In a house on the south side of a town called Ponyville, a winged pony slowly started to wake up. His fur was a light grey, his mane and tail an almost dark brown that looked kinda messy, and he had white hooves. Printed on his flank could be seen what appeared to be two strings of multicoloured putty intertwining.
"Urgh..." he groaned as he woke up placing a hoof on his head rubbing at his dishevelled mane.
"Note to self... don't ever, ever drink one of Pinkie Pie's concoctions if I ever want to have a good night's sleep." He grumbled as he slowly got out of his bed and looked around for something.
"Now...where'd they go... aha! There you are." He said as he picked up a pair of glasses from the floor next to his bed and placed them upon his face. He rubbed the top of his head again as he looked around his room. It was a medium sized bedroom, with a single bed for himself and two chests of drawers, and a bookshelf that looked like it could use a seriously good clean after relieving it from the weight of all the books and scrolls on its shelves. There was a single round window that looked big enough to stick your head through if the pony felt inclined to do so. There were two doors in the room, one leading to the rest of the house, the other to the guest room if he ever had to foalsit or had a guest.
"Well... least I managed to get home alright." The Pegasus said to himself as he stretched his wings and smacked his lips. "Better get breakfast and check the mail. Maybe today there'll be some work."
The Pegasus opened the bedroom door and stumbled down the stairs occasionally groaning from his headache. "Definitely not going to have another Pinkie Pie Surprise. Seriously, what does that pony put in that stuff?"
The main room of his shop was a large circular one, with a podium in the centre of the room which was vacant of anything at the moment with a medium sized table next to it. Dotted around the sides were alcoves, each with their own vacant podiums as well. Along with the podiums there were also a cupboard in each alcove, some of them open and showing lumps of clay inside them lining the shelves.
He opened his front door and winced at the sunlight streaming into his face. "Urgh... where's the mail?" he asked as he looked for his mailbox in the glare of the sun.
"Oh! Hello there mister Tempest!" said a voice from above. The grey Pegasus looked up to see a deeper grey Pegasus, with a yellow mane and slightly misaligned eyes. She was carrying a saddle bag stuffed with letters and parcels.
"Morning Derpy... least I'm assuming its morning. Got any mail for me today?" Tempest asked of the floating Pegasus. Derpy nodded and rummaged around in the bag before pulling out a letter and plopping it into the mailbox. "Derpy... I was standing right here. You didn't have to put it in the mailbox..." he sighed as he collected his letter.
"Oh! Sorry mister Tempest..." she replied a little crestfallen.
"It's quite alright Derpy... and please, I'm sure I've said this before, there's no need to call me "mister" Tempest. Just Tempest or Storm will do fine." He said trying to console the mailpony. She seemed to brighten up to her usual self.
Derpy nodded before getting a vacant expression and then flying off to continue her rounds. Tempest sighed as he watched her fly off before heading back inside.
"Sometimes I wonder how that pony manages to even remember where she's going....now then let's see what's in this let- hold on... is that?" he asked looking down at the seal on the letter.
It looked like a sun flanked by a pair of wings.
"This is... oh by Celestia..." he stammered as he opened the letter as carefully as he could before pulling out its contents. He slowly read the letter, his eyes widening as he continued down the page. When he finished he stared at it before reading it twice over, flipping the page over several times as he did so before finally putting the letter down on the table next to the central podium.
"This is... this is... This has to be some mistake...I mean... me?! They want me to..." Tempest said just staring at the letter then around his studio then back at the letter before grabbing the letter and rushing out the door flying as fast as he could towards the centre of town, and the library.
"Now then Spike, let's go over our list of things to do today." A purple unicorn said to a small purple dragon with green spikes. They were standing in the main hall of the library, books all around them. The little dragon was grumbling as he stood at the table looking at the scrolls on the table next to the wooden unicorn bust.
"Urgh, do we have to have a list every day Twilight?" the little dragon groaned as he picked up a scroll of paper that tumbled down the length of the table.
"Of course. How else would we get anything done Spike?" she asked as if it was obvious.
Before Spike could reply there was an urgent knocking on the door. "Saved by the door." He muttered as he went over to answer it before the door slammed open and he got squished on the wall. Tempest flew into the room and hovered over Twilight, holding the letter in his mouth.
