2. The Quality of Mercy
“…Grogar had made his goals and intentions plain,” Luna said, as she continued relating the story of Tambelon to the six Elements of Harmony. She shook her head and made a sweeping motion with one wing. “Slaughtered ten thousand beings single-hoofedly, all as part of his mad quest to achieve immortality. He felt no remorse for what he had done – he was a monster, through and through. Even after my sister and I had broken through his every defense, exhausted his magical power, even as he was helpless before us, there was not a trace of regret. I knew then that death would have been too mild a punishment for him.”
Carrot Top shivered a little at the way Luna said that last line – though the Princess had been telling a rather chilling narrative the whole time before regardless. She looked around the living room of Trixie’s house, to each of her friends. Lyra was following all of this with rapt attention, and the way her horn would occasionally glow slightly suggested that she really wished she had a parchment and quill to write down everything that Luna had said. She was, after all, a bard at heart. Trixie, too, was listening intently to the story, seemingly just as interested in this forgotten history of the world.
Cheerilee and Raindrops, meanwhile, looked as unnerved as Carrot Top imagined she did. Grogar sounded like a monster, it was true, but it was difficult to imagine any being so monstrous that death seemed too mild – even Corona, the Tyrant Sun, had only ever faced banishment, though then again her crimes has been substantially more limited than Grogar’s were being described as, and her infamy was more born from her story being one of madness and betrayal than simply having a high body count.
Ditzy Doo, however, stood up. “Too mild?” she demanded. “What did you do instead?”
Luna grimaced slightly, tucking her wings tightly at her side. “Trap him in Shadow,” Luna said, holding up a hoof as her horn glowed. Above her hoof, an illusion of the planet appeared, spinning in place. As the six ponies watched, a dim fog seemed to creep off of the globe, forming a second, darker, indistinct globe of its own that didn’t quite fully detach from the sphere of its origin, instead passing through it. “Shadow is…not quite another world, but nor is it our world. It is like an…echo, a realm of mist and fog and darkness. It is devoid of life, to my knowledge, but it is not uninhabitable.
“Time does not pass in Shadow as it does in our world. Hundreds of years here translate into only a few weeks or months there. Rather than slaying Grogar, my sister and I exiled him, and the fallen city of Tambelon, into Shadow. There he would remain as the world slowly forgot about him. His magical power was more than enough to create food and water for himself, to keep himself alive, while here in our world we would slowly forget about him. Having been denied physical immortality, I and my sister sought to deny him even the immortality of infamy.”
Luna flicked her hoof, dispelling the illusion of the world and Shadow. “Unlike with Tirek or other early threats to Equestria, we would build no monuments to the defeat of Grogar. He was not entered into any history texts. Knowledge of what Grogar did was passed along by word-of-mouth only, and even that, Celestia and I knew, would fade over time. Eventually, he would be forgotten by all, save we two. When that day finally came, then we would bring him back from Shadow, let him know that he had been forgotten, and then, he could die.”
Ditzy blinked rapidly at that, taking a step towards Luna with eyes that were surprisingly hard despite being walled. “That’s…that’s horrible,” she said. “It’s torture. It’s…cruel. Just as cruel as he had been.”
Luna scowled for a moment at Ditzy’s accusation, but after a moment her gaze softened. “The morals and expectations of the time were different,” she admitted. “The concept of an eye for an eye was considered just and fair. I am a product of the times just as much as any of you are. Even five hundred years ago, I doubt very much that you would object to my decision.” She held up a hoof before Ditzy could speak again. “But times change, and I change with them, I promise. That is why I am here today. Well…partially.”
Luna looked from Ditzy, to the rest of the group. “Grogar was banished into Shadow by the Elements of Harmony,” she explained. “But after madness claimed my sister, and after I was forced to banish her into the Sun using the Elements, Corona and I both lost our connection to them. The result of that was that Tambelon returned, nearly a thousand years ago. I sensed its return, however, and so personally banished it and Grogar back into Shadow then – but then, five hundred years later, it returned a second time. Once again I banished it. It would seem that even if I can duplicate the scale of the Elements’ act, I cannot duplicate their length. Left on its own, Tambelon will keep returning, once every five hundred years, until it either remains, or the Elements banish it forever once more.
“Of greater concern, however, is the nature of the Elements themselves. When Corona returned and you six used the Elements upon her, the Elements had a different result on her then they had when I used them.”
“Corona was weakened instead of banished,” Lyra noted.
Luna nodded. “Exactly. But this raises questions, one in particular: why?”
The six looked between each other at that. Carrot Top had never really wondered that before, and nor had anypony else, it seemed. “Maybe they just work differently for us,” Cheerilee suggested. “I know I wanted to buck Corona back into the Sun.”
“Me too,” Raindrops noted.
“Or maybe they don’t work right for us for a different reason,” Carrot Top said, fidgeting a little. She decided not to voice her other concern – that the Elements didn’t work because Corona had grown too strong for her to ever be banished again. “Maybe because we’re just regular ponies instead of alicorns, we can’t control them.”
“Perhaps,” Luna said, though she shook her head. “I do not believe that to be the case, however. And certainly, in the past, the Elements seemed to always do whatever it was that Celestia and I needed them to do…but not always what we wanted.” She looked to Trixie, raising an eyebrow. “You have some experience with that, yes?”
The other five ponies looked to Trixie, who blushed slightly, tapping her front hooves together. “Right,” she said, waving a hoof a little. “When I went to that other Equestria. I got all the Elements of Harmony together and put them on that world’s versions of you guys after making them think that they were you, because I thought that the Celestia of that world was Corona. I wanted to fix everything…and the Elements over there fixed everything by breaking the spells I’d put on everypony.” She grimaced. “Not my finest hour…”
“You didn’t know, Trixie,” Carrot Top reassured her friend. “If you’d been right, it would have been very heroic.”
