Arc calls forth Eidolon’s Ward and the Spear of Righteousness.
Arc calls forth Eidolon’s Ward and the Spear of Righteousness.
“Everyone stand back!”
“But dad…!”
“Now Dinky!”
Ruby steps forward and grabs Dinky’s tail in her mouth. She pulls her back around Arc to safety.
“Do as your father says, dear!”
Babs hides behind Ruby as Arc positions himself between them.
“What are you doing here, Tempest?!”
Tempest rolls her eyes. “What does it look like? I’m helping my sister make supper.”
“Really?!”
“Yes, you fool. Now if you’ll be so kind as to get out of the way, we need to get to work.”
Cerulean Skies nods. “She’s telling the truth, sir! Please don’t fight! That and we really do need to get this soup started!”
Cherry calls out to Arc telepathically. “I think Tempest is actually here to help.”
“Agreed.”
Arc recalls his armor and spear.
“I suppose introductions are in order then.”
He turns to his group, not taking his eyes off Tempest.
“This is Ruby Jubilee, Dinky you know, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Babs Seed.”
“Tempest nods to them, her narrowed eyes rest on Babs for a moment.
“Is… is something wrong, M-Matron?
“…no.”
“Sister, we need to get this going!”
She turns back to Arc.
“Please forgive me, but we’re very busy right now.”
Ruby steps forward. “We could help.”
Sweetie Belle looks confused. “We can?!”
Dinky nods as she looks icily at Tempest. “Yes. We can.”
Arc frowns. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
Apple Bloom turns to him with Babs.
“Why not?”
“Yeah! I , um… kinda want to help too.”
“Tempest isn’t the most… trustworthy mare I’ve met.”
Tempest narrows her eyes. “I could say the same for your judgement… hero.”
Ruby looks at the pot. “Who are you feeding, miss?”
“Most of the neighborhood. You see, this town was hit hardest by the economic downturn. Nearly everypony who lives around this part of town is out of work right now.”
Cherry calls out to Arc again. “We should at least help her cook supper.”
Arc sighs inwardly. “Fine.”
He turns to Cerulean Skies.
“I’ll help keep an eye on Tempest in the Kitchen if the others want to help you serve.”
“I, well… thank you, sir.”
“You can just call me Arc, Cerulean Skies.”
Tempest smirks as she turns to go inside. “Might as well, sister. He’s nopony special.”
Dinky turns back to her friends.
“Let’s do this!”
Apple Bloom nods. “Uh huh!”
Sweetie Belle giggles. “Crusaders to the rescue!”
Babs Seed looks around nervously. “We… we can do this!”
Arc sighs as the fillies follow Cerulean Skies around the side of the house. Ruby walks over to him.
“Be careful in there. You can’t trust her!”
“I will.”
Cherry calls out to her sister. “Don’t worry, Ruby. I’ll watch his back.”
Ruby nods as she turns to walk around the house. Arc enters via the front door. Walking inside he finds Tempest in the kitchen putting on a pink apron with a red heart on it. She glares at him as she gestures to it
“You tell anypony else what I’m wearing and it’s lights out for you! Cerulean Skies doesn’t have any other colors!”
“Fine. What can I do?”
Tempest points to a bag of flour. “You know how to make rolls?”
“Sure.”
“Then get to it! We need about a hundred.”
“Fine.”
Arc begins measuring out ingredients as Tempest chops vegetables.
“So why ARE you here?”
Tempest scoffs at his question. “To cook, moron.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“And I’m just supposed to believe that?”
Tempest rolls her eyes. “Truthfully, I don’t really care WHAT you think. I’m just giving my little sister some help.”
They are silent for a time as they both return to their jobs.
“So… do you come here often?”
Tempest chuckles darkly. “Why? You looking to come back with reinforcements?”
“Not really. Just trying to make conversation.”
“You mean gather information, right?”
“Call it what you will.”
“Alright. I’ll play your little game… hero.”
Tempest sighs.
“Ever since that night I accidently stabbed my sister in Ponyville, I’ve been watching over her.”
“Oh?”
“I saw you come back here. You changed her bandages.”
“That I did.”
Tempest narrows her eyes. “Honestly, I don’t like you anywhere near Cerulean Skies.”
“Why? You’re not afraid I’ll hurt her, are you?”
“Not intentionally, no. But there are many ways to hurt somepony.”
