Like Fireworks in the Sky

Chapters

2. Tea and Sandwiches
3. Magic Practice
4. Poison Joke
5. Finished Planning
6. Heading South
7. Welcome Back
8. Hospitality
9. First Night
10. Getting to Work
11. The Sandstorm
13. Cloud Nine
14. After Clubbing
15. Apologies
16. The Campaign
17. Almost There
18. Discord's Show
19. Tempest's Show
20. Next Stop
21. Another Warm Welcome
22. Swimming
23. Starting Work
24. The Early Bird
25. Banquet
26. Research
28. Loving Care
29. Recovery
30. Into Battle
31. Going Home
32. Royal Thanks
1. Restoring Extremities is a Snap
12. A Great Day
27. A Roc and a Hard Place

2. Tea and Sandwiches

Tempest took a reassuring breath, and then lifted her head, horn lighting up as she tore open a hole in reality. At least, that was what it looked like. In reality, it was simply a portal to Discord's chaos dimension. Though she still wasn't entirely certain it was based in reality. Well, no matter. Fluttershy has apparently come and gone without any negative side effects, so Tempest should be safe in it. She lifted her box and carried it through.

She stepped out onto grass and saw a rather nice cottage, but there was black void instead of sky above it, and when she looked around, she saw that she was on a floating chunk of land. Strange objects floated through the air around it and she could see other platforms in the distance. Her hooves were firmly planted, yet at the same time, gravity seemed optional. She decided not to think about it too hard and closed the portal, walking over to the cottage.

She gave the door a few knocks and waited. When there wasn't a response, she rung the doorbell. Rather than the chime she was expecting, it made an awful squawking noise that made her jump. But she got a response.

“I'll be right there!” a familiar voice called. Tempest shifted her ears forward and just managed to catch the sound of a shower turning off. That was so mundane that she found herself laughing.

After a few moments, the door opened, revealing Discord with a towel around his waist and a shower cap on, carrying a rubber ducky. “Oh, I wasn't expecting you.”

“Who were you expecting?” Tempest asked.

“No one, actually. I don't get many visitors. I scared away the scammers ages ago and oh, I just got the Celestia's Witnesses to leave me alone a couple weeks ago... Honestly just tell them you follow the Path of Tartarus and they go scampering! Hahaha! Well, what can I do for you?”

Tempest laughed at the image of Discord terrifying poor missionary ponies and said, “Well, I um... I wanted to bring you something!” She lifted the box, which was carefully wrapped in golden wrapping paper with a black bow on top.

“A gift? For me?” Discord's bath effects disappeared from his body among sparkles and he gleefully took the present.

“Yeah, what you did for me was incredibly kind and I just wanted to repay you,” Tempest replied.

“Aw, that was as simple for me as picking up a spoon is for you. But thank you for the gift. Can I open it now or shall I wait for Hearth's Warming?”

Tempest laughed. “Hearth's Warming isn't for several months. Go ahead, open it now.”

“Oh goody!” Discord unwrapped the bow first and proceeded to tie it fashionably around his neck. Then he tore the paper and opened the box. “Okay, let's see... more paper! Oh you shouldn't have.”

“Heh. The paper was just cushioning. Go on, dig into it.”

Discord reached in and pulled out a handsomely bound book. “Alright, let's see... oh! An Ogres and Oubliettes guidebook! They've published so many of these but... oh, this is a magical spellbook! Honestly I like to improvise but it's good to draw from the guidebooks, that way you know exactly your damage stats and species resistance!” He opened the book and began flipping through.

“Fluttershy told me all about your game nights with Spike and Big Mac,” Tempest said. “I figured you would get some use out of an O&O book. But that's not all I put in there.”

“Hm?” Discord tucked the book under his arm and reached back into the box.

“She also told me about your character,” Tempest said with a smile. “So I did some painting. I'm not that good at it, but...”

Discord extracted a canvas and stared at it for a good few moments. Then he turned it around, showing Tempest the painting on it. “You drew this?”

“Heh, yeah.” She stepped forward, examining it. “I've never drawn a draconequus before but like, see, I drew you in the tunic with the flowing blonde hair, and your bow and arrow, I know my proportions are kinda awkward but...”

“I love it,” Discord replied, turning it back around. “You've really captured my heroic look!”

Tempest blushed. “Oh, thank you!”

“You know, I think with some practice you could become an amazing painter.” Discord looked more closely at the painting. “You even drew me wearing the ring of bolstering! I just recently won that in our campaign!”

“Yeah, Fluttershy told me. Apparently you never shut up about your amazing campaign.”

“It's a good one, Spike has really outdone himself! Right now we're just about to challenge the Dreaded Cerberus! See, the dreaded class is really strong compared to his awoken class minions.”

Tempest was growing interested in this game. “Oh, really? So, what are the awoken like?”

“Oh they have more HP, or health points, than the angered class, which we fought the beginning. Plus the awoken are faster! So when they attack, we have to roll for dexterity to avoid them, and we need a higher number to pass the check and dodge. Really, the best way to deal with them is just hitting hard and fast. They're weak to ice type attacks.”

“Ohh, I see. So this dreaded then, what's he like?”

“Hah, well, nearly three times the HP of the awoken! And with a tougher hide which means he can withstand stronger hits, and I've heard he even has a resistance to ice, so we'll need a different strategy! But I think we have a pretty good plan. You know what, while you're here, would you like to come in for tea and sandwiches?” Discord held the door open.

“Oh, alright.” Tempest walked in. The house was strange, with some of the furniture attached to the ceiling, and doors didn't seem to actually lead into rooms. Plus she was certain that staircase over there didn't go all the way up to the second floor. But she decided not to look too closely, going over to one of the couches that was on the floor and sitting down. With a wave of his hand, Discord set out a platter of mini sandwiches, two teacups, and a teapot.

Tempest picked up her cup and found that it was bright pink and covered in flowers. She made a face and looked up, only to see that Discord was drinking from a matching one. She couldn't help but laugh. She poured herself some tea and took a sip. “Mm, minty.”

“Fluttershy loves this one,” Discord said. “So, have you ever played O&O?”

“No, I've just heard of it. I used to think it was silly but I've kinda lightened up recently. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

“It really is, you can be so creative! There are rules, sure, but they're very flexible. You can choose from a ton of classes and species. You don't even have to play as a pony if you don't want to. You could be a gryphon, or a dragon! Different species have different advantages and disadvantages, different natural skills, and it's up to you to design a character with attributes that take full advantage of those things. You collect experience as you play to level up, and you gain more powers and attacks, and you can increase the amount of points in things you have like dexterity, perception, or whatever else suits your playing style. Like, I'm an archer, so I put most of my points into dexterity! Plus I'm sneaky, so I work on improving my light armor skill. See, heavy armor makes noise and that's not very conducive to sneaking! Meanwhile Big Mac is a warrior so he pumps points into strength.”

“Makes sense. So, there's no actual playing board or anything, right? It's all just imagination?”

“Pretty much. Although, we play it a little differently. See, I can actually bring the game to life, so there's not much imagination going on. Spike tells me the plan and I can generate an environment to match it. But, you know, the normies just use their imagination. And figurines usually.”

Tempest snorted. “Nothing wrong with that. Well, I'm glad you have a game you're passionate about. It sounds like a lot of fun.”

“It is, you should join us sometime! Once in the O&O world I can even generate whatever cool fantasy outfit you want! Oh, I wonder what class you would be!” Discord summoned over a book that Tempest recognized as another guidebook. “Let's see. You could probably play a magic user, but oh, Spike is already a wizard. Would you be interested in being a cleric? They tend to be more religious-based but hey, it's just a game. Their deity gives them strength and you can be our healer!”

“Hm, maybe. What else you got?”

“A druid? You harness the magic of nature. You can commune with animals and even have a particular animal companion that can aid us in battle. You could have a hawk, or a snake, or anything really.”

“That sounds cool.”

Discord flipped the page, and chuckled. “Or you could be a bard. Oh but Pinkie sometimes joins us and she's a bard. Might be kinda weird with two of you. Hm, you could be a sorcerer. They're similar to a wizard but have different powers, and usually their backstory would be different too.”

Tempest rubbed her neck. “This seems pretty complicated now that you're talking about all this.”

“Just wait until I start telling you about attributes! I hope you like math!”

“Maybe I can make a character some other time.” Tempest sipped more of her tea, finished the cup, and poured another.

“Alright.” Discord picked up a sandwich. “It's so nice having company. Fluttershy visits sometimes but usually I have to open a portal and let her in, since she can't get in herself. But unicorns can just come and go I guess. Hm, maybe I should give Fluttershy a talisman or something that she can use to open the portal. Anyway, thanks for visiting. It can get lonely here.”

“No one else lives here?” Tempest asked.

“Nope. This is my own personal pocket dimension. Completely isolated from the rest of the world!” Discord spread his arms dramatically. “When I was younger and more angsty, this was perfect! But now I've come to appreciate friendship and it's grown lonely. Maybe I should just give it up and move to Ponyville. But then, you know, I'd have to get a job or something. Why bother when I can just live in my own house of my own creation that I don't have to pay bills on? If I want electricity, I make it! I want running water, I make it! I have everything I could ever need right here.”

“Except your friends,” Tempest said.

Discord's ears drooped. “Yeah. Except my friends. But hey, you're welcome to come here whenever you want.”

“Thanks, I might just do that. Heh, it's funny. When I first saw you I wasn't sure I could trust you, but you're actually a really cool guy.”

“I understand, draconequus are the big bads of legend, we're dangerous and foul-tempered, we just want to ruin the lives of the sweet, innocent ponies living in... I don't know, the crystal glades or singing mountains or whatever sappy happy place they made up so you feel even sadder when it gets destroyed. But honestly, countless stories have been written about what I in particular did to Equestria a thousand years ago. I don't blame you for being distrustful. But I'm glad you took the time to get to know the real me.”

Tempest picked up a sandwich, and opened it to find that it was slathered in mayonnaise. She made a face. “Yes, you've changed a lot since a thousand years ago. And yet, hardly at all, I see.”

“More of a mustard pony I presume?” Discord asked, offering her a different sandwich.

She took that one instead while he took hers. “You've got that right.”

“I've reined myself in but I still have some fun every once in a while,” Discord said. “What's the point of harmony if you don't have chaos to compare it to? Life is boring without chocolate rain and long-legged bunnies! Luckily my friends have gotten used to my powers, though they still sometimes get upset if I just teleport into their houses without warning. Prudes.”

Tempest grinned. “Oh yes, how dare they want some privacy.”

“I know, right? Ah, but I've done my best to learn their schedules so I don't bother them at inopportune times. And now Twilight and the other bearers of the elements have that school of theirs so they're more busy, which leaves poor old Discord to find other ways to amuse himself. I've taken to talking to myself, don't you know? Not that I don't appreciate my own company, but ya know, I like some variety.”

Tempest nickered. “I bet.”

“Oh and that's not me being clever, I mean I can literally talk to myself.” Discord waved his hand and a clone of himself appeared, sitting next to him. “Hey, pal.”

“Right back at ya, pal!” the clone said in the same exact voice, and they shook hands.

“Oh man, I don't know what I would do with a clone of myself,” Tempest said. “I'd probably drive myself crazy.”

“You'll never know until you try,” Discord said, vanishing his clone but making one of Tempest appear instead. The new one immediately pranced back nervously. Then she approached the original, and the two examined each other, their expressions matching perfectly.

“It's like looking in a mirror,” Tempest said, tilting her head. The other did the same. “Except the reflection is wrong, somehow.”

“Well, you're not looking at a reflection. You're looking at your own face, the way it appears to everypony else. Of course it looks weird. You've never seen your own face quite this way before.”

“Huh.” Tempest tapped the other's muzzle. The clone Tempest blinked and booped her back. They both laughed. “Well, that's cool, but kinda weird.”

“Yeah, it takes some getting used to. I'll get rid of her.” Another wave and the clone was gone.

Tempest straightened. “What um... what happens when you make them disappear? Isn't that like... killing them?”

“Oh heavens no. She was literally just a projection of your own thoughts. She's no more dead than you are. Just like your dream self doesn't die when you wake up.”

“Oh. Okay.” Tempest wasn't sure but she wasn't going to argue.

“So, Twilight has told me a little about you but there's still so much I want to know. Tell me about your childhood.”

“Heh, well... I had a pretty normal life growing up, I had friends, and I was told I had a lot of magical potential and perhaps I could even get into Celestia's school for gifted unicorns... until I ran into the Ursa Minor.”

3. Magic Practice

It took Tempest nearly an hour to tell Discord about everything she's been through. He was polite throughout the story, nodding in understanding, gasping at the appropriate surprising parts and frowning during the sad parts. But finally Tempest told him about her blocking the Storm King from turning Twilight to stone, leading to Tempest and him being frozen instead. Twilight had grabbed her in midair and pulled her back from the ledge while the Storm King had fallen, shattering on the ground far below.

“Yeesh, what a way to go,” Discord commented. “I bet that really crushed his spirits.”

Tempest laughed. “Oh yes, I had to make sure no one unfroze him because that... that would have been really gross to clean up. We just quietly moved the pieces and buried them. But yeah, after that, Twilight offered me her friendship and I agreed, and she taught me that I didn't need my horn to be powerful. That power came from me, and I was great just the way I was. I used my talent for explosions to put on a fireworks show they've never seen before. It was nice, the way they cheered for me. I finally felt like I belonged again. Of course, then you went and fixed my horn, so... who knows what I'm capable of now.”

“We should see!” Discord stood, and Tempest tilted her head.

“What do you mean?” she asked curiously.

“Some magical tests! Try to do something you've never been able to do before!”

Tempest thought about it, then stood up. “Well, I've never quite been able to figure out teleportation. That's kinda high-level though. Twilight can do it, and so can Starlight, but I don't know...”

“I think you can do it, if you just put your mind to it. Go on.” Discord walked over to the other side of the room. “Just teleport over here next to me. That's a short distance, real easy.”

“How do I do it?” Tempest asked.

“It's difficult to explain, like any magic. You just have to want it, and feel it! Just will yourself to go, and your magic will do the rest.”

Tempest nodded and summoned her magic. She could see the glow of her horn out of the corners of her eyes, and she focused, imagining herself moving through the air to be next to Discord. Nothing happened, and she tried harder. Just move. Teleport.

But rather than teleporting, her glow enveloped herself and suddenly tossed her across the room. She yelped as she landed on her front next to Discord, skidding across the floor.

“Ouch,” he said over her.

Tempest huffed, painfully getting to her hooves. “Okay, I don't know what that was.”

“You levitated yourself over. Kinda.”

She rubbed her cheek where it had hit the floor and smoothed her fur out. “Ugh, clearly teleportation is beyond my skill level.”

“Oh don't say that. You have to believe in yourself! Look, don't think of it so much as your magic moving you across the room. Think of it more as... dipping out of reality and bringing yourself back in, in a different location.”

“Right, because that makes sense.”

“That's how I think of it.” Discord disappeared and then reappeared several feet away. Then he was gone again, and popped back into existence over her head, his wings flapping to keep him airborne. “See?”

“Okay, I'll try again!” Tempest turned to face the room, looking at the opposite wall. “I'll try to go over there. Okay, come on Tempest. You can do this.”

“You can do this,” Discord agreed. “I can sense the power in you. You can do amazing things. I believe in you.”

She inhaled, and closed her eyes as she willed herself to teleport. Out of reality, and then back in at a new point. It was worth a shot. She used her magic, letting it surround her, and mentally reached out to where she wanted to go. And... now!

A sudden, startling pressure enveloped her, but before she could even react to it, it disappeared. She stumbled and opened her eyes, finding herself on the other side of the room looking at the wall. She turned around and looked at Discord. “Did I do it?”

“You did it!” he cheered, and summoned a team of other Discords, who all clapped for her and whistled. One waved pom-poms. “Now you can teleport yourself straight here! Good for you!” His copies disappeared and he returned to his seat. “See? I told you, you can do anything! Maybe you didn't get to go to Celestia's school for gifted unicorns, but I bet you can teach yourself all kinds of things! Twilight's library is full of spellbooks. Or, you know what? Your magic seems much more suited for the... chaotic arts.”

“Chaotic?” Tempest wondered.

“Oh yes. Your explosions? Chaotic. The electricity you can zap people with? Chaotic. Those balls of energy that turn people to stone? Guess what? Chaotic!” Discord swept his arm around her. “You're suited for chaos! Leave the harmony magic to the princesses. You can do so much more. Why, I bet I could even teach you to manipulate reality itself!”

Tempest drew back. “Should any pony possess that kind of power?”

“I possess it. Though I suppose I'm not a pony, am I? But I'm pretty in control of it. As long as you have a strong will, you can handle it. I'm confident you would only use it for good. So, what do you say? Want some magic lessons?”

“It would be nice to learn more magic. Now that my horn isn't on the fritz, I can do all sorts of things.”

“Maybe you'll even earn a cutie mark, hm?”

Tempest sighed. “I don't need a cutie mark. It's unnecessary. A symbol on my flanks that tells me what I'm good at. Great. I already know what I'm good at. Plus even the name kinda makes me gag. Cutie mark. Eugh.”

“Yeah they're overrated. I just figured you might be curious about it, at least. I sure know I've thought about what kind of cutie mark I'd have.” Discord casually patted one of his thighs. “What would chaos even look like? Nothing that could be restrained to just my thighs, that's for sure.”

“Your cutie mark is just a void into unfathomable depths,” Tempest suggested. “Anyone who looks at it for too long loses their mind.”

“Hah! I like it. Or maybe some sort of Eldritch horror. Well, Tempest, I can respect it if you don't want a cutie mark. But if it ever does appear, I'm sure it will be a great one.”

“Yeah, I hope so. Okay, I'll learn magic from you. You seem like a good teacher.”

Discord drew himself up proudly. “It's been eons since I've actually taught anyone magic. I'm a bit rusty, but I'll do my best. Where should we start? Transfiguration or manifestation? How about emotional control? Mind reading?”

“Emotional control?” Tempest asked, blinking.

“Ah, yes, I possess some amount of ability to manipulate ponies into behaving... differently than they usually would. Some people have more resistance to it while some others cave in almost immediately. You can get far with some clever words and a little brainwashing.”

“No brainwashing. And I'd rather not read minds, people deserve that privacy. Transfiguration sounds interesting, though. I take it that's just about turning objects into other objects?”

“Correct! Once you get good at it, you can turn anything into anything! You could turn a beetle into a stallion! A rock into a diamond! Or, to get really weird, turn a boring tree into a big chocolate cake! It takes effort, and lots of practice, but once you learn it the possibilities are endless! And then you can head into manifestation! Making anything you want out of thin air! Well to be honest you're manipulating reality on a subatomic level but that's a bit technical. You'll be able to just think about it and create things like... puppies!” Discord snapped his fingers and a puppy fell into his arms out of nowhere. Tempest stared as it wiggled and barked, licking Discord's face.

“Whoa! You think I could learn to do magic like that?” Tempest asked.

“Anything is possible.” Discord held the puppy out. “Oh great, now I have to find someone to take this puppy, I'll feel bad if I just vanish it. I wonder if Fluttershy is in the market for a new pet.”

“I think Applejack said something about wanting a friend for her dog Winona,” Tempest commented.

“Good plan, I'll drop by AJ's place later and ask.” Discord set the puppy down. “Okay, run along and play now.” The puppy scampered off.

“Well, I'm ready to learn whenever you want to teach me,” Tempest said.

“How open is your schedule?” Discord asked.

“If I'm being honest... pretty open. I'm between jobs right now. I've mostly just been helping out at Twilight's library.”

“Sounds good, and I'm not doing much either. We can do some magic practice right now if you want! Really give that new horn of yours a workout!”

Tempest smirked. “Bring it.”

Discord turned out to be an encouraging but fast-paced teacher. He was constantly pushing Tempest to try harder, testing the limits of her magic. At one point he just threw objects to her for her to lift with her levitation, and she was forced to juggle everything at once over her head, and he just kept tossing in more.

She stumbled as the exertion turned physical, and her stomach growled with hunger, her legs shaking. Then he threw several bowling balls to her, and she groaned as she caught them in the aura and rotated them through the air.

She was sure she was about to collapse when he said she could stop, and it took everything she had to carefully put everything down before releasing her magic. She panted, and Discord suggested she start transforming things now that she was done warming up.

“You call that a warm up?” she demanded.

“Now, now, I don't want to hear any negativity. Here's an easy one for you. Take this bowling ball, and turn it purple. So simple, you don't have to change its shape or mass! Just make it purple.”

Tempest stared at the black bowling ball that he rolled to her, then sighed and focused on it. It shimmered, and streaks of purple went through it. After several moments of effort, the entire surface was covered in purple, though it was in stripes of several different shades. Tempest lowered her head when she finished, gasping for breath.

“I was expecting it to be solid, but you know what? It looks great like this!” Discord picked it up. “Now then, remember what I told you about transformation. How does an object need to change to become a different one? That's what your magic has to do, and all in an instant. How about you change this skateboard into a cat?”

Tempest grimaced. “I'm not sure I'm ready to create living animals. What if I do it wrong and they're in pain?”

“I'll be here to instantly correct them if I have to, don't worry about it. Just try.”

“I'd really rather turn the skateboard into another inanimate object.”

“But you've done that plenty of times today!”

“But I'm still learning! I should spend more time practicing on inanimate objects before I try creating animals. Seriously. I'm not like you, I can't just imagine things and make them happen perfectly.”

“Not with that attitude!”

Tempest sighed and blasted the skateboard. It flew into the air, and Discord quickly grabbed it to keep it from hitting him. When he turned it over, he saw that there was now a stylized image of a cat on its underside.

Tempest turned away. “I think that's enough for today.”

“Really? Are you sure you don't want to try anything else? The day's still young!”

“No. I'm going home.” It took effort for Tempest to open the portal back to Ponyville. She gazed through it, at the room Twilight had given her in the castle. She was more than ready to crawl into bed.

“Okay then. Well... you know where to find me if you're up for another lesson.” Discord watched her step through the portal, and said, “Oh, Tempest?”

She warily glanced back at him.

“Thanks again for the presents.”

Her expression softened. “No problem. See you later.” She closed the portal, and crossed the room, closing the door. At least her magic had taken her right where she wanted. She limped slightly as she approached the bed, and once she laid down, she immediately closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep. Yet the Sun was still up, and even with the curtains drawn, she found it difficult to sleep. Her thoughts kept going to her training with Discord. He may have been pushy, but he really did care about helping her improve. She just wished he wouldn't overestimate her. She wasn't a draconequus, or an alicorn. She was just a unicorn, and while her magic was strong, it was only strong in certain areas. He was expecting too much of her.

Or maybe, part of her whispered, he was telling the truth and he could see exactly what she was capable of, and she just had to believe in herself.

Tempest sighed and rolled over, gazing at the muted sunlight streaming in through the curtains. She would work hard to learn how to use magic like Discord, even if it took her years. Somehow, it just felt right for her to learn chaos magic. It may be unpredictable, but she knew she could learn to use it carefully, and do great things with it. She just needed to keep practicing.

She shifted back onto her other side and pulled the covers up over her head, finally drifting off to sleep.

4. Poison Joke

It took a while, but eventually Discord learned to work with Tempest's limits, while still encouraging her to step out of her comfort zone. He introduced her to meditation, and occasionally brought her books to read, as she sometimes learned better when she could read how to do something rather than just being told. She learned to listen to the magic all around her, to the subtle sounds of her environment, to have an awareness of her surroundings that went beyond the usual senses. This was how the draconequus lived, he told her. They didn't just look at what was around them, they felt it. The fabric of reality was draped all around them, and they learned to take hold of it, pull it apart, knit it into whatever they wanted it to be. The ground was a construct. So was the sky. So was gravity, and light. Everything could be altered, if one had the willpower to change it.

“Some would say that changing the world around us is chaotic,” Discord said one day as they walked through the woods. “Yet look at what the ponies do to maintain 'harmony'. They direct the clouds and make it rain. They change the weather to new seasons. They even have the audacity to move the Sun and the Moon! The Sun, which is a huge star that has existed long before Equestria, and Princess Celestia moves it around our world, instead of allowing our world to orbit it, as is the natural order.”

“Haha, what?” Tempest laughed. “The world, moving around the Sun? That's not how things work. How would our planet move?”

Discord sighed and rubbed his face. “That's how it once did. But... that's a very, very long explanation. And you have Luna who moves the Moon. Redundant, as it can move itself around us. She just directs it at a very particular pace.”

“And the Moon can move by itself too? Come on, you're pulling my leg.”

“Do I have to go into a science lesson on gravity and the physics of outer space? Because I will do it, don't test me. The point is, you ponies manipulate your world constantly. But oh, I do the same thing, and all of a sudden I'm 'chaotic' and 'dangerous'. Pathetic. Nothing wrong with changing things up to benefit me. If I have the power, why not use it?”

“Good point.”

They were quiet for a while, just taking in the sights. Then Discord pointed at a tree. “Turn that into a giant ice cream cone.”

Tempest focused and shot her magic at it. A teal glow enveloped it, sparks flying, and then the tree turned into a giant ice cream cone standing precariously on the tip of its cone.

Discord flew up to the ice cream scoop on top of it and shoveled some into his mouth. “Hm. Strawberry.” He returned to her. “I was hoping for something with raisins but strawberry is good too! Okay, change it back.”

Another blast of magic and the tree was back, though it smelled fruitier than before. They decided to just leave it like that. There were weirder things in the Everfree Forest.

“That rock, make it into... I don't know, a trampoline,” Discord said.

A quick flash of magic and there was a wide trampoline in front of them, which Discord proceeded to jump onto. It bounced him up high, and Tempest hopped up next to him, jumping too. When Discord landed, it flung her up so high she nearly hit a tree branch. The momentum ended up flipping her upside-down, and she flailed her legs as she fell, trying to twist upright again.

“Oh, I gotcha!” Discord jumped back up and caught her, flapping his wings so he landed gently.

Tempest stared at him, then squirmed away, flustered. “I didn't need you to catch me.”

“Of course you didn't. I just thought it'd be fun is all.” Discord got down from the trampoline, and Tempest hopped down too, turning it back into a rock and then kicking it away.

Discord followed quietly behind her.

For a few minutes neither of them spoke, but then Discord broke the silence. “Alright, I can tell that what I did bothered you, so sorry.”

“It's no big deal. It just... I'm not used to being... held. It made me feel weird.”

“Oh, I see. Though you didn't seem to mind when you hugged me a few weeks ago.”

“That was different, that... I chose to do that,” Tempest said.

“Hm, I suppose so. Well then, I will not hug or otherwise hold you without you starting it, how does that sound?” Discord held out his hand.

Tempest chuckled and took it, shaking it. “Sounds good.”

“Would you like to keep practicing your transformation spell?”

“Sure.” She turned and shot her magic at a flower, and it shifted and turned into a brightly colored butterfly. Discord watched in awe as it flitted away, and looked over at her.

“You created a living creature!” he said gleefully.

“Heh, yep, I sure did.” Tempest was impressed with herself, but tried to keep a casual expression.

“Well this opens up a whole new world of possibility! You can create any creature you need, or start combining them with things, to make stuff like...” Discord waved his hand and several sandwiches with wings appeared. “Like these flying grilled cheese sandwiches! Go ahead, try one!”

Tempest bit into the closest one. “Mm, cheddar.”

“See? Hilarious and delicious! Now come along, you just gotta see the field of poison joke!”

Seeing the poison joke was fun for about five minutes. It completely altered Discord's appearance, making him look rather like a normal pony with a solid brown coat, though his head remained the same.

“Oh, typical,” he said as he examined himself, opening his new feathered pegasus wings and closing them again. “Did it give me a cutie mark?” He twisted his neck to check his flank. “Hah! A black hole! I can appreciate that.”

Tempest found it hilarious, especially as he trotted about on his four pony legs, before tripping on a vine. Then she accidentally walked through the poison joke too, and it made her horn turn rainbow colors and flop over uselessly.

“Discord, my horn!” Tempest shouted, prodding at it. She couldn't make any of her spells work and she was close to panicking.

“Don't worry about it,” Discord replied. “There's a very simple cure. I'll just snap my fingers and fix everything like I normally-” He lifted an arm, and then stared at his hoof. “Uh. Wait.” He looked at both his front legs, then waved them. “I don't have fingers!”

“Can't you use your magic without snapping?” Tempest asked.

“Well of course I can, but that's not very flashy, is it?” Discord instead clapped his hooves together. Nothing happened. “What?!” He kept trying, eyes narrowing as he focused, but his magic didn't seem to be working. “Great! The poison joke made me into a normal pony! I can't control reality!”

“Is there another cure?” Tempest asked, trying to straighten out her horn. It fell limp again.

“Fluttershy told me about the time she and her friends waltzed right through poison joke a few years ago,” Discord said. “Changed them all. It made Applejack tiny, Twilight's horn became useless like yours, Fluttershy's voice dropped so low she sounded like a stallion! Luckily, Twilight found out some kind of herbal bath works as a remedy.”

“Okay, let's go,” Tempest said, turning around.

“Are you sure you want Twilight to see you like this? Those rainbows on your horn are... spreading.”

Tempest raised a hoof and saw that the bright stripes of color had made their way down her neck and shoulder, all the way to her hoof. She cringed, but said, “We don't have much of a choice. Come on, before it gets worse.” She galloped away.

Discord rolled his eyes and ran after her.

Twilight couldn't stop laughing when they explained the situation to her. Tempest's ears drooped with embarrassment, but Discord was fairly relaxed about the whole thing.

“I didn't realize I would lose my magic,” he said. “Last time I played with poison joke it just inverted all my body parts to different animals! At least one of my legs became a tentacle!”

“I guess the effects aren't always consistent,” Twilight said, continuing to laugh. “Okay, hold on, let me grab Supernaturals: Natural Remedies and Cure-Alls That Are Simply Super off the top shelf over here, okay?”

“That's... quite a title,” Tempest commented.

“Yeah, and I almost dismissed it as garbage at first, but it turned out to have exactly what I needed,” Twilight replied. She pulled the book down and flipped it open. “Let's see, poison joke, poison joke... ah, here we go. Yep, all the herbs are written right here. I'll just run you a bath and mix them in, and we'll get you all fixed up.”

“Thank you so much,” Tempest said gratefully.

“I'm sure you want to get those rainbows off you,” Twilight said, gently touching her side. Tempest examined herself and sighed when she found that her entire coat was now an array of colors, and her horn still didn't work. “As for you, Discord...” She regarded him. He just looked at her smugly. “I'm sure you feel fine.”

“I've definitely been worse,” he agreed. “But I am tired of this tiny pony body.” He shifted on his hooves and flicked his tail distastefully. “I miss having hands.”

“I don't blame you,” Twilight said, walking away with the book. “Just relax, I'll come get you two once the bath is ready.”

Tempest flopped back onto a cushion, sighing. “You have the worst ideas.”

“Hey, I still think it was funny!” Discord laid down, stretching. “I really should raise some poison joke of my own... use it for practical jokes... mail it to people who annoy me... hm.”

“Heh. Well, I did enjoy the walk, up until the poison joke part.” Tempest rolled and rested her head on her hooves, yawning. They relaxed and talked about magic while waiting, and Discord brought out a couple books for them to read. As they were discussing draconequus history, Twilight returned to let them know the bath was ready.

“You can go first,” Discord offered to Tempest.

“It's in the spa room, the tub is big enough for both of you,” Twilight said.

Discord perked, but Tempest hesitated. “Oh, well... I don't know, how big exactly?”

“Huge, like six ponies can easily fit in there together. Come on, you'll love it. I made sure the water is nice and warm.” Twilight led the way. Tempest and Discord followed. The spa room was on the first floor, and it was filled with various pools. Twilight took them to one in particular, which was filled with bubbly water that smelled wonderful. “There you are, just soak in this for a while, rub it into your coats, and it'll get rid of the effects of poison joke.”

“Thank you,” Discord said, before jumping in. He went completely under and lingered for a bit before bursting back up, wiping his eyes off and laughing.

Tempest tested the water. It was very warm, steam rising up from it. It felt silky from the herbal mix. She slid in. Her skin tingled, and when she lifted a foreleg out, she saw the rainbow colors fading away. “Oh, good.” She washed herself off, and Discord ducked under again. When he came up for air, he lifted his arms, which were no longer pony legs. One was now similar to a lion's foreleg and the other was like a hawk's leg with sharp talons.

“It's working!” Discord cheered, flopping back against the ledge inside the tub, raising his tail out. It was long and scaly like a dragon's again. His legs also seemed to be returning to normal.

“I'm glad to see it,” Tempest said. She felt her horn as it straightened and became rigid once more. She tested her magic and was able to lift a nearby vase. She sighed with relief.

“You've still got some rainbows in your mane.” Discord cupped some water and dumped it on her. She leaned back and splashed him. He laughed and splashed her back. They began flinging water at each other, and finally Tempest tried to dunk him under. He pulled her down too, and they both pushed back up, water streaming down their fur.

Tempest was enjoying herself. She's never been to a spa before and this was one of the most refreshing baths she's ever had.

Discord stretched himself out to his full height. “Well, I feel marvelous! Let me see if my powers have returned.” He twisted his wrist, and several large pieces of candy manifested around them. He hummed as he took one and unwrapped it, the rest disappearing. “Yep, my powers are back.” He settled back down into the water, his long body stretching around the ledge, and Tempest ended up getting bumped by his tail and slipping forward into the deeper center of the tub. She kicked her legs to tread the water, huffing.

“That's good to hear,” she said, swimming back over to the side. These tubs were actually deep enough to swim in. Maybe she'll bathe here more often and do some laps.

They took a few more minutes to make sure they were completely cured before draining the tub and climbing out. Tempest shook herself off, and Discord sampled the various towels before choosing one and drying off.

“Okay, so,” Tempest said, brushing water out of her tail, “No more poison joke.”

“But we can still visit the Everfree Forest and go on hikes, right?” Discord asked, grabbing another towel and rubbing it against Tempest's mane.

She tensed, and when she pulled away, she could feel her hair fluffing up. She groaned and tried to fix it. “Sure, we can still go on hikes.”

“Great! Well Tempest, I'm sure I've caused you enough trouble today. I'm going home. Keep practicing what I taught you today, and we can get together again in a few days.” Discord dropped the towel onto her head and walked away. By the time Tempest pulled it off, he had teleported away.

She snorted and pressed the towel to her ear, mopping it dry. Despite his quirks and his recklessness, Discord really was endearing.

5. Finished Planning

It was a lazy morning and Tempest was very comfortable snuggled up in bed, not fully asleep but also not particularly eager to get up. So of course, it was on this warm and pleasant morning that her rest was interrupted.

“Good morning!” a cheery voice called overhead, and she jumped, rolling onto her back and seeing Discord's beaming face over her.

Tempest yelped and scrambled away, falling off the bed. She stared at Discord as he roared with laughter, her heart thudding. “What are you doing in my bed?!”

“Waking you up, of course! You ponies are so adamant about your personal space.”

Tempest cleared her throat, then gave him a smile. “Well yeah, we don't like it if you just get in our personal space without asking. But if you did ask... I'd probably say yes.”

“Haha... what?”

Tempest climbed to her hooves, idly messing with her mane. “Anyway, if you want to wake me up, just like... do the normal thing and stand next to the bed. Don't just lay on it and yell at me.”

Discord wrapped himself up in her blanket and just grinned. “You've known me for far too long to expect me to be 'normal'.”

“Two months is far too long?”

Discord dropped the blanket. “That reminds me! I'm here because this actually is exactly two months of us knowing each other! I want to treat you to breakfast!”

“Rainbow Dash was right, you have gone soft,” Tempest commented.

“Shush.” With a wave of his hand, Discord turned the entire room into a restaurant, where they were the only two customers.

Tempest was so used to him transforming the environment that she just accepted it, picking up the menu in front of her. “Oh, I never knew there were so many types of pancakes.”

“Indeed!” Discord read his own menu, and after about a minute, they were approached by another Discord wearing an apron.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asked.

“Oh, I'll just have a um...” Tempest turned to the drink menu. “Apple cider, thank you.”

“I'll take a margarita,” Discord said. “Surprise me.”

“It's morning!” Tempest exclaimed.

Discord raised a brow. “So?”

After a second, Tempest turned to the server. “You know what, make that a strawberry margarita for me instead.”

The server Discord grinned. “You got it.” He wrote in his notepad and walked away.

They went back to reading the food choices, and finally Tempest settled on the blueberry pancakes.

“Sounds good,” Discord said. “I think I'm going to have a simple but delicious egg and cheese skillet!”

Their server was back in seconds with the margaritas, which were both served frozen. Tempest's was strawberry as requested and the rim was coated with sugar, with an actual full strawberry on it. Meanwhile, Discord received a bright pink margarita.

“Cotton candy!” he exclaimed after sniffing it. He grinned at his counterpart. “Oh, you know me too well.”

“Ohoho, just a lucky guess,” the other Discord replied. “Are we ready to order?”

They nodded and ordered their meals, and rather than walking away to put the order in, the server just snapped his fingers and made the food appear right in front of them. Tempest jokingly clapped for him, and he bowed before disappearing.

“Alright, let's dig in!” Discord grabbed a fork.

The food was delicious, and Tempest was once again impressed by how Discord could just conjure up actual, well-made food. She's tried it a few times but didn't quite have the hang of it. She had found that she had more success making spicy things, but anything else just turned out bland. Luckily she could cook for real.

“So, heard anything from Twilight about that mission to help the storm creatures?” Discord asked as he speared some eggs.

“Hm, she said she's still doing research,” Tempest said, pouring more syrup onto her pancakes. “But I think she's almost learned what she needed. She's just trying to figure out who I should go with. Her other friends are pretty busy... she mentioned maybe sending Starlight along, or Sunburst. Oh, but Sunburst is also busy in the Crystal Empire with his duties there, I mean foalsitting Flurry Heart alone is a big job. Honestly, it might come down to me and Starlight, and maybe someone who's good at building...”

“Well, I hope she's able to find you enough teammates.” Discord was almost done with his food already. “But no matter who goes with you, I know you'll do a great job out there. You and Starlight are both very talented.”

“I guess so. I'm just a little nervous, this is going to be a big deal.”

“It's totally normal to be nervous. But don't let that stop you. Get out there and be awesome. You were totally cool and confident while invading Canterlot. Be like that again.”

Tempest smiled as she cut another piece out of her pancakes. “You're right. I have what it takes, and I can be confident. I just don't want to hurt anyone again.”

Discord reached over to pat her hoof. “And you won't. I know that.”

She looked up and met his eyes. He was being sincere, and her cheeks felt warm. “Thank you.” She looked back down, taking a few more bites from her pancakes before changing the subject. “So um, I was thinking of trying weather manipulation today. And I don't mean typical stuff like making it rain... I was imagining more along the lines of cheese tornadoes.”

Discord lifted his hand and laughed. “Oh, splendid! I would love to teach you how to wield power over the sky that pegasi could only dream of. We can get to it once we finish breakfast.”

“Alright. But I'm in no hurry.” Tempest lifted her drink. She's been sipping at it for most of the meal, but now she drank it more quickly. It was incredibly sweet, and the sugar clung to the fur around her lips. She lowered the glass and licked her lips off. “We have gotta have drinks together more often.”

“You like it? I'll gladly make more. You know what? Next time we hang out at my place, we can have drinks and maybe you can start making an O&O character!”

“Sounds great. I think I want to play as a sorceress.”

“Wonderful!”

They settled into a discussion about O&O, and Tempest found herself thinking that she was really going to miss Discord when she was sent on her trip.

Tempest found that she really had a talent for controlling the weather. It was something she's dabbled in before, but with Discord's guidance, she really got the hang of it. She could make clouds rain practically anything she wanted. Send pastel, grayscale, or inverted rainbows across the sky. She even managed to bring in clouds made of steel wool.

“The Storm King may have trademarked his title, but who do you think was the one actually bringing in his storms?” Tempest asked, as she lounged under an umbrella watching popcorn fall from the sky. “He gave that little assignment over to me. And I did it better than he ever could.”

Discord held out his hand, grabbing some popcorn. “I bet! He never really had his own magic anyway, he just used a magical staff. Stolen magic, had to keep replenishing it, seen it all before.”

“Yeah, he mostly used intimidation and charisma to get where he was. But I'm still glad he's gone.” Tempest leaned out from under the umbrella, shooting a beam of magic into the sky. After a few seconds, the popcorn stopped falling. She flopped back. “I'm sure someone else will come along and try to take over again, it never seems to end, but I'll be here to help defend Equestria in that case.”

“As will I,” Discord said.

They heard hoof beats, and then Twilight trotted up next to them. “There you are, I was looking for you!”

“Just follow the weirdness and you'll probably find us,” Discord said. “Popcorn?”

“No thanks. Tempest, I finally finished planning out your trip,” Twilight said.

“Oh, great! I've been looking forward to it.” Tempest hopped out of the chair. “When do I leave?”

“Will tomorrow work?”

“Tomorrow sounds great.” Tempest turned to Discord. “Heh, well, I'm gonna miss you. I'll be sure to keep practicing magic while I'm gone, though.”

“Oh, you won't have to miss him,” Twilight replied. “He's going with you.”

Both Tempest and Discord stared at her. “What?” they exclaimed.

“Well, sure. You two have bonded a lot recently and really seem to bring out the best in each other, I believe you'll both have exactly what it takes to get this done. And Discord has extraordinary magical ability that can do wonders in rebuilding cities.”

Discord drew himself up proudly.

“So, if you're okay with it, I'd love for you to go with her,” Twilight said to him.

“I would be honored to help out! Building up cities, huh? Oh I have so many ideas!” He rubbed his hands together.

“Heh, well, you can't just create buildings all willy-nilly,” Twilight said. “You'll need to listen to the storm creatures and to Tempest, find out how their architecture is supposed to be, and recreate it that way. They have their own ways of building homes down south, they won't exactly appreciate the kinds of homes we have in Ponyville.”

“Oh, I see. No matter, I can make whatever kind of house suits their fancy! I'll be up bright and early tomorrow morning to start our trip.” Discord conjured up a piece of paper and started writing on it. “I just need to get some things in order, say goodbye to Fluttershy, make sure Spike and Big Mac can carry on our campaign without me, oh so much to do.”

“Heh, that's fine,” Twilight said.

“What about Starlight, is she coming?” Tempest asked.

“Unfortunately she won't be able to. We need her help back at the school, plus she is still my student, I want her to stay close,” Twilight explained.

“Ah, got it,” Tempest said, nodding.

Twilight continued, “So, just meet me at the castle tomorrow morning at sunrise with whatever you'll need for the trip and I can give you more information.”

“Sounds good. See you then.” Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared. Tempest cleaned up the area (she had spent a good amount of time learning spells here) and then followed Twilight back to Ponyville. She spent the rest of the day discussing the plan with Twilight and then packing. The Storm King's troops hailed from the land of Abyssinia, to the south of Equestria. They would be taking a train down to Klugetown, which had been recently connected in with the Equestrian rail system. There, they would help the first group of storm creatures who had settled there. As for the ones who traveled further away? They were walking to meet with them.

Really, there wasn't too much to pack. She mostly just gathered up books and first aid supplies, and then a couple sketchpads, just in case she felt like drawing. She tucked a pouch of bits away for buying food, and then put the saddlebags near the door. She would gather toiletries in the morning right before she left.

Taking a trip with Discord. She was looking forward to it. He had so much energy and this would be a good way for him to work through it. And she knew he would make the trip entertaining.

Once everything was packed, there was nothing to do but wait until bed. Tempest passed the time in the library going through notes with Twilight.

“Do you think Discord will make a good companion?” Twilight asked her. “He can be a little unpredictable.”

“That's part of what makes him so interesting. He seems really eager to help out with this trip though and I know he'll do his part. He's just going to make it fun too.”

“I'm sure he will. Well, alright then. Just don't let him get distracted. Discord tends to cause problems when he gets distracted.”

“Oh, don't I know it.” Tempest checked the time and yawned. “Well, I'm gonna go to bed. I'll see you in the morning.”

“See you then.”

Tempest climbed the stairs, returning to her room. She couldn't wait until tomorrow.

6. Heading South

Tempest was up early the next morning as requested. She finished packing and took her saddlebags down to the dining room. Twilight was wide awake, talking excitedly to a very tired-looking Starlight.

Twilight perked when Tempest walked in. “Good morning! I made waffles and set out a fruit tray for you so you can have a well-balanced breakfast!”

“Heh, thanks,” Tempest replied with a yawn. She sat and grabbed a stem covered in grapes.

“So, heading down to Abyssinia today?” Starlight asked.

“Yep. It's gonna be a long trip,” Tempest said. She finished off her grapes and helped herself to some waffles. Twilight began setting out her notes, and Discord showed up a few minutes later. He didn't have any luggage with him, but Tempest wasn't surprised. He could just conjure whatever he needed.

“Good, you're here,” Twilight said. “Help yourself to some breakfast while I tell you two the plan.”

“Sounds good, Twilie.” Discord sank into a chair and picked up an orange, slowly peeling it.

Twilight's nose twitched. Then she focused on her notes. “Alright, so, here's the plan. You'll be taking the train down to Klugetown.” She slid them a map. “We've been working on fixing up Klugetown, and some storm creatures have decided to live there, in their own village right outside. I want you to first help them out with whatever they need. Last I heard they want to get involved at the airship docks but there's some tension between them and the locals. See if you can smooth that out. But otherwise they've got a pretty good start there. Where you're really needed is northeast of there, back across the Bone Dry Desert and near the edge of the Forbidden Jungle. They're trying to get their own town started but could really use your help with the organization. Remember, they spent years listening to you and the Storm King. They aren't very good at leading themselves.”

Tempest chuckled. “Don't I know it. But I know there are leaders among them. I'll have to reach out to my old lieutenants.”

“Your friend Grubber is gonna be in Klugetown waiting for you,” Twilight added.

Tempest grinned. “Oh good! It'll be nice seeing him again.”

“What's he doing there?” Discord asked, discarding the orange slices and eating the peels.

“He wanted to go back to Abyssinia with the storm creatures after the Storm King was defeated,” Tempest explained. “I told him to look out for them for me. Now I get to see how he's been doing.”

“I'm sure he'll be happy to see you,” Twilight said. “So, the town you'll have to help is located right... here.” She tapped a small circle on the map. “It's not visible on this map but there's a decently-sized oasis here that they've settled at. They'll be able to give you better directions from Klugetown and they're in the process of building a road connecting the two towns. You could help them with that as well. It's rather far so they'll need all the help they can get.”

Tempest nodded, and accepted the map from her. “Got it. We can do that.”

“The storm creatures will likely stand up more towns too,” Twilight said. “They'll let you know their locations and invite you to help as time passes. You may be gone for months. You and Discord are both okay with that, right?”

Discord smiled. “It's not like we can't teleport back to visit. We'll be alright. I'll enjoy getting away from Equestria! No offense but dealing with you pony folk gets tiring, the storm creatures seem far more interesting.”

“They can be a bit rough, for sure,” Tempest said. “They're skilled fighters and now that they're not in an army, they might fight with each other to relieve their boredom. I'll need to make sure they aren't hurting each other. Also they like to swear. A lot.”

Twilight made a disgruntled noise but Discord just perked right up. “Oh fuck yeah!”

Tempest snorted into her drink and Starlight knocked over hers in shock. Twilight just sighed and rolled her eyes. “And you'll get to swear all you want... once you're out of Equestria. We avoid such language around here, you know.”

“Yeah because you're prissy,” Discord replied. “It's almost as if you literally can't swear, for some... strange reason.”

Twilight gathered up her notes and passed them over. “Well, I think I've told you both everything you need to know. Your train leaves in twenty minutes, you should probably head to the station now in case it's busy.”

Tempest stored everything away in a bag and got up, using her magic to lift the bags and place them over her back. “Sounds good. Thank you Twilight, and we won't let you down. We'll help the storm creatures with everything they need.”

