Author's Note
Chapter 1 is out.
Ahuizota is not a ruin guardian, she is an explorer just like Derring Do.
Chapter 1
On Ahuizota's cave...
A light source displayed a small cat shadow on the wall, sitting on a stone chair, Ahuizota was reading one of her records of a week ago.
' Day 16, Month 5, Year 2152
I was in one of the most valuable ruin, as always Derring arrived before me and got in the central room before I had a chance to get past the third room. When I entered the central room I saw Derring rushing towards me, unfolding his wings he jumped and flew over me. Raising my left paw, I shook it in the air and yelled at him for ruining my plans... again...
The structure began to collapse, I notice that the ground beneath me started shattering and falling down to a spike pit. I notice it and ran towards the exit, calling back Derring to be careful about the ground, until today I don't know why I warned him. I notice that the ground was falling so fast that I couldn't find a stable ground to jump to. I saw Derring stop and ran backward than he ran forward and jumped, unfolding his wings he reached the other side. Noticing this I tried to do the same but the other side was too far for me to jump. Looking back I saw the ground behind me falling faster and faster until he reached by back legs, squeaking in despair I ran forward and jumped.
I used my tail to give aerodynamic, noticing that I wasn't going to make it I extended my front legs and grabbed the ground. Hanging on a stable tip of ground, I looked down and saw the spike trap waiting for a new victim. I despaired and tried to get back up but it only made it worse I started slipping off. I felt my breath becoming resilient, looking down I started by hallucinating about my body being impaled by those spikes. Closing my eyes I felt my front paws losing the grip and then I felt my body being pulled by the gravity.
While I kept cursing myself about coming there without any type of rope or something to climb back up, I waited until my body reached the bottom and be done with it.
I felt tears leaving my eyes and made its way out of my face, I was going to die. How dumb I was to adventure myself on this ruin?
Suddenly I felt something soft making contact with my bareback and drove me back up. 'Was I dead already? Was God leading me to the Heavens?'
After a few moments, the soft thing dropped me back on the floor. I was so scared to open my eyes but a familiar voice was enough to make them open.
"Dear God, I was able to make it on time."
Opening my eyes I notice, Derring looking back at me. He held the artifact under one of his wings, standing back on my legs.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Looking back at him, I nodded and headed back where I was. Looking down I saw those spikes again, I looked back at him and laid on the floor in a desperate attempt to recover my breath.
I raised my right paw and wiped my eyes, turning back at him I whispered.
"Why? Why did you save me? We're supposed to be rivals. Why?"
Looking back at him, I waited for his answer.
"I know, I know. We're rivals but that doesn't mean that I wanted your end to be like this. Besides, you warned me about the falling ground so it was fair enough that I repaid you in the same coin, don't you think?"
I whimpered and got back up. Derring unfolded his wings and flew out the ruin while leaving me dumbfounded about what happened. Getting back to my senses, I rushed out of the ruin and headed towards my cave to write all about this on you, dear diary.'
Putting down the diary, she grabbed the book beside her.
"Old creatures of Equestria." she read the title.
Raising one of her paws, she placed it under her chin.
"Hmm, interesting."
Opening the book, she started her readings.
"Myth Creatures:
Hydra, large creature, multiple heads. Special ability: grows more heads if some got cut off. Threat: very dangerous (avoid at all costs).
Manticore, large creature, head and the corpse of a lion, tail of a scorpion. Special ability: unknown. Threat: dangerous (avoid at all costs).
Cockatrice, small creature, chicken. Special ability: Turning creatures into the stone that stared at its eyes. Threat: medium (avoid at all costs).
More research is needed.
Legend Creatures:
Timberwolf, large creature, wolf made of wood. Special ability: None. Threat: Small (avoid if possible).
Dragon, large creature, it's a dragon duh. Special ability: Spits fire or water. Threat: Dangerous (avoid at all costs).
More research is needed.
Hybrids Creatures:
Kirin, an old creature, a pony-dragon breed. Special ability: Unknown. Threat: Unknown (avoid if possible). Veracity: Confirmed.
HippoGriffin, an old creature, a pony-griffon breed. Special ability: None. Threat: Uncertain. Veracity: Confirmed.
