//------------------------------// // Chapter Three // Story: Phoenix Rising // by Foals Errand //------------------------------// Luckily the drive was not that long even in the worst of traffic. And after two AM it was dead or practically so. In less than five minutes, she was pulling into the driveway of her two-story home. She switched off the engine and paused for a moment, just listening to the way Sunset was catching her breath in her sleep. Celestia let her head fall forward against the steering wheel. Stupid… of course her breath is catching! She got out of the SUV and hesitated a moment. Sunset was light, yes, but she wasn’t exactly small enough for Celestia to carry single armed. Celestia bit into her lip, chewing. If Luna is playing one of her online matches I’ll never get her attention to open the door...Dammit. Celestia peeked in the window to see Sunset still curled up exactly how she left her, then headed straight for the house, unlocking the door with her key. She opened the front door and looked around. She heard the vicious death of something. She sighed in relief. Luna was in the living room, playing single-player. “Luna!” “One moment, Tia. I am about to send a missile right into this super mutant’s head!” Celestia paused as she heard the explosion, followed by her sister’s giddy laughter. She shook her head as Luna came to the entryway to their home. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. She wore a pair of black boxer shorts and one of her many gaming shirts. This one appeared to feature a figure in a large metal armor, holding a large launcher of some type. A dog stood beside the man’s side, the words ‘Fall Out 4’ above the image. “Tia! What on earth took you so long? I thought you were just going to track down Shimmer, give her a look over and maybe bring her home for the night. That was over two hours ag- is that blood?” Luna took her sister’s white hands. She stared at the blood covering her palms and the bit on her t-shirt. “Yes, I haven't exactly had the time to get washed off… Oh Luna… it was so awful! She has been staying in the summer storage shed… “ Celestia shook her head. “I need to go get her out of the car. Will you keep the door open?” “Yeah, of course…” Luna watched as Celestia headed back to her SUV, opened the back doors, and lifted a still figure from inside. Luna bit down on her lip hard to keep from making a noise. She would have known that hair anywhere. But instead of fighting away from Celestia, Sunset Shimmer simply lay still. Celestia walked back, cradling the teenager “Alright, you did get the spare bedroom ready for her, didn’t you?” “O-of course I did Tia, is she…” Celestia shook her head. “Let me get her tucked in and then we’ll talk I promise.” Luna simply moved back into the living room and sat back down on the large couch, staring at her paused game. Celestia nudged open the door to their guest room and smiled. Luna really had made sure to get the room ready. Clean sheets and everything. Slowly, she went to lay Sunset onto the mattress, when Sunset’s eyes twitched and her hand grasped hold of Celestia’s shirt once again, a whimper escaping her lips. Celestia frowned as she gently placed her hand upon Sunset’s. “Sunset, I’m here. You’re safe, I promise. You are safe.” She rubbed her thumb over Sunset’s own until the grip loosened. “That’s right it’s alright sweetheart… I’m just tucking you in… You need to sleep.” Celestia realized Sunset wasn’t exactly awake, but she kept murmuring gentle words as Sunset’s grip finally released. She pulled the blanket over Sunset’s body, ignoring her pants and boots she still had on. Celestia ran her hand through Sunset’s hair one final time before she left the room. She kept the door wide open, planning to track down the baby monitor she had used in the past when helping her niece babysit. She sighed, walked into the kitchen, snagging a piece of pizza from the box and poured a glass of soda before taking a big bite. It was cold, but at this point she really didn’t care. Luna looked up as Celestia leaned on the bar behind her, nursing a glass of cola and eating cold pizza ignoring the microwave behind her. “That bad?” “Luna… I have never before been so furious at myself and at you!” Celestia frowned as she took another bite, glowering as Luna blinked in shock. “Me? What did I do?” “Luna… You had her working on cleaning up the rubble.” Celestia stated, putting down her half-eaten pizza, finding her appetite completely gone. “Yes, and even though she did very little work I did not scold nor threaten her.” Luna frowned, considering how Sunset Shimmer had behaved once given the order to help clean up. “In fact she did very little of the clean up. Her mind seemed in another place.” Luna shook her head as Celestia sat next to her. “That's because she was going into shock, Luna! She was already bleeding badly. You should see my jacket just from carrying her from the storage shed back to my office.” Celestia hugged herself and shook her head as Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Bleeding? What on earth caused that much blood!?” Luna stared taking in the smears of blood all over her sister's arms and torso including what looked like a fingerprint  on her cheek. Celestia closed her eyes. “You remember that… thing she became?” “Difficult to forget when your student turns into a demon, Celestia. Especially when it was less than five hours ago.” Luna frowned, then paused. “Did her becoming a demon hurt her that badly?” “N-not exactly.” Celestia stated after a few moments to consider. “Becoming a demon hurt her tremendously, I think, but what caused her bleeding was being turned back into Sunset Shimmer. She had two large gashes where her wings had been and a small one where her tail was.” Luna’s hand went to her mouth in shock as she trembled “An-and I had her cleaning up? My god… I… Tia I had no idea!” Celestia wrapped her arms tightly around Luna’s trembling form “Shh, it’s alright Lu, it was difficult to see the blood with her jacket on. The only reason I saw how bad it was because Sunset had taken her jacket off.” “I’ll apologize… I will Tia.” “Alright, not right now though. She needs sleep. She’s had an awful long night.” Celestia stroked the top of Luna’s hair as she held her to her chest, feeling Luna’s nod. “So you took her to the hospital?” Luna pulled back from Celestia, frowning. “How did you manage that? She has no records besides those we forged to allow her to attend CHS.” “I