Chapter 22:
Scootaloo's Wild Ride
"Whoa. Just, whoa."
That was the only thing Scootaloo could utter as she and Tailspin made their final approach to Mt. Götterdämarerung. It was perhaps the tallest mountain she had ever seen in her entire life. Not only that, but it seemed to give off an oppressive aura of impending doom. The air stank of salty brine mixed with smokey brimstone. It was all Scootaloo could do to keep herself from choking.
"Trust me, I know the feeling," Tailspin rasped, her flight becoming wobbly as she fought against the burdensome atmosphere. "We just gotta hang in there."
She then stopped for a second and looked over the map. "Now, let's see. According to Genny, the entrance to the place is near the top. Scootaloo, take a deep breath and hold it. I have a feeling this isn't gonna be pretty."
Scootaloo nodded and complied. Tailspin did the same as she began her ascent. Just as she predicted, the atmosphere became thicker and thicker as they approached the summit. When they reached the crater of the dormant volcano, the area was filled with a white smog that was almost impenetrable. Not to be deterred, Tailspin fought against the harsh environment and flew into the crater. She managed to find a stone pathway that spiraled down into the mountain, and touched down. When she deemed the air to be breathable, she let out a great exhale.
"Whew! That, was not fun," she panted. "You alright back there, Scootaloo?"
Scootaloo let out a great breath of her own. "I-I'm fine," she said between pants. "S-so, we just follow this path?"
"Looks like it," said Tailspin. She then sighed. "I sure wish Daring was here. I was actually hoping she'd be here to meet us."
"Well, why don't we wait for her here?" suggested Scootaloo as she set the scooter she took from the airship to the side. "We already took care of the Crimson Baroness, so we're in no rush."
"Care to repeat that?"
Scootaloo's heart froze as she heard a familiar voice from behind. "Tailspin, I'm afraid to turn around," she said with a swallow. "Is that who I think it is?"
Tailspin looked towards the source of the voice and turned pale. She tried to speak, but the words were stuck in her throat.
"I-I'll take that as a *gulp* yes," said Scootaloo, slowly turning her head. Sure enough, there was the Crimson Baroness. Her uniform was torn and tattered, revealing her Cutie Mark of a trio of sinister-looking wings. Also, her blood red coat was badly singed, and she had a nasty-looking scar across her cheek.
"I told you before. Nopony can shoot down the Crimson Baroness," the militant pegasus said with a snort.
"B-but how did you survive?!" squeaked Tailspin, finding her voice.
The Crimson Baroness's expression became deadpan as she pointed to her wings.
"O-oh," said Tailspin, her face turning a bit red.
"Now that we've gotten that cleared up, it's high time I removed you two thorns from my side," said the Crimson Baroness. "Dorsal, Ventral!"
"Yes, Commander?" said the two hapless griffons, who were once again covered in bandages and bruises.
"Get rid of these two. You can have the loudmouth suffer as much as you wish, but make the dodo's death quick and painless," the Crimson Baroness ordered. "Even I have standards."
"It'll be our pleasure, Commander," said Dorsal with a salute.
"Really? You'd honestly take pleasure in killing a filly?" said Ventral.
"Are you questioning the Commander?"
"No, I'm questioning your moral fiber."
"Considering our line of work, that concept is irrelevant, isn't it?"
"It doesn't have to be. The Commander herself just said that she has standards."
"Get on with it!" the Crimson Baroness shouted. "And if you fail me this time, you'll be joining them! Do I make myself clear?!"
"Y-yes, Commander!" said the griffons with a hasty salute.
The Crimson Baroness gave a curt nod and began to fly off. But before she disappeared into the mountain, a voice made itself known.
"Hold it right there!"
The Crimson Baroness turned and tilted her head. Scootaloo was giving her a cold stare, showing no ounce of fear or dread for her predicament.
"Did you just call me a dodo?" Scootaloo snarled, her violet eyes filled with contempt.
The Crimson Baroness shrugged. "And if I did? You may be good on a scooter, but you will never get off the ground. Mainly because, well, you're about to die. It's a shame, really, but as they say, c'est la guerre."
Scootaloo snorted angrily. "You're in for it now, lady! Nopony calls me a dodo and gets away with it!"
"I suppose I'm the first then," the Crimson Baroness gloated. "Now, if that's all you have to say, I'm in a bit of a hurry and you have an appointment with Death. If I ever find your Rainbow Dash friend, I'll be sure to tell her you left this world crying and screaming like the little dodo you are. Goodbye forever."
She then gave a mocking salute and flew off into the mountain. Scootaloo's blood began to boil as she flapped her wings at a blinding pace.
"I am suddenly glad that we made amends back on the airship," said Tailspin, freaked out by Scootaloo's fury. "I guess I'll distract these clods here while you go after her then?"
Instead of answering, Scootaloo hopped onto the scooter and sped off after the Crimson Baroness.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" Dorsal roared, flying in front of her path.
But Scootaloo paid him no heed. She merely swerved around him and continued on her way. Dorsal was not pleased by this.
"Why you little—!"
"Ah-HEM. Forgetting somepony?"
