> Daring Do and the Wrath of the Elders > by Pankrazius > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "STOOOOP HEEEER!", Ahuizotls voice yelled and echoed through the sturdy, trapezoid shaped hallways. Beasty statues, sitting in alcoves, holding torches, rushed by. Reliefs of ancient gods and heroes became merely a blurry impression. Daring Do had not much time, to check how many of her archenemies minions were after her. Like a pale golden lightning she chased along the way. Falling stoneblock! A forcefull jump. Wings flapped. Passed! But... On instant she let herself fall to the ground. Arrows! Centimeters over her head. Dodging, crawling, jumping. No time to rest! The ground before her - suddenly gaped open. Evil grinning alligators waiting down in the pit. Cautious she set one hoof on the small ledge. One step after another. Slowly. Her heart puckered like a pecker in her breast. Her forehoof got grip on one of the stonereliefs, representing some ugly guard demon. Another step. Pebbles! she nearly slipped out and... Snapping and growling beneath her hooves. Scaled creatures strived for the fallen boulders. 'Thats all you'll get from me!', Daring grinned tense, brushing gray hair out of her face. Another step, another grip. A sharp click! Her magenta colored eyes went small. 'Oh. Horseapples!' The stoneface before her very face opened its mouth. Time stretched for a glimpse, as a red glowing grew in the opening. Blink. She let go. Blink. She fell. Blink. Fire bolted, the heat nearly burnt her wings as she spread them. Blink. The added air resistance slowed her fall. Blink. Scales, pointy teeth, gaping jaws. Water sprayd as her wings finally got controll. Blink. She darted in a low arc between fire and teeth. Engaging flaps, brought her in a sharp climbing flight. Daring Do emerged the pit and accelerated, as she recognized the slow descending stonedoor. "Naaah!", clenching her teeth Daring pushed herself forwards. Literally scraping through the portal, the last moment possible. "Celestias sake... I need a break." she leant herself against a tree, panting for air. Despites the boiling hot damp jungle and the mosquitos she felt eased. Daring took her topee off. Pulled out the arrow stuck in it without hesitation, dropping it. She hoofed inside the helmet, fetching a small golden disc. Then she allowed herself a relieved exhale. Plock! 'What the hay?' The spear was planted in the ground vibrating, just a hoof in front of her. *** "So. Should work, I assume.", Sandy Gears spoke to himself, as no one else was here. Besides his new pet. But that was not much of a dialog partner. Especially as it was sleeping. And likely not very interested in technical details. Anyway. He could be proud. Fixing the engine, with just vines and woodlogs. Not that this was the correct way to fix this highly advanced piece of aviation techniqe. But, it wasn't like there were a workshop at hand. The gray, orange haired Earthpony walked around his very own invention. Aviator Mark II. Or should it better dubbed Mark III, he wondered - due to the major changes made lately. A standard flying chariot - used in all of Equestria. But with its own Steam-propulsion-engine. Brass boiler, pipes and exhausts and added wings Yes. He could be proud. And they laughed, as I said earth ponies can fly. "GEARS! Start the damn machine!" Daring's yelling voice jolted him out of his thoughts. "Miss Do. I didn't expect you for another...", he answered loud. "Darn it! Make it ready!" Miss Do seemed to be in a hurry. She bolted out between the trees, startet to fly once she had a free field. A dozen ponies in a very rural attire followed her, throwing spears or shot arrows. No gentlecolts indeed. "Don't worry. We are set and ready. The boiler is heating-up since....", Gears wondered, if she would stop. No. At closer examination, it seems obvious that miss Do, didn't intent to.... He barely managed to jump on his machine, and open the steam valves, as Daring rushed past him. *** The chariot accelerated roaring accompanied by minor explosions towards the end of the plateau, leaving a trail of white and black fume behind. Daring sat inside the chariot, looking at the scene behind. It was to loud to hear anything - but the way Ahuizotl jumped and threated with his arms, she could imagine what he wanted to say. A few strayed spears missed the vehicle, as Daring's awarness suddenly got pulled towards... "What the hay does this BAT in here?!", she jumped up, shivering, trying to gain as much distance as possible to the infernal animal. "My new pet.", Gears, explained, visibly untouched. "By the heavens. I BUCKING HATE BATS!" With this the chariot turned over the cliffs edge and out of sight. Then moments afterward the vehicle ascended over the horizon flying in a semistable manner towards the