Let me be your Sidekick, PLEASE!
Far beyond the borders of Equestria an evil ruler laid siege to all those unfortunate enough to be in his path. He was called the Storm King, who ruled over a massive army of beasts. But there was one little creature who was not nearly as intimidating as his fellow soldiers, he was shorter and fatter than any of the Storm Soldiers. This was Grubber.
However he didn't let his size halt his attempts to try and impress his master and fellow soldiers, that was until the day SHE came along.
The lone unicorn with a broken horn who stole the Malachite of Misfortune from one of the airships of the Storm King. When they first met, he didn't exactly make the best first impression on her, she managed to escape him and the other Storm Soldiers. Much later the Storm King found her and was impressed by her skills, he even offered her a deal to work for him and help him become the most powerful ruler in all of the land, in exchange for magic powerful enough to restore her horn. She agreed, shook his hand, jumped on aboard an airship, got some armor on her and became commander of the Storm Soldiers. With Tempest leading his army, the Storm King grew more and more powerful. Villages, cities, and nations fell, this quickly got her respect from the other Storm Soldiers, and from Grubber. He wanted to be just like her. So one day he went up to her and asked-
"You wanna be my sidekick?" Tempest repeated.
"Oh yes-yes-yes! Your evil-EVIL sidekick!" Grubber begged with enthusiasm.
Tempest sneered, "Oh really? and what could you offer no other Storm Soldier can?"
"I-I can be a very valuable sidekick. I can bake." Tempest merely glared intensely at him with a blank expression, tilting her head up, showing no emotion for miles, Grubber squeaked awkwardly, "Actually I-I really can't, I mean I'm good at eating baked goods as opposed to baking them, I think my favorite has to be chocolate ca-"
"Enough!" Tempest yelled, sparks flaring from her horn, tired and annoyed by the diminutive hedgehogs pointless rambling, "Is there a point to this."
"Just please let me prove myself!" Grubber wailed kneeling down and gripping Tempest right foreleg, "You can show me some pointers to be as scary as you, and I can learn! Please! I'll even share my sugar stash with you, I got lots of cinnamon rolls, and c'mon whose gonna say no to a cinnamon roll? They're delicious!"
"Quit embarrassing yourself!" Tempest replied pulling her hoof away from him, "I don't need a sidekick, especially a little glutton like you whose only good at eating and bad at everything else."
Grubber stared wide eyed at Tempest, her words like a dagger twisting his heart, his ears fell and remained silent, looking like he was almost on the verge of tears. Tempest didn't acknowledge his expression and simply turned around her nose pointing upward, eyes closed, and walked away.
"Besides I do better on my own." Tempest remarked coldly as she walked away.
Grubber sniffled as he watched her leave, his sad expression quickly faded into one of determination, "Oh, you cant get rid of me that easy."
The next couple of weeks were a series of tries and fails for Grubber as Tempest was looking for something called the "Staff of Sacanas", it said with the power of the four princesses of Equestria it would give the Storm King the power of a hundred armies and hopefully restore her horn. She had never been so determined as to find that staff, it would be the first step in a long road towards recovering her horn, to her this was a BIG deal, and Grubber's attempts to become her sidekick was proving to be more of a distraction. First he tried sneaking on to her personal airship, only to be discovered and literally be kicked off and fell down a thousand feet, the fact he only survived with a limp for a week was nothing short of a miracle.
Next he tried disguising himself as one of her personal Storm Guards, but that plan was short lived due to his "stature". Again, he was kicked off, and survived with another limp for a week and a neck brace. Tempest had to admit, he was determined, but he was also annoying and distracting. Something she didn't need since the staff was her main priority. She didn't have time to waste on that little beast when recovering her horn was her main focus.
First the staff, then the princesses, the magic, and finally her horn.
Nobody, not even that pudgeball will halt her attempts.
Grubber wheeled to his room, he was on a wheel chair, covered in bandages, neck brace, and a cast on his left foot. Attempt #38 was met with the same results: Falling and Hurting.
As he passed between two Storm Soldiers, they stared at him and couldn't help but chuckle mockingly as he wheeled right past them. He entered his room, which really was just the janitors supply closet with a bed and an oil lamp hanging over, a trash bin filled with crumpled paper. He hopped off his wheel chair and flinched only slightly.
"Ouch...Ouch...Ouch..." Grubber muttered with each step, he kneeled down and grabbed a pink cupcake from under his bed along with a pen and notepad with doodles of different attempts to be Tempest's sidekick , he flipped over to the last page which was a crude drawing of him riding on Tempest's back holding a flag with the Storm Kings symbol, and sparks shooting from Tempest's broken horn creating fireworks, surrounded by a bunch of Storm Soldiers bowing before them both and praising them.