"Ish thish real?!" he asked trying to speak past the letter.
"Tempest, what brings you over?" Twilight asked arching an eyebrow at the Pegasus then at the letter in his mouth. Her horn glowed as she levitated the letter over to herself reading it aloud.
"To Tempest Storm, Sculptor residing in Ponyville. We would like to commission your skills in creating a sculpture of the Royal Sisters and the Six Elements of Harmony to be displayed in the Royal Gardens of Canterlot in time for this year's Summer Sun Celebration. You will be paid the sum of thirty-thousand bits for your services should you accept the commission. We look forward to hearing your reply. Signed Princess Celestia and Princess Luna." Twilight finished, floating the letter down onto the table as Tempest landed folding his wings to his side.
Spike grumbled, rubbing his nose as he stepped out from behind the door. "What happened?" he asked.
"Twilight, you send letters to the Princess and get some back in return all the time right? Is this real or am I being pranked?" the Pegasus asked the Unicorn.
Twilight looked over the letter again before smiling and nodding.
"Yes Tempest, it is a genuine letter from the Princess asking you to make a statue of herself, Luna and the Elements."
Tempest and Spikes mouths both dropped open. "But, but, but... me?! Why would they want me? When have they ever seen my work.... When have they ever even heard of my work?" Tempest asked rubbing a hoof on the back of his head.
"Well you did say you did some work for some unicorns up in Canterlot didn't you Tempest?" Spike asked. "Maybe they heard about it from there." he said with a shrug.
"Spike, my work for the unicorns there are busts of the clients... the occasional chess set that for some reason Fancypants wanted made... maybe a table ornament or two... This is a full on statue, horse-feathers sake! What am I saying statue, it's pretty much eight statues rolled into one!" Tempest exclaimed before putting a hoof over his mouth as he looked around.
Twilight chuckled. "She's out playing with her friends." She replied. Tempest breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry Lady Sparkle... but this has just got me so confused and stunned and... and... well, you get the idea." The Pegasus said fixing his glasses. "Of course I'll take the commission, I'd be a complete foal not to! But I'd still like to know why me? I mean, I'm pretty sure that there must be some other, some better sculptors running around Canterlot, let alone in Equestria than me."
"Why not just ask her?" Twilight asked. Tempest snorted and looked at the pony.
"Just ask her? Lady Sparkle, I have never met the Princess in pony, let alone spoken with her like you have. I can't "just ask her" why she picked me... least not till after this is done. Um... you don't happen to have a calendar in here do you? I kinda forgot to look at mine in the rush to get over here...;" he asked looking around sheepishly.
Spike brought out a calendar from under some books and held it up to Tempest. "Okay so here's today...and the Summer Sun Celebration is... three months away... Three months?!" he exclaimed, his glasses slipping down his nose as his jaw slackened.
Tempest paced the library muttering to himself. “Three months…three months to get this done…three months to create a sculpture for royalty….for a massive ceremony like the Summer Sun…. Three months…”
Twilight and Spike both looked at the Pegasus in concern. He had almost run a groove into the floor in the library.
“Um, are you okay Tempest?” Spike asked. Tempest broke from his pacing and looked at the little dragon.
“No actually…I’m not ok. It takes me at least a month each time I make a sculpture of the size that the Princess will probably be wanting…given the nature of the ceremony she will no doubt be looking for life-size statues and given the content, that is eight statues. Eight statues within three months.” Tempest said flapping his wings a little in exasperation of the situation.
Twilight held up a hoof. “Hold on. We don’t know if they want them to be full size, and if that is the case….do you want some help?”
Tempest looked at Twilight curiously, and then looked up in thought. “Well…alright. You grab your friends and bring them over to my shop. I’d rather not work through proxy, no offense Miss Sparkle.” He finished before walking out of the library. Twilight and Spike look at each other, shrug and then head out to gather the others.
====
A few hours later the six ponies arrive at the outside of Tempest’s sculpture studio.
“So the princess wants this ‘ere Pegasus to make a statue outta all of us?” asked an orange pony with a Stetson resting on her yellow mane. Twilight nods.
