Lewd Quest: MMORPG Adventure
Chapter 11: Meanwhile...
Previous Chapter Next ChapterSunset Shimmer slowly opens her eyes to be met by the feeling of the warm rays of the sun resting on her face, sending a delightful warmth surging through her body. She has no idea how long she's been asleep but it's felt like a couple hours or so. Everyone else is out on their own quests, giving her the opportunity to sit back and relax for once. Sure, it was exhilarating to battle creatures and find treasure and stuff, but it can take a toll on her body and mind. All she needs right now is to enjoy her time alone in the comfort of the town.
She rolls onto her back and looks over to her right. Alo is still slumbering in the nightstand and not nestling in Sunset's bosom, thank goodness. Looking up ahead, the clock on the wall shows that it's already past noon, almost time for lunch. She might want to get some food while she's awake anyway before it's all thrown out.
Sunset drowsily rolls out of bed and plants her bare feet on the freezing wooden floor, feeling a cold jolt run up her spine, threatening the comforting warmth to flee from her. Slowly, her body adjusts to the change in temperature and environment and she gets up for the afternoon, stretching and twisting her body to get all the kinks worked out before she makes her way to the restroom. She watches her step, making sure not to step on any creaky floorboards in case they wake up the pervy guide from his sleep.
As she enters the pristine, white washroom, she almost leaps back in terror at the random zombie standing before her before realizing it's just her own reflection. Her hair is sticking out all over the place and looks glossy with oil. Dark bags form under her eyes, which look lifeless. Her skin is leathery and her lips are chapped like a dry pavement. She can't possibly go out looking like absolute garbage.
Stripping off her nightgown with just the tap of a button, Sunset enters the shower stall and sets the water to a gentle, warm temperature. A blast of calming water strikes her bosom and cascades down her slender figure, parting at her hips as the current streams down her legs and into the shower basin.
She can feel every bit of grime being cleaned off and every sliver of exhaustion is washed away, rejuvenating her for the day. As the water washes over her, her muscles are relaxed in it's warm embrace, removed of all tension as if it had never existed there. Her mind is cleared of all unnecessary thoughts, readying her to start the day with a clear head. Her breasts, though usually sensitive, actually feel relaxed in the rushing water.
"I wonder how everyone else is doing," Sunset mutters to no one in particular. "Fluttershy and Twilight are out doing research, Applejack and Rarity are hunting a werewolf, and Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash are out on a dungeon raid. And I have time all to myself. Only problem is, I have no idea what to do in a town like this without video games or TV."
Killing monsters and hunting for treasure seem like the only pastimes this world has to offer, but that’s just her boredom talking. She hadn’t even gone around to see what other shops are around or what activities this place has to offer. Heck, she hasn’t even tried to strike up a conversation with anyone besides Malisa, the receptionist.
After finally washing herself off, Sunset steps out of the steaming shower and grabs the nearby towel to dry herself off. As she does so, a thought pops up in her mind for how she can spend the day.
"Hopefully Malisa's free so I can talk to her."
Finished drying off every inch of her bare figure, Sunset selects her villager outfit and sets off to find the registrar. She carefully opens the door to the room the girls share, stopping every time it creaks to check back on Alo. He seems to be a deep sleeper, which is a blessing for her. Sunset steps out and cautiously shuts the door behind her.
The heavenly scent of pastries, mead, and soups flood Sunset's nostrils, sending a pleasant shiver up her spine. Gleefully, she ambles down the stairs to the bottom floor, her boots rhythmically knocking on the steps as she descends, and looks over to the receptionist desk to see Malisa packing up her belongings. Before she can turn to leave, Sunset runs over and calls out to her.
"Malisa, wait!"
The receptionist glances back at Sunset with a compassionate gaze and turns to face her. As soon as the dark mage gets a few feet closer, she's surprised by the change in the girl's outfit and analyzes how well it looks on her.
Malisa's golden hair is neatly tied back into a neat ponytail that drapes over her right shoulder. A creamy, shoulderless crop top covers her breasts and reveals a toned midriff, but doesn't do too well in shielding her cleavage. She has black, baggy pants covering her legs and mocha-brown boots cover her feet.
