//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: The Perfect Partner 
// by HAKDurbin 
//------------------------------//

The next morning, Tempest was in her guest room, packing her things, but Trenderhoof was still in her mind. She still wished she could have handled things differently in a way that didn't hurt his feelings, but there was nothing she could have done to accomplish that. She had to give him an honest answer, and he was going to be disappointed. Even so, she felt like she ruined what was otherwise a great day.
After Tempest put her saddlebag on her back, she exited the guest room just in time to see Twilight walking over to her. The alicorn gave her friend a warm smile that Tempest returned halfheartedly. Twilight frowned, instantly noticing Tempest's glum demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, I just didn't get much sleep," Tempest answered. "I'll probably nap when I'm on the train."
"Have you decided where to go next?" Twilight asked.
"No, I haven't," Tempest said. "I just thought I'd look at the stops when I'm at the ticket booth and make a decision there."
Twilight frowned skeptically at Tempest's plan before she decided to change the subject.
"So, how was the rest of your date with Trenderhoof?" She asked.
Tempest flinched and looked away from Twilight as she said, "It went fine."
Twilight tilted her head and said, "It doesn't sound like it went fine. What happened?"
Tempest hesitated, not wanting to talk about it. Then, she sighed and said, "Trenderhoof wanted me to go back to Equestria with him. He thought that the two of us should travel together and discover all the festivals and other parties that are out there."
"And that's a bad thing?" Twilight asked. "I thought you were having a great time with him."
"I was," Tempest insisted. 
"So, what's the problem?" Twilight asked.
Tempest hesitated again and said, "I just can't travel just to go to parties when I'm needed elsewhere."
Twilight raised her eyebrow and said, "What elsewhere? You said you don't know what to do after the festival. You finished your journey."
"I know," Tempest said. "But I still feel like I should be doing something to make up for my mistakes."
Twilight frowned at Tempest's excuse and said, "Tempest, There's nothing else you need to do to make up for what you did. The Storm King is vanquished. It's thanks to you that we were able to have the festival and be happy together as friends. It sounds like everyone is ready to stop dwelling on the past but you. In fact, tell me this; do you think every creature was happy at the festival?"
"Of course, I do," Tempest said. 
"Were you happy about going to the festival with Trenderhoof?" Twilight asked.
"Well, yes," Tempest said.
"Do you like him?"
Tempest flinched, and her cheeks turned pink at the question. Twilight smiled as though her question was already answered. The dark orchid mare tried to think of a way to deny it, but then she stopped herself and thought about everything she went through with Trenderhoof. The way she made her laugh and called her beautiful. The times they explored, tried things they've never done before, and how he listened to her whenever she was talking about her past. She still saw him strange to some degree, but she couldn't deny that he was also charming, caring, and passionate to a fault. The more she thought about him, the more she accepted that she couldn't give Twilight any other answer than "yes." But then her face fell, and she looked down in defeat.
"It doesn't matter how I feel about him," she said. "He's heading back to Equestria. I don't know where exactly. He might already be on a train right now."
"Then you better head to the train station in case he hasn't yet," Twilight said. 
"But what if I don't find him in time?" Tempest asked. 
Twilight gave her friend an unamused look and said, "Tempest, you're one of the most determined ponies I know. You traveled all over the world trying to find a way to restore your horn, and you did it again to make up for what you did. If you want to travel with that stallion, then you better do whatever it takes to do it. Go and make yourself happy for a change."
Tempest gave the princess an uneasy look, unconvinced that she might not be too late. Twilight, however, kept smiling at her friend, hoping that her optimism will encourage Tempest to go. After a moment, Tempest looked down and mentally teased the idea that she might find Trenderhoof in time. It still was a longshot, but if there was a chance she could see him again, she had to take it. 
"I must be out of my mind," she said.
Without another word, Tempest ran past Twilight and down the other side of the hall. Twilight's smile grew as she watched her friend make a turn toward the front entrance of the palace. She knew that Tempest might not find the stallion she liked, but she was confident that Tempest would look for him to whatever end.
"Good luck, Tempest," she said.


