As the sun set over the land darkness overtook the light. The veil of darkness was brief followed into a flawless transition as the moon rose over the horizon. The astronomical body arose high in the sky casting its protective light over the dark veil like a beacon to lost souls. Tempest felt a chill run over her as the warmth of the sun was gone, replaced by a cool breeze from the night.
She shivered in her armor and quickly got up to get her blood pumping again. He father was startled by the sudden movement, but he took no offense to it. It was a cold night and so he and Tempest left to return home as quickly as possible.
When they arrived Berry Punch and Pinch were sitting on the couch while Chardonnay was in the kitchen doing dishes. At the table were two plates of food, now cold, sitting all alone. When Tempest and Merlot entered the foyer, the mare turned and marched like a solider with a purpose and intercepted them before they had a chance to exit the foyer.
“And where have you two been?” She asked, glaring at both ponies. “Merlot, why are you two so late coming home? You know the rules. I can forgive Fizzlepop for not being around as long as she has, but you know better.”
The mare scolded her husband shaking a spatula in her hoof at him angrily with each word. He tried hard not to laugh at her attempt to be menacing. Even Tempest found it hard to keep a straight face. Her mother was covered in dough, flour, and had a ‘Kiss the Chef’ apron on.
“And what’s so funny, mister?” She hissed at her husband.
The stallion continued to chuckle even after his wife puffed angrily at him. Finally she found she wasn’t getting the reaction out of him she wanted, so she guided Tempest to the table. After setting the young mare down Chardonnay took one plate of dinner and heated it up for her. It was a simple tomato pasta soup, with a side of bread rolls, and a salad. All brought together with a glass of aligote wine called Moscato to compliment it.
“Thanks mom.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” Chardonnay said softly.
The mare was patting Tempest on the shoulders and giving her a relaxing massage. Tempest felt her body relax as the knots in her shoulders eased with the soft kneading of her mother's hooves.
“Oh, that feels good,” Tempest moaned softly.
Chardonnay stopped her a massage and pressed her lips on the back of Tempest’s head giving her a kiss there. Tempest blushed and hunched over to eat her food. She scooped a spoonful of her soup. She sipped the soup taking in a mixture of penne noodles, chicken, and romano cheese. All the flavors mixed together to create a strong, but not overwhelming taste of zesty and sweet sensation in her mouth. Tempest fought back the urge to moan as she swallowed her mouthful of soup. After swallowing the soup Tempest placed her spoon down. After which she took a small sip from the flute glass of wine. The dryness of the wine was a stark contrast to the food. Usually one didn’t mix the two together, but Tempest loved it.
She loved strong contrasting flavors in her food and drink. Perhaps it said a lot about her personality too. She grinned at the thought as her father joined her along with her mother. The two older ponies sat across from her as she ate. They themselves had two glasses of red wine, in the next room over Berry Punch was sitting with Pinch while the old record player played an old tune Tempest hadn’t heard since her early foal hood.
The song playing was Les Troyens, a personal favorite of hers. An old classic that wasn’t well known unfortunately, but it was still special to Tempest. The three ponies listened to the calming music while they ate. The sounds of Berry Punch and Pinch talking in the next room overtook the music at one point when Pinch became excited about the traveling show in town.
“I heard they have a geomancer in their group!” Pinch’s voice yelled excitedly.
“Oh, a geomancer? Those are rare talents!” Berry Punch said in amazement.
“Yeah! I can’t wait for us to all go see it!”
The cheery voice of the filly in the living room was complimented by her scampering hooves on the wooden floors. Tempest's ear flicked when she heard her aunt giggled and the scampering stopped.
“Actually sweetie, we can’t go with you.”
“What!? Why not?” The filly whinned.
“Actually, your aunt, uncle, and I were going to start mashing the grapes tonight. We need to begin the fermentation process before this humidity makes them go bad,” Tempest heard Berry explain.
