//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 (New Timeline): A Necessary Risk // Story: Jongoji245's The Return of Tambelon // by Jongoji245 //------------------------------// "Why do you ask me to come, Sister?" asked Luna as the older Alicorn levitated out the most recent sketchbook. "Do you remember the City of Tambelon?" She asked as she turned the pages of the sketchbook. "Why yes, I still remember Lord Ramsey's making some of the finest mead before us." - Luna chuckled before drooping her ears - "A shame it has been destroyed by my return." Celestia stopped flipping pages, shifted her eyes slightly. "Not destroyed..." - She slowly flipped a page - "Banished twice every five centuries." Luna looked at her sister, her mouth slightly agape. "You mean it has returned?" Celestia was just finishing as much of a sketch as she could, revealing a rugged mountain goat watching over a rampart. "Soon." In the old foundation of an ancient city, a massive shadow looms over it. As the shadow began to recede, a structure begins to appear. Deep in the shadow, a pair of red eyes glares at the surrounding landscape. “The battle begins anew…. Yes….” a voice spoke out as the shadow finally receded, revealing a massive blue mountain goat wearing a neckpiece with a silver bell dangling at the front. Behind him, a Donkey wearing a medieval style cloak walked behind him before kneeling. “We are ready to begin our first capture, Lord Grogar.” He raises his head up “Will it be the rarest creatures?” Grogar, as he is called, narrowed his eyes. “Yes, but this time, try to collect younger specimens.” The Donkey nodded before turning around “And Bray, if we fail this time, you will join them!” Bray shivered at that thought before trotting off. A good distance away at Ponyville, the town is crowded with not just the usual townsfolk, but also guards. This town wasn't the only one, every city across Equestria has been implemented with one army sector of Royal Guard. Ponyville had something special; the army stationed had a Brobdingnag in body armor walking about. Plucked from the wild, he is kept under watch. As is usual in a military affair, its not all received well from everyone. Fluttershy can't walk much across the town without curling back at the intimidating stationary poses the guards always have. Pinkie made the most fun out of it, often creating her own fights using banana cream pies. The guards remained still, moving their tongues as they became the victim of splattered pastries. “It's the end of the world!” Shouted a conspiracy theorist as he bounded from Pony to Pony. He then pointed to Canterlot “Why else would your beloved Princess’ impose martial law on Equestria!” A small distance away, Spike watched as theorist kept bounding away before waving him off and continued on his walk. Up on the hill at the Tamer residence, Cosgrove, Chelsey, Zipper, and Diver sat by Night Dancer’s stone, watching over as patrol after patrol came in and out of the town. They looked back at the front door, which had a guard stationed there. To the Hipparion, he was easily recognizable by his lack of any visible tail. Cosgrove walked in front of Hooflock, Chelsey giving him a lift to reach up to the Earth Pony’s full size. “Okay, let’s try this again.” - He cleared his throat - “Why are there guards stationed in every town-?” “That is classified.” The Royal Guard interrupted, not even shifting his yellow eyes down. “Why?” Asked Chelsey. “Because it is decreed so.” “Notevenifyougiveusaclue?” Zipper hopped on Hooflock’s back, curling his neck forward so that his head is in the guard’s line of sight. “No disclosure is allowed.” - Hooflock added with a more stern tone - “Loose lips sink ships.” - He finally shifted his eyes to Cosgrove - “That’s why I can’t disclose it.” When he moved his eyes back up, Diver hobbled by and sat down. “Not even your favorite food?” She asked while nudging him. The armored Earth Pony narrowed his eyes, prompting them to back away. Cosgrove merely curled a smirk. “Oh well,” - He hops off Chelsey’s back and begins to walk towards the town - “it’s good to keep asking questions, it sharpens the mind.” Hooflock merely responded with a slow growl. As they walked about, Cosgrove looked up at the crystalline tree at the border of the town. He curled up a brow, maybe a friend or two would know. Indeed, Twilight was full force in gathering as much literature as she could based on what Princess Celestia had told her, and the reason for the martial law. “Tambelon?” - Sunset placed her hooves on the table as the Elements’ cutie marks shined over the table - “Wasn’t that destroyed five hundred years ago?” “That's what I thought too when we studied together.” - Twilight flipped a book from Celestia's own journal before showing a flashback in the show’s style - “A while after Nightmare Moon was banished, one of Tambelon’s greatest generals, Grogar, lead a coup that resulted in him being king. Those that stayed and revolted against him were sent to fight in the arena. Many didn't survive when Princess Celestia banished the kingdom into shadow. But somehow Grogar altered the spell to have the city return every five centuries,” - the present tense returns - “and this turn of five centuries is scheduled to end sometime today.” The other Elements looked as they realized the impending doom. Rainbow Dash slammed her hooves on the table. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go to Tambelon now and hit them with a good amount of Rainbow Power!” “We could.” - Twilight looked up at the circling cutie marks - “If the map found the cities’ location already.” Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, bringing them into attention. “Earthquake!” Fluttershy cried before diving underneath the table. “In Ponyville?!” Exclaimed Applejack as the tremors increased. They ran out to the balcony as several black portals appear before the town. The Royal Guard stationed ran forth and drew their spears. Soon, several sets of red eyes glowed behind each portal. Soon a cloven hoof stepped out, revealing a black mountain goat. He is soon joined by Bray. “In the name of Grogar of Tambelon, capture any rare specimen you see!” He ordered before groups of mountain goats rushed out of the gates. For all their numbers, the goats easily overpowered the guards as they charged through them. A group of the Royal Guard untethered the Brobdingnag. One of the goats looked as the beast charged at him before his brass bell began to vibrate, with a small glow. A beam soon fired, wrapping the beast in an aura before vanishing it into thin air. “One specimen captured.” Said the goat as he looked at his charm. Cosgrove and his Posse ran along with the others when four additional goats stopped them. “Well, well.” One of their bells began to vibrate “We got ourselves a Horse, a Sleipnir, a Merpony, and… Whatever you are.” Cosgrove drew out a tarot card before a spear slapped the goat. It was Hooflock who attacked him. “Go!” The soldier ordered. But this order was in vain as two of the goats trapped Chelsey and Diver before they could go far. Zipper generated a few quick tornadoes, trying to at least steal the bells before he too got captured. “Zipper!” Cosgrove shot a few tarot cards at Zipper’s captor before he was rammed into a wall by a brown mountain goat. Hooflock finished off a goat before turning to find Cosgrove recovering from the attack as his prospective captor had his bell glow. Just before he could fire, the Earth Pony ran in the way, becoming captured inside the bell. “No!” Cosgrove shouted before unleashing a series of tarot cards that merely scratched at his fur. The goat merely trotted off, escaping the young Hipparion when he noticed Pipsqueak being cornered. Deeper in the heat of the battle, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Sunset were fighting off Grogar’s soldiers while Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity helped evacuate the citizens. One of the goats is intrigued of the fact that there is a much younger Alicorn and aims his bell at her. Before he was able to fire, a spiral grenade exploded, sending him flying a few good feet. The Galgameth twisted a thruster, allowing it to strafe as it fired lasers from its arms. Bray looked up to see the carriage of the Royal Sister’s descending upon them. “Fall back!” He ordered before galloping into the shadow portal. Some of the other goats refused at first, but that changed when a series of blasts blackened the ground in front of them, they immediately ran back. A majority of the population watched as the portals disappeared when Celestia and Luna’s carriage landed on the slightly damaged plaza. Soldiers still in good fighting condition lined up to salute their commander in chief. “All citizens accounted for?” Asked Luna as she looked around “Any soldiers standing?” “Cosgrove!” The two, centuries old, Alicorns looked to find Lion Tamer and Loopty Hoop running towards them. They looked around before finding their adoptive grandson running towards them. “Cosgrove, are you all right?” Asked Loopty Hoop as she hugged him. Lion Tamer looked around, “Where are the others?” Cosgrove merely responded by drawing back his ears before embracing his grandmother even more. The meeting took place once more at the Tree of Harmony, the three Princess’, the other Elements of Harmony, Sunset Shimmer, Lion Tamer, and Loopty Hoop gathered at the table. “Your Highness, do you have any knowledge of its location?” asked Lion Tamer to Princess Celestia “Sadly, I am afraid not.” She answered with her head hanging low “The last time Tambelon reappeared was at a much different location. But I assure you, we are acting as swiftly as we can to find them.” From a door slightly ajar, Cosgrove peeked into the meeting before turning away. “Not swiftly enough.” He responded as he walked down the hall, passing Spike along the way. “Hey, don’t worry.” - Spike ran to the Hipparion’s side - “They’ll find Tambelon as quickly as a-” “What if those were your friends?” Cosgrove interrupted in a serious tone “What if that was Rarity fighting for her life in some ancient arena?” The young dragon droops his tail onto the floor, bringing the Hipparion to relax, but not by much. “Sorry, it’s just the thought of losing three of my childhood friends…” He walked over to the balcony, supporting his head on the rail “If they get finished, I would never forgive myself.” Spike understood what Cosgrove was going at. Both needed help in saving a friend or two, and going head-on into a city that had returned twice now every five hundred years would be something Sunset would never allow. The young dragon though for a moment before stepping forward. “Your human counterpart, far as I know, wouldn’t take unnecessary risks.” - Spike wrapped a hand around him - “But this is a necessary one.” Suddenly, the conversation was interrupted when the Galgameth hovered up and landed behind them. Opening up the thorax region, Cogsworth leaned forward. “I may be of help.” - He pulls up a scanner on his left side - “I have detected an unusual energy signature coming from the mountains northwest from here.” “Is it Tambelon?” Asked Cosgrove. “Not sure, but we could go to investigate. If it is, we could go inside long enough to bust your buddies out.” The Hipparion rubbed his chin. There is another plus side to this; being micro chanted can allow Sunset to bead out Tambelon’s new position, allowing the Elements of Harmony to arrive and banish the city again. “I must be outta my mind.” He groaned. In the midst of their planning, the ponies inside the chamber flicked their ears to the sound of a jet engine roaring behind them. All too familiar, Sunset ran as fast as she could, running outside just in time to see the Galgameth take off, leaving a smoke trail in the sky. “I’ll get ‘em!” Said Rainbow Dash as she flew a few feet from the balcony. “Rainbow, wait!” Twilight beckoned, stopping the Pegasus in her flight path, before turning to her former classmate - “Cosgrove’s still micro chanted, is he?” Sunset nodded. “Then with his friend, he should be safe for the time being.” - Celestia added before Sunset could respond - “What we must do now is wait.” As the two Princesses walked back inside, the Elements of Harmony looked as Sunset continued to watch the smoke dissipate into the air. Up front, Sunset merely bared her teeth, knowing that her friend just took a big risk, one that he may not even return this time.