At that moment time seemed to slow down to a crawl. And, in all actuality, it appeared it was so indeed!
The time was passing so slowly it seemed it had stopped. And everyone had frozen: Ahuizotl, much enraged at whatever, Daring Do, set to get to Stealth Pun as fast, as possible… Even Stealth Pun had, watching the two approach. By his looks it would appear he was desperate. And doomed.
The genie admired the scene.
Hold on!.. Hadn’t he disappeared, right when Stealth had noticed Daring???
“Nope”, – answered that unasked question Gee… or rather that was what would appear to anyone, who could have watched that entire scene unfold and could have asked the question…
But there was no one. Only the genie, the two ponies and the beast. All alone in this field separating the city of Vanhoover from the forest they all had emerged from. All dreaming of getting to their goals… hoping to achieve them right then and there!
The genie smiled. It was a sight to behold!
“Nope”. The smile was replaced with a frown. The genie gave the scene a contemplative look.
“This adventure… – he said, – …is really… a story to tell! But…” The genie rubbed his chin. “Hm-m-m…” He contemplated some more.
“Well, I see no way this can end. Nope!”
That was… annoying, to say the least.
The genie needed not to resort to special effects, and an outline appeared before his very eyes.
“Okay… So… By all accounts… This most definitely requires a twist… A turn… Some sort of reversal. This is how you plot a book”.
But it would really be hard to come up with anything, if anything could happen! Although… Ahuizotl had proven to be a very good character. He had a goal he was striving for, longing for, craving for getting closer to! Anger bubbled in him; greed! He wouldn’t rest, till the lamp were his and only his! So he wasn’t a concern to Gee: Ahuizotl did his job well.
It was Daring, who was concerning the genie.
At the mention of her he snorted. So far she’d behaved herself. She’d partaken in the adventure, experienced thrill of unimaginable proportions… returned home safely… Those were by far the memories worth holding onto! And Gee did just that for a while.
“Ooh, yeah! – he remembered himself. – That’s right… Daring… has been a very good pony…”
…Not any more.
The more she partook in the tale, the more reluctantly she did that. After acquiring the lamp she had wished… only a very little! Nothing had been happening! Gosh!..
And when Stealth Pun had been introduced – she’d almost blown her chance to progress! Gee recalled that with a shudder. Huh… – he thought. A shudder… Normally I do that… well, never! But, gosh!..
He’d pleaded for her to play some more. And a bit more. And just one more time!.. She had. Days had passed – and thrill had happened! Things had escalated! Another day hadn’t even passed – and yet things had sky-rocketed! That was exciting!..
But now he was there, unsure of anything to come. The scene was frozen. Time was frozen. The knot had been tied very-very tightly, never more tightly! It couldn’t be tied even more. There had to be resolution.
…
But where could Gee get any of that?..
He growled, clenching his genie hands:
“Darn me for never accounting for that!!!”
The creatures were staring at Daring Do cautiously… with apprehension… They did clearly not expect her to bolt out of the house!
That’s right. When Daring Do had snatched that compass thingy from Ahuizotl and discovered it’d been supposed to take her to Stealth Pun… When she’d decided to follow its lead… She could expect a mad, mad chase… A very hot pursuit!..
But she hadn’t expected anyone to have accompanied the villain!
Was that an ambush?! Had they all been… hiding all that time??? Waiting patiently for her to get out??? And then!.. To!..
No, wait. Of course not! They hadn’t at all! Didn’t they look as though they weren’t expecting anyone to pop out from-within the house?
“But why did they?.. Well, nobody cares! RUN!!!”
Decisively, glancing at the mysterious compass just to be sure, Daring dashed, tumbling, in Stealth Pun’s direction, hoping madly the villains couldn’t react fast enough…
“WHAT ARE YOU LOGGERHEADS WAITING FOR?!! STOP HER BEFORE LONG!!!”
Oh no, DARN you, Ahuizotl!!!..
