PuzzlingFrost’s Comment
Master of Shadows’ Comment
After yelling out your confusion and shock, Grandbuggy and the villain turn to you inquisitively. And really, you can’t believe it, but the evidence is there right before your eyes. Daring Do's most hated enemy Ahuizotl stands before you.
Not only is this guy somehow real, but HE'S FRIEND'S WITH GRANDBUGGY?????!!!!!!
Him being real is one thing. You’ve met so called “Fictional” characters before, the Doctor and Pyramid Head to name a few, but the fact that he is real and chummy with your Great Grandbug just does not compute.
"Okay what the BUCK is going on here?!" you scream again as some of your hairs stand on end.
"Whoa there kiddo language," admonishes Ahuizotl.
“Buck You! I Say What I Want!” you shout in defiance. As you do, Instinct overrides everything else in your mind. The instinct that says, Bad Guy equals kick in the nads while yelling some sort of one liner. So as you declare your independence for saying any filthy bucking thing you want, your hind leg flies forward and strikes true, for you are a master at your art.
“EEEEEEE!!! Madre De Dios!” the tall villain cries out as he crumples to the ground, holding his nethers. This causes the tribal ponies to get into defensive stances and point their spears at you and Grandbuggy. The old bug turns to you and gives you a stern look.
“Now Nightshade, what’d you go and do that for? You ain’t even been properly introduced to the guy yet.”
“Introduced?!” you screech. “That’s Bucking Ahuizotl!”
“Oh, so you’ve read the books then. Well that’ll make explanations easier.” He then turns to the stallions pointing the spears at them. “And what did I tell you colts about the Goramned Sticks?!” he yells causing them to flinch as he walks over and helps Ahuizotl up.
“Madre, the pain…” he groans.
“Oh don’t be a drama queen, you’ve had worse. But, eh heh, sorry about that. She gets it from her dad.” As the villain gets to his feet and calls off his guards, he gives you a reserved look.
“Her Padre?” he asks. “And who is this Alicorn child?”
"Hey I'm the one asking the questions here!” You shout back, still in your own defensive stance. “How do you know my Great Grandbuggy?"
"Great Grandbuggy?” he asks taken aback. He then looks to the old bug in confusion. “Wait Quick you had a kid? And a grandkid? AND a great grandchild?! When?! How?!"
"Alright, alright now everyone calm down. Can we please discuss this inside? I'm very tired from the flight over here. I'll explain everything over lunch how's that? I know you're hungry Nightshade." Grandbuggy says with a sigh. As if on cue your tummy makes a loud grumble reminiscent of a beluga whale, causing you to blush.
"Oh finnneee,” you huff as you stand down and walk to his side. “But you’ve got a lot of explaining to do mister!"
Ahuizotl still looks confused as all Tartarus, but he nods with an “Aye.” He then snaps his claw finger things and calls out.
“Ramirez, tell the kitchen to prepare the Carne Asada…She can eat that right?” he asks Grandbuggy.
“She’s more pony than changeling in the long run, so I’d say no,” Grandbuggy answers as he starts walking into the temple, with you nearly glued to his side.
“Right…Make that Cheese Enchiladas then,” he orders and a stallion runs off to do just that.
And though some good old fashioned Mexicoltan food sounds nice, you still don’t trust the big cat thing with a hand tail at all.
He falls into step with Grandbuggy as you walk, but he keeps throwing curious glances at you before he sighs and says,
"I know you wanted to discuss over lunch, but I really must know some details compadre. She really is you great granddaughter?”
“Yeah! Can’t you see the family resemblance?!” you spit back, not being nice to him at all.
"You have no idea." Grandbuggy sighs with a roll of his eyes and looks to you, “Play nice kid, he’s going to help us after all.”
“But he’s a Bad Guy Grandbuggy! Haven’t you read the books?” you declare.
Kichi’s Comment
"Bad guy?" he declares in indignation with his hands on his hips. “I’m the bad guy?”
