Fizzlepop Berrytwist or as she prefers to go by now Tempest Shadow had been pardoned by the princesses on the account of fighting back against the Storm King. Now she was setting off to spread the news of the Storm King's defeat as well as the importance of friendship plus she wanted to do something to redeem herself. Tempest got ready to set out along with Grubber and a few storm creatures that wanted to redeem themselves as well.
"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Twilight asked.
"Yes princess I'm sure."
"And when she's sure of something Tempest here is gonna do it," Grubber said. "Like when she was sure she could take the capital, too soon?"
"I've done some things I'm not proud of that I need to make up for, but I'll probably come back soon. I owe my brother that much at least." Tempest then turned around and approached the blimp. "All right let's get going, we're taking off any minute now."
"Well then it looks like I got here just in time," Dr. Arachnid said as he showed up flying above the 2 ponies. He had put the tips of his metal legs together and they were working as a helicopter but stopped when he got closer to the ground and separated again.
"I've heard of bat ponies but spider ponies?" Tempest said.
"Yeah I mean what's next?" Grubber asked. "Scorpion ponies or ponies that are like all 3 different types of ponies put together? Oh wait, no that's already a thing."
"I'm Ruby Shores and these spider legs are an invention of mine."
"Is there something I can help you with?" Tempest asked.
"Yes you can make sure there's room for 1 more," Ruby answered.
"Don't forget about us," Brush Stroke formerly Emo Pony said as he ran on just his back legs with Briar Hooffield or Pony Ivy not far behind.
"That pony is standing on 2 legs, that's weird," Grubber said.
"Uh so are you," Brush Stroke pointed out.
"What are you 3 doing here?" Grubber asked.
"They'll be going with you to Mount Aris," Princess Celestia answered as she too appeared with her husband Prince Squeaky Clean and her nephew Prince Blueblood.
"Princess Celestia, what are you doing here?" Twilight asked.
"When we heard that Tempest was going to be passing Mount Aris we thought she could stop by and a delegate could negotiate a stronger connection with us and them," Celestia answered.
"We wanted to do that during the Festival of Friendship but somepony kept saying just 1 more slice of cake," Squeaky added and Celestia pushed him aside a little wishing not to start that fight with him again. "We'll be sending my nephew Prince Blueblood as the art of conversation is his specialty.
"Oh auntie you flatter me so, but you're only saying because it's true."
"Also not too long after he got his parole with the other 2 Pony, Briar was helping with the royal garden and overheard your plan and wanted to join you," Princess Celestia said.
"Yeah we thought it would be a great idea to see what was beyond Equestria," Briar added. "I mean after getting out of prison going anywhere is a great idea. After we got our parole we rushed over to request it and Princess Celestia and Luna thought it would be great for us to go in case you need any extra help."
"This wasn't run by me," Tempest said.
"We didn't really have a whole lot of time since you were heading out so soon, honestly I'm surprised you even stayed for the party."
"This is still very last minute and out of nowhere. Not to mention that it rather interferes with my plans."
"Well Tempest," Princess Celestia said as she got closer to Tempest. "I was planning to have a great time with my husband at my former student's Canterlot sized festival but then a certain somepony came along at the last minute and put that on quite the delay."
"Right," Tempest replied. "I guess I have little to no right to complain."
***
"Alright this is great we're back on the open sky and now we don't have to listen to the Storm King anymore," Grubber said.
"Yes this is an acceptable vessel," Prince Blueblood said as he walked over to Tempest. "Though my quarters will need some major improvements in order for it to be worthy enough for me to sleep there."
"You'll get what you get and if you don't like it you can walk all the way to Mount Aris," Tempest said.
"I beg your pardon, do you have any idea who you're speaking to?"
"Yes and I'm already sick of doing that." Tempest then teleported away. Before long but still long enough for Prince Blueblood to annoy her, Tempest managed to get her airship to Mount Aris. After the Storm King's defeat the some of seaponies wanted to live on land again so Queen Novo divided the pearl among all of her subjects so they could go from one form to another at will.
"Wow," Brush Stroke said as he saw Mount Aris from the side of the airship. "It's beautiful."
"Yes but more importantly we can finally get off this overgrown blimp."
"Are you planning on complaining the whole trip, your highness?" Tempest asked.
"Well excuse me if I have certain tastes for transportation."
"Keep it up and I'll do more than excuse you."
