500 years have passed, and the City of Shadows is looking once again for prized fighters
Tambelon, the most majestic city aside from Canterlot and the Crystal Empire. What stood out from either of the two is the perfect quality of the tubular bells they produced. The grandest of the bells is hung high in the castle towers. Legend speaks that should the Master Bell be rung, it’s sound can bring forth great joy. The Rams and the Ponies shared the city. But one Ram didn’t want to share his city with the Ponies. Studying dark magic, the Ram was able to drive the Ponies out of Tambelon, but those that stayed and fight were placed in a gladiator arena. Princess Celestia would not tolerate his actions. A war soon broke; many of both sides did not survive. As a last measure, the Ram leader placed his life energy into the Master Bell before being banished into the Netherworld. But somehow Tambelon would return every 500 years, and the bloodshed would begin anew.
Occurs in both the Old and New Timelines a while into Season 5 (After Appaloosa's Most Wanted).
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.
Far enough away elsewhere, Applejack, tired from her recent journey’s sent by the Tree of Harmony, slept underneath the shade of a great apple tree, her hat tipped forward to keep the sun’s rays from hitting her face. While summer can bring out a few long weeks of heat stroke, there are a few blessings that help when cherished. Applebloom and the Crusaders left to visit Braeburn at Appaloosa, Big Mac has done a little more to his nightlife than usual such as going to a baseball game with Spike and going on a date with Ms. Cheerilee. Granny Smith did her afternoon walks her and their, usually not going far from Sweet Apple Acres.
Applejack’s ear flicked to an unusual sound. Further down the hill, Cosgrove played a homemade didgeridoo. Winona trotted to the sound and cocked her head in confusion. The colt opened one of his eyes and eyeballed the sheepdog as she shuffled back and forth with an occasional bark. He twisted the instrument and rolled his tongue to produce different notes.
Applejack gave a small smirk and slowly went back to sleep. A small circle of light shined on her blonde hair. While okay in a short while, without any wind blowing, she soon shuffled onto her feet. She looked up and found Shnookums pulling back on the tree to feed. Applejack angrily trotted over to the Brobdingnag and bucked him on the leg. The animal merely stepped over and continued feeding. Applejack gave an irritated snarl, bowed her head and-
“Cosgrove!!!!”
That very sound echoed across the farm. Once it ringed into his ear, Cosgrove sputtered out the instrument and looked behind him. Noticing the source of the commotion, he ran as fast as colt legs could take him up the hill.
“Schookums! No! This is not food!”
Schnookums continued to ravenously eat the apple tree as if it didn’t hear a thing. Applejack grabbed the colt and flung him up the tree. Cosgrove climbed up the branches and stuck his head out of the canopy just as Schnookums began to lunge at the next selection of leaves.
“STOOOOOP!!!!”
The colt kept his eyes closed as a slight gust blew his hair back. Opening his eyes, he found Schnookums with his mouth and mask closed. However, instead of giving his surrogate father a sorry look, Schnookums had a rather blank one instead; as an elephant would a mouse. The Brobdingnag looked to his left and walked away out of Sweet Apple Acres. After climbing down from the tree, he is greeted with a harsh look from Applejack.
“This… has gone on… far too long!”
“Hey I stopped him from eating the tree, did I?” Cosgrove said just when a large branch fell behind the farm pony.
“This is the third time he’s done it! And this time he didn’t listen to you the first time.”
“He’s just a kid!”
“He’s a wild animal! Even Fluttershy is having trouble keeping him in line!”
“Because Schnookums doesn’t view her as a parent as her rabbit does!”
Applejack forced his head around to the beast, “Cosgrove, look at him! He’s bigger than the barn, he eats several times that of my livestock, and he was almost killed by that massive lizard! How long are going to keep him cooked up?”
“Until this whole kidnapping thing is solved! Chelsey, Diver, and Zipper were reported missing! For all I know, it could be one of my old Ring Masters trying to get revenge!”
“...You aren’t foolin’ anypony. It’s not the well bein’ of Schnookums, it’s you.”
“What do you mean…?”
Applejack merely turned around with her head aloof.
“That is somethin’ you need to find for yerself. In the meantime, I suggest you leave.”
Cosgrove drew his ears back, looked at the ground and tensed his facial muscles before looking at Applejack again.
“Fine… I need a break anyway.”
Applejack eyed behind her as Cosgrove turned and left the farm. Cosgrove kept looking at the ground as he walked through the town center, not minding the looks the adults gave him as he walked. When he walked to his house, he reared up on his hind legs and smacked the door open.
“Not about Schnookums, it’s just you. Hmph! I’ve been working my rear end off just to keep Schookums off the hit list! It’s just hard enough without being berated like that! If she can’t handle it, fine! I can always find another friend. It’s not like I am the only one with-”
That one last sentence stopped him for a moment. He sat down on the floor and looked at his hooves and the dewclaws that nestle to their sides. He then looked at the photos of him, his friends from both Ponyville and the Barn and Bayly Circus. Grabbing a dry erase marker, he circled their legs. Though he is a pony, all of his pals have just one solid toe. Granted Zipper does have eight legs, but then that is what all Sleipners possess. Cosgrove is the only one that he knows to have more than just on toe on each leg.
“Yet Night Dancer still took me in.”
He looked out the window in the general direction to Sweet Apple Acres. Cosgrove couldn’t come back, not right now given his recent argument. The summer is still long, but there is something he could do. He waited until the evening before walking into the Everfree Forest. Cosgrove continued to along the path until he reached the ruins of the old castle.
Walking into what used to be the library, Cosgrove looked at the books starting with the letter R, but couldn’t find one regarding the races. Stepping away from the shelf, he eyed a book in the A section, high up among the first books. He grabbed a ladder and leaned it onto the shelf. Climbing to the top, he grabbed the book “Almanac of Equestria.” Attempting to read while on the ladder, the thing supporting the pony gave in to his weight. Cosgrove screamed as he fell, his eyes closed shut as he felt something support him. Opening his eyes, he found the object that saved him was Zecora.
“Away from home when it is late to roam?”
“Oh hi Zecora." Cosgrove is placed back on the ground "What brings you here?”
The Zebra opened her saddlebag and showed him some very fresh herbs, “I was gathering herbs for some tea when you I did see.” Zecora eyed the book. “You have gone very far to discover just what you are.”
As she sat down next to the colt, Cosgrove flipped through the pages, each with a picture and text dedicated to the information of each race.
Cosgrove flipped back a page and found it: his people, his bloodline, his ancestors. The picture was a Renaissance style art. The text read as followed:
Avg. Height: 1.2 meters
Avg. Weight: 300 lbs
Specific traits: Three toes on each foot, slight gracile build compared to Earth Ponies of a similar size, stripes on the back, adult males sport facial hair on the chin, advanced aged individuals do show grey on the muzzle and tips of the mane.
Other notes: Produce a diverse set of vocals aside from language and song. Somewhat adventurous compared to their single toed cousins. While nowhere near as fast as Pegasi or Sleipnir, Hipparion are faster than Earth Ponies and Horses, but because they run only half as far as said races.
History: Like a majority of the races in this Almanac, Hipparion were once widespread all over the land known as Equestria. Their hoof prints were found as far south as Northern Appaloosa. It’s unknown what caused the Hipparion to be missing while other pony kinds and other races have recovered from the cataclysms. I presume that this was the result of competition; the ponies with a single toe have divulged into many forms that could fly, swim in the depths, and most importantly use magic while the Hipparion merely resembled a Zebra from a distance. I do hope that somepony finds a population living somewhere just as their ancestors have several centuries before them.
Cosgrove continued to eye the section. his identity as a race was solved, but now there are now many new questions popping into his head. Since the book is obviously dated, then how does it explain him, the smoking gun of his folk, walking among others? The same question applying just the same with Schnookums and Discord.
“A question’s answer is hard to find, maybe then will you find more of your kind.” Zecora looked up to find the sky become a dark violet. “But the time will have to wait, it is late.”
The two got up from the floor, Cosgrove lifted the book with his mouth and took it with him. Crossing the bridge of the old castle and into the Everfree Forest. Cosgrove had much on his mind, but the first thing to do is to apologize to Applejack. And then it would be finally time… Time to release Schnookums out into the wild, if he hasn’t already...
Suddenly, the two ponies heard rustling.
“Alright men! Time to split up.” Looking from behind the bushes Zecora and Cosgrove saw a pack of mountain goats clad in armor. “Grogar wants prized fighters this time, so nothing smaller than a Timberwolf! And double the bounty for those who capture the Brobdingnag!”
This is a new upstart for them. There are indeed goats in Equestria, but Mountain Goats, especially those of high muscular build, haven’t roamed Equestria in quite some time. And why would they want fighters? The two ponies began to step back, but as Cosgrove turned around, he was hit hard in the head and knocked out.
