Restoring those trapped in crystal was easy, the staff obeyed without question. And when the princess were freed their magic returned to them as if it had never left. And once Tempest was free and Shining had regained his magic it was a simple matter to blast the staff and reduce it to ash.
The princesses blinked and rubbed their eyes, not to mention stretched their wings. Princess Celestia was the first one to speak up, and her tone of voice made it sound as if she'd just awoken from a long nap. "What happened?" She questioned in earnest. "How long have I been out?"
"I wish I had an answer, sister, but my mind too is drawing a blank," Princess Luna commented with a yawn. "I haven't felt this 'out of the loop' as the foals say since I got back from the moon."
"Where's Flurry Heart?! Is she okay?!" Cadence exclaimed as she rushed over to her husband. "Shining, what is going on here?! The throne room is a mess!"
"Do none of you remember anything at all?" Shining questioned the other alicorns. They all nodded in confirmation.
"The last thing I can remember was warning Luna to go find Queen Novo of the hippogriffs," Celestia explained to Shining. "And I was cut off mid sentence. But after that, nothing. It's like my mind went blank."
"And the last thing I remember was heeding your advice and preparing to flee," Luna declared. "Which begs the question: What happened to us, and more importantly what unfolded while we were out?"
Shining massaged the back of his neck with a hoof. "It's a very long story, princesses. You were trapped in crystal and had your magic stolen. But you'll be happy to know that the Storm King has been defeated and destroyed."
"And what of his commander, Tempest Shadow?" Cadence inquired.
"She has surrendered," Shining reported. "And Cadence, if you're worried about Flurry Heart, you needn't be. She's safe with Twilight, Sunburst, and Starlight. They fled to Ponyville and took shelter in the Everfree Forest with Zecora."
Cadence breathed a much needed sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. When I didn't see her with you I instantly thought the worst."
The prince could only laugh. "Cadence, this is Flurry Heart we're talking about here. She could take on a whole army just by sneezing."
Cadence laughed too. "That's true, Flurry Heart is practically an army unto herself. Celestia knows the 'adventures' she gets up behind our backs."
"Oh, I was not aware that I was so popular an expression," Celestia commented with a face that seemed more bemused than upset. "Quite a fitting one at that. Though I am curious, do ponies say the same about my sister, or is it reserved for me solely because I've been around longer?"
"Sister, now is really not the time for such trivial details," Luna half commented/half whined. "If the throne room of all places is in such an appalling state there's a good chance the entire city is far worse. And chances are we've been out for more than a day, if not a week. Our subjects will start to grow worried if we're not there to reassure them."
Celestia nodded. "You're right, Luna. My curiosity can wait. For now, it's important that we put the pieces back together and bring some sense of normalcy back to Equestria," Then in a more serious tone the sun princess commented. "I have a feeling we're going to be very busy for the next several weeks, perhaps even longer than that."
"Worry not, sister. As always, we'll get through it together." Luna reassured Celestia, and the two shared an embrace.
Shining reluctantly cleared his throat. "This is probably not the best time to ask, but do you think we could still hold the Friendship Festival? I know it's not the day of anymore, but Songbird Serenade is probably gonna be booking the first train out of here. And after all everyone's been through, a concert might be just they all need to forget about their troubles and feel safe again."
"We'll see," Celestia declared. "For now, let's survey the damage. And I would like the opportunity to have a one on one chat with Tempest. This is the first time any of my subjects has ever dared to rise up against me in favor of a foreign power."
"I'm more curious about her physical appearance," Cadence declared. "To me the stub and the scar conveys a pony who has suffered great and unresolved trauma at some point in her past."
The alicorn prince nervously chuckled. "Funny you should mention that, because I had a chance to learn Tempest's backstory. You would not believe what kind of hardship she's been through."
Songbird Serenade was most surprised that her concert was allowed to go on as planned, and that the stage needed very little in the way of repair. It had suffered some cosmetic damage, but the structure remained unharmed and closer inspection revealed it to be as sturdy as it had been on the day of the attack. The tornado had mercifully spared it.
She was even more surprised by some of the last minute additions provided to her show, all of the former Storm Guards. As it turned out they had been deposited just outside Canterlot, and royal guards had found them holed up in a cave feeling quite sorry for themselves.
"You really sure this is a good idea, Captain?" Flash Sentry asked as Songbird Serenade finished rehearsing. "I mean, these guys obeyed every order Tempest gave them without question and caused a lot of misery and mayhem. They deserve far worse than this."
"I understand how you feel, Flash," Shining reassured the pegasus. "They'll all be tried individually in due time. All of the Storm King's associates will face justice, including Tempest and Grubber. Regardless of their defection the fact remains that they were allied with an enemy of Equestria and for that there must be consequences. For now though, I think these Storm Guards deserve some public humiliation and public service. From what Thunderlane told me, most of these guys only joined when the Storm King gave them no other choice and he didn't exactly pay or treat them well."
Flash nodded and smiled. "I see. Give 'em a taste of a better life, and hope that the humiliation will scare 'em straight. That's why you're the captain."