“I wasn’t right, though,” Trixie said with a sigh.
“No, but there was no lasting harm,” Luna noted, and she grinned slightly, “Nascent, equicidal alicorn notwithstanding. The point is that the Elements have long been a force of magic and mystery. I have respected that mystery in the past before, but the imminent return of Tambelon presents an opportunity that, in light of Corona still being at large, cannot be ignored.”
Carrot Top grimaced at that. She had suspected that something like this might have been the case as soon as Luna had mentioned using the Elements on Grogar originally, and she hadn’t liked it then. She didn’t like it now, either. “You want to conduct some kind of experiment,” she surmised.
Ditzy blinked again, looking to Luna at once in disbelief and for confirmation. Luna met her gaze silently for several long moments, before nodding. “Yes,” the princess confirmed.
“No,” Ditzy responded, tapping one of her hooves on the floor. “I’m not…I’m not going to use Grogar for an experiment, no matter what he did. He’s spent two thousand years banished! Isn’t that enough?”
“By my estimates,” Luna said, raising a hoof, “from his perspective, it has in fact been only about four hundred days, barely more than a year. And with respect, Dame Ditzy – though you are right now demonstrating exactly why it is that you earned your Element – Grogar deserves no kindness.”
“A close friend of mine thinks that everypony deserves a little kindness,” Ditzy said sternly. “I happen to agree with her wholeheartedly. I’m not saying that you should forgive Grogar or anything…but if he’s going to be imprisoned, it should be here, in Equestria. You shouldn’t lock him away in an entire empty world!”
“I agree,” Raindrops said, standing up and stepping over to her fellow pegasus, using one wing to brush Ditzy’s own as a sign of camaraderie, though she gave a hard look to Luna. “We have jails and prisons here, your Majesty. Put him in one of those. And I don’t care how magical he is, you’re stronger. You could cook something up. Or…or if you can’t, just execute him and be done with it already. Don’t make him suffer.”
Luna looked at the two pegasi, before smiling slightly, and bowing her head. “As I said,” she noted, “times change. I am glad that they seem to have changed for the better, that even a monster like Grogar can earn some measure of sympathy from you.” She looked at Ditzy in particular, her face growing slightly more stern. “However…learning the extent of the Element’s power is important for the security of Equestria. The Elements may be able to place a more permanent barrier on Tambelon than I can; however, I can pass between this world and Shadow with…some effort, but not much. Dame Ditzy, would you consent to using the Elements in an attempt to banish Grogar once more to Shadow, if I give you my word as Princess that I would retrieve Grogar from there, to be brought back to Equestria for imprisonment?”
Ditzy shifted a little; evidently, she had thought the banishment was an all-or-nothing affair, and hadn’t considered the possibility of simply seeing if it was possible and then immediately reversing it. “I…” she said, shifting from one hoof to the next, wings twitching in agitation as she eyed Luna. “You promise?”
Luna spread her wings and placed one hoof to her heart. “I swear, Dame Ditzy. Though…” she looked at Ditzy. “Understand: there will be no modern trial. I will be invoking my royal authority on this matter, and it will not be challenged. He will be returned to Equestria and imprisoned for the remainder of his life.”
Cheerilee blinked at that, eyes wide. “No trial?” she asked. “I’d kind of assumed there would have to have been one, even if only for show…can you do that?”
Luna grimaced. “If I feel a threat or benefit to Equestria is great enough, yes, I am legally endowed to bypass any law I need to and act as an autocrat. The willful, unrepentant slaughter of some ten thousand Tamberlaan by blackest magic makes Grogar a great enough threat that he should have no opportunity for freedom.” Her face darkened. “I have only once, in thousands of years serving as ruler of Equestria, invoked such authority as I am now – that being when I officially cast down my sister as co-ruler and established Equestria as a monarchy rather than a diarchy. I hope this impresses upon you the threat I feel Grogar represents.”
It certainly did for Carrot Top. It was only two months ago that the six of them had risked high treason itself to try and convince Luna to take a more active role in Equestrian affairs. At the end of the event, Luna had revealed, or more let slip, how greatly she feared being seen as a tyrant that placed herself above Equestrian laws. For Luna to be so adamant about Grogar…Carrot Top couldn’t help but shiver.
Ditzy shivered as well, likely for the same reason. After several long moments of silence, however, she nodded. “Okay,” she said. “Okay, then. I’ll help.”
Luna didn’t smile – she knew that Ditzy was only picking what to her seemed like the best of many bad choices. She did nod, however, and looked to the remaining Elements. “Are the rest of you in agreement?” She asked. At length, each nodded in confirmation. Luna fluttered her wings as she stood. “Then we should leave immediately,” she declared. “Tameblon awaits.”
---
Luna had said immediately, and meant it – there was a private train parked at the Ponyville station awaiting them, and inside of half an hour, they were off for Lariat, in the western province of Broncordia that bordered the Sea of Tranquility’s northwest. By the time they reached Lariat, night had fallen; this had, however, been anticipated by Luna, who had several hotel rooms already reserved for the six of them, sympathetic to the fact that though she was nocturnal by her very nature, the six Elements were not, and would want to get some sleep in before going to the haunted isle.
