Chapter 10: Ahuizotl vs. Ponyville
Back in Ponyville, the recovery from Ahuizotl’s enchanted storm has been in definite full swing. The damage caused by the storm, which includes wrecked houses, fallen trees, and rocks that apparently flew everywhere, was getting situated by being rebuilt or taken away. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Spike were among the ponies who made sure that the town was clear of any hazard.
And, despite the fact that it seemed like all of Ponyville’s residents were unharmed, there were many who were injured. Several elders and children had received broken legs or hooves from the stampeding to the castle. There were many who were also unable to make it to the castle despite the head count made inside, and they were injured either because of falling debris from their own homes or outside, or getting caught in the winds and landing somewhere like a tree. The princesses, Shining Armor, and Zecora personally oversaw the wounded and were doing everything they could to help them and the doctors who were working as well.
Mayor Mare and Spike oversaw everything in town, and here and there they also lended a hoof in support. Just now, they were checking on a house that was being repaired by some construction ponies.
“Good work, everypony. Make sure the roof is stable and that no holes are on it.” Mayor Mare said to them.
“Oh! And here’s a nail in case you need one!” Spike shouts
With that, one of the unicorns who was working on the house used his magic to pick up the nail from Spike’s claw, bring it over to his face level, and then gives Spike and the mayor a salute of thanks.
The mayor salutes in return before heading off elsewhere in town. As they passed by, Applejack and Rarity were working on a tree that had fallen because of the storm.
“I sure hope Twilight is alright, Applejack,” Rarity says, “She and Rainbow’s search party have been gone for two whole days now.”
“I’m sure they’re alright, Rarity. Twilight’s a strong mare, and I have faith that Rainbow and the others will bring her back in no time.” Applejack assures.
“Well...let’s just hope they come back soon, then.” Rarity replies, feeling assured by Applejack’s words.
Just then, a bright flash suddenly ignites itself in the Town Square, and Applejack and Rarity notice. Curious, they immediately ran straight for where the flash came from. Nearby, Mayor Mare and Spike also noticed, and they quickly follow behind.
****
At the Town Square, it turns out that the flash came from Discord, who safely teleported himself and the rest of the gang from Shadow Mountain.
The Knights of Tambelon couldn’t help but look at their surroundings for a moment, remembering that it’s been years since they had been this close to a town full of houses and everything.
“Woah. I don’t think I’ve ever been this far into a town in a long time.” Catrina said as she looked around.
Nearby, Applejack, Rarity, Spike, and the mayor soon enter the scene, and gasp upon seeing that Twilight and Rainbow’s search party were back. Although they had yet to notice the Knights of Tambelon.
“Twilight!” Applejack, Rarity, and Spike shout upon seeing her.
“Princess Twilight has returned!” Mayor Mare calls out.
From every corner and part of town, the citizens of Ponyville soon came to see Twilight after all that she went through.
Applejack, Rarity, and Spike all run up to her and happily hug her while saying how worried they are about her.
“Twilight! We were so worried about you!” Rarity says.
“I’m fine, thanks to some new friends I’ve made,” Twilight says as she’s about to introduce the Knights.
“TWILIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!!!” Pinkie suddenly shouts in the distance.
Twilight’s ears directed to the sound of her shout, she soon spots Pinkie speeding towards her like a cheetah. And just like that, Pinkie grabs Twilight in a tight hug, and spins her around with joy while hugging her.
“I’m so glad you’re back.” she joyfully says.
“I-It’s great to see you too, P-Pinkie.” Twilight says, although she did feel crushed by her hug.
Pinkie by then releases Twilight from her hug, but when she did, she suddenly sees Scorpan and gets scared. Her reaction was the one she had around Princess Luna during Nightmare Night.
“AAAAHHHH!!! IT’S THE MONSTER OF SHADOW PASS!!!! RUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!!”
Every pony by then screamed and ran for cover.