As he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dungeon. While he has never been to Tartarus, and Faust willing would never want to, it was enough to get a general idea. His hearing became tuned to his new environment, and the sounds were one to match. He heard screaming of a prisoner down the hall, getting louder as a couple of soldier goats carried a struggling Diamond Dog pup away. The sight made the Hipparion droop his ears.
Cosgrove turned his head to the muffled yelling behind him. Stretching his legs, he leapt onto the barred window and had a good look at what he is getting into. A chimera and a manticore were fighting each other to the death. The manticore would have an easy advantage if it didn't have it's wings clipped. The snake tail subdued the mixed part lion while the smilodon head clenched deep into it's mane. The manticore became limp in a short moment. Dropping its fallen opponent, the chimera roared into the sky to the cheering crowd.
Suddenly Display was snatched from behind and flung out of the cell. He looked up to see a large goat.
"You're next, colt!"
Display looked down the hall before being shoved.
"Move it! Or do I have to make an early disqualification?"
Dying then is better from dying now. The Hipparion ran down the hall and into the bright light. Once his eyes became adjusted to the light, Cosgrove found him in the middle of a large arena. Looking around, he saw the crowd jeering at him.
"That little thing?!"
"He's smaller than the Diamond Dog!"
Speaking of whom, the little biped yelped loudly as he tried to get away from the chimera. Cosgrove cocked his head in confusion; why doesn't the Diamond Dog just dig his way out? Scrapping the sand, he found that foundation of the arena was in fact metal. The Diamond Dog was cornered, the smilodon and snake heads cutting him off.
Cosgrove let out a bray several times. Catching the attention of the goat head, it tugged against the main body.
"No, we must finish this mutt!" Said the feline
"But tha-aa-aat one wants to be eaten too!" The goat head said
"If we kill two at once, the audience will rejoice us even more." Hissed the snake tail.
The feline turned her torso to the striped pony and started bounding towards him. Cosgrove lowered his ears, regretting the idea. Applebloom wasn’t kidding that her encounter with a chimera was quite scary, now that the beast’s true size became more noticeable. Cosgrove dashed to his right, dodging the chimera’s pounce. The diamond dog saw from the other side of the arena with a surprised look on his face before drawing his ears back.
The Hipparion looked behind to find that the Chimera wasn’t behind him. He then caught a glimpse of a blurry object colliding with him. The colt was sent flying through the air and slammed against the wall. He slowly open his eyes to the blurry silhouette of the three part beast approaching him and got into a crouching position. The colt tried to get up quickly, but was subdued by pain in his body. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was the Chimera’s Smilodon mouth fully agape.
Or so he thought when Cosgrove heard a sound of pain. Opening his eyes, he found the Chimera chasing it’s snake tail, now with the Diamond Dog clenched hard. Suddenly, swords, spears, and maces were thrown onto the arena. It wouldn’t be long before the Chimera would get the Diamond Dog. Clenching a scimitar sword in his mouth, Cosgrove rushed over and sliced the base of the snake tail. The Diamond Dog landed on the ground and shook the severed snake tail like a rag doll.
The remaining two heads of the Chimera roared in agony and attempted to charge at the colt only to flop over when the colt dodged her. While losing the snake head tail was one less voice to listen to, the tail was important to balance the heavy body during a chase. The Diamond Dog leapt onto the side of the Chimera, knocking her over. With the blood oozing out of the stump of the tail, the Chimera began to tire. Their remaining ears drew back in defeat as Cosgrove walked to the Chimera.
“kill!”
“Kill!”
“KILL!!”
“KILL!!!”
This one word echoed all over the arena. Wherever this city was, it was a savage one. Cosgrove looked around the arena before focusing at an elaborate chair. Sitting on it was a much larger mountain ram with dark blue fur, red glowing eyes, and a harness with a silver bell dangling at the center. The ram gave a grim smile before thrusting his head up. The colt’s ear flicked at the sound of a knife impaling into flesh. The Diamond Dog had killed the Chimera. The bipedal mutt then looked at the colt before emitting a little cackle. The colt bit down hard on the handle again as the Diamond Dog approached him. The colt closed his eyes anticipating a swing as the Diamond Dog pounced at him.
When he opened his eyes, Cosgrove was back in the dungeon. Just how he did not know. He wanted to look out the window again, but the pain forbade him to make another leap. Trying to ignore the roar of the crowd and the screams of the prisoners, the Hipparion slowly curled into a ball and went to sleep. Unknown to him, a light violet figure was floating above him.
After raising the moon, Luna began her search for her missing subjects. If not found manually in the physical world, she could certainly find them in her dreams. With Cosgrove and Zecora now reported missing, this would now be an easy search.
Her first search was within Cosgrove’s mind, but all she could find was relative darkness. She made another search and found herself in the mind of an Escher style room. Tempting to think this was Discord’s mind, Luna instead found that she was inside the mind of a Baku. While she has heard that they can devour dreams, it’s a safe bet that this being can.
“Leave… Before it’s too late.”
“Wait! Thou must know of thy missing subjects?”
“Tambelon." The beast flailed his trunk "Now go! Before-”
The dreamscape suddenly vanished with Luna going through a wormhole. The Princess of the Night was suddenly warped to a container. In desperation, the alicorn tried to blast the prison, but her horn couldn’t charge up. Laughter was heard in the room. She looked around as the large ram approached her.
“Ah… The Princess of the Night… What a surprise…”
“Who, who are you?”
“It seems that your sister haven’t told you. I am Grogar, Emperor of Tambelon.”
“I was banished to the moon before I ever got the chance to see you’re hideous face." - Luna stamped on the glass -"Release the foals that you have kidnapped at once!”
“So… My enemies know of my search parties, yes. And I apologize, yes." The large mountain goat turned around "But the foals are doing so well in my arena, I can’t afford to lose them, no.”
“They are fighting for their lives! And in the end they will have to kill each other!”
“Yes. A simple noble cause to keep my kingdom from conquering Equestria. And the other worlds I have seen fared much better. But I now have a game changer.”
“What does thou say?!”
“The tournament may have started, but there is room for late comers… Nightmare Moon…”
Luna’s eyes widened as Grogar’s horns illuminated. Far away at Canterlot, Princess Celestia awoke to the sudden distress of her sister. She hastily rose from her bed and to the balcony.
“My dear sister…” Said the Sun Princess as she hung her head.
Unknown to Cosgrove, a swarm of rats were stalking him. The cold wind seeped through the window and the wound from the Chimera was still bad, if not worse, making him hard to breathe easily. One rat tried to nip the colt, but is kicked aside, assuming it was a bug bite. The sunlight slowly crept to the dungeons, forcing the rats that live there to seek darker shadows.
Cosgrove awoke and slowly crawled into the light for warmth. He has to get himself in a “good” condition by the next time he is selected to battle. The hall was joined with a joyful laughter. The Hipparion’s ears pricked up; to him this was a voice too familiar. Above him was a pink cloud that swirled itself into a filly with swirls instead of usual eyes.
“Screwball…”
“Long time, no see, Cosgrove! I’m surprised too that you were selected to partake in the Tambelonian Tournament.”
“I wasn’t chosen,” Cosgrove said with a groan. “I was captured, along with my friends. Were you…?”
“Oh no, I am a regular combatant here. In fact I won the tournament 500 years ago.” The chaos pony said while holding a picture of her ecstatically shaking hooves with Grogar.”
“Then you can…" Cosgrove strained himself "Get us out of here?”
“Hey my magic’s still not that powerful, if it were I wouldn’t get the invitation.” Screwball playfully landed on the floor, holding her head up with both hooves. “So… How was your first battle?”
Cosgrove gave his answer by coughing out some blood. A few drops landed on the tips of Screwball’s hooves. The filly was unamused.
“I suppose healing me is against the rules.”
“I can’t break rules…”
A long pause among the screaming prisoners and yelling outside before a clop of hooves joined the soundscape. Cosgrove’s eyes widened as he inhaled deeply without strain. Screwball walked up to him from his left.
“But I can bend them…”
Screwball floated up and with a chuckle disappeared in a pink cloud. A few moments after, a mountain goat walked by and opened the cell. The Hipparion walked out of the cage and began trotting down the hall and into the light. When he got out, his eyes widened again.
Piles of sticks litter the arena, shuffling around as the ground shook. Schnookums just finished taking down the Timberwolf King and starting rampaging down the rest of the pack. While there is now a tense line between him and his surrogate son, having a large companion in a bloody arena is not a bad idea. Cosgrove charged right at the Brobdingnag. Dodging the flying timberwolves, the colt managed to reach the tail.
Believing that he was attacked, Schnookums flailed his tail around. Cosgrove heaved himself from backplate to backplate. Around climbing the second plate on his shoulder blades, Schnookums changed tactics by colliding himself to the arena walls. The spectators cheered at the action while a few jeered because the collisions spilled their drinks. Upon reaching the armored head, Cosgrove attempted to coax Schnookums to attacking the rest of the Timberwolves.
Grogar, hearing the increased cheering, rose up from his chair.
“You have spoken, my people! Bring out more entertainment!”
