Carousel Boutique: Robert William’s Room

Robert tossed and turned under his covers as his dreams took hold of him. No, that wasn’t accurate. Memories. Earlier that week, Zen-Aku had turned up on the Animarium and had informed both the Rangers and Princess Shayla of some rather disturbing news…

The Animarium:

“Please tell me you’re joking, please please tell me that.” Sunset said nervously, while behind her both Lightning and Robert shared equally gobsmacked looks. It would have been a comical sight to see, given any other situation. In front of her was the dark wolfish Duke Org known as Zen-Aku. Behind him, looking rather nervous at the prospect of being in the Valley of the Wild Zords, all of which could rip them limb from limb if given the chance were Toxica and Jindrax. Toxica in particular deliberately averted her eyes away from the gorilla-themed fountain/viewing pool filled with sacred water that was partially responsible for temporarily sending her to the Org Afterlife. And she would have stayed there as well, had Jindrax not come up with a cunning plan and quite literally, had gone fishing for her.

“Sadly, I don’t joke,” He stated in his usual straight and direct tone of voice that the Rangers had grown used to. “Goldar is very much alive and well.”

“B-But we all saw him die! Tartarus, you blasted a hole right through his chest with that Predator Wave of yours!” Sunburst stammered out in fear before holding his head in pain and muttering “T-This is not happening. I-I think I need to sit down a moment.”

Princess Shayla helped him to a chair which the older Ranger gracefully accepted and he staggered into it.

“Death is of no barrier to Thrax as already shown when he violated the natural order the first few times when he revived Goldar and his other generals,” Zen-Aku said bluntly. “Monsters can come back from the dead if the circumstances are right. Me and Toxica (Here he gestured to the female Duke Org) are living proof of that if you excuse the poor pun.”

Toxica rolled her eyes as she leaned up against a tree trunk, she could care less about the Wolf of the Night’s morbid jokes.

“Hey wait!” Jindrax shouted in anger, suddenly speaking up for the first time. “Are you saying me bringing Toxica back from the dead was a violation!?! She was my best friend, I bet you would do the same if you had a best friend!”

Zen-Aku suddenly was right in front of the clown like Duke Org and holding him by the throat, his fangs bared.

“You think I haven’t even considered that a few times? Merrick was my friend, as hard as it was to believe,” He growled out, fury in his every word the Duke Org’s ferocious temper on full display. “But he died when it was his time, and bringing him back now would break any promises I made to him, along with hurting Princess Shayla! She saw him pass on once, I won’t let her feel that same pain again!”

Behind him, Princess Shayla tried very hard not to cry at Merrick’s memory with Sunset wrapping an arm around her in support. Vapor sighed before she and Robert began pulling both Zen-Aku and Jindrax apart.

“Hold it you two! Save your problems with each for another time, not here! If you want to slaughter each other like the testosterone-filled Orgs you are, do it elsewhere!” Robert snapped.

“Hey, he started it!” Jindrax snapped before huffing and crossing his arms like a child.

“Why’d you even decide to bring these two here anyways?” Lightning asked, gesturing to Jindrax and Toxica.

“I thought we could use some extra allies in our fight against Thrax and his band of merry men, but it seems I was wrong in you five trusting my judgment.” Zen-Aku explained with a growl in his voice before vanishing into the surrounding forest. Princess Shayla tried calling after him, but to no avail, as the Wolf Zord hung his head and let out a low whine.

“...Well, that could have gone better…” Sunset sighed to herself before she whirled on Robert.

“And you, you definitely didn’t help matters with your little rant!”

“What did I do?” Robert asked in confusion, holding his hands up in a surrendering motion while taking a few steps back from the furious Alicorn.

“You judged all Orgs, including Zen-Aku, who correct me if I’m wrong helped us out while I was in the hospital and saved our asses from Goldar and Thrax, as monsters!” Sunset snapped at him. In the background, Jindrax had produced some popcorn and was trying to offer it up to Toxica much to her disgust.

