Tempest was on her airship headed straight for Celeano's. "Prepare the grappling harpoon!" she called out to her troops.
Grubber in the meantime ran up to the bow of the ship so he could get a good look at the airship they were about to capture and that's when she noticed something coming towards their own ship. It was too small to another airship, You couldn't get them that size as the engines required to run the ships were too large to fit on anything less than the size of a small house and even those required a crew of no less than five to operate. The hedgehog man pulled at a spyglass he had in his pocket and looked out to see what was coming, causing whatever it was it was coming in fast but it was still too large to be on of the ponies.
When Grubber locked onto what he saw he fell on his ass in fear. He felt a sudden burning on his cheek, nothing major but back during Canterlot's initial invasion a monster had appeared from the sky and began to cut down the Storm Creatures with ease. In that slaughter one of the monster's bladed tendrils had cut his cheek and whenever he thought of that beast his wound would burn as if it were still fresh.
Grubber ran to the rear deck and Tempest. "TEMPEST! TEMPEST!" The hedgehog man jumped up waving his arms in the air.
"WHAT IS IT?!" Tempest yelled out in annoyance as she still smiled with excitement as she was about to catch her prey.
"We got company coming," Grubber pointed as he held the telescope up.
Tempest saw something quickly heading their way from Celeano's vessel. It was moving fast and it was too small to be a personal ship but too big to be a pony. "What in Tartarus is that?" She squinted then grabbed to looking glass from Grubber's hand.
Tempest looked through the telescope and her eyes shrank to the size of pinpricks as she could make out the giant smiling sharp-toothed maw of the monster that had assaulted her forces back in Canterlot. "What in Tartarus is the damn thing doing all the way out here in the middle of bucking forsaken nowhere?!" She shouted in fear and anger. " She tossed the looking device off to the side. "Is it some kind of Guardian the Celestia created to protect her kingdom? No, if it was then it would be out this far. Unless... " Tempest's vision went back to Celeano's airship. "It's protecting all of them. That creature is protecting those ponies and unless I can get ready of it, then I'll never get the princess."
"So what do we do?' Grubber shrank beside his commander's leg. "It ran away last time when you ordered the fleet to attack. It knew it couldn't face all them but we're just one ship this time."
"Well, hehehe..." Tempest chuckled at the thrill of a real battle. "We'll just have to show it what my ship can do," She smirked. "ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS. PREPARE THE REPEATING BALLISTA! KEEP THE CLAW HARPOON ON STANDBY FOR AFTER THE RIGHT WE GO IN FOR THE PRINCESS!" Tempest ordered her storm creatures. "Let's see if your just as good at fighting in the air as you are at slaughtering my force."
Gar flew towards Tempest and her ship, while he did a massive thundercloud started to roar with flashed of white lightning in the behind him.
The storm creatures ready their ballistas and armed them with large tolls of five foot long bolts. The waited for there enemy to come in range and this time wanted its blood. The swivel and pivot of the ballistas were easily able to keep with him as the storm cloud had drawn the monster and ship in. With their sights set the Storm Creatures unleashed their volley of huge bolts upon Gar's direction. Even as stinging rain pelted the two opposing forces the creatures didn't let up as they were used to such storms.
Gar numbed his pain reception to none existent while also hardening his skin and eardrums to protect himself from the rain on concussive booms of thunder as he flew through the howling wind as he dodged the incoming assault. He would twist and turn but doing so in the storm was hard as he also had to dodge the bolts of lightning that we attracted to his large form and the steel heads of the ballista bolts but fight with the high-speed winds to.
Even if he though can stretch his body Gar couldn't get close enough to the ship to fight back with incoming fire and the elements fighting against him. But, he found a way around that in a few seconds. Another unique aspect of new biology was that he could think not only unhindered by much emotion, usually, but that Gar could also process information, strategize, and overall out-think his opponent from anywhere to a mere second to a few minutes. In that moment he did what no sane, or normal, would do.