Eight soldiers charged out of the arena and surrounded the two. The battle is going to get bloody, but Cosgrove thought of one even more bloody. Looking at Schnookum’s bloodshot eyes, the colt gave a smirk.
“Food…”
The Brobdingnag opened his mouth and slowly let loose his tongue. Apparently the goats starved the more ravenous members and now they would earn their own pounds of flesh. Schnookums charged at the goats, ignoring the injuries from the spears they threw. When he gobbled up one whole, armor and horn included, the other goats looked at each other before dropping their weapons and began running towards the gates. But even the soldiers that came in to the fight were not granted safety. Schnookums at his own pace gobbled up each goat. One brown colored goat rammed at the bars, but not even a dent was made.
A shadow loomed over him; Cosgrove and Schnookums looking right at him, the former with a deadpan stare in his emerald green eyes. Schnookums bellowed at the frightened goat, who slowly closed his eyes, waiting for the action to be done. However, when he opened his eyes, the goat found them walking away towards the center of the arena. The bars opening, the goat quickly ran inside.
The crowd jeered at the two beings for not finishing the job. Grogar looked to his left and right. Rising from his chair again, Grogar motioned his audience.
“This little foal has proven himself well beyond his age. He has defeated anything we threw at him and now has tamed a beast. But fret not my people! Tomorrow we will have one that will end his and the rest of our combatants.”
“Rest? My friends?” The colt thought to himself.
“An all-on-one match:" - Grogar pointed to the remaining combatants -"Them against the Ruler of the Night herself:”
Cosgrove furrowed an eyebrow at the goat as blue smoke appeared at his side manifesting itself to a black Alicorn with blue armor and predatory eyes.
By the time Cosgrove was warped back to his cell, day succumbed into night early. The colt walked back and forth among his cell trying not to sleep. Faust knows what would happen if one would sleep while Nightmare Moon was around. And this is was going one against all match, he needed to find his friends and get out of Tambelon.
His head and ears pricked up at the sound of hooves down the hall. Assuming a defensive pose, he came face to face with the goat he fought at the arena with Schnookums. Cosgrove bared his teeth ready to attack.
“Lets go!”
When the goat opened the door, Cosgrove pounced on the goat, pressing his hoof against his throat
“You’ve said the right words!” he said with a growl.
“No, not fight. Move!” The goat yelped
Cosgrove cocked his head after releasing him.
“What?”
The goat shushed him, “I’ve overheard what is happening tomorrow and I want to get you out of here.”
“Not just me, but my friends too!”
The goat looked around before eying the colt. “There are many prisoners, how do you know which ones to find?”
“Oh I’ll know when I see them. Let’s go.”
The colt and the goat ran through the dungeon, looking at each cell. They found an interesting array of creatures he never seen before; specimens include a red-brown Baku, a black and violet Wyvern, and a Roc. They later began hearing frantic noises too indescribable to understand by a slow wit. Following the noise, they found a constant blur running back and forth, mumbling words that at best can be described as,
“Getmeoutofhere! Igottagetoutofhere!”
The goat unlocked the cage when he was pushed back by the force of the Sleipnir as he ran away down the hall.
“He’ll be far away by now.” The goat groaned
“We’ll split up, we can cover more ground!”
“You won’t stand much of a chance alone.”
“...Better one… Than both…” Cosgrove shakingly said.
The two went on separate paths. The goat bounded down the hall. At one point he found two of his fellow goats knocked out. The brown ram scratched his head when an orange blur leapt at him, pinning him to the wall. Second time a hoof was at his throat, a growl was heard.
“Start talking…”
Cosgrove made his way out the dungeons. Sticking to the roof tops, he avoided the sight of the guards that would otherwise through him back or worse interrogate the goat that helped him.
“But Master, I did not know he would be such a great fighter.” a gravely voice heard from inside the building.
Leaping onto a window sill, the colt looked inside. Grogar was talking to a fire. Cosgrove couldn’t make out the image, but it appeared to be a pony. Somepony was telling him all the locations of certain combatants.
“Silence pony! This could be one that may be won by those your wretched kind again. Fortunately I found one that will turn the tide tomorrow.”
“Yes Master, Nightmare Moon will prove a great asset, maybe even a queen.”
“Don’t overdo it, no… When I have conquered Equestria, she will join the fallen, yes. Don’t fail me and I may just spare you’re worthless life.”
“Y-yes Master…”
As the flame died out, Cosgrove crept out. Hopping down an alleyway, he turned around when he bumped to a larger object. Looking up, it was a guard ram, but not the one that helped him. Display ran back down the road with the goat following him. While the Hipparion leapt over any obstacles, the ram charged through.
The mountain goat bounded in front of his prey and thwacked the colt with his hard head. Display rubbed his chest, paying good attention to his larger foe approaching him. Just as the ram rose up to stamp him, the wall to his right burst open. The larger chunks of rubble crushed the ram. From the hole another ram walked forward, this time joined by an injured horse filly. The young horse looked at the ground.
"Excuse me." She said before stamping her hoof.
Display noticed her right away, though there are a few noticeable marks such as a cut on her left ear.
"Chelsey... You look terrible..."
"Well you are no picnic basket yourself."
Chelsey shook off the dust from her fur.
"Where is Zecora?"
"We split off to find Diver. Where is Zipper?"
Suddenly a speedy blurry knocked the larger mare to the wall. The dust cleared again, revealing Zipper cuddling with Chelsey. Chelsey yelped constantly before shoving the Sleipnir away.
"Feeling better?" Said Cosgrove
Zipper responded with a simple nod.
"Good, then follow me." Said Chelsey as she turned around.
The group of foals and goat followed her through the dark alleys. Stopping frequently at the patrolling guards, they avoided their line of sight in the shadows. Cosgrove had no clue just where the young horse was leading them. They finally stopped at a small, yet ugly, garden.
Ahead of them, Zecora carried Diver on her back. The Merpony suffered a great deal. Aside from cuts around her entire body, a well aimed bite mark removed part of her tail. The Zebra kept patting her cheek to keep her awake.
“Oh Celestia…” Said Cosgrove as he examined one of his circus friends.
“Your have such a strong friend, but this one has many wounds to mend.” Said the zebra while shuffling the merpony’s weight around her shoulders.
Cosgrove, Zipper and Chelsey then turned their attention to the goat soldier that joined them.
“You! Is there anything like a potion shop around here?”
The goat turned the group’s attention to a smoke cloud a short walk away. A while later, Chelsey and the ram bust open the door, allowing them to enter a very elaborate potion store, one triple the size of Zecora’s hut. Zipper grabbed the Merpony and carried her to an illuminating hourglass structure.
“Well?” Cosgrove asked Zecora
“All the mixes for the healing brew, this will do.”
As Diver rested on the Sleipnir’s lap, he noticed blood flowing from her limp tail.
“Sheislosingalotofblood!”
“Let’s help Zecora then!” Shouted Cosgrove.
Under Zecora’s guidance, the other foals and goat spread throughout the room. Cosgrove climbed on a ladder, grabbing a pink vile and a jar containing water reeds. Chelsey grabbed a hoof full of containers holding sugarcanes, apple cores, and strawberry seeds. Zipper ran up and down the shelves, each trip holding a jar containing a pickled animal. The goat handed each jar to Zecora, who then emptied the contents into a large pot.
After the brew finished, Zecora handed a bowl to Cosgrove, who then ran over and funneled the elixir down Diver’s mouth. The tail wound was covered up by accumulating flesh, though it did leave a dark bruise. Chelsey drank the brew as well, restoring her chipped ear among other wounds. Cosgrove, believing Screwball’s magic was temporary, drank the potion to permanently address the wound. The Hipparion looked at the goat who helped them escape their cells. He walked over to the goat.
“Thank you… Uhhh…”
“Trog. My name is Trog.”
“Why have you helped us?”
“I am one of the few that kept our sanity each time Tambelon is sent to the darkness. Every 500 years we return to Equestria, and I watch as many of your world’s finest warriors fight to defend their home. Including Celestia.”
“Can anyone defeat Grogar… Permanently?”
“The only way to fully defeat Grogar is to ring the Grand Bell, the source of his power. Problem is, nopony, not even I know-”
Trog was interrupted by laughter that sounded from a Filly. Cosgrove and the others looked around the hall just when the former’s shadow zipped from under him, giving the Hipparion a jump. The shadow lightened itself into Screwball floating in mid air.
“Then it’s fortunate you have a Jr. Spirit of Chaos with you.”
“You know where the bell is?” said Diver
“Uh hello! I have lived for millennia, I know virtually anything.”
“Then you can show us the way!” Said Chelsey as she pointed her hoof at Screwball.
Screwball furrowed her eyebrow.
“Didn’t your parents say it is rude to point?“ the Chaos Pony asked as she moved the much larger mare’s hoof. Cosgrove realized what she meant. Screwball wouldn't do anything without a favor in return. While the Hipparion has been in good terms with the Chaos pony, it wasn't much of a case between his friends.
