//------------------------------// // Returning Home? // Story: Origin of Ahuizotl // by Catrina37 //------------------------------// Chapter 11: Returning Home? Megan sat herself next to Ahuizotl and petted him on the head. Ahuizotl purred like his cats as she petted him behind his ears. Daring Do looked at Megan with suspicion as she wrapped her arm around Ahuizotl. When she cleared her throat, Megan shyly took her arm away and blushed. She looked away from everyone to hide the blush. "So that's how you met your kitties," Fluttershy said as she nuzzled Snowy, "But what made you join up with Grogar?" Ahuizotl suddenly became quiet and depressed. “That is the part of my life I wish I could forget... **** "I spent the next couple of years, stealing wealth and treasure from every known part of Equestria until I became the most powerful creature to rule it. I became so powerful that the native ponies worshipped me as a deity of power. I wanted to prove to father how devious I was, and rub it into his face. So, despite my exile and what could happen if I return, I journeyed back to Tambelon, but when I returned, everything changed..." Ahuizotl and his pet cats traveled back to Tamblelon with their pride and new-found wealth via cart, and Caballeron and his men are behind them, dragging the cart like carriage horses, much to their dismay and back aches. Caballeron pants with his men and said, "Easy for them to act proud. They do not have to drag so much weight." They reach a hill to see how far from Tambelon they are. When Ahuizotl and his cats saw the city, they gasped in horror to what they saw. Tambelon had lost it's golden shine and became gray and bleak. Not only that, dark clouds have covered the valley. Ahuizotl and his cats ran to the city with Caballeron and his men dragging behind them. **** When Ahuizotl and his gang walked into Tambelon, everything was a mess. The buldings looked cracked and crumbled; stores and markets were boarded up, and no one was on the streets. A cold chill was down Ahuizotl's spine as he walked down the square, trying to find life. “Hello!” Ahuizotl shouts. As if responding to his call, an open window on a building slams shut, like someone didn’t want to see them. Then, shadows appear as people come out of the building in rags while looking pale and sick. They looked at Ahuizotl with resentment and anger. "You! You dare show yourself after all you have done?" yelled a cat creature. "You brought the monster into our kingdom and had our home turned into a shadow zone!" yelled a lizard. "You will pay!" said a dragon. Ahuizotl and his gang ran so fast, they left the cart of wealth without thinking as the mob chased after them. They ran until they ducked into an alley. They were catching their breathes when Caballeron asked, "What monster are they talking about?!" "I don't know! I haven't been home in years!" Ahuizotl said. They suddenly saw spears pointing at them by lizard guards. They reached for the sky quickly as they sweated. **** Ahuizotl, Caballeron, and the rest of them entered the throne room where Ahuizotl saw a dark blue mountain goat with black horns sitting on top of the throne. Finding who was before him, he grins maliciously with a chuckle. “Welcome to Tambelon, my fellow villains.” the goat greets. Ahuizotl growled and asked, "Who are you? Who dares to sit upon the Moochik's throne!" "It's my throne now, Fool!" the goat said, "I am Grogar, the new ruler of Tambelon!" "Grogar!?! As in Starswirl's greatest enemy whom he used the exile spell on?" Caballeron screamed. “Yes,” Grogar answers, “And also the one who is right now a mere ghost in this world because of that infernal wizard!” "You're the one who caused all this?! What happened to the Moochik? And why do the people think I invited you in?" "You have your brother and father to thank for that, Ahuizotl." "You know my name? What have you done with my father and brother?" "Your family is somewhere in my presence. As for how I know you, you are well-known as the scourge of South Equestria. You have been known for your traps and knowledge of artifacts. You and your gang could be useful to me." "How is that?" "I need your help in finding the right magic to get me back into Tambelon. I also need help in finding rebel scum, including four certain knights who rebelled against me. I believe you know them very well." "I do?” "Do the names Scorpan, Catrina, Rep, and Thorne sound familiar?" "Ahhh. They were inducted the newest knights of Tambelon since the day I was exiled.” "They also inspired a number of rebellions after they disappeared with Star Swirl the Bearded's time spell. They went one-thousand years into the future, and I know that because I used a crystal ball to track them. I will need your help to track them and find my dark artifacts. Serve me, and the people of Tambelon will worship you like the Native Ponies have. Refuse, and you will have to feed Crunch." "Wh-who's Crunch?" The guards bring out a massive Rock Dog (literally made of rock). As it came in chains, a rat obliviously ran in front of it to pick up an old bread crumb. Seeing the little mammal in front of it, it bit the rat on its tail, and the rat quickly turned to stone. It then turned its attention to Princessca and was about to bite her when Ahuizotl made up his mind. “STOP! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't sic that thing on my cats!" he shouted. "Knew that would get you to join," Grogar chortled. “But I have one condition.” “What?! What condition could you possibly have?!” “Just one simple request in return for my alliance,” Ahuizotl answered, “This city we are standing in brings back too many painful memories to me, and the lack of color is not making it any better. I, and the rest of my companions, would like to live somewhere that isn’t Tambelon. Not even close to it. If you do not accept, then you will have another band of rebels to worry about besides the knights, Crunch or no Crunch.” The giant rock dog growled when Ahuizotl said his name like he was no big deal. Grogar gave a look of frustration and growled as well, his teeth showing as he did. He should have remembered that hiring another mastermind, even by force, would be like trying to make a trade with a dragon. Taking in his request, Grogar thinks it over, tapping his hoof against his chin as he did so. He found it to be something reasonable that a minion like Ahuizotl would want. The last thing he wanted was more rebels anyway. “Very well. Your wish is my command.” Satisfied that he complied, Ahuizotl and Caballeron smiled and gave a fist and hoof bump to one another. Their smiles disappeared though by a shout from Grogar. “Enough of this chit-chat! We must find the knights and capture them!” "Just how are we going to find the knights if they are in another period?" Ahuizotl raised an eyebrow. "With my own time spell!" Grogar unleased a beam from his horns and made the entire castle glow. It was not just the castle though. The entire city of Tambelon glowed dark purple like his beams. The city slowly fade until it was no more. Then, it reappeared at the same spot one-thousand years later, much to the astonishment of Ahuizotl, Caballeron, and the rest of their group. **** "After we traveled to the future, my pets and I took up residence in a place of our choosing: an old temple in the middle of a jungle in Southern Equestria. Caballeron and the rest of his gang chose to travel a lot and not remain in one place all the time. Grogar sent me to track his artifacts and find any means to break his spell. Lucklily, the native ponies of the current time worship me like their ancestors did. With their help, I was able to find magical artifacts, but as you can see, a certain pony kept getting in my way and foiling me each time. Much to my chagrin..." Ahuizotl is sitting comfortably on his throne, victoriously holding the Sapphire Stone while doing an evil laugh. “With Daring Do out of the way, the world will suffer mightily at my hands. I am victorious!” he says before doing another evil laugh. But just when things were looking up for him, Daring Do swoops down with a vine and snatches the Sapphire Stone out of his hands. “I'll take that!” she yells after grabbing it. “Huh? Wha—?” he suddenly finds the artifact was gone, “Noooooooo!” After swinging on the vine, Daring Do lands on top of a cliff. “Better luck next time, Ahuizotl!” she tells him. “Curse you, Daring Do!” he yells before sobbing.