//------------------------------// // Mistakes // Story: Daring Do and the search for the Winter Pearl // by DemonWriterX //------------------------------// The faucet was left running, memories of last night played over and over in her mind. She wanted to drown it. She wanted to forget that it ever happened but she couldn't get rid of the heat growing in her cheeks. She splashed the cold water on her face in desperation, trying to rid herself of the embarrassment. She stared at herself in the bathroom mirror for five minutes and shivered as her wet mane dripped down her neck and shoulder. The moments of last night flashed in her head making her covered her face instinctively in shame. She let out a groan making herself fall on the white tile, her back hitting against the jade colored wall seeing the scene play out in her mind. She let out a soft giggle as his fingers stroked through her mane gently. The blanket from their bed, draped over their shoulders giving them comfort and warmth. Her cheek rested on Ahuizotl's chest. Hearing his large heart beat, she sighed as she laid curled up underneath his arm. He had on a large grin, chuckling deeply as if a joke had been said between them. She leaned into his warm hand, shifting slightly underneath his tail that was wrapped around her waist. "Traditional or white dress?" He asked, continuing their conversation. "There's a difference?" Daring replied with a smile, her interest peaked. They had been talking about his tribal life for an hour. "What's traditional?" Ahuizotl rotated his wrist, his fingers outstretched as he imagined it. "You will be dressed in the finest blue and green silk with accessories made of pure gold." She smirked. "I kinda like that." "And of course you will bare me my offspring, yes?" He purred with his hand running through her mane. Daring let out a small blush and turned away. "I don't know, I think your planning too far ahead." "I am serious..." He whispered with a slight growl. "How many?" Daring's ear twitch from his hot breath and gave him a sly smile. "Just one foal, any more and I might just go crazy...." "Just one?" He exclaimed, he leaned down giving her a small kiss on her temple. She let out a small snort from his act. Seeing him act so gentle towards her was something she never thought possible. "I thought you might be the type that would want more than that..." "I...I don't really know if I do." She replied slowly with her eyes down to his hand. She placed her hoof over his large knuckles. He caught her hoof and brought it up to his lips, peckering her with sweet butterfly kisses. "Do not worry about that..." he said softly and kissed her hoof one more time. "One is enough." She bit her lower lip from his affection before replying in a quiet voice. "How many would you want?" He didn't need a second to respond. "Twelve." She let out a loud laugh. "Twelve!? Oh no, I am never giving you twelve. That's too many." Ahuizotl shared in her laughter. "I always wanted a large family." She gave him a playful push which spurred him to wrap his arms around her in a tight embrace. "You're beautiful, it makes me wish to ravish you." he whispered running a finger down her cheek to underneath her chin. She smiled and caught his hand, pressing her lips against his palm. He tilted his head at her as she looked at him with deep love in her eyes. "Do you now?" She said flirtatiously when her lips left his hand. A flash of pink circled in his pupils making him lean forward giving her a quick kiss on her ear. She let out a small shriek,making her ears fall flat. "You flirt!" She accused playfully, her own eyes shining bright pink. He let out a deep chuckle giving her a wolfish grin. "I have been called worse than that, my dear." She slapped his arm aside. "Stop. You're becoming needy..." He lifted her hoof once more. "Can you blame me, my dearest?" He smirked, Daring let out a laugh. "So you added an est? Is that suppose to make me more vulnerable to your charms?" He went foreword trying to sneak a quick kiss to her neck, she leaned back making him come up short. She held back a laugh hearing him growl in excitement. "You're playing hard to get." He said, running his hand-tail down the back of her head. She ran her hoof down his chest, the motion made him grin wider. "I think you're just trying too hard." She gave him a chaste kiss on the lips and pulled away once Ahuizotl wanted to go longer. "Now who's the flirt?" He accused. She let out a small blush. He grabbed at her hoof looking straight into her eyes. "I desire you...I desire you enough to want to keep you by my side for all eternity." She felt his fingers tug at her ring attached to her chain. "A-Ahuizotl..." She felt her heart skip a beat. "We can have more nights like this, my sweet flower....and in the mornings I can give you anything you desire, let it be gold or a mountain." He put the ring up to his lips making her blush deeply. "I promise on my life that I shall be faithful to you as long as I expect the same from you...this may seem to be rash but..." His eyes locked with hers, it took all of her will to not turn away. " I want you to be my mate because of how much I love you." The memory was gone once she hit herself on the head, a deep blush across her face. There was no escaping it. She kissed him. She kissed him, he kissed her, and they both fell asleep in eachother's arms as if they were a part of a romance! The worst part of the whole thing is that she told him…. she loved him. She banged the back of her head against the wall. Why did she say that she loved him? Throughout her whole life she had never had a relationship with another male. Sure she went on dates but it never went anywhere because they either got scared off by how confident she was or she, herself, scared them off by threatening them. She gave up on finding a "soul-mate" and focused on one thing, adventuring. Trekking through the harsh, humid rainforest gave her more life than what a male might give her. Fighting criminals added the excitement, escaping death traps added the adrenaline and retrieving artifacts was all the love she needed. So what does she know about "real" love? Does a kiss between them really changed how they felt about each other? Before they were enemies, then they were partners and somehow a