The group made it out of the airship and saw how well the seaponies were doing since the Storm King's defeat and they were doing great. Queen Novo who heard from Prince Squeaky Clean that they would send somepony to talk with her about an alliance between their races saw the airship and flew to meet them. As a hippogriff she flew to them with several guards with her and landed in front of the group.
"Wow you were right Brush," Briar said as he looked around the mountain a bit and saw the plant life. "It's beautiful."
"Yes, very beautiful," Brush Stroke replied as he couldn't take his eyes off Queen Novo.
"Queen Novo look, a spider pony," one of the guards said.
"I'm not a spider pony," Ruby said. "It's an invention I can't take off."
"Huh? Interesting to say the least," Queen Novo said, who then approached the group and saw Tempest Shadow, recognizing her on the spot.
"You?!"
"I figured you would remember our last encounter."
"You came into our home under false pretenses with that little whatever he is and tried to take my pearl for your precious Storm King."
"Yes. That was a mistake I deeply regret for what it's worth. The Storm King used me as a means to an end, he never cared about me at all," Tempest said as she lowered her head a little.
"Well you did help out when we arrived at your capital, so I suppose you deserve a 2nd chance but I have my eye on you."
"Thank you, your highness."
"And speaking of highness isn't it about time you introduced me?" Prince Blueblood asked, growing rather inpatient making Tempest huff.
"May I introduce Prince Blueblood," she said with hardly any cheer at all.
"I shall handle the negotiations between you and Equestria."
"Well then perhaps we should continue this conversation from within the city."
"By the way is it true that you and your kind are capable of changing your forms, are you perhaps related to changelings in some way?" Ruby asked.
"Not exactly, perhaps a demonstration is in order." Queen Novo showed her pearl shard to show it to the group and then used it to change them all into hippogriffs.
"Cool! Stallion, am I glad that I came on this trip," Brush Stroke, who was still standing on his back legs said as he flapped his wings. He then flew up having the time of his life but suddenly an updraft came out of nowhere causing him to fall. He couldn't quite regain his balance but that was when Queen Novo caught him.
"It takes a bit of getting used to, doesn't it?"
"Well it's not so bad if it got you to come to my rescue, not that I have some thrill for danger or, um, you're very pretty."
"Oh, why thank you." Novo then placed Brush down and she changed them back to normal. She then led them into her city and once there she changed into her seapony form as she was by the water.
"I hope you don't mind if we talk while I soak myself."
"Oh not at all, I could dip a leg or 2 in that water as well," Prince Blueblood replied.
"Before you 2 start talking can I borrow your pearl shard Queen Novo?" Brush asked. "I'd like to try flying again and maybe that seapony form too."
"Well alright," Queen Novo replied after thinking about it for a moment and then tossed the pearl shard to him. "But don't take too long with it."
"I won't," he replied as he used it to turn into a hippogriff again and flew but not so high while the others headed out in different directions which Tempest noticed and went to look for them.
And after several minutes did just that.
"What are you 2 doing?"
"Well Briar wants to learn about the plant life and I want to learn more about this place's culture," Ruby answered.
"Well don't just run off out of nowhere and don't go too far because hopefully we won't have to stay here too long."
"You don't like it here?" Ruby asked.
"No, I just want to get a certain arrogant prince home asap."
"Well maybe he can just get a ride on the 2nd airship," Grubber said, confusing Tempest.
"2nd airship?" Grubber pointed to another airship above Mount Aris. Suddenly storm creatures jumped down and started attacking.
"Let’s see if any of these hippogriffs can give me a decent challenge," one of them with the symbol of a spade on his chest said. He then got out a sword and attacked several guards, taking them down no problem then suddenly another one landed on top of one of the houses that had the symbol of a clover on his chest armor. Behind him was one with the symbol of a diamond.
"Hello you hippogriffs so glad that you came out of hiding because now you have the honor of being concurred by, THE FEARSOME FOURSOME!"
"....The Fearsome Foursome?" Tempest said.
"Uh yeah, I wasn't going to say anything but that they could have worked on a better name," Grubber said.
"Enough with the theatrics already Clover, can we get to getting our claws on their treasure?"
"Patience Diamond we just got here, we have all day to take from them." Suddenly the 2 were wrapped in giant plant roots and slammed into the ground.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," Briar said when he saw a 3rd storm monster approaching. He sent spare roots after him but he cut them all up before they could even touch him.
