To Calm a Tempest

by Broman

Reprieve (Edited)

I awoke inside the tent, and a headache assaulting my brain. I closed my eyes and raised a hand over onto my temple, feeling a cloth wrapped around my noggin. I slowly blinked and wondered how I ended up back in Tempest’s tent. I groaned inwardly and tried to stand up but felt a hand press against my chest.

“Take it easy. Stay down,” I could hear Tempest’s voice next to me.

I looked up and saw that she was sitting over me, while holding a small sponge in one hand. I watched as she took the sponge and cleared the rest of the grime and mud that was on my cheeks.

“Why didn’t you go to my tent like I ordered you to?” she asked.

I merely shrugged my shoulders.

“Can’t be helped by the the fact that those two wanted to save their project.” I explained, and still felt the numbing sensation on my head. “How long was I out?” I asked, the headache persisting.

“You’ve been out for hours. From what Flint and Tinder explained to me, you were pushed abruptly into Flint’s elbow and passed out after falling off their cannon.” she explained.

“You mean Boomie?” I asked.

I regretted saying it, for that name will be stuck in my mind for a long while.

I heard her give an exasperated an sigh over that name.

“Yes, that makeshift monstrosity those knuckleheads made.” she pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly irked by her minions’ experiments. “Those two can be a handful. No matter how many times I warn them, they always make another stupid machine that’s more destructive than ever before. I’m surprised they haven’t killed themselves already,” she stated.

I chuckled at her remark.

“Well, you can’t stop a creative mind,” I said.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

“You should’ve taken the initiative and just ignored what they told you to do,” she claimed.

I stared her in the eye over that comment.

“Like you?” I retorted.

She snorted and dropped the sponge right on top of my head. And by drop I mean that she threw the loofah right on top of my head, making my pool of a headache turn into an ocean of pain.

“Why’d you do that?!” I shouted, raising my hand over my head and moaning a little bit from the onslaught of the headache.

Tempest stood up and looked away from me, clearly vexed over my actions.

“You’re already hurt, but that’s all you will receive. You’re too valuable of a hostage, so your workload will be lessened. The Storm King ordered that you be remained unharmed.” she stated.

A mischievous smirk crossed my face.

“The Storm King’s orders? Or your orders?” I said.

I never knew at the time that I would regret saying that, because Tempest turned to me, and her glare bore into my heart and soul. She then promptly raised a foot and kicked straight into my groin.

My headache felt less painful over my manly bits being smashed.

I curled inward and couldn’t breath as I cried out a wordless sound. Tempest snorted in frustration and walked away from my side.

“Get that perverted mind out of the gutter. Just be lucky you're getting this reprieve rather than nothing at all. Now go to bed!” she ordered.

She went towards the exit and headed outside of the tent.

I remained where I was, silently cursing out my luck while at the same time wanting to apologize in some way. I was grateful to Tempest at the very least for getting a bit of a break, for however long that may be. I decided to do what I was told and promptly went to bed.

However, my dreams had another thing in mind for me.

---

I dreamed I was on the airship, the fire spreading at a much faster rate. My head felt like it was on fire, burning my brain like a fever. I began to move forward, trying to escape the burning shell of the ship. Everytime I took a step though, I felt a hammer pounding upon the back of my head. I placed both of my hands to my temples, rubbing them as best I could, but even my own touch felt hot and uncomfortable, making me want to lie down and shout out from the pain. I kept moving forward, seeing the rampart at the end of the ship.

However, I saw the metal panels fall off, and I was walking in a thinner and thinner line until I was moving on a tightrope. The walls around me grew thicker, and the blazing of the fire grew bigger, threatening to push me off and be engulfed in the inferno below me.

I kept my eyes focused on the exit, the line extending farther away and the ramparts feeling all the more distant. I kept going, trying to reach the exit and hoping to escape the fires that surrounded me. With the last effort I could give, I jumped out of the ramparts and into the rain. However, I still kept falling and turning in the air. I watched as the airship exploded, my head ringing with every single booming sensation and throbbing like a drum beat. I closed my eyes, screaming out into the rain and darkness.

“It’s okay, Spencer. I got you,” a calm voice pierced through the darkness.

I felt a comforting embrace. I opened my eyes and saw the Lunar monarch before me.

“Princess Luna,” I began to say, but I winced and closed my eyes when my head began to throb once more. I felt the need to fall down.

“That headache of yours is quite troublesome,” she said, still holding me up like an iron rod, “Here, lay down for me. I can help with that.” she gestured me to lay down.

I did what she was told and felt a smooth surface comfort my back while my head lay on the ground. It felt like a soft fuzzy blanket, enveloping me in a warm embrace. I sighed and closed my eyes, but the headache still remained.