Shining couldn't resist ribbing Flash a little over that statement. "Don't get any ideas, Flash. I'm not looking to retire anytime soon. And you already have a high ranking position leading the Crystal Guard," In a more serious tone he added. "But all the same, thanks for being there for my sister and my daughter and their circle of friends. I'm proud of you for keeping them safe."
Then a hush fell over the crowd as a spotlight shoned on the center of the stage. Spike came strolling out onto it, decked out in sunglasses and a black jacket. "Mares and gentlestallions, colts and fillies of all ages, and visitors to our fair kingdom!" He spoke into a microphone he held in his claws. "It's the moment you've all been waiting for! It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you tonight, the one, the only, Songbird Serenade!" The crowd burst into thunderous applause! "And as an extra treat," Spike went on. "Please welcome her new back-up dancers!"
Songbird Serenade came strolling out onto the stage, accompanied by the Storm Guards dressed in embarrassing pink tutus, and Capper decked out in a freshly repaired red jacket and a purple top hat with a feather in it (and matching cape). "Alright ponies and non-ponies alike!" Songbird Serenade called to the energetic crowds! "This one goes out to the brave Prince Shining Armor and all his friends, who without their courage and sacrifice, none of us would be here to enjoy this wonderful concert!" And then the music began to play, as the singer started belting out her newest tune:
So, we wanna stay,
But we can't find peace while sittin' still.
I guess we never will.
We're on the way,
We won't hurry back again.
The journey is the end (oh)!
Oh I love this very moment,
We're speedin' up, not slowin'.
We might know we can't quite win,
But we're brave enough to try.
We're going, there's no maybe,
That's why they call us crazy.
And we'll say if anypony asks us:
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know (oh)!
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know!
Yes, we never need to know,
Seekin' boundaries to break.
Let's forget the ones we've made.
So we carry on,
Don't let good things pass us by.
The time we're gone will be the best time of our life!
Oh I love this very moment,
We're speedin' up, not slowin'.
We might know we can't quite win,
But we're brave enough to try.
We're going, there's no maybe,
That's why they call us crazy.
And we'll say if anypony asks us:
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know (oh)!
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know!
So go tell 'em we won't stop,
We know they can't change us.
We're gonna go way off the map,
To get ourselves back on the track.
Go tell 'em we won't stop,
We know they can't change us.
No need to worry so much,
'Cause we do whatever we must(oh)!
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know (oh)!
"Hey (hey!), just where you gonna go?"
We're off to see the world!
And we don't need to know (oh)!
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh!
While the concert was unfolding and ponies were clapping and singing along, Shining happened to look up in the sky and notice something that hadn't been planned for the concert, fireworks. Out of curiosity he glanced over the crowd, and saw the fireworks emerging from the stub on Tempest's forehead.
Curiously the prince turned to the broken horned unicorn. He knew that she and Princess Celestia had met briefly, but the exact nature of their conversation remained a mystery to him. However he was more interested in the fireworks display she had just launched. "Very impressive, Tempest," He commented to her. "To think you can do all that without a horn."
Tempest simply replied. "It's the least I can do to begin to make amends for what I've done. Besides, you remember that detail earlier about how I'd show everyone just what I can really do?"
Shining nodded. "You never did ellaborate on that."
The mare slowly curved the corners of her mouth into a smile, the first genuine smile she had smiled in what felt like forever. "Well, this is part of it," She proceeded to question the alicorn. "Do you think it's possible alicorn magic could restore my horn? Just out of curiosity?"
"I wouldn't know I'm afraid," Shining confessed. "My sister and former student are the magical experts, even my dad knows more about the technical aspects and limits of magic than I do. But even if you did get your horn back and your physical scar healed, the emotional scars of that Ursa Minor incident wouldn't go away. Emotional wounds don't heal the same way physical ones do."
Tempest sighed. "Guess I should've expected that. But perhaps it was always meant to be."
"It doesn't matter what could've been, it only matters what can happen," Shining explained. "Focus on the present, not the past."
The broken horned unicorn appeared to nod. "I'll consider that," She commented and then grinned. "But for now, it looks like someone else has a pressing urge to meet with you."
The prince was about to ask who Tempest was referring to, when he heard Princess Skystar cry out. "Mother!" And sure enough, who should appear amidst the crowd but Queen Novo herself, her fins now replaced with talons.
Queen Novo embraced her daughter in a hug even as she motherly declared. "You are so grounded, missy." Skystar could only gulp in reply.
And Skystar wasn't the only one nervous about seeing the queen of the hippogriffs again. Shining could feel a cold sweat working its way down his neck. "Your majesty," He greeted with a bow. "What an... unexpected surprise to see you. May I ask what brings you here on such short notice?"
Queen Novo looked at the prince, her expression was hard to judge exactly but it seemed to be a mix of anger and gratitude. "Well, I was only here originally to pick up my daughter. But now that I hear the Storm King has been... taken care of so to speak, I wish to have a chat with Princess Celestia regarding your behavior." Now it was Shining's turn to gulp.