As the group of four trekked through the jungle, following the hoofprints, Trixie turned to the one pulling her wagon.
“Umm, Clark? I’ve been meaning to ask. Why don’t you have a Cutie Mark?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Apologies, but I am not familiar with that term.”
Surprised, Trixie opened her mouth to answer, but Maud unexpectedly cut her off.
“A Cutie Mark is a symbol that magically appears on a pony’s flank when he or she discovers their special talent; their purpose in life.”
She lifted her dress and showed them her Cutie Mark, a rock.
“Mine is a rock. Working with and studying rocks are my life.”
Clark blinked, then smiled.
“I understand. That’s cool.”
Maud suddenly looked shy.
“Oh... do you like rocks?”
He looked thoughtful.
“Well, I’ve been around them my whole life. I’ve been a farmer and had to clear the fields of obstructions to place the crops. When I get into fights, I and my enemies get slammed into our fair share of rocks. And I’m usually called to aid in construction and repair projects. I suppose rocks have a certain beauty to them.”
Upon hearing this, Maud moved closer until she and Clark were walking side by side. She blushed and could barely look him in the eye, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small rock.
“This is my pet, Boulder.”
“Hmm. Nice to meet you, Boulder.”
Clark looked uncomfortable, so he looked straight ahead and walked a little faster, but she kept up with him.
Trixie and Daring Do exchanged a knowing smile, seeing what was happening, then Daring decided to speak up.
“My Cutie Mark is a compass because my favorite thing to do is explore and have adventures.”
Trixie decided to add her two bits.
“And my Cutie Mark is a magic wand because I absolutely love performing magic.”
He perked up.
“You mean like a magic show?”
“Correct. I’m a magician by trade and my wagon doubles as my stage.”
“I always liked those. When this adventure is over, could I see your show?”
Trixie grinned.
“It would be an honor!”
Daring cleared her throat.
“I think we are getting a little sidetracked here.”
“Oh right, I never answered the original question. I suppose I don’t have a Cutie Mark because I’m not really a pony. I was transformed into one after Vartox shoved me through the portal that brought me here.”
The other three did a double take, then Daring smacked herself in the head.
“Oh right, I forgot you told us this when we first met. So, what do you normally look like?”
He sighed.
“Do you know what a human is?”
All three of them shook their heads no.
“Okay, do you know what an ape is?”
All three of them nodded.
“I kind of look like that, but sleeker and a lot less hairy.”
The three struggled to picture it and admitted they couldn’t, as they had no concept of a human form.
Clark decided to move on.
“I think we’re forgetting something. Daring Do, who or what are we facing on this quest?”
Daring lowered her head in sorrow. Bringing up the past was always painful.
“Dr. Caballeron was a colleague of mine from back when I started out as an archaeologist. When we first met, he seemed kind and passionate about our profession. We… even dated for a short time. But one day, he revealed his true colors. Unlike me, he doesn’t care about learning of ancient cultures and teaching others about them. All he cares about is getting rich by selling artifacts to the highest bidder, and it doesn’t matter to him who gets hurt in the process. Even if an artifact is sacred or cursed, it won’t stop him. Heck, he even desecrates graves!”
Clark, Trixie, and even Maud shuddered in horror at hearing that.
“To make matters worse, he often forms partnerships with my other enemy, Ahuizotl. He’s kind of hard to describe… like an ape crossed with a cat. I don’t really know much about his origins. He commands an army of cats, and for some reason, he’s obsessed with ruining the world and making others miserable. Through his partnerships with Dr. Caballeron and others, he tries to acquire magical artifacts that can help him do this.”
Trixie spoke up.
“If these two are so vile, why haven’t you contacted Princess Celestia or Princess Luna about them? These two sound like they need to be locked up, pronto.”
Daring looked sad.
“I suppose it’s because I was arrogant. I suppose it’s because I was greedy. Ever since Dr. Caballeron betrayed me, I resolved to never work with anyone again so that I couldn’t be hurt again. In the past few years, I’ve done a pretty good job of it. I’ve always been able to beat those two and their goons by myself before. Then I would write down my adventures and publish them as books to earn some bits. Thanks to my books, nearly everypony in Equestria thinks the three of us are mere fictional characters. I used to deceive myself into thinking this was to prevent the citizens from panicking, but now I realize I was being an idiot and taking this too lightly. Before, it was always: they start trouble, I stop them, I write a book about it, then it starts all over again. But then, a few months ago, I lost against Ahuizotl, and he would have succeeded in plunging the land into 800 years of unrelenting heat if Rainbow Dash and her friends hadn’t helped me.”