The following day, they had set out not long after dawn – not so early for Cheerilee, Ditzy, or Carrot Top, but rather later than Raindrops, Trixie, and especially Lyra were used to. The latter two were essentially dead on their hooves as Luna had taken them to the boat that would be conveying them to Tambelon: the Royal Equestrian Ship Wingsong. It looked much like other ships-of-the-line built in the past hundred years, with a thick wooden hull supporting three masts billowing with the pale blue sails preferred by the Equestrian Navy. The RES Wingsong, however, had an additional feature that none of the ponies had ever seen on a naval ship before – a pair of steam chimneys that, once the ship got underway and cleared Lariat’s harbor, began to propel the ship into the wind with little difficulty. The captain of the ship had informed them that they would be at Tambelon within just two days – much faster than a pure sailing ship would have been able to reach the island, given that the wind was not expected to be with them at all during the trip.
Unfortunately, this still gave Carrot Top two days to discover a new fact about herself: she got horribly, horribly sea-sick.
“Urgh,” Carrot Top groaned as she lifted her head from over the railing, eyes closed and a cloth at her mouth.
Lyra grimaced as she ran a hoof across Carrot Top’s back, rubbing it gently to help her along. “Better?” she asked.
“Urp,” Carrot Top responded, freezing in place for a moment, then throwing her head over the side again. She spat, but didn’t throw up, at least. “Th..this is…this is punishment f-from Luna for…for slamming a door in her face…”
Lyra smiled a little at the absurdity of the statement. “You really think Luna’s that cruel?”
“Y-yes…I th-think she – oh Stars – I think she is. A-and is fat. And…and I d-d-do not agree with – eugh – with the tax code addendum from t-two years ago…”
The mint unicorn couldn’t help but chuckle as she leaned on the railing, looking out to sea. “You’re just hoping that Luna strikes you dead so you don’t have to deal with being sea-sick anymore, aren’t you?”
“Shaddup.”
Lyra obliged, more than willing to let Carrot Top’s change in temperament slide given how green she was looking. Lyra herself didn’t get sea-sick at all, and had instead been able to enjoy the past few days. She wished Bon Bon could have been here, rather than back in Ponyville. Up until today, the skies had been host to only small, puffy clouds that blocked the Sun without bringing any rain. The sea had been placid, as well, the rocking of Wingsong hardly noticeable to her after just a few days, even if Carrot Top still noticed it acutely.
Lyra actually found herself wishing that Wingsong hadn’t had seam power at all, and had instead been forced to rely on her slower sails, just so that she could enjoy the cruise more – but then again, she had gathered from Princess Luna that Grogar would be free soon, and if they weren’t there to deal with him, that would be officially a Bad Thing.
Today – the final day of their travel to Tambelon – had been the sole exception to the generally pleasant weather. A fog had appeared several hours before dawn, and had refused to go away. Wingsong had several pegasi crewmembers even now working to dispel the fog ahead of the ship, something that Raindrops had volunteered to help out with. Every now and then, Lyra caught sight of her friend flying along ahead of the ship with the white-uniformed crewmembers.
Of more concern to Carrot Top was that the seas had gotten a little rougher – not enough for Lyra to notice to any extent, but it had meant that Carrot Top had spent all morning on the deck, leaning over the side of the ship and wishing that Luna would hear some of the rude things she was saying about her so that she could be banished to the Sun, which presumably didn’t sway as much.
Part of Lyra was concerned about the fog, or more specifically, the fact that it seemed to rise as they were approaching Tambelon itself. One didn’t need training or talent as a storyteller to suspect a connection between the two. Of course, Lyra did have both training and talent as a storyteller, and that training and talent couldn’t help but think it appropriate.
“How’s she doing?” Trixie’s voice asked from behind Lyra.
She glanced over her shoulder to acknowledge Trixie with a nod, then looked back to the mist-cloaked water. “Better, actually,” Lyra noted, hoof still rubbing Carrot Top's back. “Though I can’t tell if that’s because she’s getting used to the water, or if she just can’t keep enough down to throw back up later.”
“Urgh…”
Trixie settled down next to Carrot Top, placing her own re-assuring hoof on the mare’s back. “We’re nearly there,” she said. “The sea’s a little rougher now because we’re in shallower water.”
“Really?” Carrot Top asked, without looking up.
“Absolutely,” Trixie said, though at a glance from Lyra, she simply shrugged and put one hoof to her lips. Lyra nodded, and Carrot Top didn’t see. Trixie looked back to Carrot Top. “Do you want me to ask if Luna could try flying you back once we’re done at Tambelon?”
If anything, Carrot Top became even greener at the thought of flight. Lyra looked to Trixie. “She was woozy when Luna transported us to the other Equestria as well,” she noted. “I think Carrot Top just can’t handle traveling anywhere except on hoof.”
“Or train,” Carrot Top said meekly in her own defense.
Lyra just chuckled and patted Carrot Top’s back. She looked to Trixie. “So…” she said softly. “Do you think Princess Luna would mind if I wrote something up about all this?”
Trixie eyed Lyra. “It’s not really that great a story,” she noted. “The brave Knights of the Realm came to Tambelon after two thousand years just to see what was up. Grogar was there. They banished him again, then brought him back and hauled him off to jail. The end.”
Lyra chuckled a little. “When you put it like that…” she said. “I was more thinking of writing a piece or two on Tambelon itself. The Princess’ plan worked: I knew that Tambelon was considered haunted, but I didn’t have any names and I didn’t know anything about its history. Grogar’s probably been basically forgotten.”
“He sounded like he deserved it,” Trixie noted.
