All My Failures

by gmoyes

Chapter 2

Tempest blinked and saw that she was facing a familiar scene. Not that there was much to see at the moment, what with the billowing steam and fog. At the time, she didn’t understand why or how Grubber managed to get his paws on a chunk of dry ice, but she had come to learn not to question him on matters concerning presentation. If there was anything the little creature was useful for, and perhaps the main reason he worked for the Storm King, it was his talent setting the stage.

“Put your hooves together for Commander Tempest!”

Tempest felt her hooves move without her control, following old familiar steps, with her horn sparking even older and even more familiar sparks. She stepped forward through the clouds to see the princesses alight in front of the ship. The scene played out how it always did. The four princesses looked at her with defiance, disdain, fear and pity while trying to reason with her. Tempest’s voice was filled with sadistic glee, words spoke of confidence and power. The princesses refusing to step down. And neither did she.

And so the battle of Canterlot began. The rest of her troops arrived and Tempest threw her opening attack, kicking a Null Orb at the gathered Princesses. According to the Storm King, Null Orbs were remnants of an old unicorn war, devices first meant to eat through warding spells and turn complex magical devices into useless obsidian. They were enchanted to seek out strong sources of magic and neutralize it. However they were also found to turn anything with a high degree of magic into stone, including ponies. As such, the devices and the knowledge of them was banned. She didn’t know where or how the Storm King got them, but he guaranteed they would stop any pesky princesses (or your money back*).

So as expected, one of the princesses, Cadence the so called Princess of Love, stepped up to shield the others and as advertised the orb ate through the warding and struck the pink princess. The orb worked perfectly, with a degree of irony as dark, twisted crystal engulfed the Crystal Princess.

Time always seemed to slow here. Orders were belted out from Princess Celestia to the younger sister to go seek useless help, cut off as the most powerful mare in the world was struck. Within moments, the sun’s light was extinguished by cold unyielding stone.

Next, an orb sent skyward towards the cowardly fleeing Princess of the Night. There it hit, causing the dark sister to become as she was a millennia ago: fallen and imprisoned in a monument with her own visage.

It was only the actions of Princess Twilight that prevented Princess Luna from shattering across the main stage. Several panicked ponies and few Stormguards trying to round them up had managed to get between herself and her target, so she launched herself into the air to kick one final orb at the last, and certainly the least, true bastion of Equestrian leadership.

Then time seemed to freeze entirely. Out of the corner of her left eye, a grey form coalesced into the shape of a Stormguard. This new guard then grabbed a grey pegasus by her blond tail where she stood in mid sprint.

Then time resumed, with the grey pegasus being halted in her tracks. Unimpeded, the orb struck Princess Twilight, just as blur and a shout rushed in to reach her. Tempest then saw a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane trying to pull the crystallizing princess out of the smoke.

“Twilight! What is--” the voice of the pegasus rasped before it was interrupted by the sound of two stone statues clattering across the plaza.

Tempest landed on the ground and stared for a moment at the aftermath of what she just did. She could hardly believe her eyes. She did it. All four princesses were incapacitated, as well as an incidental... casualty. Most of the civilians in the plaza had been subdued and herded towards the airships where they would be tasked to prepare Canterlot for the arrival of the Storm King. It was a bit overwhelming, she had brought a nation to its knees in just a couple of minutes. This was true power. The total success of the operation brought a smirk to her face. “Easy as pie.”

“Ooh I love pie!” Grubber, who had managed to catch up with her, chirped up causing Tempest to roll her eyes but not lose her pride. She had earned this moment, she wasn’t about to let the Storm King’s court jester ruin it.

“YOU!”

Tempest turned towards the shout to see an orange earth pony with a cowboy hat covering her blond hair glaring at her. She also noticed three other ponies behind her, a white unicorn who was flailing and breathing in complete hysterics, a yellow pegasus whose sobs were hidden behind long lengths of pink, and a grey-pink earth pony who was staring without emotion off into space. Judging by the shaky, but ready to charge stance of the orange earth pony, she was the one who shouted. A couple of nearby Stormguards lowered their spears and took a few steps toward the mare, but Tempest waved them off. They had already won this day and she was in a good mood. She could indulge a bit by letting this civilian speak.

