Daring Do and Rainbow Dash were at it again. Galloping away from the arch nemesis, Ahuizotl. He was after the Solar Crystal of the Ancient city of Arridue, a civilization that was wiped clean off the world map, and from the historical records, but told about in legends and a few ancient artifacts that connected to it's existence. This Crystal was one of those relics. It was in fact something used long ago to move the respected piece of the heavens that was life giving sun, before Princess Celestia took over responsibility. This artifact was one that Celestia herself had actually called Daring Do's services for, and of course, stating she needed a helping hoof for this task, Daring knew of no one better than Rainbow Dash herself.
As they made their way though the ruins in which they found it in, they were pursued by Diamond Dogs, as many ponies knew, were fond of gems, and could be swayed to help anyone who was willing to give them such trinkets. Ahuizotl had bated them with the said relic Daring Do and Rainbow Dash had found, and they easily agreed to help him, as long as the gem was theirs after Ahuizotl was finished using it.
As the two mares continued their frantic gallop to escape, Daring asks, "Rainbow Dash, did you do what I had asked. I need to be sure that our plan works."
"Yeah, it's done. Don't worry about it. When have ever let one of my greatest idols down?" Raibow bragged.
Daring rolled her eyes as they ran. Just as they rounded a corner, they were stopped dead in their tracks. Diamond Dogs and Ahuizotl himself were there in front of them. And the Diamond Dogs that had been tailing the two mares soon caught up to them. "It would seem that luck is not on your side this time Daring Do. I'll take that Gem thank you," Ahuizotl cackled.
The Two mares were soon tackled. "Now that we have the Solar Crystal, I shall use it's power to to create my death beam weapon, and take control of this area. Not Even Celestia herself will be able to challenge me without harm to her or her ponies. And of course my Diamond Dog partners will get their share of profit from the local ponies, for I know the said ponies will not challenge the one who controls the Solar Death Ray. Now, Mutts! Take these two and throw them in the jails we have prepared," Ahuizotl ordered, as he walked off with the Gem.
The two mares struggled as they were dragged away, and Daring looks at Rainbow and gives a wink to her out of any of the Diamond Dog's line of sight as she whispers, "Just as planned."
Rainbow Dash winks in return, and the two start a fake argument to make it look like they had been foiled in their plans to stop Ahuizotl, blaming each other for being captured. They were thrown in a jail cell, and after dragging on the fake argument a bit longer, they looked away from each other, as if to make it look like they were giving each other the silent treatment. One of the Diamond Dogs stood watch, keys on hand, should he need to get into the cell, if the two mares got out of line, and needed to be put back in line.
Rainbow Dash trots around in an annoyed pace, while Daring Do lays on her back, and puts her hat over her eyes to catch a quick power nap. As things seem to settle down, and the Diamond Dog guard isn't giving the two mares much mind, Rainbow Dash asks quietly, "Do you think it's time. Have we waited long enough."
Daring Do pulls her hat back from her eyes and gives Rainbow Dash an approving nod. Rainbow Dash smirks and calls to the Dog guard, "Hey boy, I understand fetch is a game you like to play right?"
"Oh, I love fetch. Can we play?" the dog insists.
"Of course but um. I can't seem to find a stick anywhere," Rainbow Dash points out.
The dog starts to whimper a bit that they can't play fetch. Rainbow Dash then gives a quick smirk, "But that key of yours seems like a large enough thing to use for fetch."
The Diamond Dog's ears perk up and he starts panting as if he were a pet. He hands the key to Rainbow Dash. "Alright boy, here we go. Go fetch!" She yells.
She begins her throwing motion, and in the moment of anticipation, the Diamond Dog turns around to give chase, but with these caverns used for the jail, it would be hard to spot where it landed. He takes off anyways, and at the moment he had turned and given chase, the throwing motion had made it look like she had thrown it clear across the cells in the caverns, when in reality, she had finished with tossing the the key to Daring Do.
