Storm Vine

by zalla661


Cosmic Bears

Tempest sat around the dinner table with her family and friends eating dinner. Tonight's meal consisted of herb spaghetti with buttered garlic bread and Merlot’s best vintage. While eating, Trixie was telling a story of pure fiction, and totally not based on anything, while the others listened. Maud seemed unusually fascinated by the story, while Starlight rolled her eyes, but listened nonetheless.

“-and that was how Trixie saved the sea ponies from the evil sea serpent!”

The older ponies clapped, while Tempest just stared at her. A gentle nudge from her aunt made her clap, albeit slowly.

“That was a lovely story, Trixie,” Chardonnay said.

“Indeed it was. I’m looking forward to your next performance,” Merlot added sipping a glass of red wine. “I can’t wait to see how you perform if your storytelling can be this good.”

Trixie fluffed her mane smiling at the compliments. “Thank you for the kind words. Trixie-” Starlight glared at her friend silencing her before she could get a word out. Trixie grumbled to herself and gulped down her own wine. Starlight smiled and went on to eat.

Maud stopped eating her spaghetti and turned to Berry Punch. The older mulberry mare caught wind of the blank stare she was getting and turned to face Maud with her fork on hoof.

“What is it? Is something wrong with your food, Maud?” She asked.

“No, the foods excellent. I was wondering though, wasn’t there a smaller filly with you before at the show we did?” Maud asked.

All ponies present looked around the table. When they did they noticed that indeed a certain filly was not present at the time.

“Yeah, where is Pinch? I told her to be back before dark,” Tempest said looking at her aunt.

Tempest stood up and wiped her mouth with her napkin and throwing out on her plate.

“I’m going to go look for her.”

“We’ll help too,” Starlight offered.

“No, that’s fine,” Tempest said, gently pushing the mare back to her seat. “You girls enjoy the meal, and I’ll go. She’s probably just with her little friends playing and lost track of time. Plus, I think I saw her with acute colt too.

Tempest watched as her aunt's eye twitched mid-bite. The fork dropped from Berry Punch’s hoof and she abruptly stood up. The table shook when her legs hit the side of it to the point everypony had to grab their glasses to prevent them from falling over.

I’m going with you too Berry Punch said darkly storming off. That filly is in so much trouble when I find her….” she mumbled under her breath

Tempest couldn’t help but grin at her aunt's outburst. A swift swat to her flank made her yelp. She turned and glared back at her mother who was giving her a warning look that said not to antagonize others.

“I didn’t do anything, Mom.”

“You know what you did.”

“Ugh, fine I’ll tell her, I’m sorry,” Tempest grumbled walking away.

“Don’t you dare put that armor back on!”

Tempest groaned again walking up the stairs hearing her mother call her. “MOM!!”

There was a series of laughter from the dining room as Tempest stomped up to her room. Intent on ignoring her mother's gripes about showing her ‘feminine side’. She was going to put her armor on just to spite her. After stomping to her room Tempest slipped into her armor and went downstairs where Trixie was standing by the door waiting for her. Looking her over Tempest realized the unicorn was wearing her signature hat and cape with a pair of saddlebags under the cape.

“Ready to go, Fizzlepop?” Trixie asked smiling.

“Why are you coming along?” Tempest asked with some bite.

“Uh, Trixie just wanted to help?”

“...”

“It’s true!”

Tempest just stared at the mare disbelievingly at Trixie. Not caring she walked next to the mare. Trixie didn’t stand in Tempest's way and even offered to open the door for her and allowing her to pass first.

“Thanks, Boysenberry.”

“Please, it’s Trixie now.”

“Then please, don’t call me Fizzlepop. My name's Tempest Shadow.”

Tempest walked past and outside. Trixie followed behind and was met by a cold gust of wind. She huddled under her cape pulling it closed with her magic while she followed Tempest.

“Wow, that name’s so edgy,” Trixie said keeping pace with Tempest.

Tempest glared murderously at Trixie, who didn’t seem to care one way or another. However, a confident smirk afterward made Tempest realize Trixie was just messing with her. Unsure of what to make of the mare Tempest shoved her with a shoulder. Trixie playfully pushed back.

