> The Perfect Partner
>  by HAKDurbin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s been many moons since the Storm King’s defeat at the Battle of Canterlot, and Tempest Shadow has been much better for it. Since that time, she has been traveling around the world to spread the news of his defeat. It was a long and tiresome journey considering how the Storm King's reign was long and spread throughout lands unknown to Equestria and their allies. Many were reluctant to believe that they were free from the tyrant, especially when the words were coming from his second-in-command, but Tempest was able to prove her claims. She even helped some countries adjust to living independently, such as the land of the storm creatures, the homeland of the Storm King. 
But even though her travels led her far from Equestria, she found time to visit her homeland now and then. She kept in touch with Princess Twilight Sparkle, she rekindled her friendship with some of the ponies from her hometown and took part in stopping Queen Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow from taking over Equestria. Later, she attended Princess Twilight Sparkle's coronation when she became the ruler of Equestria. But she never stayed for long, for she had been away from Equestria for so long that her homeland felt alien compared to what she has seen or experienced beyond the country.
But still, Tempest was content with how her life changed for the better. With each place she went to for her quest, she felt as though her soul was becoming more whole. No longer was the mare focused on her desire to fix her horn. She was on a better path to help others, and she became proud of the pony she had become. But as time went on, she began to realize that she didn’t know what to do next.
This was what was on her mind as she rode the train to Mt. Aris. Queen Novo, the leader of the hippogriffs, decided to create an annual holiday to celebrate the Storm King's defeat. She invited creatures from many lands who were under the king's rule to come and celebrate. Even Tempest, much to her surprise, was invited to join the celebration. The dark orchid mare was hesitant to accept the offer but decided to go since she would be celebrating with creatures she befriended since the Battle of Canterlot.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the train slowly come to a complete stop at the station. When Tempest came out of the train car, she was instantly in awe of how the area changed. The beach had become a port where the Hippogriff Navy dwelled, and the hippogriffs interacted with the seaponies from Seaquestria. The mare couldn't believe how the desolate place became a place for creatures to live together in peace.
"Tempest!"
Tempest turned her head to see the smiling face of Princess Twilight herself. The unicorn smiled back as she walked over to hug her friend, whom she had not seen since her coronation.
"Oh, it's so good to see you," Twilight said.
"It's good to see you too, Twilight," Tempest said as they broke the hug. "How's ruling an entire kingdom treating you?"
Twilight huffed and said, "Oh, you know. Spike and I are learning to take it one day at a time."
"That's good to hear," Tempest said. "Speaking of Spike, are all of your friends here too?"
"No, they're looking after Equestria in my stead," Twilight answered. "We just had this year's Friendship Festival, so they're staying to clean up while I help the hippogriffs set up here."
"That's a shame," Tempest said. "I was hoping to see them."
"Well, it can't be helped when the official day of the party is the day we stopped the Storm King," Twilight said.
"That's true," Tempest said. "Still, they saved the world with you. It only makes sense that they should be here for this occasion."
"Not just us, though," Twilight said. "Don't forget that Capper and the pirates helped too. Not to mention you were the one who saved us from the Storm King turning us into stone."
Tempest frowned and said, "I don't think what I did was something that really determined the fate of the world."
"I think it is," Twilight said. "You risked your life to protect us. Who knows what would have happened to Equestria with the Storm King still around? Besides, you're doing so much now with your travels, right?"
Tempest winced and looked away from her friend. Twilight's smile disappeared, and she asked, "Have things not been going well?"
"Oh, no. Everything has been going great," Tempest said quickly. 
"Okay, so what's the matter?" Twilight asked.
Tempest hesitated before she sighed and said, "I just finished with my quest."
"And why is that a problem?" Twilight asked. "I thought you would be glad that every creature knows that the Storm King is gone."
"I am," Tempest said. "But now that my task is done, I don't know what to do now."
"Oh, is that it?" Twilight asked with a smile. "Well, you could come back to Canterlot with me or stay with Starlight in Ponyville if you want."
Tempest shook her head and said, "I appreciate the offers, Twilight, but I don't want to stay in Equestria."
"Why not?" Twilight asked. 
"Because I don't belong there," Tempest answered. "Don't get me wrong, Twilight, I love seeing you, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and the others whenever I visit, but I've always been a pony who travels from place to place for as long as I can remember. Whether it was trying to fix my horn, serving the Storm King, or spreading the news of his defeat, I've always been a traveler with a goal. Now, I have no other task to complete, but I don't want to stop moving."
"Sounds like you want to keep traveling for the sake of traveling," Twilight said. 
"Yes. No. Kinda," Tempest said. "What I want is a reason to move forward. I want to have a purpose. I don't know what that could be, but I doubt it will be somewhere in Equestria."
"You don't know that," Twilight said. "Equestria has a place for many creatures in some way or another. Maybe you just need to find what that could be for you."
Tempest sighed again and said, "I don't see how it can."
Twilight frowned as her friend looked up at the sky in thought. She wished she knew what else to say that would encourage Tempest, but there was nothing she could say that she didn't say before. She let out a sigh, accepting that what Tempest wants is something that she had to discover for herself. 
"Hey, let's not worry about that, right now," she suggested with a smile. "The festival is tomorrow, so you have a whole day to unwind and celebrate with creatures who are happy to be free like you are."
Tempest kept staring at the sky for a moment before she turned to Twilight with a small smile.
"You're right," she said. "I should take this time to be happy like everyone else."
"There you go," Twilight said. "Come on. Queen Novo wants to talk to you about something for tomorrow night. I think you'll like what she's going to ask."
Tempest's smile grew, interested in what the ruler of the mountain wants to talk to her about, and started following Twilight. Meanwhile, a stallion with moderate gamboge fur and pale yellow mane and tail with a steak of white was also exiting the station. He wandered through the beach in awe as though it was made of gold, happily watching hippogriffs set up for the festival. He took a deep breath to smell the fresh salt-water air before he said with a grin, "Look out, Trenderhoof. This is going to be a trip you will never forget."
> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Twilight and Tempest entered Queen Novo's throne room, Princess Skystar almost instantly appeared before Twilight, showering her with questions. When she noticed that Tempest was there, she sporadically introduced herself to her. Tempest was dumbfounded with the princess, wondering if she didn't know she led the attack on Mt. Aris but eased up when she figured that the bubbly hippogriff knew who she was and wasn't holding her deeds against her. 
After Skystar calmed down, Queen Novo flew over to Tempest from her throne and gave her a warm welcome, making the dark orchid mare more comfortable. The queen then requested Tempest to do something special at the very end of the festival. Tempest was unsure of the request because it involved her standing on a stage, but she ultimately agreed to do it. After discussing further details with the queen's plan, the two ponies exited the palace with Tempest feeling both excited and nervous, which Twilight noticed.
"You're going to do great," she said. "Every creature is going to love it."
"But, I've never done that in front of a crowd before, Twilight, " Tempest said. 
"That shouldn't stop you," Twilight said. "After all, you want to show what you can do, so this is your chance to show it in front of everyone."
Tempest chuckled with her mouth closed and said, "Can't argue with that. Until then, is there anything I can do to help set up in the meantime?"
"Not at the moment," Twilight replied before she added proudly. "Thanks to my organizing skills, we pretty much have everything covered in time for tomorrow."
"Oh. Okay," Tempest said, lowering her head in disappointment. 
It took a moment before Twilight realized that Tempest was hoping to keep herself from worrying about what she'll do after the festival. The princess scratched her chin in thought until she glanced at the large gate on the west side of the village and got an idea.
