//------------------------------// // Chapter 11. Guess, what happens next! // Story: Daring Do and the magic lamp // by Andy Ray //------------------------------// Somewhere away from the thrill of fighting over the lamp there lived an old cat lady. Her days were recently spent in loneliness… So there was no expressing the excitement the lady felt upon receiving a letter from her beloved sonny! Gosh! It was so rarely he wrote her! That couldn’t but sadden, although her son was not necessarily to be blamed: he worked for a really big shot! The lonesome mother opened the envelope. Her joy in her life asked, if his mom was doing well and stuff; he hastened to update her on his job. So far so weird, he wrote. His boss had a big project. He had employed everyone! That was unprecedented!.. Then it had turned out his boss‘d only captured one single pony! He guessed, she had been important… They hadn’t caught her, though. She had escaped. His boss had been furious! And then he'd mobilised a search party! Together they'd found her. She, nonetheless, had fled – but not for long! They'd gotten her! Turned out she’d stolen something very important! It had been a magic lamp! He kidded his mom not! The pony had said so herself! And his boss had been very agitated to claim it!.. But… then everyone had lost his head… He'd feared to be enslaved by the new master of the lamp, and so he'd attempted to secure it too… But his boss had gotten to it first… Then, Mom! Something really weird happened!.. At that the mother stopped to raise her glasses. She couldn’t believe what her son was reporting! Can you imagine?!.. “Okie-dokie, then!” – the genie answered cheerfully. A finger snap followed. Daring Do froze. So did Stealth Pun. And, of course, so did Ahuizotl… His henchcreatures awaited the resolution… … “W-welp… – the genie uttered, – apparently, I’m out of pract…” And no sooner did he utter that, than some sort of an oval, black portal opened under Ahuizotl, who promptly fell down it with a surprised yelp! “Assist! Assist Ahuizotl! Assist!” – scrambled his minions to help. However the portal closed right when they were about to enter it. The minions collided and howled. The only ponies there, Daring and Stealth, were busy processing the event. Da hay just happened?!.. Stealth Pun was the first to speak: “Well… Here we have it…” “It’s worked!.. Yahoo!!!” Yes, Daring was beyond excited! Her wishing, despite Ahuizotl‘s having grabbed the lamp, had still taken precedence! It meant, the genie had still to protect the lamp – which he’d really sent to gosh-knows-where!.. “Hold on, Gee! – Daring stopped her happy dancing. – Why did Ahuizotl of all people disappear??!” The genie was wearing some kind of overdress and packing some sort of valise. “Why, why!.. – he grumbled. – What‘s not to understand?! He got caught in the wishing! That’s why!” “But… Ugh!.. – Daring was befuddled. – Why did he fall after the lamp?! If he!.. If he ever!..” Panic overtook her. The genie was checking some sort of tickets: “Well, he did touch the lamp, did he not?..” “But wait, then!..” – both Daring and Stealth hastened to process that. If Ahuizotl had really touched the lamp, had Gee really protected it? “What did you expect? I told you things couldn’t be postponed any more! And you told me yourself it was ’the choice‘! Apparently, Mistress, your adventure nears its culmination!” The genie was proclaiming like an announcer now. “It is time we had the final battle! The final struggle! The final obstacle!.. After that there can’t be a struggle to win! Victory will be ours!.. or theirs. I don’t care!” Those words said, he took his valise and stared at his watch: “Now, if you excuse me, I have a vacation to enjoy!” “Hold it!.. – Daring waved. – What vacation?!?!” Before Gee could reply, someone yodelling crashed nearby from up above, scaring everyone, even Ahuizotl’s minions. It appeared to be a flying cab of sorts. It got battered after its fall. A head poked out of a skewed door: “Anybody order a taxi?” “Well, it‘s about time! – humphed Gee. – Good bye, everypony and everynonpony! Off I go to enjoy some beach-time!.. in the middle of nowhere!” – he added. “I’ll be back in time for the two of you to figure out, how to re-unite! Ta-ta-a-a!” He got promptly inside, and the taxi cab, rather than driving away, poofed out of existence, and everyone was left to make whatever out of it. …Silence was broken by one of Ahuizotl’s minions this time: “Well, they made our boss disappear! And since I have last had a heart-to-heart with our boss, that must mean he trusts me the most! So: get the ponies!!! Before they get us!.. I MEAN!.. Before they get away!!!!” The old cat lady bobbed her head from side to side at the news. A change of management crew?! She had her own stories about it to spare! Her sonny assured her, that it wasn’t so bad, if that was what she was wondering. The old boss hadn’t disappeared due to their slip-ups, gosh forbid! Apparently, the lamp had been so powerful… In any case, as far, as her sonny was concerned, the old boss was on a sudden vacation! The new boss hadn’t even lasted that long!.. …Although the newly proclaimed leader of Ahuizotl‘s gang couldn’t know that. When it was over with the sudden managerial shift, the ponies became the new priority. Both Daring, and Stealth Pun were tied and gagged. That way they could not misbehave, even if they tried! Of course, to say it didn’t really please the captives would mean insulting the audience that could totally understand that. But Daring so, so wanted to express!.. just how displeased she was with them! Gosh! There