Twilight Gets a Puppy
Season 4
By TDR
Dolphin Don't
Part 5
[ Fortress of Talacon ]
[ Finally we have a named location again! No idea where this is though.]
Daring Do frowned.
It didn't take long for her to assess her situation. She was bound spread eagle to a wall, she would have to call out Ahuizotl for being a pervert later. The walls were lined with spiked poles that might be an impediment to any one flying who wasn't skilled. There was an open tunnel a few stories above her head that was likely how she got into this chute.
There was a large pool of water below her at the bottom of the shaft that was slowly filling with water and she could see what looked like piranha swimming around in it.
Daring was more worried about the water rising than the piranha as the fish were not likely to bother her until she drowned and became little more than carrion for them to pick at. She didn't understand where the fear of the fish came from after all. Sure there were a couple of reported bites here and there but there were very very few deaths by piranha and most of those were foals or idiots who decided to swim in the middle of a small pool of them during the dry season when the fish were already stressed and starving.
Crabs were worse, buck she was glad no one used crabs in death traps, she hated crabs.
The worst thing however, was that she had lost her hat.
Still all in all this was a pretty standard death trap, she expected Ahuizotl was just trying to slow her down a little bit so he could do what he was planning.
Honestly she had hoped for a bit more originality than this. Ahuizotl was slipping, he wasn't even around to gloat, truly amateurish for a villain.
Daring squirmed a little pulling at the bonds letting out a little yelp as one of the blocks of stone holding her pulled free of the wall and yanked her back leg down with the weight of the stone.
Right okay so this was a better death trap than she thought.
Still she had to try to get free.
More struggling wound up with two more hooves freed and weighed down with weights.
“I did not think this through.” Daring muttered noting the last brick was starting to slip free.
She jerked with a wince as it fell, her wings flapping wildly trying to lift herself up as the weight of the stones pulled her down, the stone brushing against the waters surface as she was barely able to keep herself aloft.
A rubbery appendage suddenly wrapped around her middle and pulled her up with a yelp. Looking up a large purple octopus was hanging out of the tunnel further up the wall. Two of it's arms were gripping her and the rest were clinging to the walls or gripped by a large blue furred moon dog with a clawed up coat.
“I got you.” Saturnia offered pulling DD up along with her self, with Rahs' help, back to the platform.
“Nice of you guys to finally show up.”DD snarked.
“We can put you back.” Saturnia grumbled pulling DD up into the tunnel. “ Also did you put on weight?”
“I have bricks on my hooves!” DD snapped.
“Really I was talking about that you felt more routound …..”Saturnia smirked shifting back into her pink maned changeling form once DD was on solid ground.
“Woof?” Rahs asked leaning over the edge of the pit to take a picture.
“No we're not related. We've just been friends a long time.” DD offered smashing the stone bound to her hooves against the walkway to free herself.
“Too long one might suggest.” Saturnia smirked.
“Right, anyway, we have to stop Ahuizotl before he completes the ritual, he has to have all the rings by now.” DD pointed out.
“Well we had best help so you don't screw it up like the Mareavo thing.” Saturnia huffed.
Rahs tossed DD her pith hat and the pegasus grinned snatching it out of the air and putting it on.
“Let's go stop Ahuizotl!”
Arcane blasts of power soared skyward like a burning tornado as Ahuizotl cackled like a mad pony.
Waves of heat radiated from the pillar of gold rings, the mass of energy shooting into the sky, burning away all the cloud cover, lighting up the valley brighter than a thousand flashbulbs.
Rahs quickly took a picture.
The thumping beat of scores of ponies stamping the butts of their spears on the floor echoed in the temple hall, chanting in some old language filled the air.
The ponies had odd looks to them, as if they had some sort of mixed heritage, likely a zebra as some of them still had stripes along their legs or neck.
“We're too late.” Saturnia gasped.
“Bark?” Rahs offered.
“Can you deal with this much magic?” DD asked.
“He did use Discord as a chew toy at one point.” Saturnia pointed out.
“Why does every one keep bringing that up?” Huffed Discord.
“Bork!” Rahs pointed out.
“It was not funny.” Discord grumbled before vanishing.
“You're too late Daring Do! The Bands of Scorchero have been gathered and this valley will be bathed in eight hundred years of unrelenting, sweltering heat! HAHAHA!” Ahuizotl laughed. “ Now, DESTROY THEM!”
The tribal ponies all turned to the trio and rushed forward with their spears.
Rahs quickly took a picture, blinding the closest with the flash causing the others to crash together in a jumble of limbs.
DD launched herself at Ahuizotl soaring over the others heads. Saturnia shifted into a manticore and plowed into the mass of ponies as Rahs rushed forward towards the pillar, throwing ponies aside who got too close.
DD impacted the odd chimeric creature, the pair starting to brawl on the far side of the pillar as Rahs closed on it.
There was an odd scent to the magic, familiar almost, though Rahs couldn't quite put his claw on what until the pillar flared brightly, the wash of energy sending everyone tumbling away from the pillar to crash against the walls of the temple.