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Tempest raced down the mountain as fast as she could, mentally praying that she had a chance. By the time she was at the dock, the place was crowded with creatures. Some were heading to the train station while others were saying their goodbyes to the hippogriffs and seaponies. The dark orchid mare squeezed her way through the crowd, growing worried that she might not find Trenderhoof in time or be able to spot him. 
As soon as she made it to the station, she checked the schedule hanging above the ticket booth. Her heart sank when she saw that two trains had left for Manhattan and Sire's Hallow early in the morning. A few other trains were going to other places in Equestria, but that didn't ease her mind when Trenderhoof could have been on the first two trains. 
Fortunately, just as she was about to look around the station, she glanced from the schedule to find the gamboge stallion sitting on a bench on the other side of the platform. Tempest's heart skipped a beat, and she sighed in relief, but her smile soon fell when she noticed that Trenderhoof was looking at the floor with a downcast look. Knowing what was on his mind, Tempest sighed and took a moment to think of what to say before she walked over to him. 
"Trend?" She said. 
Trenderhoof's ears perked up, and he turned to Tempest and asked, "Tempest? What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you," she answered.
Trenderhoof's face fell again, and he asked, "You come to say goodbye?"
"No, I didn't," Tempest answered.
"Then why were you looking for me?" Trenderhoof asked. 
"Because I changed my mind," Tempest replied. 
Trenderhoof's ears perked up again, and his eyes lit up.
"You...you mean…?" He asked as he got off the bench.
Tempest smiled and nodded before she said, "Listen, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. I guess even though I've changed for the better and have made friends with a lot of creatures, I'm still used to going on my own path. To have a purpose that was all on my own. It took a good friend to accept that I need to stop dwelling on the past and let myself be happy," 
Trenderhoof nodded in understanding before Tempest continued. 
"I said no to you last night because I don't get that close to ponies," she said. "But now I have accepted that you were right about how I shouldn't have gone to the festival alone and I'm happy that I went together with you. We had a lot of fun, and I appreciate that you listened to me when I talked about my past. There's a lot you still don't know about me, and looking back, I didn't ask that much about you, but I would like for us to get to know each other better while spending time together."
"So, what you're saying is…?" Tenderhoof asked with hope in his voice. 
Tempest felt her cheeks heat up as she said, "I'm saying I like you, Trend, and I want to travel with you too."
Trenderhoof's heart skipped a beat, and he beamed for the first time since the night before. Tempest couldn't help but chuckle from seeing the guy she liked act like his cheerful self again.
"That makes me happy," he said. "And I suppose now is as good of a time as any to say that I like you too, Tempest."
Tempest's blush grew at his confession before she frowned and looked away again, scratching the back of her head and said, "Actually, that's not my real name. That's just what I started calling myself when I joined the Storm King."
"Oh? What is your real name?" Trenderhoof asked. 
Tempest looked around to make sure there was no creature close enough to overhear her before she gestured Trenderhoof to come closer and whisper in his ear, "It's Fizzlepop Berrytwist."
Trenderhoof took a moment to process the information before he smiled and said, "Aw, that's a cute name."
"No, it's not," Tempest said, embarrassed. "And to be clear, I only told you because I want you to know more about me. You are to keep calling me Tempest. Is that clear?"
"Crystal, my lady," Trenderhoof replied. 
"Good," Tempest said. "Anyway, on a different subject, do you know where to go next?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Trenderhoof said. "I overheard on my way here that there's going to be a poem and music fair in the Dragonlands."
Tempest looked at Trenderhoof as though he spoke gibberish and asked, "Why in the Dragonlands of all places?"
"I'm not sure," Trenderhoof answered. "All I know is it has something to do with a dragon that's a poet, and that led to dragons, ponies, changelings, and other creatures wanting to hold a fair there. It's just something we'll have to take a ship to from Baltimare to find out."
Tempest kept staring at him, dumbfounded before she shrugged and said, "I guess I'm buying a ticket to Baltimare, then."
"I guess so," Trenderhoof said. 
Without another word, Tempest walked over to the ticket booth and bought her ticket. When she came back, Trenderhoof was sitting back on the bench and left a spot for her to sit next to him. The two ponies smiled as they sat next to each other, glad that they were going on another adventure together. As the two of them waited for their train, Tempest's eyes started to get heavy. She glanced at Trenderhoof's shoulder, and after a moment of debating, decided to scoot closer and rest her head on his shoulder.
"T-t-Tempest, what are you doing?" He asked, blushing furiously. 
"Keep your sweater on, buddy," Tempest said, ignoring her blush. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
Trenderhoof eased up and smiled as he said, "Okay. I think I'll start writing my article while we wait for our train."
"Sounds great," Tempest said.
As Tempest dozed off to sleep, Trenderhoof used his magic to take out his notebook and pen from his bag. The stallion scratched his chin, trying to think of how to start until he turned back to the mare he liked, who was napping on his shoulder with a small smile on her face. He smiled again, thinking she looked cute when she was sleeping, and turned back to his notebook, knowing where to begin.


	The Perfect Partner


	By Trenderhoof 


The Festival of the Free Creatures was a remarkable time of joy and friendship, but I don't think anyone can fully experience such a time of unity without anyone to share the experience with. I would not have discovered that if I didn't meet this remarkable mare who was my date for the festival.





	The End