Seeking Eternity

by Bluecatcinema

Arch-Nemeses United

Shine and Gothic were surprised.

"Wait, Daring Do… as in the famous adventurer Daring Do?" Shine asked.

"That's me." Daring nodded.

"Oh my gosh… me and my sister grew up reading your books!" Shine stated. "I never realized that you were real!"

"I get that a lot." Daring shrugged. "And what are a pair of royals doing out in the woods? This isn't really the safest place to be taking a stroll."

"I'm afraid that's on a need-to-know only basis." Gothic declared.

"We're looking for the Golden Phoenix of Immortality!" Caboose blurted out.

"Caboose!" Gothic growled.

"What?" Caboose said innocently. "I thought she needed to know."

"Really?" Daring smiled. "Well, surprise, surprise. I'm looking for it too."

"Seriously?" Shine asked.

"Yep." Daring nodded. "Maybe we could go for it together?"

Gothic motioned for Shine and Caboose to talk with him in private.

"So, what do you think?" Gothic asked.

"We let her join!" Caboose nodded.

"It couldn't hurt." Shine declared. "From what we've seen, she seems to be quite an adventurer, and she knows her archaeology, too. Four heads are better than three."

"Okay, fine." Gothic sighed.

The stallions broke their huddle.

"You're in." Gothic said tersely.

"Excellent." Daring smiled, "With me around, we'll find that Phoenix in no time."

"I've got the map." Caboose waved. "Wanna share?"

"If I have to." Daring frowned.

And so, they continued on their path, Caboose keeping uncomfortably close to Daring.

"So, what do you want with the Phoenix, anyway?" Daring asked.

"We plan to use it." Shine declared.

"Seriously?" Daring asked. "Well, whatever floats your boat."

"Hey, for your information, Ms. Do, that Phoenix is going to change our lives." Gothic declared.

"Hey, I get ya. You have your reasons, I have mine." Daring shrugged.

"So, er, Miss Do, why are you after the Golden Phoenix?" Caboose asked.

"Well, you see, for years, I've been writing books of my travels, under the name of A.K. Yearling." Daring declared. "However, over the years, I've grown a bit old for the adventures, so I decided to go on one last quest before I retire. The Golden Phoenix is a powerful artifact, and I thought it would be the best way to end-"

Caboose wasn't listening, as he was in dreamland, watching Daring.

"Blah, blah, blah. Proper name. Place name. Backstory stuff..." Daring said in a dreamy voice.

"Mmm-hmmm." Caboose nodded.

" ...The power to grant immortality." Daring said in the real world. "The Golden Phoenix..."

In dreamland:

"...I'm so pretty. I like you. But I'm don't seem to like you for some reason..."

"Mmm-hmmm." Caboose sighed.

"So, here's the deal. I let you two use the Phoenix, but after that, I'll take it to a museum for safe-keeping." Daring summarized. "We clear?"

"Of course." Shine and Gothic said in unison.

"We only need to use it once, anyways." Gothic explained.

"Great! I think I got it." Caboose smiled. "But just in case... tell me the whole thing again, I wasn't listening."

Daring Do groaned loudly.

As their journey wore on, they encountered a small cliff. Daring jumped, landing safely... while Caboose dropped down hard, his face in the ground as he screamed in pain.

"Ow!" He yelped in a prolonged manner, as his scream echoed throughout the forest.

Shine and Gothic were much more graceful.

"Try to keep up, Caboose." Gothic sighed.

"Here, let me help you." Shine offered, as he pulled Caboose from the ground.

The four continued making their way through the woods when they heard a loud rustling noise.

"Whoa, what was that?" Gothic asked.

"I don't know, but it's getting closer!" Shine quivered.

"Stand back, your majesties!" Daring stood in front of them. Caboose stood aside her. "That goes for you too, Caboose."

"Aye, aye, ma'am." Caboose stood behind Daring.

The sounds got louder... and then, a white kitten came out of a bush.

"Aww... it's just a cute little kitten." Shine cooed.

"The poor thing must have gotten lost." Gothic supposed.

Suddenly, Caboose pulled up a rock and held it overhead.

"We gotta kill it!" He roared.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Shine grabbed Caboose's legs. "Caboose, this is just an innocent little kitty cat."

"Yes, I doubt it can harm us." Gothic agreed.

"That's how they get you!" Caboose declared. "They lure you in with those big cute eyes... and when you least expect it, bam! They steal your pot pie!"

"Strange... that kitten looks familiar..." Daring's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh no..."

It was then that a strange blue creature with a hand on its tail and an unsavory looking stallion emerged from the trees.

"What is it?!" Shine gasped.

"Ahuitzotl!" Daring gasped. "My arch-enemy. And-"

"Dr. Caballeron!" Caboose yelled.

"You know him?" Daring asked.

"Oh, yeah." Caboose nodded. "He kidnapped Prince Blueblood and his marefriend and my niece, Dusty. When I tried to rescue them, he gave me an owie on my hooftip."

"And you beat me up!" Caballeron roared.

"Wait, when did that happen?!" Shine asked, not recalling this at all.

"Oh, about a month after Blueboy came to meet us. Fortunately, O'Malley managed to save us, and we broke free. I then had my brothers take them to a facility far up north and me, Blueblood, and Dusty decided to keep it a secret… from…" Caboose slowly realized who he just blabbed that to. "Oops."