"But if you're looking for something to do, you could visit the Harmonizing Heights," she suggested, pointing at the gate with her hoof. "It's a great place to relax."
Tempest turned to the gate and saw the trees and green hills behind it. She looked at the entrance with a hesitant look before she said, "I guess I could use some relaxation after a long journey."
Twilight smiled as she watched her friend walk toward the direction of Harmonizing Heights, hoping that her idea will give Tempest the rest she's looking for. She then summoned a large roll of parchment from her sack with her magic and started browsing through the list as she walked back to the port. It wasn't long, however, before she was so focused on the list that she bumped heads with someone. The two of them stepped back and rubbed their heads before Twilight moved her parchment away from her face to see a familiar pony.
"Trenderhoof?" She asked.
It took a moment before Trenderhoof opened his eyes and gave the alicorn a friendly smile.
"Princess Twilight. Please forgive me. I wasn't looking where I was going," he said.
"Oh, please don't worry about it. I wasn't looking either," Twilight replied. "And you don't need to be so formal. We're friends."
"Of course, Prin - er, Twilight," Trenderhoof said. "It's good to see you again."
"You too," Twilight said. "Did you come to work on an article for the festival?"
"How could I not?" Trenderhoof answered with a blissful look. "Writing an article for a new global holiday is the chance of the millennium. Why I think I can even bring all of Equestria to participate in this holiday in the future."
"Really?" Twilight asked, confused. "How are you going to do that? The creatures here all come from places where they were oppressed by the Storm King for years, whereas Equestria had had to worry about him for only a day."
"True, but we ponies know a thing or two about going through great peril whether it was that horrible centaur, Tirek, or that little filly, Cozy Glow, and the changelings just to name a couple. Why I bet I can get the entire Crystal Empire interested in this festival after experiencing all those years of King Sombra ruling over them."
"Hmmm. I see your point," Twilight said. "I guess every creature has been a victim of dark forces in some way or another."
"Exactly," Trenderhoof said.
"Well, Queen Novo wants this festival to be celebrated globally, so I think she would appreciate it if you can bring more creatures to celebrate it," Twilight said. "Either way, I hope you have fun tomorrow."
"Thank you. I hope I do too," Trenderhoof said. "In the meantime, are there any special places that I can explore in this mountain? I was thinking of visiting Seaquestria, but after hearing some of the things they have planned there for tomorrow, I thought I should save that for the festival."
Twilight smiled and said, "As a matter of fact, I just sent a friend of mine to this place called Harmonizing Heights. It's just through the western gate over there."
"Sounds perfect," he says. "Thank you, princ - uh, I mean, Twilight."
Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement as the stallion walked away. She then summoned her list with her magic again and went back to looking through it as she walked. But after a few seconds, she stopped walking and realized that Trenderhoof and Tempest were likely going to see each other at the heights. For a moment, Twilight felt concerned since Tempest is usually not comfortable around ponies that aren't her or her friends. She considered going over there, but then she thought about it for a moment and shrugged. 
"I'm sure they'll be fine," she said. "What's the worst that can happen?"

***********************************************************

As Twilight was going back to her duties, Tempest was walking through the meadow at Harmonizing Heights. She was in awe of the waterfalls coming down from the tall cliffs to the river. Birds were singing together from the trees, and the wind was giving a soft breeze. The mare took a deep breath to get a fill of the fresh air and let it out slowly with a smile.
"Twilight was right," she said. "This is relaxing."
"I know. It takes your breath away, doesn't it?" says a voice from behind.
Tempest let out a yelp and, upon instinct, kicked the creature behind her with her hind legs. The creature didn't have a moment to recover before Tempest made her victim fall with a low kick. Then, she grabbed the creature by the tail with her mouth, jumped high into the air, and slammed the creature into the ground with a flip. The dark orchard mare summoned sparks from her broken horn, preparing to defend herself further until she realized the creature she just attacked was a skinny, helpless stallion. She covered her mouth in shock before she noticed the stallion's glasses lying on the grass a few feet away from him. 
"Oh, my goodness! I'm so, so sorry!" She said as she picked up the glasses with her hoof. 
Trenderhoof groaned as he lifted his head to see a blurry figure handing his glasses to him. He levitated his glasses with his horn and placed them back in front of his eyes. As soon as he was able to see clearly, however, he gasped as he looked at Tempest's face in wonder. Tempest tilted her head in confusion, having never seen anyone look at her this way before. 
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Okay?" Trenderhoof asked as he stood up with a smile. "How could I not be okay when I'm gazing at such distinctive beauty?"
"Huh?" Tempest asked. 
"Tell me, dear lady, may I know your name?" Trenderhoof requested.
"Uh, it's Tempest," Tempest answered.
"Ah, Tempest," Trenderhoof said blissfully. "What an interesting name for a pony of such vision."
Tempest took a step back and asked, "Did I give you a concussion or something? Cause I don't think you're in your right mind."
"On the contrary, I think I can say my mind is clearer than it has been all my life," Trenderhoof claimed. "Why, I'm feeling a sudden burst of inspiration."
Tempest's confusion grew as the stallion placed his hoof on his chest and cleared his throat loudly.
"Oh, what a blessed soul am I," he began. "To come from my homeland and see such great wonders. A mountain full of amazing creatures, many unknown to my kin, gathering together to celebrate, and this place of sanctuary scarcely occupied. Here the water as blue as the sky falls down from the majestic cliffs with a crash and flows down the river as softly as a whisper. The birds sing together in fellowship, and the wind gently blows through the emerald grass. Together they create a song of perfect harmony that never ends and can never be replicated. And yet, all the glory in such a place can't compare to the beauty in front of me. Fur like the black orchid flower. Opal eyes shining like jewels. There's nothing like the mesmerizing face of such a mysterious-looking pony. The pony named Tempest."
Nothing was heard except for the birds chirping after Trenderhoof finished. Suddenly, a snort came out of Tempest's mouth. She covered her mouth for a moment before she pulled her head back and burst into laughter. Trenderhoof's confidence faltered as Tempest held onto her gut with tears in her eyes. After a minute, Tempest calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes before noticing that Trenderhoof was hurt. 
"Wait. Are you serious?" She asked. 
"Well, yes. Why wouldn't I be?" Trenderhoof asked.
"Because it sounded like you were saying I'm pretty," Tempest replied.
"No, I'm saying you're beautiful," Trenderhoof said.
"Same difference," Tempest said. "The point is you're saying that to a mare that has a large scar and a broken horn."
"So, just because somepony has a scar or a broken horn, they can't be beautiful?" Trenderhoof challenged. 
Tempest opened her mouth to counter Trenderhoof, but she stopped herself when she realized she didn't know what to say to that kind of question. The longer she struggled to find a convincing argument, the more she began to realize that this pony was sincere. For a brief moment, her cheeks started to heat up, but then her senses caught up, and she shook away her blush.
"Okay, let's say for the sake of the argument you find me attractive," she began. "You still don't even know me."
"True, but I'd like to," Trenderhoof said. 
"I don't think you'd like what you'd find out," Tempest said.
"Try me," Trenderhoof challenged. 
Tempest raised her eyebrow at the stallion's persistence. It was clear that he wasn't there when she attacked Canterlot, but she thought ponies in Equestria might know all about the Storm King's second-in-command like the rest of the world. She decided to humor Trenderhoof, thinking he might go away when he learns the truth.
"I was the Storm King's lieutenant," she said. "I invaded Canterlot to help the Storm King take the magic of the princesses."
