A Simple Lesson
Tempest Shadow calmly stood in front of the cutie map, her eyes focusing solely on Twilight as she spoke about friendship.
“I think a good start for you would be something simple. After all you never truly had a chance when you were a filly.
“I'm willing to try whatever you think is best, Princess.”
“Please, Tempest, call me Twilight. After all, there's no difference between you and I,” replied Twilight Sparkle, a soft smile forming across her muzzle. Twilight Sparkle knew it would take quite a long while for Tempest to truly adjust to their world, after all she had been deceived by the Storm King. It was no wonder she might have issues with trust. Lifting her hoof under her chin, she stared at the map, trying to think of a good place to send Tempest, somewhere that might help teach her more about friendship at the same time. This wasn't like it had been with Starlight. She wasn't panicking nearly as much. Twilight couldn't help but worry even now.
“Hello, Twilight-- oh! Tempest it's nice to see you two. Um...Twilight I was wondering if you could do me a small favor if you wouldn't mind...” whispered Fluttershy, standing there in the doorway, steadily approaching the two nervously. She hated asking for favors, but she really needed their help right about now.
“How can I help?” questioned Twilight softly. She walked over beside Tempest as she waited for Fluttershy to continue. An idea was already forming in her mind. That Tempest might be able to help Fluttershy.
“Well...it's Angel. I really need some pony to watch over him, just for a few days while I'm gone. I thought maybe you could. I could even bring him here if that would help,” spoke Fluttershy, a slight eep escaping her throat when Angel jumped out of her bag all on his own, shaking his little paws at her. He immediately jumped onto her back, and crossed his arms over his chest defensively, letting out a deep breath.
“Fluttershy, I would be glad to help, but I have a better idea. Tempest, I believe I found you your first friendship problem,” smiled Twilight pointing her hoof towards Angel.
“How exactly will taking care of a pet help me to learn friendship?” questioned Tempest, raising her eyebrows a bit at this suggestion. Surely, the Princess of Friendship wasn't going to assign her to a simple task of pet-sitting, when she was capable of so much more.
“Oh, you'd be surprised how much you can learn from pet sitting.” replied Twilight softly, walking over and petting Angel Bunny's head softly.
Angel just gave Twilight an annoyed look, sticking his tongue out, and shaking his little clenched paw at her very rapidly, as he jumped up and down.
“Oh...but Twilight, Tempest has never had a pet before, how would she know how to take care of one?” questioned Fluttershy, a bit concerned at the thought of leaving Angel with some pony that didn't really know much about pets, or ponies for that matter. She had been rather isolated from the world.
“Baby steps, Fluttershy. We can't just send her out to save Equestria after just learning how to be a friend. There's so much more than that, and sometimes, the best lessons are the simple ones. I think it's a great idea for Tempest to watch Angel, and I'll be sure to check on her throughout the day to make sure everything is going good, is that alright?”
“I don't know, Twilight...you know how Angel Bunny can be around strangers,” replied Fluttershy. She didn't have a whole lot of time to argue or she would miss her train.
“I’m sure it will be fine once they get to know each other.”replied Twilight once again rubbing her hoof over Angel Bunny's head softly. Angel continued to have an annoyed look on his face, looking all scrunched up and ears flattening to the sides of his face, attempting to tell Twilight something that she clearly couldn't understand.
“Well...if you are sure, I suppose it's alright. Just be careful okay? His favorite food is carrots, but make sure he eats other things too. Um...please don't hurt him, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to him,” spoke Fluttershy, picking Angel up and sitting him down in front of Tempest and Twilight. She knelt down to nuzzle Angel goodbye.
“You be good for Tempest okay? I'll be back in a few days. I promise.” replied Fluttershy. She wrapped her hooves around Twilight, giving her a soft hug. Fluttershy pursed her muzzle looking towards Tempest, hesitantly giving her a light pat on her shoulder, as she wasn't sure how she'd feel about a hug just yet.
“Have fun on your trip Fluttershy!” smiled Twilight, waving as she left the castle. Angel tried to run after Fluttershy, but Tempest immediately put a hoof over the fluff of his tail.