"Screwball... Remember how you said if I lost one of your games, I would do you a favor?"
The statement caught the pony from her huff.
"What was that favor?"
Screwball landed on the floor and began walking slowly to the colt. Her static expression made him uneasy. When she was right at his face, Cosgrove shut his eyes. A few moments later he opened them again to find her gone. He looked around and found Zipper, Chelsey, and Diver with their mouths agape. Zecora and Trog held a straight expression.
“...What...?” Said Cosgrove with a cocked head.
Chelsey sheepishly eyed the others before shaking her head.
“Okay, we need to formulate a plan. Trog, you will release the rest of the combatants from their cells. Chelsey, you will help Diver and Zecora get out safely. ...I will search for the bell.”
“You mean I will lead you to the bell.” said Screwball’s disconnected voice.
“And what will I do?” said Zipper with a yawn
“You will run over to Canterlot and tell Princess Celestia of our whereabouts. And that there is a double agent among her.”
“But I’m so exhausted from all this running all night.”
Cosgrove recalled that the brew had sugar materials.
“Drink the brew.”
“You know I’m-”
“Zipper, this is a life or death situation. Our only hope is to keep Grogar occupied enough until I ring the Grand Bell or The Elements of Harmony arrive.”
Zipper furrowed his eyebrows, trotted over to the large pot and dunked his head into the brew. Large slurping sounds can be heard as the Sleipnir drank the entire pot. Zipper turned around, his snout wet, and his belly distended to the floor. The others looked at him closely as the brew reacted with his stomach. His eyes shrank before becoming completely black. Immediately he darted out the door, ran up the wall and out into the rocky outcrops.
Cosgrove followed Screwball to the tunnels. Chelsey lifted Diver onto her shoulders and followed Zecora. Trog made his way back to the dungeons. The first cell he came to contained Schnookums.
“Your friend needs you.” Said Trog as he opened the cage.
Back at Canterlot, a conference was underway. The children, Zecora, Schnookums, and now Princess Luna were now missing. Each leader of a race sat in a chair discussing what to do. Applejack moved back and forth, a sense of guilt evident on her face.
“Oh, this is my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Applejack.”
“Yeah it’s just bad luck! First you two had bad luck, then maybe we have bad luck, then all of Equestria will have bad luck, and maybe-”
“Pinkie!”
Suddenly the doors flung open as a blurry figure zoomed in, tripped and slid on his face to a halt on the table.
“Is that a Sleipnir?”
“I thought they were extinct!”
“You are not welcome here! Guards!” Said Bray
“Wait! Let him talk!” Shouted the farm pony.
Applejack raised Zipper up to his feet. The young Sleipnir panted heavily before giving a deep breath and erected his head up high.
Bray’s eyes widened as the doors were slammed shut but Celestia’s magic. The Princess of the Sun looked at her guests with grim content. If anyone did any harm to her subjects, relatives or otherwise, all Hell would break loose. Celestia turned to the Element of Honesty and gave a nod. Applejack walked around the table and gave each official a good stare before moving on to the next. When she approached Bray, the donkey tried to remain confident as he could. Applejack stared him from eye contact to the bottom of his hooves, before slowly backing away. The donkey let out a sigh of relief.
“Take him.”
Bray was now discovered, nopony could ever escape honesty. Guard ponies surrounded the donkey and escorted him out. Twilight Sparkle immediately herself and her friends back to the Castle of Harmony. Reaching the round table, their cutie marks shined out and began to circle their next destination. As our view gets closer, the city of Tambelon appears in it’s physical form.
Zecora, Diver, and Chelsey snuck around the city for an exit.They found a drawbridge surrounded by two soldiers. Chelsey eyed a ladder before looking at Zecora who gave a little chuckle. Zecora revealed herself to the soldiers. The goats began to approach the Zebra, oblivious of what's coming.
“I must say, you lasted much longer than than other Zebra's we've captured for past tournaments.”
“It pleases me to be the first, but I'm afraid you are not prepared for the worst.”
The mountain goat began to charge at the Zebra, his head lowering as he got closer. Just when the goat was just point blank range, an explosion rumbled the ground.Chelsey jumped off the building and onto the goat. The second goat attempted to help his assaulted comrade before being thwacked on the head by Zecora. Knocking him out, the group of ponies looked behind them as a fire blazed in the night sky.
Grogar looked from his balcony to look at the upbringing. The large goat furrowed his eyebrows as the flames reflected out his pure red eyes. Nightmare Moon walked behind him.
"I will crush this rebellion!"
"No! You will protect the Grand Bell."
"But I-"
"You will find out."
Nightmare Moon dissipated into smoke and drifted away.
"It's time I end this rebellion, yes..." Grogar growled as his body began to become smoke.
In another sector of the city, the wyvern, Baku, and Schnookums began tearing away at the city and the soldiers that fought against them. The Baku projected nightmares into many of the goats, stopping their attack. Schnookums was bombarded with catapults before grabbing a building and throwing it at them. The wyvern hovered above them as she breathed out a poisonous gas.
While the destruction above ground continued, Cosgrove and Screwball walked further underground, not minding of the seismic activity unless it took a chunk off the ceiling. As the colt got closer he noticed a morbid sight. Bones littered the floor, some of which has maggots feasting on what scrap of flesh is left. The Hipparion's tired eyes widened as he looked at Screwball.
"And to think that ponies are a domestic kind." Said Screwball.
Traveling further, they come to a large grotto. At its center was a moss covered object hanging from the ceiling.
"There it is. Das Grand Bell."
Cosgrove approached the bell and rubbed it, removing some of the grime, revealing the original gold finish.
"Well, guess it is now time again to play the hero again. Let liberty ring." Scoffed Screwball.
"No, we are all heroes in this."
Screwball merely chuckled at the thought before disappearing. Cosgrove shook the sleep from his eyes as he turned around to buck the bell. However as he raised his haunches, a chunk of rubble fell down from the ceiling and hit him in the head.
Back at the surface, the battle goes well for our heroes. Many of the soldiers have been defeated, a few have been recruited by Trog to help.
The night became much darker as clouds shrouded the moon. From the central tower smoke flowed from every alcove. All that remained similar to Grogar was his two red eyes. The rebels look in horror at the monstrous site.
"Your souls are mine." Grogar immediately unleashed a barrage of fireballs, each one decimating a city block or two. Even those still loyal to Grogar were caught in the crossfire.
Back to Cosgrove, being knocked out and was already tired from staying up all night, the Hipparion was well in dream land. However, rather than having the usual vision of a windy summer meadow, it was a dry winter. Ahead of him was his next opponent had the tournament continued. Nightmare Moon was looking at the resting place of Night Dancer.
“It always brings a heavy heart to one who has lost somepony dear to them.”
“Luna, please, this isn’t you!”
“Oh yes. This was something I should’ve done to your Brobdingnag months ago! You have made a fool out of me. But no longer.”
Cosgrove furrowed his eyebrow. There was no way of getting his friend free by talking.
“I’ll try to keep this interesting then.” said Cosgrove as he assumed a defensive pose.
Luna scoffed, “You’re kidding, right?”
“I don’t kid.” Cosgrove crouched down, ready to take her on.
Nightmare Moon smiled as she lit up her horn and fired at the viewer. Back in reality, Tambelon was in flames. Chelsey and Zecora opened the drawbridge, allowing the citizens and prisoners to escape. The two ponies along with Diver took cover at one of the buildings.
“What is taking them so long!?” shouted Chelsey
Grogar had a few other troubles as well. Schnookums stayed behind, his fight instinct resorting him to throw chunks of debris at the dark entity. The chunk’s couldn’t hurt him, but they did drive the goats nerve.
“You stupid animal! I will grind you into pulp!” Shouted Grogar.
Suddenly, the shadows lifted the Brobdingnag off the ground. The wyvern tried to stop him but was shoved aside. The three ponies watched as Schnookums was brought before the goat. Schnookums squirmed to break free but to no avail.
“This is my world now. YOU have now place in it!”
With a large blast from his horns, Schnookums was shot out of the air. A loud moan filled the air until Schnookums collapsed with a massive thud. The ponies walked towards the fallen beast, but there was no sign of breath.
Back in Dream Land, Cosgrove was hiding behind a series of rocks. One after the other, the Hipparion would land a few blows, but each retaliation from Nightmare Moon would reduce the amount of hiding spots. The cursed Alicorn chuckled.
“It’s a shame that the one thing this close to saving Equestria is just a fossil pony, not a great beast.”
Those last two words rang into his ear. Nightmare Moon pinpointed hoof steps behind a series of rocks, she would have anticipated blasting him, but something was off. The sound of each step was delayed for a brief while longer and heavier sounding. The first thing she saw coming out of the rocky outcrop wasn’t a hoof, but a clawed hand with the knuckles touching the ground.
