Alternate Beginnings: Year Six

by Doug Graves

18 Hidden Vaal Pathways

Dr. Caballeron slams into the water, a torrent of white erupting above him as his hooves hit the bottom of the river. Powerful muscles flex, propelling the earth pony to the surface. He breaks out of the water just as quickly as he went under, gasping for breath as he desperately paddles upstream. Shouts come from above, impossible to make out over the crash of the rocks around him, the rapid water slowly leading him towards Doug and Zecora despite his best efforts.

Daring Do smacks into the surface next to Dr. Caballeron, a loud crack as she disappears under the waves. Several seconds pass, a seeming eternity as the raging waters churn down the ravine. To Doug's sight, two bright forms hit the dark water, one surfacing and trying to paddle away while the winged one sinks to the bottom, unmoving.

"Zecora, hold on tight!" Doug yells, maneuvering the zebra to keep his legs locked in place. She whinnies in fear, shaking her head as he lets go. She grimaces, trying her best to keep his legs pinned against the rock. Doug flops to the side, his back screaming in pain as he reaches out underwater, his eyes barely able to make out the shining white form drifting lifelessly along the bottom. One arm reaches out, snagging the pegasus' hind leg while the other struggles to reel his body back, thrashing against the surface.

Doug's head snaps out of the water, a deep breath to his screaming lungs, his hand splashing waves away from him as he drags the limp pegasus out of the water. He spins Daring Do to her side, blue spots clear on her wing. Doug pulls her close, trying to find if the pegasus is breathing over the crashing water surrounding them. A brown hoof rams his side, Dr. Caballeron desperately trying to hold on to anything in reach as the water threatens to send him hurtling over the waterfall. The human staggers, only held in place by Zecora's body pinning his legs against the rock, the stallion's hoof slipping from his body and grabbing hold of the corner of the rock.

Dr. Caballeron stares into Doug's eyes, pure orbs of fear into a swirling haze. The stallion tries to shout something but a wave of water slams into his mouth, leaving him sputtering for air. One hoof goes to his chest, trying to help him cough up the liquid in his lungs, his eyes growing wide as he realizes it was the hoof with which he was holding onto the smooth rock, no longer able to hold onto anything as he slips away.

An arm reaches out, grabbing his hoof, Doug roaring with primal rage as he hauls the earth pony back to him. He yells, "Hold on, you whorse!" as he lets go, his attention turning to Daring Do. The pegasus is still not breathing, Doug frantically trying to remember what to do. Chest compressions? Mouth to mouth? He starts with the first, pushing the mare against the rock as Dr. Caballeron clings to Doug's back with both hooves. A rope splashes down next to them, Doug ignoring it as he continues to compress her chest again and again, hoping against hope he is pressing against the correct spot as he feels the ribs bend underneath him.

Zecora gasps as she notices the blue dots on Daring Do's wing, the zebra reaching into her waterlogged saddlebags and pulling out a small vial. Daring Do coughs, expelling the river water from her lungs as she turns against the rock. Zecora dumps the vial over the pegasus' wing, the pegasus continuing to retch as Doug holds her firmly in place.

Dr. Caballeron shouts, "Ah ha! It is mine!" as he grabs the ring from the open pack. He struggles to pull it out, digging deep with both hooves as it pops free. He turns, leaping away from the rock and grabbing the rope with one hoof. He laughs, a mad cackle as his three henchponies haul him up, waving the ring back and forth as if to say goodbye to the doomed three. Daring Do turns, glaring at the stallion as Doug unties the rope from her cleansed wings. Dr. Caballeron shouts out gleefully, "Many thanks, Daring Do! For without your help, I would not have be-"

He drops the ring as he staggers; his hooves seem to deflate, losing their ability to hold onto things, the stallion madly clinging to the rope, all four clutching limbs covered in blue spots. The ring falls down, landing in the river, quickly swept away by the swift current. Dr. Caballeron's shouts as his henchponies drag him up and over the edge of the cliff, difficult to make out over the raging rapids, "NO! I'LL GET YOU, DARING DO!!"

Daring Do shouts, "No!" as the ring slips under the water. She stretches her wing, amazed at the lack of pain, and bursts out of the ravine. She flies down, watching the waterfall for the telltale hint of gold, flitting back and forth and growing more and more desperate as she cannot find the artifact.

Doug winces in pain, the zebra still pinning his body against the rock. He pushes her away, trying to maneuver Zecora to a position where the zebra is not crushing his legs. She slips against the smooth rock as she tries to get up, her front hoof smacking him in the side of the head as she tries grabs for anything to hold on to, searching for either the rock or for him. Doug topples back, slightly dazed from the hit, managing to take a deep breath just before he crashes into the water. He sees Zecora on the opposite side of the canyon, flailing sigils of white and black as she tries to swim upstream. Doug spots a bright ring of white shining on the river floor, quickly maneuvering towards it. He dives down, one hand grasping for the ring as his body rushes past, managing to grab on as he is swept by. The ring in hand, one arm comes up over the water, briefly bringing his head above the waves to take a deep breath as he lunges towards Zecora.

Daring Do finally spots the golden ring cascading over the waterfall, much later than she expected. She darts forward, latching on and pulling, a squawk of surprise as the unexpected weight drags her down and into the water. Her wings beat, straining against the water as she tries to get away from the crushing, tumbling force. She falls, twenty, thirty, forty stories before she breaks away from the waterfall, gasping as she sees two hands holding onto the ring. She loops both elbows around the ring, desperately pulling the rest of Doug out of the waterfall, fifty stories down now and falling fast. A zebra follows, clinging to Doug's torso, his legs wrapped around her barrel.