“How are you feeling?” I heard her say.

I lifted my hand and moved it in a ‘so and so’ way.

“I feel like crap. But, other than that, I’m ok.” I muttered and opened my eyes to look at her.

I found myself staring up at her and she was looking down at me. Turned out the soft fuzzy texture I was feeling around my head was her legs and dress, and I was resting quite comfortably as she held my head there. She readjusted herself until I felt my head resting between her legs while both of her hands were on the sides of my head to get me in a comfortable position.

“And now?” she asked, lifting her hands away from me as I continued to stare up.

“That’s even better,” I said, but still winced as another throbbing sensation took over my brain.

“This should help. One moment Spencer,” she calmly said.

I watched as the tips of her fingers began to glow a soft blue and cast a light all around us. She then lowered her hands on either side of my head and began to tenderly rub the side of my temples. I cringed at first from the sudden movement, but after another moment of the continuous massage, I began to relax. My persistent headache slowly eased away, and whatever magic she was using was soothing my mind.

“This is actually nice. I didn’t know you did massages.” I said, feeling her fingers work their magic over my head.

She chuckled in a motherly sort of way, “Well, when you live over two thousand years you tend to learn a few things. Although, I may be out of practice with my craft.”

“Huh, every time I see you, you don’t look a day over two hundred,” I quipped, bearing a cheeky smile to the Lunar monarch.

I felt her right hand lift up and lightly swat the side of my head. I cringed somewhat because it aggravated the headache that persisted.

“Flattery can get you to a lot of places, Spencer, just not with a pony of my age.” she explained, halting in her comforting massage.

“Well, you’re not bad with massages, Princess. You’re actually really good.” I replied, trying to rectify the situation because I wished to have the gentle massages on my overgrowing headache continue.

I was rewarded for my honesty, because I felt her fingers run over my head once more.

“That’s better, Spencer.” she said with a smile.

I allowed my head to feel the weightlessness of a full-on head massage.

I stayed where I was, enjoying the comfort that the massage brought. Her hands would alter between her finger tips and her knuckles, softly pressuring the points of my head with her touch. I sighed, and the headache gradually eased as the minutes went by, moving her hands from my temples to the crown of my head. I could feel the soft glowing fingers press into my skin, a cool soothing sensation easing the tension within my skull and making my brain feel like pudding.

“So, how are you faring?” she asked, her hands rubbing the crown of my head as if I had a unicorn horn.

“This is amazing,” I replied.

Princess Luna continued to massage my head before shifting her hands on the back of my neck. I felt her thumb and index fingers press deep into my neck, moving up and down at a steady pace. I inwardly groaned from the contact at first but I sighed as I could feel her work her magic.

“Princess Luna?” I asked, still feeling her hands underneath my head as she hummed to herself before looking at me.

“Yes?” she asked, her finger going into my hair and rubbing my scalp with her gentle touch.

“Have you figured anything out about Tempest?” I asked, hoping that she would have some answer to her behavior as of late.

Princess Luna’s smile faded somewhat but her task didn’t stop.

“After I awoke you from your dream, I tried to suppress the nightmare that plagued her dreams. It was a tough battle, but I managed to quell it. However, once I saw her wake up, it was as if her body had a mind of its own. She was flickering in and out of the dreamscape before finally fading all together.” she explained, her fingers adjusting to gently pinch underneath my neck.

“When I was with her, I saw her body thrashing about. Her eyes were opening in and out, and she grabbed at her throat like something was choking her. It was only after I seized her and wrapped my arms around her that she woke up and began screaming out into the night. She still wailed like a banshee, even when I tried my best to comfort her,” I explained, while Princess Luna pondered a moment from my words.

“I’ve seen that happen before. They are called night frights.” she explained.

I gave her a quizzled look while she stared back down to me.

“Night frights?” I asked, wondering if I heard her right.

“Indeed, though you would normally see these happen more often with children. Gradually, night frights happen less with anypony-or anyone in your case-older than thirteen years of age. However, this night fright that she has experienced, seems to cling to her, growing inside and festering like an old wound.” Princess Luna paused, taking a deep breath before sighing a deep breath, “I believe that something deeper resides within this Tempest Shadow. Something truly heartbreaking that has caused her to shield herself away from the world.” she explained.

I felt a little pain for Tempest. Whatever was going on with her, I feared it went deeper. I recalled that when I tried touching her she would punish me and get me off, and when I held her she had frozen in fear.

I could only fathom as to what was happening with Tempest.

“I hope she’ll be okay,” I muttered, my thoughts muddled over how to help her.

“Indeed, I wish there was something we could do,” Princess Luna said, but I heard her voice trail off at the last words.

I looked up to her and saw her grin like a wolf watching over its prey.