"That's a pretty interesting power you have but you gotta do better than that if you wish to defeat Spade of the Fearsome Foursome."
"Okay seriously that's what you call yourself?" Briar said. "I mean heck even Ruby could have thought up something more creative than that."
"HEY!" Ruby called out who arrived with Grubber and Tempest.
"I'm sorry Ruby but you're not very creative."
"I have to agree with Briar," Brush Stroke said as he flew down still having a little trouble flying.
"My my," Spade said. "Former commander Tempest and her little sidekick along with a pony that commands plants, a pony turned into a hippogriff, and on top of all things a spider pony."
"I'M NOT A SPIDER PONY!"
"Beating all of you would prove quite a challenge, I love it."
"Why are you doing this?" Tempest asked. "The Storm King is defeated."
"Yes, so some creature is going to have to step up and take his place at least that's what Clover said."
"Not on my watch!" Tempest then blasted Spade who used his sword as a shield but it still pushed back to Clover and Diamond. Brush and Ruby attacked him so he fought them off while dodging more of Tempest's spells.
"Well looks like you got your horn fixed at long last. I do love a challenge but even I know when I need help." Suddenly Diamond and Clover broke free then attacked Ruby and Brush Stroke.
"What the?" Brush Stroke said, trying to dodge Diamond's attacks.
"He must have cut the roots while he was dodging," Ruby answered then suddenly he and Brush were thrown at Tempest who jumped back making them land on Grubber. While they did that Spade charged at Briar who tried to restrain him with plants but Spade cut them before they could do anything and grabbed Briar.
"What a shame," Spade said, almost choking Briar. "I hardly even broke a sweat." Spade then slapped Briar with the side of his sword slamming him into a house and knocking him out.
Diamond got blasted by Tempest from behind while Ruby made his way over to Briar and shot some water on him to help him get up.
"Good you're up, we need some more of those roots."
"Okay," Briar replied as he got up and shook his head a little. "But I need a minute."
"We don't have a minute," Ruby replied as he pointed out that a large group of storm creatures were coming.
"This is becoming a very stressful day," Brush Stroke said.
"Oh I don't know, it's giving me a chance to test out my newly restored horn." Tempest then bombarded them with magic.
"Impressive, but I think she's going to need a little help," Brush Stroke said as he flew up and reached into his bag so he could throw several spheres to emotionally distract the storm creatures Tempest didn't get. Brush Stroke then saw that Tempest used more spells that finished the group off but made her fall to the ground so he flew down to grab her and get her back to the others. "Tempest, are you okay?"
"Yeah," she answered as was placed back on the ground. "Those spells just took a lot out of me. I need a moment to rest."
"Well while you're resting there's something I'm missing," Grubber said. "Those guys call themselves the Fearsome Foursome but there's only 3 of them. Where's the 4th one?"
***
Queen Novo had gotten to work making sure that the children & other hippogriffs that weren't guards or fighters by nature made their way to the safety of Seaquestria. She even got Prince Blueblood down there after borrowing a pearl shard from a guard.
"How are things going above water?" Queen Novo asked.
"We're almost done evacuating but the counterattack is not going well," A guard answered. "It's going horrible actually." Queen Novo then made it up to the surface to see for herself but struggled to get out of the water in her seapony form.
"What a time I picked to lend my shard to a pony." The guards jumped out of the water and changed into hippogriffs. One of the guards was about to use his pearl shard to change Queen Novo. "No, don't worry about me, help the ones in town."
"But Queen Novo-"
"No buts," she replied to the guard. "Go now," she said and the guards flew off leaving the queen alone who was now trying to take everything in. "In hindsight I guess I could have just asked one of the seaponies to borrow their shard. Actually, I can do that now since there aren’t any attackers around hermm-"
Suddenly a storm monster with a breathing device on his mouth and the symbol of a heart on his chest armor came out of the water and grabbed the queen. "Hi there, nice to meet you, I'm Heart."
"lmt e gu ight ow."
"What?" Heart said as he took his hand off her mouth.
"I said let me go right now!"
"Oh." Heart then hand gagged her again and made his way out of the water.
"Hey mom I think we're fighting off the invaders and MOM!" Princess Skystar screamed out when she saw her mother getting taken. "LET HER GO NOW!" Skystar flew at Heart but she got blasted by an energy beam that came from a device on Heart's arm that blasted her right into a wall.
