Author's Note
This was something I decided to post because I rarely update my stories when I'm busy and don't have much time to use. So I decided to give you guys (and anyone else reading) this as assurance that I'm not dead (yet).
Comments are always welcomed, as always enjoy.
Here We Are Again.
“You always did live up to your name” a snide voice said from afar. And with it echoes came bouncing off the walls of long forgotten stone.
Ahuizotl, slowly makes their way down the steps to the throne of King Tut. Their focus now on a new target and an old foe.
“Always foiling my plans. Always putting up that cliche hero act. Always so annoying... but look at you now.” Daring’s ear twitched when she heard the giant stop inches away from her.
“Weak, pathetic. And stopped by a single arrow when not even gators and quicksand could slow you down with two broken wings.” There was a laugh, it was cold, callous, and had no warmth to it. Ahuizotl circled the former archenemy. Eyeing her as they always did to see if she would pull a trick, critically watching her every move to make sure that this time they had won.
Their one mistake, was missing Daring’s ear twitch a second time as she barely squinted to see just where her opponent was and what she could use to figure out a plan.
“You know, Doo” the cold voice said from behind her, way up above. “I’ve always thought you to be a fool to challenge a demigod in their own realm. But time and time again you’ve always seen to prove me wrong.
A light smirk graced the demi-deity’s lips, “Well. Except for now.” With light steps, Ahuizotl approached the ancient throne of the ancient tyke king. “You know Doo. Lost scrolls once said, eons ago, that the Diamond Dogs, were well known for their subterranean knowledge. And that this temple- which will be your resting place- was built in honor of one of their elders whose descendants they made king.
“It was said that this throne, was carved from special enchanted stone. Taken from the caves of Terrax. And it was also said that this very throne, bestowed luck and various aspects of naturakinesis to whomever it deemed acceptable to sit on it.” The sound of a crack whip echoed from Ahuizotl’s tail and their eyes traced the moss covered, faded yellow paint, of the once great courtroom.
“And being a deity, it goes without saying we all know what will happen when I sit on this throne. So that leaves one final question”, Ahuizotl said more to themself than to the supposed corpse in the room.
“How long do you plan on keeping me waiting?”
The cries of birds filled the air as silence took over. Ahuizotl’s back still faced Daring, but they were waiting. Waiting for something.
Sweat, covered Daring’s body in spates. From the overhead open ceiling that allowed light to flood the room, she was cooking like freshly made stew.
Cracking an eye barely open, Daring knew the jig was up. She had two options now: 1. Wait for Ahuizotl to make a move and then trigger the traps that could stop them and destroy all this long forgotten work or 2.Trigger the trap now that could put an end to all of this before it was too late.
Hearing Ahuizotl’s final statement through the monologue though, told Daring that she was running out of time. Shifting, then rising, she lifted a foreleg up to keep pressure of her twisted fetlock. Moving forward the hatless, shirt ripped pegasus, limped.
The trigger to the trap sequence that could end this quickly enough to make her foe retreat was just about a few yards or so away from the first couple of steps to the throne itself. If she could get there and activate one, everything would fall in place.
“Done playing games I see?” Ahuizotl’s taunting voice came. The deity dangled their legs off the armrest of their new throne, lying against the ground as they waited for their foe to make it to them. Inches away and they hadn't even taken the power that could so easily be theirs with the chance they had now.
A grimace formed on Daring’s stoic face despite all the pain her body was experiencing. Just a few more steps she kept telling her sore legs.
“So? What has the brave Daring Doo got up her metaphorical sleeves this time?” Ahuizotl asked. Chuckling lightly, since they were the one who ruined that very shirt.
There was no reply. Just determination. Daring was now almost a yard away from her target. All she needed to do was ride out those jabs and jesters and she’d beat Ahuizotl, not once, not twice, but for the umpteenth time yet again.
The deity chuckled at Doo’s attempt. Their eyes traced her path and noticed her aim. The black squares that formed the first row not too far from the cracked stone steps had faded with time, covered in leaves, dirt, and hints of mold.
The effort while valiant, was wasteful. The demigod had made sure all traps were taken care of after they’d followed Doo into the opening. of this ancient temple.