"Oh boy, here he goes,” Grandbuggy facehooves.
“Child, do you know how much money your dear Daring Do makes from all those books?”
“I have no idea, I didn’t even know she was real five minutes ago, much less you!” you answer back.
“Well guess what, it’s a lot. She franchises her image and adventures into stories and films using her A.K. Yearling friend, and we get nothing! I never gave her permission to put me into a story either, and I can’t exactly sue because I’m sort of wanted in several countries, but the point remains, she’s infringing on my image!” he complains.
“Oh…Well still, you put her into death traps and stuff all the time. That’s pretty evil,” you counter.
“Bah!” he waves his paw. “She exaggerates. Besides, why should I go easy on her? She paints me as some two bit villain. We are rivals. Rivals I say! She puts her artifacts into museums, and all I want is power from ancient civilizations. How’s that any different than the Princess De Sol using those Element thingies? Besides, the amount of destruction she leaves at ancient sites is atrocious and-“
“Alright, alright, we get it,” Grandbuggy interrupts. “Daring Do is bad, and we should feel bad and blah blah blah.”
“Right…” Ahuizotl composes himself. “Sorry, it’s a sore spot for me child.”
“Not the only sore spot,” you snark causing him to wince and Grandbuggy to chuckle.
“Good one kid. But yeah, I’m still too hungry to listen to your gripes buddy. We’ll discuss the intricacies of image infringement, and your unhealthy bondage fetish later.”
“Wh-What?!” Ahuizotl blushes. “I-I-I don’t do that because I enjoy it, it’s so she can’t escape and-“
“Yeah I don’t care. Food first,” Grandbuggy declares grumpily. Your tummy again accentuates that statement and the villain nods.
“Fine, fine, yes we shall dine,” he relents.
“And it better be good,” you demand causing him to sigh.
“Don’t worry Shade, ol Ahzi complains a lot, but his hired help do make a mean meal.”
You are about to some something else huffily, about him having a nickname for his Evil Buddy, but then you gasp in amazement as you enter a larger cavern with brighter lit passageways.
Falx_of_Lume’s Comment
The interior of the temple is... well, ancient looking. You notice a lot of the walls are covered in blocky, complex, carvings that are painted over in bright blues, greens, yellows, and a lot of red. Also, teeth. Lots and lots of animals and monsters snarling, growling, and biting things, so their teeth are very prevalent in these carvings as well.
You are conflicted on this. On one hoof, the presence of such raw and intimidating images makes you think you shouldn't be following the creature that lives with these images on a day to day basis. But on the other hoof...
This place is so bucking cool! It's like I’m really on a real life Daring Do adventure…Although maybe from the wrong side…
Eventually though, you are led further in and surprisingly, there is a semi normal looking dining table. Shortly after sitting down, the Cheese Enchiladas come, and you forgo thinking about good and evil, and just chow down. And boy is it delicious.
Eh, maybe I’ll give this guy a chance. He is feeding me after all, you think as you down a fifth plate of the cheesy goodness.
“She, uh…She has quite the appetite mi amigo,” Ahuizotl declares in fascination as you continue to chow down.
“That she does you abomination of nature,” Grandbuggy chuckles and Ahuizotl purses his lips. “Any doubt now that she’s my kin?”
“No. No doubt about it…but you said she’s your great-granddaughter. How did you have time for that?”
Grandbuggy sighs and wipes his lips with a napkin. “I’m much older than I look buddy. When I was running around with you and the others, I’d had a fully grown daughter back at the hive, and she had started a family of her own.”
“Oh…I see,” Ahuizotl nods in understanding. “Well, you certainly don’t look that old Fix.”
“Just old enough,” he chuckles as does the tall cat creature.
"Well I suppose the timing makes sense…but she’s an alicorn. How did that happen?” he asks curiously.
"My grandkid met a nice a nice alicorn lady and they made Nightshade here together," Grandbuggy replies in a “it’s obvious” kind of voice.
