“Ugh,” Tempest groaned, pulling the sheets over her head to shield herself from the morning sun.
“Tempest, wake up!” Twilight’s voice called to her.
“Just five more minutes okay?” Tempest muttered out in a slurred tone.
The next thing Tempest knew, her blanket had been pulled away from her, forcing her to finally open her eyes and stare at the grinning alicorn above her.
“...If this is going to become a common occurance, our relationship is going to get very strained.”
“Hehe, well, maybe this’ll cheer you up!” Twilight’s horn lit up a soft pink as she levitated over a small red box. A green ribbon had been tied around it, forming a bow at the top.
Tempest stared wide-eyed and speechless as the present found its way into her hooves.
“T-Twilight, what is this?”
“A present for Hearth’s Warming!” Twilight cheerfully exclaimed as she sat next to her.
“But I didn’t get you anything.”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t get you something. Plus, you did agree to stand by my side last night as I was greeting the guests.”
“Wait, we?”
“Sunset and I.”
The words shocked Tempest silent. Sunset? Her eyes were glued onto the shining wrapper around it. She barely remembered the last time she received a present for Hearth’s Warming. Perhaps it was because she was too young, or that the gifts were from the friends who had abandoned her, thus tainting the once happy memory.
“What’re you waiting for? Open it!”
Tempest nodded and slowly undid the ribbon. She made sure to be careful as to not damage the beautiful wrapping. It was as if she was handling a fragile Equestria artifact, one which would break at the slightest touch. Eventually, she managed to undo the ribbon along with the top of the wrapper. Enough for her to pop off the lid with a little bit of effort.
Inside, Tempest spotted two things. The first one she took out was a pack of Windigo cookies. Or more accurately, Twilight and Tempest cookies. For instead of the Windigo shapes that they once came in, these ones had been carved to resemble her and Twilight, complete with the appropriate colored icing for their coats and manes.
“Does Pinkie know? About… you know… us?” Tempest asked as she pulled away the top seal, picking up a Twilight cookie and passing it to the mare beside her.
“Well, she already asked me about it before I told her.” Twilight picked the cookie from Tempest’s hoof, breaking off a small part of it.
Tempest knew she should’ve felt shocked. But she couldn’t be less surprised.
“Did she say how?”
Twilight laughed. “‘Pinkie’ and ‘how’ don’t really mix.”
“Right. Thought I’d give it an ask anyway.” Tempest picked a cookie shaped like her out of the bag. She was about to break a part of it off when she noticed one small detail that, to her surprise, Pinkie had gotten wrong. “I think Pinkie forgot to break off my horn,” Tempest said with a giggle.
Twilight gave an innocent smile but did not say a word, causing Tempest to raise a suspicious eyebrow. However, she thought nothing of it. So she snapped a piece of hers off and held it up in the air. Twilight wasted no time, knocking her own broken piece against Tempest’s before tossing it into her mouth.
Tempest did the same, placing the bag of cookies on the bedside table before staring into the box and retrieving the last item. As she lifted it up under the morning sun, Tempest’s jaw dropped in awe.
In her hooves was a beautifully ornate box covered in smooth red felt. Swirls of gold inlay at its top and sides glittered under the morning light. The pattern reminded Tempest of growing vines or perhaps that of flowing magic. She ran her hoof around its form and let out a short sigh of amazement.
“Twilight, this is… what is this?”
“Well if you open it, you’ll find out!” Twilight teased in an excited tone.
I’m not sure I’m ready. Tempest drew a breath to steady herself. Slowly, she lifted the case and the contents only filled her with a combination of confusion and curiosity.
Inside, nestled gently in a soft cloth, sat a glowing blue crystal. The swirling wisps of blue trails told her that It had clearly been charged with some sort of magical energy, but what it was Tempest didn’t know. She had never seen anything like this even past the borders of Equestria. She turned up to Twilight with a grateful, if confused, look.
Twilight giggled. “Don’t know what that is?”
“A… crystal?”
“Well, yes. More accurately, it’s what’s known as a Starshard Crystal,” Twilight explained as she lifted it from the case.