The henchcreatures obeyed frantically, getting each in other’s way. That’d give Daring much needed time to get as far away, as possible! Maybe, even out of sight!.. But, unfortunately, not out of mind, of that she was sure!
“But in any case, – she prayed, – …may I at least outrun them, please!..”
The forest trees watched the scene with interest. At one point an idea came to a tree, and it was so mischievous the tree couldn’t help itself. It tremored, giggling. And then it stretched out its root as though to make the mare trip…
Daring would have sprawled face-first, had she had no wings to support her! Darn that root! Why was it placed so inconveniently in her way?!
The tree cackled snarkily. Daring had no time for that, but she wanted to glare at it her hardest!
The sniggering was echoing throughout the forest: the trees all around had seen the prank and were now deliberately delaying Daring Do – much to her demise! Daring cursed: she had no time for that, and the villains were catching up!..
The villains had as much luck fighting the trees, as Daring, but at the very least they had Ahuizotl… motivating them. Granted, the same could be said for Daring: she had her pursuers… motivating her to run, run, run!.. So at the very least she didn’t think she’d be caught any time soon.
That was what she hoped.
“Please, let that be just the case!!!”
Rummaging through her options, she considered flying. That way she could avoid those nasty trees, be they darned thrice! But they had accounted for that, having grown canopies quite large and wide. And very twiggy and leafy.
“Consarn it!”
The trees only grinned.
“When I relocate my house, – thought Daring in fury, – I’ll make sure NO trees are around! These bastards are not very helpful, now are you?!”
And, indeed, they were not. Heh-heh-heh!
Pushing the thoughts of the trees to the back of her mind, Daring was making sure not to lose her focus of the path the trees couldn’t obstruct. If she were careful, she could find her way through!
Ahuizotl’s device she was holding was her guide. The needle didn’t tremble, pointing toward the one Daring desired to strangle about as badly, as she did – Ahuizotl.
“You-u-u, Stealth Pun!.. YOU ARE SO DEA-A-AD!!!..”
Ah, poor Stealth Pun! He didn’t even know, what was about to hit him!
For he was crouched in searches of the dropped lamp! That trinket!.. Where was it, gosh!..
Daring Do was approaching… His boss was approaching… His doom… was approaching!..
And his salvation was not.
Hold on… No way!.. Was that??..
It was!! “O-o-oh-h-h!..” The elusive box had not in fact disappeared! There it was, lost and found in the field’s grass! Oh, thank goodness!..
Stealth Pun jumped toward the box as if there’d been no tomorrow! The box wasn’t going to leap away from him, but he wasn’t taking any chances!
“…Gotcha!.. You bastard!..”
Yeah, box! What kind of a jerk were you to poor Stealth Pun, scaring him like that?! For a second there he thought he was done for it!..
…For a second there so thought Daring.
Despite the trees doing their best to stop her she still ran, occasionally assisting herself with her wings. And in the end it proved rewarding! Finally she could see the light! The forest was ending!..
The device that was guiding her refused to lead her away from the forest’s edge, suggesting strongly, that Stealth Pun had indeed gone that way – out of the forest.
Wait, Daring thought. Out of the forest? After stealing the lamp wasn’t he supposed to get back to his boss?.. Wasn’t that why said boss had been seeking his henchpony? To meet up?.. Was it a rendezvous on the outskirts?? Then!.. Oh!..
But the forest was ending nonetheless. The trees, begrudgingly, were letting go of Daring Do, as well as of the villains, and a vast field was emerging…
Daring recognised the sight. Though from an odd angle, it was!.. the city of Vanhoover!..
…The device started to beep. Stealth Pun was getting closer. Or, rather, getting closer to him was Daring. But where was Stealth?..
Ahuizotl’s shrieks shook the air.
Ahuizotl…
Daring Do was leading him right to Stealth Pun!..
“Ahuizotl!.. NO!.. I can’t believe it!.. YOU!.. You’ve planned everything so, that it worked out in YOUR favour!..”
Ahuizotl grinned: “What are you gonna do, Daring Do?!..”