Dorsal was about to chase after Scootaloo when Tailspin made her presence known. With a mocking wave, she took off into the sky, flying in random patterns.
"Grr! We can't let them escape this time!" growled Dorsal. "Ventral, you take the filly, and I'll take the loudmouth."
"Listen, you may not have qualms with killing children, but I do," said Ventral flatly. "How about you go after the filly and I take on the crazy flyer?"
"Are you really going to do this, Ventral? Are you really going to disobey the Commander because of something as silly as this?"
"I'm just saying that killing children was not in my job description."
"Yes, but the number one rule is to always obey the Commander!"
"Well, we haven't really been doing a good job of that lately, and yet we're still employed."
"That's because we're the only ones left, you ignoramus!"
Tailspin stopped mid-flight when she noticed that the griffons weren't chasing her. When she saw why, she sighed and shook her head.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna leave you two to your lover's quarrel and try to catch up with my pal before she does something she'll regret," she told the griffons. "Toodles!"
With that, she zoomed off into the mountain. Dorsal groaned.
"Wow. It never really occurred to me before, but we really suck at this," said Ventral.
"Shut up, Ventral," Dorsal snarled through gritted teeth as he took off in pursuit. Ventral shrugged and followed his partner.
***
It didn't take long for Scootaloo to catch up to the Crimson Baroness, nor did it take long for the Crimson Baroness to notice. When she saw her pursuer, she was more annoyed than she was surprised.
"You really insist on trying my patience, don't you?!" she hollered back, turning to face Scootaloo while still flying. "Well, I suppose if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!"
With a swish of her tail, she used her riding crop to smack a pebble at Scootaloo. The enraged filly managed to swerve out of the projectile's path, only to see another coming straight for her. As the Crimson Baroness continued to send a barrage of stones her way, Scootaloo continued to dodge them.
But then, disaster struck. While dodging another missile, Scootaloo zigged when she should've zagged, and found herself at the edge of the stone path and overlooking the abyss below. Her blood ran cold as she stared into the chasm, sweat pouring down her face both from the intense heat from the volcano and from the close call. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she corrected her course and continued the chase.
"My, you're persistent," the Crimson Baroness purred. "Well then, how about this?!"
She whipped her riding crop into the wall, and a blast of scalding hot steam erupted from the fissure. Several other geysers followed suit, as if the stone wall was lined with bursting water pipes. Scootaloo's eyes narrowed.
"Piece of cake," she said with a cocky smirk. Not even bothering to slow down, she sped right into the geyser traps, alternating between jumping over and ducking under the blasts of steam. As soon as she got a rhythm, she began to show off, doing hoofstands, aerial somersaults, and ballerina twirls. The Crimson Baroness sneered.
"Well well. It looks like somepony is compensating for something," she said with a great flap of her wings.
Scootaloo's ear twitched, and her complacent expression was replaced with a look of unbridled fury.
"I'm gonna make you eat those words!" she yelled.
"Come and try, dodo!" the Crimson Baroness shot back with a laugh as she increased her velocity. Scootaloo growled and did the same, flapping her tiny wings with all her might.
***
"Hold still, you annoying runt!" Dorsal bellowed after Tailspin.
"Hmm. Let me think about that," said Tailspin, mockingly stroking her chin. "Hmm. Actually, if it's all the same to you, I don't think I will!"
She then accelerated ahead, swooping and diving erratically as she flew.
"Do you really think she thought about it?" asked Ventral.
"What kind of inane question is that?!" Dorsal barked back. "Just shut your beak and pick up the pace! We've got a job to do!"
"I'll shut my beak, but I'd actually suggest that we slow down a bit," said Ventral.
"What are you talking abou—?!"
Dorsal was interrupted when he flew face first into a burst of steam erupting from the wall. Before he could recover, he flew into another one, and another and another. Ventral, meanwhile, gracefully maneuvered around the geysers. When they were through, Dorsal looked like a mess. His fur was covered in scalds, and his wings were soggy.
"Not one word!" he snarled, trying to lift himself into the air.
"Yeah, I think I'll just take off ahead while you sort yourself out," said Ventral.
Dorsal gave his partner a glare.
"What? That wasn't a word, that was a sentence," said Ventral with a shrug.
Before Dorsal could object, Ventral flew off ahead. He snorted angrily as he tried to dry his wings.
"Incorrigible numbskull," he muttered bitterly. "Rest assured, he'd be nowhere if it wasn't for me."
***
As Scootaloo continued her pursuit, she began to notice something different in the air around her. It began to get hotter and hotter the more she descended down the spiral path. The humidity was even starting to make her drowsy.
"Oh, would you look at that. It seems to be time for the little filly to take her nap," the Crimson Baroness said in a sickening sweet voice. "Well then, allow me to tuck you in. With a shovel!"
She then decreased her speed so that she was neck-and-neck with Scootaloo. With a gleam in her eyes, she raised her riding crop. She was about to bring it down when a sinister laugh echoed throughout the mountain. The laugh made Scootaloo's heart pound.
"Ah. We must be getting close," mused the Crimson Baroness with a sly smile. "He knows we're here."
