//------------------------------// // Can You Hear Me? // Story: Temporary Hiatus // by TheMessenger //------------------------------// Temporary Hiatus I've dreamed of this moment for a long, long time, to see you broken at my feet, to gloat as you are powerless to respond, to laugh with my henchponies until my sides ache and my lungs burn. Oh, the mere thought would bring a cruel smile across my face, and I could only imagine my joy if this fantasy of mine was to become a reality. How I have dreamed of the indescribable ecstasy I would experience from the mere sight of your cold motionless body before me. Right now I've never felt more sick in my entire life. Just looking at your blood staining my fortress's floors twists my emptied stomach. I wish I had the foresight to demand a bucket before I had sent my guards away. I will have to clean that mess before I call them back. Can't have them thinking their mighty leader is squeamish in the presence of a little gore. We all have reputations to keep, don't we? May I be honest with you, Ms. Do? Of course I can. How long have we known each other? A long time, yes? A very long time? You, perhaps, know me better than any other in the world. Of course I can be honest with you. I have never been so disappointed. No, not when you robbed me of the Sapphire Statue or destroyed my home in Tenochtitlan. I suppose I am no stranger to letdowns. Whenever my warriors return to my side licking their wounds or whenever I lead a temple raid only to find its contents already salvaged, there is always disappointment, coupled with rage, a seething rage that makes a mighty volcano seem mild. That anger is oddly absent today, and without it all I feel is disappointment. I feel...empty. Was this all it really took, Ms. Do? A single arrow? One, single, well positioned arrow? I've seen you face a storm of these missiles without blinking. How is it that of all the thousands of darts and bolts thrown at you, this is the one that pierces your heart? No enchantment, no mystically properties, nothing special, just a simple iron arrow. I am disappointed. There were no elaborate traps, no spring mechanisms or levers or piranhas. My time and my efforts have been spent wasted. If this was so easy, why did it take so long? Why couldn't I have done away with you so much sooner? How many of my plans would have seen the light of fulfillment if you had been struck by that very arrow on our first encounter, in that temple so long ago? And now that you are finally gone, I can't even take credit. I wasn't the one to throw the arrow. I don't even know who did or from which direction it came from. I can't take credit for this, not without becoming disgusted at myself. I am disappointed. Why didn't you see it coming? Why didn't you dodge? I do not understand. I know you, Daring Do. I know how fast you are, how your agility is more than a match for a tiger. I've seen you evade flying spears and swinging blades. Thousands of arrows have never even grazed you. This one was no different from the others. It should not have hit. You know it. I know it. It should not have ended this way. Don't give me excuses. Your legs might still be broken and I see that your wing has yet to recover from our earlier engagement but remember who you are. You're Daring Do, adventurer extraordinaire, the hero archeologist! You're my nemesis! How could you fall so easily? Why didn't you get out of the way? Don't just lay there and ignore me. Answer my questions! I...I'm sorry, Ms. Do. I...as you can see, I am having a difficult time accepting this. This wasn't suppose to happen, not like this. I don't even remember how I wanted this to go down. It's all a distant memory now, like a glimpse of a dream. I can't even hear your imagined screams in pain. There's only...silence. How I hate this silence. Tell me Daring, how did you expect this to end? Certainly not with an arrow in your chest, eh? Ha, no I would think not. Was it above a pit of lava? Or perhaps a final duel on the highest mountain peak? Oh, it must have been an epic battle, one last fight for an artifact that would spell the doom of all the land. Certainly not over this little bauble, I'm sure. I wonder, how did you imagine I would die? Please tell me, Ms. Do, how was your last book going to end? How was your series going to end? Oh don't look so surprised. Of course I know of your little side project, Ms. Do. Yes, yes, I can read. Sarcasm is not becoming of you. What, have I read...well...excuse me. ...yes, we are alone. I had to make sure before I answered, that's all. The answer is yes, Ms. Do, I have read your works. If I may be honest with you once more, I became desperate. You had already defeated me so many times. I thought, a rather foolish thought I'll admit, perhaps your recordings might hold some sort of secret, a weakness I've been blind too. At the very least, an understanding of your view of the situation and way of thinking would have given me some advantage. I've read through the entire series at least twice, hoping to find something, anything, to use against you. Did I enjoy your books? What a difficult question. Do you remember the first time we met? I am a little surprised that you chose to exclude such a pivotal event from your writings. Then again, I doubt it would have been approved by the publishers. Yes, I can't imagine the scene where you quite literally ripped your way through my guards would have sat well with all the parents of your young adoring fans. Funny, I don't recall feeling sick that day like I do right now. No stomach churning, no embarrassing vomits, and it was far messier then too. How odd... To this day I still do not understand why you spared me. There I was, helpless before you. You held all the cards that day. Opportunity sat right in your hooves, but you let your chance slip away. Why? Why did you stay your hoof? And why do you no longer seek my life? What happened that you so willingly gave up your quest for vengeance? May I be honest with you, Ms. Do? I am sorry for your father's death. Yes, I am sorry. Shocking isn't it? He was an interesting stallion, brave and intelligent but foolish at times. The good doctor would