No, wait… That’s not true… Instead of grinning he said – no, muttered all that… with worry.
That was right. Ahuizotl had no idea Daring Do was following the stolen device’s lead. For all he knew Daring was leading him away from the traitor! Which was absolutely not what he wanted!
Stealth Pun was crucial. He had to be reached – and eliminated!
For at this point Ahuizotl just wasn’t sure, if he could confront any of the two ponies… Clearly they were allied against him! And with one of them!.. POSSESSING THE LAMP!.. Ahuizotl felt the world was crumbling around him…
…Unless he could eliminate them both… So… first he had to catch up with Daring… Then… reclaim the tracker… And then? Oh, then!..
Stealth Pun would be ELIMINATED!!
And the lamp!.. would be Ahuizotl’s!
“Yes! Oo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-a-a!.. With the power of the lamp!.. I’ll change the world into my own paradise, in which I!.. AM!..
!..
GOD!!!.. OO-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, OO-HA-HA-HA-HA-A-A!..”
“Ah!..”
The genie was beyond agitated. Excited!.. Amused…
“It’s just as I thought! Equestrians are so interesting!”
And, interestingly enough, that was entirely due to Gee’s initiative!
Yeah, that’s right! He had no say in what he might do. But he still could do anything! Anything… his mistress wished for him to do…
And that was exactly what she’d done. She’d wished to experience the thrill of her own adventure for herself… That couldn’t be denied. “Gee, – she’d said, – I wish you did this!.. Retell me your plan, and if and only if I agree to it, then I wish your plan came to its realisation”.
The plan had been simple: Daring Do would be taken to where she could see her adventure’s events unfold. And then she’d write all of that down. And Gee had done just that: he had taken his mistress into her unwritten adventure. He’d set things up, as if he’d been coming up with them! He’d caused every misery upon Daring’s head! He’d created her adventure!.. For her…
“You wanted to have an adventure happen to you… To be its heroine… That’s fine. You may. Be a heroine, Daring Do! In your own tale! No need to thank me, not at all! ALL is as you wished, Mistress!” – the genie sneered.
Daring Do’s life had indeed turned into an adventure, and Gee was in charge: he was the narrator, the scriptwriter, the editor, the proofreader and the publisher. He might do anything. He could do anything.
Nothing was stopping him from fixing his mistakes in outlining. If this adventure needed a resolution – he could add it!
For Daring! And for her adventure!
“And for my freedom!”
Oh, Daring!.. You might really wish you hadn’t abandoned the lamp the moment you settled down, just a couple of days ago!.. Look at what was happening!..
And Daring did. The field was before her eyes, open and spacious. Nothing to deter her pursuers… Thankfully, Stealth Pun was getting closer: the device was beeping… But where was he? Where?..
Wherever he were, she thought, she had better NOT!.. let ANYONE!.. get to Stealth Pun!.. He had to have the lamp! But, if her deduction served her, Stealth Pun had chosen whichever spot it was to meet with Ahuizotl… And to… To transfer the…
“They’ll meet regardless of what I do!.. But…”
There was something she could do.
Daring flapped her wings.
Below her Ahuizotl was being desperate:
“No!.. SHE’S GETTING AWAY!!!”
Daring so wanted to turn her head back and to stick her tongue at the trees! Take that! No more could their canopies ground her! And the villain… couldn’t get her! She’d hide from his sight… Find Stealth Pun!.. And then!..
Stealth… Pun…
Daring almost dropped back to the ground.
She’d not flown high, but from this height she could already see his tiny figure right over there!..
He was holding something… Daring needed not any hints to guess what – that was her lamp!!!..
…Okay, so that was not technically true. The lamp was concealed in the box Daring Do had herself prepared, and then hidden from the wrong hooves…
…BUT THAT BOX WAS BEING HELD BY!!!..
Wind hit Daring right in her face. Who cares? She could still out-race him!.. Couldn’t she?..
Yes. If Stealth Pun didn’t hurry up, she very much could!