“Well correct me if I’m wrong Princess, but Orgs, by definition, ARE monsters! Or haven’t you forgotten what we’ve been fighting for the past few months? So excuse me if I’m not going to just open my arms to the prospect of having Orgs on our side!” Robert retorted back.

“You sound just like Solar Flare…” Sunset growled, and Robert’s eyes widened before looking like he’d been physically struck. “Judging an entire race just by the actions of, for what all we know, are a few!”

Robert’s mouth promptly shut itself after that. With that, he growled and stormed off into the treeline. Sunset then found herself soundly slapped across the face by the last person she expected.

“That was uncalled for, Sunset and you know it. While Robert’s definitely in the wrong about all Orgs being monsters, you essentially just compared him to the mare who slaughtered his entire race,” Shayla said calmly, but anyone who looked at her could see both the disappointment and anger in her eyes. “How’d you think he’d take that?”

Sunset took a step back as the full magnitude of her statement hit home. With a scream of frustration, she blasted a tree trunk with a beam of green magic, just barely missing Toxica’s head by an inch and leaving a scorch mark where it hit. Needless to say, the Duke Org took a step back. Sunset stifled a sob and choked out “Why… Why do I always let my temper get the better of me? Some fine Princess of Empathy I’ve turned out to be, eh? Mystic Mother, I’m such a bitch.”

Vapor pulled her into a wing-hug. “It’s… It’s okay, you just need to control it better, learn from yourself. Give Robert a few days, you know how he is. You both just need to cool down. He’ll forgive you, in time,”

“Y-You think so?” Sunset asked.

“Hey, if he was willing to become good friends with Lightning Dust, who tried to kill him the first chance she got… Well, I’d lay my odds on him forgiving you as well.” Vapor chuckled and Sunset couldn’t help but laugh a bit along with her.

Now:

The wake-up alarm, set to the tune of Goodbye Stranger played in the background and its owner groaned as he rubbed his tired eyes.

Robert sighed as he pulled the covers off himself and got up off his futon, (Rarity had insisted on a regular bed for his room but Robert had said he preferred futons and that was the end of it.) he’d heard that entire conversation and still didn’t know what to think really. While what Sunset said was cruel, he knew that she didn’t mean it that way, at least not on purpose. What’s worse, she did have a point. Zen-Aku did save their lives a few times, and he owed him that much. Plus, if he remembered correctly, the SPD files said something about Jindrax and Toxica helping to seal the Nexus along with the original Wild Force Rangers.

“What was it you said Theo?” Robert pondered before he remembered. “Oh right, women are usually right about something, even if you don’t know it at first. Heh, only now that I’m starting to figure all of this out. Gott, ich bin so ein Blödmann.”

He chuckled, no wonder Theo was a Pai Zhau Master and he wasn’t. Robert’s room was simple in decoration with cream colored walls, with only a few albums hanging on the wall (Mostly comprised of Supertramp, of all things with a few outliers) and a pastel white dresser with a charger for his phone. In the corner of the room was a closet for his clothes. Robert rubbed his tired eyes and pulled on a simple tank top as he pulled open the curtains and let Celestia’s sun shine in.

There came a soft knock at the door. Robert groaned out “What it is Rares, way too early in the bloody morning for my tastes. Still half-asleep here.” as he pulled on a bathrobe. He opened the door to find Rarity already dressed in her usual sweater and dress combo.

“It’s 12:00 in the afternoon dear. You overslept. And it’s Sunset, she wants to speak to you. Alone.”

Robert muttered out “Wunderbar.” to himself.

Robert slowly trudged downstairs where sure enough, Sunset, who looked as if she’d gotten dressed in a hurry was waiting for him. Noticeably, she was trying to look at anything but him.

“...What are you doing here?” Robert asked, genuinely surprised and barely managing to get the words out due to his shock.

“I… I wanted to apologize for our little… What would you call it? Spat?” Sunset replied, flushing as crimson as her dress.

“Well, not the words I’d use for it. Full blown pissing contest really, but spat works good enough I suppose.” Robert chuckled lightly. “And to be honest, you did sorta have a point.”

