• Published 11th Oct 2017
  • 3,402 Views, 321 Comments

Storm Vine - zalla661



Tempest Shadow returns to her village to help run her family's vineyard. Along the way she tries to make amends with her family and friends.

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Reemergence

Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update everyone!

A couple of things happened. One my editor got really sick, so I had to wait for him to get better. He also said he was working on another story as an editor, and I took a while to get the chapter done because of work and art requests. Now that we're all situated we managed to get the chapter done! Yay! :scootangel:

Now sit back and enjoy the crazy that I call writing. :rainbowdetermined2:

*Hours later*

Trixie panted heavily, her coat was glistening and matted with her own sweat as she dragged her hooves carrying a large wagon filled with more grapes than seemingly possible behind her. At her side, Maud, Starlight, and Tempest were pulling wagons of their own, but not nearly as full as the one Trixie was pulling. The one Trixie was pulling was the one Tempest used when she was growing up. It was an old wagon. Aged oak, rickety, and on the verge of breaking down, it was possibly the oldest wagon in the whole town.

Panting, Trixie groaned glaring at Tempest from behind.

“You *pant* did this on purpose!” Trixie complained, wiping a sweat from her forehead.

Tempest gave Trixie her most cheeky grin, with a casual glance. “Yeup. I sure did.”

Trixie ground her teeth pulling harder to catch up to Tempest and her friends. She walked up beside Tempest and nudged her side, to which Tempest returned it with a playful giggle. Starlight smiled seeing the warm interaction between the two grow. It was nice instead of them being cold to each other over the last few hours the two were actually getting along.

She was honestly surprised when the two started talking on their own. Sure, they were short awkward conversations, but the fact of the matter is they were talking, and that was a step in the right direction.

*SNAP!* *CRACK!*

The sound of old wood breaking snapped Starlight from her thoughts. She glanced up at Tempest who was laughing at Trixie. Starlight’s gaze then turned to Trixie who was glaring at her wagon. She noticed both wheels broke right off the axles, and the entire thing was now flat on the ground. Trixie was glaring at the wheels as if they were the source of all life's sufferings.

Starlight unhinged herself from her own grape filled wagon and went over to inspect the wheels. The damage was minimal and with a little magic she was able to mend the wheels. Tempst stopped laughing and watched closely as Starlight lifted the wagon and placed the wheels underneath it with expert precision. A little mending spell later and the wheels were safely secure to the axel and ready for use. Trixie tugged the wagon and was happy with the results. Even Tempest was impressed, despite being very envious of Starlight and Trixie.

She wished she had her horn. If she did, would she have made it into the pantheon of powerful unicorns in Equestria? Would she even be any good at it?

Suddenly, Tempest felt a deep sickening feeling in her gut. The kind of feeling one gets when faced with a trial that puts a great amount of stress on them. Tempest found herself wondering what her life would have been like had she never lost her horn. What would she have been like? Would she still be friends with Trixie? Would they even be close or drift apart as they grew up? All these questions ran through Tempest Shadow’s mind as they continued to walk down the dirt path towards Tempest's home.

Along the way, they saw a group of foals running towards them. At the lead was Berry Pinch with a ball magically bouncing above her. She passed the ball to one of her friends behind her, another filly unicorn with pink fur, who then passed it to a pegasus colt above them, and he bopped it with his nose back to Berry Pinch. The foals laughed as they approached Tempest and the others. The two groups stopped as they met and the ball bounced over to Trixie and rolled to her hooves. Trixie stopped the ball by placing her hoof on top of it, smiling at the little foals.

“Having fun little ones?” Tempest ask Pinch.

Her cousin nodded happily.

“Yeah, mommy said I wasn’t grounded for sneaking out at night!” Pinch said excitedly.

“That’s good to hear. My friends and I are just finishing up with our chores. You foals stay safe, okay?” Tempest said to them.

“Yes, ma’am!” They all agreed.