But no… he didn’t…
…Instead he’d opened the box and was now staring into it. The lamp – the real lamp (he hoped it was) lay within! Safe and sound!.. Good!..
Now… He had to hide. Daring Do was close, but that hardly mattered.
His boss…
His boss… might ruin everything! He’d hunt the both of them down!.. And then!..
“Punishment!..”
No way was Stealth getting punished! No way!.. He didn’t want to accept that! It wasn’t to happen to him!
Time to run! Stealth looked around… Space, space everywhere! The city was towering at a distance… Danger was coming from the forest!.. And every other direction – space… clear space… open clear space!..
How could he hide? How – run away?
Ahuizotl’s shrieks attracted his attention once more. The beast was angry… but hold on! At whom?
Stealth looked. Daring Do had taken off into the skies. And… it would appear, Ahuizotl couldn’t quite reach her…
Amazing!
None of them appeared to have noticed him! Yay!..
But he wasn’t yet safe! He was open in this field! Vulnerable! A sitting duck!..
Stealth adjusted himself to lie low and to hope to become invisible…
“Pst. Hey! What are you doing?!”
Stealth froze along with his heart.
“Oi! Stealth! Please, unfreeze, I’m talking to you!..”
The genie was trying to get Stealth’s attention – in vain.
He sighed.
A finger snap followed, and Stealth’s heart resumed its normal operation.
Stealth breathed again. “Oh my goodness…” The genie, this time, was right in front of him; he didn’t even need to turn. “You’ve done it again! GOSH!!!”
Before the genie could answer, however…
…Something hit Stealth Pun…
No, wait! Someone hit him!..
Daring Do!
Stealth couldn’t tell that, but that was Daring Do! The mare had indeed collided with him at full force, and now the both of them were lying sprawled. This time, however, it would appear at least one of them… had broken a bone, unlike the last time they’d collided…
“Ugh… Ouch!..”
…But no. They hadn’t. That wouldn’t… feel right…
Daring raised her head. Darn that head!.. It hurt!!!.. Ouch!.. She hissed and rubbed it.
Stealth Pun lay motionless. Perhaps, she’d hit him harder, than intended. But that was a good thing: now he couldn’t resist her!.. And, whatever he had been preparing to commit with the lamp, had been prevented. The box had been knocked out of his grasp… And was on its side right over there.
Steps were heard: someone was approaching… had approached. Walked toward the box…
“W-w-wait…” Daring attempted to stand, but her head… Ow-w-w…
The unknown approached the box. Took a hold of it with his tail…
…A tail???
Daring was jolted!
But someone prevented her, and she was brought back down, her face ending up buried into… Stealth Pun, who was the earth’s substitute that day.
The unknown opened the box.
For some time nothing was changed. He was staring into the box without a word…
Daring Do whimpered.
The unknown one smiled.
His hand reached into…
Daring Do let out a squeak, then proceeded to squirming, whoever was holding her be darned!
The hand, unsure, never touched anything, but the smile only expanded:
“This lamp here… is actually a real one!.. Ha-ha! Yes!.. There’s no denying it!”
He proclaimed then:
“Genie! I DEMAND you’d TELL ME!..”
Daring couldn’t believe that. Gee? Here???..
The beast pointed a finger:
“Were I to have come in possession of the REAL lamp!.. Tell me…”
He arched his arm back, ready to bring a mighty touch to the vessel! Then spoke:
“What would you do?”
And, despite how much Daring hoped no answer came…
It did.
The genie answered:
“In all honesty?”
The genie didn’t seem a bit worried – although neither did he look calm. He was… mischievous, perhaps… A naughty being, to whom the seriousness of the situation had to be explained, or otherwise he wouldn’t drop his goofing around!
“In all honesty?..” Gee’s arms wove behind his head, as he floated. “I wish I might sit back, rela-a-ax!.. and enjoy the events unfolding!..”
He smiled.
