Daring Do and the Spring of Renewal
“Coochie coo, Daring Do!” teased Ahuizotl while jingling a keyring in front of the legendary explorer. “It would seem I, Ahuizotl have finally beaten you!”
Daring Do worked to grasp at the keys in which were right before her. But alas her body was incapable of performing the task.
“You’ll pay for this, Ahuizotl!” she cried.
Ahuizotl laughed at how the only thing that could be made out of what Daring Do was saying was his name.
“It seems the effects of the Spring of Renewal do not deny you the memory of I, Ahuizotl!” proclaimed the blue, dog-like creature triumphantly. “Better for me to know you will know what I can and will do while you are powerless to stop me!”
Daring Do growled as she tried to push her now foal body to perform feats in which her adult self could do without breaking a sweat.
Ahuizotl let loose a maniacal laugh as he watched Daring Do flounder around.
“Do you not find it funny, Daring Do how you’ve escaped so many of my death traps to now be unable to escape from a simple crib?” he gloated.
“You won’t get away with this, Ahuizotl!” she cried. “Of that I can assure you!”
The regal-looking dog laughed harder as he was again only able to make out his name amidst a chain of angry sounding gibberish.
“Oh, Daring Do!” he exclaimed while dangling the keyring before her once more. “Who would have thought this is how I, the great Ahuizotl would’ve finally done you in?”
Daring Do thought back on how she ended up in this situation. It all started when she received word from one of her contacts that Ahuizotl was in search of the Spring of Renewal. Realizing this may be how he has been staying alive all these years she had to stop him. She knew she couldn’t stop him forever if he had eternity to achieve his aspirations. She had to get to the spring before he did and make sure he’d never be able to use it again.
THWUMP
Daring Do felt something soft fall upon her hat and fall to the crib’s mattress.
“I thought you might want this,” stated Ahuizotl mockingly. “Voodoo has never been my strong ‘point’ but I thought it may work on this pony who aided your victory against me at the Fortress of Talacon. Needless to say it did not so perhaps a momento of one of your final victories against me would go well with all the other merchandise in which has been made on your behalf.”
Daring Do took notice of the toy versions of the Rings of Scorchero in which were laid beside her. She also realized she was in her adventurer’s clothes. But they weren’t her clothes.
“Funny, isn’t it, Daring Do?” asked Ahuizotl with a grin. “Ponies read your stories and make toys and clothes based on them for their foals. And now you are a fool of a foal yourself!”
Daring Do watched as Ahuizotl used the hand at the end of his tail to reveal her actual hat, clothes, and gear. She tried to reach for them but her foal body merely allowed her to jolt forward and slam against the bars of the crib.
“You want these?” teased Ahuizotl. “They’re mine now! Just as all the other treasures of this world! They’ll be mine! All mine!”
Daring Do kept her cool amidst Ahuizotl’s gloating. She thought her wings may be able to make a difference. After all she was a flier long before anyone else in her class.
“What’s this?” gasped Ahuizotl as Daring Do lifted herself out of the crib and grabbed for the keyring. “We can’t have any of this!”
Ahuizotl grabbed Daring Do as she was about to claim the keyring and held her before him.
“NO!” he exclaimed. “YOU’LL NOT ESCAPE ME THIS TIME!”
Daring Do narrowed her eyes in defiance towards her arch rival.
Ahuizotl held the keyring in front of Daring Do.
“I went out of my way to make sure nobody recognized you beyond being an orphaned foal!” he exclaimed. “Soon your new parents will arrive and you’ll be forever incapable of being a bother to me again!”
Daring Do squirmed to get out of Ahuizotl’s clutches but could not. Her mind recalling how her long trusted guide had been slipping water from the spring into her canteen up until they had reched its location to discover Ahuizotl had orchestrated the whole thing. As she attempted to stop him from claiming some of the water the traitorous guide pushed her into the spring. She would’ve normally been able to have avoided falling in and taking in the water but she felt unusually weak and Ahuizotl made it a point to explain how and why what happened did happen before she passed out from a sudden rush of exhaustion.
“I’d clip those wings!” cried Ahuizotl. “But then my plan would be ruined and I will not have my plans ruined again by you, Daring Do!”
“Ah!” cried the adventurer as she found herself quickly slammed into the crib as Ahuizotl placed a mattress over top of it.
“There!” he proudly proclaimed. “Now you can’t escape!”
Daring Do felt her young body tiring out. Her eyes grew heavy and it was becoming difficult to not succumb to slumber.
“You won’t win…” she said meakly.
“Victory is mine at last!” exclaimed Ahuizotl with pride. “Now rest so you will be ready for your new parents.”
Ahuizotl left the room and Daring Do’s traitorous guide entered in his place.
“How could you!” she cried with every ounce of strength she had left. She attempted to flutter out of the crib but the mattress was too heavy for her body to lift up and her exhaustion was becoming too great to fight.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Do,” he said. “But Ahuizotl captured my family and said if I didn’t aid him that they’d meet a most unfortunate fate.”
Daring Do wanted to say something but she couldn’t. Her foal body had given all it could and she succumbed to slumber.
Author's Note
An adventure based on the artwork of ArtieCanvas (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/artiecanvas/). Don't forget to share how you feel the story should end. :)
Thanks for reading!