“Yeah, but then there’s more to it than that,” Lyra said. “It isn’t just Tambelon that’s been forgotten. It’s all the beings that lived there, too – the Tamberlaan. From what Luna said, it sounds like it was a pretty interesting place at one point. Its whole history shouldn’t be forgotten about because of how bad its end was…or really, especially because of how bad it was. That’s not the kind of thing that should just be forgotten about, just to make one ram suffer.”
Trixie grimaced, but nodded. “Yeah,” she agreed. “I guess that – ”
“Land ho!”
The two unicorns and one earth pony glanced towards the ship’s bow, from where the call had come. The call would probably have normally come from the crow’s nest, but with the pegasi of the crew sweeping ahead and passing through the fog, they had been the first to spot the island. One pegasus in particular, Raindrops, flew right up to the three of them and landed on the deck with a slight thud, shaking herself. She was wet from the fog, but for Raindrops, this was a good thing – there was the ghost of a smile on her face, and her movements were a little easier and more fluid then they normally were. “Fog breaks up ahead,” she said. “Then about a quarter of a mile…well, you’ll see.”
Trixie and Lyra got up, trotting towards the bow of the ship, helping Carrot Top follow along. By the time they and Raindrops reached front of Wingsong, Cheerilee and Ditzy had also come up on deck, and joined them.
The fog seemed to part suddenly, like reaching the edge of a cloud. The water beneath them was a dark, impenetrable blue and choppy, while the sky overhead was clear of any cloud. But that was not what drew the attention of the six friends. Instead, their eyes were drawn to the Isle of Tambelon.
They were approaching from the island’s northeast, and so saw sheer cliffs rather than the sandy beaches they had been told dominated the southern end of the island. The cliffs were bleached white marble, and from here they could see that their tops were crested with trees, twisted pines and curled deciduous trees with bending, twisting branches that almost seemed to be forming a natural wall. The cliffs gave way to the west as Wingsong angled to travel perpendicular to the island, revealing a wide, semi-circular cove that gave way to a marsh choked with reeds and grasses. Rising from one of the drier sections of the marsh, Lyra thought that she could see the remains of a stone structure, but if so it was overgrown and half-sunk. Past the cove, the cliffs of the island rose up again, stretching for miles westward before curving out of sight.
Lyra frowned. “This is it?” she asked.
“I guess,” Cheerilee said, leaning forward a little and squinting. “For a haunted, abandoned island, it doesn’t really look all that bad…”
Carrot Top shook her head. “There’s malaria in that marsh,” she said. “I’d bet my…mane…eugh…” Carrot Top threw her head over the side of the ship again, retching. Ditzy reached her first, holding her until she finished her dry heaves, then looked to her friends. “I’ll take it, can we go ashore now?”
---
Unfortunately, the answer had been no – neither Luna nor the captain of Wingsong had wanted to make their landing on Tambelon in a mosquito-infested swamp, and it was too far distant from their goal, the remains of the city proper, anyway. Still, it took only an hour of sailing before Wingsong reached a more favorable harbor, this one a cove much like the previous one, but surrounded by a rocky beach and pine forest instead. Wingsong had too big a draft to sail into the cove itself, but it did drop anchor outside of it, and prepared a lifeboat to carry Cheerilee, Carrot Top, Lyra, and Trixie to the island, while Ditzy, Raindrops, and Luna elected to fly, Luna propelling the lifeboat along with her telekinesis.
“Why aren’t any of the crew coming with us?” Cheerilee asked, as she pulled the Element of Laughter from her saddlebags, and sighed a little before slipping it on, sucking in a breath as she did. Ancient artifact of magic and mystery it may have been, but it was also a little tight around the throat, thanks to Cheerilee’s coat being a little thicker and fuzzier than was typical.
Luna looked down at her as she kept the boat moving. “Grogar is exceptionally intelligent, and extremely desperate,” she noted as she guided the boat into the cove. “With Tambelon having returned twice before in the past, it is likely he has prepared for his return in some way. In case something goes wrong, the fewer ponies I’ll have to protect, the better.”
Cheerilee supposed she could understand that, and she smiled. “Guess that’s what happens when I sign up to be a Knight…” she noted, tugging at her Element a little. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Element of Laughter was tight because it somehow found it funny. If so, its sense of humor left something to be desired.
The boat made landfall within minutes. Nopony even tried to beat Carrot Top to being the first off; she leaped into the four-inch-deep water without hesitation and galloped straight up the rocky shore. Her legs were shaking and she herself swayed a little, unused to being on solid ground after two days at sea, but she had notably brightened. “Finally!” she exclaimed, settling down on the beach and digging her front hooves into the stones beneath her. “Earth ponies were not meant to go to sea…”
“I’m fine,” Cheerilee noted as she hopped from the boat herself, leaning down and staring at the beach’s water for a few moments. She thought she had seen some kind of small fish in the water, but it was already gone, probably startled away by everypony piling out of their little boat at once.
Luna set down next to Carrot Top, looking down at her with a frown. “I am sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know you suffered from seasickness.”
Carrot Top jumped slightly at the Princess’ apology. “It’s fine,” she insisted, “I mean – I didn’t even know myself, I’ve never been on a boat before.” She looked past Luna, at the forest. “Um…but I think I see some plants I might be able to use to maybe mix something up that could help for the return trip. Do you think, after we’re done here, I could have a few hours to look around?”
Luna nodded, though Cheerilee chuckled. “Careful,” she noted. “This is an evil, haunted island, remember. You don’t want to make all the ghosts here mad that you’re stealing from their garden.”
