• Published 29th Jul 2019
  • 2,725 Views, 88 Comments

A Place to Call Home - CrimsonWolf360



Tempest tries to find her place in Equestria after returning from her travels. After some time feeling like an outcast, Tempest begins to question her decision to come back. That is, until Twilight drags her to a Wonderbolts show. It doesn't go well.

  • ...
10
 88
 2,725

Chapter 12: We Could be Heroes

Tempest took a step into the large foyer and almost stopped dead in her tracks. The immaculately decorated room and royal guard ranks on either side of the center aisle stunned her into a small gasp. Before she could even think of anything to say, her eyes darted up to the end of the room to find Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight all sitting on their respective thrones, with Sky sitting in a seat off to the side, waving to her with a wide smile on his face.

Each member of Equestrian royalty looked at her with a mix of emotions, however, they all seemed to exude calmness as Tempest stepped forward again. Celestia managed to retain her classic poker face while somehow also managing the faintest ghost of a smile on her regal lips. Luna gave her a curious look, but kept her thoughts hidden well. Cadence merely smiled like she was meeting an old friend after a long time apart. In the center of them all, Twilight beamed with the happiest smile Tempest had ever seen on her face. One look and it was clear who was the most excited about the ceremony.

Tempest suppressed a chuckle at how Twilight seemed to literally bounce with excitement as she approached, but did not try to hide the smile that quickly formed on her face. Soon enough, the mulberry unicorn was standing not ten feet in front of the princesses, with her head held high and her spirits higher than they've been in ages.

Twilight looked down to Tempest and gave her a wink before Celestia nudged her with her wing.

"Ahem, this is the part where you say your bit, Twilight." She whispered.

"Oh, right!" Twilight whisper-shouted, blushing heavily.

"Attention!" She shouted, and in an instant, the royal guards lined up on either side of Tempest snapped to the position of attention, their backs rigid, and their heads facing straight forward.

"Tempest Shadow, you stand before all members of Equestrian royalty, with the intent to serve as the first of new line of royal guards. The duty you will be charged with upon accepting this new role must be taken with the utmost of care and resolve. You will be responsible for maintaining not only the safety of this Castle and it's occupants, but for my personal safety as well. Do you accept these terms?" Twilight began.

"I do." Tempest replied.

"The life ahead of you will be tough, and you will not always be privy to the freedoms the rest of Equestria experiences day to day. Even so, your position as a royal guard will serve as an example, and a shining beacon in the dark for all ponies to follow and strive towards. Do you accept this challenge?" Luna continued.

"I do." Tempest replied once more.

"There may come a time when you are faced with a difficult decision. A time may come when you are forced to choose between saving your own life, or saving the life of the Princess you are being tasked with protecting. Will you show courage in the face of adversity, and pledge to lay down your own life so that others may live, should the situation arise?" Cadence continued.

Tempest looked to Twilight for a fraction of a second before turning back to Cadence and speaking, "I will."

"And last, but certainly not least, do you swear to live your life according to Equestria's values and beliefs, foregoing even your own personal grievances or desires, for the sake of the ones you are pledging to protect? To strive every day to show the values of honor, compassion, loyalty, and duty, not only to your princess, but to the rest of Equestria together?" Celestia finished.

"I swear." Tempest proudly proclaimed.

"Then kneel." Celestia commanded.

Tempest dropped to one knee in a practiced, fluid motion. A moment later, Twilight rose from her throne and brought life to her horn. A ceremonial sword, with a pink starburst on the handle, and thus far hidden behind her throne, appeared in the air, and was swiftly levitated over to the kneeling unicorn.

Twilight quickly unsheathed the sword, it's leathery sound echoing throughout the otherwise silent hall. She brought the sword down and rested it on Tempest's right shoulder.

"Be brave, bold, and loyal," Twilight said, before raising the sword and bringing it to Tempest's left shoulder, "Advance, Knight, in the name of Equestria."

Twilight brought the sword back to it's sheath and levitated it back behind her throne. When she turned around, once more, she found Tempest standing back up at her full height. She gave her a quick smile, one which Tempest was happy to return, before Celestia addressed the guards in the room once more.

"Company, dismissed!" She called, using her royal canterlot voice.

The royal guards in the room immediately broke down their formation into rows and orderly filed out through the doorway. Not a single head looked back, and within seconds, the room was completely empty, save for Tempest, Sky, and the princesses.