“What, about you being similar to a genocidal maniac who happens to be my adoptive mother’s split personality?” Sunset asked, in a tone of self-derision.

“Okay, maybe that’s putting it one way, but more like me and my… unreasonable prejudice against Orgs. Did a bit of thinking, and while I still don’t trust Zen-Aku or his two friends by a landslide I’m willing to work with them.”

“Same, and you did have a point. Orgs, by definition, are monsters. Just… maybe not all of them. Did a bit of light reading, and found this quote. “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible.” I suppose we both need to learn from that.”

Robert nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I suppose we both do.”

Unknown to him or Sunset, both Rarity and her husband were listening in from behind a wall.

“500 Bits say they get together at the end of the week,” Zephyr commented, and Rarity stared at him.

“Excuse me? A lady doesn’t bet on her friends and their love lives!” Rarity whispered back. Her husband raised an eyebrow. Rarity sighed to herself. “...Fine, 300 bits say they get together by tonight.”

“You’re on.” Zephyr challenged.

Unaware of this, Robert and Sunset continued to talk.

“There’s another saying I’d like to quote, this time from my Master. “Mar-Er, Women are usually right about something, even if you don’t know it at first.” Wise man,”

Sunset chuckled. “Yeah, that he is. Listen, I want to make things up to you. Later tonight, you can come around my place. Found something you might like. Interested me as well, it’s in Neighponiese so I can’t pronounce it worth a damn but...”

“Oh, well this ought to be good…” Robert chuckled, curiosity peaked. “One question though, why do you look like you’re dressed like you’re going out for a gala or something?”

Sunset flushed even redder. “Ah… Well, this is sorta the awkward part. I got invited to an art auction for charity and I needed to bring a plus-one, so…”

“Flattered.” Robert deadpanned. “Sounds like a real snooze-fest, but oh… What the Hell eh? If it technically gets me on two dates with you in one day, who am I to say no?”

“Not a date,” Sunset said flatly.

“Sure sounds like it to me, Sunny.” Robert chirped and the Princess of Empathy rolled her eyes, before she then eyed Robert’s attire.

“Just one thing, wear something nice okay?”

This time Robert was the one flushing red.

Ponyville Art Gallery:

Robert, per Sunset’s request had indeed dressed nicely for the occasion. He’d actually gone as far as to dress up in an outfit that homaged Sokichi Banba/Big One of J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, right down to the white fedora and rose lapel. Sunset had cleaned up some as well and tied her mane in a bun looking quite respectable.

All around them, various pieces of artwork ranging from paintings to hand crafted sculptures surrounded the twosome with various ponies admiring them. Painting style varied as well, from pop art to realism, to abstract. Robert even saw an old oil painting of a Fenghuang, the Chinese version of a phoenix.

“Okay, not as boring as I thought,” Robert mused, even if he would never admit it aloud. “Reminds me of the National Gallery back home.”

His eyes then widened as he saw alongside a green furred stallion with a brown mane, a Griffon with fur and feathers of varying gray hues.

“Okay, wasn’t expecting that…” He muttered to himself, blinking his eyes to make sure he wasn’t seeing things. “Insanity of this town must be getting to me, because there is no way a Griffon should exist.”

Sunset then called the two over.

“Troy, Canvas! Nice seeing you here.” Sunset remarked as the two walked over. Robert blinked again. Okay, evidently he wasn’t going insane or seeing things.

“Okay, introductions? Kinda lost here...” Robert stated as the two shook hands with Sunset all the while thinking: “Does she know everypony in this town?”

“Robert, this is Troy and Canvas Clawston,” Sunset said as she made the introductions. “Troy, Canvas, this is Robert Williams.”

“Apologies for the cluelessness on not knowing you, or the humanity,” Robert said politely, before switching for the deadpan for the second remark.

“Also for the showing off.” Sunset mused privately to herself as she glanced at Robert’s attire as both Troy and Canvas chuckled.

“No need, we’re not like some of those other fools in Ponyville,” Troy stated while shaking Robert’s hand with his paw.

