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// Chapter 50: "Meeting Tulip" 
// Story: The Redemption of Tempest Shadow 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
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Acting on her own good judgment, Scootaloo left her home the next morning, bound for Tempest Shadow's home in Canterlot. As she walked, she came across a young white mare with a very long and flowing blonde mane sitting on a bench and reading what appeared to be a newspaper. She had never met this particular mare, but Scootaloo noticed how upset she looked, almost as if she was greatly troubled as she read the paper. "Excuse me," She asked the mare, trotting over to her. "Are you troubled about something?"

This caused the mare to stop reading and look down at Scootaloo.

"How do you know that I am troubled, young filly?" The mare sighed, putting the paper down and looking at Scootaloo.

"I can tell by your body language. You seem to be greatly troubled by whoever’ s on the cover of the Equestrian Chronicle." Scootaloo explained.

"I am, as much as I hate to admit it," The mare sighed again. "My three sisters and I want nothing more than to see justice passed on Tempest Shadow. Why, out of all ponies, would she be considered to be Princess Twilight's Royal Guard Captain? She should be in a jail cell, awaiting execution like the rest of the Storm King’s forces!"

Scootaloo was shocked to hear such a thing! That a pony could want another pony dead even after they’ve made a commitment to reformation! Hadn’t that sort of mentality gone out with the Windigos?

"My sisters and I endured so much at the hooves of Tempest Shadow and her hulking monsters, and…to hear something like this?!” The mare hissed! “I…I don't know what to say."

"Look, Miss… whoever you are," Scootaloo began. "I know we’ve all been through a lot lately, but the important thing is to move on. The Princesses made the choice of sparing Tempest's life, and we have to live by it. If they chose not to execute Tempest, doesn’t that mean they see something in her?"

"It’s not that simple, somepony has to pay, young filly,” The mare coldly replied, turning away. “That's been the problem sometimes with living in Equestria, the most devious and dangerous monsters are spared, simply because the princesses don't have the guts to justify the fact that some enemies need to be destroyed. By their logic, why haven’t we pardoned Tirek for his rampage, or Queen Chrysalis for invading the royal wedding? Surely they couldn’t have done anything wrong when you have evils like Tempest Shadow and Discord roaming free."

Scootaloo stepped back, surprised that a part of her actually sympathized with this particular mare a bit. Yes, Equestria's heads of state were sometimes TOO easy on the hardened criminals, and Scootaloo knew what if felt like to have someone do bad things to you and be spared because others saw goodness in them. If she’d had it her way, she probably wouldn’t have extended that helping hoof to Diamond Tiara after the latter’s cruel remarks about Scootaloo’s wings. But Scootaloo had to remember that while Twilight was a princess, she was also pony that she and the other Crusaders looked up to. If Twilight were here, she’d argue that things were never as black and white as this mare was making them out to be. That she knew what she was doing by sparing Tempest. It was then that Scootaloo got an idea. "What is your name, by the way?" She asked, looking back up at the mare. "I'm Scootaloo."

"Not that it’s any of your concern, but my name’s Tulip," The mare answered in a flat tone. "I'm a servant at Canterlot Castle along with my sisters. We were the bearers at Princess Twilight's coronation."

"Yeah, uh, Rainbow Dash might remember you more than me," Scootaloo shrugged. "She attended Princess Twilight's coronation."

"Of course, she did. She is one of the Elements of Harmony, isn't she?” Tulip scoffed. “One of the ponies who helped save Equestria a dozen times, not to mention one of Princess Twilight’s friends from what I understand? But I wouldn’t surprised if Rainbow Dash would agree to have Tempest Shadow killed for her actions. Isn't she the element of Loyalty for a reason? To be loyal to her friends and her kingdom? Aren’t those more important than showing loyalty to a would be conqueror?"

Now, Scootaloo was beginning to feel very awkward of the position that she found herself in. Rainbow Dash had expressed doubts about Tempest’s redemption, but there was no way Scootaloo’s big sister would want one of her fellow ponies to be put to death because of that, right? Was that why Rainbow hadn’t wanted Scootaloo to meet Tempest?

Scootaloo shook her head. Rainbow Dash may be hot headed, but even she wasn’t cruel and heartless. She would want Tempest imprisoned, but not executed. "There’s something you need to understand, Tulip," Scootaloo protested, sitting next to Tulip on the park bench. "Tempest isn't a complete monster. After all, she did save Twilight and her friends from the Storm King. Even Rainbow Dash knows that, and there’s no way she’d say a pony like that deserves to die."