The pillar burned brightly, the orange power pouring off it flickering like flame as it danced over the stone work. The fire spread, fanning out to either side of the pillar nearly touching the walls as it grew bright enough that every one had to shield their eyes.
In the midst of the burning aura, a darker form moved, seeming to be emerging from the fire.
“Behold Scorchero, the one to protect us from the coming Frozen Dark!” one of the tribal ponies shouted.
The rest of the tribe quickly dropped their weapons and bowed deeply leaving Rahs and Saturnia staring at the approaching figure.
Behind the pyre DD and Ahuizotl continued to brawl.
Stepping out of the fire strode a tall white form. The equine creature was striped with streaks of red across it's flank and legs, gold bands covered it's limbs and more ran around it's neck . It's purple, pink, and blue tail and mane were heavily braided and dotted with small burning embers woven into them, that produced flickering flames, though did no damage to the hair. It's face was obscured by a massive skull of what might have once been an elk, the antlers stretching up with a gold disk suspended on strings between them. A single pearl horn jutted through the main part of the skull, the heavy bone casting the figures eyes in shadow and only showing the red stripes along it's muzzle.
Saturnia growled at the presence, her ears flattening to her manticore head as the form emerged from the fire, the ancient god Scorchero had returned.
Rahs on the other hoof had to hold back a snort of laughter.
“GAH!!” DD shouted, being flung through the fire to land with a thud and bounce back up to her hooves next to the summoned god. “Was that your best Ahuizotl?!”
The newly summoned god looked down as DD grabbed her hat, putting it back on her head with a snarl, getting ready to launch herself back through the fire at Ahuizotl, not even noticing the deity.
“Yearling?” Scorchero asked.
DD stopped, and turned to look back and then up at the figure wreathed in flames.
“Celestia?” DD asked blinking in confusion. “What the buck are you wearing?”
Rahs finally fell over laughing his tail off.
Princess Celestia huffed glaring at the moon dog.” I will have you know this is the style of dress that I was most often presented as when I was still the goddess of the Zebras.”
“What?” Saturnia asked.
“I was rather wondering who had activated this spell. I should have known it was you Yearling.” Celestia sighed.
“Wait, so you're Scorchero!?” DD demanded.
“That is the name the zebra gave me.”Celestia grumbled.” I made them change it from Urya Ibiryo.”
“'She who devours pastries'. Yeah, good change.” DD smirked.”So what is all this why did the rings summon you?”
“Oh. This is one of the plans I had in place to deal with my sister's return. The summoning circle could pull me from anywhere including from being locked into my own sun once all the rings were gathered.”Celestia explained. “ This was a bit of a long shot in truth, but I prepared countless counter measures.”
“So the eight hundred years of unrelenting, sweltering heat?”DD questioned.
“Was supposed to be a counter for the pitch black cold, eternal night would bring. Granted that entire statement sounds like a bad translation really. The message I left was simply 'to bring back the sun'.” Celestia sighed. “After all this temple was built to..”
“NOPE!” DD stated. ”Stop right there. I told you before you are not going to tell me these things I am going to figure them out for myself. I am not taking the easy answers.”
“You know they make a thing now called mystery novels if you are really so set on figuring things out. Much less dangerous then digging around in old temples fighting guardians.” Celestia sighed.
“AKK !! Ahuizotl!!” DD shouted turning and launching herself back through the flames.
“Honestly it would be that much simpler if she just let me tell her these things. Ah well.” Celestia stated turning to look at the still bowing tribal ponies. “Rise my little ponies, seriously it's been centuries I didn't even realize there were any followers of my old name anymore... and most of you are zebra descendants too. Well so long as you're not sacrificing anything in my name I suppose it's fine. You can all go back to doing... well what ever you were doing out here.”
Celestia frowned noting a flare of green and spotted a navy blue pegasus try and back out of the hall.
The Princess turned, quickly approaching the mare, looking down at her, the alicorns eyes narrowing. “So you're Saturnia, Chrysalis' daughter.”
Her tone was flat, though Saturnia's eyes widened at being recognized, the mare quickly trying to back up more only to press against the wall shaking as she stared up at the large tribal looking solar princess. She could feel the anger and rage boiling just beneath the surface of the mares calm looking expression.
A sudden flash of light distracted both of them. The pair looked over at Rahs who was holding up the camera a wide grin on his face.
“I wonder what Luna would think of this outfit of yours?”
“Don't you dare Rahs!” Celestia snapped her eyes widening as Rahs took another picture of her, stuck out his tongue at the princess, and took off running.
“Damn it Rahs! Get back here with that camera!” Celestia shouted taking off after the moon dog. “ You are not to show those pictures to Luna by royal decree!!”
“BORK!!”
“I don't know what you said but don't you take that tone with me!”
Saturnia blinked and slumped down against the stone wall as the pillar of flame faded out. Her hoof pressed to her chest as she panted trying to calm down from that encounter.
“This has been the stupidest adventure with DD yet.” Saturnia grumbled.