This was a beast she had never seen before. The head was more primate than equine, there were claws in place of hooves, and a large tail that was ornamented with a series of large quills. The animal slowly rose on it’s hind legs. Not as tall as Schnookums, but he still dwarfed the Alicorn in size.
“So I brought the beast within you?”
Cosgrove roared at her before extending his claws and throwing them at her. The cursed alicorn dodged the attack, but it left some deep claw marks on the ground. The monstrous animal chained the attack with a horizontal swipe that was missed before thwacking her with his tail. Nightmare Moon raised some of the boulders with her magic, but those were easily dodged despite the beast’s large size.
The animal pounced at Nightmare Moon and sunk his teeth into her throat. Energy began to siphon from her and changing the beasts color to a more dark hue. Even his eyes became more feral. Using what remained of his will power, Cosgrove released the cured Princess. The darkness of her cursed form began to take hold within the colt. A series of lights illuminated from his body before he pointed his head to the sky and shot out an orange beam from his mouth. Luna watched as the beast’s body returned to his original color scheme. As the beam faded, it was replaced by a sound similar to a bray but much deeper. Cosgrove collapsed onto his knees.
“Are thou-”
“Ring the bell.” Said Cosgrove in a rather deep voice.
Back in reality Grogar made his advances at the young horse, merpony and zebra. When his bell was fully alit, the mountain goat reared up. The ponies winced at his finishing blow. But something was off. Upon unleashing his power, the bell around his necklace shatter and crumbled to the ground.
Suddenly a large rainbow pierced the skies and wrapped around the now powerless mountain goat.
“Nooooooo!!!!!”
When the blinding light faded, nothing was left, but a teal colored bell. Light began to pierce the night sky as the Elements of Harmony in Rainbow Power descended to Tambelon. As they landed on the ground, those that remained to fight joined up with them. Their faces were still grave as they had suffered a great loss. Looking to the sound of hooves, they looked to find Princess Luna, now with a bite mark on her neck and an unconscious Cosgrove on her back. They then looked back up at the sky as for the first time in a thousand years, the sun finally shone on a reformed Tambelon.
A few days later, Cosgrove traversed around his reforming dreamscape. His avatar was also in a state of healing; He still had a few traits of his monster form, including being at this point the size of Shining Armor. When he walked over to the tree, he found Chelsey, Diver, and Zipper there as well. He approached them cautiously as he found their heads hanging low.
“What’s wrong?" He cocked his head "Did we-?”
“We won.” said Chelsey
“But... Schnookums…” whispered Diver
Cosgrove sat down on his haunches with his head low.
“Areyou-” said Zipper
“This is releasing him, but not the way I or Applejack had in mind." He looked over "How’s Trog?”
“Trog is staying at Tambelon." Chelsey rubbed a hoof on his shoulder "Last I heard, there are now 100 inhabitants there.”
“Also some of the our other suitemates moved over to the Everfree Forest.” Diver winked
They were then interrupted as a large shadow was cast upon them. They looked to find Princess Luna, now with a bandage around her neck. It was time to go. Cosgrove hugged his friends in a deep embrace. Luna opened his dream door, allowing his friends to return to their dream world. The Hipparion looked at the tree and closed his eyes. The sound of wood stretching is heard until he opened his eyes. The tree was in a similar shape to Schnookums including having leaves in the mouth for his baleen.
“Rest well… Both of you…” Said Cosgrove as a tear dripped from his face.
Back in the physical world, Zecora, recently awoken from her long rest, walked to a swollen river in the Everfree Forest. After drinking some of the water herself, she dipped a large vase into the flowing river, filling it up to the brim. Suddenly, her peripheral vision caught sight of something that widened her eyes.
It was a Brobdingnag, but this individual is 3 meters tall. As the Zebra watched it feast at a small tree, she noticed even smaller individuals eating the brush. All of them looked to a deep baritone sound coming from upriver. Another individual, much larger than Schnookums was for the most part, was trudging down the river. Zecora moved out of the way as the colossal being turned to it’s right and left the water. It stopped for a while before giving out a bellow. A few yards away, more individuals of a similar size were walking down the river.
Zecora smiled at the sight of the herd as they continued to their new feeding grounds.
"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.
With a quick burst from the thrusters, the Galgameth flew across the sky, disturbing a few flocks of flying geese along the way. But while on the outside, everything seemed fine, inside was a little more troubling. Like a dog in a moving van, Cosgrove shuffled about in the organic interior while Cogsworth leaned forward and back as he was constantly nudged.
“How is it that you are able to even breath in here?” Asked Cosgrove before laying his belly on the gooey floor.
“Well, the cables connect my respiratory system to the ventilation and exhaust shafts.” Cogsworth moved his head around - “Call it my gills so to speak.”
Cosgrove had a rather disgustful yet regretful look on his face. “They really did you wrong, haven’t they.”
Cogsworth furrowed a brow when he noticed the scanner beeping. “We’re here.”
The Galgameth soared over a mountain pass to find the ancient city for the first time in 500 years. Much has changed to it from being in both Equestria and the Shadow World; the walls have become cracked, the once bright colors of the building walls and architecture have since eroded. Several of its famed bell towers have been destroyed: one remained, but did not contain a bell at all. It was merely a shell of it’s former self.
“Let’s make this a formal entrance.” Cogsworth added before guiding the machine forward.
The guards at the ramparts looked as the machine flew over them. Grogar and Bray also took notice of this and walked over to the balcony entrance just when the machine landed before them.
“How dare you enter the royal chambers of Grogar!” - the donkey looked to his Lord - “Master, show him your wrath!”
“I can make my own decisions, Pony!” Grogar kicked Bray aside before turning his head to the machine.
Watching the massive Ram approach them, Cogsworth switched off communications. His visage soon became very up close to the visual screen.
“My, how technology has improved.” He chuckled before beginning to walk around the Galgameth, taking notice of the animalistic features of an otherwise mechanical siege vehicle “You appear to be of that of Changeling origin. But you seem to not follow my movements so you must be a machine.”
He stops back in front of the machine, drawing a smile on his tooth laced mug.
“I understand therefore that riches, food, or virgins mean nothing to you. But indulge me in this tournament and I will remember you with the highest honors.” Grogar looked behind him to see his lackey recovering from the kick “Bray, please escort my last minute contestant to his cell.”
Bray shuffled back to his feet, shaking his head hysterically before running up to the machine and began pushing it. The Galgameth soon lifted a leg and stepped forward, causing the donkey to fall on the ground. Cogsworth dared not to pivot the head and waist should Grogar become suspicious. Bray looked up before being blasted in the rear by Grogar. Panicked he grabbed an arm and guided the robot out of the room. The Lord of Tambelon chuckled before looking forward to the horizon, his new kingdom soon to be his.
Bray lead the mech downstairs to a deep, dark dungeon.
“Trog!” He beckoned, stirring a brown mountain goat from his sleep “Take our esteemed guest over to a cell!”
“As you wish, Bray.” The goat bowed his head before taking the Galgameth even further down the dungeons. As they walked, the ram turned his head around - “ You're the one some of the other prisoners have talked about, are you?”
Hearing that through interior audio sensors, the two colts looked at each other, worried that their cover has been blown.
“Do not worry, I am not one of Grogar’s.” Trog lead them to their cell, pushing them inside - “When it is time, you will know.”
As he walked away, the two passengers sighed with relief. Ejecting from the cockpit, Cosgrove stretched his legs, popping each of his joints, before turning to the mechanic.
“Can you scan the room to see if the others are here?”
Closing the hatch, Cogsworth activated a scanning ray that stretched across the hall before pivoting the waist of the machine, bringing the ray across the dingy environment before returning to its default position.
“I can't seem to get much of a bead.” Cogsworth answered. “but I do seem to see two Ponies in another dungeon across from here.”
“I'll have to sneak out during the night.” The Hipparion responded before hearing the sound of a door opening, prompting him to enter back into the machine.
Two additional guards walked up to their cell, holding a bowl of gruel.
“Well, machines have to eat too, don't you?” Said one of them before turning to the other.
“Yeah, don't want to run out of oil, now!” The goat laughed before tossing the bowl at the head of the Galgameth, splattering the food all over. The two continued to laugh as they ran out of the dungeon.
“Better get some sleep,” Cosgrove laid down “best be prepared for whatever is coming to us.”
As soon as the Hipparion closed his eyes, back over at the Tree of Harmony, Sunset opened hers wide open before trotting back to the Cutie Map.
“I know where he is now!” She said to the Elements before pointing to the mountains.
“Ah yeah!” - Rainbow Dash circled the air before stretching her arms - “Time for them to taste the rainbow!”
As Night descended over the mountains, the Galgameth ejects Cosgrove. Lifting him up to the window of the arena, the Hipparion laid a few ounces of gunpowder around the rusty bars. Striking his hooves, the bar popped out of the socket. Squeezing his way through the bars, the young stallion trotted around the rim of the arena.
“Chelsey?” He asked when he looked down one hole, finding it empty, he moved to the next one “Zipper?” Looking down the hole he pulled back as a leonine paw swung at him with a roar.