sun, leaving the plateau, the temple and Ahuizotl, her blue furred, odd, dogshaped archenemy behind - foaming with rage. > Chapter 1 - Neither snow nor rain > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- MANEHATTEN INSTITUTE Equestrian Union Telegram -------------------------------------------------- ***** -------------------------------------------------- Send the following telegram, subject to the terms on the back hereof, wich are hereby agreed to To: Rainbow Dash Cloudhome at Ponyville Ponyville, RG Canterlot STAYING IN BARNFORD, CONEIGHTICUT THE NEXT TWO WEEKS --- STOP --- ARRIVE ON 3, 1ST MOON --- STOP --- MEET ME AT MAREHALL COLLEGE --- STOP --- YEARLING A.K. MANEHATTEN INSTITUTE -----*****------ "Ohmigoshomigoshomigosh...", Rainbow Dash jumped up and rushed out of the post office, followed by a burst of poststamps and letters and complaining shouts. Once outside the skyblue mare spread her wings to lift off on instant. Rainbow shot through several clouds leaving vague pegasus-shaped holes, flyed loopings, yelled and cheered in joy. The last thing, the confused bystanders, at the train station square witnessed, were the echoing words "BEEEEEST DAY EEEVER!" and a fading rainbow. -----*****------ Derpy Hooves slid gently through the sky. Though it was cold and the ground was covered with snow, but at least the annoying wind had settled and no snowfalls were predicted. After all, she was a pegasus and used to low temparatures. Her post bag was almost empty too and she anticipated a nice, lush and above all free afternoon. One last delivery, she shighed in relief. The days around Hearth Warming Eve tend to be stressfull, as suddenly every single pony throughout equestria seems to remember any living relative. "Rainbow Dash, Ponyville.", the gray mare checked the adress. She looked up and tryed to adjust her vision. In vain, like every time. Clouds. Some bigger, some smaller. Hard to distinct wether they were really smaller, or only more remote. Derpy was used to her walled eyes. More or less. As any pegasus, she could read the wind. Changing air currents - due to weather, clouds or obstacles. Minutes later, she approached a distinctive cloud. Shaped like a form of small temple. Cloud-formed columns supporting a low angled housetop. two small rainbow-falls run down the wall, fading with the wind beneath the base cloud. A typical cloudsdale-house. Only, far away from the pegasus city. More and more details became visible. Small statues, formed out of clouds, glassed, small windows. A turtle with some kind of propeller on her back. Wait a minute. Turtle? Maybe Rainbow Dash had a pet. Derpy wondered, if turtles were like dogs, and therefore love to chase mailmares around. Anyway, how could someone like Rainbow Dash adopt a turtle? Oh - and by the way - a turtle as pet, were a cool thought. Or maybe some other animal. For some blinks the pale yellow haired mailmare embraced the idea, of having a pet. Her daughter would love it. Derpy's mind wandered anywhere. Anywhere, but not to the bigger grewing cloudhouse in front of her. -----*****------ "Come down, Rainbow Dash. Keep calm...", Rainbow told herself, the about one millionth time. She was wandering in circles, psyched like mad in anticipation. She even had managed to dig a visible, circular ditch. Daring Do had invited her! Awesome! Rainbow had packed and was ready to start. Now... actually she had speeded through the sky, dropped by her home, just to run around like crazy, fetch her luggage and filled anything in, she thought to be usefull. Then she throw out half of the things and packed again. That had taken about five minutes. The train wouldn't leave until tomorrow morning! "Gnaaaaaah!", she groaned. Likewise about the millionth time. Rainbow had showered, trained, showered again, made up her kitchen (a real mess after all), trained again and - all over all - runned around, aimlessly. Her eye fell upon one of the Daring Do books, she had packed the first time. Not that she would need them, as she were about to meet Daring Do for real. Reading! A few minutes later she cuddled up in her favorite reading chair. She had made cocoa. So her kitchen was the same mess as ever. And really. As she delved into the first chapter, following poor Daring Do with her broken wing through the jungle, she calmed. Until... A remarkable "THUD" left Rainbows cloudhome to quake. Even her beloved framed Wonderbolts-Academy picture fell off the wall. Luckily clouds were softer then tiled floor - so it didn't break. "What the hay?" she jolted up. A long moaning sound was to hear outside. -----*****------ "Derpy?", a dull, worried sounding voice called her. Derpy Hooves looked up and tried to figure out, wich of the about four azure blue, rainbow-maned mares, had actually spoken. "Ooooohwww. Everything