“Your wasting your time you know.” came the matter-of-fact tone.
A scowl was her response. Just a foot more.
Another laugh. It was dry and had no real mirth to it. “Always so brave. Always trying to put up the hero act. If anything I think that’ll be the only thing I’ll miss once you’re gone and I can retake what was mine.
“That facade of impassiveness and bravado you always seem to put up.”
Daring’s jaw clenched and she nearly stopped. Five more steps.
A tired sigh. “I’ll never understand the ponies of this era. What is it about your kind that just never seems to make you stop and think ‘maybe this isn’t the right way to do things?’ What really drives you to do what you do? I always wondered, what could have happen if Discord had actually taken my father's advice centuries ago and stripped your kind of your cutie marks would any of you still have purpose and drive -you- Daring, have now?”
Daring shrugged as best she could in her condition. Which ultimately was just her sardonically rolling her eyes. “I do what I want to do, because its not just my job.” She grinned, “I love it.”
CLINK
And before Ahuizotl even knew what hit them, they found an arrow embedded right into their chest.
The question you should be asking yourself right here, right now. Is not, “did I win?” or “is it over?” but “how should I feel?”
Five minutes had soared by like Rainbow Dash on E+.
Those five minutes had been the greatest sense of relief Daring ever felt in her entire life after once again having such a near death experience with her intended archenemy.
Five minutes had just ticked away, as she rested for a majority of three minutes. Trying to flex her wings only to realize more than a few muscles had been strained in her left one. Moving her sprained left foreleg to check for any severe damage. And wiping the dried blood that caked her dry bottom lip and left a trail all the way down her chin.
Truly, those three minutes were like Pinkie Pie in cake heaven.
Four minutes later, Ahuizotl hasn't moved a muscle. Daring’s eyes slowly turned to see what her foe was up to, only to find the demigod’s position hadn’t changed since the moment that arrow had pierced through several arteries, slipped in between ribs, hitting the heart.
For another minute, Daring ignored it. Ahuizotl always dramatized their grand escapes. Always. And this time would be no different.
At least that was what Daring had thought. Now we were bordering on 8 minutes. And still not a word from her fallen foe.
`Daring sat there, surprised. Twelve minutes in. Waiting.
One hour later, and a mixture of emotions overwhelm her. She is happy, elated really. The pit of fear and a heavy weight in her gut are gone. But its been one hour and twenty-two minutes since Ahuizotl got hit with that arrow, and they still haven’t moved, twitched.
Or even threatened to get vengeance once.
Initially, Daring thought this was a trick. For an entire hour, she’d checked her foe’s pulse time and time and time again; every ten minutes, to see if they would wake up and start trying to kill her again.
None of that happened.
Ahuizotl’s body was motionless. Cold. And it bore no expression, except a simple smirk that spoke volumes about the megalomaniac Daring had both hated, despised, wished horrible things to happen to those times the demigod had sent assassins to slay her, and frankly wouldn’t have cared if the deity fell in a pit of lava.
Now her world was being flipped like fans of hoofball, finding that somewhere, deep down.... She was sad.
And that sadness hurt. Strangely enough so, that after two hours of waiting for Ahuizotl to revive, Daring suddenly found a strange wetness covering her cheeks.
A dirt crusted hoof, mixed with mud touched her cheek. And on her toe, she saw something she hadn’t seen in days.
It was a tear.
Confusion, would be an understatement for how Daring Doo --adventurer, explorer extraordinaire, and genius archeologist felt at this moment.
How did one feel, when they lost someone who hurt them so much, but shared so much history together?
How did it feel to come out as the victor in a battle of old enemies?
The answer couldn’t be described in simple terms. So it was with a heavy heart, mixed feelings, and forced bac tears, that Daring struggled greatly, to heft a fallen foe onto a relic once used as a table for the royals of this tomb.
Reaching for her hat, Daring recalled she’d lost it in her altercation with the late Ahuizotl.
Upon that recollection, she decided “leave it... there’s always more... at home.”
Casting one, long, final look at her fallen enemy... Daring Doo exited the courtroom of King Tut, and this time. She wasn’t leaving with pride.