“Berry Pinch, come home before it gets dark okay? I don’t want your mother to get on me for letting you stay out late,” Tempest said to her niece.

“I Won’t. Bye Tempest!”

With that the filly leads the way as she and her friends ran past the mares. The pegasus colt swooped down to grab their ball and flew off after his friends, laughing with them as the disappeared over a hill from sight.

Tempest thought back to the day she and her friends were playing a similar game. She glanced over to Trixie, who was watching the hill in silence. For some time she just stood there, while Tempest and the other’s just watched her. Finally, after a whole two minutes, Trixie started walking over to Tempest and stopped by her side. Their wagons barely had an inch of space between them, and the wheels pressed against one another. Trixie gave Tempest a sad pathetic look.

Tempest felt her heart sank a bit at the look she was getting. Then with a slight tear in her eye, Trixie slowly looked into Tempest's eyes. Her lip quivered, and her body shook slightly. Tempest wasn’t sure what to make of this behavior, then suddenly Trixie pressed herself against Tempest and hugged her. She rubbed her nose against the soft dark fur and Tempest was in too much shock to retaliate.

“I’m sorry Tempest! Trixie really is sorry. I lost my home facing one of those mangy beasts! I never meant for you to get hurt. I’m so sorry you faced it and had to live alone afterward,” Trixie said in tears. “Can you forgive me?”

The soft quivering voice, the teary eyes, and sudden shock from the physical contact made Tempest Shadow’s mind stir. She couldn't think straight. All she knew was Trixie was crying in her arms suddenly and it made no sense. Yet, she found it harder to say no to her with each second that passed. Eventually feeling a powerful sense of guilt, which she was sure just Trixie guilt-tripping her, she gave in and patted the smaller mare on the back.

“Fine, I’ll let it go. But you have to do something for me,” Tempest demanded.

Trixie perked up immediately wiping away her tears. “What have you to ask of the Great and Powerful Trixie?”

Tempest shook her head at Trixie speedy recovery, but she still managed to crack a smile.

“Tell me about Maud. She seems, odd.”

The two mares shared a laugh, and for the first time in a long time since she left the Storm King's army, Tempest truly felt like she moved on in her life. She was mending fences with Trixie, she had a friend in Starlight and Maud, she was even close to Princess Twilight. Though her thoughts tended to linger longer on the latter.

To her surprise, Trixie had much to speak of about Maud. She spoke about the mares oddities, her family, and even a bit into how she learned about Boulder, Maud’s pet rock. There were many things Trixie seemed to like about Maud’s family. It got to the point where Tempest was sure Trixie saw them as a second family possibly, but she didn’t bother to ask. She was enjoying the time she was spending with her new friends, and her old one and to her, that's all that mattered.

As the four mares continued down the road, Trixie and Starlight tried to explain the enigma that was Maud to Tempest. One thing lead to another and eventually, they were exchanging stories about misadventures they had until they reached their destination. Storing the grapes away for the evening and the wagons in the shed, the four mares walked into a separate building nearby. Inside was several materials to make barrels to store the wine.

Inside there was Chardonnay and Merlot working together to make a barrel when the four mares came in.

“Hello, girls!” Merlot greeted them with a smile on his face. “How’s today's haul?”

“It was great, Dad,” Tempest said. “We managed to fill all four wagons to the brim and beyond that.”

“That’s great dear!”

Tempest quickly found herself ensnared by her mother. Starlight and Trixie giggled at her, Maud simply watched. After escaping from her mothers vice grip Tempest took a moment to recompose herself and walked to her father's side.

“Need help, Dad?”

Merlot nodded giving Tempest a long piece of flat metal with two holes on each end.

“Can you wrap this around the head so I can rivet it in, sweetie?”

“Got it.”