Ponyling, an old creature, a pony-changeling breed. Special ability: Transform into other creatures. Threat: Unknown (avoid if possible). Veracity: Need further investigation.
Draconequus, an old creature, a creature made of chaos. Special ability: Cause chaos. Threat: Chaotic (It can't be avoided). Veracity: Confirmed.
Ponyak, an old creature, a pony-yak breed. Special ability: None. Threat: Uncertain. Veracity: Need further investigation.
Ponyconequus, an old creature, a pony-draconequus breed. Special ability: Cause Chaos. Threat: Uncertain. Veracity: Confirmed.
Ponyzotl, an old creature, a pony-ahuizotl breed. Special ability: Unknown. Threat: Unknown. Veracity: Need further investigation."
Closing the book in a quick movement, she grunted and got up from her chair. Heading towards the kitchen, she felt her cheeks heating up, shaking her head to the sides she raised her paw and punched it against her chest.
"Snap it out. That's stupid. Thinking about that it's stupid. 'Need further information'.".
She felt her cheeks heating up again, noticing this she grabbed the nearest cup filled it with water and violently spilled it against her face.
"Snap it off," she said while she used her paw to lightly punch her chest.
Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine herself claiming him. Smiling, she giggled.
Her fun time was stopped by a sudden knock on her door. Opening her eyes, she grunted at her dream interruption.
Heading towards the door, she opened it and saw one of Dr. Caballeron's men waiting for her.
"Goodnight, what might I do for you?" she asked.
He grunted back and raised his hoof, delivering a piece of paper to her.
"Don't make yourself innocent. You failed the last mission. Boss is getting angry at you, so it's better to not fail this time or you know what will happen, don't you?" he asked
"I won't fail this time," she answered while grabbing the paper.
"That's what you said last time. Boss is getting tired of hearing some dumb excuses," he said. "The boss wants you to kill Derring Do in order to keep him away from our business line."
Her eyes widen and unfolded the paper. Giving it a quick read, she turned back at him.
"I will try it or maybe I could just focus on the artifact and deliver it to the boss. What do you think?" she asked.
He raised his hoof and placed it on his chin.
"Yes. But if you got him killed it will be better but try not to fail this time. The boss might have future plans for you."
The stallion excused himself and got back to his carriage.
She closed the door behind her and headed towards the kitchen, placing the paper down she sat on the chair and raised her paws brushing it against her face.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked, "He will be there for sure and like always he will get it first."
She looked back at the paper, grunting she raised from her chair and grabbed the paper.
"Ruin of MythKing." she read the paper.
"If I go during the night maybe I could reach it before Derring," she said, "Yes, I will fulfill it. I will get this to get out from Caballeron hooves."
She rushed towards the door, opening and closing it behind her she rushed towards the Ruin of MythKing.
Heading towards the MythKing Ruin, Ahuizota stopped by a supply store to buy some pieces of equipment and then she resumed her expedition.
Near the dawn, she had reached the entrance of the Ruin, breathing and exhaling she decided to step inside.
Once inside, she noticed how old that ruin was. Scared by some dirt fall, she looked up and saw a giant spider sleeping on its web, looking beside her she saw giant cocoon and by the aspect of it, they were old enough to be there for at least five years. Trotting slowly to not awake the spider, she reached the main entrance. Raising a paw, she wiped her sweat over her head and resumed her normal pace.
A few meters onward, she saw a large dark room it didn't appear to have some kind of sunlight or illumination at all. Grabbing a torch beside her, she entered the darkroom. Trotting carefully, she looked to the left and to the right amazed by the engravings that were drawn on the walls.
Stepping on something soft, she looked down and noticed a hat. Bending down, she grabbed the hat, taking a good look at it she remembered that she had seen that hat before.
A small rock hit the back of her head, grunting and raising a paw to brush the spot where the rock hit, she looked up and for her surprised her evidence was true.
"Derring Do? What are you doing up there?" she asked.
"I don't know maybe catching some air?"
Raising her torch a little higher she saw that he was hanging on a small piece of metal that had caught the back of his shirt.
Raising her paw, she brought it to her mouth to contain a giggle.
"I can see now, you failed some kind of enigma," she said. "Don't worry I'll get it open to you."
Grunting in frustration, he crossed his arms and waited until she solved the enigma.
