The Redemption of Tempest Shadow

by twilightsparkle3562

Chapter 7: "He Didn't Care About Us, Only Himself"

Celestia was quite firm in the belief that herself and her fellow princesses going into Tempest Shadow's dreams, was not appropriate. She firmly of the belief that they had far more important matters to attend to, such as comforting their subjects. Twilight had promised to work on helping Tempest on her own time, the other princesses would have to trust her judgement for the time being and intervene only if the situation required it.

Then, as they walked by the kitchen, Celestia noticed Grubber beginning to work on the dinner that they would be having that night.

"Sister, where are you going?" Luna asked. "I don't think you should disturb the new cook."

"It’ll only be for a minute," Celestia answered, her eyes locked on Grubber. "You and Cadence head into town, I’ll meet you in a moment."

"Very well, Aunt Celestia." Cadence bowed, and she and Luna left.

Stepping into the kitchen, Celestia quietly made her way towards Grubber, who was already concentrating hard on his newfound work. "Excuse me? Grubber?"

The gentle sounds of Celestia were not heard clearly, for Grubber was still hard at work on his task at hand. Then, he noticed the tip of Celestia's large wing towards his left side. The hedgehog yelped, and nearly fell over in surprise, only to be saved by her magic aura. "Princess Celestia…I…I didn't see you there," He stammered, hastily bowing to her. "I was cooking your favorite dish, just like you said. If you came to ask when it would be ready, I…"

"It's all right, Grubber," Celestia chuckled, interrupting him. "I actually came in here because…"

"Well, your highness," Grubber interrupted. "There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to ask you. I know that after I was captured by your guards, I was brought into the dungeons along with several of the Storm King's guards. What I mean to ask you is, why did you spare us after all we’d done to you?"

"Because I know you were just following orders, Grubber," Celestia answered. "You and Tempest Shadow were both following orders from the Storm King. I know that deep inside your soul, you’re not evil."

"O-of c-course, I'm not e-evil," Grubber stammered. "But, I was working for someone and I had to follow orders, I had no other choice. I know you’re probably going to get angry if I say this, but…"

"I won't get angry," Celestia reassured in a gentle tone, draping her wing over the hedgehog. "Because you’re just as much victims in this as we are. If there’s somepony to blame for all of this, it's the Storm King, he was the one who convinced you attacking Equestria would give you everything you wanted. No doubt, if you’d spoken up in protest, he would’ve silenced you. But now, he has been destroyed for his crimes and left to rot in Tartarus for all eternity. We only put you in the dungeons, because we needed to protect our subjects from any more threats. We had no way of knowing who might still be loyal to the Storm King, or who was willing to leave him."

"I understand what you needed to do," Grubber replied, as he jumped off the stool he was on to get some more ingredients. "As a matter of fact, Princess Celestia, looking back on everything that has happened, I feel…how shall I put this…like you and the other princesses were much better leaders than the Storm King."

"In what way do you say that?" Celestia curiously inquired.

"Ever since Storm King was destroyed, my conscience has been saying to me that Storm King never really cared about myself, Tempest or any of the guards for that matter,” Grubber confessed. “And I realize now that indeed he didn't care about any of us. He only cared for himself and himself alone."

"Go on." Celestia encouraged.

"My conscience went on to say that, I should pledge my allegiance to you. Because if I worked for you and the other princesses, I could not only make a better life for myself, but it would also give me something I've never had before,” Grubber explained, and then he paused for a bit, before he added. “…Someone to care for me, and someone to look up to. That was something I never had under the Storm King, or any point prior."

"Well, you certainly do have someone to look up to now, Grubber," Celestia chuckled. "I know you have potential to learn the magic of friendship through these acts of kindness, and that it's better to give than receive."