Daring Do had caught it, and complimented, "Nice wrist movement, you nearly fooled me with that motion."
"I try," Rainbow Dash boasted.
Daring Do, soon unlocks the cage door to the jail cell, and the two take off in flight. Not long after the dog returns and says, "Hey, I'm sorry, but I couldn't find the," His sentence is cut short as he sees a wide open cell with the key he had given them in the lock area.
Rainbow Dash give each other a hoof bump as they fly through the caverns of the cells, and not a moment too soon, barks though the cavens are heard. They continue to make they're way through the caverns, but some Guards who had been alerted by the barks, and were near by to pick up the mares' scents, show up behind them, and start to fling spears and arrows at the two. Thankfully with the years of experience, one in archaeological adventures, and another in Wonderbolts' training, were able to dodge the onslaught of the pointy things coming at them. As the two see a fork in the cavern path they were taking, Daring Do yells, "Spilt up!"
As the two mares take different routes, the Diamond Dogs divide as well. Daring Do finds a huge bolder on the other side of a ravine within the cave, taking cover behind it. The Diamond Dogs don't cross the river, but continue to fire arrows towards the boulder, in hopes of hitting her. She sees one land near her, and with a quick impulsive decision, takes the arrow, and holds it in her armpit of her left foreleg. She then calls out "AAAH!!! Oh, the pain. I ca- I can't breath."
In a dramatic sequences of breaths, she falls into view of the diamond dogs, and makes it look like she drew her last breath. "Yeah! We got her!" A Diamond Dog calls out.
"Oh, Ahuizotl will be so pleased when he hears she's no longer a problem," another comments.
"I can't wait to tell him that I was the one to bring her down," A third states.
The other two Diamond Dogs look at him in anger. "What are you talking about, that was my Arrow," one bellowed.
"Oh, please, it was mine. You couldn't hit a broad side of a barn with your aim," Another insults.
The argument rages on over who made the kill, just as Daring Do had intended. As they continue to insult each other, they're attention is distracted from seeing Daring Do make her escape. As she is getting away, Rainbow Dash has now found herself surrounded by both Ahuizotl's cat gang, and some of the Diamond Dogs that had pursued her through the caverns after she and Daring Do had split up. The situation didn't look good for Rainbow Dash. She sighed, "Alright, you guys win. I'll let you take me out. But I at least request that it be the cats."
"What?! Why those furballs?" a Diamond Dog asked.
"Because I really think it would be way cooler to be taken out by these cats than dogs. Dogs are too, well, cuddly when it comes to said deaths. Cats not so much," Rainbow Dash admitted.
The cat gang looked back at the Diamond Dogs and smiled to taunt the dogs. "Hey, we can be just as ruthless, if not more ruthless then these furbrains," A Diamond Dog spat.
The cats now hissed back at the Diamond Dogs, feeling insulted, and taking an aggressive stance. It didn't sway the Diamond Dogs from throwing out more insults, it came to a point where the cats began to start fighting with the dogs. "Oh the classy Cats verses Dogs shenanigans," Rainbow Dash states to no one in particular.
She sneaked away as the felines and canines continued their fight with each other, paying the mare no heed. Thankfully, the cavern fork the two had split up in, regrouped at the end, and Daring Do and Rainbow Dash had met, coming to the entrance. Just as they felt they had outsmarted everyone back in the caves, they came upon a new sight that would send chills down any pony's spine.
Ahuizotl had a strange contraption that consisted of the Solar Crystal being held by a strange mirror looking thing. "I figured you two would make some sort of escape. But it matters not. My Solar Death Ray machine is complete. With it, I will rule over this area, and soon, all of Equestria will bow to me," Ahuizotl starts to monologue.
"They will never bow to you," Rainbow bellows.
"Oh, a defiant I see. Perhaps I should give it a little test run," Ahuizotl smirks.