Upon hearing Rainbow Dash’s name, Trixie and Maud perked up.
“I’ve realized the folly of my arrogance and I’m through with treating this conflict like a game. When I learned that Dr. Caballeron was on the move again this morning, I decided I’m ending this once and for all! We’re gonna find his newest digsite, kick his flank, and arrest him!”
Upon hearing this speech, Clark made a decision.
“All of you, get on the wagon.”
They did a double take and Daring answered for all three of them.
“What are you doing?”
“If what you say is true, we must stop these guys ASAP. I’m speeding this journey up.”
“Are you sure?”
“You saw what I did with the wagon when you first met me, right?”
Trixie spoke up.
“All right, I’ll trust you, but you’d better not damage the wagon. It’s part of my livelihood.”
“I’ll do my best.”
The three girls hopped into the wagon, then Clark prepared himself.
“Hang on!”
He sped off, following the hoofprints and estimating he could safely run at about 60 miles per hour without destroying the wagon. The three stared at their surroundings whizzing by in amazement and Trixie voiced her opinion.
“You thinking of becoming an athlete? I feel you’re breaking a few records!”
He momentarily turned his head to face her.
“If I don’t find a way home, I just might!”
A few minutes later, the trees began to clear and the group could see a massive structure that resembled an Aztec pyramid. Clark slowed down to a trot. He checked the sun and judged that it was about 3:30 in the afternoon, then turned to the others.
“Get ready.”
They nodded and hopped off the wagon, then Trixie used her telekinesis to detach Clark from the wagon. He was mildly curious at this display of magic coming from her horn, but chose not to question it. In his long life, he had seen a few unicorns and they didn’t have the ability to speak nor telekinesis, just an ability to purify the surroundings and dispel evil influences, but he chalked up the differences to being from a different world. After all, he and his friends and family were not even close to have finished exploring the universe.
The four slowly approached the pyramid to find 26 male Earth Ponies poking about the entrance to the pyramid and digging in the dirt around it. One with a suave haircut, stubble, a golden skull as a Cutie Mark, and a rich-looking shirt spotted them and spoke in a Spanish accent.
“Ah, Daring Do, so nice of you to join us. And you’ve brought friends.”
“Caballeron! What are you trying to steal this time!?”
“That’s Dr. Caballeron to you. And that’s for me to know and you to find out, not that you will. Get them!”
His 25 goons charged at the group. Before anypony could react, Clark leaped forward and came down with a powerful stomp, creating a small shockwave that knocked the attackers down. As everypony stared in amazement at the feat of strength, he spoke to the goons.
“All of you! Answer this, why are you working for him?”
The goons looked at each other uncertainly, then one answered.
“Um, yesterday, he came to us and told us all we had to do was guard him and help him find some treasure and he would make us rich in return.”
Clark snorted.
“What good are riches when you are in prison or the world is in ruins? Because those are the only futures you lot will have if you continue to follow him. You have one chance to prove you are better than this and walk away to a better life. Make your choice.”
Incensed, Dr. Caballeron interrupted.
“What are you fools doing! If you don’t attack right now, you won’t get paid!”
Daring Do laughed and made a wisecrack.
“Wow, with that attitude, it’s a wonder how you can get anyone to work for you.”
“Hold your tongue, Daring Do!”
One of the other goons turned to Dr. Caballeron.
“What was this about ruining the world?”
Before Caballeron could answer, Daring cut him off and explained.
“He a greedy jerk who only cares about stealing artifacts and selling them to get rich. He’ll even sell a magical artifact to a guy who will only use it to destroy the world!”
“Who cares, Ahuizotl promised I would be spared from anything he attempts! In the end, I will be a fat, rich, survivor!”
Trixie facehoofed.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
The hired goons became angry.
“We kind of like the world. You know what, Caballeron!? Screw this, we’re outta here!”
They ran off, taking most of their equipment with them.
“Come back, you fools!”
It was no use, and they soon disappeared down the trail.
Daring stepped forward.
“Well well, look who’s all alone.”
He frowned.