“But I won’t”. The smile was dropped. “As per my mistress wish… – and the genie nodded at the pony, – the lamp must never – and I mean NEVER! – fall to the wrong hands! Or whatever may be used instead of hands”, – he added.
The villain only gritted his teeth, abandoning his intent reluctantly; while Daring only sighed… Of course… Why-ever had she been worried?? Gee would have been keeping an eye on the lamp – and he had!
She cursed herself mentally: of course! She’d wished so herself! No one might touch the lamp!
And so Stealth hadn’t touched it. At all! He’d only touched the box!..
How could she have overlooked something so obvious?! Stealth Pun would have never been able to touch the lamp – thus being the genie’s co-master – because!..
“However, – the genie added suddenly. – …Being not literal-minded…”
From-under Daring Do a whimper could be heard:
“O-ho-ho-ho-ho, not again!..”
Stealth Pun was alive and conscious.
“Yes! I am not! And thus!..”
Ahuizotl was motionless, paying heed to every word the genie made.
Stealth Pun was whimpering.
…And Daring was uncertain. Gee?.. Whatever are you going on about?..
“…even though my mistress here… told me she wished nobody might’ve touched the lamp…”
N-no… that couldn’t be happening!..
“Well, her actual intent was…”
“Don’t you dare, Gee, – wheezed out Daring. – You hear??!”
The genie couldn’t contain a smile. A cocky smile.
“Things cannot be denied, Mistress, – he said. – You do realise we both can’t keep this charade up forever! As much, as I’d wished!.. for a never ending adventure!.. Ah… I still must obey your wish!”
“…Which you’d… disregard COMPLETELY for the sake of following the spirit of your imagination! – Daring exploded. – There is NO actual intent beside protecting this!.. extremely dangerous, might I remind!.. WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION THAT DOUBLES AS A MIND-CONTROLLING DEVICE!!!”
Oohs were heard all around: Ahuizotl’s henches approved greatly!
“So? Your point being?” – disregarded the genie.
“ENOUGH!!!” – Ahuizotl intervened. – It’s TIME!..”
But, as he was about to come into contact with the fate-sealing device, something he’d forgotten to account for happened: his entire gang, up until then following his every word, went absolutely crazy – and charged at their boss in an attempt to lay their diversity of appendages at the source of UNFATHOMABLE POWAH-H-H!!!
Ahuizotl was knocked down. The box fell on the ground, and the evil gang was busy pushing each other in attempts to lay hold of the key to ruling the universe!..
Daring felt relief: whoever it was that was holding her down got off of her, and then into the transpiring madness.
Daring followed suit shortly. She absolutely had to get to it first!..
Despite what might have happened, her agility failed her. No sweet moves to include into this scene! Getting the lamp seemed impossible!..
“Oh my!” The genie, it seemed, was having the time of his life!
“Gee!”
“Ye-e-es, my mistress?..” The genie seemed to pay no attention.
“STOP THIS ALL!!!”
Everyone paused momentarily – before returning to matters more pressing, than that. For example, claiming the universe!
“Ah-h-h, but, Mistress!..” The genie, despite seeing her despair, emanated glee. “Must I re-iterate? Being not literal-minded…”
A groan followed that:
“Oho-ho-o-o!..”
Stealth Pun was slowly getting up, though really feeling like lying down again.
“NO!!! Gee!!!”
Oh no, Daring was having none of that! The lamp HAD to be owned ONLY by one (1) person! Otherwise Daring!.. would LOSE control over the being already naughty as it was!..
The genie smiled. He knew that!
“This is it, Daring. The most important moment in your life… Do you think your readers will ADORE whatever you’ve experienced?!” – the genie beamed.
“To hell with the readers, Gee!.. If you disobey me!.. Then!.. W-w… Y-y… y-you’ll be of no help! Look around!! This is a win for Ahuizotl! The moment he touch the lamp – we’ll HAVE TO ally!!!”
“And? The problem here is?..”
“The problem here, Gee, is!.. Oh my gosh!.. Gee!.. You are ruining everything!!..” – Daring was ready to cry.
