The Storm Passes

by DiscoGuy

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Romance, Twilight Sparkle, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad
Length: 22362

Following the Storm Kings invasion, Tempest Shadow is left to learn about friendship and the world she left behind, from her first true friend Twilight Sparkle. Holding to this new, dear friend, Tempest feels her and Twilight's bond growing every day

After the repulsion of the Storm King's invasion, Tempest Shadow, being the only pony among the army, is not exiled from Equestria, but left behind to face the charge of treason. At Twilight's discretion, she is made an inhabitant of the Castle of Friendship, and the subject of the Princess' own tutelage on the subject of friendship, just as Starlight before her. In adjusting to her new life, friends, and drastically altered view of the world, Tempest must learn the true meaning of friendship, and the many forms in which it comes. With the support of Twilight Sparkle, Tempest works to develop the bonds of friendship, and find a new normal for herself, perhaps even one which accounts for her and Twilight's ever-strengthening bond.

Published 2017-11-02 18:10:10 UTC
Last updated 2017-11-14 00:06:50 UTC

Ch. 1: An Unpleasant Matter

Lit by the still-bright light of the late afternoon, a grand marble hall, sheltered near the rear of Canterlot Castle, served as host to a gathering of a few dozen ponies, several milling about uncomfortably. Making up numerous colorful blots on the pure white marble of the grand hall, the ponies gathered represented some of the most influential, powerful, and important beings in the whole of Equestria. Among the crowd’s number could be counted several high ranking members of the Royal Guard, a few significant nobles, several regular guardsponies, a few important members of the Royal Household, the dual Princesses of the Sun and the Moon, and the Elements of Harmony themselves. Against the rear wall of the grand hall were four towering thrones, one clearly newer than the rest, and two of them seemingly ancient.

Despite the serene orange beams of sunlight which penetrated the small crowd, the room held an air of unshakeable tension. The matter which had led to the summoning of so many important figures to this one hall, was well known among the assembly. In the aftermath of the Storm King’s invasion of Canterlot, the abduction of the Princesses, and the eventual defeat of the invaders, few-if-any ponies had been able to fully return to a sense of calm, which only further fueled the tense air which flooded the room.

If those gathered in the imposing marble hall were to be considered the very most powerful beings in Equestria, several outliers were notable by their absence. A particularly infamous draconequus was understood to be unlikely to attend such a gathering, even if invited, due to the serious nature of such matters. Further, the ruling couple of the Crystal Empire were not to be seen among the assembly, having swiftly returned to their land following the defeat of the Storm King. While the presence of any Princess would typically be expected at such a weighty event as was to transpire, no pony begrudged Princess Cadence her rapid return home; The citizenship of the Crystal Empire had received the shock of discovering, second-hoof, that their Princess had been abducted, and then had been made to fear the same army which had invaded Canterlot, may soon launch an attack on their temporarily leaderless land. Calming their panicked populace was an immediate concern for Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, and remaining behind for the present gathering was simply infeasible.

Piercing the veil of unpleasant quiet which blanketed the room, Princess Celestia spoke. In a tone not quite equal to the Royal Canterlot Voice, but notably more regal and commanding than her typical even-tempered speech, she announced,

“Gathered ponies, you have my thanks for responding to my summons. As you surely realize, summons to this hindmost hall are not made lightly. A matter concerning Equestria’s highest authority, its Princesses, has arisen. There are no subjects of the Crown who wield the authority to pass judgement on such a significant affair, and so we three Princesses sit here, to bear the authority of the Crown itself, in presiding over these proceedings. You have been called here, to stand as witnesses to a trial.”

Though the assembled ponies well-knew the gravity of the matter they attended, and were similarly aware of the crime that was to be tried, hearing such a statement spoken by their beloved Princess shook the heart of even the most stalwart attendees. Despite her efforts to match the composure of her two counterparts, Twilight Sparkle, unnaturally separated from her friends and seated in an imposing throne of violet stone, showed a small but visible disquiet at her mentor’s words.

Striving to prevent the already-unpleasant event from stagnating any further, once again commanded the attention of the hall,

“We stand here to exercise the highest authority in the land, by passing judgement on Fizzlepop Berrytwist, alias Tempest Shadow, who stands accused of High Treason against the Crown.”

The information came as a surprise to nopony, and yet hearing it spoken shocked everypony. Twilight Sparkle, wishing nothing more than to be standing beside her friends, fought back a powerful urge to vomit, spurred by the stress and burden of her responsibility to pass judgement on her new, reformed friend. The Elements of Harmony, minus their de facto leader, could be seen standing in total silence among the small crowd. Their personalities being known to range from brash, to proud, to opinionated, to insane, lent further significance to their total violation of such traits, by remaining entirely focused on the words of their Princess. Fluttershy, victim to her own soft-heartedness, sidled near to Rarity as a precaution, for the poor pegasus seemed worryingly near to fainting.

Next to break through the uncomfortable atmosphere with her voice was Princess Luna, refocusing the attention of the room, and proclaiming,

“Guards, open the main door, and allow the accused in.”

Two earth pony guards, stepping toward the hall’s front, grabbed and pulled large metal handles. The door, an immense affair of oak and iron, creaked open. In bled a momentarily blinding pre-evening light, and a small gust of unseasonably chilly air. Eyes adjusting, the gathered witnessed three ponies fade in from silhouette. Leftmost of the trio stood a muscular pegasus, bearing with the ubiquitous armor and spear of the Royal Guard. Though such a weapon was a common sight in Canterlot, there existed no doubt of the guard’s ability to swiftly inflict a mortal wound on a certain pony who might act foolishly. The evident focus of his poised spear-wielding stance stood at the center of the entering trio. A mare of uncommon height, stripped of the Storm King’s armor, Tempest Shadow could be seen for the fuchsia pony she always been. Even under escort by the Royal Guard, the mare cast an intimidating presence. While not nearly as ruggedly built as her pegasus escort, she possessed an impressive musculature for a mare, matched only by the powerful build of the Element of Honesty. With a stoic face, Tempest could be seen to have shackles tightly binding her hooves, in a configuration which allowed for little more than a slow walk. Around her trademark shattered spire of a horn, floated a greenish-black aura, immediately recognizable as a field of antimagic. The effect could be seen to originate from the final member of the trio, a unicorn demonstrating powerful magical concentration, clad in the same royal armor and keeping a moderate berth between himself and the subject of his spell.

Marching slowly forward, the three ponies came to rest several yards in front of the three present Princesses. Lacking both the ability and intent to make any sudden movements, Tempest sat slowly down upon her haunches, and turned her gaze towards Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight mustered a small, supportive smile for the sake of her newest friend. Another subtle grin emerged through Tempest’s unflappable front, wishing to abate the worries of her first friend, before reverting to her expression of neutrality. Princess Luna made a small inhalation, garnering the attention of the room in anticipation of the first words to the accused.

“Tempest Shadow, given name Fizzlepop Berrytwist, former lieutenant and second-in-command to the now deceased Storm King, thy liege and the commander of the invading army, being incapable of standing trial for his actions, leavest thou to bear the responsibility of standing trial. Whilst thou art not guilty of ordering the invasion of Canterlot, as thy liege wert, since thou art a pony, and thus a native of this land, thou standest accused of High Treason against the Crown.”

Though she knew she would hear those very words, Luna naming Tempest’s crime again brought forth the stress and nausea that hung over Twilight Sparkle, mired in worry for her friend, but forcing herself to hold up a facade of disaffection. The ponies present were further unsettled by Luna manner of speech. While the lunar Princess had adapted to a modern speaking style for some time, the seriousness and weight with which she viewed the matter at hand compelled her to again affect the more formal speech of royalty from a millennium past. The significance of her altered speech was lost on nopony, except the accused pony herself. Luna continued,

“Thou art to understand, your plea will not have a bearing upon thy sentence, shouldst thou be found guilty. Knowing such, hast thou any considerations to raise in name of thy innocence?”

The air in the hall again grew still, as its population collectively held their breath, anticipating the fuschia mare’s response.

“No, your Majesties, I make no claim of innocence, and defy any other’s claim of such.”

Despite the hall being filled with ponies holding their bated breath, even still, this statement was met with a number of audible gasps. Even Twilight allowed her front to be shattered by an instinctive need to inhale, and a worrisome expression which took her several moments to again conceal.Twilight’s fear for her friend had redoubled, though as she attempted to think rationally on the matter, she realized that no other response would have made sense from Tempest. She felt far too much guilt and shame for her actions to risk being declared innocent. Tempest wants to receive her ablution more than anything else. For her sake, I hope she gets it. Twilight silently thought.

Knowing instinctively that her sister would dread having to speak what was to come next, Luna continued,

“Very well. Tempest Shadow, the Crown of Equestria findest thou guilty, of High Treason against the Crown.”

Once again, the whole of the hall had known exactly what was to be said, but excepting Luna, Celestia, and Tempest Shadow, everypony was rocked by Luna’s words. Fluttershy could be seen lying on the ground, being fanned by Rarity, having apparently fainted. Pinkie’s mane and tail again demonstrated their balloonish qualities, deflating as though their internal air pressure had been suddenly quartered. Rainbow Dash, more frustrated than sorrowful, stood quietly with a slightly agitated expression on her face. Most worrying of all, Applejack had removed her Stetson, and held it now against her chest with her hoof. Among all of this, Twilight looked meaningfully at the tragic unicorn, who appeared only more alone. Despite this, Tempest made no glances toward anypony, simply holding her unbroken gaze at Princess Luna, with a stare that spoke not of anger, but of submission.

Her sister having spared her the hardest part of the trial, Celestia again took the reins of the proceeding.

“Tempest Shadow, before we, the representatives of the Crown, make consideration of the circumstances and context of your crime, for the purpose of delivering a judicious sentence, do you have anything to say for yourself? Any such points you wish to raise, regarding why you acted as you did?”

“No, your Majesties. I make no excuses, and submit myself before your judgement.”

The Princesses sat, momentarily silent in contemplation, until finally, Celestia stood. She aimed her gaze through the grandiose windows of the hall, flared her horn with a gleam of golden light, and set the sun onto its slow path of setting. Following thus, Luna stood in kind, and stared seemingly down at the floor, at the hall’s opposite end. In reality, Luna looked toward the lip of the distant horizon, not with her eyes, but with a magical grasp that reached out for her familiar moon. Her horn now imbued with a midnight blue aura, that seemed to consume light just as her sister’s created it, Luna set the moon into a slow rise, starting from well below the horizon. The regal sisters again sat, having completed their unspoken acknowledgement of the waning hour.

Again, silence overtook the room, as the assembled ponies wondered which Princess would be the first to speak. After several more moments of quiet meditation, Princess Luna broke the silence,

“Before passing sentence, I wish to raise to the attention of the Crown, that whilst the guilty party makes no claims in her defense, nonetheless we art obligated to consider any such matters, should they be present. As such, in regard to thy crime, Tempest Shadow, whilst thou did invade this land and abduct its Princesses, and thou art ultimately responsible for thy involvement in thus, neither the invasion nor the abduction was an act of thy will. Whence thou committed these acts, thou acted under the orders of thy former liege, the Storm King. Though thou had commanded the invading army for some time in thy liege’s absence, and personally committed thine abductions, thou acted as thou ought, as a loyal subject of thy liege. While all ponies possess the obligation to uphold good and righteous acts, thou had the dual burden of also following the orders of the Storm King.”

With Luna’s speech finished, Twilight felt a small bubble of hope, being allowed to form within herself. While Twilight would do nearly anything for the sake of a friend in such dire need, she vastly preferred the idea of aiding Tempest without earning the ire of other ponies.

Acknowledging her sister with an earnest nod, Celestia returned to leading the proceeding. Having passed the most serious portion of the trial, and now making considerations for the sake of the guilty pony, who would otherwise make none, Celestia returned to her typical volume. Still commanding, though notably tempered with mercy, Celestia spoke,

“I am in full agreement with what my sister has said. I would also like to draw the attention of all those here to the possibility that Tempest Shadow has been, in part, the victim of coercion under duress. If I understand properly, you were grievously wounded in a foalhood accident, and following such, were ostracized. This, I imagine, is what led to your departure from this land, and your following solitude. Furthermore, I have been informed by...” Celestia made a small glance toward Twilight Sparkle, and allowed a small smile onto her face. “...a trustworthy source, that the Storm King spurred your enlistment and fealty, with a false promise that he would mend your otherwise unrestorable injury. With this in mind, I cannot imagine that you were not, in some way, put under emotional duress to serve the Storm King. While this doesn’t absolve you, Tempest, I believe it signifies that, while you are the perpetrator of a crime, you have also been the victim of the Storm King.”

Twilight again felt a rush of relief enter her system, as her beloved mentor spoke up in defense of Tempest, and finally returned to the kind, caring disposition she knew. As she collected herself to speak, it occurred to Twilight that Celestia had almost certainly stepped back from her powerful, commanding voice, because she knew Twilight was to speak next, and the young alicorn would struggle balancing a powerful, regal voice, with a calm disposition, especially given her attachment to the pony on trial.With a warm appreciation for Celestia’s unfailingly considerate nature, and the attention of the assembled ponies, Twilight took one last restorative breath, and spoke,

“I agree with the Princesses- that is, with my fellow Princesses. I believe Tempest Shadow has been the victim of coercion, and can’t be- cannot be- expected to bear the full weight of the invasion. F-Further, I personally bore witness to the defeat of the Storm King, and saw the pony before us cast aside self preservation, the leap into the face of death to protect other ponies, ponies who would otherwise be considered her enemies. And she was also the one to truly best the Storm King, dragging him off of a high balcony, intending to give her own life in the fall, to ensure the Storm King’s demise. Though she was saved from the consequences of her sacrifice, she nonetheless acted selflessly. I believe she acted in accordance with the highest ideals of ponykind, and that, though she may have lead the invading army into Canterlot, she is owed a great thanks, for ultimately besting the Storm King and saving Equestria.”