too often allow the kindness in him cloud his better judgement. But he deserved my respect and without his assistance, my rebirth would not have been possible. His death was necessary, but I regret it immensely. I am sorry. Ah, memories. Is that why you wrote your books, to preserve your memories? Is that why you chose to omit our first entanglement, to forget the hurt that came with that specific encounter? Was reliving that specific memory too painful? Was it easier to forget your father and his unavenged blood? How dare you. You insult your father's memory. Running away from the past, like a coward. How can you live like you do, knowing your father's killer still lives? Why was the fearful blood lust I saw in your eyes that day absent in every other of our clashes? No, Mr. Whiskers, don't touch. That's not a toy, leave her alone. Go play with your brothers. I will feed you later. Run along now. Did I enjoy your books? What a difficult question. Did I enjoy reliving my defeats? Did I enjoy having your victories over me rubbed in my face? Did I enjoy reading all these stories, knowing how each and every one would end, down to the very detail? I despised you, Ms. Do. That is no secret. And for awhile I despised your books. Several copies served me as fuel for my fireplace. Oh, how I hated how Daring Do would always find a way to defeat the dreaded Ahuizotl against all odds. How I hated her confidence, her smugness, her recklessness, her self righteous attitude. And yet...I found myself coming back. For every copy I destroyed in anger, I bought another. Acquiring these books secretly was no simple task, I assure you. I knew how every story would end, I was there after all, but the ways you painted each scene drew new details I had not noticed before. Experiencing our clashes from your side may not have provided me with anything exploitable, but it was most definitely insightful and, I must admit, quite entertaining. The series grew on me as I continued through it. You have a gift, Ms. Do. You are an excellent writer. There were times when I had forgotten who I was and sat on the edge of my chair in suspense. Some nights I went without sleep as I made empty promises to myself, just one more chapter, just one more chapter. Silly, isn't it? It gets worse. And as the series grew on me, so did Daring. Her recklessness and overconfidence became...endearing. I began to recognize the cleverness in her quips and appreciate her particular sense of humor. Your jokes are far funnier when I can spare the time to enjoy them. She was brave and bold and oh so strong willed. Her tenacity was admirable, and her determination was inspiring. The way she fought was like a dance, graceful and in rhythm. She was a strong, beautiful mare, deserving my respect. Yes, I Ahuizotl reluctantly, begrudgingly, gave my respect to Daring Do. And now you lay here, at my feet, cold and unfeeling. Can you feel my finger against your cheek? Can you feel me stroking your mane? How does it feel, my fingers running through your soft lovely hair? Will you protest? Will you lift your hoof and push me away? Will you ask me to continue? Say something, anything, please... What happened to the pony in your books? Where is the pony who stole the Sapphire Statue right out of my hands? Where is the pony who captured the Griffin's Goblet? Where is she who defeat me so soundly so many, many times? She would not have fallen here. She would not have allowed something as mundane as an arrow stop her. Where is the mare I've read so much about? Where is the mare that commanded my respect? Where is the mare whose company I would never admit enjoying? Where is the mare I fell in love with? Where. Is. Daring Do? Are you nothing but an imposter, a body double perhaps? Will I turn around and see that magnificent pony behind me, crouched and ready for battle. Will she wait for me to first finish my soliloquy and turn before attacking, just so she can see my expression of surprise? Her description of it will be hilarious, no doubt. I am turning, Daring Do! Prepare yourself, for I am turning! ...she's not there. You're not there. No, you're here instead, at my feet. What a hopeless notion. Perhaps...perhaps you are not actually gone. Are you simply playing, waiting and listening and silently laughing at these secret words I speak? Are you waiting for the perfect opportunity, waiting for the right time to strike? Here, here is my neck. Your hoof is on my neck. It won't take much to incapacitate me. What more are you waiting for? ...no, I cannot believe this. I can't believe you're gone. I can't. I won't. Get up, Daring Do. Get up and fight me, please. Our encounters are all I live for now. I need this. I need you. Get up, please. Please...why won't you get up? I was looking forward to the next book. I look forward to all of them, really. I couldn't wait to learn of how you would escape my elaborate trap, to see how you would win against all odds. How long must I wait now for the next installment? Why must you delay the next release like this? Why are you letting down your fans like this? No, I am being too harsh. You've been working so hard on these books, I have no right to complain. I imagine writing is a stressful occupation, you do not need unappreciative fans making such unreasonable demands. I am reasonable. You, my dear author, deserve a break, yes, a brief hiatus. I can wait. We can all wait. How does a vacation sound, Ms Do? We should visit the eastern lands. I hear the Lazarus Pit is quite lovely this time of the year. Perhaps we should act upon that little rumor on the Savior's Grail on the way there. And afterwards we can visit those shifting sands, where that mysterious alchemist and his mystical stone dwell. Does that not sound wonderful? Oh, of course I know such things are nothing but myths and old mare tales. But then again, so was the Radiant Shield of Rasdon. So was the Amulet of Atonement and Quetzalcoatl. So was I. Come along, Ms. Daring Do, for we have much distance to travel and I do not wish to delay. We will see each other very soon. I will make sure of it. Come quickly, Ms. Daring Do. We have a story to continue. ...This Is Not The End...