Trenderhoof's smile weakened, and he asked, "Oh, so you're the pony who led his army."
"That's right," Tempest said.
"I see," Trenderhoof said before he smiled again and asked. "But didn't you defect from the Storm King and save Princess Twilight and her friends?"
"Uh, well, yes," Tempest admitted.
"And you don't want to harm anyone anymore?" Trenderhoof asked.
"No, of course not," Tempest said defensively. "I don't ever want to hurt any creature ever again.
"Well, then I have nothing to fear by being around you, do I?" Trenderhoof said, his confidence rising again. 
Tempest hesitated, realizing that Trenderhoof had the upper hand and said, "I guess not."
"Then there it is," Trenderhoof said. "And now that that's settled, may I ask if you are going to the festival with someone?"
"Uh, no," Tempest answered, unsure of where Trenderhoof is going with the question.
"Well, then would you do me the honor of going to the festival with me?" Trenderhoof requested. 
Tempest looked at the stallion dumbfounded and asked, "You mean like a date?" 
"Of course," Trenderhoof replied.
"Why would I do that? I don't even know who you are," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof's eyes widened, and he said, "Oh my, you're right. How inconsiderate of me. I am Trenderhoof at your service, my lady, but you may call me Trend."
"Very well, 'Trend,'" Tempest said. "I still see no reason why I should go to the festival with someone I don't know."
"Well, that's the beauty of dates. We find out more about each other by spending time together," Trenderhoof said. "The way I see it, you don't know much about me, and I know little of the pony you've become since the Storm King's defeat. Thus, we are on equal footing in terms of how much we need to know about each other, and we would have a whole day of going to a grand festival to fix that. Not to mention, it would be more fun than to go to the festival alone."
"How do you know that?" Tempest asked.
"I don't," Trenderhoof answered. "The truth is I'm a traveling writer. I write about all sorts of holidays, festivals, galas, fairs, and so on. I interact with the ponies who are from wherever the event takes place, but I still discover what the event has to offer on my own. So, I suggest that we go together because I'd like to get to know you more, and I think it would be exciting that we go to a brand new festival as a date. Besides, the Festival of the Free Creatures is supposed to be a time of unity, so no creature should participate in it alone. What do you say?"
Once again, Tempest looked away hesitantly. She wanted to go to the festival alone as she planned, but at the same time, Trenderhoof was right about the purpose behind the holiday. After all, seeing creatures who were oppressed by the Storm King coming together is why she decided to come. If nothing else, she saw humoring the strange stallion as a means to distract her from her worries about after the festival.
"You make a reasonable case, Trend," Tempest said. "Very well, I accept your request."
Trenderhoof beamed with stars in his eyes and said, "Fantastic! Shall we meet in front of the royal palace, say at around ten and walk down to the beach for the opening ceremony?"
"Well, I am staying with the queen, so that makes sense," Tempest said. 
"Perfect," Trenderhoof chirped. 
The area became quiet after the agreement was made. Tempest looked away from Trenderhoof and lightly kicked the ground with her front hoof while the stallion was still looking at her with a big smile. Eventually, the dark orchid mare quietly cleared her throat and said, "Well, I better get going. My friend will be wondering where I am by now."
"Oh, would you like me to walk you there?" Trenderhoof asked.
"Uh, that's nice of you to offer, but I'll be fine," Tempest said politely. "You just go ahead and keep admiring the heights, and I'll see you tomorrow."
"As you wish," Trenderhoof said with a bow. "Fare thee well, my lady."
"Yeah, bye," Tempest said plainly.
Tempest turned around and walked back toward the village. She stopped at the gate and looked back to find Trenderhoof still there, giving her a wave. She forced a grin on her face and waved back before she made her way back to the palace. Tempest sighed as she walked, feeling relieved to be away from the passionate pony, but as she made her way back to the palace, she thought about Trenderhoof calling her beautiful, and her cheeks turned pink again.
> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Tempest was snoring in one of the palace's bed chambers when she felt a nudge on her back. She moaned softly and pulled her blanket to cover her head, but the act only gave her a second before the blanket levitated into the air. Tempest whined as she reluctantly opened her eyes to see Twilight looking at her with a cheerful smile.
"Rise and shine, Tempest," Twilight chirped. 
"Ugh. One more hour, Twilight," Tempest begged.
"Oh, don't be such a big baby," Twilight said. "It's a few minutes until ten. The opening ceremony starts in thirty-six minutes."
Tempest groaned in defeat, making Twilight chuckle. Then her eyes snapped open, and she turned to the clock on the nightstand and gasped.
"Is it that close to ten?" She asked, jumping out of bed. "I better get going."
"Going? Going where?" Twilight asked.
"I'm meeting someone," Tempest answered as she burst through the door.
"What?" Twilight asked.
Tempest raced through the halls as fast as she could, eager to be outside at the front of the palace before Trenderhoof. She made it to the gate before she was suddenly lifted a couple of feet into the air. She kicked her hooves as though she were still running until she realized she’s trapped in Twilight's magical control. Twilight caught up with her with a perplexed look on her face.
"Tempest, what is going on?" Twilight asked. "Since when are you meeting with someone?"
Tempest paused for a moment and said, "Since yesterday. I met somepony, and we ended up agreeing to go to the festival together."
"Somepony?" Twilight asked. "But there aren't any other ponies here except for you, me, and -"
Twilight's eyes widened as it came to her. She turned around to look beyond the front gate to find Trenderhoof walking toward them at a distance. The princess turned to Tempest with a smirk that made Tempest blush. 
"Well, well, well. Look at you, Tempest," Twilight said.
"It's not like that," Tempest claimed.
"You mean you aren't going to the festival with Trenderhoof as your date?" Twilight asked.
"Uh, well, okay, it is like that, but it's not like I like the guy," Tempest said.
"I don't know. Your cheeks say otherwise," Twilight teased. 
Tempest's cheeks turned from pink to red as she looked away to hide her blush in vain. Twilight giggled as she let her friend down and said, "You don't need to be so shy, Tempest. I think it's great that you are going to the festival with somepony. There's nothing wrong with making more friends."
"I think he's after more than friendship," Tempest said. 
"And what's wrong with that?" Twilight challenged. "You might grow to like him."
"And what if I don't?" Tempest asked.
"Then you just politely let him down," Twilight said. "Trenderhoof is a grown pony. I'm sure he'll understand. Besides, the important thing is to have fun at the festival, so go out there and have a good time with him."
Tempest hesitated again before accepting that Twilight was right. The princess then gestured Tempest to meet her date, and she took a deep breath before she complied. By the time she was finally outside, Trenderhoof had just made it to the front of the palace.
"Morning, Trend," Tempest said. "I see you arrived just in time."
"But of course. I love being punctual," Trenderhoof replied. "And I see you came in just in time too."
"Uh, yeah, I guess I like being punctual, too," Tempest said.
"Spectacular," Trenderhoof said. "Shall we begin making our way to the dock, my lady?"
"Might as well," Tempest answered.
Thus, the two ponies began walking down the mountain, side by side. Hippogriffs were flying down the mountain above them as they walked, including Queen Novo and Princess Skystar, with Twilight following them. By the time they were at the beach, the dock was crowded with all sorts of creatures. Tempest and Trenderhoof squeezed their way through the crowd until they were at the front of the dock, where Queen Novo, Skystar, and Twilight were flying above the shore. Behind them were a group of seaponies and General Seaspray and his crew on their ship.
"I didn't expect it to be so crowded," Trenderhoof said. "There weren't so many creatures when I got here."
