Tempest Shadow frowned as she sat back in the Ponyville park, staring out at the ponies and other creatures playing and laughing together. As much as Princess Twilight encouraged her to join in, she knew there was no true welcome for her. If the ponies had been in Canterlot during the invasion - a rather large number there - then they avoided her for her place in their newest nightmares, not that she could blame them. If someone had conquered her home and enslaved her, she'd probably hate and fear them too. She still didn't understand how Princess Twilight and the other Princesses could be so forgiving. She'd expected a prison sentence at the very least. ...honestly, it probably would have been easier if there had been a prison sentence, since it would have given other ponies time to forget, so when she was freed she could meet others with a clean slate. She could have actually been Fizzlepop Berrytwist...instead of forever being Tempest Shadow in everypony's minds.
Those who hadn't been her direct victims from the invasion avoided her as well, due to her scars and broken horn, or possibly because even in this peace time she held herself with a military bearing...or possibly the way she watched others. It was a life long habit, always analyzing and calculating anyone she encountered to determine what they might do, always ready to defend herself if necessary, to crush the opposition. If her bearing and gaze was the problem, she could accept that. She had a long way to go before she could ever consider herself peaceful. If it was her appearance, though...honestly, she expected it, though she didn't like it.
Even Twilight's close circle of friends wasn't entirely at ease around her. If Twilight was there, they were all smiles and engaging...but one on one, they either came across as awkward, uncertain, or trying too hard. Fluttershy and Spike definitely fell into the first category, Applejack was heavily in the second, and Rarity and Pinkie Pie firmly in the third...though Princess Twilight had suggested that this was just Pinkie being herself with a 'new friend', so there was that.
Honestly, the only ones Tempest felt she'd ever be fully comfortable with were Rainbow Dash and Starlight Glimmer. The first time they'd been alone, Rainbow had been quite confrontational with her, stating plainly that she was working with Tempest specifically because Twilight asked her to, and not because she herself had forgiven her. Tempest had welcomed that, determined to earn forgiveness if possible. Starlight, on the other hoof, was apparently another former enemy that Princess Twilight had taken under her wing, and had also stated flat out her fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and upsetting Tempest or disappointing Twilight. No amount of Tempest's reassurance that she could take it would clear that obstacle.
Leaning forward, Tempest crossed her forelegs and rested her chin there. "I suppose some mistakes never go away," she muttered to herself. "Then again, there's never been a way to take back the first impression. It would be so much easier if I could."
"I could help you with that," a mischievous voice whispered wickedly in her ear.
Rolling her eyes, Tempest turned calmly to the figure that had appeared beside her. Discord had been a major concern in the conquest of Equestria, and as such Tempest had spent months studying every detail that could be learned about his antics. She'd come to three startling discoveries in that regard. First, powerful Harmony energy greatly weakened his ability to use his powers. Second, he rarely if ever left the borders of Equestria, and was far more conservative with his power when he did. And third and most important, there seemed to be a pattern of times when he wouldn't - or possibly couldn't - use as much power as normal, and did not make an appearance. As such, the first step of the invasion had been striking into the Everfree during one of those times of presumed low power - as everypony was gathering in Canterlot - and placing magical amplifiers around the Tree of Harmony, thus boosting its influence on the land around it so Discord couldn't manifest freely. It had been a shock for Princess Twilight when that had been explained as they'd dismantled the amplifiers.
Discord, much to everyone's surprise, found Tempest quite intriguing as a result, and could often be found tagging along with her when he wasn't spending time with Fluttershy. Tempest often wondered if that also contributed to other ponies avoiding her. "What do you want, Discord?" she asked, calmly and flatly.
"Aww, is that any way to talk to a friend just trying to help?" Discord asked impishly. "You wound me!" He pulled back the fur on his chest to show indentations in the shape of the break on her horn, as though she'd jabbed him with it.
Tempest simply stared flatly at him. Studying his antics, she'd learned rather quickly that he did not have much patience when it came to his 'games'. The quickest way to get to whatever he wanted to discuss was to wait him out while giving no reaction. Unless you were one he considered an enemy - or hurt someone he considered a friend - he wouldn't actually harm you with his antics, so patience was your friend when dealing with him.
As she expected, it wasn't long before he cracked...literally, since it was him. After pushing his head back together, he explained. "See, I know how hard it is to get past the mistakes of your past," Discord explained readily. "I've still got a few bouncing around somewhere that I fully expect to spring on me without warning one of these days, and convincing most ponies I'm actually on their side now is real hit or miss." He briefly bounced around like a superball before flipping through the air like a coin as he said all this. "And some of my closest friends deal with that, too. Starlight, for example, and Trixie and Thorax. So when I heard you talking about taking back that first impression...well, would I be a true friend if I didn't offer you that chance?"