Though starting from initial discomfort and stumbling speech, the young alicorn’s speech built to confidence and poise, as she began to embrace the passion with which she would eagerly defend her friend. Few-if-any ponies in the room could claim to not have been moved by the charisma and surety of the lavender Princess, due in no small part to both her skill in public speaking, and her obvious passion for the matter at hand.

Though the gesture was subtle, the royal sisters looked to each other, then to their youthful counterpart, with great pride. Wielding the full authority of the Crown, and passing judgement on such serious crimes, was among the most difficult responsibilities of Princesshood, and yet their peer had taken to it with surprising grace and capability. Her minor stumbles were far outweighed by the sweeping effect she had generated among the ponies present.

Behind her unflappable mask, Tempest Shadow stood in awe of Twilight’s magnanimity. First I abduct this mare’s fellow princesses, then I pursue her across a continent, abduct her, and steal her magic for the Storm King, and even still she finds it within herself to save my life. And even now, she speaks so fervidly in my defense. No doubt, I am indebted to this pony for the rest of my life. Thoughts paced through Tempest’s mind, as she contemplated the genuinity with which Twilight had declared herself a friend. Were a pony, in this moment, standing face-to-face with the wounded unicorn, they may have seen tears welling in the mare’s eyes, then cast off with a feigned cough, as she returned to her self-imposed neutrality.

Sensing a somewhat lighter atmosphere from her sister and her young peer, Luna also cast off her commanding aura of intimidation, addressing the fuschia mare before her.

“Tempest Shadow, do you object to any of what your Princesses have said of you and the circumstances of your crime?”

“n-no- *cough*- No, your majesty, I submit myself wholly to the wisdom of my Princesses.”

Tempest answered, again feigning a cough to conceal the small crack in her voice, which may otherwise have betrayed her immense gratitude toward the Princesses, and sorrow for her actions. In truth, Tempest wished to fall prostrate before the Princesses, to weep openly her tears of shame, and to beg a severe punishment of the Princesses. She knew, however, that such an action would be a most impetuous imposition upon them, and that doing so would ensure nopony would believe her true feelings of shame for her wrongdoing.

A powerful silence grasped the room, as the summoned ponies looked toward their Princesses, paralyzed by the knowledge that all which remained was the delivery of a sentence. Rainbow Dash and Applejack held confident stances, unwilling to show their inner turmoil to Twilight, for fear of making what was to come more difficult. Pinkie Pie’s mane drooped with a total deflation, that suggested it had been put through a taffy puller, then left out in a storm. Contrary to their earlier positions, it was now Rarity who had fainted, and Fluttershy, having regained herself, who cared for her lightheaded friend.

Against the backdrop of the now-complete night, sunset having slipped by their notice, the hall’s residents looked toward their rulers, displaying a broad mix of emotions nonetheless dominated by sadness and fear.

Taking it upon herself, one final time, to break through the disquiet, Princess Luna addressed their audience.

“Tempest Shadow, the weight of the crime which you are guilty of has not been lost on me.” A pause, like an immense cloud of gaseous mercury, consumed and choked the room, as the lunar Princess considered her next words. “However, I do not believe a grievous punishment is necessary, nor do I believe it would contribute to your repentance and reformation. Thereby, I intend to rest authority on this matter in the hands of a Princess more capable of aiding your rehabilitation. I do yield my right to propose a sentence upon Tempest Shadow, to the Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Immediately stepping in after her sister’s declaration, Celestia voiced her own judgement.

“I respect my fellow Princess’ conclusion that a severe punishment would be an unhelpful, vengeful solution. I, too, yield my right to pass sentence to the Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

The attendees stood split, between those captured by awe at their lunar rulers’ confidence in the Princess of Friendship, and those who had already expected the final decision would be given to the young leader, and were simply impressed by the regal sisters’ poise in yielding their right to oppose Twilight’s judgement.

While she had suspected some outcome of the sort, the complete authority she now wielded cowed Twilight. Taking several deep breaths, she pressed her hoof to her chest, then pushed it away from herself, with a large exhalation. Inhaling once more, she turned her sight toward Tempest Shadow, preparing to speak.

The guilty pony, now knowing the sole decider of her fate, found herself unable to meet the gaze of a mare who had already shown her so much mercy and consideration. This kindness which she had, in her view, done nothing to merit, weighed so heavily in her mind that she bent her head toward the floor, awaiting judgement.

“Very well. Tempest Shadow, your sentence falls solely to me. I believe Princesses Luna and Celestia have sufficiently discussed your actions, and punishment by which you may be made to repent, and make a permanent change. Personally, I believe it prudent to ensure you are kept well within the reach of regular guards, who are capable of restraining you, should you behave rashly. Also, I do not believe you can be justly entrusted with the freedom to travel and live under your own accord, until such a time as you have proved yourself worthy of such a privilege. If I am correct, you have no true home within these lands, and living in captivity with such guards would provide you residence within Equestria, which you otherwise would not have.”

Several of the assembled ponies now stared at the Princess, guessing at and anticipating the forthcoming sentence. Fluttershy and Rarity, now both fully conscious, stared wide-eyed at their friend, troubled by the decision she was now forced to make. Even Celestia and Luna, who had made great effort to appear perfectly calm and unaffected, could not help but look at their compatriot, in the moment of silent air which seemed to stretch on so long that the sun ought’ve risen again.

“As such, I have decided upon a sentence which I deem appropriate for you. Tempest Shadow, I sentence you to reside under the direct authority and guard of the Elements of Harmony, myself included. You are to be held within the Castle of Friendship, where you will reside, and shall be made to defer to the absolute will of your guards. You shall be allowed outside of the Castle only when accompanied by an Element of Harmony, or separate guard appointed by an Element. Your sentence shall persist until such a time as I have personally deemed you a fully reformed pony. The conditions of your captivity there shall be revised based on your long term behavior, and any violation of your captivity, or the will of your guards. Know that, if you fail to behave and rehabilitate appropriately, you can just as easily be made to reside in a palace dungeon, where you will be allowed no travel into the outside world, and afforded no kindnesses.”

The sternness of her own words, and the mistrust of her friend implied therein, tore Twilight apart. While she wished to be kinder and more understanding toward Tempest, she knew that as long as she was within these chambers, she must feign the harshness of a powerful ruler, dispensing punishment.

Being familiar with such regal matters as had transpired, and knowing the supreme authority of their beloved Princesses was unquestionable, the gathered ponies knew their opinions held no weight. The room responded simply by nodding, and quietly expressing satisfaction at the wisdom of the Princess’ judgement. Excepting, of course the Elements of Harmony, whose reactions revealed their total agreement with Twilight, and hope for the sake of their new friend. Rainbow Dash unleashed a loud, “YES!” and raised a hoof towards Applejack, who responded by rolling her eyes, and accepting the hoofbump with an amused smile. Rarity and Fluttershy, still lying together on the floor, daintily clapped their hooves together, bearing cheerful grins. And, in keeping with her typical mannerisms, Pinkie Pie popped back into joyousness, as though she had been suddenly inflated by a grand- neigh, cosmic- bike pump.

“Bravo, bravo, I say! Bravo, Princess Twilight!” Exaggeratedly spoke a before unseen draconequus, floating behind one of the halls many towering windows and loudly blowing his nose into a polka-dotted hanky, before again vanishing, with an untraceable *poof*

Princess Celestia, visibly pleased at the outcome, stood and addressed the assembly.

“Very well. Miss Tempest Shadow is to be released into the care of Princess Twilight, and the other Elements of Harmony, effective immediately. I thank all you ponies again, for responding to my summons, and bearing witness to these proceedings. You are all dismissed.”

Sensing the implication in their Princess’ words, the gathered ponies began to vacate the marble hall, leaving into the quiet night. After a few moments, the hall went from containing a small crowd, to holding only the Elements of Harmony, the regal sisters, a handful of guards, and Tempest herself. As the Princesses stepped down from their thrones and approached the unicorn, the pegasus guard withdrew his spear, and stood at attention. In similar fashion, the unicorn released his concentration on the antimagic spell, releasing an exhausted breath as the aura faded into nothing. Celestia turned to her former student, and spoke,

“Twilight, I know that I speak for both Luna and myself when I say how proud we are of you. Presiding over such a serious trial is no small feat, and even moreso when determining a sentence falls to you alone. We had total confidence in your ability to make a fair judgement, and as always, you have only impressed us further.”

She drew the lavender mare into a small hug with her wing, as Luna turned toward her in kind.

“Indeed, we are most impressed by your handling of this matter, and we have absolute faith in you, in carrying out this, punishment.” She concluded with a small wink and a smile.

The three Princesses now turning toward Tempest, Celestia adjusted her stance to address the Pegasus guard.

“Guards, please remove Miss Shadow’s shackles. And, considering the lateness of the hour, please charter three pegasus chariots for the Elements and their escortee.”

The guard responded with a salute, and with assistance from his unicorn compatriot, swiftly removed the shackles around Tempest’s hooves. The two then marched out of the hall, taking the restraints away with them, to charter the necessary chariots.

With a final affectionate nuzzle toward Twilight, Celestia began trotting out of the room, Luna following behind. At Celestia’s beckon, so too left the remaining guards, leaving behind only the Elements, and their new companion.

Once left to themselves, the six pastel besties embraced each other in a large group hug. A chorus of praise for Twilight’s display during the trial rang out, during which Tempest stood aside, glad at the outcome of the trial, but wishing to avoid imposing on the kindness she had been shown. With the breaking of the group hug, Pinkie Pie noticed the unicorn’s uncomfortable stance, and proceeded to launch a ballistic hug at her, in the form of her own flying body. With the loving, and immensely tight, grasp of Pinkie restraining Tempest and causing her eyes to bug out, Rainbow Dash stepped forward to address the ensnared mare.

“Whoa whoa whoa, Tempest, Twilight just saved you, again! Doncha’ think you should be a little more… I don’t know…. Excited?”

Pinkie then released Tempest, allowing her to breathe once more. Just as Rarity stepped forth to protest the rudeness of Rainbow’s question, Tempest raised a hoof, signalling the animate marshmallow to hold off. Looking toward her pegasus inquisitor, she responded,

“I’m sorry, I did not mean to seem unappreciative. I owe you all a great debt, and my gratitude is boundless. I simply fear that I may be taking advantage of your kindness.”

As though shook to her core by the statement, Rarity again stepped toward Tempest, and interjected.

“Oh what nonsense darling. You are simply being far too hard on yourself. Who among us hasn’t turned to friends for support when acting… coarsely. The point is, dear, that you mustn’t doubt that we care for you, genuinely.”

“Yeah, we’re ALWAYS happy to have a new friend! I can’t even count how many of our friends used to be evil monsters!” agreed Pinkie Pie.

“Oh dear, oooooooooh dear…” whispered Fluttershy, as though Pinkie’s statement had represented a great surprise to her.

Applejack and Rainbow, now separated from the fuschia mare by a barrier of marshmallow and Pie, looked toward Tempest, somewhat more distant than the others, but accepting of their new friend nonetheless. Seeing several figures fly by in the darkness outside, Twilight looked to her friends and announced,

“Girls, as sweet as this all is, I think our rides are here.” She gestured towards the door, and began to trot towards it.

Tempest followed immediately in step with her pseudo-jailer, and the remaining ponies proceeded in tow, all leaving the immense marble construction that had dominated the past hours, and stepping into the night.

Seeing three pairs of burly pegasi, strapped into three identical golden chariots, the girls divided themselves, more than ready to return to Ponyville. Applejack and Rainbow Dash split off of the group and settled into one of the chariots, which departed moments after. After a last, crushing hug to her new friend, Pinkie was pulled off by Fluttershy and Rarity, who then dragged her into a chariot, and urged the pegasi to set off. As the chariot began to disappear into the distance, a slowly fading yell could be heard echoing from the distant party pony,

“WAIIIIIIITTTTTTT, I FORGOT TO ASK WHEN YOUR BIIIIIIRRRRTHDAAAAAAAAAYY ISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS............”

With a small chuckle at her friend’s absurd behavior, Twilight turned to her companion, and gestured to the remaining chariot.

“Shall we set off?” she inquired, walking forward. Tempest fell in line behind her escort, and the two settled into the plush seats of their ride. The pegasi took off, pulling the assembly into the star-pocked night sky

Twilight looked to her friend, who finally seemed to release the tension that had wrought her body throughout the day. Painfully, tears began welling in the Tempest’s eyes and her facade started to visibly crack. Sensing this, Twilight slid over to her friend, and sat side-to-side with her, as Tempest’s mask of composure shattered. Tears began pouring down the mare’s face, and the whites of her eyes were stricken with red. In a way she had never done before, Tempest began to grieve. Heavy sobs consumed her body, and with each breath came more tears, and a heavy heave.

Having received the mercy which she had been taught, in the cruelest way, to never expect, Tempest fell over into Twilight, who laid down, and allowed the mare to cry in her lap. A cascade of tears and sorrow came forth from Tempest, and bled into the lavender coat of the first pony to comfort her in a time of need. Twilight, seeing her friend in such agony, held her in the only way that seemed right, embracing Tempest as a mother would her foal, gently stroking her mane, and softly humming an old foalhood lullaby.

Between heavy sobs and endless, heaving tears, Tempest struggled her voice out, cracking and wheezing, and said,

“...th-t-thaa-a-a-ank you-u-u-u-u *heave* Twi-ilight-t-t-t…”

Ch. 2: Help

In the consuming blackness of the night, lit only by the moon’s faint glow, two pegasi, and the chariot they pulled, silently touched down on the grass outside Ponyville’s greatest landmark, the Castle of Friendship. Trotting along several feet of dirt as a runway, the contraption slowly eased to a halt, with a smoothness and stability that spoke to the skill of royal charioteers.

The two ponies’ attached to the grand, golden transport, looking back at their passengers, saw their lavender Princess step carefully down to the earth, and look back into the chariot’s interior, at the mare still lying on it’s velvet seat. Stepping inside the chariot once more, Twilight could be seen, by a mixture of magic and straining hooves, to lift her somewhat large companion onto her back.

Realizing, by the regular rise and fall of her chest, that the deeper shaded individual of their purple passengers had fallen asleep, the guards began working to remove their harnesses. One turned his attention again toward Twilight, and insisted,

“Your Majesty, please allow us to carry your companion inside for you.”