“Be careful out there,” Starlight warned. “Not many ponies have traveled that far south. We don't know what sort of dangerous creatures could be lurking down there among the dunes and in the jungle that have never been studied. With no known weaknesses.”

“I'll be careful,” Tempest assured them. “I've spent plenty of time in Abyssinia and the storm creatures are familiar with the local wildlife. I'll be able to handle anything we find out there.”

“Okay. If you need anything, don't hesitate to send me a letter,” Twilight said as she walked them out. She offered an arm, and Tempest hugged her.

“Don't I get a hug?” Discord asked.

Twilight gave him an exasperated look as she separated from Tempest. Then she smiled and held a hoof out to him too. He swept her off the ground as he hugged her.

“Don't get into too much trouble without me, princess!” Discord sang, spinning her in a circle. “Watch after our friends while I'm gone and make sure Fluttershy doesn't get too lonely!”

“Yes, of course,” Twilight said, muffled. She struggled to get away from him.

He set her down and ruffled up her mane. “Alright, time to go. Goodbye Twi, goodbye Glim Glam!”

Starlight chuckled from several paces behind them. “See you later. Now I'm going back to bed.”

Discord and Tempest headed for the train station.

“I'm gonna miss Ponyville,” Tempest admitted.

“I will too,” Discord said. “But it'll be refreshing to get away for a while. It's been a long time since I've traveled beyond Equestria. Time to see how things have changed down south.”

They were soon boarding the train and settling down in their coach. The trip to Klugetown will take several hours.

“Since we won't have anything better to do, how do you feel about finally designing your Ogres & Oubliettes character?” Discord asked.

“Alright, I'm down for that,” she replied, and he conjured up a guidebook and opened it, as well as passed her a piece of paper and a pen.

“First off, choose your class, and we'll go from there,” Discord said. “You mentioned yesterday being a sorceress, but...”

“Yeah, I choose sorceress,” Tempest decided. “I think that'd be a fun character to play.”

“Wonderful, then logically you should choose to be a unicorn but you can get weird and creative and be a griffin, or a dragon...”

“Plot twist, I'm an earth pony,” Tempest said.

Discord laughed. “You can absolutely do that if you really want to! It's a game!”

“Nah, I'll make it simple. I'll play as a unicorn.”

“Excellent, now let's roll for your starting stats.”

They probably spent an hour alone just designing Tempest's character. She used the paper he gave her to fill in information, and drew out her character, who she decided to name Dreadful Dusk.

“So what's your character alignment gonna be?” Discord asked in response to that name.

Tempest smirked. “I'm really feeling chaotic neutral.”

“Oh, come on, I'm a chaotic neutral, we can't have two.”

“Why not?”

“Well, I suppose we could... but I like to mix things up. Pinkie is chaotic good, I'm chaotic neutral, Big Mac is this really chivalrous lawful good, Spike is more of a lawful neutral, and Rainbow is as close as we've got to true neutral. Her character is with us as a mercenary, she's a rogue who serves no one but herself. Which is hilarious to watch her play considering how she usually is.”

“I see.” Tempest considered her options, then said, “Alright. I'm chaotic evil.”

“Ohoho! Okay, now that will spice things up! Then tell me, what's an evil sorceress doing hanging out with my ragtag group of heroes?”

Tempest began writing down a backstory. “I'm thinking she's just using you all to reach her own goals. You know this, but she has incredible power that will help you so you decide to allow it, and just keep a close eye on her. Might make for some interesting dynamics.”

“Oh, certainly. I can understand the appeal of having a powerful villain around.” Discord nudged her. She chuckled and nudged him back.

“Maybe one day the magic of friendship will change Dreadful for the better,” Tempest commented as she looked over her character sheet. She met Discord's eyes, and they both burst out laughing.

“No, keep her evil for the entire campaign, I beg you. I want to see how goody two-shoes Sir McBiggun deals with you. You'll probably be butting heads constantly!”

“Evil it is, and she will kick every puppy she sees,” Tempest agreed.

“Okay, whoa, now that's going too far. What's wrong with you?”

Tempest relented. “Okay, yeah, she's not gonna be that evil. Instead, that'll be her weakness. She just loves puppies.”

“Inspirational. I am really looking forward to bringing you into the campaign. Too bad Spike and Big Mac will be carrying it on without me. But wherever they're at when we get back, we'll find a way to work you in. Perhaps we battle you, and then we just barely manage to beat you, but you're still a threat... and you say you'll stop fighting us if we let you join our team. And we don't really have a choice, and let you in. And then we can get into shenanigans.”

“I like it.” Tempest set her sheet down and looked out the window. They were passing through a valley now. She knew the dragon badlands were somewhere to the east, but couldn't see them from here. They still had hours left on this train and it had at least one stop to make before going to Klugetown.

“So, how long do you think it'll take for us to help out the Klugetown storm creatures?” Discord asked.

“I don't know. It depends on what they want us to do. Theoretically you can just wave your hand and instantly make what they need, but... they're very proud people and they'll probably prefer to do things themselves. We can help, but we won't be able to just magic up everything. So it'll probably take weeks of work.”

“Oh, great. Nothing like weeks of hard labor.”

Tempest raised a brow. “You did agree to come along.”

“I know, and I'll do it their way, it's just gonna be weird is all. But I'll find a way to make it fun.” He also looked out the window, then said, “Hey, keep looking out the window.”

Tempest looked, and a flock of hummingbirds suddenly appeared outside, racing the train. Discord waved his fingers and they began diving elegantly around each other. Tempest smiled watching their antics.

“You really have a way with magic,” she said enviously.

“Gained from years and years of practice.” He let the birds disperse and settled back into his seat, waving over one of the train employees. “Yes, hi, could I get two croissants please?”

He paid and received the croissants, and offered one to Tempest. She gladly accepted, and waited for the employee to walk away before saying, “Don't you usually just magic up food?”

“Yes but it's kinda rude to do that somewhere that actually sells food. We use the train system, we should at least help fund them.” Discord fit nearly the entire piece of bread into his mouth at once. “Mm, these are so good, so buttery!”

“Heh, yeah.” She took a bite of her own croissant. “I can't wait to get to Klugetown and get started. Seeing Grubber again, and talking to my old friends from the Storm King's army... well, I suppose I didn't think of them as friends back then. But they really are, and I hope to make things up to them. I'm not gonna boss them around and treat them as inferior anymore. I'm going to be better than that.”

“Good to hear. I'm sure they forgive you for everything. You were doing what you had to do. So were they. Still, I think this mission will provide you the closure you need.”

“That's a funny way of putting it, but yes, I suppose you're right. I'll make up for my past wrongdoing, I'll help the storm creatures turn things around, and I can be more content with myself afterward. I'll finally have done something good. And I can see the storm creatures thriving in Abyssinia, their lives getting back to how they were before they were ever forced into the Storm King's army, and they'll be a lot happier. Not to mention how strong they'll be as allies to Equestria.”

“Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves.” Discord reached forward to pat her shoulder. “First let's just help them rebuild houses and stuff, alright?”

“Right. Of course.” She nodded. “I just have so many ideas.”

The train continued on, as their discussion turned to the storm creatures themselves and what they could expect them to be like once they got there, as Discord has never had extended interaction with them. Still, Tempest had a feeling he would get along with them just fine.

7. Welcome Back

Tempest stood up eagerly as the train rumbled into the station. She gazed out the window at the rickety buildings and crowded streets of Klugetown. Not much has changed, but the citizens seemed happier. Since joining with Equestria, they've had more pony visitors and have toned back their aggressive, scamming ways. At least, most of them have.

She threw her bags back onto her back and led the way out. Discord followed, and a few other passengers left with them. Immediately they were set upon by a large fish person trying to sell them souvenirs.

“Look little lady, genuine Klugetown sand globe!” he said dramatically, giving it a shake. Sand swirled inside the globe, covering a little horse figurine.

“Oh, it's pretty, but um... no thanks,” Tempest said.

“Are you sure? I got dozens, with many different ponies, I bet I could even find one that looks like you!” He started digging into his bag. He leaned to block Tempest's path when she tried to get around him.

“Please, sir, I really need to meet up with someone,” she insisted, but he seemed to ignore her, muttering to himself about sand globes while continuing to get in her way.

Tempest stomped her hoof down hard. “Have you forgotten the last time I was here and what I'm capable of doing to you?” she demanded.

He looked up abruptly, and when he met her eyes, his own widened. He scurried back. “O-oh, you're that unicorn... I'm so sorry miss, please don't hurt me!”

She snorted and walked past him. Discord just chortled and hopped over him. Once they were away, he said to Tempest, “That wasn't very friendly.”

“He annoyed me,” she replied. But she sighed, rubbing her head. “I guess I still get angry easily. I should... apologize.” She started to turn, but Discord blocked her.

“Hey, don't worry about it, he's already back to peddling his wares,” he said. “Going back now would be awkward and plus he was blocking you. Sometimes you have to be firm. Come on, aren't we meeting your friend here?”

“Oh, yes!” She turned forward, looking around. “Hm, I wonder where he could be, he said he'd come to the station but maybe he forgot...”

“Nope, didn't forget,” a familiar voice said from under her, and she nearly tripped as Grubber emerged from between her front hooves. He grinned up at her, holding out his arms. “Just a little late. Tempest, buddy, get down here and give me a hug!”

She laughed and knelt to hug him. “It's so good to see you! Wow, you're looking good.” His mane was longer and spikier.

“Thanks, I've discovered sand baths and they really do wonders for the quills!” He ran his hand back over his mane, and it sprung forward again immediately. “But enough about me looking good, look at you! You got your horn back!”

“Yeah, I did.” Tempest touched it carefully. “I have my friend Discord to thank for that.” She pointed to him and he straightened up proudly.

“Ah.” Grubber stared at him. “So who are you?”

“Well as she said, I'm Discord. Spirit of chaos and disharmony. I also like tea parties. Pleased to meet you.” Discord held out his hand.

“Ooh, Discord, huh?” Grubber asked, reaching up to shake Discord's hand. “I like that name, that is a good, evil name. Not that I'm saying you're evil, it just... sounds like you could totally be a powerful villain only capable of being defeated by super strong magical artifacts or something silly like that.”

Discord crossed his arms. “For the record, I was a totally powerful villain that was defeated by super strong magical artifacts. The elements of harmony are one of the few things that can harm me. But thanks to the persistent kindness of a certain pony, I have learned to appreciate friendship and now use my powers for good. Most of the time.”

“Whoa,” Grubber said, amazed. He nudged Tempest's arm. “Pst, Tempest. You two got a lot in common.”

She chuckled. “Well yes, that's part of how we bonded. We understand each other.”

“So, uh...” Grubber looked Discord up and down. “Are you a pony, or...”

“I'm a draconequus.”

“Ohh.” He nodded. “I have no idea what that is but rock on!”

“It's what I am. Pay attention now.”

Tempest laughed.

“So, I bet you want to come see how the storm creatures are doing, huh?”

“Absolutely,” Tempest replied. “We're here to help them build up their new home, since it's been a long time since they've had somewhere to settle. Are they doing okay?”

“Oh yeah, they're doing great.” He began leading the way. “They're a bit feisty, they've got a lot of energy that's no longer being used to beat up our, or rather the Storm King's, enemies. So ya know, I tried getting them into sports. But it's still a work in progress. So far they like soccer and badminton.”

“At least they're using their energy for something constructive,” Tempest said. “Sports boost morale and encourages team-building. I bet they're making lots of friends too.”

“Eh, sorta. You might need to help them out with that because as far as they're concerned, a friend is just someone you can tolerate standing next to you. They don't know about mutual interests and affection and all that sappy stuff.”

“It really is weird and gross at first,” Discord commented. “It's easy to feel like you don't need it. But once you do experience true friendship, you realize how much you've been missing. I hope we can help them see that.”

“Me too,” Grubber said. “Alright guys, come on, our section of town is just up ahead.” He gave a few hops and started jogging. They jogged along behind him, turning a corner onto a new street.

Discord and Tempest stopped dead in their tracks, and Grubber got several paces ahead before realizing it. He turned around.

“What's up?” he asked.

Tempest cleared her throat, ears laying back, and Discord gave a drawn out hum as he rubbed his chin and looked at the sight before them.

“What?” Grubber repeated.

Tempest pawed at the ground with a front hoof, then forced a grin. “Well, they seem to um... have gotten a lot done.”

Misshapen houses of hardened mud lined the road, with windows that looked like they had been punched out. Uneven beams awkwardly supported sections of several houses, and even as they watched, someone's roof fell in. Nearby, a storm creature groaned and grasped his head, walking over to fix it.

“It's quite a sight, isn't it?” Grubber sighed.

“Why are they using mud?” Discord asked. “As much as I appreciate mud and its many applications, using it for housing seems... badly planned.”

“Dude, look around you,” Grubber said, gesturing at their surroundings. “We're in a desert. Very little trees. The wood in the rest of the town and in the airships? Scavenged from way to the north, or from other destroyed airships found in the Sea of Clouds to our south. Now that we're connected to Equestria we can import lumber, but it's still hard to come by. But what we do have is sand, lots of sand, which when combined with water makes mud! Which can then be packed into houses!” He pointed out one, and its owner poked their head out of the window and waved.

Tempest rubbed her neck. “You didn't even make the mud into bricks? You just... basically made sand castles?”

“Is that a problem?”

“It's not stable! One strong sandstorm and they'll come crashing down!” Tempest took a breath, composing herself. “Alright, it's fine though, we're here to help.” She followed the road, smiling to the residents. “Hey, everyone, how are you doing?”

“Tempest!” several of them shouted, and within minutes she was mobbed, everyone hugging her.

“Hm, they don't seem to be struggling too much with friendship,” Discord commented.

“Eh, they've always liked Tempest,” Grubber said. “She was nicer than the Storm King so that basically made her their friend.”

“Heh, hey, yeah I've missed you too,” Tempest said, laughing as the storm creatures' fur tickled her, and she did her best to greet everyone by name.

Then a storm creature even bigger then the rest plowed into the group and swept her up, squeezing her tight. “Commander Tempest!”

Tempest grinned and hugged her back. “Lieutenant Curly! How have you been?”

“Great!” Curly put her down. “But it's not Lieutenant anymore. Just as you aren't Commander anymore, I suppose.”

“Guess not. But that's alright, better to be without rank than continuing to serve the Storm King.” Tempest shuddered.

“You've got that right. Wow, are my eyes going bad or is that a fully restored horn on your noggin?” Curl tapped on her horn.

“It's my full horn,” Tempest replied. She realized she'll be hearing this question a lot. Maybe she should write a brochure. “It was fixed by my friend Discord.” She waved to him.

Curly looked Discord over and nodded. “Well, that is a fine friend you've got there. Thank you very much, sir.”

Discord bowed. “Anything for a friend, ma'am!”

Curly returned her attention to Tempest. “So, I hear you're here to help us fix this place up?”

“Yep. Princess Twilight wanted me to lend you a hoof.” Tempest looked around. “It seems like you need a lot of hooves.”

“Yeah, it's been a while since we've had our own places.” Curly watched as someone tried to prop up his roof. “We could really use your help.”

“No problem. I think I know how we can fix this.” Tempest walked toward the struggling storm creature. “I know it's difficult to get right now, but you need to pool some money and get wooden planks. You can use those for your roofs, and as for these walls... if you're going to use mud, you need to make it into bricks. The bricks can be arranged more precisely and make a sturdier foundation. And once your houses are made using bricks, well... it'll be easier to make even openings for windows.” She used her magic to sculpt the mud back over the house. “But for now, I hope this helps, Carl.”

Carl cast her a grateful look. “Thank you, Tempest.”

“Grubber, do you think you could place an order for some lumber?” Tempest asked. “We'll need about, hm...” She looked around. “What do you think, Discord?”

Discord took to the air, flying over the houses, and came back down. “We have twenty homes of varying sizes, a church, and what seems to be a community building slash town hall, so we're going to need a lot of wood.” He chuckled. “Honestly, I can fix your houses up immediately if you want me to. It'll be a snap.”

“I know you have impressive magic, but we don't want to just be handed everything,” Curly replied. “We prefer working with our own hands.”

“Told you,” Tempest said.

Discord pouted. “Ohh, fine. I say we order a hundred hardwood beams to use in holding up the roofs and reinforcing the walls, around fifty smaller beams, likely 2x4s, to use for the roofs themselves, and a hundred plywood boards also for the roofing, I mean you really don't want that collapsing in on you. And nails, we'll need lots of nails, I say order ten pounds of them and we'll go from there.”

Everyone stared. Then Tempest said, “Uh... okay, um, Grubber? Did you get that?”

Grubber blinked. “Uh... yes, absolutely.” He looked to Curly for help.

She sighed and said, “I got it. Very good, that should be plenty. Come along Grubber, we need to send for it.”

“I'm not sure we have the money,” Grubber said.

“I can provide the money,” Discord called. “Please, allow me to at least contribute that much. It'll be no trouble at all, I promise!”

“Alright...” Curly said hesitantly. “But only if you allow us to pay you back later, once we've started making money.”

Discord started to refuse, but Tempest interrupted him. “Just let them pay you back. It's part of their honor code.”

“Oh, alright. Yes, you can pay me back. But no hurry. Now how much will you need?”

“I'll let you know once it's ordered,” Curly replied. She and Grubber headed off.

Discord continued surveying the town. “Hm, a lot of these houses will need to be remodeled... is this really the storm creature style?”

“They prefer simpler homes and close knit communities,” Tempest explained. “They share with each other. At least, they used to. We'll need to work on bringing that back. Still, they don't need a lot of space. You'll notice in their houses that they like rounded edges.”

“I thought it just looked like that because they built with mud.”

“Haha, nope. They don't like houses with hard corners. And inside the house, they like having big kitchens where they can prepare meals, and large living rooms where they can entertain guests and serve them said meals. Being energetic, they don't tend to spend much time in bedrooms, so those tend to be smaller.” Tempest walked around, stopping to chat with some of the storm creatures.

Discord nodded in understanding and landed, placing his hands on his hips. “Well, this is certainly going to be a big project. But I'm willing to take it on!”

“I'm glad to hear it. I appreciate your willingness to step out of your comfort zone.”

“Well I am the spirit of chaos, am I not? I really do need to mix things up a bit! Poofing things into existence? Blah, cliché! What would be really chaotic is me forgoing my powers and making things the old fashioned way.” Discord took Tempest's bags, throwing them around his neck. “So where are we staying, anyway?”

“Oh, well...” Tempest dug lightly at the ground. “I suppose we could build our own place. Or see if one of the storm creatures will let us stay with them.”

“Hm, I don't know if any of these places are quite suited for my... extravagant tastes.” Discord gripped Tempest's shoulders. “You know, I can always just poof us back to my house in Chaosville, where we can relax without having to worry about the roof caving in on us.”

“If we're going to be helping these people, we should live with them,” Tempest said, gently removing his hands from her. “Plus, if there's an emergency, they need to be able to get to us.”

“I suppose that's true.” Discord sighed. “Alright, I guess we should just pick the nicest looking house, otherwise we can just shack up further in town.”

“Would you, perhaps, like to stay with me?” a smooth voice asked from behind them.

They turned to see a tall cat with amber fur and calm green eyes, sporting a majestic crimson coat, approaching them. Discord just looked confused while Tempest's eyes widened in shock.

Capper Dapperpaws bowed dramatically. “Welcome back, Tempest. As long as you're here to help this time instead of beating people up, you're welcome to stay with me as long as you need.”

8. Hospitality

“Capper?” Tempest asked incredulously.

“At your service.” Capper straightened out his coat. “I heard you'd be coming back to help the storm creatures, and figured I'd stop by to see you.”

“Ah. It's very nice to see you,” Tempest said, walking up to shake his paw. He smiled warmly at her, and his eyes briefly went to her forehead. He hummed curiously.

“Yes, her horn is back, no need to thank me,” Discord said.

“Ah, so you healed it?” Capper asked, turning his attention to Discord. “You must be a talented magic user.”

“Oh, I don't like to brag, but... yes. Yes I am.”

“Where were you when the Storm King was taking over Equestria?”

Discord stared, then flattened his ears back, coughing. “Oh, well uh... I was out. On a little vacation actually, I uh... actually had no idea anything was happening until I got back afterward. Oops. But I suppose I can't be around to save Equestria all the time, now can I?”

“That's unfortunate, we could have used your skills. Ah well. So, would you like to drop your stuff off at my place?”

Tempest nodded. “Sure.” She trotted up to walk next to him. “You're really gonna let us stay? After what I did to you last time I was here? I mean... I was awful to you!”

“It's all in the past,” Capper replied. “Twilight told me how you were willing to sacrifice yourself to stop the Storm King from turning her to stone. Your bravery was what stopped him. You learned what friendship truly was that day and ever since, you've worked to become a better mare. I think I can trust you.”

Tempest smiled, cheeks growing warm. “Oh. Thank you. But I still want to apologize. I was unnecessarily harsh to you, I could have killed you when I took down that ship while you were on it, I'm... I'm glad you're alive.”

“Haha, it takes more than that to kill a cat. We do have nine lives, after all.” His tail ran up under her chin and she giggled as it tickled. He really was charming now that she wasn't focused on interrogating him.

Discord decided this would be a good time to properly introduce himself. He moved to walk between them, holding his hand out to Capper. “Thank you so much for your hospitality! By the way, my name's Discord.”

“Oh yes, I've heard about you.” Capper took his hand and shook it. “God of chaos, bringer of strife, and so on. Defeated by some colorful ponies and then turned to good by one of them. How sweet.”

Discord huffed. “For your information, I let her turn me to good. Evil got boring, I gotta change things up every few thousand years!”

“Whatever you say, friend.” Capper slid around him, talking to Tempest. “So tell me about your plans for the storm creatures. I want to help in any way I can.”

“Oh, well, we're going to help them reinforce their homes with better building materials, and once they don't have to worry about their houses collapsing, they can focus their attention on community building and things like that...” Tempest began discussing her ideas with him, and he nodded thoughtfully as he followed along, offering his own advice.

Discord wasn't interested in the conversation, instead taking off and flying over them to take in his surroundings. He always familiarized himself with new towns. Klugetown was large and chaotic, bustling with activity. He liked it. He wondered if there were any clubs around here. He'll definitely want some drinks every once in a while, to reward himself for a hard day's work.

He located Tempest and flew back down. They were still walking. It seemed that Capper lived on the other side of town. That was fine, it gave Discord more time to check things out. Klugetown seemed to have a decently large mining operation. There were mine cart tracks and quarries, though not much work was happening right now. He saw stalls set up in the streets selling all sorts of wares, and he made his way to the airship docks.

He hovered here for a bit, watching as a ship took off and flew into the Sea of Clouds. After a few minutes, another emerged from the mist, and took the old one's spot. It settled down and was moored, and the crew members began bringing down barrels. They seemed to have been out fishing.

Discord took a moment to chuckle at fish being brought into a town with actual giant fish people as citizens, and moved on. He wasn't able to see Tempest or Capper now, so he just teleported right to them and flew overhead. Capper jumped, fur standing on end when Discord's shadow suddenly fell on him, and Tempest laughed.

“Oh, sorry, did I scare you?” Discord teased.

Capper smoothed his fur back down. “No, I was just startled.”

“Ah, so mildly scared, then.”

He just calmly chuckled. “I suppose so. Things may have become friendlier around here, but I've still got those cautious instincts.”

“It's good to keep your guard up,” Tempest replied. “You never know what could happen.”

“Very right you are.”

Discord rolled his eyes. This guy was so agreeable.

Eventually they made their way to a windmill. Its blade spun slowly and it had what seemed to be an old water wheel spinning under it.

“What's the wheel for?” Discord asked.

Capper rubbed his chin. “That's an excellent question. Next question!” He unlocked the door and swung it open, letting them in.

They entered a decent-sized room, which boasted a bed, cushions, and tables covered with scrolls, books, and strange artifacts.

“I do only have the one bed, but you know, I can set out some blankets for myself on the floor and you two can have it,” Capper offered.

Tempest took her bags from Discord and set them down. “Oh, I couldn't do that. I can sleep on the ground, all I need is a roof over my head and I'll be good to go, hell I've even gone without a-”

“Hey, no, you're my guests, I insist you get the bed,” Capper interrupted. “I really don't mind, the blankets are very comfortable!”

“I don't know if you've noticed, but there are two of us, so one of us is going to be sleeping on the floor anyway,” Discord pointed out.

Capper looked between them. “You two are friends, right? Surely you can share it.”

“She doesn't like it when I get in bed with her,” Discord said. Tempest gave him a look, struggling not to laugh.

Capper laughed. “Oh, is that right? Well, then you two can sort it out among yourselves who gets the bed, then.”

“I can sleep anywhere, you can have the bed,” Discord said to Tempest.

“Nonsense, we're friends,” she replied. “I don't mind sharing.”

“But what about your personal space?”

“I don't mind someone being in my personal space if it's you, and I allow you to be there.”

“Oh, alright then.” Discord examined the bed. “It may be a bit small for me... but I'll make do. I can curl up. Besides, I don't need that much sleep anyway. I'll probably nap for a couple hours a night and then find something else to do until morning.”

“Sounds good. But it's too early to go to bed.” Tempest looked back toward the door. “We should head back and see what we can get done today.”

“Maybe we should meet with Curly and Grubber and start planning how we're going to fix those houses,” Discord suggested.

“Alright.” Tempest turned to Capper. “Thank you for letting us stay. We'll be back later on. Do you need anything while we're out?”

“No, no, I'm good.” He waved his paws. “You go on and get your work done. I'll stay here and tidy up a bit.”

They nodded and headed out.

“He seems nice,” Discord said.

“Oh, he's very nice,” Tempest replied.

“I'm glad you made such a generous friend. Sleeping at his place will be so much more pleasant than sleeping in the mud back at storm creature central.”

“With luck, we'll make 'storm creature central' a thriving and comfortable place to live. Honestly, there's more to do than just helping with the housing. They don't even fully have a government! We'll have to see if we can talk to Klugetown's mayor, Verko, about meeting with Curly and offering support. I want the local government to know and care about the storm creatures.” Tempest sighed. “I just hope Verko will be agreeable. I ran into him last time I was here. I was searching for Twilight and her friends then, and met Verko at Capper's place. He annoyed me... so I electrocuted him. He survived it, but it probably did some damage. He might just slam the door on me if I dared to approach him now.”

“You electrocuted a mayor?” Discord asked. She nodded, and he beamed. “Incredible! The more I hear about your past, the more I like you.”

She blushed. “Oh, quit it.”

“No, really, that's great! I commend you! Messing with authority figures is fun. Like that time I stole Celestia's tail.”

“You stole her tail?”

“Yep! Honestly I've messed with the princesses loads of time. Especially Twilight. She's so tolerant.” Discord grew bored of just flying slowly at a walking pace, so he swooped down and nudged Tempest. “Want to race back?”

“Sure.” She shifted into a trot, and when Discord shot off ahead faster than she expected, she snorted and dug her hind hooves down, launching forward into a gallop. She caught up to him, and he twisted his neck to look back at her, grinning.

“Not bad, but I'm just getting started!” He sped up.

“Hey, you can just use magic to go faster!” Tempest shouted after him.

“That's no excuse!”

She ran faster, but there was no way she was catching up to him. Still, he stayed just close enough that she didn't lose sight of him, and she followed him all the way back to where the storm creatures lived. She sprinted the last stretch in an attempt to finally catch up, and he slowed, flying backward as he watched her.

“Come on, you can still catch me!” he called. He started windmilling his arms as if doing a backstroke. “Oh, look, I'm almost there, you gotta speed up!”

Tempest smirked and jumped, and his eyes widened as she slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. She climbed off and tried to leap over him, and he blocked her with his tail and ran the rest of the way, sliding onto the street that led into the storm creatures' village.

“I win!” he crowed.

Tempest panted, wiping sand from her coat. “I guess you did.”

“Was tackling me necessary?”

“I wanted to win.” She walked by, and he brushed himself off before following.

“You are one silly pony sometimes,” he commented.

“No I'm not,” she said.

“Oh, yes you are, look at that smile.”

“Heh, well... I'll admit, I didn't get to play around and have fun when I served the Storm King. I'm trying to make up for it now.”

“That's good! You deserve to have fun.”

Tempest nodded. Then, seeing two arguing storm creatures, she trotted forward to talk to them.

“Hey, what's going on?” she asked.

“Randy took some of my food!” one shouted.

“And Harold took my blankets!” the other yelled.

Tempest looked between them, then said, “So, Randy, why did you take Harold's food?”

Randy got defensive. “He took my blankets first so it's only fair!”

“Okay... Harold, why did you steal from him?”

Harold crossed his arms. “The nights get super cold here! I was freezing and didn't have any blankets of my own! Randy hogs all the blankets, I just took one or two for myself!”

“Oh, boy.” Tempest rubbed her temple. “Alright. Did you ask him if he could give you one first?”

“Well... no, I just... knew he had a lot of them.”

“Oh brother,” Discord muttered, flying away.

Tempest patiently said, “Harold, you can't just take things from people because you think they have enough to spare. If someone has something you need, you should ask if you can have it, or offer to pay for it, or make a trade. You could have willingly given Randy some of your food, and then he could have given you blankets in return.”

The two regarded each other, before finally Randy said, “I still have plenty of blankets for myself. You can keep what you took... but could I keep the food, and we can call it a trade?”

Harold thought about it, glancing at Tempest. She nodded, and he said, “Er, yes. That's fine.”

Tempest smiled. “There we go! See, things are so much better when you talk things out and agree with each other.”

The two smiled and shook hands, and Tempest watched them walk away to one of the houses.

Discord returned to her. “Well look at that, you solved a friendship problem, just like Twilight and her friends. How does it feel?”

“Pretty good. That one was simple though. I'm sure it will take a lot more work to get these guys cooperating like they did before the Storm King ever made them view each other as rivals.” Tempest looked around the town, as the creatures went about their days. The looks they exchanged as they passed each other weren't exactly hostile, but they definitely weren't friendly. Most of them seemed wary of each other.

The door to the town hall building opened and Curly stepped out. Seeing Tempest, she called to her. “Oh good, you're back! Could you come help me out?”

“Sure!” Tempest and Discord went to meet her, and she invited them in.

“We've placed the order for the lumber, now we just need to discuss exactly how we're going to set up our houses,” Curly said as she lead them over to a conference room. It had a crudely made table in the center of it and the chairs seemed rickety. Tempest elected to just stand at the table, but Discord went ahead and flopped into a chair anyway. It groaned but otherwise held him.

“We'll be needing to buy a lot of newer furniture,” Curly said. She shuffled some papers and then laid them out. “So, here's what I've got so far, and I'd like your opinions on it. First up, the single resident house designs.”

As Tempest leaned in, she saw that there were several papers to go through. She had a feeling this was going to take a while.

9. First Night

The discussion with Curly went on for hours. Tempest was focused for at least half that time, discussing designs and sometimes debating, but slowly grew bored, and began deferring to Curly’s judgment on nearly everything.

Discord was even more bored, and had taken to pacing the room and then exploring the building, but there hadn’t been much to see, so now he was back and reading a book he had summoned. It was blatantly titled, “Solving Boredom” and he hummed curiously every so often as he turned pages.

“Any input?” Tempest asked Discord as Curly finished her plans for remodeling the church.

Discord lowered his book. “Hm? Oh, right, the church. I don’t care for churches so no comment from me on that one. Okay, maybe one comment. If you can build it out of something sturdier than mud bricks, do so. I’d recommend stone. Start a quarry and use stone for construction. You can also use stone for the road. There should be sandstone under us, which makes a decent building material.”

They both stared at him.

“Why do you know so much about building?” Tempest asked.

Discord tossed his book. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been around for thousands of years and am well-traveled! I’ve seen and done more than any pony alive, except perhaps Sunbutt and her sister. And as you know, I enjoy reading. I make it a habit to learn something new every day. So inevitably, I’m knowledgeable on a vast array of subjects.”

“Hm.” Tempest smiled. “I can appreciate that. I also like to learn things, even if I won’t ever use the knowledge.”

“No wonder you and Twilight get along so well.”

Tempest looked back at Curly. “What do you think, is quarrying possible?”

Curly scratched at her cheek fur. “We may need to get a permit from Mayor Verko, but yes, the storm creatures would be willing to do that. They’ll enjoy some steady work.”

“Ah yes, I was wanting to bring that up. You should meet with Verko so you can get officially involved with the town’s government.”

“I’ve spoken with him before, but yes, I do have more I need to discuss with him.” Curly wrote down some notes, then smiled at Discord. “Thank you for your suggestion. I was unsure about Tempest bringing a draconequus here, but you’ve been a big help.”

“Haha, you’re welcome.” He sat forward, paying more attention to the conversation now, as Curly started telling them about some of the conflicts between the storm creatures and the other Klugetown residents.

“Abyssinia isn’t as forgiving as Equestria,” Curly said. “It wasn’t so long ago that we were ripping through this place looking for that princess. We broke merchandise, we stole things, we even hurt people. They’re very sore about it, and distrustful of our motives for being back here. We have to show them that we truly want to be part of their town. That we’ve changed.”

Tempest nodded. “I understand. I say we show, not tell. Let’s work on the village. Show that we’re dedicated to having a nice community. We’ll encourage the storm creatures to be kind to each other and the residents of Klugetown. In time, they’ll accept us. Just like I’ve been accepted back in Equestria. Besides, once we get that quarry going it could boost the economy here, which is always good.”

Curly agreed, then said, “Of course, there’s already mining in the area, but if we go north, we could set up a quarry without risking digging right into a mine. We could have it along the road we’re building to Sunny Oasis.”

“Sunny Oasis?” Tempest asked.

“Yes, it’s another town far to the northeast, founded by my people. It’s not back in Equestria but it’s closer than here. It’s got a jungle to its north but the town itself is in the desert, in an oasis. Hence the name.”

“Oh.” Tempest nodded. “Twilight mentioned it to me. I’ll be going to help out there once everything is settled here.”

“They’ll appreciate the help. They have resources but much like here, they could use some friendship lessons. And morale.”

“Hah. I’ll do my best when I meet them, then. But yeah, building the quarry along the road sounds like a great idea.”

Curly wrote more notes. “Alright. Well, Tempest, I think that’s all I had for you. I know we’ve been here for a while and it’s getting late, so you should get some rest. Do you have a place to stay?”

“Capper is letting us stay with him,” Tempest replied.

“Dapperpaws? He’s a good man, he’s been very kind to us. Say hi to him for me.”

“Can do.”

“The lumber probably won’t arrive for a few days, but could you help us tomorrow with the houses anyway? The least we can do is start rebuilding them out of bricks, then we can add in the supports once they arrive.”

“Sure, sounds good.”

They got up, and Curly came around the table to shake Discord’s paw and Tempest’s hoof. Then she sent them away.

They met Grubber on the way out.

“Whew, that was a long meeting,” he said.

Tempest agreed and Discord groaned. “The longest!” Discord exclaimed. “I thought I was going to die from boredom! Oh sure, we’re going to do good work here, etcetera, but damn could we make the planning part more exciting?”

“Having spent years designing battle strategies and dealing with logistics… that’s impossible,” Tempest replied. “Trust me.”

“Oh yeah,” Grubber agreed. “I’ve helped her with that stuff, it’s dull as hell. But it’s necessary, you can’t just run headlong into things, that’s how you make mistakes.”

“Speak for yourself,” Discord said.

Tempest chuckled. “Oh, like you’ve never made mistakes.”

“I mean, I have, but I don’t like to tell people about them.”

Tempest rubbed his back. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

They said goodbye to Grubber and began the walk back to Capper’s house.

“Well, today was boring, but tomorrow should be more exciting,” Tempest said. She sighed. “Maybe Twilight should have sent someone else with me, I know this is all very uninteresting to you and hate to think you’ll be bored-”

“Oh, Tempest, don’t worry about it,” Discord replied. “So it’s not all exciting but I expected that. Honestly I’m just enjoying spending time with you.”

“Oh.” She smiled, looking up at him. “You like me that much, huh?”

“Of course. I value our friendship.”

“That’s very sweet of you.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

Tempest chuckled. “I also won’t tell anyone about what a sweetheart you are. Though I’m pretty sure Fluttershy has already spread it around.”

“Ugh, she really isn’t shy about telling people how nice I am to her. Luckily, most ponies are still too skittish around me to see for themselves. Which is another reason I like you. You may have been nervous about me, but once I showed you I meant no harm, you trusted me. You sought out my company. I don’t meet many ponies who are brave enough to do that.”

“I was more curious about you than anything,” Tempest admitted. “Draconequus are rare and powerful, I wanted to get to know you. I’m glad you let me. And that you’ve taught me so much.”

“And there’s so much more I can teach you. Yes, my species is quite elusive. In fact…” Discord stroked his beard. “I don’t remember when I last saw another draconequus.”

“Do they all look like you?” Tempest asked.

“That’s racist.”

“No, I mean…” She laughed. “Do they all have like, the same kind of body parts? Or does it vary?”

“Ah, well… the features tend to vary, yes. Like some of us have horse tails instead of dragon tails. Or donkey tails, even. I’ve seen draconequus with no tails. Some don’t have wings, or they have bug wings. Limbs can be practically anything. From lion-like, dog-like, frog-like… honestly just choose ten random animals and mix them up and there’s probably a draconequus that looks like that. We’re weird.”

“Yeah, you sure are.” She thought about that. “So why are you so rare? Where does your species come from?”

“Far, far from Equestria, for sure. Across the sea.” Discord gestured vaguely. “We aren’t naturally social. I struggled to be friends with Fluttershy and the others at first. Draconequus are born already talented with magic and able to take care of ourselves. We’re pretty much abandoned by our mothers.”

Tempest frowned. “That’s so sad.”

“Well… it was long ago, but I honestly didn’t mind? Like I was glad to be able to do my own thing. That’s just how our minds work, we’re solitary. But thinking back, with all I’ve learned about friendship…” He sighed. “I wish I could see Eris again.”

“Eris?”

“My mother. She had named me Discord and said I would do incredible things. And then she let me loose and left. Ahh, I still remember that big fluffy mane around her neck.” He smiled. “I bet she’s still alive. I should look for her. But my species tends to travel the planet and avoid each other. If we do seek out a companion, it’s usually just because we want to mate. There aren’t really romantic attachments.”

“Oh.” Tempest walked quietly for a bit, then said, “So, have you ever gone out looking for a mate?”

“Nope. I haven’t wanted to. I was quite happy by myself. But now that I’ve learned to appreciate companionship, well… I’ll keep myself open to the idea of romance. I don’t know, though. Seems complicated.”

Tempest snorted. “Yeah, it does. Ponies can get obsessed over it. I just don’t care. If I do meet someone, fine, but I’m not gonna go searching for it. I have other things to worry about.”

“Exactly! There are bigger fish to fry!” Discord shook his head. “Honestly, it’s good for the world that draconequus are antisocial. If we were social and forming big societies together, making lots of little draconequus, we could easily conquer the planet! Hell, we could destroy the planet, and probably would purely for the fun of it! Us being solitary is harmony at work, even against us.”

“Hm. Well, I’m glad you decided to be different from the other draconequus, and make friends.”

“I am so much happier for it,” Discord admitted, resting a hand briefly on her back.

She moved to lean against him slightly as she walked, and after a moment, he returned his hand to her, and they were content to stay like that for the rest of the trip.

Conversation turned to their plans for tomorrow, but all too soon they were in sight of Capper’s windmill.

“I could have teleported us here,” Discord said.

“True, but I like walking,” Tempest replied. “Gives us more time to chat.” She raised her hoof to knock on the door.

“Good point.”

Capper let them in. “Good evening, nice to have you back.”

Tempest inhaled deeply. “Oh, wow. What is that?”

Discord sniffed too. “Mm, smells delicious!”

“I just finished dinner,” Capper replied. “Would you like some?”

Tempest hasn’t eaten since the train. She agreed, as did Discord.

“I made a fish fillet, cooked in tomato sauce and peppers, topped off with the best local spices! Along with some savory roasted potatoes.”

Tempest’s mouth watered. “And are you… sure there’s enough to go around?”

“I made enough for all three of us, I enjoy cooking for guests. You know, on the rare occasion I have them.” Capper led them to the kitchen area, and set out plates and silverware. “I’ve already eaten, but help yourselves, and we can chat about your day.”

Tempest and Discord grabbed their plates, and Capper watched with amusement as Tempest picked out a big chunk of fish.

“I thought ponies don’t eat meat,” he commented.

“We usually don’t, but I was a soldier, I learned to eat what’s available,” Tempest replied. “Besides… most meat actually tastes pretty good.” She scooped out some potatoes and went to sit down at Capper’s little dining room table.

Discord soon joined her, and Capper offered them drinks.

“I have water, sweet tea, lemonade…” He trailed off, then smiled and said, “Whiskey?”

Discord straightened. “A glass of whiskey, my fine sir!”

Capper started for the cabinets, then paused. “Straight?”

“Of course! That’s the best way to drink it!”

Tempest liked a good alcoholic beverage herself, but that made her shudder.

“You got it,” Capper said, pouring it. “But if you get drunk, it’s not my fault.”

“Hahaha, it’ll take more than that to get me drunk.”

“How about you, Tempest?” Capper asked. “I think I have ginger ale if you want to mix the whiskey with that. I also have blackberry wine.”

“Oh, I’ll have some wine,” she decided.

“Sounds good.” Capper poured her drink too, and brought the cups over.

Tempest finally took a bite of her fish. It was soft and mildly spicy, and she quickly cut out another piece. “Oh wow, this is really good.”

“Thank you! I’ve had to cook for myself for years, I’m glad it’s at least taught me something.”

Discord and Tempest both settled into their meals, while Capper sat and asked about what they did today. They told him between bites about meeting with Curly and reviewing all her plans for the village, and about Discord’s idea for getting them more resources.

“A quarry will certainly boost the economy,” Capper said. “The sandstone can be sold to architects and any gems you dig up will fetch a pretty price from jewelers, collectors, and tourists alike. What a wonderful idea.”

“Thanks,” Discord said through a mouthful of food.

Tempest took a sip of wine. It was sweet and tart, making her crave actual blackberries. She lowered it. “It will be quite the project to get started, but it will benefit everyone here in the long run.”

“Definitely. I might even take up work there. I’d rather do that than keep up my… questionable work for Verko.”

Tempest was curious, but something in his tone warned her not to ask. “Oh. Well, I’m sure they’d love to have you. Curly seems fond of you.”

“Oh, is she? Hm, well, I’d say I’m fond of her too.”

Discord downed his entire glass of whiskey, much to Capper’s shock. “Great dinner! My compliments to the chef.”

“Oh, uh… thank you.” Capper nodded to him. “You’re a strange one.”

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, he’s weird, but that’s Discord for you,” Tempest said.

“Would you like any more?” Capper asked.

“No, I’m quite alright for now.” Discord lounged back and started picking at his teeth.

Tempest swirled a piece of fish around in the sauce. “I’m still surprised Twilight sent me to do this. Sure I’ve worked with the storm creatures, I understand them, but I’ve also done a lot of terrible things. Yet she trusted me with such a huge job.”

“She must have seen greatness in you,” Capper replied. “And I see it too. You’re strong, and clever. You don’t let anyone push you around. You have what it takes, and you should be proud of that.”

“Oh, wow. Thank you.” She blushed and finished off her plate.

“But hey, enough about work. What else do you like to do?” Capper asked.

“Well, recently I’ve been taking magic lessons from Discord. He’s been showing me how to use chaos magic and it’s been a lot of fun.”

“Really? Sounds like a good time. Is it difficult?”

“Surprisingly, no. Well, some things are. But it seems to come naturally to me too. Discord’s a great teacher, even if he likes to throw things at me. I’ve always enjoyed using magic and was very good at it even from a young age. Then I got my horn broken off by an Ursa Minor, which made my magic unstable. It scared my friends when I blew things up or lit them on fire just from trying to pick them up, and they abandoned me.” After a moment, Tempest sighed. “Well… to be honest, I abandoned them. They were kids, of course they were scared. They stayed away so I wouldn’t hurt them. But I took it as a slight against me, and I ran away. I… slowly learned to use my horn again, to lift things without blowing them up, but ever since I’ve had a talent for explosions, fire, electricity, all kinds of dangerous magic. Magic that Discord here loves too.”

Discord smiled and waved.

Tempest continued, “Even with a broken horn, my magic was powerful. And when I met the Storm King, he offered to put my power to use, and in return, he’ll fix my horn, and I’ll become greater. I was lured in by that promise. But… he was just using me.” She sighed. “So many awful things, done just because I felt broken… but things are different now. I accepted what happened. I learned to open my heart to friendship again. And Discord, who doesn’t exactly have a pleasant past himself, showed me kindness and repaired my horn. Now my magic is stable again, but I still have that natural talent for chaos magic, so he’s been helping me learn more. It’s been a lot of fun.”

“Whew, that is quite the backstory,” Capper commented. “But I’m glad things are better for you now. And that you’ve found a friend in Discord. You may look strange together, but I think I understand much better now.”

Tempest finished her drink. “Heh, yeah. We have a lot in common. We also both like the same music!”

“And the same games,” Discord added.

“He’s getting me into Ogres & Oubliettes,” Tempest said.

“Ogres & Oubliettes,” Capper said blankly. They shrugged and chuckled, and his eyes lit up. “I’m a druid who specializes in animal communication and never goes anywhere without my trusted leopard!”

“You play?” Discord asked excitedly, already pulling out his character sheet. “Let me tell you about Captain Wuzz!”

“And let me tell you about Felijor the Swift!”

Tempest quickly realized she would have to put a stop to this, else she’ll be up all night. “Boys, I think we should go to bed. Discord, you know we have to be up early to go help the storm creatures.”

“Oh, right…” The sheet in Discord’s hand vanished. “We’ll have to discuss this some other time.”

“Sounds good to me,” Capper agreed.

They cleaned up the dining room and returned to the living area. Tempest stretched before hopping onto the bed, and Discord examined it. “This really is small. Oh well. Tempest, I may have to get all cuddly with you.”

“Heh. That’s fine.” She was used to his company, she wouldn’t mind him touching her.

“Alright.” He laid down too, his long body curling up under the covers, and despite agreeing to it, Tempest still gave a start when his scaly tail ended up draping over her legs. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine.” She yawned and rested her head on a pillow. It was warm and comfortable here, and Discord himself seemed to just radiate heat. She almost wanted to use him as her pillow instead.

Discord said to Capper, “Sure you’re fine sleeping on the floor?”

“Absolutely!” he called back.

“Okay, but let me at least give you this.” Discord snapped his fingers and a sleeping bag fell onto the floor, unrolling itself.

“Oh, for me?”

“Sure! You can have it, I can conjure up anything!”

“I appreciate it.” Capper grabbed a pillow and climbed into the sleeping bag. “Hey Tempest, can you make things out of thin air?”

“I’m still working on it,” she replied. “I can turn objects into other objects though, within reason. Discord said he’ll teach me manifestation too.”

“We’ll probably be able to move onto it soon, with how clever you are,” Discord said.

“Aw, quit being sappy.”

“No.” He actually nuzzled the back of her neck, which made her laugh.

“Well, goodnight y’all.” Capper clapped his hands and the lights turned off.

“Fancy,” Discord said.

“Goodnight,” Tempest said, closing her eyes. The other two said goodnight as well, and they all drifted off to sleep.

10. Getting to Work

When Tempest woke up, she was so warm and comfortable she didn’t want to move. After a moment, she realized she couldn’t move. A weight pressed against her, not really uncomfortable, but nonetheless keeping her pinned.

She tensed, ears flicking forward to check her surroundings, but all she heard was quiet breathing and a soft wind from outside.

Waking up more, she registered that the mass pressing to her was furred, and that grip around her was actually arms, and… oh.

Discord was snuggling with her. He was just so much bigger than her that he had her nearly immobilized.

Tempest chuckled, opening her eyes to check the time. There was no light coming in, so it must still be night. Glancing down, she saw the mismatched arms around her middle.

