Phoenix

So how is she?

Same as every other time, princess. She has yet to recall anything, is being stubborn as a mule, and is healing as fast as one can expect in this world.

…

You know that even if you saw her, it wouldn’t do anything, right?

We don’t know that!

Well that emblem on her shirt and on this journal is just a “cool sun” to her.

But I haven't tried yet.

Nor should you.

Says who.

…

That’s what I thought.

Sorry, had to realign my shoulders after sighing so hard.

And what do you mean by that?

You know, shoulders? The part of the human body that is attached to the ever so useful arms?-

I get that, but what did you mean by it.

I meant what I said. I sighed so hard that my skeletal structure was-

Damnit! You know damn well what I meant, Siren! Now answer me!

Oooh, Princess has some anger back in there, huh? What’s the matter? Feeling useless because there’s so little magic in this world for you to use? The three of us think there’s more than enough now thanks to you and the Rainbo-

Don’t you dare mention them! They had a hand in this and I will not stand to hear their names! And what do you mean magic? We destroyed your pendants!

...So? What difference does that make?

How else could the three of you harness what little magic that world has?

Seriously? You think that just because our pendants were destroyed that we would suddenly become just three regular teenage human girls? And here I thought you understood magic.

Don’t you play games with me. We all heard the three of you try to sing after your pendants were destroyed.

Pop quiz, princess. What happens to a unicorn should they break their horn?

How does that matter?

Principals the same. Magic feedback due to destruction of the horn, or in this case pendant, renders magic more or less haywire. Control can eventually be regained, but only ever to a fraction of what is was before.

…

Aww, did I scare you princess? Are you worried that there are three big bad Equestrian monsters living over here, able to still control their magic?

I want Sunset back.

Scared that we are going to do something to her?

Do I need to answer? I’m just surprised you three haven’t done anything to her yet, considering she was the reason you three were initially defeated.

Well, the saying goes that revenge is bittersweet, but they like to change my words around, because I always said that revenge was always sweet.

What are you planning?

Why should I tell you? Can’t a girl keep some secrets?

What's stopping me from coming over there with Celestia and Luna to capture the three of you?

You tell me. Though, I think you know that they wouldn’t have the same powers here as back in Equestria. But fine, since you are so interested in our dear sister Fireside, I suppose I could tell you. Revenge.

…

…

…

Your turn to talk.

Revenge? Really

But of course. And what better way to serve it than by using Sunset to do it?

And how do you plan to do that? She couldn’t take down an entire school by herself.

She already did, remember? Anyways, there is a competition coming up between CHS and the school we currently go to, and that Sunset will be enrolling in shortly, and our school has never lost. Sunset will be the best way to rub it in their faces.

That’s it? That seems pretty small.

Not everything needs to be fancy or large scale.

So you win the competition, cool, whatever. What happens next? What happens to Sunset?

We kill her.

…

Just kidding. If we wanted her dead, would we have saved her in the first place?

Never joke like that again. And why did you three save her?

I would love to answer that, but it sounds like Sonata is “finally” done showering her. I’ll reply eventually, toodles!

***

Adagio sighed as she shut the book, the tome vibrating relentlessly as the Princess on the other side tried to get through. Her eyes closed tiredly, her normally lucid thoughts a strange mire of uncertainty.

Why did they decide to save her? To bring her into their home and care for her? They had called the ambulance upon discovering her, just as most any human would in that situation. They kept their guise hidden, as they needed to. But Sonata, the one who had changed the most amongst the three of them since the Battle of the Bands, she had begged and pleaded to take her in.

And they did. They exhausted what magic they had accumulated since the start of the month, expending it to make sure they could take her in. And now they cared for her, at least as much as she allowed them to. She was stubborn, refusing to inconvenience her sisters any more than she already was.

Sisters… Adagio rolled the word around in her head as she turned about, resting her back against the wall. The word was special to her and the other two, in ways that humans or ponies would say they understood. In all their long years alive, only two had actually understood.

She shook her head, pushing the errant thoughts to the back of her mind. There were other priorities to deal with for now, mainly the two girls that were just about downstairs. She strode forward and cleared her throat as her hands found purchase on her wide hips.

“What took you two so long?”