“Kid? Is that you?” A voice called Cosgrove a few additional holes down. Looking inside, it was Hooflock, now deprived of his armor looking up at him with somewhat angered eyes “What are you doing here?”
“Rescuing you and the others.” - Cosgrove answered before looking around the dark cell - “Have you seen them?”
“They are in a few cells down from me.” - The Royal Guard looked behind to the sound of a raging wind rushing throughout the cell - “The Sleipnir is a bit panicky.”
“Here,” Cosgrove handed him the bag of gunpowder “when we are ready, light it at the base of the bars.”
Noticing the sky becoming more violet, he realized that the sun is rising before starting to walk away.
“Hey,” Hooflock beckoned the Hipparion to attention “was it really smart of you to come here?”
“I still followed Sunset's third rule, to bring help.” He answered
Hooflock nodded, “I'll try to take care of them the best I can.”
As Cosgrove trotted away, a thought rushed through his head “But I did break her second and fourth.”
After running back inside his cell and replacing the bar, Cosgrove jumped into the Galgameth, just before the sun rose well over the arena and two of the guards walked to their cell with a toothy grin on their muzzles.
“Showtime.”
The machine was guided to the bars leading to the outside of the arena, where hundreds of thousands of mangy goats roared over their prologue battle. A chimera and a manticore were fighting each other to the death. The manticore would have an easy advantage if it didn't have its wings clipped. The snake tail subdued the mixed part lion while the smilodon head clenched deep into its mane. The manticore became limp in a short moment. Dropping its fallen opponent, the chimera roared into the sky to the cheering crowd.
Sitting on a grand throne shaded from the light, Grogar brought to their attention with a wave of his hooves.
“My faithful subjects, welcome to the this now one millennia arena!” - He greeted in a voice akin to the Royal Canterlot voice - “This time, I guarantee that this tournament will bring the advancement of technology from the outside world. And to demonstrate, we shall see what had been conflicting for centuries: the machine” - the bars open up, allowing the Galgameth to enter the bright, sandy arena - “versus the beast!!”
The Chimera turned her torso to the machine and started bounding towards them. Cogsworth drew his ears back. Applebloom wasn’t kidding that her encounter with a chimera was quite scary, now that the beast’s true size became more noticeable. Despite the Galgameth’s larger size, it didn't matter if the smaller being played its cards right. Just when Cogsworth positioned a blaster, the Chimera jumped onto them, baring its saber teeth as it opened its jaws so wide, Cogsworth could see the feline’s tonsils.
The snake tail lashed out, but even if venomous, snake teeth are no match for metal.
“Ow!” The snake hissed as she licked her broken teeth.
“Ma-a-aa-mm always told you to eat softer foods.” Said the goat head.
The feline front half kept scratching at the armor, trying to find a few kinks into could tear into.
“Alright,” Cogsworth flicked a switch, lighting up the optics of the machine - “that does it!”
The feline head noticed the bright lights too late as they fired onto it, leaving it without a head on the shoulders. The front body staggered back. The goat and snake heads, losing so much blood from their body mate, fainted and soon ran out of breath.
The crowd was silent, nothing like that ever occurred before.
“Boo!” One of them jeered
“That was too quick a battle!” Added another as the rest of the audience jeered at them. Inside, Cosgrove can hear a faint echo of the jeering.
“As Rarity would say, ‘so uncivilized.’” He said in a tone like a fashionista.
Grogar, hearing the increased cheering, rose up from his chair.
“You have spoken, my people! Bring out more entertainment!”
Eight soldiers charged out of the arena and surrounded the two. This would get pretty bloody, but Cogsworth had a way of dealing with riots. He had the machine switch arms to what appears to be a shotgun barrel, the method of transformation raising an eyebrow from the Ram Lord. When two of the rams in the arena charged at them, the barrel fired directly at their chests, knocking them out of the battle.
“Rubber bullets, honest.” He said to his concerned partner just when a spear got lodged was lodged into one of the thrusters.
The goat responsible bounded onto the machine and took out the spear before the remaining thruster aimed at him, burning him alive.
Cosgrove began to notice that his partner was becoming more ruthless, “Cogsworth, what’s happening out there?”
“Initiate defense protocols.” He said in a monotone voice.
The Galgameth forsook its rubber bullet gun and opted for the Spazer beam, immediately making swiss cheese out of all but one of the goats, who began running towards the gates. But even the soldiers that came into the fight were not granted safety. He rammed at the bars, but not even a dent was made. The goat looked around before his eyes widened. Looking down, the Galgameth’s tail stabbed right through him before being tossed aside.
Cogsworth then set his sights on Grogar himself before switching to the Spiral Grenade, aiming it directly at Grogar. Cosgrove noticed the furious grin he never saw on his friend in a long time. He looked to the cord that connected to the back of his head before grabbing it.
“Sorry about this!” He said before pulling it out, knocking Cogsworth out cold.
But he was too late, the missile was launched directly at Grogar. Bray screamed before running off the seat. The audience became silent when the projectile exploded. When the smoke cleared after the explosion, Grogar was shown still standing, his silver bell glowing as well as his horns.
Reattaching the cable, Cogsworth became conscious. “What happened?”
The mechanic looked up to see the rather stern mug of Grogar.
With a snort, he announced, “This machine has proven itself well beyond his age. He has defeated anything we threw at him and now has tamed a beast. But fret not my people! Tomorrow we will have one that will end his and the rest of our combatants.”
“An all-in-one match:" - Grogar pointed to the remaining combatants -"Them against the Ruler of Tambelon: me.”
The crowd cheered at that fact before several additional guards escorted the machine back to the cell. When night They waited again until nightfall
“Let’s go!”
When the goat opened the door, the robot, and the goat ran through the dungeon, looking at each cell. They found an interesting array of creatures he never saw before; specimens include a red-brown Baku, a black and violet Wyvern, and a Roc. They later began hearing frantic noises too indescribable to understand by a slow wit. Following the noise, they found a constant blur running back and forth, mumbling words that at best can be described as,
“Getmeoutofhere! Igottagetoutofhere!”
The goat unlocked the cage when he was pushed back by the force of the Sleipnir as he ran away down the hall.
“He’ll be far away by now.” The goat groaned
“We’ll split up,” - Cosgrove hopped out of the cockpit and began to run - “we can cover more ground!”
Trog shook his head “He won’t stand much of a chance alone.”
“I know Cosgrove too well, he’s one tough kid.” Cogsworth added. “C’mon, let’s get the others.”
Cosgrove made his way out the dungeons. Sticking to the rooftops, he avoided the sight of the guards that would otherwise throw him back or worse interrogate the goat that helped him.
“But Master, I did not know they would be such great fighters.” a gravely voice heard from inside the building.
Leaping onto a window sill, the colt looked inside. Grogar was talking to a fire. Cosgrove couldn’t make out the image, but it appeared to be a pony. Somepony was telling him all the locations of certain combatants.
“The hunting party also captured a royal guard, perhaps he-”
“Silence pony!” - Grogar roared - “This could be one that may be won by those of your wretched kind again.” - Cosgrove leaned in further into the conversation - “This could also be the one time they would know the location of the Grand Bell! Leave me, and I may just spare you’re worthless life.”
“Y-yes Master…”
Once the donkey was out of sight, Cosgrove crept out. Hopping down an alleyway, he turned around when he bumped to a larger object. Looking up, it was a guard ram, but not the one that helped him. Display ran back down the road with the goat following him. While the Hipparion leaped over any obstacles, the ram charged through.
The mountain goat bounded in front of his prey and thwacked the colt with his hard head. Cosgrove rubbed his chest, paying good attention to his larger foe approaching him. Just as the ram rose up to stamp him, and the Hipparion drawing out a tarot card, the wall to his right burst open. The larger chunks of rubble crushed the ram. From the hole, Hooflock walked forward, this time joined by an injured, but very familiar Horse filly. The young horse looked at the ground.
"Excuse me." Chelsey said before stamping her hoof.
Cosgrove noticed are a few noticeable marks such as a cut on her left ear.
"Chelsey... You look terrible..."
"Well, you are no picnic basket yourself." Chelsey commented back before shaking off the dust from her fur - "Where is Zipper?"
Suddenly a speedy blurry knocked the larger mare to the wall. The dust cleared again, revealing Zipper cuddling with Chelsey. Chelsey yelps constantly before shoving the Sleipnir away.
"Feeling better?" Said Cosgrove
Zipper responded with a simple nod.
"Good, then follow me." Said Hooflock as he turned around.
The group of foals and goat followed her through the dark alleys. Stopping frequently at the patrolling guards, they avoided their line of sight in the shadows. Cosgrove had no clue just where the young horse was leading them. They finally stopped at a small, yet ugly, garden.
Ahead of them were Cogsworth and Trog, the latter of whom carried Diver on her back. The Merpony suffered a great deal. Aside from cuts around her entire body, a well-aimed bite mark removed part of her tail.