was no expressing that!.. Just when she had been sure that nightmare would have been over!.. Something really undesirable had happened!.. And Daring couldn’t parse the reasons for that for the life of hers! When Ahuizotl had clearly TOUCHED the lamp!.. Daring Do had been sure that had spelt her demise!.. If anyone had ever touched the lamp, that would have signified eligibility to wish! And Daring wasn’t ready to counsel on what should have been wished to happen! Especially if it meant counselling with Ahuizotl of all creatures!.. But that had clearly not been the case. If it had, the villain wouldn’t have been sent to Tartarus-knows-where!.. But that was exactly the problem! She’d never wished to send Ahuizotl plummeting after the lamp!.. How had that occurred?.. She wished she could have known… but the genie seemed to have vanished: he didn’t respond to her silent prayers, didn’t undo knots… He didn’t do anything and didn’t appear he was about to! How could that have happened??! “…Did Ahuizotl… actually??!..” That was burdensome to know… If that were the case, well, there was no way she could be freed!.. Although… With their wishing neutralised at that point… it had to mean… that they were actually equals in their as time old rivalry!.. And that had to mean!.. Daring looked at Stealth. He wasn’t much better off, than her: bound like a turkey… That, oddly enough, felt… satisfying! He’d finally gotten his punishment! Ha-ha! That was going to be good!.. Daring frowned. For all intents and purposes, Stealth looked crestfallen. Like, really crushed by everything that had gone wrong! From hero to zero! Or, maybe, rather from a villain to a zillain, whatever that meant… Yes, that felt satisfying! Daring smiled. It was time to gloat! And to rub that in his face!.. Uh, no, wait… That didn’t sound correct at all! Weren’t the both of them in that pickle? Daring didn’t feel she had a right to jeer. No… For the time being Daring was fighting with herself: did she feel for Stealth Pun or had he deserved that? Surely he’d been a sweet guy… albeit working for the forces of evil! But look at how crestfallen he looked! Again with that word? What was wrong with her? Did she sympathise with him? The internal struggle was unbearable, and Daring felt sick. Getting all friendly with an enemy??! Never!!!.. “But he hugged me!” – tried she to reason with her stubborn self. Why, if THAT couldn’t convince her, she didn’t know, what could!.. Huh??? What was that?.. Ah, THAT was her recalling Stealth Pun being… Wai-i-it!.. It was decided then and there! They were in for it together. And that meant, they had to co-operate! If only she could convince him… somehow-w-w… Hm-m-m… The evil-doers were carrying their prisoners toward the actual prison: deep in Ahuizotl‘s lair… That was, admittedly, a long ways to go, but that had to be done: someone had to pay for Ahuizotl’s fiasco! Oh, Ahuizotl would be avenged! Avenged! And Daring Do!.. would taste their wrath!.. …Stealth Pun would taste it too, but for pretty much differing reasons. …The sun was already setting, and the villains had still not made it to their abode. After chasing the ponies all day everyone was tired, especially those poor felines, who were actually carrying the culprits. The folks were grunting, but no one was saying a word. Daring needed relief in every sense of the word imaginable, but couldn’t ask for that. She guessed Stealth Pun had the same itch too, but that thought wasn’t nearly as satisfying, as it would have been before. By the time torches had to be lit to navigate through the forest – Daring was whimpering silently; by all accounts, she would have whined, if she could’ve!.. Stealth Pun didn’t seem to be troubled in the slightest. That good-for-nothing!.. The rest of the group were lamenting the ridiculously long way back home just about as much: complaints were occasionally spewed in depth and at length! The gang leader barked for everyone to shut up, but that didn’t really seem that efficient, to be honest… He had to re-assure everyone, that they had to trust him, since, by his calculations, the lair wasn’t that much far away… … However, when a particularly non-picky feline sniffed a place it had relieved itself earlier at and called going in circles… Well, needless to say, a camp had to be set up eventually… The leader snapped from time to time, that he’d just gotten lost in the dark and that literally anyone would have been absolutely lost in these woods without a leader!.. The minions, naturally, got mad! If only they had had a leader, they snarled, they would have long made it to the lair! what kind of an idiot didn’t know his way through?!.. And so on. The failed leader wasn’t pleased in his heart. In fact, he absolutely crucified them: first off, he was not an idiot!!! Second off, he was the best of them all, since none knew the way, apparently! And finally! Even at his best!.. He was not Ahuizotl! He would surely have known the way! Why hadn’t anybody stayed in that field and waited for his returnal!.. Dang it! For his arrival back!.. You know what I mean! – he ended with a scream. A brawl was by then brewing; the dimwitted pathfinder received more insults his way and absolutely lost it, enquiring of everyone: could an idiot punch you in your face, huh, could an idiot do that?!?! Punching turned out to be just as idiotic, as it was suspected to be, as the punchee was a very burly cat… …After everyone was scratched and bruised, everycat reached maturity to debate the need in a better leader; a voting committee was created, and first candidates were registered. After