"Now now, Ahuizotl, let's not make any brash decisions. I mean, come on, if it weren't for me, you would never even have thought about finding this relic," Daring Do tries to reason.
"Tis a good point. But I no longer need you for future findings. This is the last thing I will ever need," Ahuzotl states as he starts to prep the weapon.
"Wait, what about all the Ahuizotl fans, they're not gonna like you anymore if you take out Daring Do," Rainbow tried to sway him.
"I don't require respect, only fear!" Ahuizotl spat.
Before the two mares could make a witty comeback to try and ward off the death ray being used, the light shines at the two mares. They start to wail in pain. They did their best to try and stay conscious, they were on the ground.... motionless. A Diamond Dog comes to inspect them, and nudges one of them, they don't show resistance, and the Diamond Dog proclaims, "They're dead sir."
"Finally, I have defeated the Great Daring Do! HAHAHA, no pony can stop me now," Ahuizotl laughed maniacally.
The two mares were soon taken to a place outside, and Ahuizotl orders the dogs to bury the mares. His final fare well, to his arch nemesis. The evil group walks off and Ahuizotl plans his next attack as the graves are left alone. Some minutes pass after the group leaves, and thankfully, since the graves were shallow and new, Daring Do and Rainbow Dash pop out of the graves, taking in a huge gasp of fresh air. "Wow, remind me next time not to eat before a mission. That slowed me down in my escape," Rainbow Dash stated.
"Noted. That was quick thinking to hide the real Solar Crystal where you did, and make them think we still had it, when it was fake. And then making him think it worked. You're sometimes cleverer than you look Dash," Daring admitted.
"Yeah, well, I'm just glad Qubbile didn't come with this time. He would have tried to point out every detail of how this mission could have gone wrong...... do you think we should go after Ahuizotl and find some way to deal with him?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Naah. Trust me, where he's going with that thing, he's gonna wish had tied us to a log, to be sent floating down a river, and over a waterfall," Daring Do said as the two trot back towards the ancient ruins they had been in.
"That would actually have been an awesome ride. But, better to have Equestria safe than to have him take over," Rainbow Dash admitted as she pulled out the real crystal from behind some bushes, and placed it in Daring Do's saddle bag.
"Another day. Another Dungeon, as I always say. Better luck next time Ahuizotl," Daring Do chuckles as the two take to the sky.
While they were off to deliver the priceless Solar Crystal to Princess Celestia, Ahuizotl had lured his hired Diamond Dog Help back to their village. Now he had all the dogs at bay. "Now, not only will this teach your kind not to meddle in finding trinkets of great power for your greedy gangs, but it will teach you, never to challenge the great AHUIZOTL! RULER OF ALL EQUESTRIA AND BEYOND!!!" He bellowed.
He charged his weapon, and fired the ray at the population of Diamond Dogs. The dogs shielded their eyes, and the mother dogs shielded their pups best they could from the ray of light. As the light died down, the dogs opened their eyes, to see Ahuizotl complaining, "What. It took out Daring Do and that Rainbow Mane lacky of hers with no problem..... unless."
His attention trailed back to the Diamond Dogs, who fangs were now bared, mad that Ahuiztol had tried to do their kind in, and that he had used them to just obtain a crystal, which was a found to be a rhinestone knockoff of the real thing. "Heh heh, um...... any dog want to play fetch," Ahuizotl grinned nervously.
The Dogs snarl, and soon, the dogs who didn't have little ones to look after, chase after Ahuizotl, who has thrown his contraption into the river near him, and runs away as fast as he can with his cat gang, Calling Out "DARING DO!!! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!!!"
He makes his way deep into the forested mountains with a pack of angry Diamond Dogs in pursuit.
Author's Note
End of this short story. I hope it was all to your enjoyment. I tried to keep Rainbow and Darning as close as I could to their characters as well as we know them. The Solar Crystal idea belongs to a reader of mine who will remain anonymous.
Let me know what you think of this short story.
