The Princess's Captain - Epilogue
The Princess's Captain
by Present Perfect
Epilogue
"I suppose these Relics are more powerful than any of us truly believed."
Princess Celestia, seated at the head of the great dining table in Friendship Castle, took a long sip from her teacup. With nine other ponies and one dragon, Twilight thought, the table looked quite a bit smaller than usual. Maybe it was a good thing the castle was starting to fill up. It helped take her mind off being recently mind-controlled by an ancient satyr artifact.
"You're gonna take real good care of that there Amulet, right, Princess?" Applejack asked, hooves on the table.
"Of course, Applejack." Celestia inclined her head to the door. "Both the Amulet and the Orb will be placed in high-security storage in Canterlot, along with the Staff of Sacanas. We won't be having a repeat of today's debacle."
Approval murmured around the room. At the far end, Tempest Shadow nursed a waffle, her eyes on the table, as they had been since Celestia's arrival.
Once Celestia addressed her, however, her head snapped up.
"I should thank you as well, Fizzlepop Berrytwist." A small smile graced the Princess's lips. "This is twice you've saved my favorite former pupil. Not to mention, I hear you were instrumental in ensuring the successful retrieval of the Amulet, and that its corruption did not spread to more of my little ponies."
For a moment, Tempest said nothing. Twilight was amazed to realize the stoic former Commander was actually blushing.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she finally said, a slight hitch in her words. "It was my... honor to ensure Twilight's safety."
The pointed look Tempest gave Twilight wasn't even necessary; she knew all too plainly what lay behind that statement.
"Very well, I'm pleased to see you finding a place here in Ponyville, then." Celestia stood, and all other activity at the table stopped. "I should, however, return to Canterlot with these Relics, before anything else goes wrong. Thank you for the tea and waffles, Spike."
He saluted. "No problem, Princess!" He of course neglected to mention the solid hour of frenzied baking that had taken place in the kitchen after word of Celestia's planned visit, and how waffles were literally the only thing he could think to make after he heard.
"Hold on, Princess." Twilight stood, and all those present save Trixie and Tempest did as well. "If you would, I have something I need to say before you go."
She cleared her throat and moved to the other side of the table. Tempest stood as she approached.
"When you first told me you wanted to dedicate your life to me, I was afraid. I don't see myself as a ruler, or even as a leader. I prefer being thought of as a friend, as a normal pony." She sighed. "But recent events have taught me I can't hide from my responsibilities forever."
Twilight stepped closer to Tempest. The two unicorns sized each other up, Twilight's eyes lingering for just an extra moment on Tempest's. Despite being tired, despite the scar which marred the right one, despite the cold steeliness lurking within from a lifetime spent in hardship, they were, Twilight was surprised to note, a beautiful jade green.
"I don't want your life," she said quietly. "I'm not interested in control. I'm not someone like the Storm King, and I hope one day you'll understand that he's not what a leader is supposed to be." Slowly, she tilted her head to the side and smiled. "But I do want a friend. And I would be a very poor friend indeed if I didn't give you the support you need on the road to recovery and redemption."
Stepping back abruptly, Twilight announced in an imperious voice, "Kneel."
Tempest obeyed without hesitation. As the rest of the room hushed, Twilight brushed her wing over the back of Tempest's neck.
"Do you swear to protect my person?"
Tempest's voice rang out, clear and strong, through the room. "I swear."
"Do you swear to protect this castle and its inhabitants?"
"I swear!"
Blood thundered in Twilight's ears as she all but yelled, "Do you swear to protect, with every fiber of your very being, all those who embrace the bonds of friendship? Do you swear to do this, in my name?"
"This I swear, above all else!"
The wing snapped back.
"Then rise, Captain Fizzlepop Berrytwist--"
Pinkie coughed something that sounded like, "YoushouldcallherTempestShadow!"
"Er, Tempest Shadow! Rise, and take your place as First Captain of the Friendship Guard!"
The room exploded in thunderous applause. When Tempest lifted her head, it was with a smile. The others crowded around her, cheering congratulations, as Twilight fell back to Celestia's side.
Tempest's eyes were rimmed in wetness. Twilight would have to keep watch on those eyes in the future. They were full of surprises.
"I think you made an excellent decision," Celestia said quietly.
"That's a relief." Twilight let out a breath. "Uh, I mean, thank you, ha ha, of course!"
She set a placid smile on her face as she gazed across the room to the knot of her friends and her new Captain of the Guard.
Having a Guard. Needing a Captain. How strange. But then, hadn't Twilight's life since she'd gotten her wings been nothing but a string of strange happenstances? Since before that, even? What was one more bit of unexpected complication between friends?