“Firm grip,” Robert thought to himself as he gave a small wince in pain. “Note to self, never shake paws with, much less, bed a griffon. Though I may have to consider dating outside pony-kind for dating material, seeing as how the pony you love doesn’t seem to know you like her. ...Wow, never thought I’d say it but Luna was right on the money. I am in love with Sunset.”

“Danke,” Robert said.

“Like the outfit,” Canvas complimented. “So, what are you doing here? I’ve heard of you, never pegged you as the artsy type.”

“...Got dragged into this, if I have to be honest. And may I ask, so what do you two do?”

“My husband Troy, he works as a stage performer and part-time member of the Pony-Tones. Does quite well as the Phantom of the Opera.”

“Props to Lindsey Stirling for that gotta say…” Robert commented, desperately reaching for anything he could remember on the play. Sadly, the song was the only thing he could think of.

“Who?” Troy asked.

“Never mind…” Robert sighed before muttering “Ugh, try and spring a pop culture reference on an Equestrian…” to himself.

“Canvas is an artist, he’s the one who invited me to this event. Even the guy who got the idea to host it, actually.” Sunset explained with Robert nodding in understanding.

“Nothing quite like that, I invited Sunset but a friend of mine, Troy’s brother Lyle actually, was the one who came up with the idea for the event.” Canvas explained.

“He an artist too?” Robert inquired.

“Sketch drawer for comics and album covers actually,” Troy explained before flushing red. “Even if most of these things are banned in Equestria really,”

Robert and Sunset shared a raised eyebrow.

“Okay, now I’m interested…” Robert trailed off.

“Trust me, you really don’t want to know,” Troy warned.

“Oh, trust me I really do now,” Robert stated really not knowing what was coming.
Troy sighed to himself and looked skywards. He then said “Don’t say I didn’t warn you…” before gesturing for them to lean in close. He then whispered in their ear. Sunset and Robert both took a step back in both shock and disgust

“...Well, that explains all that “love” for the Pink Boto Dolphin over in Rio…” Sunset muttered in distaste as she shuddered.

“OH MOTHER OF MARY, THAT SHIT IS SO BLEEDIN’ WRONG!” Robert shouted in revulsion before noticing everyone was staring right at him. He laughed nervously before saying “Carry on, pretend you didn’t hear that.” with a gesture of his hand.

Sunset then heard somepony calling her over, and she looked over to see a dark blue stallion with red tinted sunglasses waving her over.

“Excuse me for a moment, have to see what Fashion Plate wants.” Sunset apologized. As Sunset walked off, Robert’s gaze lingered on her for longer than was necessary. Both Troy and Canvas took notice.

“You like her, don’t you?” Troy asked flat out.

“Yeah… Problem is I… I just can’t be with her. Personal regulations. Huh, guess she was right when she told me I was in love with somepony else and it was obvious to anyone with a brain, but I just couldn’t see it. Must have missed out on a great relationship with her if I wasn’t so caught up with a mare I can never be with, not with the way she sees me.” Robert said sadly, letting his cheery mask slip and a tear drip from his eye before he quickly wiped it away before anyone could see.

“So what? You like her, and for all the Tartarus you know, she likes you back!” Troy stated firmly, putting both of his hands on Robert’s shoulders. “Have you even considered that fact?”

“N-No, but I’m not exactly prime dating material. I’m a womanizing show-off who likes getting on everypony’s nerves for kicks,” Robert muttered in self-derision. “Now, why would a bloody Princess even look at me twice, answer me that!”

“Listen, I can’t claim to know your situation, but you seem like a nice enough person. Even if what you said about yourself is true, somepony who loves you would see past all that,” Troy stated, with Canvas nodding along with him. “Maybe, just maybe you’re worrying over nothing. Just give yourself a chance, give the possibility of Sunset liking you back a thought you might be surprised.”

“Yeah, and I’m going to start getting along with Celestia anytime soon…” Robert muttered. Troy sighed sadly to himself.

