//------------------------------//
// Sharing Secrets and Ice Cream 
// Story: Does this count as... A Crossover? 
// by Robipony 
//------------------------------//

The Next Day...

She was falling. Falling into a vat of experimental shampoo. As Mable fell into the vat's contents, she could feel her burns hissing as the heated flesh made contact with the cold substance. The shampoo seeped into her mouth, nostrils, and ears. Coughing, Mable struggled to reach the surface but the oil fluid pulled her deeper into the vat. The world around her went black as she lost consciousness.

'They did this to us!' a voice chuckled in the back of their mind, 'Let's make them pay!'

The next thing Mable noticed was her coughing, expelling the shampoo from her lungs, allowing oxygen-rich air into her body. However, it soon became very clear that something was wrong. How had she escaped the vat and what was this feeling? It felt as if there were thousands of other limbs moving on their own, yet her mind was fully aware of them.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Mable could see green tendrils moving. Panicking the mare turned to face the tendrils only to realize that they were her mane. Lifting a burnt hoof to her eyes, Mable soon realized that somehow she had changed. Her coat was no longer its usual grayish orchid nor was her mane a grayish arctic blue. Now her coat was more of a pale purple and her mane was made up of various shades of green.

She wanted to scream but instead, only laughter emerged.

'This city is corrupt,' a voice laughed in the back of her mind, 'It is time, we cleanse it!'

Mable awoke from her slumber, her body covered in sweat. As she tried to move Mable could feel her muscles ache from the treatment, that diamond dog, Brutus, had given her the day before. Fortunately, the medics had told Mable that her heart would be fine so long as she rested.

Using her tendrils, Mable moved the sheets aside and pulled herself out of the bed. It was then that she noticed that Ahuizotl wasn't in his usual spot in the corner of the room. That's right, he had disappeared sometime during the incident.

Mable had been relieved to learn after the whole incident that there had been no sign of the jackal, that he hadn't been harmed or worse. Mable wondered if Ahuizotl had found what he was looking for. At the same time, she was also a bit worried about him, after all, he was an alien in this world and who knew what could happen if one of the other villains got their grubby hooves on him. Much of her sleep had been lost because of her worrying.

Stepping over to the window, Mable's mane pulled the curtains aside to reveal a nice warm sun outside. Perhaps it would be a good day for a sunbath.

Sunbathing was a habit that Mable had picked up during her modeling career. While she still enjoyed relaxing and feeling the sun’s rays on her body, due to her scarred flesh, it was something the mare could only do in the privacy of her home.

Looking down at the swimming pool, Mable spotted Ahuizotl moving through the water. Both happiness and annoyance filled her. At the very least he could have told her, he was okay instead of leaving Mable awake most of the night worrying about him.

After grabbing a blue blanket and some sunglasses, Mable made her way down the stairs to the ground floor. Taking the door to her left, Mable stepped through it out onto the back patio.

While Ahuizotl swam, Mable sat her blanket down on a lawn chair. As she lay down on the blanket, the mare remembered how the jackal had apparently came to her aid in the museum. Not only that but he...

"Ahuizotl we need to talk," Mable said still lying down.

He stopped moving in the water, turning his attention to the mare that had graciously provided him with a place to stay while he was trapped in this world.

"What is it?" Ahuizotl inquired.

Mable shifted her sunglasses to get a better view of the swimming jackal, "Yesterday you found something at the museum, didn't you?"

Ahuizotl lips twitched, no doubt he was trying to think of a way to dance around the subject.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Don't play dumb," Mable growled, "I used to have a legion of henchmen under my control so I know when I'm being lied to. Not only that but I saw you before I went out. You're the one who dealt with that diamond dog!"

Now that Mable thought about it, it would be so much easier to hire villains if there was a Henchmen R Us, in town. Sadly no such thing existed.

With a deep sigh, Ahuizotl pulled himself from the pool, "I suppose I did find something. I managed to find a relic with enough power to help me temporarily return to my true form."

"You did, huh,"

"Yes, but it wasn't enough to maintain my form." Ahuizotl lied. The artifact still possessed enough for a full transformation, however in a world full of potential enemies it would be unwise to expose his hand.

There was a pregnant pause as both of the villains watched one another. A slight chuckle from Mable's lips broke the silence.

"Well, thanks anyway," Mable said, "for what you did for me yesterday."