Gar started to grabbed the ballistas bolts that would come close enough to his and a simple rotation of his wrist, then hurled them back at Tempest'd ship.
"Tempest," Grubber pointed at he returned fire.
Tempest turned her head and looked into the rain as the bolts hit the ship. "That bastard is sending my own artillery back at us," She sneered as she turned the wheel. One of the storm creatures points back to Celeano's ship. "That beast is trying to pull us further away from the ponies and into the storm. Damn, how is something that ugly so cunning," She turned the wheel to keep the other ship insight but also kept an eye on the monster.
Gar caught bolt after bolt and was closing the gap between him and the ship. Tempest forces were also starting to run out of ammo and several of her crew had either been injured or killed from the return fire. One of the remaining uninjured Storm Creatures got Gar locked in its sights and sent a bolt straight at the monster.
Gar dodged, grabbed the bolt by the end, locked on the Tempest, "Have this back this bitch!" He flung the bolt sending twisting straight at her. But Gar didn't stop there as his body sprouted long metal natural metal spikes. He timed it just right with his thrown bolt and a flash of lighting Gar followed his bolt while he allowed himself to be hit by the white-hot plasma of the storm as he spiraled into Tempest's ship turning himself into a living lightning bullet.
Tempest didn't see the bolt coming straight for but Grubber did. "TEMPEST!" Acting without thought or hesitation he jumped up, pushing Tempest out of what was meant for her head. Grubber side was shredded to pieces by the added effect of the spin on the bolt, sending blood and guts over the rear deck of the ship.
Tempest didn't know what hit as she was pushed to the ground and then there was a bright flashing that collided with her ship. There was a ringing in her ears as her vision steadily returned to her she saw her vessel on fire and then she saw the body of Grubber lying on the ground next to a bolt lodged where she'd been standing. His blood running over the deck being wash away by the rain.
"Grubber!" Tempest rushed to his side. "Don't you die on me don't you dare die on."
URACK! "Couldn't let ya get hit now could I," Grubber chuckled as blood ran down his face from his mouth. "Sorry, Tempy but I don't think I'm boucin back from this one."
"Damn it, don't you dare die," Tempest cried out as she held the tiny man in her grasp. "If only I had my horn!"
"Meanwhile, from the flames on the deck emerged a charred and blacked Gar, "Grah, never doing that again, my head," he said as he grabbed his head and looked around. "This will throw them off for a while but I best check and see if I got that unicorn." Gar sauntered around and he came across a sight he'd never excepted on the rear deck. Tempest was cradling the little man. He morphed his hand into a blade and moved in on the unicorn.
Tempest in her sorrow didn't notice the giant looming over her and the dying Grubber until his bladed hand was at her throat. "What are you waiting for do it already," She gritted her as she readied herself and looked into his eyes while it kept wearing its sharp-tooth smile.
Gar was about to slit her throat when he bent down to get a better look at her face and noticed it wasn't rain but tears. He turned to the dying little man. "Don't you dare, he's the only family I have left," She pulled Grubber closer to her. Gar raised up his free hand. She now knew he could finish them both in a second. Tempest closed her eyes tight and readied herself again for death, but it still didn't come.
She looked down to see the monster's free hand had spread of Grubber's body where he was wounded and extended out of the deck where his blood and guts had spilled out. Tempest watched as the hand pulsed over Grubber and in the next moment it retracted turning in to a hand once. Gar backed off and removed the blade from Tempest's throat, allowing her to see what it was that he'd done.
Her eyes were wide open with shock. The monster had actually pieced Grubber's body back together Her gaze turned to Gar and she saw sadness and understanding in his eyes."Why?"
"He is your family, and I once lost a brother long ago and I thought him dead for many years, though now I know he lives, I still know that feeling of loss Tempest," Gar pointed at Grubber. "I fixed him as best I could but he is very weak and needs a blood transfusion to live through the next." he turned and started to walk away.
"This means nothing, I am still coming after the ponies," Tempest shouted.