Tempest took the metal piece and looked at the barrel her father was holding. It was nearly complete, but the barrel was old and sometimes the metal would need to be replaced or the barrel would have to be rebuilt from scratch. Merlot didn’t like getting rid of old barrels since they made better wine with use, but sometimes he had to compromise. Many of the barrels were as old as the town, possibly older from what her mother told her. This particular barrel had an old rusted metal ring called a chime hoop, that was discarded to the side and was going to be replaced by this new chime hoop.

Tempest wrapped the metal around while Chardonnay took the others out of the building with several of the empty barrels to be filled leaving Tempest alone with her father. Merlot was quick to rivet the hoop to the head of the barrel and proudly looked it over to make sure the planks of wood making up the barrel didn’t have any gaps. He nodded in approvement at the barrel. When he tried to lift the barrel on this back his back seized up and he fell over yelping in pain.

“Dad!”

Tempest was quick to be at his side. She leaned into him to support her father. She then realized after feeling him he was a lot thinner than he looked. She could feel his ribs slightly through his fur and shirt. She gave him a worried look, his aged eyes showing through clear as day to her. Once again she felt as if time had sped past her in the blink of an eye.

Oh, the many years she spent away, and all the things she could have done with her family. The things she could have done with friend and others. Had she not be so selfish maybe things would have turned out different. She looked away from her father and pushed the barrel off him, not caring if it broke or got damaged. All she cared about was helping her father. Carefully, she guided him to a seat and helped him sit down to rest his back. The old stallion smiled at his daughter ruffling her large mane with his hoof affectionately.

“Thanks, kiddo.”

“Dad, you really shouldn’t work like that anymore.”

Merlot glared at his daughter.

“And why’s that?”

“Because you're old! Let me do the heavy lifting, dad. I’ll lift you do the easier stuff.”

“No listen here,” the stallion said stubbornly. “I may be old, but I still have a kick or two left in me!”

To emphasize his point Merlot tried to stand, but his back seized up again and he fell back into the chair. “Ow.”

Tempest smirked at her father placing the barrel she dropped earlier into a neatly stacked pile.

“Told you, old horse,” She said grinning at her father.

Merlot laughed, feeling his back aching as he did. “You keep that up missy, and you’re gonna be grounded so hard the underground mole people will be your neighbors.”

Tempest rolled her eyes placing the second barrel on the pile.

“Sure, whatever you say dad. I know they aren’t real,” Tempest sated dryly.

“Ah, too bad. That use to work like a charm on you when you were a filly,” He said shrugging.

“I was five, Dad.”


“Well regardless, you’re home again. We really missed you.”

Tempest’s ears folded back on her head. She felt that nagging ache in her chest rise again. Guilt was an everlasting force it seemed. She looked back at her father who was looking down at the floor now. His hooves rubbing together as he spoke.

“Your mother and I almost divorced after you left. We had a huge argument over why you left. I blamed your mother, she blamed me. In the end, it seemed like we would end up hating each other over what happened to you.”

Tempest left the barrels and walked to sit by her father's side. She leaned into him resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled wrapping his arms around her and pulled her close to him. Tempest smiled and nuzzled his cheek with her nose.

“I’m sorry I ran away dad. I just had to figure some things out. It was rough, but I learned a lot from my time away. I’m sorry I nearly drove you and mom apart.”

Merlot shook his head slowly, his hoof gently petting tempest's mane comfortingly.

“Don’t worry about it kiddo. Your mother is more stubborn than you'll ever admit,” Merlot said with a laugh.

Tempest chuckled knowing full well her mother was, in fact, one of the most stubborn ponies she knew. Aside from Trixie of course. “Yeah, I know mom can be difficult to deal with sometimes. I think I get it from her now that I think about it.”

“You most surely did Tempest,” Merlot agreed. “But you know in the end our love blossomed ever more from those fights. You mother moved out to live with her parents and I kept the house. After some time we didn’t speak. Then one day about a year later we both started to realize just how much we missed each other. Eventually, I gave in and went to find your mother.”


