//------------------------------//
// Chapter 5: Wintertide 
// Story: Slumber of the Storm 
// by Deathscar 
//------------------------------//

Tempest stared up at the clock and gulped.

Ten minutes to the party…

“Nervous?” Sunset asked

“In a way. Though I’m more nervous about this outfit.” Tempest twisted the bowtie at the top of her suit. It had been custom made by Rarity herself a month ago in case she needed it for a ‘special event’. That moment never presented itself. At least, not until now.

“You look great, Tempest,” assured Sunset as she pressed a crease down.

Tempest raised her head and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes fell on the way the suit flowed with every curve. She couldn’t deny that she was much more muscular than most other mares her age. The only outfit that was made her for was the bodysuit she wore under the Storm King’s service, and even then, it was more for practicality rather than looks. But this suit did both. She not only felt comfortable in it, she felt confident.

Tempest smiled before speaking,  “yes, I suppose I do.” She turned to Sunset, noticing that she was wearing no outfit at all. “Aren’t you going to put on something nice?”

“Eh, I haven’t really had pony clothes for a long time now. Plus, it’s a Hearth’s Warming celebration!”

“Then am I overdressed?” Tempest stared down at her clothes. “I thought I’d make a good impression on the ponies coming in from Ponyville. But maybe—”

Sunset placed her hooves on Tempest’s collar, giving it a slight adjustment and silencing her words. “You’re perfect.”

A knock echoed through Tempest’s room.

“Come in!”

The door creaked open and Twilight stepped in, dressed in a simple, yet beautiful, purple dress. White lace trims adorned the bell and hem, giving it a subtle ornate look. Yet it was the striking blue fabric that truly drew Tempest’s attention to her. The afternoon sun, which was leaking through the window, gave the dress an almost otherworldly glow. One that caused Tempest’s jaw to drop at the sight.

“Okay, now I’m feeling a bit left out,” joked Sunset. 

“You look great, Princess Twilight.”

Twilight blushed and rolled her eyes. “You agreed never to call me with the Princess title.”

“Yes, I suppose I did. But that’s nowhere near as fun seeing you roll your eyes.”

Trotting up to Tempest, Twilight’s mischievous smirk softened into a slight frown. Tempest didn’t need Sunset’s powers to know that something was up.

“Twilight. Is something wrong?”

“...You know how you said you didn’t get me anything for Hearth’s Warming? Well, I just thought of something you could do for me.”

“Uh oh,” Sunset muttered, drawing a stare of daggers from Twilight.

“And what might that be?” Tempest asked with a mix of curiosity and worry in her tone.

“I… want you to stand beside me when I’m greeting ponies at the door.”

The words struck Tempest dumb. She imagined the scenario of ponies entering the castle for Hearth’s Warming Eve and seeing her, the pony that almost enslaved all of Equestria. The mood would be ruined the moment they spotted her. All the hard work she and her friends had put in the past five days would be wasted. She knew that this couldn’t come to pass.

“Twilight, you don’t want me anywhere near visible in that party, much less at the door. I’ll just ruin the joyful atmosphere that’s supposed to be there,” Tempest spoke with a lowered head.

“Nonsense.” Twilight placed her hoof underneath Tempest’s chin, lifting her head back up. “You can’t keep hiding from the others, you know? It’s time you showed the ponies of Ponyville just how much you’ve changed.”

“And what if I haven’t changed enough?”

“You have,” Sunset answered with crossed hooves. “Trust me, as a pony that’s been in your shoes before, you have.”

Easy for you to s—

“Yes, it’s ‘easy for me to say’, but that’s the truth.”

Tempest stared at Sunset in shock. She darted her gaze down onto Sunset’s necklace, checking for an orange glow.

“My friends spent a long time telling me the same thing. And it took too long before I believed them. You’ve changed, Tempest. You’ve changed for the better.”

The next few seconds, Tempest remained silent. She considered Sunset’s words and Twilight’s request. A voice in her mind attempted to persuade her otherwise.

You haven’t changed. But when Tempest opened her eyes and spotted Sunset and Twilight staring back at her with wide smiles, she paid the voice no heed. Just behind Sunset, she spotted the photo frame. Even though it was a blurred mess at this distance, her mind recalled the picture that sat within. And it sparked something inside Tempest. The same fire that had been lit last night when Sunset showed her the memories.

Tempest turned back to Twilight with her head held high. “Very well, Twilight. I shall… join you at the door tonight.”

Twilight’s face lit up like the tree that sat in the main hall. She leapt upwards, giving Tempest a huge hug, much to her surprise.

“Wha—”

“Thank you for giving this a chance, Tempest.”

Tempest wrapped her hooves back around Twilight. “Thank you for giving me a chance.” Yet, as the words left her mouth, there was still one very important topic they needed to address. An elephant in the room that none of the three wanted to bring up. Tempest broke the hug and took a step back.

“Twilight, about what happened last night—”

But Twilight instantly shot her hoof up. “It’s… something for another time. Could we just focus on the party for tonight? Then we’ll talk about it when we have some privacy and some more time.”

In the corner of the room, out of Twilight’s line of sight, Sunset lowered her head. Her eyes displayed a faraway look, while her hoof constantly tapped her chin.

Sunset’s thinking about something. Tempest attempted to read past Sunset’s expression, but found it hidden behind an impassable wall. Of course the mare with the mind reading powers knows how to hide her thoughts. 

“Tempest?” Twilight’s voice drew Tempest’s attention back to her.

“Of course. Let’s focus on the party first and we’ll deal with this another time.”

“So,” said Sunset as she strolled towards the duo. On her face, she was wearing a small, knowing smile. One that sent a worrying chill down Tempest’s spine.

What’re you up to, Sunset?

“Two minutes before the party.” Sunset darted her head between Twilight and Tempest. “That gives us a chance to do one very important thing.”

“What might that be?” asked Tempest.

Sunset teleported away for just a moment, soon returning with three windigo cookies held in her magic. Both Twilight’s and Tempest’s face lit up bright as they each grabbed one. 

“Now, let’s make this party a success!” Sunset cracked a cookie, lifting it towards them.

“Ooo this is so exciting!” Twilight sang, snapping off a part of hers as well and placing it with Sunset’s.

