//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Strategy // Story: Raise You Like a Phoenix // by Gapeagle //------------------------------// "It's time to start this training right." Celestia walked about Sunset's room with dozens of books and tomes flying through the air at intense speeds. The young thief sat at her desk unamused but still engaged with what was happening. She did not say anything to the princess and simply watched with vague interest. The morning light shined on the Princess of the Sun as she read each passing tome's title. The books after inspection would go into two piles: one next to Sunset's desk and the other in a far off corner. The one further away was a much larger pile and growing much more rapid than the one by the thief. However, both piles were of considerable size. "You'll read this. You can skip that. This'll be a good read. I like this one. I...Oh my, how did this get in here?" Celestia's cheeks went red and she put a pink and black book in the further pile. "Heh, now I'm curious what that book was," Sunset chuckled. "Only when you're older," Celestia replied quickly. And maybe not even then. "You're seriously having me read all these books?" Sunset gestured at the pile next to her, which was at least three taller than her. "You have plenty of free time." "You mean no free time, right?" Celestia looked away from the line of books floating around her. "Well, I must keep you doing something. Idle hooves are Discord's playground, as they say. If I just let you wander about with nothing to do, you may do something ill advised. Keeping your eyes in a book will keep your hooves from stealing something or hurting somepony." "Hurt? I've only bruised a couple of lazy guards..." "That's not the tale my maid told me this morning. Her whole tail was burned off." "She...got in the way," Sunset rolled her eyes. "And that's why you still have the anti-magic device on your horn. When you actually become responsible, maybe I'll let you go about without it." Sunset raised a brow. "I'm responsible." Celestia started to giggle uncontrollably. "Oh! That's a good one. I'm glad you have a sense of humor." "I'm being serious, jerk," Sunset snarled. "That makes it even more hilarious." "Ugh! You don't know anything about me. What am I to you, some experiment? You say that I'm a pony, well then treat me like one. You belittle me! You treat me like I'm an inferior. Just last night you slept on the floor for me, now you do this? Did the last thousand years turn you into a slim-ridden hypocrite? If I didn't have my sick magic, you would have thrown me straight into prison without a thought! You even tried playing games with me before I burned your self-righteous flank! I'm not some stupid burglar! I didn't choose to be one, you know! It's not my fault I gotta go out there and make money! It's not my fault that I wasn't born wealthy! It's not my fault I'm not an alicorn princess that can get everything she wants because she looks pretty! You sit in this palace and believe the world likes you. You think your nation is a perfect utopia because you have a crown on your head. Have you ever been hurt? Have you ever suffered? I doubt it! You don't know how it is to lose someone. Because of you, life sucks out there in the city! Canterlot's my home and I never left it once. It's not a forgiving place. If you think that I'm some dumb thief that thinks she can steal whatever she wants, I'm not! I'm nothing but a consequence of this city's poor management!" Sunset stopped her shrieking and started to breath loudly, her red face was only now starting to go back to its normal color. Celestia was not even looking at the thief. She was actually looking down at her hoof like there was a spot on it that needed removing. After a little moment, she finally looked up at the unicorn. "Are you done?" she asked with complete disinterest. "I can't believe you..." Sunset muttered with hatred. "I heard every word you said. I'll dissect it all later. Right now is not the time to get emotional breakdowns. While you went on your little tantrum, I sorted out all the books. That pile next to you shall be the beginning of your training. There's much more in those books than mere magic lessons, so read carefully and destroy nothing. If you had been enrolled in the school, we would not need all this, but this is the route we must take." Celestia turned around but stopped to look back over her shoulder. "One more thing, never ever say that I haven't suffered." With that, she shook her head and left the room, leaving a still steaming Sunset Shimmer staring at the closed door. "Sunset, hold yourself better than that. It helps your posture and well, your back." "Just take this thing off me!" Sunset growled. "Alright, here we go," Celestia smiled. The two were in the basement of the palace. The basement was a large, mainly unfinished part of stone and debris. It was deep in the mountain that the city of Canterlot rested on. It was dull and severely neglected, but it served the perfect purpose for what the two ponies were doing. Celestia placed her hooves (which were lacking her regalia) on the anti-magic device. Carefully, she undid the small straps and unlocked it with a key she was levitating. The enchanted crystal within the device that created havoc for unicorn concentration was promptly removed from the leather straps and the device was removed completely. Without a moment's breath, Sunset instantly charged up a fire spell and shot it at Celestia. The princess nonchalantly raised a shield over her and deflected the flames with graceful ease. Sunset