She looked at her father who looked annoyed by this revelation. Chardonnay went on to explain the type of grapes they harvested go bad quickly after they’ve been picked. To that end they had to begin fermenting them as quickly as possible so the batch wouldn’t turn out bad. Time was essential and they had time, unfortunately they couldn’t all go to the show.
“-so, if it’s not too much trouble, Fizzlepop, could you take little, Ruby Pinch to the show tonight?” Chardonnay asked.
“Uh, sure? It should be interesting,” Tempest said sounding bored.
As she finished her soup Tempest was suddenly tackled by her tiny cousin. Berry Pinch squealed in delight nuzzling her cousin in the cheek. The three adults replied to the action with overload from the cuteness, while Tempest glared menacingly at them. She didn’t mind showing affection, but she hated the dumb look ponies gave when they saw something cute or adorable. The unnecessary gushing and squeals all annoyed her to no end. Adults were the worst offenders, but she couldn’t stay mad at her parents or aunt for that. Of course it didn't help that they thought her glare was adorable with her deep blushing face. A click from the camera proved that embarrassing moment would last forever in her mother's scrapbook somewhere for many ages to come. Probably long after she was gone. Eventually she managed to smile as Berry Pinch continued to nuzzle her.
“Oh, that’s so adorable!” Chardonnay gushed, then turned to her sister. “Please, tell me you got that shot?”
Berry Punch looked at the camera in her hooves and grinned tossing it up several times.
“Of, course I did. What? Do you think I’m an amatuer sister?” Berry Punch as mugly.
Chardonnay giggled and pushed her sister.
“No, but I know you’ll drop that camera if you don’t stop doing that!”
Berry Punch rolled her eyes at her sister. Then as if the universe was trying to help drive that point, Berry Punch nearly did drop the camera. Swiftly Merlot managed to catch it with his magic and set the camera safely down on the table. Chardonnay gave her sister a smug look, and Berry Punch huffed crossing her arms and looking away with an annoyed expression. Everypony laughed.
After the pony managed to calm down from their laughing fits, and the camera stored away, Tempest and Berry Pinch were getting ready to leave to go see the show. Chardonnay, Merlot, and Berry Punch were leaving to start mashing the grapes when Pinch hugged her mother.
“Bye, Mommy!”
“See you in a few hours, my little ruby,” Berry said kissing Pinch’s forehead.
The filly was wearing a small pink beanie, with a matching scarf, and fur boots with little white strike on them. She reminded Tempest of a pink and white candy cane. Tempest was about to leave but her mother’s strong hooves stopped her. A powerful tug spun the mare around and she was face to face with her mother and a stern expression.
Tempest felt uneasy at first. She remember that look. It was her mothers ‘I’m going to give you a lecture,’ look, and Tempest didn’t feel like dealing with a lecture right now.
“What?” Tempest asked.
“Aren’t you cold in that?” Chardonnay asked.
“Uh, no? Why?”
Chardonnay sighed facehoofing. She shook her head and went upstairs and came back down with a sweater, scarf, and earmuffs, and offered them to Tempest.
“Put these on sweetie, and take that armor off, you look like a thug,” Chardonnay said softly trying not to sound too demanding.
“Mom, I’m fine in my armor. It’s not like I’m going around destroying buildings or something. You make it sound like I’m in a gang,” Tempest said sounding annoyed.
“Sweetie, you’re going to a magic show with your cousin, not going to war. Please, do this for me, sweetie?”
“Ugh, fine. Only for you Mom,” Tempest replied taking the items.
“Hey, what about me?” Merlot asked in the hallway.
“You hush, they’re having girl talk,” Berry Punch said pulling him away.
The stallion struggled against Berry Punch’s iron grip as he was dragged away. Tempest and her mother both giggled at the stallion’s failed escape attempt. After which Tempest slipped off her armor and rashguard and placed them aside. She looked over the items she had. She put in the pink and blue fur boots which made her hooves very warm and snuggly too. She then wrapped her scarf around her neck and placed the earmuffs on. She felt like an orchid, pink, and blue menace.