“All right, fine, I give up. I will not humiliate myself by resorting to violence and suffering a losing battle.”
Trixie smirked.
“Well, that was easy.”
She summoned some chains from her wagon (used for an escape artist act), and telekinetically tied him up with them.
Daring walked up and slapped him. Angered, he growled and struggled against the chains.
“Darn you!”
“Just testing to see if the chains would hold.”
She turned to Clark.
“That was a pretty cool speech you did back there.”
“I’ve been through more battles than I can count. If I have a chance to end it quickly, I will take it. Besides, I could tell those guys were not evil, just looking for money to support themselves. They deserved a chance at a better life.”
“Oh, I never really talked to his hired help before. I usually just beat them up.”
The whole time, Maud was examining the entrance to the pyramid.
“Umm, guys? Judging by the dust and the condition of the door, the pyramid was opened, and something went inside.”
Dr. Caballeron chuckled and recited in sing-song.
“I know something you don’t know!”
As Daring growled and slapped him again, Clark heard something big rushing at the door.
“Maud, get away from there!”
In an instant, he ran up to her, wrapped his arms around her barrel, and leaped back to the others, landing on his back.
An instant later, a loud roar echoed before the stone door shattered outward and a being resembling a cross between a cat and an ape with blue fur and a hand on his tail leaped out. He was wearing a large, gold-plated belt with arcane runes on it, and his body seemed to be sparkling.
“Ahuizotl!”
“Ah Daring Do, so glad you could arrive on time to meet your doom!”
“I’m glad your strategy for me to distract her long enough for you to acquire the artifact was successful.”
The group turned around and saw Dr. Caballeron had pulled a nail file out of his shirt pocket with his teeth and was trying to work through the chains. Daring quickly punched him and knocked him out cold.
The group turned back to Ahuizotl, then Maud noticed that Clark was still holding her. She blushed.
“Umm…”
He let go of her and backpedaled.
“I-I’m sorry!”
Daring and Trixie laughed.
“You dare ignore me!?”
Ahuizotl growled in rage.
They turned back to him.
“Sorry about that, Ahuizotl. So what did you steal this time?”
“Hahaha! This belt is the Aegis of Gaia! With it, I am invincible! I shall trample the entire world unopposed, for nothing can harm me now!”
“We’ll see about that!”
Clark charged up at super speed and punched him in the head, trying to knock him out, but he only slid back a few feet and was unfazed.
“Oh no, not good.”
Darn it, this pony body must have reduced my power.
“You Fool!”
Ahuizotl tried to grab Clark with his tail, but he ducked, then quickly wrapped his arms around the tail and judo threw him. Ahuizotl flew across the clearing and made a small crater, but he got up, unharmed.
“Hahaha! The Aegis of Gaia makes my body as hard as diamond and grants me the required secondary powers so that I am unharmed by impacts! You are strong, stranger, but it is pointless!”
As the four regrouped, Daring started thinking.
Clark dismissing Caballeron’s goons has given me an idea. All this time, I’ve never tried to learn Ahuizotl’s motivations. No time like the present.
“Ahuizotl! Tell us, why do you want to ruin the world!?”
“Hahaha! You disappoint me, Daring Do! What kind of stupid question is that!? It’s simple! There’s nothing more satisfying than the rush I get from watching others suffer and die! The screams of the innocent help lull me to sleep! That’s all there is to it!”
The four shuddered, then they all thought as one.
This guy is evil. He needs to be taken down.
Ahuizotl straightened up.
“Now, Daring Do and friends! You’ve interfered with me for long enough!”
He snapped his fingers, then Clark abruptly heard five new heartbeats as a tiger, a cheetah, a lynx, a panther, and a ferocious white house cat stepped out from behind him.
Clark double-taked.
“Okay, those were not standing behind him a few seconds ago!”
Daring shrugged.
“I just assume he summons them with magic.”
“Attack!”
Daring drew her whip as she and Trixie took on the cats, while Clark and Maud took on Ahuizotl.
Ahuizotl proved incredibly strong and agile, and his diamond hard body increased the impact of his strikes. Clark was able to effortlessly dodge his attacks, but grew frustrated that no matter how fast he attacked, he couldn’t generate enough force to inflict any damage other than knocking him back.
Darn it, I know diamond isn’t unbreakable. If only I could fly. I’m sure I could generate enough force if I could do that.
