Deeper and deeper the three breezies flew into the dark cave, the only source of illumination being their glowing antennae. All the while, Girimehkala's nefarious laugh echoed all around them. Tra-La-La and Tiddlywink shuddered in fear, but Daring Do remained steadfast. She was on a mission, and no amount of evil laughter could ever intimidate her.
Finally, they reached the bottom of the chasm. Daring darted behind a stalagmite, beckoning her breezie compatriots to follow. Poking her head out, she was treated to a horrific sight. There stood Girimehkala, admiring a large alcove filled to the brim with vials of breeze magic. To the right of the alcove, several breezies were imprisoned in glass cases, as if they were insects being put on display at a museum.
"Yikes," Daring gasped, wincing at the sight. "Atotoztli II must have the whole swarm in there. If we don't get them out soon, they're never gonna get home in time."
"Pommella! Chala ti!" Tra-La-La exclaimed in a harsh whisper.
Daring turned to where Tra-La-La was pointing, and she let out an angry snort. Tailspin, Tree Hugger, Fluttershy, Windsday, Recon, and Atotoztli II were all handing upside-down, their limbs bound by cords. None of them seemed particularly happy.
"Looks like Atotoztli II and her hired goon had a difference of opinion," Daring mused, adjusting her pith helmet. "I'm not sure how that helps us."
"Enon matella, pommella?" asked Tiddlywink.
"I'm just gonna assume you're asking me what I'm thinking," said Daring. "I hate to sound like a broken record, but again, I don't speak your language."
Tra-La-La tilted her head. "Menee no? Ena motilla miseser, pommella?"
Daring scowled. "That better not have been you asking me if I hit my head. Look, it's a bit complicated, and I don't have time to explain. Right now, we need to focus on busting everyone out of here."
"Cenno issanu, pommella?" inquired Tiddlywink.
Daring stroked her chin with her feeler. "I don't have everything planned out yet, but the wheels are turning. You two, go see to your friends. I'm going to see to mine. Make sure that guy doesn't see you. And if he does—"
"Neno matala isis con ne," said Tra-La-La with a nod. "Neite micha con Girimekala, pommella." She then turned to Tiddlywink. "Lalu lazu, Tiddlywink."
Daring growled and gave the two breezies a stern glare. Tiddlywink shook her head and took Tra-La-La's feeler in hers.
"Ni, pommella," she said. "Metonno ala truca."
Tra-La-La nodded and smiled. "Aye, pommella. Faldare?"
"Faldara!"
The two of them set off towards the glass cases. Daring smirked.
"Well, that's one less thing for me to worry about," she muttered to herself. She then set off on her own, darting behind every rock formation she could find as she got closer and closer to Girimehkala's other prisoners.
***
"And, well, that's all we were able to find out before we got captured," said Tailspin, concluding her story.
"Oh my," Fluttershy gasped. "Th-that's horrible. Those poor little breezies."
Windsday turned to Atotoztli II and snorted. "Are you serious? This was your big plan? You were going to weaponize the breezies' magic for your own selfish reasons? You don't have any respect for these magnificent creatures, do you? There's a reason the ESPRC defends them from the likes of you and that blasted elephant over there. It's not just because they're delicate, you know. They also serve as the liver of pegasus society. You see, it all started when..."
Atotoztli II growled, unable to interrupt Windsday's lecture due to her lack of a mouth. Tree Hugger sighed.
"This is, like, seriously bumming me out," she said. "I'm not ready to move on to my next life yet."
"D-don't talk like that," Tailspin whimpered. "Y-you're making me nervous."
"I think we're all nervous, Ms. Tailspin," said Fluttershy, looking over at the imprisoned breezies. "It's not just about the breezies anymore. A lot of innocent creatures will be hurt if Girimehkala manages to start a civil war in Equestria."
"Right on, Flutterslice. War is the most bogus thing sentience has ever produced," said Tree Hugger solemnly.
Girimehkala suddenly materialized from the shadows and pointed his blade at Tree Hugger's throat. "I will thank you not to mock the inevitable glory that is war in my presence, equine," he snarled.
