My Little Pony Friendship is Magic The Movie: What If?

by SuperPinkBrony12

Part 20: Still Alive

Aside from the damage that had been done to Twilight's crystal castle, it would've been impossible for anyone to tell that anything had happened at all now that the storm had dispersed. Just like that, it was all over. The sun's rays shone through the opened roof, bathing the interior in its soft, warm glow.

But the castle's current occupants were not feeling sunny and cheerful at all. There were storms of emotional frustration and sorrow raging inside of them all, some stronger than others.

Naturally, it didn't take long for tensions to boil over. Rainbow Dash was the first one to snap! With tears in her eyes and a scrunched up face, she flew over to Tempest Shadow and bitterly shouted at the hornless unicorn! "This is all your fault! If it hadn't been for you, none of this would've happened! Twilight would still be here with us, we'd be enjoying a fantastic festival of friendship! But all you could think about was your stupid little horn! You just had to get it back, didn't you?!"

Tempest flinched and looked down at the ground in sorrow. The words stung, because she knew deep down that they were true, even if they were coming from a clearly distraught pony like Rainbow Dash.

Spike, meanwhile, was sorrowfully looking up to the sky. All he could bring himself to say was. "It's over... it's all over." And he said it not in a dramatic, sorrowful tone, but in a quiet, hurt, defeated one.

Tempest felt sorely tempted to speak up. She wanted to say something, anything. But she couldn't find the words or the courage. It was like any will she had to resist or fight back had been drained out of her. She just stood there in stunned silence, frozen as a statue. She began to imagine that such was what the other princesses must have been feeling by now, one of which she now knew was not only a wife but a mother. A mother who might never see her child again, a wife forever separated from her husband. To say nothing of the fact that without the other two alicorns, the possibility of moving the sun and the moon would be all but impossible.

"It wasn't supposed to end like this!" Pinkie Pie hysterically sobbed and sniffled. "Why did it have to be this way?! Why did it have to be Twilight?! She was just trying to protect us!"

Applejack just somberly held her trusty stetson in her hooves, drapping it over her heart. This wasn't the first time she'd lost someone close to her, but it still stung all the same.

While all of this was going on, Rainbow was continuing to shout and yell at Tempest! It didn't seem to matter to the brash speedster that the hornless unicorn wasn't arguing or fighting back! "What are you still doing here?! Haven't you caused Equestria enough sorrow and destruction for one lifetime?! Get out of here before I decide to do something to you!"

Fluttershy immediately rushed over, grabbing her fellow pegasus by the hoof. "Rainbow Dash, no! This isn't right! It's not going to bring Twilight back! It's not what she would've wanted!"

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" Rainbow growled! "Maybe we can't bring Twilight back, but we at least owe to her to make sure she didn't scarifice herself for nothing! We can't just leave Tempest! She has to pay for what she's done!"

"Much as I agree with you, Rainbow Dash," Rarity chimed in as she trotted over. "I must reluctantly side with Fluttershy. Revenge is not justice. It's not for us to decide Tempest's fate, not like this. The only thing we can do now is try to carry on as best we are able. The festival must go on. When it's over, then maybe we can talk about what to do with Tempest here."

Tempest could only weakly reply. "Do whatever you want to me. I don't care anymore. There's no point running away this time."

Rainbow spat at the ground and coldly hissed. "You took the words right out of my mouth! I don't know what Twilight saw in you! You're just a monster like the Storm King! And nothing you say or do can change that fact! I'll always remember you for this! For what you did to us!"

The hornless unicorn whimpered. "I know this doesn't make up for anything, but for what it's worth I'm truly sorry. I wish more than anything there was a way to undo what I've done," She let out a long, drawn out sigh. "But I can't. And I know I can't beg or ask for your forgiveness for any of it."

The rainbow maned pegasus replied as she turned her head. "Whatever. You're lucky my friends are here to hold me back. You'd better go before I change my mind about listening to them."

---

Just then, however, all the ponies heard what sounded like an excited shriek! And it was coming from Spike! The little dragon was still gazing up towards the horizon, eyes focused on something. "Is that who I think it is?! Oh, please tell me this isn't a dream or an illusion! Please tell me it's her!"

Upon hearing those words, all the ponies rushed to Spike's location and looked up. When they did so, they could hardly believe their eyes!

There was Twilight, none the worse for wear after what she'd been through. She was descending from the clouds with the staff once wielded by the Storm King clutched firmly in her hooves. The sun's rays reflected off her wings, bathing her in the most brilliant light and giving her a heavenly glow. She soon touched down before all, wings folding to her sides.

Applejack was the first one to find the courage to speak. "What are you? Some kind of ghost, or spirit?"

Twilight Sparkle giggled, the staff still held within her hooves. "Oh no, I'm as real as can be. Thanks to the powers of this staff, I was able to break up the storm without putting myself in danger," She then apologized to her friends and to Spike. "Sorry I made you all worry so much. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision."

Spike just happily ran up and hugged the alicorn tightly! "Oh, thank the stars you're okay! I thought I'd lost you forever! Please don't ever scare me like that again! Please!"