There was a small brushing of fur against her neck, and she realized Discord had turned his head around to rest against her neck… while her own head rested on his neck. Damn, he was flexible. Like a weird furry snake.

Tempest settled back against him. Apparently he wasn’t a light sleeper. It was strange, being held like this, but she liked it. She felt secure.

She noted how his tail was still draped over her hip, the end of it even curled slightly around one of her back hooves. She hoped he didn’t decide to roll over away from her, else he would drag her over with him.

She reflected on her friendship with Discord. She used to think she didn’t need this, but now that she had it, she never wanted to go back. Maybe it does sound easy to only care about yourself, but it was lonely too. She was far happier now, being friends with Twilight and the other ponies of Ponyville, and knowing Discord, and acknowledging just how much Grubber always meant to her.

Behind her, Discord shifted and then yawned widely. She felt his fingers move, and then his neck unwound from around her and he lifted his head. Her own head thumped back down, and she grunted, looking up at him. Her eyes adjusted enough to the dark for her to see that he was awake.

“Mm, still night?” he asked.

“Yeah. I don’t know exactly when.”

Discord held out his arm, a watch materializing on it. “Ah, it’s three in the morning.”

“Wow, why am I awake, then?” Tempest laughed. “I suppose I’m still so used to sleeping for a few hours a night.”

“I don’t sleep very long either but that’s because I physically don’t need to. Plus it gets boring.”

“Ah. Well, I think I’m going to go back to sleep anyway.” Tempest rested her head back on a pillow. “By the way, you get cuddly while sleeping.”

Discord looked at the arm he still had around her, how he had pretty much fit himself along her back, and he blinked. Then he chuckled and said, “Ah, so I do. Did I bother you?”

“No, not at all. It’s comfortable.” She rubbed her withers back into his chest. “You’re so warm.”

“Oh, alright. Heh, this is so odd, I don’t really tend to do this.”

“Well, how often have you slept with someone else next to you?”

“Not often. Fluttershy has fallen asleep on me a few times though. She’s the sweetest little thing. And of course I can’t move then because she might wake up.”

Tempest giggled. “Your relationship with Fluttershy is so cute. Have you guys ever considered, I don’t know… taking things further?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Well, you know. Asking her to be your special somepony?”

Discord stared, then gave an awkward laugh. “Oh, she doesn’t like me that way. Fluttershy is an absolute dear, don’t get me wrong, but we’re only friends. I value our relationship exactly as it is. Personally I’d feel weird getting romantically involved with the first pony I’ve ever befriended. I don’t even see her that way.”

“Oh, I understand. Some friends are just better meant as friends. It’s still a very special, magical bond.”

“I’m quite familiar.” Discord wrapped his other arm back around her. “So, how about you? You and Twilight seem close these days… hm?”

Tempest blushed. “I don’t like her like that! Twilight is sweet, and smart, and I can definitely admire a confident mare like her, but… I don’t know. I don’t think I’d want to date her. I want someone more… hm. Well, someone who's not royalty, for one, I kinda don't want to get involved with all that. But I want someone who's fun. Someone who makes me laugh.”

“Pinkie Pie,” Discord suggested.

“Hah! I do like her energy, but she’s a bit too happy all the time, it makes me uncomfortable.”

“So you want someone funny, but who isn’t constantly laughing their own flanks off?”

“Yeah.”

“Hm, I can understand that. Well, I hope you find them one day.” Discord slid his arms away and got up. “I’m going to go check out Klugetown some more. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Oh? Oh, um… okay.” Tempest felt cold when he slipped away, and she pulled the blankets more tightly around her shoulders. “See you in the morning.”

He poofed away, and Tempest sighed, gazing into space. Romance was certainly optional… but much like friendship, she wanted to give it a try. Perhaps it could be just as wonderful.

She closed her eyes and rolled over to lay where Discord had been, and as she scooped over one of the pillows he had rested against, she found that it smelled like him. It was a difficult scent to describe, earthy yet spicy, but… it was his, and it reminded her of all the times they've hung out and trained together. It reminded her of Ponyville, where the first pony to truly accept her lived. It reminded her of home. She nuzzled her face into the pillow and drifted back off to sleep.

When morning arrived, Tempest climbed out of bed and stretched each of her legs. Hazy sunlight came in through the windows, illuminating the dust motes hovering in the air. Capper was still sleeping soundly, though he was now curled up on top of his sleeping bag, like a… well, like a cat.

Tempest stepped quietly past him and looked around for Discord, but he seemed to still be out. She went to her saddlebags and opened one, taking out a bag of trail mix. Breakfast of champions.

She munched on the mixed seeds and dried fruit as she examined Capper’s various knickknacks. They seemed to come from all over the world. She recognized Crystal Empire baskets and blown glass, Canterlot statuettes, Abyssinian jewels and sand globes, hippogriff daggers, even talismans that she was certain came from the far off land of the zebras.

She carefully lifted one of the books from his bookcase. It had a stylized zebra head on the front drawn with golden thread, and she opened it. It was full of spells and potions, but all written in a language she couldn’t read. She briefly wondered if Capper could read it, and put it back.

After she finished checking everything out, she went to make the bed, just to give herself something to do. Then she laid across it as she finished her trail mix.

Capper finally woke up when the spot of sunlight he was laying in moved away from the sleeping bag.

He got up, stretching and popping his back. “Good morning, Tempest.”

“Good morning,” she replied.

He smoothed out his fur and went to a mirror to tend to his whiskers. “Where’s Discord?”

“He went outside to explore. He said he’ll be back in the morning.”

“Ah, he should be returning any minute now.” Capper finished grooming himself and went to the kitchen. “You want any breakfast? I’ve got eggs and toast! And that’s… about all really, unless you like cereal.”

“I’m good,” she said, giving her bag a wave.

“You sure you don’t want something to drink with that? I have milk.”

“Hm, maybe a small glass of milk.” She got up and went to the table as he poured her a glass and slid it over. He made himself a bowl of cereal and sat across from her.

They casually discussed the weather and Capper said there might be a dust storm.

“And that usually brings up the sand wyrms,” Capper concluded.

Tempest set her glass down. “Sand wyrms?”

“Oh yeah, the Bone Dry Desert is full of ‘em! They live down deep but after the storms, they come up to see what’s been buried at the surface and snack on poor, lost creatures who didn’t get inside fast enough.”

“Whoa. How big are they?”

Capper spread his arms out. “Huge. At least, they’re easily longer than a pony, probably by three times. A pony your size, at that. And their mouths are full of sharp teeth that grind you up into a nice, easily swallowed pulp. So… when the storms hit, stay inside or on a cobbled or wooden road, got it?”

“Got it,” she replied.

“They hunt by sound and feel the tremors when you walk, so if you feel one coming, stand utterly still. Throw something far away if you can. They may be fast and dangerous, but they’re stupid.”

“Why do you choose to live here?” Tempest demanded.

Capper shrugged. “Hey, the storms are rare. Some people get earthquakes, some get blizzards… we get murderous sand wyrms.”

Tempest considered that, staring into her cup. Then she chuckled and said, “It’s lucky that Twilight and her friends got here then.”

“Oh, I know. Coming here on foot is seriously dangerous. But they really were determined to get to the queen of the hippogriffs so they could save the other princesses and defeat you.”

Tempest raised a brow, and he hastily tried to explain himself better, but she interrupted, “No, I needed to be defeated, and I’m glad they were able to do so. I’m grateful that they spared me while allowing the Storm King to die.”

“Heh, yeah. You still had good in you.” Capper drank from his bowl. “I just wonder if the Storm King might have too.”

“He could have. But I guess we’ll never know.”

Discord soon returned. “I come bearing gifts!”

“What?” Tempest asked.

“I saw some delightful necklaces and thought to myself, ‘Hm, who would like these?’ And I answered myself, ‘Oh, Tempest and Capper would love them!’ So here, some locally made necklaces!” He held up two necklaces of different colored beads with swirls of color in them. One was mostly filled with what looked like emerald, and Discord brought that one to Tempest.

“That’s very thoughtful,” she said, leaning her head back as he clipped it on.

Discord turned to Capper. “And to show my appreciation to a new friend, one necklace for you! See, these beads have veins of copper going through them that match your coat!”

“Oh, you didn’t have to buy me anything,” Capper said. Discord put the necklace on him anyway.

“No but I wanted to. And here’s a matching one for myself.” Discord put on his own. Its beads were incredibly mismatched. “The merchant was about to throw this away, said none of these really had a match, but I don’t know what he’s talking about, they’re perfect.”

Tempest laughed. “You’re so silly.”

“Just something to show I care.” Discord ruffled up her mane. “So, shall we go meet with the storm creatures?”

“Suppose we should. See you later,” Tempest said to Capper.

“Alright, have a good day, I need to head to work myself,” he replied. He left the house right behind them, locking the door.

“So, shall we walk again today or do you want me to teleport us?” Discord asked, holding out a hand.

Tempest considered, then took it. “Let’s teleport.”

He snapped his fingers. Immediately their surroundings changed, and they were standing on the familiar dusty street before she could even prepare herself.

Tempest was amazed. When she teleported, there was a sort of brief darkness and pressure before she reappeared at her destination. For Discord, it was instant.

“I want to teleport like that,” she said enviously.

“Keep practicing and one day you will,” he replied.

They went to find Curly. She greeted them from outside the town hall. “Good morning!”

“Good morning,” they called back.

“Alright, ready for a hard day’s work?” she asked. “We’ll need to move quick, there might be a sand storm tonight which brings up sand wyrms, and you don’t want to be outside when they arrive.”

“Certainly not,” Tempest replied. “Are the floors all reinforced?”

“Yep, we did use stone for all the floors. We almost didn’t but the locals made sure they told us about the danger of doing that. Sand wyrms don’t like coming this far south, but with all the fresh meat, they’ll go for it.”

“Gotcha. Well, we should get going then. Have everyone meet us in the square, and we’ll teach them how to make their houses much more stable.”

Curly agreed, and went to find Grubber, bringing him along to round up the storm creatures.

“So, a day playing with dirt,” Discord said as he followed Tempest to the square. “Fun.”

“We’ll make it fun,” she assured him, using her magic to scoop up a mound of sand from beyond the town borders and bring it over. “Once we get them working, we can just supervise. And deal with any conflicts.”

“Oh, goody.” Discord picked up some of the sand, running it through his fingers. “Hm. Do you think there’s clay around here? That might make longer lasting bricks.”

“There could be,” Tempest replied. “Maybe once they start on the quarry, they’ll find clay. Then they can use that too.”

“Yeah, because these mud huts are not going to last very long. At the very least they should make them out of wood like the rest of Klugetown.”

“They like the look of stone and clay houses. And considering it almost never rains here, those are suitable. If anything we’ll just convince them to replace their roofs with wood, once it arrives.”

“Alright. You know what they like better than me.”

Once everyone was gathered, Tempest smiled at them. “Hello all, it’s great to see you. I don’t really think I need to introduce myself, you all knew me as Commander Tempest, but now… you can just call me Tempest Shadow. Or…” She gave a little grin. “Even Fizzlepop Berrytwist.” They laughed, and she joined in. “Yes, I know, so silly. Anyway, no longer am I your commander. I’m not here to give you orders or belittle you. I’m here to help you. Things have no doubt been rough since the Storm King’s defeat. He took over your entire race and dragged you into his war. But now you’re free. And I’m going to help you return to a peaceful life. You all deserve to be happy. To build up new homes, to make friends, to form families. To find what makes you special and do good for those around you. So! Who’s ready to learn about architecture?”

They hooted and clapped for her. Discord let out a whistle. “Very nice. You’re quite the motivational speaker.”

“Oh, you know,” she chuckled. She stamped a hoof to get everyone’s attention. They quieted, and she said, “I have with me a close friend from Equestria, Discord. He’s a talented magic user and he’ll be happy to help anyone who’s struggling. He can create practically anything, but I know you like making things on your own. Just know that if you do need something magicked up, however, Discord is the one to go to.”

He waved, and a hard hat and orange reflective vest appeared on his body. “Let’s get this thing going! Hi everyone, today I’m going to show you how to turn this boring sand into a decent building material! And as a special treat, I’m going to show you how to actually do it instead of just snapping my fingers and turning it into bricks! Consider yourselves lucky.” He cracked his knuckles and got to work, and Tempest laughed at his enthusiasm. He really was one of the best people Twilight could have sent with her.

11. The Sandstorm

Discord was an enthusiastic teacher. He showed the storm creatures how to make the bricks step by step, and then walked them through how to lay them to make a sturdy wall. He had them practice making smaller walls, and once they got it, he sorted them into teams to begin rebuilding their houses.

They were happy to get to work, and Tempest walked among them to make sure they were getting along. Occasionally they would fight over their tools, argue about a particular layout, but then Tempest would encourage them to talk it out and find compromise.

They often were able to, and got back to their task with no further argument.

Discord watched them work proudly. “I may not understand why they want to do all this themselves, but I can appreciate their hard work.”

“They believe work you do yourself means more than work done by someone else. They will accept gifts but mostly of luxury items. Things like money, food, or whatever are usually not accepted without them trying to do something in return.” Tempest grabbed a pail of water and began making bricks.

“I see. Very odd.” Discord got down on his knees to help her.

Curly was going from house to house to offer her assistance, and Grubber busied himself with bringing water from the town well.

“Do you think we could build our own well?” Tempest asked.

“We should be able to. It’ll be more convenient than having to walk all the way over to the town well,” Curly said.

“Can we install plumbing?” Discord wondered.

“The Klugetown plumbing system is difficult to link into, and we’d have to order a lot of pipes, but that can be a project for further down the road,” Curly replied.

They worked until lunch, at which point they took a break to eat. Most of the storm creatures elected to go to the town hall, and Curly provided them with sandwiches.

Discord took the first couple he saw without preference, but Tempest stopped to examine them.

“Oh, these are tuna,” Curly said apologetically, setting the tray aside.

“I can eat tuna,” Tempest started, but Curly waved it off.

“No, I made some for you. You equines like plants, right? Here, I made you dandelion sandwiches.” Curly passed them over.

Tempest knew that most ponies liked dandelions, but she found them somewhat bland. Still, it was better than tuna. She thanked her and accepted the sandwiches, and went outside with Discord, overlooking the village as she ate.

“Dandelion, huh?” Discord asked.

“Yeah.” Tempest prodded the top piece of bread up, examining the ingredients. “Yep, just grass and dandelions. This could use some dressing.”

“What kind?”

Tempest considered the taste of what she’s already eaten. “Vinaigrette.”

“Here.” Discord poofed up a bottle and handed it to her.

She chuckled as she opened it. “I can always count on you.”

He smiled and finished off his own sandwiches, while Tempest used magic to hover hers in front of her and apply the dressing.

Once she was satisfied, she gave the bottle to Discord to vanish, and sat down to finish eating.

He sat next to her, watching the sky. “You know, this place may be hot, and dusty, but I like it. There’s an interesting community here and it requires a different way of living than Equestria.”

“Yeah, it’s got its own charm,” Tempest said. “I do like having easy access to water, though.”

“Definitely. I might start to miss the color green, though. The fields of flowers, and crops.” Discord hummed. “Applejack’s apple trees.”

“The fields around Fluttershy’s cottage.”

“Oh, absolutely. Her home is beautiful.” Discord sighed, and held out his hand, a photograph appearing in it. He gazed at it, and Tempest saw that it was picture of him and Fluttershy. “Is it silly if I miss her already?”

“It’s not silly at all,” Tempest assured him. “She’s your friend, it’s perfectly normal to miss her.”

“I suppose so. I miss her, and the rest of my friends. Big Mac, Spike, Twilight… who would have thought I’d ever grow so attached to anyone. Certainly not me, like only five years ago.”

“Heh, I know how that feels.” Tempest swallowed the last of her sandwich. The dressing had made it taste better but she was still kinda hungry. She was already looking forward to dinner with Capper. “Well, wanna get back to it?”

“Absolutely.”

They got back to work. They slowly became coated with sand and mud over the course of the day, as the Sun beat down on them and they sweated, and the wind began picking up, swirling dust and sand all around.

They were helping the storm creatures install drapes in their windows when the amount of sand in the air became almost suffocating, the wind howling around them.

“Sandstorm!” Curly shouted, sprinting down the road. “Everyone get inside, it's a sandstorm!”

Tempest turned her eyes toward the north, as what looked like a wall of sand barreled toward them. She ran, and called out to Discord only to find him already jumping into the town hall. Tempest slid in after him, and held the door open a crack, watching to make sure everyone else got inside. Grubber leaped in, panting and wiping himself off.

“Whew, that came on fast,” he commented.

Tempest squinted, trying to locate Curly despite how the area was becoming more and more clouded. A few moments later, she emerged from the sand and pushed her way in. “Door, closed!” She slammed the door behind her.

Not a moment too soon. They were buffeted by the storm, which shook the entire building. There was an eerie roaring sound, and they quickly covered up all the windows the best they could. Then there was nothing to do but retreat to a room without any outside walls and wait.

“Sounds pretty rough out there,” Tempest said. “Is everyone okay?”

“Yeah, everyone got inside.” Curly wiped her eyes off. “These storms are vicious, but luckily they're rare. We just gotta wait it out. We got a lot of work done anyway. Thank you for helping us. Everyone is in a much better mood. And I think once we're settled, I'm going to talk to Verko about the quarry idea, and also get some of my guys set up at the airship docks, just so we can start making money.”

“Sounds good.”

The storm raged on for hours. With nothing to do, Tempest stretched out on the floor, and Discord laid down next to her, summoning a book to read. She curiously looked over.

“What are you reading?” she asked.

“Hairy Trotter and the Enchanter's Jewel,” Discord replied. “It's rather amusing to reread from time to time, there's like seven in the series.”

“Ah.” Tempest yawned. She moved over a little, pressing her side to Discord's. He didn't seem to mind. “What's it about?”

“This orphan unicorn finds out his parents were great magic users and he goes to a special school for magic, while the guy who killed his parents actually isn't dead like everyone thought, he's still out there and is trying to regain enough strength to return to a physical body. And there's friendship, and adventure, and all sorts of fun things.” Discord hummed as he turned the page. “The bad guy is actually my favorite character. I definitely understand his lust for power.”

“Heh, maybe I should read it sometime.” Tempest glanced at the page, but Discord was rather far into the story so she didn't know what was happening.

“You might enjoy it.” Discord leaned against her, continuing to read.

Tempest was left to her thoughts. She listened to the storm outside, and eventually Grubber sat next to her, and they discussed the progress they've made so far.

But finally the storm abated, and Tempest climbed to her feet.

“You might as well keep waiting,” Curly said. “The sand wyrms are going to be searching for fresh meat for the next hour.”

“I want to see one,” Tempest replied, walking over to a window. She brushed the curtain aside and saw that it was covered with sand. They really needed to put some glass in. She looked outside, but nothing was out there. The sand piled high around the buildings, and she loathed the thought of having to go dig everything out.

She cautiously opened the door and stepped out. She remained on the steps, ears perked for any suspicious noises.

Discord joined her. “You think the sand wyrms came out this far?”

“They sometimes do, from what I've heard. Think we could look for some?”

Discord smiled and offered her his hand. She took it, and he started flying, pulling her along with him. She jerked slightly, then realized his magic made her weightless, and eagerly kicked her legs as she followed him.

They surveyed the area. There was nothing of interest, and no one was outside. Discord flew around, before deciding to stop at the northern road and keep watch. He let go of Tempest, but his magic kept her floating next to him.

“You think the wyrms will come here?” she asked.

“They could. Lots of food here.” Discord flapped his wings and kept flying, and Tempest found that by moving her hooves and willing herself to move forward, she could float too. She stayed behind him as they circled the town. There were many cliffs, and they didn't anticipate any wyrms in such a dangerous area. They focused their attention on the north, and finally spotted a wyrm.

It only had its head out of the sand, shaking a skull back and forth. It didn't belong to a pony luckily, and it looked old.

“There, get your fill,” Discord said.

Tempest floated down to look at it. The wyrm looked like a dragon, with armored jaws and no eyes. It had thick brown scales with vaguely noticeable black patterns. It tossed the skull up and opened its mouth, and she saw that it had three jaws that opened wide, displaying sharp teeth. Then it was snapping up the skull, crunching on it before diving back into the sand.

“They're ugly,” Tempest said.

“Oh yeah, definitely.”

They watched as a few more of the creatures briefly surfaced, sniffing toward the town, before going back under.

A few residents started glancing outside, but weren't leaving their houses just yet. Tempest wondered how long they would have to wait. Then she saw a horned creature leave his house and start strolling down the street. She stared at him, as other citizens shouted at him to get back inside, but he waved them off, saying that the road was packed down enough that the wyrms wouldn't be able to get through.

“That's just dirt down there,” Discord said. “Sure, plenty of people have walked through and stamped it down, but there's no rock, no stone... it's not safe.”

“We need to stop him,” Tempest decided.

They started down, but before they were even halfway, a sand wyrm erupted out of the ground and slammed its head into the creature, knocking him flying. It dug down and came back up, opening its mouth in preparation to catch him.

Tempest broke free of Discord's magic and hit the ground, running and blasting it with magic. It jerked away, and the resident landed safely.

“Get back inside!” Tempest yelled at him. He turned white and nodded, running back toward his house. The wyrm started to follow, and Tempest shouted at it, stamping her hooves. It stopped, turning to her. Then it dove, and she saw the ground rise slightly as it moved just under the surface.

She waited until it was almost to her, before jumping straight up. It erupted from the sand, mouth stretching wide open as it tried to grab her. She angled herself down and used a fire spell, filling the sand wyrm's maw with scalding flames.

It screamed and immediately turned away, burying itself into the sand once more. She touched down, and after waiting, realized that it wasn't coming back. She smiled and looked at Discord, who was waiting just above her, eyes wide. Then he relaxed, clapping for her. “Bravo! You scared it off!”

She wiped her hoof off against her chest fur. “Yeah, it was nothing.”

There was cheering from the residents around her, and she blushed as they leaned out of doors and windows to clap.

Discord clapped politely for her too, then said, “Not to ruin the fun but we should probably get back inside before another one shows up. Or at least get off the ground.”

Tempest gave the ground an uncertain look. “Right, yeah.” She looked up at him. “Could you do that levitation thing on me again?”

“Certainly, but you are a unicorn, are you not? You can levitate yourself.”

“Oh, yeah I have seen that done, but I don't know if I can do it.”

Discord laughed. “Of course you can. Just use your magic as if you were picking up another object, and instead direct it to yourself. If Starlight Glimmer can do it, so can you.”

“Starlight has had a lot more time to refine her magic, without her horn being broken for most of it,” Tempest said.

“But that doesn't matter! Power doesn't come from a horn, your power comes from within.” Discord gently touched over her heart. “Now, give it a try.”

Tempest took a breath, and used her magic. It wrapped around her, and she remembered when she first tried teleportation and she had been thrown through the air. She was strong enough to lift herself. She just had to control it this time.

She lifted. Slowly her hooves left the ground, and Discord hovered up too, though stayed level with her. “If you fall, do you mind if I catch you?”

She smiled, glad he was asking permission to touch her now. “That'll be fine. I don't want to break a leg out here.”

But she didn't fall, finding that this was easier than she thought. Why didn't all unicorns do this? Unless it really was difficult, and she was just talented enough to pull it off with little effort. That was a reassuring thought.

“You look like you got it,” Discord said, once they were over most of the buildings. “Come on, let's go back.”

Tempest followed him. It was weird floating through the air without moving any of her limbs. She almost wanted to start running, but of course that would be pointless. Might be fun, though.

“It'd be cool to have wings,” she mused, watching Discord's flap as he flew next to her.

“Well hey, create some powerful new magic and save Equestria or something, and Celestia might just give you some wings,” Discord replied. “Seriously, she gave a horn to Cadance like twenty years ago, and then wings to Twilight a few years ago, she's handing out alicorn magic like candy!”

“Me, an alicorn,” Tempest said, picturing it. “Now that would be something. I wonder what I would have done to earn it.”

“Haha, who knows? Let me think, Cadance inspired love and cooperation among the ponies who raised her, ultimately using her magic to defeat a sorceress and turn her to good, and Celestia recognized her as a leader and made her an alicorn. Twilight finished a powerful spell that not even Star Swirl the Bearded could complete, while also saving her friends from a terrible fate, and Celestia recognized that she truly did embody the magic of friendship.” Discord said the last part very sarcastically. “Bleh. But you know, that's important to ponies, so. Here are some wings, you're a princess now. So, I'm sure you could do something like that.”

“It's fun to think about, but I don't want to actually be a princess,” Tempest replied. “There's way too much responsibility that comes with that. Running a small army of hundreds? That's fine. Having an entire kingdom of thousands of ponies, and countless other creatures that now live here, coming to me for advice? Please, no.”

“Oh yes, there are a lot of royal duties you have to keep track of. I hear Twilight complaining about them all the time. She's settled into her role as a princess but it still isn't easy.”

“Yeah.” Tempest touched down at the town hall and went inside, releasing her magic. Weight returned to her body and she almost stumbled, but recovered quickly. “So, how does the alicorn transformation spell work?”

“It takes very powerful magic,” Discord replied. “And it's some kind of harmony magic at that so I can't do it myself. At least, not the way the princesses can. See, I can mess with reality. I can definitely take the wings off a pegasus and slap them onto a unicorn's back. But that doesn't make them an alicorn. That just makes them a unicorn with somepony's wings. They don't get all the magic that comes with being an alicorn, and also Celestia would probably slap me for my efforts. I can also just make wings for someone, or a horn, or both depending on their species. But they're still not truly an alicorn. You have to be given that magic by a princess.” Discord stroked his beard. “Or be born to an alicorn, I suppose, since Flurry Heart is considered one.”

“Ah. Just wondering.” Tempest looked around the entrance hall and didn't see anyone. “Well, let's find Curly and Grubber and see if it's safe to get back to work.”

They headed into the next room.

13. Cloud Nine

Tempest and Discord fell into a sort of groove after that first big day. Things went much more smoothly than they were expecting, as they finished remodeling the houses within a couple weeks and moved to fixing up the church and community building. Discord led a small team in building a well while Tempest set up a meeting with Verko to discuss the quarry plan. The mayor was suspicious of her at first, but warmed up when she apologized, and as she explained the potential boost to the economy, he was eager to approve the construction. Curly took over from there to discuss storm creature representation in the local government, and Tempest excused herself to return to work.

Storm creatures began taking up jobs in Klugetown, many of them working at the docks but others providing services as cooks, merchants, and even a doctor or two. Tempest showed them how to be polite, explaining that they weren't soldiers anymore and they couldn't just attack people who made them mad. But now that they were contributing something to their town, they were much happier and less frustrated, so they didn't lash out as often.

It was three weeks in when the quarry got its tentative start, and Discord helped map out the edges of it from the air. Meanwhile, Tempest checked the various pieces of equipment that would be used to dig it, making sure everything functioned properly. She didn't want anyone getting hurt.

Discord glided down while Tempest was examining a jackhammer. “We're almost done staking out the sides. Are we ready to get started?”

She looked around, at the ropes that stretched between all the stakes. “Yeah, we should be good.” She set the tool aside and walked over to address the waiting storm creatures. “Alright, where's the foreman?”

One of them pushed his way to the front, lifting an arm. “That'll be me, Hugo!”

“Hugo,” she addressed him. “Is your team ready?”

“Sure are, they've been ready!”

She inspected everyone. “You all have the proper personal protective equipment? Let me see. Hard hats?” They all knocked on them and she nodded, checking everything else. Safety glasses, gloves, earplugs. “Right, you all look prepared. Now, be careful. You're all used to hard work but quarrying can be dangerous if you're not careful. We shouldn't have any caves below us, but watch out anyway.”

They agreed to be careful, and Hugo joined her to pass out the equipment. Soon they were getting to work, and Tempest left so she wouldn't be in their way.

“Phew, I hope they don't get overheated,” Discord commented.

“I gave them a briefing on the importance of staying hydrated,” Tempest said. “They'll be okay.”

“Alright then. What's on the schedule for the rest of today?”

Tempest had taken to carrying a notebook with her with a list of tasks for each day. She pulled it out of her saddlebags and opened it. “Let's see, the quarry's opening... check. We had the forum earlier, and for the rest of today...” She shrugged. “It's Friday. Things are going to be a bit quiet, it's almost the weekend. All I have left to do is meet with Curly later to write a status letter to send back to Twilight. Then the evening should be free.”

“Oh good!” Discord clapped his hands together. “In that case, would you like to finally come to Cloud Nine with me?”

Cloud Nine was a Klugetown's only, and therefore most popular, club. Tempest hasn't had time to check it out, but Discord has been interested in going since learning about it.

“Yeah, we can go,” she said.

“Great! I've been wanting to do some dancing.” He walked next to her, swaying his hips as he did a little dance.

She chuckled. The past few weeks have been very entertaining with Discord around. He had started an O&O campaign with her and Capper, which gave her something to look forward to after work. He was a clever dungeon master, leading them on epic adventures and often trapping them, forcing them to solve complex puzzles and defeat hordes of enemies to escape. It was made even better by his ability to simulate the entire game world, so they were actually fighting and exploring rather than just imagining it all. Capper greatly enjoyed Discord's playing style too. Though sometimes, after a particularly long day, they would just play the old-fashioned way, at a table with dice. Discord was warming up to it.

Tempest and Discord helped out in a few places around town before going to meet Curly for their final task. Writing the letter took a while, as they had a lot of news. But finally it was done and sent out, and Curly said goodbye.

“See you on Monday,” Tempest replied, briefly hugging her and Grubber before heading out.

“Alright!” Discord cheered once they were out of the building. “Let's drop off those saddlebags back at Capper's place and hit the club!”

She reached over to take his hand, electing to teleport back. They went directly into the house, as Capper had given them permission to do so. Tempest set her bags down in the usual spot, and Discord summoned a hand mirror, checking himself out.

“What look should I go for?” he asked. “Slicked back hair?” He brushed his mane back. “Or how about something spiky? Ooh, I could style my beard!”

“You look fine,” she replied.

“Of course I do, but we're going to a club, we need to look better than fine!”

“Speak for yourself, I think I look great already.”

Discord snickered. “Oh I don't know, I think we could do better.” He snapped his fingers, and she stumbled as her back legs were suddenly restricted. She turned her head and saw that he had put her in a glittery sea foam-green cocktail dress. She groaned and tugged at it.

“A dress? Really?”

“Would you rather I put you in a suit?”

“I'd rather have neither.”

“Suit yourself.” Discord waved his hand and vanished the dress, but he did put on a hat and a suit himself. It was bright orange and made Tempest laugh.

“You're really gonna wear that?”

“Yep! So, ready to go?”

“Ready.”

They headed out, Tempest letting Discord take the lead. It only took a few minutes to get to Cloud Nine. The Sun was barely starting to set but the club was already getting busy. They were briefly examined by the bouncer, a huge shark person, before being allowed in.

“Okay, let's see...” Discord checked out the room. There was bass music playing, while people danced on a colorful dance floor toward the left side of the building. Toward the right was a bar area, with several tables and booths. “Not bad, not bad.”

Tempest took in the outfits around her, the leather jackets and revealing clothes. “Hm, I think you're inappropriately dressed.”

Discord looked at his suit, then at someone in skinny jeans and a fishnet tanktop who was rocking out to the music. “Hm, you may be right.”

Tempest nudged him playfully. “Just get rid of the suit.”

“Oh, fine.” He poofed it away and followed her as she walked further into the building.

Tempest let herself move slightly to the music as she went to stand at the edge of the dance floor. It was lowered slightly from the rest of the building, allowing her to see everyone more clearly. Rising above them all was the DJ booth, which had a creature that looked a lot like a manta ray at it, his flippers on the controls and headphones around his neck.

“It's weird seeing a DJ booth without Vinyl Scratch at it,” Tempest commented.

“Yeah but she can't play everywhere. Right now she would be at her club in Manehattan,” Discord replied.

“Right. Well, let's get drinks,” Tempest said.

“Don't you want to dance?”

“Sorry, I don't dance.”

“Aw, why not?”

“It's just not my thing.” Tempest could hear his disappointed sigh as she headed for the bar, and felt kinda bad. She considered if she would be able to put aside her dislike for dancing to make him happy. She looked back at him and said, “Though maybe I'll feel like dancing if I have a drink.”

He perked up at that, and gladly accompanied her. “Alright, I'll buy us some drinks, and then you join me out on the dance floor. Deal?”

“Deal.”

They bought the drinks and sat down to enjoy them.

“So how much longer do you think we'll be here for?” Discord asked.

“Probably not too much longer,” Tempest replied. “We can help them get started on the northern road to Sunny Oasis, then actually head out there. Curly and Grubber pretty much have things taken care of here. Not that I'm surprised, Curly was one of my best lieutenants and Grubber has learned a lot from me. They'll be fine once we leave.”

“Yeah.” Discord downed his drink and turned to check out the crowd. “It's getting busier in here.”

“Mhm. The club's probably one of the few fun things to do around here.” Tempest stirred her straw around in her drink.

“Yeah, Klugetown is pretty boring.” Discord turned forward, watching Tempest. “So. Got anything to talk about?”

She shrugged. “Not really. Um... so Twilight's last letter said the school is going well.”

“Oh, that's good.” Discord examined his empty cup. “I'm surprised that she reached out to so many other species to attend it, but I'm glad she did. It makes the place so much more interesting. If only she could have invited a draconequus kid. We could definitely use some lessons in friendship.”

“Yeah but you said yourself that draconequus are really difficult to find.”

“True. Maybe I could find one and invite them to the school.”

Tempest finished her drink and got up. “Okay. Let's go dance.”

Discord eagerly followed her, and when they got to the dance floor, she found a relatively clear spot and let herself move, tapping her hooves to the beat. Discord moved too, his tail waving from side to side and head bobbing as he listened to the music.

“This really isn't my kind of music,” he said, having to lean down so Tempest could hear him. “But I can work with it.”

“I like it.” She started moving her hips, tail swishing back and forth. “It's got a nice beat.”

Discord watched her for a bit, then stepped in front of her, holding out his hand. “Want to dance with me?”

“I'm...” She took a nervous step back. “I don't know how to dance with someone else.”

“It's not hard.” He smiled. “I'll show you.”

She took a breath, and held up her hoof, allowing him to take it. He immediately lifted her up onto her hind legs, his other hand going behind her back to pull her close. Her eyes widened, and he leaned down, leading her around in circles. She slowly relaxed, and held onto his side with her other front hoof, stepping with him. She vaguely knew how to do this, but it was still very strange.

“I don't get to dance very often but it's something I've always enjoyed,” Discord said, before giving her a twirl under his arm. “It's too bad you're all so short. I have to be careful not to just yank you around.”

“I'm not that short,” Tempest huffed.

Discord raised a brow, and she looked forward, noting that she was at eye level with his chest. His long neck still raised his head high above her.

“Okay, maybe I'm a little short compared to you,” she admitted. She spun him around, stepping carefully to avoid stamping on his feet. He was quite graceful though, keeping them out of the way.

“Heh.” He grinned. “At least you're taller than most ponies. You're about Luna's height, even.” He lifted her off the ground to briefly swing her over his head, and she scrabbled to hold onto his wrists, but he was soon putting her back down. “I danced with Twilight once, you know. She didn't do so well, I was practically pulling her into all the moves.”

“Did she want to dance with you?”

“Er... no.”

“There was your problem.” Tempest looked around, then said, “We seem to be the only ones who are waltzing like this.”

“So? What's the fun in doing the same thing as everyone else?”

“I'm just concerned that you're going to do some fancy move and slam me into someone.”

“Oh, please, how clumsy do you think I am?” Discord leaned his head down so they were almost nose to nose, and Tempest's face heated up as she stared into his eyes. Then she smirked back at him.

“I don't know, you tell me... klutzy draconequus,” she replied.

He scowled, and let go of her. She stumbled back, before landing back down on all fours. She was almost annoyed, before realizing the song had ended.

“Who told you about that?” he asked.

“Starlight.” Tempest chuckled as she left the dance floor. She got bumped a few times by the other dancers, and Discord just flew over everyone.

“Ugh, of course it was Starlight, that traitor,” Discord said. “I told her to keep that code word a secret.”

Tempest managed to extract herself from the crowd and hopped up the stairs to the bar area. “She told me the whole story though. You were really brave on that trip. In the middle of a Changeling hive, without any of your magic, but you stood strong and challenged them anyway.”

“Oh, well, it was nothing.” Happier now, he let his hand rest on her back as they walked. “So, up for another drink?”

“Sure, I could go for one more.” She went over to the bar, checking out the selection. They ordered, Tempest electing to get something stronger this time. She didn't have anything important to do tomorrow. They went to get a table, Discord carrying two drinks this time.

As they talked about Discord's trip to the Changeling kingdom, Tempest's thoughts wandered to their dance. It was nice, feeling his arm around her and his hand clasping her hoof. And when he had gotten his face so close to hers...

She took a drink, hoping he didn't see her blushing. She was growing to like him more than she expected. He was a great friend, but more than that, she felt a connection with him. She was nervous about what that could mean, but she was hopeful about it too. But she wasn't going to rush anything. She was just going to take it easy and see where this went.

In the meantime...

Tempest finished off the glass and set it back down, one ear turning to check out the music, before saying, “How about another dance? And this time, do you think we could do something a little more modern?”

Discord knocked back the rest of his drink like it was nothing, and agreed, “Alright, but you're going to have to show me what to do.”

She pushed back her chair and got up. “You got it.”

14. After Clubbing

Tempest ended up having more drinks than she should have while at the club. Everything grew fuzzy, and she found herself laughing at everything, and stumbling as she danced with Discord, stepping on his feet a few times.

Luckily he was too tough for that to bother him, and he just laughed and teased her for her clumsiness.

At no point did Discord even seem slightly buzzed, and Tempest asked him about it when they took a break back at their table.

“I haven’t had enough,” Discord replied.

“What’d’ya mean?” Tempest asked with wonder, taking a few attempts before managing to grab her margarita. “You’ve been drinking this whole time!”

“Yes but I’m much larger than you and have a much higher tolerance. It takes a lot to get me drunk. I’d need to get stronger drinks too. This stuff is pathetic. Better than Equestrian alcohol at least, but still.”

Tempest played with her straw. “What kind of drunk are you?”

“A silly one. But that’s not a surprise.” Discord amused himself by balancing a spoon on his snout. “I also get really philosophical for some reason. But yes. I get all playful and giggly. Much like you’re behaving right now.”

Tempest finished her drink and stood. “Well, I kinda want to head home. I’m tired.”

“I figured you would be, it’s nearly midnight.” Discord got up too, and he let her lean on him as they walked over to the bar to pay. The bill was high, but Discord had plenty of money. Then they walked out.

Tempest didn’t remember much of the trip. She just walked quietly with him, focused on putting one hoof in front of the other. She was swaying, but she was managing. She barely noticed Discord’s tail going under her stomach to keep her up.

Next thing she knew they were back at Capper’s, and she clutched her stomach as she suddenly felt nauseous.

“You okay?” Discord asked, having her sit down.

“Fine,” she replied, wrapping a foreleg around herself. “Just queasy.”

“Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?”

She swallowed, shaking her head, but she wasn’t sure. Maybe she shouldn’t have bought those nachos.

“Well here, sleep on the side of the bed closest to the bathroom.” Discord helped her into bed, and climbed up with her. She moved to snuggle with him, and he chuckled as she nuzzled under his chin. “You get affectionate when you’re drunk. That’s adorable.”

“Ssh.” She batted at his side. “I’m just trying… trying to get comfortable.”

“This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, but I’m telling all our friends about this.” Discord wrapped his arms around her, and she smiled against his fur.

“Is Capper home?” she asked out of curiosity.

“No, he’s out. Probably hanging out like we were.”

“Oh, alright. I just wanted to make sure we weren’t keeping him awake.” Tempest yawned and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. Thinking was hard and all her senses seemed dull.

“When was the last time you got wasted like this?”

“I honestly don’t remember. I used to drink with the storm creatures but I never let myself get too drunk because I wanted to still be uh… aware… no, alert. I wanted to be alert.”

“Gotcha. Well, you should go ahead and sleep.”

“Okay.” She didn’t think about it, pressing a little kiss to his neck before passing out.

Discord stared off into space, surprised for a moment. Then he smiled and stroked her back. “Goodnight.” He reflected on his evening with Tempest. It had been a lot of fun dancing with her. She had gotten pretty good at it, though her skill faltered once she got buzzed. Still, he had a good time. He appreciated her friendship, and thought about how close they’ve grown. He was thankful Twilight sent him on this trip.

It was interesting. Discord has grown to care for many ponies in recent years. Twilight, Celestia, Pinkie Pie… and especially Fluttershy. He had fond opinions of them and liked hanging out with them. But he felt something different for Tempest. He liked her of course, but he felt a deeper bond with her than with the others. They were very similar to each other, yet different enough that he never got bored while talking to her.

He didn’t know how to fully describe the different feelings he had for her. But what he did know was that he admired her, and wanted to be her friend for as long as possible. He didn’t want anything to come between them and he would always be there to protect her. Not that she needed his protection, he supposed. She was a talented fighter and magic user. It would take an alicorn to do damage to her. Still, if she ever did need him… he would be there.

Discord moved a wing forward to drape over Tempest, curling his neck around hers as he decided to go to sleep too.

Casually his hand slipped down to hold her hoof, and he slowly drifted off to sleep.

“My, are you lovebirds still asleep?”

Discord and Tempest both jolted upright, and the first thing they saw as they opened their eyes was the bright Abyssinian sunlight.

“Aah, Celestia please turn off the Sun every once in a while,” Discord hissed, shielding his eyes. But they soon adjusted, and he saw Capper leaning against the bookshelves nearby, drinking coffee.

He smirked at them. “Have a fun night, you two?”

They looked down and saw that at some point the covers had slipped off them, and Discord had practically wrapped himself around Tempest as they slept.

Tempest’s face grew hot at the implications, and she quickly waved her front hooves at Capper as she tried to explain. “No, we just went to the club and came back, we cuddle when we sleep, that’s all it was, we didn’t actually sleep together!” Then she thought back to the blurriness of last night, and quickly looked at Discord. “Right? We didn’t?”

He laughed. “No, we didn’t. Funny that your mind would go to that though.”

“Alcohol can make a pony do crazy things,” she replied, pulling away from him. He unwound himself and let her go.

“Oh, so sleeping with me would be crazy?” Discord asked, pretending to be insulted.

Tempest hopped down and rubbed her head. “Well, yeah. You’re Discord, doing anything with you is crazy by default.”

He snorted. “Well what’s the fun in being sane all the time?” He noticed Tempest looked pained, and said, “You okay?”

“Fine. I just have a bit of a headache.”

Capper gestured for her to come over to the kitchen. “Here, drink some water.”

“Oh, thank you.” She accepted the cup he gave her, and went to sit at the table. Discord joined her.

“For the record, I would never take advantage of you while you’re drunk,” he said bluntly.

Tempest blinked. “Er… what?”

“You seemed to panic a bit when Capper implied we slept together, like you thought we might have actually done it. I just wanted to say no, I would never do anything like that with you while you’re drunk. I’m not that kind of person.”

She blushed. “O-oh. Okay.”

“You don’t find a gentleman like that everyday,” Capper commented as he sat with them.

“It’s simple politeness,” Discord replied.

“Sad how few people actually have simple politeness around here,” Capper said.

Tempest looked into her cup for a bit, then back at Discord. “So um. D-did I flirt with you much last night? It’s hard to remember.”

“You kinda did. But it didn’t go anywhere. I know ponies get silly while drunk so I didn’t think too much about anything you told me.”

“I mean, it’s not like I completely lost my mind,” Tempest pointed out. “Everything I would have said were things I truly believed. Anything I did were things I wanted to do. Being drunk just made me less shy about it.” She reached over to touch his hand. “I liked dancing with you. And talking about random stuff. It was nice, just hanging out together.”

Discord smiled, petting her hoof gently. “It was. And I suppose you’re right. The alcohol only seemed to make you confident. I liked it.”

Tempest considered her feelings for him again. She liked him so much more than anyone else she knew. Looking at him gave her weird flutters in her stomach, a sort of clenching in her chest. As she gazed at him, she knew she would be utterly happy to spend time with him for the rest of her life, no matter what they were doing.

But she wasn’t going to rush into a more intimate relationship. She was going to spend more time getting to know him. Making sure that she really felt what she thought she did. He seemed like he was trying to figure things out still too.

Tempest slowly pulled her hoof back, drinking more of her water. “We should go there again,” she said.

Discord used his magic to bring over a bunch of bananas from the counter, picking one off and offering it to her. “We should. And drink in moderation so you don’t get hungover like this again.”

“Heh, it’s not so bad.” She took the banana though. She was nauseous but she knew she needed to eat. She was just glad she didn’t throw up.

“Cloud Nine is a great place, isn’t it?” Capper asked. They agreed. “I haven’t been too many times, I’m actually not big on clubbing, but it’s definitely popular. Just be careful there. Being the only nightclub, it also sometimes attracts a more… sketchy crowd.”

“We’ll be careful,” Tempest promised.

“Sketchy crowd, huh?” Discord asked. “Like who?”

“The local gang, mostly,” Capper replied.

“Gang?”

“Ah, yeah… the Tiger Sharks, they call themselves. Rough group. They like to lurk in dark alleyways, beating up lost citizens and taking anything of value from them, and the police force we have here, as small as it is, is actually pretty scared of them. Most businesses elect to just pay them money to keep them from breaking in and taking what they want. Verko keeps saying he’ll do something about them, but he won’t.” Capper sighed. “Probably because they pay him some of their earnings from their secret but not so secret drug market.”

“Drug market?” Tempest demanded.

“Oh yes. They sell something they call fog. Apparently it’s made using the air from the Sea of Clouds and other ingredients, but the whole process is a secret. It’s supposed to give you a fun, hallucinogenic high.”

Discord stroked his beard. “Interesting. Is it dangerous? I don’t mind drugs that aren’t dangerous, I mean look at how many people are addicted to caffeine.”

“Mm, well…” Capper considered. “Occasional use ain’t so bad. The problem comes when people get so addicted to it that nothing else is fun for them anymore. They just go through the day desperate for the next hit. People can get nasty if for whatever reason their dealer cuts them off. The drug is illegal here. But people sell and buy it anyway. But the illegal status means they can charge more money, and who lines their pockets?” Capper sat back. “Verko.”

Tempest let out a whistle. “Man. I hope the storm creatures don’t get mixed up in all that.”

“Me too. Honestly I’d love to just see fog legalized. Remove the forbidden fruit aspect, but more importantly, you then make it possible for people to seek treatment for addiction without getting into legal trouble. But that’s just not a fight I’m willing to lead. Maybe one day, but I have too much going on to get involved with it now.”

Tempest nodded in understanding, and Discord said, “This place just got a little more interesting.”

“Indeed. Klugetown is full of secrets,” Capper said. “Tempest, how is your headache?”

She touched her temple. “It’s getting better. It’s okay though, I can tolerate headaches. I’ve been getting them ever since that Ursa Minor knocked my horn off. I think it permanently hurt my skull. But I can’t really do anything about that.”

“Have you seen a doctor?” Discord asked.

“No,” she replied. “Not since I first lost my horn. They said there were hairline fractures spreading from the root of the horn. I was supposed to rest and let them heal. But well, I ended up running away. So they probably healed incorrectly or something.”

“They could have. You should get it looked at again. You shouldn’t have to deal with headaches if you don’t have to.”

“It’s not so bad,” she tried to insist.

“Not now, but why wait until it hurts really bad?” Discord gripped her shoulder. “Promise me you’ll get it looked at when we return to Equestria?”

“Okay,” she replied, unable to say no when he looked so concerned.

“Thank you.” He let go of her.

“I’ll get you some aspirin,” Capper said, heading over to the bathroom.