"I know, I will protect them as I have done before," He sprouted wings and flew off while Tempest carried Grubber below and began his treatment with what remained of her crew.
Capper int the meantime took his chance and went for one of the smaller transport airships and escaped.
Celeano's Ship
Gar steadily flew back to his party as quickly as he could and barely managed to crash land on the deck of Celeano's ship face first. He had spent a great deal of energy fighting both the storm and his opponents. He spent a great deal more healing the little man Tempest was holding on to. Gar's whole body ached with pain and if you listened every now and then you could hear the faint crackle of electricity come from him. He steadily rolled on to his back as the others rushed to his side but Celeano got ahead of them.
"You bright a master like this on to my ship and didn't tell me," Celeano growled at the ponies as she pulled out her sword.
"He's not a monster!" Pinkie shot back. "Sure he may look big and scared but he's not a monster."
"Then why'd he say he was going to be one right when he changed and jumped off the ship?" Celeano scowled.
"He just does that cause he knows that when he does stuff like what he did in that fight would be seen as monstrous," Applejack countered. "Pinkie's right though. He may look terrifin and do stuff that isn't usual for our moral code but he is still a good guy."
"He's saved all of us more than once and at great risk to himself," Rarity joined in as she stood next to her friends in between the pirates and Gar. "He is a terrifying looker in the face but he has a good heart."
"He's scary but nice," Fluttershy murmured.
"The dude may be a bit short-fused every now and then but he saved our flanks just now," Rainbow said with dire in her voice. "I mean look at the guy, I know you can't feel it but I have first-hand experience in weather control. The state he's in means he was hit by lightning, and nothing small either. He also looks like he took it deliberately. Somepony doesn't get that much juice without a reason, and a good one at that!"
"He saved me from Tempest three times now. He may look like something out of a horror story but he's been there for more than anypony else has, and he was right," Everyone turned there heads to look at Twilight. "I wasn't thinking right. If we can still find a way to contact the hippogriffs then we need to keep moving forward and checkout Mount Aires. If we find nothing then we keep looking for another way to rescue the other princesses and all the ponies back in Equestria."
Celeano sheathed her sword. "I'll bring you ponies to Aires but don't except anything more past that. I do respect you for standing up for that thing but, I don't want ti anything to do with it. Once we get there and you unload were done." She went back to the rear deck of the ship. "Open in full, the sooner we get there the better!" Suddenly the side of the ship's lift engine opened revealing large colorful feathers and the ship was soon moving faster than ever.
The ponies turned back to their barely conscious savior.
"Why would he go so far to save us?" Twilight said as she reached her hand outward.
"Twilight don't!" Rainbow quickly pulled her friend's hand back form Gar's body as it gave off a spark off electricity hitting Rainbow instead.
"Dash, are you are ya alright?" Applejack looked at her concerned.
"I'm fine Aj but thanks for worrying about my flank," Rainbow chuckled as Applejack lite up bright than a red delicious. "Remember, head of the weather team back home. A little shock like that won't even phase me. I'm more worried about the big guy here. He took a pretty serious hit from that bolt the struck him." Dash scratched her head."It wasn't a pony storm that got but one of those wild ones like from Everfree. Those are a lot strong than the ones I miss with."
"Can we even help him?" Fluttershy looked at the suffering monster.
"We don't even know anything about his biology," Twilight looked to everypony. "We could make things worst before making them better."
"I agree with ya on that Twi, but we can't just stand here and do nothing," Applejack looked around to the others. "Do ya think the birds would lend us some med stuff to patch him up, bandages at least."
"I would say that's a fifty-fifty on that dear," Rarity looked at the crew with skepticism.
"First things first," Rainbow put her hand on Gar and everypony heard crackling building around them. Dash quickly moved to the side and tossed a small bolt of lightning into a passing cloud with a small boom. "Me and Fluttershy need to pull the excess electricity from the oversized brute. No one else can even touch even till then." Rainbow went about her work and Fluttershy helped out as best she could but she wasn't the best when it comes to weather manipulation but she still did what she could for Gar's sake.