Ahuizotl stumbles in his next question and rolls his eyes. "... I walked right into that one didn't I?" he asks rhetorically.
"Eeyup." Grandbuggy answers and chuckles. “Ain’t that right kiddo?” he asks.
You swallow what’s left of your Sixth Enchilada and look back and forth between them. "Yeah... Mom and Dad made me…the way I guess all babies are made, with the Stork and stuff” you answer even though you have absolutely no idea how that works, or why you don’t look, think and act like other Four Year Olds.
He fumbles with his words again, and for some reason Grandbuggy laughs at this, even if you don’t see what’s funny.
“Dios Mio…Which Princess?” he asks Grandbuggy in fascination. “There’s only three, well four now, but she wouldn’t be old enough. Which one did your Grandson ensnare?”
“None of the above actually, but that’s neither here nor there,” Grandbuggy dismisses as he leans forward. “I didn’t come to just catch up Ahzi, I came to call in the favor…” Ahuizotl visibly begins to sweat at that.
“Oh…you have have you?” he stutters.
“Eyup. It’s time to pay up buddy.” Ahuizotl slumps his shoulders at that.
“Alright then…what is it you want mi amigo?”
“Well, let’s just say, I’m in the need of some artifacts. I need maps, locations, heck, if you’ve got some on you cough em up.”
“Artifacts? That’s it?” he chirps up seemingly happier. “Well that I can do. Just tell me what you need and-“
“The first thing I need is a Ring of Scorchero.”
“Oh Come On!” the villain complains. “Anything but that! I’m planning something with those!”
“Yeah, well you’re gonna have to hold off on your plans because me and the little lady need it.”
“Oh...but I already hired Cabelleron to retrieve a few of them…” he whines.
“Dr. Cabelleron is real too?” you speak up. Grandbuggy scowls at that.
“Jumping Rheesus Monkeys Ahz, what you doing working with that Flankhole again?” he growls. Ahuizotl looks a little sheepish at that insinuation.
“Well…he is effective and relatively cheap…”
“Yeah, he’s a cheapskate jerkoff is what he is,” Grandbuggy shakes his head in disappointment.
“Look, when you’re trying to bring Heat Waves to the Jungle, there’s only so many that will help out!” Ahuizotl complains.
And then they go back and forth like that for a while, doing grown up talk, which is just playground squabbling with bigger words.
Down with Chrysalis’s Comment
8BitMadness’s Comment
Is this what it’s like for those fillies on TV when their parents drag them to a meet-and-greet or something? There has to be something around here for me to do...
“Ugh,” you groan and push your plate away. “I’m bored. Are we getting what we want or not?”
“I’m negotiating little senorita,” the villain explains.
“Ain’t nothing to negotiate, you owe me!” Grandbuggy demands.
“But Fix, this is so sudden and-“
“Where are the kitties at?” you demand.
“Huh?” both grownups ask.
“I said where’s the cats? If you’re gonna keep on like this, I want to at least play with something.”
“Oh, they’re in their cages down the hallway and to the left,” he points.
“But only play with the little one!” Grandbuggy demands.
“Fine…” you groan as you get up from the table and stomp down the hallway while they continue to speak.
You walk down the hallway, and eventually do find the Cat room. The big ones, including the Tiger and Black Panther are all in their cages and growl at you, but sitting atop their cages is an adorable little kitty cat with big eyes.
“Awww, you look so sweet,” you coo as you walk forward.
“Meow?” the kitty asks.
“Yes you are,” you gush as you scratch it’s head. “You almost make up for the fact that my Grandbuggy is chummy with a Book Villain…though he’s more whiny than the books portray.
“Meow?” the cat asks.
“Yeah, I guess that is harsh,” you admit. “If he is gonna help us get what we need to help Mommy, then I shouldn’t judge too much. Besides, everyone’s always saying she and Daddy are villains without getting to know them first.”
“Meow.”