Twilight intended to wave off the guards with a simple swipe of a hoof, but found keeping her hooves planted on terra firma was suddenly quite necessary, to bear her companion’s considerable heft. Setting into a dutiful, if slow, forward march, she settled instead to speak.

“No, I’m fine. You’ve already taken us so far, especially in the middle of the night. I’m perfectly capable of getting her inside, myself.”

Having ample experience with being made unintentional witnesses to, moments, as the two mares had shared, the pegasi recognized their dismissal, and the Princess’ desire to be alone with her companion.

Continuing her slow, careful trudging toward the castle door, Twilight saw nothing of the pegasi leaving, but was assured of their departure by the brief stomping of hooves, and the sudden silence which indicated takeoff. Pushing nearer and nearer to her destination, the encumbered alicorn began to face her own ambient thoughts.

Should I wake her up, or should I just find her a bed and let her sleep? She’s so tired, I don’t know if I could wake her if I tried. But, I don’t know how she would feel waking up alone in a totally foreign environment.

Deciding that she would have to make her way to a bed before tackling anything else, she grasped the front door with a magical grip, letting herself and her company inside, before again shutting it, locking out the chilly night air. Only then realizing just how cold she was, Twilight found herself suddenly glad for the sleeping form on her back, who radiated a very pleasant warmth.

Instinctively, the trudging Princess thought to call for Spike, to lend a much needed claw. However, her thoughts again jumped in, stopping her voice from getting out.

How late is it? He and Starlight must be asleep, and I wouldn’t want to wake them. Especially Spike.

Though she hesitated with the term baby dragon, as it was unfairly demeaning to her young cohort, she couldn’t deny it’s biological accuracy. Just like a growing pony, Spike’s body required ample rest, something she couldn’t bring herself to begrudge him.

Taking advantage of her castle home’s utter silence, and pleasant temperature, Twilight settled onto the ground, careful to not stir her cargo, and turned total focus towards her magic. With heavy, but even, breaths, Twilight lifted the peaceful unicorn from her back, and held her aloft, just a foot over the ground, and near to the alicorn’s side. With unerring concentration on the stability of her spell, Twilight rose, and set off towards an enormous hallway of unused rooms, carrying her floating passenger in violet suspension.

Quietly ambling, she turned her head toward her sleeping friend, and in a manner that would be considered highly uncouth in most contexts, began closely analyzing Tempest’s fuschia flank. It had occurred to Twilight that, with the ample distraction of the trial occupying her, she hadn’t paid any mind to Tempest’s cutie mark, which had previously been obscured by frightful armor. Now able to freely analyze it, she found a mark composed of three small, quad-directional bursts, colored separately in hues of purple, blue, and green, tinted in a manner that reminded her strongly of an aurora. Recalling her friend’s given name, and the display she had generated in the sky above Songbird Serenade’s show, the various pieces of information coalesced into a unified image of fireworks. Wishing to confirm her well-founded suspicion, she resolved to inquire about the subject at a later date.

Only slightly disquieted by her home’s oppressive emptiness, Twilight reached the particular hall she had in mind. Stretching on seemingly longer than any room had a right to, the hallway was speckled with regular doors on either side. Each led to one of the countless guest bedrooms which, in the past, had prompted their purple proprietor to acquire Ponyville’s census data, and determine if she could house its entire population.

(She could.)

(Barely.)

Pulling open the first door she reached, Twilight levitated Tempest in, and followed behind. As always, Twilight was impressed by the opulence of what was term a ‘guest’ bedroom. She looked toward the bed, which, considering it was intended for a single guest, was comically overlarge. Though the bed may have been slightly too small for a fully grown alicorn, Twilight couldn’t imagine any regular pony being dissatisfied with the accommodations.

With one last push of magical energy, she placed Tempest softly onto the bed, tucking her under the covers by hoof. As she stepped away from her companion, who she could finally see resting peacefully, Twilight felt the return of her nagging thoughts.

What now? Who knows when she’ll wake up? I don’t think it’d be right, leaving her to awaken lost and alone, no matter how nice the room is.

Thankfully, the solution took hold of her before she could worry any further. Overcome by both physical and emotional exhaustion after making no more than a few steps toward the door, Twilight found herself reposing upon the unusually comfortable floor of the bedroom. As her consciousness slipped from her grasp, Twilight held to one last thought.

Thank Celestia who-or-what ever designed this castle thought to put in carpeting SOMEWHERE………………………………

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Seemingly seconds after she felt the thought leave her mind, and blessed rest reach her, Twilight awoke, uncommonly refreshed, and almost believing she could convince herself to be a morning pony. Through the room’s previously black window, sunlight beamed in, informing its resident that day had begun.

Knowing her beloved mentor’s unfailing consistency with the sun’s rising and setting, Twilight postulated that the time was around 9AM (Ante Mare-idiem). Not quite a late start to the day, by most pony’s standards, but decidedly past her habit of waking soon after sunrise. Rising, the alicorn stretched out her forelegs, followed by her wings, and finally her hind legs, yield a satisfying *pop* from each.

As the first thoughts of her temporary roommate entered Twilight’s mind, her peaceful, silent world exploded into noise.

A piercing, dreadful scream rang out! The horrible sound originating only a few feet from her, Twilight’s eardrums pounded in agonizing protest. Acting on a sudden instinct to stick her wingtips in her ears, Twilight turned toward the cacophony, and saw Tempest, sitting bolt upright, covered in sweat, screaming as though she had seen her own death. Leaping to the her side, Twilight grabbed Tempest in a tight hold, and began stroking her friend’s coat, and quietly shushing in her ear. The screaming mellowed, and following a few moments of the embrace, came to a halt.

Taking several quick, ragged breaths, the unicorn calmed herself, and spoke.

“Oh dear, I’m so sorry Twilight! I-i-i-i just didn’t know where I was and scared an-an-and-”

Twilight interrupted, “Don’t worry, Tempest, it’s alright. You fell asleep in the chariot, and I didn’t want to wake you, so I brought you into a guest bedroom. You’re inside the Castle of Friendship, in Ponyville. I know it must’ve been quite a shock, especially with everything you’ve gone through, but everything is fine, you’re safe here.”

Twilight released the shaken mare from her hooves, and stepped off of the bed, giving her some room to breathe. As the air in the room slowly evened, and calm returned, Tempest looked once more to her savior.

“Thank you, Twilight. Thank you for everything. I wish I wasn’t still such a burden on you, even after you’ve already saved me twice..”

“Nonsense, you’re my friend, I’m just happy to help in whatever way I can. I would never think of a friend in need as a burden, and you shouldn’t think it of yourself either.” Twilight responded, trying to calm her friend’s fierce blush of shame.

Isolated in their own little world of their small, shared scene, neither mare heard the sound of approaching hoofbeats, nor did they notice a powerful teal aura creeping in from the doorframe. The room’s wooden door burst open with a *BANG*, and both leapt at the sound.

Looking into the room, having evidently just blasted the door open, was Starlight Glimmer. Immediately she dropped into a low stance, which indicated her intent to unleash a magical salvo at any threat she encountered.

…

…

“Twilight?” inquired Starlight, now standing neutrally, inclining her head in confusion.

The alicorn looked to her friend with an expression demonstrating the present awkwardness, her friend having apparently believed the castle to be under attack.

“The castle is under attack!” came the boyish cry of a young dragon, who ran stumbling into the room, several seconds late.

“No, the castle is not under attack, calm down.” Twilight reassured. “Spike, I’m sure you need no introduction to our new resident.” She gestured to Tempest, who slid her way out of bed and now stood on the opposite side of the room, bearing a heavy blush. “Now, Starlight, I know you haven’t met our friend here, since you and Trixie were off…” The mare paused, wondering. “...actually, I don’t know where you were, but this is Tempest Shadow, the pony I told you about. The one who saved Equestria from the Storm King.” She added, hoping to inspire some small measure of confidence.

“Oh! You’re Tempest, I was wondering when I would meet you. I’m Starlight Glimmer, Twilight’s previous friendship student, and fellow reformed villain, haha.” With an awkward, self-aware laugh, she offered her hoof to the fuschia mare.

Tempest looked at the unicorn with puzzlement for several moments before meeting her hoof, apparently only distantly familiar with the concept of a hoofshake. As she acquiesced to the gesture, Starlight shook, and stepped back to give the fellow unicorn space. While Tempest began to resettle, and her blush began to fade, Spike stepped forward and interjected,

“Whoa, hey, are we just all gonna forget that somepony was screaming their head off a second ago? I think it woke half of Ponyville!”

As Tempest’s already wine-hued face burned even redder, Twilight released an uncomfortable cough, and stepped in to respond to the dragon’s curiosity.

“Oh, was it really that loud?”

Spike, wearing an extremely unamused expression, answered by walking to the room’s window, and pointing at it. Several townsponies could be seen standing outside the castle, appearing deeply worried.

“Oh, yeah, right….” Twilight said, impulsively rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof. “Y’see, the thing is… I was here, and……and...… and I was going to check on Tempest. Yeah. But, when I came in, Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii… I saw a……. big spider! And then I screamed and woke all of you up, apparently.”

Spike looked back at her with a single raised eyebrow, making it quite clear he did not believe the poorly-told lie, but also that it was far too early for him to question it. With a shrug of tired acceptance, he opened the window, and announced to the ponies outside,

“FALSE ALARM. IT WAS A SPIDER. GO HOME.”

Demonstrating a broad mix of confusion, frustration, and weariness, the gathered ponies dispersed, most going about the start of their day, and some returning to their nearby homes to go back to sleep.

Having resolved the matter to an extent with which he was satisfied, the small dragon exited the room, intending to return to the abandoned southern-Equestrian diamond mine of his dream. Following his exit, Starlight again faced Tempest, and gave a small smile.

“So, it was just a spider then?” She asked, exhibiting a similar doubt.

In response, Tempest faced the floor, and Twilight forced a broad, unconvincing smile, accompanied by her answer,

“Yep. It was a spider. I sure am afraid of those things, sorry.”

No more convinced of the lie than before, but kenning Twilight’s prompt to not dig further, Starlight respectfully conceded the subject.

“Alright, if that’s what it was, then that’s what it was, no question about it. You may want to look into some pest control, Twi.” With a small giggle, she left the uncomfortable pair, and set off concerning matters of her own day.

…

Having sated the interest of the awakened ponies, the room’s indigo inhabitants stood in pregnant silence, neither wishing to break the just-restored peace with their voice. Running her hoof along the carpet in discomfort, Tempest gathered herself and spoke.

“Thank you, again, Twilight. I’m sorry you had to cover for me.”

Snapping to, the object of Tempest’s gratitude met her gaze, and responded.

“Not at all, Tempest! I was just worried for you.” She suspected her friend’s unpleasant awakening had a deeper cause than the alien environment, but, not wanting to step into difficult territory, measured her next statement with great care.

“Are you, alright? If you want you can talk to me, Tempest. About anything. Or not, I understand if you don’t feel like talking.”

Finally giving a small smile, the displaced unicorn straightened her posture, and crossed the room toward her friend.

“I appreciate it Twilight, but I’m okay, really. I’ve just been dealing with a lot of change. If it doesn’t sound too rude to ask, could we just try to forget this, and I could start my day normally?”

“Of course! Think nothing of it.” the mare responded, gesturing toward an elegant vanity in the corner of the room, and the brush sitting on it. “When you’re done, just take a right out the door, and follow the hall until you find the dining room. I’ll leave you to it.”

With a last, understanding smile, she departed, leaving Tempest alone in her new residence.

Damn it, Tempest. Great “new start” you’re making for yourself. The unicorn thought, submitting to a powerful tide of self-deprecation. Sighing heavily at the floor, Tempest stepped towards the vanity, and pulled the matching bench out from underneath. Still staring at her hooves, and dreading the thought of looking up, she stood in place, her mind occupied by contemplation. She hated to admit it to herself, but she hadn’t looked in a mirror for some time, and was frightened by the thought of seeing herself again. Military life had afforded her the convenience of rarely being expected to take great care of her appearance, and she limited her self-grooming to regular, frigid showers.

Though she was sure she knew the pony that would look back, Tempest simply couldn’t lift her head and face the mirror. Feeling an unpleasant rumbling in her stomach, a voracious hunger began infringing into her thoughts. She reached for the brush she had seen, still looking at the floor, grabbed it, and ran it several times through her mane.

Satisfied with her efforts, she replaced the brush, and turned to the door. Now able to raise her head without witnessing the unpleasant sight that lurked in the mirror, she set into a slow trot, and allowed herself out of the room.

Seeing, for the first time, the towering crystal interior of the castle, she found herself frozen in awe. The majesty of the hall compared only to her foalhood imagining of the home of a princess. Pondering the sight in front of her, she realized, in a way she hadn’t during her trial, that her friend was a genuine Princess, a pony of the very highest standing. Briefly stricken by that fact, she regained herself, and began moving down the hallway, content to worry about satisfying her hunger before she considered anything else.

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Leaving her friend to straighten herself out, Twilight walked with intent toward the dining room. As she clip-clopped along the colorful stone floor, considering the comical length of the hallway, she uttered a quiet, colloquial gratitude to her mentor, for her own remembering to give Tempest directions. As soon as the thought left her mind, a related one entered in kind. Her new co-habitant would no doubt be daunted by her home’s size, even Twilight herself had yet to see every room in the dominating structure. More important than the paperwork which she had planned to get a headstart on (for her present work was most often composed of things that did not yet need her attention), was to help Tempest adjust to a new life.

After all, I am supposed to be serving as Tempest’s warden, kind of. So technically that’s also one of my Princessly duties. She reasoned to herself. Resolve firmed, she settled upon a plan for the day.

Returning to reality from her mental self-debate, Twilight realized she had reached the castle’s enormous dining room, easily identified by the gigantic table which commanded the room. Just as the thought occurred to her that she ought prepare food for her rattled housemate, from the adjacent kitchen on the other end of the room entered Starlight, bearing a teal-shrouded tower of pancakes, and notably, four plates, each matched with a fork.