“What are you talking about, Tempest?”
“I saw the look on her face when you left. She was like a little lost schoolmare.”
“I’m not sure what that means.”
Tempest turns to Arc, snarling. “It means she has a crush on you, stupid!”
“What?! But all I did was take her home and change her wrappings!”
“You don’t get it, do you?!”
“What’s there TO get?!”
“THAT’S what a mare’s looking for in a stallion! Somepony to care for them! Care… about them…”
She turns back to the stove as her voice trails off.
“And you?”
“What about me?”
“Decimus?”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I? Tempest, I saw the love letters he wrote to you.”
Tempest turns to him angrily as she stops stirring. “You… what?!”
Arc reaches for his ring and pulls out the stack of letters. He tosses them onto the counter next to Tempest.
“I found these in your room at the Orphanage.”
“What… were you doing… THERE?!”
“Investigating you at the time. If it makes you feel any better, the only ones who know about this aren’t going to say anything to anyone.”
Tempest appears ready to explode. Arc takes a step back as Cherry calls out to him.
“Maybe not the best time to tell her that, Arc!”
Arc nods soberly. Tempest stares at the stack for a long moment before sighing and picking them up. She turns to him.
“So I guess you know everything then, huh?”
“More than I wanted to about your relationship with Decimus.”
Tempest sighs as she throws the stack toward her saddlebags in the corner of the room. “It must be a bit… strange to think of me writing things like that.”
“Decimus too, I admit.”
“There’s more to me than one would imagine.”
“I know.”
Tempest rolls her eyes. “Do you now?”
“No, really. I mean… everyone thinks of you as cold and calculating. And I suppose for the most part you are. But I know deep down you’re just like anyone else in this land.”
“There’s nopony like me, idiot.”
Arc walks slowly over to Tempest. “What I mean is, you really just want what everyone else does. A special someone and a hand to hold. Or hoof, I suppose. More so even, if what you wrote in your letters was the truth.”
Tempest blushes as Arc continues. He stands next to her.
“While I don’t understand your reasoning, you’re still with Decimus. So you must still have feelings for him. Now, I’m not here to judge you on your sex life, or anything. But I want you to know I’m not after your sister or anything. I honestly just wanted to help her that night.”
She nods. “I’m inclined to believe you. Just… don’t fall in love with her.”
Tempest looks away.
“I’d hate to break her heart when I kill you.”
They are silent for a time. Arc puts a hand on Tempest’s shoulder.
“To be honest with you, I’d actually like to continue living. Same as you and Decimus.”
Tempest shakes her head. “You know that can’t happen. I’ve explained everything to you in great detail.”
“There’s no other way?”
“No.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“The longer you live, the more power you amass. It only helps ensure our plan to harvest that power from your soul when the time is upon us.”
“I see. And when will that be?”
Tempest shrugs. “No clue. But The Dark One is doing his best to slow the advance of the coming darkness.”
Arc turns back to the counter as he continues rolling dough. “I see.”
“It’s not personal.”
“Right.”
“We all have our roles to play in this life. Mine is to fight. Yours is to…”
“Die?”
“I was going to say be the key to this land’s salvation. Making the ultimate sacrifice is what you’re prepared to do from what I can see.”
“I suppose I am. And you?”
Tempest frowns. “When it’s over and the land is safe, The Dark One is free to do with my soul as he sees fit.”
“What about Cerulean Skies? She’ll be alone.”
“Maybe. But she’ll be alive and safe. What more can I ask for?”
Arc shrugs. “I don’t know. And Decimus?”
Tempest stops stirring and sighs. “He… understands my role.”
“Did he put up much of a fuss?”
“No! Shut up about Decimus! You don’t even know him!”
Tempest slams her hooves down hard on the counter, cracking it.
“It sickens me that I at one point felt a sexual attraction for the one who’s killed him multiple times now!”
“You weren’t yourself back then. I’ve let that go. You should do the same.”
Tempest sighs, but does not look over.
“Arc. You… actually remind me of somepony special to me.”
“Who?”
“A stallion who at one point personified justice and honor. One who fought for the innocent and protected this realm.”
She pauses a few moments before continuing.
“I miss him.”
Arc nods.
“The… old Decimus.”
“Sorry I can’t bring him back. From what others have told me, it sounds like he used to be quite a guy.”
Tempest nods.
