Storms.
There were many kinds of storms in the word. Thunder and lightning storms, dust storms, hurricanes, snow storms, even hail storms. Tempest Shadow had seen them all. She once remembered this one-time Grubber brought a parasprite onto her ship, the Huracan , and it was a disaster.
The foolish hedgehog fed the adorable beast and it began its seemingly infinite spawning cycle. By the time the ship had reached the middle of the ocean it was infested with thousands of parasprites. Tempest remembered her head popping out of the swarm only to come eye to eye with an embarrassed Grubber. She remembered he slowly sank into the parasprites to hide. Tempest vaporized the majority of the swarm on her ship just to get to Grubber. It was surprising how many of her problems were solved through force. Now she was trying to be more diplomatic in her approach.
But Tempest was a storm.
None dared challenge her might.
Those who dared were met with a force they couldn’t stop.
Now, another has taken to the pedestal. Her old friend Boysenberry Lulamoon. Of course, she now went by the Great and Powerful Trixie. Tempest spat at the thought of the mare's name. It left a bad taste in her mouth every time she said or thought it. Tempest respected Princess Twilight’s ways, but this was her own problem and she would deal with it as she saw fit. Trixie would pay for using her near-death experience as a form of entertainment.
Tempest had to prepare. That mare was with some very powerful ponies. That unicorn Starlight Glimmer was really, REALLY, good with magic. Tempest would definitely need her armor to deal with her if Trixie allowed her to intervene. Of course, Tempest figured Trixie had more honor than that. Then there was that brawler of an earth pony. Maud. Tempest felt her cheeks heat up thinking of the brute force that mare showed in pulverizing the giant boulder with her bare hooves. If that pony jumped in the fight even Tempest's armor wouldn’t protect her. If a pony could destroy a boulder to dust what chance did Tempest have? She would die from internal injury long before her armor did.
Of course, she was far agiler than the earth pony. So, she wasn’t worried about getting hurt. Then again the thrill of the chase, adrenaline rush, the fight, it was all exhilarating to her. Tempest had been itching for a fight for so long now it was killing her.
She couldn’t wait to get home.
Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by two tiny hooves covering her eyes and a weight on her back. She sighed as a high pitched voice whispered, “Guess who?”
Tempest couldn’t help but grin. She moved her head to look up towards the sky, still blinded by the tiny hooves.
“Gee, I wonder who it could be?” She asked in mock wonder.
Of course tempest knew the answer already. There was only one pony who used her back as a ride. Of course the giggles from behind her made her stop from getting the right answer right away. She would have a little fun with this.
“Is it… Berry Punch?”
“Nope!” The voice giggled.
“No?!” Tempest asked smiling. “Well, that’s funny, the color of your hooves are the same as hers so I thought you were her the whole time.”
“How can you? It’s night time!” The voice said, a matter of factly.
Tempest smiled at the fillies logic knowing very well that gave her the answer she wanted. She stood in place in the middle of the road and heard ponies walking by talking about her and the filly perched on her back.
“How cute!” Somepony said.
“My brother does that with me all the time too,” A mare said.
Tempest sighed feeling slightly embarrassed to be seen like this. Then again, here she wasn’t the fierce warrior who invaded a city. A faint hint of grapes filled her nose from the hooves of the filly. Tempest knew how to get the answer from the filly to identify herself.
“Are you the Great and Powerful Trixie?” She asked.
The filly giggled. “No! Trixie’s blue! I’m purple and adorable!”
You’re actually not purple, but I’ll let it pass. Tempest thought to herself. I guess it’s time to end our little game. I Have a duel to prepare for. Tempest turned her neck like she was looking back at the filly and smiled. The filly went stiff and silent and her predatory grin.
“So, you’re not blue, but purple and adorable? Small enough to stand on my back, and smell like grapes? You must be,” She paused and with a powerful push, Tempest sent the filly flying in the air and spun around to catch her in her hooves. “Berry Pinch?”
Berry Pinch giggled in Tempest’s hooves. Her back legs dangling and kicking with excitement. Tempest threw her up in the air again and a loud laughter escaped Pinch’s mouth. Tempest felt herself having fun too. This little distraction was a nice way to relax before she pulverized Trixie to dust. Realizing she had to get ready, she tossed Pinch up in the air only to have the filly land on her back. Berry Pinch bounced on Tempest’s back, her mane bobbled around, and Tempest smiled walking home with her niece.
