//------------------------------// // Chapter 57: Duel of Tempers // Story: Pandemic: What you are Meant to Be // by Halira //------------------------------// "You're going to explain to me why you're not doing what you came here to do," Blessing said in a growl at Tempest. "I don't answer to you pony. And certainly don't need to explain myself to some creature that wants to follow in the hoovesteps of Sunset Shimmer," Tempest replied coldly. "Isn't it insubordination for you to be refusing to let your researchers do their tasks?" Blessing demanded. "Are the Equestrians so lacking in loyalty to their princesses that they disregard their commands at will?" "My loyalty is unquestioned. My job is to see first that their best interests are served. There will be no further testing at this site. The tests can be done with other teams elsewhere. We have at least some data to give back. I'll explain my actions to them and they'll support my decision," Tempest said as she stood still and defiant. "I'm sure it'll be interesting explanation. It doesn't seem your team agrees with your decision. Do you have something against ponies on Earth?" Blessing said as she glanced at Crumb Cake and Beetle, both of whom were doing their best to hide themselves in the growing audience for the argument. "My team don't make those calls, I do. I see what you were up to with them, even if my half blind team cannot. I'm no fool, Sunset Blessing," Tempest spat. "I'm seeing to it they can accomplish their task quickly and efficiently so they can go home to their friends and families. I'm sure none of them wish an extended stay on what is to you all a strange alien world," Blessing said back. "They'll go home soon enough, after we have attended to these night ponies injuries and I demonstrate a bit of how to defend themselves in a merciful manner," Tempest said as she too glanced at her teammates. "You have a doctor and a nurse for treating their injured. What are your researchers supposed to do in the meantime? They clearly want to be able to do their jobs, and volunteered themselves for this from what I understand. The only thing standing in the way of their duty is you," Blessing snapped. "My duty is to protect the best interests of Equestria and this planet. As I said I'm no fool. When we suddenly have a huge number of volunteers come for testing, far more than most other locations with teams combined, that is a sign something isn't right. When it turns out that there are a disproportionate amount of them that are unicorns, and the leader in the region subscribes to a belief in continuing the work of Sunset Shimmer I say no. I'm no fool, and I'm disgusted that you think I wouldn't catch on to what you're doing," Tempest barked. Tempest got a smile on her face then. "Of course it is no surprise you are so incredibly incompetent. You take after Sunset Shimmer. She had her plans loaded with mistakes and sabotaged herself and all of you in the process. Only the most stupid and incompetent ponies would want to emulate her. You want to finish what she started? She was at least an actual pony. You're a pale imitation of even that," Tempest sneered. Sunset Blessing's eyes narrowed as she stared at Tempest. Her horn was sparking due to rage at being publicly called out and insulted. "Don't try it pony. Even with a broken horn I'm far more than a magical match for you. As if you will ever have the ability, little fake unicorn. The idea is as pathetic as you are. Though I admit, I kind of want you to try. I'd enjoy an excuse to hurl you through a wall. Go ahead little pony give me an excuse," Tempest said with her horn sparking in turn. Tonya rushed over to Blessing, planting herself directly in front of Blessing's line of sight. "Sunset, don't do this. She sees you getting angry and is goading you now. Remember how we discussed your temper getting the better of you and how you needed somepony to tell you to reel it back in? I'm telling you now, reel it back in or your going to cause yourself problems. You're no fighter, she's a trained soldier, this can only end in you getting hurt and embarrassed," Tonya pleaded. Embarrassed seemed to be the magic word to get Sunset Blessing's attention. She backed down as she realized how much she had already likely embarrassed herself. Tonya leaned in and whispered something in Blessing's ear. Remedy and every other pony were too far away to make anything out, even with pony hearing. Whatever was said cleared the anger from Blessing's face and a small smile came to her muzzle as she stared knowingly at Tempest. "Very well," Blessing finally said in a calm voice. "Go deal with the night ponies and renege on your job. We offered to help, but you seem scared of your own shadow. It's no concern of mine what some broken, paranoid, unicorn does. I have other things to attend to anyway." Tempest's face darkened further and her horn started sparking anew. "It's a shame really," Blessing continued. "The secrets of what Sunset Shimmer did cured so many ailments and injuries. Too bad so many wish to