“Ugh, this does not match my fur coat at all,” She complained, giving herself a lookover. “But damn do I look good.”
After giving herself a lookover her mother came back into the living room. She was carrying a lacy saddle that matched her current outfit. Tempest glared at her mother’s sheepish smile.
“No.”
Chardonnay groaned and shoved the saddle forward at Tempest.
“Oh, come on sweetie! Saddles are in right now thanks to that fashionista from Ponyville! It’s cute!” Chardonnay said.
“I’m not wearing that, thing,” Tempest growled.
“It’s cute, and matches the outfit! Come on try it on, pleeeeeease?”
“... No. I’ll look like a hooker.”
“You will not!” The mare gasped. “This is a saddle, it’s not like you’re wearing stockings and panties, and a girdle with it!
Tempest groaned loudly and walked away from her mother and grabbed Pinch by the nape of the neck. Lifting the illy onto her back Tempst walked out the door saying a brief goodbye to her aunt and father, and completely ignoring her mother's calls to her.
“It looks cute! You’ll get a stallion for sure! Sweetie!”
The sounds of her aunt and father snickering made Tempest blush. Her cousin looked at her with childish curiosity as her older cousin stormed out of the house.
“Goodbye mother!” Tempest embarrassedly called out, ignoring her family.
Once free from her mother's nagging, and her aunt and fathers useless snickers, Tempest allowed herself to breath a sigh of relief. Pinch patted her head gently earning a kind smile from her older cousin.
“Thanks kid,” Tempest said nudging Pinch’s side with her nose.
“Aw, it was nothing. Auntie and Uncle tease me all the time. Sometimes my friends do too. They’re nice though. Especially my friend Dinky! She’s so cute!” Pinch gushed.
Tempest couldn't help but smirk at the filly whose cheeks were now rose red.
“Aww, is that you’re little filly friend?” Tempest asked teasingly.
Berry Pinch gasped in shock and started beating Tempest on the back of the head, of course she put no real effort behind it.
“You’re mean! She’s just a friend!” Berry Pinch cried out indignantly.
“Oh, yeah. I’m a mean mare,” Tempest chuckled playfully with a grin.
Tempest chuckled shaking the filly off her back. She then pushed her over and nuzzled her tummy making Pinch giggle from her belly tickle. Tempest giggled with the filly feeling great about the time she was spending with her. Even though she didn’t like foals for the most part, Tempest couldn't bring herself to say she disliked her cousin. She was adorable, and not insufferable. Then again, she didn’t know what Tempest did at the friendship festival, but she didn’t want to dwell on that. She had to get the filly to the show! Tempest turned and waited for Berry Pinch to get up before she continued to walk down the stone pathway toward the town.
“Come on little one.” Tempest
“Right behind you, cuz!”
Pinch scampered off after Tempest following her all the way through the fields of grapes and all the way to town.
The ponies were all gathering around the center of town around the wagon Tempest saw earlier. It was a quaint little thing, purple with elaborate gold trims. It had a grey slanted roof with a retractable awning and windows on either side of it, and a single door at the rear. Tempest took note of the saar designs covering the wagon. Behind it slightly hidden from view was a similar but smaller grey wagon with no truly discernible features.
Were they a traveling group? Tempest thought to herself. She remembered her mother saying something to that extent, but she couldn’t remember if it was so. Regardless the large signs on the side of the wagon and all over town showed this was definitely the place to see the show. The ponies gathered facing the side the purple wagon as a fanfare played from around them. The ponies looked around but found no source for a disembodied voice that suddenly spoke from the very air around them.
“Welcome ponies of Wineville! Prepare yourselves, for tonight you are about to witness magic that will awe you!” The voice said in a booming theatrical manner, as rainbow sparkling fireworks spiraled around the crowd.
“Ooooo!” The crowd awed.
“There will be magic! Mystery! And adventure! For tonight, you will witness the amazing talents of the one, THE ONLY, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!”