Once they were completely alone, Tempest turned back to Twilight to speak, but was immediately wrapped in a bear hug by the lavender princess.

"Oooh I'm so proud of you!!" Twilight cheered.

"Ahehe, thank you, Princess." Tempest replied.

"Not gonna lie, that was pretty badass." Sky commented as he walked over to the group.

"It feels good. To finally be doing some good with my life instead of selfish things." Tempest replied.

"We're all incredibly pleased and impressed with how far you've come, Tempest. I know it wasn't easy, but I think I speak for all of us when I say that we're tremendously proud of you." Celestia said, warmth radiating from her voice.

"Thank you, Princess, but I couldn't have reached this point without the help of my friends, and you of course." Tempest said, giving them all a warm smile.

"All the more reason I'm glad you serve Princess Twilight now then, I suppose." Luna chimed in.

"You really have come a long way, Tempest. I hope to see the Ponyville Royal Guard grow and prosper with you at the head, leading them one day," Cadence added, "Also, it's good to know my little sister-in-law has somepony as strong as you to keep her out of trouble now." She teased, winking at Twilight.

Twilight blushed a little at Cadence's teasing, but said nothing as Tempest turned to face her.

"It's the least I can do after everything she's done for me." Tempest said, smiling warmly.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Tempest stepped out onto the balcony to find a setting sun on the horizon. The warm rays of fading sunlight gently illuminated the world around her as the ponies of Ponyville readied themselves for bed, and even though she felt tired herself, she stood alone, watching over the town with an ever watchful eye. That is, until the sound of hooves on crystal reached her ears, making them flick back on instinct. She turned around to find Twilight walking up to her side, and greeted her with a cordial smile.

"Lovely view up here." Tempest said.

"It really is. To be honest, I'm surprised to see you up here. You've never struck me as the kind of pony that cares much for a view." Twilight replied, looking out over Ponyville.

"Hehe, well let's just say that lately I've had a lot more to look at."

"I'm grateful for that... I know I've said it a few times already, but I am really, truly proud of you." Twilight said, her gaze still locked on the horizon.

"Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you..." Tempest trailed off.

"It's the honest truth," Twilight replied, before glancing over at her to see a contemplative look on Tempest's face, "Something on your mind?" She asked.

"Well... it's just..." Tempest trailed off again, her eyes falling down to the crystal balcony.

"Tempest? Are you alright?" Twilight asked, furrowing her brow in concern.

"Hehe, if I'm being honest, I don't think I'll ever truly be alright, but I'm okay right now. Thanks to you, Sky, Midnight, and Celestia. I guess I just wanted to say... Thank you... for not giving up on me." It was faint, but there was a waiver to Tempest's voice, and Twilight turned to properly look at the mulberry unicorn before replying.

"You know I'd never give up on you... Like I've said before, if you ever need anything, ever, just tell me. I'll make time for you, no matter what. I know you've bottled a lot of your emotions up for the majority of your life, but you don't have to anymore. If you're ever hurting again, please just say so." Twilight said, placing a comforting hoof on Tempest's wither.

"Oh, don't worry about me, Princess. I'll-" Tempest started.

"Twilight"

"Um, what?"

"Call me Twilight. None of this 'Princess' stuff anymore. You're my friend, and my friends call me Twilight." Twilight said, a small smile on her muzzle.

"...I'm not too sure if that's appropriate... I am your guard after all." Tempest replied, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Only during the day. How about this, consider it a standing order." Twilight said, playfully punching Tempest's wither with her hoof.

Tempest chuckled for a moment, "Hehe, alright, Twilight. You have a deal."

"Good. Now, are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Some days are better than others... but I finally have a purpose again. Like I said, I'm not sure I'll ever truly be alright, at least not like you and the rest of your friends, but I'll be better than I ever was before I met you, that much I'm sure of." Tempest replied.

"Well, it's a start. One of these days, I'll get you to think a bit more positively than that." Twilight teased.

"Here's hoping you prove me wrong sometime soon." Tempest replied.

For quite some time after that, the two ponies lapsed into a comfortable silence, both just content to watch the sun set slowly turn into the moonrise. Tiny speckles of stars slowly appeared in the young night sky, and as the world was bathed in darkness, Twilight turned back to Tempest.