"I was just protecting an investment," Ahuizotl replied. This warranted a laugh from the mare.

"An investment huh," Mable grinned, "for what?"

There was another pause as the jackal looked down at his paws.

"Revenge," Ahuizotl growled, "against the ponies of the Tenochtitlan Basin."

"Sounds like a pretty big grudge," Mable said, guessing that this basin was someplace in Ahuizotl's world.

There was another pause until Ahuizotl spoke up. Mable could tell by his body language that it pained him greatly.

"I have no knowledge of my true parents," Ahuizotl said, "however my adopted parents found me crying on the river bed. All the local villages spoke of my kind as creatures that lurked in the water, dragging ponies under to take their eyes and teeth. Because of that, it was common practice to hunt down and kill any of my kind that appeared."

"But they didn't."

"No, apparently the couple that took me from the waters were incapable of having children of their own," Ahuizotl continued, "Ultimately that end up costing them their lives. When their village discovered what had happened several years later, they had my parents executed and started hunting me. From that day forward I swore the ponies of the Tenochtitlan Basin would pay!"

"And that's why you came here," Mable interjected, "to gain the power so you could do so."

"I suppose so," Ahuizotl turned to look into Mable's eyes, "Now it's your turn. What's up with your legs and your whole tentacle hair thing?"

Another pause filled the air. Mable twitched nervously.

"I wasn't always this way," Mable said, "I used to be an upstanding citizen trying to fight the corruption in this city. Apparently, I rubbed somepony the wrong way, they sent a mercenary after me, resulting in the skin of my legs being burned and my body falling into a vat of chemicals, granting me, well... This."

Mable moved her mane tendrils and formed the shape of a cat's face, for emphasis.

"That's all?" Ahuizotl spoke in an only slightly impressed manner.

Mable let out a maniacal laugh, "Oh there are other things. Also, my mind is broken as well. Now I'm stuck with two voices inside my head."

Almost as if it was listening in the Mane-iac began to talk, 'Do you think it is a good idea to mention this to him?'

The wide grin on Mable's face made Ahuizotl feel slightly comfortable.

"But in all seriousness," Mable continued her expression becoming less maniacal, "the corruption in this city has taken away so much. Not just from me but from every creature that breathes its foul air. And I going to uproot that corruption, one way or another."

"It would seem we have similar goals," Ahuizotl said.

"Yes, I guess we do."

The two of them remained in silence, while Mable continued to sunbathe. It would seem that she had a lot in common with the jackal. They both had been harmed by the world, they both sought to deliver their own brand of justice upon that world and both were viewed as monsters because of it. They were cockatrice of a feather, sorta speak.

"So... What do we do now?" Ahuizotl inquired.

Mable contemplated the question, before smiling.

"Well, today is a nice day," Mable said, "so why don't we give the Power Ponies a break and just relax. You want to know something villainous that no pony can arrest you for it?"

"What?" Ahuizotl asked.

Mable jumped off the lawn chair and stretched her back like a cat.

"Having ice cream before dinner!" Mable giggled.

The jackal gave the mare a confused look, "What is this... Ice cream you speak of?"

Unbeknownst to Ahuizotl, the dessert known as ice cream was very common in Equestria, however, since most of the relics he searched for involved the warm region of Tenochtitlan Basin, so he never had the opportunity to learn of or eat any.

"Wow, your world must be truly depressing if they don't have ice cream," Mable laughed, "Look's like we'll have to address that!"





Trot Summers was tending to the garden inside the greenhouse built into the side of her manor. Plants of various shapes and sizes were blooming as she tended to them.

Here it was quiet and serene, a great place for the mare to relax with her thoughts. So much in fact, that she was able to discern when Hummer entered the small sanctuary without looking up from her work.

"Hello Hummer," Summers said, "what news do you bring?"

"I have the report from the museum incident," Hummer replied.

"What about it?"

"All items were accounted for," Hummer answered pulling out a notepad, "except two. During the robbery, it would seem that both the crown of the Ketztwctl Empress and the Scepter of Cleopatramare were damaged. All the pieces were recovered except for the crowning jewel and a gem belonging to the staff. I will be keeping an eye out for them with my sources in the black market to see if anything comes up."

"I see," Summers said as she patted the soil around a yellow flower, "was there anything else?"