“That’s right Applejack.” She replied.
“How glamorous. To think that future ponies will be able to see how beautiful we are now…do you think I should have come in a dress for the occasion?” a white pony with a purple mane suggested.
“Never mind that Rarity,” a blue Pegasus with rainbow coloured hair said. “I just wonder if this guy’s going to be able to get all my awesomeness and coolness into one statue.”
A pink pony bounced alongside the others and giggled. “Do you think he’ll be able to have balloons on mine? I want balloons…ooh and streamers, gumdrops, cotton candy, cupcakes, chocolate-“
“Um Pinkie… I think he’s stressed as it is with the little time he has of just making a set of statues. I don’t think he’s going to be able to add all those accessories to it. And um Rainbow, I’m sure he’ll do his best.” A yellow Pegasus with a long pink mane said looking at the two ponies.
“Exactly Fluttershy. Now, let’s see how we can help shall we?” asked Twilight looking at each of her friends before knocking on the door.
“Come in, and mind your step. It’s a little…messy.” Tempest’s voice called out from inside. The six ponies looked at each other and then stepped through the door. It looked like someone had exploded a large lump of clay. It was everywhere. Rarity winced at the sight of the studio.
“This is where he works? Ghastly.” She said taking great pains to avoid the clay. Tempest popped his head from one of the alcoves dotted around the room and flew over to the ponies at the door wiping his hooves with a cloth. His mane and coat were covered in spots of clay.
“Sorry about the mess…one of my sculpture experiments kind of…well, exploded. I assure you, it’s usually a lot cleaner in here.” He said as way of explanation.
“Experiments?” Rarity asked. “How can you experiment with clay in such a way that it…explodes?”
“Glad you asked Miss Rarity.” Tempest replied. “As I’m sure you’re aware we Pegasi have our own form of magic. That’s what I experiment with my clay.”
“Weather magic, with clay?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to the side. Tempest nods as he closes the door behind his guests.
“I’ll explain more on the subject when we have the time to do so Miss Sparkle. Right now though, let’s get down to the business at hoof shall we? I’d like each of you to go into an alcove each please.” Said Tempest with a gesture of his wing to the alcoves around the room. “I’ll need to ask each of you a few questions, and take some measurements so that I can get the sculptures just right. There may be little time to do this, but I intend to do this right.”
The six looked at each other, shrugged and then went into an alcove each. Tempest collected a notepad and pencil that had managed to survive the clay explosion unscathed and went into the alcove with Twilight.
“Okay then Miss Sparkle-“ Tempest started after putting the notepad down on the table.
“Please, just call me Twilight.” The unicorn asked. Tempest nods and jots that down on the notepad.
“Very well then...Twilight. So tell me…you are the personal student of Princess Celestia herself. How exactly did that come about?” Tempest asked.
Twilight looked at Tempest. “It’ll give me some insight into your own relation with the Princesses. I will be asking each of the others the same kind of question do not worry.” He assured her.
She nodded at this and began to recant her tale of how she became the student of Celestia.
===============
“I see…” Tempest said as Twilight finished her story. “Okay…going to have to multi-task now.” He says pulling out a tape measure from a pocket and walking over to Twilight. “Now, how did you feel when using the Elements?”
“Well…I felt…a burst of power, a surge of such magic…” she said, trying to think of the moments she had used the Elements as he took measurements of her legs and torso. “I felt so…certain about the outcome whenever I used my Element with my friends. It felt….it’s hard to put into words.”
Tempest chuckles. “I completely understand. Well, maybe not completely since I’ve never actually seen the Elements in action, nor used them myself… But I do understand what you mean about hard to put into words. Unlike yourself, I hated tests in school when I had to explain every little detail. Still do.” He finished as he took the measurements for her tail and head. “Okay… one last question. How do you feel about the task you’ve been set? The study of friendship? Is it just another assignment or has the study aspect of it become more…of a side-line?”
Twilight pursed her lips as she thought about this question. “Well…I think it’s actually become more of an added extra to my day now…I still take my task to learn about friendship seriously… but I don’t let it take over my relations with my friends nor dictate them.” She said finally.