“Dawww, thanks for saying that,” you coo and scrunch his face up. You then hear a sad mechanical whine and look back to see Mangle giving you the saddest look a robot fox could give. It’s like you’ve completely torn her clockwork heart out.
“Oh no, Mangle, this isn’t what it looks like,” you defend as you let go of the Kitty’s face. Mangle barks sarcastically, clearly not buying it.
“You’ll always be my one and only pet Mangle,” you implore. “I just wanted to meet some new adorable creatures. I’m not replacing you I swear!”
Barking and slapping your hoof away, Mangle jumps out of the Inventory and squares up with the Kitty, putting her dukes up like a boxer.
“Mangle! We’re guests here, we can’tjust up and start a Fight Club all willy nilly!” you admonish.
Your jealous pet just barks and continues to jab at the air, enticing the kitten. Said feline gives your Plush Bot one inquisitive look, licks it’s paw…and then what happens next, you’re still confused. In a blur of white, the Kitten jabbed, kicked, elbowed, threw, and pile drived your robot six ways to Sunday. This all happens in the span of about five seconds, and with one final uppercut, Mangle is thrown up into the air, and into an open garbage chute where she screams as she plummets into it’s depths.
“MANGLE!!!” you screech and look down the hole. You then look back to the hidden badass kitty who just licks it’s paws like nothing happened.
“Bad Kitty!” you declare as you throw yourself into the chute and plummet.
Thanks to your new found flying prowess, you don’t hit the bottom hard, unlike Mangle who lies in a heap of something soft.
“Mangle, are you Ok?” you ask as you bring the Fox up to it’s feet. Mangle holds a thumbs up, but is swaying side to side and holding her head.
Sighing that she’s safe, you go into lecture mode, “Well that was your own gorramned fault. Picking fights with other pets is not cool. I’m not gonna replace you you dummy,” you scold and bring the fox into a hug, which it returns.
“I’m just glad you landed on something soft to break your fall. What is this thing anyway, it’s kind of squishy,” you say as you shift your weight. Seeing as how it’s dark at the bottom of this pit, you change your eyes to Changeling Blue to help see in the dark better and when you do, your jaw drops for what feels like the millionth time today.
Later
After flying up garbage chute, and admonishing the bad kitty again, you head back to the dining room with your new passenger in your Inventory. Grandbuggy and Ahuizotl are still talking while pointing at a map.
“The dragon scepter shard is a suicide mission, so I advise against that,” the cat creature advises.
“Meh, Torch ain’t so bad so long as you don’t cheat at cards,” Grandbuggy hoof waves.
“Very well, but the fossilized dragon egg is trickier and-“
“Um, excuse me?” you interrupt, causing them to look to you. “Can I talk to my Grandbuggy alone real quick?”
“Uh…sure Shade,” he says in confusion as he starts trotting towards you. “What’s up?”
“Um…more alone? Out in the hallway maybe?” you implore causing him to raise an eyebrow. He relents though and looks over his shoulder. “Go ahead and mark the Egg spot, I’ll be back,” he instructs. Ahuizotl nods and does just that as you lead him into the hallway.
“Alright kid, what’s wrong? Why do you look so nervous?” he asks with concern.
“Ummm,” you fidget as you place a hoof behind your head. “I may have done something…bad.”
His eyes widen a little, “Did you play with that Tiger?”
“No," you groan with a roll of your eyes, "He’s still in his cage, though I don’t he would have gotten me into this mess!”
“What mess kid, slow down?” You take a deep breath and try to compose yourself. You upturn the Inventory and a Pale Yellow Pegasus mare with grayish hair flops out. She has a big red bump on her head from where Mangle hit her as she snuck through the Garbage.
“I Maaaaaayyyyy have accidentally knocked out Daring Do…” you chuckle nervously.
He looks from the knocked out mare to you and back a few times.
“Hooo Boy…” he groans as he rubs the back of his own neck.
WHAT DO YOU DO?