"SKYSTAR NO!"
"Don't worry she'll be okay, I set it to stun."
"I'LL KILL YOU!" A cage was then lowered that Heart placed Queen Novo in.
"They're taking Queen Novo!" Brush who flew up to see where the 4th foursome was called out to the others. "Hang on. I'm coming Queen Novo!"
"I think he has a crush on her," Grubber said to Tempest.
"Oh really you think?" Tempest then saw that the storm creatures were running off "What the heck is going on?"
"I think the tactical term is retreating," Ruby said.
"But that doesn't make any sense, why run away now?" Briar asked.
"Well if I had to guess, I'd say they didn't want to invade Mount Aris, it was only a distraction. They were only after the queen and perhaps a certain valuable object that she recently decided to share with all her subjects and now with the queen captured they're running off to most likely hold her for ransom. Of course that's just a guess, well more of a theory really," Ruby answered.
"Well it sounds like you hit the nail right on the head," Tempest said. "Let's get back to our airship and make sure we catch up to them."
"What about Brush Stroke?" Briar asked. "We can't just leave him here."
"If we wait, the Fearsome Foursome, gosh that is such a stupid name, will get away. Besides, he and Prince Blueblood can keep each other company while we rescue the queen. Now let's go." Tempest then ran off making her way to the airship with the others close behind when suddenly they were cut off by a group of guards.
"Where do you all think you're going?" One of the guards asked.
"Uh, something tells me the right answer is nowhere," Grubber answered.
"You got that right," another guard answered.
"No he got that wrong," Tempest replied. "We need to get on our airship. The storm creatures took your queen."
"Yeah we noticed, we also noticed that their airship looks a lot like yours."
"Are you implying something or something?" Grubber asked.
"A pony that once served the Storm King shows up here and then suddenly there's an attack not too long after."
"Uh you can just say suddenly or not too long after. Suddenly not too long after is redundant-" Ruby said.
"You're in liege with the storm creatures that took our queen aren't you!?" A guard said.
"I don't like being interrupted," Ruby said.
"No, we aren't. Now get out of our way," Tempest demanded.
"Make us," one of the guards replied.
"I don't make trash, I burn it." The guards then tried to attack the group but Tempest took them down. Tempest and her group made her way to her airship leaving the guards on the ground with a very painful feeling of deja-vu.
After getting back on the ship Tempest ordered them to take off right away and they followed the 2nd airship that recently took off.
"Not that it wasn't impressive but did you really have to beat up those guards?" Briar asked.
"They were in the way and time wasn't on our side, besides I'm sure if we defeat the Fearsome Foursome and rescue Queen Novo they'll forget all about it. That is if Brush Stroke didn't rescue the queen already when he flew off."
"I didn't," Brush Stroke to the shock of the others and still in a hippogriff form said while standing next to Prince Blueblood.
"What are you doing here?" Tempest asked.
"A better question would be how did you get in here?" Ruby asked
"An even better question would be why did you bring him with you?" Tempest asked, pointing at Prince Blueblood.
"Long story short I got hit by a beam, fell into the water, Prince Blueblood got me out of the water, and then I flew him into the airship. And I brought Prince Blueblood because, I don't know, I felt like I should have, by the way we saw you take down those guards that was cool."
"Yes I must admit that was quite impressive," Blueblood said.
"Well on to other matters if my calculations are correct, and they usually are, we should catch up to the Fearsome Foursome in just a few minutes," Ruby said.
"Are we really the best qualified to stop them?" Prince Blueblood asked. "I mean we aren't exactly the best qualified for this kind of mission. My thing is negotiation, remember?"
"Well you can't negotiate with the queen if the queen isn't on Mount Aris," Tempest replied.
"Actually I finished that already."
"Wait," Tempest paused. "You finished negotiations with the queen in the time it took me to find the others when they split up?"
"Yes, after all that is my specialty," Prince Blueblood said with pride.
"Well don't get cocky, that's not going to stop the Fearsome Foursome," Briar said.
"Oh really well what about you are you some sort of great warrior?"
"I can control the very forces of nature itself. I'm practically unstoppable."
"Does Super Stallion know that?"
"Okay maybe I oversold myself."
"Maybe I should design some battle plans to help figure out the best way to fight and-"
"There's nothing to figure out Ruby. I'll go in and mess the place up while you all rescue the queen."