"I really meant what I said, though. She wanted to be a servant. I didn't want that. I couldn't want that. But I think, maybe, a guard is something I could use after all."
Celestia only bowed her head, turned, and left.
Twilight made her way back over to where the initial rush of excitement was petering out.
"Weren't you like, a lieutenant before?" Rainbow Dash said, laughing. "Is this a promotion?"
"Commander, actually." Tempest gave her a soft smile. "The rank is not what's important, I think, but the quality of the command." She nodded to Twilight.
"I'm so excited!" shouted Pinkie, zipping for the door. "Your Welcome to Ponyville party gets to be a Congratulations on Becoming Captain of the Friendship Guard party too! I have so much planning to do, bye!"
Twilight smiled. "Are you feeling up to it, Tempest? This is a big job..."
"Unquestionably, Your Highness." Tempest lifted her head. "I will not take those oaths lightly, that much I can promise you."
"Oh, this is just so exciting!" Rarity pulled out a measuring tape and began stretching it around and across various points on Tempest. "I've been wanting a chance to design armor!" She looked at Twilight. "I mean, you can't honestly expect her to keep wearing that, can you?" She gestured at Tempest's armor and let her tongue loll out the side of her mouth. "I have a contact in the Royal Guard in Canterlot. I'm sure we'll be able to help you out, no problem at all!"
She placed a hoof against the armor's flank pad. It came away with a touch of sticky residue from where the decal of the Storm King's logo had been mere days ago. Why he had used something so temporary, Twilight wasn't sure she wanted to speculate.
"Oh, but you'll have to design an insignia as well," Rarity continued. "Something that screams, 'Friendship Guard!'" She giggled. "I do so love the ring of that, Twilight, well done!"
Twilight nodded, laughing. "It may not have been as spur-of-the-moment an idea as it seemed. As for a logo, well, what do you think, Captain?"
Tempest's cheeks reddened slightly. "I honestly wouldn't know, Your Highness. I'd rather leave such design choices to the, er, designer." She inclined her head to Rarity.
"What about your cutie mark?" said Fluttershy. "Oh, or a combination of yours and Twilight's! Wouldn't that be lovely?"
"I think that's an excellent idea!" Twilight said, clapping. "What do you all think?"
She smiled to Rarity, who nodded enthusiastically and looked to Rainbow and Applejack. They seemed approving, and Fluttershy was likewise excited. They all looked to Tempest.
The room steadily grew more and more silent as nopony said anything. The smiles slackened. Tempest only blinked at Twilight, her expression bemused.
"Forgive me, Your Highness," she said, measuring her words. "My what?"
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Tempest not knowing what Cutie Marks are seems rather strange, as there must have been adult ponies in her village. I understand she probably didn't encounter anypony else outside of Equestria, but it still seems strange.
8673773
You'll find the answer to that conundrum in the next story!
I'm looking forward to reading your story, but did you mean to mark it incomplete?
8674164
The story called The Princess's Captain is complete. The series called The Princess's Captain won't be for quite some time. :) So feel free to check this out, it'll likely be a while before the next installment.
8674216
Ah, I'd read the description on my phone, I must have skipped past your disclaimer explaining the serial format. My mistake, thanks!
8673773
Until you consider that we don't know just how old she was when she left, nor how old she is now, unless I missed something in the movie. It wouldn't be that contrived for her to have forgotten what they're called, or perhaps even remember that she has/is supposed to get one. If she wore armor most of her life...
But we'll find out eventually, I'm sure.
8673889
There's going to be another one?! Oh, this is just super!
Thanks for the warning! I'm allergic to slow-burns and would've had a reaction if I read this.
Looks wonderful! I can't wait for the next installment.
Thank you for sharing with us!
>story has epilogue, considered complete
>incomplete
Presuming that's a mistake.
The Plot thickens!
CMC, we've got a case for you.
8674720
This is going to be an anthology of stories involving Tempest Shadow. It will continually update as long as Present Perfect continues to have ideas. Think of this story as the main place to see all of Tempest's own self-contained adventures together without him having to make tonnes of sequels.
I gotta say I love the start of this story, and the format you chose is interesting. I'll eagerly wait for more.
8674720
Likely just an epilogue to this arc of the story.
8674786
Any way to not have to get views at the beginning is good in the eyes of all story writers.
But if there was an anthology planned wouldn't there be the anthology tag?
Or 'random'?
Slow burn!?
What kind of monster are you, anyway?