Tempest blinked slowly as she took this all in. Based on her projections, this was one of Discord's 'peak' periods, when his power was at its strongest. If he was making an offer like this, there was a good chance he could deliver. The only question was how, and what it would take on her part. "Go on," she said flatly, deciding to hear him out.
Smirking, Discord held up his eagle talon. "With just a snap, I can turn things back and give you that second chance at a first impression with Twilight and the others you so desperately want. No being hated for invading Canterlot. No being feared for conquest and slavery. 'Tempest Shadow' won't be a name that fills ponies with fear and loathing. You can be Fizzlepop Berrytwist to everyone you meet."
Tempest frowned. It sounded too good to be true...which meant it likely was. "What's the catch?" she asked flatly.
Discord chuckled softly. "Oh, no catch, really. As I said, a second chance at a first impression. It'll just be up to you to make it a good one."
Tempest frowned thoughtfully, still considering.
"Let me sweeten the deal," Discord offered playfully. "I will know I did this when you make your new first impression on me, though I won't know why. If you don't like the result, I'll change everything back like it never happened. All you'll have to do to let me know is a shake." He held out his two hands. "Talon to keep the change, paw to turn it back. How does that sound?"
Tempest turned that over in her mind. A second chance at getting it all right this time...and if things didn't work out how she wanted, a single gesture to undo it all? "...and I have your word that's all there is to this?" she asked firmly.
"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," Discord avowed, performing the motions of the 'Pinkie Promise' that Pinkie had shown her, the one promise anyone who knew Pinkie definitely wouldn't break.
Tempest turned her gaze back towards the park...only to see a mother turn her foal away from approaching her, fear in her eyes. That decided it. "Do it," she told Discord firmly.
Grinning, Discord raised his talon. "Good luck," he wished her as he snapped his claws.
The sound of ruffling pages and rushing sand - as though someone was flipping backwards through a book as an hourglass was turned over - filled Tempest's ears as the world went white.
Tempest groaned under her breath as she slowly opened her eyes, finding herself under a bush. Knew I should have insisted on a gentle landing, she grumbled in her mind. She stared down at the brown dirt under her hooves...her unusually large hooves relative to her legs. Why are my hooves so big? she thought in confusion. What did he do to me? She struggled to her hooves, only to tumble as she felt the bush scrape against her barrel, causing her to let out a gasp of pain. And where's my armor? Or at least my jumpsuit?
"Did you hear that?" someone called out, from the sound of it a female pre-teen.
"I think it came from that bush over there," another female voice, this one that of a child, called out from closer.
"I wanna see!" a third female voice, this one of a toddler, called out excitedly as the bush began to shake.
"Careful, Agnes!" the first voice called out worriedly. "That was a big storm last night, so there's no telling what sort of-"
The bush parted, and Tempest stared up into the face of what was, based on her research, plainly a human. She'd looked into 'humans' when her research on Equestria during conquest had revealed that Princess Twilight had a mirror that led to a world of them, and that Princess Celestia's former student called it home. That was not the sort of power she would just shrug off. However, the human here was not like those reports showed were through the mirror. This human child had off-pink skin, black hair tied at the top of her head sticking upright, and wearing a yellow striped shirt, blue overalls, and white shoes. Her brown eyes lit up in delight as her mouth opened into a huge grin that didn't quite have all its teeth yet.
"Oh my gosh!" the girl - Agnes, presumably - squealed out in excitement before lunging forward and scooping Tempest up. "It's a baby unicorn!"
Baby? Tempest thought in shock as she got a look at herself. Large hooves as compared to her legs, her head felt oddly unwieldy, her tail was short, and no Cutie Mark... "Ahfagah!" she attempted to curse. That bastard turned me into a foal! When I get my hooves on him-
Realization dawned on her. Discord had offered to 'turn things back' so she could make a new first impression. Getting her hooves on him would be a long time in coming...
Ugh, Minions.
Not part of the PWNYverse?
welp. if nothing else, this should be fun.
Awesome
Rule number one of being friends with Discord NEVER make deals with him. They never turn out the way you expect.
ohhh poyo... this is going to be HIGHlarious
This is gonna be good
8952912
It is part of the PWNYverse, actually.
Oh, no. You went there. I never expected this one!
This has to be awesome.
Oooo, this one remembers everything!
This shall be fun but when does this story take place, before Despicable Me or sometime after the first movie or even the 3rd since trying to find a unicorn was the side plot despite not succeeding in an actual one. Clearly can't be Minions as they weren't born yet at the time it takes place being a prequel.
Huh. Kinda weird to see Tempest not being forgiven by everyone, given the show's track record. Makes me want to smack 'em repeatedly with a newspaper...
At any rate, though, this is intriguing. Definitely gonna keep an eye on this.
Yes!!! I am going to love this!
Someone had to do it
Now you know, never make a deal with Discord.
8953030
This fits more.