Suddenly from the front a large smoke cloud burst from thin air and as it cleared there stood a azure blue unicorn mare, with a beautiful silver mane and tail sporting a long elegant star spangled cape and matching hat. She wore a thousand bit smile that seemed to sparkle with her magenta eyes, with no hint of smugness in sight. If you were blind.
Tempest wasn’t impressed one bit.
She could tell this mare was arrogant by her posture alone. The self inserting egotistical callouts and the overinflated bombast was the dead giveaway. However, Tempest couldn’t help but think this mare, Trixie, seemed familiar to her somehow. But she couldn’t for the life of her figure out where she’d seen her before. Was it back at the Friendship Festival? No, she was sure to remember somepony so arrogant and annoying as her. Did she see her at one of the towns? No, again she’d remember her for sure. Nothing was coming to mind, but somehow the mare was familiar to her. So familiar that it was like she remembered some important thing she long forgot, only to forget it moments after she remembered it.
While Tempest thought about the mare named Trixie, said unicorn proceeded with her show taking no particular notice of the mare in the crowd with a broken horn. Berry Pinch was once more one Tempest’s back and perch atop her head watching Trixie in earnest.
“Now! Allow Trixie to introduce her traveling entourage! The first is a mare of great magical talents! AND she’s the Princess of Friendship’s personal student, and my best friend. Starlight Glimmer the Magnificent!”
Trixie stood on her back hooves and waved her arms to the right of her as a cloud of smoke burst a few feet over. From the smoke came forth a periwinkle mare with a dark violet mane with a light teal stripe tied back in a ponytail. She was wearing a cape and hat similar to trixie but with a violet vest with her cutie mark on the right chest area. Starlight Glimmer using her unicorn magic, took her hat off and bowed to the cheering audience.
“Welcome everypony!” She called out to the crowd. “Are we all having a good time?!”
“Yeah!”
“Wooo!”
“I love your mane!”
“She’s pretty!” Berry Pinch, ‘oohd’ at the mare on stage beside Trixie.
“Ugh, if you’re into that I suppose,” Tempest said leering up at Trixie who suddenly focused to her left.
“And now the final member of our Majestic Trio! She’s a mare of brute strength! She cold lift weight over a ton and destroy boulders the size of Trixie’s wagon! Please give a round of applause to the Might Maud the ROCK!!”
Again everypony cheered as a cloud of smoke burst to the left and a dull grey earth pony mare stood in its place. Her light purple mane and dull expression was very much complimented by her simple grey vest and cape. She wore no hat, but atop her head was what appeared to be a tiny, well polished rock. The mare bowed slightly but made no exaggerated movements like her predecessors. The crowds cheers quickly died down and became silent.
Everypony stared at the dull grey mare, waiting for her to do something. The awe was high, and expectations were too. There was a long tense pause where nothing happened. Then as the crowd started to relax there was a loud sound from above. Everypony in the crowd looked up to see a massive boulder falling from the sky and heading towards the caravan. The crowd gasped at cried out about the boulder as Trixie, Starlight, and Maud all casually looked up at it. At first tempest was ready to charge up and blast the boulder to dust, but something about the trio of performers gave her pause. Why weren’t they running or getting ready for the hulking stone from above? She decided to watch and only jump in if she really needed to. To be on the safe side she put Pinch underneath her and charged her horn, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
As the crowd was beginning to disperse Starlight and Trixie’s horns glowed brightly. Their magic swirling around Maud and turning the earth pony mare into a bright golden color. Maud then leapt into the air leaving a dust trail behind, and hurled herself at the boulder.
The crowd no longer fearful of being crushed turned to see the golden mare in the sky. She was a beacon of hope in this desperate hour. What happened next defied anything tempest, or anypony here had ever seen. As Maud flew towards the boulder, she used her bare hooves to swiftly punch at the boulder. The speed at which her arms moved made them nothing but golden blurs to everypony, but that wasn’t the best part. The boulder was being chipped away bit by bit, and Maud was unharmed drilling away like it was nothing. The dust of the disintegrating boulder caught bits of the magic around her and created a dazzling golden shower behind her that was as powerful to see as it was majestic. When the rock was all but gone, Maud twirled around to give the last bit a roundhouse kick and created a powerful golden blast that exploded in the dark sky lighting it up.