Tempest still found it strange, having people who cared so much about her. Among the storm creatures, if she was able to move and fight, her pain was irrelevant. But Discord and Capper didn’t want her to feel any pain. Her chest glowed with affection for them.

When Capper returned with the medicine, she took it and ate the rest of her banana. Her thoughts turned toward the storm creatures, and what else she would need to do for them. She’ll need to make sure Curly was aware of the fog market and kept the storm creatures away. Then she’ll keep overseeing work on the quarry, help them start selling the sand and stone… and it won’t be much longer before she’ll be able to head north to help Sunny Oasis.

Discord began talking about their O&O campaign with Capper, and after listening for a bit, Tempest joined in with her own ideas. She may be eager to move on with her mission, but she had to admit, she’ll miss playing with Capper. He’s been so kind to her, shown her forgiveness when he didn’t need to. She’ll definitely have to visit again.

“No, I’m telling you, archery is the way to go for a trap like that,” Capper said.

“Are you kidding?” Tempest replied. “Long-ranged magic would be much better. More accurate.”

“Oh, so you don’t think I’m accurate?”

“I mean you did miss a bugbear that was twenty feet in front of you.”

“I rolled a one! And Discord was a dick!”

Discord roared with laughter.

Tempest laughed too. “Okay, okay. You could use an arrow to hit the switch but magic can do the job without alerting the captor, since an arrow would make a ding and all.”

“Hm, true. I suppose my arrows should be saved anyway for fighting the bad guy.”

Discord chuckled. “This is fun and you’ve given me plenty of ideas for our next quest.”

“Oh no,” both Tempest and Capper said.

15. Apologies

When it came to digging out the quarry, the storm creatures had very few problems. Under Tempest, and then Curly's, guidance, they learned to cooperate and find resolutions without having to elevate it. Tempest would walk by them while they were on break and see them talking and laughing together in groups, no longer trying to avoid each other.

In the town, they shared with each other, helping each other build, and a few storm creatures even began a community garden to tend to in their spare time. Not many plants could survive the dry conditions, but they planted various species of cacti that grew fruit, as well as beans and sweet potatoes. And there was a side area devoted to various flowers, including big dandelions that seemed to thrive in the weather.

Tempest picked one out with the permission of the gardeners, carrying it along with her as she went to greet Discord, who was painting fabulous swirling designs along the side of the well. “Hey,” she called.

“Hello!” he replied, turning to look at her.

Tempest offered him the dandelion. “Here.”

“Oh, for me?” He took it, twirling it around. “How thoughtful.”

“Happy one month of being in Klugetown,” she said. She bumped her hip against his. “Make a wish.”

He snickered, and blew the seeds from the dandelion. They were whisked away by the wind, and he rested his hand on Tempest's back as he watched them fly.

“So, what'd you wish for?” Tempest asked.

“I can't tell you, then it won't come true,” Discord replied.

“Pft, come on. You can make anything happen.”

“Not anything. Some things are only possible if others will them to be so, no matter how much I may want them.” Discord got back to his painting. “But if you really want to know... I simply wished that I would always have friends like you and Fluttershy.”

Tempest smiled, and picked up a brush to join him. “And you will.”

With the storm creatures quite capable of digging out the quarry on their own, Tempest focused her attention toward making sure they were cooperating with the other Klugetown residents at the airship docks. They were managing it, but there was still tension. They were mocked by their coworkers, looked upon with distrust, and some of the storm creatures were feeling disillusioned by it. So Tempest was going to talk to the dock workers about it.

She made her way up to them one day while they were at lunch, and they immediately tensed, watching her closely.

“Hello,” she said, bowing her head. “I'm Tempest Shadow.”

“We know who you are,” one of them replied. “You and your white-furred lackies tore our town apart looking for that pony princess.”

“I understand, what I and the Storm King's soldiers did was wrong,” Tempest said. “We want to make up for it now. If you don't want to forgive us, that's fine. But please, let us show you we've changed.”

They looked at each other, then back at her.

“Even if you're trying to be good now, it doesn't change what you've done,” another fish person said.

“I know. And I'm sorry.” Tempest approached him in particular, and gestured for the storm creature workers to join her. “We're all sorry. Can't we make it up to you?”

He stared at her for a bit. Then he said, “Maybe in time, you can make up for it with hard work and useful contributions to our town. But until you do, don't expect us to trust you.”

Tempest bit her lip to keep from snapping at him. “I suppose that's the best we can ask for. But could you refrain from all the mocking? It's making this work environment more hostile than it needs to be.”

“Oh I'm sorry, is our teasing hurting your friends' feelings? Oh, what a tragedy, whatever will those battle-hardened soldiers do.”

Tempest sighed. “They may be tough, but being put down every day tends to wear on a person, no matter who they are. Seriously, can't you just focus on the job, and leave the drama for when you're at home?”

They laughed and traded some snide comments, before one said, “Oh sure, little pony.” He patted her head, messing up her mane in the process. “I suppose I don't want to deal with people crying at work.”

Tempest nodded and turned away from him. “Keep your chins up, guys,” she said to her friends. “They'll move on one day. Just keep working hard and don't let anything they say get to you. If you ever need to talk, come find me.” She walked away, sighing. She wondered how Twilight was able to do this so easily. Then again, ponies were known to be one of the most agreeable species on the planet. The people of Klugetown were much harder to compromise with. But she would do what she could.

She decided to stop in with the dock supervisor though, hoping they would be more understanding. The supervisor looked like a great white shark and had very sharp, very numerous teeth, but her grin was kind and she had a lively personality.

“I've definitely seen the tension between my employees,” she said, as Tempest sat awkwardly in her small office, in a seat that was clearly meant for much bigger creatures than her. The supervisor casually picked up and cleaned her name placard, and when she set it back down, Tempest checked her name. Karchara. “I've done what I can to make the storm creatures feel welcome, and I stop the harassment when I can, but I can't be out there with them constantly. I have been putting together an anti-discrimination training session though. They hate that kind of training but it needs to be done.”

Tempest's ears perked up. “Oh, that sounds wonderful! Do you need any help with it?”

“Haha, I appreciate the offer but I've been doing this for years, I've got it covered. But thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention. I promise I'll take care of this.” Karchara offered Tempest a small bowl of candy she had on her desk, and Tempest looked through it before accepting a caramel. “If it makes you feel any better, the storm creatures have been model employees. They're hard workers and have already increased productivity by about 58%!” Karchara pulled out some graphs. “We strive to get airships in and out of the docks as quickly as possible while still providing quality service, and thanks to your friends, we've met our quotas every single day for the past two weeks! If you really want to get into the details...”

Tempest's ears went down when she saw how extensive the graphs were, and she quickly said, “Oh, no need for that, I'm just happy to hear they're good employees. In fact, I er...” She checked her wrist despite not having a watch. “I need to get going, but thank you for meeting with me.”

“No problem!” Karchara reached across the desk to vigorously shake her hoof. “I gotta head out to see the arrival of the Altostratus. They're our traders from the griffin lands, definitely wanna make sure nothing goes wrong. Griffins can be very temperamental.”

“That's what I've heard, though Twilight has told me about a griffin student at her school named Gallus who's making great strides toward being friendly,” Tempest said. “Even if he is a bit... snarky at times.”

“Well if anyone can get the griffins to calm down a bit, it's the Princess of Friendship,” Karchara replied. She got up, showing Tempest to the door. “Alright, I'm going out to dock 2. Have a nice day, Ms. Shadow.”

“Heh, you too,” Tempest said, stepping out. She watched the supervisor walk away, and turned to head back into town, wondering what else she should do today. She wandered around, checking out the market and a few stores. She briefly examined a stand selling tomatoes, her stomach growling. She should get lunch. She was so hungry she was almost tempted by a nearby seafood stand selling crab legs. But she passed it up in favor of going to a small restaurant and buying a baked potato and salad.

She got a window seat, watching people walk by outside as she ate. She saw the sand globe seller who had hassled her at the train station nearby, running a booth. She found herself chuckling at his enthusiasm as he talked to passersby, but then she felt bad about how she had treated him.

Once she was done eating, she paid and went outside, approaching his stand. He immediately grew quiet when she got close, instead looking away and pretending to tidy up the globes.

“Hey, you open?” she asked.

He glanced at her nervously. “Y-yeah.”

“Oh, good.” Tempest examined the globes. “So, do you make these yourself?”

Slowly he relaxed, setting a hand protectively on one of the globes. “I sure do. It's a family business.”

“They look lovely.” Tempest found one that had a prancing purple unicorn in it. “Sorry for yelling at you. You know, back at the train station.”

“Heh, well... I don't blame you, I was getting in your way. But it's hard these days for a merchant in Klugetown, you really gotta make your wares desirable. But that's no excuse for being pushy.”

“I understand. It's okay.” Tempest tapped the globe with the unicorn. “How much is this one?”

“She's thirty bits,” he replied.

Tempest considered. Then she took a pouch out of her saddlebags and said, “Alright, I'll take it.”

The merchant stared at her as she counted out the money. Then he smiled and said, “Of course, miss.” He wrapped up the globe in paper and carefully slid it into a bag, passing it to her while she gave him the bits. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you. And sorry again about threatening you.” Tempest used her magic to carefully move the globe into one of her bags.

“Oh, trust me, you weren't the first, and you won't be the last. But thank you for apologizing anyway.”

Tempest said goodbye and walked away, deciding to go see what Discord was up to. He wasn't at the well anymore, but she took a few moments to examine the designs. What had started out as simple curls had become very complex fractals while she was gone, and she knelt down to stare more closely. It was almost mesmerizing to look at, and it took someone tapping her on the shoulder for her to tear herself away.

“Hey, buddy,” Grubber said.

“Oh, Grubber.” Tempest shook her head and looked at him. “What's up?”

“Nothing much.” He was munching on an apple, checking out the well too. “Discord did a good job with the painting, huh? Honestly I tried to tell him that it was a well, it didn't need to be pretty, but he insisted on sprucing it up. And look how extra this is.”

“That's Discord, alright. Super extra,” Tempest replied.

“Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if these patterns contain the secret to life itself.” Grubber ran his fingers along one of the swirls, then said, “Well, anyway. So Curly and I were talking about ordering glass so we can finally get some proper windows, think you could help us with the measurements?”

Tempest wasn't that fond of math but she did want to help, so she agreed. “Sure. Is Discord around?”

“Discord flew to Sunny Oasis to map out the road,” Grubber said as he led her to the town hall. “We're going to start properly paving it soon, since right now it's just a slightly stamped down path through the desert and that's not going to last very long. He should be back soon, though.”

“Gotcha.” Tempest figured it wouldn't take him long. Discord could fly very fast when he wanted to, and once he got to the other town, he could just teleport back. “When do you plan to start paving?”

“I don't know. We're waiting to get more sandstone dug up so we can use that in the road, so um... in a few days, maybe? It depends.” Grubber pulled open the door and let Tempest in. “But it'll be so convenient once it gets built. The storm creatures will be able to visit each other whenever! I think we're also going to build a motel along the road, you never know when a sandstorm will roll in and after seeing what those sand wyrms are capable of, I want to make sure there's shelter.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Tempest said. “A motel, maybe even a store, and a restaurant... it could be a great trade route.”

“I know, right? The possibilities are endless.”

They entered their usual meeting room, and Tempest greeted Curly, who came over to give her the usual hug.

“So, you're going to help us measure windows?” Curly asked, gathering up some tools.

Tempest gave an awkward smile. “I suppose so.”

“Aww yeah, time to do some math,” Grubber said, grabbing a ruler for himself. “You're about to find out why they're called window pains!”

Tempest groaned. “Please don't.”

“Sorry.”

“Let's not waste any time,” Curly said. “First let's get the dimensions of the town hall windows and then we can head out from there.”

As they went back out into the entrance hall, Tempest commented, “So, has Grubber told you about his ideas for the road to Sunny Oasis? Because I think he's really onto something.”

“Oh, really?” Curly looked at Grubber with a smile. “Do share.”

He laughed nervously. “Oh, right now? Okay, so like... picture a gleaming desert-themed motel...”

16. The Campaign

It was only two more days before the storm creatures got started on the road. It started from the end of their neighborhood and headed northeast through the desert, the path marked by Discord leaving large stones along it. Tempest was glad to have something new to do, and she joined them in digging holes and placing sandstone. It was a slow process, but bit by bit, the road began leading into the desert.

Discord took it upon himself to carry dozens of canteens on his long body, offering them to anyone who got thirsty. They usually only had about six people working a shift, but they went through the water quickly, as the Sun mercilessly beat down on them and the dry air made their mouths parched in minutes. Storm creatures scrambled to get night work, and Tempest and Curly often had to settle them and promise that day workers would be compensated for the effort.

Curly liked Grubber's plans for building a rest area along the road, but said they would work on that after the road itself was done. He agreed to that, but started planning things out himself in the meantime.

Tempest elected to work alongside Discord on the road during the day, as she rather enjoyed the heat as long as she kept hydrated and took breaks every so often. She was able to move things along fairly quickly, as she used her magic to move rocks and plant them. This magic usage was allowed by the storm creatures, as she was still using her own strength to work.

The project lasted for many days. Everyone always came home covered in sand and sweat, but feeling good about the hard work. Tempest often received massages from Discord, becoming more comfortable with letting him feel up and down her neck and along her barrel, and she even started letting him massage her legs. He was very respectful with everything. She offered to give him a massage in return, but he said he didn't need one, as that level of physical activity didn't affect him. It made her wonder what it would take to make him tired, but then figured he probably wouldn't admit to that.

Usually Tempest was so tired that she'd just go to bed upon getting back to Capper's house, but sometimes she'd be able to stay up, and they'd play Ogres & Oubliettes together. Their campaign was going well and Discord kept dropping hints that they were approaching the final boss.

“I still feel like this is kinda racist, considering that Spike is a dragon and he's perfectly friendly,” Tempest commented one day, as Discord talked about “the dragon king's soldiers.”

“Well yes, I know that,” Discord replied. “But there ARE vicious dragons out there, and this is a fantasy world. Let's just imagine a lot of other dragons don't like him either but he's so powerful they can't really stop his tyranny.”

“Alright, whatever,” Tempest said, playing with one of her dice.

“So, you said we just found a vine-covered chest nearly hidden toward the side of the path?” Capper asked.

Discord looked at him. “That's right. Do you want to do anything with it?”

Capper looked at Tempest. “What do you think?”

“Hm... I cast detect magic,” she decided.

“Roll for intelligence,” Discord replied.

She rolled the D-20. It came up with ten, which made her wince, but she checked her character sheet too. “Fourteen.”

“Very well. You detect no magic in the immediate area.”

“Hm, alright then... Got anything then, Capper?”

Capper considered the situation. “I think I'm going to take the risk. I mean we are out in the middle of nowhere, this chest could have just fallen off a trade caravan and been lost. Maybe we'll find some clothes or weapons. Discord, I open the chest.”

“Roll for acrobatics,” Discord said.

“Roll... roll for acrobatics?” Capper asked, confused.

“Yes, that's what I said. Acrobatics check, go.”

Capper exchanged a bemused look at Tempest but did as told. He read the die, his sheet, and then said, “Eleven. But I don't see-”

“You step forward and open the chest,” Discord interrupted him. “Immediately triggering a spring-loaded trap that fires an arrow directly from the front of the chest. You hear the clicking of the mechanism but not knowing what was going to happen, you try to just throw yourself backwards. The arrow pierces your leg and sticks.”

“Damn it!” Capper hit his fists on the table.

“What was your character's health again?” Discord asked him.

“40,” he replied.

“Mm, okay.” Discord rolled some dice, examined them, then said, “You've lost five HP and are now bleeding.”

“Was the arrow poisoned in any way?” Tempest asked with concern.

“The arrow was not poisoned but it hurts like a bitch,” Discord answered. “He is not in immediate danger as long as he keeps it in. Meanwhile, I investigate the chest.” He rolled for his own stats, then said, “The chest contains a pouch of twenty gold coins and a letter that says, 'If you lived, congratulations. If you died, I assume this is being read by someone else, so at least you don't have to share.' That's all.”

“That's all?” Tempest demanded. “Why would you troll us like that?”

Discord rested his elbows on the table and just stared at her.

After a moment, she cleared her throat and blushed. “Right. Discord, god of chaos. Okay. So, Captain Wuzz, what should we do about the druid?”

“The druid has a name, you know,” Capper said.

“Yes, yes, Felijor the Slow,” Tempest replied, getting into character as the sorceress Dreadful Dusk.

“Shut up, Dreadful Husk,” Capper replied.

“What we need to do is have Dusk use her healing magic,” Discord said.

“I don't use white magic,” Tempest said.

Capper sighed. “But you have the capability to do so. So do it.”

“I'd really rather not, with you injured I can take over as the lead.”

“You're so petty. Okay, I'm going to pull the arrow out,” Capper decided.

“If you do that, you could bleed out,” Discord pointed out.

“We have medical supplies on hand. So, I pull out some bandages and remove the arrow from my leg, bandaging it.”

Discord hummed, and said, “Roll for constitution.”

Capper did so, and reported, “Sixteen.”

“You scream so loudly that the birds take off from the trees as you remove the arrow, but quickly get it under wraps.” Discord snickered at his own joke. “You're able to properly bandage your leg and stem the bleeding, but you've now potentially alerted any nearby enemies.”

“All for twenty gold and a scrap of parchment,” Capper sighed. “Okay, then let's get moving. I'll ride on my leopard.”

“Very well, you continue on your journey.” Discord picked up his notes. “Honestly I was hoping you would think to put up a shield or something and ask Dusk to open the chest from afar, but you just bumbled right into that.”

“She wouldn't have done it,” Capper said.

“I might have,” Tempest said. “If I was promised a cut of the contents, of course.”

“Of course.”

Tempest was highly entertained by how much her character clashed with Capper's. It was only Captain Wuzz's eternal optimism (and impeccable aim with a bow) that kept them from killing each other. Their bickering drew out the campaign though and Discord was enjoying it.

“We can keep going but it's getting late,” Discord said. “How do you two feel?”

“I'm up for more,” Capper said. “Tempest?”

She yawned, and held a hoof over her mouth to try to hide it. “I mean, I can probably go for another thirty minutes.”

“Great! Because you come upon a fork in the road that leads up to a hill bathed in smoke,” Discord said dramatically.

“Should we wait to let Felijor heal?” Tempest asked. “I mean he just got an arrow in the leg.”

“You can wait, but this close to the dragon king's lair, you may get ambushed,” Discord pointed out.

Tempest grumbled. “Felijor, you're a druid. Heal yourself.”

“Right. Discord, I cast spontaneous healing on myself,” Capper declared.

“Roll for intelligence.”

Capper tossed the die. “Dang, twelve.”

“Your leg heals enough for you to walk but it hurts like a bitch.”

“It'll have to do. Onward then.”

They continued on, and Discord had them get attacked by small dragons a number of times, but they were able to fight them off. They got closer and closer to the hill, but finally Tempest had to ask for a stop, as she and Capper were both yawning and nodding off at the table.

“It's so cute how often you need to sleep,” Discord chuckled.

“Well I did spend most of the day hauling rocks around,” Tempest replied.

“And as usual I was loading and unloading airships,” Capper said. “I need a change of pace. Is the quarry hiring?”

“It might be, you'll need to talk to the guy in charge out there. A storm creature named Jimmy.”

“Those guys have such weird names,” Discord commented.

“Perhaps I'll talk to him tomorrow, then.” Capper stood, gathering up his character sheet and dice. Tempest and Discord helped clear the table, then headed to bed. As usual, Tempest climbed in first and then Discord curled up in all the available space left behind, which really wasn't much, but as she let him wrap his body around her, he was able to fit. Though there has been more than one morning where they've woken up and Discord has unwound most of his back half out of the bed and onto the floor. He confessed that it was comfortable either way.

When Tempest rested her head against his neck, he gently stroked her back, right between her withers where it was most relaxing. She smiled and closed her eyes, listening to his soft breathing as she drifted off to sleep.

17. Almost There

It was a happy day when the road construction team finally came in view of Sunny Oasis. Tempest and Discord were working the day shift as usual, and they came around a dune when suddenly, there it was. At first seeming to shimmer like a mirage, but then becoming clear as they moved closer. A lake surrounded by palm trees and grass, with wooden houses built up along one side. On the other side, she could see other small trees being grown, though couldn't tell the species from here.

“We're almost there!” Tempest called to the others, who hooted and clapped their hands, thrilled to almost be done.

“I think we'll get this done in another day or two,” Discord commented.

“Ma'am, you should go ahead and meet our friends,” one of the storm creatures said to Tempest. “I'm sure they've missed you.”

“Oh, well...” Tempest considered it, looking to Discord.

“Go on, I told them how much better you've been doing when I planned out the road,” he said. “They really want to see you. I've got things covered here.”

“Alright, I'll make a quick trip.” She turned and galloped for the town. It took about ten minutes to get to it, and she was panting and sweating by the time she passed onto the grass. Her legs shook, and she took a moment to just paw at it, enjoying the texture. Part of her almost wanted to just lean down and take a bite, but she resisted, looking around the town. The residents seemed to be in a good mood, and happily came to greet her.

“Hi, everyone!” she said, shaking hands and patting people on the back. “Oh, you're all looking great, how are you?”

They told her they were doing well, and a few offered to take her on a tour. She agreed, and was led around the edge of the lake.

“This is so pretty,” she said, looking around. “So much nicer than Klugetown.” She watched as a storm creature fished nearby.

“We're lucky we were able to claim this spot,” the leader of her group, who had red-tinged fur on his back and thus went by Rusty, replied. “I guess the desert is just so big that it was missed. I mean it is kinda out of the way. But it's the perfect location. We have that huge forest to the north, only a two mile walk so it's easy to bring wood back from, and we have fresh water. And don't worry, we're careful that we don't overfish it.”

Tempest nodded. “Sounds nice. Do you have a garden?”

“We do, we have a community garden and most of us have our own personal gardens too! Let me show you.”

She was shown to the community garden, which had several varieties of crops. There were also banana trees, and her stomach growled just looking at them.

“This one is ready to be picked,” Rusty commented, looking at one tree. He smiled at Tempest. “Go ahead, grab one or two.”

“Are you sure?” she replied.

“Absolutely! Go on!”

Tempest started to use her magic to pull one of the branches down, but then Rusty just lifted her up in his hands, holding her over his head so she could reach. She was startled for a moment, then laughed and grabbed a banana from the bunch with her mouth. Once she pulled it free, she was lowered back down.

“Thanks,” she said.

“No problem. But oh...” He glanced at her head. “I guess you could have just used your magic, since your horn is all better.”

“Yeah, but it's okay, I appreciate the help.” She peeled the banana and took a bite as they kept walking. “So who's the mayor of the town?”

“That would be my older brother, Dusty.”

“Captain Dusty?” Tempest asked.

“The very same! Just, not a captain anymore, obviously.”

“I didn't know you were his brother.”

“Aw, well...” Rusty rubbed the back of his neck. “We didn't really talk much back then and I didn't really have a reason to bring it up. The Storm King pretty much made us all hate each other, but I reconnected with him after we were freed.”

“I'm glad to hear it. So how's Dusty doing these days?”

“Pretty good, he's expecting a kid now. I'm going to be an uncle!”

“Oh, wonderful!”

They made their way over to the town hall, which was bigger than the one back at Klugetown, but was designed to look more like a house. There were young palm trees growing on either side of the sidewalk leading up to it, along with various flowers. Tempest wasn't sure if she should knock or just go in, but Rusty went ahead and swung the door open, leading her in.

The entrance hall was filled with chairs and tables, where a few citizens sat around chatting. They didn't seem to be on any particular business, just hanging out. Rusty showed Tempest over to a desk where a receptionist sat.

“Ooh, this is real formal,” Tempest commented.

“We really wanted to make our town as normal as possible,” Rusty explained. “We hope to get involved in trade routes, and hopefully even get the train to come out here, so we can have visitors. It gets kinda lonely.” He turned to the desk. “Hello, can I head up to see Dusty?”

The receptionist smiled and checked a notepad that sat in front of her. “He should be free, go on. And hi Tempest, good to see you.”

Tempest nodded. “Good to see you too. Um...” She had to think about it. She spent most of her time on the Storm King's main skiff and didn't get to see the troops that worked on the other ones very often. This woman was slightly familiar but she couldn't place a name with her face. She tried to discreetly look for a name tape.

“I'm Mary, we didn't get to see each other very often,” she replied.

Rusty nudged Tempest. “She's Dusty's wife.”

“Oh! Oh, hello!” Flustered, Tempest reached across the desk to shake her hand. “So, when did you get married?”

“It was a few months ago. We secretly sent each other notes though before that, back when we were in the Storm King's army. We always wanted to be together, and once we were free, we were able to be.”

“Well, congrats!”

“Thanks!” Mary reached into a drawer of her desk and passed over a picture. “Our wedding was very small, but it was perfect.”

Tempest looked at the photo. It showed her and Dusty, a well built and ashy-colored storm creature, kissing in front of the lake. The palm trees around them even seemed to lean together into a heart shape. “You look great together. Well, I'm very happy for you.” She handed the picture back. “I was worried you guys would struggle to be nice together after everything we went through, but it seems like you're doing pretty well out here.”

“Ah, well...” Mary put the picture away. “We've been hearing a lot of good things from our friends down in Klugetown and it's inspired us. You've taught them a lot and we want to learn too. There's still plenty of conflict going on out in town, you'll have work to do.”

“And I'm up for it,” Tempest vowed. She really has grown confident in her ability to bring people together. Maybe she wasn't as good as Twilight, but she was getting there. She chatted with Mary for a while longer, then headed upstairs with Rusty.

Dusty's office doors were wide open and they let themselves in. The room was moderately sized, with bookshelves lining the walls to the left and right, with a big window directly across from them. And at the desk in front of the window sat the creature that Tempest still thought of as Captain Dusty.

“Dusty!” she called, bounding across the room.

“Tempest!” He got up and went around the desk to meet her, and she let him sweep her up into a hug. In true storm creature fashion, he spun her around as he did. Luckily, she was used to it now. “I'm glad you made it! Wow, you're looking good.”

“Thanks!” She blushed, idly messing with her mane. She knew he was looking at her horn. It was always the first thing people noticed.

“So, I guess what I heard about you getting your horn fixed was true. How is it now?”

“It's great, my magic has stabilized and now I can use even more powerful spells than before.”

“That's good. Wow, even more powerful. I'll need to watch out for you.” Dusty went over to grab his brother's hand. “Rusty!” He pulled him into a hug.

“Haha, good to see you! Even though it's been a day since we last saw each other.”

Tempest waited for them to finish hugging, taking a seat. Dusty went back around to his own seat, and Rusty sat next to her. “So, I saw that the road has almost made it out here. We really would have liked to help, but we haven't quite gotten around to digging up our own stone yet. Most of our work has gone toward bringing in wood, fishing, and gardening.”

“It's no problem,” Tempest assured him. “We've got more than enough stone. In a few more days the road should be complete, and you'll have an easy route to Klugetown. Besides... maybe you can pay us back by using some of that lumber to help us build a rest stop along the way. We were thinking of having a motel about halfway down it.”

“Hm, sounds like a good idea.” Dusty pulled over a notebook, writing that down. “I'll get in touch with Curly to work out the details. So are you here to stay now?”

“Not quite yet,” Tempest admitted. “I'm gonna make sure the road gets finished, and see to a few other things back in Klugetown, but then I'm coming back here.”

“Alright. Take your time. Things are going pretty good here. There's... a few little things we need help with and can use your opinion on, but they can wait until you get here.”

“Okay. So, I heard you're going to be a father?”

Dusty messed with the fur of his neck. “Oh, did Rusty tell you? Heh, well, yeah. The lady downstairs, Mary? That's my wife. We're expecting a kid in about four months.”

“Boy or girl?” Tempest asked.

“We don't know and we don't really have the medical equipment out here yet to be able to check. So it'll be a surprise!” Dusty seemed pretty excited about it.

“What do you want?” Rusty asked.

“It won't matter to me, but I kinda want a son. But Mary wants a daughter, so we'll see.”

“What if you get two, a boy and a girl?” Tempest said.

“Ahaha, don't wish that kind of misfortune on me.” Dusty shook his head. “We're pretty sure it's just one. But if it is two, well, that'll be just fine too. We have more than enough resources to take care of them. Though... hm, we kinda need to build a school. I'm not the only one settling down and having kids. Sending them off to Equestria is a bit much unless they get into a boarding school...”

“Klugetown has a school,” Rusty pointed out.

“It does, but that's quite the walk to go on twice a day,” Dusty said. “In fact that'd be nearly impossible unless you were rushing. We'd really need to build a train track. We could certainly have a shuttle of some sort between our towns, at least until we get the actual train out here... but I don't know.”

“We could build a school here,” Tempest said. “Princess Twilight opened her own school a few months ago, she knows all about it. I'm sure she'll be thrilled to help you build your own.”

“Is that right? I'll need to talk to her then. But we won't need that for a couple years.”

They talked for a while, Tempest learning about the happenings of the town, but finally she decided to get back to work. She thanked Dusty for meeting with her, and asked Rusty to thank everyone that showed her around. Then she headed outside. She slowed as she approached the end of the grass, where it faded into the sand that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

She ran her hoof into the grass, glanced over her shoulder, and leaned down to grab a quick mouthful. It may be plain, but sometimes you just couldn't beat the taste of fresh grass. She lifted her head and kept walking. It took several minutes to get back to where Discord and the others were. She greeted them and went to check the cart of sandstone that had been hauled out. It was almost empty.

“Glad you're back,” Discord said. “How are things?”

“It's going pretty well in Sunny Oasis,” Tempest said, pulling out a large chunk of rock. “The mayor, Dusty, said everyone's getting along pretty well since Klugetown has been sending them my various friendship lessons. But he promised that we'd still have work to do.”

“That's good. I can't wait to get a move on. I've been just rearing for a change of scenery.” Discord stretched, and several pillars of sand burst up around them and took on the shape of various creatures. “The storm creatures don't like me using my magic for things but I've been itching to spread some chaos!”

Tempest thought about it as she lowered the rock into the ground. “Yeah, I imagine so. Maybe we could do some magic lessons together later. I've missed that.”

“Absolutely! I think I want to have you work on conjuration, how does that sound?” Discord lowered the pillars back into the ground and instead poofed up a tennis ball, tossing it to Tempest.

She caught it and gave it a few bounces. “I think I'd like that.” She threw it back, and when Discord caught it, he multiplied it into several different balls, including a basketball and football, and began juggling them. She laughed, and he grinned as he tossed them onto his snout, balancing them. He definitely needed to use his magic more. And Tempest had an idea for what he could do with it.

18. Discord's Show

The road was completed even faster than Tempest expected. She had handed it off to the night crew with Sunny Oasis an easy fifteen minute walk away, and the next morning was being told that they were done.

“Really?” she asked, surprised.

The crew nodded as they panted for breath. Discord quickly took their canteens and filled them with water, passing them back. They drank hastily.

“Once we got so close, we just couldn’t wait to finish,” Jenny said. “So we worked really hard, and managed to reach them. We did it!”

The group cheered.

“I’m so glad to hear that,” Tempest replied. “This is great, now you have an easy to follow path right to them. Well, we need to tell everyone else the good news.”

The neighborhood was excited to hear it. Curly immediately called for a celebration, and Tempest encouraged Discord to go nuts.

So he limbered up his arms, stretched dramatically, and then snapped his fingers. Colorful streamers stretched between the buildings, tables appeared covered in food, and balloons appeared tied to every available surface.

“Sorry, I’ve been holding back,” he said in response to the bemused storm creatures looking at him. “But please, please, bring your own food and drinks, these are mostly just things Tempest and I like!”

They happily got to preparing their own treats for the party.

Tempest couldn’t help smiling as she looked around at the bright decorations, walking over to poke a balloon shaped like a dolphin. “Your powers never cease to amaze me.”

“You should make something for the party,” Discord said. “Why don’t we try conjuration?”

Tempest had practiced it yesterday, but had been too tired to do much. But now she was able to focus, and she summoned a single cup of water, which settled onto a nearby table.

“Oh, well, it’s a start,” she said, prodding it. “If this even is water.”

Discord drank it. “Yep, it is. Let’s try something else. Why don’t you make some nachos?” He created a platter and set it down for her. “Don’t hold back on the cheese.”

She inhaled, letting the magic spread through her body as she pictured what she wanted. Nachos. Corn chips and plenty of delicious cheese sauce. She knew how they tasted, what they were made of. Now she just had to bring it into existence. She fired her magic at the platter.

There was a flash, and then it was covered in nachos several inches high. She exhaled and collapsed onto her front. “Whew.”

“Was that difficult?” Discord asked, grabbing a chip.

“No, I’m just… relieved. I still get worried sometimes that I’m gonna try something new and well… blow things up.”

“Just have confidence in yourself. Magic doesn’t like hesitation.” Discord bit into the chip and laughed. “Ooh, spicy!”

“Spicy?” Tempest tried one for herself, and winced. “Oh man, they are spicy. I didn’t mean for them to taste like that.”

“They’re still delicious. Here, I’ll just…” Discord created a bowl of ice, then rested a jug of milk in it. He set out cups. “There. Hopefully they take the hint.”

They went around to chat with the storm creatures, and more food was brought out as time went by. Some storm creatures have learned to play instruments, and used them now. A violin quartet played energetic tunes, and Tempest got with Discord to create a stage. They hopped up onto it and played more loudly, receiving cheers.

Discord tapped his foot, and turned to Tempest, holding out his hand. “Let’s dance.”

She chuckled as she took it. “Without me being drunk? I don’t know…”

He smiled. “Well, we can fix that.” He swayed her from side to side.

“I think I can get used to doing it sober,” she replied, letting him lead her. The music reminded her of folk songs, and Discord seemed to think the same, square dancing with her.

This was much easier to follow than waltzing. Tempest picked it up quickly, and was soon stepping forward and back with him, occasionally going in circles.

“This isn’t uncomfortable, right?” Discord asked. “You four-legged folk don’t spend a lot of time up on two legs.”

“It’s fine,” Tempest assured him. “You’re holding me up so it’s not that bad.”

He nodded, and looked around as a few others started dancing like them. “This is fun, I just love parties! It may not be a Pinkie Pie party but it’s still great!”

“As long as I’m with friends, any party is fun,” Tempest replied. She danced with him for the rest of the song, and once it ended, she got back down on all fours and stamped her hooves while the others clapped. The quartet took a bow, then started a slower song.

As the day went on, some of the other residents of Klugetown came by to see what was going on, and many joined in on the celebration. Curly welcomed them happily and told everyone the good news. Discord ended up contacting Vinyl Scratch back in Ponyville via a portal, and she agreed to come play for the party, so he immediately just poofed her over with all her sound equipment.

It took her a few minutes to get things set up, but then she was climbing up behind her DJ booth and taking over the music. For a moment Tempest was worried that she was going to play the usual dubstep, which the storm creatures weren't fond of... then she smiled when instead, electro swing played.

“She knows how to read a crowd,” Tempest commented to Discord as the storm creatures nodded in appreciation, many of them going in front of the stage to dance.

“She's the best DJ I've ever seen,” Discord said. “Good choice, Vinyl!”

She waved to him and went back to nodding her head to the beat.

“So we have music, food, but I don't know, I think this party could use something more,” Tempest said.

“Me too. But what is the question.”

She nudged him. “Why don't you have a magic show?”

“Magic show? Well I can certainly amaze them with my powers.”

Tempest hummed. “I was thinking something more like... what Trixie does.”

“Trixie?” Discord groaned. “You mean that fake stage magic?”

“Absolutely! It may be fake but it's entertaining. People love that stuff. Besides... maybe you could use your magic to change things up a little. Do the usual tricks, but in unexpected ways.”

“Hm.” Discord thought about it, then smiled and said, “Sounds like fun.” He rubbed his hands together and walked a good distance from the stage, conjuring up a new stage with curtains, spotlights, and a table. “Just give me a moment to check on something.” He snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Tempest looked around, but couldn't see him. She waved her hoof through where he was to make sure he wasn't just invisible, but no, he had teleported. She shrugged and went to one of the buffet tables, grabbing a cupcake. Seeing a familiar face approaching, she trotted toward him. “Capper!”

“Hey, I heard there was a party happenin' in the storm creature neighborhood, decided to stop by,” he said. He had clearly just finished working, a bit of dirt smudged in his fur. “What's the occasion?”

“We finally finished building the road to Sunny Oasis,” Tempest replied. “Curly was so happy she just asked to have a party right then and there, so. We've been celebrating.”

“I see that. Wow.” Capper walked over to a table. “Is this for anyone?”

“Sure, help yourself, Discord made everything.”

“Heh, of course he did.” Capper picked up an apple, rolling it along his arms before taking a bite out of it. “So where is Discord?”

“He vanished. He's getting a magic show together but I have no idea where he went.”

“Oh, that'll be fun.” Capper began nodding to the music, looking over at the booth. “Oh, is that um...” He snapped his fingers, trying to remember.

“DJ Pon-3,” Tempest replied. “Her real name is Vinyl Scratch. She was at Songbird Serenade's concert.”

“That's right. She's got talent.” Capper watched everyone dance, his tail swaying to the music. “How long is the party going for?”

“All day, probably,” Tempest replied. “When it gets dark I'm thinking of starting a bonfire.”

“Sounds like a plan. Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some punch.” Capper turned away, and Tempest went to watch Vinyl, hips moving to the music and front hoof tapping.

It took several minutes for Discord to return, but when he did, no one could miss it. Because he appeared on his stage in a shower of colorful sparks, calling out, “Hello, everyone, and welcome to the show!”

Everyone's attention shifted to him, several people going to stand in front of the stage as he rested his hands on the single table.

“Gather round, gather round... you don't mind me stealing the crowd, do you Vinyl?” Discord called.

She just shook her head and turned down the music slightly, before changing it to a more mellow tune.

“You're a good sport. Okay! Come on, come on, don't be shy!” Discord encouraged everyone. “I don't bite. Without provocation. I wanted to put on a little show for all of you. You've all done such a great job building up your home here and letting me help you, but not being able to use my magic has been rough. So now I'm going to let it all out!”

Tempest made her way toward the front with Capper, and Discord waved his hand, lifting everyone, placing chairs down, and setting them down in them. There was laughter as people got situated, and Discord waited patiently.

“Okay! So, I'm sure you've all seen magic tricks before, but I'm here to blow your minds! So sit back and enjoy!” He flexed his arms, and summoned a wand. It was just for show, but it made Tempest laugh. He tapped the table with it, and it turned into a large turtle, which lumbered around the stage. While it was doing so, Discord showed everyone a deck of cards, shuffling through them. Then he closed his eyes, picked one, and held it out to everyone. “Take a look at this card. Memorize it.”

It was the ace of spades. After a few seconds, Discord shuffled the card back into his deck and opened his eyes. “Alright. Now, is this your card?” He pulled out the eight of diamonds. Everyone said no. He hummed and put it back in, then chose another. “Aha, this one!” Two of hearts. No.

This time, Discord gave the deck of cards a long look, and glanced at the turtle that was circling back toward him. He gave a knowing smile and went over to it, shoving his hand into its shell and yanking out a card. “Tortuga, you rascal, I knew my deck seemed a little light! This probably isn't their card, but let's check anyway.” He held it out to the crowd, and they could see it was the ace of spades. Everyone cheered.

Tempest clapped for him. A simple trick for him to pull off, but it was the showmanship that sold it.

“Alright that was just a warm up,” Discord said, turning Tortuga back into a table and placing the cards on it. He rubbed his hands together and then separated them, showing everyone a crow that sat on his right paw. It flapped its wings and squawked, proving that it was a real crow. He wrapped his left arm behind his back, and closed his right fist, the crow disappearing. He held his right arm up, fist still clenched, and removed his left arm from behind his back. He opened his left hand, and now the crow seemed to hop into existence in his palm.

The crowd clapped, but he wasn't done quite yet. The crow picked under its wing for a moment, and then pulled something out. Discord grabbed the item from it and showed everyone. It was the ace of spades card again, which drew immediate laughter.

“I could have sworn I put that away.” Discord set the card down. He grabbed hold of the bird, and it started flying, carrying him around the stage while he seemed to struggle to stop it. He was very convincing, and the audience was loving it.

He went through several more tricks, and the card kept appearing as a running joke, making Tempest wonder where he was going with that, if anywhere. Then he finally paused and took out a disc, setting it on the table. A tap from his wand and it sprung up into a top hat, its brim up. “Now for this next trick, I'll need a volunteer.”

Tempest started to raise her hoof, as did many of the others, but Discord instead reached into the hat and pulled out a blue unicorn, wearing a pointy purple hat and matching purple cape covered with stars.

“Please welcome, the Great and Powerful Trixie!” Discord announced, swinging the unicorn high over his head while she posed dramatically.

Tempest started laughing. Sure enough, that was Trixie Lulamoon, the stage magician that may not be too talented at real magic, but she could put on a show that made it seem like she was. Starlight has talked about her a lot and Tempest knew about her from Discord's trip to the Changeling hive as well.

Once she was done posing, Trixie leaped forward from Discord's hands and spread out her forelegs, slowly floating down to the stage while her cape billowed around her. As showy as ever.

She received cheers and claps as soon as she touched down, and she tossed her head back, grinning. Her horn lit up as she gave her hat a toss and caught it back on her head. “Thank you so much for the warm welcome! And I do mean warm, this place is sweltering!”

Discord nudged her as the crowd tittered. “Pst, Trixie, this is a magic show, not a comedy show.”

“Really? But why else would you be here, you're a laughingstock,” she replied.

“WHOOO!” Capper called loudly.

“Okay, okay, settle down. I've been roasted enough here without you adding fuel to the fire.” A microphone appeared in Discord's hand and he tapped on it, then said, “Now, if you thought the show was exciting before, just wait until you see what Trixie has for you!”

“That's right! Today, you will see feats the likes of which have never been seen before!” Trixie went behind the curtain and brought out a horizontal glass box, bringing it around in front of the table.

“Indeed!” Discord opened the box and took out a saw. “But first, a feat you likely have seen before, but done a little differently! I'm sure you've all seen a pony climb into a box and get sawed in half... but have you actually gotten to SEE her get sawed in half? Trixie, if you would.”

She climbed into the box, and they were very easily able to see that those were her own hind legs that she pushed through the holes at the other end, while her head stuck out of the first end. She kept her forelegs curled up against her chest.

Discord hummed as he felt over the saw blade, while everyone murmured nervously. Tempest leaned forward, intrigued. Discord set out a couple square metal plates, then took the saw and lowered it through pre-made grooves in the box. Once it got to Trixie's body, they were able to see clear as day as it cut its way right through her middle. There were gasps, but she just continued to gaze upward, looking bored.

Once the saw was all the way through, Discord removed it. There was no blood on it, to everyone's relief. He set the saw aside, and took the metal plates, sliding them into the groove now. Their use became apparent as he used them to block the view of where Trixie was cut, before pulling the two halves of the box completely away from each other.

More gasps, and stunned clapping. Discord smiled at the crowd. “Now, I know some of you are probably thinking it's still a trick somehow, but I don't know... Trixie, wiggle your left back hoof.”

She glanced down, and then her hoof wiggled.

Tempest laughed and looked over at Capper, who gave her an impressed look. “I'm willing to bet he legit cut that pony in half. Can uh, he do that?”

Tempest thought about it, then said, “Knowing Discord? Yeah. He can definitely do that legit without her feeling anything.”

Capper gave a small nod and kept clapping.

Discord spun one of the halves of the box a few times, and finally lined it back up. He slid the halves together and pulled out the plates, then tapped three times on top with his wand. “And presto healio!”

Trixie pulled her legs back in and kicked the box open, hopping out, fully restored. She gave a bow and the audience went wild.

“And that's just the start,” she said. “Watch now as the amazing Trixie performs an incredible escape from Discord's trap... of chaos!”

As he pulled the curtains back and revealed a complicated contraption of belts and spikes, Tempest knew they were all in for a serious treat.

19. Tempest's Show

Discord and Trixie’s routine was stunning, to say the least. She escaped every contraption he put her in, and at one point even had her tied to a table, which he drew a curtain around while they could hear her struggling. High above the table was a panel of jagged spikes, and Discord let out an evil laugh as he said, “Now I’ve finally got you!”

He pulled a rope, and the spikes dropped. Everyone tensed as they disappeared behind the curtain and then reappeared from the bottom, seemingly having destroyed the table.

Discord drew the curtain back, and they saw empty straps and Trixie missing, only her hat remaining on the floor.

Everyone in the audience looked for her while Discord seemed puzzled. He picked up the hat, and she leaped out of it and clocked him in the snout.

“Oof! Okay, it seems I’ve met my match,” he said dramatically. He held her at bay with a hand. “You may go free.”

She stepped back, standing on her hind legs so they could both bow respectfully to each other. Then Discord set her hat back on her head and wrapped his arm around her back, turning to the audience.

“And that’s our show!” Trixie called. Everyone applauded, and she took a bow with Discord.

“I hope you enjoyed our magical feats,” Discord said as the storm creatures started getting up.

“Yes, thank you so much, you’ve been a wonderful audience,” Trixie said. She glanced at Discord, and said, “Wait, there’s something in your ear.”

“Hm?” He looked at her, and she reached a hoof carefully up to his ear… and pulled out the ace of spades.

The remaining audience members absolutely lost it at that, and even Tempest found herself laughing hysterically. It never got old. She went up to the stage, while Capper excused himself to go get food.

“You guys were great!” she said, taking Discord’s hands.

“Thank you!” he replied, pleased.

“Discord is a wonderful stage mate,” Trixie said, pulling over a box Discord had set aside earlier. “He can do practically anything! And such showmanship. Ooh, fireworks!”

Tempest looked over in interest, and Discord said, “Oh, I was going to set those off later once it gets dark.”

“I’ve always loved fireworks,” Tempest admitted.

“They’re lovely, aren’t they?” Trixie lifted out a rocket, examining it. Then she looked at Tempest. “I saw the ones you made at the Festival of Friendship, they were gorgeous.”

Tempest blushed. “Oh, well…”

“You made fireworks?” Discord asked her. “You’ve got to show me sometime!”

“Oh, ah… maybe one day.”

“Why not tonight? It’ll be perfect!”

She smiled. “Maybe. We’ll see.” She looked at Trixie. “So how are things back in Equestria?”

“Oh, fantastic. I had a great show in Las Pegasus! I got to see my dad again, which is nice, he does so much traveling it’s hard to keep up with him but he seems pretty settled in Las Pegasus now. I also visit Ponyville often to see Starlight, she’s really getting good at being a guidance counselor, but she can get so concerned for her students, it’s adorable. She’s such a sweet pony, so helpful.”

Tempest chuckled. “I’m glad she’s getting used to the job. How about the others? Twilight and her friends?”

Trixie thought about it, continuing to dig through the box of fireworks. “They’re all teaching their classes as usual. Their students are learning a lot and the school is very popular. Um, Rainbow Dash has a boyfriend now, and Fluttershy’s been working with some eco geek pony to make her animal sanctuary even better. Oh what was her name, Tree Friend or Ground Hugger or something…”

“Tree Hugger?” Discord asked.

“That’s it!” Trixie finally put the box aside. “Her name’s Tree Hugger! She’s a bit weird, but she’s so nice and Fluttershy seems to enjoy spending time with her.”

Discord groaned. “Ugh.” Tempest cast him a curious look, and he said, “I mean, she’s great! I just… well we have some bad history.”

“Story time?” Tempest asked.

“There’s not much of a story. Fluttershy became friends with her while off visiting the Breezies. She’s part of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures. They really hit it off and Fluttershy was going to take her to the Grand Galloping Gala, while I was hoping she’d take me instead.”

“Aww, Discord, were you jealous?” Trixie teased.

Discord huffed, but also blushed, which Tempest found endearing. “Yes, I was,” he admitted. “Of course I ended up getting my own ticket, it was just late. So to try and get back at Fluttershy, I brought my own very good friend, the Smooze. He uh, wasn’t a good guest. Of course Fluttershy didn’t quite pick up on my jealousy until later, when I threatened to throw Tree Hugger into an alternate dimension.”