"Tempest please don't interrupt me I really don't like when ponies interrupt me plus I was just about to-"
"Not Important right now we're right on the tail of-"
"Tempest! I asked you not to do the thing you did twice now!" Ruby said nearly ready to blow his top, a bad habit that he was trying to drop.
"Perhaps we should go back to Mount Aris to see if other hippogriffs want to help in the fight," Blueblood suggested.
"We don't need backup," Briar said. "All we need is my plants to tear that ship apart from the inside out."
"Oh great idea," Blueblood said sarcastically. "Why don't you get right on that with all the plant life in the sky?"
"Seriously Briar, why are you trying to give yourself such an ego boost lately?" Brush Stroke asked.
"QUIET!" Grubber yelled out, getting the attention of everypony else. "Now look, we can't fight the Fearsome Foursome if we're fighting each other. If we want to take them down and rescue Queen Novo we're gonna have to work together and make a plan we can all agree on. So what do you say everypony?" Grubber then put his hand out in the air to see if the others would join in.
"You're right Grubber," Tempest said as she put her hoof on his hand and the others joined in as well.
"So what are we going to do?" Prince Blueblood asked.
***
Queen Novo after being locked up in a cage was bound and gagged as the storm creatures couldn't take much of her screaming. But it didn't stop her from trying to break out of the cage by ramming it over and over. "Don't do that," Heart said. "You're going to hurt yourself."
"Who cares if she does?" Clover asked. "Maybe she'll try using her head and get knocked out."
"Where did you put the pearl though?" Diamond asked.
"What pearl?" Heart asked in return.
"The thing you were supposed to grab along with the queen."
"Oh right, it wasn't there Diamond."
"What do you mean it wasn't there?"
"The pearl wasn't where you guys said it would be."
"I saw several of those seaponies change into hippogriffs on their own," Spade added. "Perhaps the pearl was divided among them all so they could change at will."
"Oh great, what are we going to do, take the pieces from all of them?" Diamond asked.
"They actually might do that if they want to get their queen back," Clover said.
"Oh hey that might actually work and we have their queen," Heart said.
"Yes Heart that's actually where I was going with this."
"Oh. Okay."
"So I guess we turn around, get back to Mount Aris and do just that," Spade suggested.
"But what about that airship that's chasing after us?" Clover asked.
"We'll have to deal with it sooner or later," Spade said as he drew his sword. "Might as well do it now and get it over with."
***
Tempest was walking around making sure everything was running smoothly. As she was doing that she saw that Prince Blueblood was painting a red X on the chest of the storm creatures that came with her. "Uh Blueblood what are you doing?"
"Well I was thinking that the Fearsome Foursome look a lot like these guys and they're probably more of them in the 2nd airship right?"
"Yes."
"Well if these guys need to help in the attack they'll have to fight creatures that look exactly like them but by putting these on them they'll know who is on their side and who isn't."
"Oh, I see that's actually quite clever."
"What, did you think I'm just another pretty face?"
"Well I guess there's more to you than I gave you credit for."
"I get that every now and then. Being a non-alicorn royal pony was quite difficult even before Cadance, Luna, and Twilight came along. Some ponies think that I'm just an arrogant stallion that was born into a grand life and spends it with mares at fancy parties. But I've wanted to prove I could serve my country like the other royals. Auntie saw that in me and knew I had potential with my intellect and talent for negotiations. Which is why I get sent to places like Mount Aris or Yakyakistan, perhaps that's a little hard to understand."
"No," Tempest said as she got closer to Prince Blueblood. "I got my horn broken when I was just a filly to help my friend. Then I felt betrayed by my friends so I left them as well as my own brother to follow my own path and that's how I met the Storm King who "promised" to restore my horn if I served him. But even after all the bad things I did Princess Twilight restored my horn because she thought I could redeem myself somehow. Princess Twilight saw there was more to me the same way Princess Celestia saw there was more to you."
"Yes, I guess that's a really good way to look at it." Tempest and Blueblood then got even closer to one another and as it seemed like something powerful was pulling the 2 ponies together.
"Tempest!" Ruby called out, snapping her and Blueblood out of their trance. "The 2nd airship is turning around. I think the Fearsome Foursome is ready for a rematch."
"Well then get everypony together."