Carrot Top looked at Cheerilee with narrow eyes. “I’m sure they won’t mind,” she said, as she stood up, a little more sure of her own hooves now. She trotted up the beach and to the edge of the forest, considering a few of the smaller brushes for a few moments before beginning to bite the leaves off of a few. “And I’m starving…” she said between gulps.
Cheerilee chuckled again, and even Luna smiled. “You’ll have to eat as we walk,” the Princess said, spreading her wings and horn glowing slightly. “The city of Tambelon, or where it used to sit in any event, is about an hour’s trot from here. And I sense that Tambelon will be returning not long after that.”
Carrot Top nodded, even as she tore loose a particularly juicy-looking, leafy stem and followed after Luna and her friends, munching on it as she cantered along a natural road through the forest – though the hint of what looked like the occasional worked stone poking up from the dirt and fallen leaves suggested that it might once have been an actual, cobble-stone road. At a look from Raindrops, Carrot Top held out some of the plant she was eating. “Want some?” she asked. “It’s pretty good.”
Raindrops eyed the plant. “No thanks,” she said. “I…don’t eat food unless it’s been washed first. Sorry.”
Trixie was not as picky as Raindrops, however, and tried a bite. She chewed thoughtfully for a few moments. “Needs…dressing. Ranch, maybe.” Her friends stared at her for a moment, each of them blinking in surprise. “What?” Trixie asked.
“Just…ranch dressing? That’s it?” Lyra asked. “Not chili sauce?”
“Not chocolate?” Ditzy put in.
“Not shrimp?” Cheerilee asked with a chuckle.
Trixie glanced between each of them, before realizing what they were getting at. “Oh, ha ha,” she droned. “Just because you ponies don’t like a little variety in your food…”
Carrot Top finished her impromptu meal, and moved onto second course, nipping a leaf from a nearby tree. “This is all really good,” she noted. “I’m surprised nopony lives here…”
Luna glanced back to Carrot Top. “I have discouraged any attempts at settlement,” she noted. “The island’s reputation as being haunted has also played a factor. There have been a few attempts…but they always fail due to a lack of support.”
The remainder of their trot was done in silence, except for Carrot Top occasionally breaking off a leaf or, once, stopping for about a minute to dig up a tuber, all in an attempt to fill a stomach that had been thoroughly emptied over the past few days. Cheerilee fought off the urge, born from being a teacher of school-aged foals, to warn Carrot Top against eating a plant that she didn't know, as chances were Carrot Top did know the exacts species of each plant she was sampling. Her special talent may have been carrot farming, but back in Ponyville Carrot Top had found a decent supplement to that in the form of mixing up various elixirs for those that needed them, most specifically a hangover cure that Cheerilee’s sister, Berry Punch, could probably not have lived without.
As the six ponies and one alicorn cantered along, they saw, here and there, various signs of the civilization that had once called the island home, small glimpses through the forest – a crumbling wall that once marked the edge of a farm; a weather-worn rock that might have once been the head of a magnificent statue; branches in the road they were walking that revealed that, yes, there was cobbled stone beneath the dirt. Once, they had even seen, through the trees, an entire abandoned town, overgrown and with fallen walls and a complete lack of roofs, and a fountain filled with stagnant water.
Yet despite the ruins, the island did not seem unpleasant at all. Apart from the trees, which seemed whole and healthy and, while twisted, hardly evil in appearance, they also saw signs of other life – a chipmunk here or squirrel there, sparrows and crows and jays flitting amongst the trees, even once a coyote or some other wild canine, which had quickly scampered off at the sight of the herd of ponies, apparently having little interest in tackling such large game.
Cheerilee hadn’t even realized they had reached the walls of the city of Tambelon itself until they were already there, the path before them suddenly ending. The walls had become completely overgrown, with only the barest hint of stone peeking through from the tangle of vines and other plants that had built up between its bricks, making it look more like an overgrown cliff face than a wall. That was, at least, until Luna’s horn glowed, and her magic tore aside a tangle of vines and branches and even a complete fallen tree, revealing a broad, wide gap in the wall – the front gate, though the doors had long since rotted and the portcullis was little more than rust that dissipated at Luna’s slightest touch.
Walking through the walls and passing into the city itself, Cheerilee at last got a sense of grim foreboding. On the other side of the walls of Tambelon was nothing – just a solid mile of packed earth under their hooves, stretching to the other side of the walls, which appeared to form a rough square around the city. Nature, which had grown over and reclaimed so much of the island and even right up to the walls of Tambelon itself, had not passed those walls. Even with no ponies around to guide it or shape it, the wilderness had apparently taken one look into the city, seen the complete emptiness, drawn its own conclusion, and decided to leave it alone.
It was eerie – to look out from inside, and see a thick, verdant, living forest; then to look within, and see nothing but dirt, and the pristine, untouched stone of the inner wall. Cheerilee shivered despite herself, and she wasn’t the only one. The only break to the smooth plane of the former city’s floor were three large holes some thousand feet distant, and nearby, three chunks of packed earth.
Cheerilee glanced to Luna at that, and found the alicorn looking at the three imperfections and smiling, almost wistfully. When she noticed Cheerilee’s stare, the smile dropped slightly, but didn’t entirely go away. “Those are my doing,” she said, waving at the holes and chunks of earth, “but…well, it would take some time to explain. They aren’t related to Tambelon or Grogar, however.”
“What were they for?” Cheerilee asked.
“Throwing at Princess Cadance,” Luna said. At a start from the ponies, she chuckled slightly. “As I said, it would take some time to explain…and it isn’t important.”