He tried using his heat vision to destroy the belt, but it was unaffected and Ahuizotl didn’t even notice it.
Maud demonstrated her impressive speed and punched and tackled Ahuizotl several times, but she didn’t have any luck either. Even when she threw a boulder at him, it shattered against him. Suddenly, he got a lucky punch in with his tail that knocked her senseless. He gloated, then picked up a shovel left behind by one of Dr. Caballeron’s workers and tried to smash her brains in. In an instant, Clark drew Dawnbreak from his saddlebags with his teeth and sliced it in half. He then tried a few slashes on Ahuizotl’s non-vital areas, but they just bounced off.
As Maud woke up, Daring and Trixie had just finished knocking out the five cats, who vanished, and rushed over to help. Daring wrapped her whip around his head and flew straight up, managing to topple him. Trixie blasted him several times, but it might as well been a light show. Daring tried another attack, but Ahuizotl caught her, then broke her left wing.
“AAAHHHH!”
“Hahaha! That’s right, Daring Do! Scream for-”
He was cut off as an enraged Clark punched him, sending him flying.
Ahuizotl grunted as he landed. His face was covered with cracks.
“This cannot be! I actually felt that!”
As Maud and Trixie tried to tend to Daring, Clark, having just realized his tail was prehensile, gripped Dawnbreak’s sheath with it.
“You’re about to feel a lot more.”
He returned Dawnbreak to its sheath, then crouched with his teeth around its hilt.
“What do you think you are doing!?”
One instant, Clark was crouching in front of him. The next instant, Clark was walking behind him, casually sheathing his katana and returning it to his saddlebags.
“Huh? Where did you… ARGH!”
Ahuizotl collapsed, clutching his cracked and bleeding side.
“How!?”
Clark walked up to him.
“Nothing is indestructible if you apply enough force. Diamond is no exception.”
He unbuckled and removed the Aegis of Gaia from Ahuizotl’s waist, who screamed in pain again once he no longer had the artifact’s magic protecting his body.
“Go to sleep.”
He punched him in the head and knocked him out cold, then tucked the artifact into his saddlebags, thankful for the enchantment that made them bigger on the inside.
Maud and Trixie finished wrapping up Daring’s wing. The adventurer grunted in pain, but stared at him in awe.
“That was amazing! But how was your sword able to take him out when it didn’t work earlier?”
“I used a technique called Battoujutsu or Iaido. By drawing the sword with precise timing, you drastically increase the striking power. Like I said, even diamond will break if you apply enough force, especially if that force is focused on such a small area like a sword’s edge. Now, let’s see to that injury.”
He put a hoof on Daring’s wing and concentrated.
Hmmm, that’s interesting. I have mana in this body. That should make this easier.
Chanting some arcane words, he channeled energy into her injury.
Daring sighed in relief.
“My wing! It doesn’t hurt anymore!”
The bandages came off, revealing her wing wasn’t broken anymore.
“It’s numb though.”
Maud and Trixie gawked at seeing an Earth Pony perform a spell.
“I’m a total novice at magic, but my brother Billy taught me a basic healing spell. Since my normal body lacks mana, every other time I’ve had to use it, I had to fuel it with my own life energy. Heh, if Billy had done it, your wing would be 100% right away. You should be able to move it again after a few hours.”
“Thanks. That’s good to know. A Pegasus’ wings are her life.”
Maud suddenly got really close to him.
“You are amazing.”
He nervously backed away.
“T-Thanks.”
Trixie chuckled and tied Ahuizotl up with more chains.
“Do we want this guy to bleed out?”
Daring shrugged.
“After learning his motivation, I’d say it’s too good for him, but ponies are not murderers. I still want him in jail.”
“Very well.”
Clark healed Ahuizotl just enough for his wound to close, then hefted the cat-ape on his back.
“Let’s get back to the wagon.”
Maud hefted Dr. Caballeron on her back, then the four started walking to the wagon. Suddenly, when Clark stepped on a crack, his hoof sank into it.
Maud’s eyes widened.
“You stepped on a fault line.”
The ground collapsed, and the group of four plus the two unconscious villains went plummeting into the abyss. Since Daring Do’s wing was still numb, she couldn’t fly. Clark concentrated as hard as he could, but just like before, he was unable to put his energy under him and defy gravity. As he desperately flapped his arms and legs, he only had one thought.
Oh crap!