She then lowered her riding crop. "Well, in that case, I'll let him deal with you. So long, dodo!"
Scootaloo forgot her fear; a blazing inferno ignited in her violet eyes. "Don't call me a dodo, you hag!"
It was the Crimson Baroness's turn to be insulted. "Hag?! Oh, now you've gone and done it, you little brat!"
The Crimson Baroness flew back in front of Scootaloo, flailing her riding crop in a desperate attempt to punish the orange filly for her insult. Scootaloo nimbly dodged every strike as she continued the pursuit.
***
"Oh, come on! Is that the best you can do?!" Tailspin taunted as she continued to evade Ventral.
"Not by a long shot," Ventral retorted, increasing his velocity and closing in.
"I'll believe it when I see it!" Tailspin called back, looping around and flying every which way. Ventral tried to keep pace, but found himself getting fatigued. Suddenly, they both heard a sinister laugh resonating all around them. Tailspin's throat became dry.
"I-I didn't just hear that, did I?" she asked no one in particular.
"Well, I don't know. I'm not you," said Ventral with a shrug. "Anyway, time for you to die now."
Without warning, Ventral made a mad dash towards Tailspin. Tailspin ducked out of the way just in time, causing the griffon to smash into the wall. There was an ominous cracking sound as fissures spread from where Ventral crashed.
"That can't be good," said Tailspin with a gulp. Without another word, she flew down after Scootaloo.
Just then, Dorsal showed up, barely able to keep himself airborne. He rolled his eyes as he saw his partner recovering from the crash.
"Just as I suspected," Dorsal grumbled. "You're really useless without me, aren't you?"
"Why is it you have to toot your own horn every time I mess up?" growled Ventral.
"It's the truth, Ventral. Don't deny it."
"Same to you, and more of it. Or do I have to remind you about the airship?"
"Don't you dare bring that up! You're just as much at fault as I am!"
"Well, if you only listened to me..."
They were interrupted by a dull rumble coming from the wall. They turned to see small jets of scalding water seeping out of the fissures. The two griffons then turned to one another.
"If we don't survive this, I am going to kill you," said Dorsal.
"So, you plan to kill me after I'm dead," said Ventral. "How's that going to work, exactly?"
"Oh, I'll find a way!"
And with that, the wall burst open, sending a stream of boiling water cascading down the spiral path.
***
"Call me a hag, will you?! Take this!"
Scootaloo said nothing as she continued to dodge the Crimson Baroness's strikes. Suddenly, her ears perked up as she heard a curious sound behind her. The sound got louder and louder, causing Scootaloo's heart to beat faster and faster. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what was making the noise and blanched.
"That's it. Tremble in fear," the Crimson Baroness cackled. "After everything you and your loudmouthed friend have put me through, this is going to be so satisfying. Say your prayers, dodo."
As she raised her whip again, Scootaloo saw a small incline up ahead. Her eyes glistened for a brief moment before she shot the Crimson Baroness a cold glare.
"I'm. Not. A. DODO!"
She rode her scooter over the incline and did a kick flip, knocking the Crimson Baroness square in the jaw. The Crimson Baroness fell to the stone floor as Scootaloo made a perfect landing and sped away. She was about to get her bearings when she saw Tailspin swoop in from above. Snorting angrily, she got to her feet just as the sound of rushing water reached her ears. Before she could react, she found herself engulfed in the scalding stream.
***
Scootaloo continued to plow ahead, not even bothering to look back. She then heard Tailspin call out to her.
"Oy, Scootaloo!" said the older pegasus. "Just wanted to give you a heads-up about the..."
"I think I already know!" Scootaloo shouted back, pointing behind her.
"Oh, right," said Tailspin sheepishly. "Well, are you alright?"
"We'll know in a second!" said Scootaloo, noticing a closing stone door up ahead.
Tailspin took note of the door and increased her speed accordingly. Scootaloo did the same, beads of sweat running down her face.
"Come on, come on!" she chanted to herself.
At the last second, both she and Tailspin made it through. The sound of the stream crashing into the stone slab resonated behind them.
"That *gasp* was *pant* awesome!" exclaimed Tailspin. "Now this *huff* is what I *puff* signed up for."
"I'm just *pant* glad it's over," said Scootaloo, catching her own breath. When she recovered, her pupils dilated in wonder. "Whoa."
"Hmm? What are you looking a— Oh."
Tailspin was equally mesmerized by the mounds upon mounds of treasure littering the cavern. Gold, silver, and jewels of every sort sparkled radiantly.
"W-we did it," said Tailspin. "We did it! We found Das Reingold's treasure!"
"Aye, lass. Pity ye won't be livin' to tell the tale."
A nefarious voice sent a chill up Scootaloo's spine and startled Tailspin out of her wits. A bright ruby red flame formed in the middle of the room, and the sound of clacking bones could be heard. The two pegasi embraced each other, shivering with fright as they bore witness to a frightening sight. Hovering before them was a skeleton of a sea pony wearing fine gold silk and a silver cravat.
"Those who disturb the treasure of Das Reingold are never heard from again," said the skeleton. "I should know. After all, I be him."