Tempest stared at her cookie, then to Twilight and Sunset. Her mind went back to just five days ago. Back to the state she was in, where sleep was something she dreaded and every effort she made to push forward felt like using her hooves to topple a brick wall. And now, here they were, about to host the party that is sure to be one of the best in Equestria. Sure, her nightmares hadn’t disappeared, and some worries still remained. But she’d be remiss if she said Sunset hadn’t helped her in a tremendous way.

No matter what happens, you owe everything to the two mares in front of you.

She turned her head towards Twilight, meeting her large grin with a small smile of her own. Even seeing Twilight brought back the memories of the Friendship Festival. And with it, the joyous feeling that Sunset had helped her to place.

“I wouldn’t call it love just yet, but it might be the beginning of one.” The words rang in Tempest’s head. If she were being honest with herself, she never bought the whole ‘friendship’ ordeal ever since the incident in her youth. But now, standing in front of her, were two ponies who had done everything they could to help her. Even putting themselves in harm's way in an attempt to make her happy.

And I would do the same for them.

With a wide, yet still refined, smile, Tempest broke a part of her cookie and knocked it against her friends’ own treats.

“To us,” Tempest spoke.

And the other two repeated in kind.

“To us!”





You can do this.

“You can do this,” Twilight smiled and stood beside the main doors.

Tempest took several steps forward, joining Twilight’s side.

It’s just greeting ponies! Who… probably hate you. And who have a good reason to. Tempest shook her head, drawing a breath to steady her fraying nerves. Suddenly, she saw the doors of the castle crack open. In an instant, she straightened her back, held her head high and watched as the first two ponies trotted into the castle.

“Twilight!” A pony with a bright orange mane and yellow coat leapt forward, gripping Twilight in a large hug.

“Golden Harvest!” Twilight returned the gesture. “How have you been?”

“Great! Taking it easy before spring picks back up again!”

“Of course!” Twilight smiled. “Well, enjoy the party! Help yourself to the food and drinks!’

“I will!” Golden trotted forward and met Tempest’s gaze. Almost instantly, Tempest felt the air around them grow thick with awkwardness as Golden’s smile disappeared into a slightly terrified frown. “O-oh, h-hi.”

“Hello… Golden, was it?” Tempest asked with a small smile. Golden gave a slow and silent nod. “I’m Tempest Shadow.”

“Y-yes, I know who you are.”

Tempest attempted to maintain her perfect posture. She had always believed this gesture meant respect, but when she heard Golden’s reply, she allowed her shoulders to drop and her head to fall with a sigh.

“Look, I’m sorry for what I did. But please try your best to enjoy the party. Twilight and her friends have worked very hard on it.”

“O-oh… umm, thanks. I will!” Golden forced a smile up to her face before trotting away.

Good going Tempest. First one in and you’ve already managed to make this party feel awkward.

However, Tempest didn’t have time to ponder her thoughts, as a stream of ponies were already rushing into the castle. For the next hour or so, Tempest greeted everypony with Twilight. In the worst cases, some ponies would give her a sideways glance before disappearing to gossip. Others meanwhile didn’t even acknowledge her existence, merely trotting by a split second after spotting her.

Yet, to Tempest’s surprise, many others were willing to make an attempt to smile at her. Some were obviously still afraid or angry, but they made an effort to try. And that gesture was enough for Tempest to smile back.

And even though she started with a formal tone and perfect posture, she eventually felt more at ease and allowed herself to relax, dropping her shoulders and speaking in a more casual tone. She attempted to strike up a conversation with the ponies that passed her. And though the majority of them didn’t work, the ones that did really gave her the confidence to continue. She had learnt of Burnt Oak’s firewood business, about how he was the one that provided the logs that were burning in the fireplace at this moment. And of the pony couple Mortar & Pestle, who helped craft beautiful pottery that was being used to serve the food and drinks at the party.

Many ponies, while initially afraid, warmed up to her. They had given her a chance to show that she had changed. They might’ve been the minority, but they were enough.

They were more than enough.

“You’re doing great, Tempest!” Twilight nudged with a wink.

Tempest could only smile back before another guest occupied Twilight’s attention. When Tempest looked up to see who it was, her jaw dropped in mild surprise. A stallion and a mare were greeting Twilight, but what had truly caught Tempest’s eye was the filly staring up at her. The green coat and twirling blue mane was unmistakable.

“I remember you!” The filly bellowed out, pointing towards Tempest. Her parents turned to Tempest, giving the same fearful and judging gaze they had cast back at Sugercube Corner a few days ago.

“This is Tempest Shadow!” introduced Twilight with a grin.

“Y-yes, we’re… well aware,” the mother spoke through gritted teeth.

“Have all of you been to this party before?”

“No, we just moved in a month ago,” the father replied. “It seemed that everypony in Ponyville was coming here, so we thought we’d drop by.”

“Oh well we-” Twilight spoke, but was swiftly interrupted by a loud voice from in front of her.

“Does your horn still hurt?” the filly asked Tempest in an innocent tone.

Tempest darted her eyes up, feeling the small stub on her head. “Actually, it hurts less now,” she stared at the filly with a smile. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head. 

You know how this will end.

“Would all of you be interested in a tour around this castle?”

“No!” A stallion, no doubt the father, called out. “It’s fine! We can do this on our own!”

“O-oh,” said Tempest dejectedly. “A-alright.”

Told you.

Twilight’s eyebrows furrowed in irritation and she stepped forward with a bright smile. “Actually, you should take Tempest’s offer. She’s a great host! And she can get some freshly baked cookies for all of you!”

“I think—” The mother attempted to start, but the filly’s high pitched squeal interrupted her.

“Oh! Can we? Please mom? Can we!?” She bounced up and down on the spot with such energy, Tempest was wondering if giving her more sugar would be such a good idea.

The parents casted a cautious gaze at each other before turning back to their daughter. 

“O-okay, Jade, dear. But stay close alright?”

Tempest immediately perked up, fixing her posture with a grin. Turning her head, she gave a discreet nod to Twilight, who winked in return.

“Alright, right this way,” Tempest led the group deeper into the main hall, which was abuzz with life. Ponies, griffons and other creatures were mingling all around. Some were chatting with food in their hooves, while others were slotting presents underneath the tree. 

“Whoa!” The filly shouted in surprise. Her parents, too, had their mouths agape as they gazed at the beautiful decor that decorated the interior of the castle. Seeing their expression made the past few days of hard work entirely worth it. “That’s a big tree!”

Tempest snickered. “Yes it is. It took a lot of work to decorate it.”

“Which part did you do?”

