Scootaloo was born with a rare pegasus developmental disorder that left her wings small and weak. She's been working to get over it with the love and support of her friends and family.

Tempest Shadow lost half of her horn when trying to face down an Ursa Minor. She was ostracized and eventually ran from home.

Can these two find some common ground to bond over?

Cover art drawn by Ch0c0butt

Featured on the top slot on June 15, 2020! Thanks everyone!

(Update: 11/5/2017 - Major shout-out to Rock-Mint-Swirl who was incredibly nice enough to do a fanart for this story, which you can see right here. It contains story spoilers so please read the fanfic first though.)

The Cutie Mark Crusaders have dealt with all kinds of ponies having trouble finding their true calling in life, but none can compare to the special request they receive from Princess Twilight Sparkle herself, or the shock they receive on discovering who it is: Fizzlepop Berrytwist, possibly the most hated and feared pony in generations. Can a pony who's spent most of her life rejecting her true calling possibly find it now? Can the Cutie Mark Crusaders help a pony who almost everypony else in Equestria has rejected?

Movie Spoilers.

Cover art is property of Hasbro and DHX Media.

Hearth's Warming is never an easy time for Gallus, being the only one without a real family to go home to.

But this year, he just might discover a new friend to spend it with.

Spanish Translation

The day after the Friendship Festival, Fizzlepop Berrytwist, preferably known as Commander Tempest Shadow and previously Second-In-Command to the dreaded Storm King, awakens to realize she has three problems:

1) She has a wicked hangover
2) Somepony else is in bed with her
3) Said pony just happens to be a certain princess.

"Oh, horseapples..."

Tempest Shadow is a pony trying to learn how to be part of pony society. To her, Equestria is a foreign land, and she's just a stranger in it. The natives are friendly, but her days are empty. What she needs is something to ground her. Something that can make her part of daily Ponyville life.

She needs a job.

Content Warning: Radical Freedom

This story was written over an embarrassingly long time as a commission for a friend. I have to admit I really like writing Tempest Shadow. She's a great horse.

Thanks to all my patrons and followers!

The Festival of Friendship is in full swing, and Tempest Shadow should be languishing in a prison cell, waiting for her punishment. Instead Twilight asks if she’d like to stay with her for the night.
This whole friendship thing might be more confusing than she thought.

(Now with bonus chapter)

Effective communication is important in any friendship.

Unfortunately for Twilight, Tempest Shadow and Pharynx communicate almost exclusively in overwhelming force.

This story is a sequel to Not Exactly Friends

On a dark night, in a gathering storm, Tempest waits to walk Twilight back to her room... and is almost certain that something is out there, watching her...

For more of this AU, see: Without Your Cutie Mark

And also check out the series, beginning with Not Exactly Friends.

While spreading word of the Storm King's defeat, Tempest stops in a cafe. Given her past, nopony wants much to do with her. Except for Sunburst, who couldn't care less. With nothing else to do for a few minutes, they begin talking, mostly about magic. Sunburst's got a theory.

Tempest gets roped into babysitting Flurry Heart during a visit to the Crystal Empire. It's not so bad. She can talk all she wants and Flurry's a good listener. Plus, it gets her away from the hustle and bustle of the Crystal Faire. In all, she expects a quiet night.

Then she spots a spider. And spiders need to die. By any means necessary.

The Crystal Palace will never be the same.

Written for the May 2020 Pairing Contest. Loosely inspired by, well, Kill it With Fire. Has a Spanish translation by SPANIARD KIWI.