//------------------------------// // The Call // Story: Daring Do and the Shadow of Grogar // by flutterfan2501 //------------------------------// It was a normal day for A.K. Yearling, who was sitting in her cottage, working on her next story. So far, she had come across writer’s cramp, having a hard time coming up with the next story in her series of Daring Do books. After her last publication, she had a hard time thinking of inspirations. “Man, coming up with stories really takes it out of a mare…” she muttered as she took a swig of apple cider, and looked at her storyboard. So far, she had nothing, except another encounter with Ahuizotl. Then again, that character has been so overused, but her fans seem to enjoy Daring Do’s antics against the ancient beast with a hand for a tail, and wanted to plunge the world into his rule, along with his tribe. Then again, if they knew he existed, then they might have second thoughts. Yearling recounted the times that she had thwarted Ahuizotl many times as Daring Do herself. She especially remembered her last exploit with Rainbow Dash and her friends, saving the world yet again from Ahuizotl’s clutches. She sighed at the memory, wishing something just as adventurous and as thrilling would happen yet again. Just then, a letter appeared seemingly out of nowhere, snapping her out of her remembrance of bliss. She looked at it confused at first, having never received this kind of letter in the way that it has. She opened it and began to read the letter. As she read the letter, her eyes began to dilate, her mind racing for the possibilities of the authenticity of the letter. So far, it seemed real, that Ponyville needs help. “I…I can’t…” she said, lowering the letter, her ears bent back. Her mind started asking questions, and she planned on getting answers. Setting the letter onto her desk, she whipped her normal hat and cloak off, revealing her camo wear. Taking off her glasses and putting on an explorer’s cap onto her head finished the transformation. A.K. Yearling was no more. Now, she is Daring Do. Getting her whip and setting it on her suit, she ran out the door for Ponyville. So now, her house laid empty, with the letter being its only inhabitant. It laid open, as if waiting for someone to read. The letter read, “Dear A.K. Yearling, We are writing to you for an important matter concerning someone you are very familiar with. As you know, we defeated Ahuizotl at the Fortress of Talicon a while ago. Well, it seems that he is at it again from an anonymous source you will meet when you come to Ponyville. This is of the urgent matter. We know that you would be capable to undergo this task yet again, considering all the accomplishments that you have done in the past. We await your arrival. Sincerely yours, Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony” /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ She flew straight into Ponyville, looking around for Twilight and her friends. One of the few things that she had seen suddenly was a giant castle jolting out of the ground, made purely of crystals. Daring looked up at the castle with an surprised look, her expert eyes letting her imagination come up with different explanations of what kind of castle it is, where it came from, and how it functions. She went up to the castle, and came across Rainbow Dash, waiting on a cloud for her. “Hey, Dash! Long time, no see, huh?” Hearing her name being called out, Rainbow Dash looked towards the source of the voice, and suddenly lightened up as she saw her hero. “Daring Do!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she flew down and hugged her idol. “Alright, easy there, tiger…” Daring said as she hugged Rainbow Dash back. “…Now, what’s the situation?” “Oh…That…”Rainbow Dash said as she released her hug. “I think it would be better if you came into the castle to understand…” Rainbow Dash then turned towards the castle, gestured for Daring Do to follow. Daring obliged Rainbow Dash, following her into the castle. As they went deeper into the castle, Daring Do looked at the design and look of the interior, which surprised her even more. Then they reached what looked a throne room. Daring Do looked around the room, and was taken aback by the design of the room. As she reached the center, she saw a purple alicorn sitting on one of the thrones, with an all too recognizable earth pony sitting in front of her. “Daring Do! It’s good that you could make it!” Twilight Sparkle said, as the earth pony turned around and looked at Daring Do. As Daring Do saw the earth ponies’ face, her face scrunched up in anger, and she instantly got into a fighting stance. “Caballeron!! Just what are you doing here?! To steal something from this castle?!” She yelled, showing her distaste of his presence. “It’s Dr. Caballeron, if you don’t mind, Ms. Do…” the earth pony said, as he slightly smirked at Daring Do’s actions. “Even though taking something of value from this castle might sound beneficial to me, I have no