“Wait! Everypony! It’s okay, there’s no need to be afraid!” Twilight calms them, “He’s no monster! This is Scorpan!”
“A+ correction on that!” Discord supports while holding a large, white paper with an actual A+.
“Scorpan?” Applejack happily realizes after looking at the gargoyle, “It is Scorpan!”
“Scorpan!” Rarity and Spike call him.
Soon every pony, including the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the Cake Family, Cherilee, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, and the Wonder Bolts all appear while saying his name and coming to greet Scorpan. He may be Tirek’s brother, but he is still a hero in their eyes because he cared enough about them to save them.
Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and Cadence run up to Twilight, happily hugging her.
“Twily! We were so worried about you!” Shining Armor said while preventing himself from crying.
“I’m fine, BBBFF,” Twilight says.
“Please don’t ever get caught in something like that again, okay.” Cadance says with tears streaming from her eyes.
“I won’t, Cadance.” Twilight reassures.
Celestia and Luna suddenly Scorpan, whom they recognize as their old friend.
“Scorpan? Is it really you?” Luna asks.
“It’s me, Princess Luna,” Scorpan says.
Celestia and Luna both hug them, smiling with tears of joy as they did.
“We’re so glad to see you after all these years,” Celestia says.
“Thanks. I really missed you guys.” Scorpan told them.
Suddenly, just as everyone thought that nothing could go wrong, a familiar Spanish accent made itself known.
“How touching.”
The ponies and dragon gasp when they look up to see that on the rooftop of a house, Ahuizotl and his cats were looking down at everyone with faces of evil, the sun illuminating them to give them a rather classic entrance. Not wasting any time whatsoever, Ahuizotl leaps into the air, and lands on the ground with his feet and hands, making the ground shake a little. His cats by then leaped down next to him.
“Ahuizotl!” Daring Do and Scorpan said with a serious face.
“Greeting, old friends,” Ahuizotl says with a chuckle, “So nice to see you again after all this time.”
“You were never a friend of ours!” Thorne reprimanded him.
“Still doing Grogar’s dirty work?” Rep sneered.
This shocks Celestia and Luna when they hear Grogar’s name.
“So Grogar is behind this,” Celestia tells her sister.
“I was afraid of this, even after Daring Do mentioned a ram’s shadow,” Luna says.
“As much as I like conversations, I’m afraid I’ll have to cut to the chase for my sudden appearance. I’m going to give you and your fellow knights a choice Scorpan: surrender yourselves and come back with me to Tambelon, or I will create a storm large enough to destroy this pony village and everyone in it.” he demanded as he got out the Storm Unicorn’s Medallion.
With lightning fast reflexes, Catrina gets out her wand and unleashes a powerful enough wind to blow the Medallion out of Ahuizotl’s hand, much to his sudden wide-eyed shock. The medallion lands on the ground.
“I don’t think so, Ahuizotl.” Catrina spats.
At that response, Ahuizotl growls with agitation and anger.
“Fine then.” he says, before he runs to get the medallion.
But just when he was about to grab it, Rainbow Dash flies down and snatches it. But the tiger jumps her and pins her down.
“Daring Do!” she calls as she throws the Medallion to her.
Daring Do catches and flies to the air, but Ahuizotl catches her with his tail-hand. Discord uses his magic to teleport her out of his clutches. Daring Do gives him the Medallion.
“The medallion can only be destroyed Draconequus fire, Discord,” Daring Do informs her, “Only you can destroy it!”
They suddenly hear Fluttershy’s scream. Discord and Daring Do turn with fear and shock to find that Ahuizotl held Fluttershy as a hostage with his tail-hand. She struggled as she was held.
“I know about your bond with this pegasus, Discord. She is a valuable prize indeed, but I’m in the mood for trading more than keeping. Hand me the medallion or your friend is cat food.” He threatens as he hangs her over his cat gang.
His wild cats then start leaping for her and snapping their jaws just to have a bite of pegasus. Fluttershy screamed with fear and struggled more and more.