Carefully walking toward the table, and paying great mind to the balance of the breakfast monolith, the unicorn set each plate down at seats around the head of the table, opposite to Twilight, who looked on from the table’s rear. As Starlight began dividing her pancake pillar among the four places she had set, Twilight walked around the table, approaching and catching the attention of the amateur chef.

“I wasn’t sure if Spike was going to join us for breakfast, so I decided to play it safe and set the table for four.”

“You sure are quick with a frying pan.” Twilight responded, half stating, half asking.

“Well, actually, most of these were already done when I heard your encounter with that spider. I was just finishing them up now. Though, with the introductions and all, one of the pancakes didn’t exactly survive. I apologize if the kitchen smells kind of, ashy.”

Equestria had survived another close encounter with the consequences of their non-existent fire code.

“Eh, that kitchen’s been through worse.” Twilight conceded, taking her typical seat at the head of the table. “Thanks for the food. I don’t think Tempest and I have eaten since before the trial.” she stated, suddenly aware of her own hunger. Nodding in acknowledgement of her friend’s gratitude, Starlight eased into an adjacent seat, and the two mares reached for their forks, eager to begin.

Twilight, poised to impale fluffy mass with her breakfasting brandistock, found herself interrupted by the entrance of the two’s equine associate. Lifting her head from a downcast gaze, Tempest examined the expanse of the room before her, obviously fazed by its enormity.

Seeking to mitigate her friend’s withdrawal at the immense emptiness confronting her, Twilight pulled out the chair opposite Starlight, inviting her to sit next to the starving Princess.

“Good morning, Tempest!” Starlight offered, putting their earlier encounter behind her.

“Good morning, Starlight Glimmer.” she responded, approaching and sitting down at the removed seat.

As her ravenous companions lustily eyed their breakfast, the teal-tinged member of the purple party corrected,

“Just Starlight is fine. Actually, certain friends of mine have taken to calling me Glim-Glam, so you can honestly just call me whatever.” With only a modicum of frustration at her own comical nickname, Starlight returned her attention to her food. Sensing something wrong with pile in front of her, she probed the pancakes with an inquisitive hoof.

“I’m sorry, the pancakes are all cold. I guess I shouldn’t have left them on the counter for so long. If you want, I could go heat up some syrup for them.” Starlight proposed, hoping her friends might be appeased by some slight warming of the food.

Hearing no answer, Starlight looked up from her plate, and witnessed the spectacle of two mares, having apparently endured far too many hours of fasting, taking monstrous bites of the food before them.

Seeing her friends totally unfazed by the temperature, the momentarily stunned unicorn gave a small chuckle, and began contentedly eating her food.

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Thundering along the malleable surface of the pseudo-yard of her cloud-based domicile, Rainbow Dash launched herself off with a powerful leap. Now soaring over empty air, she drew her wings forward, and dragged them back with great force, rapidly accelerating to a ferocious flight-speed. Her intense velocity drawing her away from her home, she left behind a passive-looking grey pegasus, blonde mane disheveled by her compatriots stalwart gale.

Her attention focused on tuning out the roaring whine of high speed air, little space remained vacant in the mare’s mind for passing rumination. What limited room existed for such things, was invariably dominated by a single thought.

They’d better leave some of the flank-kicking for me!

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Bellies full, and insatiability satiated, the three mares sat back in their chairs. With stomachs visibly protruding, they released loud groans of satisfaction.

“Thank you for the food, Starlight. I greatly appreciate the gesture.” Tempest said, “I haven’t felt this welcome in I-don’t-know how long.”

Suddenly struck by a thought, Starlight leaned in, leading with a question.

“Actually, how old are you, Tempest? You don’t look too much older than Twilight and me.”

Mustering the will to mount a small protest, Twilight interjected.

“‘...and I.’”

In response to the correction, Starlight foalishly fired back by blowing a raspberry, which elicited a small giggle from their captive audience, who then sat up, resting her hooves on the table.

“Honestly… I don’t really know.” she answered, her gaiety slowly swallowed by a dour look. “I was so little when I left, I can’t say what year it was. And I kind of lost track of time, I don’t know how long I was… out.”

Tempest was unable to hide her melancholy, and all present were silenced by the palpable difficulty of the conversation.

Wishing to smooth over the jagged terrain upon which she had trod, Starlight spoke up,

“I’m so sorry, Tempest... I didn’t mean to-”

She was cut off by the sound of shattering glass, followed by the *thump* of a body hitting the floor, and an echoing gallop.

The three shot up from their seats, looking toward the hallway from which the commotion came.

“...TWILIIIIIIIIGHT……………..TWIIIIIIIIIILIIIIIIIIIIGHT………………………………………….”

…

…

“TWILIIIIIIIGHT!”

Rainbow Dash sprinted into the room, skidding to a violent halt upon seeing the mares at the table.

“Where is it!?” she demanded. As the pegasus began heavily panting to catch her breath, Twilight launched into a spiel of her own questions.

“What in Celestia’s name are you talking about? Why did you break into the castle? Why didn’t you just use the door? What are you even doing here?”

Gathering her breath, Rainbow retorted, “The SPIDER!” as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

With the room’s three horniest occupants held in puzzled silence, Rainbow’s heaving dominated the soundscape. As her breathing calmed and evened, the cyan intruder straightened up, falling victim to the contagious confusion.

“Derpy said she heard the castle was under attack by a giant spider!”

Like the glass Rainbow had apparently made into an entrance, the tension in the room shattered, and with the exception of the nonplussed pegasus, everypony began unleashing great guffaws of mirth.

“Wh-wh-where did she get that idea!?” Twilight choked out through raucous laughter.

“Somepony must’ve heard Spike shouting about an attack, and figured that was what the spider was about!” Starlight answered, in between waves of snorts and giggles.

Most surprising of all their reactions was Tempest, who had been floored by shrieking laughter, and now rolled back-and-forth along the ground gleefully. If she had a response give to the joke’s unamused subject, it was long past drowned in a maelstrom of merriment.

Only then realizing that she had been made the victim of a very absurd game of Telephone, Rainbow Dash covered her blush with a heavy grumble, and began trotting back in the direction she came.

“NO…..w-w-wait…….r-r-r-r-Rainbow. D-d-d-d-d-don’t go!” Twilight sputtered out, slowly mastering herself, and wiping the joyous tears from her eyes. “No, seriously, wait up Rainbow.” She managed, drawing the mare’s attention. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

Immediately winding up to deliver an excuse, she began stepping away from her lavender friend. Before she could spawn an important task she needed to attend to, Twilight again commanded attention.

“I know you don’t have Wonderbolt practice today, you spent all of yesterday talking about how you couldn’t wait to spend today napping. Consider it repayment for you destroying that window, whichever one it was. As if this place isn’t drafty enough already.”

“Fine, Twi. You’ve got my attention, what do you need?” Rainbow submitted, knowing that arguing with her alicorn friend never got her anywhere.

“Would you please go see the girls, and tell them to come by if they’re free this evening? I want everypony to meet Tempest, properly. And that includes you.”

“Fine, I guess I can squeeze that into my sleep schedule. I’ll talk to the girls.” Rainbow yielded, again starting in the direction from which she had entered.

“And please use the door, this time.” Twilight added, gesturing in the general direction of the foyer.

“Ugh, fiiiiiiine.” she responded, cantering toward the main entrance, eager to escape the grasp of her taskmaster.

With the departure of their latest guest, those remaining straightened themselves out, wiping away tears and dusting off their coats.

“Twilight, shouldn’t it be really easy to repair the glass Rainbow breaks, y’know, magically?” Starlight asked, wondering if her mentor somehow lacked proficiency in such a basic type of repairing magic.

“I thought so myself, Starlight, but for some reason, when Rainbow crashes through a window, the sum of the shattered pieces of glass produced by the collision are significantly smaller than the hole she makes in the window. I’ve actually been studying the phenomenon recently. I’d never tell her this, but her destructive escapades make for an excellent research subject.” Twilight answered, revealing her vested interest in the subject.

“I never thought about that.” Starlight realized aloud. “And, shouldn’t she be, like, really badly injured every time she does that?”

“RIGHT!?” Twilight exclaimed, thrilled another pony had finally noticed such bizarre occurrences.

Then, as always, the ponies stood mystified by the consequences of living in a cartoon.

“But that can wait for later, Celestia knows how long it’ll take to figure out which window she broke. For now, I’ve got other stuff to think about.” Twilight concluded, leaving existential ponderance for another time.

“If you girls don’t mind, Trixie and I have plans, so I’m heading out. I’ll definitely come by this evening though!” Starlight announced.

“Great! Have a good time, and bring Trixie by too, if she wants!” Twilight affirmed.

With an appreciative nod, the unicorn departed, leaving only Tempest and her faux-jailer in the room.

“Should your dragon be awake? It must be around 11.” the fuschia unicorn posited.

“You mean Spike? No need to worry about him, he always sleeps late. Though I commend your time-telling ability, by my measure it’s about 11:15.” Twilight accompanied this thought by briefly conjuring a small, ethereal pocket-watch, which she read and swiftly dismissed. “Drat, 11:20.”

“Anyway, I figure we should spend the day getting you accustomed to the castle. I know the place is pretty intimidating.” Twilight suggested.

“I would be immensely grateful if you would go to the effort to help me so.” Tempest responded, expressing some surprise at the offer.

“Of course, Tempest! It’s really no trouble.” Worrying at the tone of her friend’s response, Twilight continued, “You do know that you aren’t really my prisoner? The things I said during the trial were just a formality. Though I can’t go sending you off on your own, that’s mostly because this is your new home, not because it’s your prison. I would never throw you in a cell, Tempest. I don’t even think this castle has any.”

“Thank you, Twilight. I’m just adjusting to all of this kindness, I guess.”

“Well you’d better get used to it, because there’s more kindness, and tons of friends, coming your way!” Twilight cheerily offered, hoping to brighten her friend’s outlook. “Now come with me, and I’ll show you the kitchen."

Gathering the dishes leftover from their pancake breakfast in a telekinetic grasp, the supportive alicorn led her quarry into the castle’s uncharacteristically modern kitchen.

Setting the plates and forks into the sink, Twilight extended an invitation to freely look around the kitchen, while she proceeded to carefully hoof-wash and store the wares.

After studying the contents of several cabinets and drawers, as well as seeing the various appliances with which the room was furnished, Tempest turned to her dish-washing companion.

“Twilight, I don’t mean to alarm you, but is something on fire?” Tempest asked, expressing concern.

Drying and returning the last dish to its cabinet, Twilight returned her attention to her surroundings, took a large sniff, and immediately coughed the inhaled air back out.

“No, I forgot, Starlight warned me that one of her pancakes burned really badly while we were talking in the bedroom.” She forced out, internal smacking herself for dragging her new friend into likely the foulest smelling room imaginable. “Let’s just leave the cooking classes for another time, Twilight jokingly resolved, before quickly leaving the room, Tempest following immediately after.

Gaining a safe distance from the offending area, Twilight came to a decision.

“Cleaning the smell out of there is going to take a while. I’ll just take care of it tonight, I’d hate to interrupt our day. For now, covering it up will have to do.” Twilight said, gathering a violet glow at her horn, and dispersing it, resulting in a bright flash within the unpleasant room. In from the kitchen wafted a powerful scent of oranges, not unpleasant, but struggling to fully cover the smell of burned food.

Moving on from their kitchen mishap, Twilight pointed a hoof toward the door through which Rainbow Dash and Starlight had exited.

“That door leads to the foyer, where the front door is, you can’t miss it. For now, let’s head to the map room.”

Twilight set off with confidence toward yet another door, Tempest making note of the way to the front door as she followed.

“Usually, when we aren’t eating, this is where we end up hanging out.” Twilight explained, as the pair traveled down a short hallway, and reached the door at its end. Pushing the door open, Twilight motioned her companion in, before entering herself.

Tempest stood, enraptured by the beauty of the chamber, with its crystal thrones, each decorated with the cutie mark of one of her new friends. As she stepped closer, she caught sight of the large table in the room’s center, upon which was superimposed an impressive recreation of Equestria.

“It’s beautiful.”

“That’s the Cutie Map, also known as the Friendship Map, and sometimes just The Map. It calls us to places around Equestria, when we’re needed to solve a friendship problem. And, tangentially, does it look slightly off center to you? Because ever since me and the girls went to Manehatten for a retreat, I swear the things been closer to me. Just a little.” Twilight asked, carefully scrutinizing the table’s placement, but unable to come to a satisfactory conclusion.

“Anyway, we might as well move on, no doubt you’ll be spending plenty of time in here in the immediate future.” Twilight said, walking out of the room with her friend in tow.

“Let me show you the main staircase, it’s in the foyer I told you about. Right now, we’re on the first floor, where most of the interesting stuff is. Starlight sleeps here, in a hall near yours. If you like, you can have a room closer to her. Or on a higher floor, if you want. Spike and I sleep in a room at the top of this place, which is a real shame, because the library is on the second floor.” Twilight giddily elaborated.

Tempest quietly sighed to herself, keeping pace with her lavender leader.

The duo, traveling through the kitchen, encountered their earlier inquisitor, in the form of a now-much-more-awake dragon.

“Good morning Spike! Sorry, Starlight made pancakes earlier, but we didn’t want to wake you, and we kind of ate them all.” Twilight sheepishly acknowledged.

“No problem, I wanted to sleep more than I wanted to eat. I’ll just grab something quick. What’re you two getting up to?” He asked, realizing the two had came from a different part of the castle.

“I’m just showing Tempest around, since she lives here now and all. We’ll probably be here for most of today, and the girls might be coming by this evening.” Twilight explained.

“Then, would it be okay if I head out after breakfast today, since you two will be here all day?” the adolescent implored, clearly desiring to do anything but chores with his day.

“Sure. Even my assistant should get days off, after all.” Twilight decided, again moving toward the foyer.

The two mares leaving the room, Spike set his eyes on the kitchen, and began walking.

Just as the ponies escaped earshot, a frustrated cry rang out from the kitchen.

“HOW DO YOU EVEN BURN ORANGES!?”