"Way ahead of you Tempest," Brush said as he, Briar, and Grubber came down with Ruby. Before long Tempest's crew boarded the rival ship and wasted no time attacking. Briar then used some special seeds he brought with him and made them grow into large plants that surrounded the airship, almost stopping the engines as well.
Tempest and company then began their attack and started shaking things up in the airship evening causing Queen Novo's cage to rock around. "Don't worry I got you," Heart said as he grabbed the cage before it slammed into the wall. "Wow that was close," Heart said to Novo's surprise.
I don't think this guy is like the others, Novo thought. Maybe if I wasn't running my mouth earlier I could say that to him. As Novo continued to think, Grubber and Prince Blueblood arrived ready to rescue her but stopped when they saw Heart.
"Uh, I don't think you 2 are supposed to be on this airship."
"No we're not but neither is she so we'll be taking her off your hands," Grubber said.
"Oh sorry she's our prisoner, she kind of has to stay here."
"Did he just say sorry?" Prince Blueblood asked. "That's rather odd isn't it?" Suddenly Brush Stroke flew in and sat down next to Grubber and Blueblood.
"Don't worry Queen Novo, I'll save you."
"Ah come on don't make me fight all 3 of you," Heart said.
"I'm not much of a fighter either but the situation really calls for it." Brush Stroke flew at Heart and this time dodged the laser blasts from Heart and gave him a painful uppercut. That left him vulnerable to several spells that Prince Blueblood cast while Grubber went over to Queen Novo's cage and tried to pick the lock.
"Don't worry I'll have you out in a minute."
"No!" Heart called out as he aimed his blaster at Grubber. "I set it to kill, move or I fire." Blueblood then got in front of Grubber and summoned a shield but Brush Stroke just sat down.
"Brush what are you doing?" Blueblood asked. "He said he set it to kill."
"Yes, you could have just fired but you warned him first. You don't want to fight us do you?"
"Well, uh, no," Heart answered. "But the Storm King said it was the only way?"
"Uh I don't remember him saying that," Grubber replied.
"It was when he first came to us under his title as the Storm King. My kind were simple creatures and then he showed up saying we could become something greater. That if we helped him conquer and take over other lands we could get our hands on anything we wanted. So we joined forces with him, but I never liked doing that."
"I know just how you feel."
"You do?"
"Yes in the past I thought the only way to get what I wanted was through rather unpleasant methods but all it brought me was failure. And very unpleasant beatings," Brush said as he held himself to stop himself from shaking. "My plans failed and so did the Storm King's so you don't have to follow him anymore."
"Spade, Clover, and Diamond said I had to follow them. That it’s the only way."
"Do you think it is? What do you want to do, what do you think is right?" Heart didn't answer for a minute but then walked over to Queen Novo cage as he removed his blasters.
Heart freed Queen Novo. "I'm sorry, I know that doesn't fix everything I've done, but I want to do everything I can to make it up to you."
"Oh sweetie I forgive you," Queen Novo replied but then smacked him in the head with her tail knocking him out cold. "But that was for my daughter." Brush Stroke then flew over to Novo and changed her into a hippogriff with her shard before returning it.
"Thanks for letting me borrow that. Now let's get you out of here."
"Well there's no hurry, I'm kind of in the mood for a fight," Queen Novo said.
Elsewhere Briar had not only used his plants to surround the airship but also restrained quite a few of the storm creatures. Spade was about to cut a few but Ruby got in his way.
"Am I to suspect that you wish to challenge me now, pony?"
"No I aim to defeat you," Ruby answered as swords came out of all four of his metal legs. Spade then drew his sword and while he was skilled at armed combat it was still 4 swords against 1 and Ruby was no stranger to fighting either. While there were several close calls Spade still managed to hold his ground and even cut off half of Ruby's metal legs then pinned him against the wall.
"Didn't expect me to be this talented with a sword did you?"
"Actually this is exactly what I wanted you to do." Ruby then used his back metal leg to release a small bit of gas in Spade's face causing him to fall down, out like a light.
"Knockout gas. Sometimes it's the smartest fighter that wins the battle, not the strongest." Ruby restrained Spade and then went to see Tempest. "Tempest, I took down 1 of the Fearsome Foursome.”
“Well,” Tempest said while on top of Diamond. “That makes 2 of us.” Tempest jumped off and was out of breath.
“You okay?”
