adventure Elements of Equestria: Chapter 16

[DivineMist1000 71,354]

Chapter 16: Friend or Foe?

Lee woke up the following morning and saw the bright sun and cloudless skies above him. He turned his head to his side and saw a wondrous sight: Tempest sleeping next to him with her head laying on top of his torso.

"I still can't believe this... me and Tempest. I have to remind myself that I'm not dreaming anymore."

As he slowly sat up, Lee laid his hoof on Tempest's mane and caressed it gently, which made Tempest stir slightly but still remained asleep as she smiled happily.

"Hehe hehe... Tempest, my beautiful unicorn."

Lee slowly removed Tempest from his figure and kissed her on her forehead before he got up. Lee wrapped the blanket around Tempest and left Tempest to continue sleeping, with Lee looking back at her one more time before walking away from the pond.

Back at the top of the hill, Lee saw Celestia and Luna sleeping in their sleeping bags and decided it would be best not to wake them. Lee sat by the fire pit and moved the logs around until he got a good fire going again.

"Hmm, what to do today? I really want to get Tempest something special... Something to show her how much I love her."

Lee looked around the campsite and saw a pack of bags to his right and saw a brochure of the nearby village, Hydrea, poking out of one of the bags. Lee grabbed the brochure and looked at its contents throughly.

"Hmm, they have a jewelry store? That would be perfect! Maybe a necklace or a bracelet would be good..."

As he thought about this idea, Lee felt good about it but remembered that he didn't have any money with him.

"What do I do about that? Hmm, maybe somepony in town could lend me some money... It's a long shot, but it never hurts to ask."

Lee nodded in approval to his idea and got up from the fire as he decided he was going to do this for Tempest. Lee grabbed the map that Luna had and was pleased to know that the village wasn't far from where they were.

"Let's see, if I just go north from here, I'll run into it. It'll be easier to fly there though."

Before Lee left, he left a note for Tempest and the princesses that he was "going for supplies" because he wanted this to be a surprise for Tempest.

"Heh... I won't be long though. I'll just get the money, get something nice for Tempest and come right back. Simple as that."

After he took another quick look around to make sure Celestia and Luna didn't wake up, Lee took off from the ground and flew in the direction of Hydrea
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As Lee came closer to Hydrea, he saw many other Pegasus ponies flying around the village and other ponies below him entering by the gates. Lee stopped as he examined the sights of the village and was surprised by how beautiful it looked.

Close to the village was a series of wide cliffs that overlooked a vast sea and Lee could feel the breeze of the ocean on his skin. Inside the village was a large park where many ponies were relaxing and playing, a long strip of shops and restaurants lined the west of the village and right in the middle of all of it was a large fountain decorated with statues of stars and ponies.

"Wow, this place looks incredible! Must be a popular spot. There's so many ponies here!"

Lee went down towards the village and landed right next to the fountain and many other ponies greeted him with smiles and waves.

"Ahh, hello there new face! Good to have you visit our lovely village of Hydrea! What's your name?" One pony asked him.

"My name is Lee and I have to say, you do have a lovely place here!"

"Well Lee, my name is Bloom Blast and we're glad you like it so far! So, anything I can point you in the direction of today?"

"Now that you mention it... I was wondering if you knew where the jewelry store was?"

"Oh, you mean Bright and Shine? That's our local jewelry shop and it's just over there! I can take you there if you wish?"

Lee was happy to be around so many nice and friendly ponies and he loved this village the more he was here.

"That would be awesome! Thank you for your help, Bloom!"

Bloom asked Lee to follow her and he did so. As he looked around at the sights, Bloom asked him questions about where he was from and why he was here.

"I'm from Ponyville and I'm here to buy something nice for... somepony."

Bloom gasped at his answer and turned to face him.

"Oh my... Do you have a special somepony? What's her name? Maybe I know her!"

"Her name's Tempest and we actually just got together yesterday. I still want to get something to show her that I love her more than anything!"

"Tempest? What a lovely name! But now that you mention it, the name does sound familiar but its probably just a coincidence!"

As Lee and Bloom approached the jewelry store, Lee decided to ask Bloom if she had any money to lend to him so that he could buy something.

"Say... uhh Bloom. You wouldn't... happen to have some extra bits to spare would you? I... uhh accidentally left my wallet in Ponyville!"

"Oh, you need money? I'm sorry, but I don't have any on me right now. Hmm, perhaps we can ask other ponies?"

"Good idea. I'm sure somepony will be kind enough to lend some money! Let's spilt up and find me if you get anything, okay?"

"You got it! This should be fun!" Bloom walked away from Lee as he looked around at all the ponies.

Lee went from pony to pony and asked each of them for money, and he did manage to rake in a whopping 12 bits from asking and he figured he needed at least 50 for something good in the jewelry store.

As Lee continued asking, he saw one pony walk by with a brown cloak with the hood up. Lee smiled as he approached the pony and cleared his throat before he spoke to her.

"Excuse me miss, would you happen to have any money to spare?"