Tempest nods as he jots this down. “Thank you Twilight. This should help with my work. You can head on through the door in the back of the studio, that’ll take you into a sitting room. Make yourself comfortable whilst you wait for the others if you like.” He said leaving the alcove.
=============
“So then Miss-“ Tempest started before the blue Pegasus looked at him strangely.
“The name’s Rainbow Dash. Rarity’s the one that does the whole “Miss” thing. So, what you wanna know?” she asked.
“Mind stretching your wings for me? Need to get the complete wingspan.” Tempest asked pulling out measuring tape. Rainbow stretched out her wings to their maximum length. “So Rainbow, word is you dream of joining the Wonderbolts. Aside from the obvious that they are celebrities and all that comes with that, any other reason for that?”
“Heck yeah I want to join the Wonderbolts! They are the most awesome and most cool Pegasus team in all Equestria!”
“I said, aside from the obvious.” Tempest grumbled as he measured the main feathers on the wings.
“It’s always been my dream to join the Wonderbolts, ever since I was a little filly. They’re the personal flight team for Princess Celestia and I will do anything for the Princess.”
“Then why not the Royal Guard? You obviously hold a great amount of loyalty to her, so why not go that extra mile and actually protect her as a guard?” Tempest asked raising an eyebrow as he measures her tail and mane.
“Cus the Wonderbolts are more fun, awesome and cool. Like me.” Rainbow replied as if that was obvious. Tempest rolls his eyes as he finishes his measurements.
“Okay, so what do you think of the Princesses? Both of them.” Tempest asks before Rainbow glares at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she growls. Tempest sighs and adjusts his glasses.
“It’s a simple question. I’m asking each of you that question, or similar. Now, answer it please. If it reassures you this alcove is completely sound-proof. Nopony will hear anything you say except myself.” Tempest said before yelling at the top of his lungs a basic yell with no words. Both of them looked around. “See?”
Rainbow eyed Tempest suspiciously before sighing. “Fine. I am completely loyal to Celestia no questions asked… Luna…I’m still getting over the Nightmare Moon thing. But, I will do anything she orders as well since she’s a Princess.”
“And not just cus she’s Celestia’s sister?” Tempest asked.
“Luna is one of the twin rulers of Equestria. I’m no traitor.” She snarled out at Tempest.
“Nopony was saying such Rainbow. If you like you can go join Twilight in the sitting room through the door at the back of the studio whilst you wait for the others.” Tempest said opening the curtain. Rainbow snorted and left the alcove heading for the indicated door. Tempest sighs and facehoofs. “This is going to be a long day.”
=========
“Pinkie…please, will you hold still!” Tempest groans as the pink pony bounced around the alcove.
“But this is so exciting! You’re making a statue of each of us for the Princess! Oooh! I should throw a party!” she exclaimed. Tempest sighs.
“Pinkie…how about we play a game? You try to see how long you can hold completely still for and the longer you do so, the better the prize?” Tempest suggested, grasping at straws to try and get the hyper pony to hold still long enough for him to measure her. She cocked her head to one side and then nodded vigorously.
“Okie dokie lokie!” she said holding completely still. Even her hair was holding still despite her having bounced around not two seconds ago. Tempest rolls his eyes and starts to measure the pony.
“Okay Pinkie…so obviously you like to throw parties. I’ve been to one or two of them myself and I must ask…What kind of party would you throw for the Princesses?”
“Oooh! I’d make sure there were plenty of balloons, lots of cake everypony loooves cake! Lots of games as well for everypony to play like Pin the Tail on the Pony, and piñata’s and lots of music as well! Oooh! And disco balls, streamers, cookies, candy, rides-“ Tempest holds up a hoof.
“Okay…a lot of stuff. Do you always think of parties in terms of big projects Pinkie? You never once held…a small party?”
Pinkie Pie gasps. “What would be the fun in a small party? The bigger the better so everypony can have fun and smile all day long!”
Tempest rubs his chin thoughtfully as he jots this down. Pinkie starts twitching her tail. “Uh oh…twitchy tail.” Tempest steps to the side as a lump of clay falls from the ceiling and lands where he had been previously standing.
“Thanks. And that brings me nicely onto my next question…how long have you been able to do that? The whole prediction thing?”