As Celestia spoke, Grubber went over towards a window looking out towards the Canterlot streets, and saw the damages that he and Tempest had caused to various buildings and structures. Then, he saw the ponies that were once caged, still feeling some of the effects from the attack. Grubber couldn't help but make himself feel guilty over seeing this. "You're right, Princess Celestia," Grubber sighed. "I need to focus on giving food to other ponies, rather than just receiving it all for myself. Maybe by doing that, I can finally find what I’, looking for." Then, Grubber froze in his tracks as he got another thought. "But, what about Tempest Shadow?" He asked Celestia, turning around to face her. "What do you think she needs to focus on?"

"That... I can't decide for her, Grubber," Celestia sighed in confession. "That decision will have to be hers and hers alone. You chose to be our personal cook, so she has to make a similar decision for herself."

And then Celestia left the kitchen, leaving Grubber to return to his duties.

---

Meanwhile, Starlight Glimmer sat in the waiting room of Sweetheart’s office, and watched as a small crowd of angry ponies began to gather outside, intending to voice their displeasure. "WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW! WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW! WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW!" They chanted loudly.

Fearing that the crowd would try to break in, Starlight activated a spell to keep the door locked. However, just as she did so, a medium sized rock went crashing through the window! All right, you leave me with no choice!" Starlight cried, as she poked her head out of the broken window, and cast a spell that sent the crowd back, though thankfully it had only been a light push. "These ponies don't know when to quit." She sighed.

"What's going on out here?!" Sweetheart asked, opening the door to her office. "I heard a crash and…oh my goodness!" The panicked earth pony raced towards the broken window along with Twilight, and saw the rock on her couch.

"I tried to stop them," Starlight cried. "But, they were quicker than me. I swear, I can fix it with a spell! I could even try to put up a shield to protect the office."

"Don’t you see what’s going on?" Tempest protested, walking over towards the window with tears flowing down her face. "They want me to pay for everything that’s happened with my life! They’re not going to rest until I’m dead!" And the pained (and panic stricken) unicorn threw herself onto Twilight, and began to sob quietly.

"The protection spell will hold for an hour," Starlight spoke up, visibly straining. "But, I think we may need to call in additional protection. If only you had some guards of your own, Twilight."

Hearing this made Twilight think of an idea, a perfect way for Tempest to redeem herself in the eyes of Equestria. But first, Tempest needed to overcome her own personal demons.

Comments

[XFangHeartX]

Man, poor Tempest.

[SuperPinkBrony12]

I think it's best if Tempest was secretly moved somewhere where ponies wouldn't have easy access to her and didn't know much about her.

[Texus]

Nice chapter.

I guess she had much bottled up and despite her being used to be strong willed, woking for the stormking had to be a small trauma or she is affraid of what she is know.

[zalla661]

Ah, if Tempest wasn’t trying so hard to be a better pony she could take all these fools. One shot from her horn and they’d be running for sure.

[Vigriff]

"I won't get angry," Celestia reassured in a gentle tone, draping her wing over the hedgehog. "Because you’re just as much victims in this as we are. If there’s somepony to blame for all of this, it's the Storm King, he was the one who convinced you attacking Equestria would give you everything you wanted. No doubt, if you’d spoken up in protest, he would’ve silenced you. But now, he has been destroyed for his crimes and left to rot in Tartarus for all eternity. We only put you in the dungeons, because we needed to protect our subjects from any more threats. We had no way of knowing who might still be loyal to the Storm King, or who was willing to leave him."

Just because the Storm King was the one giving orders does not mean everything should be solely placed on his head, Celestia, they chose that path themselves fully aware of their actions.

[Jam5022]

As Celestia spoke, Grubber went over towards a window looking out towards the Canterlot streets, and saw the damages that he and Tempest had caused to various buildings and structures. Then, he saw the ponies that were once caged, still feeling some of the effects from the attack. Grubber couldn't help but make himself feel guilty over seeing this. "You're right, Princess Celestia," Grubber sighed. "I need to focus on giving food to other ponies, rather than just receiving it all for myself. Maybe by doing that, I can finally find what I’, looking for." Then, Grubber froze in his tracks as he got another thought. "But, what about Tempest Shadow?" He asked Celestia, turning around to face her. "What do you think she needs to focus on?"

You forgot the “m” in “I’m”