“Of course you did,” Tempest said.

“Fluttershy ended up yelling at me, which is always a shock coming from her. But she explained that sometimes ponies like having different friends for different things, and likened it to if I got a friend I could talk about chaos magic with, would I stop being friends with her? Of course not. So. Yes, I realized what an ass I was being and apologized to Tree Hugger. Luckily she’s so mellow she didn’t mind.”

“No offense to Tree Hugger, but like.” Trixie leaned in and whispered, “I think she’s a stoner.”

Discord snorted. “Of course she is but who am I to judge? She does incredible work taking care of endangered animals all over Equestria… and she likes to go home and hit the blunt in the same way many of us gulp down whiskey or moonshine. No problems here.”

“Oh. Huh.” Trixie seemed surprised.

Tempest said, “Discord doesn’t care about drug use as long as the person isn’t actually harming themselves with it.”

“Live and let live is my philosophy,” Discord explained.

“I guess I can’t argue with that. Well, that’s what I’ve seen going on around Ponyville, but I don’t hang out with many ponies there. Mostly Starlight.” Trixie pawed at the stage, blushing lightly. “In fact, I kinda need to get back because we’re going out for dinner tonight.”

“Of course, let me get you a portal.” Discord opened one for her. “Thanks for helping me out.”

“No problem, we should do it again some time. See you around.” Trixie hopped through and the portal disappeared.

After a moment, Tempest said, “She is totally crushing on Starlight.”

“Oh I know, it’s so obvious!”

“Rainbow with a boyfriend though, huh, I wonder who.”

Discord shrugged, stepping down from the stage. “Probably one of the Wonderbolts. She always seemed to have a thing for Soarin.”

“Yeah, she could be with him. Or Thunderlane.”

“Guess we’ll find out when we go home. Well, let’s get more food.”

They hung out and listened to music for the rest of the evening, chatting with other citizens, sometimes getting up to dance. Someone had provided wine, which Tempest had a few glasses of. It didn’t really affect her much, but it did give her a pleasant buzz.

Once the Sun finally started to set, Discord decided to get the fireworks ready. He pulled out his box and headed off to the side of the party.

Tempest noted that someone else had already taken it upon themselves to start a bonfire, and several people were roasting marshmallows and hot dogs around it. She checked to make sure it was safe, then went to help Discord. He placed down a colorful box, digging it into the sand slightly to keep it stable. “This one’s a fountain,” he said, lighting it.

They stepped back, and bright sparks flew up out of the box, looking much like a water fountain. They watched in awe, and it was enough to get people’s attention.

“We wanted to end off the night with fireworks!” Discord called, encouraging them over. “We’re going to start with some small ones, then move up to mortars! But first, parents… how about some sparklers for the young ones? Or even for yourself, I don’t judge.” He was swamped by people trying to get sparklers.

Tempest laughed as he summoned boxes and handed them out, and moved away to place down the next fountain firework. She lit it with a fire spell and backed away.

This one was much like the other but its sparks flew higher and were bright purple. Definitely a favorite, and she checked the brand so she could buy another some time.

Freeing himself from the crowd, which was now lighting up the sparklers and playing with them, Discord joined Tempest in lighting fireworks.

There were many different fountains, in all colors, as well as bottle rockets, and ones that flashed so bright they left a glare in everyone’s eyes. But finally Discord got out the mortars. He loaded them one at a time into a specially made tube, lighting them and shooting them high into the air.

They exploded into huge pinwheels, with a pleasant sizzle as the colors drifted down. Some were more like starbursts, and others round. All in dazzling shades of green, purple, blue, and red.

Soon almost everyone had sat down, snacks in hand to just watch in amazement, cheering at the really pretty ones. Discord handled most of the launching, so Tempest just sat down too, joined by Capper.

“Mm, fish sticks?” he asked, offering her a plate.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Everything was good deep fried. Tempest took about three of them.

“We haven’t had a party like this in quite some time,” Capper said, gazing into the sky. “Thanks for throwing it.”

“Oh, don’t thank me, thank Curly and the other storm creatures, they wanted to have it.”

“Yeah, but they’ve succeeded thanks to your guidance. So you deserve the praise too.”

Tempest looked around at all the happy storm creatures, and smiled. “I guess so.”

It took several minutes, but Discord finally ran out of fireworks. There were some disappointed sighs, and Discord called, “Not to worry, the grand finale is coming up! Tempest, could you come here?”

She hesitated, but Capper encouraged her, and she got up.

“Alright, I want to see those fireworks I heard so much about from Fluttershy,” Discord said once she was next to him. “You were already amazing with them, but now that you’ve been strengthening your magic, I want to see what you can really do.”

Her chest glowed with admiration for him, and she aimed her horn at the sky, taking a deep breath as she gathered up her magic. Then she fired a ray high into the air, closing her eyes as she focused. Then she opened them, in time to see a brilliant burst of magical green light far more beautiful than the simple gunpowder fireworks Discord had used.

The crowd let out awed gasps, especially as her magic started a chain reaction, other large bursts of color filling the night sky, casting light over them all.

One burst would lead to another, and each one was a different color of the rainbow. All intense and dazzling.

Discord took Tempest’s hoof as he watched, and she pulled his paw closer to her, her other hoof petting it gently.

“You’re one of the most talented ponies I’ve ever met,” Discord said.

Tempest fired another set of fireworks, and blushed, looking away. “It’s just fireworks. Just controlled magical explosions, which I’ve been doing ever since I broke my horn.”

“Yeah? Well, controlled magical explosions sure are beautiful.” Discord watched them for a while, then looked down. “I suppose it’s no surprise though that such a beautiful pony makes such beautiful magic.”

Tempest’s face heated up. She stared at him, pulling her hooves away. “O-oh.”

He rubbed his neck. “I’m sorry, was that too honest?”

“No, I just… I’ve never been called beautiful, I… wow.” Her heart was beating hard.

“Well, you are, and it’s a shame that no one has told you so.” Discord gazed into her eyes. “Especially with the fireworks reflected in your eyes.” He leaned back, chuckling. “Oh listen to me, getting all sappy and poetic.”

“No, I…” She turned his face back toward her. “I appreciate it. Thank you.”

He smiled, and she admired how it just made his whole face light up. Discord may look strange, different from a pony, but he was handsome and she could just see the intelligence and playfulness gleaming from his wide eyes. That affection she’s been examining for the past several days reared its head, and suddenly she realized. She wanted to be with Discord, and she knew he wanted to be with her.

In the dying light of the last fireworks, she leaned in and gave him a kiss.

20. Next Stop

Tempest wasn’t sure how Discord was going to react. She hadn’t really given him any warning, she had just acted on emotion, and now their lips were together and her eyes were closed and she really hoped she hadn’t just made a mistake.

Then she felt a warm pressure back against her mouth and his arms wrapped around her, pulling her against him.

Tempest dropped her hooves to his shoulders, sighing with relief as she pulled her face back. She opened her eyes, and saw the other staring at her, his cheeks flushed darker than she’s ever seen them.

Discord swallowed, then cracked a smile. “Well, that was unexpected.”

“Exactly, the expected is boring,” Tempest replied. Her cheeks were hot and she could tell everyone had gone quiet, but soon there was hooting and a few sly remarks before everyone got back to their festivities.

“Indeed. But. Wow.” Discord touched his lips, apparently still stunned.

“That was okay, right?” Tempest asked.

“Oh, sure. I’ve just never been kissed before.”

“Really? Thousands of years and you’ve never been kissed?”

“I didn’t use to let people close enough to kiss me.” Discord rubbed his chin as he thought about it. “Well, I’ve been kissed on the back of my hand, and on my toes… and then when I started being friendlier to you pony folk I would occasionally get little pecks from Fluttershy on the cheek… but that’s it. Lip kisses? Haha, never.”

“Heh. Well, that was my first time kissing someone on the lips too.” Tempest got up so she could clean up the boxes from the various fireworks. Discord joined her, simply waving his hand to move everything into a pile, which he then vanished.

“It was weird,” Discord commented. “I mean, just slamming your mouth against someone else’s? Not very hygienic.” When Tempest raised a brow, he hastily said, “But it was good! It was enjoyable, I’m just kinda surprised you did it.”

“Well, I like you. And I just… wanted to show it.” Tempest usually prided herself on being confident, but she was nervous about this particular subject. “You’ve been a great friend to me and I… want us to be together.”

Discord cocked his head. “So… are you wanting me to be your special somepony?”

Tempest kicked lightly at the ground with a hoof, ears laying back as she suddenly felt shy. “Yeah.”

Discord was silent for a moment. Then he beamed, and picked her up, hugging her close as he nuzzled her cheek. She laughed and hugged him back.

“Of course! You’ve been such a good friend to me and I’ve really felt a connection with you… I would love to date you! I’ve never dated but how hard could it be?”

“I’m sure a smart guy like you can figure it out,” Tempest replied, and she took advantage of being in his arms to lean up and kiss him. He responded, all smiles as he did.

“I assume it means more hugging. And kissing,” Discord mused.

“Mhm, if you want to.” Tempest rubbed her nose against his, and his snake-like tongue briefly flicked against her mouth.

“And hm, what else.” Discord thought about all the creatures he’s seen in relationships. “Hand holding, or I suppose hoof holding in your case… cuddling and sweet talk…”

“All nice things but they aren’t required 24/7, just as we want,” Tempest said. “Don’t overthink it, just keep doing your thing, I like you regardless.”

“Of course. Hm, but what else do you ponies like to do… oh, and sex, right?”

Tempest tensed at that. “Um. Well, er, maybe not yet on that one.”

He snickered. “Very well.” He set her down, and rested his hand on her head as they walked, softly playing with her mane and stroking along her ears.

They had only taken a few steps though when Curly jogged over, swaying slightly and catching herself on Tempest. “H-hey, about time you two got together!”

Tempest’s nose wrinkled when she smelled beer. “Are you drunk?”

“Of course I’m not drunk!” Curly stood up straight for all of about two seconds, before breaking into laughter and leaning forward again, using Tempest for support. “So I had a few drinks but it’s okay, I’m… I’m good to drive!”

“Drive what?” Tempest asked, blinking.

“Anyway!” Curly let go and clapped her hands together. “So you two finally got together, huh?”

“Heh, yeah.” Tempest rubbed her fetlock awkwardly. “I just kinda realized how much he means to me, and… yeah.”

“Well, good for you!” Curly went over to nudge Discord. “I always told her she’d find a special somepony, but she kept insisting she was happy alone. Can you believe that?”

“Certainly,” Discord replied. “I’ve been happy alone. But…” He gazed at Tempest, running his paw along her cheek. “I’m happier with friends. I suppose it’s the same for her.”

“Yeah.” She leaned her cheek into his palm, sighing at his warmth. “I’m fine by myself, I was alone for a long time, but I prefer being around people. You know, once I’ve gotten used to them.”

“Aww.” Curly fluffed up Tempest’s mane. “I’m happy for you two. Well, we should probably start cleaning up, huh? People are starting to go home.”

Tempest nodded, gesturing to Discord. “Come on, let’s say goodbye.”

He nodded and followed her, and they thanked everyone for coming, wishing them a goodnight and inviting them to take home any food they wanted. They enthusiastically took them up on that offer, and the tables were cleared in minutes. Discord helped himself to a few snacks left behind, and once he was sure everyone was gone, he waved his hand and vanished everything, except of course for Vinyl Scratch’s equipment.

“Thank you so much for DJing for us,” Tempest said to her, going over to help her pack up.

She smiled and nodded, shaking her hoof. Discord opened a portal, and Vinyl moved her stuff back into it. She gave them a last wave before hopping back through to her house in Ponyville. With that taken care of, Discord got rid of the stage she had been on.

Tempest looked around. It looked like there had never been a party here. “Looks good to me. Wanna head back to Capper’s place?”

“Sure. Where is Capper, anyway?” Discord couldn’t find him.

“I think he had grabbed a plate of fish sticks and ran off with them,” Tempest replied.

“Ah. Well, let’s go. Do you want to teleport or walk back?”

“Walk.”

“Alright.”

They started the familiar walk back. They spent it in a peaceful silence, content to be together. Not to mention both were tired from their various magic displays.

When they entered Capper’s house, they saw that he was relaxing on a chair, reading while he had a drink.

“There you are,” he said. “I take it the party ended after you told us to take the food?”

“Yeah,” Tempest replied, stumbling over toward the bed. The alcohol from the party had kicked in during the walk and she was a little clumsy. “We got things cleaned up pretty quickly though, thanks to Discord.”

“Of course. That nifty draconequus magic can do anything.” Capper set his book aside and leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. “Congrats on the kiss, by the way.”

Tempest blushed, hopping onto the bed. “Oh, thanks.”

Discord laughed as he joined her. “I guess everyone saw that, huh?”

“Mhm, I’m sure it’ll be the talk of Klugetown for all of like… a day before people get bored with it. Still, I’m happy for you. I was wondering when it would happen.”

Discord gently petted Tempest’s side. “We hadn’t really planned on it. I definitely wasn’t expecting it. All I did was compliment her magic and suddenly she was kissing me. I blame the booze.”

“Hey, you didn’t just compliment my magic,” Tempest replied. She gave Capper a pointed look. “He called me beautiful, no one has ever said that to me and meant it like that.”

Capper let out a whistle. “Well that’s one way to a girl’s heart, Discord. Honestly you two may be an odd couple but you look adorable together. Congrats, but also no fooling around in my bed.”

Tempest groaned. “We’re not going to-”

“I know, I know,” Capper said hastily before she could raise her voice. “I’m just messing with you.”

Discord moved his hand around to feel up Tempest’s chest, and whispered in her ear, “We’ll leave that for when we have our own place, hmm?”

Her face grew hot and she almost wanted to squirm away, but she also really liked him, and knew there was no reason to be shy with him. “Sounds good to me.”

He snickered.

Capper stretched. “Well, we should hit the hay. I take it you two will be leaving soon?”

Tempest thought about it, then said, “Yeah, we probably are about ready to go. We’ll talk to Curly about it.”

“Sounds good.” Capper went over to his sleeping bag. “Goodnight then, y’all. Could one of you get the lights?”

Tempest used her magic to turn off all the lights, and flopped her head back against Discord’s neck, yawning. He wound himself further around her, arms around her middle.

“Goodnight, dear,” he said.

She smiled, snuggling back against him. “Goodnight.”

They slept soundly, though by the time Tempest woke up, Discord was already awake and reading a book. She glanced at him, and he said, “Ah, you’re finally up. You slept longer than I expected.”

“I guess the firework show took a lot out of me,” she said.

“Perhaps. It’s fine though. You’re adorable when you’re sleeping.”

Tempest chuckled. Then she thought back to when she had kissed Discord last night, and her heart pounded faster. She had been buzzed, but she had completely wanted to do it. Still, the memory of it was a little embarrassing.

“So um, I guess we’re dating now,” she said.

“We sure are. Oh, which reminds me.” Discord leaned his head over and gave her a quick kiss. She jumped, ears laying back as she blushed. He tilted his head. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, just…” She leaned her ears forward again. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Ah. Well, would you like good morning kisses, or should I save it for when you’re more awake?”

“Oh, no, you can kiss me whenever. I just need to get used to it.”

“Oh, goodie.” He embraced her.

“You’re very affectionate,” Tempest commented.

“Of course! I don’t form bonds like this with many ponies, but now that I have, I just want to show how much I like you! And physical contact is the best way to do that! You guys are all about hugs and nuzzles and stuff anyway.”

Tempest scoffed. “Most ponies are about it. I can go without. Unless I like you, of course. But strangers need to back off.”

“Oh, certainly.”

“Ponies that meet you for the first time and then immediate try to give you a hug are so annoying.”

“Haha, yeah.”

Tempest got out of bed. “Alright, let’s go see if Curly needs anything.”

She briefly stopped in the bathroom to straighten her mane and wash her face off, but then she was heading out with Discord. She decided to fly over, using her magic to levitate while Discord flew along beside her. They raced, and twirled around each other a few times, and they were at the storm creature neighborhood before they knew it.

They found Curly watching over a team that was installing glass in the windows, and landed next to her.

“Tempest, good to see you,” she said.

“Hello, Curly!” Discord said loudly as usual, but this time Curly flinched and grabbed her head.

“Not so loudly, please,” she asked.

“Are you hungover?” Tempest asked.

“Maybe a little,” Curly said defensively.

“That’s what happens when you don’t hydrate,” Discord said.

“Yeah, I didn’t drink water, I was busy drinking beer. Anyway, how are you?”

“We’re good,” Tempest said.

“We were stopping by to see if you needed anything else, otherwise we’re gonna head north to Sunny Oasis,” Discord said.

Curly thought about it. Then she said, “You’ve done so much for us already, I think we can handle things from here. Plus we have your friend Capper around to help us if needed. I’ll see if anyone else needs something though.” She called to her team, “Hey, any of you need anything from Tempest before she leaves?”

“A sandwich!”

“One million bits!”

“I wouldn’t mind a kiss!”

Curly rolled her eyes. “Okay, back to work you hooligans. Anyway, I think we’re good then. Thank you so much for everything.” She held out her hand, and Tempest shook it. Discord shook her hand too, and they moved along. Tempest took a few minutes to say bye to Grubber, as well as the other citizens. They were sad to see her go, but thanked her for her help.

After that, they went to the airship docks to find Capper. He was carrying a large box, and said, “Walk and talk y’all, walk and talk.”

They walked briskly next to him as he carried it into a ship. “We’re heading out,” Tempest said. “We wanted to say bye before we went.”

“Ah, for real? Well, I’ve enjoyed your company. And our campaign,” he said, nodding to Discord, who beamed. “Good luck out at Sunny Oasis.”

“Thank you. We’ll see you around,” Tempest said.

“Come visit Ponyville some time,” Discord added.

“I’m sure I will, I’m thinking of buying some clothes from Rarity,” Capper said. He set the box down on the deck of the ship and walked back down to get the next one. “See you guys later.”

Tempest patted his shoulder, then rethought it and hugged him. He smiled and hugged her back, and turned to shake Discord’s hand, only to get a crushing hug from him too.

“Alright, big guy, see you later,” Capper managed, out of breath. Discord let go of him, and they walked away while he got back to work.

“I’m gonna miss him,” Tempest said.

“I’m going to miss his cooking,” Discord commented.

She playfully slapped his shoulder. He bumped his hip against her in return, nearly knocking her over.

They went back to Capper’s house so Tempest could pack her bags, then she set them over her back and led the way out. After making sure the door was locked behind them, they started for the northern road.

“You really wanna walk?” Discord asked. “You’ve been on the construction trip dozens of times, it takes hours to get down that road.”

“I want to walk,” she replied. “I like the exercise, plus it gives us time to just hang out and chat.”

“Well, alright.” He hovered along next to her for several minutes as they went to the road, but once they started down it, Tempest gestured for him to land.

“You should walk too, it’s good for you,” she said.

He made a face, continuing to fly. “Why would I waste energy walking when I can fly?”

“So I can lean against you if I get tired?”

He landed. “Fine.”

She laughed. “You’re so sweet.”

“Mhm, don’t go around telling people.”

Tempest briefly nuzzled him, then rolled her shoulders and looked out at the long sandstone road stretching into the desert. It would be quite the trip, but she was more than ready to get to the next stop on their mission.

Discord ran his hand up into her mane, the claws of his eagle-like talon fluffing it up. “Now that we’ve gotten a feel for what Twilight wants us to do, helping Sunny Oasis should be smooth sailing.”

Tempest agreed.

21. Another Warm Welcome

The walk was exhausting as usual, but Tempest and Discord passed the time with conversation, telling each other stories and cracking jokes. Discord did a lot of the talking, as he had a very long life and countless interesting stories. He knew Celestia and Luna when they were children. He was pranking Starswirl the Bearded. He was trolling ponies before Equestria was ever united.

“So, what about your childhood then?” Tempest asked. “What was tiny Discord like?”

He chuckled. “Tiny Discord spent a beautiful two years learning how to use his magic from his mother, and then was promptly set loose and she left. I was a very curious child, and also rather violent. I had to kill my own food before learning to create it, and I grew somewhat sadistic though now I regret the pain I used to cause my prey. I just kinda wandered, watching what ponies did, or spying on the griffins, or any other species I came across. Honestly, I was helpful sometimes. And other times I was a nuisance. It all depended on my mood. My magical power grew as I did, and I kept pushing the limits of it, always wanting to do more. Chaos magic comes naturally to my species but we have varying skill levels. I became one of the most powerful through sheer determination.” Discord noticed the skeleton of some animal and plucked the skull off it, playing with it as he walked. “And funny enough, ponies helped me with that.”

“Really?” Tempest asked.

Discord set the skull on his hand and opened and closed its jaws. “Indeed! Ponies are kind, and altruistic! I was a fellow magic user, they wanted to teach me! Draconequus were seen as more of an elusive species back then but not anything to be feared.”

“Ah, so those fairy tales of you guys as the horrifying villains didn’t exist yet?”

“Nope! I was the cause for those tales.” Discord grew bored with the skull and tossed it aside. “But yes, at the time the ponies were only slightly nervous about me because they didn’t know what to expect, but they wanted to learn about me. I didn’t tell them much about my kind. There wasn’t anything to tell. We’re solitary, we don’t have a society or culture to speak of. So they focused on learning about my magic, and offered me techniques to hone my focus and control. In return I taught them chaos magic, but many struggled with it. It started to scare them after a while. But no matter. I had access to all the knowledge I wanted and once I had enough, I moved on. And thus, I will admit, to causing years of trouble.”

Tempest laughed. “Of course you did.”

“I made my way into adulthood as an absolute menace. Of course Celestia and Luna grew up not too much later, taking over moving the Sun and the Moon from the unicorns, and I was fascinated by them. Alicorns were such a rare species by then.”

Tempest considered that, then said, “Were there more alicorns back then?”

“Yep! Alicorns used to have a kingdom like everyone else, and there were thousands of them! They generally kept to themselves but they were intelligent and powerful, and provided Equestria with many magical and technological discoveries. But… something happened.” Discord sighed. “I don’t know what it was exactly. It was before even me. But their numbers began to dwindle. Some say they kept killing themselves in their attempts to push the limits of magic. Some say a disease swept through their closely knit community. And others will just say the inbreeding caught up to them but don’t say that around Celestia and Luna.”

Tempest snickered.

“Whatever happened, alicorns were disappearing. Celestia and Luna were raised away from their home and taught by Starswirl. They avoided whatever happened, and they survived. Some say they carry the spirits of the rest of their species in them to this day, and they can choose to grant that magic to worthy modern ponies. Like Cadance, and Twilight.”

Tempest nodded. “I see. But they never tried to restore their race? Like… I don’t know, by having foals? I mean Cadance wasn’t even born an alicorn, she ascended, but then her child was born an alicorn. It can happen. So why didn’t the princesses have children?”

Discord waved a hand. “Ah, you know. They were far too busy with their royal duties to worry about having foals. A lot was happening that they had to deal with. Including me, wreaking havoc on the land. And it wasn’t too long after I was frozen in stone that Luna, feeling bitter at ponies sleeping through her night and not appreciating her like Celestia, lashed out and became Nightmare Moon. After she was sent away Celestia was even more busy managing the duties of herself and her sister. I suppose now things are settled enough, but I can’t see either of them settling down with a partner.”

“Why not?”

Discord sighed. “I don’t want to get into their personal lives.”

“Oh.”

“Just know that they have their reasons to be alone. Their love is for their kingdom. They don’t want any one person getting special treatment. And as natural born alicorns, they have a very long lifespan. They don’t want their hearts broken.”

“I understand.”

Discord checked how far away they were from Sunny Oasis. “Ugh, more than an hour of walking left.”

“What a nice day for it, huh?”

“I’m sweating like a marathon runner.” Discord rubbed his neck off. “Bleh. Oh well, I’ll treat myself to a shower when we get there. They have plumbing, right?”

“Mhm.”

“Oh, wonderful!”

Tempest was quiet for a bit. Then she said, “So, you mentioned you’ve never dated?”

“Nope. I had zero interest. I saw it as a sham, a waste of time! Useless nonsense! Much like I saw friendship, I suppose. But up until very recently I was still firm in my feelings about love anyway. I’d never felt it, how could it really exist? But I’ve seen the evidence of it. It’s strange, and I still don’t fully understand romance, but… if there’s anyone I want to learn about it with, it’s with you.” Discord scratched gently behind one of her ears.

She smiled and leaned her head against his hand. “You’re so soft.”

“Ugh, stop reminding me!”

“Well then, stop being soft and I won’t mention it.”

“I can’t just stop, I want to explore a more intimate relationship with you and if that makes me soft then fine, I'm soft!”

“Well at least you admit it.” Tempest paused to rub sand out of her eyes. It was fairly windy today and she kept getting sand in her face no matter which way she looked.

Discord noticed and snapped his fingers, and a transparent bubble surrounded them. “There, that'll keep the sand away.”

“Thanks.” That was much better. She should have suggested it sooner. They kept walking, soon growing comfortably quiet as they focused their energy on actually getting to Sunny Oasis. They can talk once they arrive.

When they finally saw the town, Tempest perked up and walked faster, Discord right beside her. They started jogging when they were about half a mile away, and finally they were crossing into the oasis.

“Ohh, I've missed grass so much,” Tempest said, just letting herself sprawl on her stomach in the grass. Discord threw himself onto his back next to her, stretching out and laughing.

“It feels so wonderful, doesn't it?” he asked, rubbing his arms through it as if making a snow angel.

“It really does.” Tempest rolled onto her stomach and took a bite of the grass, tearing a clump free.

“You are adorable!” Discord shouted, and suddenly a camera was in his hands and he took a picture of her.

She jerked back, blushing while the camera printed out the photo.

Discord took it and waved it back and forth for a few seconds, before admiring it. “Aww, that's one for the scrapbook. A scrapbookortunity, so to speak!”

He turned it around and Tempest saw that it was a rather unflattering shot of her with grass and roots hanging out of her mouth, her cheeks full like a hamster's. She groaned. “Are you keeping that?”

“Absolutely.” And indeed, he poofed up a scrapbook and placed the photo carefully inside. Tempest wanted to admonish him, but then she saw that the front of the book was decorated with mismatched letters spelling out, 'Tempestcord.'

“Tempestcord?” she asked, confused.

“Yeah, that's our ship name!”

“Our- our what?”

“Ship, you know, like...” Discord closed the book and vanished it. “We're in a relationship so I just shortened it to ship, much easier to say. And I combined our names so I could quickly get across to strangers that we're a couple, you know like the celebrities do!”

“That sounds ridiculous.”

“Well I mean hey, it could catch on.”

Tempest shook her head and got up. “Well anyway. Let's keep going.”

“So can I keep the photo?”

“Sure.” She nuzzled his side. “As long as I get to take pictures of your embarrassing moments too.”

“Deal, but you'll be hard-pressed to find any.” Discord started to walk. And then his foot got caught in a hole and he fell flat on his front.

A moment later, Tempest had summoned her own camera and took a picture before he could get up. He gave her an outraged look and she sang, “Scrapbookortunity!”

“Okay, I deserve that.” He retrieved the book and handed it to her, and once the photo printed out and developed, she placed it carefully inside.

“Can I carry this around?” she asked.

“Sure.”

She moved the book into one of her saddlebags. They kept going. They were greeted by the storm creatures and shook hands, Tempest introducing them to Discord. Many of them had met him when he came by to plan out the road, but they were happy to see him again. Dusty came out to meet them as they approached the town hall, along with Mary.

“I'm glad to see you,” he said, coming forward to give Tempest a hug. She returned it, and hugged Mary too. Now that there wasn't a desk in front of her, she could see how big Mary's belly was getting.

“Oh wow, look at you,” Tempest said, looking at her stomach. “Have they started moving yet?”

“No, not yet. But it's only a matter of time.” Mary rubbed her stomach affectionately.

“Gonna have a little Dusty running around,” Tempest commented. “Oh boy.”

“Haha, I know, but we're ready to handle it.”

“Come on, I want to show you where you'll be staying,” Dusty said, gesturing to Tempest and Discord. He led them to the houses, and stepped up to the door of a small but nicely built one with plenty of flowers around it. He unlocked it and pushed it open. “We keep these cabins open for guests, please, have a look around.”

Tempest went in first. It was built entirely out of wood with a polished floor, and all the furniture had wooden frames as well. The couch had plush cushions on it, as did the armchair near it, and the coffee table in front of them was decorated with two doilies and a ceramic vase. Purple and blue flowers were currently growing from it.

Paintings of desert landscapes and animals adorned the walls, and Dusty showed her over to the kitchen and dining room. “As you can see, you have a stove and refrigerator, all magitech until we get electricity out here, and plenty of space for preparing meals!” He showed her the spacious counter and sink, and opened a few cupboards. “I don't know how long you plan on staying but please, feel free to get whatever you need from the local convenience store and stock up.”

Tempest tapped her hoof against the tiled floor, pleased with the quality. Behind her, Discord opened the fridge and examined it. “Hm, enchanted ice crystal, nice.”

Dusty kept showing them around. “And the dining room table can seat four people but feel free to bring in more chairs!”

The table was sturdy and its centerpiece was a stylish bowl of fruit. However, the fruit turned out to be fake, much to Discord's disappointment.

“Well, I didn't want to just leave real fruit sitting around to rot,” Dusty explained as Discord set the plastic apple back in the bowl.

“Oh I know, I still got my hopes up though,” Discord replied.

The cabin only had one bedroom and one bath, but Dusty explained, “This is really for single couples, but- oh, I'm sorry, I could bring an extra bed or something if you like-”

“No, it's okay,” Tempest said. “Discord and I... well, we are a couple.” It was still strange to say it out loud. She was happy to be in a relationship with him, but it was foreign at the same time.

“Oh, are you? I had no idea, congrats! Aw, Tempest, you finally found someone you tolerate enough to date.”

She scoffed. Now she remembered. Dusty used to tease her about dating, way back when he served under her as a captain. She had always dismissed him but he was adamant that she could use some love. That made sense in retrospect, considering that he had secretly been dating Mary.

“Yeah, yeah.” Tempest checked out the bathroom. There was a large bathtub considering the size of the rest of the house, with a shower head high above it affixed to the wall. The floor in here was tiled like the kitchen. She looked at her reflection in the mirror over the twin sinks, taking in the dust that had settled in her fur during the trip.

Discord squeezed into the bathroom next to her, checking out himself. “We need a bath,” he commented.

Tempest turned on the faucet, splashing water on her face. That resulted in a stream of mud, and she had to take several seconds to scrub it all off.

Dusty waited patiently. “I knew you and Discord were friends, but I didn't know you were dating!”

“We weren't until yesterday,” Tempest said, finally removing her face from the sink and drying off. Meanwhile, Discord just used his magic to clean himself off.

“Ohh, I see. Well, congrats anyway. I take it you won't mind sharing a bed then?” Dusty asked.

“Not at all, we were doing that at Klugetown,” Discord replied.

“Really? Oohh,” Dusty started, but Tempest pressed her hoof to his mouth.

“No,” she said sternly.

He smiled and gently moved her hoof aside. “I was just going to say that's adorable. Who knew that my old commander had such a soft side?”

“Hah!” Discord shouted triumphantly. “I'm not the only softie!”

“Pft. Whatever.” Tempest flicked her tail at him.

The bedroom was a decent size, with a bed larger than Capper's. It had several pillows and the covers were somewhat thin, made of a furry material.

“It's too hot to need a lot of blankets most days but let me know if you ever need more,” Dusty said as they checked it out.

“This is fine, thank you,” Tempest said, feeling the blanket. It was very soft. There was a nightstand on either side of the bed, and a dresser along one wall. It had a few small photograph frames on it, which showed various desert flowers. She pulled her saddlebags off and placed them on the dresser.

“Well, want me to leave you alone for the afternoon, or do you want to check out the town some more?” Dusty asked.

“I want to look around,” Discord said. Tempest nodded, and with that they headed back outside.

22. Swimming

Sunny Oasis looked just as good as it did when Tempest visited the other day. The houses looked rather sturdy and she only had a few notes on how to improve them, and the storm creatures were getting along well. Still, Dusty said there were some things she could help with, and she was prepared for it. He mentioned how there have been arguments over the best way to fish, and the worth of different items when it came to trading. They didn't quite have a standardized currency yet. They were interested in using Equestrian bits but it would take some time to get enough of them to run the economy with.

There was also discussion of how to provide entertainment to the citizens. Sunny Oasis was quite far from Klugetown so it wasn't convenient to go there for the club or a movie, and Equestria wasn't very close either. The jungle to the north and the dragon badlands blocked much of the land between the countries.

“I'll talk to Twilight about getting the train out here as quickly as possible,” Tempest promised them.

“In the meantime, we can certainly expand this town itself,” Discord said. He looked around, humming. “For starters, how about a bowling alley? You folks enjoy competition and bowling is fun and competitive.”

Dusty discussed that with Mary, and they agreed that it was a good place to start.

“Bowling's good, what else?” Dusty asked.

Tempest spoke up, “Oh, the bowling alley can also have a bar and pool tables. You can hang out there and socialize when not actually bowling. And there can be a snack bar of course, for nachos and sodas and other stuff to keep your energy up.”

Discord nodded. “Of course, those are a must! And you can get claw machines for the little ones! Once they're born, of course. You could host leagues, you might even get some tourism from Equestria, plenty of ponies like to bowl.”

“Like Jeff Letrotski and his team,” Tempest commented.

“Right!” Discord rested his hands on his hips. “And if ponies come here to bowl, they'll be bringing their bits and their appetites. They'll eat at your snack bar, buy your alcohol. And you'll get a steady income.”

Dusty nodded and patted at his pant pockets. “I need a notebook, I gotta write this stuff down.”

“I've got you covered.” Discord created a notebook and a pen, handing them over to him. Dusty hurriedly wrote notes.

“The bowling alley's good,” Tempest said. “And perhaps you could have a park, right... hm.” She looked around, and pointed toward the side of the lake. “Between the housing area and where you're raising those trees. Honestly I'd recommend building a walkway around the entire lake, and put piers in it. That'll make it easier to fish. Your park should have playground equipment for your kids. Oh, and build tennis and basketball courts. You want people to have a wide variety of activities to do.”

“Yeah, a playground sounds great!” Dusty added that to his list. “Tennis, basketball, perfect!”

“Could we have volleyball?” Mary asked.

“Of course!” Dusty wrote it down.

Discord said, “I know what project I want to work on right away. I want to help you guys get a building set up out by the water where you can store fishing supplies, provide bait, and things like that. If you're gonna have a town by the water, you gotta take advantage of the easy food.”

“We could really use a fishing outpost, excellent idea.”

Tempest felt like that was plenty to get started with. In time they would likely build a theater, restaurants, all sorts of places. But they had to go a step at a time. She didn't want anyone getting overwhelmed with work.

“I can help with the park,” she said. “I've seen plenty of them in Equestria and I have some ideas for the playground equipment. And of course I can help out anywhere else I'm needed.”

They only spent a few more minutes out after that, before Discord and Tempest were dismissed to do whatever they wanted until tomorrow, while Dusty and his wife returned to the town hall to start planning. Tempest wanted to go swimming, and Discord agreed to go with her. She trotted toward the lake, then began to canter, wanting to jump out as far as possible.

“I wanna see the biggest splash you can manage!” Discord shouted to her, and she snorted, lowering her head and galloping at full speed toward the water. Her hooves touched down on damp grass and she launched herself forward off her back hooves. She soared out over the water and closed her eyes, angling down to plunge beneath the surface. She exhaled as her nose hit, and managed to avoid swallowing water. The water was warm but refreshing, and she kicked her legs, swimming back up. She broke the surface and shook her head, laughing.

“Whoo! How was that?” She opened her eyes and looked around. “Discord?”

“Laughable,” he said from above her, and she craned her head back to see him hovering high above. “Watch how a pro does it.” He flew high and curled himself into a ball, hurtling down.

“Oh no.” Tempest hurried to swim out of the way, but she didn't get far before he was hitting the water and sending up a huge splash that knocked her back. She went under for a moment, and swam back up, coughing. Now she had water in her nose.

Discord popped his head up, grinning. “Any questions?”

Tempest wiped her eyes off and smiled back. “Yeah. Why do you have to be so dramatic all the time?”

“Me? Dramatic?” Discord gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Heh. Weirdo.” Tempest splashed some water at him.

He splashed her back. “You're one to talk.”

Tempest rolled her eyes, and ducked her head back, running her hooves through her mane. She could practically feel the sand drifting out of it. She lifted her head back up, and caught Discord watching her. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just appreciating how cute you are with your mane wet.”

Tempest messed with her ears, blushing. “Ah. You um, mentioned that before.”

“I know. But we weren't dating then.”

No, they weren't. But it was when Tempest had first started thinking about her feelings for him, she mused. She swam over toward him, and he got slightly defensive, wings fanning out. She just slipped into his arms and leaned up to kiss him.

“Oh.” He relaxed, laughing gently against her lips as he kissed her back. Her heart fluttered, stomach doing happy little flips. She leaned back, smiling as she stroked his cheek. He opened his eyes, meeting hers. “I'm really starting to like that.”

“Me too,” she replied.

“Heh, that was better than I was expecting, for a moment there I thought you were going to dunk me.”

“Actually, I'm still going to do that.” She threw herself forward and shoved him down underwater. He wrapped his arms around her and twisted his body around, throwing her under the surface instead. She grabbed onto his middle and clawed her way back up, taking a deep breath before pulling him down. He went down willingly, and she opened her eyes to look at him.

The water was quite clear, and she saw him looking casually back at her, utterly relaxed. She tilted her head, then realized his nostrils were flaring and his chest was moving. Her eyes widened, and she pushed back up, gasping for breath. Discord came up after her, snorting water out of his nose.

“Were you breathing underwater?” she asked.

“I sure was. Can ponies not do that?”

“Unless they're sea ponies, no,” she replied.

“Hah! Sucks to be you.”

Tempest moved to be a little closer to shore so she could rest her back hooves on the ground, but otherwise kept the water up around her shoulders, just relaxing. Discord joined her there, leaning against her. With the water supporting her, Tempest was able to rest a foreleg around Discord. He put his arm around her in return, and they watched the sky. There were wispy desert clouds flying overhead, and the Sun would be setting in a few hours.

“Once you get used to it, it really is beautiful out here,” Tempest said.

“It certainly is.” He nuzzled her. “The storm creatures picked a great place to settle down. And I hope they continue to build great towns like this, and that their people thrive. What the Storm King did to them was awful but I know they can bounce back from it. They're strong.”

“Yeah. They'll be okay. But I'm glad Twilight gave me the opportunity to help them. I like traveling like this, not under the Storm King's orders, but because I want to. I have time to just slow down and enjoy the sights.”

“Mm. I definitely found it odd at first that you'd choose to walk everywhere even though you can teleport. But I see the appeal of the journey now. It's the best time to forge memories together, wouldn't you say?”

“Definitely.” Tempest looked over at her partner. “I'm glad you're here.”

He blinked, then chuckled. “I'm glad you're here too.” He moved in closer for another kiss, which Tempest just couldn't get enough of. She liked everything about Discord, from the texture of his fur to the smell of his breath, and each time she kissed him he would run his claws through her mane, and it just felt so nice she wanted to keep her face against his so he would keep doing it.

He soon stopped though, just rubbing their muzzles together. “Kissing really is a weird pony tradition. But it's so delightfully tingly and warm, I wonder why that is.”

Tempest shrugged. “I don't know. Lips are just sensitive I guess.”

“I wonder who the first ponies to figure that out were. Just.” Discord let go of her, using both hands to gesture dramatically. “Who shoved their faces together and realized it actually feels good? Couple of oddballs they must have been. But... I'm glad they did it. Because now we know how nice it is.” He tilted his head so she could give him a small kiss on the side of his mouth. It tickled, and he almost laughed. “Okay, I'll stop over-analyzing it. Come here.”

They ended up just climbing out of the water to lay partway on the shore, letting the calm waves move over their lower bodies as they snuggled and traded lazy kisses. They wound up being more like nuzzles than proper kisses, but they didn't mind. It was enough just to touch each other.

Discord couldn't keep quiet for long, though.

“You ponies really have corrupted me,” he commented.

“Hm?” Tempest lifted her head with a yawn.

“You've corrupted me. At least by draconequus standards. I actually feel sympathy for you all now, I don't want to do anything that harms you, and I'm happy in your presence. Not because you can get me things I want, but because... you are what I want. It's so weird for me and honestly I'm still getting used to it but... but I'm glad Celestia gave me a second chance all those years ago. That Fluttershy offered me friendship and showed me how wonderful it was.” Discord stroked her back. “And more ponies opened up to me. They trusted me and chose to spend time with me. It was all so new, and I didn't want to lose it. Now here I am. So open and loving that I'm actually laying here with someone in my arms, kissing them and talking to them about my feelings! Hah, if another draconequus saw me right now they'd be laughing their tail off.”

“But I take it you don't care what other draconequus would think, right?” Tempest asked.

“Oh definitely not, I don't care. It's just funny, how much I've changed over the recent years. But I don't mind. It's a nice change of pace. Being feared was fun and all but... it wasn't satisfying in the end. Having friends? Being with you? Now this is satisfying.” He rubbed his head against hers. “You have corrupted me, but in the best of ways. So thank you.”

“Heh, I think you have Fluttershy to thank for most of that. I just came along and spent time with you like she did, she took care of laying the groundwork for me.”

“True. And yet you're the one I decided to date.”

“Only because I kissed you and asked you out. I doubt you would have started it on your own.”

Discord shrugged. “Probably not. I was starting to think about how I felt about you though. But making the leap to kissing you? Haha, it wouldn't have happened for a while.” He moved his hand down to rest over her hoof. “I'm glad you're so forward.”

“Ah, you know. I've learned to take risks. Most of the time they pay off.” Tempest shivered a bit. Her upper half has dried while the lower half was still getting covered in water, and the conflicting temperatures were starting to become uncomfortable.

“You're a very bold pony and I like that about you. You're not afraid to speak your mind and do what you want. It's very attractive.” Discord's voice lowered slightly as he nuzzled under her chin, and she blushed, liking it more than she expected. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. She let it go on for a while, but after a particularly chilly gust of wind, she had to move.

“Mm, can we go back to the cabin?” she asked regretfully. “It's getting cool out here.”

“Oh, alright.”

They got up, and Tempest shook the water off her legs. Discord copied her, and then they walked back. Their first stop once they were back in the house was to go to the bathroom, grabbing towels and drying off. Then they decided to go to bed. It was early, but they figured they would make up for it by getting up early tomorrow morning.

Tempest pretty much collapsed on top of the bedspread, yawning and gathering a pillow close to herself. Discord got up next to her, curling around her like a snake and letting her rest in the middle. She moved her pillow onto his neck and rested her head back down. He smiled, one hand going to its usual place on her side, while he closed his own eyes and reflected on the day. Other than the long walk, it had been splendid. Actually, even that had been fun. He liked talking to Tempest, she always had interesting input and she almost never interrupted him. Oh, he was so happy that she had kissed him yesterday.

Hoping that they continued to have wonderful days like today, he let himself drift off to sleep, completely happy with his companion's hide pressed against his.

23. Starting Work

Tempest made herself get up early the next morning, as much as she didn’t want to. She had slept very soundly with Discord curled around her, and she was still sleepy as she stretched and moved her pillow back over toward the rest.

Discord lifted his head, stretching out each leg. “Mm, good morning.”

“Good morning.” Tempest gave him a quick kiss.

He wrinkled his nose. “Ugh, morning breath.”

She breathed against her wrist and sniffed, then made a face. “Ew. Alright, I’ll brush my teeth.”

They climbed out of bed, going to the bathroom to brush their teeth. Discord finished first and picked up Tempest’s hairbrush, tending to her mane. She had gone to sleep with it damp and now strands of hair were sticking up all over the place.

“Let me see, I brush it up like this, right?” Discord asked, running the brush from the roots up.

“Yeah, that’s right. Just keep doing that, it’ll stay up.” Tempest watched their reflections as Discord worked. She casually touched her cheek, feeling over the scar that crossed her right eye. She was used to it, but every so often she found herself reflecting on how she had gotten it, and how that event changed her life.

But it wasn’t so bad. She may have gone down a dark road, but thanks to the kindness of Twilight and her friends, she was brought back to the light. She had a lot to make up for but the journey had certainly granted her a unique perspective on life. The skills she obtained over the past several years have done her well and she planned to keep using them.

“Have you ever considered healing that scar?” Discord asked.

Tempest shook her head. “Never. My horn was one thing, and I’m glad you fixed it. But this scar tells a story. One that may be harsh, but it’s part of who I am. I never want to lose this.” She gazed at the jagged mark. “It’s a reminder that bad things can happen to good people, and you must always be careful.”

“It’s from the Ursa Minor, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I suppose it could be worse. You could have encountered an Ursa Major.”

Tempest snorted. “Yeah. I’m glad it was just a young one.”

“How did you even get into a scuffle with one of those anyway?”

“I was playing with my friends and our ball rolled into the cave. They were afraid so I volunteered to run in and grab it. And unfortunately, the Ursa Minor was home. And they’re very territorial.” Tempest sighed, and Discord moved to start grooming her tail. “I froze. Then as it raised its paw, fight or flight kicked in, and I chose fight. I was a very brave, aggressive filly. I charged up my horn and prepared to fight back.” She paused for effect, then said, “I promptly got the shit slapped out of me.”

Discord laughed, then apologized. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh at that. That must have been awful.”

Tempest shrugged. “It could have had a worse ending. See, I may have gotten my horn broken off by the hit, but me charging it up first saved my life. The magic backfired and blew the Ursa Minor back. One of its claws had gotten me across the face but I fired all the magic I could as I felt my horn snap off. It was enough to save me. I ran away in a daze while the Ursa was running around blind.” She pawed at the ground. “I went back for the piece of my horn later. Very carefully of course. But… it couldn’t be reattached.”

“I see. I’d imagine not, unicorn horns are very specialized body parts with all these nerves going through them. Reattaching one would take powerful magic even if it was immediate. Let enough time pass and the horn sort of seals up at the place where it broke. You can keep using magic through it but it’ll be harder to control. As you learned.”

Tempest nodded. “Yeah. It was hard for a while. But I took advantage of it. Unstable magic is very easy to shape into electricity and fire.”

“Haha, it is. You proved that when you invaded Canterlot.”

“Yeah.” Tempest turned her head to watch Discord brush her tail. “I think that looks good.”

“You think? I could give it some curls.”

“It’s fine, thank you.”

He straightened up and put the brush down, but she used her magic to pick it back up, and brushed his mane with it.

“My mane really doesn’t need much styling,” he said.

“I know, but I want to straighten it out a bit,” she replied.

So he lowered his head and let her work her way down his neck, grooming his short black mane.

“This is nice,” he said, resting his arms on the counter.

“It is,” Tempest agreed. “It’s kinda romantic.”

“This is what you consider romantic, eh? Helping each other with personal hygiene?”

“Well it sounds weird when you say it like that but yeah.”

“I see. Well then.” Discord picked up Tempest’s hoof pick. “In that case do you need me to help you clean your hooves?”

She laughed. “No thanks, I’m good on that for now.”

He set it back down. “Well, let's take on the day.”

They went outside. Though it was early, plenty of storm creatures were up, socializing and taking care of chores. A few were fishing, wanting to gather fish before it got too hot and they retreated into the deeper, cooler water.

Tempest and Discord decided to just ask around town to see if anyone needed their help. Tempest was drawn one way to help pull weeds while Discord headed over to examine the tree farm. They ended up meeting back up again to check out a house that was being built, offering their advice. When asked to help measure and cut wood for it, they agreed.

They were still working when Dusty found them.

“Good morning,” he greeted them.

“Hi,” Tempest said, lifting a beam and carrying it over to the house to help prop up the roof.