Angel fidgeted around as he tried getting free from Tempest, Tempest was about to use her magic if this little bunny kept annoying her.
Twilight Sparkle immediately looked to Tempest and shook her head quickly. “No, Tempest...you can't do that.”
Tempest tilted her head towards Twilight, dimmed her magic illuminating from her horn and let out a deep long sigh.
“This is going to be a real pain in my flank dealing with this bunny...” replied Tempest.
Twilight paused in her steps, thinking it may be best to make sure Tempest didn't hurt the poor bunny while she was off doing errands to prepare for her school.
“Now, just try listening to him, I know it's hard for us to understand how he speaks, but if you are patient with him, I'm sure the two of you will become good friends. Now...you are free to use my castle, you have free roam, but I really do need to get going now. Just promise me no magic.”
“Very well, Princess, I promise not to use magic or harm the bunny,” replied Tempest with a slight sigh. This was going to be more annoying then she originally thought. She leaned over giving Twilight a slight embrace before she left the castle.
Angel Bunny managed to get his tail free of Tempest's hoof, and scurried off deeper into the castle.
“Hey! Come back here right now.” shouted Tempest quickly dashing after him. This place was huge, he could be anywhere. Damn that stupid bunny! Ack. How was this supposed to teach her anything about friendship? If anything it taught her she should be more careful when watching someone else's pet.
How was she going to find a tiny bunny in a giant castle? Damn it...Of all the luck. Why couldn't she get asked to do something more suited to her, like fighting. Now she had to play hide and seek with a devil. Tempest didn't even truly know her way around this place yet, but now she had plenty of time to figure it out. The hallways felt like they went on forever. She checked the kitchen first, remembering the scent of Pinkie Pie's cupcakes on the celebration of saving Equestria. Glancing from one side of the kitchen to the other, looking for any small little detail that might stick out, she noticed it, a half bitten carrot. Immediately, she calmly walked over, taking it into her hooves. The little bunny was hungry huh? She couldn't help but smirk a wide eyed grin as she began forming a plan in the back of her mind.
“Come here, little bunny,” she commanded. She stood there, as her eyes studied every little bit of the room. If that bunny was here, she'd be able to find him.
Angel was safely hidden behind the mop bucket, fidgeting slightly. He wanted Fluttershy to come back. He didn't know this pony and didn't want to. He put his little paws together, a devilish smirk crossing his face, his whispers perking, his long ears going from side to side. Quickly he dashed out, grabbing the half-carrot right from Tempest's hooves into his mouth, and into Starlight's room. He didn't know if she was there or not, but Angel really liked that pony, even more than his owner.
“Come back here!” spoke Tempest as she reached out her other hoof to snatch him up by his fluffy little cottontail.
Angel squeaked, and fidgeted, and flail wildly, attempting to kick Tempest with his strong footpads.
Tempest's immediate thought was to show this bunny a piece of her mind, as her horn began to glow with magic. Then she remembered Twilight's words about not hurting Angel. She dimmed her magic down, just in the nick of time, but when she looked back to where Angel had been, he was gone.
“STUPID bunny!” she shouted. She took a deep steady breath. She couldn't let a rabbit get the better of her. After all, she had captured four alicorn princesses and enslaved the entirely of Equestria when she had been working under the storm King, and to think a rabbit was outwitting her was making her furious. She could feel the magic within her flaring up. She knew she couldn't use her magic. She had to figure out how to trick this bunny at his own little game. Tempest searched around the kitchen for a basket, a carrot, and some sort of way of propping it up. After she got it all set up, she sighed slightly, there was no way that he was going to fall for this. Maybe she should ask for help, but she was the only one here. She sat down on her flank, trying to think about this logically. He was a bunny, he surely couldn't keep avoiding her forever, and if he kept hiding she might never find him. She left her trap there and began once more searching the rooms of the castle.
“Here little one, come on out, I just want to play.” she spoke in a soft gentle tone,
Angel hid in Starlight's room, under her bed, his ears over his eyes, moving one to look to see if any pony was around. He was sad that Starlight wasn't here. He had to deal with this pony all by himself. Angel shook his little paws, and began doing a little rant as he came out and jumped up on the bed. He saw Tempest enter the room, and he froze, thinking quickly, he threw a pillow at her, and dashed out under her frame.