“I wrapped the ribbons around the trunk and hung the bells.” Tempest’s answer drew stares from the parents. Though it wasn’t formed from anger, fear or spite. Instead, it was made of mild respect. Though it didn’t last. “But I have something even better to show all of you.”

“Better than the tree?”

“Much better,” Tempest grinned and strolled towards the fireplace. 

A large fire was bellowing from within, providing immense warmth for anyone that was near it. Applejack was tending to the cauldron that hung in the middle, pouring cup after cup of the bubbling contents with a warm smile.

“Hi Applejack!” Tempest greeted.

“Oh howdy ya’ll! Came here for some warm cider to thaw those chilly hooves?”

“You’re preparing cider… here?” The father asked in near disbelief.

“Every year! We take three days to make sure the cider’s just right, then we let it brew right on this here fireplace. This way everypony can smell it and have a hot drink!” Applejack happily proclaimed. She grabbed her ladle and sunk it into the contents, pouring out four mugs of sweet smelling drink. “Here ya’ll are! Feel free to come back for more! I got enough for the whole night!”

“You sure about that?” Rainbow zipped down from above, grabbing a fifth cup that Applejack had already prepared in advance. 

“Yes, Rainbow. Ah got so much even you won’t be able to drink it all!”

“Is that a challenge?”

“More of a warning.” AJ squinted her eyes and gave the pegasus a death glare.

Rainbow gulped and nodded, floating away with a sheepish grin. 

Tempest swiped the cups with her hoof, passing one to each of the ponies she was leading. “Here! Careful, it’s hot!”

Tempest watched as the parents took a sip. And immediately, their eyes grew wide with joy. They licked their lips and continued sipping bit by bit, whispering phrases of ‘it’s so good!’, and other similar words, between themselves.

Meanwhile, Jade was lapping softly at the top of the cup, occasionally giving it a soft blow with her mouth in an attempt to cool the piping hot drink. Tempest couldn’t help but giggle softly before taking a sip of her own.

Alright, doing great so far. Just have to make sure to keep this up! And don’t make the sam—

“Ah!” Tempest shouted as a rain of yellow feathers fell from above her. She quickly waved them away and was greeted with a wide, almost unwavering grin from a beak.

“Fizzlepop!”

“Skystar? What’re you doing here?” Tempest asked in shock.

“Pinkie told me that there was a party going on in Ponyville! And of course my mother and all the other hippogryphs were all ‘oh it’s too far, you’re not allowed to travel that far just for some party’! But I did anyway!” Skystar leaned in close to Tempest’s ear and whispered her next words, “just between you and me, I’m so grounded.”

“R-right,” Tempest turned back to Jade and her parents, who were regarding Skystar with wide open mouths. “Ahem. Princess Skystar meet Jade and her parents. Everypony, meet Princess Skysta—”

“Well hi! It’s so nice to meet all of you!” Skystar dashed up, shaking each of the pony’s hooves. “Oh my goodness you’re so cute!” She leaned down, giving Jade a small pinch of her cheek. “And someone as cute as you deserves a treat! Be right back!” Before any of the ponies, including Tempest, could raise an objection, or even process what had happened, Skystar took off into the kitchen and disappeared from view.

“She does that a lot.”

“You seem to have made a few friends,” the stallion regarded with a tone of both disbelief and caution.

“Yes, I have. Though it’s really because they were kind enough to give me another chance.”

“Everyone!” Skystar sang, drawing all nearby attention to her. Behind her bounced Pinkie, zipping to everyone she met and passing them treats fresh from the tray.

“Cookies, donuts, crackers! Come get them all!” Pinkie proudly declared. “Actually, don’t bother trotting to us! We’ll come to you!”

When Skystar and Pinkie reached Tempest and the trio, they immediately handed to each one a cookie. Though not just any cookie.

“What animal is this?” Jade lifted the cookie closer to her eyes, attempting to inspect it’s every tiny detail.

“That’s a Windigo, Jade,” Tempest explained.

“So these are what they look like? They look so cute!” Jade’s comment drew wide smiles from her parents, who stared at her with sparkling eyes.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Tempest’s mind. She crouched down to meet Jade close before speaking. “Want to know a little something special you can do with the cookies?”

An excited nod was her reply.

“Alright. So, just snap a part of your cookie off.” Tempest demonstrated by snapping the tail off her treat. Jade followed her actions, snapping off one hoof of the Windigo. “And you hold it up, just like this!” She raised it high and Jade mimicked the action. “And then you… knock it softly with your friend’s cookie!” Tempest touched Jade’s part before tossing it into her mouth.

“What does that do?”

“It’s called ‘Cookie Cheers’. You do it with your friend as a symbol of your friendship.” A part of Tempest wanted to cringe at those words. Once, she was a feared and respected commander of an army. Now here she was, talking about cheering treats with a foal. But she soon tossed aside the embarrassment. She knew she had nothing to be ashamed about. It was an innocent act. One she wished she could’ve done ten, twenty, thirty more times when she was a filly.

And she wasn’t going to let that experience be missed by anypony else.

“So does that mean we’re friends?”

“Umm…” Tempest looked up to her parents, who stared at her with unsure eyes. However, they soon gave a nod, causing Tempest to smile wide. She turned her attention back to Jade, who was waiting patiently for a reply. “Yes. Yes we are.”

“Good!” Jade exclaimed, tossing her part of the cookie into her mouth and chewing happily.

Tempest stood back up. And in the distance, she spotted Sunset leaning against the railing, casting a soft smile down on her. Tempest nodded back in return before turning her attention back to the three ponies.

“Let’s continue. There’s a lot more for us to go through.”





“And that’s really it!” Tempest declared proudly.

She had led the group all around the castle, showed them all the sights the public was allowed to see and treated them to delicious homemade food and drinks. Jade was chewing happily on a piece of candy Pinkie Pie had given her, all the while staring up at Tempest with wide eyes.

“Thank you for the tour, Tempest. It was amazing,” the mother spoke with a grin.

“You’re welcome. It was my pleasure.”

“You’re really putting in an effort to change huh?”

“Still trying,” Tempest admitted.

“Well, keep it up,” the stallion nodded. “Come on Jade, let’s go enjoy the night. Say goodbye to Tempest!”

“Can I ask you one more question, Tempest?” Jade inquired with wide, shining eyes. Tempest nodded in reply. “Why does Pinkie and Skystar call you Fizzlepop?”

Tempest attempted to stifle her giggles. “That’s my real name, Jade.”

