//------------------------------// // Chapter 46: "Internally Damaged" // Story: The Redemption of Tempest Shadow // by twilightsparkle3562 //------------------------------// After leaving her training session, Tempest returned to the Crystal Empire's main castle seeking out Twilight. Tempest knew that Twilight deserved an apology for her actions and was surprised that she didn't do so until now. "Where's Twilight?" Tempest asked a crystal guardspony, who glared down at her. "Why do you ask?" The guard replied in a stern voice, thinking that Tempest might have different ambitions. "Do you have any intentions to…?" "No," Tempest snapped. "I just want to talk to her about something important, if you wouldn’t mind." The guard then reluctantly motioned towards a stairway and Tempest followed, going up the stairs and towards her room, where the door was open. Tempest found it odd that the door was open and carefully approached it. However, upon entering her room, she looked to see Twilight, standing next to Tempest's bed and looking down at her destroyed crown. "Um, Twilight," Tempest said, sheepishly. "I've been meaning to ask you about that crown of yours, but if this isn't a good time…" "No, no, Tempest, it's alright," Twilight sighed, turning back to face the unicorn. "I've just been doing a lot of thinking lately. So much has happened in such a short period of time that it's been difficult to process." Tempest briefly looked away in shame, knowing that this is what she needed to do "I can only imagine," She whispered in a low voice. "I know what you're thinking right now. Why would you, the Princess of Friendship, want to even think about giving me a second chance after all I have done? Look, if this is about your crown, I can try to at least fix it." "It's just a crown that was made for the Friendship Festival, Tempest,” Twilight shook her head. “Besides, I don't like to wear royal accessories all that much, but thanks for the offer. I'm just having difficulty going through the process of what…" But, before Twilight could finish, she began to choke up with emotion, much to Tempest's shock and surprise. "Sorry," Twilight cried, trying to hold back tears. "It's just that…" Seeing Twilight trying not to cry made Tempest feel even more guilty. This was the first time that Twilight was showing any raw emotion in front of Tempest. Sure, she had upset so many ponies with her actions, but there was something about seeing Twilight upset that made her feel even more low. "Twilight, I'm…I just want you to know that I am truly sorry for what I did and if there is anything I can do…" Tempest began. However, Twilight couldn't hold it in any longer and started to silently cry while Tempest stood there, powerless to help. "No, you can't," cried Twilight. "I was…under so much pressure…that…that…" "Twilight, tell me what happened," Tempest pleaded, trying her best to help the pony who gave her another chance. But, Twilight refused to speak. "Please, what's wrong? Tell me, I need to know." Tempest requested. She then looked back towards Twilight's destroyed crown and wondered if having the crown next to her was still a good idea. She began to realize that what Twilight had said about it being just a crown was irrelevant, and that the crown held a special place in her heart. "Twilight, is everything…?" Cadence asked as she walked by and saw her sister-in-law sobbing. "Oh, Twilight…how long have you been holding in these feelings?" "What?! Has she been holding these feelings in all this time?!" Tempest exclaimed in shock, as Cadence attempted to console her fellow princess and sister-in-law. "It's been hard on all of us, Tempest. Twilight's been acting reserved about things for some time now." Cadence explained. "And you know I accept responsibility for what I did, Princess Cadence," Tempest sighed. "I think having the Friendship Festival Crown here upset her." "The crown isn't upsetting me!" Twilight protested, turning her tear filled face right at Tempest. "It's nearly losing everything and everypony close to me because of you, Tempest, and your obsession to get your horn back! Because of that, I did something drastic, something I never should’ve done! I stole from the hippogriffs, from Queen Novo!" Tempest had no idea on how to respond this revelation! But she had to try and say something. "Twilight, why didn't you tell me this sooner?" She asked, shocked by this confession. "Because, I didn't want you to suffer, more than you already have," Twilight answered through choked tears. "I…" "Look, Twilight, why don't you go home to Canterlot for a few days?" Cadence suggested. "I can have Shining Armor contact your parents and tell them you are coming! I know they’ll be glad to to see you again." "No, I need to be here!" Twilight protested! "I'm the Princess of Friendship and… "Twilight, you've been through a lot. I'm concerned for your well being," Cadence interrupted. "You've been hiding these feelings ever since the invasion, haven't you?" Twilight tearfully nodded in reply, and at that moment something became very apparent to Tempest. The more that she saw Twilight in tears, the worse that Tempest felt. In her mind, this was just another example of the internal pain she’d inflicted for her own goal of restoring something that she wasn't even going to get back. "I'll…leave you alone," sighed Tempest, sadly stepping out of her room to give Twilight and Cadence some space. As she left, she saw Shining Armor walking down the hallway. "Where's Cadence?" Shining Armor, asked and then he heard Twilight's cries, causing him to run towards the room in a panic. "Twilight!" Tempest briefly looked back and then walked down the stairs and back into the front hall. At that moment, Sweetheart came out of a room with Lemon Lime, following a therapy session with him. "Twilight's upstairs crying her eyes out," Tempest said sadly. "I…I don't know what happened, but…Has she talked about her feelings to you?" "Not really," Sweetheart confessed with a sigh. "I mean, she's been very quiet about it. However, from what you’ve told me, Tempest, she might have some kind of mental injury that she’s been hiding for some time. Those who’ve been through a traumatic event seldom tend to emerge from it completely unscathed, physically or mentally." This caused Tempest's eyes to widen in shock and disbelief! "Mentally?!" "Well, I'm not sure how to describe it, especially since I can’t evaluate the patient at the moment," Sweetheart commented. "However, I think that Twilight might need to undergo psychiatric evaluation at some point." Shocked to hear this, Tempest sadly walked away, on the verge of tears herself as she realized that Twilight was badly hurt inside because of her actions. With the Storm King dead, there was more than likely going to be somepony to blame for the condition Twilight was in, and to Tempest Shadow, that somepony was going to be herself!