vigorous campaigns, the voting and the counting – the newly chosen leader did become… The old cat lady couldn’t believe what she was reading with her failing eyes and had to go a distance to pay a visit to a much less visually impaired old lady, who in fact confirmed, that, yes, her sonny had indeed written, that the name of the new evil president was… “…Stealth Pun???” The election committee scrambled to recheck… Nope, somehow Stealth Pun, without even properly registering, got just enough votes to be elected… A referendum was held post-haste, but it simply stood to reason, that, if anyone else could know the way back to the lair, it had to be Stealth Pun: he had, after all, been hired by Ahuizotl to work in those parts of the wood, seeing it, as he had been spying on Daring Do or something, the felines couldn’t tell… Regardless of whether that was actually true or not, Stealth Pun was accepted to lead the way, ungagged (to pledge to serve his nation… Oops!.. His fellow bandits’ principles and yadda-yadda…), and finally he was untied. Naturally, Stealth Pun couldn’t find a reason to complain. First, he declared, that the woods were too dark to navigate through, for which he’d almost paid with his newly acquired position; but he assured everypony present, that that was what a true leader would have done regardless. Food was ordered to be hunted down immediately; Stealth Pun resorted to a vegetarian meal. For obvious reasons. Unlike Stealth Pun, Daring was left tied, gagged and suffering! That had to be rectified! Stealth Pun, being a gentlecolt, personally saw to chaining Daring to himself – with whatever he could use as a chain, that is, – and then ordered every other villain to take a grip of someone else; the resulting train of villainous “wagons” then joined their freshly elected “locomotive” (Stealth felt silly being considered that); and only then Stealth freed Daring Do. She immediately thanked him and found herself in nearby bushes, the villains just about tumbling from the pull of the chain. After a patient wait Daring Do returned. Stealth discussed with himself, why she hadn’t even attempted to flee, but couldn’t answer that. Very cordially he then invited the mare to dine, which she accepted just as politely. Stealth Pun didn’t really feel at ease: that kind of behaviour most definitely signified mischief to him… Nonetheless, a supper awaited. Everyone was seated around the bonfire. Uncharacteristic pleasantries were exchanged between everybody, and most of them then proceeded to eat in frustration of the day spent, as though nothing pleasant had been said. The ponies, on the other hand, appeared to be cool, calm and collected. Stealth glanced at Daring. She behaved as though nothing had been wrong at all! She caught Stealth’s glance and wondered aloud: “What?” Stealth offered to share. “Thanks”. She accepted and dug in. Stealth was gazing in confusion… Something seemed… wrong… A mare, who’d seemingly lost… and then got captured… Stealth knew he would have been absolutely devastated! But Daring… “Gonna keep staring at me?” Huh? Daring was snidely grinning. “Just contemplating, Miss Do”. “What?” Stealth looked into her eyes firmly, but Daring didn’t flinch. “Miss Do, – he said, – please, enjoy the meal, while you can… When I finally get home!.. Oh!..” He imagined. His new minions sniggered loudly and nudged each other, understanding. That didn’t affect Daring’s composure: “Dude, – she rolled her eyes. – When you finally get home, Ahuizotl had better return!” The minions, though basically supportive of that, exchanged confused shrugs; Stealth Pun didn’t even flinch. …However internally… Oh!.. “But of course, – he thought. – I am their leader as long, as they can‘t find their way… And if they can’t find it at all, then I!..” It was too horrible to imagine, and Stealth squeezed his eyes, pretending the day had him worn out. “Wow, what a day…” – he complained. What a day indeed… Eventually the meal was done, and everybody set to sleep. Mattresses and pillows were constructed out of convenience materials, mostly for the ponies: the cat minions didn’t much mind the wild life. When everything was prepared, the fire wasn’t extinguished just yet. Though pissed off at such unfortunate turn of events of the day, everybody was strangely unwinding. Some tried to sleep and occasionally roared a “keep it down!!!”; some chatted not so quietly, warranting aforementioned “keep it down!!!”; a lone kitten, a young man, chose that moment to write a letter to his dear mother; he was joined by a cat, who tried to read in that chaotic environment (Daring couldn’t quite make the title of the book out, but she was about sure that was not one of her books… or so she thought, yet wouldn’t mind otherwise)… Stealth Pun declared after some time, that fun time was over, and ordered everyone to sleep. His minions hissed, but complied, and Stealth doused the fire with water drawn from some kind of a brook nearby. He then was just about to get comfortable on a mattress, when… “Ahem?!” Daring Do was quite not appreciative of his manners. “Find yourself some other place to sleep!” “If I could… – Stealth replied. – If I unchain you… Well, you do suspect I know, what’ll happen, do you not?” “Who cares? I‘m asleep, and I’m not sleeping with you!” “You don’t have to sleep: I do!” – Stealth grumbled. “Yeah… Good luck with that while standing!” “Miss Do!” – Stealth humphed. “Whatever! – she taunted. – You did sleep at my place. Time for me to sleep at yours!” “Oh, yeah… You had a very, very restless night”, – reminded her Stealth – almost sarcastically, as