8674845
He explains it in his blog about the story which came out around the same time, as blogs promoting stories often do.
That star wars font tho
Although I haven't read a fic revolving around tempest before, this was a great one, and I enjoyed it.
P.S. I especially loved the comedy in this fic.
8674374
Mea culpa, I couldn't help it.
8674551
That's why I'm trying to be up front about it! :)
8674845
Actually, having the Anthology tag is a good idea. Done!
8674856
The honest kind. :V
8674926
Note the symbol on her armor! We're going all out! V:
Tbh another gripe that it's called The Princess's Captain.
Shouldn't it be "Princess' Captain"? I don't grammar well lol
8674965
Nope! Trust me, I grammar good. :V
8674968
>tfw school lies
Yess. Good story. I quite enjoyed how confused and off-balance Tempest was during this story.
I guess you are going on "fish out of water" portrait of Tempest?
8673773
8674352
Note that Tempest is bemused, not confused. She knows just fine what cutie marks are (she even had a short mental monologue about the ones on the thrones a few chapters back), she probably just can't believe none of them ever noticed her not having one.
8674965
No no, you're right, that is the more correct spelling. It bothered me a bit, too, but I guess it's a personal preference to write it this way?
8674962
Well, at least you're upfront about it. Nothing sucks more than going into a story expecting something soon and not getting the first blush until 500 chapters in.
8674965 8674968
It can be either or. It's really up to preference. Same thing with list commas.
8675008
Yes indeed! It'll become even clearer just how as more stories are added. :)
Exquisite stuff all around, especially Tempest's characterization. (And Pinkie's surprising choice to multiclass.) This looks like the beginning of a beautiful series. I look forward to future installments.
Is the title a reference to Vorkosigan Saga, or am I reading too much into it?
8674784
Meh. I'm not really upset or disappointed that I was wrong, just kind of apathetic. It would have made a lot of sense if I had been right, but what actually happened didn't detract from the story any, so it still works out okay.
Pacing feels a little wonky though, but not sure why.
One thing I'm really excited for is watching tempest train the eventual new recruits. I'm hoping that some of the background characters we all seem to love will be apart of it.
8675233
I'll guess the latter, as I have no idea what that is. c.c
8675277
I know that it was at least suggested I use the Alicorn Amulet. I'm not sure why I decided not to, and I'm starting to wonder if maybe I didn't get my own wires crossed...
8675625
If this was the epilogue, then why is the story not marked complete? O.o
8675625
It's no big deal. The previous chapters feel like they are hinting at it, but as I said the story doesn't really lose anything for it turning out to be a separate artifact. Still, it would have been hilarious to see them set out on this big adventure just to end up in zecora's back yard. Using the alicorn amulet would have also allowed you to make a nice segway to introducing Trixie to Tempest.
But using your own amulet instead also allows you a number of possibilities for the future as well, and doesn't detract from the story in any way.
8673773
Clearly she was an inhabitant of Horsepun Neverland, because no one bothered to take her to a doctor to deal with her shattered horn or raise her after the fact. Her entire story revolved around the reactions of her fellow foals. This is when we find out how she knew about the Relics of Sacanas, from the mythical satyr Peter Pan-Pipes.
8675806
Description notes that it's a serial and that all of the stories involved will remain Incomplete until said stories are finished.
Is this story complete or not?
8676181
The story is complete, the series is just starting...
8676220
it says incomplete
8676260
That's because it's incomplete! The story and the series have the same title. All stories will be uploaded to this series post.
8676321
complicated but ok, whens the next part come out
8674771
Join us next time for "Tempest Shadow Heroically Doesn't Make Little Sister Goulash".
8676397
Whenever I write it!
8676449
thats real nice
I think this is the moment where the Tempestlight begins.
I've seen a few Tempestlight stories pop up here and there as well as some fanart of it. Never understood the appeal of it. When I saw this by an author of your caliber, I figured I check it out. I remember almost four years ago, you reviewed the one well-read fanfiction I posted on this site, and I have not forgotten. Anyway, what I we have hear so far is pretty good. I look forward to the next installment. Keep up the good work.
8675015
It is a potential meaning of that word. We won't know for sure until the next chapter comes out.
I would also point out that she only calls the symbols on the thrones "marks", which obviously implies cutie-mark, but doesn't actually state it.
That mane style though!
It's not the end.
8677165
I think it was to show how powerful the amulet really was. Remember how the staff could change night and day like it was nothing? Just because the others are less powerful doesn't mean the other artifacts should be underestimated. Showing how it can easily corrupt twilight is a good way of showing that.