"Yeah I'm alright I just took a painful punch or 2 to the chest and maybe have used more magic than I needed to. So I'm kind of exhausted. But it looks like you took some damage as well," Tempest said as she pointed to Ruby's metal legs.
"Oh yes but no worries I can repair them when we go back to Equestria."
"Well don't get too ahead of yourself, we still have a bit more of a job to do." As Ruby and Tempest made their way around they could see their side was winning and there was just a small group left that Briar was already restraining.
"No! No! It wasn't supposed to be this way!" Clover called out.
"Yeah that's life pal," Ruby said. "It doesn't always go the way you want it to."
"Not if I make it go my way!"
"Well let me tell you something that I'm speaking from past experiences trying to make things go your way can only end in disaster," Ruby said and then Brush Stroke, Briar, and Tempest all nodded. However Clover didn't want to listen and jumped up ready to attack Tempest but Prince Blueblood summoned a shield to protect her.
"Don't you just love it when a prince charming arrives right on time?"
"Yes I do actually," Tempest said. "But in a case like this I guess you'll have to do."
"Oh ho ho." Blueblood then pushed Clover back. "I think it's about time we finished things up around here." Prince Blueblood then attacked Clover both physically and magically and in no time at all knocked him out cold. "A few survival techniques that Auntie taught me."
"My my you are full of surprises," Tempest said.
***
After the Fearsome Foursome were defeated, Queen Novo was returned to Mount Aris along with both airships. There the defeated storm creatures would be taken away by the hippogriffs and locked up in Tempest's ship except for Heart who was pardoned along with quite a few other ones that also didn't want to conquer but didn't speak up about it.
The hippogriffs were very happy to have their queen back, especially Skystar who hugged her on the spot.
"Mom, your back!"
"Yes, thanks to Tempest and her friends. As for you Heart you and your little group will clean up the whole mess you all made when you attacked and repair all the damage."
"Hey that's fair, it is the least we can do." The rest of the storm creatures were being taken away but Clover broke free then grabbed one of Heart's blasters that a hippogriff was holding.
"And this is the least that I can do!" Clover fired at Queen Novo but Brush Stroke pushed her out of the way causing it to hit Briar instead.
"NO!" The other former rogues said as they ran over to him while hippogriffs restrained Clover and took him away.
"Briar, I'm so sorry I didn't see you there!" Suddenly the plants that he planted in the ship started to move on their own. The plants put their roots into the hole that Clover put in Briar.
"What the?" Tempest asked.
"I-I think they're trying to help," Ruby said and suddenly the plants Briar made were absorbed completely into Briar's body and the wound was sealed. Briar's body then began to morph and move around from the inside and he opened his eyes and got up.
"Briar, are you okay?" Brush asked.
"Yes, better than ever in my life before nature and I were quite close, but now, we are 1," Briar said as he dissolved into the ground.
"Huh? That happened," Grubber said. "But I guess he's gonna be alright I'm gonna go make sure the storm creatures get all locked up." Grubber then made his way to the airship while Queen Novo went to Brush Stroke.
"That was a very brave thing you did for me, Brush Stroke."
"Oh it was nothing," Brush said with a wave and a blush.
"Well the least I can do is make you a pony again."
"Well there's no hurry, in fact maybe we could be seaponies for a while so I can see what it's like down there."
"Fine with me," Queen Novo said as the 2 went off. "Uh Brush you're rather close to me."
"Oh sorry," Brush said as he moved to the side. "I guess I'm still getting used to these wings and-"
"I didn't say I didn't like it." As they flew off Skystar then went over to Ruby with a concerned look.
"Are you all right Mr. Spider pony, you lost some of your legs?"
"I'M NOT A, oh forget it. Can you show me around here please."
"Sure!" While those 2 went off Tempest was alone with Prince Blueblood when the guards from before approached her.
"If you're all expecting an apology-"
"No no not that," one of the guards said. "We’re sorry about that and we were wondering, maybe you could show us a thing or 2 so we could handle ourselves better in a fight."
"I'll think about but for now I need a break."
"Oh okay, we'll be at the top of Mount Aris." The guards then flew off leaving Tempest and Blueblood alone again.
"Once we're done here Blueblood I can take you back to Equestria."
"Well Tempest," Blueblood said as stroked Tempest's mane a bit and to her surprise and delight kissed her. "There's no hurry."
"No, I suppose not," Tempest said as she returned the kiss.