"Will healing magic even work on him?" Rarity looked to Twilight.
"I certainly hope so Rarity, cause if it doesn't he'll be down for a while." Twilight looked at Gar who looked as if he'd passed out.
"Brac...." Came the squawk from one of the crew. He set some boxes down next to the ponies and started to walk off.
Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity opened the boxes to see different medical supplies.
"Thank you," Twilight said in shock and the bird only gave a thumbs up and went back to work. "Alright girls let get to work. Are you just about done?"
"We've pulled out what we could, he might spark at ya a bit but it shouldn't be worse than a when Pinkie rubbed a balloon on ya then has ya shake someone hand," Rainbow cracked her knuckles.
"Let me help with the first aid, I have quite a bit of experience from treating the animals back home." Fluttershy moved to the box and pick up a tube of cream. "This will help with the raw tissue and to kill any bacteria. Then will have to wrap him in bandages."
"How in Equestria are gonna do that?" Applejack motioned with her hands. "The guy is nearly for times our size in this form. He probably weighs more than an Ursa."
"We'll figure it out as we go Applejack now we need to get started," Twilight butted in and everypony started to do what the could on Gar.
"Mmmm.... what I feel hands on me." Gar said in his mind as he groggily opened one of his eyes. He looked around to see the opines doing first aid on him. Must've dozed off after I landed. Why are they helping me? Eh let them, I don't have the energy to complain and my body needs all the help it can get right now since I haven't had a decent meal in nearly a day. Best rest fro the time, Gar Fell back to sleep
Twilight looked over her shoulder at the behemoth. She gave a weird look and then shrugged.
A few hours want by and a bell started to ring overhead waking the tired ponies from a slight nap that they'd all been taking after tending to Gar. Gar's eyes popped open and he scowled at the sky.
"Welcome to Mount Aires!" Captain Celaeno called out as the dock at the base of a huge duel wing-shaped mountain island.
"Mmmm...." Gar groaned as he sat up covered in bandages. The pirates stepped back with their hands close to their blades. He looked over to the ponies. "Why did you help me?"
"Because you've been helping us from the very start without even asking us our batting an eye," Twilight walked up an took a hold of his hand. "I'm sorry I lost sight of our goal, it's just... " Tears started to well up in Twilight'd eye. "Everypony is counting on me and..."
Gar placed a large clawed hand on her head and gently stroke. "Stress gets the better of us many times in our lives little pony, we have a saying from where I come from, "Even if all hope seems lost, keep moving forward.', but know that you are not alone in this fight." He pointed to her friends and also the pirates. "You have your friends to help you and I know you can save your home because you've done it many times before."
"You right, and we have you to," Twilight looked up and he knew she so a shimmer of warmth in his four eyes. "What are you going to do when we save the kingdom Gar? Everypony will know you helped in some way."
Gar got to his feet and tore off the bandages and to everyone's shock was fully healed. "I will return to the forest with Zecora and remain there unless I am needed again," He said with sincerity. "Why do you ask?"
"Because you're our friend silly billy," Pinkie giggled as she appeared from nowhere on his shoulder.
"You didn't think we'd just let you disappear after this big adventure did you dude?" Rainbow flew in his face.
"You've been helpin us this whole time, I 'd say that makes us more than just acquaintances partner," Applejack bumped his side with her fist.
"You may be big and scary but you've got a very kind heart," Fluttershy put her hand on his chest without hesitating.
"I'd love to hear about the fashion of where you're from sometime over tea darling," Rarity giggled. "You've thrown yourself in harm's way for us time and again without even a hint of fear or hesitation. If that's not the most generous let alone selfless thing anypony has ever done for any of us then I don't know anypony better to call a friend."
"Very well," Gar got to his feet. "Then you are my friends and I shall be your friend. Where is the little one?"