"Yes," Hum Drum flipped a page on his pad, "the leader of the attempted robbery was a stallion by the name of Dripping Tongue. Apparently, he is wanted for drug trafficking, pony trafficking, assault, murder and selling stolen merchandise on the black market. With any luck, he will remain behind bars for the rest of his life."

Summers groaned at hearing that. The law system in Maretropolis was too forgiving, no doubt he would somehow weasel his way into a small time prison sentence only to get out early for "good behavior."

"I do have some more information on that fur you found," Hummer smiled, "the computer was able to identify several genes belonging to canines in its DNA."

This perked the Masked Matter-Horn's ears. Mable had a dog with her during the attack on the museum and they had established that Mable had been in the area that the fur had been found. Could the dog be the creature that fell from the portal?

"Is that all?" Summers asked.

"Actually that's the intriguing part," Hummer answered, "In Dripping Tongue's statement he mentioned being victimized by a large blue dog with gorilla arms. I thought that might interest you. Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

Summers wiped the sweat from her brow, "Just keep an eye on Mane-iac. I think she might be at the center of this."

Having finished delivering his information, Hum Drum stepped out of the greenhouse to leave Summers to her thoughts.

Perhaps Mane-iac had originally intended on stealing these gems for some nefarious scheme. Then when the robbers appeared she took advantage of the situation.

Summers frowned, "That doesn't seem likely."

The diamond dog had done a lot of harm to Mane-iac and no gems were found on her person or in her bag.

Then an idea occurred to the Masked Matter-Horn. She scratched chin as she pondered the thought.

"What if her dog took them?"





"I'm dying," Ahuizotl moaned as he lay back in his chair, rubbing his belly with a paw.

The two of them were sitting outside an ice cream parlor, titled Silver's Icey Creamery. There was a section set up so that customers could enjoy the outdoors while eating their yummy treats. Mable had a bowl of chocolate chip mint, while Ahuizotl had a bowl of vanilla.

"Then you probably shouldn't have eaten so much ice cream," Mable said.

Ahuizotl glared at the mare, "I had as much as you did!"

"Yes, but I also don't have the body of a small dog," Mable chuckled. The jackal was clearly unamused.

It was a shame, Mable had hoped she would be able to show the small creature the other flavors of ice cream. Maybe next time.

While Ahuizotl's stomach groaned, Mable proceeded to read the newspaper. Judging from the headline the Rose Killer had struck again, murdering another stallion and leaving the body abandoned in an alleyway. As per usual, the stallion's face was mutilated beyond recognition and a single red rose on the victim's chest.

"By Celestia!" a familiar voice nearly making Mable choke on her ice cream, "Is that you Mable!"

A pegasus mare with a blonde mane and an aquatic blue came skipping down the street. Around her neck was a bronze necklace with an emerald in the center. Mable groaned as she recognized the mare.

"Hey Soy Bean," Mable sighed.

Soy Bean was a model that Mable had previously worked with. The cheery mare was as dumb as a cloud. Nothing in this dreary city could diminish Soy Bean’s ever happy mood and it annoyed Mable greatly.

"It has been so long since I've seen you," Soy Bean said, "did you dye your mane? It's a little vibrant but it's not too bad."

Mable's eye twitched, "Something like that."

It took all of Mable's mental strength not to unleash her mane upon the pegasus and strangle her to death.

"And who's this little guy?" Soy Bean focused her attention on Ahuizotl, "He's so CUTE!"

The jackal's eyes went wide as Soy Bean started rubbing him behind the ears. Seeing the hair on the back of Ahuizotl's neck rise, caused a smile to stretch across Mable's face.

"That's my dog, Ahuizotl," Mable grinned, "I found him recently and took him in."

The jackal gave Mable a very angry expression. That emotion changed to horror when Soy Bean picked him up, hugging Ahuizotl while standing on her back legs.

"That's SO sweet." Soy Bean cheered.

The look on Ahuizotl's face made it clear that he wasn't enjoying the treatment. In fact, it appeared that she might be strangling him in her loving embrace.

As Mable watched, a few images appeared in her mind's eye. It would seem that the Mane-iac was at work, trying to hatch up a design for another of her inventions. While the pictures weren't currently coherent, Mable knew she would be able to jot them down once she returned home.

"Soy Bean, would you mind letting him go?" Mable asked, "I do believe you are killing him."