"No, I don't. Sorry."

Lee groaned, but decided he wasn't going to give up so easily and caught back up with the hooded pony.

"Please, I just need a few bits and that's it. Surely you can help right?"

The pony stopped and faced him and told him no once more. Just then, however, Lee looked at her face and recognized it. His mind suddenly flashed back to when he and Tempest were attacked by a madpony who called herself Storm Breaker. Lee looked at the hooded pony once more for verification and finally realized who it was as the pony walked away.

"Hey! Hold on a second!"

Lee suddenly threw down the bits he had in his hooves and marched towards the pony and pulled down her hood, revealing that it was indeed Storm Breaker before him.

The two of them exchanged glaring looks with one another and both said together at the same time:

"YOU!!!"

Other ponies gathered around Lee and Storm as they both had angry looks on their faces.

"You're the one who tried to hurt Tempest! Isn't that right, Storm Breaker?"

"You? You're here in my village? Well, if you're here then she can't be far! Tell me where she is... NOW!!"

Lee laughed at Storm's question and his face quickly went back to angry.

"I'll die before I tell you where she is!"

"Well, let's not be dramatic now shall we? Please, it'll make it easier on both of us if you just tell me..."

Lee pushed Storm back, but she simply rushed at Lee and knocked him onto the ground. Lee quickly stood back up and grew a little more angry at Storm.

"SHE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG!!! Leave my Tempest... uhh I mean leave Tempest alone!"

Storm laughed next and took a step closer to Lee, which only made him back up slightly.

"Nothing wrong? NOTHING WRONG?! How dare you say those words to me, fool! You have no idea what she has done, do you? Or has she simply chosen to keep you in the dark about it?"

"What are you talking about? Tempest hasn't hid anything from me! She already told me what she did before she reformed!"

"But you don't know what she did to me... what she did to this very village! Hmph, it seems I need to enlighten you on your... friend."

Storm lit up her artificial horn and a black hole surrounded both her and Lee. Lee close his eyes and shielded himself as the black hole engulfed them.
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When he opened his eyes again, Lee saw that everything around him was black and white, but he saw the sight of a village on fire and ponies screaming. Lee looked up at the skies and saw iron airships all over, with masked ponies in dark robes descending from the airships.

"What? What is this? Where are we?"

"A memory spell. I am... unfortunately cursed with this memory, but it helps me remember why I am doing this. Five years ago this happened in my home village and now all I want you to do... is watch!"

Lee was confused by Storm's words, but he looked at the scene before him. The first he noticed was a dark blue Pegasus pony running through the village and she was the only one in color too.

"Who is that? Is that... you?" Lee asked.

Storm said nothing as she continued watching the memory unfold. After a bit more of watching, Lee then saw as he noticed another pony that he immediately recognized: Tempest. This Tempest, however, seemed more sinister and evil than the Tempest he knew.

"Tempest!! Tempest, over here!" Lee tried to wave to Tempest and yell for her, but Storm stopped him and he looked at her with anger.

"She can't hear you. This is a memory and you can't effect what happens here. You can only watch... and learn!"

Lee looked at the memory and saw as Tempest put her hoof on Storm and threaten her. The memory continued and saw Tempest repeatedly strike Storm with kicks and magic and then saw her slam Storm into the fountain.

As the memory went on, Lee looked on in disbelief at what he was witnessing, as if he didn't recognize the pony before him now. Storm smiled a bit as she saw Lee's concern, but still allowed the memory to continue.

"Tempest... No, this can't be you... It just can't!"

Just as Lee saw Tempest threaten Storm more and calling her a weak pony, the memory started to dissolve and everything went dark again.
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Lee and Storm returned to where they were standing before and Lee fell to the ground again as he processed everything he saw. Storm knelt down beside him and honestly felt sorrow for him knowing the truth, but she knew that this was the only way for him to find out.

"You see now? Tempest is nothing more than a tyrant and she needs to be destroyed! That's why I'm doing this, so that to avenge what happened that day and nopony is going to stop me!"

Storm removed her cloak and tossed it aside as she showed her armored wings and energy built up in her horn.

"Hehe, it took me all those years to perfect this horn! No power is beyond my reach and I will use this power to destroy Tempest and finally put the pain of those five years to rest."

"Now, I will will ask you one more time, Lee: Tell me where Tempest is."

Lee thought long and hard about Tempest and closed his eyes as he remembered all that she had done for him in his head: saving him from the timberwolves, letting him stay in her house, being a really great friend to him and finally, him and Tempest together as a couple.

"No..."

Storm looked at Lee in disbelief and she slowly approached him as her anger started to take her again.

"What? What do you mean no?!"

Lee stood up and came face to face with Storm, not letting her get the better of him this time.

"I said no! That's not the Tempest I know and I won't let you hurt her again!"

Storm screamed a bit at Lee's response and rushed at him again, pinning him to the wall and pointing her horn at him.

"You fool! Even after what I showed you, you still understand NOTHING!! I don't get it, honestly I don't! How in the world can you be 'friends' with somepony who's caused so much suffering?"