it would have sounded, if that hadn’t been true. For some time Daring was silent. When Stealth was about to quip more… “Fine”. She faced him. “Lie beside me”. She patted the place. Taken aback by sudden hospitality, Stealth nonetheless seized that opportunity. …When he got comfortable, Daring Do hugged him. Stealth was frozen, but only for a second or so, after which he immediately popped out. “No-o-o, don’t go awa-a-ay!.. – Daring protested. – I want my night restful, unlike the last night!..” “…Do not… do that!..” “But I need snuh-h-h-gles!..” “We mustn’t”, – he answered darkly. In reply Daring rose (carefully, as not to disturb the villains) and spoke quietly, yet openly: “Stealth… If you sleep with me, I can guarantee you you won’t regret it!..” “That’ll have to wait until we even know each other much, much better!..” “Dude, no!..” Daring smacked herself on her forehead. “What are you even?!..” She gestured: “We’ll HAVE to sit this one through!.. But if you… – OK, yes!.. – lie alongside me!..” “That would still be inappropriate for such enemies, as us”, – Stealth replied coldly. Daring seized his fore-arm: “Stealth!.. Please! He is not with us any more!..” Though it was dark, she tried to find Stealth’s eyes to look into. “Lie down…” That didn’t sound right at all. What was with Daring? Not really being hostile to her enemies, offering hugs!.. Stealth shuddered… Just the previous night… That… night!.. “OK, get up”. “Huh?.. What?..” “Stop causing a ruckus”, – Stealth ordered sternly and pulled Daring Do away from the camp… “Going somewhere?” – wondered a big waking feline. Though it was hard to see, it sounded, as though he was grinning evilly. “Yes, – answered Stealth coldly. – Go to sleep”. “Oh, no, you don’t! – the cat said smugly. – You only get to go find… solitude… when we find our way back!” That said, the loyal, but admittedly untrusting minion grabbed both ponies with ease – being big and all that – and disappeared in the even-darker dark… …When he returned, he seemed to be quite satisfied with what he’d done. He got back and lay. “What was it?” – asked someone nearby. “Ah!.. Taken care of our problems… Don‘t worry! In the morning he’ll lead us straight home – or my name be not Shredder!” – and he popped out his claws with a corresponding sound. Wow. Just when things couldn’t get worse… they did… Where did Shredder the villainous cat take the ponies to? What did he do to them?.. All that we’ll have to find out a bit later, when the young cat boy finishes his letter to his mother. Only then can we intercept it and peek inside… Or we could just wait, till it arrived to the addressee, and read it together with the old cat lady… Needless to say, the options are limitless… But in any case we‘ll have to wait till morning, when everyone would wake up and resume their journey to Ahuizotl’s abode. Only then would the letter be sent out, as without a postman of sorts it couldn’t be delivered… So we’ll wait… While everyone is sleeping, let‘s check on the lamp, shan’t we? Where did it go to? And by extension: where did Ahuizotl go to and why did he follow the lamp?.. …The lamp, the real lamp this time, had been touched by Ahuizotl, which did most certainly go against Daring Do’s wishing! Indeed: would she have ever wished to risk everything? Obviously that wasn’t what she desired. But Gee, as he had repeated time and time again, wasn’t a literal-minded genie at all. It was very clear to him, that his mistress craved for adventures! So of course Ahuizotl might touch the lamp! Which he did!.. However Daring had been right: with the wishing switched to a co-operative mode Ahuizotl had an upper hand… Forcing Daring to wish the same thing he would would only have become a matter of time… Obviously Gee mightn’t have allowed for that. But with Daring wishing… to send the lamp to… to!.. Gee sighed. That had to mean… the end… The end of his service… The end to their adventure… But in a sense… Hum… Didn’t it signify?.. that Daring?.. Huh! Refused to partake??? Was she just resigning the fate of Equestria to whatever Ahuizotl might desire??! …That… didn’t seem… at all interesting. What kind of a genie promised his mistress “to take her to where she could witness her adventure and experience it first-hoof”, and then?.. No, that wouldn’t have done at all! The lamp wouldn’t have allowed Gee to! And so it hadn’t. Daring Do’s adventure couldn’t have ended right then and there, and it could most certainly not have ended like that… And thus… Gee sighed again. That was troublesome. Not to mention... “Ah… I can’t but wonder, though: will Ahuizotl ever learn?” The aforementioned beast was infuriated. It refused to believe Gee. It couldn’t accept the lamp’s terms and conditions. Ahuizotl DEMANDED Gee the genie should BRING HIM BACK and exact REVENGE!!!.. Gee had had enough. He left with a poof of smoke; when it cleared, a sign was in his place, reading: “Closed for dinner”. Ahuizotl was left to his devices, while Gee decided he should wait, till Ahuizotl had enough sense to stop screaming and to start searching for an interdimensional gate of sorts… There had to be a gate to another dimension, there absolutely had to, or Gee would not take it for long!.. “Curse you, lamp!!! For chaining me!!!..” True: the genie couldn’t leave for another dimension too far away from his magical prison. At that point he really, really wished he might’ve! “Genie!!!” What was it, Ahuizotl?.. “Oh, ge-e-enie-e-e!.. Wouldn’t want to miss a prise, if I were you-u-u!..” Oh, yeah. Couldn’t bribe Gee, even if he thought he could… “I promise, if you fulfil one small