Under the moonlight Tempest and Pinch made their way home. By the time Tempest was halfway home her tired niece was fast asleep on her back. The filly was curled up around her shoulders and snuggled against the scarf Tempest wore. After returning home Tempest was greeted by three very annoyed and upset parents.
From what Tempest could gather, Berry Pinch, snuck out of the house when they weren’t looking to go find Tempest. Of course the “pillow under the covers” trick only worked if nopony looked. Despite her attitude, Berry Punch was not dumb. She knew her daughter well enough to check. That, of course, didn’t stop the filly from getting into mischief. After putting the filly to bed, and reassuring the parents that nothing happened to Pinch, Tempest retreated back to her room and slipped off all the garments her mother selected for her and replaced her armor.
The cold heavy metal was enough to make her relax. She loved wearing the armor. It made her feel safe. Probably why she couldn’t stand having it on either. It drove her mad not wearing it. She assumed it was due to the fact she practically lived in it most of her life. Literally.
‘I can’t believe she snuck out again!’ The sound of her aunt’s concerned voice pierced the walls.
‘Don’t worry! Fizzlepop found her and she’s fine. No harm was done.’ She heard her father say.
‘I don’t care! That filly of mine is gonna get an earful when she wakes up!’ Berry Punch promised. ‘I swear she’s as bad as her father sometimes! Little sneaks!’
Tempest twitched her ear at that. She wondered about her aunt’s husband. She’d never met him before, nor had she ever heard a word of him since she returned. Who was he? For that matter where was he? Tempest could only wonder as she listened in on the older ponies conversation, hoping to get some details.
‘That stallion was nothing but trouble. We told you to break off with him sooner.’ Her father said.
‘I was in love. What did you expect?’
‘I expected my sister to have better judgment. Clearly your daughter takes after you as well.’
Wow, harsh.
‘Sigh, I guess you're right. Regardless I’m trying hard to teach that daughter of mine how to behave. I swear she’s going through a rebellious phase. I fear that she’ll only get worse in her teen years!’ Berry Punch cried out.
Tempest rolled her eyes. She could imagine her aunt throwing herself on the floor in a most dramatic fashion. Teary eyes and clutching her “aching heart” at the thought of her own flesh and blood becoming worse down the line.
‘Berry! Come on get off the floor and quit being so dramatic. You’ll wake the young ones!’
Tempest snickered at her mother’s words. Nailed it! Then it took a moment longer before her mind registered that her own mother called her one of the young ones. She suddenly went quiet and wasn’t sure if she should feel offended by that. She chose to ignore it and finished suiting up. She had a duel to win, but first, she had to take care of one last thing.
After finishing her armor Tempest walked down the stairs to find the group of adults. Tempest found her aunt circling around her parents with the most irate look she’d ever seen on her before. Her parents were trying to calm her aunt down, but the mare was wired with frustration. Tempest felt for the mare. In the short time, she knew inch she has proven to be a handful, but Pinch made life interesting. In a good way. Sure she could be a bit annoying but Tempest couldn’t think of the time here without her niece. ‘Wow, look at me going soft.’ She thought as she approached her parents.
“I’m going out for a while,” Tempest said walking by.
“Oh? Going out with your little friends, dear?” Her mother asked.
Nodding, Tempest tapped her shoes against the side of the door making sure they were secure.
“Yeah, I’ll be back sometime in the morning. I won’t be out long just an hour maybe,” She said.
“Well, you be safe out there, my little grapevine!” Berry Punch called.
“Ugh, Auntie!”
Blushing with embarrassment from her nickname Tempest storm out the door slamming it shut behind barely muffling the voracious laughter inside her home. Tempest made her way to the outer edge of town. She passed by the smaller patches of land laced with grapes over the hills. At the farthest reach of the town was an old abandoned mine shaft. That mine was what really help the little town become what it was today. The mine was once a great source of gold for the crown. Since it went dry the mine was closed down, but Princess Celestia helped fund the town for many years after.
