Chapter 10: A Clockwork Lemon

The afternoon train to Manehatten chugged along towards the eastern costal city as steady winds beat against the locamotive, passangers whispering and gossiping to one another amazed to see not one but two princesses riding the train like normal ponies.

"You know princess, we could have easily payed for a private car. Would probably be alot quiter and less, well less this." Lavender sneered as she watched two young foals blowing spit wads at each others across the isles through rather twisty crazy straws.

"Perhaps" Luna chuckled. "But I quite enjoy being amoungst my subjects. So often I only get to see them in their dreams its nice to be in their company like a normal pony." The princess smiled.

Lavender just pouted. "I still would've prefered a private car."

"I hate to interrupt" Twilight interjected. "But I think its important we remain on task." She stated pointing to Tempest who was seemingly deep in her own thoughts staring out the window.

Luna just nodded in agreement as she adressed the rather dower hornless mare. "So Tempest, what can you tell us about this Lemon Crescent?" Luna asked non-chelauntly.

Tempest turned away from the window to look at the princess and sighed. "Not much I am afraid." She sighed once more. "Despite the repairs you and Twilight made while inside my mind, my past is, still rather fuzzy." Tempest frowned.

"It's OK." Twilight reassured her putting her hoof on Tempest's shoulder. "I am sure everything will become clear in time." She softly smiled.

Tempest returned a small smile back at Twilight and nodded. "There is one thing I do remember." Tempest replied. "Lemon was always scowling. I know not why, but for some reason, I, i feel she was always mad at me, even if she wouldn't admit to it."

"Well then, when we get to Manehatten we will just have to ask her, won't we?" Luna replied with a devious smile.

Lemon Crescent hummed a happy tune as she was hard at work in the back of her bakery preparing her sweet treats. "Oh so many orders to fill!" She smiled with glee. "Four dozen lemon squares for the foals at Manehatten Elementary, two dozen lemon marange pies for the Manehatten Historical Society. And 1000 lemon candies for Mayor Hardhoof's Nightmare Night Party later this month. Fall is great!" She cheered. Her celebrations of her businesses success interupted as she heard the front door open and the bell at the top ding.

"Coming!" She sang as she trotted out of the kitchen to the front of the store. "Welcome, i'm Lemon Crescent and this is my sweet shop how may I help you!?" She said with a smile as she greeted her guests. Suddenly her happy mood dissapeared as she saw who had come into her shop. She gulped as she saw the visage of not one, but two princesses, a batpony silently hovering above and in the middle, the most terrifying sight of all. A hornless unicorn mare, a scar upon her cheek and a rather serious stare upon her face.

"H,h, he, hello." She nervously meeped.

"Hello, Lemon, long time no see." Tempest greeted in kind.

"Um, yea, same." Lemon nervously chuckled trying to slowly back-up, every fiber of her being yelling at her tellling her to run back into the kitchen and hide, only to feel her flank bump into something, looking back only to see the thestral guard had managed to sneak up behind her and block her path.

Lemon gulped. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Oh not much, we just need you to answer a few questions." Luna smirked.

"If you don't mind that is." Twilight added.

"Oh, of, of course not." Lemon replied as she felt a chill run down her spine. "And answer honestly or else." Lavender threatened from behind baring her fangs.

Tempest slowly trotted up to the lemon loving unicorn and and let out a deep heavy sigh. "When we were foals, why were you mad at me all the time?" Tempest asked, her eyes wide and sorrowful.

"Me, mad, at you? Pfft, no, no of course not." She stammered. Trying to fain innocence until she felt the Batpony's fangs against her rump. "Eeeep!" She shook that cold chill reaching her spine once more. "Ok, ok, I, I was jealous. I wasn't mad I was jealous! Just don't let her bite me. I need my blood!" Lemon Screeched.

"Jealous? Why?" Tempest asked rather confused.

"Because everypony loved you, they adored you and your parents, when they should have been adoring me!" She whined. "My magic was just as strong as yours. My parents were just as rich as yours, but you got all the affection, all the praise, all the friends! I couldn't stand it!" She sneered. "That's why I convinced Glitter & Spring to help me scare you!" She cried.