“You- Y'all- You change Twilight back!” the earth pony yelled, frantically gesturing to the statues. “An’ Dash an’ the other Princesses!”

“Oh?” Tempest asked with a cruel smile. “And why should I do that? I can't allow the princesses to interfere with our plans. And besides,” she continued dismissively, “I can’t turn the princesses back to normal. And honestly, I don’t care if they ever are.”

“You- You’re lyin’!” the earth pony declared, shaking her head in protest. Tempest kept a calm gaze looking back, which after a moment seemed to shake the other pony to her core. “You… You’ve got to be lyin’! Nopony would ever betray the princesses!”

“Look around,” Tempest coolly responded giving a small gesture to the fallen Canterlot. The smoke produced by the airships had cast a dreary shade on the once vibrant city. Sounds of fighting still filled the air and she could see fire springing up from a building a couple of blocks over. “See the proof. I have nothing to lie about.”

“Horseapples ya don’t!”

“Then you are just lying to yourself.”

That seemed to be the last straw for the other mare, who let out a snort and lowered her head to charge at her. Tempest’s smirk stayed as it was. Taking down the princesses was over too quick and easy, she was looking forward to an actual fight. Though as she appraised the incoming pony, she knew she wasn’t going to get a challenge. The earth pony did look strong and probably had mean buck, but she had an apple farmer’s mark and her intentions were easily readable. Where as Tempest was bigger, armoured and had spent her whole life fighting. All she had to do was stay light on her hooves and land a few solid hits.

So as the earth pony pivoted on her front hooves to throw a buck, Tempest was already on the move. She jumped to the side, but realized she had underestimated the other mare’s speed slightly as a hoof clipped the armour plate on her hip. At worse, it would leave a small bruise, but now she knew it wasn’t play time.

Tempest spun in turn to return a more controlled kick than the one she just received, causing the other mare to stumble back out of reach to avoid it. Tempest then advanced, jumping up to strike from above. The other mare reared up to defend herself from the attack, but it was for naught as Tempest’s speed and longer reach bowled the mare over. The earth pony fell to the ground gasping for the breath stolen by metal clad hooves striking her chest.

“Is this really the best Equestria has?” Tempest sneered at the fallen pony. The other mare started to struggle to her hooves, but Tempest swept her legs out from under her with a kick. “You little ponies are weak.” She struck a hoof across the mare’s face, opening a gash on her cheek. “Hiding away in your perfect little kingdom, ignorant to the harsh realities just beyond your front door.” The mare tried to swing a hoof in retaliation but Tempest pinned the limb to the ground and leaned towards her in a hiss. “And all of Equestria’s ‘friends’ will abandon you.” She spun to give a quick kick to the mare’s side, knocking the breath out of her again.

“You’re… Lyin’...” The mare gasped between breaths.

Tempest barked out laugh. “Lying is what the world does to you, little one.” She gave a few more kicks to the mare’s side, enough to feel something give within her body, before winding up for a finishing blow to the head. “You just have to open up your eyes.” Her hoof connected with the mare’s skull which caused her to immediately slump to the ground.

She took this moment to survey the area. Her fight had attracted a bunch of attention, both from her troops and the civilians of Canterlot. Most of said citizens wore looks of horror and disgust towards the display, but Tempest ignored them. If they were going to be a threat, they missed their chance to interfere in the fight. So much for ponies always looking after one another.

“Boom!” Tempest looked over to see Grubber pointing at the defeated pony, jeering. “How do ya like them apples?!” He cackled. “Get it? Because she has-”

“I got it, Grubber,” Tempest responded with a roll of her eyes. She started to walk past him toward the petrified body of Princess Twilight. “We need to secure the princesses. The bulk of the main guard will be back any moment and we need to use the princesses as leverage to make them--”

Her orders were interrupted by a grunt of effort behind her and a large weight slamming into her back. Forelegs immediately wrapped around her neck and hooves dug into her flanks.