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Twilight and Tempest emerged on the second floor, one of the duo obviously more excited by the prospect of a library than the other.

“I know a library might not sound exciting, but you’re really in for a treat! This library is, in my well-researched opinion, the largest library south of Canterlot!” Twilight exclaimed, filled with both pride at the excellence maintenance of the castle’s crown jewel, and excitement at the prospect of her friend having access to every book she could ever need.

Twilight pushed open the library’s door, and delightedly led her companion in. Though the castle had doubtlessly proved its enormity before, Tempest could not help but let her jaw fall at the sight of the interior. More books than she had ever seen in her life, more books than she knew existed, lined the towering shelves.

“Isn’t it great? I don’t know if you read much before, but it’s a great hobby, you should ask Rainbow Dash about it! Plus, you can learn all about Equestria. My collection of books on historical and contemporary Equestria is exceedingly robust.” Twilight explained, gladdened by the thought of sharing so much knowledge with a friend.

“This is incredible, it really is. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, I’d love to learn more about Equestria, but maybe reading isn’t the best way to go about it. I can only read very...” she took a generous pause, lending heavy consideration to the words she was about to say. “......easy books.”

“Not much of a reader, then? That’s fine, not everything is quite as complicated as the stuff I like to read. I’m sure I’ve got plenty of history book written in perfectly plain speech.” Twilight affirmed.

“It’s fine, I haven’t really read anything, this stuff is probably all beyond me.” Tempest weakly stated.

“That’s okay, I used to run Ponyville’s public library, I have plenty of books for younger ponies!”

“No, really, reading is probably a little much for me right now.” Tempest offered, frailly.

“Don’t worry, lots of ponies aren’t the strongest readers, I even have books for young fillies, if you want!”

“I don’t think I was clear before. What I mean is……” Tempest visibly struggled with her words, as though attempting to speak them was deeply painful. Swallowing heavily, she finished, “I don’t know how to read. Or write.”

Tempest turn her head to the floor, showing a deep shame at the confession, only doubled by her friend’s previous enthusiasm to find books for her. The astonishing humiliation she felt at her own perceived failing, being both colossal and pronounced, shook Twilight.

“I’m so sorry Tempest! I didn’t realize…. I mean, I didn’t mean to offend you… I should’ve realized this was a difficult-”

Tempest interjected, saving her friend from a death-spiral of worried babbling.

“No, don’t apologize, it’s not your fault. I barely even knew the alphabet when I ran away. When I was wandering, and while I was with the Storm King, books were a scarce commodity, much less books in Equestrian. I’ve used more books to start fires than I’ve read.”

Witnessing her friend’s sad confession, and seeing the resigned expression on her face, it was all Twilight could do to not cry.

The two sat, both paralyzed by sorrow, for some time. Hating the sight of Tempest feeling morose more than she had almost anything else, Twilight grabbed her friend in a tight hug, and held her, silently.

As the two drew apart, Twilight’s face could be seen stained with tears, though she refused to yield to her instinct to sob.

“Tempest, let me teach you. Please, I’d be more than happy to.” she struggled out.

Feeling a smile of the most sincere gratitude she had ever felt break out across her face, Tempest herself began to feel tears well forth. “Thank you, Twilight.” Was all she managed, before descending into sobs.

Seeing her friend break down shattered the last of Twilight’s defenses, and the two began openly weeping. As though by instinct, they again embraced, pulled together by the bond of a sincere friendship.

The two, sitting together, heaved and bawled without end, burning with both anguish at hardships, and the rapture of being helped, and helping someone in need.

They remained for some time, holding each other, unquestioningly. One feeling the pain and misery of the other’s past. One feeling, for the very first time, the warmth of a pony who truly cared.

Ch. 3: Kindness

Proceeding down from the steps of an immense staircase, two mares entered into the grandiose foyer of the Castle of Friendship. Each took a moment to compose themselves, drying various tear stains, and smoothing out their coats, ruffled from their prolonged embrace. Though neither said it, both felt deeply gladdened by the time they had spent sitting in the library, making small conversation together, following Tempest’s painful confession. Feeling herself adequately straightened out, the mare of deep fuchsia turned to her companion.

“Twilight, I want to apologize for the incident this morning.” She said, regretting the disquiet she had created earlier that day.

“Don’t worry Tempest. It’s not like you did anything wrong, anypony in your situation would be just as shocked.”

“Well, what I mean is, I want to apologize for lying. It wasn’t because of the room, that I woke up like that. The truth is, I have night terrors, and last night they were worse than usual.” Tempest admitted, embarrassed that she had felt the need to lie, but pleased by the fact that she felt comfortable enough with Twilight to share the truth.

“Oh my. I’m so sorry Tempest, I had no idea. You know, if you want, I could talk to Princess Luna about it. She protects the dreams of us ponies, she might be able to help you with that.” Twilight offered, hoping her friend would accept the help.

Though the idea of getting help for her nightmares agreed with Tempest, she couldn’t shake a feeling that she had already been imposing on her friend’s kindness.

“No, it’s fine, they aren’t very common. In fact, I rarely get them, it was probably just a one time thing, with the trial and all.” Tempest lied through her teeth, hating the idea of Twilight going to such lengths for her sake.

“Tempest, you shouldn’t feel bad about accepting help.” Twilight responded, sensing her friend’s repressed want for assistance.

“No, honestly, they really don’t happen very often. You don’t need to bother yourself and Princess Luna with this.”

“I’m not going to drop this until you let me help you.” Twilight persisted, knowing all-too-well the signs of a pony in need of help, but unwilling to ask for it.

The alicorn’s determination was visible in her eyes, and Tempest could feel the powerful kindness that fueled it. Know that refusing help was a losing prospect, she settled to accept aid in a form less burdensome for her friend.

“Alright, but you don’t need to ask Luna for help. Remember when you offered to let me use a room on a different floor? Well, Starlight is a very nice pony and all, but I’d feel a bit more comfortable if I knew I was on the same floor as you. Just so I know you’re nearby, in case I go doing something stupid, like screaming the whole castle awake.”

Struck with the feeling that her friend was still hiding something, but not wanting to press her further than she already had, Twilight responded,

“Absolutely! I’m sure Starlight won’t mind, I think she likes having the floor to herself. And remember, I’m not letting you use a room, you aren’t a tenant, or an inmate, this is your house. The room nearest to Spike and I’s is officially yours.”

“Thank you Twilight. It means more to me than you know.” Tempest said, again amazed by the seemingly endless kindness the mare had shown her.

“Tempest, you’re my friend, I’m more than happy to help you. And I’ll keep telling you that until you remember it. My friends mean more to me than anything.” She insisted, determined to make the unicorn feel welcome.

The two would have been happy to stand there in conversation for the rest of the day, were it not for an interruption, in the form of a brief knock on the castle’s main door, followed by it being pushed open.

In the doorway stood Fluttershy and Rarity, somewhat surprised to see their friends standing at the bottom of the staircase, unmoving. First of the bunch to speak up was the buttermilk pegasus, who approached the mares on the stairs.

“Oh, hello Twilight, Tempest. Rainbow Dash told us that we were having a get together for Tempest tonight, and I thought that sounded wonderful.”

“Indeed, I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” Her alabaster accomplice added.

Her brief puzzlement at the arrival resolved, then swiftly replaced with another, Twilight inquired,

“Oh my. Is it that late already?” She took a glance out the still open door, and saw that it was, in fact, evening, before closing the door behind the entrants. The time spent in conversation in the library had evidently been longer than either participant had realized. “We’ll leave formal introductions until all the girls are here. Knowing Pinkie, she’s probably already in the dining room.”

Somehow hearing the statement, which was far too quiet to be audible in said room, a very pink voice responded.

“YEP!”

The four mares shared a chuckle at their mutual friend’s entertaining lunacy. Moving to meet their friend, the mares were again interrupted by a knocking at the door, this time not followed by a pony letting themselves in.

Sensing that the pony was waiting for the door to be opened, Rarity pulled the door with a cerulean tug, revealing Applejack, who entered the castle, pulling a cart behind her.

“Thanks, Rares. This stuff is mighty heavy, but I knew you girls would be awful hungry ‘round now.” Applejack explained, indicating the cart she pulled, which bore several pies.

Grateful for the gesture, Twilight pressed the farmpony,

“That’s very kind of you Applejack, but that’s a lot of pie to give out, even if we are your friends. You have to let me pay you for those.”

“Now that’s a load of hooey, and you know it, Twilight. Just ‘cuz Rares went and got a necklace for it don’t mean the rest of us can’t be a mite generous from time to time.”

Not expecting to gain any ground by arguing with her unflappable friend, Twilight yielded, leading her friends toward the dining room.

As the five mares trotted along, Applejack again spoke up.

“Honestly, these pies needed gettin’ rid of anyhow. Pies don’t keep too good if you let ‘em sit for too long, and we can never sell all of our pies ‘round this time of year. With Nightmare Night only a week out, all anypony wants is pumpkin this, and pumpkin that. It’s the only time of year that nopony seems to want apple pie.” She added, with a small laugh at the inevitable annual occurrence.

“Wow, you’re right, it is only a week away, isn’t it? I completely forgot about it with all the Friendship Festival stuff, and especially with Tempest coming to Ponyville.” Twilight realized she had allowed the holiday to sneak up on her.

“Wait, I’m sorry, I only remember a little bit about it from my foalhood, what’s Nightmare Night?” Tempest inquired, as the group stepped into the dining room, revealing two mares already seated at the table, one their pink cohort, and the other a cyan pegasus, visibly shocked by the question she had just overheard.

“You don’t know about NIGHTMARE NIGHT? It’s only the coolest night of the whole year!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, visibly excited to share her favorite holiday with a new friend.

Puzzled by the fact that she had heard no knocks before the arrival of Rarity and Fluttershy, Twilight began questioning the pegasus. “Wait, Rainbow? How did you get in here? Why can’t you just use front door? I swear to Celestia if you broke another window-”

“Don’t worry, egghead, I used the same window this time. Doors are for ponies that aren’t me. Calm down before you have a conniption.” Rainbow answered, quite assured of her response’s reasonableness.

“Now what kind of word is conniption?” Applejack shot back, deriving some humor from her friend’s strange diction.

In what was seeming to become a pattern, the mares present shared a good-natured laugh, excepting Rainbow Dash, who only mumbled something about catching “second-hand egghead”.

Pinkie was swift to notice the cargo her orange friend bore, and announced, “OOOH, PIE! Watch out Applejack, you’re really getting Rainbow’s goat today!” Again, a chorus of laughter erupted, sweeping Tempest up in the wave of mirth, as she shared a heartfelt laugh with the group.

“Relax, Rainbow, I brought something for you too.” Applejack stated, revealing a number of apples concealed underneath the numerous pies.

Assisting her friend, Twilight levitated the array of pies, moving them onto the large table around which the assembly was organized. As the mares began taking various seats around the head of the table, Twilight conjured a small, insubstantial wineglass, along with a fork of similarly intangible nature. Tapping them together with an attention-drawing *clink*, and again dismissing them, Twilight spoke.

“Thank you for coming, girls. Before we begin, I just wanted give our guest of honor a chance to speak.”

Rising from her seat, and looking at the party before her, Tempest cleared her throat.

“Hello, as you all know, my name is Tempest Shadow, but please feel free to just call me Tempest. I’m deeply sorry for the unpleasantness of our first meeting, and for my actions while I was serving the Storm King. It is incredibly kind of you all to allow me a second chance. I sincerely hope that, with time, I can be friends with you all.”

The room was pleased with the introduction, and with a polite clap, Rarity spoke to the unicorn.

“Darling, I’m touched by your apology, but you shouldn’t let it weigh so much on you. You don’t need to earn our friendship, you proved yourself some time ago. Anypony that is Twilight’s friend, is a friend I’m honored to call my own.” Her compatriots nodded in firm approval, casting affectionate smiles toward the fuchsia mare.

“Again, I’m stunned by your kindness, you’ve been so patient, and so forgiving with me, it’s incredible.” Tempest said, amazed at the warmth she had been shown by the six mares that accounted for her first true friends.

“Gosh, that’s nice of you to say, Tempest, but really, that’s just how most ponies are.” Fluttershy contributed, demonstrating her unshakable faith in the innate goodness of ponies.

“I’m always happy to have friends who can kick as much flank as you, Tempest. You’re welcome to chillax with me anytime.” Rainbow said, eager for a more athletic addition to her circle of friends.

“I’m inclined to agree with Rainbow Dash, though perhaps chillax is not the word I would choose. You really do have a beautiful mane, such a lovely color, you simply must join me on a visit to the spa sometime. I do believe the spa ponies here can have you really turning heads.” Rarity offered, excited at the prospect of another friend to bring on spa dates.

Pinkie Pie inhaled deeply.

“And I know Twilight doesn’t want me to throw you a super-duper-big-all-of-ponyville- hiding-in-your-bedroom surprise party, but if you want to have a welcome party, I can throw you a super-duper-not-big-only-a-small-fraction-of-ponyville-hiding-in-your-bedroom surprise party, just be sure to let me know sneakily, so that it’ll be a surprise!” She spat out, making tremendously efficient use of the single breath she had taken.

A brief pause came over the room following Pinkie’s outburst, as the ponies mentally caught up with the whole of her statement.

“Uh, yeah, what she said. And I know how strong you are Tempest, way I see it, you could put a whole lot of earth ponies to shame. I’ll have to drag you out to do some applebucking with me. We can get to know each other, and you can lend me a pair of hooves with harvesting.” Applejack proposed, wanting to gauge her new friend’s impressive build.

Making a point to not interrupt any of her friends, Fluttershy was the last to extend an offer to the mare.

“You should come by my house sometime, and you can meet all the animals there. I know that it probably sounds intimidating, but working with animals is actually very relaxing.”

Tempest, in a few short minutes, had gone from believing herself to have one friend, and and long way to go before making others, to being inundated with offers to spend time with five new friends. Before she could fully process the unbelievable circumstances she had stumbled into, Twilight spoke to the mare, snapping her back to reality.