“Already helping us out, I see. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.” Tempest made sure the beam was sturdy, and returned to Dusty. “What do you need?”

“So I talked to some of the main fishermen and they agreed that a fishing outpost and piers is just what they need. Do you think you or Discord could help them design those?”

Tempest waved Discord over and passed along the information. He quickly agreed.

“I would be happy to help! In fact I also have a plan for a fish hatchery!” Discord said.

“Oh, wonderful,” Dusty replied. “In that case, I want you to go to the lake and meet up with Hook. You can't miss him, he's kinda scrawny but tall and wears a fishing hat with several hooks on it.”

“Got it, I'll go see him.” Discord opened his wings and flew away.

“And Tempest, once you're done with the house, I want to talk to you about this bowling alley idea. And I could also use some advice on ordering supplies, I know you hate logistics but it is one of the most vital parts of running... well, anything.”

Tempest groaned, but nodded. “Right. I can help with that.” She pulled over a plank of wood and a saw, cutting it. “I'll head over once I'm done here.”

“Great. But no rush, houses are way more important.” Dusty headed back to the town hall and Tempest returned to her work.

The house was soon stood up, its roof and walls in place, and Tempest helped hammer in nails using her precise magic. There was the occasional argument about proper house building procedure, but it was nothing serious. Tempest was able to calm them, but there was something hilarious about listening to a bunch of her old soldiers fight over board sizes and nail locations.

It was only a few minutes later that she left them to finish up, going to talk to Dusty. He invited her into his office and set out tea and biscuits, before laying out some papers.

“I'm not much of an architect but I think have some good ideas for the bowling alley,” he said. “What do you think of this one?”

They went over designs together, debating the pros and cons of different layouts for the building. They eventually settled on one, and then discussed who was going to build it. Dusty wanted it to be handled locally, but Tempest insisted that they bring in a professional crew for this, as bowling alleys required very specialized equipment and she wanted to make sure it was perfect.

They argued over it for a while, before Dusty conceded that none of the storm creatures knew how to build a bowling pin setting machine and he didn't want anyone to get hurt trying. They would have a company from Equestria build for them.

With that taken care of they started talking about the bar section of the alley. How big they wanted it to be, what the prices will need to be, how they'll keep the kids out, and so on.

Dusty was a stickler for detail, and he kept Tempest busy as he came up with new situations and diverged into what-ifs, and she finally had to reach across and pet his hand, telling him to just relax and worry about it once the alley was actually running.

He bashfully agreed, and finally turned the topic to the school he wanted to build one day.

They were still holed up in his office when Discord came to find them.

“We've built a pier and have started building a sidewalk around the lake,” he said. “Have you two been in here all day?”

“Unfortunately,” Tempest replied, pushing a paper aside. “There's a lot of little things to running a town. Man, I'm glad I'm not mayor.”

“It's a lot but you get used to it,” Dusty assured her. “Discord, good to see you! You got the pier done already?”

“Yep! A bunch of people were willing to help me out, we brought in some trees, cut them into planks, and built a decent-sized pier. Now you can catch more fish! Also we're starting on the outpost and I wanted your opinion on whether the fish prefer worms or raw liver around here. Or smaller fish? Either way I need to know so we can start getting stocked on bait.”

“Oh, well...” Dusty thought about it, then said, “I've caught some pretty big ones with just worms. I think you'll be good to go stocking up on those, go out to the desert and start digging, there are big night crawlers out there that will be perfect. Though, perhaps keeping some cans of liver from previously caught fish will help too.”

“Sounds perfect, thank you!” Discord set his hand on Tempest's shoulder. “Well, good luck. Bye!” He headed back out.

Tempest sighed and pressed her head against the desk.

“You know, I think we've gotten a lot done today. You should head out to help Discord.”

“Really?” she asked, looking back up. A piece of paper stuck to her face and came up with her.

“Sure! We can get back to this tomorrow.” Dusty reached over to peel the paper off. “Go have fun.”

She smiled and got up. “See you later, then.” She waved to him as she left, and as soon as she was out the door, she took off trotting before he could think of a reason to call her back in.

She briefly said hi to Mary, and then went outside. It had grown hot while she was inside, but it wasn't as unbearable as the heat in Klugetown. She went to the lake, where Discord was setting up a building near the pier. It had a small door leading into it and a wide counter where people could come up to buy things. Nearby, a storm creature was writing out a list of products and the prices.

“Need help with anything?” Tempest asked.

“Do you want to put the roof together?” Discord asked. “Once these walls are finished we simply have to lower the roof onto it and nail it into place.”

“Got it.” She checked out the dimensions of the building, and then started working on the roof. She preferred the physical work over writing plans and arguing. Not to mention, she could listen to Discord muttering as he worked, making little quips about what he was doing. He would also occasionally run the end of his tail across her back, which made her smile. As he finished his work, he started doing it more often, and she casually moved so she was closer to him, pulling the partly-finished roof over with her. The next time his tail touched her, she reached over with a foreleg and grabbed it, hugging it close and nuzzling.

Discord's shoulders went up, and he looked back at her. He seemed surprised, then smiled. “Feeling affectionate, are we?”

“You're one to talk,” she replied. She examined the red scales covering his tail, and prodded her hoof against some of the spikes, before letting go. “Is that wall done yet?”

“Just about. It'd already be done by now but you know how the storm creatures are. I can't just snap my fingers and make it happen.”

“Yeah, but at least it keeps us busy. I know how you get when you're bored.”

“Hmph. Just finish that roof.”

“Sure thing.” She went back to nailing a beam into place. It only took a few more minutes before she was ready to attach it to the building. She levitated it up, and with Discord's guidance, lowered it into place. He went inside to put the nails in.

Finally the hut was done, and they stepped back to admire it.

“Simple but functional,” Tempest said.

“Yep! Now Hook can start providing supplies to the other citizens.” Discord walked around to the side of the shack. “Now then, I think I'm gonna set up the fish farm over here. I'll get some barrels and set up a whole system for moving them between them as they grow... Hm, yes, this'll be great!” He already had one barrel, and swept water into it and plunked it down. “Hook! Let's catch some fish!”

Tempest laughed as he dove into the water to go fishing. He seemed to have no interest in using a pole, instead snaking underwater and catching them by hand. She settled down to watch as he and a few storm creatures worked to gather fish, focusing on tilapia.

They were able to gather a few barrels worth of fish, and left them inside the shack for the night.

“We can set the farm up more properly tomorrow,” Discord said, going to pet Tempest's neck. “I hope I didn't bore you while I was fishing.”

“Nah, I liked getting to relax and just watch you. But maybe I can help you with the farm tomorrow.”

“I'd love that!”

“And you can help me with the park and playground,” Tempest suggested.

“Absolutely. Do kids like slides into bottomless pits?”

“I think I'd leave that kind of thing for when we build the amusement park.”

“Amusement park?”

Tempest smiled and nuzzled him. “You never know, they might get enough tourism to warrant it one day.”

“I'm holding you to that.”

They walked together back toward their house.

24. The Early Bird

It was early the next morning when a horrifying screeching noise echoed throughout the town, accompanied by a fierce billowing of wind as if a tornado had swept through. Tempest leaped nearly straight up, and Discord jumped out of bed too, throwing up a magical shield around them.

Tempest stood still, ears perked as the screaming continued, but then it faded into the distance and everything went silent. While she was panting and trying to catch her breath, Discord said exactly what she was thinking.

“What in the actual fuck was that?” He waited, but when there was no more noise, he lowered the shield and went to look outside.

Tempest covered her chest as her heart continued to thud. “I... have no idea. It was like a thunderstorm or a tornado or something... But that screaming? It was like a griffin stepped on a pin or something.”

Discord shook his head as he looked back at her. “That thunderous noise? Did you notice it was rhythmic? It was like... wing beats.”

“Wing beats? But what kind of beast is large enough to sound like that? Do you think it was a dragon? There are some pretty big dragons out in the badlands to the north...”

“I don't know, but we should go see if anyone's hurt. Whatever it was flew straight through town.” Discord started to go, then paused and leaned down to take Tempest's hoof. “Are you okay? You seem startled.”

She nodded. “I'm fine. It's just my fighting instincts. Let's go.” She headed out, Discord flying over her.

As soon as they went outside, they saw what the commotion was. Several houses had been knocked down, in a trail of destruction leading right to the lake, where the fishing hut was also completely destroyed. Past that point, they didn't see any more damage; whatever it was had left after that.

Spotting Dusty, Tempest trotted over to him. “What happened?”

“Well, that's what I came out here to see,” he replied. “All I heard was that terrible screaming and a bunch of loud flapping noises.”

“See, told you it sounded like wing beats,” Discord said.

“Let's make sure everyone's okay.” Dusty began going around to the houses checking on everyone. Luckily, the storm creatures were robust and no one seemed seriously injured, though a few were nursing scrapes and cuts.

Tempest went to investigate the lake, finding Hook, the fisherman, among the wreckage.

“Did you see anything?” she asked him.

“You bet your tail I did!” he replied, tossing aside what looked like a piece of wood from the fish barrels. “I was just checking on the fish when I heard something screeching like a wounded hawk, looked up and this huge bird was flying through town knocking buildings over! It came straight for me, tore the shack apart, and stole our fish!”

“A huge bird?” Tempest looked at the ground, and saw that there were a few scattered feathers. She picked one up. It was brown and while it was light, it was nearly as long as her entire body. She swallowed. “Well then. Do you know what kind of bird it was, exactly?”

“It was shaped just like a hawk, only bigger than any I've ever seen before. And its beak was full of sharp teeth.” Hook sighed as he surveyed the wreckage. “Well, at least the pier is still in one piece.”

Tempest turned to Discord as he landed next to her, showing him the feather. “What do you make of this? Apparently a giant bird flew through and tore the place apart.”

Discord accepted the feather and turned it a few ways. “This is a big feather, but judging from the shape it isn't even a primary feather. Looks like a secondary feather actually. Whatever this came from is huge.” He shrugged. “I'm really not sure. But we can worry about that later. Let's get this place fixed up.” He raised a hand, then paused. “Can I do everything with magic for once or do I still need to build by hand?”

“No magic, there's no honor in that,” Hook said sternly.

Discord sighed. “Fine.”

The repairs took hours. Many of the damaged houses had to be completely rebuilt. All the fish barrels were gone or broken, so those had to be rebuilt, and the day was spent fishing to replace the stolen tilapia.

It was hard work, and Tempest spent it mulling over what kind of bird could have done this. And why. She groaned as she lifted a stack of freshly cut wood planks and carried them to one of the houses. “Hey, guys. So sorry about this, we really should have a night guard, or... something.”

They shrugged. “Ah, don't worry about it,” one of them said. “If that bird did this, imagine what it would have done to a guard.”

She supposed she couldn't argue with that.

Still, as they finished up their repairs, she went to talk to Discord. “I think we should do a stake out tonight.”

“A stake out?” He grinned, and with a poof of magic, he was covered in a black body suit and wearing night vision goggles, dropping down and pulling her down next to him. “We going to spend the night in hiding, looking out for bad guys?”

“Something like that.” She pushed the goggles up so she could see his eyes. “I was thinking we spend the night outside and see if that big bird comes back. If we can figure out exactly what it is, we can find a way to stop it. Maybe even fight it ourselves. With my magic, and your... well, self, it won't stand a chance.”

“Hm.” Discord stroked his beard. “Good point. Sure, we could have a stake out. Want to take a nap before we do, though? You've been up all day, I don't want you falling asleep while we're out there.”

“I'll be fine. I'll just sleep in tomorrow. Besides, you can just conjure me up some coffee if I get tired.”

He chuckled. “That I could. Alright then, we'll stay up all night, keep an eye out, and kick that bird's tail feathers if it comes back. It'll be a blast.”

“Heh, yeah.”

They first went to tell Dusty what they were planning, and he agreed that having a lookout was a good idea. He offered to send some storm creatures to watch too, but they turned him down, since Discord was a one man army. Then they spent the rest of the day checking up on the storm creatures whose houses had been wrecked, making sure they didn't need anything else. But they all assured her they were good to go, so they decided to just grab snacks and set up their guard post.

They would hang out at the north end of town, since that was where the bird had come from. With Discord's keen vision, he'll be able to see it coming from miles off if it returns.

He conjured up a barricade with stairs going up either side and a platform on top, and climbed up onto it, a camouflage uniform appearing on his body along with combat boots and face paint. “Alright, we're in for a long night, soldier! I hope you're ready to defend your country!” He snapped his fingers, and a uniform appeared on Tempest too.

She chuckled and raised her right foreleg to salute him. “Yes, sir!” She looked at the camo and made a face. “Tiger stripes?”

“Tiger stripes are so in right now.” He looked her over, then smiled and leaned in to boop her nose with his own. “You look adorable in that.”

She gently pushed his face away. “Come on, keep it professional while we're on duty.”

He laughed and nonchalantly waved his hand, vanishing the uniforms. He made a pair of binoculars and looked through them. “Okay, I don't see anything yet. Then again, the bird did show up very early in the morning, so it might show up at a similar time tonight. Or, well, tomorrow morning I suppose.”

“In that case, I'm sitting down.” Tempest sat and pulled over a bag of chips, popping it open. Discord sat next to her, stretching out his legs and looking at the sky.

“Hm, the sunset is beautiful tonight,” he said.

Tempest moved closer to him, resting a hoof on his thigh as she watched it. “It is. But I'm sure you've seen countless sunsets all over the world.”

“I have. But they never seem to get old. Celestia really does a good job on these.” Discord took some chips. “Really, it's a collaboration between Celestia and Luna. Same as the sunrise. I remember being so impressed by them the first time they moved the Sun and Moon by themselves.”

“That must have been quite a sight for everyone.” Tempest laid down, yawning.

Discord frowned at her. “You really should have taken a nap.”

She shook her head. “I'm fine. I've stayed up all night plenty of times.”

“That can't be healthy.”

“Oh please, it's only mildly affected my mental health.” She watched as the Sun sank below the horizon. “Do you think anyone else will ever take over controlling night and day? I mean, Celestia and Luna won't be around forever... right?”

Discord was quiet for a bit as he thought about it. Then he said, “As natural born alicorns, they will have long lives. But if they could have magic like that, I suppose there's a chance more ponies could come along with similar magic. I mean, look at Flurry Heart. Cadance and Shining Armor's daughter. She's got powerful magic already and she's just a foal! So... if any more alicorns are born, they could possibly take over Celestia and Luna's jobs.”

“Heh, well, if Celestia and Luna don't want foals then I doubt there'll be many more alicorns. Unless Cadance has more.”

Discord nodded and finished the chips. He frowned, then reached over to check out the other snacks.

“Though there's also Twilight. She might have foals one day,” Tempest mused. She opened a bag of trail mix.

“Heh, she might. But I don't think she's even showed interest in anypony yet. If she does have foals, it won't be for some time.” Discord settled on one of the snacks and lifted it, then paused and stared at the label. “Pork rinds? Oh, I do so appreciate these omnivorous storm creatures.” He opened the package and took out a pork rind, crunching on it. “Mm.”

“Ughh.” Tempest shuddered at the idea of eating strips of pig skin fried in lard. ...Then again, fried food. “Could I get one of those?”

Discord gave her a look. “You disgust me.” He handed her one.

She giggled as she leaned back against him. “I know, I'm horrible. But it's not my fault this stuff tastes so good.” She bit into the rind. “Mm, delicious. Oh are these barbecue?”

“They sure are!” He lifted his head to look north for a few moments, but the coast was still clear. He looked back at Tempest. “I'm so glad I can indulge in meat treats around you. One time I forgot about how sensitive ponies are to the idea of eating meat, and just casually walked up to Fluttershy eating turkey jerky. She was... mildly upset to say the least.”

“Oh boy, I can imagine. Well, was it good jerky, at least?”

“Oh, delicious!” Discord licked his lips. “But out of respect for Fluttershy, I won't do that again. Wow, just look at the stars out here.”

“There's so many of them.” Tempest patted Discord's leg, and he moved to lay down with her. She rested her head against his neck. “I've spent many nights far away from any cities. Where you can see thousands of stars. Maybe more, it's not like I ever counted. But I was always too stressed and busy to really pay much attention. I'm glad I can really stop and look now.”

“I always thought looking at the stars was overrated. Like yes, they're up there, giant balls of burning gas- sorry, plasma- so far away we can barely fathom the distance. But...” Discord's hand ran up the back of her neck and into her mane, stroking it gently. “I can appreciate their beauty. And it's fun to look for shapes in them.”

“I can use the stars to navigate,” Tempest said. “Like... that one, over there?” She pointed to a particularly bright dot. “That one is always in the north. At least after sunset. It moves though throughout the night so you can't always rely on it.”

“Oh yes, that one's good. But how do you feel about that one?” Discord pointed to a star gleaming near the Moon.

“The evening star,” Tempest replied. “It's there every night. You can see it in the morning too, which is kinda cool.”

“Heh. Would I believe you if I told you that it's not a star, but a planet?”

“A planet?” Tempest stared, then looked back at him. “Are you sure?”

“Quite sure. Honestly you ponies have so much more about space to learn. But you notice that the evening star doesn't sparkle? It's absolutely a planet.” Discord gazed at it, then said, “Actually that's already recognized by the Equestrian Astronomy Society but ya know, not every pony keeps up with space news.”

Tempest chuckled and shook her head. “You are just a treasure trove of questionable knowledge.”

“Listen, get a reasonably strong telescope and you'll be able to see what I mean. Space research is actually kicking off, you should look into it because it's super fascinating! I bet Twilight would be into it.”

“Heh, probably.” Tempest stretched out her front legs and sighed, looking north. “What if the bird doesn't even come back and we spent all night out here for nothing?”

Discord lifted her chin, leaning his head down to press their noses together. “Then we spent all night hanging out together, which isn't nothing at all.”

“Hm.” Tempest smiled. “That's really lame.” She tilted her head and gave him a kiss. “But we get to sleep all day tomorrow.”

“Absolutely. Can't wait.” He gave her a small lick when he leaned back, which made her snort. “But while we're awake, wanna plan out more of our O&O campaign?”

“Sure! I really think Dreadful Dusk could use a change of wardrobe, I'm thinking more black. And jewels...”

25. Banquet

Tempest and Discord stayed up all through the night chatting about O&O, magic, history, and whatever else came to mind. They frequently checked to see if the bird was around, but it never showed up.

“Maybe it just happened to come by and it doesn't care to return,” Tempest said, yawning as the Sun finally began to rise.

“Maybe. Or maybe it's back at its nest plotting how to further wreck the place!”

“We don't even know if it's intelligent or not,” Tempest pointed out. “It could just be some bird that buzzed us because it was feeling territorial but will promptly forget about us.”

“Yeah, but specifically taking down the fishing hut? Taking the tilapia? I think it's fairly intelligent.”

“Hm, maybe.” Tempest flopped onto her back. “I just wish I knew what exactly the bird is. Some kind of thunderbird? Though I guess there would have been lightning involved with that. I don't know.” She rubbed at her eyes. “I wish Twilight was here. She knows everything. But she's too far away to really help us.”

“True, she's quite the egghead,” Discord said. He touched her shoulder. “But I think you're just as smart as she is. You'll figure this out.”

Tempest smiled gratefully at him.

They continued to not see the bird for the rest of the day, and decided that it really was gone. Reparations were finished and Discord made the fish farm even better than before. They started breeding the fish so they could have a steady food source, and once that was taken care of, they moved along to helping build a playground. It will be some time before it really gets used, but in the meantime, the tennis and volleyball courts should see use.

“We should probably test the court,” Discord commented as Tempest finished tapping down the tennis net.

She conjured a ball and racket. “I was hoping you'd say that.”

He beamed and created a racket for himself, while also poofing up a nice pink polo shirt with a racket emblazoned on the pocket. “Just don't be upset when I beat you.”

“Heh.” Tempest gave the ball a few bounces. “Big words for a guy who's not even holding his racket correctly.”

“I'm more about creating a racket than using a racket,” Discord said, smoothly brushing his mane back.

“Alright, enough talk.” Tempest threw the ball up. “Serve!” She swung the racket and smacked the ball across the court. It bounced on the other side of the net, and Discord ran forward to hit it back. They exchanged volleys for several seconds, but finally Discord hit the ball so hard that when it bounced back at Tempest, she swung and missed. It flew off behind her, and she groaned and went to get it. That was when she noticed that a few storm creatures had gathered to watch, and they cheered.

“15-love,” Discord called.

Tempest snorted and lifted the ball with magic, carrying it back to the court. “Alright, that was a warm-up.” She served the ball across.

It was a close match. Tempest had fast reflexes, but Discord was strong, sending the ball flying almost too fast to track. He won the game, and they played a few more, to the amusement of the watching storm creatures. Most of them cheered Tempest on, but the rest were more than happy to root for Discord.

They finally decided to stop after about thirty minutes, and declared the tennis court open. They went over to the locker set up nearby, placing the rackets in along with several balls, for public use. Then they headed back home for lunch.

Tempest was sweating from all the running back and forth, and she told Discord to just make whatever while she took a shower. He agreed, and she went to wash the sweat off and clean dirt out of her hooves. She reflected on the work they've gotten done lately. Sunny Oasis was looking great, and in a few weeks they would likely get started on the bowling alley. In the meantime they would likely head down the road to build a rest stop between here and Klugetown.

People were already traveling from Klugetown to visit, bringing their money and visiting the convenience store, often buying crops and other supplies from the storm creatures. The pond became a popular fishing spot and the storm creatures were making plenty of friends. Tempest was happy for them.

It's been a week since the strange bird trashed the town. Dusty decided they should have a small banquet to celebrate how well things were going, and many storm creatures contributed food from their gardens. Tempest got with Discord to cook vegetarian eggrolls, which was fun, as he had very unorthodox methods of cutting the cabbage.

“Seriously, we have knives for a reason,” Tempest said, offering one to him.

“I think spoons make it much more interesting,” Discord replied.

Tempest just chuckled and shook her head.

Once the eggrolls were done, they took them out to the banquet, which was set up near the fishing pier. There was plenty of delicious food to choose from, and they both helped themselves. Everyone who tried the eggrolls said they were delicious.

As the afternoon wore on, several storm creatures took up woodwind instruments and played soft tunes for everyone. A few people took to dancing, and Discord and Tempest joined in, waltzing slowly together.

“When we get back to Equestria, we need to go dancing every weekend,” Discord said. “Hit up different clubs, go to balls... It's so nice to have somepony to dance with that isn't intimidated by me being more than twice her height.”

“That just makes it interesting,” Tempest said. She spun Discord around and dipped him. He wrapped his arms around her and just flopped back, pulling her down to the ground with him. She laughed and threw her forelegs around his neck, nuzzling his snout.

Someone clearing their throat made them look up. Dusty grinned at them, resting a hand on his hip. “Sorry to intrude, but Mary made these excellent dumplings and I wanted to share some with you.”

“Sure,” Tempest said. She got up, and dipped a shoulder, letting Discord use her for support to get up too.

They greeted Mary over by one of the tables, accepting plates of food from her.

“It's so nice having everyone together,” she said, looking around at the festivities. “I'm glad we found the oasis, and have made it such a nice home.”

“It really is beautiful out here,” Tempest said, trying the dumplings. They were delicious. “I'm so happy for you all, you've come so far and I'm proud of what you've accomplished. And I'm glad you've let me help you.”

“Absolutely!” Mary grasped her shoulders. “You've done so much for us! You were a great commander while we served the Storm King, but you've learned to be a friend since and you continue to be a great leader, even without the whole commander label. Honestly, I don't know what you're gonna do after this, but you should keep on leading people.”

“Heh, well... maybe. I guess I am kinda good at it.”

“Mm, you really are,” Discord said, through a mouthful of food. “I can definitely see you being a leader, the only question is in what. Military might be an obvious choice, but there's also politics, or maybe-”

He was interrupted by an ear-splitting screech, one so loud that everyone dropped what they were holding and covered their ears.

“Rude!” Discord shouted, then turned toward the source of the noise. His eyes widened. “Duck!” He tackled Tempest, hitting the ground with her and shielding her as a massive blur passed overhead.

She looked past him. “That's not a duck, that's a...”

The blur slowed and landed, flaring its wings out and letting out an earthshaking shriek. It easily stood twenty feet tall, wings stretching out for fifty. It was shaped like an enormous hawk, just like Hook had described. Before anyone could make a move, it took off again, flying in a circle over them before crashing through buildings, talons coming down to tear up tables and send them flying. Everyone ran to take cover, though several people got thrown and smacked aside by those dangerous claws.

Discord got up, and Tempest swallowed as she saw that all the amusement had left his face. His lip raised in a snarl unlike any she's ever seen him make, and he faced the bird, magic flaring around his hands. He took off, and thrust his hands forward, his magic so powerful that Tempest saw the air ripple around it. She perked up, excited to see what he had planned for that bird-

Only for the creature to slam into the magic chest first and disperse it with no apparent effort. Discord gasped, jerking backward, but in his surprise the bird was able to catch up to him and slam him into the ground with one particularly hard flap of its wings.

Tempest growled and got up. “Okay, that does it!” She charged up her own magic and fired a concussive blast at the bird. It jolted, but otherwise didn't seem hurt, turning to face her. It landed with a rush of air, and she fired again. This time, it blocked the blast with its wing. She kept shooting spells at it, but none of it seemed to penetrate past the feathers. Finally she had to stop, panting. Discord crawled over to her, getting up and groaning as he wiped his mouth off.

Tempest stared as a bit of red came away. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “Yes, I just bit my tongue when it slammed me down. I'm fine.”

She turned to the bird, deciding that if magic wouldn't work, she'd have to channel Twilight and do the diplomatic approach. “Who are you?” she called, hoping it could understand her. “And what do you want from us?”

The creature lowered its head, piercing her with its harsh glare. “I am the Roc,” it said. Its voice was rough, but feminine. “This is my territory, and this is your second warning. Get out. Don't make me return a third time, or it will no longer be a warning.”

“But,” Tempest started, only for the Roc to spread her wings and take off, flying away.

They stared after her, but then their attention was drawn to the damage left in her wake, and they instead rushed to tend to their injured friends.

“I'm fine,” Dusty said as Tempest pulled him out from under a table. He rubbed a cut on his cheek. “Where's my wife?”

“Um, well...” Tempest looked around, unsure.

“I got her!” Discord called, standing up with Mary in his arms. “She's okay.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Dusty ran over, and Discord set her down, so they could embrace.

“Is anyone seriously injured?” Tempest called, looking around. Several people had gashes, some missing clumps of fur, but like before, no one seemed seriously hurt. She was glad storm creatures were so durable.

“I might have a broken wrist,” someone said, nudging her. She turned to look.

“Here, give me your hand,” she said, holding out her hoof. He held his hand out, and she carefully felt his wrist. He winced, but didn't pull away. “Hm... no, it's not broken, but it might be sprained. I'd recommend binding it and giving it a few days to rest. Go see a medic just in case.”

He nodded. “Will do, thanks.”

Tempest sighed and looked at Dusty. “I'm so sorry about all this.”

“There's nothing to be sorry for, you couldn't have known it would come back.” Dusty picked up a plate and sighed at the food scattered all over the grass. “Mm, so we're up against a Roc. Great.”

“I've heard of Rocs but don't know much about them,” Tempest said, levitating the food up and vanishing it.

“Neither do we. But I'll tell you what I do know. They're very rare and very territorial. They can live anywhere, but usually keep to themselves. If it happens someone is in their land, though... they get violent.” Dusty went around picking up tables and checking on his citizens. “And the most frustrating thing about them, at least for you ponies, is their magic-canceling ability. They can't use any magic themselves, but they can stop it from affecting them. If you catch them by surprise, you might be able to get a good hit in. But once they know you're there, they can stop any magic you can possibly throw at them.”

Tempest groaned. “So I'll need to find a different way to deal with this than just shooting magic at the Roc.”

“Exactly.” Dusty hurried away to go help someone pull some belongings out of their wrecked house, and Tempest turned to Discord, who had been following behind them.

“So, we're up against a giant bird who isn't hurt by magic,” she said. “Not even yours. What should we do?”

“First of all, I would just like to say that this is absolute bullshit,” Discord commented.

Tempest wanted to laugh at how disgruntled he was. “Yeah, I bet. Not even your magic can do anything to her.”

“I know, and I hate it! Ugh, of all the things we could be up against, it had to be a Roc! This is Chrysalis's throne all over again, I hate things that can resist my magic! But whatever. We can find another way.” Discord thought about it. “We'll either need to attack her physically, like with normal weapons, or do the cute pony thing and talk her into being friendly.”

Tempest trotted over to Dusty. “Do you know anything about getting rid of Rocs?”

He gave her a glum look. “Unfortunately, we don't really know a way to get rid of them. Only another Roc has ever been seen to kill one or chase them away. If you find yourself under attack of a Roc... you leave. You get away from its territory. There's not much you can do.”

“So, we'll need to leave?” the storm creature he was helping asked. “We've spent so long building this place into a home, and we can't stay?”

The others overheard him, and crowded around asking questions, demanding to know if they'll have to leave their home.

Dusty tried to calm them. “Now hold on, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm sure we can reason with this creature. I don't want any of you to have to leave either.”

“But you heard her, this was our second warning! Next time won't be a warning!”

“Was she threatening to kill us?”

“If we don't leave, she could easily destroy everything!”

Tempest stamped her hoof down. “Everyone, listen!” They stopped chattering and looked at her. She looked for something to stand on, only for Discord to lift her up so everyone could see her. “Oh, thanks. Okay! No, none of you will have to leave. I'm going to find a peaceful solution, one that works for both us, and the Roc!”

They were surprised, but clapped for her and wished her luck.

“I really hope you can,” Dusty said as Tempest was set down.

“Me too,” she replied.

26. Research

“Are you sure this is what you want me to do?” Discord asked as Tempest walked with him to the door.

“Yeah, I'm sure,” she said. “We need to find out more about Rocs and we won't do that just sitting around here. So I want you to go back to Twilight's library and have her help you find more information. Take all the time you need. And I'll stay behind to help everyone rebuild. And protect them if the Roc comes back.”

“Alright. I'll see what I can learn. Be careful.” He leaned down to hug her, then teleported away.

Tempest looked outside and sighed. It'll be a long day of repairs after the Roc's second attack.

Discord materialized inside Twilight's castle. He headed for the library, but once he was inside, he wasn't sure where to start. He flew around, checking various shelves, but there were far too many books for him to go through all of them himself. He decided to just land and call for the one pony that would know where to start.

“Twilight!” he yelled. His voice echoed through the room. “Twilight Sparkle!”

After a few seconds, Twilight appeared in front of him in a shower of sparks. “Is that who I... oh.”

Discord grinned and picked her up, hugging her. “It's so good to see you again!”

“Uh, yes, hi,” she said awkwardly. “What are you doing here? Are you and Tempest back already?”

“Oh, no, we're still hard at work,” Discord said, setting her down. “But I came back because we need your help with something. A little research project, so to speak.”

Her eyes lit up at that. “Oh, okay! What do you need help with?”

“What do you know about Rocs?” he asked.

She tilted her head. “Rocks? What kind of rocks, and I think Maud Pie would be a better pony to ask...”

Discord shook his head, though chuckled at her confusion. “Not rocks that you find on the ground. I mean Rocs, as in the giant birds that hunt dragons and apparently harass storm creatures.”

“Ohh.” Twilight nodded. “Those Rocs. Spike and I had a bit of a run in with one of those, actually. We don't know much about them unfortunately, they're so territorial and violent that it's dangerous to study them. But I'll tell you what I can.” Her horn lit up, and she pulled books down off various shelves. “I only have one book that focuses entirely on Rocs. The rest of these mention them in passing. I really wish I had more, but...”

“It'll do, thanks,” Discord said, gathering the books and sitting down with them.

Twilight came to sit next to him. “So why the interest?”

“Because we just had one threaten the storm creatures,” Discord said, flipping open the first book.

Twilight gasped. “Oh no. What happened, are they okay?”

“They're fine. But it turns out Sunny Oasis, that one northern town of theirs, is in a Roc's territory. They had no idea, she didn't even show up until now, but she's very upset that they're there. She broke down a bunch of their houses and stole barrels of fish from them. Then she came back today and did even more damage. No one's been seriously hurt, but she was mad. She told us to leave, that this was her second warning and next time it won't be a warning.”

“So... was she threatening to kill you?” Twilight asked in a hushed voice.

He nodded. “Unfortunately. She doesn't seem like she's above murder.”

Twilight looked sick. “Ah. That's awful.”

“I know. Which is why we need to find some way to get rid of her.” Discord scratched at his neck fur. “We'll kill her if we have to but we'd rather find a peaceful solution first.”

“I'm sure you'll be able to convince her not to hurt anyone,” Twilight said. “Is there anything she wants? Maybe you could give her a gift?”

“We didn't get a chance to ask, she just told us to leave or else, and flew away.” Discord frowned as he read the book he had opened. “And this doesn't seem too promising.”

“What's it say?” Twilight asked.

He moved it over so she could read along. “Rocs are incredibly antisocial. They only meet each other to mate, and even then they can barely stand to be around each other while that's happening. Heh, nothing new there.”

She had to suppress a giggle.

Discord kept reading, “As soon as they're done, the female chases the male off. As the larger partner, she usually succeeds, because if he stays, he's probably going to be eaten. Once that's taken care of and she's ready to lay her eggs, she makes a nest and lays between two to four of them. Instinct drives her to stay just long enough for them to hatch, as she wants to pass on her legacy, of course. But she has no feelings for the hatchlings themselves. She provides them food for a few weeks after they hatch. And then she leaves once they start developing feathers and show signs of being able to fly.”

Twilight stared. “She just leaves?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“Does she at least show them how to fly?”

Discord scanned the page. “Nope. I mean, they watch her every time she flies somewhere, so if they don't figure it out, clearly they weren't meant to live.”

“Wow, just... wow.”

He flipped the page. “But that's not the worst of it. When she leaves, well, those chicks are still pretty hungry. So the first thing they decide to eat? Each other.” Twilight gagged, but Discord just laughed about it. “Hardcore!”

Despite her disgust, Twilight read from there, morbidly curious. “The strongest chick eats their siblings. Then, driven on by hunger, they finally leave the nest and fly off. They'll hunt small animals at first. Rabbits, squirrels. But they just keep growing. Soon they have to move up to larger beasts. Bears. Alligators. They'll even prey on sentient species if they see them. Ponies, deer, griffins, whatever they can get. They see dragons as an especially tasty challenge. They absorb magic from everything they eat, but they especially like using dragons for that. Hm, they absorb magic...”

“Magic. Rocs have magic?” Discord asked. “I was told they can't use it.”

“They use it, in a sense. But it's not an active kind of magic like what unicorns can use. It's a lot more passive, but... tricky.” Twilight spent a few silent moments reading, making sure she was reading this correctly. “They use magic as a sort of barrier. Basically, they can cancel out any magic used against them.”

Discord whistled. “I knew that. But they use magic to block magic? Interesting.”

“Yeah. The good news is, they have to actively want to use it. So if you surprise them with an attack, they might not be able to block it. But if they see you coming? Everything you do to them will have no effect. You'd have to use physical attacks. But well... they're birds. They're fast, they can fly, so they're very hard to hit. If we can ground one, clip its wings, that'll give you an advantage. But good luck doing that.”

Discord waved a different book. “According to this story, which I admit could just be hearsay, Rocs have a weakness against fire.”

“That makes sense, Spike was able to drive one back by breathing fire at it.”

“Mhm! So if I'm able to get a direct hit against her with a flame attack, that could be enough to chase her off!” He kept reading.

“Hm, you might have luck attacking her en masse,” Twilight said. “If she has to focus on you to block magic, then if multiple people attack her at once, she might not be able to focus on all of them.”

“Excellent point.” Discord pulled over a notebook to write in.

“How long do you plan on being here?” she asked.

“Tempest told me to take as long as needed, but I'll probably head back in a few hours, I need to help them repair Sunny Oasis after that last attack, it got pretty brutal.”

“Mm, okay. But if you are willing to stay for longer, we could go ask Princess Celestia and Princess Luna for help and check out the Royal Canterlot Library!” Twilight got up to prance in her excitement. “And travel to the Crystal Empire and go through their extensive library! We're gonna make sure you get all the information we have on Rocs, okay?”

“Heh, okay,” Discord agreed. “I'm sure Tempest will be fine without me for a couple days.”

“Get back!” Tempest shouted, horn flaring as she galloped toward a pack of snakes. They hissed at her, tails rattling. Most snakes preferred to keep to themselves, avoiding places with much larger predators. These desert snakes, however, were the exception.

One lashed forward, and she jumped straight up to avoid its fangs. Her magic exploded outward, sending the snakes flying. When they hit the ground, they decided it wasn't worth it and slithered away.

With a snort, Tempest headed back into town. The wildlife around here was bold, but it was no match for her.

“Get rid of those rattlers?” Dusty asked as Tempest wiped her hooves off on the grass. “I bet they came super close to defeating you.”

“Oh, yeah,” she laughed, brushing sand out of her fur. “It'll take a lot more than a few angry snakes to beat me.”

“I guess that's part of the danger of standing up a completely new town, you have to deal with the local animals,” Dusty said. “Of course I want to live alongside whatever creatures I can, but not all of them are peaceful, heh. Thanks for dealing with that.”

“No problem. If the worst you have to deal with are snakes, I think you chose a good-”

The sound of heavy feet pounding against stone made Tempest's ears shoot up, and she turned toward the southern road. The storm creatures turned to face it too, in time to see around eight huge lizards come around the dunes and charge for the town. Riding on their backs were tall cat people.

“Abyssinians!” Dusty exclaimed.

The cats unsheathed various swords, though the one at the very front of the group had a gun. Their leather clothes and the bags hanging over their mounts gave away who they were immediately.

“Bandits!” Tempest shouted. “Everyone, take cover, NOW!”

Everyone outside quickly hit the ground, and the lead cat aimed his weapon. Tempest snarled and ran forward, and the barrel was pointed right for her forehead. She saw his finger tighten on the trigger, and she focused her magic, knowing she would have to be quick. The second she heard the bang, she reached out and snagged the bullet in midair.

She caught it when it was inches away from her face, and her breath caught in her throat. But the leader seemed surprised, and that was what she was going for. She threw the bullet aside and broke into a gallop while he fumbled to reload. He was struggling to put a bullet inside when she leaped up and tackled him right off his mount.

“Who are you?” Tempest growled, wrenching the gun away and throwing it.

He yanked a knife from a sheath she hadn't noticed, swinging it at her. She jerked back, but it still grazed across her chest. She grunted and stomped her front hoof into his face, while her magic pulled the knife out of his hand and threw it too. With no weapons left, he hissed, “I'm Jakal, scourge of the desert.”

“Jakal?” Tempest asked. “That sounds a lot like jackal, which is a kind of dog, which is pretty funny...”

Jakal punched her in the mouth. Pain flared from her teeth, and she grunted, instinctively hitting him back. She would have kept going, but then she realized they were surrounded by the other bandits, who had climbed down from their lizards and were now closing in, swords pointed at her.

Tempest stepped off Jakal and jumped up, flipping backward over their heads. She fashioned her magic into a ball of energy and threw it down. The resulting explosion sent the bandits flying, giving her time to run back toward the storm creatures.

“Form up!” she shouted to them. “I need eight groups of three and I want each group to focus in on one bandit! Everyone else, chase off the lizard mounts! And be careful, they have swords!”

The storm creatures stood to their full heights, grunting and cracking their knuckles before getting groups together and running to take on the cats. Tempest called Dusty and Rusty over to her side, running toward Jakal.

The bandits seemed stunned at the sudden mass of creatures rushing toward them, but ran to meet them anyway.

“I wish we had our shields!” Dusty yelled.

“Me too, but we don't, so be careful! I'd recommend sliding in under their swords and disarming them as quickly as possible, then taking them down with good ol' hand to hand combat!” Tempest dropped to the ground in a slide, getting past one of the bandits and jumping back up in front of Jakal just as he was grabbing his gun from the ground. She twirled and delivered a solid kick to his arm with her hind legs, hearing the crunch of bone. He howled and dropped the gun, and was promptly tackled by Dusty and Rusty, whose superior size allowed them to pin him.

The other bandits were overwhelmed just as easily, and Tempest listened to their panicked shouting, alert for any signs of pain from the storm creatures. But they seemed to be doing fine, so she focused on Jakal.

“Never come here again,” she said, pressing her hoof down firmly on his chest.

He thrashed, but with two storm creatures pinning him down, he had no hope of getting back up. He glared at her. “You'll pay for this, I have more companions, I'll bring them all here and we'll burn this entire town down!”

“Is that so?” Tempest stepped on his tail, making him yelp. She leaned in close, staring into his yellow eyes. “Look around you. Look at how easily we're stomping your pitiful gang. Yet, we aren't seriously harming any of them, are we?” She waited for him to look around and acknowledge that while his partners were being tossed around, none were actually hurt. He looked back at her, and she continued, “If you return, we won't play nice like we are right now.” Her horn glowed, and she brought his gun over, pulling a bullet from his pocket and loading it. “We were part of the Storm King's army, which as an Abyssinian, I'm sure you're aware.”

He swallowed. “Y-yes, I know, that's why we targeted you. Klugetown was far too dangerous to invade, but we thought... all of you out here would be helpless. We were going to get revenge for what you've done to us.”

“I understand your anger. But that was all done under the Storm King's orders. He's gone now. Dead. We will never lay siege to your towns again. We don't want to hurt you. We just want to live a peaceful life.” Tempest slid the hammer back and pointed the gun at him. “But we will fight back if threatened. If you know what's good for you, you and your buddies will leave, now. You'll never come back. And if we hear that you've caused trouble for anyone else, we'll make sure we eliminate you.” She looked at her friends. “I don't think any of us want scum like this running around in the desert, right?”

The others agreed.

Tempest chuckled and took the gun apart, dropping its pieces into the grass. “So what's it gonna be, Jakal? You gonna keep fighting and get yourself killed? Or are you going to leave and never bother us again?”

Jakal's lip raised as he started to hiss, but one of the other cats yelled, “Sir, it's hopeless, they're too strong! They took all our weapons!”

“Our sand lizards are gone!” someone else shouted.

“Our supplies! Sir!”

Jakal finally spit and said, “Fine! Everyone, fall back! We'll leave, let me go!”

Tempest nodded to Dusty and Rusty, who stood and let Jakal scurry away. He swore upon seeing that all the mounts really were gone, and waved to his companions to follow him. They were right behind him, spurred on by the storm creatures kicking them as they went. Soon the bandits were out of view, running off into the desert to the east in pursuit of their sand lizards.

“Whoo! Great job, everyone!” Dusty shouted, clapping Tempest on the back and turning to check on everyone.

She found herself laughing as the adrenaline wore off. “Whew, alright, that could have been bad. That could have been... so bad. Is anyone hurt?”

A few storm creatures came forward, nursing cuts that were clearly left by swords.

“Ouch,” Tempest said, gently pulling someone over to check his arm. He had a particularly long few gashes that had gotten through the fur and were currently bleeding.

“The bandit was skilled, it took a few tries to disarm him,” the other said sheepishly.

“It's alright, Brian.” Tempest wasn't too good with healing magic, but she did what she could, cleaning the blood away and conjuring a bandage so she could wrap the wounds. “Here, keep pressure on that and don't do any heavy lifting, you know the drill.”

He nodded and thanked her, walking away.

“Change it every day and clean the wounds with warm water and soap!” Tempest called after him.

She and Dusty worked to tend to the others, and one of their medics, a woman named Kris, ended up running to gather her supplies and brought them over, using them to numb and disinfect everyone's wounds.

It was only when the last storm creature had walked away that Tempest finally noticed the pain in her own chest, and she pressed her hoof to the cut only to find that it was deeper than she had thought.

“Oh, that's not good,” she commented as she watched blood stain her fur. “Kris, uh, got any more bandages?”

Kris knelt down next to her, peering into the cut. “Ouch, that's got to sting. Do you feel lightheaded at all?”

“No, I'm okay. Just... that hurts.”

“I imagine so. Here, just hold still.” Kris cleaned it off, then wadded up some bandages and put pressure on it. “Luckily it's a short wound. I'm going to stop the bleeding, then stitch it up, and you should be good to go.”

Tempest wasn't a fan of getting stitches but she nodded anyway. It wasn't long before the bleeding stopped, and Kris got out the stitching kit. Along with a small bottle of alcohol, which she poured into a shot glass.

“You may want to take this,” she said, offering it to her.

Tempest accepted the glass. She took a breath, then knocked it back. Kris wiped disinfectant on her skin, then a sharp-smelling herbal mixture to help numb it. Tempest's nose wrinkled at the smell. Years of smelling it when visiting the med bay on the Storm King's ship and it still wasn't tolerable.

Kris got to sewing up the wound, and Tempest couldn't help wincing when the needle first pierced her skin. She decided to talk to Dusty to keep her mind off it. “Have you been bothered by bandits before?”

He shook his head. “No, this was the first time. I figured it would happen sooner or later though. Abyssinia is harsh. Some people would rather just steal than make a living on their own. But I'm glad you were here to help us.”

“Heh. You could have managed without me.”

“Sure we could have. But it was nice having our commander doing her thing.” He nudged her, and she chuckled. “You really are meant for this. Being in charge, leading us into battle.”

“Yeah, Mary was saying that back at the banquet.” Tempest dug her hoof slightly into the grass at a particularly painful twinge from the needle. “I've definitely got a knack for it, huh?”

“Mhm. I mean, is it really much of a surprise? You've done it for years and though he was harsh, the Storm King was an excellent teacher.” Dusty patted behind one of her ears as she tensed. But that was the last stitch, and Kris tied it off and pulled the needle away.

“I suppose he was. Too bad he was an asshole who deserved what happened to him.” Tempest thanked Kris and stepped away once able.

“Yes, true.” Dusty sighed and looked east. “Hopefully those bandits stay away.”

“I think they will. That was a humiliating defeat for them, I doubt they'll be back for a repeat.” Tempest limped back toward her house. “I think I'm going to go lie down.”

“Alright. Take it easy, let me know if you need anything!”

“Of course!” She went inside, and only when the door was closed did she let herself groan in pain. But the shot already seemed to be kicking in and the pain was fading. She dragged herself onto the couch and laid down, sighing. She really wished Discord was back.

28. Loving Care

Discord looked at Tempest as soon as they were back in Sunny Oasis. “Alright, we're safe now, we can... Tempest?” Her eyes were closed. He quickly landed, hurrying for Kris's house. He didn't waste time knocking, just throwing the door open and running in. “Kris! Tempest is hurt!”

The storm creature jumped up, but before she could get annoyed at his intrusion, she saw Tempest's side and gasped. “Quickly, bring her over here!” She led him to a different room with a bed in it, and Discord laid Tempest down.

Now that she was stretched out, he could see the deep tear in her skin, starting at her shoulder and going all the way across her side, ending at her hip, and it was steadily bleeding.

Discord stared in shock. His initial reaction was to raise his hands, ready to use his magic to stop it, but he didn't want to make the situation worse. He could cause internal bleeding instead if he misjudged the depth of the wound! He hesitated, but luckily Kris regained her composure almost immediately and moved into action. “She's losing a lot of blood, first thing I need to do is get the bleeding to stop. Discord, fold this cloth into a square and apply pressure to the gash. I'll do the same.” She tossed him a cloth, and he quickly folded it while she did the same with her own. Then they pushed the squares against Tempest's side.

“Is this really all we can do?” Discord asked.

“These cloths are laced with a clotting agent,” Kris explained. “They'll help her stop bleeding, and once that's done I can check her for further damage.”

“Is she going to be okay, she doesn't look like she's breathing, have you checked-”

Kris turned and slapped him. He jerked back, and she said, “I can't have you panicking on me. Get a hold of yourself.”

He blinked, then sighed and looked back down at Tempest. “Thanks.” He silently berated himself for almost panicking.