“I AIN’T DONE WITH YA YET!” roared a voice into her ear.

Tempest jumped and twisted to try to shake the mare off her, but it seemed that this wasn’t the mare’s first rodeo. The other mare must have been tougher than she looked and was playing dead to get back on her hooves that quick. Now she was trying to wear her down like she was a bull. It was a contest the other mare already lost due to the injuries she had already taken, so the attack was more of an annoyance than anything else. Fortunately, she had more tricks than a bull did.

So she came to a standstill and twisted her head back so the remnants of her horn pointed at her assaulter and channeled her magic. She was rewarded with a scream of pain that lanced into her ears, but the grip relaxed and Tempest threw the other mare off her. She landed in a heap, weakened and scorched but still conscious.

“You’re soft,” Tempest stated glaring at her fallen foe. “You had your hooves at my throat and it didn’t even occur to you to squeeze.” She shook her head in disgust, and then channeled her magic into the other mare once more, getting another scream of pain in response.

“Applejack!” The white unicorn that was with the mare earlier, apparently named Applejack, walked forward with her horn ablaze with light blue light.

Tempest raise an eyebrow at the new unicorn, but there was a Stormguard right next to her ready to stop her if she tried to do anything. So Tempest smirked and walked up to Applejack’s fallen form. She was impressed that the earth pony was still conscious after all of that. But she was clearly no longer a threat. “Applejack was it?” Tempest asked, prodding Applejack’s most likely broken ribs to receive the expected cry of pain. A glance at the unicorn showed her horn’s aura waver. “You’re certainly a stubborn one. Still trying to fight even after you’ve already lost. Is there anything you’d like to say for yourself?”

Applejack spat and looked towards her friend and spoke, her words twisted in pain. “Rarity, take Fluttershy, Pinkie an’ Spike an’ run. Go find help and-” the rest of the sentence was cut off in a scream of pain as Tempest’s hoof pressed into her wound.

“Wrong answer,” Tempest hissed. “There will be no help for you.” She shot a glare at the unicorn, Rarity it seemed, then panned it across the gathered crowd of ponies. “If any one of you are thinking about resisting, I kindly suggest you reconsider.” She loomed over Applejack and channeled her magic, a few stray sparks bouncing off the earth pony’s back. Out of the corner of her eye she could see a few Stormguards loading the crystallized body of Princess Cadence on a wagon. “For Applejack's sake, as well as the princesses'.”

Tempest smirked as the light on Rarity’s horn winked out. Then Rarity and most of the ponies in the crowd hung their heads in defeat, in shame of their failure to protect their oh so special harmony. Today was the best day of Tempest’s life, she had finally won and proven her power. No one would show her pity ever again. Once the Storm King arrived and restored her horn, it would be perfect.

She took a step back as a Stormguard collected Applejack, the crippled mare glaring at her even as she was roughly hoisted over the soldier’s shoulder. “If ya dare hurt my family, I’ll kill you myself,” she seethed in a dark pain-stained rage.

Tempest shrugged nonchalantly. “If any of them are in the the city, I already have. I’ll look forward to your challenge, if you don’t get yourself killed in the meantime.”

The framer struggled and spat, at least until another Stormguard came over to slip a muzzle over her head to silence her. Tempest shook her head, it was really too bad that Applejack decided to fight. A strong mare like that could have been really useful for pulling carts and other labor jobs around the city. Still, if her family was anything like her, then perhaps they could compensate.

As she though of other organizational plans, she trotted towards the closest petrified princess, Princess Twilight in this case, to inspect her work. Despite the tumble across the plaza, she was completely intact besides a few scratches on her body and a few chips off her feathers. She had frozen in mid down flap and landed on her back, one wing pointed towards her, the other pointed skyward. Tempest wondered what would happen if a wing just so happened to have broken off in the fall. She had heard that the young princess was once a regular unicorn, so she was used to living without them. “What did you do to deserve your wings?” she asked herself under her breath. She was suddenly reminded of old, bitter questions. What did she do to deserve losing her horn? Was she always destined to lose it? Would she ever get it restored? Her anger grew as she looked above the frozen expression of terror on Princess Twilight’s face to the horn on her head. Her horn would be just as easy to break off as the wings would.

