really. Everything you said could be a lie. Even if it's not, this isn't a horror movie. Real people have died already and more probably will before I can end it."

"All the more reason to get reinforcements. Did I mention I'm wizard with a sword?"

Sunset laughed. "You don't give up do you?"

"Well, I've never had a restraining order against me so I obviously do."

Sunset laughed even harder. She found this boy to be quite charming .

"Ok, how about a date then? No monster hunting, just a date?" Val asked.

"I tell you what; you go to school, today, all this week, promise me you won't quit, and, yes, I'll go out on a date with you. Deal?"

"That's a lot to ask for just one date."

"Well, play your cards right and it won't be just one. Now, I'll walk you in. Being tardy is better than being absent."

"Phone number first. I trust only after I verify."

Sunset pulled out her phone and asked for his number. He have it to her and she immediately called his phone. He then added her number to his contacts.

"Now, inside. March!" Sunset ordered playfully.

"Yes Ma'am. Did I mention I love being dominated by strong women?"

"Something to keep in mind for later. Now move."

With that she walked him to the school entrance and watched him go inside.

Author's Notes:

This is a reworking/expansion of a scene from my first story Even Mountains Erode Over Time . Val was originally going to have a much larger role in the story but I cut him out due to time. So I've brought him back in to this one. It'll pay off later.