"Well, it is getting late. As much as I'd like to stay out here and stargaze with you, I do have to wake up pretty early tomorrow." She said.

"By all means, don't let me keep you up. I'll head back inside in a few minutes." Tempest said.

Twilight nodded and turned around to walk back inside. She made it all the way to the doorway before she paused, and turned back around to look at Tempest again.

"Hey Tempest?" She said.

"Hmm?" Tempest replied, turning around.

"I'm not sure if I've said this yet, but it's good to have you back."

Tempest smiled, "I've been back for a while, Twilight." She teased.

"Yeah, yeah I guess you have. Still, I'm glad all the same." Twilight replied, smiling warmly.

Tempest felt a warm feeling in her chest. It wasn't much, but as the cool night breeze gently set in, it was more than enough to keep her warm while Twilight headed back inside, leaving her alone on the balcony with her thoughts once more.

Tempest looked back out over the horizon once more to find the world illuminated by the night sky, and as the dazzling display of celestial beauty slowly danced across the sky, she found that for the first time in her entire life, her heart wasn't empty any more. It was enough to bring a single tear to her eye. She hastily blinked the tear away and once more gazed out over Ponyville and its quiet occupants.

The night proceeded onward while the stoic mare simply enjoyed the beauty of the moment, but eventually, the days events caught up with her, and she felt a weary voice in her mind call out for the peaceful embrace of sleep. She smiled to herself one more time before sighing peacefully and turning around to walk back inside the castle.

"Maybe some day..." She whispered, "But not today."

Author's Note:

-Just for one day...




Hey guys. I really hope you liked this story. Depression and suicide are things that I've struggled with myself, especially over the last few years, and I really wanted to get the actual feeling down. Especially with a character so perfect to fit with that particular issue. I got inspiration for this story a long time ago, right after I wrote The Discovery, but I wasn't sure how to get here. It was a struggle, to be sure, but I think this was the best way to get to this point.

Like I've said before, Tempest deserves more of a role in the show, or whatever's left of it at the time I upload this. God, I can't believe we're already at the end. Feels like just yesterday I sat down on my bed and watched that first episode on my phone while purposely hiding the screen from my brother while he played on the xbox. I'm not sure how many of you will stick around once this story is finished, but I have one more story to write. I'm in the process of writing it now, but I know it won't be done by the time I upload this chapter.

I hope that even with the show over, you'll stick by and finish that story with me. It'll be a nice little sendoff to the best writing I've ever done, and some of the best characters I've had the privilege to create. Regardless, thank you for reading. This story didn't do as well as I'd hoped it would, but every one of you that took the time to read my work, made my day.

Comments ( 29 )

This was a good story and I’m excited for your next on!

9822042
Thank you :D

I hope it meets your expectations. I'm really excited about it ^_^

I know it's a personal thing for me, but the human insert OC brought the story down a bit for me. No disrespect to the OC's owner, though; overall 8/10.

9823323
Well, I mean, this story is part of a universe that kinda revolves around my OC's, so... yeah.

9823901
I was only partly aware of this. Your OC is not badly-written or anything, it'd just I don't like the character archetype. Still, great story, 8/10.

9824101
I understand. Glad you liked the story otherwise though.

Well color me impressed, you managed to make another story that has exceeded my expectations and more. Bravo, and I welcome your book into my Silver Standard Library, where books that go above and beyond the normal code take their place in the light. Well done, and I look forward to reading your newest book as you continue to inspire and astound me.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work,
Shadow Quill, Messenger of the Moon.

9944616
Thank you so much. I really appreciate that :)

I do hope you enjoy the rest of my stories as well. I try my hardest to put my heart and soul into them ^_^

9953640
Ah maybe because of that. Have to check my settings , tough I think I put filter on Pony Mature stuff for a reason 😉

9953694
Understandable. I hope you enjoy the rest of my stories then :)

9974454
Heh, fair enough. You're probably right about the cliché, seeing as that was what I expected ;)

Amazing story, can´t wait to read the next part tomorrow :twilightsheepish:

Nice, wholesome story. Glad things turned out well for Tempest.