“Just… Just give it a thought okay?” He asked and Robert nodded.

Right about then, Sunset returned explaining Fashion Plate wanted to bid for a Zebra Fertility Idol and Canvas muttered “Those things still haven’t been banned yet?” before Sunset looked at the threesome.

“Something I miss?” She asked.

“No, nothing,” Robert lied as before whispering “No, nothing at all…”

Sunset Shimmer’s House:

Just as Sunset had promised Robert, later that night he returned to her home dressed in more casual clothing (Not knowing at all what to expect.) and knocked on the door. It was answered by Sunset, dressed in a simple black tank-top and khaki shorts. She raised an eyebrow at his attire.

“You do realize you’re dressed in pink… Right?” She noted, with an amused smile noting Robert’s sweater.

“It-It was the only thing Rarity had!” Robert stammered out. “‘S-Sides, only a real man could pull this off! And it’s maroon for your information!”

Sunset simply chuckled and let him inside. He followed her to the sitting room, where an old film projector had been set up and when Robert saw what it was playing, his eyes widened in that way only a nerd’s could before he whispered one single word: “Gojira.”

“I thought his name was Godzilla, said so on the film reels,” Sunset asked in confusion as she placed a bucket of popcorn between them on the couch.

“Well, that’s technically correct but Gojira was the original Japanese name for him,” Robert explained and just smiled all the while as the King of Monsters laid waste to Tokyo in front of the two’s eyes. Robert grinned when Gojira’s scales lit up before he unleashed his famous blast of nuclear breath on some unsuspecting buildings.

“They say he’s got to go… Go go Godzilla…” Robert sung to himself as the onscreen devastation of what would become New Tech City continued.

“So, why’d you like this movie again? Cheap B-Movie costumes, stuff blowing up?” Sunset asked, eyebrow raised and Robert spat out some popcorn right as Gojira made his famous roaring sound.

“T-Tokusatsu is not B-Movie!” Robert stammered out. “Gojira is a film with a message. It’s about nuclear weapons, folly of man and all that. Nature will always out. It’s a film that’s parallel to the fear the Japanese felt after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed back in World War Two! It’s a very deep film...Although yes, I do admit I like it for the giant monster and stuff blowing up. Plus, throw in the VS films and you’ve got yourself quite a show,”

“Bet the director was thinking along the lines of “Hade ni ikuze!” when thinking of those films as well, weren’t they?” Sunset teased, and Robert blushed, having his favorite saying turned on him.

“Yeah… About that… There’s something you need to know about me Sunset, something I should have told everypony on this team a while back,”

“Really?” Sunset asked, leaning in close in curiosity.

“Yeah… All that showing off, that arrogance of mine you see so often… Well, there’s a reason for it. I… I just wanted Theo and Sky to be proud of me. Crappy excuse I know, but I guess… I just wanted to be a good Ranger and hero and live up to their expectations that they set out for me,” Robert sighed sadly. “Guess I botched that up big time, didn’t I?”

“No…” Sunset reassured. “No, no you didn’t. I’d like to think they’d be proud of you. Both of your friends. You were quite the hero when I was in the hospital from what I heard,”

“Please… Zen-Aku did most of the work, not me. Praise him instead,” Robert muttered, once again in a tone of self-derision.

“No, you’re not giving yourself enough credit. I heard about how you faced down Bunglay with the rest of the team. That was bravery, that was the mark of a hero,” Sunset stated softly.

“You think so?” Robert asked in surprise, neither Ranger noticing how close they were to each other.

“Yeah, I know so.” Sunset smiled before she closed the gap between them...

Author's Notes:

Okay, so it's finally happened! Okay, I admit this chapter was originally going to feature another battle against Bunglay and some legendary Rangers you guys chose, but I wanted a simple slice of life chapter before I throw everyone off the deep end again. Anyways, I hope Sunset didn't come across as too bitchy and I struck the right balance. Also, a huge thank you to the VClaw for letting me use his characters Troy and Canvas for this story, and unlike Rescue Sunstreak before them, I can confirm they will be appearing again.