The Redemption of Tempest Shadow

by twilightsparkle3562

Chapter 8: "Not Ready to Forgive Her Yet"

As night fell on Equestria, Twilight, Starlight, Tempest and Sweetheart all retreated to the safety of the Castle of Friendship in an effort to escape the angry crowds (who were demanding that Tempest face justice for her crimes).

Elsewhere, at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack sighed heavily as she made her way down from her little sister's bedroom.

"How is our Apple Bloom?" Granny Smith asked in a worried voice. "Is she finally asleep, child?"

"She is, thank Celestia," Applejack sighed, walking over towards her family. "Probably exhausted from all the cryin’ she’s been doin’ over the past few days. To be honest, I really don't blame her. What that Storm King did was traumatic for all of us. It’s an experience I ain’t likely to ever forget."

"Eeyup," Big Mac added, shivering at the thought of being enslaved. "It sure has, Applejack. Can't even sleep myself."

"None of us can," Grand Pear added, rubbing the back of his grandson's neck. "Those monsters…what did we ever do to them to deserve this?"

"Exactly," Applejack snorted. "Imagine the horrors that Storm King inflicted on you all, and he didn't even care for it. I blame every single one of those monsters for what happened in Canterlot, but there’s that Tempest Shadow. Even though she protected us from bein’ turned to stone, it don’t erase the pain she caused on you," Applejack then looked up towards the ceiling above the living room. She began to think of Apple Bloom, and what she was going through. Knowing how much pain Apple Bloom was going through, Applejack let out a deep sigh. "And her."

"Well, let's all try to get some sleep at the least." Grand Pear suggested.

Following the advice of her grandfather, Applejack went to bed. But she couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning in her bed. "I just can't forgive Tempest Shadow so easily for all that she did," Applejack thought to herself. “Even if she did save us, Tempest oversaw my family being caged like hardened criminals, and for what?! The crime of being who we are, living our lives in peace?! And our sentence is to serve a maniac king as his slaves?!" She then looked out her bedroom window and saw the two shooting stars that represented the spirit of her departed parents. "Mom and Dad, I wish you were here right now," Applejack whispered to herself. "We could sure use your advice."

---

Applejack eventually fell asleep, even though she didn't want to. The following morning, she went about working the farm with the rest of her family. However, Apple Bloom didn't join them. But all that Applejack could do, was continue to pray for the sake of her little sister's wellbeing. Then at that very moment, the farm pony looked up, and saw Rainbow Dash flying towards the farm.

"Hey, AJ," Rainbow Dash sighed, yawning slightly as she landed. "I guess you couldn't sleep well last night either?"

"No," Applejack quietly replied. "None of us could. We're all still really reelin’ from that Storm King fellow. But, I think that Apple Bloom is the most affected out of all of us. She's been havin’ nightmares about bein’ caged like a wild animal."

"So has Scootaloo," Rainbow Dash remarked, laying down on the grass. "It's like the nightmares she had on our camping trip to Rainbow Falls, but ten thousand times worse. And she isn't the only one, I can tell you that. Rarity says that Sweetie Belle has been having nightmares too. It seems like the Cutie Mark Crusaders have been scarred by Tempest's actions."

"Are you thinkin’ of forgivin’ Tempest Shadow yourself, like Twilight wants us to?" Applejack bluntly asked.

"To be honest, I don't know,” Rainbow admitted, scratching the back of her neck with a hoof. “I mean, I’m the Element of Loyalty, not the Element of Forgiveness. I don't want to see any physical punishment done to Tempest Shadow, but she can't go unpunished for what she did. It’s just not right"

"You're right, Rainbow Dash," Applejack sighed again, as she walked over to kick an apple tree. "But, I can't help but wonder if there’s more to why a pony with a broken horn would stoop to such tactics? There has to have been a reason for it, right?"

"I'd like to find out for myself,” Rainbow replied. “But I think Twilight's going to find out for us. Besides, we have to worry about more important matters," She added, looking over towards the CMC's clubhouse as she got to her feet. "We need to worry about the Crusaders, along with the rest of our fellow ponies,” After a bit of pausing, she sighed and took to the air. “Well, I'd better be going. Spitfire's calling a meeting of all the Wonderbolts to decide on what to do for equinitarian efforts. I'll catch up to you later."

Applejack watched as Rainbow Dash disappeared from view, and then returned to her duties on the farm, still trying to sort out her own feelings.

---

Meanwhile, at the Castle of Friendship, Tempest Shadow lay on the sofa in Twilight's study, while Sweetheart sat on a chair right across from her. Twilight and Starlight watched from a short distance,as the therapy session was about to begin.

"Maybe one of us should be in there," Starlight suggested, as they watched from the door. "Just for support."

"Well, I don't know. Me being in there might only agitate Tempest's emotions," Twilight protested, looking over at her student. "I don't want to cause anymore trauma to Tempest than there already is."

"Perhaps Starlight might be right,” Spike commented. "You’re the only pony who truly understands what’s going through that mind of hers, you know."

Now knowing that both Spike and Starlight were against her decision, Twilight reluctantly complied and went back into her study. However, she stood at a far corner of the study so as to give Tempest all the space she needed.

As she stood where she was, Twilight was beginning to think more of what she had in mind for her former enemy. It was a position of honor, a position of self-respect that would be the first great step for Tempest to take in redeeming herself in the eyes of Equestria.

"All right, Fizzlepop, or whatever you would like to me to call you," Sweetheart began, holding a clipboard to her chest. "My job is to listen what you have to say. And then, I’ll try my best to help you with your problems. But know that it’s not my job to pry. I want you to be open with me, but only when you feel ready to talk about whatever troubles you."

"If you say so, Sweetheart," Tempest sighed, her eyes locked on the ceiling of the study. "Before we begin, I want you to know that if I could take back everything I’ve done, I would. But I can't turn back time, even if I want to."

Just as Tempest was about to begin, however, crowds of angry ponies had gathered outside Twilight's castle, shouting at the tops of their lungs. "WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW! WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW! WE WANT TEMPEST SHADOW!"

And the cries only grew louder, making it clear that not everypony was going to forgive Tempest for her crimes so easily, if ever.

Comments

[SuperPinkBrony12]

Technically, Scootaloo had nightmares on the camping trip PRIOR to the one to Winsome Falls.

[XFangHeartX]

Jeez, even Applejack? I can't say I blame her, though.

[Texus]

Wasn't the last part like a repeat of the other chapter? Either that or I already had read a similar story.
However I like to think, that I'm finally able to reconize them instead of mistaken one for another

[HunterBrony101]

Could someone please silence those ponies!

[NightWallopingNuggets]

*to annoying little ponies* SHUT UP!