“That was a lifetime ago. I know it may sound cold and heartless, but I don’t like to live in the past.”
They are silent for a time as the pair go back to work
“Maybe not the best time to bring this up, but any luck with those papers you got from RD-001.”
“One of my… associates is looking into it.”
“Really? I just figured it was all doom and gloom over there.”
“He wasn’t too keen on the idea at first. But The Dark One was able to persuade him that this was important.”
Arc sighs. “And now I’m worried.”
“As long as this mystery is solved, I don’t care what they do with whatever is found!”
“Yeah. That much I figured.”
A short time later Arc pulls several trays of rolls out of the oven. Tempest looks over at them.
“They appear edible.”
“Hey! I know what I’m doing!”
“Do you now?”
“Yes!”
Tempest frowns as Arc puts another set of trays in the oven.
“Then let’s get these outside. I can hear the neighbors lining up.”
Arc picks a tray up. “Fine.”
He heads for the door. Tempest raises an eyebrow.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“Um… to bring these outside. Where else would I…?”
“You really are a moron, aren’t you?!”
Arc looks confused. “Huh?”
“You can’t go out there! The citizens would start bowing and scraping at your hooves! Or whatever those freakishly deformed things are attached to your legs!”
“What? Why?”
Tempest rolls her eyes. “Uh, because you’re borderline royalty in their eyes, stupid!”
“So I’m just supposed to let the wanted criminal go out there?”
“No. Just watch.”
Tempest walks over to the wall. She gives it a few kicks with her hoof. A few moments later Cerulean Skies enters via the back door with the fillies.
“We’re ready on this end, sister.”
Cerulean Skies nods. “Thanks.”
“There’s a lot of ponies out there, dad.”
Apple Bloom nods. “And they look hungry!”
Sweetie Belle sighs. “Fillies too.”
Babs Seed hides behind Dinky as she looks angrily at Tempest. “I know how they feel.”
Cerulean Skies turns to her. “We’ll fix that!”
Arc gives each of the fillies a tray of rolls as Tempest passes a pot to her sister.
“I’ll keep things running in here.”
Cerulean Skies nods as she glances in Arc’s direction. “Thank you. Just be on your best behavior, sister.”
“Tell that to him.”
“Hey!”
“Aren’t you coming out, dad?”
“No. Tempest and I are staying in here.”
Apple Bloom looks to him, confused. “Why, Arc?”
“I’ll explain it to you all later.”
Sweetie Belle turns to leave with the others. “Um… okay.”
They leave the Kitchen and close the door behind them. Tempest turns back to the counter.
“We need to get back to work. That isn’t nearly enough food.”
“Understood.”
Tempest begins chopping vegetables as Arc makes several more trays of rolls.
“Good job.”
“Thank you.”
Tempest rolls her eyes. “I was being sarcastic.”
“About what?”
Tempest gestures toward the window. “Those ponies lined up out there.”
Arc frowns. “Uh… not sure how that’s my fault.”
“Lack of jobs, stupid!”
“Again, how is that…?”
“YOU were Lord Regent! It was YOUR job to help them and you didn’t!”
Arc sits down and sighs. “I spoke to the Baltimare Council as well as the mayor, Duke Carleon. Everyone agreed that the only way to solve this problem was to get everyone back to work.”
“And?!”
“But no one could think of a way to do that.”
“Those factories NEED to be reopened!”
“I agree. But with the economy in such a state, no businesses want to take the financial risk. That and I’ve seen those old buildings. They’re falling apart.”
“All I hear are excuses!”
Tempest turns away and sighs.
“Look, I’m grateful that you got Cerulean Skies’ job back. The thought of my sister going hungry isn’t something I can handle. I mean, I wanted to send her bits, but…”
“But your Council of Shadows probably doesn’t pay particularly well.”
“Nothing actually. I felt bad not sending money or even letters to her, but Decimus insisted on it.”
“Yeah, Decimus again.”
Tempest glares at him. “You could have at least set up a soup kitchen or something though!”
“I did.”
“Where?!”
“Right here.”
“Cerulean Skies doesn’t make enough to sustain this!”
“I know.”
Tempest seethes. “So you’re just letting my sister bankroll this?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No. I had a talk with High Justice Gaval. She agreed to allow you sister to leave early every day to do this. That and the money for the food is billed directly to Canterlot via an agreement with the vendors in town.”