"Wait, if you had this guy shipped up north, then why is he here?" Gothic explained.

"I dunno. Plot element?" Caboose shrugged.

"Actually, I manage to break free from imprisonment." Dr. Caballeron explained, "It wasn't easy, and a few stallions had to be sacrificed, but I am here now…and I am not happy. Now, I will finally get payback for you humiliating me, Caboose!"

"Technically, I didn't humiliate you." Caboose shook his head. "O'Malley did."

Before Daring could question who O'Malley was, Ahuitzotl stepped forward.

"Enough reminiscing." He declared. "I know you're after the Golden Phoenix, Daring Do. But I aim to get it first. And this time, you won't stop me!"

"Think again, Ahuitzotl." Daring glared. "Me and my travelling companions all have reasons to get that statue. And personally, I won't let you use it for your evil plans."

"You got that right." Gothic nodded.

"We'll see about that, your majesty." Ahuitzotl mock-bowed. He then snapped the fingers on his tail hand, and several big cats emerged from the woods.

"So, here's how it's gonna work." Caballeron declared. "You four turn around and walk away, or we will have to resort to very painful methods to make you go away, for good."

"Not gonna happen, Doctor." Caboose said, before switching to O'Malley's voice. "You think that packing a ugly cat-gorilla like abomination is going to change the outcome? You're wrong. I will avenge my hoof tip and kick your mother-"

Suddenly, Ahuizotl uppercut Caboose with his tail hand, knocking him far into the trees behind them.

"YA-HA-HA-HOOEY!" Caboose yelped as he crashed into a tree.

"Oh, boy." Shine winced.

"Attack, my pets!" Ahuitzotl roared.

The cats attacked, coming at the three ponies from all sides. Though they fought bravely, the two princes and the archaeologist were badly outnumbered. They were soon back against a cliff, and surrounded on all sides. Both Shine's and Daring's wings had been damaged during the fight, so they couldn't fly away.

"Game over, Daring." Ahuitzotl smirked. "It is high time we bring an end to this game of cat and mouse."

"Geez, this guy has one hay of a grudge." Shine noted.

"It is a shame that you have to meet your end like this." Caballeron declared. "I was hoping for a much crueler death."

"Daring, I hope you have an idea as to how to get out of here." Gothic whispered.

"Hey, I'm only a pony, your highness!" Daring said hotly. "I can't just conjure up a way out on the fly!"

The cats advanced, growling, when suddenly, giving a Tarzan yell, Caboose swung in on a vine. Shine, Daring, and Gothic lit up... then Caboose missed them.

"Oh, hooooorseappppleeeessss!" Caboose's voice echoed into the distance.

The three drooped as the cats approached them again, when suddenly, Caboose swung back and caught all three of them, catching them by surprise.

"GAH!" Daring cried.

"HOLY HAY!" Shine yelped.

"AHHHH!"" Gothic screamed.

"Don't worry, you guys, I got ya!" Caboose declared. "You're all safe now!

The four then swung into a hanging log, the vine wrapping all four of them around it. They were trapped.

"Maybe I'm just new to this whole rescuing thing, but this, to me, might be considered kind of a step backwards, wouldn't you say?" Gothic deadpanned.

"Yep." Shine and Daring agreed.

"No, no, no." Caboose shook his head. "It's – it's okay! This – this is all right. We can figure this out!"

The log started to break.

"I really don't like you." Daring told Caboose.

The log broke, as all four of them screamed in fear. They landed in the water below, becoming submerged for only a second before coming back up. The three panted heavily, trying to catch their breath.

"That was kinda fun!" Caboose chuckled.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I am really funned out right now." Gothic said sourly.

"Uh-oh." Caboose's eyes widened in fear.

"Don't tell me, we're about to go over a huge waterfall." Gothic cringed.

"Yup." Caboose declared.

"Sharp rocks on the bottom?" Shine asked.

"Most likely." Caboose nodded.

"Next to zero chance of survival?" Daring inquired.

"Zilch." Caboose confirmed.

"Bring it on." Gothic said quietly.

The four went over the waterfall.

"I DON"T KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG!" Caboose screamed as they fell.

Comments

[Vakama95096]

Hahaha, Nice!

[SageBrony07]

fix

"We're looking for the Golden Phoenix of Immortality!" Gothic blurted out.
"Caboose!" Gothic growled.

to

"We're looking for the Golden Phoenix of Immortality!" Caboose blurted out.
"Caboose!" Gothic growled.

Great chapter. I totally spotted the Emperors new groove in it. I can't wait for the next chapter.

[Vakama95096]

4029023 me too.

[BronyDan]

I loved 'The Emperor's New Groove' reference.

[HolyCross9]

Alright, a The Emperor's Groove reference!

[SeaBreeze173]

I am about to die laughing. I love Caboose. Also, totally loved the Emporer's New Groove reference.

[dracone]

I enjoyed the "Emperor's New Groove " reference

[Koala2001]

Great! I think I got it." Caboose smiled. "But just in case... tell me the whole thing again, I wasn't listening."

do you get that from the lego movie? Cuz emit did the same thing, It even had the blah blah blah I'm so pretty I like you but I don't like you for some reason. And then at the end with the waterfall... I feel like I've heard that before...