“Come on, don’t be so edgy! Trixie was kidding! You know, a joke?”

After taking a moment to cool her head Tempest realized it what Trixie had said. Despite the way she behaved, she did say she was sorry. But that still didn’t make the joke hurt less. She hated being called edgy. Tempest remembered fondly the last time someone called her edgy. She threw them off her airship into the middle of the ocean. Of course, Tempest threw a life preserver afterwards. She wasn’t completely heartless even back when she served the Storm King. She suddenly remembered Captain Celaeno and her crew. Yes, she threatened to destroy their ship, but she was no murderer. After destroying their ship she left Celano and her crew marooned on Mount Aris. Even that annoyingly charming Capper. Probably for the better, otherwise she would have been a stain on a wall on the other side of Equestria. In a strange way, her one act of compassion, however small, ended up saving her life and the lives of others. It gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, there was a light at the end of each dark tunnel everyone had to face in life.

She laughed at herself for thinking such childish sentiment, but it made her feel better. Trixie looked worried at her sudden outburst of laughter. “Tempest, you alright there?” Trixie asked her.

Tempest sighed walking around town looking out for any sign of Berry Pinch or her aunt with Trixie on her tail. The two mares walked down the street which was teeming with ponies now. Ponies were either going home or enjoying the cool evening air after a long day at work. Tempest walked through a large group of young teenage mares before stopping. She turned to face Trixie with the slightest indication of a frown on her face.

“Listen, Trixie. I know thing are difficult between us. Between your arrogance and my bullheadedness, it's a wonder we ever got along as foals. That being said, I want you to know I forgive you. Not because I really do, but so I can move on with my life and stop holding on to the past.”

Trixie didn’t respond immediately. Instead, her ears fold back on her head and she adopted a sorrowful expression full of regret. Oh, great here come the crocodile tears. She got me last time but this time I’m ready. Tempest thought to herself mentally preparing for what was to come.

Trixie walked past her and leaned up on a nearby fence looking at the huge crowd of ponies around them. With a heavy sigh, she pulled her cape over herself to protect her from the cold and looked at a single pony walking alone.

“Trixie wants to tell you something, Tempest. A mistake she made not long ago. A few years back Trixie went to the town of Ponyville,” Trixie said looking back at Tempest who was now at her side. “When Trixie got there she used the story of the ursa major to entertain the populace. However, some of the ponies called Trixie out. In the end, Trixie was confronted by an actual ursa minor. I was ultimately humiliated by Twilight Sparkle, long before she was a princess.”

“Long story short, I was a laughing stock for many years afterward. Until I met Starlight Glimmer. Once I met her my life changed for the better. Not long after meeting her, I helped her save Equestria, the Princesses, and the Elements of Harmony with Discord and Thorax. When we did that we were revealed as heroes. It was a life-changing experience.”

Tempest listened to the whole story and never once interrupted Trixie. By the tone of her voice, Tempest was sure Trixie was being sincere and it was not what she expected. Somehow she expected something more grandiose than what she got. Then again, it was a breath of relief to see Trixie mellow down a bit. After a moment of silence, Trixie turned to her neck to look at Tempest. A strong gust of wind blew against them making her cape flutter in the wind as she said, “I’m really sorry for what I did. Believe me, that story should have stayed in the past. But I really didn’t see the harm in telling it once more.”

Tempest sighed moving closer to Trixie. She gently hugged the azure mare wrapping her arms around her firmly. Trixie smiled accepting the hug and even hugged Tempest back.

“Well, as long as you don’t do it again we’ll be fine. I’m sorry I was so hard on you too.”

“Trixie knows. Friends?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Tempest replied stiffly tightening her grip on Trixie turning her a darker shade of blue.

Trixie gasped struggling to break free from Tempest Shadow’s grasp. When she finally thought she’d croak Tempest let her go. Trixie fell down gasping for air while Tempest laughed as she patting her on the back. In the middle of her gasping for air Trixie managed to glare back at Tempest.