“That’s the best you could come up with?!”
“Yes. Cerulean Skies is well known in the community. She’s the logical candidate to make this work.”
“Alone?!”
“She’s not alone. You’re here.”
“Well, she’s lucky I came back when I did! You apparently couldn’t have been bothered to send her some help.”
“I did. She refused it.”
Tempest frowns. “What?! Why?!”
“You’ll have to ask her about that. Frankly I’m all for local problems being handled by the local residents. After all, Cerulean Skies understands what needs to be done better than some chair polisher in the capital after all.”
Tempest turns away, frowning. “I’m still not sure if you’re a tactical and political genius or mentally unbalanced.”
“Let me know if you figure it out. I’ve been wondering that myself.”
Sometime later as the sun sets Cerulean Skies and Arc’s friends return to the Kitchen. Tempest greets her.
“You did very well, sister.”
“Did I?”
Arc nods. “Yes. We watched from the relative safety of a curtained window.”
Dinky giggles. “It was a lot of fun helping out!”
Apple Bloom nods. “Yeah! I didn’t know there were ponies in Equestria that were hungry!”
Sweetie Belle sighs. “Me either.”
Babs Seed hides behind Ruby as she gives the pots she’s carrying to Cerulean Skies.
“It was certain an eye opening experience for me as well.”
Cerulean Skies sighs as she puts the pots in the refrigerator. “This is a daily activity around here. One meal is all I can provide though.”
Babs Seed peeks out from behind Ruby. “What… what do they do for breakfast and lunch?”
“Most of them do odd jobs around town, so they’re not completely without an income. But the few bits they make still mostly goes toward food.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t be sir. It’s not your fault.”
Tempest frowns as Cerulean Skies walks over to Arc. He kneels down to look her in the eye.
“Thank you for making all this possible. Everypony here really appreciates it.”
“Well, you’re the one doing the real work here.”
Cerulean Skies kneels respectfully. “That may be. But I couldn’t do it without Canterlot’s support. Please know that you’ll always have a friend in Baltimare, sir.”
Arc puts a hand on her shoulder. “Cerulean Skies, please stand up. You don’t have to kneel like that.”
“What? But I…”
“Friends don’t kneel to friends. Okay?”
Cerulean Skies smiles happily. “Yes sir.”
“And you don’t have to call me that either. Just ‘Arc’ will do.”
“But…!”
Tempest frowns. “Just do what he says. After all, he’s not the Lord Regent anymore.”
Cerulean Skies nods. “I suppose not. But those of us that live in the slums will always see him as our savior.”
She turns back to Arc.
“Again I thank you… Arc.”
“You’re welcome. But I need to be getting back to Ponyville now.”
“I understand.”
She leans forward suddenly and gives Arc a hug. Tempest glares at him, clearly incredulous.
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too.”
Arc stands up and calls forth his gauntlet. He turns to his group as the portal forms.
“Let’s go home everyone.”
Babs Seed runs through first followed by the rest of the fillies. Ruby and Arc enter together and vanish as the portal closes Tempest turns to Cerulean Skies, frowning.
“What the hell was THAT?!”
“Huh?”
“You HUGGING him!”
“I wanted him to know I’m grateful.”
“We talked about this! You can’t be falling in love with my future victims!”
Cerulean Skies sighs as she walks over to the couch. “My heart wants what it wants, Tempest.”
Tempest angrily walks over. “And what would that be?”
“To get to know Arc better. He’s been very kind to me in the past.”
“That much I do know.”
“After all, he was the only one who would listen after High Justice Hawthorne fired me.”
“If I had known what had happened, you know I would have done something.”
“Yes. But I don’t think you would have been as… merciful about it.”
Tempest shrugs. “Can I help it if slime like him needs a lesson in manners?”
“That may be. But you don’t have the authority to…”
“Ha! I don’t need anypony’s permission to take care of you! If Arc hadn’t stepped in and taken care of that pig, I’d…!”
Cerulean Skies appears to be lost in thought.
“Are you listening?!”
“Kinda. I was just wondering something. Remember when you told me about your last visit to Ponyville?”
“What about it?”
“You were infected with something or other and tried to get Arc to bed you.”
Tempest blushes as she takes a step back. “W-what about it?”
“Well, you said he didn’t take you up on your advances, right?”