“Am I?.. Oh-h-h, no, Mistress! Get a glimpse!”
…And the noise all around quieted.
Still stiff, Daring looked around. The scene was frozen. Time was frozen. Again…
“Look closely, Daring”. The genie moved about. “This is the lamp that must never be touched… And this is the one, who wants to touch it! And all of them are! And YOU can STOP them all! It’s only a wish away!”
There was no arguing that logic, Daring thought. But…
“Gee…” Daring sighed. “…A wish away?”
“Absolutely, Mistress!” – the genie promised with a smile.
“THEN WHAT IN THE NAME OF HECK, GEE?! – Daring roared. – …What?!.. in the name of heck?!!” Was she crying?.. “…When I wish for you to END this nightmare!.. You!.. instead?!..”
“Oh, my…” The genie floated closer, as though he’d sincerely been touched to see her melt down. “And isn’t your wish, Mistress… to have your adventure ready?! Come on! You’ve got enough already to show that Prettyless guy!.. What was his name?.. And! As a writer you MUST know that!.. What is it that’s missing here?..”
He gestured at the scene.
“WHO CARES?! – barked Daring out. – Nobody’s going to suffer any more!! I will not!.. I REFUSE to have anything with that villain!!.. The only way this can end is!..”
She breathed heavily.
No words came.
How could that all end?.. End in a way, that would still make for a great book Letterpress would be very proud of!.. How??..
The genie waited for her to continue, but she didn’t.
“I see… – he said finally. – You too have no idea, what’s in the end. Right? That’s OK! However!..”
He floated closer to her and unfurled a scroll out of nowhere. The parchment descended right to the very ground.
“What’s that?”
The genie said nothing, and Daring inspected the scroll.
…She saw an outline. It summarised her adventure from the moment she’d met Gee and till the moment the battle for the lamp had engaged. That was a good outline. Letterpress would surely like it. The roadmap of her entire adventure!..
“So?! – asked Gee. – What’s missing?!”
Daring seemed to contemplate…
A hoof then smacked the scroll out of Gee’s “hand”:
“Gee”. Daring was adamant. “Cut this out already!”
She stared the being down in resolution. She started:
“I wish…”
“Mistress! – the genie interrupted. – Your adventure is surely fine the way it is!..”
“It is?.. Oh, gee, I haven’t noticed!..” – Daring remarked sarcastically.
“Yeah, you could end it right here! And submit the manu… uh… hoofscript to that guy!..”
“So? – Daring crooked a smile. – What’s the problem, then? I wish life…”
“…And he’d say to you: Miss Do… Tell me, please… Do you happen to have noticed?.. that you’ve missed by far the most important part?!”
“Yeah, funny voice, Gee. Whatever he may say!..” She shook her head stubbornly. “Get life back to normal… That’s all I wish”.
Gee was about to have a fit:
“Oh! Mistress!!!.. Bosh barn it!.. How can’t you SEE there is no reversal?! Oh my cod!.. Mistress!..”
He started pacing:
“The reversal is the turning point in a story… In any story!.. You can’t have an adventure without a reversal!.. Gosh! Look around ya!” He stopped to gesture emphatically at the frozen scene. “This is the culmination! The boiling point is reached! Things cannot be postponed any more!”
He faced Daring. Space seemed to shrink; there were now only the two of them. The genie looked adamant now too.
“It is up to you, my pony!.. to decide, what to do! To save the universe from the evil Ahuizotl… or to let HIM inherit the power!.. The unfathomable power!..”
The genie sighed. Then after some silence he added:
“I wish I had that power!..” Another sigh. “…Alas, I mayn’t. As you know, your desires for this world override mine. But, well…”
He paused.
Before long he smiled mysteriously and continued:
“…Well, enjoy that power, while you can!”
...As confusing and unexpected, as that sudden quip was, no response came from Daring.
"H... hello! Hey, Mistress!" Gee was snapping fingers before Daring's blank stare.
She didn't react. She was thinking...
