//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Enter Schnookums // Story: Ballad of the Brobdingnag // by Jongoji245 //------------------------------// Everyone has a dreamland, and Cosgrove is no exception. What is different is how his dreamland is shown. While largely based on his life as a circus performer, Cosgrove’s dreams are relatively tropical. The big top was composed of palm trees and the circus animals also were creatures nopony has ever seen in life. His audience consisted on those he had in the past, which can be saying a lot, his supervisors were a pair of ponies, but there was something off about them; most of their body has vanished. Cosgrove usually would dress up in costumes for circus shows, hence his name, but he always had a very deep dream that he never did before leaving the circus; he wanted to go on the trapeze. Cosgrove swung through the trapeze after his supervisors jumped onto each swing. Cosgrove then repeated the cycle again to reach the previous side of the big top. He knew he would be happy just to see the ponies around him laugh to tears. Suddenly he turned to a limp body of a mare. He held the body and cried. The Ringmaster appeared with a very grim smile on his face. “Why…?” whispered Cosgrove as he clenched the dead mare’s mane. The Ringmaster didn’t answer as he prepared a lion taming whip, wrapping the tip around a piece of metal. Just as the tip reaches Cosgrove’s flinched eye, it stops and fades away including the dead mare. When he opens his eye, all that he could see is a bluish glow. Looking closer, he saw a figure of a pegasus coming closer. When it landed it revealed itself as Princess Luna. “Princess Luna? No, your a vision in my dreams.” Cosgrove reprimanded. “I am very much real.” The Princess answered. “I have never appeared to you before now.” While he didn’t know much about Luna, he has heard of recent events involving her cursed alter ego, Nightmare Moon. “Well then, as your…” - Cosgrove gave a little cough - “humble subject, may I offer you something to drink?” “My visit is short, young stallion, so as I could ask you a question.” Cosgrove cocked his head. “What do you want to know, your Highness?” he asked. “The night before I have heard screams from the Everfree Forest. I investigated the site and found tracks that match yours and those of a Brobdingnag.” Cosgrove lowered on of his ears. “Brobding-what?” he asked, causing Luna to tilt her head. “It would seem time has forgotten one of our past ventures.” Cosgrove widened his eyes. “Those weren’t crusades were they?” he asked to which Luna nodded. “The Brobdingnag is a gluttonous beast, it consumes everything, which is why I convinced an Ursa Major to slaughter it.” “Then how do you explain Schnookums?” Cosgrove questioned. “That of which I do not have the slightest idea.” Luna answered. “Child, what you are nurturing can and will cause the same destruction as it did a millennia ago.” “How did I know that Schnookums would be dangerous?” Cosgrove raised a hoof at her -“Besides he is smaller than a dragon and can’t cause that much harm.” “Schnookums as you call it is still growing.” Luna replied. “Which is why I ask of you: where do you know of it’s location?” Cosgrove lowered his ears. “I don’t know.” - he back away slowly -“He could be anywhere in the forest.” “Then will you help me lure it?” Luna asked. “I… can’t… I’m sorry.” He asked regretfully. Frustrated, Luna approached Cosgrove. “Child you are performing a terrible feet for you fellow ponies. If you don’t, many will be killed.” -Cosgrove doesn’t reply to her statement -“It took several hundred ponies to drive it to the Badlands, would you want to risk that many again?” Luna stated in a louder voice. “But he is just a living being…” Cosgrove whispered. Suddenly the world around started to get stormy, with Luna rising high into the air, eyes glowing at the colt. “Sombra, Chrysalis, and Discord are living being but they are not innocent,” Luna yelled in her Canterlot Voice “they have caused destruction well before you were born! You are a fool to think that beast is an innocent soul!” His eyes blinded by the wind, Cosgrove pointed his head to the sky and shouted, “What if your wrong?” When he opened his eyes, he was in the barn. He looked outside, a clear sunny morning. He whacked his foreleg a couple times. He turned around at the sound of hoof clops to find Big Mac staring at him while loading up barrels of cider. “Is this a dream too?” Cosgrove asked, to which the burly red pony looked around. “....Nope.” Big Mac continued to load the wagon. Cosgrove helped out the Apple Family prepare for the event tonight. Once they have everything prepared, they left for Ponyville. Upon arrival, they set up shop. Applejack and Big Mac helped set up the jockey box, while Cosgrove, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith set up the stand for the pies and apple related treats. Sales where beginning to start at about three in the afternoon as the crowd got bigger. Cosgrove turned over to Granny Smith, “I have something I need to do at home.” “Sure thing young un’. Be back here quick, the crowd’s gettin’ big!” The elderly mare waved a hoof at the massing crowd. Cosgrove weaved through the crowd and was able to make it into the outskirts with very little effort. When he reached his home, he placed his radio onto the wagon and set up a wind up mechanism. Twisting the dial, he positions it at the Everfree Forest with the radio’s timer set to five pm and releases the wagon. Cosgrove gave a smug look before galloping off to Ponyville. The town is now much more crowded than before, forcing him to make several detours. It was already sunset before he reunites with the Apple Family. The crowd gathered around City Hall where Twilight Sparkle walked up to the podium and began her speech. “Dear Mares and Stallions, foals of all ages. It is my pleasure to sponsor the celebration of the day Equestria was found. It is within our unity, between earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi, that has kept Equestria strong. Not even Discord’s power could have stopped our eternal friendship. So with our ancestors as our witnesses, let us continue that tradition.” The ponies around Twilight began happily stamping on the ground. Back at the forest, the music was playing on the radio when it rolled onto a curve and went back the opposite way in an arc. Back at Ponyville, music began to play courtesy of the Canterlot Symphony. As pairs of ponies arrived onto the dance stage Applejack looked at Cosgrove and Apple Bloom as they watched the crowd. She gave a smile. “Why don’t you two go out and have fun” -Applejack held the two foals together- "business is slowin’ down anyway.” The two foals looked at each other with confusion before Cosgrove gave a “why not” gesture. Meanwhile, at Fluttershy’s cottage, Fluttershy was sound asleep, having done with ponies adopting animals for the day. She wasn’t even interrupted with the bassoon playing wagon passing by. But the sounds of crashing trees and birds chirping woke her up. She opened the door just as a massive shadow loomed past her from the left. Immediately she screamed and slammed the door shut. Cosgrove and Apple Bloom walked around the festival and played games such as Pin the Tail on the Pony. They met up with Rumble, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Button Mash, the latter of whom was in a tuxedo. “Huh, I haven’t heard this was a formal occasion.” Cosgrove remarked, rubbing the suit “Mom wanted me to try on a uniform.” Button Mash groaned before scratching himself. The three pairs of foals eventually reached a ferris wheel. As the three entered the ferris wheel, they each had mixed feelings; When one of cars tilted, Scootaloo held onto Rumble. When Apple Bloom and Cosgrove’s car reached the top and stopped, the filly laid her head on his shoulder. Cosgrove wasted no time to enjoy the moment and laid his head down as well. “Shut up Rumble.” he softly said as he heard snickering. Something was still left in detail that worried him. Cosgrove still remembered the dream he had with Princess Luna. How things will become worse. But how could he let that ruin a beautiful moment? The three pairs of foals were lucky to be on the ferris wheel, for now they have a good view to see the Wonderbolts perform. While this mattered to Scootaloo, the same wouldn’t much applied to Sweetie Belle as Button Mash snuck in his Joy Boy. Cosgrove and Apple Bloom were still in a cuddle. However, a noise began to ring Cosgrove’s ear. “Do you hear something?” Cosgrove looked around. The noise gradually got louder, sounding more like a bassoon. Worried, he eyed at the Canterlot Symphony. He couldn’t fully make it out, but Cosgrove saw none of the performers with a bassoon. His iris and pupils shrank as he saw the wagon roll to the right of the ferris wheel. To the other ponies, it was a matter of wondering what is that for. To Cosgrove, bad things follow. A few moments later another, more baritone, sound became heard. Screaming is heard further down the street from the ferris wheel as ponies stampeded down. The operator of the ferris wheel ran as well once he saw what was coming. As the running crowd met with the ponies in the Town Square, Applejack called for Apple Bloom and Cosgrove, with Rarity doing likewise for Sweetie Belle. As the ponies in the ferris wheel called out for help, stomping noises were heard louder as the massive being began to pass through them. They all watched in awe… until someone took a photo. The beast flinched, causing his tail to break the holding harness for the ferris wheel causing it to roll out of control. The carts shook wildly as it reached a building in the Town Square. The ponies on the ferris wheel screamed as they realized this would be their final ride… ...Or it would seem as the ferris wheel was suddenly stopped in it’s tracks. Cosgrove’s eyes opened up to seeing the beast’s eye staring right back. It looked at the other passengers, who looked back in dear fright (Button Mash even wetted himself). The beast immediately placed one of his hands on the bottom and began tilting it while the crowd screamed. Once the ferris wheel was lain flat on the ground, the ponies struggled out of their seats and ran off. Cosgrove