“Then why don’t you use it?”

Tempest thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her hoof. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just more comfortable with Tempest. It’s the name I’ve been called by for years.”

“Well you should use Fizzlepop more. It’s a nice name.”

Feeling a little dumbfounded at Jade's comments, Tempest took a moment to compose herself. “Umm… t-thank you. I’ll try to use it more.”

Jade nodded happily before being ushered away by her parents. Tempest waved a final goodbye to the trio before swinging around, immediately spotting Sunset staring at her with a faint smile.

“Had fun?”

“More than just fun. I… It’s hard to put it into words.”

“Well that’s one thing you managed to do better than me,” Sunset spoke with a wistful smile. “Give a tour to three people without it blowing up in your face.”

“That’s… oddly specific,” a raised eyebrow accompanied Tempest’s words.

“Long story. I’ll tell you another day when we’re not so busy.”

Tempest laughed and rolled her eyes. “I’ll just add it to the list.”

“Well, since I’m already adding. Could I add one more?”

“Can I say no?”

“Nope,” said Sunset with a playful smirk. “Get me a soda from the upstairs kitchen would you? I’d go up myself, but Rainbow wants somepony to help set up for the giant performance tonight.”

“I will. But you owe me one.”

“Fair enough.”

Tempest broke off from the festivities, climbing up a private stairwell and up to the kitchen where all the bedrooms were. She cracked open the door and, to her surprise, she spotted Twilight sitting at the dining table.

“Twilight?”

“O-oh! H-hey, Tempest!” Twilight stuttered, causing Tempest to give her an odd stare.

“What’re you doing here?”

“Just… recharging. From all the social interaction I’m doing.”

“Ah.” Tempest popped the fridge open, grabbing one of the cans of soda from within. “Party’s going well.”

“It’s going great. And you managed to lead a family! I’m so proud of you!”

“Thanks. That took a lot out of me too.”

“I can imagine.” Twilight shifted in her seat, casting her gaze down to the table. A tense moment of silence hung between the two. An air that Tempest didn’t want to remain.

“Well, I better get this to Sunset.” Tempest held up the soda and turned to leave, when Twilight’s voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Tempest, wait.”

“Hm?” Tempest turned back around, spotting Twilight staring straight at her.

“It’s about… it’s about last night.”

Suddenly, that awkward air grew twice as thick, and twice as heavy. Already, she could feel her heart began to race. Her hooves started to shake, threatening to buckle underneath her. Her mind raced, trying to predict where this was going to go. But the still of the night waited, as if the universe was expecting an answer from her.

“Y-yeah?”

Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came. After a few tense moments, she allowed her head to drop with a groan. “N-nothing. Just forget whatever I said.”

Tempest should’ve felt relieved. But instead, it only made the unsettling feeling within her worse. She knew what Twilight was going to say. She knew every word. She knew. 

...Right?

Of course she knew. Sunset had showed her the vision, a memory she recalled in every vivid detail. Twilight had feelings for her. And she returned them in kind!

...Right?

She did. Of course she did. But did Twilight know? Did Twilight know that she knew everything? Did Sunset tell her? Tempest wanted an answer to all of these questions, yet she didn’t know if she could handle it.

More importantly, what would be her answer?

“Twilight—”

“It’s nothing, really,” Twilight forced a smile so fake, that Tempest was sure Twilight wasn’t even fooling herself. “Go on, Sunset’s waiting.”

“I…” She gazed at the soda and shook her head.

Pursue it. She feels the same way. I… You...

She opened her mouth to speak, but upon meeting Twilight’s regretful eyes, the thought immediately changed.

She doesn’t want to talk about it. Don’t do it now.

Tempest shut out the thought and turned around, shutting her eyes softly. “Yeah. Right.” As quickly as she could, Tempest galloped out the door. This was no time to pursue that topic. The party was going on, and she and Twilight had an image to maintain. If their wants were not aligned, then both of them would spend the rest of the party in a state that would only drag down the event.

She attempted to push the thoughts away. Push them out of her mind, just like they were before Twilight had said anything. Focus on the party. Not on that. No time for that.

Tempest eventually found herself back in the bustling celebration. She weaved through the crowds of creatures, spotting wide smiles on all of their faces. All except hers. She soon found Sunset outside the main gates, staring up as Rainbow flew spirals in the sky.

“Here’s your soda.” Tempest handed the can to Sunset, who grabbed it with an usually wide grin.

“So? How’d it go?”

“How’d what go?” Tempest asked, cocking her head to the left at the question.

Upon spotting Tempest’s confused face, Sunset’s grin instantly vanished, and her expression fell into one of despair. She closed her eyes and sighed, turning away as if to hide her pain. “Nothing.”

Tempest was about to head into the castle, when a loud call came from above.

“Tempest!”

Tempest raised her head up, spotting Rainbow diving down to meet her. In a flash, she had landed on the ground with a loud slam, sending snow flying all around her.

“So, I know what the answer probably is. But the fireworks?” Rainbow urged with a hopeful smile.

Tempest searched her heart in an attempt to find the same joy she felt. But instead, found only worry and anxious energy. There’s no way. 

She shook her head softly. “Sorry Rainbow. That’s still a no.”

“Aw mare!” Rainbow gave a disappointed sigh but she quickly pulled her posture back up and struck a confident pose. “Maybe next year then! No worries!” She soared back upwards, leaving a trail of colors in her wake.

Tempest sighed. Sorry Rainbow. I wish I could. 

“Hope you’ll at least watch the celebration Rainbow’s been practising for.”

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it. After all, I did help plan it.” Tempest allowed a small smile to rise to her lips. Sunset returned one in kind. “I’ll probably catch it out here. So, see you later?”

“See you later,” Sunset answered.

Tempest cracked the door open, entering the castle and letting it close shut behind her.





The party continued in a blur. Tempest was wearing a smile, but unbeknownst to the others, a frown sat beneath. Maybe the others knew, and simply chose not to pursue it. It didn’t matter. Tempest’s mind was entirely on one pony. One mare who didn’t seem to be present in the party.

Then again, Tempest made no effort to find her.

Now she sat on the bench just outside the castle, staring up at the glittering night sky. Small flakes of snow began to fall from above, causing the temperature to drop even lower than it already was. Everypony else had scattered back into the castle for warmth. But the cold was something Tempest had dealt with for years while she was on her own.

And here she was, alone once more.