“The boiling point… ‘Lack of reversal’… If I could add that one thing… would it actually?.. bring my adventure… to an end?
If I could… then it would end… and it all’d be back to normal again! Normal life!.. No more Ahuizotls chasing after magic lamps!.. The cosiness of a house! A sip from a cup of tea!..
…Another project – off my shoulders!..”
The idea was mesmerising! Her adventure – and the book about it – would be over!
And what an interesting adventure it was! Gee was right: it had culminated. But still… If at that point… she had to make a decision… If it meant it could end in any way, depending on what she’d choose… Then…
“This is not a reversal… – Daring shook her head in realisation, – it’s a choice!”
Gee was torn between looking curious and conflicted:
“Uh… huh… Ah-h-h… What, with this entire lamp-stealing being the surprise?.. Yes… That works too. Congratulations, Daring! You can outline after all!”
Daring bit her lip.
“Well, then, – she mumbled. – If I had to choose out of…”
“Yes, Mistress! – the genie was eager. – Do make the choice! Time must flow again!”
And that it did: everyone, who was frozen in motion, resumed whatever it was they were doing – mostly fighting for the lamp, except for Stealth Pun, who was rising despite his sore body.
There was no time to lose!
Daring gathered her bearings:
“Gee!..”
She paused before saying:
“I wish… this lamp were sent to Tartarus knows where! Far away from Equestria!.. Where its terrible power could not be exerted over anyone!”
Exactly at that moment a scream startled everyone:
“THAT’S IT! STAND BACK!”
Time seemed to freeze once again, although Gee had nothing to do with that.
What he had instead was a dumb look:
“What?.. No way!..”
Stealth Pun had finally gotten on his hooves and was about to plunge into the brawl… But no one was fighting. Stealth sought the treasured box… It lay on the ground empty. On the ground also lay Ahuizotl, seemingly in the fetal position. He was clutching something, eyes shut.
As time passed, giggles could be heard. What was that?..
The giggles intensified. More and more… Until…
Ahuizotl was laughing maniacally. No one interrupted him, till he finally finished, opened his eyes, and then announced:
“That’s right!.. That! Is! IT!”
With all the time in the world he got up, and then gave everyone a derisive look:
“And what can you do?! Kill me right here?? Pry this vessel… from my rigid hands??..”
Nobody answered that.
“Hear this… Not only am I the greatest villain that’s ever lived…” His eyes turned mad. “…but I am GOD of this world as well!!!”
That said, Ahuizotl took to admiring the lamp he was holding.
“Whoever takes the lamp, takes the world!.. and is the one, who’s maintaining order! I’ve become unstoppable… The true ruler of Equestria!.. and of what’s beyond!”
He remembered he was not alone and spoke, almost lunging at the crowd!
“Now, come! I DARE you!!.. Take this lamp from me!.. I should REALLY like to see you fail!!!”
Nobody moved. Ahuizotl only grinned:
“That’s right!.. THIS is what you GET for being SO MORONIC as to OPPOSE ME!!!”
“Ahuizotl, – interrupted him Gee, – do you mind? I think I... was actually supposed to fulfil a wish… and…”
“SILENCE!!! You now are under MY COMMAND!!!”
“Uh…”
Nobody durst question Ahuizotl’s authority. Whoever took the lamp, took the world – that was the rule with magic lamps… But two ponies were not like Ahuizotl’s minions.
Stealth Pun’s heart had sunk a long time ago. His boss’ wrath… and punishment!.. awaited everyone… Yet, if Stealth couldn’t have touched the lamp, – how come Ahuizotl could??? The genie was definitely up to something, of that Stealth was sure!..
Daring Do’s heart, on the other hand, had not just sunk… In all honesty, she thought she was already dead! She had been late, hadn’t she?.. Ahuizotl had… No… Come to match her!.. With them both bossing Gee around!.. Unless she had not been late after all!..
The two ponies, breath bated, awaited Gee’s final words on the matter.
On that did everything depend.