"Well, it's hardly a surprise for me," Tempest said. "A lot of creatures were oppressed by the Storm King. It only makes sense that they would want to partake in the celebration."
"So I see," Trenderhoof said. 
Just then, they heard a group of hippogriffs sounding their trumpets, and the crowd instantly became silent. Twilight and Queen Novo looked at each other and nodded before the hippogriff cleared her throat and spoke loud enough for every creature to hear. 
"Welcome one and all to the first annual Festival of the Free Creatures," she shouted. "It warms my heart to see so many of you coming together to celebrate our freedom from the Storm King."
The crowd clapped their hands/claws or stomped their feet before the queen continued. 
"It is my wish that with this festival, we shall bond in fellowship as we rejoice that we shall never again fall victim to tyranny that covers our lands."
The crowd cheers even louder than before. 
"And now, on behalf of all hippogriffs, ponies, storm creatures, and all other free creatures in the world, let the celebration begin!" Queen Nova finished proudly. 
With that, the crowd cheers louder than before. Hippogriffs shrieked loudly and flew high in the air with joy. General Seaspray had his sailors fire the cannons on his ship to express their excitement. After the cheers died down, the crowd began to disperse. Some decided to go on a ride on General Seaspray's ship. Others went into the ocean where the seaponies were turning them into sea creatures so that they could go to Seaquestria. The rest went back up the mountain or stayed in the docks to partake in the festivities there. Tempest and Trenderhoof remained in the dock, watching everyone starting to celebrate before the latter turned to his date.
"So, what would you like to do first?" He asked. 
Tempest thought about it until she heard her stomach rumble. She felt a blush in her cheeks as she chuckled nervously.
"I guess a little breakfast wouldn't be a bad idea," she answered. 
"Then breakfast it shall be," Tenderhoof said. 
Thus, the two of them walked back to town, where dozens of creatures were partaking in games and grabbing food at food stands. Trenderhoof looked at the various kind of food with a big grin while Tempest was browsing with a skeptical look. 
"Look at all of these choices," Tenderhoof said in excitement. "Egg muffins, croissants, crullers, burritos, even pancakes on a stick. It's amazing."
"Really? These are common in a lot of places," Tempest said. "I would think that Equestria has at least half of the things you listed there."
"They are, but these are from different countries who use different ingredients to make some of these delectables," Trenderhoof said. "Why discovering the kinds of food in various places in Equestria is one of the things I live for."
"Right, because you're a...travel writer, was it?" Tempest asked. 
"Correct," Trenderhoof said, placing his hoof on his heart. "I'm flattered that you remembered."
Tempest smirked at the stallion, and said, "In any case, I can't say I share your enthusiasm, Trend. I visit a lot of places outside of Equestria, so it's become normal for me to eat all sorts of different food. Frankly, I'm hoping we can find something that I've never tried before."
"Oh, wow," Trenderhoof said in awe. "Sounds like something we have in common. We're both travelers."
Tempest stopped walking and thought about Trenderhoof's statement before she shrugged and said, "I guess so."
Tenderhoof smiled cheerfully, growing excited over how he found something in common with his date. Tempest rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the food stands until Trenderhoof spoke again. 
"So, is traveling something you started doing after the Storm King's defeat?" He asked.
Tempest kept her head away from Trenderhoof, unsure of whether or not to answer before she sighed and said, "No. I've always been traveling ever since I was just a filly. At first, it was to find a way to fix my horn, then it was when I was serving the Storm King, and now I've been going to the places I've conquered to spread the news that he's gone."
"Oh," Trenderhoof said, his voice less cheerful. "That sounds hard to do when you've been the enemy of all of those places."
Tempest turned her head to smile at Trenderhoof, knowing that he was sincere again.
"It was, but it's been worth it just to see every creature become happy that they are free," she said. "The more I see it, the more it feels like I've been undoing my cruel deeds. It's what makes me happy that Queen Novo and Twilight made this festival. I get to see everyone being happy together."
Trenderhoof smiled back and said, "I think I can relate to that. You see, seeing others be happy in some way or another from all the events I go to is one of the things I love about my job. My specialty is using my writing to make the simple, mundane, and unappreciated relate to others so that everypony is happy."
"Then I guess that makes one more thing we have in common," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof's smile grew, and he said, "It certainly does."
The two ponies stared at each other, smiling until Tempest looked passed Trenderhoof and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Hey, Trend, have you ever had that before?" She asked.
Trenderhoof turned around to see a French toast casserole food stand several feet away from them. The stallion was equally befuddled to see a purple hippogriff happily selling the treat to his customers.
"You know, Tempest, I can't say I've ever heard of French toast casserole," Trenderhoof answered. "Have you?"
"No, I'm as surprised as you are that that's a thing," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof raised his eyebrow and smirked at his date as he said, "Sounds like we found our breakfast if that's what you'd like."
"Yes, please," Tempest said.
The two of them walked to the stand and waited in line for a couple of minutes before they placed their orders. With a cheerful grin, the hippogriff cut two slices of the casserole and put them in oval food baskets. Trenderhoof paid for both him and Tempest before the two of them took their baskets and found a bench to sit on. After the two of them said a word of grace, Trenderhoof levitated his casserole with his horn while Tempest picked hers up with her hoof. The moment they each took a bite, their eyes widened, and they stood in place. Neither of them were prepared for the taste of blueberries mixed with cottage cheese, eggs, and whole-grain bread. Tempest slowly chewed her bite to savor before she swallowed and immediately took a bigger bite of her food. By the time she was done, Trenderhoof only half-finished his slice.
"I take it you enjoyed it?" He asked. 
"It's unlike anything I've ever tasted," Tempest answered.
"It sure is delectable. I agree," Trenderhoof answered. "I honestly can't wait to write about it so that ponies all over Equestria will want to try it."
"I bet they will," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof gave Tempest a heartfelt smile, happy that his date encouraged him. The two ponies started staring at each other's eyes again before their moment was interrupted by a hippogriff shouting from the other side of the block. 
"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen!" He yelled. "Show us your strength with this here game. Anyone who makes the bell ring gets a prize!"
Tempest and Trenderhoof turned to see the hippogriff standing next to a high striker game. A big red target stood at the front of the tower that was twelve feet tall. Behind the hippogriff was a wall full of stuffed animals. Several creatures lined up to try their luck while Tempest and Trenderhoof watched. A tall hippogriff came in first, punching the target as hard as he could only for the puck at the center of the tower to go up two feet. Next came a storm creature who punched the target hard enough to go up a couple of feet higher. Then a creature who was half bear and half lizard hit the mark even harder, only for the puck to go halfway. One by one, creatures tried to ring the bell, but none made it higher than two-thirds of the way. Tempest watched their efforts with a smirk, which Trenderhoof noticed.
"Why don't you give it a go?" He suggested. 
"You read my mind," Tempest said.
The dark orchid mare put her basket on the bench and got in line. She waited until the creature in front of her, that was a mixture of a tiger and a bull, rammed the target with its head, only for the puck to go seven feet. The creature walked away defeated, leaving Tempest to be the only one left to try. Many of the animals chuckled at the pony half their size and chuckled in amusement, but Tempest paid no mind. She cracked her neck, turned around so that her back was facing the target, and kicked it with her hind legs. The puck shot up and hit the bell so hard that the top of the tower broke, sending the bell flying high into the air before landing right in front of Tempest. Everyone stared at the unicorn in shock as she helped herself with taking a stuffed rabbit from the wall and walked back to Trenderhoof, whose mouth was hanging open. 
"That. Was. Amazing!" He exclaimed. "How did you do that?" 