kiss had changed all that. She couldn't love him, she can't love him! It was impossible. Ahuizotl was pacing. His mind was trying to find sense of what could have lead to this outcome. Last night was something he will never forget. During his long life, he had never met a mare like Daring Do. As leader of his tribe ponies he had power, wealth, intelligence and was an obvious target for other females who wished to joined him but...his appearance proved to be too frightening to some and his wealth proved to bring in females who wished to bathed in the riches. In the end, he never had any interest, until Daring came into the picture. She is strong, intelligent, skillful and determined. Everything he ever needed in a mate. He just never thought it would be Daring. Yet, she has drawn away from him. The first time they met, she was irritating. The way she cracked jokes, laughed at his expense, escaped from his traps and took back artifacts he worked hard to steal. She was more than formidable. She was also obnoxious. He became obsessed with her, something that came unconsciously as he pursued her. It was always him stalking her, he never thought about it at first but, he enjoyed battling with her. Matching wits, trading fists, stealing from one another. He bit the inside of his cheek in thought. Last night, something spurred inside him, their journey and time together made it obvious that he wanted Daring to become his mate. Even in the beginning. She was perfect to become a queen beside him. The way she kissed him, held his hand, looked at him. He placed a hand over his muzzle as a small blush grew. The way she said that she loved him. He considered that to be true, unlike Daring who had other thoughts. No matter how much she protests that she never did, he could not believe it. It was all truth, everything from last night was the ultimate truth. Why deny it? His new feelings for her was proving difficult to manage. The bathroom door suddenly clicked causing him to turn to find Daring, standing inbetween of the doorway, holding a stern frown. "Let's get something straight..." She began with a growl. "Everything that happened last night, "never" happened, got it? And if you breath a word to anypony once we go our separate ways, I'll make sure to find you and break your nose." She slammed the bathroom door and stomped her way towards the fridge. Ahuizotl bit the inside of his cheek. His hand-tail wagging slightly. He never noticed how fiercely beautiful she looked when angry. He watched how Daring began pulling vegetables and fruit out of the fridge, stuffing her mouth. She chewed quickly, devouring everything in sight. He knew what she was trying to do. She was trying to forget through food. 'What a glutton.' He thought, but he too had a desire to eat just to make his troubles disappear. It proved to be quite distracting. The sound of frantic knocking grabbed their attention, Ahuizotl swiftly snatches his amulet off the floor(left from last night) and put it on. Resuming his pony form, he answered the door. "Oh-I uh..hope I did not wake you." Ahuizotl blinked once he saw Neve, the shaking stallion fixed his glasses making Ahuizotl frown. "No. You did not...state your business." He demanded. He did not want to deal with him right now. His tone made the stallion jump slightly making him turn embarrassed. "Um..by any chance, have you s-seen the couple, staying in the room beside yours, sometime during the reveal last night...." Ahuizotl bit the inside of his cheek. "The matching couple?" "Y-yes sir..." "I....me and my wife-" he strained at the word. "Departed to our room early and we have not seen them..." Suddenly Neve turned nervous, which made Ahuizotl’s brow arch. "Why? What has happened?" "I-it could be nothing...nothing at all..." Neve rubbed at his hooves. "And I don't want to c-cause alarm but...t-they have been missing since last night....and we already checked their rooms, their bags are still there." Ahuizotl eyes widened slightly. "Missing? And since last night?" "I-it could be nothing..." Neve said, his shoulders shaking. "Petite told me to not worry about them...but I fear the w-worst." "What makes you say that?" Ahuizotl said, prodding him on more information. Neve glanced up at him, avoiding his eyes. "I-it's nothing...I'm being silly and n-naive...they must have went into Paris for sightseeing. Yes, Yes, t-that must be it." "Have you seen something?" "N-no....it's just....." Neve took a shaky breath. "P-petite is different now..." "Different how?" Ahuizotl pressed taking a step forward. Neve took a step back letting out a shaky laugh. "It's nothing!...I'm being s-silly! I get nervous on the most s-simple things!" He turned away. "I must go." Ahuizotl did not stop him, instead he watched him hurriedly go to the elevator, wiping his brow feverishly before disappearing behind the sliding doors. Ahuizotl shut the door and rubbed his temple. He can't really remember much of the guests from last night. He can't really place where the missing couple were in his memory. He turned his attention towards Daring. She must have seen them. It could be nothing and that the couple might have gone sight seeing like Neve has stated but, from the way he acted, it could not be ignored. "Miss Do." He called, making her head finally come out of the fridge. She gave him a raised look before swallowing what bit of food she had."Had you seen the couple with the matching outfits at the reveal?" Her head tilted at the question. "Um, I think so...yes, yeah I saw them, they were sitting near the stage." "So they were there...." He muttered to himself. “Something is wrong.” he said out loud, making her walk up to him. Not coming in close like before, keeping her distance. “Who was at the door?” she asked. “Neve.” “Neve?” She let out a scoff. “And he was asking about the couple?” “Yes, he said something very peculiar about Petite, there is no escaping it...we must find the Petite immediately.” There was no time to evaluate their current relationship, they have less than two days before the winter solstice. Daring would have to push her thoughts about Ahuizotl deep down in her mind, burying it. She would have to worry about him later. At least something good might happen when they take back the pearl, finally getting far away from him.