“Get away from her!”

Tempest jumped a bit before seeing a purple figure crawl out from under Twilight’s far wing. Her magic flared to prepare for an attack, but then saw that it was a small lizard-like creature whose face was tear-stained. “And who might you be?” she asked with a smirk on her face.

“S-Spike the Brave and Glorious, T-Twilight’s number one assistant,” he stammered out trying to stand tall, but Tempest could tell it was all bluster.

“D’aww aren’t you cute,” Tempest stated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Applejack mentioned a Spike earlier, she didn't imagine this pathetic little thing. “Princess Twilight’s little pet.”

“I- I’m not a pet!” he protested, crossing his arms. “I’m a genuine dragon.”

Tempest snorted and rolled her eyes. “Oh, of course you are. If you were a real dragon you would have fought and not hide beneath your mistress being a crybaby. If you were a true dragon, you might have even been able to hold off our attack.”

“I-I’m not a crybaby,” he protested, the tears welling in his eyes instantly disproving him. And here she was trying to flatter him, it wouldn't have mattered if there was a real dragon in Canterlot or not. The Storm King's ships had enough firepower to take out even a Dragon Lord.

“Uh huh,” she replied skeptically. “You know, I think the Storm King might take a shining to you. You have a lot in common with Grubber."

And speak of the devil, the fuzzy little creature just popped up again, looking between her, Spike and himself. "I don't see it."

Tempest rolled her eyes once again and turned her attention back to Spike who was still standing adamantly by his mistress' side. "Move," she ordered. "I have matters to attend to with Princess Twilight.”

“I’m not leaving her!” he roared, which might have been intimidating if he wasn’t a harmless little lizard.

“We’ll see about that,” Tempest said as she reached down to pick him up by the scruff of his neck.

The next thing she knew, her entire world was enveloped in green flames.

Tempest gasped as she found herself back in Oracle’s wagon. It felt as if she was just asleep, but it felt so real. It was just like that day in Canterlot… up until it wasn’t. Her heart was still hammering and she swore she could still feel some lingering flames. “What... what was that!?”

Oracle wasn’t in her seat, but was instead pouring them both a new cup of tea. “That was my talent," she stated calmly, returning to her chair. "Please relax, we have much to discuss and unpack.”

Author's Note:

I was tempted to not have those last couple of lines, but I didn't want to mislead you guys with a cliffhanger. Also, if you wouldn't mind, please check out my introductory blog.

Comments

[EverfreePony]

Well, didn’t expect to see the chapter filled with so much savagery and also cuteness, but I have to say, it flowed well and was very enjoyable I wonder, given this was Tempest reliving the alternate form of the event, shouldn’t she be aware of the other characters’ names and such? Just struck me as odd.

By the way, noticed another bunch of grammar errors, would you be possibly interested in me going through the text and marking them for you?

[Lets Do This]

This is nice, a really strong AU chapter, with the characters pretty much true to form (for this point in the movie, particularly Tempest). As Everfree notes, you could take advantage of Tempest's hindsight in this vision, though it could also be important that she's "reliving" the events in such detail that she doesn't have that hindsight during then. We'll want to see more chapters to get a sense of what the "rules" are for these visions, and how that plays into the overall story. Keep it up!

[gmoyes]

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Thanks again for the feedback you two! And yeah, the reliving thing is something that will be discussed coming up.

And Everfree, I'd greatly appreciate the editing assist. Thanks for offering!

[Matthais Unidostres]

. . . .
Are you suggesting that Spike would have killed Tempest?
Wow. . . bold.

[headdie]

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in certain stories it's suggested that spike has no control if the thing he is burning is transported to Celestia, Fallout Equestria, kkat uses it to transport the main character to a key, impenetrable location to set up the final phase of the story, but the character in question does suffer being immolated to death in the process.