Pinkie Pie tilts her head a little as she thinks before a big smile pops up on her face. “As far back as I can remember.”
Tempest nods and jots that down. “Thanks Pinkie, I think I’ve got all I need. You can go join Dash and Twilight in the back room if you want to wait for the others.”
“What about my prize?” Pinkie asked. Tempest facehoofs. He’d forgotten about that.
“Um….it’s a surprise prize!” he quickly said. “You’ll get it by the end of the day.”
Pinkie looked at him weirdly before smiling and nodding. “Okie dokie.” She said as she bounced into the back room.
“Three down…three to go. What have I signed myself up for?” Tempest asked of no pony in particular.
=====
Tempest looked incredulously at the alcove that Rarity had taken up a place in. More specifically, he was staring at what the pony fashionista was doing to his alcove. Somehow she had managed to get a hold of some fabrics and was…decorating.
“Um..Miss Rarity, if you don’t mind can you stop that please?” Tempest asked as he steps into the alcove.
“Oh but dear, this place is simply drab and dreary! It needs to be spruced up a little. Style and décor demand it! I simply cannot allow this travesty to pass my eyes.” She said not even bothering to look at him as she kept going.
“Miss Rarity, we have a schedule to keep. As I’m sure you are aware, keeping to a schedule when creating is important if we don’t wish to disappoint the clientele.” Tempest said, hoping that that would make her stop decorating his house. She gasped as she dropped the fabrics in a heap on the floor.
“Oh! I’d forgotten about that!” she exclaimed before heading to the centre of the alcove. “Please dear, let’s be about business shall we? I’d hate to be the reason you were unable to finish your sculpture for the Princesses! Why, I’d never forgive myself for shattering this golden chance for your work to shine!”
Tempest raised an eyebrow towards Rarity. Well, he thought to himself, I wasn’t expecting this reaction from her. Hunh… He coughs to himself as he adjusts his glasses. “Well then, let’s get started shall we?” he said as he began to take her measurements. “Now then Miss Rarity, how did you feel when creating the dresses for the royal wedding?”
“Well my dear Mister Storm, I felt ecstatic! I was designing and creating the dress for not only a wedding, not just a Canterlot wedding, but a Royal Canterlot wedding! Every pony who is any pony would be seeing my work up there on the Princess Cadence as they said their vows in a historic moment….oh the sheer joy I felt being able to help out with the wedding…despite the small setback in the beginning.”
“You mean that whole Changeling business? Aye, that was a bit of a pain in the posterior.”
“Oh? You were in Canterlot that day my dear?” Rarity asked as he took measurements of her tail and mane.
“Mmhhm.” He vocalised as he jotted down the measurements onto the paper, pencil in his mouth. “Well, aside from the whole it’s a royal wedding thing, I was visiting some friends. But enough about myself Miss Rarity. We’re here to talk about you.” He said putting down the measuring tape into a pocket. “Now then. What about that time you were the talk of Canterlot after bumping into Fancypants and saying you were staying with the Princess?”
Rarity gives a hasty chuckle at the memory. “Eh heh…that was a little…embarrassing and chaotic for me…let’s not speak of it.”
Tempest chuckles slightly. “Got it. Canterlot society has always…eluded me personally. I just can’t understand what their fascination with being gossipy and hifalutin is. Personally speaking, I think Fancypants is the only one there with any form of brain.”
“Now see here! The graces and airs of Canterlot have clearly just eluded you my dear Mister Storm.” Rarity pouted. “Canterlot high society is-“
“Miss Rarity…if we can stay on topic please? I’m sure that one in your career must pay attention to the high society ponies to stay on track with the latest fashions and styles. But one of my career just needs to know the names of the ponies involved and what they want. Not what society wants.” Tempest said, jotting down notes of the conversation.
“Well, I suppose so. But I must simply take you to one of their garden parties! It may just change your mind on Canterlot high society.” Rarity insisted.
Tempest sighs and closes up the notepad. “Very well. I can only assume that the Summer Sun Celebration will be party enough however. Well, I think that’s all I need Miss Rarity. You can wait in the back room with the others if you wish to. Just do me one favour if you do so?”
“What’s that?” she asks.