“Brute.”

Tempest laughed patting Trixie’s back. Eventually, Trixie managed to smile and joined her. Their heartfelt moment was interrupted when a loud roar echoed through the entire town. Tempest felt a cold shiver go down her spine as she turned to the east side of town. She looked at the dense forest far beyond and immediately felt something inside her snap. Without a word, she began running towards the forest. Something deep down told her she needed to be there.

This driving force completed her and like an unseen guide she ran through the ponies, past the building, and eventually through a dense grape field. As she reached the precise of the field a loud roar echoed over the area. Tempest felt her heart race, her body went cold, and her mind blank.

Her life flashed before her eyes as the familiar sound resonated in her ear. Even Trixie froze up in fear of the sound, quaking on the very spot she stood.

“W-w-was t-t-that an-”

“Yes, it was. An ursa,” Tempest growled listening with her ears. “It must have migrated back.”

“B-b-b-Ack?! What do you mean, ‘migrated back’!?” Trixie sputtered.

“Our village was built near an ursa major breeding ground, remember? They live in a nearby cave system. When the monsoon season starts that’s the time they usually migrate here to breed. They don’t usually come this early though,” Tempest stated. Trixie nodded glancing back at the treeline.

Trixie and Tempest listened as the roars continued to grow louder and louder. The sounds of it heavy paws stomping made an ear-shattering boom. The ground shook with each step. From the pace, the steps and shakes were being made Tempest reasoned the ursa was probably running. Or chasing somepony. The next thing she knew a group of fillies and a colt were running out of the trees. She recognized Pinch immediately and ran to intercept her.

“Tempest!! Help us!!”

Tempest ran up to the tiny unicorn and grabbed her in her arms. Pinch sobbed into Tempest’s mane, hiccuping as she tried to hold back her tears. Tempest tried to calm the filly by patting her back while Trixie tended to the other two. Tempest felt a dampness in her mane where Pinch’s tears soaked in.

“Hey, what happened?” Tempest asked Pinch, afraid of what the answer might be.

Before the filly could get a word out the earth shook under them. The booming of heavy stomping came closer and louder until the tree line split apart. Emerging from the dark was an ursa major. It was barely that, still very young, but it was something Tempest recognized. A massive gnarly scar on the side of its face and a single knick in its left ear. Tempest scanned the ursa over and over until finally, her eyes set on the monster's eyes. For a brief moment, there was a cold connection between the two. She knew this beast. It was the same beast that broke her horn and gave her a scar. The same beast she returned the favor to with its scar.

Tempest’s fears were replaced by something stronger than anything she ever felt before. She tapped her back leg twice getting Trixie’s attention. Not taking her eyes off the ursa, Tempest took Pinch and slowly placed her on the ground and pushed her back towards Trixie. The azure unicorn magically grabbed the filly and placed her on her back and stared at Tempest.

For a moment nothing happened, but then Tempest turned her head slightly to the side, but never took her eyes off the ursa.

“Trixie, get these foals back to my parents home and tell my father to get as many barrels filled with blasting powder as he can. Then meet me back here.”

Trixie was shocked to hear that. She heard the words loud and clear, but somehow it didn’t click in her mind. No pony was crazy enough to take on an ursa alone.

“Are you sure?”

“Trixie! we don’t have time! Just go and I’ll distract the beast!”

Not bothering to wait for an answer Tempest charged the ursa. Her horn sparked to life with light blue energy. The ursa roared swiping widely with its claws trying to strike Tempest. The unicorn slid under the paw just shy of being struck. One of the large claws nicked her armor leaving a noticeable scratch across it. She felt the fur from the paw rub against her nose. She discharged her horn at the ursa’s paw, burning the far right off it. The ursa stumbled back nursing its paw while Tempest recovered from the slide.

She quickly glanced back to see Trixie fleeing with the foals at her side. Relieved to see the mare running with them to safety. Now it was up to Tempest to hold back the beast until help arrived and they could force back the ursa. Until then, she was on her own.

“Well, come on then," She said looking up at the cosmic bear. “Shall we finish what we started?’