Tempest chuckled and said, "What? You think a mare who was the commander of a tyrannical king wouldn't have the strength to overpower creatures like those guys?"
Trenderhoof thought about it for a moment and said, "When you say it like that, it's little wonder you pummeled me like you did yesterday."
"Yeah, I won't lie, Trend. If I were still serving the Storm King, what I did to you would only be half of the punishment for sneaking behind me like that," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof chuckled nervously and said, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Good," Tempest said before holding the stuffed bunny up to him. "Anyway, here you go."
Trenderhoof looked at her, confused, and asked, "What do you mean?"
"Isn't this what happens on a date? The one who wins the prize from a game gives it to their date?" Tempest asked. "Or does that only apply to guys?"
Trenderhoof looked at the mare astounded and said, "Er, no. No, it doesn't have to be the guy who does that."
"Well, then take it," Tempest said. 
Trenderhoof paused for a moment, still taken aback before he smiled and took the bunny with his magic. He looked at the toy with a fond look, and Tempest smiled, glad that he liked the gift. The two of them were quiet until Trenderhoof cleared his throat and asked, "So, what would you like to do now?"
Tempest scratched her chin in thought and said, "Well, I would like to go to Seaquestria."
"Then Seaquestria it shall be," Trenderhoof said with a bow. "Though, perhaps we should drop off my bunny where I'm staying first? It wouldn't do to get it wet when I just got it."
"Heh. No, I suppose not," Tempest said. "Is the place you're staying far?"
"It's back up the mountain," Trenderhoof replied.
"Then we better get going," Tempest said.
Trenderhoof nodded in agreement, and the two of them started going back to the village. As they climbed up the mountain, Tempest noticed Trenderhoof still looking at the stuffed bunny. She smiled again before she realized what she was doing and shook her head.
"Take it easy, Tempest," she thought to herself. "It's just one date."
> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Tempest and Tenderhoof made it back down, it was almost noon. The festivities were still going strong at the docks except for the high striker game, which the hippogriff was trying to fix. The two ponies made it to the beach, where hippogriffs/seaponies were bringing creatures in or out of the water. It wasn't long before a teenage hippogriff found them standing on the beach and flying over to them. 
"Hello. Do you want to go to Seaquestria?" He asked.
"Yes, we do," Trenderhoof said.
"I can take you there," the hippogriff said. "My name is Terramar."
"I'm Trenderhoof," Trenderhoof replied. 
"Pleased to meet you," Terramar said before turning to Tempest. "And I know who you are, Tempest."
Tempest winced and asked, "That's not a problem, is it?"
"Of course not. I know you're good now, " Terramar assured. "Anyway, if you will follow me, I can transform you so that you can go underwater."
Tempest and Tenderhoof nodded and got into the water with Terramar. The three of them swam until they were several feet away from the shore. Terramar took Tempest's hoof, and she took Trenderhoof's hoof, making the two of them blush before Terramar closed his eyes and grabbed his necklace. The shard in his necklace glowed yellow, and with a loud pop, the three of them were underwater as seaponies. Trenderhoof gasped in awe at the sight of his fins and started swimming in circles, but Tempest was flailing as though she were a trapeze artist struggling to stay balanced on a rope. Trenderhoof quickly noticed the mare's struggle and swam over to her. 
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Stay still," he said calmly. 
It took a moment before Tempest stopped flailing and blushed as she said, "Sorry. This is really strange to me."
"That's okay. It is difficult for some creatures," Terramar chortled. 
Trenderhoof smiled and swam up behind Tempest, putting his hooves on her waist, saying, "Here, I'll help you. Move your fins back and forth slowly."
Tempest felt her cheeks turning pink again from Trenderhoof being so close to her. She took a deep breath and started moving her fins back and forth. Slowly, the two of them began to move forward, which made Tempest nervous for a moment before she began to ease up. After a few seconds, Trenderhoof let go of Tempest as she started to swim faster and faster until she was zigzagging around the area laughing.
"This is incredible!" She shouted, making Terramar and Trenderhoof chuckle.
"I know. This must be what flying feels like for a pegasus," Trenderhoof said.
"Heh. I've heard that before," Terramar said. "Anyway, let's go. Seaquestria is not far from here."
After calming Tempest down, the three of them swam over to Seaquestria, where countless creatures were gleefully exploring the area with the natives. Some of them were singing and dancing while, wearing necklaces, hats, hairpins, and rings out of shells. Others were eating at a seafood buffet while watching a puppet show made of shells. Tempest watched everyone enjoying the festivities with a heartfelt smile.
"I had no idea this place would be so beautiful," she said before turning to Terramar. "To think I tried to find and conquer Seaquestria, not caring about how the hippogriffs were living peacefully down here. Now you share your home with other creatures in joy instead of being secluded from the world. I'm happy for you."
Terramar was taken aback for a moment before he smiled appreciatively at Tempest. Trenderhoof smiled at Tempest, happy that his date was having a meaningful moment with one of the hippogriffs who hid from her. Then he cleared his throat and said, "Well, it's about lunchtime. Why don't we grab a bite at the buffet?"
Tempest turned to her date and said, "Sure. I'm curious what they have over there."
"Sounds great," Terramar said. "I better head back to the surface and see if any other creature wants to come here. If you guys need any help, all of us seaponies are here to help."
"Great. Thanks, Terramar," Tempest said. 
Terramar turned around and swam back to the surface, waving at the pair as he left. Once he was out of sight, Tempest and Tenderhoof swam over to the buffet where a group of squids were serving seaweed salads, wraps, chips, and pasta. After browsing through the buffet, Tempest and Tenderhoof decide to get a couple of plates of seaweed wraps and find a spot to watch the puppet show. Above the puppet stage was a sign that said, "The Battle of Canterlot." Puppets of Capper, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were facing puppets of the storm creatures. The Capper puppet held up the Spike puppet like a flamethrower, and bubbles came out of the Spike puppet's mouth. The storm creature puppets started flailing and running around the stage in panic, and the audience roared with laughter. Trenderhoof was holding on to his gut while Tempest covered her mouth to hide a chuckle.
"Did that really happen?" Tenderhoof asked in mid laughter.
"Well, I did see this from up the castle balcony, but it wasn't as funny for me as it is now," Tempest confessed.
Eventually, the laughter died down, and the play continued with a puppet Storm King creating a storm with his staff with puppets of Tempest and Twilight standing behind him. The Tempest puppet was about to fly off the balcony, but the Twilight puppet saved her from the vortex. Tempest frowned and looked down, which Trenderhoof quickly noticed.
"What is it?" He asked.
Tempest stayed silent for a moment before she said, "The puppeteers don't know about this, but before Twilight saved me, the Storm King revealed that he lied about restoring my horn to get me to do his bidding."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Trenderhoof said. "That must have been hard for you."
"It was," Tempest said. "I wanted to show the world how powerful I can be if I got it back, and I felt lost when he went back on our bargain. I don't know what I would have done if Twilight wasn't there to encourage me that I was already powerful just the way I am."
Trenderhoof smiled and said, "I think I can testify after seeing how strong you are without your horn."
Tempest smirked and said, "Oh yeah? Just wait until tonight."
"What happens tonight?" Trenderhoof asked. 
"Let's just say I have an opportunity to show more of what I can do," Tempest said.
"Oh, I can't wait to find out," Trenderhoof said.