“Oh, Celestia…” Said Cosgrove as he examined one of his circus friends.
Cosgrove, Zipper, and Chelsey then turned their attention to the goat soldier that joined them.
“We need to find a place to patch her up?”
The goat turned the group’s attention to a smoke cloud a short walk away. A while later, Chelsey and the ram bust open the door, allowing them to enter a very elaborate potion store, one triple the size of Zecora’s hut. Zipper grabbed the Merpony and carried her to an illuminating hourglass structure.
As Diver rested on the Sleipnir’s lap, he noticed blood flowing from her limp tail.
“Sheislosingalotofblood!”
“If only Zecora were here, this would be easy to help.”
The otherwise quiet room was interrupted by the echoes of childish laughter. Cosgrove and the others looked around the hall just when the former’s shadow zipped from under him.
“I found you!” Said the shadow, giving the Hipparion a jumpscare. The shadow lightened itself into Screwball floating in mid air.
“Screwball…”
“Long time, no see, Cosgrove! Cogsworth, I could understand, but I’m surprised too that you were selected to partake in the Tambelonian Tournament.”
“I wasn’t chosen,” Cosgrove said with a groan. “I snuck in to help my friends. What are you doing here?”
The chaos filly snaked around him.
“Oh, I am a regular combatant here. In fact, I won the tournament 500 years ago.” - Screwball held up a picture of her ecstatically shaking hooves with Grogar before tossing it aside - “Wouldn’t your teacher go all” - Screwball morphed her head to match that of Sunset, albeit much more red furred - “billy beserk when you get back?”
“Don’t push it.” Said Cosgrove
“Hey, I hate to break up a conversation but can you help us?” Asked Hooflock
“Hey, my magic’s still not that powerful, if it were I wouldn’t get the invitation.” Screwball playfully landed on the floor, holding her head up with both hooves. “
Cosgrove turned to Diver, “Then I suppose healing her is against the rules.”
“I can’t break rules…” Screwball said, a long pause, before a clop of hooves joined the silent soundscape. Diver’s eyes widened as he inhaled deeply without strain. Screwball walked up to him from his left. The tail wound was covered up by accumulating flesh, though it did leave a dark bruise. Chelsey had her ear restored among other wounds - “But I can bend them…”
Screwball floated up and with a chuckle
Cosgrove looked at Trog looking out to see if there are any patrolling guards before walking over to the goat.
“Thank you… Uhhh…”
“Trog. My name is Trog.”
“Why have you helped us?”
“I am one of the few that kept our sanity each time Tambelon is sent to the darkness. Every 500 years we return to Equestria, and I watch as many of your world’s finest warriors fight to defend their home. Including Celestia.”
“I have overheard of a Grand Bell. Can that defeat Grogar… Permanently?”
“Yes.” - Answered Trog - “Problem is, nopony, not even I know-”
Trog was interrupted by Screwball’s laughter.
“Then it’s fortunate you have a Jr. Spirit of Chaos with you.”
“You know where the bell is?” said Diver
“Uh hello! I have lived for millennia, I know virtually anything.”
“Then you can show us the way!” Said Chelsey as she pointed her hoof at Screwball. Screwball furrowed her eyebrow.
“Didn’t your parents say it is rude to point?“ the Chaos Pony asked as she moved the much larger mare’s hoof.
Cosgrove realized what she meant. Screwball wouldn't do anything without a favor in return. While the Hipparion has been in good terms with the Chaos pony, it wasn't much of a case between his friends.
Cogsworth found out an idea.
"Screwball... Remember how you said if I couldn’t complete one task?" - The statement caught Screwball’s interest - "What was that favor?"
Screwball landed on the floor and began walking slowly to the colt. Her static expression made him uneasy. When she was right at his face, Cosgrove shut his eyes. A few moments later he opened them again to find her gone. He looked around and found Cosgrove, Zipper, Chelsey, and Diver with their mouths agape. Hooflock and Trog held a straight expression.
“...What...?” Said Cogsworth with a cocked head.
Chelsey sheepishly eyed the others before shaking her head.
“Okay, we need to formulate a plan.” - Hooflock turned to Trog - “Trog, you will release the rest of the combatants from their cells, see if they are willing to help. If not, Chelsey, you will help Diver, Cogsworth, and Zipper get out safely. Cosgrove, I need you to search for the bell.”
“You mean I will lead you to the bell.” said Screwball’s disconnected voice.
Hooflock took a deep breath. “This is no cakewalk. It’s a life or death situation.”
“Just try to hold out long enough for Twilight and her friends arrive.” Cosgrove added before following Screwball to the tunnels. Chelsey lifted Diver onto her shoulders and followed Zipper and Cogsworth. Trog and Hooflock made their way back to the dungeons. The first cell he came to contained the Brobdingnag that was captured a while ago.
Cogsworth, Zipper, Diver, and Chelsey snuck around the city for an exit.They found a drawbridge surrounded by two soldiers. Cogsworth motioned them to stay down before appearing to them.
The goats immediately fired a barrage from their bells, blocked for the moment by the Galgameth’s metal arms.
Chelsey looked to her Sleipnir friend.
“Zipper, take them out!”
With a nod, the Sleipnir raced forward, circling around them so fast that the tornado pulled them off their feet and falling over the other side of the wall to their deaths.
As they prepared to open the bridge, the group of ponies looked behind them as a fire blazed in the night sky caused by the wyvern.
Stirred from his sleep, Grogar looked from his balcony to look at the upbringing. The large goat furrowed his eyebrows as the flames reflected out his pure red eyes.
“Grogar! The city is under attack! And the prisoners have escaped!” Bray shouted before being blasted by his master.
“Leave me, prove your worth in the battlefield!” - Grogar ordered, prompting the donkey to leave, before looking at the battle again - "It's time I end this rebellion, yes..." Grogar bounding off the balcony, crushing one of his men in the process.
In another sector of the city, the wyvern, Baku, and the Brobdingnag began tearing away at the city and the soldiers that fought against them. The Baku projected nightmares into many of the goats, stopping their attack. The third was bombarded with catapults before grabbing a building and throwing it at them. The wyvern hovered above them as she breathed out a poisonous gas.
While the destruction above ground continued, Cosgrove and Screwball walked further underground, not minding of the seismic activity unless it took a chunk off the ceiling. As the colt got closer he noticed a morbid sight. Bones littered the floor, some of which has maggots feasting on what scrap of flesh is left. The Hipparion's eyes widened as he looked at Screwball.
"And to think that ponies are a domestic kind." Said Screwball.
Traveling further, they come to a large grotto. At its center was a moss covered object hanging from the ceiling.
"There it is. Das Grand Bell."
Cosgrove approached the bell and rubbed it, removing some of the grime, revealing the original gold finish.
“All right, let’s end this!” He said before a massive light lavender hoof slammed before him. Cosgrove looked up to find Screwball now the size of an adult Horse, giving him an uneasy feeling “What are you doing?”
“In another life, you fought Nightmare Moon, and have outwitted me several times throughout your life.” Screwball drew a sneer
“Another life?” - Cosgrove cocked his head - “I did this before?”
“Yes, the exact same time, exact same location, deja vu. Only this time you had a friend who in that other life didn’t live in this world at this point. And because of her, you have improved so much on your combat skills…”
Cosgrove knew what she was getting at and assumed a battle stance. “This is no time for games!”
“Oh, it is a game. We are still in the tournament. Call it a match between a champion and a stowaway…” Returning to being filly sized, Screwball floated upward as transparent text below appeared.
DAUGHTER OF DISCORD
SCREWBALL
With a clop of her hooves, Screwball transported them out of Tambelon and to a location in Froggy Bottom Bog.
Back at Tambelon, the battle goes well for our heroes. Many of the soldiers have been defeated, a few have been recruited by Trog to help. Soon Grogar appeared in remains of the town plaza when Hooflock, five of his fellow Royal Guard, Trog, four of his opposition, Cogsworth, the brobdingnag, baku, and wyvern surrounded him.
“You are surrounded, tyrant!” Trog stepped forward “Surrender your kingdom to the people and leave Equestria forever!”
There was mere silence. The tyrant wasn’t amused before lighting up his bell.
“Cosgrove should have rung the bell by now.” Cogsworth whispered
"On the contrary… I have you surrounded!" Grogar immediately unleashed a barrage of fireballs, each one decimating a city block or two. Even those still loyal to Grogar were caught in the crossfire. Cogsworth aimed a spiral grenade before being blasted a great distance.
“Piece of junk!” Grogar growled before resuming his attack.
Back to Cosgrove, he dodged Screwballs multiple pink barrages before using his tarot cards to inflict a few wounds. One card scratched her cheek, drawing out a piece of light before being covered in chaotic flesh. Waving her arms around once again, they were teleported to Dragon Country, standing on a large rock in a lake of lava. The adult dragons watched as Screwball stamped on the platform, tilting it high enough to cause Cosgrove to start sliding down.
