//------------------------------// // Mortality Vs. Immortality // Story: Seeking Eternity // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// As the sun rose, the intrepid explorers awakened, dismantled their camp, and continued on their journey. The normally jovial Caboose was now sullen and grumpy, not even bothering to look anypony in the eye. The heartbroken stallion kept his distance from all members of the group, making sure to stay the furthest away from Daring. The others respected his space, especially Daring, who looked almost as sullen, preferring to keep her eyes on either the map, or the path ahead. Shine and Gothic took note of this. "Well, this is depressing." Shine noted. "I know." Gothic nodded. "I never thought Caboose could take rejection like this." "He's usually so friendly and talkative." Shine sighed. "Seeing him like this just... doesn't feel right." "I know it's wrong to think like this, but I blame Daring." Gothic declared. "If she hadn't shown up, Caboose wouldn't have fallen for her, and he certainly wouldn't have gotten his heart broken." "But then we wouldn't have gotten out of the quicksand." Shine pointed out. "And we were the ones who forced Caboose to come along in the first place, remember?" "Well, there is that." Gothic sighed. "Let's just find that Phoenix. The sooner we do that, the sooner she goes." "How far to the Phoenix now, Daring?" Shine called. "Not too far." Daring called back. "Practically just around the corner." Their (thankfully, uneventful) path soon led to a stone temple built into the side of a mountain, one which seemed to have no entrance. "How do we get in?" Shine asked. "Leave that to me." Daring smiled. Trotting over to the front of the temple, she pointed out a strange round stone sticking out of the wall. "Watch this." Daring grabbed the stone and turned it like a doorknob. Suddenly, a section of the wall descended, creating a way in. "Smart move, Do." Gothic admitted. "Pfft." Caboose snorted. "Seen better." O'Malley added "Me, too." "Nopony asked you." Daring retorted sourly. "Either of you." "Ookay." Shine said awkwardly. "Shall we?" The four entered the temple. At one point, Daring stopped them. "Hold on." She threw a marble across the floor. When it landed, the portion it landed on depressed, and a volley of arrows fired across the room. "The ol' arrow spray trap. Typical." In the next room, they found themselves in a seemingly plain corridor… "Be careful, guys, this room could be riddled with more traps." Daring warned. "Allow me." Caboose bravely stepped up, casting a bitter look at Daring as he was about to trot into the corridor. "Caboose, wait!" Daring screeched. Caboose walked through the corridor, while setting off every trap mechanism along the way. However, if by skill or luck, every arrow, dart, flamethrower, and even a 'pendulum of doom' missed the pony. Soon, Caboose glanced back at the now frightened trio with a smug grin. "See? Piece of-" A big rock dropped down on Caboose. "GAH!" The three gasped. However, Caboose stepped out from behind it, still smiling. "Cake." Caboose finished. "Now, let us be off." Daring gave a gruff 'hmph' as the trio tenderly followed Caboose into the final room… At the end of hall lay a large chamber, with the fabled Golden Phoenix of Immortality in the center. "There it is." Daring smiled. "Hold on. Lemme check my book, see if there's any more traps to watch out for." "We did it." Gothic smiled. "We actually did it!" Shine cheered. "And all it took was a few weeks and probably a half of my heart to do it." Caboose shrugged. "Do what, exactly?" Asked a familiar voice. "Yes, what?" Asked another familiar voice. Turning, Shine and Gothic were shocked to find a very angry Celestia and Luna. Daring looked up from her book and noticed the princesses, also shocked. The two husbands tried to recove,r and faked being pleased to see them. "Luna!" Gothic waved. "Cherryblossom!" Shine chuckled. "Princesses!" Caboose joined in. "Don't you start with us, you two!" Celestia growled. Shine and Gothic cringed. "W-what are you doing here?!" Shine trembled. "We should be asking you the same thing!" Luna glared at Gothic. "Taking a trip to Rainbow Falls, my hoof!" "Luna... I can explain-" Gothic mumbled. Luna slapped him. "You lied to me!" She yelled. Caboose tried to step in. "Easy there, your highness, there is a logical exp-" Luna glared at him. "This is all Shine and Gothic's doing. I was dragged here against my will. Be angry with them." Caboose stepped back. "Way to stick to your guns..." Shine glared at Caboose. "How did you even know we were here, let alone find us?" Gothic asked as he rubbed his cheek. "Discord told us everything." Celestia declared. Her horn glowed, and Discord appeared... in a jailer's outfit. "Discord?!" Shine asked, shocked. "DISCORD?!" Gothic asked, furious. "What?!" Caboose stepped in. "And you guys thought I would spill the beans?!" "I'm really sorry, you guys..." Discord apologized. "But they were going to hurt me!" "Do not be angry with Discord." Celestia declared. "He's already paid for his crimes. You two, on the other hoof, have no idea how angry you made us." Daring stepped in. "Can anypony clue me in here?" She asked. "Because I'm not sure what's going on here..." "It's simple." Luna explained. "Our foolish husbands lied to us about going to Rainbow Falls, kidnapping Lieutenant Caboose, just to go on some idiotic crusade... and for what?!" "For what?! For what?!" Gothic growled. "For you, of course!" "Me?" Luna asked. "Well, you and Constell." Gothic sighed. "Look, the fact is, I'm not gonna be around forever. One day, I'll be gone, but you and Constell will live on without me. I don't want that, and this Phoenix could help me avoid that." "Is this what you think too, Shine?" Celestia asked. "Well, not at first." Shine admitted. "But Gothic makes a very good point. It just don't feel right, you and Miracle having to watch as I grow old and die." "Gothic, I understand what you're feeling, but..." Luna sighed. "Immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. Over the years, Celestia and I have watched so much of what we've loved crumble to dust. With each passing century, we lose so much more." "Exactly my point." Gothic nodded. "You shouldn't have to lose me, too." "Gothic's right, cherryblossom." Shine told Celestia. "Do you really want to lose me? Your one, true love? And what about Miracle? She'll lose her daddy, too." "I..." Celestia murmured. "We're doing this because we love you both." Gothic declared. "We don't want you to have to say goodbye to us. We want to be with you forever." "Gothic..." Luna whispered. "My, how touching." Sneered yet another familiar voice. All eyes turned towards the entrance to the chamber, where Ahuizotl, Caballeron, and a dozen big cats were standing. "Are you serious?" Caboose gaped, as he raised his hoof to the skies. "Dang you, conflict! Dang you to heck!" "Thanks for getting the door, Daring." Caballeron smirked. "And for dealing with all the traps." "Yes, it was so gracious of you to do all the work." Ahuizotl gloated. "Now, we want the Golden Phoenix of Immortality, and nopony is going to stop us!"