"Because I know her better than you do! It's you that doesn't understand that the Tempest I know is kind and caring and friendly! She saved me in my time of need, gave me hospitality and friendship when she could have easily just walked away and left me by myself..."

Storm slowly backed away, but was still in shock Lee's words.

"So what? She still caused all that destruction and called me 'weak and worthless'! You can't possibly justify something like that!"

Lee decided to take a couple steps toward Storm, but still kept his guard up as he talked with her.

"And I am sorry for that... Whatever it is she did, truly I am sorry, but we can't judge somepony on the mistakes of the past."

"Don't act like you know me because you don't! You have no idea what I've been through! Ever since then, I've been forced to live with these memories and Tempest's words. I had no choice but to go out and fend for myself, and I eventually became a bounty hunter, hoping one day I would find her..."

Storm turned her back to Lee and looked around at the village before her, remembering again what had happened five years ago. Lee caught a small glimpse of Storm's face and saw a few tears in her eyes.

"We all make mistakes, don't we? No matter how small or big they are, we've all done terrible things... I know I have and I especially know that Tempest has too."

As Storm heard these words, she turned back to Lee and noticed his saddened look on his face now.

"What 'mistakes' have you made?" Storm asked.

"I...I burned down somepony's home in Ponyville. I left a family homeless and defenseless and I just couldn't bear to set foot in Ponyville again... Everypony tells me that it was just an accident, but I just couldn't help this pain of the guilt inside of me. That pain... hurt more than anything I had ever experienced and it nearly did destroy me."

Storm listened to Lee's words and felt genuine sorrow for Lee and what he went through. Storm had realized that even normal ponies like Lee can have it pretty bad sometimes, but she had never considered it until now.

"I'm... I'm sorry you had to go through that. It couldn't have been easy to leave your home and never return."

"See what I mean though? We've all been down a dark path! It's a road that always leads us to pain and suffering, but the important thing is to not let it consume you. Storm, I know you don't want to hear it, but I can help you..."

Lee tried to go a little closer to Storm, but she was the one who backed away next as she saw Lee extend his hoof to her.

"Help? Help ME?! I don't need your help, fool!"

"No no no, please... I beg you, I swear to you that Tempest is not who you think she is anymore. Just let me show you... Please, you just have to trust me."

Storm looked at Lee's hoof before her and looked Lee in the eyes as both confusion and anger swirled in her mind, not knowing what the right decision would be. 

Storm slowly extended her own hoof to Lee's and both hooves were prepared to meet...

A/N: We're getting close to the end now everyone! The final battle is drawing near and I can't wait to finish this! Hope everyone enjoys the chapter!

[O-78 28,605]

I can see you're definitely on the home stretch now. Well done as always.

[DivineMist1000 71,354]

1 minute ago, LyraLover said:

I can see you're definitely on the home stretch now. Well done as always.

What do you think of Lee and Storm's conversation? Do you think that he can convince her to stop her pursuit of Tempest?

[O-78 28,605]

Moments ago, DivineQueen1000 said:

What do you think of Lee and Storm's conversation? Do you think that he can convince her to stop her pursuit of Tempest?

I think you did a good job writing it. He could convince her by the end of the story, but it won't be easy.

Edited April 1, 2021 by LyraLover

[DivineMist1000 71,354]

2 minutes ago, LyraLover said:

I think you did a good job writing it. He could convince her by the end of the story, but it won't be easy.

It's been quite a journey hasn't it? What's been your favorite moments?

[O-78 28,605]

3 minutes ago, DivineQueen1000 said:

It's been quite a journey hasn't it? What's been your favorite moments?

Indeed it has! Some of my favorite moments would include Lee being invited to Celestia and Luna's castle (the moment that started it all), Lee meeting Tempest for the first time, the cameo appearance by Lyra and Sky, and of course Lee and Tempest becoming a couple.

Edited April 1, 2021 by LyraLover

[Misty Shadow 7,848]

I was wondering why you were getting these chapters out so quick, then I realized it's because you have the entire finale planned out!  So glad I understand much better now why Storm was the way she was and I'm sure the finale will be fantastic! 

[DivineMist1000 71,354]

2 minutes ago, CloudMistDragon said:

I was wondering why you were getting these chapters out so quick, then I realized it's because you have the entire finale planned out!  So glad I understand much better now why Storm was the way she was and I'm sure the finale will be fantastic! 

Do you think Lee can convince Storm to give up?

[Misty Shadow 7,848]

2 minutes ago, DivineQueen1000 said:

Do you think Lee can convince Storm to give up?

Probably. He is a good soul who won the heart of Tempest! 

[DivineMist1000 71,354]

Moments ago, CloudMistDragon said:

Probably. He is a good soul who won the heart of Tempest! 

I can't wait to finish this story! I think it'll be 3 more chapters before it's over!

[Tom Gallagher 33,581]

This is such an emotional journey. I'm sure Lee can convince Storm to stop trying.