“Luna? What deviousness are you planning now?” I asked, hesitant and dreading the answer that was following.

She leaned her head forward, her fingers on my head tapping me like a miniature drum.

“It’s not deviousness other than a form of deception,” Princess Luna explained, her finger tapping my head in a rhythmic beat.

“I’m starting to believe I won’t have a say in this.” I said.

Princess Luna already began to chuckle at me.

“It’s quite simple. Get to know Tempest, on a ‘personal’ level,” Princess Luna explained.

I turned a beet red from what she suggested.

“Uh Princess, wait...I…” I fumbled for words, but she gently placed a couple of fingers on my lips.

She suddenly spoke to me as if she was giving me a mission of utmost importance, which sounded a lot like it in a way.

“Listen well, Spencer, this will be for your benefit, and the fate of Equestria. You are to woo Tempest until she becomes a gentle storm. You are to gain favor with her, until you are trusted. And when the time is right, have her aid our cause so that we can bring the Storm King’s army down from within!” she said ecstatically, her fingers moving away from my lips.

Her enthusiasm caused me to fear that she would shake me like an enthralled child.

“Princess Luna, please let me have a say in this!” I tried to say.

She gave a lopsided grin and looked down at me with that childlike gaze.

“As much as I appreciate you and platonically love you, your sister, all of our friends, and that of Equestria, I will not do this!”

She gave me a look like she was curious as to why, but still retained her giddy smile.

“Tempest hates me with a passion, and I have no doubt she’ll continue to hate me till the end of my days. I don’t want to burst your happy bubble here, but I don’t see myself as the type that can sway a girl who can kick my ass into a sling till next week. I’ve heard plenty of ideas in my life, but this takes the cake. It’s because frankly this is the most ridiculous plan that I have ever heard!” I shouted out, my voice wanting to scream out in pure unadulterated surprise and shock over the mere idea of getting along with Tempest.

I liked her yes, but, I didn’t ‘like her’ like her. Princess Luna’s smile never wavered, however, and she leaned her head closer to meet my gaze.

“You’re not wanting to help? I can think of another pony who can help with your feelings, even suggest how to proceed with this ‘delicate’ mare.” she teased, her shoulders shifting ever so slightly in pure glee over this plan.

I stared at her nervously over ‘who’ she was referring to.

“You don’t mean-?” I dared asked.

“My favorite niece, Princess Cadance.” she explained.

I blinked in surprise, and I felt my whole world come crashing down.

“Ohhhhhhh no. No. No no no no no no no. I will not. You’re going to have to get me inebriated and wearing a diaper in order to be with her!” I ranted, but I then felt Princess Luna’s fingers grasp the edge of my head.

Her fingers traced on the back of my scalp and down to the base of my neck. She then brought her fingers back up, rubbing the tender muscles while her eyebrows wiggled up and down. She kept doing this massage on my neck, repeating over and over again until my mind became like pudding.

I relented and groaned in defeat.

“Gah, okay fine. You make a good argument.” I grumbled.

I felt myself pulled to where my head and shoulders were on Luna’s stomach, until she wrapped her arms around my shoulder area in an apparent hug.

“Oh we thank thee, Spencer! This will surely be a benefit to both you and Equestria!” She said.

I inwardly groaned from this predicament.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Can you please stop treating me like a little kid?” I asked as politely as I could possibly muster.

It was nothing against her mind you. She was just hugging me in this awkward way where it was just her girls resting on my head. It was making me as beat as a cherry because of that. She soon let go of me and ruffled my hair with her hands.

“You know how much I like to tease.” Princess Luna said.

I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, but you’re more mediocre compared to Princess Cadance. She’s the Ellen Degeneres of teasing,” I said, recalling the few times I had met the Princess of Love face to face and the amount of torture that followed.

Every time I met with her or even spoke to her, she would give me that fun yet smug look on her face, always asking me about my life. I did just that and told her how I felt about living in Equestria, and she was quite a fun friend to hang around. But after the first few months of staying, she had begun asking me about my personal life and how I feel about my friends. I told her I liked them, mainly Twilight and her close knit of friends. But once I uttered them, she insisted on asking if that was all, wiggling her eyebrows in that loving teasing way of hers. I was at a loss, and whatever I said she would deflect it in a teasing manner that I could not escape from. I ended up more red than I could manage. I would always leave embarrassed and have nothing but dirty thoughts in my mind over being with them.

I’m going to remind myself that whenever I see her again, I’ll be sneaking a toy snake in her bed.

“It will be good for you, Spencer,” Princess Luna said, returning to her massage, her fingers tracing circles across my head, “It might also help in figuring out what is wrong with Tempest.” she explained.