wish, I’ll officially surrender my mastery-y-y!..” That ought to be good. “I have been researching Daring Do… You know, to know her better as my enemy… Can you guess, who else sets their slaves free after just one polite request?..” Did Daring do that?.. Oops!.. Did Daring Do do that?.. No… Did Daring Do set genies free?.. “Most certainly, – thought Gee bitterly. – She really wished life had gotten back to normal… Meaning… Ugh… No more disposing of my powers…” That would have been rather disappointing. After she had learnt, why Gee had been imprisoned in the first place, Gee doubted she would have set him free… So most likely she would have just really sent the lamp to the very end of the world, where nobody could have discovered it again… And what would Gee have done then?.. “…Did you guess ‘Daring Do’?” Gee recalled Ahuizotl had challenged him with a fairly easy riddle… “Wrong! The correct answer is: NOBODY!” Ouch! That was the hard truth about genies and the lamps containing them. Nobody set their genies free after a certain number of wishes, let alone – after an infinity thereof!.. “…Nobody but ME is so exceptionally generous!” Oh, no, Ahuizotl, you wouldn’t actually let me go, would you? – thought Gee… “Wait, – he thought, – would he?!..” Gee rematerialised before the beast as a group of cat ears as a token of appreciation toward cat-loving Ahuizotl. One might say, Gee was… all ears… “O-o-o-ho-ho… Please, why must it always be a pun!!?! – Stealth exclaimed. “Duh, because that‘s what you go by, don’t you?!” – quipped Daring. Hold it! Was it morning already? Had the letter arrived? No? Well, while Ahuizotl was relaying his suspicious offer to an interested Gee, let us all hope it was not something world-endangering, and leave them for the time being. Whatever had happened to Daring Do and Stealth Pun?.. …After Shredder the big cat left the camp with the ponies, no one really saw where he went to. Nopony would have ever learnt that, had Daring not later included that in her book… So that’s how everyone knew. To tell the truth, she had never intended to leave the camp only to be left bound to a large tree in the middle of a dark forest. But that‘s not to say she’d never wished to leave… Her entire jig was to talk to Stealth Pun while everyone was asleep. She knew she had a chance: she’d seen Stealth Pun and the good in him… But then he had wanted to take her outside… Why? – she wondered wordlessly… Oh, “why” indeed… Stealth was a mystery wrapped in a cocoon of ropes binding him to the same tree Daring Do was bound to. He would never reveal his intentions… However he did reveal, that “Shredder was fat, and ugly, and really, really stupid; he’d probably only got his job because of a family connection – that was how stupid he was…” “Uh… Stealth?..” “Ugh!.. What?.. Is… Is he still here?!..” “…No. I think, he’s actually… gone…” “Phew!.. Ah, OK… But, just in case… Shredder! If you are hearing this!.. Then, please, stop hiding and show up!” But, as is known, he had returned to sleep. “…Nopony?..” “Stealth, what is the matter with you? Why are you… so weird?” “Miss Do… I believe, I should be the one to ask that of you…” “Huh?..” “…What was that back then??!” “Back when?.. Oh, you mean our snuggle?” Stealth Pun couldn’t be seen, but he rolled his eyes upwards in misery. “That was just me… – Daring smiled. – Wanting some snuggles…” “…But why would you seek THAT from your enemy?!!..” “Because my enemy seems to me anything but!..” Stealth winced: “Please, Miss Do, keep your voice down!” “Oops. Right…” They both were silent for some time, before Stealth spoke: “Miss Do… – he inhaled and started with a set-up. – I must apologise for the inconvenience. I had no idea we would be tied…” “Gee, wow, way to sound gentlecoltly!” “It is true. Believe me, my intent was to lead you away from the camp…” “For to do what? Unspeakable things to me? Huh, Stealth?!..” “To talk to you!” That sure silenced Daring Do! Stealth noticed shortly after that, he had shouted, and regretted he couldn’t clamp his mouth shut. But it didn’t appear anyone was nearby to have heard them… “…I’m sorry… what?” – asked Daring. Stealth Pun was silent. “Ahem… Stealth Pun! Uh…” Daring realised she didn’t know Stealth’s full name for to scold him. All that was known to her were his first and last names… But an arbitrary number of his middle names?.. “I‘m sorry, but I don’t believe we’ve ever been introduced each to other properly. My name is Daring Do…” “No wa-a-ay! Really?!?!” Stealth Pun sounded so genuine Daring couldn’t contain her laughter: “OK, ha-ha, yes!.. You knew that, obviously… But that is actually what I go by… However you…” “I see, – Stealth spoke. – You may know me as… Stealth Pun… To tell you the truth, Miss Do, that is rather misleading…” “You may say that again! Who in Equestria would name their kid Stealth Pun?!..” “This is what I go by, but, well, no, that hasn’t always been the case…” Stealth sighed and fell silent. “Well?” – Daring prompted. Stealth coughed: “Ahem… Miss Do, allow me to introduce myself: Stealthy Unexpected Punishment”. “…Wow… No way… How did THAT turn into ‘Stealth Pun’??? What were they thinking?..” Stealth didn’t know, what to say. “OK, yeah… That revelation is… Well…” Daring thought of what to say and barely contained a snort. “Well, it’s un-ex-pec... ted!..” No, she actually did not contain it at all. She failed to contain it, in fact! Laughter rang throughout the forest, and, whether anyone was disturbed by that, remained an ominous mystery… “O-o-o-ho-ho-o-o!.. – Stealth groaned in complete defeat. – PLEASE!.. WHY?!.. Why must it always