Previous: >>2407401

“What’s the point.” Flurry phrased it as more of a statement than a question, and the frustration in her voice was emphasized with her deep tone. “We’ve been doing this for months now, and I can’t even channel the smallest bit of magic without it exploding in my face,” she continued.

Tempest Shadow let out a soft breath. “I know you’re frustrated, but you-“

“Of course I’m frustrated,” Flurry interrupted, her voice raising. “A psychotic princess, your- your daughter, ripped my horn in half and now I can’t do anything for myself. I can’t walk by myself, or eat by myself, or bathe myself, and this whole time, my sister’s been off ruling the world while I’ve been stuck here with you and you can’t even help me.”

By the last few words, Flurry was panting, shoulders heaving as she tried to relax her jaw. And when she looked up to meet Tempest’s eyes, she felt a stab against her heart when she saw the hurt on Tempest’s face, the sad crease of her eyebrows. And Flurry’s anger instantly turned to shame.

“I’m sorry,” Flurry muttered, looking away.

Tempest sighed, and stayed quiet for a moment, as if thinking. “It’s okay,” she finally said, and Flurry could hear the gentleness behind her voice. “It’s important to let out your anger, and for now I don’t mind if you take it out on me.”

Flurry nodded in response, but she could barely bring herself to look up and meet Tempest’s eyes again. She was glad her mane shielded the red on her face.

“I’m just trying to understand why this happened to me, Tempest.”

The corners of Tempest’s mouth tightened, and after a moment, she said: “You know why.”

Flurry’s back slumped even more, until she felt like she was sinking into herself. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair. Did she really deserve this?

“I’m tired, Tempest,” she finally breathed, feeling a mass of tears begin to cloud her vision.

“I know.” Tempest lifted a hoof as if to rest it against Flurry’s back, a thoughtful gesture, but she stopped halfway and placed it back on the ground. “And I know you feel alone right now, Flurry. But you’re not the first pony in Equestria who’s had to overcome immense suffering.”

Flurry finally looked up, irritation reflecting in her eyes, as if that comment was somehow offensive. Tempest blinked and dipped her head, as if to ask for Flurry’s patience.

“Imagine the pain Celestia felt when she banished her own sister to the moon,” Tempest began. “She’d had to choose her people over her family. And imagine how Luna felt, too. At the time, there was no way for Celestia to know that Luna was just a prisoner to the darkness. And from Luna’s point of view, she was cast out by her own sister. Luna only felt betrayal.”

Flurry didn’t quite know what to say. She almost felt selfish for wallowing in her loss, but then she remembered how grave her loss truly was. So she stayed quiet and listened.

“When I lost my horn, I was a student at a prestigious magic school, primarily for unicorns. I saw no other chance for me in the world that didn’t somehow involve my magic, so I dedicated my life to serving a cruel king who promised to restore it for me. I didn’t care what I needed to do for it, because I thought I needed it back.”

Flurry shifted, unsure if Tempest wanted her to comment. Thankfully, her aunt continued.

“I thought my horn was the most important thing in the world, Flurry. But… that day Twilight saved my life, I… I hadn’t really known what friendship was before then. What love was. And even after everything I’d done, Twilight still offered both of those things to me.”

Flurry understood what Tempest was trying to tell her. But she was frustrated, because Tempest made it sound so easy, and it wasn’t. Just because Tempest moved on, didn’t mean she had to.

“You’re only saying that because it did turn out good for you in the end. What about the years of torment and sadness you went through?” Flurry challenged.

Tempest let a small smile spread across her face, a knowing laugh filling the silence. “Flurry, if I had never lost my horn, I never would’ve met the love of my life. What I’m trying to tell you is that I found meaning in my suffering. And eventually, I found peace.”

Flurry dared herself to hope, allowed her guard to slip away for just a moment. It was a small feeling, but the spark was there. She sucked in a slow breath and looked intently into Tempest’s eyes then, blue on blue. “So then… what will I find? If I get through this?”

Tempest shook her head just slightly, offering another warm smile. “I don’t know. But won’t it be interesting to find out?”

Tl;dr: Tempest gives Flurry a new perspective on the loss of her horn, but Flurry’s not sure if she’s ready to let it go yet. 

This takes place a few months after the actual accident, and at this point Cassie is long gone from Equestria. Tempest was very hesitant to help Flurry in the first place, considering that Flurry hurt her daughter too, but she knows how traumatic losing a horn is. And she’s the only other pony in Equestria who can share Flurry’s experience, so ultimately, she decides to help. It’s a learning process for both of them. Over time, they’ll both learn to forgive each other. 

Yay! I finally got around to the next part. I had a few questions about what Flurry’s recovery would be like. Tempest is the main person who helps her, since she’s the only one who could truly understand Flurry’s pain. Tempest works with her to gain some control over the magic in her horn, because the magic never actually went away, it’s just extremely difficult to use without a horn to channel it.