“I’ll have to show you around Ponyville, before you do any of that. How about tomorrow, I take you around town and show you where the girls live? You really should look around before Nightmare Night arrives, the town completely transforms after sunset.”

Not wanting to make her new friends uncomfortable, Tempest resisted the tears of joy that wished to spout forth. The kindness she had been shown in one day was equal to, or greater than, the sum of all kindnesses she had received across the rest of her life. Mastering herself, she responded.

“Thank you all very much. I’d like to do that, all of it. I just have one question. I never really got an explanation of just what Nightmare Night is.”

As she heard the mare’s confusion, Rainbow Dash shot up in her seat, and responded passionately.

“Oh yeah! Egghead over here interrupted me before I could tell you about it. Where was I?” She took a brief pause to think, then dove right back into her holiday spiel. “Nightmare Night is the coolest night of the whole year! Everypony dresses up in all kinds of awesome costumes, and there’s a huge carnival in town. We give out candy to the foals, and to Pinkie, and there’s a huge dance party in the town center!”

“And Rainbow goes around pulling pranks, don’t forget that part.” Rarity added.

Still confused, but somewhat better informed, Tempest nodded in understanding. Before Rainbow could vocalize a defense of her practical jokes, a worrisome growl commanded the room’s attention.

“Oops, sorry. That was me.” announced Pinkie Pie, pointing towards her rumbling stomach.

“As much fun as this is, I think Pinkie has the right idea.” said Twilight, as she began cutting the pies, and distributing slices around the table. As she finished the task, providing ample pie for each guest, and ensuring a certain guest received a large stack of apples, Twilight set aside the last pie of the lot, and settled into her seat, eager to eat.

Starting with Pinkie, who swallowed a slice whole, a pie feeding frenzy overtook the room.

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“...and you should drop by my boutique, so I can make you something to complement that mane of yours!” finished Rarity, before taking her last few steps out of the castle.

With the departure of the last guest, Tempest and Twilight stood alone in the foyer, as the hour creeped past sunset.

“Do you feel a little better, Tempest? We’re all your friends here, and you shouldn’t forget that.”

“Thank you, Twilight. I do feel better, much better. Suddenly, I have more friends now than I ever had before.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and I will alway be here for you. And also Starlight, I’m sure she’d love your company as well.” Twilight, captured by a momentary thought, allowed a brief pause. “Speaking of which, she should be getting back any time now. And she might have another new friend with her! Let’s go wait outside for them.” Twilight concluded, leading her companion outside.

Stepping into the night, it occurred to Twilight that her friend lacked any winter attire, and that the year would only keep getting colder, until Winter Wrap-Up came around. That in mind, she settled on a plan to make Tempest’s Nightmare Night even more special.

After deciding on her plan, Twilight returned to reality, and saw a purple and blue duo approaching the castle.

“Hi Starlight, Trixie, I’m glad you came by, there’s somepony I’d like to meet.” Twilight stated, indicating her fuchsia companion.

As the pair drew near, Tempest stepped forward to greet the mares.

“Hello, my name is Tempest Shadow, but you can just call me Tempest. I’m living in the castle here in Ponyville, and I’m trying to make a new start. I had heard from Twilight that you two might understand my situation.”

“Well, you already know me, Starlight, and this is my friend Trixie. She also has a… difficult past, and we both know about making a new start in Ponyville.”

“Indeed, I am the Great and Powerful Trixie, but you may simply call Trixie, Trixie. Trixie is pleased to make your acquaintance, she is quite familiar with certain ponies making second-chances difficult.” Trixie announced, glad to meet a kindred former-villain spirit.

Twilight opened the castle door, and gestured the party inside, and informed the mares, “I’ll leave you girls be, but first, Applejack brought pie, and I set one aside for you and Trixie.”

The group trotted into the dining room, and Twilight turned to her three cohorts, announcing,

“I’m going to clean up the kitchen, so why don’t you three take the pie and go chat in the Map Room.”

Starlight and Trixie were immediately pleased with the idea, and grabbing the pie, set off for the Map Room. Unlike her companions, for reasons she could not explain, Tempest felt somewhat displeased by the idea. Instinctively, she felt as though she would prefer Twilight come with, even though she knew Starlight was a perfectly kind pony, and felt any friend of hers must also be a good friend to have.. Not able to trace the cause of her own feeling, as well as not wishing to disturb the alicorn’s cleaning plans, Tempest raised no objection, and and followed the two.

As Twilight entered the kitchen to set about on her cleaning, and the three mares left earshot, Trixie spoke up, filling the hall with her voice.

“So, Tempest, Trixie wonders what you did in your past. Trixie’s amazing magic show, and ego, made her a public enemy of the town, and then, in a matter that was debatably part Trixie’s fault, two foolish colts led an angry-”

Starlight, seeing the direction that the conversation would take, swiftly jabbed Trixie in the side.

“Trixie, maybe we should leave that story for another time.”

“Fine, Trixie is perfectly happy to talk about something else, you needn’t be so rude about it. How has your experience been with your first day starting over in Ponyville, Tempest?”

Tempest was somewhat confused by the two mares exchange, but decided it would be easier to not question it.

“I owe Twilight so much. She was the first pony to give me a second chance. She’s done so much to make me feel welcome here. I couldn’t imagine a more forgiving pony. How about you Trixie, you also had a new start in Ponyville, I imagine Twilight helped you too?”

Trixie, more puzzled than upset, struggled to process the description she had been given of Twilight’s acceptance and forgiveness. Recollecting on her first return to Ponyville, however, and the fact that Twilight had been the most understanding pony in the town at that time, she could almost convince herself that what the mare said was true.

“Well, that was not… exactly Trixie’s experience, but Trixie is pleased to hear your first day of this new start is going well. It took Trixie and Starlight some time to get adjusted to living here.”

The group entered the room, and though Tempest was instinctively wary of sitting in the respective thrones of her six friends, witnessing her companions take a seat without a second thought, she hoped it would be alright, and took a seat on Twilight’s throne. Cutting and dividing the pie, Starlight turned her attention to Tempest.

“I promise, everypony here will be all too glad to give you a clean slate. You’ll have a brand new start before you know it.”

“So, Tempest, Trixie wishes to know more about you. Please, enlighten Trixie.”

They settled in for a long, and very difficult, evening of conversation.

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“Phew!” Twilight exclaimed, her task finally completed. It had taken her the better part of an hour to root out the various surfaces that smelled of burnt pancake, and to scrub the offending odor out of the kitchen as a whole.

A powerful tide of exhaustion overtook the mare, as she realized she ought inform the party in the Map Room that she had finished the task. She set into a trot towards the room, and silently hoped that her new friend had gotten along with Trixie better than she had.

As she approached the room, she heard the sound of quiet, pleasant conversation, and a small laugh rise from the mares within. Reassured, she stepped inside.

“Twilight!” Tempest excitedly said, hopping up from her seat, and walking over to the alicorn. “You finished with the kitchen?”

“Yep, all done.” Twilight responded happily. Looking toward the two still-seated mares, Twilight spoke, “Thank you for keeping Tempest company, I hope you all had a good time. I hate to break up the fun, but I want to help Tempest sort out her living situation. She’s going to move up to a room on the top floor, because…” Twilight took an imperceptible pause as she divined an excuse for her friend’s desire to change floors, that would not betray her secret. “...she’s been getting lost on this floor, and there’s less rooms and halls on the top floor.” she finished, hoping the lie had not been caught.

If Starlight had noticed the lie, she was too happy with the results to question it, and answered, “Alright, I completely understand. I don’t know how long it took me to find my way around all the rooms on this floor. Plus, I kinda like having the floor to myself at night.” she admitted, aware that her occasional magical escapades would likely disturb the sleep of other ponies on her floor.

“Great! Well, feel free to stay as long as you like, Trixie, I’ll probably turn in after I show Tempest her room. Good night!” Twilight announced, before trotting out of the room.

Tempest turned to the two seated unicorns.

“Thank you very much for your company, and your advice. I feel much better about living in Ponyville now. Good night, friends.” she shyly added, before quickly clopping off after Twilight.

Now alone in the room, a curious rumination struck Starlight, and she looked toward her blue friend to indulge it.

“Hey Trixie, do you think that, maybe….” she dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper, “...pshpphshbeppspggpbphsupbnsnpsnphnphnspnhpsnhpsnfpsnirenoie?”

“WHAT? No Trixie does not think so! And yes, Trixie would bet on it!”

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Twilight and Tempest emerged on the top floor of the castle both beginning to succumb to the wear of an exhausting day.

“So, Tempest, if you turn right here, Spike and I’s room is the door at the end of the hall. Your room is the nearest door to that, on the left.” Twilight pointed out the door, and began walking down the hall.

“Thank you for doing this for me, Twilight. It means a lot.”

Twilight opened the door to Tempest’s room, allowing the unicorn in. Seeing the room’s insides, Tempest stood astounded, for its extravagance put the guest bedrooms to shame. Not only was the room significantly larger, and furnished with several extra features, namely a desk, a dresser, and a chest of drawers, but the bed was clearly intended to fit two ponies, and quite comfortably at that.

“And let me stop you before you start saying you can’t take accept this, because it’s already yours. The room is yours to have for as long as you please, and it will remain yours even if you, in the future, leave Ponyville.”

Having already shed more tears than she had been prepared to, over the course of the day, Tempest’s eyes ran dry, but the weight of the gesture struck her all the same.

“Thank you, Twilight. This room is the nicest thing I’ve ever had, and certainly the nicest place I’ve ever lived.” She grasped the Princess in a short hug. Separating, Tempest began making her way toward the bed, feeling an immense weight laying on her shoulders, from a long day filled with new discoveries, and new friends.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to head straight to bed. Good night, Twilight.”

“Of course. Good night, Tempest.” Twilight stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her. With her friend now comfortably situated, the alicorn allowed herself to release a tired sigh, and trotted toward her own bedroom, uncommonly excited to fall into her bed for the night.

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Fussing and fumbling out of of her bed, Twilight awoke, immediately suspecting that it was not yet morning. Glancing out of her window, she saw the moon still occupying the sky, and by its position, determined that technically, it was morning, a very wee hour of the morning. Regaining her waking senses, Twilight looked to her dragon companion, and affirmed that he was still asleep. Whatever had woken her had, apparently, not troubled Spike in the slightest.

After several moments of silence, the cause of her awakening revealed itself. Distantly, she could hear a high-pitched whimpering, intermittently broken up by muffled shouts of fright.

Suddenly snapping out of her sleepy haze, Twilight began quietly walking toward her door, opening it slowly, and silently thanked her mentor that it did not creak as she closed it behind her. Her destination now in sight, she allowed her pace to slightly increase, as she reached and opened the door to Tempest’s room.

Inside, Tempest could be seen, fidgeting in her sleep, and voicing the worried sounds that had awoken Twilight. In her fitful slumber, it seemed she had accidentally thrown the covers off of herself, and onto the floor.

As quietly as she could, Twilight grabbed the blanket, not wanting to risk the faint hum of magic, and laid it gently over the sleeping mare. Though Tempest’s sleeping became less fitful, and her shouting ceased, with the replacement of the blanket, she was still visibly bothered by something occurring in the dream world. Twilight, lacking the proficiencies of her Lunar counterpart, settled on the best help she could render unto her friend.

Leaning in close to the fuchsia mare’s ear, and praying her words could reach the mare in her dream, Twilight softly whispered,

“It’s alright Tempest. Twilight and all your friends are here for you. You’re safe.”

Tempest’s fidgeting slowed, and blissfully, came to a stop. Soothed into a calm sleep, Tempest could only be heard to mumble, “Twilight…” before a light, restful snore replaced her earlier whimpers.

Bearing a smile of great contentment, Twilight returned to her room, careful to not awaken either of the floor’s other residents, and before returning to her bed, took a seat at her desk. Drawing a blank piece of parchment, along with a quill and inkwell, out of the desk, she set into her task.

“Dear Princess Luna,

I am writing to inquire about whether you plan to visit Ponyville this Nightmare Night. I am certain the residents of the town would be quite pleased if you were to attend our celebration.

If you are planning to come to Ponyville, I would like to ask a favor, for the sake of a mutual acquaintance…”

Ch. 4: A Day On The Town

Most recent in a long procession of firsts, tracing back to the first encounter between her, and her eventual deliverer, a certain fuchsia mare woke, not in terror, not screaming, but in total silence. For several moments, she sat still, frightened by the void where panic usually dwelled, and by the unfamiliarly calm environment into which she trod.

Tempest was shaken from her stupor, not by any measure of comfortability with the circumstances of her awakening, but by the sudden recollection that, as a living creature seeking to maintain that status, she must breathe.

She slipped from her bed, entangled in thought, and automatically trotted toward the dresser, which stood across the room.

Why do I feel so good? Tempest pondered, tracing the source of her disquiet to the unexpected serenity. She recalled the bed, which had been very comfortable, but the comfort of her lodgings had fluctuated in the past, and it had resulted in no such effect upon her. Had she gotten more sleep than usual? Likely not, by the still-pink light bleeding into her room, it was no more than an hour past sunrise.

Still unable to comprehend the peace that besieged her, Tempest seated herself in front of the dresser. Mercifully, she noted, the room lacked a mirror, saving her the difficult task of dealing with the gaze of her reflected self. Planning to begin and conclude her morning routine by brushing her mane, she scanned the various surfaces around the room, but found no brush, comb, or mane styling implement, of any sort. Rising again, she began opening drawers, checking the contents of the room’s furnishings for some tool with which to make do.

Conscious mind now occupied with a mundane task, Tempest’s subconscious began unraveling the enigma of her awakening.

No brush could be found within the dresser, nor the chest of drawers, both of which were entirely empty. The desk yielded some contents, but only those necessary to perform a terrible, compositional task, which Tempest lacked any proficiency in. Knowing no other possibilities, she looked into two unlikely suspects, the small tables which flanked her elegant bed.

Predictably, after failure with the two most obvious locations to store a brush, none of the room’s remaining storage space proved any more successful. Tempest’s situation had been resolved for her, and as such, she decided that she would gain nothing further by remaining in the room. Odds were, the mare suspected, nopony would notice the difference in her mane from leaving it unbrushed.