“Much to my surprise when I got to her parent's house they told me she’d left a few days earlier to go back to me. It took us over a month before we were able to stop missing each other. And a little intervention from her parents too. They kept Chardonnay home long enough for me to rebound to Manehattan to see her. We’ve never thought about separating again since.”

“Wow, dad. I never knew.”

“It’s fine kiddo. In the end, your mother and I got back together and we swore we’d never let anything separate us again. In fact, our trip was to celebrate another decade of successful marriage. We just didn’t think you’d be home.”

Tempest signed hugging her father. The old stallion gave her a hug back.

“I”m still sorry I left dad. I promise I’ll be a better daughter.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Does that mean you’ll be staying with us for a while?”

“Yes, if that’s okay? Princess Twilight asked me to join as her personal guard Captain,” Tempest explained to Merlot. “I feel that I should take the position. But I want to stay with you and mom too.”

“Don’t be silly Fizzlepop!”

“I prefer Tempest, Dad.”

“I know, but you should still take the position! I mean, The new Princess wants you to be her Captain of the Guard! That’s not something to be taken lightly! Why didn’t you accept?”

“I do want too, but I also wanted to see you and mom again. I had to make sure everything was alright between all of us before I did so I could focus. Besides, I don’t feel like I deserve the position.”

Merlot smiled kissing Tempest's cheek. The mare groaned pushing her father away, but not too hard. She did love the shows of affection. She would never admit it openly though, but she did enjoy it.

“I don’t hear those barrels being riveted in there!” The sound of Chardonnays voice cut through like a blade.

“And the moment’s gone,” Tempest complained.

Merlot laughed. “Yeah, we should get back to work. Thanks, sweetie.”

“Don’t worry dad. Just do the riveting and I’ll do the heavy lifting, okay?”

Merlot nodded in agreement. He remained in the chair while they continued to work for the next few hours. Repairing and making new barrels, while Chardonnay, Maud, Starlight, and Trixie filled each barrel up with the fermenting wine well into the evening. Tempest thought her life was finally taking a turn for the better, and nothing was going to ruin this time she spent with her family and new friends.

On the outskirts of town, Berry Pinch and her friends were playing along the hills with their ball. Their game was a clumsy one. One pony would hit the ball to another and repeat this over and over again. Many times the ball fell down the grassy hill they played on and would have to chase after it. Sometimes they’d add a random game of dodgeball just for fun, and sometimes they played tag. They giggled and laughed as they played in the grass hills together.

During one of their games of catch and pass, Berry Pinch was mostly throwing the ball to her pegasus friend. The other filly poked fun at her for him being her favorite, to which Pinch blushed and insisted she was just a friend. Of course, the other filly kept joking about it as they played.

“Hey, featherbrain, catch the ball!” The pink filly said to the colt bopping the ball to him with her head.

“I got it!”

The colt flew fast into the air chasing after the ball. He caught it and threw it back at them. Berry Pinch used her magic to make a tiny barrier and made it bounce off. The ball flew through the air and rolled down the other side of the hill heading into the nearby forest. The foals chased after it not paying any attention to the warning signs that read ‘Stay Out!’ on them. They chased the ball laughing until it rolled down on an old dirt road. The ball hit a small boulder and bounced over gaining more momentum as it fell. The ball bounced and bounced until it came to a small clearing where it continued into a deep dark cave.

The foals slowed down and came to a stop near the cave entrance. They stared into the deep dark abyss for a while listening for any sounds of their ball. The cave entrance went down at a steep angle and the three foals glanced inside not daring to go within.

“That’s dark,” The pegasus colt said.

The pink filly next to Pinch nodded. “I agree with Silver Wind, but now what do we do?”

The colt, Silver Wind, grinned and stepped into the cave confidently.

“We go after the ball! Duh!” He said.

“I don’t know Silver, my mommy said we should never go into the caves here. They’re dangerous!” Pinch said.

“Yeah! I heard a pony died in there once!” The pink filly said.

Her two friends stared at her in disbelief.

“What? It’s true! My mommy knew the pony who died in there!”