“Sunset mentioned something about that.”
“Mmhm. What makes it special is that it can store magical energy from a source and transfer it to somepony else!” Twilight explained.
As she held up the crystal in the sunlight, a soft blue glow filled the room. Tempest sat perfectly still, a nervous energy filling her body.
“This specific Starshard has been charged by a friend of Sunset’s. And all you need to do to use it is…” Twilight leaned into Tempest, tapping the crystal lightly against the base of her horn. Suddenly, Tempest felt something coursing through her head. Something familiar.
Something magical.
“Here.” Twilight lifted her half-eaten cookie. “Try it.”
At first, Tempest wanted to ask what Twilight meant. But something called out to her. It told her she knew exactly what Twilight wanted her to do. Shutting her eyes, she focused all her energy into her horn. Initially, nothing happened. But after several seconds, the treat floated up in the air in a bright blue aura.
I… The sight in front of her shattered her focus. The cookie fell back down as Tempest recoiled harshly.
Twilight screamed in joy, clapping her hooves together. “It works! It works!”
Emotions were swelling up within Tempest’s heart. Happiness, shock, disbelief. It was all there. Accompanying them were memories. Visions of when she was a filly. When she used to lift up objects in her home. It was a simple act that brought her joy. One she had lost when the incident happened.
And now, it was given back to her.
The feelings soon proved overwhelming. Tempest covered her eyes with her hooves, attempting to hide her fresh tears. She did not hear Twilight move, but soon felt her wing over her form as it pulled her closer to Twilight’s body.
“I’m so glad it worked,” Twilight whispered softly, planting a kiss onto Tempest’s cheek. Tempest didn’t reply. She couldn’t. No amount of words could express the gratitude she felt for Twilight. And no actions could either. “The magic surge is temporary. And the crystal needs to be repeatedly charged with magic. I know this isn’t exactly getting your horn back but—”
Tempest lifted her head and planted her muzzle squarely on Twilight’s.
“Don’t say another word,” Tempest barely managed to stammer out. “This is more than I could imagine. More than I deserve.”
Twilight cradled Tempest softly in her hooves. “I don’t believe that one bit. You’ve changed a lot and made an effort to push through your pain to make yourself a better pony. And I know. I know that you won’t make the same mistakes.”
Tempest shut her eyes tight and allowed the silence to speak for her. She thought she knew the spirit of Hearth’s Warming, but only after this week did she see how much she didn’t know. And though she didn’t know what the future held for her, she was certain of two things. The first was that no matter what might come for her, she could tackle it head on. Which led to the second thing. That no matter what, she no longer had to face it alone.
Opening her eyes, she spotted Twilight hugging her tight, both wings wrapped around her. Her eyes were closed, but the soft breathing and slightly red cheeks told Tempest everything. Even though snow was raining from above, Tempest could not have felt warmer. She knew this was a moment that she’ll cherish for the rest of her life. And though doubt attempted to seep into her thoughts, she quickly chased them away with one thought before resting in Twilight’s embrace. Content that there was no better end to the week or year.
Lifting the glowing rock with her newfound magic, she slipped the cloth portion around her neck and allowed the stone to dangle freely at her chest. She nestled it softly within her hooves, terrified that it’d shatter under the slightest touch. Under the morning sun, it glittered like a jewel, sending soft rays of blue all around her room. Onto the wall, floor and even over the photo frame on the desk.
The photo… Tempest squinted, spotting the two frames on the desk. On the left was the photo she was familiar with, and already images of the Friendship Festival entered her mind. But the picture on the right was new. It showed Tempest and Twilight in front of the Hearth’s Warming Eve tree just last night, sharing a tender kiss after all the guests had left.
And as the memory of that night once more filled her head, she turned to the crystal. Then to Twilight, who was still resting her head peacefully upon her shoulder. Shutting her eyes, she allowed her head to droop and her breaths to slow. Slowly, her mind drifted away back into her dreams. But this time, it was accompanied by one thought. One that gave her confidence for whatever the future might hold.
Because she knew.
I won’t make the same mistake again.