As Celestia’s orb started rising Half-cock and her team headed back to Equestria with their prisoners. At the same time another pony was starting their day in my Equestria dreamscape.
 
Phoenix opened her eyes and was greeted to the slowly brightening light of dawn and the same face that was there to welcome her every morning she woke up in the Royal Palace. It was face that had greeted her for years. Her doll of Celestia was lying across from her in bed.
 
“Good morning your Highness.” She said softly with her usual raspy voice.
 
She’d bought the doll when she was a still a filly and Celestia was still her legal guardian. The princess had recently begun giving her an allowance, but for several months Phoenix hadn’t purchased anything. Up to that point she’d never owned anything.
 
Well, except for the scars on her body.
 
In fact the concept money and being able to buy things for herself was at the time a bizarre, abstract concept to the filly. So Celestia arranged for the two of them to make a shopping trip in Canterlot. That day had been a wondrous and terrifying thing for the filly. Phoenix hadn’t been able to imagine their were so ponies in the world or that they could be so friendly to her. Up to that point most of the memories she had of interactions with other ponies had been through the bars and wards of her cage, or them screaming and yelling at her when she was taken to that place.
 
But with her princess by her side that little filly had ventured out into a bigger world, but it was in a tiny toy shop that she’d found this doll and bought it. The first thing she had ever bought. Over the years it had been mended and repaired, but it was still precious to her.
 
Rolling out of her bed the mare wandered off to the bathroom and took care of the morning’s business. With morning essentials taken care the bone white unicorn stepped out of the bathroom and in to her living room.
 
The room like most of her apartment was decorated in an austere fashion. In contrast to the opulence of the palace the Shaker-style furnishings of Phoenix’s apartment were Spartan in feel. A utilitarian writing desk of dark wood for writing reports was kept company by a couple of chairs. A bookcase with a dozen or so books. The mare’s personal arms locker, and a small dinette set she rarely used for eating rounded out the furnishings in this room. All of them were finished in the same dark, oil-rubbed finish. The only thing resembling wealth was the large, ornately framed painting of Princess Celestia that was prominently displayed on the main wall of the living room. Several other photos of the princess along with photos of her team members adorned the walls. They were kept company by various framed commendations recognizing Phoenix’s devotion and service to the crown.
 
Phoenix slowly stepped in the center of the room. Her hoof clicked on the hardwood floor; she turned and faced the painting of the princess. In one smooth motion she bowed to the image of the pony she’d devoted her life to. After a few seconds she rose and began her morning stretching and basic kata exercises.
 
These drills went on for the next half hour when it was over the mare was a little bit sweaty but not even winded. She wandered off to the bathroom again for a quick shower. 15 minutes later she’d finished and had begun drying herself off. Quickly finishing this task she gave her coat, mane, and tail a basic brushing. She could feel the brush’s bristles sometimes drag or catch when they encounter one of the more recent or deeper scar on her body.
 
With personal hygiene attended to the mare went and made her bed. With her bed back in satisfactory order the unicorn carefully levitated the Celestia doll to the front of the bed. Then she went and placed her issued goggles on her head and donned her regular work harness and gear. She’d just finished when there was an expected knock on the door. Going over and unlocking the door Phoenix found Quick Silver standing there.
 
“Morning Phoenix.” Said the mare in her normal, almost bored, voice. “Want to get some breakfast?”
 
This was a regular morning the ritual that Phoenix and Quick Silver did almost every morning with Blood Feather as a regular attendee as well. This was the last of their 4 days of downtime and Phoenix was eager to get back to work. The time with Princess Luna had been entertaining even if her Highness had experienced some unpleasant side effects as a result of it.
 
Stepping out into the hallway Phoenix locked her apartment door behind her and then trotted off with her teammate for the palace cafeteria. For several seconds neither mare spoke until Quick Silver broke the silence.
 
“Apparently Blank Check is going to make a move to get out of Manehattan.”
 
“Are we going to get the assignment?” Ask the unicorn.
 
The earth pony shook her head. “No. Sources say she’ll be trying to get out tonight. Celestia is going to have Last Thing to apprehend her.”
 
Phoenix frowned and glanced over at her teammate. “What’s the weather forecast tonight for Manehattan?”
 
“They’re expecting showers after midnight.” The silver-grey mare glanced over at teammate. “Why do you ask?”
 
The bone white mare shook her head causing her black/dark umber mane to flop a bit. “Because the rain will help wash a lot of the blood off the streets. Last Thing can be one scary mare in a fight.”