(minor spoiler for the show's finale)
I wonder how the fight at Canterlot castle would have turned out if Tempest would have been there as Twilight's royal guard. Tirek, Chrysalis and Cozy Glow probably wouldn't have taken over so relatively easily with her in the picture :)

Incidentally, I've also had this story's cover as a wallpaper for a while now, this time on one of my phones. Nice to know it's story too :twilightsmile:

9977065

I'm glad you liked the story. And the art ^_^

I hope you enjoy the next story just as much

This was a great story and I'm glad I finally got to it. It's nice to see that while Tempest may not be fully okay, that she is in a better now. It'll be interesting to see how the previous stories are all tied together in the sequel to this. Is this the final story you plan on writing and about how many chapters will "No Man Left Behind" be?

10044781
No Man Left Behind is the last story I'm writing in this story universe. I might dabble in son RGRE and anon in Equestria stories afterwards, but as for this serious storyline, NMLB is gonna be the finale. It's gonna be somewhere in the neighborhood of 20ish chapters.

Extra epilogue: As Tempest walked back inside the castle, it appeared that life in the land of Equestria was returning to normal.

But, meanwhile in deep space, miles away from the planet Equis, A starship (resembling the ship David Lawson aka Crimson Sky, was on, except more bigger) exits slipspace. On the bridge of this mysterious ship, the captain is looking out the window, when one of the many crew members on board reports to him "Sir, we been tracking down the distress signal sent from where one of our ships, the Icarus, was last heard from, and since it's implied one of it's crew members survived by using the escape pods and crash landing on a unidentified planet....we may had found what we are looking for."

The captain turns and says "Looks like we made it, everyone. Since it is possible that we know where he is, bring in the soldiers....including Jason McKnight and his teammates....we may have located our missing man."

"Who is this person we are looking for?" The crew member said.
"His name is.....David Lawson." The captain said.

I have really enjoyed all of your stories that I’ve read. But I have to say this is my favorite. This story hit a personal spot and really captured the emotions. May also be the fact that Tempest is my favorite cannon character:)

10224440
Thank you so much! I am truly proud of this story and honestly, I feel like it's my second best work. I'm so thrilled that you liked it so much. Tempest is my favorite cannon character too, so I just had to write more about her :)

Seems like you've read almost all of my work then. I hope you enjoy No Man Left Behind. I'd say that it's my third best, if not tied for second best story.

10224461
Your welcome. Thank you for sharing your work with us all. I Can’t wait to read No Man Left Behind.

I only recently stumbled across this amazing series. I was going to wait until I had finished reading all of them before making a comment, but this one is special and may have touched a nerve. All the stories in this series have been wonderfully written, the characters feel alive and include the little real life touches so often skipped over. Learning to fly taking a lot of work and training and being very difficult and frustrating after Sky's transformation for example. This one is something else again, it captures the emotional pain and mindset that depression and self hatred cause, as well as the defensiveness and attempts to hide them so well.

Personally I would have liked to see more of everyone's reactions to Tempest's past and how they might help her with the traumas. Tempest was pretty upset about the pony she killed trying to get the pearl and her "punishment" for failing feels very calculated to leave far more than just physical scars. That may have been outside the scope of this story and made it fairly difficult for some to read, or may be in the next one for all I know.

I know these are a little older but thank you so much for sharing your works CrimsonWolf they have been wonderful and I hope you enjoyed writing them. This one captures these emotions in a way I imagine would be hard to achieve without some manner of personal experience. I hope you are doing well in the crazy the world has become. I'm excited to read the next in this universe and will be sad parting with new friends when I finish, such is always the way with stories worth treasuring.

11039489
Well firstly, let me say thank you. I really appreciate that and it really does mean a lot. This story was one that I was particularly glad to write, especially since it hits so close to home in certain regards. The whole series was extremely rewarding to write, and I'm proud of all of them. This story and No Man Left Behind are probably my two favorites though. Tempest stories just hit differently for me I guess lol.

I hope you enjoy the sequel to this story, and maybe give the rest of my stories a chance as well. I'm really proud of all of them, and I'm planning on a little Tempest series that I already started, I just need to start writing the sequels lol.

It was a great privilege to read.

11227625
<3
I am pretty happy with this one in particular.

11630475
Appreciate it, friend. Funnily enough she was also a fan of mlp as well, her favorite character being Applejack. She always was a country girl.

11630481
Ah, that's nice. AppleJack was always one of the ones I liked the most. Love her country accent.

Login or register to comment