know, and I knew I couldn’t take her to the hospital. So I called in a favor.” Celestia smiled a bit as Luna stared at her in shock. “But, I thought… the news said!” Luna shook her head, then laughed. “He never could have been HYDRA though. So he is alright?” “Quite fine it seems, answered the phone as director. He came with Jemma and she fixed Sunset up while he and I talked. Director Coulson had a paper trail created for Sunset. He also told me SHIELD was involved now.” Celestia shrugged as Luna rolled her eyes. “Of course they are, well Coulson always had a soft spot for kids. I should know…” Luna smiled though her eyes seemed a bit glazed over. “Next time he comes to see her or you I’d like to say hi.” “Of course Lu, he asked how you were doing.” Celestia smiled before hesitating “I need a favor.” Luna lifted an eyebrow “Of course you do. This favor is going to involve me having to get dressed again, isn’t it?” “Nothing horrible, Lu. Jeans will be fine. There is a lot of blood left in the storage shed, along with my office and the nurse’s office. I planned to go clean it up in the morning, but if Sunset woke up and I wasn’t here…” Celestia looked away. as Luna chuckled, getting up.“Say no more, big sis. Super Luna to the rescue. I’ll grab Sunset’s things. While I’m there anything else you need?” Luna stretched her arms over her head before saving her game. “My jacket and Sunset’s new records are in the clinic. I want to put them somewhere safe.” Celestia smiled standing up. “Tia, I knew you loved that jacket but somewhere safe really?” Luna poked her tongue out as Celestia laughed. “Dork..” “Miss Priss.” Luna replied, giggling. She raced to her room. just out of Celestia’s reach,  to slip on a pair of jeans. Celestia glanced at the time and winced. Four AM? Ugh, I haven’t been up this late since… She let the thought fade out as she grabbed a towel from the hall closet and heard the front door open and close. Sunset should sleep for a little while longer at least, and I really could use a shower. She glanced towards where the guest room door was wide open and headed for the bathroom. She left the door open -just in case- and undressed before climbing in under the hot water allowing the water pressure to pound against her head and shoulders, her eyes closed. Sunset’s eyes snapped open as she stared around, trembling. Where am I? I-I don’t know where this is… Immediately her mind went to having been captured and the nice bed she was in felt different. She couldn’t move! “Help me! Please help me! Let me go! Please I’m sorry!” Sunset squirmed against her restraints as she screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes wild as she thrashed. Princess, please! Don’t leave me here! “Help me!” “Sunset!” Sunset looked up to see a familiar head of hair running into the room. A whimper escaped her lips. “H-help me… please I’m sorry…” Celestia heard Sunset screaming. She jumped out of the shower. not even bothering with her towel. As she kneeled next to Sunset’s bed she was starting to regret that lapse as the water droplets evaporating off her bare skin caused her to shiver. Sunset first, getting warm later. Celestia took Sunset’s hand in her own as the girl trembled and whimpered. “You are safe, Sunset. You’re in my house right now. In your new bed. I’m sorry I wasn’t here… It was just a nigh… just a bad dream.” Sunset blinked a few times as her panic faded taking in the real picture. She was in a nice-sized, if barren room, the walls painted a off-white. She was covered with a warm, dark-blue comforter laying in a queen size bed. On her right side, holding her hand and murmuring to her, wasn’t Princess Celestia, but was instead her Principal. Her for some reason very naked principal. “Pr-principal Celestia?” Celestia sighed in relief “Yes, it’s me Sunset.” She groaned a touch as she remembered she was in a very compromising position right now. If Sunset was still who she had been I’d be out of a job and probably in jail! “You were screaming and… I guess I didn’t think. I was in the shower.” “N-no I understand… I.. thank you.” Sunset’s voice was quiet as she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of Celestia’s thumb rubbing over her own. “Would you mind if I left just long enough to get dressed or grab a towel?” Celestia asked after a moment, not surprised to see Sunset consider before nodding. Celestia got up and quickly pulled on the pair of boxers Luna had been wearing along with a t shirt she grabbed. Sunset clutched her hands to her chest, trembling and wondering what was taking Celestia so long. She shook her head Relax, Shimmer. It hasn’t even been a minute… has it? Had Celestia decided to just go to bed… or to leave m- “I’m back, Sunset. I just grabbed some of Luna’s things-her room is closer.” Sunset opened her eyes to see Celestia smiling gently, wearing a one-up t-shirt. Her hair fell over one eye. “W-whats going on?” “Do you remember what happened, Sunset?” Celestia asked, sitting on the side of the bed. She took Sunset’s hand again as Sunset frowned, thinking. “I… was going to smash the portal but… that would have stranded me here to… and I was ready to just let Twilight go when… they had to talk about how wonderful Twilight Sparkle was and… I took her crown…” Sunset trailed off. “I remember pain…” Celestia bit her lip. She knew how common amnesia was in cases like this. “You turned into something, Sunset… Something full of evil and hate. Twilight Sparkle and the others purged you of it… I think?” Sunset squeezed her eyes tight, remembering waking up in the crater and the massive amount of pain. “....I… yes. What happens to me now?” Her voice trembled as she was unable to even fake being brave. What did the elements do to me.. I...I don’t feel like “me” anymore. “For now I want you to try and go back to sleep. You’ve had such a long night Sunset. Don’t worry, I’ll be right here. When you wake up we’ll have a nice breakfast and figure out our plans for Saturday. Alright?” Celestia smiled gently as Sunset’s hand continued to clutch her own. “I… yes that sounds nice I’m still so…” Sunset trailed off as her fatigue caught up with her and she fell back to sleep. Celestia sat next to her, holding her hand until she heard the door open and close, along with Luna’s soft cursing as her sister laid down on the couch exhausted. After a few more minutes Celestia moved to the chair in the corner of the room and allowed her eyes to slide shut, sleep finally claiming her.