Some things never change. Tempest sighed. She eyed Rainbow, watching as the pegasus stretched her body in preparation for the celebration she had hyped up for so long.

Tempest tightened the scarf around her neck, shutting her eyes lightly. Almost immediately, the memories of the past week came flooding back to her. Her nightmares. Sunset having breakfast with her. 

The memory of the Friendship Festival.

All of it burned with varying emotions. Fear, sadness, relief. Everything seemed so different, but one common thread connected them all.

Twilight. 

What was she to say? What did she even feel about her? She had no answer to those questions. Why? Why did Twilight have to attempt to call out to her in the kitchen? She would’ve been fine living in ignorance. But she had to be pulled back in, to confront the truth.

That thought sent Tempest’s hooves shaking. 

“H-hey, Tempest.”

Tempest shot her eyes open and darted her head to her left, spotting Twilight standing just beside her. Any words she had wanted to say disappeared at that moment, fading away from her mind.

“Hey,” Tempest muttered.

“Mind if I sit?”

“N-no. No, of course not,” Tempest shifted to her right, allowing Twilight to take a seat.

Silence surrounded the two mares for a period of time. There wasn’t a squeak in the cold winter night, leaving the air around them thick with tension.

“Beautiful night, huh?”

“Mmhm.”

Tempest had wanted to continue the topic of conversation, but found her mind redirecting back to the subject she was sure neither of them wanted to discuss.

“Tempest.” Twilight turned, meeting Tempest’s eyes. “About what happened in the kitchen—”

“Don’t worry about it!” Tempest attempted to wave the question away.

“No. No, I want to— I need to talk to you about it. We need to talk about it. I know I said that we should forget it until after the party but… but I can’t.”

Tempest’s heart dropped at those words. Fear took hold of her throat and her limbs, freezing her in place. She could barely think. Barely move. Barely breathe. She knew what the next question would be. But she didn’t have an answer.

“Tempest, do you like me?”

No amount of preparation could’ve braced Tempest for the impact. Hearing Twilight speak the exact words she was so afraid of struck a deep nervous fear into her heart, silencing her completely. 

This was the moment she knew had to come sooner or later. Yet she still had no answer.

The seconds ticked by as Tempest attempted to find her voice. Find the control back in her hooves. The feelings in her heart threatened to overwhelm her, and her thoughts were a mess of words and memories she could not separate.

“I…” Tempest muttered. “I…”

She felt a tear trail down her cheek, but found no strength to lift her hoof to wipe it away.

“I do.” Another tear fell. “I’m sorry, Twilight. But I do.”

Twilight laughed, sniffling softly. She raised Tempest’s head with one hoof while using the other to wipe away her tears. “Why’re you sorry?”

Tempest opened her eyes, spotting tears streaming down Twilight’s face. “Because… all your nightmares were due to your feelings for me, and I was too blind not to see it.”

“Blind? Tempest, you weren’t blind. I… I stupidly decided to hide it from you when I shouldn’t have.”

“That’s not all.” Her voice had taken on a life of its own. Tempest was no longer in control of the words she was saying, but made no effort to stop them. She allowed her emotions to guide her words, weaving her thoughts into sentences. “Twilight, you’re a princess of Equestria and I’m… I’m a pony that can barely deal with her own demons. You’re a pony everyone else looks up to. Me? I’m just a screw up. Everything bad that’s happened to you is someway tied back to me.”

“And that is in no way your fault. These feelings came about because I look up to you too. Your past actions don't matter.” 

“Yes they do, Twilight. All the things I’ve done… you have an image as the Princess of Friendship to maintain. Being with me will just ruin all that, and you know it,” Tempest pulled her head away from Twilight’s grasp.

“No,” Twilight stated without pause. “No I don’t. You’ve done nothing but try to better yourself ever since you’ve realized the mistakes you’ve made. Your life has been nothing but one miserable event after the other, and yet you still push yourself further. Harder. You never give up.”

Tempest stared at Twilight in silent awe.

“If anypony even dares to say that you’re anything less than that, then they don’t deserve to be in my life.”

With trembling lips and a stuttering voice, Tempest barely managed to eek out her words. “I— I’m not that important.”

“You’re right. You’re more than that.”

“Why, Twilight? Why do you insist on giving me everything I don’t deserve?”

“Because you won’t give it to yourself.” Twilight hung her head. “I hope you’ll let me be part of your life. Just like how I want you to be in mine. We can help each other grow and be better than we ever were.”

With her next breath, Tempest allowed all the emotions to flow. She leapt into Twilight’s embrace, tears streaming from her face. Twilight, though initially stunned, returned the gesture after a second. Soft sobs echoed through the night. No words were said.

No words were needed.

Tempest tightened her grip. Years of pain, anger and rage had been replaced with tender kindness, shown to her by the very pony that was her enemy only a couple of months ago. Attempting to recall the events that led up to the moment was like attempting to fix a jigsaw of a million pieces. So Tempest didn’t try. Instead, she allowed all of her pent up regret to flow in this one moment. The feeling that filled her heart was similar to that of the Friendship Festival, but amplified by a thousand. Nothing could describe the joy she was feeling. 

It wasn’t needed.

They embraced for a period of time. The length did not matter to them. They only parted when Rainbow shouted to the crowd to prepare themselves, before blasting off into the sky.

With hooves around each other’s forms, Twilight and Tempest watched Rainbow soar through the clouds, forming first a snowpony, then a thistle. Every spectacular trick awed the crowd inside the castle. And every stunt Rainbow pulled sent her higher and higher into the sky. Until, at last, she prepared to dive downwards.

And that’s when an idea entered her mind.

Tempest, through her tears and unwavering grin, channeled all the bursting joy in her heart into her horn. Blue bolts crackled and swirled around the broken tip, leaping from one point to the other. The magic Tempest was gathering was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was more powerful than anything she had ever wielded. A collection of pure, almost uncontrollable, energy.

When Tempest heard the first boom echo through the sky, she knew it was time. She thought of the pattern she wanted to cast. The colors that would hopefully bring joy to all of Ponyville and beyond. 

“3!” A chorus of voices echoed from inside the castle.

“2!”

Tempest took a breath to focus.

“1!”

Once the mental image had been decided, Tempest unleashed a crackling bolt into the air.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming!”

Rainbow cracked the sky with a Sonic Rainboom.

And Tempest blew the clouds away with one of her own.