Tempest Shadow couldn't help but smirk as the bunny froze at the sight of her, she had him now. She pranced into the room, when she felt a pillow hit her right in the muzzle, she shook her head as it fell to the ground, and her horn lit up as she felt like shooting this damn rabbit with a beam of magic. However, instead of hurting the rabbit, she destroyed the pillow with a blast of magic from her horn.
Angel Bunny dashed off into the next available room, jumping up onto Spike's bed. He scurried around looking for anything he might be able to use as a method of defense, his ears twitched when he heard hoof steps approaching from behind.
“I've got you now, you stupid rabbit,” spoke Tempest from behind him, standing just into the room, and having shut the door behind her with one strong hindquarter kick. There was no way he was dashing out of the room this time. This time she would have the rabbit for sure.
Spike's room was certainly large enough to maneuver around in, and Angel Bunny was quick to action. Wasting no time at all, in throwing whatever he could get his little paws on at Tempest. Pillows went flying first, but this time, Tempest was ready, she shot them with her magic as they exploded in front of her, she felt a feather catch in her tongue, causing her to choke slightly, while gasping for breath.
Angel dashed over to the door, while Tempest was briefly distracted, and hopped up and down, grasping at the door handle, just barely managing to turn it slightly with his paws, but not quite opening it.
Tempest Shadow turned around when she heard the slight movements before her, watching as the poor little bunny struggled with the door.
“Face it, you're trapped,” spoke Tempest, a grin spreading across her muzzle. Finally...these games of his were finally over.
Angel Bunny raised his head to look up at Tempest, a slight drop of sweat running down his cheeks, swallowing a gulp of air. His eyes darting from side to side, quickly surveying what he could do to get out of her grasp once more. Angel Bunny took out a carrot he had held onto from the kitchen, and threw it at Tempest's muzzle.
Tempest chuckled as she caught the carrot with her magic. “You can't really be serious?” she asked the bunny, even though she knew he wouldn't respond, but when she gazed towards where he had been standing here was gone. Darn that stupid rabbit! How did he keep managing to avoid her? He must have ducked under the door somehow. She opened up the door handle to investigate the castle further, she really wished she had studied the layout of this place, before she had agreed to pet sitting. She could be at this for days at this rate! She wasn't even sure she'd survive the first hour let alone a full day. She wondered how in the name of all things Celestia, Fluttershy was able to handle this devil..
Angel Bunny smirked as he dashed under Tempest Shadow's body once more and ran down the hallway. He had tricked her into opening the door. He hurried into the next available room, finding it filled to the brim with notes, books and quills. It was quite the mess, and he now had weapons to use. He built a fortress of books and hid behind them, waiting for Tempest, knowing she was right on his tail.
Tempest Shadow paused a moment. What was the point of this hide and seek game he was playing with her? She didn't understand this rabbit at all. Perhaps if she ever got a pet of her own, she'd get something aggressive like an eagle to scoop down and eat that rabbit, though she was sure Fluttershy wouldn't be very happy with her then.
Angel Bunny sprinted into Twilight's room next. The room was filled with books, notepads, and quills. The bed itself was perfectly made, just right, but the floor was a mess of all sorts of information. Angel didn't care much about this, and planned to use the books as a fort. He hid behind them and waited for Tempest to approach. He waited for a few minutes. Nothing. The room was surprisingly silent. His ears twitched as he listened carefully to hear if he could make out the sounds of her hoof prints hitting the floor of the hallway, but still nothing. Thinking she must have given up, Angel bunny wiped the sweat off his forehead with his paw, and went out into the hallway.
Tempest Shadow had paused simply waiting and watching for her moment of opportunity. She knew chasing this bunny all over the castle wasn't getting anywhere. She had to make him come to her, and when he showed up right in front of her, the temptation was too high. She shot him with a blast of her magic.