Luna waved a wing, beckoning the ponies to follow. They did, and Luna walked with purpose towards a point just shy of the center of the former city, standing still for a moment and looking around as though checking landmarks. “Here,” she said at length. “Here, we will be right in front of the gates of the former palace. The last two times Tambelon returned, Grogar was here, waiting. I do not see why now would be any different. The city is only a few minutes from its return now – we will wait for it, then – ”
Whatever Luna was about to say was drowned out as there was a bright flash from all around them, and the world was suddenly nothing but fire.
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It is possible that every chapter to this story will be the name of a Babylon 5 episode. This isn't because this story has any references to Babylon 5 episodes, so much as I named Chapter 1 "Signs and Portents" without really thinking about it, and have decided to run with it.
Oh, goody. Corona wants to prove that she can do a better job of handling Grogar. This is not going to end well for ANYPONY!!!!
Very interesting and well written chapter! I did feel there were a few lines like: (Trap him in Shadow) that sounded a bit odd to me though. Anyway onto the main story; intriguing development with the Elements, but i'll admit i'm a tad confused by it, in the maneverse Celestia seemed to say/imply that it was only when Twilight and CO got their hooves on the Elements that she was no longer bound to them. If it was broken 1000 years ago why didn't Discord break out?
Interesting stuff with some of the mane cast being sympathetic to him, combined with the amount of time he'd spent there; it creates some interesting character drama. Cool intro with the newly invented steam ships! Though that scene did feel a bit jumpy, going form the train to hotel to night to boat. But it was necessary to get through such events without unnecessary details bogging the story down.
I really loved the Lyra scene it covered the trip so far very well and the training as a story teller bit was great! Sick bitter CT is also amusing, in a sympathetic way. Her reaction to getting on land was fantastic. Good little detail with CT using the plants, also interesting bit with Raindrops being unwilling to eat unclean food. I liked how the perspective jumped throughout, most, of this chapter it was generally very smooth and was to follow. I loved the description of the faded signs of civilization and especially natures "decision" to simply avoid the place. Loved the reference to Cadence and Luna's "fight"
A very dramatic cliffhanger of an ending; great chapter overall, I can't wait to see what happens next!
2980346
Which is not to say that she won't eat food that comes directly from the ground; she's fine with carrots, for example, but not if they haven't been washed off first.
I actually imagine it's a pretty common thing for pegasus ponies, or at least the ones that grew up in cloud cities. Everything is squeaky clean up there, since it's all made out of water vapor.
Not so new, actually...it's based on the French Ship Napoléon, which, while the first purpose-built steam powered ship naval ship, was not the first steam-powered naval ship overall, several previous ones having been retrofitted.
The scene was actually originally longer and made mention of the fact that Wingsong was actually the second purpose-built steam ship, with the Zaldians having built the first one, and that one ranging out in the open ocean rather than stationed in the landlocked Sea of Tranquility. Luna was gonna wax political a bit about how her admirals really want more steam-ships commissioned and placed in the open ocean, but Luna doesn't want to risk antagonizing the Zaldians right now as long as Corona is at large, and as well Equestria is not a naval power anyway...
...but it was boring, so I cut it.
2980394
Interesting history with the steam ships, both real and ponified, thanks! I kind of would have liked to see the navy stuff, but i'm a sucker for world building. Also in regards to my Discord question, does this mean in the L!verse he's dead somehow? Or is the difference because Grogars banishment was different and he's further form the crystal empire (not sure if that's canon or not) it's fine if you don't want to answer or if it's a plot point. Sorry if that's bothersome. 
I was thinking it might be a cloud raised pegasus thing.
2980413
The episode Return of Harmony doesn't actually state when the Elements precisely passed from Celestia to the Mane-6, or at least doesn't state at what point Celestia lost her connection to them and the Mane-6 gained it. The way I see it, Celestia lost her connection the moment she banished Luna, and the Elements weren't connected to anypony until the Mane-6 took them up.
As for Discord, I personally assumed that even after the Elements were no longer under Celestia's full control, it took 1,000 years for him to break free from the stone, just due to how opposite he is to Harmony. Other things, like Grogar, would be able to break free sooner, since Grogar is not in and of himself antithetical to the Elements.
That's one explanation, anyway. The other?
sd.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/i/wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey-stuff-4.png
Only replace timey-wimey with magicy-wagicy
2980462
I just went back and watched the episode (the start, anyway) fair point there, my assumption on what Celestia meant was at best implied/guesswork on my part. I suppose that does make sense as to why Discord didn't break out as quickly as Grogar. TY for the info.
I´m curious about Grogar personality. You stated he was meant to be a full villain, unlike Corona (crazy) or Antithesis (a magical accident). Will he show some redeemed attribute, or will he be the typical lich "may the entire world die and crumble into dust, as long as I live".?
2980490
He's going to be voiced in my head by Tim Curry...from Legend. Or better, whoever voiced Mephistopheles in Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark, though I can't find a good voice clip of that.
So take from that what you will.
2980523
Yeah, utter yet sexy evilness.
By the way, kudos for portraying Luna activelly involving herself in duties regarding the protection of Equestria alongside the Element Bearers, as opposed to Canon Celestia aka "quest giver".
Laughter is a bit too tight? I wonder if that means anything besides it having a bit of a mean sense of humor.
I have a question on Alicorn healing. Physically Alicorns heal reasonably quickly and completely. Mentally/emotionally - it takes longer, yes? I mean Luna's style of rule is still being influenced by events from a millenium ago, as noted by her near phobia of being seen as a tyrant. And Corona is self explanatory. However I must presume that eventually mental/emotional scarring and trauma will heal as thoroughly as physical scarring. It would be too cruel and impractical a flaw for any sentient immortal life form to possess. Luna is capable of changing with the times and will cease to be haunted by the past, in time. By that logic shouldn't Corona eventually regain her marbles and become Celestia again? Even if it takes half an eternity, it should happen.