The sky was alight with a myriad of colors. Explosions peppered the heavens above in a magnificent display of choreography. Combined with the Rainboom, the resulting view looked straight out of a fantasy book. A beacon to the rest of Equestria that she had changed. And that Hearth’s Warming was truly here.

The castle erupted into an applause that could be heard even through the shut doors and windows. It was the reaction Tempest had dreamt of. Even Rainbow’s scream of ‘aw yeah!’ resonated through the town.

However, the most powerful reaction was one Tempest could’ve never predicted. She felt Twilight’s head rest on her shoulder. And when she turned to look, Twilight was staring up to her with a soft smile. In that moment, she allowed her instincts to take hold. Her eyes closed and her head moved closer. She couldn’t see what Twilight’s reaction was, but she didn’t need to. Everything she was doing just felt right.

And soon, her lips met someone else’s. She paused. But Twilight didn’t. Twilight pushed forth, causing Tempest to do the same. For every second they continued, Tempest felt her shoulders grow lighter. Rising. As if her worries had vanished in an instant.

When they broke their kiss, both mares stared at each other with half-lidded eyes and a red hot blush on their face. Tempest was the first to smile. She turned towards the castle windows, watching as the ponies within continued to partake in the festivities. Did they notice? 

Why should I care? 

Yet, through the thick crowd and bustling events, Tempest spotted Sunset ascending the main stairway, just behind the untopped tree, with her saddlebags. 

Sunset?

Tempest got to her feet, giving a quick smile to Twilight.

“I’ll be right back. I think Pinkie's calling me for something.”

“Can’t it wait?”

Tempest leaned in and pecked Twilight lightly on the cheek. “It’ll just be a second.”

With an approving nod from Twilight, Tempest raced in, hoping to retrace Sunset’s steps.





Come on, Tempest. Where did she gallop off to?

Tempest had ascended to the top floor of the castle, a place she had seldom been. All the doors led to storage rooms, providing no use to her. Yet, she had followed Sunset’s traces up here. She didn’t know what Sunset was planning, though the sight of her saddlebags a few moments ago gave Tempest a rough idea.

She glanced anxiously around, watching for any movement. Anything that could give her a hint as to where Sunset had ran off to. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a door at the end of the hallway closing. It was just a second of movement, but it was enough.

Tempest raced towards it, lightly pushing it open and allowing the light of the hallway to spill into the room. At the end, she could see Sunset about to step into what appeared to be a mirror.

That must be the portal Twilight keeps talking about.

“Going somewhere?”

Sunset froze with her hoof inches away from the shining glass.Tempest took a step in, hearing a disappointed sigh echo through the room at the same time.

“Thought you were busy with Twilight,” Sunset spoke in a melancholy tone.

Tempest took another step forward, pushing the door close until only a small sliver of light could enter. Her heart increased its pace as she prepared to ask the one question she had on her mind. The one question she already knew the answer to. 

But she needed to hear Sunset say it.

“You like her too, don’t you?”

For a few tense seconds, Sunset didn’t answer. She stood, unmoving. But Tempest waited. She knew the silence was needed. The few seconds were important for Sunset to form her thoughts.

“What gave it away?” Sunset stuttered out. Even though Tempest couldn’t see Sunset’s face, she could hear the tears streaming down it.

“I had a hunch when you told me you ‘never made it that far’ last night. Which was all but confirmed when you tried to leave after seeing Twilight and I kiss. At least, that’s what I presume.”

“Wow, I’m impressed.” Sunset finally spun around, showing her wide smile through the few tears trailing past her cheeks. “You don’t even need the Element of Empathy to read my mind.”

Tempest trotted up close and attempted to lift her hoof to wipe away a tear. However, Sunset quickly shot her hoof up and stopped the gesture.

“You really should be spending tonight with Twilight,” Sunset laughed. But it was not one of joy. A few more tears flowed from her eyes, contrasting the warm, bright smile she wore. 

“How long have you had feelings for her?”

“Longer than I’d like to admit. Ask her about the Battle of the Bands sometime.” Another broken laugh filled the room. The sight of Sunset, the one pony that seemed unbreakable, so torn up twisted Tempest’s heart.

“Everything you did since you arrived, it was all for us?” Tempest asked, though she was deathly afraid of the answer.

“No, not everything. And I didn’t do it the moment I arrived.”

“Then when did you—” Tempest froze. The memory was so clear now. The moment when it all snapped into place. The answer was right there in front of her all along. “W-when you saw my memory of sitting under the fireworks with Twilight. That night...” She recalled that one act Sunset did, of looking at the picture before leaving the room. She hadn’t considered why Sunset did such a thing.

She did now.

Sunset snickered, lowering her head. “You’re smarter than you look. Yeah, I took the night deliberating what to do. The next day, while you were out for breakfast, I helped Twilight see her happiest memory, just like you wanted me to.”

“And?”

“It was of you.” Sunset shut her eyes softly, but her smile didn’t waver. “All of them were of you. And at that point, I knew what I needed to do. So I attempted to help in any way I could.”

Those words sparked a realization in Tempest. She shot her eyes open and her mouth dropped in a mixture of shock and disbelief. “Rainbow asking me to do the fireworks out of nowhere.”

Sunset laughed, but didn’t deny the theory.

“And you wanting the soda from the kitchen. Twilight was already there.” Tempest pondered on so many other small clues that had appeared throughout the past five days. Clues she never caught on to. “Twilight coming out of the castle while I was outside. That was… all you?”

A nonchalant shrug was Sunset's answer. Tempest felt the tears welling up within her, barely managing to whisper out a ‘why?’ before losing her ability to speak.

“Because I never stood a chance. It wouldn’t be good for her, nor me, if we ended up together.” Sunset gestured to the crystal walls and countless objects around her. “Twilight’s the Princess of Friendship in Equestria. And I’m…” She pointed to the mirror. “A high school student in another dimension. There was no way for this to work, but I crazily held onto the hope that it would.”

Tempest was dumbfounded. Words were all but lost on her at this point. She could only stare at Sunset and focus all her energy on suppressing the building emotions.

“I should actually be thanking you, Tempest. I think now I’ll finally be able to get over my feelings for her.”

“I’m not sure that’s something I should be thanked for.”

Sunset lit up her horn, surrounding the room in a mild red energy. A few tissues floated out of Sunset’s bag and she dabbed it lightly on her own face.

Tempest grabbed one of the floating ones and used it to wipe away Sunset’s tears.

“Are you ever going to tell her?”