Her skin is silky smooth and seems to shimmer in the faint sunlight. Her eyes, both glistening emeralds, glimmer with a small twinkle that catches Sunset's attention. Hoisted over her left shoulder is a maroon purse with a golden latch.
"Hey, Sunset. What's up?" she asks.
The dark mage straightens up and casts off her thoughts, putting on a warm smile as she approaches the registrar.
"Hey, are you heading out?" she inquires.
"Yeah. My shift is done for the day, so I'm just heading out for a night on the town. Do you wanna tag along?"
Sunset's eyes widen in surprise but she averts her gaze and can't help but blush at the offer. "Are you sure? I mean, if you want to take a break from work and all, you don't have to drag—"
"It's fine," Malisa cuts off. "I've been dying to spend some time with someone anyway. Come on. I know a great bakery where you can find a whole bunch of mouthwatering pastries. I promise, you've never had anything like what I'm about to show you."
Sunset had only hoped to strike up a conversation with the guild receptionist to pass the time, not spend the whole afternoon with her and take up her time off. However, she doesn't get to refute as Malisa grabs her by the arm and pulls her towards the front doors, past the waitresses and patrons, and into the outdoors. With the girl's vibrant attitude and with Sunset's growling stomach, she might as well tag along.
Up ahead, at just a ways off, is a small shop with a cartoon devil holding a tasty cupcake in his hand as its logo. The roof is made of red and yellow-striped shingles while the walls are alabaster bricks between dark oak beams. A small outdoor dining area is available, encompassed by a black, metal fence. The tables are draped over with red tablecloths and overshadowed by yellow umbrellas to keep patrons out of the blazing sun. A large sign on the side of the establishment reads: DEVILISH DELIGHTS in fancy lettering.
The bell rings the moment the girls enter, alerting the cashier—a demon with short sable hair, scarlet skin, and small nubs on his forehead—from the back to greet his customers. Sunset had been a little skeptical with the demonic citizens roaming around the town, unable to believe such creatures could coexist with humans and demi-humans without causing mischief. To see one working in a pastry shop of all places, causes a bit of relief to settle in her heart.
"Good afternoon, Flavius," Malisa greets in a cheery tone. "Business doing alright?"
"Da. Business is doing rather well. Thank you for asking, Malisa," Flavius responds in a gleeful tone. "Not many customers today; soon, though."
"Oh, well, you have two customers right here!" she says as she grabs Sunset by the shoulders and pulls her in next to her. "Come on, Sunset, choose whatever you want. Everything's great, no matter what you pick."
Sunset looks down at a display case to a vast plethora of delicacies. Different colored donuts with sprinkles, stripes, or solid colors. Éclair pyramids with gooey cream centers. Cinnamon rolls with blueberry or strawberry topping. Pies of all kinds with ice cream topped on them. Cakes and cupcakes with velvety frosting. Cookies with sprinkles, chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, and hot fudge. There's just too much to choose from!
The smells don't make the situation any better, though. A cluster of different, sweet scents waft into Sunset's nostrils, confusing her on what she should pick. This stuff is far more intoxicating than what she could find back home and far more difficult to choose from.
"On second thought, maybe I should pick for us," Malisa chortles as Sunset remains entranced. "One loaf of Sweet Nut Banana Bread with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side."
Flavius takes the order and fetches a foot-long loaf of brown banana bread from the display case and sets it on a silver platter, along with a silver knife and spoon. He reaches over to the side and pulls out a tub of creamy, white vanilla ice cream, takes a scoop, and drops it in a little serving cup on the platter.
"Priyatnogo appetita; enjoy your meal," Flavius chimes as he pushes the dish towards the girls. "Ten silver for the whole loaf."
Sunset watches Malisa tap the golden latch on her purse to open up her inventory and extract ten silver coins from her sum total of ten thousand. As she exchanges the coins for the meal, Sunset can't help but feel guilty in not paying for the meal herself. Malisa is taking time out of her day to keep Sunset company...or is it the other way around? Either way, Sunset should be paying for the meal, not Malisa.