Also speaking of emotional damage did mane - verse Lyra and/or Carrot Top suffer any as a result of Trixie's mind spell? For the other three, it was merely confusing and unpleasant. But those two had a taste of what they clearly regarded as a better life, just to have it whipped away from them again.
2980903
As to the mane-verse counterparts - I don't think so. This is, after all, still FiM.
As to Luna and emotional scarring...An Early Reunion made it clear that every time Luna touched the sun, to raise it or lower it, she felt Corona's hate for her. Every day for a thousand years straight. That's gonna leave a mark.
(In the Manverse, Celestia felt the same thing, but there was a difference: she knew that Nightmare Moon would escape after 1,000 years, but that there would be a chance at redemption. She had something to work towards. Luna didn't).
2981132
Well yes but my question/point still stands - do alicorns have the capacity to heal all mental/emotional/spiritual injuries? Because I gotta tell you, that seems like a required secondary power (on a level with perfect physical healing) for any sentient immortal being.
Great Chapter!!
Although I'm a little surprised at Raindrops feelings to Gregor being banished to Shadow. She thinks he should be put in a real prison, but the Shadow realm is pretty much the perfect prison. Gregor can't escape(at least not easily), he can't influence the outside world, he can't bribe or threaten any guards, there's no one to unjustly torment him, and he can take care of himself. Really, whats the problem with leaving him there?
Loved this chapter and was thrilled that much more was going on in it than the first. However, I can't help but complain over the fact Ditzy's acting like Grogar's fate is so horrible. Stances like this always annoy me...however I am aware it's realistic with how some people think. Still, exactly what's so awful about having free rule over an empty city as opposed to being stuck in a small jail cell forever. Plus given the fact time has only been a bit over a year for him...how is he even being punished right now? Aside from not being allowed to murder like he wants, I can only assume he's had a pretty cushy time in his 'fate worse than death'. Hell, I think Philomena has it way worse than this guy.
My personal issue with that aside, I'm really into this and the cliff hanger was just too perfect! Also every chapter named after a Babylon 5 episode is so AOK with me
I must confess that I caused a bit of a scene when I misread that the Luna6 would be traveling on the RES Wingwong.
Interesting that it is the RES Wingson instead of HMS Wingsong. I suppose that says something about Princess Luna.
Luna's comment about changing with the times is interesting as I think its questionable as to how much an immortal would change their perspective.
I'm not sure about Luna plan to punish him, she takes him out of stage a few thousand years later (a few years to him) and gloats that no one remembers him then executes him? For a start I'd think wanting physical immortality and eternal infamy would be different things wanting one doesn't mean you want the other as well. Plus how do you prove it to him without giving him a world tour where people learn about him again?
Who's Dinky sitting while their all away, Sparkler? Raindrop's parents?
I liked the trip and Carrot Tops death wish and joy at being back on dry land.
You know I'm not sure if horses get mosquito mediated malaria, I think their equivalent is tick borne so it should be long grasses that are dangerous to them rather than swamps (apart from the sinking and drowning problem) but it's been a good few years since my Phd and I was studying cows anyway so I could be wrong.
I think there might be a problem there.
2980523
Oh dear if this is the case I can see one of the mane 6 falling for him then maybe Cheerilee 'I always had a thing for bad boys' or Raindrops.
"And part of our history, along with the secrets of Gummi Berry Juice. But that is a tale for another day."
Sorry. Couldn't resist.
I don't see how that's going to help Carrot Top...
For anyone less immortal than you, Luna, those would be famous last words...
In any case, great setup chapter. I'm eagerly looking forward to more.
Unless I misread the chapter, I see this as: Celestia wanted to kill Grogar, but instead, she and Luna decided to exile him to his own city for a subjective year or too, and then kill him.
Ditzy, upon hearing this, gets deeply, deeply outraged at it's severity, indignantly asking why they didn't just lock him in an (presumably) eight-by-ten cell for the rest of his (presumably decades-long) existence.
Ditzy's concept of mercy frightens me.
Excellent cliffhanger, though.
2989831
Remember that it's also complete isolation. Imagine being stuck somewhere with no-one but yourself for company and no contact with the outside world for...well, even a few months, let alone potentially years on end. Studies have shown that some people can't even handle a week, let alone months or years.
Even in a jail cell, you at least get some contact with the outside world, even if only in the form of prison guards.
...
...having said that, given some of the plans for Lunaverse Season 3, it's possible Grogar wasn't so alone after all...
2989846
I would be surprised if a guy like Grogar didn´t have some back-up plan in the case of alicorn attack, before being banished. In any case, he had centuries to plan his revenge, maybe investigating some shadow magic or finding ways to contact and make allies and pawns with the disgrunted, fool and ambitious folks...
...not to mention working in his villain song. Grogar needs a villain song.
2989846
Fair enough, but history has shown that some people are no worse for wear from isolation. I guess it requires a certain type.
Admittedly, I think I can see why Ditzy would be so disturbed by the sentence, as I don't think she's the type. I'd give her three months before she starts eating her dinners next to a magician's hat, a chalkboard, and a bag of carrots.
This story is really knowing how to keep my attention.
Great chapter. Set the tone nicely, gave us more necessary information and still gave some character time which I'm always a fan.
Though my favourite was actually the attempted reconciliation of the a pony like Ditzy with the drastic "we did what we had to" viewpoint of Luna. I felt it portrays how this ponies would act to such situations and also I like stories that actually take the acknowledge how a creature that has lived millennia would have a different view than one still trying to live out they're one lifetime.
Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
2989846 ...I really, really, love your work.
2980413
Lunaverse!Discord isn't dead. It is however, made very clear that he won't be escaping for quite some time.
3024521
But yeah, RDD told me we will have him, thanks regardless.
I know we were initially planning on using him, it was mostly that specific statement combined with some earlier discussion that led me to hope.
3024299 I said 'brief description' as in 'short description', not the kind of description found directly on the front cover of the fic.
3029175 Cheater.
Did you mean: earlier ?
2981326
I think the real punishment here isn't isolation for a year, as much as it's 'You will live long enough to see the day where nopony knows who you are,' which is what he really cares about.
3053683: Little did Luna know, he used that time to write and publish a killer autobiography. :-)
Or even better, a series of novels with him as a blatant Gary Stu self-insert.
Grogar: My name shall live forever!
Luna: But you'll be forgotten! You'll be thought of as your persona, an ultra-macho secret agent who spends all his time escaping deathtraps, seducing mares, drinking martinis, and quipping at nefarious villains.
Grogar: I'm fine with that.
Huh, this place reminds me of some of the old island mystery games I used to play. Also I find it interesting that the crossover was mentioned as well.
I hate it when I forget to favorite a new story for tracking.
Fortunately, you mentioned that there was a Ch2 up over on the boards.
Anyway, not much else to say. Chapter served it purposes and now all the pieces are in play so that shit can start hitting the fan next time.
...
Also, loved seasick CT, this gives me ideas maybe.
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“Mosquito-Mediated” is a compound adjective and must be hyphenated. I know humans often use zorses (zebra/horse-hybrids) in SubSahara-Africa because they are more resistant to tropical African diseases than pure horses, I I do not know which diseases.
Nice to see Ditzy calling Luna out like that, and Luna able to counter. Good callback at the end, too. Ah, Carrot Top. I can empathize with being seasick. It's mild for me, but it forms.
As the six ponies and one alicorn cantered along, they saw, here and there, various signs of the civilization that had once called the island home, small glimpses through the forest – a crumbling wall that once marked the edge of a farm; a weather-worn rock that might have once been the head of a magnificent statue; branches in the road they were walking that revealed that, yes, there was cobbled stone beneath the dirt. Once, they had even seen, through the trees, an entire abandoned town, overgrown and with fallen walls and a complete lack of roofs, and a fountain filled with stagnant water.
As I was reading that paragraph, this is the first thing that came to my mind (with changes from the original)
I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Four vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the forest. Near them, on the mud,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And ram horns, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hoof that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Grogar, the great sorcerer:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The green and thick trees stretch far away
What would a trial for Grogar even look like?
Luna: Your honor, 2000 years ago, this one ram wiped out an entire island civilization, in a bid for immortality using black and foul magics.
Grogar: No I didn't.
Judge: What, all by himself? Do you have any proof, your majesty?
Luna: The only other witness still alive is my currently insane & treasonous sister. As for evidence, at the time of the incident we had decided to punish the accused by banishing him and destroying any and all evidence of his crimes or that he even existed.
Judge: So... no, then?
Luna: No, your honor.
Judge: ... case dismissed.
Save
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4457196
It'd be funny if it was more like:
The Multiple Murderer Skit from Monty Python. [starts at the 1:00, or the 2:05 mark]
Nice reference to Treasure Island. I loved your descriptions. Poor Carrot Top.
Just out of curiosity, why didn't Luna bring Nightbringer with her on this trip? If there was any enemy she'd want to break out her warscythe against, it would be Grogar.
found herself wishing that Wingsong hadn’t had seam power at all
1. Steam.
im confused, what alternate universe are they talking about? did the luna mane six meet the usual mane six at some point?
2980523
*Note to Self, work on my Tim Curry impression*
I'm reviewing this while I am doing a live read so bare with me on some of my points.
While I am reading this, I am mentally comparing it to the season 2 premire (Wich is one of my favorite two parters) and kind of comparing the two actions with the two princesses and what is going on. Celestia, in the show, knew already that she and the elements were no longer connected and whatever power she could do, the mane six could do it better than her. Thus she trusts the mane six to go in, kick Discord's ass six ways to Sunday, and then come back home. Luna...seems to be the opposite here.
It's almost like she is not trusting of the magic, like she is unsure of how the power works. That, or she wants it to be under control, she wants it to be theirs and makes sure that it works. Almost like she is unsure of herself or her student's abilities, this is shown by the fact that she is going with them while Celestia did not. Also, it should be noted that Luna kept doing the same thing and it failed not once, but twice and is only NOW thinking "Maybe I should try something new."
I don't know if this is saying that Luna is being, in a way, more controlling than Celestia or that she lacks an element of trust with the world around her. Always afraid of losing control and the like. It doesn't help that I am more of the guy who wants the god, mentor, and ect characters to stay behind and let the main characters do their jobs (Yes, I get pissed at the end of the TMNT live action flick where Splinter saves the Turtles butts. While a cool scene, it is still annoying) So, there is that kind of element as well.
I love the set up and the arrot top joke played well
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Crisis on Two Equestrias
Lunaverse Trixie tries teleporting, gets hit by wild lighting and ends up in 'regular' Equestria.
Both ginger & marijuana are supposed to be reasonably good for anti nausea (although I've always suspected the latter is because you're stoned) but I know ginger ale will stay down when you're sick.
The problem with seasickness is throwing up leads to electrolyte deficiency. This is what kills bulimics.