be a PUN?!?!” “A-ha-ha! S-sorry, but… it‘s… Isn’t it in your name or something?.. Pf-f-ft!..” Stealth only hung his head… “Well!.. NO, but I mean… A-hah!.. – a snort. – You go by ‘Stealth Pun’, right?.. Hee-hee-hee!.. Ah… So… You should…” “Miss Do, I couldn’t make a pun, even if my own life depended on it! Aargh, I can’t believe I went and adopted a new name!..” “No, please, don’t be desperate, Stealth, I wanted to befriend you!” That sure silenced Stealth Pun, just as it earlier had – Daring. “…I beg your pardon?” “Well…” In spite of that Daring Do had long ago suspected Stealth Pun had goodness in him, she felt at a loss. An attempt to explicate, that he didn’t have to work for Ahuizotl, didn’t any more seem a good idea. Ahuizotl was seemingly gone. And the lamp was gone. And yet… Yet… “…Well, Miss Do, certainly that would explain your earlier behaviour… But…” “Oh!” That reminded Daring. “Stealth, I feel I should thank you! I really thought you were a villain, but!.. no! You really seem a good person!.. You’ve proven that! Yes! I… I knew I could count on… WELL!..” “SILENCE!” – Stealth bellowed. “Yo, keep it DOWN!!!” – his minions complained from afar. Stealth bit his tongue. So did Daring. Time passed, and whoever could hear them fell asleep again. Probably. Daring hoped so. “Pst! – she whispered. – Stealth!” “What?” “…I don‘t wanna go back!.. To Ahuizotl’s dungeon!..” “…My apologies, Miss Do… But Ahuizotl’s hand rules even from… huh, wherever he is right now… So – no, Miss Do, you have to go…” “But, Stealthy, please!..” What was that?? Had Daring?.. Just??!.. No!.. “…Huh…” Stealth Pun, or rather Stealthy Unexpected Punishment, was contemplating. “Well, if it isn’t respect I finally hear from you… Miss Daring Do”. He liked that. It seemed… Hm… Yes… “In all honesty, Miss Do… all I personally need are… some answers from you… Now, obviously my master’s abode can facilitate getting any answer from anyone… But honestly, Miss Do… As long, as you cause no trouble… you may do whatever you want, after I have heard everything I need. So?..” So, Daring? What would it be? Would you answer whatever questions Stealth would ask? Or would you refuse? Please, hurry: only so much time was left till night passed, and a new day began… and it would be checked upon the two of you… And how would you escape then?.. “…Alright. What is it, Stealth Pun?” Wow, that slip of a tongue was a close one! Daring couldn’t believe she’d called Stealth Pun Stealthy! That was scandalous! How could she have?!.. “Stealthy”! If she ever called him anything nearly as cute!.. Wow!.. She sure hoped he couldn’t see her – so embarrassed she felt. How lucky indeed she was, that he could in fact not… Hold it! That last observation… Had Gee been spying upon the two of them??! Gee! Who’d told you you might?! Your place was close to the lamp! Ah, apparently, Gee had gotten really impatient to hear, what Ahuizotl had to offer to him… What was it and was that really so enticing?.. “…Can you guess, who else sets their slaves free after just one polite request?.. Did you guess ‘Daring Do’? Wrong! The correct answer is: NOBODY!.. Nobody but ME is so exceptionally generous!” Yes, Gee had heard that one and was quite literally all ears. Ahuizotl was delighted: “Good boy… Now, please, get me out of here… Back to Daring Do!.. And then!..” “Ahuizotl…” “Silence!!! Thou shalt only address me as: master!!!” “…Sure, ‘master’. Now listen”. Ahuizotl was about to bellow more, but found his mouth was shut by a seal. An animal, not a stamp… “Please, do not interrupt me and do listen well! Since you, ‘master’, touched the lamp, you have to align your wishing with Daring Do, my mistress! I am not allowed by the very lamp to ‘get you out of here and back to Daring Do’ without her consent! I‘m doing literally nothing you tell me to! Until you and me find some sort of interdimensional gate, through which to ’get out of here and back‘ to Daring Do’s dimension!..” Gee was silent for some time. Then he without another word transformed into smoke and was sucked into the lamp Ahuizotl was holding. The seal that was keeping Ahuizotl‘s mouth shut was caught by the wind and in spite of its protesting barks was sucked inside as well. It got stuck in the lamp’s spout temporarily, but managed to go through, despite its generous girth… Ahuizotl was enraged… but his temper tantrums wouldn’t do any good… so he decided to establish his evil empire in this world… Well, as long, as it had subjects, whom he could get to serve his bidding… He only passed that much – until a flash about blinded him! He shielded his eyes… “He-e-ey! – Gee spoke from within the lamp. – Apparently, that‘s where we’re heading to!” “How would YOU know?! You are just a disobedient moron!” “Well, what about when we get closer to the flash? Then who’ll be a moron?!” “It will still be you!” – grumbled Ahuizotl and trudged toward the source of the flash. Whatever that was, it had to be something valuable: useless objects did not shine like that! That was what Ahuizotl thought… “Hm, can a moron, – offered Gee, – lead you to the very interdimensional gate you are seeking?.. Hm…” He was innocently contemplating, but Ahuizotl lashed out at him nonetheless. That short-tempered baddie!.. …The path would be not very long, but both travellers had been tired out each by other. No wonder! Ahuizotl was absolutely insufferable! Gee really wished he might’ve ended their quest that very instant!.. At the end he just disconnected from the outside world and found comfort in a good book’s company. Ahuizotl might keep fumbling about as long, as he wished! Gee