As if sensing Sunset's guilt, her friend looks back and smiles warmly at her. "It's alright, Sunset. This is on me, so don't worry about paying."
The girls exchange brief smiles before Malisa takes the platter and leads Sunset to the outdoor dining area. They take a random spot near the middle of the area and have a seat across from each other. The umbrella overhead provides ample protection from the painful rays of the scorching sun and a cool breeze runs through Sunset's hair and tingles her warm body, causing goosebumps to spread along her skin. People trod past the establishment, not even paying any heed to the girls, focusing mainly on their own conversations and activities.
"Well, go on and dig in!" Malisa says.
She takes the knife and cuts a thick slice of the loaf, revealing a spongey, grayish-yellow center filled with nuts. Taking the spoon, she scoops a sliver of ice cream and varnishes the slice before taking a small bite. She shivers as her lips curl into a rapturous smile and her eyes shut tight. A muffled moan of delight escapes her as she wriggles in place from the rush of sensations attacking her palate.
Not wanting to miss out on the meal, Sunset follows suit. As she takes an ample bite out of her slathered slice, a wave of unfathomable flavors flood her tongue, sending a ripple through her body. Sweet natural sugar embedded in the bread and ice cream, a soft and spongey center, a thin and crunchy exterior, the silkiness and smooth texture of the frigid cream as it melts on her tongue; it's a food worthy of the highest praise!
"What did I say?" Sunset looks over to her friend and notices a cheeky smile part her crumb-coated lips. "You've never had anything quite like Flavius's cooking, have you?"
"It's amazing!" Sunset exclaims through a full mouth. She swallows the incomplete bolus and takes another greedy bite and another and another until the slice disappears from her hands. "This is too good! Thank you again for spending time with me. I don't know what I would have done on my own."
"Same here," Malisa says. "I usually just take a donut or two home and just draw or something to pass the time. I normally don't have people to hang around with after work. There's the townspeople, but they're usually busy when I'm not and vice versa. You're the first adventurer to actually spend time with me."
Sunset's heart flutters and she looks away bashfully as she moves an invisible strand of hair out of the way. "W-well, I just saw you needed a friend to talk to, so I just...you know..."
She has no idea what to say. It's just a simple compliment but it feels like she's flirting with her. All of a sudden, Sunset's body feels warm and her chest tightens. The sun isn't beating down on her and the wind, try as it might, doesn't seem to help in cooling her down.
"So, how are you liking Impekka so far?" Malisa asks. "I bet it's pretty different than your old home."
"It's been a quaint few days but it—" Sunset freezes in her banter as the entirety of Malisa's words hit her. She looks to the receptionist with shock as if she revealed her deepest, darkest secret. "You...knew we weren't from around here?"
"I mean, it was pretty obvious from the get go. I've never seen any people quite like you and your friends before. Plus, the way you had almost no idea how this world functions is kind of an obvious red flag. I mean, once you're about six, you know how to use your inventory and know about the functions of the town and the world in general."
Sunset sits back and slouches in her seat as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She hadn’t found the need to divulge the people of this world of her and her friends’ isekai into this place, believing they would just take their tale as lunacy. To know that someone actually saw through them, though, is a huge relief.
"Well, yeah. We are from a completely different world than this. It’s actually a bit more advanced with the technology and infrastructure.”
"What's it like in your home world? How different is it?"
"Well...we don't normally go on adventures like these where we fight demons or monsters and stuff. I mean, we used to, but we don't but...shit. What I mean is, in our world, monsters and magical beings don't just roam the cities and forests looking to rape people. Ever since a strange magic was released, though, some magical mishaps happen every once in a while and me and my friends rush in to clean it up and save the day."
"Sounds pretty exciting," Malisa says with a glimmer of intrigue in her eyes.
"It was...until we haven't been getting any interesting things popping up. Life's been pretty boring and mundane without something exhilarating to keep your blood rushing. Then, one day, we found this...device that teleported us to this world. We were glad to have some excitement back in our lives but fighting off a bunch of rapists wasn't really what we signed up for."
"So, your world is like this but it doesn't have demons or monsters? Not even demi-humans?"