"You did what!?" Tempest angrily huffed.

"I didn't know what would happen though." She stammered. "Spring came up with the plan. He was getting jealous too. And Glitter, that stupid bitch was always a coward, of course she'd follow along. I just wanted you to be scared, if you were at home hiding under your bed for awhile, I could get the attention, the friends I deserved. I didn't know the Ursa had woken up from its hibernation. I didn't know you'd lose your horn!" Lemon sobbed now huddled down on the floor her hooves over her eyes.

Tempest just stood there, staring down at the mare, a mixture of anger and sorrow welling up inside her.

"So what you're saying is, because of your vanity, your petty jealousy I have spent most of my life angry, hornless and alone?" Tempest scowled.

"Mmm hmm" Lemon sobbed.

Tempest just sat down next to Lemon and whispered into her ear. "You are a sad, weak, pathetic little mare. And guess what, your plan backfired. I'm still here, and I have friends, real friends. And they care for me. I am loved by them more then anypony will ever love you in all your days on this earth."

Tempest stood back up over Lemon, a malevolent smile upon her face.

"I, i'm sorry, i'm sorry." Lemon sobbed.

"I know you are. But it doesn't change what happened, what you did. What you let them do." Tempest huffed.

Lemon slowly wobbled back onto her hooves. "I know. But, it was Spring Rain who.." she stopped herself mid-sentence, she was already in trouble and she couldn't handle anymore.

"Spring Rain who what?" Tempest asked with an angry growl.

"No, no more, i've had enough of this. I, I already made my confession! If you want to know how Spring wronged you, then you go and track him down and ask him yourself!" Lemon angrily screeched.

"And so we shall." Princess Luna Chimed in. "Could you be so kind as to tell us his where abouts?" She politely asked.

"I don't know where he is." Lemon huffed. "All I know is he wanted to follow the clouds & the rain to follow his calling! He was obsessed with rainy days, he wanted to live somewhere that was cloudy all the time."

"Well that narrows things down quite abit then." Twilight cheerfully interjected. " The only two towns in Equestria with more cloudy days then sunny ones are Hollow Shades and...."

"Trottingham" Lavender interrupted with a devious smile.

"Well then, Trottingham is where we'll go." Tempest replied. "Oh and Lemon, if I were you i'd watch my back, I think Luna's little pet has taken quite the liking to you." Tempest chuckled pointing to Lavender who was smiling wide baring her fangs and licking her lips. "So do try to behave from now on. No more scheming to ruin ponies lives." She sneered. And as the group began to trot out of the store Lavender turned around and winked "see you soon little one."

Lemon just gulped as she felt her heart sink like a rock. "I am so bucked." She whinned as the once bright shop seemed to now be tainted by her own sins, her own darkness.

On the way back to the train station Tempest did her best to keep a strong front, but eventually found herself breaking down and sobbing. "I, I lost my horn because of her, and for such stupid, petty reasons!" She cried.

Twilight embraced the mare and did her best to calm her. "I know, I know. What she did was wrong. I know hearing it hurt. But you were so strong back there. I'm proud of you for facing her. Even if things did get kind of, intense."

Tempest just looked into Twilight's eyes. "How can somepony so good care for someone as bad as me?"

"Because I can see the real you. I see a strong, smart, beautiful mare. Yes she is hurting, yes she was angry and lonely for a very long time. But she found her way home, despite everything she had been through that light inside, no matter how small it became never truly went out." Twilight smiled as she wiped the tears from Tempest's eyes.

"Oh just kiss already!" Lavender howled.

"Wha, what!?" The two replied in a panic quickly unraveling from their embrace and blushing bright red.

"Hmm, hmm, their will be time for that later." Luna chuckled. "But for now, I do believe we have a 6:15 train to Trottingham to catch."

Luna was right, this wasn't over yet. They still had one pony yet to confront. One pony left to help bring peace to Tempest's weathered spirit. Little did they know, Tempest's reunion with Spring Rain would be the most painful one of all.

Author's Note

Well Happy Halloween everbody. Hope you enjoyed this new chapter, sorry for the shortness & slower releases.

Anyway, come back next time as Tempest confronts Spring Rain and learns the truth about her parents demise!