“She's breathing. It's just very slow.” Kris felt the side of Tempest's neck, finding her jugular. “And I've got a heartbeat here. She'll be okay. But what happened?”

“We went to confront the Roc,” Discord explained. “She tried talking to her, but she refused to find any sort of peaceful solution. She said she was going to kill and eat everyone here. Tempest got mad and attacked her, and we ended up fighting. And well... the Roc kicked her. Got her right here with a single claw. I'm glad it was only the one claw, but it did some serious damage. Threw Tempest through the air, I was lucky I saw it happen and was able to catch her before she hit the ground. She might have died.”

“Oh, poor dear.” Kris checked Tempest's temperature. “I'm glad she had you looking out for her.” She lifted the cloth and glanced underneath. “Okay, looks like the bleeding's stopped. If you'd like to clean the blood off, I'll check for broken bones.”

Discord snapped his fingers and vanished the blood. Kris didn't comment on it, feeling along Tempest's rib cage. She lingered about halfway down it, furrowing her brow.

“What is it?” Discord asked, concerned.

“She's got a few broken ribs.”

“Oh, that's terrible! I wish I could help, but I... I mean I can heal a broken horn, but bones are much more complicated, they've got all that muscle attached to them and there's nerves and...”

Kris touched his arm. “It's alright. I know what to do, I've patched her up plenty of times before. Her own body will be better at healing her than anything else.” She pulled on some gloves. “I'm glad she's unconscious, now I can set her bones without her feeling it. Though... you may want to hold her down, just in case.”

Discord nodded and went around to the other side of the bed, holding Tempest down. Kris began pushing her bones into place, and Discord winced at the audible popping noises, keeping his eyes on Tempest's face. It didn't wake her up, but he saw her ears flick. Kris was quick, setting the ribs and then sewing the wound together. It took her a while, as the gash was nearly two feet long. But finally she was finished and picking up a length of bandages.

“Alright, now if you could just lift her up slightly so I can bind her ribs,” Kris said.

Discord carefully lifted Tempest, and Kris wrapped the bandage around her barrel.

“Should we make sure we cover the rest of her wound?” Discord asked, seeing that a good bit of the wound was still visible over her shoulder and thigh.

“This is just to keep her ribs in place,” Kris explained. “I can put normal sticky bandages over the rest of her wound.”

Once Tempest's chest was bound, Discord set her down and Kris covered up the rest of the cut. With that taken care of, she gently stroked her neck.

“Poor dear,” she said. “But that was very brave of you both to take on that fearsome creature.”

“We had no choice. She was going to kill everyone, we had to do something.”

“So... how did the fight go? Did you defeat her?”

Discord shrugged. “I'm not sure. I basically collapsed a mountain onto her, but I think I saw her moving a bit. I didn't have time to check, I just wanted to get Tempest back here. And I'm glad I did, because she passed out from the blood loss as soon as I teleported.”

“I'm glad you brought her back then. A few more minutes and she might have lost too much blood.” Kris sighed at how soaked the bed was. “I know I've asked you for a lot, but if it's not too much trouble, do you think you could hold her up again so I can put down fresh linen?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Discord used magic to levitate her, not wanting to risk hurting her ribs. He was able to hold her completely steady in a comfortable position, and Kris quickly pulled the bloody blankets off. She made sure it hadn't soaked into the mattress, then pulled on fresh sheets. Then she gestured for Discord to put Tempest back down. He did, and rested her head on a pillow. She slept on, unaware.

Kris gathered up the dirty sheets. “I wish I had more equipment, but we'll just have to monitor her ourselves. I put in a request for a heart monitor though, maybe I'll get one soon. And I need more supplies for my IVs, and oh... being a medic is such an expensive job.”

“I imagine so. But I'm glad you're here, and you've done a great job with what you have,” Discord said.

She smiled and carried the sheets out.

Discord picked up the chair from the corner of the room and took it over to the side of Tempest's bed, sitting down and watching her. He held her hoof, gently stroking it with his thumb, watching her chest rise and fall with slow breaths. But her breathing seemed even, and he was hopeful that she would make a full recovery.

Several minutes passed. Kris returned to check on them, and said that Tempest will probably wake up soon, and once she does, to make sure she drinks water. She left a gallon jug of water on the table along with some painkillers, and said she would be back soon, she just wanted to check up on everyone who had been injured in the bandit attack. Discord nodded and said goodbye, and returned to watching his partner.

“Ugh, I should have been paying attention,” he growled to himself. “I knew you were down there at the Roc's feet trying to attack her, I should have stopped her from kicking you, if I had just put a little more effort into my magic, maybe I could have defeated her...” He felt the corners of his eyes sting and hastily wiped them off. “No, don't cry,” he ordered himself. “You're better than that. Look, she's fine. Your... your marefriend is... fine.” It was still weird to think of Tempest that way. Marefriend. Girlfriend. Partner. Whatever term, it didn't matter, but she was his. And he wished he had taken better care of her.

He kept talking to himself. It was really his main way of coping with things, and he's done it for so long it was second nature. “At least she's asleep. Maybe by the time she wakes up, she won't be in much pain.” He looked up and down her body, taking in the old scars. She's been through a lot growing up, countless battles, and the evidence of them was plain on her hide. He thought it made her look tough. And now, judging from how deep that wound in her side was, she would likely be adding another scar to the collection. But at least it would make an epic story, he mused.

He wondered what will happen after this. Was the Roc injured too? Would she come back for revenge? Maybe he should go back and finish the job. Tempest will probably be asleep for quite some time, he can probably teleport to the mountain and back without her noticing. He stood up, hand slipping away as he prepared to go.

Then she moved, legs curling in a little closer and her ears laying back. “Ugh, that hurts...”

Discord immediately leaned over her. “Tempest? Are you awake?”

Her eyes flickered open, blinking before focusing on him. She tried to get up, but he pushed her back down.

“No, don't move, you're injured,” he said.

“That would explain why my side hurts so much,” she replied. She licked her lips and coughed. “Ugh, my mouth is so dry.”

“Here, drink this.” Discord passed her the water. She uncapped it and took several gulps, before cringing and putting the jug down.

“Oww, ow, that's bad, what happened?” She looked at the bandages.

“You were kicked by the Roc and one of her claws gave you a nasty cut,” Discord replied. He handed her the painkillers. “Here, take these too.” He waited for her to swallow them, then continued, “The blow also broke some of your ribs. I was able to bring you to safety, and Kris fixed you up. But you'll need to rest for a while so you can heal.”

“Oh. I remember being thrown out of the nest, and you catching me... everything just seems kinda blurry.” Tempest rubbed her eyes and sighed. “I guess I passed out, then?”

“Yeah, you did. You were losing a lot of blood. But it's okay. You're going to be fine.”

“I sure hope so.” Tempest picked up the water, drinking more slowly. “I think the Roc is still alive. I saw her move right before I passed out.”

“Yeah, I think so too. I was just going to go check on her.”

“Mm. Man, I can't believe I just attacked the Roc like that. Knowing they're able to resist magic, and I just shot her. Ugh.” Tempest kneaded her pillow.

Discord chuckled and stroked her mane. “It was a good attempt, I think you actually hurt her with that first blow. It was just... everything else that didn't really affect her. I'm just glad you're alive. That could have been much worse. And you know what... when I go back, if she's still alive, I'm going to finish the job.”

Tempest thought about it, then shook her head. “No. One person alone probably can't do it, even if they're as powerful as you. We need a plan. I think... I think we should have the storm creatures help us. Get them to attack her, and distract her enough that then you can come around behind her and attack without her being able to block your magic. Then you can deal a killing blow.”

“So we're going to kill her? You don't want to keep trying for peace?”

Tempest sighed. “As much as I wish there was a peaceful solution... there isn't. She just doesn't want that, and we can't force her to change her mind. She wants to kill all of us, and after what we did, I doubt she's going to cooperate with us now. So... we'll get rid of her. For the good of Sunny Oasis, she has to go.”

Discord nodded. “If that's what you think is best.”

Tempest was quiet for a while as she finished the water. Then she set the jug down and gestured for Discord to lay next to her. He gladly did so, and she carefully snuggled up with him. “Thanks for catching me. I was certain I was gonna die when I went over the cliff.”

“Heh, no problem. I'm glad I saw what happened, otherwise I might have just kept fighting and not even noticed you going over. Thanks for screaming.”

“Oh, no problem I guess. I don't like screaming but I was really scared.”

“I don't blame you, that had to be terrifying.” He kissed her forehead. “But it's okay now. You'll get better and then we can teach that Roc a lesson.”

She smiled and cuddled closer, and Discord draped a wing over her to keep her warm. The bed was almost too small for him but he made do, curling up his tail and his neck around Tempest. She closed her eyes, resting her head on his neck and idly petting his side. Next thing he knew, she had fallen asleep.

“You must be really exhausted,” he said. “That, or those painkillers are stronger than I thought. But no matter. Rest, my dear. You need it.” He stayed with her as she dozed, deciding that he can check up on the Roc later. After getting tons of rock dumped on her, she definitely wasn't going anywhere.

Discord waved his hand and pulled the curtains across the window, casting the room into darkness. Then he rested his arm across his partner and held her close, pressing a kiss to one of her ears before drifting off to sleep with her.

29. Recovery

When Discord woke up, he immediately checked on Tempest. She was still asleep, muzzle buried against his chest fur and one foreleg thrown over him. He smiled and briefly held her hoof, then slid away. She didn't even notice him getting up, and he slid a pillow under her head and pulled a sheet over her, making sure she was comfortable.

“I'll be right back,” he whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth before teleporting away. He went to the jungle, popping back into existence over the mountain where the Roc lived. He flew around, seeing that most of the rocks had been tossed away. The Roc was sitting in her nest, beak down as she fixed it. It had gotten crushed by the rocks, and she was using the fabric she had been gifted to repair it. Discord saw that her feathers were ruffled, many torn out, and she was holding her wings out and limp. Judging from how carefully she was moving, her wings were hurt too badly for her to use them. Which meant she couldn't fly. And if she couldn't fly, she couldn't return to Sunny Oasis.

Discord chuckled to himself and got ready to go back with the good news. Then he heard her muttering to herself and decided to fly down to listen in.

“Stupid pony, stupid chimera,” she was growling as she wove cloth through her nest.

Discord snorted. Chimera? He was far more chaotic than one of those three-headed amalgamations.

“They'll pay for this. As soon as my wings are better, I'll... I'll rip them apart.” She pulled a little too hard on one of the pieces of fabric, ripping it. She called out angrily, stamping her feet a few times, before throwing the ripped piece out of the nest.

Flames burst up around Discord's arms as he heavily considered just taking her out, right here, right now. He could do it. She hasn't noticed him, she was injured, he could strike her down... but Tempest wanted him to wait. So he took a breath, held it, and breathed out slowly, calming himself down. He flicked his arms to get rid of the fire. Then he turned away and teleported back to Kris's house.

He walked up to Tempest's bed, leaning down and resting his arms on it as he watched her. It was evening and he didn't really feel like going back to sleep. But with nothing better to do, he climbed up with her and curled up, gazing into space as he thought about how they were going to deal with this situation.

A few quiet minutes passed, and then Kris poked her head in. “Oh, you're awake. How is she?”

“She's fine,” Discord replied. “Sleeping soundly.”

“That's good. Mayor Dusty and his wife are here to see her, if that's okay.”

Discord thought about it, then shrugged and nodded. Kris stepped aside, and Dusty and Mary walked in. Mary was carrying a vase of pretty purple flowers, which she placed on the nightstand.

“She looks pretty peaceful,” Dusty commented as he walked up to the bed.

“Yeah, but just wait until she wakes up,” Discord replied. “She was in a lot of pain earlier. Luckily, Kris's painkillers knocked her right out.”

“Heh, I'm not surprised. It's for the best, though. She needs her rest.” Dusty set down his own gift, a stuffed animal.

“Is that a dolphin?” Discord asked.

“She likes dolphins,” Dusty replied. “It's not really something she told many people, but. Yeah, she likes them, I thought she'd find this amusing.”

“Heh. Thank you, I'm sure she will.” Discord turned on the lamp so they could see better, then got up, going to check out the flowers.

“I was hoping things would go well when you visited the Roc,” Dusty said. “But Kris told me what happened. She wasn't exactly understanding, was she?”

“No, not at all. We did what we had to.” Discord crossed to the window, opening the curtains now that the Sun was setting. “And the Roc is still alive. I just checked on her, she's alive but her wings are hurt, she won't be able to fly for a while.”

“That's good news,” Mary replied.

“Yeah, but here's the bad news. Once she is able to fly, she's coming back, and she's going to rip us apart.” Discord shook his head. “Can you believe that? She's already seen the damage we can do and she still wants to kill us!”

Dusty exchanged a concerned look with Mary, and said, “So what are you going to do?”

Discord returned to the bed, sitting on it and resting a protective hand on Tempest. “Well, that's what we needed to talk to you about, actually. So I'm glad you're here. We're gonna need to work together. Tempest wants for the storm creatures to fight the Roc, keep her distracted, while I come in and deal a powerful magical blow that will finish her off. Rocs are weak to fire. What I'm going to do is hit her with enough fire to burn her to a crisp, and then we can be done with this.”

Mary gasped. “You're going to burn her to death? That's an awful way to go!”

“I know, but what choice do we have? Either she dies, or we die, and that's the only weakness I know of! If we could settle this painlessly, we would, but I think we're way past that.” Discord saw Tempest stirring and evened out the blanket over her, making sure she was warm. But that was enough to wake her up, and she yawned, lifting her head. “Oh, good evening, sleepyhead!”

She grunted. “Heh, hey.” She looked around and saw the others. “Oh, hey Dusty, hey Mary.”

“Tempest!” Dusty moved forward to pat her shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, my ribs are broken and it really hurts, but other than that, I'm fine.” Tempest freed her front legs and pushed herself up a bit, but didn't move too much, just wanting to look around. “Oh, it really is evening.”

“Mhm, you were sleeping like a foal,” Discord replied. He caught her up on what he learned while visiting the Roc, and summarized the conversation up until now.

Once she had some time to think about that, she sighed and said, “Alright then. You're right, we have no choice. There's no way we're abandoning this town, and now the Roc is determined to kill us. Me and you especially, even if we do leave, I bet she'll try to hunt us down. So... we have to get rid of her first. I didn't want things to go this way, but... I guess not everything can have a peaceful ending.”

Discord held her hoof. “Right. I'm sure Twilight has told you all these stories about bad guys getting reformed, about conflicts being resolved, but... sometimes, there isn't a happy ending. Sometimes people are just bad and vicious. Sometimes, you have to destroy one creature to protect many more.”

“Yeah. Good point. It's just unfortunate.” Tempest was disheartened by that news, but she tried to focus on other things. She thanked Mary for the flowers, and was pleased to receive the dolphin plushie. She hugged it close, and named it Flipper.

Kris came in to visit after about twenty minutes, bringing Tempest more water as well as dinner.

“Do you need any more painkiller?” she asked.

Tempest shook her head, munching on green beans. “I think I'll be okay. I've been through... hm, well, I don't actually know if I've been through worse than this. Broken ribs are really bad. But still, I can handle it. Pain is an old friend of mine.”

“Well, alright. But if it ever gets bad, let me know. I don't want you to suffer.” Kris left her alone, and Tempest discussed the Roc situation more with the others.

Dusty agreed to the plan, and said he would start getting the storm creatures ready. Other than when the bandits attacked, it's been a long time since they've fought, and they needed to practice. They wanted to do what they could to weaken the Roc, keep her distracted so Discord could do what he had to. Tempest wasn't sure if she'd be recovered enough to fight by that point, so she offered to lead the storm creatures into battle. Dusty said he couldn't agree more.

With that agreed on, there wasn't anything left to do except for Dusty and Mary to head back home to work on the plan. Discord stayed, making sure Tempest finished her meal.

“I'm not really that hungry,” she admitted.

“You need to eat anyway, you need your strength,” Discord replied. He sat next to her, trying to get her to take the mashed potatoes, but she just turned her head aside. “Don't make me feed you.”

She gave him a look, and he scooped some food up on a spoon and held it out. She sighed, and took the spoon with her magic, taking a bite. Bit by bit, he got her to finish off the plate. Once everything was gone, he set it aside and cupped her cheek.

“I know you're not feeling good,” he said, gently stroking her cheek. “But you need to eat and drink. I don't want you going hungry. Your body needs the nutrition to repair itself.”

“I know. It's just... the pain makes me not want to do anything but sleep. Even breathing hurts, and eating is the last thing on my mind. But okay. I'll try to eat.”

“Thank you.” Discord hugged her. “I wish I could heal you, but I don't know much about healing internal injuries, I don't want to make things worse.”

“It's okay. You're helping enough just being here.” Tempest shifted over, and he laid next to her. She covered his hand with a hoof. “I'm more glad than ever that Twilight had you come with me. I don't know if anyone else would have been able to save me. You were quick in grabbing me and you were able to teleport us safely back here. If it had been anyone else... I might not have made it.”

“I don't know, you're very tough, and Twilight has talented friends. If she had sent Starlight, for example, she can teleport just as well as I can. I'm sure she could have saved you.”

“Heh, maybe. But still. I'm happy it was you.” Tempest rested against him, yawning. “Man, I can't believe I'm tired again. I've spent all day sleeping.”

“That's okay. Get your rest.”

“What will you do? You don't need much sleep.”

“I'll stay here and make sure you're okay. Don't worry about me, I can entertain myself.”

“If you say so. Okay, then. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Tempest's recovery went well, but it was slow. She was soon agitated at having to stay in bed, but Kris didn't want her trying to walk, afraid she would hurt her ribs again. So she spent days recovering, and Discord often brought her books to read to pass the time. He stayed with her as much as he could, but she encouraged him to get out and keep helping the storm creatures, so he did. He helped them lay the groundwork for the bowling alley, tended to the fish farm, and even took to patrolling the road to make sure no other bandits were trying to sneak up on them.

Things were quiet though, and Discord figured the bandits had spread the word to avoid Sunny Oasis. He visited Klugetown a couple times, making sure the storm creatures there were doing okay, and they reported that they were. Curly was very concerned over news of the Roc, and admitted that killing her might be the only solution. She wished him luck in dealing with it.

After a week, Kris finally allowed Tempest to get out of bed, but only so she could stretch her legs and go to and from the bathroom on her own. Walking hurt her chest, and she had to take it very slowly, but she was glad to be doing something besides lying around.

Each day though, Kris let her go further. She monitored her closely, making sure she didn't strain herself, but she also didn't want her muscles to deteriorate from being in bed all the time. They had to find a safe medium. Luckily, Tempest was well on her way to recovering. Her ribs were mending and the cut in her side was almost closed up. Kris was sure she'd be able to pull the stitches out in a few days.

It was a surprisingly cool day when Tempest was finally just allowed to leave Kris's house and return to her own. She walked outside, Discord carrying her gifts from the storm creatures, and noted that the Sun wasn't painfully hot.

“It's cooling down,” she said. “It's fall, isn't it?”

“Indeed it is,” Discord replied. “Hard to tell out here, but yes. It's fall and in a few months it'll be winter. We're further north than Klugetown so we might get some cold weather. It probably won't get cold enough for snow, though.”

“Darn. I kinda like snow.”

“Perhaps we can go back to Equestria after this,” Discord said. “There'll be plenty of snow in Ponyville.”

She nodded, and they went back to their house. Tempest went slowly, and kept stopping to greet the storm creatures, who wanted to see how she was doing. But finally they made it inside, and Discord took the gifts to their bedroom, setting them out. Flipper the dolphin was placed on Tempest's side of the bed.

“I'm glad to be out of Kris's place,” Tempest sighed. “She frets too much.”

“Oh, like I don't?” Discord replied, leaning down to give her a careful hug around the neck.

She chuckled and patted his arm. “I like when you fret over me though.”

“Oh, is that so? Heh, well thank you. But you know Kris just wants you to get better.”

“I know. That doesn't mean I have to like her checking up on me constantly. Drink your water, Tempest. Don't roll around so much, Tempest. Did you finish dinner, Tempest? Oh, want some drugs, Tempest?” She sighed and sat on the bed. “She should know I don't like being babied.”

“Listen if you don't want those drugs I'll take them,” Discord said. Tempest lightly slapped him and he laughed.

“Well, no point sitting around. Let's go see what everyone's up to.” Tempest hopped back up, and winced, wrapping a foreleg around her middle.

“Take it easy,” Discord said automatically.

“Heh, yeah.” She headed out, and he stayed right beside her, ready to catch her if she fell. But she seemed steady enough, and they walked around town. They came across a group of storm creatures who were training with spears and practicing hand to hand combat. They briefly waved to them, then got back to their sparring.

“Good to see that they're getting ready,” Discord said. “And wow, look at them go! They may be big, but they're graceful.”

“Yeah, they are,” Tempest replied. “They're skilled fighters, and I'm glad we'll have them beside us when we face the Roc again.”

“Me too. And speaking of the Roc, last time I checked on her, she's still too injured to fly. But she's very frustrated, she's having a hard time hunting without being able to fly. When she eventually does come after us, there's a good chance she'll be too weak to do much damage. The odds are in our favor. Now it's just a matter of waiting for her to come to us.”

Tempest nodded, and kept walking. She was so ready to get all this over with.

30. Into Battle

Though she wasn't able to join them in training, Tempest did what she could to motivate the storm creatures. She often visited their practice sessions, encouraging them to give it their all, praising them on their strengths while pointing out their weaknesses and giving them tips to improve. They welcomed her commanding voice, saying it made them nostalgic. They trained hard under her critical eye.

Every day she would check on her injury, waiting to be able to remove the bandages permanently, but so far she couldn't. Discord often helped her replace her bandages, and each time they looked, her barrel was still terribly scarred and pressing on it hurt. So they'd put on the new bandages and tie them tight, and she'd have to keep tolerating it. Kris was able to pull out the stitches though, which was a slightly painful affair, but Tempest was used to the sensation. Then an herbal mixture was rubbed on to take away the pain, and she soon forgot all about it.

Everyone in town adored how Tempest was managing her injury, how she still walked with her head high and no pain on her face. She had a visible limp, but they didn't mind that. They were inspired by her strength nonetheless.

At night, Discord would usually hold her close, patting her as she finally showed her pain to him, shaking at the discomfort and shifting around as she tried to get comfortable. He looked into healing magic just so he could help numb the pain, but he wasn't very good at it. Which annoyed him, as he usually thought of himself as being good at everything.

“Well, healing magic is pretty harmonic, which seems to be the exact opposite of what you do,” Tempest pointed out. “But it's no big deal. I can use that spell on myself if I have to.”

“Yes, but you shouldn't be using magic. Save your energy.”

“Oh, it's no big deal.” Tempest's horn lit up with a soft glow, and the magic spread down to her side. She sighed and leaned against Discord. “There. Now if only I knew how to actually speed along the healing.”

“I was reading about that, but it's very delicate magic, only a few unicorns are even able to do it well, I could possibly do it but I'd have to be very careful.”

“Don't worry about it. I can heal naturally, I just have to be patient.” She nuzzled him. “I'll admit, I do like getting to sleep in. Especially snuggled up with my favorite draconequus.”

“Oh, do you now?” He nuzzled back against her, and licked under her chin.

She giggled and kissed under his jaw. “You're so sweet. Who would have thought that the fearsome lord of chaos could be so loving.”

“It's not something I go around telling everypony.” Discord pressed a kiss to her lips. She held it for a few moments, then pulled away, blushing.

“Well, too bad. I'm going to tell them all instead,” Tempest promised.

“Oh, boy.” Discord chuckled. “I bet they'll be surprised to learn that we started dating while out here. They'll probably have a lot of questions.”

“Definitely. I've been around Twilight and her friends enough to know exactly what they're going to ask.” Tempest began imitating them. “Twilight will probably be pretty cool but Pinkie will be all 'Are you getting married?! Can I plan the bachelor party? And the bachelorette party? And the reception?!' And then Rarity will be like, 'Oh I have the most wonderful idea for your dress, Tempest darling!' But I think the others will just kinda want to know how this happened, haha.”

Discord laughed. “Spot on Rarity impression, I liked that. But oh, I don't think they're gonna jump right to asking about marriage.”

“I don't know, Pinkie can get really excited, I wouldn't be surprised if her mind flew to that.”

“True. Well, what would you say?” Discord wrapped himself playfully around her, though was careful not to hurt her ribs. “Would you marry me?”

Tempest's cheeks grew hot. “Oh, um... I don't know. I mean I've never dated before, and marriage is such a serious commitment, I'm not... sure I'd consider marriage. I'd need a while to think about it. It definitely wouldn't be for a long time.”

“You're so cute when you get flustered. Don't worry, I'm not trying to make you commit to anything, I was just wondering. I know marriage is a big deal to ponies.” Discord considered it, then said, “But I think I'd be okay with marrying you. We've grown very close over these past weeks and I certainly want to spend the rest of your life with you.”

“The rest of... my life with me?” Tempest questioned.

“Ah, well...” Discord moved around to grip her hooves gently. “That's the hard part, isn't it? I've been alive for over a thousand years and will likely to go on living for thousands more. Draconequus have incredibly long lives. So... I'm going to outlive you. If you still want to be with me though, it's your choice.”

“I don't care that you're going to outlive me. In fact, I should be asking you if you're okay with that.” Tempest sat up, gazing into his eyes. “If we get really romantically involved, will you... be okay with losing me? Knowing you'll have so much more time without me?”

Discord sighed. Then he smiled. “I've done it before. I mean, not with romance, but when it comes to knowing ponies in general. I've accepted that everyone I grow close to will eventually have to leave. I accepted it when I befriended Fluttershy. And... I can accept it with you. I'll just be happy for the time I do know you. It's sad, but it's how things would have to be. Unless I'm with an alicorn, I know I won't have a partner who will live as long as me.”

Tempest nodded. “I guess so. Heh, it's too bad I'm not an alicorn then, huh?”

“Indeed. But hey, you have decades of your life left. You could even live for a hundred more years if you stay healthy! And stop fighting Rocs, you silly pony.”

Tempest snickered. “Okay, you have a point there. Well, if you're okay with being with me, despite... ya know. Then alright. I just want to make sure you'll be okay.”

“Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Though you know, maybe you could get yourself a pair of wings. Celestia and Luna aren't the only alicorns, maybe one of those younger alicorns will take a shine to you and bless you with that magic. Then we could have more time together!”

“Haha, maybe.” Tempest gave him a small kiss. “But I'll enjoy the time we do have together. And I think I might want to marry you. But I still need some time to think about it.”

“Of course. No rush, we have plenty of time.” Discord laid back down with her, idly running his claws across her shoulder. “Marrying a pony. Heh. That would be one of the strangest things I've ever done.”

“Everyone in Equestria will hear about it, I'm sure.”

“And probably plenty of people beyond Equestria too. Even us dating will probably be quite the gossip. Sure I'm good now, but I'm not entirely trusted by ponies beyond my friend circle. I'm the stuff of legends, as you know. There are still horror stories about me floating around. The news of me being romantically involved with a pony is going to shock the world. It might even make it to other draconequus, and oh, what a fun time that'll be.”

“Do you think any of them will bother you about it?”

“Probably not. They'll probably just laugh about it and go on with their lives. But still.” Discord looked up at the ceiling. “But being unpredictable is what I do! So to everyone who says they'd never expect me to get with you, that it's weird, well... exactly! Master of chaos!”

“Alright, master of chaos, I get it. Now do you think I could go to sleep? It's getting late.”

“Of course, my dear. Sorry for keeping you up.”

“Nah, it's fine. I like talking to you.” Tempest sidled in to give him one final kiss, and he ran his fingers through her mane as he responded, eyes falling shut. Then she pulled away, dropping her head to his chest. “See you in the morning.”

“Mm, see you.” He sighed, a bittersweet feeling in his chest as he thought about the conversation. It would be rough, losing her one day. But that wasn't for a long time. Right now, he had her in his arms, and he was going to cherish it.

It was another couple weeks before the Roc was able to fly again. Discord kept a close eye on her, but when he saw her take off and fly down into the jungle to grab some smaller birds, he knew it wouldn't be long before she headed to Sunny Oasis. He went back to the town and warned everyone, and they got ready. While they were prepared to fight with spears, they had also created small bombs, which they would use to annoy the Roc and keep her distracted. It was only a few hours later when the Roc made her way into the desert. Her wing flaps were laborious, but she was determined, flying straight for them.

“She's on the approach, everyone form up on the north side of town!” Tempest ordered. She still couldn't run, but she went from house to house to make sure everyone was warned, before making her way to the edge of town. She used magic to lift herself up, wanting a good vantage point to call commands and watch for anyone getting injured.

Discord joined her, and they got the storm creatures formed up into columns, each with a leader at the front who would be watching out for everyone behind them. Each column was identified by a letter, and while Tempest would be giving them each general directions, it was down to the captains to carry them out efficiently.

The Roc came in fast, screeching loudly, her talons clenching.

“Hold your positions,” Tempest called. She kept her eyes on the fierce bird as she came closer. “Hold it, hold it...” The Roc was seconds from reaching them. “Now!”

Tempest and Discord both teleported away, and the Roc blew past where they had been. All the storm creatures lit their bombs and threw them. They hit the Roc's back and exploded, and she shrieked, wings going stiff in surprise. She crashed into the ground, and Tempest and Discord reappeared over her.

“That's it, A team, keep her grounded!” Tempest yelled.

The captain of A team repeated her order, and those storm creatures hurled bombs at the Roc's wings, keeping her from flapping them. The rest of the teams moved in with spears, stabbing them out. The Roc angrily got up, lashing out with her talons. The storm creatures dove to avoid her, and Tempest flew around, calling on storm creatures by name to warn them away if necessary.

Meanwhile, Discord flew above and gathered a massive ball of magic into his hands, shooting it right into one of the Roc's wings. There was an audible crunch and the wing crumpled.

“My wing!” The Roc snarled and twirled about, her tail feathers knocking over several storm creatures. “How dare you!” She tried to jump up and bite Discord, but he snaked away from her beak, hitting her with another pulse of magic. This time it merely knocked her back, but she was clearly having trouble dividing her attention between all the attacks.

The storm creatures focused in on stabbing her legs, and she kicked wildly at them. Even with Tempest shouting warnings, several of them were thrown back. She groaned when she saw the cuts all over them. They needed to finish this fast, before anyone was seriously wounded.

The Roc suddenly shouted, “I'm going to kill all of you! And when I do, I'm going to eat you! And you!” She whirled to face Tempest, flapping her wings so hard that the gust of wind blew everyone back. She stumbled toward Tempest, beak wide open to display her sharp teeth. “I should have kicked you harder!”

Tempest yelled back, “We don't want to do this! We would have been happy to share this land with you, but you threatened us! You can still stand down and apologize, but otherwise, we will keep fighting!”

“I'm not apologizing! This place is mine and I'm not sharing! You can all burn!”

“Burning, huh? Excellent idea.” Tempest shot fire magic at her. She used her wings to block it. At the same time, Discord went behind her and used his own magic, finally managing to hit the Roc right between the wings with a huge fireball.

The Roc screamed, whirling and trying to put it out, but she couldn't stop it. The fire spread across her feathers, and the pain made her lose focus, her magic-blocking ability faltering. Tempest blasted her over, and she hit the ground, where the storm creatures quickly tried to subdue her. She thrashed, beak still snapping at them.

Tempest landed on the ground, frowning at the pained screams. Yet despite everything, the Roc was still trying to hurt them. Nothing would ever make her stop. So Tempest did what she had to.

She walked forward, watching the feathers drop from that great beast's body, and summoned the magic she has only recently studied. “You fought bravely,” she said, as the agony finally made the Roc still, only able to stare at her. “But it's over. You lost, and you are going to die.”

The other tensed, but didn't beg or cry, just watching the glow around Tempest's horn. Then Tempest hit her with the numbing spell. The Roc seemed surprised, but her body relaxed, now that she could no longer feel the fire eating into her skin.

Tempest waved for the storm creatures to back off, and they gladly did so. Then she went to sit next to the Roc's head. “I'm sorry it had to end this way. But I want you to go peacefully.” She glanced at her, and saw that her gaze was growing distant. Maybe there was something Tempest could do for her, some way to ease her passing. She lifted her head, and fired a beam of colorful magic into the sky. It exploded out into fireworks, which continued to blossom in a chain reaction, filling the sky with color.

The watching storm creatures let out awed gasps, mesmerized by the sight.

After about a minute, Tempest heard the sizzling of flames die down, and looked back at the Roc. Her eyes were trained on the fireworks. Then she quietly said, “It's beautiful,” and her body went limp, eyes losing their light.

Tempest took a painful breath, and stood up. She gently closed the other's eyes, and turned to Discord as he landed next to her. “I wish I could have ended it another way,” she said, moving into his arms.

“I know. But sometimes there is no other way,” he replied softly. “Like I said before, sometimes someone just wants to cause pain, and you can never change their mind. She was going to kill us. And you saw her nest. She's already been killing ponies, griffins, all sorts of intelligent creatures. People like us who had hopes, dreams, long lives they could have lived until that beast destroyed them. We did what had to be done.”

Tempest thought back to all the skeletons on the mountain and nodded. It really was necessary. But that didn't make it any less painful, knowing that she had helped take a life.

Discord pulled away. “What do you want me to do with the body?”

“Bury her. Just... move her body away and bury her.” Tempest pulled away.

“Can do.” Discord raised his hand, lifting the Roc and carrying her a good distance away before digging out a hole to bury her in.

Tempest went to gather up the storm creatures. Most of them were okay, but there were many injuries, some mild and others much more serious. She helped move the ones who couldn't walk back into town, an effort that took several minutes. Kris and some of the other doctors were ready to receive them, and got everyone taken care of, finding beds for them and tending to their wounds.

It was only once Tempest was in the town hall talking with Dusty about what happened that she finally felt like she was able to breathe properly again, and she panted, feeling weak. “It's done,” she said. “It's done, you're safe, and that Roc will never hurt anyone again.”

Dusty nodded. “It's sad that it had to end this way, but we did the best we could. Thank you for leading us.” He looked over as Discord entered the room. “Is she buried?”

He wiped his hands off and nodded. “Yep. She's buried a few hundred yards out beyond the border. I made sure I dug the grave deep, hopefully the smell doesn't come up.”

“Very well. Thank you, Discord. Your work in stopping her is greatly appreciated.”

“You're welcome. I'm glad I was able to help.” He rubbed Tempest's withers. “Hey, I know it's rough, but we had to do it. How are you holding up?”

“Okay, I guess,” she replied. “But... I think I might want to go back to Equestria after this. I... need some time to relax.”

“I completely understand.”

“Well, with all that settled, I suppose now I can point out what's been bugging me since we finished fighting,” Dusty said. He smiled at Tempest. “Congrats on the cutie mark.”

“What?” Her ears went straight up, and she twisted to look at her flank, ignoring the pain in her side. A gasp left her. Sure enough, standing out on her purple fur was a bright green set of three stars with more stars bursting around it, forming the perfect shape of a firework.

31. Going Home

“My cutie mark?” Tempest gasped, jumping to her hooves. “What... how... Why now, why fireworks out of all things? I don't understand.”

Discord rubbed his chin, then said, “I don't know much about cutie marks. The exact reason they appear varies from pony to pony and everyone has a different story as to how exactly theirs showed up. But I'll take a guess anyway. I think it's because today, you realized what you could do that made you special. You showed compassion to a dying enemy and brought light to her final moments. Even though you didn't have to, you were kind to her until the end. And you've shown all of us just how much you shine, as both a leader and a friend. And I think that's what those fireworks represent. It's not just your knack for them, it also represents how you've blossomed into the amazing pony you are today.” He ran his palm across her cheek fur as he gazed into her eyes. “...Fizzlepop.”

She groaned at him referencing her birth name. Then she laughed, and bounded into his arms, wrapping her forelegs behind his head and pulling him in for a kiss. He happily kissed back, deep and slow, savoring it.

When they separated, their faces were both bright red, and they laughed nervously upon seeing Dusty whistling and pretending not to look.

“Was that my thanks for saving everyone?” Discord asked teasingly.

“Heh, something like that,” Tempest replied. “But it's also because I love you.”

His eyes widened, and she realized that was her first time actually saying it out loud. Then he beamed, and he kissed her again, before saying, “I love you too.”

She just about melted in his arms, and happily kissed him.

Dusty waited patiently, and once they were done, he said, “Discord's right, you know. Tempest, you have been an absolutely wonderful leader, both before our freedom and after. It's what you were meant to do. I don't know why you never got your cutie mark while serving under the Storm King, but I suppose you needed to realize it's what you were meant for, instead of just accepting the role because you had to. And the fireworks are, quite frankly, perfect. You're just bursting with talent and energy, and they convey that very clearly. So congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing. “Wow, I never really cared about being a blank flank, but now that my cutie mark has appeared... I'm really happy about it.”

“And I'm happy for you,” Discord said, snuggling with her.

“Now then, you want to go back to Equestria?” Dusty asked. “Sure you don't want to help us finish the bowling alley?”

“I would love to, but...” Tempest chuckled and gestured to her bandages. “I really need some more time to heal, and I think I want to do it back in Equestria. I've grown to miss that place.”

“I completely understand. Well, you've done a lot for us, so I think we can get by without you.” Dusty got up and came around the desk to shake her hoof. “Thank you again for everything. I'll send you a letter once the bowling alley is up so you can come see it, how about that?”

“I'd like that. Maybe we could come play a few games.” Tempest stood, leaning a bit on Discord for support. She was tired from the fight, she had poured a lot of energy into those magical blasts. “Do you know of any other storm creature towns that might need us once I'm recovered?”

“Honestly, I think we and our friends in Klugetown have learned more than enough from you. We can help out the others if needed. I just want you to head home and relax. Don't worry about us.”

“Okay. Then, I'll see you around.” Tempest gave him a hug, then headed out with Discord. Once they were outside, Discord picked her up and carried her toward their house.

“This will be quite the story to tell our friends back home,” he said.

“Yeah, I can't wait.”

They packed up, and said goodbye to the storm creatures, who thanked them for everything they've done. Hugs were exchanged and Tempest checked on the injured, making sure she thanked them personally for everything they've done. But finally she had no more to say, and told Discord she was ready to leave.

His hand settled on her back, and he teleported with her back to Twilight's castle.

After that, they spent hours with the princess telling her about everything that had happened. She was glad to hear about the work they've done, but was disappointed in how they had to deal with the Roc situation.

“It was our only option,” Tempest sighed. “We didn't want to end it that way. But we had to.”

“I understand. I'm just really sorry to hear that,” Twilight replied. “But I'm glad the storm creatures are safe from her, and that she won't be able to eat anyone else. You made a hard decision and followed through on it. I'm not sure even I would have been able to do what you two did.”

Tempest nodded and looked away, ears falling flat.

Twilight hesitated, then changed the subject. “But hey, congrats on your cutie mark! It looks amazing.”

Tempest perked up at that. “Oh, thank you!”

“I almost didn't notice it, I was more concerned with those bandages and how beat up you look, but then you took your saddlebags off and I saw it! When did you get it?”

“After I did the fireworks show for the Roc, I suppose,” Tempest replied. “I guess that was when I realized my worth as a leader, and how even when I had to make the tough choices, I didn't have to let people suffer. I showed compassion to the Roc. And well, I guess that led to this finally showing up.”

“You're like fireworks in the sky,” Discord said. “Bright, beautiful, potentially dangerous!”

“Heh, thanks, big guy.”

“No problem, just wanted to make sure she got it.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, then said, “Well, thank you so much, to both of you. You helped out the storm creatures tremendously and from what you've told me, they're thriving in both Klugetown and Sunny Oasis. I wish you could have seen their other towns, but those were two of their main ones. We can always check up on the others later.”

They spent a while longer talking, Twilight writing out a whole long report on the subject, saying she was going to tell Celestia how it went. In the meantime, they should go let their other friends know they had returned safely.

“Sounds good,” Tempest said, getting up. She glanced at Discord as he casually stroked her neck, and said, “By the way. Discord and I started dating.”

“Really?” Twilight's eyes lit up. “Congratulations! Oh, I had no idea, you were good friends before I sent you off but you started dating on that trip?”

Discord sighed. “Well I didn't want to make a big deal out of it but apparently Tempest wants to tell everypony. But yes, we're dating. We just realized how much we cared for each other, and we're both quirky and love practicing chaos magic and we just get each other. So... we kissed one night at a party, and from there started dating. Tempest started it.”

“Aw, that's so sweet.” Twilight came over to hug them. “I'm happy for you. You're an odd couple, but you really do look good together.”

They thanked her, and headed out into town. Tempest smiled at the bright colors of Ponyville. They were a sight for sore eyes after months in the desert. She greeted the other ponies, explaining to the curious about why she was bandaged, but mostly getting to show off her cutie mark. They were thrilled, congratulating her on it. And the first close friend she ran into was none other than...

“Tempeeest!” a high-pitch voice called, before a pink blur darted out in front of her. Pinkie Pie hopped up and down excitedly, her curls bouncing. “Is that what I think it is? Do you have a cutie mark?”

Tempest laughed at her energy. “It sure is, I got it while on my mission from Twilight.”

“Wow! That's a super duper, sparkly amazing cutie mark! Is it fireworks? Ooh, it is, it's fireworks! Perfect! This calls for a party!” Pinkie wrapped her foreleg around her neck, pulling her close. “We need to throw you a cuteceañera! Right now!”

“Right now?” Tempest wondered.

“Yep, right now!” Pinkie trotted off. “Everypony, cuteceañera at Sugarcube Corner for Tempest Shadow, come on!”

“Well... okay, why not?” Tempest headed for Sugarcube Corner, shaking her head at just how spastic Pinkie was.

“I've missed this place,” Discord said.

Pinkie was somehow able to round up most of the ponies in town, inviting them out to Sugarcube Corner for the party, and then hurrying to set up tables outside and covering them with baked goods. She said this party was too big to hold inside the building.

“Oh, wow,” Tempest commented at just how many ponies showed up, all of whom seemed to want to shake her hoof and congratulate her on getting her cutie mark. She felt a little silly, as this kinda of event was normally thrown for young fillies and colts, but she appreciated it anyway.

She was happy to see her friends, and once she was able to get away from all the people congratulating her, she sat at a table with them to talk about her adventures. They were all shocked to hear about what she had to do to the Roc, and Fluttershy even covered her mouth and looked like she was going to faint.

Discord quickly went to comfort her.

“That sounds like an awesome battle,” Rainbow Dash said. “I mean it's sad you had to roast her, but wow!”

“It must have been simply dreadful,” Rarity sighed, taking a careful bite of her cupcake. She got frosting on her nose anyway.

“It was,” Tempest said. “But it doesn't matter. It's over now.”

“I'm just glad you're safe,” Applejack said. “Judging from Spike's story about when he ran into a Roc, he barely got away with his life. Zecora, Rarity, Twilight... all of them could have been badly hurt. Luckily, he's a fire breathing dragon and as you said, Rocs are vulnerable to fire.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Tempest looked at Spike, who was busy flitting around with a taller orange dragon that she vaguely recognized as a student at the school, but she didn't know her name. “They were very lucky then. Rocs really are dangerous. And they're so big, that just makes them even harder to hurt.”

“I wish I could have been there,” Fluttershy said. “Maybe I could have talked her out of being so mean. So then you wouldn't have had to...” Her voice lowered. “Roast her.”

Discord pulled her a little closer to himself. “Maybe you could have, but then again... maybe even you couldn't have changed her mind. She really was vicious. And she had already eaten so many ponies like you.” Fluttershy meeped. “She had to go.”

“I... guess so. It's still so sad.” Fluttershy pulled over her cup of tea and occupied herself with it, clearly not wanting to think about it.

Pinkie came back from her trip to the buffet, carrying an entire cake. “Tempest, you have just got to try this strawberry cake!”

“Oh, alright.” Tempest waited for her to put it down and cut a slice out. She was already full but she wanted to be polite. She took a bite, and licked her lips off. “Mm, that's pretty good.”

“Thanks! It's a new recipe I got from Strawberry Sunrise!” Pinkie helped herself to her own slice.

Applejack made a face and Rarity giggled. Tempest wondered what that was about, but didn't care enough to ask.

“So darling, could you tell us again about that absolutely romantic night that led to you and Discord getting together?” Rarity asked. “I don't believe Rainbow was here to hear that tale.”

“Wait, Tempest and Discord are together?” Rainbow asked, shocked.

Tempest laughed. Rainbow had been the last to sit down with them and hadn't heard her talk about it the first time. Not that she had gone into much detail. “Heh, yeah. We got together while we were in Klugetown. The storm creatures were having a party and I put on a fireworks show to entertain them. Discord was sitting next to me, he complimented me on my magic and said I was beautiful, and I just sort of... leaned up and kissed him.”

“Alright, making the first move!” Rainbow cheered.

“Shortly after that, I asked her if she wanted to be my special somepony,” Discord said. “I mean, she made it pretty obvious but I wanted to make it official. She said yes, so. Here we are, a couple of weirdos dating each other.”

“Well I'm very happy for you,” Rarity said.

The others agreed, and Fluttershy patted Discord's arm. “That's so sweet. I didn't know if you would ever open your heart to love. I'm so happy for you.”

He blushed. “Thank you. I'm glad I did, being with her has made me very happy.”

Tempest finished the cake and sat back, groaning. “Mm, that was delicious, but I'm full. I think I'm going to turn in.”

Pinkie was a little disappointed, but understood once she explained that she hasn't actually gotten to sleep since fighting the Roc. So she and her friends said goodbye, and Tempest got up, walking away.

“So, I was thinking,” Discord said, following her through town. “Since we're together and all... how would you like to move in with me?”

“Move in with you?” Tempest stopped. She looked at Twilight's castle, thinking about the lovely bedroom she had there. Then she thought about living with Discord, spending nights cuddled up with him, joining him for every meal, having room for her belongings and being able to decorate things. She smiled and said, “I'd like that. I just have to move everything out of the room Twilight's been letting me use.”

“No problem! Let's go!”

They told Twilight that Tempest would be moving out, which she was fine with. Then they gathered up Tempest's belongings and teleported them back to Discord's house. After a final sweep around the room to make sure they got everything, Tempest took Discord's hand and was transported to his dimension.

It was as chaotic as she remembered, and she started to float as she realized there was still no true gravity. She took long strides toward the door, and he let her in. Once he had gone in after her, he closed the door and took her hooves, twirling around with her.

“Welcome to your new home, I hope you like it,” he said.

She's been in here before, but it took on a whole new charm now that she knew she would be living here. She brought him in for a kiss. “I know I will.”

32. Royal Thanks

Someone knocking on the door woke Tempest up. She raised her head, yawning as she squinted at the clock. “Mm, Discord, someone's at the door.”

He groaned and rolled over, continuing to sleep.

She climbed out of bed, wincing as her chest ached, but she was pretty used to it by now. She went downstairs and to the front door, looking through the peephole. She saw a pony dressed in a postal service uniform, and unlocked the door, opening it. “Hey.”

“Good morning ma'am, are you Tempest Shadow?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am,” she replied.

“Great! I have a letter for you from Princess Celestia, she wanted me to hoof deliver it to you.” He offered her an envelope.

“Oh, thank you.” She accepted it and passed him a bit. She started to leave, then paused. “Um, you are able to get out of here, right?” She noticed that he wasn't a unicorn.

“Oh, I'll be fine.” He waved a hoof. “Discord was nice enough to give the post office this pendant that lets us bring him mail. Have a nice day now!” He fished a pendant out of his shirt and disappeared.

“Huh, that was nice of Discord. Alright.” Tempest sat on the couch as she opened the envelope. The letter inside wasn't long, though. It was simply a short and professional invitation for her to visit Celestia at her palace that afternoon. She turned the letter around, hoping there was more, but that was it. “Hm.”

She heard the bedroom door open, and then Discord was heading downstairs. “Who was it?” he asked.