Grubber sighed, "One day..." he took a bite of his cupcake.
Finally after three weeks, Tempest secured the Staff of Sacanas and presented it before the Storm King himself.
"Here it is your excellency as promised," Tempest declared loudly, "The Staff of Sacanas."
The Storm looked at the staff unimpressed expecting something alot more than a piece of wood, "This is a twig, Tempest why am I holding a twig with a shiny rock on it."
"That is the staff I promised you, your excellency, the power of the elements will be all yours as soon as-"
Tempest was immediately cut off by the Storm King, "Awesome! Let's see what this bad boy can do then!"
Storm King began waving the staff expecting something big and magical to be happening right about now, "C'mon! Am-am I holding it right or something? This isn't-is there like an ON button on this thing 'r something?" Storm King began waving it more violently infront of Tempest's face
"N-no your exellency, its-no, it's not powered to its maximum capacity yet." Tempest calmly explained as he kept waving it like an exuberant child, "We need to go to Equestria, find the four princesses and take their magic, let me lead the invading forces and once everything is ready so will the staff be."
"Blegh!" Storm King stuck his tongue out in disgust, "I hate waiting! Almost as much as I hate being powerless!"
"Don't worry sir, it will be worth the wait." Tempest smirked evilly, "I promise."
"Fine go! Take as many Storm Soldiers as you need, but this better payoff for your sake Tempest," Storm King threatened, "I don't wanna be known as "King who holds a stick that does nothing!", it doesn't roll off the tongue as good as Storm King ya know! Maybe I can whack someone with it?" Storm King turned to the nearest Storm Soldier and gave him a good BONK on the head, causing the Storm Soldier to slip to unconsciousness.
"Meh." Storm King shrugged.
"Don't worry sir, it won't be no trouble at all." Tempest turned around and exited the Storm Kings airship towards her ship, she looked at her personal Storm Soldiers.
"Get the airships ready and tell everyone to follow me towards Equestria! I want as many airship with as many Storm Soliders in routes!" She ordered getting nods from both of Storm Soldier.
A few minutes later Tempest's airship was above the clouds with many more airships containing Storm Soldiers, following right behind hers, traveling across the vast ocean towards Equestria. Tempest was patiently standing behind the Storm Soldier holding the wheel driving her airship. That is until the door opened and she heard a familiar annoying voice complaining.
"Hey come on! Watch it! Easy with the tail!" Grubber complained.
Tempest sighed in frustration and turned around, narrowing her eyes, seeing one of her Storm Soldiers holding Grubber up by his tail.
"Grubber," Tempest muttered, "Didn't you try the whole stowaway plan already."
"Uh yeah and thanks again for asking about my limp, couldn't really sit the same way again after that, chairs or toilet seats including, don't ask."
Tempest rolled her eyes, "I'm getting really tired of kicking you off my ship Grubber."
The Storm Soldier released Grubber who landed face first on the surface of the floor with a little 'plop' noise, Grubber got up and dusted himself, putting on his best begging face.
"Please-please-please! I know you don't like the whole sidekick thing, but I'm asking for a chance!" Grubber pathetically begged, "You can have my whole stash if you want, I'll do anything please!"
Tempest closed her eyes and gritted her teeth angrily, everyone has their limits, and Grubber was currently testing hers.
"Fine!" Tempest blurted angrily, "Just to shut you up! Heaven knows if I kick you off this ship you'll just make your way back to me...AGAIN!"
Grubber stood their silent his ears flat against his skull, he really half expected her to say 'No' and kick him off again, this came to him as a complete surprise, but it worked so he really isn't complaining, "Your serious?"
"Yes, fine." She growled, "You can join me on this mission to try and prove yourself. And if you do you can be my sidekick."
Grubber gasped and cheered, "Yes!"
Tempest menacingly approached him, her horn crackling, "but if you don't, then you leave me alone! No more sneaking on my ship, no more disguises, and if I even see you in the same room as me, I'm gonna have to make a reminder."
Grubber gulped, and nodded, he gave a quick salute, "Grubber reporting for duty boss ma'm! By the time we're done you'll wonder how you ever managed without me!"
Tempest sighed, rolling her eyes, debating if this was the right choice.
Author's Note
In celebration of the MLP movie I present this little prequel story. I took some elements from one of the prequel comics and the storybook version and I hope you liked it! Peace out!