grabbed a small filly out of the ferries wheel just when the foot of the beast crushes the wheel. The ponies of the town square looked in horror as they were shown the creature they haven’t seen for over a millenia. The beast is crimson with a series of dermal plates in shades of red with a spiny tip on top of each. What appeared to be a head opened up to reveal a real head as it emitted a bellow. The beast scanned the area when he spotted food; what is left of the apple pies on the wagon. However, once he began to advance to the pies, a suddenly explosion occurred, causing the beast to be suddenly flung off his elephantine legs and into a corner of Ponyville. The crowd began to cheer because what they saw was a sonic rainboom, done no other than Rainbow Dash. “Aw yeah! No one’s crashin’ this party!” Rainbow Dash remarked as she began a little dance. Cosgrove however started to move back just started to run when he bumped into Applejack. “You have some explainin’ to do!” the apple farmer clutched him. “Can it come later,” - Cosgrove pushed her aside - “Right now we have to evacuate everypony!” a series of clicks are heard along with loud stomping sounds. Cosgrove turned his head around. “Schnookums is angry…” The sound became much louder as Schnookums appears again, this time with a large bruise on his right shoulder. He was frothing at the mouth as it emitted a series of growling sounds at her. Rainbow Dash looked at the wounded creature. “The Rainboom wasn’t enough?” Rainbow raised her hooves in a boxing motion. “Come and get some ya overgrown slug!” Schnookums screeched and charged towards the rainbow-maned pegasus. Rainbow Dash flew towards him at a high speed. At the last moment, Rainbow suddenly moved to her right. The Brobdingnag slowed down as quickly as he could, but he couldn’t stop fast enough to crash into buildings. He lifted itself out of the rubble. “Ya missed!” Rainbow Dash made funny faces at him. The Brobdingnag retaliated by resuming his charge. Meanwhile Soarin and Spitfire helped out with evacuating rest of the ponies out of Ponyville. Cosgrove and the Apple Family hid themselves into an alleyway. They appeared to be in the middle of a conversation. “And that is how I found Schnookums,” -Cosgrove continued his answer- “I thought I could distract him by luring him away further down the Everfree with my radio, but-” “So how do we get ‘im to go away?” Applejack remarked with a stern face. “Rainbow Dash can only distract ‘im for so long-” Suddenly a shadow loomed over the alley. Schnookums just missed Rainbow Dash again, crashing into the building above them. Fortunately they were able to move away in time. Cosgrove looked around quickly for an idea. The wagon was probably smashed. He didn’t see any food lying around either. When he spotted Vinyl Scratch running among the crowd. This gave Cosgrove an idea. After weaving through the stampede, he cut right in front of her “Wait up, Goggles! I need you to do a favor!” He hastily asked. Rainbow Dash again continued making faces, but this time Schnookums acted quickly by almost crushing the pegasus. Rainbow Dash immediately started flying upwards. She thought she was gaining enough altitude to perform a Sonic Rainboom until she looked behind her. She was still close to Schnookums’ mouth. It wasn’t that Schnookums suddenly became fast, he was actually inhaling deeply in an attempt to devour Rainbow Dash. She tried to fly faster, but this barely did anything to break her out of the vortex. “Nice… set.... of lungs!” Rainbow she strained herself to get away. Schnookums’ eyes suddenly widened as he heard a massive blast of sound. The beast screeched in pain, allowing Rainbow Dash to escape. Schnookums turned to the source of the blast. Vinyl Scratch held in her hooves a massive techno bazooka. Dubbed the “Bass Cannon,” the yellow-white unicorn continued blast a stream of loud sound at Schnookums’ ear canal. Schnookums tried to shrug off the sound, but he couldn’t handle a long term exposure. Immediately he started moving the opposite way. he didn’t care about crushing buildings as long as he got away. The beasts shape quickly disappeared under a cloud of plaster. Cosgrove walked to Vinyl, the Bass Cannon now “smoking” a soft static sound. “Modern technology....” He raised a hoof, his eyes looking slightly off camera. As he turned around, he saw the Apple Family along with the rest of the Mane Six sans Fluttershy and the CMC looking at him. Cosgrove lowered his ears and looked at the ground. Applejack walked up to him and placed her hoof on his shoulder. “Lets go home…” the farm pony said to her friends. The Apple Family and Cosgrove began their journey back to Sweet Apple Acres. The cider barrels and pies were smashed in the carnage, making it a very easy walk for Big Mac. Cosgrove didn’t bother to say a word. Apple Bloom looked at Cosgrove and saw him begin to shed a tear. The three fingered colt began to slow down and when he was at a good distance behind the Apple family, he sat down on the filthy road and began to sob. He would’ve been left alone to mourn what went wrong when suddenly he was lifted off the ground.