kept the flames circling the bubble shield but then relaxed, letting the fire fade quickly in the air. "So predictable," Celestia said when she lowered her shield. "Did you really think I wasn't expecting that?" "I knew you were expecting it, I was hoping you weren't." "Well, too bad. You'll actually hit me some time," Celestia giggled. "So, what do you think of this place?" Sunset looked about without a frown. "It's kinda dull." "Perfect place, no?" "For what? I feel like this is a place where serial killers leave their bodies to decorate or something." Celestia sat down and gestured at the vastness of the basement. "Actually, this used to be a crystal mine. You see, greedy unicorns found out that this mountain housed millions of crystals and gems. It was the jackpot of jackpots. It's one of the reasons Canterlot was made on the side of this mountain. Each gleaming crystal was so valuable that a whole city could thrive here despite the terrible trade routes and the isolation from the valleys below. Anyway, unicorns dug and dug deeper into the mountain. They ran the caves dry within a century. So now there are hundreds of caves like this one, abandoned and empty. About forty years ago, I decided to attach this mine to the palace and restore it somewhat. I thought it would be a shelter for an attack by a dragon or something. We never got around to using it." "That doesn't explain why we're here though..." "Do you think you can burn or break anything here?" "Heck no. It's just rock and concrete." "Precisely. I dissected your rant from this morning and decided that you have plenty of built-up anger within you," "Ya don't say?" Sunset said sarcastically. "I do say!" Celestia chuckled. "Thus, this basement or mine shall be where you can let it all out. There's no guards here. No maids, or snoopy servants to hear us or judge us. You can be you. I can be me. You may not know this, but I wear a mask of seriousness and composure when I am in public. You know my playful side and my sarcastic one too. Now, I know you where a mask too. A mask of false bravado and a sort of tough persona. You can be the actual Sunset here. I'll allow you to come here whenever you want. You can mediate, you can sleep, and you can dream here. This is your palace." "If it's my palace, why are you here?" Sunset was still displeased. "At least have some gratitude. Why I am here is because of your anger. I can be rude at times. In my age, it's sometimes a problem. Here, you can burn nothing. So, you can attack me here and let off...hehe...steam. We can even practice combat magic here. Now, this will also benefit me, because I don't trust you. I expect you to burn my flank when I'm not looking. If I get burned, it shall be my fault for not being on my guard. Now, if you attack me anywhere but here, you will be punished still. How are those rules?" "I think I'm liking where this is going..." Wow, a positive thought, how quaint. "Good. Now we-" While Celestia talked, Sunset charged another spell and fired it at the princess. Like the first, Celestia raised a bubble shield to deflect the laser that ricocheted and blew a stone to small bits. Smoke was floating from the thief's horn and she smiled with satisfaction. "You can do better than that," Celestia taunted. "Fire away." Sunset listened and fired again. The princess casually deflected that spell as well and the one that followed soon after. The young unicorn fired again and again, sometimes flames, sometimes lasers, sometimes other offensive spells. Even as she grew tired, she kept launching the spells. She began to pant and cast one last fireball before lowering her head with fatigue. "Feel better?" Celestia asked. "Yeah...Yeah I do..." she panted. "I'm glad. This will also help take the energy out of you. Perhaps you'll study better when all your anger and energy are out of you. Since we've gone over everything to go over, I welcome you to your part of the palace." "Can I name it?" "Of course." "The Cave." Celestia frowned. "That's not very imaginative." Sunset stroked her chin. "Well fine. The...cave? The big cave...The large cave....The rock cave, stone cave..." "'The Cave' is just fine," Celestia interrupted. "It's not just any kind of cave, but it's my cave, I like that," the thief nodded. "I see. I give you one thing and you think you're a queen." "Thank you," she replied with a sincere tone. "What?" Celestia blinked. "Do you actually mean that?" "Yes. I like it. It's pretty empty, but it's quiet and not full of royal stuff. I can see me coming here often." "Well then, you're indeed welcome, young one. I hope it serves you well. If everything goes as planned, you'll be in this palace for quite a while and you'll probably need this place." Sunset's eyes turned to pinpricks at Celestia's words. "I can't stay here for a long time! I gotta get out of here!" What now? "Sunset?" The thief gasped and ran for the exit of the basement. Not bothering to stop her, Celestia sighed. The guards will stop her. With the unicorn gone and about to get apprehended once more, the princess sat down on the cold stone in the deep quietness of the former mine. She still is keeping secrets. I'll pry them from her soon enough. If she wants to be any happier, she'll have to tell them to me. "She's beyond some selfish need to leave, there's something else out there. By the Stars, she's acting like Luna did all those years ago. Every time I asked, she would leave, every time I pry, she would curse me. Dear Sister, I was a fool in my handling of your despair, now I must handle hers. She needs something you did not have. She needs friends."