The car ride back to Tartarus heights was uneventful, neither one spoke to the other, though both minds are very active, one focused on his charge, and the task he has set up for himself, wondering if he is good enough, the other trying to sort through the colliding emotions in her mind, none making sense.
"We're here, make yourself at home." Tirek said as he unlocked the door, before making his way into the house
"The backpack was all i had, so dont worry about me taking up too much space." Sunset said, not wanting to seem like she was encroaching on his hospitality
"None sense, until your name is cleared of this ridiculous anon-a-mess, your free to stay here, where your safe." Tirek said, not letting the seeds of doubt further take root in her mind, he didn't mind having her around, she reminded him of another.
"Not too sound ungrateful, but why did you stick your neck out for me?"
"Ah right, I stuck my neck out for you because as a pastor, I've seen many teens walk through the doors of the church, some righteous, some less so, but the ones that stand out too me are the ones who have fallen upon hard times, i want to save them, but i can't, usually because they are already too far gone, and by the time I'm in the position to help its too late, however you weren't too far gone and can be brought back from the brink, before you make the ultimate decision, even if i fail, i can at least make peace that i tried my best" Tirek answered sorrowfully, before stopping and shuddering, not willing to go on.
Sunset knew there was more too it,because before she sat on the couch to watch T.v. She had seen the old war uniform hanging on the wall, but it looked far too small too fit Tirek, so she reasoned that it must be a friends, but she wasn't sure and she wasn't going to press, the brief pause and pain that flashed across his face was enough to tell her he wasn't ready to talk just yet.
"Well, I've got errands to run, so sit tight here, there is some food in the fridge, I've got plenty of books too read, and a few movies, so you're welcome too watch or read any of them, also im gonna keep the door locked, so don't open it for any reason." Tirek warned, picking his keys up, and heading for the door.
"Alright, see ya later!!!" Sunset called out as Tirek left the house, she soon found herself examining the books, there was a healthy mix of fiction and non-fiction, but the ones on the bottom were labeled 'pre-war', 'post-war' and 'memoir', Sunset left those alone, not willing to pry through Tirek's life, time passed as her eye lids grew heavy, the physical toll of yesterday night taking their full toll, as she nodded off.
***
"HEY SHE-DEMON, WAKE UP!!!!" a almost familiar voice echo'ed as Sunset's head shot straight up, it was mid after-noon, she was in Math, the teacher had their back to her, she couldn't make out the teacher, but it looked female.
"Oh dont bother with her dear, she's probably just dreaming of a new scheme too tear us down, just like she did with me at the Spring Fling." a second voice chimed in, soon Sunset's mind had cleared and she could finally put names to those voices, but when she did it confused her.
"She-demon, Scheme, what are you girls talking about?" Sunset said now fully awake
"Oh dont you know, your back to your old self, why dont you introduce yourself to me, however you shouldn't have too, since we were so close!!!!!" The teach now turned around, the uniform transforming into the black, yellow and red dress her old self took
"y-your dead, Twilight destroyed you, your not real!!!!" Sunset cried out, shutting her eyes, tearing forming as she looked back at her demonic form
"she's real alright, because you never changed have you, your rotten inside like always, and always will be!!!" Fluttershy said, her eyes glaring hatefully at Sunset
"N-no, I-I've changed, i promise im not that, im not her, I'll never return to her." Sunset stuttered
"oh come now, you can never escape me, your always gonna be a monster, your presence will always be a burden, NOTHING YOU CAN DO WILL CHANGE THAT YOU FOOL." The demon cackled, the volume blowing her back as the classroom melted away into the courtyard of the school.
"B-B-Bu- But I've changed, I swear im nothing like you!!!" Sunset balled into herself as she sunk her nails into her arm, drawing blood, but she didn't notice as she started breathing heavy until she heard a voice calling out to her, she didn't know who's it was, but she stood up as the demon cackled at her futile attempts to drown the taunting around her out as she crashed into the crowd, running for the front door.
***
"SUNSET!!!!" Tirek called out as he held Sunset by her shoulders, her whimpering and crying still going strong as he gave her a gentle shake, trying to wake her from the nightmare she was having, eventually the whimpers slowed as she slowly shook her head, and opened her eyes, she looked into his eyes before bursting into hysterical sobbing, the memory of the nightmare still fresh as she simply cried until she had no tears left and simply rapidly hiccuped.
"your arm needs to be patched up, you hurt yourself during your nightmare." Tirek said, going to the bathroom, and getting some disinfectant and band aids, since the nails just broke into the skin a little
"I-I'm S-sorry, F-for being a B-burden" Sunset said through hiccups
"you're not a burden, and it seems from your dream you'll be needing alot more help, so get comfy while your here, you're in no condition to be out by yourself."
Sunset noticed that she was still wearing her regular attire from the talk of celestia, she got up and made her way to the Bathroom and changed into her Pajama's, she walked back out to the couch and lay back down, Tirek was laying in Recliner she hadn't noticed before, since she had left a majority of the lights off, and relied on the fading light outside, he was reading a book.
"I'm gonna watch you tonight, if those are the types of dreams your having your gonna need someone to bring you back before you are dragged too far in."
Sunset said nothing, but she was grateful that she would have someone to help her deal with these kinds of dreams, she had them often after the fall formal, then they slowed during the dazzling's showing up, then the came back full force once anon-a-miss showed up, but she wasn't afraid too sleep, she didn't know why, but Tirek being there was enough to help ease her troubled mind.
meanwhile on the older mans mind, he was trying to figure out how to help her deal with these nightmares, since this was dangerously close to another's experience and unlike last time, he wasn't going to fail, this time he was going to save a soul, he wont be idle and hope that it gets better, though he realized that if he wanted her to trust him, she'll need to hear his story, and that means going back to there, the one place he swore that he would never visit, but he would need it too save this girls life, he would need it to earn her trust so she would open up too him more, but as he thought, he heard soft snores, he looked over and saw the fiery headed teen was fast asleep, no signs of a nightmare on her face, but seeing her without a blanket, he went and got one from the closet and put it on thin frame, then putting out the light and making sure one last time she was nightmare free, he put out the light and closed his eyes too sleep himself.