Sunset shakes her head, which only piques Malisa's curiosity even more. "Not naturally. Only humans and animals like dogs, lions, birds, you know. But I'm not even originally from that world."
Malisa cocks her head to the side and looks confused. "What do you mean?"
"Before I came to the human world, the one I now call home, I came from another place where mythical creatures like those found here roam. It's a land called Equestria and I was a unicorn there, who learned all sorts of amazing magic—not dark magic, though, thank goodness.
"There are unicorns, pegasi, and earth-ponies that tended to the land and skies. The rulers of Equestria were the princesses who were alicorns—basically a mix of all three races. Princess Celestia was the eldest sister and ruled the day, while Princess Luna, the younger sister, ruled the night. There's also Princess Cadance, who represents love, and Princess Twilight Sparkle, who represents Friendship."
"Wow," Malisa gasps with a wide grin. "You were a unicorn, who went into another dimension where humans lived, and now you're in a world where all sorts of creatures live! How crazy is that!?"
Sunset chuckles at the idea of her absurd tale making the slightest bit of sense to anyone but Malisa seems to get it. "I've stopped calling things crazy once I've seen enough. What about you? Have you lived here your whole life or what?"
Malisa’s glowing face suddenly dulls as she looks away and a frown replaces her jovial smile. A cold atmosphere, as dark as the cool shade, rests over the girls, ruining their meal.
“Not really,” Malisa finally responds in a somber tone. “I was actually part of an adventurer group when I first entered this town. There was me—the knight—and three other people in my party: a mage, a gunslinger, and a bard. We were a merry band who lived in this town, just like you, and took all kinds of adventures. We were strong, almost unbeatable, and we always partied like good friends do.
"But we soon met our match when we went to face a boss in a dungeon one day. We planned everything out down to the last detail, making sure we were stocked up on enough potions and our gear was top notch before fighting the boss. I don't know how, but that thing just evaded all of our attacks as if it was one with the wind around us. We couldn't detect its mana because it was all over the place. Everyone died except me because I ran away. I was a coward that day because I left all my friends to die."
"So you dropped the adventurer stuff and worked as a civilian?" Sunset asks.
Malisa doesn't look up at the girl but shrugs in response. "It pays only a miniscule fraction of what I used to make but it's enough to get by."
A shrill silence, besides the chatter of the citizens and the song of the wind blowing through the trees, surrounds the girls as the densely somber atmosphere thickens. Sunset eyes the poor girl with sympathy and opens her mouth to console her, but no words come out. She has no clue what to say for a situation like this, especially since none of her friends have suffered the pain of loss before. She does the only thing she can think of and rests her hand on Malisa's, causing the sorrowful girl to meet Sunset's compassionate gaze.
The dark mage's lips open, spilling out whatever her heart wishes to say to comfort her friend. "I'm sorry for what you went through, Malisa. I've never experienced anything as painful as loss but I can see the pain in your eyes. You'll...you'll be okay. I promise. I'll be with you, no matter what."
Sunset has no clue if that was the right thing to say but a warm embrace provided by a weeping Malisa—who nearly knocks over their banana bread and ice cream—burns away any discrepancies in her mind. Malisa's skin feels soft while her muscles are as hard as stone. She trembles with every breath as she only tightens her grip ever so slightly. Hesitantly, Sunset reciprocates by hugging her back.
"Thank you, Sunset," Malisa sobs. "I appreciate all you're doing for me today."
"Hey, it's what friends do."
The two bask in the comfort of each other's embrace, enjoying the warmth and placidity of the moment. Sunset can feel her heart racing and her body heat rising exponentially, just like before. She's enjoying this hug, not because she enjoys comforting her friend, but simply because she enjoys being with her. Why is that? Why is it that her heart flutters from being around her—a person she just met and is striking a conversation with—all of a sudden?
The two pull apart, allowing Malisa to wipe away her tears. Strangely, a chuckle escapes her lips, causing Sunset to raise a curious brow.
"I'm sorry I ruined our meal," she mutters with a weak smile.
