The Power of Ponies

by Masterweaver

Mistress Mare-velous and Humdrum issue 37: EVIL ALIGNED!

A costumed pony on a windy rock face narrowed her eyes as she jammed her enchanted hoofspur into the wall, pulling herself up and looking around. I know I saw him come through here.... and even if I miss him, I have Humdrum keeping a lookout from the Maremobile. She rolled her eyes. Stupid name. Who thought that up? Oh well, we're stuck with it now. With a final heave, she pulled herself up onto a ledge, eyes darting around... and just managed to roll away from the fireball, smirking beneath her mask as she snapped her golden eyes toward her opponent. "Looks like you're burning your candle at both ends, Ifrit!"

"KAhahaHAHAHAha!" The muscular figure of flame twirled about in midair, grabbing a spur of rock in one thick hand as the flickering tongues of his eyes sparked in horrible glee. "You underestimate me, Mistress! I'D JUST MELT THE CANDLE!" He pulled the super-heated stone off the mountain face and threw it at the heroine.

Mare-velous sidestepped the improvised javelin, narrowing her eyes at the fiery spirit whisking through the air. "What are you even doing here, hotshot?" Keep him distracted. "There's nopony up on this mountain for you to burn!" If I throw a hooferang at him and snap out with my lasso at the same time...

"Mindless destruction might be my favorite game, Mistress, but even I must bow to practicality on occasion." Ifrit tapped his chest. "Alas, my sojourn into the mortal world this time comes with its chains. The one who summoned me was fearful of my destruction, and so I found a message to meet my master here." He tilted his head. "You wouldn't happen to have my bottle on you, little circus girl? That would be quite ironic."

The red mare narrowed her eyes. "No... Not this time. I've learned from the museum incident.(1) I'm not your summoner." Darn it. I'm going to need to find whoever summoned him and get them to cap the bottle... if they're not dead. "Course, I'd like to have a few words with whatever idiot decided you'd be a capable ally."

Ifrit giggled as he rolled through the air. "Of course you would. And I'd like to burn you to a crisp!" He released a sudden shockwave of fire, Mare-velous barely managing to slip behind the very spur of rock that had been thrown at her earlier and avoid being turned to ash. "Yet you continue to deny me that, so I must continue to deny you access to my current master, whoever they may be."

"I believe I requested you leave the mountain standing," hissed a strange voice. "I did not set you free to level this rubble."

Mistress Mare-velous boggled as a strange, green-black spidery scorpion-like creature clambered up the cliff face, Ifrit's familiar purple bottle clenched in one of its pincers. Its four glowering eyes shifted from the fire spirit to the pony; thick hairy fangs rattled in annoyance as its stinger swayed from side to side.

"My apologies, master. The circus girl found me, and I had assumed you would be opposed to her intruding on our meeting." Ifrit bowed.

"Considerate. But unnecessary. She will be dead soon enough."

The spider-like creature slung a leg at Mare-velous to knock her off the mountain face. The masked heroine rolled with the swing, grabbing on and climbing up the thick limb up to the shoulder, which prompted a swipe with another limb. A snap of her rope and she'd managed to lasso the attacking pincer, earning an aggravated hiss as she swung onto the creature's head. "Sorry, bug boy, but I'm not going to let anypony or anything set Ifrit on the world! Now cap that bottle!"

"I see why Zapp admires you primitives," the creature growled. "Anything as disrespectful as you she'd get along with well. But I will see her duties performed!" The thing's stinger shot out, Mare-velous barely dodging the large barb and slipping off the head of the beast; she quickly found herself under the monstrous fangs, there was a brief pinch, and suddenly everything went fuzzy.

The creature backed off, ignoring her. "There. Unless anyone in a fifty mile radius has the antidote for Chlrkxen venom she's going to die. Now then, slave, I will need you to do a few very precise things."

Mistress Mare-velous fought to keep her eyes open as weariness pumped through her veins, watching the conversation taking place before her. Ifrit spared her a glance. "Precise is not my speciality, master. I prefer destruction."

"Worry not, slave. As soon as my plan is in motion, you'll have more destruction then you could ever handle at your hands." The spidery thing waved a pincer, walking along the mountain trail. "And after that, I am most certain the Vengeful Union could find places in need of your unique services. Follow."

The heroine lifted her head, trying desperately to focus on the leaving figures. Vengeful union... what? I remember hearing about them... somewhere in Manehattan...(2)

Then she blacked out.

Moments later, a blue dragon clambered up the rock face. "Mare-velous, I saw Ifrit and some strange bug heading--oh no." He leapt across the rocks, worry in his violet eyes as his cape fluttered behind him. He pressed his ear against her chest. "Still alive, but your heartbeat's slowing." He looked around as he hefted the unconscious pony over his shoulder. "Don't worry, Maze Dancer, I haven't let you down yet...."

He gazed down through the mists, his eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a small village at the base of the mountain.

"And I'm not going to let you die here."

Author's Note:

(1) Mistress Mare-velous and Humdrum issue 24
(2) Mistress Mare-velous and Humdrum issue 15

Comments

[Swashbucklist]

Alright, Hum Drum stepping up! This is what I came to see.

[Prawo Jazdy]

Hokay, let's see if I can get this straight.

Twilight's character is usually a... pink? pegasus.
Rarity's character is usually a blue unicorn.
Applejack's character is usually a red earth pony.
Spike's character is usually a blue dragon.

You're gonna need a new cover.