//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: Phoenix Rising // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// Celestia’s eyes lit up as the older man with a receding hairline came in, followed by a young woman with shoulder-length dark hair carrying a medical bag. “Oh, thank goodness… Jemma, is that you?” The young woman got to her knees next to Celestia, laying a hand on hers. “We’ll catch up later, after I save her life.” Jemma Simmons shook her head, taking over holding the towel over Sunset’s wounds and murmuring to herself as Celestia stood up, knowing to get out of the way. “Agent Everfree, it’s a good thing you called us when you did. What with the damage to your school it won’t take long for the wrong sort of people to come out of the woodwork.” Coulson offered his hand to Celestia, who shakingly took it. “Now, before we come up with a good cover story, why don’t you tell me what actually happened?” “Excuse me? Before you both start talking, is there a place with a bed or cot I can use? Stitching will be easier if i’m not on my knees.” Simmons spoke up, having moved the bloody towels as the wounds were just slowly weeping, blood no longer pouring. “Oh! Yes, of course.” Celestia walked over to her desk and took out the key, ignoring her bloody chair and the bloody handprints on the top of her desk. “This is the key to the nurse’s office. I can carry her for you.” Simmons smiled up at Celestia. “That would be very appreciated, thank you!” the british tones of her voice giving it an almost musical quality as Celestia knelt next to her, slowly lifting Sunset up still laying on her stomach. The teen wiggled weakly in protest but quickly stilled. “I’m sorry, Sunset, but we need to move you and I don’t want to chance restarting your bleeding.” Celestia murmured into the teenager’s hair as they quickly moved to the nurse’s office, Simmons right behind her ready to open the door. “This is the room.” Simmons quickly unlocked the door and opened it, flipping on the light. “Lay her down on the bed. Does she have any medical allergies I should be aware of?” Celestia opened her mouth to answer, but paused as she laid Sunset down on her belly “I… don’t know. I don’t think so but I can’t be certain.” Simmons nodded. “Alright, then. Before I give her novocaine I’ll give her a shot of benadryl to hopefully offset anything that might pop up.” She opened her medical bag and pulled out the supplies she would need: two syringes, two vials, a needle and surgical thread. “She may need an IV, but I want to get her stitched up first.” Relieved that Sunset was in good hands, Celestia took several steps back to where Coulson was waiting. “She’ll be alright, won’t she?” “Agent Simmons is a very gifted woman with a Doctorate in Biochemistry and several degrees in Bio Sciences. The girl is in the best hands,” Coulson assured Celestia, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Now what happened, Agent Everfree? I need to know to be able to help you come up with a possible story that people will believe.” Celestia nodded, forcing her eyes away from Sunset. “It started a few days ago, when a girl came into my office. She told me she had just transferred in…” Over the next several minutes Celestia told Coulson everything that happened. “She left to go back to home with her crown and I… I wanted to make sure that Sunset had a safe place to sleep. I’m ashamed that it took me this long to look into her housing… but when I saw those wounds on her…” Coulson rubbed his chin in consideration. “Well, this isn’t the worst I’ve had to cover up, but understand this, Agent: SHIELD is involved now.” He smiled. “That just means Sunset is going to get the help she needs. Nothing invasive, I promise. After all, she's just a kid; I’d never be able to look myself in the eye if I hurt her. So… I think the best explanation is a gas line rupture. I’ll get my computer girl working to discredit any pictures or videos that get out while I get some records created for her.” Celestia smiled, thankfully closing her eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t hurt her… not after everything with Luna.” “How is your sister, by the way? I was planning to ask. After all, that type of experience can have lasting after-effects.” Coulson smiled sadly. “She was a strong girl though, so I’m hopeful.” “Well, she's still an annoying little sister, but I think that’s a kid sister’s prime directive. She went to university, got her Masters in School Administration, and now works here as my Vice Principal. We still live together like the doctor recommended, but I think that after everything, she is doing really well. You’ll have to come by and see her.” “And... done!” Simmons stepped back with a smile. “I hereby declare that my patient shall have no more bleeding... except for the small amount of blood I’m going to take right now to check her blood count and to get her blood type.” She carefully withdrew a small amount of blood to test. Celestia walked over to the bed holding a blanket in her arms, which she laid gently over Sunset’s back. “Hey… how are you feeling?” Sunset stared into Celestia’s eyes, her own still a bit glazed over. “Rotten… Princess… I’m so sorry…” Celestia ran her fingers through Sunset’s hair, her heart slowing as the realization that Sunset was out of the woods was kicking in. Princess, I don’t know why you did what you did to her, but you can be damned certain I will never make such a mistake! “Sunset, I’m not the Princess. I’m Principal Celestia. You are going to be just fine, I promise. You are safe now.” Sunset blinked a few times, and her shoulders seemed to slump as she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Celestia’s fingers running