Tempest soon found the old mine and there were the familiar wagons she’d seen earlier that day. The mineshaft was a simple cave that borrowed several miles down beneath the earth. Aside from that, it looked like nothing more than a simple cave with a minecart rail, old and derelict. And there standing proudly on her hind legs, and leaning against her wagon was Trixie. Standing by were her two friends, Maud and Starlight.
As Tempest approached a strong gust of wind blew past sending a small chill through her body. Trixie pushed off her wagons side and approached the broken horned unicorn with a confident stride. Starlight looked worried about the encounter and Maud seemed passive. There was a glint in Maud’s eyes as she shifted her focus from Trixie to Tempest herself. She stared intently on Tempest as if scanning over her for something. Tempest shrugged it off and focused on Trixie.
The azure unicorn was as confident as ever. Her sassy saunter and casual attitude annoyed Tempest. She really wanted to punch her face in. That stupid smug grin she always wore. Now she’d get her chance.
“Didn’t think you’d actually show up, Boysenberry,” Tempest greeted the smaller pony.
To her surprise, Trixie didn’t show any kind of reaction other than a playful scoff.
“Well, Trixie IS the MOST AMAZING pony ever! Why wouldn’t she come?”
Tempest snorted and clenched her teeth. She glared down at Trixie who didn’t seem to care whatsoever. Stepping away Tempest took a few steps away from Trixie before turning to face her. The moonlight filled the area around them giving off a blood-chilling vibe that Starlight couldn’t shake off.
For Trixie and Tempest, this was their element. Under the spotlight and ready for action. While true neither knew what to expect, they both were ready to give this their all. Albeit for completely different reasons. The wind blew around them and Trixie’s cape fluttered in the wind. She stood proudly in full display puffing her chest out, while Tempest simply stood like a stoic warrior guarding something precious.
“I’m ready now. Are you?” Tempest asked.
Trixie nodded but held her hoof up.
“Trixie was born ready, but what exactly is it we’re doing? Specifically?” Trixie asked.
“A simple duel. Anything goes. First one to yield or get knocked out loses.”
“Oh? Is that all? Then Trixie will make this fast. She has a show to do tomorrow!”
With a flick of her mane Trixie’s horn sparked to life with pink magic as sparkles flew through the air with her mane. The sparkling effect was dazzling and impressive complimenting her star clad cape and hat well. It made Tempest feel sick.
“Just get ready so I can pull you,” Tempest said with a snarl.
Trixie laughed mockingly at her.
“Aw, got somewhere to be? Don’t worry Trixie will make this quick!”
After she finished talking without warning Trixie’s horn, still glowing with her magic, fired a clear white beam at Tempest. Tempest quickly sidestepped to avoid the blast. Tempest charged her head on. LIke a raging bull Tempest lowered her head, horn sparking with clear magic and made a beeline towards Trixie.
Trixie was ready. Reaching under her cape she pulled out tiny black pellets. She threw the palette on the ground creating a cloud of smoke that blinded Tempest. Not wanting to charge in blind Tempest stopped her advice and tried to see through the smoke screen. Unable to she charged her horn and with a powerful blast of raw magic she blasted the ground point blank. The resulting effect caused a close burst explosion around her that eradicated the smoke revealing Trixie a few feet away.
Starlight stomped the ground from behind her. “Trixie! That was underhanded even for you!” Starlight scolded her friend. “You don’t just attack like that during a magic duel!”
“Don’t worry! Trixie’s got this!” Trixie said casually. “Watch this!”
Tempest eyed the unicorn weary. She was up to something. Tempest had to be ready. Her armor would protect her, but she didn’t want to take any chances with this one. She didn’t get to be the right hand of the Storm King by being easy to beat in fight. Tempest ran around Trixie and right past Maud and Starlight. As she passed by, Maud took a look down at Tempest’s armor. She narrowed her eyes as the moonlight reflected off it. The sparks from Tempest’s horn surged around her as she circled around Trixie, but what Maud was more interested in was the armor and how the magic interacted with it.
Maud watched as Tempest leaped in the air and spun like a wheel. Her hind legs swung overhead as she spun twice and down into the ground to try and slam on Trixie’s head. Trixie saw that come but barely had enough time to jump aside to narrowly miss being hit. Tempest’s hooves impacted the ground with enough force to kick up the dust around her. Not bothering to aim, Trixie shot a quick magical beam of Tempest straight in the chest and sent her skidding back several feet away. Trixie smirked at her small victory.