"Over here!" Spike called out as he waved to the group from the Shoreline. "I found the steps."
"We best follow," Gar remarked and turned to the pirates as he shifted to zebra form. "Thank you all for bringing us here, now you'd best leave before Tempest arrives again."
"Ya don't have to tell us twice and ... ah..." Celeano scratched the back of her head. "Thanks for everything ya did for me and my crew and sorry for everything else. You keep looking after those guys. Something tells me you need them just as much as they need you."
"Aye, Aye captain," Gar gave a true salute and headed off the ship.
"Are we leaving Captain?" The red plumed pirate asked.
"Hehe... not on you're life. Those little ponies really rubbed off on me and I wanna see where they can take us," Celeano looked one as the ponies climbed up the mountainside stair. "Besides we owe the big guy for covering our asses against Tempest and her Storm Guards least we can do is return the favor."
"Aye Aye Captain Celeano!" the whole crew saluted and then went about prepping the ship.
Top of the mountain Hippogriff Village
It took a few hours for the group to reach the top of the mountain and by the time the did everyone was very worn down to the point of exhaustion. Gar was the most at his limit as he was still drained from his earlier fight and he hadn't eaten anything all day play a very large role in his depleted energy. It wasn't much of a pay off as like Capper had said there was no one in the village.
"It looks like the cat was telling the truth after all," Gar wheezed as he sat on the ground against a nearby house.
"Are ya alright there sugarcube?" Applejack came over. "Yer looking rather drained there."
Indeed Gar body had shrunk down in order to conserve its energy and even in zebra form he was small. He looked extremely emaciated.
"I need nourishment in order to regain my strength," Gar huffed. "A lot of it, or something heavy in nutrition. Then I need a full night's sleep in order to maintain my body and be back at one hundred."
"I'm sure we could have caught fish if we were back at the shoreline but it's to far down," Twilight looked away.
"I HAVE THIS!" Pinkie pulled out a whole steaming turkey from her hair. "I know you usually eat more but other than cake I don't have anything else."
"Gar looked at everypony. "How..."
"Shut up eat and don't ask how, it's Pinkie being... ah Pinkie," Rainbow cut him off.
"As you wish then," Gar demolished the turkey, to everypony else horror-struck face. "Thank you, but I will take those cake to."
"Go ahead, plenty for everypony," Pinkie laid out a whole spread.
"If only we had some tea," Rarity sighed with disappointment.
"We have everything we need for tea," Gar got up and went over to various plants in front of the hippogriff houses and went out of sight for a bit until he returned with an armful of wood, some plants, a pale of water and a teapot. "First we make a fire," Gar explained as he made a quick campfire and got it going. "Then we place the pale on the fire to boil out any impurity and harmful bacteria or toxins," Soon the water was boiling and Gar pulled it off and he took some of the plants he picked and place in the kettle after he'd cleaned with some of the hot water. Once that was done Gar put more hot water in the kettle and let it step before pouring tea for the ponies.
"This is delicious spry but floral," Rarity sipped in shock.
"Just rosemary and rose petals," Gar tilted his head. "It's something my oldest brother taught me how to make."
"So ya have kin, are they ah... like you?" Applejack asked nervously.
"They a not like me in time of biology no," Gar sat down. "We were the same race but now we a different in the pasted but no more."
"How many brothers do you have Gar?" Twilight asked out of curiosity and politeness.
"I am the youngest of three," Gar looked into his cup. "And I do want to see them again, and I know I can bt the time isn't right yet."
"Did something happen between you three?" Dash looked at him with sympathy.
"In a way yes, but it has to do with more of my parents and my oldest brother and I know you all mean well, but I won't talk anymore about it without his permission," Gar downed the rest of his tea. "I suggest you all finish soon as we need to get to bed. We need to search at first light tomorrow, I suggest we all stay in a house."
"As long as we stay together," Twilight nodded.
Soon they all finished their drinks and were off to sleep, what the didn't hear was the melody of a song that was being sung into the night after the passed out.