didn’t need his advice! He didn’t need his ratings! And he did certainly not need validation from a creature, whose only qualification was to spew negativity like an actual moron!!!.. Whatever Ahuizotl had replied to that, Gee didn’t hear. But whatever! – decided the beast. Who needed a genie that refused to fulfil wishes?! Ahuizotl didn’t need that!.. He would do everything by himself! Just like he was doing long before he’d found out about the lamp… Although… he had an assistant he could’ve turned to… But that… Huh?.. Hold it right there! “Assistant”?! What kind of an assistant??? Gee knew he had to hear THAT! He was blown out of the lamp like a soap bubble and stayed sticking out of its spout: “Very interesting!..” Ahuizotl, surprised, almost lost his footing and cursed; Gee didn’t seem to pay any heed. However to all his questions the villain refused to give answers… What a shame! Shall we ever find out?!.. It would appear, we shouldn’t – but not until later in the story! Yet at the same time it would appear!.. “…Tell me more about the lamp, please”. Oh. That was just… Ugh… Stealth Pun interrogating Daring Do. We know about the lamp already! “First off, it’s magical”. Oh, gee, no way, Daring! “Second off, it contains a genie…” OK, nothing new in here!.. “Duh! – Stealth Pun agreed. – Naturally! That’s just common knowledge! But what about this particular lamp and its particular genie?” Daring wasn’t sure about that one… Did Stealth really deserve to know the mystery?.. “…Nothing”. Time for another, better tactic, decided Stealth: “Interesting… So, if I were to have come in its possession initially… Obviously I’d have had to have rubbed it!” “…Obviously”. “How curious… And I wonder… How many wishes would the genie have granted to me?..” “Zero! You would not deserve it!” “Alright… So you never even got to wish… How did it all happen, then? All the magic I witnessed?” “OK, I got to wish!..” “I would assume, three wishes are what genies go by nowadays…” “Well… That would be reasonable…” “So-o-o… The bean-spilling?..” Daring all but choked: “It… It’s been a while!” “…Not even going to comment on the, ahem… entendre…” Daring would’ve facehoofed, if she could’ve: “Wow, Stealth Pun. Just wow!” “Ah… It’s obvious to me now I have to change my name!..” “Wait… Why?” “On a scale from one to ten how would you rate my pun’s… stealthiness?” “Oh my goodness!..” “See?” “Stealth PUN!” “I was just considering!.. That time you did get to wish, did you not?” Oh, well… Daring did most certainly, that went without denial… “…Excellent. Moving on: that fake lamp?” Daring’s eyes were rolled, even though she had been reprimanded not to do that, please! Rolling eyes was getting all the more annoying, the more it was done! Seriously! Come on!!!.. “…Interpreting vague answer as ‘yes’…” “Don’t have to!.. Yes, I wished that one too! You were the villain, were you not? And now what are you, Stealth Pun? Because, well, I swear, if you are plotting revenge at this very moment!..” “Calm down, Miss Do! I am not doing any such thing!.. I am merely recalling every time you wished… I estimate, that you should have been out of wishes even by the time we met in the forest just the day prior… So, Miss Do… Please, tell me, Miss! The genie didn’t get three wishes, did he?..” Silence fell. “…He didn’t, – answered Daring Do that finally. – He told me I had no limit – but I didn’t tell you, and you didn’t hear that from me!..” “Hold on… No limit?! How?.. You got to wish for an eternity?!?!” There was no describing, what Stealth felt, when he'd heard that! The lamp??? Granting unlimited power??! No way!!!.. It was unthinkable!.. HOW was that even possible?!?! Had he truly held a device powerful enough to change the world forever and to make him, Stealthy Unexpected Punishment, the god of the new world?!.. And that lamp... It was in Ahuizotl’s possession then!.. OH no... What horrible offer did the villain offer to the interested Gee back there??!.. Back there in another dimension… The lamp appeared to be gone… along with Gee and Ahuizotl. The two of them had moved and were already far away from where they had been just recently, no doubt to rule their own world together!.. Where they had been, only one observer remained. Who ever he was, he seemed to follow the duo from afar. His intentions still seemed unclear. But no doubt they were not friendly! What kind of a friend would follow two persons surreptitiously? Exactly! The unknown observer dug into the ground: the genie had sensed something and turned around. But the observer was already concealed… Only a pair of eyes stuck out like that of a snail. Before the eyes a pair of binoculars rose from underground. The remote duo didn’t appear to have noticed anything and continued further, toward the flash. No signs of being the ultimate rulers of the universe yet... The unknown observer followed… Huh… Just who was he? And had he got a name? It is quite inconvenient to call him “the unknown observer”. Perhaps, a convenience name is in order… How about?.. “Tuo”? That sounds much better, eh!.. Newly named Tuo had a mission to accomplish. He hadn’t expected anyone to appear out of nowhere in his native dimension. He absolutely had to investigate. That stealth mission continued for a while, until finally the genie caught Tuo off guard! The creature shrank, and only his eyes were staring as if part of the ground. “Interesting… – drawled Gee. – What have we got here?.. Hum?..” “Who CARES?!! Move it along!!!” “Just so you know… We have been followed”. Ahuizotl stopped and turned in panic. “Yep, – the genie nodded. – Whoever this