“Yes. But what does that have to do with anything?”
“Just hear me out. Did he sleep with you?”
“I… yes, he did.”
“Really?!”
Tempest blushes. “It… wasn’t like that! I was the one who crawled into bed with him!”
“Why?”
“Looking back at it, I just… I wanted to… I had an extreme desire to be held, okay!”
Cerulean Skies giggles. “I know how that feels.”
Tempest frowns. “You do?”
“Yes. I want Arc to hold me too. That’s why I hugged him just now. To know what you felt back then.”
“And what DID you feel?”
Cerulean Skies puts her hooves on her cheeks and blushes. “Warm and safe. And wishing he hadn’t let go.”
She giggles as Tempest rolls her eyes.
“Looking back at it, I’m still disgusted with myself.”
“Why, Tempest?
“Because of the things I wanted!”
“How is that his fault?”
Tempest opens her mouth to speak. However nothing comes out. She turns around and looks at the fireplace.
“You don’t know anything about love, Cerulean Skies. Just because a stallion doesn’t rape you doesn’t mean he’s special, or anything.”
“I suppose you’re right, sister. But you also told me what you did to him in the Dragon Lands.”
Tempest’s pupils shrink as her sister continues.
“If what you told me was the truth, you tried to rape HIM! Was that a lie?”
Tempest puts a hoof to her stomach as she shudders. “…no.”
“And he could have acted on your advances and had the time of his life with you. Or he could have killed you and ran.”
“I can’t be…!”
“Maybe not. But he still chose not to hurt you. He chose to take care of you and insisted you take the antidote when he got it. Any other stallion would have been tempted to keep you as you were. Especially since you’ve never been shy about your future plans for him.”
Tempest says nothing.
“Leaving you in that stupor would have assured you could never carry out your plans to kill him.”
“I would have broken free eventually.”
“Really? I doubt that. After all, why would you have wanted to? A stallion would have been there to care for and provide all your needs for the rest of your life. Who would want to give that up?!”
“Somepony with a brain?”
“I know that’s what you wanted. To be held and loved.”
“Decimus, he…”
“…abandoned you! You said it yourself, Tempest! He’s not the stallion you fell in love with!”
“He’s still in there somewhere. I just know it!”
“Really?! You’re still carrying a torch for HIM! After all he’s done!”
Tempest frowns. “You just wish you knew what it was like!”
“You’re right! I want my big sister to have somepony who loves her! To be cared for like she deserves! And to have a family with that stallion like she always talked about when we were younger!”
“That dream is very much dead, Cerulean Skies.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
Tempest chuckles. “What? Do you want me to have Arc’s foals now?”
“He would certainly be a better father than Decimus! You know THAT much is right!”
“Probably.”
“You mean most definitely.”
“Well, what about you? You wanted the same future back then. Remember, we used to talk about it every night in our little crawlspace under the Vanhoover Inn. It was your dream to have foals with a nice stallion and raise them properly. We can’t both achieve that dream with Arc, now can we?”
“Well… technically we can.”
Tempest frowns. “What are you talking about? There’s two of us and only one of him.”
Cerulean Skies looks at Tempest sheepishly. “You’re right when you say we can’t both marry him. The law is clear on that, after all.”
“Then what are you getting at?”
“Everypony knows that humans can have multiple mates. Such things are normal for them. We could BOTH have our dreams come true.”
“WHAT?!”
Cerulean Skies smiles at Tempest warmly. “I’d even be willing to let you have your foal first.”
Tempest shakes her head. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this!”
“We both believe he’s quite the stallion. And we shared everything else growing up.”
“That was because we HAD to back then! Don’t you think I wanted you to have a better life?!”
“I know you did, Tempest. And I believe you did the best you could for us back then.”
“I still wonder.”
Cerulean Skies closes her eyes and smiles. “All I’m saying is he could make both of us very happy mothers, Tempest. Remember how we used to talk about raising our families together? You said we would buy two houses next door to each other so we could always be there for one another. Well, this way we could still…”
“Cerulean Skies, STOP!”
Tempest hangs her head.
“I know what I said back then. But we were so young and didn’t really understand… anything really. Now then, I wish I could tell you to go ahead and make your dream come true with Arc, but…”
Tempest sighs and walks toward the door.
“…but you need to find somepony else. After all, I don’t want you raising a foal alone after I… do what needs to be done.”