Back at the other side, Tambelon was in flames. Chelsey and Zipper opened the drawbridge, allowing the citizens and prisoners to escape. The two ponies along with Diver took cover at one of the buildings when the Galgameth crashed onto the ground.
“What is taking him so long!?” shouted Chelsey
Grogar had a few other troubles as well, the most annoying of which is the Brobdingnag throwing chunks of debris at him.
“You stupid animal! I will grind you into pulp!” Shouted Grogar before shooting a large blast from his horns, shattering the protective helmet and knocking him out.
Back in Dragon Country, Cosgrove was hiding behind a series of rocks. One after the other, the Hipparion would land a few blows, only for his previous hiding place to be crushed by a lavender. But Screwball, having known him in both lives became none the wiser.
“You’re quite a walking armory.” - With a wave of her hooves, they were sent to the ocean floor. The Hipparion winced as the salt water suddenly rushed into his eyes and nostrils before instinctively swimming up to the surface, leaving behind his decks of tarot cards. Catching his breath, he opened his eyes slowly to see a duck with swirly eyes floating in front of him - “But now let’s see how you do without your toys.”
With another clop of her hooves, they were teleported to the most unlikely battleground for a tournament: Ponyville, or more specifically, Cosgrove’s own front yard. The Hipparion flopped onto the grass, shaking off the water from his fur before Screwball landed on the ground in front of him.
“Cosgrove!?” The two combatants turned to find Loopty Hoop and Lion Tamer running towards them when electric fence posts jutted in front of them before wire fencing wrapped around them.
“Aw… The whole family's here.” Screwball noticed Sunset Shimmer about to light up her horn before summoning a duplicate over to snatch her horn, rendering her powerless - “Nuh uh! No outside help!”
Cosgrove growled as Screwball tapped the horn on her hooves before tossing it aside.
“You should have just waited.” In one swoop, Screwball transformed her front limbs into meat hooks before finishing in a sing-song tone - “Now you’ll have to pay!”
Immediately Screwball jumped up and barely missed Cosgrove when she hooked into the ground. Grabbing the dismantled horn, Cosgrove quickly drew the electricity alchemy symbol. The spirals in Screwballs eyes tensed as Cosgrove’s eyes looked at the Chaos Pony with predatory intent.
Back at Tambelon, Trog and Grogar finally took the fight in a more physical manner as they pressed their heads against each other, trying to push each other away. Hooflock grabbed a spear from a fallen goat soldier and threw it at Grogar’s shoulder. Trog now had a strength advantage as he pushed forward. But brute strength is no match for magic as Grogar quickly blasted his foe away.
“You do well to remember, gatekeeper, I served under our former armies before this happened.” Grogar immediately charged at Trog’s side, knocking him over before crushing his ribs.
Back in Ponyville, Screwball still had the upper hand. Aside from having an infinite amount of energy, Screwball’s chaotic method in fighting proved too much for the Hipparion as her twirling technique made several cuts and lashes on his arms. With one uppercut, Cosgrove was toppled to the ground. His remaining unswollen eye looked at Screwball as she began to cackle.
“Yes!” She laughed “For the first time, I win!!” She looked at her fallen foe breathing so shallowly - “Now, about that other life. It’s gone, erased. So technically you, her, your grandparents, all dead.” - As Screwball continued, Sunset noticed Cosgrove shuffling his arm a little that only her eyes noticed - “After the Friendship Games, which will occur again in this timeline, Daddy, Pinkie, and I made that timeline into fiction and altered so much that so many possibilities arose. And among those changes, I will win.”
As Screwball began to laugh, Cosgrove rose up onto his legs and aimed a hoof at Screwball. She still laughed before noticing that the hoof began to glow until the alchemy symbol resembling a sun formed.
Back in reality, Grogar made his advances through the resistance. When his bell was fully lit, the mountain goat reared up. The ponies winced at his finishing blow.
Just before the spell is unleashed, Screwball clopped her hooves, sending them back to the chamber of the Grand Bell. The Hipparion was sent flying back as a stream of power the size of his hoof shot out and rang the bell.
Upon unleashing his power, the bell around his necklace shatter and crumbled to the ground. Suddenly a large rainbow pierced the skies and wrapped around the now powerless mountain goat.
“Nooooooo!!!!!”
The light reached down to the dark tunnel, causing Cosgrove’s pupil to shrink.
“Show… Don’t tell…” He said before fainting.
When the blinding light faded, nothing was left. Grogar wasn’t destroyed, as the Elements were never designed to, but was sent over to Tartarus, locked in a cage on a rock islet chained next to Tirek’s. Light began to pierce the night sky as the Elements of Harmony in Rainbow Power descended to Tambelon.
As they landed on the ground, those that remained to fight joined up with them.
Cogsworth got up, noticing a faint signal a ten feet below before shifting the Galgameth’s good arm into a drill.
Deep in the echoing underground, Screwball appeared before the fainted Cosgrove.
“And this… Happened in the Old Timeline too.” Screwball turned herself upside down before turning a lock of her mane into a small knife “But this wouldn’t be a complete loss.”
Before she could deal the final blow, The Galgameth broke through the floor. Taking notice of this, Screwball’s dreadful mug softened, withdrawing the weapon.
“Call it a lucky break.” She finished, patting his mane before giggling into obscurity.
Looking to the sound of pistons, they looked to find Cogsworth carrying an unconscious Cosgrove in the Galgameth’s pincers. They then looked back up at the sky as for the first time in a thousand years, the sun finally shone on a reformed Tambelon.
Cosgrove opened his eyes again, seeing himself now in a hospital bed. He gave a very long yawn as he stretched his front legs. Just at the end of his yawn, a dark mustard colored doctor unicorn came in.
“Ah, you’re awake.” The doctor lifted a small flashlight with his magic and approached the young Hipparion. He shined the light on his patient’s knee before slowly raising it to the colt’s eyes.
“Okay, follow the light.”
Cosgrove's emerald eyes tracked the light as it shined in one direction at a time. The doctor then placed the flashlight down before lifting up a small rubber hammer. The colt was asked to sit up with his knees exposed.
The doctor then gave a small tap, causing the lower leg to jolt up in response.
“Okay, you check out fine. I will send the paperwork to your escorts and you’ll be on your way.”
After the doctor left the room, the colt then hopped off the bed and began stretching his legs. He then walked around the room as his body weight began to apply to his sleepy limbs. He scratched his head, wondering who his escorts are. He then sat on a chair just when the door opened. The hospital doors were pushed open as the young Hipparion walked out and took in his first breath of fresh air in a long while. He then looked behind him to find his escorts.
It was Lion Tamer and Loopty Hoop. But their expressions were not much pleasant. The two middle-aged Earth Ponies kept silent as they walked towards their home.
Upon arrival, the three stopped to find Sunset Shimmer sitting in front of Night Dancer’s cemetery, looking down at the carved letters in the stone. Cosgrove looked to find his grandparents still looking at him with furrowed eyebrows.
The Hipparion walked over and sat next to her. After sitting for some time, he slowly moved his eyes left, noticing the Unicorn's snout started to clench as her peripherals spotted his yellow and purple fur. Loopty Hoop looked at her husband, who still kept watch as he waited for the conversation to unfold.
A little rustling of grass made Cosgrove's head turn to find Sunset now with her body turned to him, retaining the exact same look.
“When you first moved to Ponyville, I wrote to Princess Celestia that I promised to make things right for you. The reason I made those rules when you agreed to study magic was so it would be less stressful for me.” Raising a hoof, Cosgrove winced back before the limb wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a deep embrace - “Don't ever pull something like that again.”
Cosgrove teared up before hugging her. He had braved death and had finally come home.
The Hipparion and Unicorn looked back to the two earth ponies before walking towards the house. They walked a few steps into the house before the door shut on its own. The light suddenly flicked open, revealing a whole menagerie of ponies. The Mane Six, Cosgrove's classmates, his friends and their families, a few additional guests, even Princess Luna and Celestia was there as well.
"Welcome Home, Cosgrove!" A party cannon was shot behind them after saying that. The colt gave a small smile before walking over to a table.
"Welcome back, little britches." Said Applejack as she handed him a slice of Fluttershy's carrot cake.
Just as Cosgrove was about to eat, a medal was wrapped around his neck. He looked behind him and found that it was Princess Luna who wrapped the medal around him.
"For thy acts of bravery." - Luna turned to the others involved in the battle as they lifted their medals “You and your friends have proven that acts of courage can happen to even in our youngest of individuals.”
Cosplay gave a warm smile as Chelsey, Zipper, Diver, Cogsworth, Apple bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo and the rest gave him a group hug.
It was six o'clock when the majority of the guests left the house. Cosgrove was just finished washing the dishes as Lion Tamer and Loopty Hoop were loading the fridge with leftovers. As the two earth ponies made their bed, they looked at the colt.
The two earth ponies, Unicorn, and Hipparion colt laid down on their beds, wrapping a blanket around them, embracing the warmth of the cloth.