“Mail pony,” she replied.

He jumped from the stairs and floated slowly down like a leaf, landing sprawled across her lap. “Oh, joy.” He stretched and grinned up at her. “Anything fun?”

“He was bringing me a letter from Celestia.” Tempest showed it to him. “It's not much though. Just an invitation to go see her later today.”

“Ooh, an invitation from Celestia? How wonderful. Is it for both of us?”

“Yeah, it is.” Tempest tossed the letter onto the coffee table. “I guess we should go see the regal and highly-respected leader of our land.”

“Yeah, I guess we should,” Discord replied. He crossed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. “She said this afternoon, right? In the meantime I'm going back to sleep.”

“You're so lazy.”

“Old habits die hard.”

Tempest moved to lay down with him. She didn't particularly feel like going back to sleep though, so she levitated over a book to read. It was only about an hour though before Discord got bored of sleeping and hopped up, wide awake and wanting breakfast. She got up with him and helped him make pancakes. They talked about what Celestia might want, and figured she wanted to thank them for how they helped the storm creatures.

“Maybe she's going to give us a fancy trophy,” Discord said. “Or a certificate. Or maybe a big sack of bits.”

“Or maybe she's going to lecture us about how murder is wrong.”

“Pft. As if she hasn't killed people before.”

“Uh... story time?”

“Have you heard the story of when Equestria was under attack by a race of intelligent sea creatures?”

“Sea ponies?”

“Haha, I bet she wishes they were just sea ponies. Nope! They were giant squid-like beings! They refused to surrender or compromise and she had to do what was necessary to protect the kingdom.”

“Alright, you're yanking my leg,” Tempest said.

“No, I'm serious! I mean sure I was frozen in stone at the time, and everything I heard was whatever was mentioned by people walking by my statue, but I'm like 99.99% sure there was a war with giant squid creatures. So! It was a hot midsummer day...”

Discord entertained her with stories for the rest of the morning, and when noon rolled around, Tempest did her usual bandage changing. A good bit of her fur had grown back around the scar, but there was still a visible line across her side. There was still pain, but she wasn't surprised. Ribs took many weeks to heal. She wrapped herself back up and lifted a hairbrush, straightening out her mane.

“Are you going to make yourself presentable?” she called to Discord.

He poked his head into the bathroom. “Whatever do you mean?” he asked, running his hand over his mane. When he lifted it, all his hair sprung out into wild curls. Tempest laughed and offered him the brush.

“Well, can you at least help me brush my tail?”

“Certainly.” He took the brush and knelt down behind her, straightening her tail.

“I can't wait until I'm healed enough to turn around and brush my own tail,” she said.

“Until then, I'm perfectly happy to help you.” He finished brushing it and straightened back up. “I suppose I should at least brush my teeth.”

“Uh, yeah, probably.” Tempest set her brush down. “You can't visit a princess with bad breath.”

“What do you mean, I visit Twilight like that all the time!” Discord picked up a toothbrush and applied paste to the back of it. “That's the benefit of being so tall, no one's going to notice your breath.”

“Okay, okay, I get it.” Tempest tossed him a pack of floss. “Brush your teeth. And make sure you floss.”

“Yes, Mother.” Discord got to cleaning his teeth, and Tempest examined her reflection one more time before deciding she looked fine and walking out. She put her saddlebags on, slipping the invitation into one of them in case she needed to prove that she was really invited. Plus maybe they could go shopping in Canterlot after the meeting.

Once Discord was ready, he offered his arm. Tempest took it, and he teleported them to Canterlot. It took less than a second as usual, and then they were on a busy street, where a few ponies were startled by their appearance. Tempest apologized, and they relaxed and went on their way. Despite everything Discord has done to help Equestria, it was clear that ponies were still nervous about him. They gave them a wide berth as they went down the sidewalk, some even jogging to get past them. And Tempest herself wasn't exactly getting kind looks either. She wasn't bothered by it. She understood why they would be distrustful of her.

The castle was only a few minutes away. They approached the front doors, where a pair of guards were posted, but they didn't question them, just opening the doors for them.

“Thank you,” Tempest said. She led the way in. It's been a while since she's been in this castle. But she still remembered the way to the throne room. She headed for it, looking around at the stained glass windows along the way, the various statues and draperies. It was a lavishly decorated palace, and she felt bad for whoever had to dust all this. Then again, Canterlot was full of talented unicorns. They could probably just use magic to instantly clean everything.

They passed a few ponies who were conducting business at the palace, but it was mostly quiet. Judging from how relaxed the guards were, it was a slow day.

“I don't know why anyone would want so much space,” Discord said as they went up a wide staircase. “I wouldn't know what to do with all this. Sure it looks impressive, but it's a bit much. Now when I briefly ruled over Equestria, I just set myself up a nice throne to hang out on, no castle required! I had great food brought to me and if I wanted to sleep, I could just go back to Chaosville. That was always enough for me.”

“Yeah, I guess all this is more of a status symbol than anything,” Tempest replied. They reached the throne room doors. “Okay, here we go.” She pushed them open, walking in. To her surprise, guards were lining the path to the thrones, and they stood up at attention as they walked by. Tempest looked forward, to where Celestia was standing on the raised platform overlooking the room. And she wasn't alone. Luna was with her, as well as Twilight.

“Wow, this is quite the welcoming party,” Discord said.

The three princesses came down from the platform to greet them. Celestia was the first to speak. “Welcome back to Equestria, Tempest. Same to you, Discord.”

“Thank you,” Tempest said, Discord echoing her. “I'm glad to be back.”

“Twilight told me about everything you accomplished in Abyssinia, and I wanted to personally thank you for your efforts,” Celestia said. “When the Storm King was defeated, I wasn't sure if his troops would be able to adjust to their freedom. But you've done a wonderful job helping them build new homes for themselves. And when they were threatened, you stepped in to protect them. We all commend you for your work.” She looked at Luna, who stepped forward to offer them medals.

“Ooh, another medal? Don't mind if I do,” Discord said. He took the one with a longer strap. “Aw, you remembered!” He slid it over his head, struggling for a moment to get it past his horns, but then he was able to pull it down his neck.

Tempest dipped her head so Luna could place the medal on her. “Thank you, Princess.”

Twilight rested her hoof on Tempest's shoulder. “We're very proud of you. Both of you. You did great work out there.”

“Thank you.” Tempest thought about how the Roc had screamed when she was lit on fire, and couldn't help but shudder.

Celestia gave her an understanding look. “Twilight told us some of the story, but we want to hear it from you. What exactly happened with that Roc?”

Tempest and Discord told her the full story. How the bird had first attacked the town and tore up several buildings before stealing from them. Her second arrival, when she did more damage and told them to leave and that was her last warning. When they went to reason with her, at which point they realized how many people she's already killed and that she was going to kill the storm creatures too, and they instead tried to fight her.

Tempest showed them the visible parts of her scar as she told them about getting kicked, and Discord explained that he was able to catch her, and managed to injure the Roc before teleporting away.

Past that point, the princesses were familiar with how Discord had returned to Equestria to research Rocs, but they were interested in Tempest's story of defending Sunny Oasis against wild animals and bandits.

They finished up with telling her how they finally took down the Roc, keeping her distracted with multiple attacks until Discord delivered an unexpected fiery blow to her back.

They were touched by how Tempest used a numbing spell to keep the Roc from feeling pain, sitting next to her and putting on a fireworks show so her last moments were beautiful. After that, Discord took care of the body and Tempest returned to town to check on everyone, and they ended the story there.

“Not much more to it, we headed into town to recuperate after that,” Discord finished. “Oh and Tempest got her cutie mark.”

Tempest blushed, but turned so they could see her flank.

“It's very nice,” Luna said.

“Yes, it matches your eyes,” Celestia agreed. “Well, that was quite the tale. I imagine it was very difficult for you to do what you did, but the safety of the entire town was at stake. Sometimes, the best decisions are the hardest. That you were able to go through with it shows great strength. And that's the mark of a true leader.”

Luna nodded in agreement, and said, “Which is why we would like to offer you both a place in the royal guard.”

Tempest gasped, and even Discord seemed surprised. “R-really?” Tempest asked.

They nodded, and Twilight said, “You've both shown that you have what it takes to be leaders. We want people like you protecting Equestria.”

“Especially you,” Celestia said to Tempest. “You've already served as a commander, you have experience. You'll have to go through royal guard basic training as a formality I'm afraid, but once you're through, I'll be happy to offer you a leadership position.”

Tempest hesitated. “I don't know... I mean, I enjoy leading others, but being in charge of ponies... it'd be such a big responsibility.”

“Take your time, you don't need to make a decision immediately,” Celestia said. She looked at Discord. “How about you? We could really use your skills.”

Discord chuckled, shaking his head. “Thanks for the offer, but no. I'm a free spirit. If Equestria is in danger, I'll come to its aid. But trust me, I'm not guard material, I don't like being told what to do.”

“That's fair,” Luna admitted.

“You should join, though,” Discord said to Tempest. “I think it's what you're meant to do.”

“Well...” Tempest looked at the princesses, all of whom smiled and nodded, encouraging her to say yes. She took a breath, and said, “Yes. Yes, I would be honored to serve in the royal guard.” She bowed her head.

They bowed in return, and Celestia said, “I'm glad to hear it.”

“Just one thing,” Tempest said. She wrapped a foreleg around her middle. “I need some more time to let my ribs heal. But when they do, I'll be happy to sign up.”

The princesses nodded.

“A reasonable request,” Luna replied. “Whenever you're ready, just let us know.”

“Can do.”

They spent a few more minutes talking, but Celestia and Luna both had meetings to get to, and Twilight had to return to Ponyville. So they said goodbye and parted ways.

“So you're going to join the military, huh?” Discord asked as he and Tempest walked through Canterlot.

“Yeah. I think I could do a lot of good as a commander of the royal guard,” she replied.

“I know you'll do good.” Discord rushed over to look in a window. “Ooh, look at those suits! Those are giving me some ideas.”

“Ideas for our wedding?” Tempest asked, going over to check out the suits too.

“Exactly! See any you like?”

She pointed to a black tailcoat. “That one looks pretty good.”

“Haha, you'd look amazing in that. Well, anyway.” Discord stepped away and kept walking. “I'm sure you'll do a lot of great things for Equestria as a commander. And I'll be there to support you every step of the way.”

“Thank you.” Tempest leaned against him. “I'm so glad Fluttershy invited you to that dinner months ago.”

Discord chuckled and turned to face her, lifting her hooves. “I'm glad too.” He pressed a brief kiss to her lips. “Now come on, let's go shopping.”

“Alright.”

Together, they began exploring the city, checking out different shops and chatting about the opportunities Tempest would have in the royal guard. They couldn't wait to see what the future had in store for them.

Author's Note

Thank you to everyone who has read this, I've enjoyed reading all your comments and your support has really helped me to keep writing it. This is it for Like Fireworks in the Sky, but there will be more works in this storyline, so keep an eye out. The immediate sequel probably won't come for a few weeks, but in the meantime feel free to check out The Romance Chronicles if you're interested in what my next gen pairings are going to be. Thanks again for the support, y'all! :twilightsmile:

1. Restoring Extremities is a Snap

“Thank you so much for your help today,” Twilight Sparkle said as she put books away.

“No problem,” Tempest Shadow replied, carefully returning her own books to their spots. She was very careful in using her magic to move them. Even after years of practice, her broken horn still sometimes caused random magical fluctuations, which at best would lead to her dropping something and at worst would blow up whatever she was carrying. She remained calm though, and soon everything was put away properly. “Did you learn what you needed to?”

“I did. With the Storm King gone, his old troops will need help recreating their societies, but I think I've learned enough about their civilization to help them get things back to normal.”

Tempest nodded. “His ape... sorry, storm creature, soldiers have been with him for years. Every single member of the species was 'recruited' into his army. Some don't even remember their old lives. I hope they're able to adjust to their new freedom.”

“I hope so too. And we'll be here to help them with whatever they need.” Twilight put the last book away and trotted over to her desk, picking up her notes and organizing them. “I may need to consult you on this again. You've lived among them, you know more about them than any of us.”

“Heh, yeah, a little too much about them to be honest.” Tempest chuckled. “But I'm here if you need me.” She began to look toward the door, sure that Twilight was about to dismiss her.

“Some of my other friends are coming over for dinner today,” Twilight said. “I'd like if you joined us.”

Tempest's ears went up. “Oh! Well, I...” She definitely didn't have any other plans, but it's been a while since she spent time around Twilight's other friends and she was a bit nervous. She did like them though, and was interested in getting to know them better. “Sure, I can stay.”

Twilight smiled. “Great! Wanna help me cook?”

Tempest chuckled at that. Twilight wasn't that great at cooking, but at least she was better than Starlight. Last time Tempest had a meal made by Starlight she had stomach pains for a week. Still, she supposed it was better than the slop the Storm King's army used to make. No pony should ever have to gag down bug goo.

She followed Twilight to the kitchen to help her.

An hour later, the two were setting out plates of spaghetti, made with homemade wheat noodles and tomato sauce. The tomatoes were still a little chunky but Twilight assured Tempest that no one would mind.

They also made garlic bread, which was an experience, as Twilight tended to use too much garlic powder. But finally they got it evenly spread out on the pieces of bread and Tempest filled a basket with the pieces, setting it out on the table.

They were cleaning up the kitchen when Spike jogged in to inform them that the first of their friends had arrived.

To no one's surprise, it was Rainbow Dash.

“What's up, everypony?” she called as she flew into the room.

“We just got done making dinner, if you want to head to the dining room,” Twilight said.

“Got it. Hey, Tempest, it's been a while!” Rainbow swooped down to fly next to Tempest as they left the kitchen. “How's it going?”

“Oh, you know,” Tempest replied. “I've mostly just been trying to get used to living a normal life, not following the Storm King. I... still haven't quite settled down at any one job, but I'm working on it.”

“Weren't you helping out at Sugarcube Corner?” Rainbow asked.

“Heh, yeah, but turns out I'm not very good at customer service,” Tempest replied, rubbing her foreleg awkwardly.

“Ah, sorry to hear that. But you'll find your place! Everypony has a place where they belong!” Rainbow gave her a friendly pat on the back. Then she glanced at Tempest's flank, hesitated, and said, “So um, I guess you also still haven't gotten your cutie mark?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight snapped.

Rainbow turned forward. “What? It's just so weird seeing an adult pony without-”

“But you don't need to bring it up!”

“Hey, guys, it's okay,” Tempest said quickly. “I knew as soon as I stopped wearing my armor, people would ask about it. I get it, there aren't a lot of ponies my age without a cutie mark. But it's no big deal. I never really got a chance to find my special talent when I ran away from home, and to be honest, it doesn't matter to me. If I do find it one day, that's okay, but if I don't, it won't bother me. I just want to be me.”

Twilight smiled. “That's very humble of you. I think I and all our friends admire you anyway, with or without a cutie mark. It's who you are that makes you special, not the marking on your flanks.”

Tempest smiled in return, briefly leaning against her. Twilight wrapped a wing around her in a hug.

They got settled in the dining room but didn't start eating yet, waiting for the rest of their friends. Pinkie Pie and Applejack walked in together, laughing at one of Pinkie's jokes. Then Pinkie bounded over to greet Tempest. “Ooh, it's great to see you, Fizzlepop!”

Tempest blushed and rubbed her neck. “You're never going to forget my birth name, are you?”

“It's just so cute! But oh, I guess you prefer Tempest, huh?”

“At this point, I kinda do. I know I made it up to sound more menacing to the Storm King, but... well, it's grown on me.”

“It's a great name! I'll call you Tempest then!” Pinkie gave her a hug in greeting and flopped into her seat. Applejack nodded politely to Tempest and said hello to her as she sat down too.

Rarity was next to come in, sporting a lovely hat with a big feather sticking out of the band. She said hello to everyone and sat next to Spike, who blushed and stammered out a greeting. Tempest couldn't help but snort with amusement. He really needed to ask her out already.

“Have any of you seen Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Most of them shook their heads, but Pinkie said, “I think I saw her doing some shopping earlier. She said she would come to dinner though.”

“I'm sure she's just running a little late,” Twilight said. “That's okay, who wants drinks while we wait for her?”

The others agreed to that and started pouring their drinks from the various cartons Twilight had set out. While they were doing that, Fluttershy came in.

“Hey everypony, I hope I'm not late,” she said hastily.

“You're fine, there's no real start time for dinner,” Twilight laughed. “I'm glad you could make it.”

“Oh, thank you. But, I hope you don't mind, I um... I was on my way over and bumped into someone who... wanted to come too.” Fluttershy hid her face slightly in her mane. “So do we have room for one more? I couldn't say no to him.”

“Of course we have room for one more, anypony is welcome here,” Twilight said. “Who was it-”

A booming voice came from the doorway as a tall creature swept inside. “Good afternoon, it's good to see all your bright, happy faces!”

Twilight forced a grin. “Oh, hi, Discord.” Discord gave a bow and followed Fluttershy in, and Twilight got up. “I'll go fetch you another plate.”

“No need, I assume the food is in the kitchen?” he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he snapped his fingers, and another plate appeared and settled next to Fluttershy's, stacked with food.

Twilight sat back down. Tempest, however, got a good look at Discord and abruptly jumped up, stumbling back. “What the?!”

Everyone turned to stare at her, and Discord, who was about to sit down, paused. “Who's this?” he asked, looking Tempest over.

“This is Tempest Shadow,” Twilight said. “She invaded Canterlot with the Storm King, remember?”

“Tempest, Tempest... oh yes, the edgy one.” Discord snickered and straightened, approaching Tempest.

“Edgy?” she demanded.

Discord offered his lion-like hand. “Well, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!”

She glared at him, horn sparking. “I've heard of you. Draconequus are incredibly powerful and unpredictable, and you are the most powerful of your kind.”

“Oh, you flatter me!” Discord batted his eyelashes.

Tempest kept her distance, planting her hooves and looking him in the eye. If Discord was friends with Fluttershy, surely he was a decent person. But she wasn't sure. Could a draconequus be trusted?

Discord regarded her thoughtfully, resting his head in his hand. His eyes went to her horn for a moment as magic sparked around it. Then his expression brightened. He raised his hand, and she started to tense, but he just snapped his fingers. There was a sort of pop, and a strange feeling tingled on her forehead. Tempest jerked back, blinking and going cross-eyed as she tried to look at her horn. It felt different. She raised her hoof to it, and went rigid. It was longer than it was before. A few pats confirmed it; it was restored. She had a full, pointed horn.

The others gasped, and Discord crossed his arms with a smug expression. “There, that was the entire reason for your descent into darkness, right?”

Tempest put her hoof down, staring at him. “Y-you... you just...” How was this possible? No doctors were able to reattach her horn, no princess was able to regrow it, yet with an effortless snap of his fingers, Discord just fixed it.

He gave her a kinder look. “No need to thank me, restoring extremities is a snap, my little-”

Tempest trotted forward, jumping up and embracing him. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Discord stared at her, shocked at suddenly being grabbed. But thanks to his friendship with Fluttershy, he's grown used to it, and he found himself hugging her back, holding her against his chest. “You're welcome.”

“Aww,” the others cooed.

After a few moments, Tempest leaned back and cleared her throat, clambering out of his arms. “I um... I had accepted what happened to me,” she said, looking away. “I learned that I was strong regardless of my wound. But some small part of me has still wanted to see my horn whole again. So thank you. You have some impressive magic.”

Discord nodded. “Yes, yes, I know. Honestly Tempest, you should have come to me years ago instead of those weak princesses.”

“Hey,” Twilight said.

“Except years ago, you were frozen in stone, weren't you?” Tempest asked.

“Ah, yes. I suppose I wasn't an option, then.”

The two took their seats.

“Wow Discord, that was so nice of you,” Fluttershy said, patting her friend's arm.

Discord tried to wave her off. “Oh, you know, it was nothing. I would have done it for anyone.”

“Well you did a mighty fine job,” Applejack said, looking at Tempest's horn. “It looks like her horn was never broken.”

“I mean, she looked like she wanted to fight me, I had to show her I was nice,” Discord replied. “-Ish,” he added as an afterthought.

“You've gotten so soft,” Rainbow commented.

“Excuse me?” he demanded.

“You heard me, Fluffcord.”

“Fluffcord, oh wow, is that the best you could come up with?”

“So, how's the spaghetti?” Twilight asked loudly, trying to defuse the situation.

After a moment, everyone dug into their plates and then complimented her cooking. Discord dropped the argument, more interested in eating. Tempest took a few bites, but then grew interested in lifting objects with her magic. Though she has conditioned herself to push through it, there was always a resistance to casting spells before. As if there was a wall around her horn that she had to shove through. Now it was effortless, and as she lifted her fork, it didn't twitch at all. Her magic responded to her easily. An examination when she was younger had told her that the nerves in her horn responsible for directing magic had been severed, causing her spells to fluctuate and become unstable. It took years learning to work with it. She learned to go with it, creating incredible explosions that few others were capable of. And now those nerves were healed. It almost felt strange. She'll have to get used to it.

She tuned in to the conversation, chatting with the others about their day to day lives, and Twilight brought up her research into the storm creatures' old way of life. Everyone agreed that they would help her and the creatures if needed.

“I still can't believe I ever let the Storm King sucker me into helping him,” Tempest sighed. “I should have known he was never going to actually heal me. He just used me.”

“You're not the only one who put your trust in the wrong person,” Discord said. “Even I have followed someone I believed wanted to help me. And my friends paid dearly for it. But I understood my mistake, and so did you. Now you just have to move on.”

She blinked, and glanced at the others. They nodded, murmuring to each other. She caught the name Tirek and wondered who that was and what happened. But obviously whatever it was, they were all okay now. She looked back at Discord. “You're right. And I have moved on. I just, heh, I just feel foolish sometimes looking back on it. And I want to help repair the damage I've done. The Storm King's reign has hurt so many people and I have to accept my part of the blame.”

He shrugged. “Do as you like. These ponies are so loving and forgiving though, all you have to do is say you're sorry and all your crimes are forgotten.”

A few of the other ponies groaned and Twilight awkwardly scuffed at the table with her hoof.

“He's not wrong,” Spike commented.

Tempest placed her front hooves down firmly. “Well, saying an apology isn't enough for me. I'm going to work to make things better. It's the least I can do.”

“That's very honest of you,” Applejack said. “I appreciate that.”

“Yes, and I'm sure you'll do amazing work, darling,” Rarity agreed.

Rainbow clapped Tempest on the shoulder and Fluttershy clapped lightly for her, and Pinkie said, “I'm sure Twilight can find some work for you!”

Tempest looked at Twilight, who considered it before saying, “Well, I am going to need someone to lead a team back to Abyssinia to help them rebuild...” Tempest perked up at that, and Twilight continued, “But I will need some time to get all the details together.”

“I'll do it,” Tempest said. “I want to help. And the storm creatures trust me, I can help them.”

“I know you can. Then it's settled. You'll be my ambassador, and I'll get a team together to go with you. But I won't be sending you off for a while.” Twilight picked up a piece of garlic bread. “Hey, how does everypony feel about ice cream after this?”

She was met with cheers, and Tempest looked down at her plate, setting her expression. She was finally going to make some positive change in the world.

12. A Great Day

It wasn't much longer before they were able to safely go outside. They spent the next few hours clearing sand away, going into houses to sweep up everything that got in through the windows. Work went on until sunset, and Tempest's legs and back were aching by the time Curly called for a stop. Even Discord seemed tired, and that was saying something. As the storm creatures had given him dirty looks every time he cleaned things with magic, he had grudgingly started working by hand, and now he was just as dirty and sweaty as everyone else.

“It was a great day,” Curly said proudly. “We can finish cleaning tomorrow, and then keep building. But our little village is finally looking like a home, and I'm proud of all the work you've done.”

The storm creatures nodded and smiled, and headed inside to wash up. Tempest lingered to see if she was needed, but she was soon told to leave.

“Seriously, you've worked hard today, you deserve some rest,” Curly said, looking her over. “And a bath.”

“Yeah, you're right. Well, see you tomorrow.” Tempest said goodbye to her and Grubber, and then reached a hoof over to Discord. “Let's teleport back.”

He took it, and they teleported across town, arriving outside Capper's house. Tempest gave a few knocks, and he soon answered, letting them in.

“Glad to see you survived the sandstorm,” he said, closing the door behind them and locking it.

“Yeah, it was pretty intense though,” Tempest said.

“Tempest blasted a sand wyrm with fire magic,” Discord added.

“Oh, did you now?” Capper asked.

“Heh, yeah,” she replied. “Some idiot decided he really needed to be somewhere right after the storm and started walking down the street. Wyrm came right for him. It threw him into the air, but I managed to push it away before it could eat him. I got its attention, and shot fire right into its mouth. It left after that.”

“Well yeah, if someone shot fire into my mouth, I definitely wouldn't stick around.” Capper walked over to the kitchen. “So, you two look tired and hungry. What are you up for?”

“Just make whatever you want, I'll eat it,” Tempest assured him.

“I don't want to serve you anything that'll make you sick. Are you okay with chicken?”

Tempest certainly didn't want to have a lot of it, but she enjoyed the taste. “That sounds fine. Maybe with a salad on the side?”

“You know what, I'll cook us up a chicken, and cut out some meat to make you a chicken salad,” Capper decided.

“Sounds delicious, thank you.”

“Mhm. Oh, and to both of you... feel free to use my shower. Just don't spend too long in there, there's only so much water available.”

Tempest nodded and looked at Discord. “Do you want to shower first or should I?”

He raised a brow and snapped his fingers, all the sand disappearing from his body. Tempest rolled her eyes.

“Well yeah, you can do that, but it's still refreshing to actually take a shower,” she said.

“You go on ahead, I'll hop in later,” he said.

She went to the bathroom. It was a small room, with no windows, which trapped heat and made her sweat just from stepping inside. She decided to make this quick, closing the door and turning on the shower. She didn't even wait for the water to warm up, just jumping under the cold spray and rinsing off. She shivered, but it was pretty refreshing. She turned her face up, ears laying back as she felt the streams of sand run off her fur, going down her neck and dripping off.

She turned about to make sure her entire body was clean, and turned off the shower. She stepped out, and realized she had left her brush back in her saddlebags outside. She sighed and picked up a towel, drying off. She looked at her reflection, at how her mane hung down around her head and neck. It will stand up straight as it dried, but she needed to start styling it quickly or it'll look completely unruly.

Deciding she was dry enough, she hung the towel and stepped out, going over to her saddlebags. She pulled her brush out, and when she turned to go back to the bathroom, she caught Discord staring at her.

“What?” she asked.

He blinked, and adopted a more casual pose, lounging on the bed. “Nothing, I was just thinking, you look funny with your hair down.”

“It's just wet, it'll be back to normal when it dries,” she replied.

“Alright but I think it looks cute like this.”

Her cheeks grew hot, and she darted back into the bathroom, grooming her mane. Discord just called her cute. Part of her didn't like the idea of being cute, but the other part was flattered by the compliment. She watched as her mane slowly stood into its usual mohawk, wondering if it was time for a change. It naturally grew this way, but she had to admit, she did exaggerate it a little. How would she look if she just started brushing it down instead of up?

She almost moved the brush to try, then decided she didn't want to mess it up. She wasn't much of a stylist. She'll wait until she was back in Equestria and ask Rarity to do something with it. For now, it was fine like this.

Tempest briefly devoted time to brushing her tail, but it didn't need as much attention. Once groomed, she set the brush down and walked back out. She found herself looking to Discord for his opinion.

He was still relaxing, but his eyes went to her immediately. “You definitely look more striking with your mane like that, though.”

She casually ran a hoof against it. “I don't know, it's been like this for a long time, I was thinking of having Rarity restyle it.”

“Hey, why not? New you, new look. Of course I'm fond of the mohawk look myself.” He turned his head, running his hand down his black mane. Tempest laughed.

“I see that.”

Discord stood. “Well, I'm going to take a shower too. Be back in a moment.” He held out his hands and a bottle appeared in each, one shampoo and the other conditioner. He walked by and Tempest chuckled. Then she went to the kitchen to see how the cooking was going.

Capper had the chicken in the oven and was dicing up lettuce, mixing it up with spinach leaves. He smiled at her. “You like tomatoes?”

“Yeah,” she replied.

He added slices into the bowl. “How about Discord?”

“He eats anything,” she replied.

“My favorite sort of guest.” Capper picked up a bag of croutons. “Would you mind getting the cheese out of the fridge? There should be a block of parmesan, could you get the grater and add some of it into the bowl?”

“Sure,” she agreed, happy to help.

As they prepared the salad and occasionally checked on the chicken, Capper said, “It's nice having company. I don't really have any friends around here. I've been considering moving, but I still have a debt to settle here.”

“No one around here wants to make friends?” Tempest asked.

“The people of Klugetown aren't very good at making friends. They're getting better at it, but I don't know, it feels strained. Now when I was in Equestria, those were some truly friendly people. I almost want to go back.”

“You should. Finish paying your debt and then move, we'd be glad to have you,” Tempest said.

“Maybe I will. Does Ponyville have any nice houses for sale?”

“Heh, I think there's a few around.”

Discord finished showering and stepped out, stretching. “Ah, refreshing. And how's dinner coming along?”

“It's going well,” Capper replied. “We're just finishing up the salad, and the chicken should only need a few more minutes. Here, let me set out some bread.” He piled some rolls onto a plate and took it over to the table. “Feel free to sit down and have a drink, you know where everything's at.”

Discord simply got a glass of water, and sat down, picking up a piece of bread to play with.

Talk turned to the day's work, and Capper said that he had spent the sandstorm hanging out on an airship, as the wyrms couldn't burrow through the wood. Otherwise it had been a long day of moving cargo.

“You definitely deserve a better job,” Tempest commented.

“It's not so bad. It's good exercise.” He flexed. “But I wouldn't mind something better. I'm telling you, the storm creatures need to dig that quarry, I would so work there.”

“Yeah, we'll definitely get that started,” Tempest promised. “Twilight just... wants me to help the storm creatures get jobs at the airship docks first. Help them integrate more with Klugetown and build positive relationships. Then we can start on the quarry.”

“Hey, whatever you think is best, I'm not rushing you.”

Once the chicken was done, Capper pulled it out and set it on the stove top. He poured some salad onto a plate for Tempest, and started cutting strips of chicken off and placing them on top of the salad.

“There, is that good or do you want more chicken?” he asked, offering her the plate.

“This is good, thank you,” she replied, accepting it and going over to the table.

Capper turned back to the chicken, cutting off a big slice for himself and scooping out a small helping of salad. “Discord, dinner's done.”

“Oh, wonderful.” Discord stopped fiddling with the bread, which he had managed to stack into a tower. He went to make his plate while Capper sat down.

They took their time eating, telling stories, as Capper wanted to get to know the two better. They talked about O&O too, comparing their characters, and he offered Tempest advice on hers.

“You know, since you're going to be staying with me, we could start a campaign,” Capper suggested.

Discord's eyes lit up. “I would love to! We can get Tempest started on a brand new world. All of us start at level 1 and we go off on an adventure, and try not to die. Oh it could be so much fun!”

“Maybe we can get started on the weekend,” Capper said. “What do you think, Tempest?”

“I have wanted to play it ever since Discord told me about his games,” Tempest replied. “So yeah, let's play this weekend.”

“Great!”

After a few more minutes, they finished eating and got up, cleaning up the kitchen. Luckily, Capper didn't mind Discord using magic to do so.

“Well, I'm gonna read for a bit,” Capper said. “Sorry I don't have much to entertain you with, but I'm up for conversation if you get bored.”

“Oh, I'm fine, I think I'm just going to lay down,” Tempest replied. “My back is killing me.”

Discord tilted his head. “What's wrong with it?”

“I'm just sore. It's nothing I can't handle.” She walked over to the bed, limping slightly as her legs ached. She knew it would be worse tomorrow, and wasn't looking forward to it. She laid down, sighing.

Discord followed her and sank down next to her. “Would you like a massage?”

“Hm? Do you even know how to give massages?” Tempest asked.

“Of course I do, it's not hard. Here, just let me massage your back at least, it'll make you feel better.”

“Mm, whatever.” Tempest turned her head forward. Then she grunted when Discord's hands grabbed under her forelegs.

“Could you stretch your front legs out in front of you? Okay, there you go... and your hind legs back. Perfect! I don't want you all bunched up while I'm doing this.”

Tempest grumbled, but stayed stretched out, and soon Discord's hands were on her back. He massaged firmly, kneading his palms down against her spine, and she groaned as it seemed to push the tension right out of her. She rested her chin on the covers, while Discord steadily worked his way up her back.

“How's that feel?” he asked.

“Good,” she replied.

“Good. Let me know if it hurts.” He leaned more of his weight onto her, and while it did ache slightly, the pain brought with it a sort of numbing relief as soon as he moved on. She closed her eyes, enjoying it.

Encouraged, Discord began letting his claws glide through her fur, rubbing ever so slightly against her skin. Still not hard enough to hurt, but it made her shiver. He occasionally stroked along her sides before coming back up to her back, making his way down her barrel. Tempest almost started drifting off to sleep, it was so relaxing.

Then his hands went back up, rubbing the base of her neck and down her shoulders. She opened her eyes slightly in reflex, not used to having her neck touched. But Discord remained respectful, and she soon closed them again, humming. This was very nice. Discord was talented, and she considered herself lucky that she was his friend, and more than that, he had come with her on this trip. She had a feeling that Starlight wouldn't have offered to do this for her.

Tempest was almost disappointed when Discord declared that he was done and pulled his hands away.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

Tempest sat up, rolling her shoulders. All her muscles felt loose. There was still some soreness, but it was much more bearable. “Good. That was really good, have you practiced?”

He smiled. “I'm glad you liked it. Yes, I've given Fluttershy massages. She gets sore often after spending all day working with her animals, so she calls me to help her out. But I usually give her a much more gentle massage. You could take some force.”

“Heh. Well, your experience shows. That was nice.” Tempest laid back down, yawning. “That about made me pass out.”

“We should go to sleep anyway. We have another big day tomorrow, and many more to come.”

Tempest agreed. “Yeah.” She looked over at where Capper was sitting next to his bookshelf reading. “We're going to go to sleep.”

He nodded and got up, going to turn off all the lights except a lamp near his chair, which glowed too dimly to be bothersome. Tempest started to ask if that would be enough to read by, then remembered he was a cat. He had night vision.

“Goodnight,” she said to him.

“Goodnight. See you in the morning.”

Tempest got under the covers, and Discord soon slipped in with her. She looked over at him, then said, “Hey, um... mind if I cuddle with you?”

“Not at all,” he replied. He held his arms out, and she slipped into them. He slowly stroked her back. “You're being really affectionate today.”

“Oh, you know. We're friends, friends hug each other!” She felt his tail drape over her. “Also you're warm, and soft, and... I really liked when you cuddled with me last night. So. Yeah. Ugh, I'm so sappy.”

“Yes, you are,” he replied. Then he nuzzled her snout, making her jump. He smiled. “It's nice to see you opening up.”

She scowled and hid her face against his neck, and he kept petting her.

“I'm glad we're friends,” he said quietly. “You've really helped me to open up too.”

Content, she closed her eyes. “You're welcome. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” His hands fell to her back, and he gathered her just a little closer, before closing his eyes too.

Tempest began to second guess snuggling with Discord under the covers like this. She felt way too warm. But she was too comfortable to move. So she just ignored the heat and let herself drift off to sleep. Being with her friend made her feel more secure than she's ever been, and she wouldn't give this up for anything.

27. A Roc and a Hard Place

“Honey, I'm home!” Discord sang as he appeared in his house in Sunny Oasis. “And I've got notes!” He looked around to see that the living room was empty. “Tempest? Are you here?” He went to check out the bedroom and saw her sleeping. He frowned, then realized that of course, it was about six AM. He chuckled. “Oh, my bad.” He went to sit next to her, watching her calm expression.

He shuffled his papers, reviewing his notes while he waited for her to wake up. Part of him wanted to just go ahead and wake her up, but the other part didn't want to get slapped. So he waited, looking out the window. The Sun was beginning to rise, and he went to watch it. It was just as beautiful as ever, and he admired it. Sunlight filled the room, and in a few minutes, he heard Tempest shifting around, before finally getting up.

“Discord?” she asked.

He turned around. She beamed and trotted over to him, and he leaned down to hug her. “Hey, my little Shadow.”

“Little Shadow?” she asked.

He chuckled. “Is that too sappy?”

“Nah... it's kinda edgy though.”

“Well, you're kinda edgy, so it fits.” He leaned her back, looking her over. His gaze dropped to her chest, and he tilted his head. “What happened here?” He gently touched the stitches.

She sighed. “We had... a bit of a bandit problem while you were gone.”

“A bandit problem?” He snapped his teeth together, eyes glowing. “Please tell me you killed all the worthless bastards.”

“No, no.” She stroked his cheek, calming him. “We just showed them that they had no chance of beating us, and they left. All we did was rough them up a bit. They won't come back and none of us were hurt.”

“How do you know they won't come back? You left them alive. They might think you're soft.”

Tempest shrugged. “The storm creatures are strong. If the bandits come back, they won't go easy on them.”

“If you say so. But it looks like you were hurt. You have stitches!”

“It's no big deal. I've been through worse. There were some pretty bad cuts, but no one is seriously hurt. We did conquer a good chunk of the world, you know.” She played with Discord's beard. “We're tough.”

“Hm, I suppose so. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you.” He held her close, then said, “I have information about Rocs.”

“Oh, great! What'd you learn?”

Discord led her out to the kitchen. They sat down, Tempest levitating over a bottle of juice while he spread out his notes. “First of all, I'd like to apologize for taking so long. But Twilight insisted I go with her to visit Celestia and Luna and see what they know, and she even dragged me off to the Crystal Empire.”

“It's okay. Crystal Empire, eh? That must have been fun.” Tempest poured them some juice and passed a cup over to Discord.

He drained it in one gulp. “It would have been but I wasn't exactly on vacation. I was able to scare a few crystal ponies while I was there though. Anyway!” He tapped his papers. “Here's what I found out. There isn't too much information about these beasts, but I do know that they're vulnerable to fire. If you can land a solid hit on them with flames, they can burn away all their feathers. Might even kill them.”

Tempest nodded. “Good to know. I don't want to kill her, but if I have to... that'll do.”

“They can be very single-minded. And by that I mean, they can't really multitask. If multiple people are attacking them, they can't focus on everything at once. So that could also be our key to defeating her. Multiple attacks at once, at least one of them will do damage. And if we can get her to land, she'll be very clumsy on the ground. And supposedly there's a weak point, but...” Discord shook his head. “I don't know where. So attack wherever, I suppose. I suggest going for the wings if we're leaving her alive, otherwise go for the neck.”

“Got it.” Tempest looked at his notes. “Is that it?”

Discord sighed. “That's about it, a lot of this is redundant. They're very elusive.”

“Okay then. Well... this helps.” She touched his hand. “This helps a lot, thank you.”

He brightened at that.

Tempest got up to pace. “So if it comes down to it, we can fight her... but I want to try reasoning with her first.”

“You're welcome to try. Twilight said they don't really care about compromise. They just want to be left alone. But okay. When do you want to head out?”

“The sooner the better. We don't want her coming back a third time.” Tempest headed for the door.

Discord went with her. They briefly stopped to talk to Dusty, and he thanked them for the information and said he'll come up with a plan in case the Roc returns. Then he saw them off to the edge of town, and they headed north, toward the jungle.

“This is the direction she went both times she left, apparently,” Discord explained. “And there's only so many places a bird her size can roost. Want to fly?”

“That'd probably be quicker.”

Discord tapped her shoulder, using his magic to let her levitate. She kicked off and flew with him. As they flew, he told her everything Twilight had told him about how Rocs lived. How they didn't care about friends or family, how only one sibling from a clutch would survive.

“We might have trouble getting through to her,” Tempest admitted. “But I'm willing to try. It's what Twilight would want me to do. I didn't seem like I wanted friends either, but she didn't give up on me.”

“But you're a pony,” Discord pointed out. “It's in your nature to be friendly. Most ponies are. Meanwhile, no Rocs are. See the issue here?”

“Yeah, good point. Still, I'm going to try anyway.”

“So optimistic, I like that about you.”

They were over the jungle. They investigated tall trees, examined ruins and other places a Roc could potentially hide. Then they came across a lone mountain, though past that point the land started rolling until it jutted up into the mountains surrounding the Dragonlands. Discord's keen eyes could just make out a large nest on the mountain, and he gestured for Tempest to follow him.

“That's definitely it,” he said once they were closer. “But the Roc is gone.”

“That's fine, she should be back soon,” Tempest said.

They landed close to the nest, and Tempest grimaced when her hoof came down onto loose stones and nearly made her trip. Then she looked down and realized those weren't stones. They were bones.

“Eugh, so many skeletons,” Discord said, kicking one away distastefully.

Tempest looked at the one closest to her and swallowed. “Yeah. I guess she's a messy eater.”

Discord followed her gaze. “Is that a... pony?”

Tempest gently lifted the skull, accidentally breaking it away from the neck in the process. She covered her mouth as she saw the horn sticking out, clear as day. “Yeah. It... was a pony. A unicorn.”

“Oh, that's not good. So she's already killed people.” Discord looked around. “Not just ponies, either. Some these bones are from griffins. And... that's clearly a hippogriff. Dragons...”

Tempest put the skull down, stomach churning. “And I'm pretty sure that's part of an elephant hanging off the cliff over there.”

Discord growled. “Okay, I think we should just get rid of her, this is disgusting.”

“No, we can talk to her about it.”

“But look at all this! Do you really think talking is going to stop her from eating intelligent creatures? She's a big bird and she's going to go after big prey!”

Tempest sighed, turning away from the nest to walk over to a fresher carcass. She could still see meat clinging to it, and could make out a few loose feathers. A pegasus who had met an unfortunate end. “You're probably right,” she said quietly. “But we can still talk. If anything, I can get to the bottom of why exactly she's doing this.”

Discord went to kneel next to her, resting an arm around her. “She probably knows that she's killing intelligent creatures. She just doesn't care. She's hungry and they're available.”

“Yeah. I just...” Tempest sighed. “I really don't want this to end with violence. This might work out. I have hope.”

“Well, alright. I hope you know what you're going to say, because the Roc is heading toward us right now.”

Tempest spun around, in time to see the huge bird fly overhead and screech at them. She circled above a few times, slowing down before finally landing on her nest with a rush of air.

“What are you doing here?” she shouted in her scratchy voice.

Tempest's legs shook, but she forced herself to stand tall as she walked toward the nest. “Hello. I'm Tempest Shadow, and this is Discord.”

The Roc lowered her head, turning one large eye to survey them. Then she muttered, “Usually I would eat you both, but I just had a delicious camel so I'm not hungry. What do you want?”

“We just want to talk. About the um, town out there in the oasis,” Tempest said.

“Unless you're clearing out, we have nothing to talk about.”

“No, we aren't clearing out. Here's the thing, it's inhabited by my good friends, the storm creatures. They've spent a long time building up a home there, see they don't really have any old homes to return to, so if they leave then you're pretty much making them homeless.”

The other squawked and leaned back. “I don't care.”

Discord rolled his eyes. Tempest kept going, “Maybe we could come to an agreement? See, it would be really upsetting for them to have to leave. They didn't even know that was your territory when they first settled down. Plus, I mean it's not like they're really encroaching on your food sources. They garden food you have no interest in, and they're only eating some of the fish, there's plenty left for you, they aren't going to compete with you...”

The Roc interrupted, “I know that. And I don't care. They're in my territory, and I want them gone, end of story.”

“We can share the fish!” Tempest offered. “And anything else you need! Come on, surely there's something you want that they could give you. How about it?”

The Roc thought about it. Then she commented, “Well I always need more nesting materials. Branches and leaves are fine but I'd like something much more comfortable to sit on.”

“Done!” Discord summoned several rolls of cloth, dropping them into the nest with a smug expression.

“We really want to be friends, we don't have to fight,” Tempest said, smiling.

For a few moments there was silence as the Roc used her beak to sort through the cloth. She seemed impressed by the variety of colors. She shifted everything off to the side, and looked back at them. “I'll take the offering, and my answer is still no. Rocs don't have friends.”

Tempest grew frustrated, but kept her anger in check. “You can always be different from the other Rocs! Surely you're lonely?”

“No,” the Roc replied flatly. “I never have been. I'm satisfied with my life.”

Tempest's ears laid back. “Don't you miss your parents?”

Discord nudged her. “Roc parents abandon their young, remember?”

Tempest sighed. “Oh, right.”

The Roc replied anyway, “My egg was incubated by my mother alone. My father, whoever he was, would have left after the mating. There is no romance among my kind and we don't need it. And my mother left too not too long after I hatched. I ate my siblings to survive, and flew away from that nest to hunt on my own. And I've been on my own ever since, and I'm happy! Rocs do not need or want companionship, and that's that!”

Tempest sighed, discouraged. “I see. Then, we won't have peace? No matter what I offer?”

“If peace means letting you creatures stay near my beautiful oasis, then no!” The Roc flapped her wings.

Tempest stepped toward her, and Discord had to hold her back. “Fine!” she shouted. If being polite wasn't working, she'll have to get firm. “The storm creatures are not leaving Sunny Oasis! You'll just have to accept us being there!”

The Roc stopped flapping her wings, flaring them widely instead, blocking the Sun and casting them in shadow. “No, I don't have to accept that! If you don't leave, I will kill all of you and eat you!”

Tempest knew she had been threatening it, but hearing her say it so bluntly made her lose control of herself. She bared her teeth and fired a pulse of dark magic straight into the Roc's chest. To her surprise, it knocked her backward, and she nearly fell out of her nest. Tempest quickly tried to use a blast of fire, but this time the other was ready for it, and her magic-canceling effect blocked it from reaching her.

“I'm going to try to get a surprise hit,” Discord said, and teleported away. Tempest saw him teleporting randomly around the Roc, blasting her with magic, and she angrily tried to bite him. Every time he got too close, she would use her wings to cover her face and knock him away.

Tempest ran and jumped up into the nest, trying to duck underneath the Roc's belly to attack her. She started to stomp her feet, and Tempest lost focus on her magic as she dodged the huge talons.

“Hey, birdbrain, up here!” Discord yelled, waving his arms and hitting the Roc with a few volleys of magic. She looked up and jumped for him, beak open. He got out of the way just in time.

Tempest charged her magic, preparing to use a powerful fireball spell that should hopefully end all of this. She narrowed her eyes and took aim...

And then the Roc flailed about in response to one of Discord's attacks, and her talons slammed into Tempest, throwing her out of the nest. She gasped as the air was torn from her lungs, pain searing across her side, and to make things worse, that hit had thrown her entirely off the mountain.

She panicked and screamed, not knowing whether to concentrate on the gash in her side or the ground rushing toward her or the shrieking of the Roc, everything was fading to black and somehow her magic wasn't working. Then she heard her name being shouted, and suddenly she was caught in someone's arms.

Tempest grunted and looked up, blinking at the gray face and red eyes above her. “D-Discord?” she asked weakly.

He nodded, and his eyes roamed down her body. They widened. “You're hurt.” He growled and held her close, flying back up. She managed to keep an eye open, watching as Discord hovered in front of the Roc, who looked proud of herself.

“That's what happens when you challenge me!” she boasted.

“No, this is what happens when you challenge us,” Discord snarled. He moved Tempest into one arm and reached up with his free hand. Jagged cracks appeared in the mountain, and he tore the entire peak off, lifting the Roc along with it. She chirped in alarm, turning as if to flee, but hesitating at the sight of all the boulders lifting around her. Then Discord turned his wrist, and everything flipped upside-down and plummeted back down, slamming the Roc into... the rocks.

Tempest found herself giggling at the thought, but Discord wasn't laughing. He let everything fall on top of the bird, and turned away. The last thing Tempest was able to make out before he teleported was the Roc's wing weakly moving underneath the rubble. Then everything went black and she went limp in her partner's arms.