//------------------------------// // Chapter 48: "Returning to Canterlot" // Story: The Redemption of Tempest Shadow // by twilightsparkle3562 //------------------------------// The idea of reconciling with her sister was still going through her mind when Tempest tried to sleep that night. But, the idea of causing emotional damage to Twilight was even worse than that. Razzle's words continued to play out like a never ending message over and over again. But, Tempest was still struggling to fall asleep, when the sounds of knocking were heard on the door of her room. "Fizzlepop Berrytwist," A crystal guards pony informed as he trotted, flanked by two more guards. "You are being returned to Ponyville." "Why?" Tempest asked. "At the request of your sister." The guards pony replied. "What?! When?!" Tempest exclaimed in shock. "Now." The guardspony coldly answered. Without another thought, Tempest was led out of her room and down the stairs, where Razzle Fizzle along with Lemon Lime, Snow Frost and Irish Spring were waiting. Tempest took an enormous gulp at the thought of being returned to Ponyville. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she was being led along. "Could it be that I might be put to death now that Twilight's emotionally scarred? Could it be that I am not destined to be a Royal Guard Captain after all?” She thought. “Fizzlepop Berrytwist, I hope you can convince them to keep you alive." Soon, Tempest was led to the same cage she rode into the Crystal Empire in. Razzle Fizzle looked at her caged sister and silently gave a look of concern for her sister. "Razzle, if this is your idea of trying to get on the right hoof with me," Tempest said, nervously. "Then, it's not working." "Fizzlepop, I had nothing to do with this!” Razzle insisted. “But this is how they treat criminals, you know. And after what happened to Princess Twilight, I wouldn't be surprised if they thought you were…" "Oh, shut up!" Tempest moaned, turning away from her sister in shame and disgust. "Just go away!" Razzle walked away and left her sister alone. Once the train departed the station, all Razzle could do was focus on her sister. In her mind, nothing would make her happy more than to see her and Tempest reconciling. "You know," Irish Spring remarked, looking out the window and seeing all of the landscape racing past them. "I think Fizzlepop isn't the only one who’s being punished. In a way, we’re all being punished for what Princess Twilight is going through." "Yes, we all put her in the situation she’s now in, because we turned our backs on Fizzlepop," Snow Frost added. "Maybe we should have just made up right then and there in front of Princess Cadence and Princess Twilight." "Even if we did," Lemon Lime sighed, turning around to face the two unicorns. "It wouldn't have made a difference either way. We were all idiots." "Then, you should add me to the list as well," Razzle Fizzle sighed, her eyes still locked on the caged Tempest. "I should never have smacked Fizzlepop when she begged for mercy. Maybe I had a right to be angry, but to turn her away so coldly, in that moment I was no better than she used to be. But it's too late to change that now. No time travel spell in Equestria can replace the past." "What do you think will happen to Fizzlepop now that Princess Twilight is emotionally hurt?" Irish Spring wondered. "Could we be charged as well for the attack on Canterlot?" This made Razzle turn around to face her sister's friends with a confused look on her face. "Why would you all say that?! You didn't work for the Storm King! You’re all innocent!" "But, we did contribute to the Canterlot attack," Snow Frost replied. "By turning Fizzlepop away because of her horn. We caused the emotional damage that drove her to the Storm King in the first place!" “My sister made the decision to join the Storm King of her own free will, and none of you could’ve known that turning her away would lead to any of this,” Razzle protested with a shake of her head. “Maybe we indirectly contributed to the attack, but we never would’ve wanted my sister to take out her anger on other ponies. Her actions under the Storm King are her own, and the best we can do for her, is to be here for her in the aftermath. And try our best to help her come back to the light. Wat Princess Twilight drove herself into a mental breakdown trying to accomplish.” A little while later, the train pulled into Ponyville where several guards were waiting. Taking Tempest out of the cage and off the train, they escorted her into the city, while several ponies were beginning to take notice of her. "Can you believe that Princess Twilight wants Tempest Shadow to be her Royal Guard Captain?" A stallion sneered, as Tempest was walked through the streets of Ponyville. "I agree," A mare snobbihsly and coldly replied. "After the breakdown she caused Princess Twilight to have, a noose is the appropriate fate for a monster like her! The princesses were fools to think she could ever be good." A little while later, Tempest was brought back to an all too familiar place: Twilight's Castle of Friendship. "You are to return to community service tomorrow," A guardspony explained, as Tempest was brought back into her room. "We'd put you in the dungeons in Canterlot, but since Princess Twilight is in a hospital..." "A hospital?!" Tempest gasped, her voice filled with shock! “Yes, a mental hospital, where she is undergoing psychiatric evaluation. But her last orders before returning to Canterlot, was for you to continue your treatment back here.” The guards pony then slammed the door, leaving Tempest alone in her room. However, she wasn't alone for very long as she saw the Friendship Festival Crown back on the nightstand next to her bed. "Tell me what I am going to do! How did things get so out of control?! Come on! Talk to me! Do something! I need advice!" Tempest pleaded! Tempest continued to try and get the crown to come to life and give her the advice she needed, but it didn't, it had gone silent. So all Tempest could do now, was look out the window and sigh heavily. "What am I going to do?" She thought to herself. "Princess Twilight's in the hospital, and there is nothing I can do about it. I can't help but wonder, what if I hadn't joined forces with the Storm King? Could I maybe have gotten the help I needed? I don't know, and I can't think of what is in front of me right now. These ponies probably kill me when all is said and done."