Twilight gently patted Spike's forehead. "I promise, Spike. I'll do myself not to put myself in danger without at least making sure you're okay with it first," She then turned to the others. "And I want to apologize again for what happened back in Seaquestria. That wasn't a smart move on my part at all. I never should've tricked you, or tried to steal from Queen Novo. There was a better way, I just couldn't see it."

Rainbow Dash simply wiped the tears from her eyes and rushed towards Twilight. "Well, you're just glad you're okay! You really had us going there for a moment," She gave off a nervous laugh. "Did you mean to make such a dramatic entrance?"

The alicorn princess shook her head from side to side. "Not at all. It just took me a little while to get my bearings, that's all."

"And what about the Storm King?" Fluttershy questioned with concern. "Is he..."

Twilight looked up to the sky. "If I survived, then there's a pretty good chance he did too. But with a little luck, he's learned his lesson. He's probably off licking his wounds somewhere. And hopefully, he won't try to invade us ever again."

Rarity then cleared her throat. "So then, what should we do with... her?" She gestured a hoof to Tempest over in the distance.

Twilight immediately declared. "We need her to undo whatever it was she did to the other princesses. Once she's done that, then we can decide what her punishment should be."

Tempest was taken aback by the princess' apparent act of kindness. She hadn't been expecting Twilight to show her mercy at all. Was this what it was like to care about the feelings of others? To care about what others thought of you? It felt like something was stirring deep down inside the hornless unicorn for the first time in years. Feelings she had buried for what had seemed like forever. But now she saw that they had always been there, just waiting to resurface.

Just then, who should come running up on the scene but Grubber? He was panting, clearly out of breath, and looking a tad bit frazzled. "Tempest! You're... okay!" He exclaimed in between pauses to catch his breath.

Tempest was surprised by the little hedgehog's affection for her. "Grubber? Why did you come back for me?"

"Because, Tempest, I know you better than anyone!" Grubber explained. "No way am I abandoning you now!"

"But don't you see, Grubber?" Tempest pointed out. "That means you'll suffer the same fate as me. It's not too late. You can leave me and run away. I'm the one the ponies are mad with."

Grubber would hear nothing of such an argument. "Forget it, Tempest! We're in this together! Besides, someone's gonna have to pass word along about the Storm King's extended leave of absence. If we do it ourselve, we can avoid a struggle."

The hornless unicorn sighed and shook her head. "The army should be disbanded. Without the Storm King, there's no one left to lead. And I don't want to be in position of power anytime soon. Not after the things I've said and done. If someday the Storm King returns, he'll surely try to hunt me down. And I deserve no less for all the crimes I've committed," She looked down at the ground. "Go home, Grubber. Forget about me, just save yourself."

---

Before Grubber could process Tempest's arguments and come to a decision, however, he and Tempest were shocked to hear what sounded like desperate panting. They turned around fast, and to their horror they saw the Storm King lifting himself up, hoisting himself through an open window of the castle! He was bruised and battered, but apparently still had enough strength left within him to make the climb!

The ponies and Spike became aware of the Storm King's presence a moment later. They too turned to look, and were horrified to see him getting closer and closer!

"I'm still alive, you fools!" The Storm King bellowed in defiance! "And now it's time to end this!" He quickly grabbed a small orb, tossing it towards his enemies!

Tempest, realizing at once what the orb was, did the only thing she could think to do in such a situation! She rushed towards the Storm King, placing herself between him and Spike and the ponies! She shoved him backwards, pushing him out of the window! But in doing so, the orb detonated in mid-air and her entire body became frozen in crystal! It was only by a stroke of luck that the same thing happened to the Storm King, leaving him trapped in crystal as he plunged out of the window and to the ground below.

Tempest's crystalized body was only just saved from impact by the quick thinking of Twilight, who lit up her horn and pulled the frozen Tempest to safety. As for the Storm King, his crystalized body plummeted to the ground. Upon impact, it shattered into a million tiny pieces! Just like that, the Storm King was no more.

"Tempest!" Grubber exclaimed in shock and fright afterward! He immediately turned to the ponies and pleaded. "Please, you've gotta save her! You've just gotta!"

Twilight firmly nodded. "And save her we shall," She trotted forward, brandishing the staff. "I think I'm beginning to get a good idea of how this thing works. If I'm right, it should be just what we need to restore everything to the way it was."

Author's Note:

Not only did I know I would need to rework some scenes on account of where I have the climax taking place, but I wanted to try to add more emotional stakes to the immediate aftermath of Twilight's scarifice. Plus, my intentions with Grubber have been to try to paint him in a similar role to Spike, thus drawing parallels between Tempest and Twilight.

I also want to do more to show that Tempest is remorseful and has regrets about what she did, whereas in the movie her redemption boiled down to her being betrayed by the Storm King and then scarificing herself to stop him from attacking the ponies.

Comments

[Comickook]

Well, I have to admit that you did an excellent job on this second-to-last chapter. You made really good points in the author's notes on the admittedly subtle changes, though the changes still made it better. The better show of Tempest's remorse and the greater parallels between Grubber and Spike were definitely appreciated.

[Okie Brony]

I was starting to think that you were going to let Stormy live. Glad to see him murderized again.