The remains of the rock flew into the air like a golden meteor. Trixie and Starlight both fired two beams of magic that caused the remains to explode into a dazzling array of magical fireworks that spread out to more and more. The fireworks varied in shape and size and the crowd cheered once more as maud landed near Tempest.
Tempest couldn't help but feel impressed by what she saw. These three amres had indeed put on quite a show so far. Trixie and Starlight were great with their magic. Maud however caught Tempest Shadow’s full attention. She couldn’t help but look over the grey earth pony feeling her cheeks burn. The strong shoulders and arms on the mare were enough to entice Tempest slightly. That show of confidence in her skill, and trust in it was definitely something to be desired; or, maybe she just trusted her companions. Regardless, Tempest was speechless and stared at this magnificent grey mare before her. Maud caught wind that she was being watched and gave a slow wink at Tempest, which made her blush immediately. Tempest tried to hide her blush by turning away and scoffing, but her eyes trailed back to catch a glimpse of Maud’s flank as she replaced her cape around her neck covering herself. Curse you cape. Tempest thought banefully at the fabric. Wait, what am I thinking!? I’m not out here to check ponies out, blast it! I blame mother for this. Once more her thoughts dwelled and she immediately thought about that stupid lacey saddle her mother wanted her to wear. Now though she could only imagine Maud in it. And boy, did she like that thought. Suddenly she gasped. NO! Damn it I’m turning into my mother!!
As the horrifying thought of turning into her mother resonated within her mind, the show continued on for several minutes. The trio of performers did various tricks and feats that did indeed leave the crowd wanting more. Starlight performed great magical spells, Trixie dazzled the crowd with her beautiful prestidigitation, and Maud showed off her brute strength and surprising agility. Tempest was very impressed by Maud’s strength and agility. It reminded her of herself. By the end of the hour the show was coming to a close, and Tempest caught sight of her parents and aunt coming towards her from the crowd.
“Mother, Father, Aunt,” She greeted the ponies.
“Hey, kiddo, how was the show?” Merlot asked bear hugging his daughter.
“Ack! It was -gasp- fine father,” Tempest tried to say as her lungs were crushed by her father’s vice like grip.
“Dear, you’re going to hurt her if you do that,” Chardonnay chastised her husband.
“Sorry kiddo,” Merlot said letting Tempest go.
“It’s fine.”
“Mom!”
Little Berry Pinch leapt into her mother’s arms. Berry Punch gave the filly a playful twirl in the air making her laugh happily.
“How’s my little ruby? Did you like the show?” Berry Punch asked giving Pinch a nuzzle to the cheek.
“Tee hee, yes! It was amazing! Trixie and Starlight glimmer were like, MAGICAL! And Maud was like, POW POW! AND BROKE A HUGE ROCK TO PIECES!”
Everypony chuckled at the fillies enthusiastic retelling of the show. As she went on Tempest looked back at the trio of performers. She suddenly remembered where she heard their names before. Princess Twilight mention all of them by name. Of course, she now knew who Starlight was first hand, Maud too, but there was something different about Trixie. She knew her from somewhere else. But where?
“Come on little one, we have to go home,” Berry Punch said, placing Pinch on her back.
“Aww! Why?” The filly whinned. “Can’t I stay out longer? The shows almost over?”
“Mind your mother dearie,” Chardonnay said to her niece. “Your mother has worked very hard today. Please, don’t give her more trouble.”
Pinch sighed and hugged her mother apologetically.
“Sorry, Momma.”
“It’s fine sweetie. Now, let’s go home and get you to bed. Its way past the time,” Berry Punch turned and walked away with Pinch on her back.
Tempest turned to see Trixie was now atop a wooden crate with Maud and Starlight flanking her. Her cape flowed as though it were in the wind, and her hat bobbed with every exaggerated movement she made.