"You really think Equestria needs that bad karma, dude?" said Tree Hugger, not backing down.
"Um, Tree Hugger? M-maybe we shouldn't make him mad while we're tied up like this," Fluttershy murmured.
"Just laying out the truth, Flutterslice," said Tree Hugger with a shrug. "It's his own fault for not embracing it."
"Embrace this, you naïve simpleton," barked Girimehkala. "As long as conflict exists, war exists. And it is my duty to keep this truth alive. You ponies have known peace for far too long. It's time I brought that to an end."
Tailspin blinked. "There aren't enough words to describe how crazy you are, mate."
"Do you wish to be cursed like your precious hero?" Girimehkala threatened, leering at Tailspin.
"Eep~! I-I'm sorry; that just slipped out," Tailspin shrieked, scrunching her eyes shut.
"Hey, don't get on Spinmeister's case for telling it like it is, man," Tree Hugger snapped.
"Uh, I still think this argument is a bad idea," said Fluttershy meekly.
Girimehkala scoffed. "At least one of you shows wisdom. I think I'll curse you last."
Fluttershy squeaked and hid her face, shivering in fear. Windsday noticed this and wrinkled his nose.
"You have no right to talk to her like that," he growled. "In fact, you have no right to do any of this! Your actions will be detrimental to the breezies! Do you realize what will happen if they don't leave by sundown? No, of course you don't. Because actually learning something about the creatures you're exploiting is somehow beneath you, isn't it? It's ignorance like this that educators like myself try so hard to stamp out. I swear, if it's the last thing I do, I will let you know every last thing you're doing to harm these brave, graceful creatures. For starters, you—"
"I have no time for your lectures," Girimehkala rumbled. "If you wish to educate someone in your last moments, educate the ape. I have some flames of war to ignite."
Atotoztli II's eyes widened in horror. She tried to plead for mercy, but all that came out was muffled screams. Girimehkala simply turned around and marched back to the alcove of vials.
As soon as his back was turned, Recon felt something poke his side. He turned his head and let out an excited rasp. Daring Do was flying right next to him, placing a feeler to her mouth and shushing him. Recon nodded.
"Alright, boy," Daring whispered. "Time for you to do your stuff. I'll keep Big 'n Ugly over there distracted."
Recon winked at Daring, who winked back before slipping into the shadows. Recon then shot a web from his abdomen and latched it onto the ceiling. He then began spinning in place, tangling the web together with the tiny cords that bound him. Tailspin noticed this and raised an eyebrow.
"Recon? What're you doing?" she asked.
Recon didn't answer. He simply continued tangling the wires until they were as tight as they could be. Once they reached that point, he spun in the other direction, causing the wires to unravel. As they did so, the bonds around his limbs became loose. With a snap, he flew across the room, landing on a stalagmite. Girimehkala perked up.
"Hmm? What's that?" he asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing!" said Tailspin nervously. "Certainly not one of us trying to—"
She was interrupted by Tree Hugger noisily clearing her throat and giving her a dirty look. Tailspin nodded and swallowed before clamming up.
"What was she about to say?" Girimehkala asked, drawing his scimitar.
"Oh, don't mind Spinmeister. She says a lot of far out stuff when she's stressed," said Tree Hugger, winking at Tailspin.
"Uh, yeah! Th-that's right!" said Tailspin. "Um, oooh~! We're, going to stop you, somehow! Heh heh..."
Girimehkala sniggered. "Do you really think that, or are you just trying to sound brave? Either way, you are all fools to fight against the inevitability of war."
"If it's so inevitable, like, why do you even need to do anything?" inquired Tree Hugger. "Like I said, Equestria has no need for your bad karma, dude."
"Yeah, you know what they say about bad karma. It usually ends up biting you in the butt."
A tiny yet familiar voice echoed from behind Girimehkala. He spun around, only to find Daring Do flying in front of the glass cases with her forelegs folded. Fluttershy's heart rose.
"Ms. Daring!" she cheered. "Look, everypony! It's Ms. Daring!"
"Never doubted you for a second, Professor Do," said Windsday with a wry smile.
