//------------------------------//
// Chapter 31: "The Training Begins" 
// Story: The Redemption of Tempest Shadow 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
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As the sun rose on the Crystal Empire the next day, Tempest was woken up by a guard who ordered her to come down to the courtyard, where Shining Armor would waiting to help Tempest begin her training. As she walked, Tempest began to think back to why Shining Armor would strike her in the face. "He's just like Razzle," She thought to herself. "Another one of the ponies who think I deserve to be physically punished. I can't really say I can blame him. But, I deserved it, regardless."

Soon, Tempest found herself in the middle of the courtyard with only Shining Armor for company, along with several dummies in the likeliness of several Storm Creatures. Shining Armor stepped towards Tempest and stared down at her. "Why do you think I struck you yesterday?" He asked.

"Because I turned your wife to stone." Tempest answered meekly and nervously.

"Yes, but what else?" Shining encouraged.

Tempest gulped. "Because I betrayed Equestria out of spite and revenge." She guessed.

Shining shook his head. "No. Struck you, because by caging, shackling and enslaving the ponies of Canterlot, you showed me that you considered using violence against innocent ponies to solve your problems. You directed your anger towards the wrong individuals, Tempest. These are the creatures you should be directing your anger to." And Shining Armor showed Tempest the dummy Storm Creatures.

"What are you expecting me to do?" Tempest asked.

"I want you to see that your horn is just as powerful broken as it is intact," Shining Armor explained. "Fire your horn at the target and destroy it. Don't ask any questions."

Tempest was unsure of how her horn was going to act, but did as she was told. Firing an unstable blast, Tempest's unstable magic hit several of the dummies in their respective centers, damaging them.

"Not good enough!" Shining Armor drilled. "Hit them harder! Now!"

Grunting, Tempest increased her magic pressure and the magic lightning bolts grew more intensive on the targets, causing them to break apart and collapse!

"Much better," Shining Armor smiled. "Now, Tempest, why do you think I ordered you to destroy them?"

"Because they were the true enemies of the Storm King's invasion." Tempest guessed.

“Indeed they were,” Shining nodded, before he added. “But, they weren't led by a fellow storm creature, were they? They were led by a pony, in which case was yourself. We Equestrians are willing to be friends with creatures who are willing to be friends in return. But, any creature who is aggressive or is a dangerous threat must be destroyed and wiped from existence,” Adopting a somewhat less harsh tone of voice, he then told Tempest. “I will teach you what you should be, Tempest Shadow, a pony who should be what she truly is, a pony who is there for other ponies."

Then, Shining Armor led Tempest towards another series of Storm Creature targets. However, these dummies were all in the likeliness of the Storm King himself. In front of the dummies were small round objects, similar to what Tempest used to petrify Celestia, Luna and Cadence.

"For this exercise," Shining Armor instructed. "I want you to show me your fighting skills. A captain of the royal guard must display strong fighting skills in the face of the enemy. I will toss these objects into the air, and you will kick them towards the targets. Got it?"

Complying, Tempest got herself into position as Shining Armor levitated one of the objects into the air. Jumping into the air, Tempest kicked the object with her back left leg, sending it flying towards one of the targets, striking it in the center, and shattering it to pieces!
Then came another object, then another, and then another! Each time, Tempest kicked the objects without fail, and each hits its intended target! Soon, all the targets were destroyed and Tempest was left exhausted.

"Your fighting prowess is impressive," Shining remarked. "But if you think this will all be nothing more than target practice, you are mistaken. This is just the beginning of what is to come, Tempest. Royal guard training is long and vigorous, only the best of the best make it through."

"Are…you…sure?" Tempest nervously asked, panting heavily.

"Yes," Shining answered. "I'm going to put you through the training of your life, Tempest. And by the time I’m done with you, you will see what you should have done in the first place when you lost your horn."






From up in a balcony, Twilight and Cadence were watching the intensive training that Tempest was going through.

"Well, she does have a strong target range," Cadence observed. "Just like in Canterlot."

"Except Shining Armor is trying to set her on the right path," Twilight reassured Cadence.. "Still, I don't know what he expects he’s going to get out of Tempest. I mean, what did he think he got out of Tempest by striking her in the face?"

"I don't know, Twilight," Cadence sighed, as the two alicorns walked away from the balcony. "We both know Shining Armor is protective, but sometimes he can go too far with his emotions. I just hope he can keep them in check for his sake."

"If there is anything I predict out of Tempest," Twilight cautioned. "It’s that she will get tired of being called and treated like a criminal and lash out. But, I think that she needs to learn that there are other ways of dealing with your emotions. We believe in second chances, Cadence, unless the accused are beyond being given a second chance. And I don’t think Tempest is beyond that second chance."

"I hope you’re right, Twilight, for all our sakes.." Cadence nervously commented, not wanting to think of the alternative.






Meanwhile, in Canterlot, a purple coated unicorn exited the car of a morning train, clad in a grey robe that covered her entire body. She made her way from the train station and found herself at the main castle where the throne room is.

"State your business, madam." One of the guards commanded.

"I am Purple Topaz," The mare said to the guards in a foreign accent. "I'm from one of the villages that was attacked by the Storm King. My husband was killed by the Storm King's forces."

The guards looked at each other for a moment, and then turned back towards the pony. "You may enter." They instructed as they lowered their spears, and the mare was admitted into the castle.

In the throne room, Celestia and Luna continued to try and work on getting more notices out, but they were soon interrupted by a knocking sound at the door.

"Your highnesses," A guards pony informed them. "A pony who claims to have come from one of the villages attacked by the Storm King's forces would like to speak with you. She says that her husband was among the ponies murdered."

"Impossible!" Luna gasped, turning over towards Celestia!

"Don't you see, Luna?" Celestia remarked. "Somepony was bound to come forward somehow."

The two princesses looked and saw the purple coated mare standing in the doorway. "Come forward." Celestia beckoned and the nervous mare did as she was told, hoping that she could finally find a piece of her husband to remember him by.