Ahuizotl gave Mable a look, which seemed to say, 'you think?'

Soy Bean giggled, "Oh, I'm so sorry."

She set Ahuizotl down who wheezed as fresh air returned to his lungs.

"Well, I best be going," Soy Bean grinned, "it was nice to see you again Mable. We should talk again sometime!"

"Yes, we should." Mable put on a fake smile. She really didn't want to meet Soy Bean again.

Both Mable and Ahuizotl watched as Soy Bean skipped down the street. With any luck, they would never meet again for a very long time.

"Ahuizotl I think it is time we head back."





Ahuizotl coughed as he vomited the last of the ice cream from his overly stuffed stomach. While he was in this inferior form he would need to remind himself that his belly was much smaller than usual.

After flushing the toilet, he proceeded to step out into the bedroom and try to see if he could find Mable. Judging from her urgency to return home, Mable was up to something and Ahuizotl wanted to know what it was. Taped to a chair just across from the door was a note, which read, 'Come to the library. There is a book I would like for you to see. Look for the book, The Science of Super-powered Ponies. Gently take it if you can.'

After reading the note, Ahuizotl stepped out of the bedroom and proceeded to look for the library. All the walls were made of a dark oak wood, with various landscape paintings mounted on the walls or the occasional pedestal with an elegant vase or small ornate statue resting upon it.

Eventually, Ahuizotl discovered a door that was ajar, that after peering in revealed that the room was, in fact, a library. Admittedly there were a lot more books here than he would have expected Mable to own. After what felt like hours of searching, Ahuizotl managed to find the book mentioned in the note.

"What a pain!" Ahuizotl growled as he reached up with his tail-hand to take the book. He managed to pull the book out only halfway when there was a clicking sound and the bookshelf began to move, revealing a secret passage.

Moving quietly, Ahuizotl stepped into the passageway. Beyond the entryway a long hallway consisting of concrete and lights tinted with green glass.

Any other pony might find the atmosphere to be unsettling or eerie, however to Ahuizotl it reminded him of the many temples he had explored. Passing through the entryway, Ahuizotl made his way down the dusty corridor, instinctively looking out for any traps. The way the hallway was set up, it was very surprising that there weren't any, considering that Mable was an actual supervillain.

At the end of the corridor was a steel metal door. Pushing open the door, Ahuizotl could see Mable sitting at a metal desk, sketching out some blueprints.

The room was made of concrete, with numerous boxes filled with scrap metal and broken electronics placed around the room. On Mable's desk, there was a lamp as well as two small television sets.

"I know you're there!" Mable said, catching Ahuizotl by surprise.

"How?"

"Motion sensor," Mable answered, not looking up from her work, "that way I can tell if someone is trying to sneak in."

Using a few of the boxes as stepping blocks, Ahuizotl made his way onto the desk, so he could see what Mable was working on. He was also able to determine by the visuals on the television sets that she had seen him coming.

"So how many of these..." Ahuizotl waved a paw, "secret rooms do you have in your sanctuary?"

"At least three," Mable replied, still focused on her blueprint, "sometimes I forget where they are."

That elicited a slight chuckle from Ahuizotl, "What are you working on?"

"Just a device Mane-iac showed me," Mable answered, still focused on her work.

"That's the other voice, you were talking about?" Ahuizotl inquired raising an eyebrow.

"Sometimes she shows me things. Mechanical contraptions that could be helpful."

"Okay, so what does it do?"

"I don't know," Mable replied, "I usually don't understand what they are until after I finish the blueprints. Although these designs do remind me of another device I made a while back."

"So why am I here?"

"Because I think we can work together," Mable answered, "I want to make this device and you want your power back. If we work together we can achieve both our goals."

"Okay," Ahuizotl said, "so we get along and no backstabbing?"

"Yeah, something like that," Mable said turning to Ahuizotl and holding out a hoof.

"What's this?"

"Have you never heard of a hoofshake before?" Mable inquired, "It's a sign of trust between business partners."

That might explain why Dr. Caballeron had been such a tricky scumbag, selling away prized relics behind Ahuizotl's back to "rich investors" who were no doubt, either Daring Do in disguise or somepony else working with her.

Very slowly Ahuizotl reached forward with a paw and touched Mable's hoof.

"Okay, we have a deal."