Tailspin's jaw dropped. "Wait, that's Professor Daring?! Th-that can't be her!"
Girimehkala drew his head back and trumpeted with laughter. "You clearly did not learn your lesson, did you, Daring Do?"
"I guess I can just chalk that up to you not being a good teacher," Daring retorted.
"Okay, yeah. That's her," said Tailspin. "I'd recognize those one-liners anywhere. Still, geeze."
Girimehkala scoffed. "I'm actually quite surprised to see you here, Daring Do. I didn't think you would be this, suicidal."
Daring smirked and turned to the imprisoned breezies. "Get this guy," she chuckled, pointing at Girimehkala. "He doesn't know me very well, does he?"
"You don't know yourself," said Girimehkala. "I cursed you with this body for a reason. Nothing in this world is more fragile than a breezie. I could pinch you between my fingers, and that would be the end of you. Face it, Daring Do. There's nothing you can do to harm me."
"So, you just expect me to take this lying down," said Daring, arching an eyebrow. "Wow, you really don't know me."
Girimehkala laughed. "Oh? And how, pray tell, do you intend to stop me? There's not enough wind down here for you to use your breeze magic, and even if there was, it wouldn't be enough to take me down."
Daring gave Girimehkala a coy smile. "I'm not an idiot like Ahuizotl, Girimehkala. If I told you how I planned to take you down, you'd find a way to counter it."
"Then you're bluffing," said Girimehkala, taking out a vial from the alcove. "These pheromones are the breezies' only line of defense. Without this, you have nothing!"
Daring shrugged. "You know what? Maybe you're right; maybe you're wrong. I'm not telling."
As Daring continued to tease Girimehkala, Recon had crawled onto the ceiling. Silently, he traveled down the rope that held Fluttershy. Once he got to her, he began to gnaw on the cords. Slowly but surely, the ropes unravelled, and Fluttershy was freed.
"Good work, Recon," Fluttershy whispered. "Now, let's go help the others. Quickly."
Fluttershy and Recon flew from pony to pony, setting them free as Daring Do distracted Girimehkala.
"You know, I don't know why these guys are so afraid of you," said Daring, tilting her head at the breezies.
"Because they can be crushed by a leaf, while I am invincible," Girimehkala boasted.
Daring failed to keep a straight face. "Okay, first of all, don't ever claim to be invincible. That's just begging for someone to prove you wrong in the worst possible way."
"Mock me while you can, Daring Do," said Girimehkala. "For once your home is engulfed by the flames of war, we'll see who has the last laugh."
"Most likely, it will be me."
"Why's that?"
"Because my pet tarantula just freed your prisoners."
Girimehkala's eye narrowed. "You're bluffing aga— ow!"
He was cut off by a sharp blow to the back of the head. He turned around and trumpeted in surprise. All of his pony prisoners stood before him, their bonds laying strewn all over the ground. Tailspin dusted off her hooves.
"How's that for a bluff?" she said with a sneer.
Girimehkala snarled and drew his scimitar. "I will not stand for this! You will all be consumed by the flames of war!"
"Whoa, hey. Ease up on the hostility, dude," said Tree Hugger. "Your negative vibrations are, like, really throwing my chakras out of alignment."
Girimehkala snorted. "You really think a weakling such as yourself can tell me what to do?"
"Weakness is all in the mind, man," said Tree Hugger sagely. "In fact, I think you're weak because you're a slave to your bogus obsession."
Girimekala's eye twitched. "Mock war again at your own peril, pony. I dare you."
"Dare accepted," said Tree Hugger without even blinking. "'Cause it's that kind of bad karma that tears everypony apart when they should be coming together. That's, like, as un-koshe as you can get, man. And I'm not down with that."
Girimehkala let out an angry trumpet as he charged for Tree Hugger. "You die!"
"Tree Hugger, watch out!"
Fluttershy tackled Tree Hugger to the ground, pushing her out of the way of Girimehkala's charge at the last minute. Just as he turned for a second attack, Tailspin buzzed him with her wings.
"That one was for Professor Daring!" she hollered.