"Is that so?" Tulip bitterly commented. "She saves the pony who had the magic the Storm King desired, but throws all of us into cages and chains, forcing us into slavery? It…it just doesn't add up, I'm sorry. That broken horned pony committed war crimes and needs to pay for with her life, not community service or jail time! If only I could just face her myself and make her pay for what she put me and my sisters through! The princess are letting their personal feelings cloud their judgement, and this time they’ve gone too far!"

With each word that Tulip spoke, Scootaloo began to feel more and more awkward and uncomfortable. Here was a pony whose heart seemed to full of nothing but hate for Tempest. However, at the same time, she needed this mare to understand the gravity of the situation and of what Tempest herself went through.

"Listen, Tulip," Scootaloo spoke up. "Why don't you come with me and see for yourself that Tempest isn't the evil pony everypony is making her out to be?"

"Is this a joke?" Tulip coldly hissed.

"No, it's not a joke,” Scootaloo said with a shake of her head. “I think that seeing Tempest for who she really is, will help give you a proper perspective on why she deserves a second chance."

Rolling her eyes, Tulip nevertheless followed Scootaloo on the road towards Canterlot. As they walked, they trotted past huge banners that read: "GET WELL SOON, PRINCESS TWILIGHT!" and "EQUESTRIA LOVES YOU, PRINCESS TWILIGHT!"

"No wonder everypony is praying for Princess Twilight," Tulip remarked. "I hope she gets well as much as anypony, but I think it would make her feel even more better if Tempest is put to death for her crimes. Tempest drove her to that breakdown, put her through Tartarus and for what, just to get her horn back?!"

"Why would you want to settle for blood?" Scootaloo asked. “Doesn’t that make you as bad as her?”

Tulip shook her head. "I want death because the punishment must fit the crime, Scootaloo, simple as that. If somepony commits such a crime as the ones Tempest had committed, then they need to be punished on the level of the crime. I'm probably not the only pony who believes that. Like I told you, I want justice. And in this case, justice takes the form of death."

Scootaloo looked around, but there was nothing to be found of any signs that called for Tempest to be killed. In her mind, she knew that Tulip was a good hearted pony, but Scootaloo couldn't really blame her for acting this way. After all, Scootaloo was among the ponies who were caged up along with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. Yet she hadn’t let that stop her from considering the possibility that Tempest could be reformed and deserved a second chance. Who's to say Scootaloo wouldn’t resort to similar measures if she thought it would make her disability magical go away? Granted, the filly doubted she would be willing to betray her home country for such a possibility.






At last, after walking to the train station in Ponyville, riding the next train to Canterlot, and trotting through the city, Scootaloo and Tulip came upon the home that Tempest once lived in.

"Just what is this place?" Tulip remarked. “Why would a criminal like Tempest choose to live here?”

"From the looks of it, it's Tempest Shadow's former home," Scootaloo replied, looking back at the line of guards that they had followed. "Might as well go forward and see what's inside. Maybe she just wants to be close to Princess Twilight, I hear she’s undergoing therapy in this very city."

Walking up to the door, Scootaloo knocked on it and the door opened to reveal Razzle Fizzle on the other side. "Yes?" She asked, eyeing the filly. "What can I do for you?"

"Does Tempest Shadow live here?" Scootaloo inquired.

"You mean, Fizzlepop Berrytwist?" Razzle Fizzle remarked, opening the door in a calm manner, before realization struck her! "Wait a minute! You're the pony that Fizzlepop told me about? The one who cannot fly yet?"

"Yes, I am that particular pony. Name’s Scootaloo." Scootaloo answered..

"Well, if you’re looking for Fizzlepop, she's been taken into the city to perform more of her sentence." Razzle told Scootaloo

"Where? This city is huge, she could be anywhere!" Scootaloo spoke up, hoping for more details.

Razzle just shook her head. "The guards didn't say. But wherever they took her, it won't be hard to find her with all the guards around," It was then that she noticed Tulip. "And who are you?"

"A victim of your sister's!"  Tulip snarled and walked off, leaving Scootaloo feeling more than a little awkward.

"I can't really blame her for being upset," sighed Razzle Fizzle as she watched Tulip storm off in anger. "Not everypony is going to forgive my sister for what she did. Trust me, I was in her horseshoes once. But, for the sake of my parents, I had to forgive Fizzlepop."

Upon hearing that Scootaloo ran off, trying to stop Tulip from doing anything rash or foolish! Soon, Tulip would come face to face with the pony she despised the most.