fine.", she murmured, towards number two point five, while straightening herself. Feeling her head, she hissed painfully. That would give a bump. "Oh my gosh. Come on in. Have a seat.", yes number 2.5 realy seemed promising, to be the real Rainbow Dash. Later Derpy sat on a chair in Rainbows living room. Wonderbolt posters decorated one wall, pictures from several other ponies stood upon her fireplace. The most faces were common to Derpy Hooves. Twilight and her friends. And supposedly Rainbows parents were shown. The room itself looked untidy. It seemed as if some burglar had tried to pack anything reachable in a box, just to throw it out again. "Hey. You're reading Yearling. Didn't know that.", Derpy discovered the surprisingly neat stacked books. "Yeah," Dash admitted, balancing a cup out of the kitchen, "Its my favorite." "Oh. I see.", Derpy recived the tea. "You reading too?", Rainbow asked. "Yes. And actually I have read the first few Daring Do books.", she explained. She ment to recognize a particular look on Rainbow Dash face. "You know... I maybe have no three dimensional view, with my eyes. But I am pretty good with details - and before you ask. I can read." -----*****------ Rainbow Dash startled. "I didn't mean to offense you..." "Oh," confusion stood in Derpys face for a moment. Then she blushed "Oh. sorry. I... its just..." "Anypony sees just a clumsy wall-eyed mare and couldn't believe you're more?", Rainbow added, over her cup. She knew at least what a hell live could be with annoying bullies around. Luckily theese days had gone by. "Yes. Its about that. Sorry again," Derpy looked a bit sad. "No offense taken. seriously. Sooo. you read Daring Do, huh?", now Rainbow was curious. "Not lately. Honestly, -" Derpys eyes startet to glow "- I am more into Quarter Mane." It seems, that Derpy was fascinated of fantastic worlds and adventures. To her surprise, authors long before Daring had written such stories. E. Race Buckskin, H.P. Lovedraft - names Twilight surely knew. But not Rainbow. "Ooooh kayyyy. I think I got it," Rainbow Dash grinning interrupted Derpys enthusiastic monologue "Uhm, by the way... why are you here, actually?" "Oh," Derpy looked up, blushing. "Oh my. Sorry. I... got carried away." Then she hoofed in her mail bag. "Here. This is for you." No sender were present on the envelope, but a impersonal printed logo 'Marehall Collegue, Barnford CN' "Huh?", Rainbow grabbed the letter, ripped the envelope open and unfolded the paper. -----*****------ Derpy could see, how Rainbow Dash moved from surprised, to happy, to shocked. At last she let the letter fall of her hooves and sunk back in her chair. The look on her face plain mortified. Under normal circumstances it was none of her buisness as mailmare, to sniff in other ponies letters. But under normal circumstances, the blue, flamboyant and engaging pegasus, wouldn't be that depressed. Hay, Rainbow seemed about to cry! "Everything ok?", Derpy managed on the second try to lay her hoof around Rainbows back. Instead of complaining, she leaned forward and buried her head on Derpys shoulder. Sobbing sounds - the total opposite of her behaviour, just moments before. Derpy feared some really bad news. Home time or not, she just couldn't leave Rainbow Dash in such a state. "Don't you want to tell?", she gently asked. It took a minute or so for Rainbow to get her raised far enough to answer. "Look." Derpy took the letter. "...hmhmhm... .... I regret to have to revoke ...... Sincerily yours, A.K. Yearling.... oh. OH!", the scales fell from her eyes. "Yeah.", Rainbow sniffed. "Oh my gosh. I am so sorry Rainbow.", Derpy replied, unsure what to say anyway. "It wasn't your fault. Its... Ok. But... look. All my friends are out. Visiting parents over the vacancies, or went skiieng to Aspony... Even AJ is in Manehatten by her relatives." "And you?", Derpy asked. "Gnah. I had been, too. Had to be back earlier. Weather patrol, yknow. A.K. Yearling wrote me a few days ago, invited me to join her. Today she even sent me a telegram with last details. And now... THIS," Rainbow hung her head low. Derpy patted the downcast mares back. The letter was a rather harsh and dry written revocation, stating that the author had too much to do, to let Rainbow visit. On second thought, it felt a bit... off. Given Dash didn't lie about being Yearlings greatest fan. On third thought, this story felt outright suspicious. Derpy blinked a few times. "Wait a minute!", she jumped up, nearly toppled Rainbow and her chair over. She grabbed one of the newer books - that one, showing Daring Do and a second mare with intriguing similarities to Rainbow Dash - and opened it. Yes. It was a vague guess at first. But now it was obvious. "Look Rainbow." "Yeah. I can see it. An autograph. And now?" "Gosh. Look at the writing. Look