“Don’t try to decorate it.”
=====
“So Miss Applejack you are the Element of Honesty?” Tempest asks as he begins to take measurements of her.
“Ah sure am. Why you ask that? Ah woulda thunk that was common knowledge.” She asks.
“Just checking. I never put much stock in gossip or rumours. Now then, how would you describe your relation with the Princesses? If I recall correctly, you gave Princess Luna advice on how to be more approachable to her subjects, and you did the entire catering for the wedding?”
Applejack crossed her legs and nodded. “Ah sure did. Well, the advice part was all Twi’s idea but Ah think Ah managed to help her out. And Ah sure did the catering. Hoo boy was that ever a mess with the fake one and the real one. But it managed to drum up some more business for Sweet Apple Acres and that’s always a good thing. Ya know, Granny Smith needs that hip replacement, then there’s the barn roof needing reworking-“
“I can imagine… so your relationship with the Princesses is purely one of a business nature?”
“Gosh darn it, that’s not what Ah meant Tempest.” Applejack fumed. “It’s nice that Sweet Apple Acres is getting more bits cus of it, but Ah don’t ever use my knowing the Princesses to mah advantage. That just wouldn’t be right ya know?”
Tempest nods at the pony. “I see. Well thank you Miss Applejack, I think I’ve got enough to work from now. The others are all in the backroom… if you don’t mind can you make sure that Miss Rarity isn’t trying to refurbish it please?”
Applejack chuckled as she doffed her hat back. “Ah’ll see what I can do for ya.”
====
Tempest rubs the back of his head with a bemused look on his face. The shy yellow Pegasus was curled up at the far back of the alcove hiding behind her long pink mane.
“Miss Shy… please… Nothing scary or frightening of any kind is going to happen. I promise…” Tempest said as softly as he could. Unfortunately all he got in return was a very low mumble and her not budging. Hrm, I knew she was a shy pony but this is ridiculous…
“Hrm, that parakeet from the other week was less problematic…” Tempest mused quietly.
“Um… a parakeet?” Fluttershy asked quietly, just within Tempest’s hearing range. He looked over to her and slowly smiles.
“Yeah, a parakeet. For some reason this pony wanted a sculpture of the bird. My left wing joint still hurts from the thing’s pecking.” He grumbled good humouredly. Next thing Tempest knew he was on the pedestal he had been trying to get Fluttershy on, with the yellow Pegasus performing a medical examination.
“Oh you poor pony, here let me see what I can do for you.” She said as she started gently examining the wing joint. Tempest stood there with a confused and amused expression on his face as she worked.
“Well Miss Shy, you certainly live up to the title of Element of Kindness.” He chuckled as she worked. “Um… but I’m fine. It’s not the first ache I’ve gotten from my line of work and I doubt it will be my la-aaah!” he cried as Fluttershy found the exact spot the bird had been pecking at him. She immediately squeaked and put her face in his.
“Oh! I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to hurt you Mister Storm… um…”
“It’s quite alright Miss Shy. I’ve gotten used to that ache being there.” he said smiling at her face in his. She shyly nods and promptly returns to hiding behind her mane. “Now… if you please, I need to take your measurements… otherwise I might not be able to get this statue right…” He actually winced as he finished saying those words. Damn I sound like a jerk! I didn’t want to put that much pressure on this little mare…
“Oh… I’m sorry Mister Storm…” she replied demurely as she spread out her wings, still hiding behind that long pink mane of hers as she stood on the pedestal. He quickly set about getting the measurements he needed before either of them got too uncomfortable with the situation.
“All right Miss Shy… I think we can skip the questionnaire that I put your friends through… If you’d like, you can go meet them in the backroom please…” Tempest said, trying his best not to flinch as he spoke. Whenever he worked with customers he tended to speak in a more “as of fact” type of tone… which to his ears seemed just a little rough on Fluttershy. She shyly nodded and whispered thank you before heading out the alcove.
“Wow Storm… just wow.” He groaned rubbing his forehead with his hoof, being careful not to bash his glasses. “I’d heard she was timid… but I didn’t think she was that timid… Oh well, least you’ve got everypony’s measurements now. Now comes the tricky part… getting enough clay.”