Looking back at the wall, she noticed strange symbols and a small text written in antique language.
"Step carefully!! What you think it might be, it can't be what you think it might be?"
Raising a paw to her chin, she thought about what she could do.
"Interesting," she said.
"What?" he asked.
Looking back at him, she raised her paw and explained it to him.
"The ground and the engravings, you may think that it's for matching them but no," she said, "You need to pick one that is not on this wall."
Graggin the torch with her tail, she threw it to him.
"Here catch. Keep it high up," she ordered.
Extending his hooves, he grabbed the torch and raised it.
"I'm not helping you, I'm just allowing you to free me," he said.
"Yeah whatever," she said, "I can't get it how you failed this enigma. You rarely fail on something."
He sighed and replied.
"I misunderstood it."
Jumping from piece to piece, the door in front of them began to raise. Looking over her, he noticed a large saw that was slowly descending towards her.
"Huh, if I was you, I would make it quicker," he said.
"What? Why?" she asked.
Holding the torch in one of his hooves, he pointed towards the ceiling, intrigued she looked up and noticed the saw slowly descending towards her. Squeaking in panic, she jumped towards another piece only to make the saw descended violently towards her. Looking up, she noticed the saw closing distance between them. In an act of despair, he threw the torch towards a random tile that made the saw stop. Slowly making its way up, she breathed ferociously and looked back at him.
His eyes widen when he heard a sound and noticed that the small piece of metal retracted, leaving him hanging in the middle of the air. Shacking his hooves in despair, the gravity pushed him down until he hit the floor. Laying flat on the ground, he grunted and got back up.
"The savior became the endangered maiden," he said.
"Oh, shut up," she replied. "I panicked, ok."
Looking back at the door, he rushed past her and entered the main room, noticing this she yelled and followed behind him.
Once inside the main room, they looked around and the artifact was in the middle of the room. The problem was, the ground began to collapse, looking down he saw that if somepony or something falls on it, it can't get back up since it was too tall to climb back. Unfolding his wings, he jumped forward and landed on stable ground.
Grunting in frustration, she walked backward and readied herself to jump. Running and jumping, she reached the other side.
Following behind him, she reached the center of the room. Noticing that he had got there first then her, she rushed towards him.
"Curse you, give me that," she said while running towards him.
Looking back, he jumped and let her get past beneath him. Noticing this, she used her claws to make her stop but it was useless since she was too fast to stop in time. Shacking her paws in despair, the gravity pushed her until she reached the lower ground. Getting back up, she looked up and saw him shaking the artifact in front of his eyes.
"Better luck next time," he said while unfolding his wings, "That's it if you can get out from there, of course."
Grunting in frustration, she raised her voice and replied.
"Curse you, I'll get you next time."
"Yeah, whatever."
Jumping forward, he flapped his wings and made his way towards the exit. Hearing him flapping his wings, she grabbed her bag and she picked a rope and a grappling hook. Using one of the sides of the rope, she tangled it around the grappling hook and started rotating it. Throwing the hook up, she heard a metal sound hitting the ground, giving a little push she confirmed that the hook was securely placed on the ground. Placing herself against the wall, she began to climb back up.
Once on stable ground, she heard voices coming from behind her. Looking back, she saw Caballeron and his man running towards her.
"Where is it?" he asked.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Don't make yourself unknown to what I am talking about," he said, "Where is it?"
"Derring Do arrived first. I fell on this trap unable me from getting the arfifact before him," she answered.
Gasping in frustration, he looked back at her and said.
"I thought I was clear of what will happen if you failed me again."
"What? It's not my fault that Derring tricked me."
"Again. And again. And again. Always the same excuse," he said, "I was thinking about this since last month. Your specie is so rare or almost extinct. So I was thinking maybe if I sold you to this collector I could pay for all of your mistakes."
Widening her eyes, she backed up and replied.
"You can't do that. I'm a living thing."
"You got no use to me now. Guys get her."
The ponies that were accompanying Cabarellon rushed towards her. Jumping over them, she rushed towards the exit but she felt a rope catching her back leg and being pushed towards Cabarellon.
Grabbing a small bat, he hit on her head making her blacking out.
"Put her in the cage and inform that collector," he said.
Nodding the ponies grabbed her and put her on the cage.