As she let herself out the door, and into the hallway of the castle’s top floor, within the recesses of her mind a small, metaphorical version of herself finished reviewing the contents of a file, delivered from the department of subconscious research. Like the sound of ambient chatter in a busy locale, she had been upset by the vanishing of something she had learned to barely notice. For the first time in her memory, Tempest had slept, and awoken, without any recollection of nightmares plaguing her mind.

Her confusion resolved, and a constant burden on her shoulders alleviated, she trotted down the stairs with unusual gaiety.

…

“Good morning, Tempest! I assume you slept well?” spoke Twilight, as Tempest entered the dining room.

“Yes, I slept beautifully, thank you for asking.” she responded. Noticing a large pan in the magical grasp of her cohort, she asked, “What do you have there?”

“Eggs! Since I’m dragging you around town today, I wanted to make breakfast for you!” Twilight offered her chipper response. After a moment of considering her own words, Twilight corrected herself, “...and for everypony else, of course!” she stated, not wanting the Tempest to think that making breakfast had been a burden imposed by her presence.

“Thank you very much. Eggs sound fantastic, not that I wouldn’t be grateful for anything you make, that is.” Tempest anxiously answered, fearing her longstanding predilection for eggs (a vestige of many breakfasts taken in a military mess hall) may have come across as dissatisfaction with other foods which she had been so generously offered.

Evidently taking none of the feared offense at the comment, Twilight withdrew into the kitchen, and stepped out again, now bearing plates and forks, with which she set the small fraction of the table that saw use.

“Spike won’t be joining us?” Tempest inquired, noticing the mare had only set the table for three.

“No, he rarely gets up this early. Usually it’s just Starlight and I, so having a new breakfast companion makes for a nice change.”

Glad that her habit of rising early did not represent an imposition on the Princess, Tempest took a seat, and waited for her compatriot to join her.

“How was your new room? Is there anything you need? Please don’t hesitate to ask if there is.”

“It was very nice, thank you.” Instinct told her to insist there was nothing she needed, but she couldn’t help but reflect on her earlier experience, and figured a brush would be a small ask. “Actually, I noticed that there wasn’t a brush in the room. Would you mind if I took the brush from the guest room I used?”

Glad her friend was accepting help, Twilight responded,

“Of course, and you really don’t have to use that one. The brushes in the guest bedrooms aren’t incredible. We can get you something nicer when we head into town. And don’t try to refuse, making you comfortable is my sincere pleasure.”

Knowing the fruitlessness of arguing the point, Tempest settled with, “Thank you, Twilight.”

In concurrence with her bureaucratic tendencies, Twilight immediately began planning for the small shopping trip.

“I don’t really know where most ponies get their beauty supplies, that’s not really my forte…” she pondered the quandary with a short pause. “...but I’d bet Rarity does! She’ll know just where to go for a nice brush, nopony cares more about their mane than her.”

Having satisfactorily resolved the matter, Twilight realized she was still holding the now empty frying pan.

“Good morning Tempest, morning Twilight.” Starlight offered, trotting into the room with the glazed expression of one just having awoken. As the lavender mare returned the pan to the kitchen, Starlight noticed the food that had been set out for her. “Thanks for the eggs, Twilight!”

The three claimed seats and ate their food, not nearly as ravenously as they had consumed their two previous meals. No longer inhaling their food, the mares found a use for their unoccupied breath in making conversation.

“You and Tempest have any big plans for the day?”

“Yep, I’m going to show her around Ponyville today. Plus, I want to show her where all the girls live.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“I look forward to seeing the town, Twilight.”

…

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The matter of eating having been resolved, the two mares of darker hue set out from the castle, leaving their lighter-colored cohabitant to her own concerns for the day.

“First off, what you’re seeing down the path there is Ponyville proper, where most things in town are located. In fact, for a very long time, the only feature of the town which sat outside town limits was Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and her family’s farm, which lies roughly along the border. Then, some years ago, Fluttershy moved here, and moved into her cottage, which is a short walk out of town limits. And, of course, the Castle of Friendship is the most recent addition to Ponyville, and it also sits along town limits, not far from the Applejack’s. Unfortunately, the farm and the cottage are on opposite ends on the town, so we’ll have to cover the whole length of Ponyville, but I’ve already planned out the most efficient route between the girl’s houses. First off is the farm.”

Twilight narrated, leading the pair toward the distant sight of numerous trees, dominating the horizon.

“It’s beautiful. The last time I lived this close to nature, I was just a foal.”

“Just wait until we get to Fluttershy’s, nature and her go hoof-in-hoof.”

Her attention held by the marvels of the countryside, the walk passed Tempest’s attention in only a few short moments. She struggled to comprehend that she lived in such a place as this, by the standards of her military life, Ponyville was a paradise made real.

A rugged orange mare, moving toward the subject of her next chore, caught sight of the approaching pair, and stepped aside from the duty to greet them.

“Howdy, Twilight. And how-do-you-do to you too, Tempest! Didn’t know y’all got up so early. Whaddaya up to this fine morning?” Applejack asked, wishing to be of help.

“I wanted Tempest to see the farm before anything else, I’ve always thought it’s most beautiful in the morning.” Twilight responded.

“Y’ain’t wrong. Sure is quite a looker ‘round now.” Eyeing up a nearby tree, still laden with fruit, Applejack stepped away from the mares, and wound up a powerful buck, wishing, somewhat, to impress her newest friend.

As Applejack delivered her forceful rear hooves into the tree, in a motion more rehearsed than her own breathing pattern, and knocked the tree’s red bounty to the ground, Tempest stood in awe.

Her form is incredible. By all obvious measures, it’s perfect. She carefully studied the stunning muscles of the mare, as she proceeded through the motion. The collision of hooves and wood produced a satisfying *CRACK*, and Tempest did not doubt that if the desire struck the mare, she could separate a tree from the ground, by force of her legs alone. The unicorn found herself deeply impressed by her friend’s undeniable strength. A kick like that delivered to a pony would-

She snapped herself off of her train of thought, realizing that some remnant of her military self was considering what a force Applejack could be in a fight. You’re not like that, you don’t do that anymore! She castigated herself, frightened by the fact that violence had even entered her mind.

“Here y’are, why doncha have this one on me.” Applejack said, offering a sanguinely red apple to her friend.

“Watch out, Tempest, the first apple is how she gets you!” Twilight laughed, knowing that after the first Sweet Apple Acres apple, nopony could go back.

Returning to reality, Tempest accepted the gesture, gladly, and took a large bite out of the enticing fruit.

The flavor was difficult to compare to any food she had ever eaten, the experience was more than just taste, it exploded across her mind, and for a moment of brief ecstasy her thoughts were replaced with unrivaled sweetness.

“This is delicious!” She announced instinctively, unable to hide her amazement at the fruit.

“Ah’m glad to hear it. You come back any time now, y’hear? You help me buck apples for an evening, and you’re welcome to eat as many as you please.” The farmpony responded, hoping she might get the opportunity to put her unicorn friend’s build to good use.

“Thanks, Applejack! Tempest and I should probably get a move on, and let you get back to your business.” Twilight stated, pleased at the seemingly successful friendship Tempest had formed.

With a wave, the party separated, and the horny duo were off again.

“Next up is Rarity. This one is going to be quite a walk, because she lives a bit south of Ponyville’s town center. Rarity actually lives on the upper floor of her store, Carousel Boutique. She’s quite the premier fashion pony, she even has branches in Canterlot and Manehattan!”

Though Twilight intended her words as merely praise for her friend’s success, Tempest could not help but feel starstruck. Had she not already met the unicorn, and witnessed firsthoof how magnanimous she was, Tempest may have felt some anxiety toward meeting her.

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Standing outside of the dazzling boutique, the hour had visibly progressed in tandem with the mare’s long walk. By Twilight’s (well-founded) estimate, it was 10AM, thankfully, well within the operating hours of her friend’s establishment.

Twilight opened the door, allowing her friend in, and received a familiar greeting.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every- Tempest! And Twilight! What a pleasure to see you two.”

“Morning Rarity! Tempest and I are making a day out of seeing the town!” Twilight responded.

Her keen fashion senses picking out even the slightest manestyling anomaly, Rarity spoke up.
“Are you doing alright, Tempest? Your mane appears more…….disheveled, than yesterday. Is there anything I can help you with, darling?”

“Actually, there wasn’t a brush in my room, and Twilight said you could recommend somewhere to get a nice one.”

Nodding in acknowledgement, Rarity raised a hoof to her chin in contemplation.

Several seconds passed, as the unicorn visibly scoured her mind.

“Ah-HA! You needn’t bother with going to a store, I already have a splendid solution!”

Rarity excitedly cantered into a side room, stepping out only briefly, as she swiftly returned bearing a small box.

“You see, I was in Canterlot recently, preparing displays for my fall collection, and by the time I finished up at the boutique, it was the ghastliest hour! On the way back to my hotel, lacking better sense, I stopped to purchase a lovely black brush, which I luckily didn’t use before falling into my bed. Only after a night’s sleep did I realize that a black brush, with my coat, was obviously très gauche. And I simply haven’t had the foggiest idea of what to do with it since. But with your complexion, dear, with your captivatingly dark mane and coat, it would be magnificent!”

The excited fashionista finished her explanation, placed the package delicately on her fuchsia friend’s back, and gestured toward a door along the side of the room.

“Please take this, gratuitement naturally, and get it out of my sight. I will be quite satisfied to know it is being used by a pony which it complements. And feel free to use that dressing room, I’m certain you’d like the chance to brush your mane before you head out into town again.” Rarity offered, drowning out any resistance toward accepting the gift.

Hoping she would eventually adjust to the kindness of her new friends, Tempest accepted the offer, and closed herself into the room, planning to take more care with her grooming than she had before.

“Thank you Rarity, I’m so glad I have you girls to help Tempest feel welcome.”

“Of course! It is, as always, a pleasure.”

Latching on to a passing thought, Twilight took advantage of Tempest’s absence, and posed a question to the fashionista before her.

“Since you were so kind as to give Tempest that brush, I’m sure you’ll accept my insistence to pay you for another, more particular, item.”

Though Rarity was the living embodiment of generosity, and doubly so with her friends, she knew a losing battle when she saw one. Fighting Twilight on the price of whatever item she was after, was exactly that.

“Very well, darling, you win. What is it that you would like made?”

Glad her friend would not escape without receiving some remuneration, Twilight considered the article she had imagined before.

“I was thinking a scarf. Nice and warm, and it should probably be fairly long, too.”

“Excellent choice, it’s certainly been getting colder, hasn’t it? And, to aid with color selection, may I inquire as to who this scarf is for? As if I need to ask.”

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Trotting along the streets of Ponyville, the pair of purple mares could be seen to have a small new addition to their posse, in the form of a small black box, containing Tempest’s lovely new brush, and held in the telekinetic grasp of her lavender friend.

The streets could hardly be said to be bustling, for the town populace was not nearly numerous enough to bustle, but there was a not-insignificant amount of hoof traffic, indicative of the fact that the hour neared noon.

By what was easily mistaken for a stroke of luck, but was actually the product of Twilight’s meticulous planning, the mare’s were making their way to their next destination, Sugarcube Corner, just as they began to feel they ought stop for lunch. Though the establishment was hardly a location one might often visit for a meal, Twilight simply could not decline the sheer efficiency of having a baked goods lunch, while simultaneously having a short visit with their cotton candy compadre.

Spotting the monolith of baking-themed construction, Tempest turned to Twilight.

“Is that where Pinkie Pie lives?”

During a lapse of attention by both of the mares, they had unwittingly been joined by the very subject of Tempest’s inquiry.

“Yep! No doubt about it, this one’s a smart cookie!” Pinkie announced, making the mares aware of her presence.

“Hey Pinkie.” Greeted Twilight, nonplussed by her friend’s tendency to travel the space between spaces. “Aren’t you supposed to be working the counter right now?”

“Yup, but I had a feeling you were just about to stop by, so I thought I’d say hi.”

“Pinkie Sense, I suppose?”

“Nope. Just a feeling.”

Struggling to keep up with the party pony’s frenetic pace, Tempest settled to simply greet the mare.

“Good morning, Pinkie Pie.”

“And good almost-afternoon to you too, Tempest! And please, just call me Pinkie, Mrs. Pie is my mother’s name.”

By the mare’s emphasis, Tempest would infer that somepony had called her Mrs. Pie, thus justifying her statement, but was unable to recollect anypony else saying such, and she certainly hadn’t said it herself. Before she could dwell on Pinkie’s bizarre response, said mare ushered them into their bakery destination.

Guiding the mares to a table, already bearing food-laden plates, Pinkie explained.

“Since I didn’t throw you a super-spectacular first-day-in-Ponyville party, this one’s on me. I went ahead and put out some food you like!”

Bemused, Twilight asked,

“Another feeling?”

“Nope. Pinkie Sense.”

And with that, the mare vanished, reappearing behind the counter the instant after.

Tempest examined the food laid out on the table, and noticed a loaf of bread, cut in two, and that each mare had been given a half-loaf, along with a small dish of jam. By the smell, she knew the bread was doubtlessly far better than the dry, unpleasant substance with which she associated the name. However, her attention was quickly dominated by the plate which sat at the table’s center. Its contents immediately brought her back to military life, where said food had been her absolute favorite. When meals or rations contained that precious substance, it meant that times were good, that the army wasn’t wrapped in the throes of war. Not only was it delicious, it was a powerful source of psychological healing to Tempest, a reminder that hard times were behind her. It was,

“Banana bread!” Twilight shouted, giddily. “Pinkie knows how much I love this stuff. I thought that the stuff I had in Canterlot couldn’t be beat, until I tried Pinkie’s.”

Catching her friend’s infectious enthusiasm, Tempest added,

“Pinkie must really do her research. Banana bread is my favorite.”

“No way, mine too!”

The pair partook in a giggling fit, enjoying the humor of their mutual obsession with the unparalleled majesty of banana bread.

“KNEW IT!” came a very pleased pink mare’s voice from the other room.

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“See you around, Pinkie!” Twilight said, as the pair departed Sugarcube Corner.