intentions to steal anything at the time being, especially from a princess. I have some standards…” Dr. Caballeron said, maneuvering so that he was facing both Daring Do and Twilight Sparkle. “You? Having standards? That’s a shocker…” Daring said in a sarcastic tone, not believing any word that came out of the stallion’s mouth. “I never thought that you had any…” “Funny…” Caballeron said, reading the sarcasm in Daring Do’s voice. “I could say the same about you…” “You little…” Daring Do started, anger towards him growing, until Twilight got between them both. “Dr. Caballeron, Daring Do, please, this is no time for fighting…” Twilight said, looking between the two with concerning eyes. “Let’s not argue when we greet each other…” “Of course…” Caballeron said, straitening his suit. “The real reason as to why I’m here…” he looked at Daring Do before continuing, “…is a matter concerning Ahuizotl.” “What a big surprise!” Daring Do sarcastically said, looking at Caballeron with a skeptical look. “When does it ever not concern him…?” She looked at Caballeron, waiting for him to make a snide comeback, but none came. Instead, he cleared his throat and continued. “I have reason to believe that he has become more ruthless than we have thought…” “How so…?” asked Daring Do, her skepticism rising more and more. “Ahuizotl has started the search for the Tomb of Grogar, and intends to use any artifacts he finds in there to take over Equestria.” After Caballeron said this, the room went silent. Daring Do and Twilight had their eyes dilated, ears bent back as they realize what Caballeron had said. “…The T-Tomb of…” Daring Do started, but was interrupted by Twilight, who finished the question with a fear filled voice. “…Grogar…?” “Yes, and from what I have seen from your reactions, you realize who Grogar is, do you not?” Caballeron asked, with a serious look within his voice and on his face. “W-who w-wouldn’t…?” Daring asked in a rhetorical question. “It’s been said that he’s the ancient leader of the Kingdom of Tambelon…” Twilight said, remembering a book she read on the history of ancient villains. “He was sent to the Shadow World five hundred years ago for ruling with an iron hoof, but then he escaped, then he captured almost all the unicorns to have them open an portal to the Shadow World, and have all the inhabitants of Equestria sent there, and it would have worked if it wasn’t for Princess Celestia and Luna.” “Exactly, and from what I know, when he was sent to the Shadow World, his followers made a tomb as a resting place for his rule, placing anything of power or value to their king in there, in the off chance that he returns. If Ahuizotl gets a hold of one of these items, especially if it has powerful magic to it…” Caballeron purposely trailed off to see if any of the two ponies in front of him can put the pieces together. “…Then that means Equestria is through!!” Daring Do realized, as her mind raced with many questions. Why would Ahuizotl do this, what would he get out of it, how is he going to do this? She couldn’t come up with any answers, so the thought of the most logical thing to do. “When is Ahuizotl going to search for the Tomb of Grogar…?” Daring Do asked, which surprised both Twilight and Caballeron. “Two days from now. Why do you ask?” Caballeron asked, looking at Daring Do with a confused look. “Well, it seems that I’m going to do what I’m always good at…thwarting Ahuizotl and saving the day, yet again…” Daring Do said, a slight smirk spreading across her lips. “So does that mean you’ll do it…?” asked Twilight, starting to get giddy at the thought of Daring Do going on another adventure. “Hey, if it involves Ahuizotl, then I’m all in! Besides, it’s good to go out and get the creative juices flowing…” Daring Do said, giving Twilight a wink. “I’ve had the worst case of writer’s cramp for a while now…” “Good…” Caballeron said, getting a map out of his suit pocket. “This is the area of which Ahuizotl will start searching for the tomb. His research had led him to this location, which has the highest probability of the tomb being there. You must get there before he does and secure it.” Caballeron handed the map over to Daring Do, to which she accepted it. “You know, apart from being a greedy stallion that used to work for Ahuizotl, I somehow knew that you’d be a good guy someday.” Daring Do complimented, to which Caballeron scoffed at her. “Oh, please, I’m not doing this for the sake of being good…I’m mainly doing this so Equestria isn’t destroyed.” Caballeron said, glaring at Daring Do with a look of what seemed to be mutual understanding. “Daring Do, I believe you should leave and get ready for the next two days.” Twilight said, to which Daring Do nodded, winked at Rainbow Dash, and flew out the window. “Do you think she’ll be ok?” Twilight asked to Caballeron, who simply answered her with an assuring tone. “I know Daring Do. She can handle this…” Rainbow Dash on the other hand, simply said this... “This…is going to be…SO AWESOME!” /)^3^(\