The two of them looked at each other, smiling again until their moment was interrupted by the audience cheering. They turned back to the puppet show where puppet Tempest just saved Twilight and her friends. The Storm King froze in place like it was turned to stone and fell off the balcony. The crowd watched it fall in anticipation until it broke into pieces upon landing on the stage, and they cheered like sports fans watching their team score a goal. Tempest and Tenderhoof chuckled at the twisted way the crowd enjoyed that particular moment in the show. Eventually, the cheers died down, and they silently watched the play end with the puppets of Capper, Tempest, Princess Skystar, Twilight, and her friends watching a puppet of Songbird Serenade singing on a stage before the curtain fell. The crowd cheered again, and the puppeteers took a bow before everyone dispersed. 
"So, what do you want to do now?" Trenderhoof asked.
Tempest thought about it before she looked at her fins and asked, "You know what? Is it alright if we just explore the ocean?"
Trenderhoof smirked and gave his date a nod. With an excited grin, Tempest took Trenderhoof's hoof and led him out of Seaquestria and into the open ocean. Before long, she was happily swimming all over the area with Trenderhoof trying to catch up. The dark orchid seapony giggled as she looked around to look at the colorful reef and the various fish swimming by. Trenderhoof was amused with the way Tempest was acting like a school filly, but at the same time, he was glad that she was having fun. But as he watched, he thought about everything she told him about her old life. His smile faded as it became clear to him that Tempest has never let herself enjoy life the way she was at that moment. Trenderhoof frowned and looked at Tempest sympathetically, suddenly wishing there was something more that he could do than give her this one day of happiness.
> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time Tempest and Tenderhoof finished exploring, and decided to go back to the surface, it was almost four in the afternoon. Airships and boats were taking party members to one more ride for the day while food stands and games at the dock were closing down. The two ponies followed the other creatures back to the top of the mountain, where a crowd was gathering in front of the royal palace. Queen Novo, Skystar, and Twilight were standing in front of the entrance with a large pile of wood behind them.
"Hey, you two," Twilight greeted as she walked over to her friends. "Are you having fun?" 
"Oh, we've been having a great time," Trenderhoof said happily. "But what is with all of the wood?"
"Oh, well, that’s for the bonfire for what Queen Novo is calling the Dance of Unity," Twilight explained. "Everyone is going to dance together in front of a bonfire."
"Ah, what a marvelous idea," Tenderhoof said. "So, you arranged all of the other activities below to end in time for everyone to be here together."
"Exactly," Twilight said before adding proudly. "It's some of my more cunning work as an organizer."
Tempest rolled her eyes and smirked at her friend's boasting. Just then, the hippogriffs were blowing their trumpets again, and the crowd went quiet as Twilight walked back to Skystar and Queen Novo, who cleared her throat.
"Welcome my friends to the final events of this great festival. It warms my heart to have watched all of you celebrate today," she said. "Now, I invite you all to join us as we start our bonfire and dance together in friendship."
The crowd cheered as Queen Novo and Twilight lit up torches and placed them at the bottom of the pile of wood. Within seconds, the fire began to spread until it covered the top of the pile, and the crowd cheered. Queen Novo then signaled the musicians, and they began to play upbeat music. Every creature cheered again in excitement and started to dance. Some of the hippogriffs flew up and started dancing high in the air with other creatures who could fly. Twilight soon joined in, dancing off-beat with glee, not noticing the looks she was getting. Trenderhoof beamed and took a step to participate in the fun until he saw Tempest standing still.
"Aren't you going to dance?" He asked.
"Oh, no. I don't dance," Tempest said. 
"You mean you don't want to or you never learned?" Trenderhoof asked.
Tempest looked away from her date to hide her pink cheeks and answered, "It's been a long time, Trend."
Trenderhoof smiled, finding it cute that the mare was embarrassed in front of him. He walked in front of her and gently moved her head to face him with his hoof, making her blush grow. 
"If you can quickly learn to swim as a seapony, you can dance," he said as he took a bow and held up his hoof.
Tempest sighed and took Trenderhoof's hoof, knowing by now that he wouldn't take no for an answer. The stallion guided her to a spot near where everyone else was dancing and started moving his hooves back and forth while counting the beat to the music. Tempest observed Trenderhoof until she felt ready to try and mimic what Trenderhoof was doing. Her steps felt awkward at first, but after a minute, she slowly started to get into the rhythm, and the two ponies were moving in sync. Trenderhoof grinned and decided to make things harder by moving his hooves at a random order while still in rhythm. Tempest grew nervous again as she struggled to copy what her dance partner was doing. Trenderhoof cackled over his partner's struggle until a mischievous smirk emerged from Tempest's face, and her steps became faster and more unpredictable. The stallion bit his lip and tried to catch up until he tripped on his front legs and fell face forward only for Tempest to catch him just in the nick of time. 
"I'm a fast learner, buddy boy" She boasted.
Trenderhoof blushed and chuckled as Tempest helped him back up. The song soon ended, and Trenderhoof and Tempest applauded with the crowd. Then, the band started playing their instruments at a faster tempo, and everyone cheered before they formed in pairs and started dancing in circles. Before long, everyone started switching partners while nonparticipants were coming together in a circle and clapping or stomping in rhythm. It took a while before Tempest began to get used to switching partners, but once she did, she started laughing as she was having fun. Trenderhoof smiled as he watched Tempest enjoy herself while dancing from partner to partner. By the time the two of them were able to be each other's partner again, the music had ended, and everyone was cheering. 
"Darn. I was hoping we could be partners again," Tempest said.
"Then it's a good thing there's going to be more than two songs," Trenderhoof said. 
Tempest smiled at her date, just as the band was starting another song, and said, "Then let's see what you've got."

********************************************************************************

For the next three hours, the dancing went on with Tempest learning different forms of dancing with each song. Halfway through the event, the two ponies decided to take a break and ate dinner at a nearby hayburger stand. Trenderhoof was amused by how much Tempest enjoyed the greasy food that she had not had since she was a filly. By the time the dancing was over, Tempest and Tenderhoof felt their legs aching from the dancing. 
"So, do you usually dance this much at all the parties you go to?" Tempest asked.
"Not really," Trenderhoof answered. "Most of the festivals I go to have more ballroom-type dancing than anything else."
"Ah, so not as fun," Tempest assumed.
"Oh, I don't know about that," Trenderhoof said. "I think it all comes down to having the perfect partner."
Tempest smiled, not minding that her cheeks were heating up this time. Trenderhoof smiled back, finding Tempest's blush to be cute. As they were staring at each other, a cheerful Twilight was walking over to them. 
"Hey, did you guys have fun?" she asked. "I don't know about you, but I was having a blast."
"Oh, you looked like you were enjoying yourself, alright," Tempest said, trying not to laugh.
Trenderhoof covered his mouth to hide a snicker and said, "We had a great time."
"I'm glad to hear it," Twilight said. "Anyway, it's time for the final event, Tempest. I hope you're ready."
Tempest smiled and nodded while Trenderhoof looked at her, confused, and asked. "What is she talking about?"
"Remember when I said I have an opportunity to show more of what I can do?" Tempest asked before Trenderhoof nodded. "That's what I'm going to do for the final event."
"Yup. So, I'm gonna have to borrow your date for a while, Trenderhoof," Twilight said. "Try not to miss her too much."
"Twilight!" Tempest rebuked while blushing.
"I shall put up a brave face while my lady carries out her duty," Trenderhoof replied.
Twilight smiled, satisfied with his answer before she turned around and walked away. Tempest sighed and turned to her date, saying, "Well, I better get going."
Trenderhoof smiled and said, "Give it everything you have, Tempest."