Girimehkala growled and began to slash at Tailspin, but he was stopped by an itching sensation on his arm. He looked down to see Recon skittering about and scraping his fuzzy feelers against Girimehkala's skin. Girimehkala swatted at the tarantula, only for Recon to repel off of his body.
"Blasted imbeciles!" Girimehkala bellowed. "You will all pay for—"
A loud crash echoed behind him. He spun around yet again and trumpeted angrily. One of the glass cases had been shoved off its pedestal, shattering into several pieces and freeing the breezies inside.
"Oh, did forget I mention that I have a couple of breezie friends helping me out?" Daring said with a snarky smirk. "Sorry, must've slipped my mind."
"I-impossible!" Girimehkala sputtered. "The breezies are useless without their magic! They couldn't have possibly helped you!"
Windsday wrinkled his nose. "If you have such a low opinion of the breezies, then I'd be more than happy to show you just what they're capable of! Professor Do, stand back!"
Daring obliged. Windsday flew towards the breezie prison at top speed. Once he reached them, he smashed them open one by one with his bare hooves, setting each and every breezie free.
"This changes nothing, Daring Do!" Girimehkala boomed. "It doesn't matter if one breezie or a thousand oppose me! They cannot quench the flames of war! Nothing can!"
"I think I've heard just about enough out of you, you big bully."
Girimehkala turned again to see Fluttershy flying right in front of him. Her expression was anything but happy.
"Oh, you changed your mind, little pony?" Girimehkala said mockingly. "You want me to curse you first instead of last?"
"You're not going to be cursing anypony, buster," said Fluttershy firmly. "I'm going to make sure of it."
"Is that so? How?"
"With this."
Her eyes suddenly snapped open and became intense. Girimehkala guffawed.
"You plan on staring at me?" he snickered. "You must have a death wish, pony. Anyone who looks me in the eye is doomed to be cursed for eternity! Here, allow me to demonstrate!"
He then stared back at Fluttershy, his eye pulsating with dark magic. Fluttershy didn't even flinch as the two of them locked gazes. For the longest time, neither of them made a move. While Fluttershy stood strong, she could feel that something was happening to her body. Her joints began to ache; her throat felt raw and dry; her coat turned a ghastly pale color. However, Girimehkala wasn't fairing much better. His heart pounded; sweat poured down his face; his knees began to tremble.
"Y-you are unlike anyone else I have cursed," Girimehkala mumbled. "B-but your magic can only last so long against my own. Soon, you will fall to my curse. Just as this land will fall to war."
"I-I will n-not let that happen," Fluttershy rasped. "C-curse me all you want; I-I can take it."
The two continued their staring contest to the death. Neither of them were willing to back down, but they both knew they couldn't last much longer. Daring stroked her chin in thought and flew over to Tailspin.
"Psst, Tailspin," she whispered.
"H-huh? What is it, Dare?"
"Wanna help me out?"
Tailspin blinked. "Um, what?"
"Well, it's either that or Fluttershy and Girimehkala are gonna end up killing each other," said Daring frankly. "Sorry, but I'm not gonna let that happen."
"A-alright, alright. Y-you don't need to convince me," said Tailspin. "What do you need?"
"Just some wind," said Daring. "It's time the breezies got their payback against their biggest foe. Besides tumbleweeds, of course. Don't ask me how I know that."
Tailspin's eyes widened. "Are you mental?! Th-that's incredibly risky! I-I could screw up, and—"
"Then ask Bluster to help you," said Daring, placing a feeler on Tailspin's muzzle. "Tailspin, I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you were up for it. You take your failures too much to heart, and it keeps you from being your best."
Tailspin bit her lip. "B-but, I don't want you to die..."
"Then I won't," Daring said simply. "C'mon, Tailspin. You always wanted to be my partner, right? Well, now's your chance to really help me out. Show me what you've got."
Tailspin blushed and trembled slightly at Daring's words. After taking a deep breath, she nodded.
"A-alright. A-anything to make it up to you," she said. "Oy, Professor Wind—"
"Let me tell him," interrupted Daring. "We can't let Girimehkala know what we're up to."
Tailspin rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Oh. Um, right. Sorry."