Silver Wind glanced back into the cave. “So, do you think the bodies down there?” he asked.

“I don’t wanna find out,” The pink filly said.

“I kinda wanna see if it is!” PInch said. “As long as we don’t get caught we should be fine! Come on Silver! Let’s go get the ball and explore!”

Lighting her horn with a weak candlelight spell Berry Pinch led the way into the cave. Her sense of adventure overrode her mother’s warnings as she leads Silverwind down the cave.


“Yeah, now you’re talking!” Silver Wind followed close behind.

“Guys! We shouldn’t!” The other filly called to them. “The adults told us not to go on the caves! The ursas will get you!”


Silver Wind scoffed at her. “Pfft! Please, there hasn’t been an ursa here in years. We’ll be fine! Come on Cottontail! It’ll be fun!”

At first, the pink fill, Cottontail, didn’t move. Her two friends descended into the darkness leaving her alone in the woods near the entrance to the cave. She shivered and glanced back and forth between the cave and the way back home. She heard twig snap making her jump with fright.

“Guys? GUYS!?”

She shivered in fright as the bushes rustle in the wind. She cried out and ran into the cave. She almost immediately slipped and slid down the rocky decline. And tumbled for a few seconds before coming to a stop at the bottom. She shook her head and realized she’d fallen into a large open area. In the center was her friends with their ball looking at something until they heard Cottontail falling down.

Seeing their friend down they rushed to her side and lifted her off the ground. Pinch dusted her off while Silver Wind checked her for cuts or bruises.

“Are you okay?! That was quite a fall!” Pinch asked looking over Cottontail.

“Yeah! I mean, not like I care or anything, but that was quite a ways to fall,” Silver Wind said.

The Cottontail blushed as she was looked over by her friends.

“Guys I’m fine. Can we just get the ball and leave? I’m scared,” Cottontail whimpered looking around the cave.

“No way!” PInch said loudly. “You gotta check this out!”

“Yeah, it’s super cool!” Silver WInd said flying near the center of the room.

Cottontail quickly followed her friends to the center of the area. There were stalactites and stalagmites all around like the cave was full of teeth. There was a sound of dripping water nearby, but in the darkness, Cottontail couldn’t see the source. When she joined her friends they are staring at something on the floor. Cottontail leaned over to see what they were looking at.

Her eyes widened in surprise at what she saw.

“Wow!” Cottontail exclaimed.

“Isn’t it cool?” Silver Wind asked.

“I can’t believe something was here,” Pinch added.

There on the floor covered in dirt was what looked like a fracture unicorn horn. It was in good condition too. The spiraling shape of the horn was easy to see and identify. Pinch pointed to a dark spot on the ground. It was a brownish color unlike the rest of the cave floor.

“What is it? Is it blood?” Silver Wind asked looking closely at it.

“B-B-blood?!?” Cottontail gasped. “Guys can we leave now? I’m scared!”

“Don’t be such a sissy, Cottontail! You two got me here after all,” Silver Wind said confidently, as he wrapped his wings around both his friends.

Both fillies blushed looking away from him and back at the severed horn. Berry Pinch lifted it with her magic, not canceling her candlelight spell. She stared at the horn intently as if something about it was familiar to her. Yet, she couldn’t think of why. She suddenly smelled something awful, like fish breath, hot and steamy.

“You guys smell that?” She asked looking up.

The other nodded and looked up too. They were met face to face with an Ursa Major. The massive cosmic bear had a large scar that ran across its face. It had massive scars all over its body and several spears and arrows sticking out of its hide. It stared back at the gawking foals baring its fangs at them. Rearing up on its back legs, the ursa roared shaking the foals to their bones. Silver went stiff like a statue, his bravado all but gone. Pinch was in no better conditions and relieved herself on the spot, and Cottontail choked back tearful sobs. The three foals went stiff with fear as the realized their folly.

“I knew we should've left sooner…” Cottontail sobbed.