Tempest smiled back, appreciative of the support before she walked away. A large crowd was forming, and the remains of the bonfire had been cleared up. A hippogriff choir and orchestra were setting up while Queen Novo, Skystar, Twilight, and Tempest were standing in front of them. Once they were all in position, the trumpets were heard a final time, and the village was silent. 
"And now, my friends, I wish to conclude our new holiday with this final event," Queen Novo announced. "Our very own orchestra and choir have prepared a song of joy and unity while our dear friend, Tempest Shadow, performs a firework show for us. 
The crowd murmured to each other, curious about the firework show. Trenderhoof, on the other hand, was instantly excited to see what the dark orchid mare was going to do. 
"So, to that end, I present to you the Hippogriff grand choir and orchestra performing a song called "Freedom Everlasting,'" Queen Novo said.
Every creature exclaimed words of excitement, immediately invested in the concept behind the song. The music conductor then tapped his baton stick against his music stand, and everyone quieted down. The conductor held his arm for a moment, waiting to make sure that the orchestra was ready before he began waving his hand, and the music started. The drummers began the symphony by beating their instruments loudly, taking their audience aback. The rest of the orchestra soon followed just as strong before the conductor signaled the choir, who sang in an ancient language with their head up high. Even though the audience didn't know the language, they understood what was being expressed from the way the choir sang triumphantly. Trenderhoof looked around to find many creatures shedding tears, overwhelmed by the passion behind the music. 
Then, Queen Novo gave Tempest a nod, and the dark orchid mare closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Suddenly, all eyes were on her as large bolts of electricity were coming out of her broken horn, shining in bright shades of blue, red, yellow, green, and purple. Every creature was wondering how such a thing was possible until Tempest gathered the electricity into a massive orb on top of her head and shot it up towards the night sky. The orb ignited, causing a giant purple explosion. Trenderhoof's mouth dropped as a beam of electricity zoomed above the crowd and created a blue explosion. The beam continued to move in random directions like a fly, creating explosions in many colors as it went. Tempest smiled as she watched every creature watch her work in a trance. She then noticed Trenderhoof watching the fireworks with a bright smile as though he was a colt on Hearth's Warming, which made her giggle.
After several minutes, the choir and orchestra finished the symphony, holding the last note proudly while the firework display ended with many explosions happening at once. When it was over, the audience roared in applause. Trenderhoof was still staring at the sky before he cheered louder than everyone else. Tempest giggled again at her date's energy before she, the orchestra, and the choir took a bow. 
"And so concludes the first-ever Festival of the Free Creatures," Queen Novo announced as she stood in front of the crowd again. "I want to thank every one of you who has made this wonderful festival possible. I hope that we will celebrate this holiday for years to come. Until then, sleep well, and for those of you from other lands, please have a safe journey to your homes."
Every creature clapped their hands/claws and stomped their feet a final time before they dispersed. Twilight summoned a large roll of parchment with her magic and flew over to supervise the clean-up crew. It wasn't long before Trenderhoof made his way to Tempest, still beaming.
"That was magnificent!" He praised. "I've never seen such a firework show in my life!"
"You're just saying that because I'm your date," Tempest said. 
"Nonsense. Every creature loved it, and you know it," Trenderhoof said. "Are you happy with how you did out there?"
Tempest smiled and looked at the sky as she said, "Yeah, I am. It feels like I accomplished showing everyone what I can do with creatures from all over the world witnessing me. It makes me feel complete."
"I'm happy to hear that," Trenderhoof said with a warm smile.
Tempest smiled back, touched that Trenderhoof was happy for her. The two of them were silent for a moment before Tempest scratched her head and looked away from the stallion.
"So, um, thank you for taking me out today," she said. "It was fun."
"It was my honor, my lady," Trenderhoof said with a bow.
Tempest covered her mouth to hide another giggle, and decided to bow back to the passionate pony. Silence took over between them again until she cleared her throat and said, "Well, good night." As she turned around, Trenderhoof frowned, not wishing to end the night with the mare he liked that way. He thought about all the fun things they did together and how he felt when he watched her explore the ocean earlier. He didn't want her to stop being happy that way, nor did he want to be apart from her. His sad look turned into one of determination as he knew what he had to do.
"Wait," he said.
Tempest stopped walking and turned around as Trenderhoof walked over to her. The scrawny stallion took a moment to think of how to put his feelings into words before he spoke again. 
"Listen, I don't want to stop spending time with you," he confessed. "I enjoyed everything we did today, and I know you had a lot of fun. We make a good team, and it doesn't seem right that we should only do this for one day."
Tempest looked at Trenderhoof, confused, and asked, "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I want you to travel with me," Trenderhoof answered.
"What?" Tempest asked, taken aback. 
"Think about it. It's perfect," Trenderhoof claimed. "After all, we're both travelers, and we enjoy discovering new things and having fun. There are all sorts of festivals and holidays and other occasions all over Equestria, and I can't think of anypony else that I would want to experience all of those things with than you. So, what do you say?"
Tempest stared at Trenderhoof, speechless. Her cheeks went from pink to crimson red as he made his request. For a brief moment, the corners of her lips began to curl up, but then she frowned and gave Trenderhoof an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Trend, but I don't think I can do that," Tempest said. "I had fun with you. I won't deny it, but I don't think I can spend my life going to parties all over Equestria. It's just not for me."
Trenderhoof looked at the mare he liked crushed. He wanted to think of a way to change her mind, but her words cut him too deep. 
"O-okay. I understand," he said, hanging his head in defeat. "I guess I will see you around then."
Tempest winced as Trenderhoof turned around and walked away glumly. She reached out to him as though she was about to tell him to wait, but she stopped herself, knowing that there was no way she could soften the blow. Tempest sighed in defeat and walked back to the royal palace with her head hung low. She didn't sleep well for the rest of the night.
> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, Tempest was in her guest room, packing her things, but Trenderhoof was still in her mind. She still wished she could have handled things differently in a way that didn't hurt his feelings, but there was nothing she could have done to accomplish that. She had to give him an honest answer, and he was going to be disappointed. Even so, she felt like she ruined what was otherwise a great day.
After Tempest put her saddlebag on her back, she exited the guest room just in time to see Twilight walking over to her. The alicorn gave her friend a warm smile that Tempest returned halfheartedly. Twilight frowned, instantly noticing Tempest's glum demeanor and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, I just didn't get much sleep," Tempest answered. "I'll probably nap when I'm on the train."
"Have you decided where to go next?" Twilight asked.
"No, I haven't," Tempest said. "I just thought I'd look at the stops when I'm at the ticket booth and make a decision there."
Twilight frowned skeptically at Tempest's plan before she decided to change the subject.
"So, how was the rest of your date with Trenderhoof?" She asked.
Tempest flinched and looked away from Twilight as she said, "It went fine."
Twilight tilted her head and said, "It doesn't sound like it went fine. What happened?"
Tempest hesitated, not wanting to talk about it. Then, she sighed and said, "Trenderhoof wanted me to go back to Equestria with him. He thought that the two of us should travel together and discover all the festivals and other parties that are out there."
"And that's a bad thing?" Twilight asked. "I thought you were having a great time with him."
"I was," Tempest insisted. 
"So, what's the problem?" Twilight asked.
Tempest hesitated again and said, "I just can't travel just to go to parties when I'm needed elsewhere."
Twilight raised her eyebrow and said, "What elsewhere? You said you don't know what to do after the festival. You finished your journey."
"I know," Tempest said. "But I still feel like I should be doing something to make up for my mistakes."