Daring nodded and flew over to Windsday. She then whispered something in his ear, and he smiled.
"Capital idea, Professor Do," he whispered back. "Ms. Tailspin, if you would be so kind."
"I'll follow your lead, Professor Windsday," said Tailspin with a salute. "Let's do this."
Windsday and Tailspin began to flap their wings, kicking up a modest gust. The gust invigorated the breezies, who began to chitter boldly. Tra-La-La and Tiddlywink flanked Daring and nodded to her, their antennae pulsing with power. Daring nodded back and smiled.
"Alright, breezies! Charge!" she ordered.
"Faldara!" hollered Tra-La-La.
The breezies flew as one massive cloud, their pheromones wafting throughout the tunnel. Girimehkala noticed the smell, but Fluttershy's disapproving gaze was too hypnotic for him to acknowledge it. As he continued to try and curse her, the breezies gradually surrounded him. Starting at his feet, he noticed a faint prickling sensation. It was as if his foot was falling asleep. Slowly, the sensation made its way up his body, and his heart pounded faster. Unable to multitask properly, his curse was weakened as the breezies paralyzed his body bit by bit.
"S-stop!" he cried, trying to look away from Fluttershy. "Y-you can't bring down the great Girimehkala like this! Not with such weak tricks and tactics! I-I will not be undone! I will not rest until war has engulfed every square inch of the world! I am beyond strength! I cannot be defeated!"
Just as the last of his body went numb, he saw Daring land on his trunk and just below his great eye.
"Well, you know what they say, Girimehkala," said Daring with a sneer. "The bigger they are, the harder they fall."
She then focused all of her magic through her antennae. The sudden glow blinded Girimehkala, causing him to howl in pain. He tried to clutch for his eye, but none of his limbs responded. His dark magic built up inside his retina, unable to escape. With a final trumpet of agony, the magic burst forth, wounding his eye. He stood there, dazed and beaten. After a long pause, he uttered a single statement.
"Lord Mara, I don't want to be in Equestria anymore."
With that, he collapsed to the ground and dissolved into shadow. As soon as he was gone, a sudden warmth shot through Daring's body. Slowly, she felt her wings become more flexible and her antennae shrink. In a matter of moments, she was her old self again.
"Neiko mnonop?!" Tra-La-La exclaimed. "Loko, con, mene..."
She then swooned into Tiddlywink's feelers. Daring chuckled at the sight, only to be tackled into a hug by Tailspin.
"I-I'm so sorry, Dare," she whimpered. "I-I ruined your vacation. I-I didn't mean to—"
"Hey, easy, buddy. It's okay," Daring cooed, hugging Tailspin back. "I'm not mad at you anymore. Everything's going to be fine now."
"Are you alright, Ms. Fluttershy?" asked Windsday.
Fluttershy shook herself as her illness disappeared. "Th-that was very scary. I-I didn't think anything could resist my Stare like he did. B-but, I'm fine now."
"If you want, I can help you get your chakras sorted out," offered Tree Hugger. "I'm thinking we all need that after what just happ—"
"Not so fast!"
Everyone turned to see Atotoztli II freed from her bonds and grabbing a vial of breeze magic.
"You may have defeated Girimehkala, Daring Do!" she snapped. "But you are still no match for the great Atotoztli II! I will— h-hey, stop that!"
She was interrupted by Recon tickling her foot. When she tried to smack him, he skittered away, causing her to smash her own foot with all her might.
"Ow ow ow!" Atotoztli II howled, hopping up and down. In her pain, she didn't look where she was going. With a crash, she leapt right into the alcove containing the vials. All of them shattered at once, coating her from head to toe in the breezies' paralyzing pheromones. When the dust settled, she was lying on her stomach, stiff as a poker.
Daring chuckled. "Wow. I don't think even Ahui would be incompetent enough to do something like that."
Atotoztli II growled. "Curth you, Daling Do..." she grumbled weakly.
"Well, at least I now know where he gets his bad attitude from," Daring jeered.
The breezies and ponies all shared a laugh as they went off to try and find a way out, leaving a paralyzed and ill-tempered Atotoztli II behind.