Oh my lord, Tats! TATS, YOU MADMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?
Welp, another PWNY that I'm keeping my eye on. Now, how long until Gru gets his hands on them? I have a feeling this is still when they're at the orphanage...
8953085
Good lord, is there an MLP parody for everything?
...oh.. oh boy. Welp, if anyone would make a good father for her, it'd have to be Gru.
Oooh, this should be fun. And Tempest remembers everything? That's a change...
8953183
Is it now?
8953195
Isn't it?
At least Fizzlepop is used to dealing with semi-competent minions already, she might make them better or she may just work as the adorable distraction whilst the bumbling morons try and complete their tasks.
Either way it will be entertaining and/or adorable
Thirty bits on the Discord she made the deal with actually being The King of the Deadra version of him... Especially considering his comment on having a few "Mistakes bouncing around somewhere" waiting to come around to bite him someday...
Namely being Tirek, but generally speaking the whole PWNY-Verse is his fault and I can't imagine most of the PWNYs being too happy with him even if things tend to turn out alright in the end for them... It's the principle of the matter after all.
I think Tempest might be a perfect match for Gru, Margo, Agnes, and Edith.
The three girls love unicorns, and Gru would like Tempest's darkness.
I can't wait to see where you go with this.
A PWNY story with Tempest (Fizzlepop) raised by characters from 'Despicable Me'?
Well Discord did say she would be able to fix her bad first impression. I get a feeling that The Storm King is going to have a very bad time when Tempest returns and knows he plans on betraying her.
... Hoooo boy. This is, ah... not something I was expecting. And I'll be honest, the title/cover art don't really inspire confidence, the main source of worry being, of course, the Minions. I'll just have to hope that they're more tolerable here than they are in the movies.
So im assuming based on the title art, she didn't get her horn back? Or is she casting magic in the picture?
Does this mean Tempest would lead an army of Minions to Equestria? Let's hope Pinkie could keep up to them.
Boys. Gorls. This is thing that is happening. I don’t think I am ready for little pony Tempest.
I am prepared for bananas.
I'm conflicted.
On the one hand, I know you're an excellent writer, and I did enjoy the first Despicable Me.
On the other hand, I feel like that franchise is overplayed, especially in regards to the Minions, and those same yellow peanuts can get really old, REALLY fast if left unchecked, which I don't think the studio fully realizes.
This might get...tricky...
8953341 And yet, despite the rather limited range of vocabulary and language comprehension, the extra-wide yellow tampons' movie grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide.
Even the dull and relatively bland "Despicable Me 3" grossed over a billion.
The studio has no reason to learn, because idiots keep giving them money.
Compare with "Kubo and the Two Strings", a wonderful little film with strong storytelling and a wonderful style and technique, incredibly highly rated by critics and the audiences that went to see it... yet could not even make its production budget back. Same with "The Red Turtle".
Meanwhile, a completely idiotic POS like "The Boss Baby" makes bank.
...
And people wonder why I think everyone else is vastly stupider than me.
Oh boy, crossover time!
i.imgflip.com/267awg.jpg
1st: I make a fic having Tempest with Despicable Me.
2nd: It gets featured.
3rd: There's drama in the comments.
4th: *Repeat 3*
Liked and Favorited before I even read it!
Guess Tempest's first idea isn't to baby the humans up.
8953381
It's a Tatsurou fic, of course it's a crossover.
8953411
And here I thought Nintendo was the king of left field...
...I'm super torn right now. But given the track record of PWNY fics prior to this one, I'll give it a go.
EDIT: An interesting start with an interesting premise. Perhaps I've worried over nothing. At least now I can read Gru's lines in his voice
8953364 I know! The last part irks me, nevermind the fact that they have a series on Netflix!
Kubo and the Two Strings was art! And yet War Dogs beat it in ticket sales...Not that the other movie wasn't bad; it really wasn't.
8953113
I think it's just after or just before (there was a big storm in the beginning of the movie offscreen)
...I am intrigued. In a train-wreck sort of way, that is. (Though knowing Tats, it'll be a FING GLORIOUS train wreck.)
8953113
I honestly would not be surprised.
Please, do carry on. I'm dying to see how this goes.
Wat. Out of all of the fics of Tats I’ve read, this is so random it’s makes Pinkie and Discord’s match seem kinda meh.
Tempest in Despicable Me.
...
(Reaches into pocket and tosses out change)
Okay, I'm in.
8952935
I'm always let down that he doesn't have a monkey's paw.
8952910
Relax, this is from before they were ruined from overuse. Have faith in Tats my friend.
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/991/616/f3a.png
8953007
Big difference between "forgiving" and "becoming used to"... and it doesn't help that she's essentially crippled (especially since the capacity for forgiveness and the discomfort with other's injuries both stem from the same empathetic drive).
Please tell me she gets her magic ability back somehow??