“And now, fillies and gentlecolts, please lend Trixie your ears!”
“Such a loud pony,” Tempest sneered.
As the words left her mouth Tempest’s mother and father were now flanking her sides and sandwiching her between them. The two older ponies nuzzled her cheeks making them burn bright red.
“G-guys! What are you doing?!” Tempest struggled to break free.
Her parents laughed as they smothered her with their pent up affections. Eventually she gave in and simply allowed it. She’d never hear the end of it if she didn’t let them do their thing. Oh, she could hear it now. Why don’t you love us anymore, Fizzlepop?! Her mother would say. I can’t believe we raised a thug! Her father would cry.
Even though they annoyed her to no end, they were her parents. She did love them. She just wished they were less touchy feely about things. Tempest didn’t like to be touched, ironically she didn’t mind touching others. If it involved punches and kicks.
Finally after what felt like the longest ten seconds of her life, Tempest was set free from her parents affections. She skipped forward and shook herself like a cat who had just been dunked in water, as if the motion would removed her embarrassment from herself.
“For now the Great and Powerful Trixie will tell you a tale! A tale of how she became the strongest unicorn in all of Equestria!”
“I thought Maud was the strongest pony in Equestria?” A fill said form the crowd.
Trixie’s eyes bulged as she stood silent for a moment. Coughing in her hoof she jumped off her crate and walked to the filly in the crowd. She gave her a kind smile and playfully ruffled her mane.
“That’s true, but Trixie is a unicorn. See?” Trixie pointed to her horn.
The filly looked at her horn and nodded like she was in a trance.
“Now, Maud may be the strongest earth pony, but Trixie is the most powerful unicorn. See?”
“Oh! I get it!” The filly gsped.
Trixie and the crowd laughed together as Trixie gave the filly her hat to wear.
“Now, hold onto this! It’s very special. Trixie got it from her brother when she became a traveling magician,” Trixie leaned into whisper in the filly’s ear. “It will make you great and powerful too.” She said with a wink.
Tempest rolled her eyes.
“Ugh, I can’t believe ponie buy into this crud,” She said to herself.
Chardonnay looked up at Trixie who was now perched up on her crate again. She smiled seeing the mare and the ponies around her. She leaned into Tempest's side and pointed to the azure mare.
“Do you recognize her, Fizzlepop?” Chardonnay asked her.
Teempst glared at her mother, but ignored the fact she got her name wrong again. Guess I’ll just have to get use to it. She thought, looking back at Trixie. Again she was sure she knew the mare, but then it dawned on her that her mother knew who it was.
“You know her?” Tempest asked.
“Oh, yes, she use to play with you all the time!” Chardonnay said gleefully.
“I did? With that arrogant lout?” Tempest asked looking Trixie from top to bottom.
“Oh, yes. You, her, and her brother use to play together all the time,” Merlot added.
Tempest thought back to her time in her hometown. She didn't have many friends back then. So it was easy enough to remember all of them. However none of them had brothers. Which made it easy for her to figure out who it was. Her memories flashed back on one fateful day that spiraled her life out of her control and she left to seek power. Power to restore her horn. As if it her memory wasn't enough, this mare Trixie proceeded with her performance and what she said next all but confirmed who she was to Tempest.
“Let Trixie tell you the tale, of how she single footedly save the town of Hoofington from the dreaded, URSA MAJOR!!!”
Tempest felt her heart skip a beat. Her life flashed before her eyes to the moment when she was a vulnerable filly. Vulnerable and foolish. The day she fought and ursa minor and almost died. The day she lost her horn. The day her so called friends, sent her into that dreadful cave to get their favorite ball back. And this mare, Trixie, no, Boysenberry Lulamoon was the one who convinced her to do it, and here she was telling that story like it was her own adventure of grandeur! Tempest snarled and narrowed her eyes dangerously at Trixie, who seemed oblivious to her presence.
“She did not just go there....”