"It's not your fault. It's mine for digging too deep and hitting something sensitive," Sunset contends. She looks down at the tasty morsel that's just waiting to be eviscerated, but her appetite has suddenly disappeared. "You're just gonna save that for next time?"
"I mean, if you want there to be a next time. Otherwise, I can just eat it all by myself, and I don't mind doing that."
Sunset smirks at the girl's returning humor and can't help but laugh. "I want there to be a next time. You'd better save some for me, you hear?"
“Mmm... No promises,” Malisa responds with a wink. “Hey, this might be prodding a little too deep but do you have a special someone back in your home world—pony or human?”
Sunset blushes as she recounts her time back in the human world and in Equstria. She hadn’t been interesting in dating when she was under the tutelage of Princess Celestia, always keeping her face buried in books and projects and lessons. In the human world, however, she’s trying to rekindle her relationship with Flash Sentry and make it genuine. After she leaves this crazy world, that’s exactly what she’s going to do.
Before she can respond, something catches her attention out of the corner of her eye. A little heavenly ringing causes her brows to furrow in irritation. That perverted, small ball of light flutters over to her and bounces in place frantically between Sunset and Malisa.
“Sunset Shimmer, there you are!” Alo exclaims. “I was wondering where you ran off to.”
The dark mage can feel her anger bubbling at the mere sight of the guide but maintains a stonewall expression, so that Malisa doesn’t have to see her malice.
“What do you want, Alo? I’m a little preoccupied with something.”
“My apologies,” he sardonically replies, “but the others came back and...I think you’ll wanna see what happened.”
Sunset bites her lower lip as conflicting thoughts run through her mind. She’s concerned for her friends and wants to know how they fared in their quests but she also didn’t want to leave Malisa’s side for some odd reason.
“You take your time, Sunset,” the receptionist says as she rises from her seat and slings her purse over her shoulder. “We can talk some other time. You take care now."
Malisa waltzes over to the door but hesitates in opening it. Surprisingly, she walks back to Sunset, bends down, and plants a soft kiss on her cheek. Sunset can feel her skin burning as her friend’s lips are removed from her face. She slowly looks up at the girl, who gives her a small wink before finally opening the door to leave.
“Ooh! You tryin’ to hit that?” Alo taunts.
Sunset clenches her fists, ready to throw the nearest object at the fairy, even if it’s the umbrella hanging over her, but simmers down and reluctantly follows Alo back to the guild hall.
"WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO YOU GUYS!?" Sunset exclaims in horror.
Applejack and Rarity's clothes are in tatters and thick semen drips down the sharpshooter's legs. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash look away from each other and from Sunset with shame. Fluttershy and Twilight look giddy with semen covering them head to toe.
"We don't really wanna talk about it," Applejack murmurs.
"Us either," Rainbow Dash seconds.
"We're happy to share our experiences," Twilight says brokenly. "One of the Dracos accompanied us back home and Fluttershy told him she'd come by to visit every once in a while." She nudges the druid in the arm playfully while looking at her with a cheeky smile. "Wants to get a little more of that Draco dick, don't you Fluttershy?"
The timid druid neither denies nor affirms Twilight's question but glances away bashfully as a warm blush spreads across her yellow cheeks.
Alo flutters just a few inches behind Sunset, his breathing heavy and trembling, and the dark mage is certain he's ogling at everyone's exposed bodies. She looks down at her HUD and notices that her level has risen just a tad bit but no new abilities have been unlocked yet. For everyone else, however, it would seem that their levels have risen considerably. It would seem that even with everyone else out on adventures, only a minuscule amount has been transferred to Sunset. It doesn't matter, though. She's just glad everyone's back in one piece.
"Everyone... I’m glad you all made it safe and sound.” She wants to hug each of them but she’d rather not cover herself in the putrid stench of semen and musk. “Thanks for taking time to do this for me.”
“Well, we promised to pull our weight,” Applejack says. “But Ah think we all deserve a bit of a break today.”
All the girls give unified hums of affirmation and Sunset chuckles at their unification. “Well, we can go out for a night on the town and then grab some dinner. After that, I guess we can hit the sack and call it a night.”