“Stop this, Ahuizotl!” Scorpan commands out of nowhere.
At that command, Ahuizotl turns his attention to Scorpan, who stepped forward from his group of friends.
“I’ll go with you back to Tambelon, but only if you let Fluttershy. Just take me, and leave Thorne, Catrina, and Rep out.”
“Scorpan, no!” Thorne shouts.
“Don’t do it!” Twilight also says.
Scorpan by then faces them, giving them a look that told them he’d rather go with Ahuizotl than risk the life of Fluttershy.
“I’m not gonna have any pony harmed for my safety,” Scorpan states to them.
Ahuizotl smiles upon this revelation, and chuckles to himself with triumph.
“You haven’t changed at all, Scorpan,” Ahuizotl scoff, “Being with these Equines made you the weak-minded fool you are today.”
While Ahuizotl is distracted, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo sneak up behind him and bite him on his tail, causing him to scream and let go of Fluttershy.
“You’re wrong, Ahuizotl!” Scootaloo tells him off, “Caring for someone does not make him or any pony weak! It means that Scorpan has a strong spirit, one that is filled with a kind heart and the courage to save someone no matter the danger!”
“We see him as a hero because if he hadn’t told the princesses what Tirek was about to do, we would have been in danger long ago,” Apple Bloom added, “Scorpan did what all true heroes would do, save another’s life no matter the cost, and he inspired others to do the same. He stuck up for us, so we’re stickin’ up for him! You’re not taking him back to Grogar!”
“If you want him, you’re gonna have to get by the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Sweetie Belle said as they stood bravely between Ahuizotl and Scorpan.
Ahuizotl was about to attack when his tail is grabbed by Spitfire.
“You’re gonna have to get by all of us, Mutt!” she says as she hangs on tight.
Ahuizotl shakes his tail hard enough to shake Spitfire off. Big Macintosh comes out of nowhere and kicks him hard.
Bulk Biceps has Ahuizotl pinned down.
“Get them, My Cats! Starting with the three little ones!” Ahuizotl commanded.
The Tiger jumps onto Bulk Biceps; the cheetah is on Scorpan; the Panther jumps Thorne; the Lynx jumps onto Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo; and the white kitten jumps on Apple Bloom.
“Whoa, Doggie! If you take this bull by the horns, you better be ready for a ride!” Apple Bloom says as she starts to jump, “Come on every pony! Kick ‘em up! Kick ‘em hard! Buck ‘em off! Buck ‘em down!”
Soon, they are all jumping, trying to force the cats off. Even Scorpan and Thorne are doing it. The cats are unable to hold onto them. When they came to a scratching halt, the cats are forced off, causing them to fall and pile up on their master.
“Get along, L’il Kitties!” Apple Bloom remarks.
“That’s my baby sister,” Applejack proudly says.
“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh says.
Ahuizotl erupts into a rage.
“ENOOOUUUUUGH!” he angrily screams.
With all the speed he could muster, the cheetah suddenly speeds for the medallion and grabs it from Daring Do’s grip.
Before the cheetah could return it to his master though, Applejack suddenly rams into him, her strength being able to knock him to a wall, and making the medallion fly a little before she caught it with her mouth.
But the tiger pounced Applejack before she could even run, pinning her down so that he could grab the medallion with his jaws. But, in the blink of an eye, the medallion suddenly disappears from AJ’s mouth before the tiger could even clamp his mouth on the medallion.
The medallion disappeared because Twilight used her teleportation spell to keep it away from the tiger.
Before she could do anything else though, the panther and lynx surround her. It almost seemed impossible for her to escape...or was it?
The lynx and panther by then leap at her for the medallion! But right before even a single claw could touch her, she uses her wings to lift herself into the air with flight, causing the lynx and panther to by then bump their heads against each other and get knocked with dizziness.