Angel Bunny heard the horn glowing, and dodged up into the air just in the nick of time, flailing as he fell to his face back onto the floor. Angel stood up after regaining his composure, his face all scrunched up, nose twitching, staring at Tempest giving her that look of clear annoyance. However Angel wasn't out of tricks yet. He ran off ahead of her, sticking his tongue out as he ran into the bathroom, and hid inside the tub, letting the water flow from the spout. He grabbed the shower hose that was attached to the wall and was ready to strike the second he saw Tempest enter the room
Tempest couldn't believe the bunny had dodged her magic. She wasn't one to miss, but she remembered Twilight's words. She had promised not to use magic, but this rabbit was driving her crazy! She couldn't stand much more of this. She heard water running coming from the bathroom. Did he really think he could stop her with water? He had another thing coming....
Tempest trotted into the bathroom, noticing Angel Bunny wasn't in line of sight, and then she gazed towards the tub, and that's when she felt the water hit against her eyes, forcing her to close them as she tried desperately not to use lightning magic on the water and fry the stupid vermin and explain it to Fluttershy later. However she managed to somehow control her temper, actually going and shutting off the water by hoof, as Angel once again dashed off.
This was beyond ridiculous, she couldn't take all this back and forth. She knew as much as she hated to admit it, this bunny had her right where he wanted her, and it felt like she was the pet and he the owner. She took a few brief moments to calm her nerves before going to find Angel once more. Perhaps this time...she needed to actually calm her mind before speaking to him, perhaps make a deal with the little devil so she could actually have room to breathe.
Angel Bunny dashed on top of the cutie map, he jumped up and down frantically on the table, when his ears perked at the sound of hoof prints. He turned and noticed Tempest standing there watching him.
“Come on, little one I just want to play,” she spoke. She couldn't believe she was talking to a rabbit, it wasn't like it could understand her. She tried to seem like she was being kind and sincere, when in all reality the look on her face, clearly looked scrunched up, and rather annoyed at how irritating it was to tame one little bunny.
Angel just raised an eyebrow, and tilted his head to the side. Tapping his foot against the table, in an annoyed mannerism. He scrunched up his face a bit more, and shook his little fist at her as he hopped up and down on the table, a slight growl escaping his maw.
Tempest Shadow just gave Angel Bunny a death glare, and a large huff out of her muzzle, as she hoof palmed. There was no way she was going to be able to handle this bunny. She really didn't understand why Twilight assigned her to such a task. This was beyond ridiculous! What was the point of all this? Other than driving her crazy with wanting to just kill the stupid bunny. Tempest Shadow took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying Twilight's approach to things. She wasn't one to just charge in, Twilight had given her a chance when nopony else would. She knew as hard as it might seem, nothing could be worse than letting the Princess down. She calmly approached Angel Bunny whom was stilling sitting on his rump on the table.
He gave her a suspicious look, almost like he was challenging her to try something. Angel starred back into her deep blue eyes, as he tapped his foot, arms still crossed, turning his head to the side and letting out a huff of a breath.
“Now...listen I don't want to hurt you. Twilight asked me to look after you while she's out on errands. I realize you might not like me, and I don't really like you, so let's try to bear through this until she returns. What do you say?” she asked, standing on her hindquarters, putting her forehooves onto the table, hoping he might accept her offer of peace. She was tired of these games, and she knew she couldn't afford to keep wasting energy on a rabbit, after all one never knew when she might be needed for some real action.
Angel just gave her that same suspicious look, tapping his foot for awhile, tapping his paw against his chin, almost like he was deep in thought. Suddenly he nodded in response to Tempest, and held out his paw.
Tempest Shadow shook his paw very gently, and the two agreed to tolerate each other until Twilight returned. Tempest Shadow didn't quite understand the purpose of Twilight leaving her to such a simple task, but now she was beginning to understand. Not every problem had to be complicated, or full of intense action to be serious. Sometimes it would be a simple problem, that she would have to work through, in order to learn more about friendship. After all, she didn't have much of a childhood after her horn had broken. She smiled softly as she sat down on one of the chairs of the cutie map. She wasn't sure when Twilight would be back, but she felt such a huge amount of relief that she had finally settled things with Angel. She couldn't imagine how Fluttershy dealt with him on a daily basis, even one day had practically driven her crazy.