On Derring Do cottage...
He stepped inside his 'museum' and placed the artifact on a table. Heading back to his living room, he sat on the couch and waited for the night to come.
On the next day...
He was awakened up by a ferocious knock on his door, jumping in a panic he headed towards the door. Opening the door, he saw Rainbow Blitz standing in front of him. Pushing him inside, he took a large breath and took a piece of paper from his bag.
"Cabarellon is trying to sell Ahuizota. I got this from one of his man when I notice that they were acting strange around the woods" he said.
Grabbing the paper, he saw that he was offering over one million bits.
"Not my problem," he said while giving him back the paper.
Heading back to his couch, Rainbow Blitz grunted and flew over his head.
"She is a living thing," he said while overing in front of his face, "I thought that you were better than this."
"Why should I help her? Tell me why," he asked.
Laying back on the floor, he raised his hoof and placed it on his chin.
"I don't know but you can't deny that you are..."
Placing a hoof on his mouth, Derring tried to shut him up.
"Don't you dare say that," he said, "We're rivals. And besides, she is not turned to that side."
Smiling, Rainbow pushed his hoof down.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked, "Should I remind you, who tended your wing when you got seriously hurt?"
"I don't remember anything of that day, I was seriously hurt that I couldn't remember anything," he answered while brushing his head.
Touching the tip of his nose, he looked him in the eyes.
"But I saw. When I found you, I saw a small figure leaving the place where you were left. I notice a small tail hand."
Grunting in disbelief, he pushed him aside.
"You're lying, she would never help me."
Giggling, he got back and moved towards him.
"But she did. We probably don't know why, but she helped you and you can't deny that."
Gasping in frustration, he looked back at him.
"Fine," he said, "What you want me to do?" he asked.
"Well, you're the only one who knows where Caballeron is settled." he answered, "I'll call for help if you need some."
"I can do this alone, no help needed," he said.
"I will report this to Dusk and see what he is going to do to Caballeron and his crew." he said, "Good Luck."
Opening his wings, Rainbow flew towards the Friendship Castle. Grabbing his bag, he headed towards Caballeron settlement.
Reaching Dr.Caballeron's settlement, he saw some guards passing by. Looking around, he tried to find where Ahuizota was.
He was ready to give up but a sudden roar made him look towards the source of that noise. Looking down, he saw a small cage and one of Caballeron man with a whip, whipping inside the cage.
"Shut up," he ordered, "Don't make it worse."
Looking deep towards the cage, he saw a small tail hand coming out of it. Another whip sound made him look back at the pony
"Put your tail back in or I'll chop it off." he threatened.
"You wouldn't dare, Caballeron would chop your head off," she said.
"He wouldn't mind if you were delivered without a part of your body," he said.
Shacking in despair, she pushed her tail back inside the cage.
"Good kitty, now I will get something to eat. I'll be back in a second."
Laying down, she put her head in the middle of her front legs and starting sobbing.
'Where did I get myself into? What will happen to me?'
A sudden click made her head raise. Looking towards the cage door, she saw Derring standing in front of him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Are you going or not? I will close it aga..."
His tracks of words were lost when he looked over her body.
"What were they doing to you? Your body is seriously hurt," he asked.
Getting back up, she headed towards him.
"They were whipping me," she answered, "They were saying that I needed discipline because this collector won't pay enough if I won't obey him."
Looking back, he saw some guards coming towards the cage. Grabbing her paw, he rushed towards the bushes.
The guard returned and looked back at the cage, rushing towards the main tent he yelled.
"She escaped. She escaped."
A large crew of guards got out from the main tent and parted ways to find where she went.
Returning towards the cage, the guard raised his hoof and grabbed the lock.
"She couldn't open it from inside, even if she used her tail," he said, "Which means..."
Looking down, he noticed a small stick. Grabbing it, he took a good look.
"Derring Do. Derring Do was here," he said.
Returning to the tent, he called some guards and rushed out of the settlement.
Wiping his sweat, he looked back at her.
"Don't need to thank me again," he said, "Now, go on," he said while shaking his hoof in the air.
Looking back at him, she nodded and rushed towards her cave.
"It's dangerous to return home, those guys are on the hunt," he said.
Grabbing his bag, he headed towards his secret cottage.