“Tell the obsessive, emotionally fragile unicorn about feelings from her best friend? After she just got with somepony else?” Sunset chuckled. Though this time, there was joy to be found. “Twilight has enough trouble dealing with her own emotions. And that of the citizens of Equestria. She doesn’t need mine clouding up her world.”

Tempest gritted her teeth. She had wanted to argue against Sunset’s point, but knew that she was just as stubborn as Twilight. No amount of words or time would convince Sunset otherwise.

“I just wish there was an easy way out for all three of us.”

“There is.”

Tempest’s ears perked up in shock and her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

“Make her happy. And we all win.”

Of course. Tempest scolded herself mildly for thinking that Sunset would give anything other than that answer.

“That’s a lot of pressure,” Tempest joked.

“Trust me, it’s a lot easier than it sounds. Get her a few magical tomes every now and again and she’ll be the happiest mare in Equestria.”

“Hmm, I do have my connections outside of Equestria…”

“Oh? On second thought, just send them to me. You can get Twilight cooking books instead.” Sunset cringed. “She could use the help.”

A wide smirk crossed Tempest’s lips. She scrunched up the tissue in her hoof, tossing it into a nearby bin. “Was that an insult directed to the Princess of Friendship? Better not let her hear you.”

“Or what? Is she going to burn my books? Make me do math? Turn me into a giant demon that’ll enslave all of Equestria?” As Sunset spoke, her smile grew wider with each question.

“She might encase you in stone. Or break your horn.”

Silence filled the air. Sunset took a moment to process what Tempest had said. All the while Tempest held her playful grin.

“Well, if I end up like you Tempest, that wouldn’t be so bad at all. I’d honestly be pretty happy.” Sunset winked. And Tempest winked back. 

Sunset opened her hooves wide. Tempest, needing no signal, gave Sunset a large, tight hug. In those moments, Tempest felt eternally grateful to the mare that was in her hooves. Everything that had happened in the past few days was more than she could’ve ever dreamed of. And it was all thanks to her. A pony she didn’t even know existed till less than a week ago.

Twilight was right. Tempest tightened her hug. She does have a special kind of magic in her.

“You take care of her for me. And if you need anything, ask Twilight how you can find me. Even if it’s for a chat.”

Tempest broke the embrace, taking a few steps back. “You know, Twilight’s going to ask where you are.”

“Already taken care of. I told her I was going back during the party to set up for Christmas— umm, Hearth’s Warming for my world.”

“You really do think of everything, don’t you?”

“You caught me here, so, sadly not.”

Both mares shared a laugh.

“Keep her happy.”

“I promise. And you’ll visit?”

“I might need some time before I come back, but I’ll visit. I promise,” said Sunset as she stepped closer to the mirror.

“Cookie cheers promise?” Tempest held her hoof forward. Without hesitation, Sunset did the same, clicking her tongue as she knocked her hoof with Tempest’s.

“You know it.”

Knowing that there was no way for her to delay Sunset’s departure any longer, Tempest drew a breath and wore her biggest, and brightest, smile as she spoke, “goodbye, Sunset Shimmer.”

“I prefer ‘see you soon, Tempest.’” Sunset gave one final tip of her head before hopping through the mirror, disappearing in a small flash of light and an audible crackle of magic.

Alone once more, Tempest turned back to leave. She exited the room, but before she closed the door behind her, she gave the mirror a warm smile.

See you soon, Sunset.





Tempest found her way back into the party. The festivities continued as if nothing had even happened. The air was rife with the many laughs and yells of the ponies that filled the hall. Though Tempest could see the majority of the noise was emanating from Rainbow Dash, who had taken a spot in the middle of the room. She wore a proud smirk on her face as she hovered in mid air, pointing down to the rest of the little fillies and colts that had gathered around her.

“So that’s what a Wonderbolt can do!” A filly bellowed out in awe.

“That was amazing Rainbow Dash! Can you do it again?” Another asked with wide opened eyes.

“Sorry! That was a one time routine for Hearth’s Warming only!” A chorus of ‘awws’ followed Rainbow’s words, but her smirk didn’t fade. “But I’m open for as many autographs as any of you want! That includes you too, Twilight.” She shot her a wink to the pony in question, who responded with a roll of her eyes.

Tempest leaned on the balcony, smiling down at the scene in front of her. For the first time in two months, she could find nothing to feel sad about. Sure, she could nitpick and think about her nightmares. Yet, they didn’t seem to matter in the joy that was in the air. 

This must be what Hearth’s Warming is all about. She gazed at Fluttershy sipping cider with Rarity, laughing as Applejack recounted previous parties. At the second floor balcony, Tempest spotted Skystar and Pinkie, staring up into the sky. Occasionally, Pinkie would stretch her hoof and point out a shape, which Skystar would excitedly attempt to see. There were so many other small events happening in front of her. But they all told Tempest one thing.

No one was alone.

Even if someone was talking about hardships in the corner, they had company right beside them. The warmth in the room was only challenged by the fire in the hearth, though Tempest would argue the former was just a bit brighter. 

I do wish Sunset was here to see this. Tempest released a soft sigh at the thought as she rested her head softly upon the railing. For the first time, she could gather her thoughts. The memories of the days gone by and the bittersweet feeling in her heart.

All of it brought a smile to her face.

“There you are!” 

Tempest snapped out of her trance, spotting Twilight flying straight towards her. “O-oh. Hi there, Twilight.”

“Pinkie needed your help?”

“What?” For a second, Tempest stared at Twilight in utter confusion. However, she soon realized what Twilight was referring to and gave a guilty cough. “O-oh right. Twilight, I didn’t go to see Pinkie.”

“You went to follow Sunset,” Twilight giggled.

“Y-you knew?”

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out.”

“I’m sorry for lying, Twilight.”

“Hey, I understand. You didn’t want to worry me until you found out what was going on.”

Tempest chuckled. “It’s like you have mind reading powers too.”

“You wouldn’t want me to have that, trust me.”

“Well, if you know I went to see Sunset. Then you know…”

Twilight nodded. “I know. She left. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still have a great party!”

“Right!”

“Come on.” Twilight started to trot down the steps to the middle of the room. “I have something to say to everypony.”

Once both of them were right in front of the tree, Twilight cleared her throat, drawing the immediate attention of everyone in the room and silencing their murmurs.