at the letter!", this was so clear. Rainbow held the letter next to the inscription. She panted, her eyes wide open. "Woah! That's not Daring Do's handwriting." "See!", Derpy grinned happy, as she had managed to uplift Rainbow. Now she seemed lesser crestfallen than before. "Do you know, what that mean?!" before she could react, Rainbow clutched her shoulders and shaked her furiosly. "Nnn n nn oo oo oo o?", she wobbled. "Daring Do is in danger. Somepony try to cut her off from us." "And, what should we do?" "Saving her of course. I'll fly to Barnford as fast as possible." Derpy deliberated one moment. Maybe Rainbow Dash was right. The whole thing was fishy at least. And maybe Miss Yearling could need help. On the other hoof - why should somepony do something like this? But anyway - it seems like an adventure to her. "Hey... could I... maybe.. join?", she grinned. "Uh. Why?" Rainbow answered distracted. "Now. First, I have time. The Doctor and the kids are on a " - She looked upwards partially - " field trip. Yknow - he wanted to do me a favor and give me some days rest. Second - the most authors I read are dead and gone since decades. So meet a real writer could be fun. And third - ... ah... but if you don't like..." "Third, without your help I hadn't even recognized the fraud.", Rainbow Dash smiled honestly. "Then -", Derpy jumped with glee "To the rescue!", her heroic flight endet as her hindleg got stuck on the table and a maverick of books buried her. > Chapter 2 - Menace in the dark > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tremors. The spider got lured up of her thoughts. As far as shady dreams of flies and bugs being trapped before eaten could count as thouhgts. She opened her twelve eyes and startet searching for the well of this vibrations. First it was the reflection of flickering light. A torch - however the spider had never seen an actual torch, nor knew she was this was in the first place. The light was followed by some realy realy big creatures - holding said light in one hand. She had never seen anything like this. As far as she could remember she hadn't seen anything bigger then a rat down here. This was... exciting! So she crawled out of her webbed hiding onto the sturdy strings of her web - the spider was quite proud of it, but the ocasions to brag about were fairly limited - eager to learn more about this visitors. The first creature was blueish, with a big protrubing head and massive jaws. Small eyes, evil looking. A long neck and a wide upperchest, narrowing to small but muscular flanks. Sturdy feet and a tail ending in a further hand aswell. Nothing too unusual - due to her lack of direct comparisons. It was followed by two four-legged fellows, wich lacking hands at all. "At last! I feared this cave never would come to an end....", Ahuizotl, standing in triumph, the waved torch casting a flickering pattern of light and shadows. After all this months of resarch, of hopes and fails. Finaylly. The temples state of ruin was worse then expected - but the statue had survived. And more important - Tlalocs Key shimmered golden in the light! "I zaid we'll find zhe relik here. My studies on zis subject were advanzed, if I may say so, Herr Ahuizotl.", the doglike blue being tilted his head towards his minion. Doktor von Marstall, had proven to be an extraordinary helper the last months. The grey coated dark maned scientist, had revealed some very important hints, leading to this immense tresaure. Mostly by intimidation and blackmaling - but no one could object his results. "What ever the doctor said.", the other companion rolled with his eyes in visible annoyance. It was no secret to Ahuizotl, that Manefred Pommel despised everything about the doctor. Starting by his arrogance up to his immense success in finding lost treasures. "I even don't zink zat your friend Daring Do would have found zis plaz....", Ahuizotl felt stricken by a lightning. "NEVER! NEVER say her name. DO you understand! Not at such a sacred place!" Ahuizotl span around, threatening this arrogant bastard with his finger, glaring furiosly. Slowly Ahuizotl approached the depiction of Tlaloc, holding back his underlings with a stern gesture. No one should near himself this statue, before him. The head with the protrubing tentacle-like beard. The big all-seeing eyes. A strong body to lead and defend his subjects. "It has been a long time, I had last seen you in all your grandeur, -" he had dimmed his normaly barking voice to a low growling murmur. "- My Lord." Yes, this one was the only king Ahuizotl would accept to bow for. The lord of his ancestors. Father of his kin. What knew his pesky henchponies, bowing for royal sisters. Aeons before them, real rulers of the mortal walked this world. "Forgive me, my lord, for I have to sin. Under your very eyes I have