//------------------------------// // Conversations and Captures // Story: Descendants of the Isle 2: Back Among The Hidden // by Melody Song //------------------------------// Pharynx started to move closer to her, but she put out a hoof to stop him. He took in her new look, then breathed and looked down. “Temp… I know that no amount of ‘I’m sorries’ will make up for what I said to you.” he began. “But I am sorry. I love you, and of course we’re in this together. This was all my fault, I snapped and… and made you feel worse when you’d clearly been struggling for weeks… just… please come home Tempy… I need you.” Pharynx looked up, tears brimming in his eyes, though he tried to wipe them away. Tempest looked at him silently, then walked forwards. “Pharynx… I am home.” she said, and Pharynx’s eyes widened. “I don’t fit in among them there. I really tried, I gave it my best shot, and…” “Tempy…” “And… my best shot wasn’t enough. If you really think I can change, then you’re wrong and just as foolish as Sandbar was.” Pharynx stared at her, then shifted his hooves. “Then I’ll stay here with you.” “No, Pharynx. You have a life there, a happy one. Your siblings are there, you have everything you ever wanted…” Tempest took a shaking breath. “All the love you could ever need… go be with your siblings. Maybe we’ll see each other again when they bring in more students.” “But Temp…” “Just look at who I am Pharynx! Daughter of the Storm King, that’s all I’ll ever be, and it’s only a matter of time before I do something so messed up that the kingdom turns on me and everyone who stays with me falls alongside me.” “Don’t quit us Temp, please.” Pharynx said. “Equus knows you for being a hero, they love you. I love you.” Tempest pushed him backwards slightly. “I need to take myself out of the picture, for what’s best for you and Equus. Go be with Thorax and Ocellus. They need their brother.” “No, Tempest, please…” Pharynx began She shook her head. “I can’t do this Pharynx. You should go.” Tempest then grabbed her spray paint and continued her work. Pharynx stayed where he was. “Temp…” “Pharynx, please go. Please leave.” Tempest said, shaking her spray paint. Pharynx nodded and left. Tempest began breathing shakily and turned back to her work, stifling tears. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gallus sat away from Sandbar, which concerned him. He turned to look at the griffon. “Gallus?” “Leave me alone.” “G-Gallus, what did I do wrong…?” “Nothing.” Gallus muttered. “It’s just… seeing all this again… it’s reminding me…” “Wh-What?” Sandbar moved closer to him. “I’m nothing more than a villain. Look how cruel I was to you the second I was back in my element. You… you shouldn’t have to deal with me…” “No, no, honey.” Sandbar pulled out the pin and attached it to Gallus’ jacket. “I don’t know why you were acting that way but I know it’s not you. And I know that you’re sweet, and kind, and that I love you.” Gallus hesitated, then unpinned the green pin, reaching and tucking it back into Sandbar’s pocket. “...Then you don’t know me as well as you think. You’re just blinded by love.” Sandbar stared at Gallus with wide eyes. They had no more time for words as Pharynx came back. “Where’s Tempest…?” Luna asked “She…” Pharynx broke off. “...She’s not coming back.” “I’ll talk to her.” Luna went to a trumpet shaped thing by the door. “Temp?” Sandbar took Gallus’ claw, but he pulled away. “Sandy, I could never make you happy. This is just an infatuation.” he mumbled Sandbar’s eyes widened and filled with tears, before he turned and ran down an alley. Pharynx, who was moping and leaning against a wall, didn’t see it. “Tempest, it’s Luna. Please, just let me talk with you for a second.” They heard a clanking noise, then Tempest’s voice came from it. “Go away!” Luna sighed, and Gallus looked up wearily. “Give her a couple hours to cool off, Lu.” he then looked up. “Oh no… where’s Sandy?” “I thought you just broke it off with him, why would you call him-” Pharynx, who had heard what Gallus had said before Sandbar had left, started to object. “Forget about it, just, where is he?” “Sandbar?” Luna asked “Sandy?” Gallus asked Then, they saw a figure moving towards them. They walked with their head hung low. Luna sighed. “Sandbar, there you are.” “Don’t scare me like that Sandy…” Gallus whispered “Don’t scare you?” the figure raised their head. Rainbow Dash. Pharynx, Luna, and Gallus backed up. “But that’s the best part.” “Rainbow Dash.” Luna growled “What did you do with Sandbar?” Pharynx snarled “Heh, what d’you think we did? We took ‘em.” Rainbow spread her wings, flexing them. “And if you want to see him again, have Tempest come to the bar tonight, alone.” “But… But I’m Sandbar’s-” Gallus began “Oh, we know exactly what you are to him.” Rainbow said “But it’s Tempest that Spitfire has a grudge against. So you get her down there.” with that, she flew backwards down the alley. Pharynx sighed and began scaling the scaffolding that led up to Tempest’s new home. Luna and Gallus flew after him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “If you guys hadn’t brought him along this never would’ve happened.” Tempest remarked dryly. “What were you thinking?” “He wanted to make sure you were okay, you’re his friend too.” Gallus spoke up. “And when we tried to protect him, we just blew it…” Luna sighed “Alright.” Pharynx trotted up to Tempest. “Tempest, I know you hate me right now but… but Sandbar needs our help, and you know Spitfire will only give him back if it’s you…” Tempest sighed. “I don’t hate you, Pharynx. This was for the best. But I still don’t see why I should-” “Because then Equus will be without a king.” Gallus interrupted. “Please, Tempest. If not for Equus, for me. I… I said awful things to him, I don’t know what came over me, but I… I want him back… I need to make things right.” Tempest hesitated, then nodded. “Thank you…” Gallus breathed. “So what do we do?” “You don’t do anything. This is between myself and Spitfire, Pharynx said it himself. And Spitfire’s a punk. So I’m going to go get Sandbar, alone, like she asked.” Tempest replied “But what about Rainbow Dash and Spitfire’s other crew members?” Gallus asked “I can handle it.” Tempest said as she strode past them. Pharynx put a hoof on her shoulder. “Temp… I really am sorry… for everything.” Tempest hesitated, then gave him the briefest of nuzzles. He nodded. “We’ll be right here when you get back.” he promised Tempest nodded, before grabbing her bag and leaving the flat. They all sat down to wait.