maintain their disabilities because they're so used to their own misery. Fight to stay as you are if that's your wish then," Blessing said as she turned her back on Tempest and began to walk away. Tempest bellowed in rage at the line of personal insults. Blessing kept on walking, and for the moment it looked as if Tempest would be the one to finally lose it and let loose an attack on Sunset Blessing. Instead Tempest turned and directed her rage filled magic on an abandoned car. Her shattered horn crackled with what seemed like lightning for a moment before the blast came. It was quickly drowned out in sound by the sound of the car exploding. Beetle quickly did some sort of spell that put some sort of magic dome around the car, containing the explosion. Sunset Blessing didn't even glance back as it all went down. She just calmly walked into the church with Tonya in tow. Soldiers quickly came flooding out of the school at the sound of the explosion and the ones who had already been outside fingered their weapons with uncertainty. Remedy was afraid another fight between humans and Tempest Shadow was about to break out. Tempest glared around her as she took deep breaths to try to calm herself. Ponies kept a large distance between themselves and her. Eventually Baker came out and faced Tempest. "What in the flying fuck is the meaning of this Tempest?! Give me one reason I shouldn't have you arrested right this moment for that," Baker demanded angerly as he pointed to the burning remains of the car. Tempest looked at Baker then grimaced at the burning car. She lowered her ears as she realized the level of political faux pas she had just committed. She gave another glance at the church before looking down and finally chuckling to herself. "I'm still waiting for an answer Tempest," Baker reminded her. Tempest looked at him and smiled. "It seems I was out-dueled in a battle of self control. I'll give your resident fanatic credit, she has nerve. I can only offer my apologies and tell you it won't happen again, as I'll be returning to Equestria to answer for my actions to Luna. My actions are my own and should not reflect on my team or Equestria. I expect a formal apology to be coming from the princesses soon for what I did," Tempest said, seeming in disbelief still that Blessing had managed to turn the tables on her. "So you'll all be returned to your homeland?" Baker asked. "I would leave Lavender Mist and Dawn Mend to complete their duties. They had nothing to do with this outburst and they promised themselves in aid of your injured night ponies. There is no more reason for the rest of us to stay. I'll no doubt be disciplined for my actions by Princess Luna. I would recommend my deportation as soon as possible," Tempest said. Baker was quick to oblige. Tempest sat under guard as preparations were made to have them transported back to the airport. "What was that all about?" Jean asked in confusion. "My best guess is my mom apparently decided that she was going to learn about some of the processes involved with transformation by having unicorns spy on what the Equestrians did with their tests. Tempest realized right away what she was up to and immediately ended testing. My mom confronted her about it and we saw the rest," Remedy said as she glanced at the church where her mom was at the moment. "I wonder what Tonya was whispering to her that made her smile," Rosetta mused. "I would say that she was advising my mom to goad Tempest instead, but that's really not something Tonya would do. Tonya gets really sensitive about bullying, and that bordered on bullying. I expect she's having some choice words about that right now. I don't really have a clue what she said that would have made my mom smile in all that," Remedy said with a shake of her head. "I think she might be right about Tempest being paranoid though. There's no way any unicorn here would even be able to figure out what the Equestrians were doing with their tests," Rosetta said. "It's information, even if they don't understand it. Get enough puzzle pieces together and things start forming a picture," Roger reminded Rosetta. "And they still ended up getting something. They saw that forcefield get made. They might not be able to make one yet, but they saw it done," Remedy added. Something seemed off about the whole thing still though. Like there was something that didn't fit right. After a little bit of thinking Remedy realized what it was. It didn't make any sense for her mom to have ever confronted Tempest to begin with. She had to have realized Tempest was onto her and it was better just to drop it. Why go through the full confrontation at all? Her mom could be short tempered, but she didn't actually seem to be losing her temper till Tempest started goading her. Why was she acting like she was offended before that. The only answer was that her mom had been trying to orchestrate something by pulling this, and based on the smile she had as she left she felt she had accomplished it even before Tempest lost her temper. What was her mom up to?