//------------------------------//
// History Repeats Itself 
// Story: Beasts and Burdens 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


Beasts and Burdens Chapter 9:
History Repeats Itself


In the middle of a barren wasteland, a small hole materialized from below, and a Diamond Dog soldier poked his head out to survey the surroundings.  All was dark and still, and not a creature was in sight.  The only forms of illumination were Luna's great moon and a set of torches in the distance that marked the Gates of Tartarus.

"All clear," he whispered to his comrades.

As soon as he said that, the Chimera burst forth from the ground, causing dirt and rubble to fly every which way.  Poor Sweetie Belle, still being carried in the creature's tail, was battered and bruised by the flying debris.  From the large hole the Chimera made, the Diamond Dogs crawled out.

"Alright then.  Now what?" asked the Boss Diamond Dog.

"Now, you prepare your men for battle," said the Chimera's lion head.

The Boss blinked. "Battle?"

"Did we stuuuuuuuuuuutter?" asked the goat head. "You saaaaaaaaid so yourseeeeeeelf that you could handle the ponies."

"Oh, right," said the Boss with a nervous laugh. "We did say that, didn't we?  Well, just give us a few minutes to set up.  Yes."

"You have two," said the lion head.

"Boss, that isn't going to be enough time!" the pug whispered to his superior. "How are we supposed to...?"

"Do you want to argue with them?" the Boss barked back.  The pug immediately saw his point, and got to work coordinating the other Diamond Dogs.

"Exssssssssssscellent," said the serpent head. "Now, join in whenever you're ready.  We'll handle the firsssssst wave."

Before the Boss could ask the Chimera to clarify, it suddenly reared back and lifted all three of its heads into the air.  A mighty roar, bleat, and hiss then echoed across the wasteland.  It wasn't long before the sound was accompanied by the flurry of wings and the thundering of hooves.

"Get to work, you lazy mutts!  Double time!" the Boss ordered.  He then followed his fellow Diamond Dogs underground, leaving only the Chimera and Sweetie Belle.

The wasteland was soon illuminated by the glow of unicorn magic as several battalions of the Canterlot Royal Guard moved into the area, surrounding the Chimera.  All three of the beast's heads smiled as it lifted Sweetie Belle into the air for everypony to see.

"It seems we haaaaaaave you aaaaaaall at a disadvaaaaaaantage," chortled the goat head.

"In the name of Her Royal Majesty Princess Celestia, you are under arrest," said one of the unicorn soldiers. "Let the child go and come quietly."

"Ah, how quaint," said the lion head. "They think they can make demands of us.  I say we show them how wrong they are."

The serpent head then reared back and took in a great breath.  As it snapped forward, it let loose a plume of muddy green flame at the pegasus soldiers circling overhead.  The soldiers quickly scattered, though a few of them were taken completely off-guard.  Some of the stragglers were burned by the flame, while others suddenly became sick from the toxic fumes the flame emitted.  Left with no other options, the soldiers charged.

"Look, little filly!  Look at your foolish pony friendsssssssss!" the serpent head laughed. "Watch assssssss they fall one by one!"

The Chimera then pounced at one of the swooping pegasi, tackling him to the ground and digging its claws into the soldier's wings.  As it did so, it bucked another soldier coming in from behind, and the serpent head spewed poisonous flame in an arc, causing several ponies to break formation.

"Five hundred years!" the Chimera's goat head proclaimed as it delivered another powerful kick, causing several soldiers to collapse into a heap. "Five hundred years, and none of you haaaaaaave learned a thing!  You aaaaaaare aaaaaaall just as weak then as you aaaaaaaaare now!  And just as stupiiiiid to boot!"

Just then, one of the unicorn soldiers was pulled to the ground in mid-gallop, followed by another and another.  As some of the other soldiers turned around to investigate, the Diamond Dogs burst from the earth, landing on the stallions' backs and tying reigns around their muzzles.  Seeing their fellow ponies in trouble, some of the pegasi broke off their attack on the Chimera and rushed to their aid.

"Bellerophon cannot save you now!" the Chimera's lion head roared with laughter as it smashed an incoming earth pony into the ground with its paw. "This time, nopony can hope to overpower us!"

Sweetie Belle's stomach lurched as the Chimera continued to fend off its attackers, scratching with its claws, bucking with its hooves, and breathing toxic fire at anypony who got too close.  This went on for several minutes before she heard one of the pegasi order a fighting retreat.  Right then and there, she decided that enough was enough.  As scared as she was, she had to do something.  So when the serpent head drew back another deep breath, she jammed her horn into its throat.  With a rasp of pain, the serpent head dropped Sweetie Belle to the ground.

"That h-hurt!" wheezed the serpent head. "We h-haven't felt ssssssssuch pain ssssssinccccce..."

As if coming to a sudden realization, the Chimera slowly turned to face Sweetie Belle, staring at her with sinister eyes.  It advanced towards her slowly, like a wild cat stalking its prey.

"Now thaaaaat we're getting a beeeeetter look at you, you look faaaaaaamiliar," said the goat head. "Your youth, the baaaaaaare flaaaaaank.  It caaaaaaan't be a coincidence."

Sweetie Belle swallowed and began to back away, only to have the Chimera follow her. "Y-you're not so tough," she stammered. "When Rarity gets here, she'll..."

"Oh, no.  Don't try to play the damsel in distress," chided the lion head. "You clearly want to take us on yourself."

Sweetie Belle's eyes became as wide as dinner plates. "Wh-what?!" she squeaked. "Th-that's not it at all!"

"If it hasssssssn't been made clear to you, allow ussssss to elaborate," said the serpent head, fully recovering from its wound. "Nopony hurtssssssss the Chimera and livesssssssss to tell the tale."

"Well, nopony exceeeeeeept Bellerophon," the goat head corrected. "In faaaaaact, he was the one who sent us to Tartarus in the fiiiiirst plaaaaaaaace."

"So, the question remains, little filly," said the lion head. "Are you going to be the next Bellerophon?"

Sweetie Belle's mind was racing.  With the Royal Guards either fighting the Diamond Dogs or licking their wounds and Rarity nowhere in sight, all seemed lost.  Then, she had an idea.

"That's right!" she shouted, thrusting her flank into the Chimera's lion head and tickling its nose with her tail. "I'm Sweetie Belle, the Creature Catcher!  And I'm gonna catch you and send you right back to Tartarus where you belong!"

"Oh, issssss that sssssssso?" said the serpent head. "Then why were you sssssssso frightened before?"

"Well, how am I supposed to catch a creature if they know I'm trying to catch them?" Sweetie Belle shot back, still tickling the nose of the lion head.

"Hmm.  Goooooooood point," said the goat head. "Very weeeeeeeell, we acceeeeeeept your challenge."

Sweetie Belle stopped tickling the Chimera's nose and blinked. "What?  What challenge?"

"If you truly are Bellerophon, then we say we should settle this with a proper duel," said the lion head, brushing its nose with its paw. "Instead of surprising us like last time, we will all fight at full strength."

The Chimera then arched its back and began pawing the ground. "At your ready, Creature Catcher," the lion head mocked.

Sweetie Belle blanched.  The Chimera was calling her bluff.  There was now only one thing left for her to do.  She took a deep breath.  A second later, a sound louder than the Chimera's battle cry from before resonated across the wasteland:

"RARITY!"