to take the key, you guarded for all this centuries. But you know the truth. This is no act of greed, but a deed to raise your glory.", torn between incredible triumph and the fear of devine punishment, Ahuizotl hesitated. His fingers only inches away from the golden object, held between the statues hands. Basically in a wedge form, engraved with the old language of his folk. Not many ponies, roaming the world nowadays, were able to read the sacred pictograms. For him it were songs of blessing and warning as prayers to the old gods. "Herr Ahuizotl, why do you hezitate? We need zis object for our plan to work.", the doctor spoke. "Leave him, von Marstall. He knews better than you, what to do.", Pommel grumbled from behind. The spider had rappeled herself just above the head of the blue creature. It was far more interesting then anything ever happened here - and she wouldn't miss any moment of this. Growling the intruder grabbed the golden thing and pulled hefty. Some moments later, he ripped the item off the statues hands, tumbled a half step backwards. "Ah ahahahhaha! Here it is!", the blue thing vibrated. Moments after the tremor of scrapping stone was sensed. The statutes hands had clutched together with a cracking erruption of her web. But wait. She felt more vibrations. A deep, disturbing rumbling from beneath, waked her alertness. This was not good. The cave shouldn't rumble like this! Even the three intruders yelled something, she coulnd't understand because of the noise rippling through the expanding threads of her home. Impromptu, the spider did the only thing, she considered usefull and capped the string she hung on. No moment to late, as the blue creature was whirling around and run after his companions. Out of the finally colapsing cave. * * * "Gentlecolts, our last venture turned out as an incredibble success.", Ahuizotls exotic appereance was a strong contrast to the medieval vaulted hall he stood in. Bookshelfs and small desks, holding precious historical artifacts surrounded the walls. Paintings of long gone masters were covering the stone walls. Moonlight shimmered through the large arched windows, added to the few torches, filling the room with gloomy reddish light. Gently Ahuizotl placed Tlalocs Key under a glass dome. "But -" he proceeded "- This is just the first step, to our goal." "After finding the key we need the lock.", von Marstall toughtfully answered over his glass of champaign. Ahuizotl walked back to the desk in the middle of the room, in whose front his minions waited. Sitting down he mustered the two ponies. They knew parts of his plan. They knew of some of the dangers it would bring uppon ponyhood. But nevertheless they were willing to help him. Manefred Pomnel were no mysterie to Ahuizotl. His motive was money - and a nice place in a future Equestria. An advocate - through and through. Addaptive and opportunistic - but at least loyal, as long as the odds stood for Ahuizotls plan. Von Marstall. He was some kind of a riddle. A scientist from Germaneigh. Ruthless, egocentric and arrogant. Nevertheless a genius. His motive? Money - and the opportunity to see his ideas come to live. At least he said that. But for now Ahuizotl had not the slightest evidence, to mistrust the doctor. And as long as it stayed this way, he was way to usefull. "Anyway. We will find the lock. We will find the temple and we will free all its secrets.", Ahuizotl declared, watching his helpers over his joined fingertips. "As long as Daring Do don't interfere with your plans, Ahuizotl.", Pommel spoke low, pulling his shirt collar uneasy. "WHAT did you just say?!", Ahuizotl leaped up, bringing his face just an inch in front of his. "I...-", gaining confidence, Manefred proceededd "- I have to warn you. Even if you hate Daring Do. IF she gets wind of our plan - and I am certain she will, after von Marstall pressed answers from half of the archeological society - she might become a major problem for our project." Anger builded up in Ahuizotl. How could this cretin dare! But just as his furor impended to take over, he focused. It was undeniable. Fierce hate and despise described his feelings for Daring Do at best. How many times she had crossed his plots, had stolen the sole artifact or otherwise intereferred. And even if the urge to hurt Pommel burnt - his warning was not false. "YOU! You. Have. A. Point." concentrating on staying calm, his body tense he answered. "We have to deal with her. We have to stop, whatever she is planning against us. Pomnel. This will be your task. If you sense any action from Daring Do - stop her." "As you wish, Ahuizotl.", Pommel responded, lightly bowing. Somewhere in a dark corner of the hall, a lucky spider spun a new set of stury threads and builded a web. This new home was so much more exciting than the last one!