Twilight hovered in the air while holding the medallion, but, out of nowhere, a boomerang is suddenly thrown at her, trapping her neck against a wall and causing her telekinesis to stop holding the medallion. Ahuizotl by then approaches the fallen object and picks it up.
“Yes! I am victorious!” he says with pride.
With his eagle claw and lion paw, Discord generates a fireball of Draconequess fire, and aims it at the Storm Medallion in that was held by Ahuizotl’s hand as he cackles in triumph. Then, he throws like a pitcher throwing a baseball at the medallion without Ahuizotl even noticing.
As Ahuizotl cackled, the fire made contact with the Storm Medallion! By the time Ahuizotl noticed, the medallion explodes, causing shards to suddenly fly ever and making him fall backwards to the ground and go into a stupor. When he came out of his stupor and found what had just happened, he was immediately shocked with realization that he had lost!
“NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!”
He then hears a whistle. Turning around, he sees Rep transforming into a bull. Breath by then flared out of his nostrils like he was a real bull.
“This is for Scorpan!” he says as he charges at him.
The ram from Rep was so hard, it caused Ahuizotl to crash into the wall of a brick-walled house.
Discord then snaps his fingers, making both his hands and tail chained up.
“You are going straight to Tartarus for interrogation, Ahuizotl!” Celestia says as she was about to use her magic to send him there.
But before the princess could fully cast her spell, Ahuizotl uses his strength to break free of his chains.
“That’s what you think, Princess!” he says as he gets out a smoke bomb.
He by then throws the smoke bomb to the ground, and it caused smoke to spread in the Time Square. The everypony and everyone outside of Ahuizotl and his cats coughed when the smoke got in their way. When the smoke dissipated, Ahuizotl and his cats disappeared.
“We gotta go after him!” Twilight says.
“No need, Twilight,” Scorpan says, “He’ll be back. He serves Grogar. He won’t rest until I’m his prisoner.”
“My friends and I won’t let that happen, Scorpan.”
“So I noticed.”
The Cutie Mark Crusaders approach Thorne to introduce themselves.
“Hey there, Mister. We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Apple Bloom starts the introduction, “I’m Apple Bloom.”
“I’m Sweetie Belle,” Sweetie Belle says.
“And I’m Scootaloo,” Scootaloo introduces herself, fluttering her wings as she did.
“Greetings, young heroes,” Thorne says with a bow, “I am Thorne, at your service.”
The Crusaders couldn’t help but giggle at the gesture Thorne gave to them.
****
Meanwhile, out in the middle of a jungle in Southern Equestria, there was a temple sitting at the very center of a clearing. Just when things seemed quiet though, a portal appears out of nowhere! Ahuizotl and his cats step out the other side of it, having escaped from going to Tartarus. He was home.
After the portal vanishes, Ahuizotl is just about to head inside his temple when he sees Grogar’s looming shadow appear on the ground in front of him. In fear, the tails of he and his cats are between their legs. Ahuizotl’s tail-hand slightly grasped his right leg.
“You incompetent fool! How dare you let a bunch of ponies run you ragged and fail to get the Knights! Is this what your father and brother have seen you accomplish the most?! Failure?!” Grogar shouts angrily
“Forgive me, Master Grogar!” he begs on his knees, “I did not mean-“
“Never mind!”
His shout was enough to instill fear in the large canine and his feline companions, making their ears droop down. It satisfied the goat, but he felt that that wasn’t enough.
“Report to Tambelon now! And do not waste any time dilly dallying, because if you do, things won’t be pretty.”
Another portal soon appears, this one to take Ahuizotl and his cats to Tambelon.
“And by the way, I overheard your intention to double-cross me and takeover Equestria yourself before I fully disappeared from the puddle on our last talk. So do not think your failure in imprisoning Scorpan will be the only thing you’re getting punished for.” Grogar warns.
Ahuizotl gulped nervously at what Grogar just told him, and he was fully convinced to not keep his master waiting. He and his cats rush into the portal that would take them to Tambelon.