“Citizens of Ponyville and beyond!” Twilight bellowed out in the loudest voice she could. “Thank you all for coming to this wonderful celebration at my castle!” Her words were met with a thundering round of applause. “Of course, all of this wouldn’t have been possible without my friends!”

One by one, Twilight began listing all the names of her friends. Each pony giving a soft wave as their names were called. Once she had recited the names of the Elements, she allowed a pause for more applause. “And another mare who helped, but had to leave early, Sunset Shimmer!” Another round of stomping hooves followed. “But lucky for us, there’s one mare I’d like to invite to the front—”

Twilight, you better not be doing what I’m think you’re doing.

“—One mare who helped this party in more ways than one—”

Twilight, don’t you dare.

“Tempest Shadow!”

Most of the crowd applauded. Most. Several ponies stood, scowling at her. Tempest gulped, leaning close to Twilight.

“Twilight, what are you doing?”

“Helping you get accepted.”

Before Tempest could stop her, Twilight shouted once more. “And I’d like to invite her to give a speech!”

What!?

In an instant, all eyes in the room turned to her. All of them were silent. Some stared at her with hopeful eyes, while others with judging stares.

The first thing Tempest did was clear her throat. Not because there was something stuck in it. But because she had no idea what to say, and hoped to buy as much time as she could. Yet, her mind was a complete blank slate.

Well, there’s no better time than to test Sunset’s ‘trust your heart’ theory.

“H-hello little ponies.” She gulped, darting her eyes nervously around her. She attempted to keep her back straight, her posture rigid, her head tilted upwards in a formal stance. However, she soon gave a sigh and allowed that tough facade to fall away. Inside, something stirred. And the next words she spoke weren’t formal. Nor were they spoke with a serious air. Instead, Tempest allowed herself to speak, not as a commander, but as a pony.

“Okay, I suppose I better address the elephant in the room. I made a terrible mistake in the past. One which some, even most, of you have not forgiven me for.” She scanned the crowd, spotting a few angry scowls among the rest of the expressions. “And rightfully so. The actions I took and the choices I made were despicable. And for that, I do not have your forgiveness.” Tempest hung her head low for a second, but soon, she rose back up, a determined look on her face.

“But I will earn it. No matter how much time or work it requires,” Tempest stated with unyielding confidence. She hadn’t felt this passionate since her time with the Storm King. And she never thought she would ever again. Yet here she was, softening the angered glares of those around her. “I know it’s easy for me to say, but the only thing I ask from you all is to give me a chance to prove I’m different. And that I can be better.” She turned to Twilight, who had the most shocked expression of all. Her shining eyes and quivering mouth told Tempest that she was about to cry.

“I know I can be.”

The crowd remained silent. No one dared to make a sound for fear of shattering the tense atmosphere. No one, that is, except for Pinkie and Skystar, who both began to cheer. Their wails from the second floor started a cascade of yells and positive claps from most ponies around Tempest, who looked on with a bright smile.

The clapping continued for several seconds before dissipating slowly.

“Long time residents of Ponyville will know that there’s a tree-topping tradition we perform every year,” Twilight said to the crowd. “Where I nominate somepony to put the star on top of the tree to mark the true start of Hearth’s Warming. And this year,” she turned to Tempest, smiling wide. “I can think of nopony better than Tempest Shadow.”

“Her name’s Fizzlepop!” Jade shouted from the crowd, earning a loud hush from both of her parents. Tempest couldn’t help but chuckle at the outburst. And neither could Twilight.

“Right, well, Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Would you?” Twilight held out a shining gold star, one that radiated a brilliant, magical glow from its form.

“I’d be honored, Princess.” Tempest grabbed the ornament and trotted up the steps, towards the tree. When she had arrived, she took a second to glance down at everypony staring back at her. In the sea of faces, she spotted mostly smiles and eager stares. Of course, there were some who were staring at her with sour expressions, but for once, they were the rarities.

Lifting the large ornament, she planted it squarely atop the tree. And the moment she did, the star glowed to life, casting its radiant yellow light onto the main hall. The crowd echoed ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’, followed by a chorus of applause. The sight brought a smile to Tempest’s lips. She knew that she was probably the only pony to be savoring this moment as long as she did. But she didn’t quite care. Because hearing the cheers of the crowd she was so afraid of mere hours ago made her heart feel lighter than ever before. And a powerful drive had began to whirl within her, sending energy through her veins.

Eventually, she descended the steps, retaking her position beside Twilight. “Well, the night is still young everypony! Eat, drink and enjoy the rest of the party!” Twilight shouted, prompting the crowd to give one last round of applause before dissipating.

“Thank you, Twilight.” Tempest wished she had something better to say. Something that better conveyed everything she was feeling tonight. But if there were words to describe the happiness in her heart, she didn’t know it. “Thank you for everything.”

Twilight said nothing. She trotted closer, pressing herself against Tempest’s chest. Tempest, though initially shocked, slowly wrapped her hooves around her.

“Twilight, you might not want to hold on like this for too long. The others might get suspicious,” she whispered softly.

Twilight pulled her head back and stared straight into Tempest’s eyes. “Let them be. This is your moment, Tempest. You should revel in it.”

Tempest turned, trotting to the tree and staring at the presents that laid underneath its enormous form. When Twilight came up beside her, Tempest swiftly stole a kiss, much to Twilight’s surprise. Tempest glanced around, thankfully spotting no one that could’ve seen that split-second moment.

When she turned back, she spotted a Windigo cookie floating softly in the air, surrounded by a glittering purple aura. Twilight, as well, was already holding a treat of her own. Tempest didn’t need instructions as to what to do next. She plucked the cookie from the air with her hoof, snapped a part of the Windigo’s leg off and knocked it lightly against Twilight’s, who had already done the same. However, this time, she didn’t immediately chomp down on her piece. And neither did Twilight. Instead, they shared a deep, knowing look. And Tempest swore that, underneath the light of the bright star and crackling fireplace, Twilight’s violet eyes looked more lively than she had ever seen them before.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Twilight,” Tempest said with blushing cheeks and a loving stare.

Twilight wiped a tear that had just appeared from her own eye and began to giggle ever so softly. Yet, despite its soft volume, Tempest had never heard a laugh mean as much as those few chuckles. With a grin, Twilight gestured upwards, where the mistletoe she had hung three days ago sat. Just above the tree.

Before Tempest could react, Twilight leaned forward and stole a swift peck on her cheek, causing Tempest’s cheeks to blush neon red.

“Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve, Tempest.”