“Nice hit Trixie!” Starlight cheered from the sideline.
“Aww, it was nothing Trixie couldn’t handle. This poor pony has no idea what she’s dealing with!” Trixie bloated with a maniacal laugh.
However, Tempest smiled at this little exchange. They have no idea. Not giving Trixie a chance to recover Tempest charged again. This time she powered her horn with enough magical energy to vaporize an entire airship. And she planned to use it on Trixie. She wanted to see just how well the great and powerful unicorn could stand up to real power with her parlor tricks. The energy was practically bleeding from her shattered horn as she charged at Trixie, who didn’t seem to realize she was in for a world of hurt. The blue energy oozing out from the open pore ran across her armor and slid off like water would to a duck's back.
Maud seemed to notice and nudge Starlight’s side. Starlight leaned over towards Maud trying not to take her eyes off the duel.
“What’s wrong Maud?” She asked her friend.
“Trixie can’t win.”
Starlight tilted her head in confusion. “What? What do you mean she can’t win?”
“Teleportation spell go!”
Starlight looked back to see Trixie disappear in a flash of light only to reappear behind Tempest. Tempest kicked up a large rock by stomping the ground and roundhouse kicked it back at Trixie. Once more Trixie teleported away from it. This time Tempest was in the air and ready to put the hurt on her. Trixie quickly sidestepped to avoid another spinning drop kick. Thinking fast Trixie pulled out a long piece of tinsel.
She twirled it around like a spiral and with her magic she broke it apart and blew it into Tempest's eyes blinding her mid kick. Tempest cursed at the unicorn as she clumsily flew into the ground as pain shot through her eyes.
“Damn you, Boysenberry! I will end you!!”
“Ha ha! You’ll never catch the elusive Trixie!”
Starlight quirked her brow at Maud.
“I don’t get it.”
Maud nodded towards the two unicorns with dull interest.
“Watch this.”
Now Maud and Starlight were watching as Tempest removed the title from her eyes, and tried many many more times to catch Trixie, but failed every time. Trixie’s teleportation was spot on to a fault. Now however after many attempts she was magically exhausting herself. She’d planned to bore Tempest into submission and win the duel by default. However, Tempest proved to be more stubborn than Trixie remembered, and it was starting to show. It was at this time Trixie decided to take more drastic measures.
Tempest was hard to hit but not impossible to hit. So she planned on ending this with one spell. Trixie poured a good amount of her own mana into her horn ready to cast arguably her most powerful spell. A spell by its very nature could render Tempest null and seal her victory in this duel. She just had to wait for her chance to fire. She’d only get one shot and with as much mana she spent, not that she had much, she would be practically defenseless.
She waited for Tempest to charge again. When she did Trixie prepared her spell, but first, she reached under her cape and pulled out a length of rope, but kept it hidden under her cape. Tempest charged her bullhead like and Trixie repeated back dropping a length of the rope as she dodged. She repeated the same thing several more times working herself in a circle around where Tempest was charging. The rope was now in a large spiral around them and Trixie was nearing the end of it.
The whole time Tempest was wondering what was going on. Why was she throwing the rope out and not doing anything with it? Was she trying to throw her off? No, there had to be more to it than that.
Unfortunately, she was so focused on catching Trixie she didn’t realize her plan until it was in motion. Literally.
After Trixie dropped the end of the rope she teleported to the center to draw Tempest in. Tempest fell right in the center with a mighty jump and pounded her hooves on the ground as Trixie teleported away once more. This time however, the ropes came to life and slithered around Tempest's legs and body ensuring her around her hooves. Trixie grinned seeing her trap worked and used her magic to lift tempest in the air and dangled her from her hooves like a pinata. At first, Tempest struggled but soon came to realize she was indeed trapped. She growled in frustration for not seeing this insanely stupid, and simple trap. So, she resides to her fate. For now.
“Well played Boysenberry. Well played,’ She said dully.
“Indeed,” Trixie agreed, nodding narcissistically.
“I wasn’t complimenting you,’ Tempest growled.
“Well, it doesn’t matter! Trixie will no unveil her most powerful spell! Even you will be defenseless against its might!”