is, it finds us attractive…” “Not you”, – grumbled the villain and approached the two, attempting to push Gee away and phasing through him; he waved, trying to clear the “smoke” Gee seemed to consist of and coughing. “Whoops!..” Gee moved away. Tuo’s eyes enlarged. No way!.. “Alright! – Ahuizotl crowed. – What is this?.. Who dare follow me?!!” Tuo rose from the ground. He grew… until he was unimaginably big! He spoke in a low voice: “Ahuizotl… You seem to have achieved everything you’ve dreamt of… So tell me now: why are you here?!” Ahuizotl stood, awestruck. “Oh my goodness, – he croaked. – NO WAY!..” Gee laughed: “O-o-o-ho-ho-o-o!.. Are y’all for REAL?!..” It seemed, he finally knew exactly where they were. It seemed, he knew exactly who was before them!.. “O-o-o-ho-ho!.. Ahuizotl!.. You’ve really done a number!.. How did you even FIND this dimension!? I didn’t think it was possible for you, mere mortals!.. How did you even GET this… uh… fine gentleman to do your bidding?!..” Wait… What??? Who was Tuo??? Did he and Ahuizotl know each other??? How would GEE of all creatures have known??? Untold backstory right here, everypony!!! Who else is dying to dive deeper?!!.. “Me-e-e-e… eow-w-w-w!…” The morning in the forest shimmered and shone, and Shredder the cat was absolutely certain, that he was lost. Wow. How did THAT happen??! Mysteries keep piling up! Can they be solved before the chapter’s end??.. Where even was he??? Alright! Back to the forest… Somewhere in the woods wild cats had lost their way and were camping the night out. Among those cats was one particularly big… Shredder the cat had slept wonderfully. Morning in the forest shimmered and shone, and Shredder was absolutely certain, that everything was going to be fine! The rest of the campers were asleep. And all in interesting, picture-worthy positions. Shredder chuckled – purely to spite those, who‘d told him not to. They all might go underground (like to hell). Shredder’s chuckles were very genuine, concise and far in-between. He felt he had every right to chuckle once a day. So he chuckled, viewing his fellows. If he could have learnt to draw, he would have, no doubt! He then would learn to animate – an art obscure to those living in a forest and serving a villain! Plus, there were no cinemas for miles around! Who‘d need Shredder’s talent, anyway? The big cat sighed, but stayed cheerful and set off to check upon the ponies from yesterday. He was absolutely certain, that there was no way for the both of them to be freed! So he didn’t worry. Once he found his way to the tree, he’d see them both tied to it! He was so confident about that it would be very hilarious, if he’d come to the tree and found it empty… But that morning nothing could go wrong. He just felt so! As if to prove that, birds were chirping the most happy of songs a certain pink party pony would have been euphoric to hear!.. And the early-morning air!.. The morning dew!.. Shredder felt… happy!.. He took the liberty of walking about the forest for a while, just to admire the nature. …Satiated with his walk, Shredder decided to quit, heh, horsing around and to fetch those, heh, horses… OK, ponies. Whatever… Who cared, if they would end up in Ahiuzotl’s dungeon nonetheless?! That was what Shredder was saying! The walk to the tree shouldn’t have taken long, Shredder recalled. But, when he’d been walking for… quite some time, he experienced first-paw, what it meant to panic (he’d never panicked before). He looked around, eyes darting. Where was he? He decided to return and to double-check his directions… to correct his course, if need were… After multiple course-corrections it was undeniable: Shredder the cat was lost. He slumped upon the ground and mewled to the skies. Admittedly, nobody could hear him – except for the wild life, but that didn’t count! His life seemed to be over: without a job or a home!.. or fellows to share his being lost with… Shredder was a big cat, but, maybe, for the first time in his life he was ready to cry… “He-e-elp!” – cried meanwhile the two ponies, whom Shredder had gone to check upon, for help. ...Nobody was coming for them. No one to free them of the tree’s clutches or simply to say: good morning! Hm, maybe, it would take some particularly loud yelling to attract somecat’s attention… … … … Daring was desperate: could her adventure end that badly???.. The old cat lady clutched at her heart and scrambled to find some nerve-soothing drug: she couldn’t take that much worry! She took the medication and was resting in an armchair, now too afraid even to touch the letter, lest its contents caused her a heart attack! Despite her curiosity she knew the saying all too well – a lot of her familiars had served as a sad example… – and tried to engage her elderly mind in some other, calming activities. She rocked in the chair… realised it was an armchair, not a rocking-chair, and just reclined, taking a magazine with crosswords. The letter would wait. The letter lay on the floor, waiting patiently. The old lady, grunting, turned her chair away from it! No enticing! The letter was silently calling… Oh, the things it contained! What had happened to Ahuizotl‘s feline minions! What had happened to his two pony adversaries! What had happened to Ahuizotl! Whom he and Gee had met!.. OK, maybe, the letter couldn’t provide answers to that… But, seriously! The letter HAD to be read!.. The old cat lady couldn’t take it any more. She braced herself for the upcoming health-worsening, rose and faced the letter… It was lying and waiting to be picked up. The old lady stepped closer… and bent to reach it…