The duo had thoroughly enjoyed their lunch, and followed it up with a few minutes of light conversation with their hostess, gradually acclimating Tempest to the mare’s spit-fire speech.

Returning to the world of the outside, Twilight looked toward her friend, and began explaining her thought process for their next destination.

“At 1PM, now, on days when the scheduled weather report calls for clear skies, today, having just finished her lunch, the last, unintended cloud over the town,” Twilight indicated a small, puffy cloud, floating not far above their heads, “will be cleared by…”

With the perfect timing that only persistent research can achieve, Twilight’s statement was punctuated by the arrival of Rainbow Dash. As the Princess had predicted, she busted the small cloud, using a fanciful, spinning kick, and a demonstration of great machismo.

As Tempest sat in amazement at her friend’s predictive capabilities, the subject of her prophecy took note of the mares below her, and descended to the ground.

“Hey Twi, Tempest! What'cha up to?”

“Nothing much, we just had lunch. I wanted to show Tempest around town, but I suppose it’d be pretty pointless to show her your house.” Twilight turned to her unicorn friend and elaborated, “Rainbow is the only pony in Ponyville that lives in a cloud house.”

Rainbow Dash spoke up, perceiving some small slight at the practicality of her home.

“Cloud houses are awesome, I’m awesome, it’s a perfect fit.”

Jumping into the discussion, Tempest couldn’t help but question the nature of her and Twilight’s own home.

“Twilight, isn’t the Castle of Friendship a… giant tree? It certainly looks like one.”

Glad to see another pony point out that her home wasn’t the most absurd in town, Rainbow enthusiastically responded.

“Right? And you won’t believe this, before Twilight lived in that tree, her old house, which was destroyed by a giant rampaging villain, was another tree! And that tree was also the town library! Isn’t that the most Twilight house you can imagine!”

Tempest snickered heavily, clearly attempting to muffle her laughter, before breaking into a small fit of chuckles and snorts, wherein she was joined by her pegasus companion.

Allowing her friends several moment to enjoy their joke at her expense, Twilight eventually reclaimed their attention.

“Well, Rainbow, we have places to be, so we should really set off.”

“Nah, it’s fine. We can walk and talk, I’ll come with, at least for a bit. I need a cool-down anyway.” Rainbow Dash answered, greatly enjoying the company of her new friend.

With that, it was settled, the mares set off in the general direction of Fluttershy’s distant home.

“You’re pretty cool, Tempest, you really kick flank. And I’m a bit of a scrapper myself, you and me should have ourselves a tussle some time. I wanna see what you can do.” Rainbow proposed, hoping to see the dynamic unicorn in action again.

“No, it’s fine, I’m not that strong, you would probably just beat me really fast anyway.” Tempest deflected, hoping her friend would drop the topic before she starting thinking about violence again.

“You can’t trick me, Tempest, I’ve seen what you can do. I know you put up a tough fight.”

Tempest sensed that the pegasus would not drop the subject until she agreed.

“Alright. Sometime in the future we can do a little sparring. But I warned you, I’m really not very good, it won’t be much fun.”

“Alright, I see your game, playing your cards close to your chest, I respect that. I can’t wait to see what surprises you pull out.” Rainbow responded, uncommonly excited by the prospect of a new friend to include in her roughhousing.

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Rainbow Dash having long since quit their company, the two mares finally approached the hillside house of the pegasus they sought.

Twilight’s praise for the natural beauty of the home was not unfounded, countless multicolored avian forms dove and spun in the open air, complementing the earthen tones of the structure itself. The trees surrounding the area, painted in autumn hues of orange and red, contained numerous birdhouses, obviously hoof-made by the pegasus. As though reaffirming the untouched purity of nature, a cerulean spring flowed before the house, and a small bridge stepped over it. Even the house was decked in grass and growth, it’s roof entirely covered in foliage.

Tempest was immediately enamored, for the natural beauty before her annihilated any previous conception of nature she had held. In the grass and reeds around the flowing water, animal life flourished, and all manner of creatures, predator and prey alike, frolicked as one. She witnessed a fox pounce on a small, vulnerable rabbit, only to begin licking it affectionately, as though the thought of killing another being had never crossed its mind. The animals’ occasional displays of violence were met, not with combat and murder, but with a shared enjoyment. For them, it was fun, simply a way to enjoy the company of friends.

Her discarded, cynical self had before insisted that nature provided the ultimate justification for conquest, the strong hunt the weak, and there is no love lost between those who kill, and those who are killed. The display before her shattered all of those preconceptions, and Tempest felt the black knot which choked her heart, slowly unwind and release its grip, just slightly.

“I know, Fluttershy’s house is something else. Let’s go see if she’s in.” Twilight said, snapping Tempest to, as the pair trotted forward.

Crossing the wooden bridge, Tempest could feel an aura of peace overtake her, and she heard a faint, cheerful voice, which sang in perfect harmony with the abounding beauty.

As they drew nearer, the words of the beautiful song came to her, clearly.

“♪Born a poor young country mare, Mother Nature’s foal.
All day long, I’m sitting singing songs for everyone.

Sit beside a mountain stream, see her waters rise.
Listen to the pretty sound of music as she flies.

Ba-Ba-Baaaaaaa-Baa-baa-baa-Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Baaaa…”

Before she had even noticed, Tempest found herself sitting, enraptured by music, and by the majesty of the strange, wonderful world she had entered. The voice that sang out, Tempest felt quite sure, could only be that of an angel.

Enjoying the moment every bit as much as her friend, Twilight sat near her, peacefully awaiting another verse of the pegasus’ song.

“Find me in my field of grass, Mother Nature’s foal.
Swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sun.

Ba-Ba-Baaaaaaa-Baa-baa-baa-Ba-Ba-Ba-Ba-Baaaa…

*Various ‘Baa’s and melodic vocalizations follow*

Mother Nature’s foal,
Ooooooooooh
Mother Nature’s foal. ♪”

With the song’s end, its audience, numbering two mares and the numerous animals standing about the house, applauded most emphatically.

The singer, intending to thank her listeners, stepped out the door of her house, and was mildly surprised by the presence of the two ponies.

“Oh! Hello friends, I didn’t know you were here.” Fluttershy greeted, with only a slight blush at the revelation of her singing’s publicity.

Tempest could not help herself but to step forward, and smile heartily toward the mare as she spoke.

“Your singing is beautiful. I’ve never heard anything like it.”

Still somewhat embarrassed by the praise, but glad her music had been enjoyable, Fluttershy gave a slight bow and offered,

“Thank you very much.”

Twilight stepped in to explain their visit to the mare’s abode.

“Tempest and I have been walking around Ponyville, and I wanted her to see where you live. Plus, I figured she’d like the scenery.”

“How nice! Well, Tempest, if you like animals, you’ve come to the right place.” She gestured to the various critters surrounding her, “All the cuties around here are as sweet as can be!”

In agreement, a squirrel skittered over to the pegasus, and received an affectionate nuzzle from the caretaker.

Remembering a small exception, Fluttershy again addressed the unicorn.

“There’s one animal you might want to be careful with, I promise he’s nice, but he can be a bit… assertive. Don’t worry about being stern with him, he needs it.” Knowing the sound of criticism from any distance, out from the house hopped a small white bunny, who proceeded to stare down the new arrival.

Finding his glare met by a look of equal strength from the unicorn, he broke the gaze by blowing a loud, obnoxious raspberry, and casting a derisive look at its target.

Tempest looked back in kind, she well knew the nature of the situation before her. The rabbit was attempting to establish a pecking order, and heeding her friend’s advice, the mare refused to yield to the creature.

“Don’t test me, cottontail.”

Swiftly realizing that his dominant personality would not triumph over this latest subject, Angel Bunny decided that, not a retreat, but a tactical withdrawal, would best resolve the situation. With his departure, Fluttershy stood in amazement at her friend’s animal handling.

“Wow, if you can handle Angel that well, you won’t have trouble with any of the animals. Please feel free to come by any time.” Her own words spurring her to take note of the time, the pegasus added, “I wasn’t planning to eat for another hour, but if you’d like to join me, you’re welcome to rest here until then.”

Tempest could tell her friend’s kindness was nigh-unfailing, and she knew she didn’t consider them as even the slightest of burden, but regardless, she did not want to dominate the mare’s evening.

“That’s very kind of you to offer, but we were about to head back to the castle anyway. Have a nice evening.” Tempest said, signalling their departure.

“You too!” Fluttershy answered, equally happy either way.

With that, the duo left, Tempest feeling slightly saddened as she exited the beautiful world her friend had created, but heartened by the thought that she could now visit such a place whenever she pleased.

As Tempest reflected on the day she had spent, some trifling, trivial strangeness came to her, something unexpected about the day that she couldn’t put her hoof on. It wasn’t simply her friends, but the thought of travelling through Ponyville that inspired this unidentifiable feeling. Unable to resolve it, Tempest set the matter aside, unwittingly handing her subconscious its second task of the day, and turned to her friend.

“Twilight, all of your friends are-

“Our friends.” Twilight corrected, not satisfied until the unicorn fully acknowledged that the six were all her friends.

“...our friends, right. Our friends are all so nice. They seem so glad to spend time together, not doing anything in particular, just being around each other. Is that what friends are like?”

“You’re starting to catch on Tempest. Friends enjoy each other’s company, and I know the girls had just as much fun seeing you as you did visiting them. I wouldn’t be surprised if you end up having even more friends soon. Even if you deny it, you seem like an excellent friend.”

“Huh.” was all Tempest could manage, surprised by the apparent ease and enjoyability of friendship. Recalling her day, it occurred to her that, perhaps, her tutelage would be less work than she had suspected.

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“Thank you very much, Twilight.” Tempest said, as the Princess returned from the kitchen.

By the time the duo had arrived at the castle, both were ravenous, and had quickly seated themselves to a meal prepared by Twilight, consisting of a number of hay-based foods that Tempest was unfamiliar with. Having cleaned the dishes, the lavender mare returned to the room.

“You’re more than welcome, Tempest. If you don’t know how to cook, I’d be happy to teach you some basic stuff, so you can eat when you want.”

“No, it’s fine. I have a decent idea of how the kitchen is laid out, and I can cook well enough.” Tempest responded, thinking back to more than a few punitive shifts in a military kitchen, preparing food en masse.

As Tempest leaned back in her seat, she began drifting into her own ambient thoughts. She entered the paraphysical realm of her mind, and the results of her subconsciously studying the events of the day quite suddenly occurred to her. Bringing this awakened knowledge with her, she pulled herself back to the conscious world, and addressed her compatriot in hopes of receiving some sensical explanation.

“Twilight, about today…” Tempest took a moment to carefully consider her next words. “...there was something… strange… that I noticed. With everypony we saw, the girls, all the ponies around town, and all the ponies we saw while we were walking around, nobody-” She caught herself forgetting to affect ponykind’s trademark term. “-nopony, I mean. Nopony looked at… nopony noticed…” the unicorn began choking on her words, finding it tremendously difficult to say what she meant.

Seeing her friend grappling with thought, and believing she knew what the mare was getting at, Twilight attempted to finish the thought.

“Nopony stared?”

Relieved of the painful words she had been contending with, Tempest answered.

“Yes.”

“Tempest, the thing is, at least here in Ponyville, that’s just how ponies are. Nopony is going to judge you, not based on your appearance. And I promise, they’re all too happy to give you a second chance. Ponies are good at heart, even ponies who do bad things, even ponies who hurt others, even you, Tempest. The ponies here won’t judge you on who you used to be, they’ll only judge who you are now.”

Allowing a few seconds for her words to reach the mare, Twilight continued.

“There’s a pegasus you should meet. Her name is Derpy, and she’s as nice a mare as you’ll ever meet. In a way, she’s a symbol of Ponyville. Nopony judges others based on how they look, even the ponies who take great care with their appearance, even Rarity, with all her love for fashion, the only looks they judge are their own. And when they offer advice, they only intend the very best.”

Tempest, hearing her friend’s description of her new hometown, all of which was matched by her experience of the town, began to feel that Ponyville was the most perfect place she could hope to live. All she could muster in response, feeling the weight of the salvation she seemed to have found, was,

“Thank you, Twilight.”

Satisfied to enjoy the silence of understanding, the two sat enjoying the peace, for some time.

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Tempest resolved to break the silence, and inquire after the rest of the evening.

“Hey, Twilight, do you remember our conversation, in the library?”

“Of course! What’s on your mind?”

“Well, I have a desk in my room, but I can’t really use it. Would you mind if, perhaps, tonight, we could approach the reading and writing, stuff?”

Realizing her friend’s simple desire, and unable to think of any other task which she would assign nearly so much importance, the alicorn came to a resolution.

“Absolutely. If you don’t mind, we could work on this daily, maybe each night? That’s the best way to learn, after all.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I’d be happy to, but won’t that interfere with your duties as Princess?”

With a small laugh, Twilight responded.

“Tempest, I can work at any time of day, I promise it’s no problem.” Twilight considered her plan for tutoring her friend, and offered,

“How about we work in your room, to afford us some solitude. That way nopony should interrupt us.”

Pleased with the idea, Tempest nodded, and the two left their seats. Destination firmly in mind, the pair left the dining room, proceeding on their studious endeavor.

And so was formed a nightly habit of the pair, now a teacher and a student, both of friendship, and of language.

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“Good night, Tempest.”

“Good night, Twilight.”

The pair separated, as Twilight left her friend’s room, allowing both her friend, and herself, the opportunity to get some sleep.

Thankfully, the first steps in her friend’s education had been much smoother than expected. Despite lacking the knowledge needed to read or write, Tempest was nonetheless familiar with the alphabet. In part due to the advantages of learning as an adult, Tempest was quick to catch on to writing the various symbols, and had even achieved the feat of learning most of their pronunciations. Or, moreso, associating the letters with pronunciations she already knew.

Twilight bore a satisfied smile as she trotted into her room, having made tremendous strides with the day she had spent. Without noticing it, she found herself eagerly awaiting whatever she and Tempest would do tomorrow, as she settled into her bed and drifted off into the yawning maw of the night.