I looked to her with a bit of optimism. It was possible that if I got to know her more the way we are now, it might help ease the barriers between us and maybe even get a chance to help ease her discomfort.

Maybe even figure out why she feared me when I touched her.

“Well, I’ll try my best. Though, no guarantees since I might end up being turned into mince meat if she finds out.” I explained.

I felt her fingers trace upward and she patted lightly under my chin and right cheek.

“I’m sure said ‘mince meat’ can handle himself. You’ve endured more by first coming to Equestria than being in the throngs of a tyrant.” she said.

I blinked my eyes to look up at her.

“Since I got injured today, I guess my workload will be different. I might even work for that ape known as the Storm King.”

“All the more better to learn what his plans are, and how we can counter his maneuvers. He won’t suspect a simple human to be sneaking his plans out from under him,” she explained.

I smirked at her cheeky comment.

“You know I enjoy the banter between us,” I said with an honest statement.

“I do too,” she replied, not missing a beat.

We both shared a chuckle, knowing how our friendship had grown with our time together.

“Although, Spencer,” she asked, still stroking the side of my head with the tips of her fingers, “How did you get injured? Was it a task the Storm King forced you to partake in?”

“Well, no,” I replied, recalling the events leading to my injury., “A thunderstorm was happening overhead and took out one of their air blimps. But, how I got injured was because my face met one of the storm creatures elbows by mistake, and I passed out after the blow.” I explained.

It was then that I felt her ministrations stop on my scalp.

I curled a brow to her and saw that she had a guilty look on her face.

A sudden thought came to mind of how the strong storm was formed, and I was looking at one of the causes.

“Princess Luna? Did you have anything to do with that storm?” I asked, but I saw her move one of her fingers, and it hovered over my nose.

“Well, it looks like it’s morning. So I’ll let you go! Bye!” she stammered out, before promptly flicking her finger on my nose.

My eyes blinked once from the blow and I fluttered my eyes to ask what that was about.

---

Instead, I found I was staring up at the tent above my head, and I was no longer in the dream world.

Luna totally had something to do with that storm.

I looked around me and heard the light rain pattering against the tent, and the shuffling of feet belonging to patrols around the camp. I looked to see if Tempest was here and found that she was not. I could only assume that she was out and about with her duties, so I decided to lay my head back down onto my bedroll. I sighed, and for once in a long while I felt that I could enjoy a little peace and quiet.

To top it off, I no longer had that headache from the night before.

Everything was going to be alright.

“Spencer? Are you awake?” Tempest’s voice spoke.

I lifted my head to see her head pop in the tent entrance, and she was giving me a deadly glare that would make any hardened criminal wet their pants.

“The Storm King requires your presence.” Tempest informed.

I groaned and flopped my head back onto the pillow.

So much for my reprieve.

Author's Note:

Hello Everyone! New chapter is here, and I actually have some good news!

I finally got a editor by the name of A Man Undercover! Turns out seeing as how many errors I was making, he was king of enough to lend me his help. He even helped make some suggestions here and there to make this story even more fun. 'm very grateful for his help and hopefully we can get more chapters out for this story.

Talk to you all soon, be sure to leave a comment down below, and see you around.

~Broman

Comments

[Bumblebee16]

Awesome!

[Fluffy-Boi]

A Man Undercover.. What's his real name!? We need to know the truth!

Just kidding. That's great news dude. I can't wait to see more of this

[TheUndeadEmpire]

Yeah, not gonna lie, I'm just reading this story because I love the human in anthro Equestria group but I'm starting to lose almost all interest in this story because of Tempest. Not because she a jerk, but because it seems you're trying to make us sympathize with her when we shouldn't. The idea of the main character getting with Temepest after when the stories over makes me mad because of how often she just jumps to kicking him in the crotch and worse by how nonchalant he is about it. It just gives me bad impressions about the guy.

[Broman]

9184395
Thank you, I hope to bring more chapters out as soon as I produced them.

[Fluffy-Boi]

9184952
Can't wait dude.... But I will wait.

[Broman]

9184717
I understand. I guess I could make things a bit more different between them, or having the guy have a more verbal reaction. I'm trying to make a good story here, even though what I have in mind is different then what everyone else perceives. I know there are some flaws but I can assure you that the next few chapters will be more meaningful.

Besides, I might have her make a explanation in the next chapter to why she is the way she is, if only a little hint of what she's going through.

[A Man Undercover]

Prior to the Storm King attacking different parts of Equestria, as well as Grubber’s absence, would this story happen to contain completely alternate events concerning the MLP Movie?

[Broman]

9185164
Considering that plus this story being an Anthro story with a human I would likely say yes. Would I need to place an alternative universe tag because of it?

[A Man Undercover]

9185201
I think so. Mostly to avoid confusion.