through her hair. Safe… “Oh dear, I was a bit worried about that; she needs about a liter of her blood replaced. Luckily she is type O, which I thought to bring.” Simmons fashioned an IV pole and hung the blood before gently taking Sunset’s arm and starting an IV, amazed at how docile the teen was behaving. Partially due to the blood loss, I’d think. “Alright, my dear. We’re going to let this get into your veins then retest your blood count. If it’s close enough to normal I’d like to start some fluids along with some penicillin in case you picked anything up from those wounds. After that, you’ll be released to go home.” Sunset weakly drew her knees up and trembled. She had no desire to go back to the storage shed and be alone… I should have run through the portal just as it was about to close. I’d probably be placed in the dungeons, but at least the guards would look after me…I don’t want to be alone! I-I’m afraid… “Don’t worry, Sunset, you’ll be coming home with me tonight. Luna and I will get your things from the storage shed tomorrow while you rest.” Celestia smiled, sadly wiping away the single tear that was running down Sunset’s cheek. Sunset stared up at Celestia, shock and surprise clearly written across her face. “Y-you’re taking me to your home?” “Yes, and it’s yours from now on too, I think. I don’t know how old you were in your own home, but here on earth you are not quite sixteen years old, Sunset; you’re a minor, child. I can’t let you stay by yourself… I should have tracked you down sooner. I am so sorry that I didn’t.” Celestia shook her head, “But I’m here now, in whatever form you need me, whether it be a principal, a guardian, a friend…” A mother… Sunset just continued to stare, her eyes filling with unshed tears making it difficult to focus on Celestia’s face until she blinked, allowing them to trickle down her cheeks. “But I’m a m-monster…” “No!” Celestia shook her head firmly. “Sunset Shimmer, whatever you were is not who you are anymore. That Sunset is dead. You are brand new; I can see it in your eyes. And I promise you… I swear to you that you will never be a monster again. You are safe now.” Sunset grabbed hold of Celestia’s shirt and buried her face in her chest, weeping quietly as Celestia gently embraced her stroking her hair. They stayed like that for several moments until Celestia noticed Sunset had stopped crying, her chest slowly rising and falling in slumber. “Poor girl… she’s had quite the night, hasn’t she?” Simmons asked, replacing the empty bag of blood with a full saline bag. “You could say that.” Celestia gently laid Sunset back down on the bed, but was unable to release her grasp on her shirt. “Would you get me a chair?” Simmons smiled before bringing a chair for Celestia to sit in. “Poor little one. She must really trust you, though.” “Why do you say to that, Jemma?” Celestia continued to stroke Sunset’s hair. It seemed to calm her squirms. “The way she is clutching your shirt, even in her sleep... Many traumatized children are so worried that their protector will leave them that they refuse to let go, even in slumber.” Simmons gave her an injection of morphine and penicillin. “This should help her rest.” Celestia bit her lip and closed her eyes; she had handled traumatized teenagers before, she could do it again. “I’ll call my niece tomorrow and see if she might be able to take over for me for at least a few days.” “A good idea,” Coulson said quietly. Celestia turned her head to see him holding a manilla folder. “Where did you get that?” “I stepped out to get the files that Miss Shimmer is going to need. You were distracted, so I saw no reason to excuse myself.” He opened the folder. “It’s a New York State birth certificate. The parents are deceased so SHIELD agents won’t worry. She has a social security card, elementary school records... that sort of thing. Luckily, teenagers don’t need too big of a paper trail. I’ll set this right here.” He laid the folder on top of Celestia’s jacket. “Thank you… for everything you have done. First Luna, and now this.” Celestia gratefully wiped a tear from her eye. Coulson smiled. “It’s not just my job, Celestia, it’s also my pleasure. When Sunset is feeling a bit better there's some people I’d like her to talk with, but that can wait for a little bit, at least.” He hesitated for a moment. “Oh, there are guardianship papers in there with your name on them as well. If anything happens to her, you will be held responsible.” Celestia nodded firmly. “I understand.” She glanced at the IV to see the saline bag empty. Simmons noticed at the same time and removed Sunset’s IV, placing a bandaid on her arm. “Alright, in my professional opinion she is well enough to go home. Put her straight to bed and have a good meal ready for her when she wakes up in the morning.” Simmons packed up her supplies and walked over to Coulson, who nodded. “We’ll be in touch, Celestia.” With that, both agents walked back out of the school. Celestia shook her head and gathered Sunset in her arms. “What a mess… I’ll have to come back before Sunset wakes up and clean up all this blood.” She reached into her bloodied jacket and grabbed her phone and car keys. It didn’t take long to walk to where her white SUV was parked in the teacher lot, and once more Celestia was thankful for the self-opening back doors. Though normally I’m using those for when Luna drinks a bit too much or games too hard... She gently pulled Sunset’s hand from her shirt and laid the girl over the back seat, relieved that at this time of night there would be little to no traffic on the road. She shut the back door and climbed into the driver’s seat, starting the SUV after taking one final glance at Sunset. “Let’s get you home, Sweetheart.”