Trixie stood up on her hind legs yelling in a dramatic fashion while pointing her hoof at Tempest. Tempest rolled her eyes and sighed as Trixie laughed again.
“Ha, time to end our little game! Trixie’s got a show to do tomorrow and she doesn’t want to be late! Now, observe as Trixie unleashes her most powerful spell and-”
“We get it you narcissistic jackwagon! Just do it already!!!” Tempest yelled startling Trixie mid-sentence.
“That was rude!” Trixie sniped back. “But, very well. If you want to lose so badly then Trixie will oblige you. Face it you never stood a chance against a unicorn with a full functional horn.”
From behind her Starlight scowled at her blue friend which Trixie was completely oblivious to. With that, she powered her horn and spun around on her back legs to twirl around. Her cape mane and tail spun with her in a pink magical coating from Trixie’s horn. When she stopped she pointed her horn down at Tempest and fired a clear white beam from her horn at Tempest's chest. Maud and Starlight watched as the magic slid right off Tempest and around her like she was protected by some sort of magical barrier. The force from the spell was enough to push the bound Tempest slightly back slightly.
When the spell was exhausted and the light from it dissipated Trixie stood triumphantly. She was then shocked to see Tempest was unharmed and in her haste she released the broken horned unicorn from her binds. Starlight was shocked by that and so was Trixie. Maud remained flat faced.
“I told you it wouldn’t work,” Maud said looking past Trixie.
“What? Why not?” Both Trixie and Starlight asked simultaneously.
“That armor she’s wearing is Element 676,” Maud explained pointing at Tempest. “That armor is made from element 676. It’s a rare form of isotopic iron that has powerful anti-magical properties.”
“Why didn’t you say anything earlier!?!” Trixie yelled back at the earth pony. “Because of that misinformation, I cast a powerful transfiguration spell for nothing!”
In that moment a long pregnant silence filled the area around the group of four ponies. Tempest felt what little respect she had for Trixie slowly withering away. Starlight looks slightly miffed herself, as she stomped her hooves down and glared at Trixie.
“Trix, are you serious?! I taught you several spells! Why did you resort to that!?” Starlight yelled at her friend. “What good would that do?! It doesn’t work on living things!”
“Oh, so now you tell Trixie that! This is the map all over again! You really should tell Trixie these things before hoof, Starlight,” Trixie said with a annoyed tone.
“I did! You just never listen!” Starlight fumed.
Maud listening to the whole time tugged at Starlight’s side to get her attention then asked, “What was Trixie trying to do?”
“She was trying to turn that pony into a teacup.” Starlight relied dryly.
“. . . You’re kidding right?” Tempest asked, her ears twitching with fury at Trixie.
Trixie tried to play it off like it was nothing and all it did was serve to make Tempest even angrier. That was the last straw. Tempest was done playing nice pony. It was time to put the hurt down and stop playing around.
With a powerful surge from her horn, Tempest shot a deadly power bolt at Trixie. The bolt struck where Trixie was resulting in a massive explosion that created a huge dirt cloud that spewed all over the immediate area. When the flying debris settled there was a good two-meter wide crater where Trixie was but no sign of the pony. To Tempest’s surprise, there was no sign of Starlight ether. Until a moment later the two missing ponies reappeared in a bright flash of light next to Maud. both Unicorns were battered, cut, and dirty, but Trixie was worse off.
The azure unicorn slumped over barely awake after the attack, and even Starlight looked like the blow had done a number on her. Tempest charged her broken horn again and aimed at Starlight and Trixie, but Maud stepped between them and stood firmly between her friends and Tempest.
The action alone was enough to throw Tempest off slightly, but at the same time, she couldn’t bring herself to fire her magic on the earth pony. Tempest felt her heart beating faster as Maud stood between her and their quarry. Feelings aside she stepped forward until she was face to face with Maud only inches apart from her. Her horn sizzling with electric power that danced around her head like a sparkling crown, and Tempest gave Maud a heated glare, despite her racing heart.
“I warn you now pony. Step aside and let me finish with Trixie and you three can leave afterward,” Tempest said with a low growl in her voice.
Maud simply stood in place and made no sign that she was ready to move.
“Last chance. Step aside or else.”
Maud shook her head definitely. “No, you leave Trixie alone. She’s no match for you. Instead, I’ll fight you.”