Twilight frowned at Tempest's excuse and said, "Tempest, There's nothing else you need to do to make up for what you did. The Storm King is vanquished. It's thanks to you that we were able to have the festival and be happy together as friends. It sounds like everyone is ready to stop dwelling on the past but you. In fact, tell me this; do you think every creature was happy at the festival?"
"Of course, I do," Tempest said. 
"Were you happy about going to the festival with Trenderhoof?" Twilight asked.
"Well, yes," Tempest said.
"Do you like him?"
Tempest flinched, and her cheeks turned pink at the question. Twilight smiled as though her question was already answered. The dark orchid mare tried to think of a way to deny it, but then she stopped herself and thought about everything she went through with Trenderhoof. The way she made her laugh and called her beautiful. The times they explored, tried things they've never done before, and how he listened to her whenever she was talking about her past. She still saw him strange to some degree, but she couldn't deny that he was also charming, caring, and passionate to a fault. The more she thought about him, the more she accepted that she couldn't give Twilight any other answer than "yes." But then her face fell, and she looked down in defeat.
"It doesn't matter how I feel about him," she said. "He's heading back to Equestria. I don't know where exactly. He might already be on a train right now."
"Then you better head to the train station in case he hasn't yet," Twilight said. 
"But what if I don't find him in time?" Tempest asked. 
Twilight gave her friend an unamused look and said, "Tempest, you're one of the most determined ponies I know. You traveled all over the world trying to find a way to restore your horn, and you did it again to make up for what you did. If you want to travel with that stallion, then you better do whatever it takes to do it. Go and make yourself happy for a change."
Tempest gave the princess an uneasy look, unconvinced that she might not be too late. Twilight, however, kept smiling at her friend, hoping that her optimism will encourage Tempest to go. After a moment, Tempest looked down and mentally teased the idea that she might find Trenderhoof in time. It still was a longshot, but if there was a chance she could see him again, she had to take it. 
"I must be out of my mind," she said.
Without another word, Tempest ran past Twilight and down the other side of the hall. Twilight's smile grew as she watched her friend make a turn toward the front entrance of the palace. She knew that Tempest might not find the stallion she liked, but she was confident that Tempest would look for him to whatever end.
"Good luck, Tempest," she said.


******************************************************************************************

Tempest raced down the mountain as fast as she could, mentally praying that she had a chance. By the time she was at the dock, the place was crowded with creatures. Some were heading to the train station while others were saying their goodbyes to the hippogriffs and seaponies. The dark orchid mare squeezed her way through the crowd, growing worried that she might not find Trenderhoof in time or be able to spot him. 
As soon as she made it to the station, she checked the schedule hanging above the ticket booth. Her heart sank when she saw that two trains had left for Manhattan and Sire's Hallow early in the morning. A few other trains were going to other places in Equestria, but that didn't ease her mind when Trenderhoof could have been on the first two trains. 
Fortunately, just as she was about to look around the station, she glanced from the schedule to find the gamboge stallion sitting on a bench on the other side of the platform. Tempest's heart skipped a beat, and she sighed in relief, but her smile soon fell when she noticed that Trenderhoof was looking at the floor with a downcast look. Knowing what was on his mind, Tempest sighed and took a moment to think of what to say before she walked over to him. 
"Trend?" She said. 
Trenderhoof's ears perked up, and he turned to Tempest and asked, "Tempest? What are you doing here?"
"I was looking for you," she answered.
Trenderhoof's face fell again, and he asked, "You come to say goodbye?"
"No, I didn't," Tempest answered.
"Then why were you looking for me?" Trenderhoof asked. 
"Because I changed my mind," Tempest replied. 
Trenderhoof's ears perked up again, and his eyes lit up.
"You...you mean…?" He asked as he got off the bench.
Tempest smiled and nodded before she said, "Listen, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings. I guess even though I've changed for the better and have made friends with a lot of creatures, I'm still used to going on my own path. To have a purpose that was all on my own. It took a good friend to accept that I need to stop dwelling on the past and let myself be happy," 
Trenderhoof nodded in understanding before Tempest continued. 
"I said no to you last night because I don't get that close to ponies," she said. "But now I have accepted that you were right about how I shouldn't have gone to the festival alone and I'm happy that I went together with you. We had a lot of fun, and I appreciate that you listened to me when I talked about my past. There's a lot you still don't know about me, and looking back, I didn't ask that much about you, but I would like for us to get to know each other better while spending time together."
"So, what you're saying is…?" Tenderhoof asked with hope in his voice. 
Tempest felt her cheeks heat up as she said, "I'm saying I like you, Trend, and I want to travel with you too."
Trenderhoof's heart skipped a beat, and he beamed for the first time since the night before. Tempest couldn't help but chuckle from seeing the guy she liked act like his cheerful self again.
"That makes me happy," he said. "And I suppose now is as good of a time as any to say that I like you too, Tempest."
Tempest's blush grew at his confession before she frowned and looked away again, scratching the back of her head and said, "Actually, that's not my real name. That's just what I started calling myself when I joined the Storm King."
"Oh? What is your real name?" Trenderhoof asked. 
Tempest looked around to make sure there was no creature close enough to overhear her before she gestured Trenderhoof to come closer and whisper in his ear, "It's Fizzlepop Berrytwist."
Trenderhoof took a moment to process the information before he smiled and said, "Aw, that's a cute name."
"No, it's not," Tempest said, embarrassed. "And to be clear, I only told you because I want you to know more about me. You are to keep calling me Tempest. Is that clear?"
"Crystal, my lady," Trenderhoof replied. 
"Good," Tempest said. "Anyway, on a different subject, do you know where to go next?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Trenderhoof said. "I overheard on my way here that there's going to be a poem and music fair in the Dragonlands."
Tempest looked at Trenderhoof as though he spoke gibberish and asked, "Why in the Dragonlands of all places?"
"I'm not sure," Trenderhoof answered. "All I know is it has something to do with a dragon that's a poet, and that led to dragons, ponies, changelings, and other creatures wanting to hold a fair there. It's just something we'll have to take a ship to from Baltimare to find out."
Tempest kept staring at him, dumbfounded before she shrugged and said, "I guess I'm buying a ticket to Baltimare, then."
"I guess so," Trenderhoof said. 
Without another word, Tempest walked over to the ticket booth and bought her ticket. When she came back, Trenderhoof was sitting back on the bench and left a spot for her to sit next to him. The two ponies smiled as they sat next to each other, glad that they were going on another adventure together. As the two of them waited for their train, Tempest's eyes started to get heavy. She glanced at Trenderhoof's shoulder, and after a moment of debating, decided to scoot closer and rest her head on his shoulder.
"T-t-Tempest, what are you doing?" He asked, blushing furiously. 
"Keep your sweater on, buddy," Tempest said, ignoring her blush. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
Trenderhoof eased up and smiled as he said, "Okay. I think I'll start writing my article while we wait for our train."
"Sounds great," Tempest said.
As Tempest dozed off to sleep, Trenderhoof used his magic to take out his notebook and pen from his bag. The stallion scratched his chin, trying to think of how to start until he turned back to the mare he liked, who was napping on his shoulder with a small smile on her face. He smiled again, thinking she looked cute when she was sleeping, and turned back to his notebook, knowing where to begin.


	The Perfect Partner


	By Trenderhoof 


The Festival of the Free Creatures was a remarkable time of joy and friendship, but I don't think anyone can fully experience such a time of unity without anyone to share the experience with. I would not have discovered that if I didn't meet this remarkable mare who was my date for the festival.





	The End