Daring Do strains, her wings beating hard and fast as she puts out as much force as she can, trying to slow their descent just a little more. The three slam into the water, their splash a mere drop compared to the thousands of gallons pouring down around them. Their grasp broken, each tumble under the deluge, the two equines searching for anything to orient themselves as they spin about, the turbulent water forcing their bodies under and giving them no indication of where to go.

Something grips her hind leg, Daring Do trying to kick it away before it tugs her closer, overpowering her feeble attempt to get away. A bubble escapes her mouth as she sighs to herself, closing her eyes, letting herself be dragged to the bottom. After all this time, devoured by a plunge pool dwelling monster. At least the ring is going with her, never to fall into Ahuizotl's paws. Something tightens itself around her neck, her forehooves failing to force the vice-like tentacle pulling her along.

Daring Do gasps as her head breaks the water, the dark storm clouds overhead blocking out any vestige of the sun and continuing to dump rain on them. Daring Do looks over at her savior; the Dread Pirate has one arm helping support her, the zebra clinging to his back. She gives a heavy sigh, just resting against his arm and trying to recover as they float down the Ponyville River, a slight frowns as he paddles to the side just a little, not making for the shore like she wants him to.

A brief splash to the side as Doug grabs something and says, "Well, we made it." He looks at Zecora, "Just so you know, I blame you for this."

"This adventure I did not foresee, I merely wanted herbs for my remedy. But, when disaster struck, we did not make it out just thanks to luck." She squeezes his body a little tighter before relaxing again, just letting them drift.

Doug smiles, "Hey, thanks for that, and you're welcome." Zecora nods, smiling at him, a few moments before he says, "So, Zecora, what was in that vial? That healed her wing?"

Zecora smiles as best she can, "A vial I will always take, when contact with Poison Joke one might make. It merely is a bubble bath mix, the blue dotted effects quick to fix."

"Oh. That's what those flowers are?" Zecora nods, resting against him.

"Hey, Dread Pirate Roberts. Thanks for everything back there." Daring Do shakes her mane as her wits return, "Really glad to be alive." She glances to the forest edge at the bank of the river, getting ready to fly off. She quietly gasps, dunking her mouth under the water as she sees a manticore prowling along the banks, unwilling to test her sore condition against the manticore's wings.

Doug nods along, "Yeah, me too, just glad to be alive and uninjured, just sore. By the way, the name is Doug. I just took on the Dread Pirate Roberts name because, well, nopony would surrender to Dread Pirate Doug Graves." He reaches up, a soaked pith helmet finding its way to Daring Do's head. "Also, you forgot this, Daring Do, if that is your name."

"Hey, thanks!" Daring Do exclaims, adjusting the helmet, content to continue drifting down the river. "Actually, I think that second name is a mite scarier," Daring Do says, a bit of a wink.

"Heh, that's probably true, but I don't really want the publicity, not really." Doug starts paddling, slightly speeding up their journey along the river.

"Hmm. Well, I might need to modify a couple other things about what happened, make it a little more believable, but, you know, it should be fine." She turns to Zecora, "How do you feel about being a Jungle Queen?"

"A designation I do not mind, a fitting calling for my kind." Zecora turns to Doug, "Doug, I hope that you don't mind, since in our journey we did not find; I hesitate but I must ask, will you come back to complete our task?" Her smiles beams at him again, trying to wrap her muzzle around his body so he can see her.

"You're kidding, right?" Doug glances back, the short shake of the zebra's head enough for him to sigh loudly. "Fine. On one condition."

"Doug, I am afraid that I must say, I do not think Daring Do will join in this three way."

"What? Why-" Doug's head dunks underwater, courtesy of a certain pegasus. He comes back to the surface, sputtering and spitting water out of his mouth. "What was that for? That wasn't my-"

His head goes under again, this time from the zebra pulling him backwards. Daring Do laughs as they float down the water, her mirth disappearing as Doug does not resurface. "Hey, you can let him up now, Zecora."

The zebra raises her hooves, "I am not holding him under, for where he went, I-"

Zecora disappears under the water, Daring Do gasping at the bubbles coming to the surface. She beats her hind legs, trying to get her wings out of the river when a torrent of water explodes next to her, showering her as she brings her wings up to keep the water out of her eyes. She yells, bracing herself as Doug grabs hold, her hat floating on the surface as the two plunge under the river.

The three surface, Zecora coldly saying, "That was a blunder."

Daring Do pops up from directly underneath her hat, "I don't know, Zecora." She points a hoof at Ponyville, the town coming into view as the rain finally clears up. The three leave the Everfree Forest, "I'm about ready to call it quits. Gotta get-" Daring Do glances around, diving under the water. She resurfaces, a desperate, "Where's the ring?" She glances to the sound of splashing, gritting her teeth as Doug paddles away from her. "Oh no you don't," she growls, flying above the river, a spray of water following behind in the air and a wake on the surface just underneath. She tackles the human, the two disappearing under the water with a small splash.

Several seconds pass before a mass of bubbles rise to the surface. Several more seconds pass before Doug surfaces first, dragging a retching Daring Do to the surface. "Sorry about that," he says, the mare heaving in and out.

"You kneed me in the gut," she drawls, shaking her wet mane over him. "I should knee you in the gut. My ribs still hurt from whatever happened back there." She glances around, "Besides, wheres the ring?"

"Oh, you mean this device?" Zecora asks, bobbing to the surface, the heavy golden ring camouflaged by her golden jewelry. "It fit so nice, he said I could keep it." She leans over as Daring Do flies near, a stage whisper, "I do not think he means it."

Daring Do reaches out a hoof, "Yeah, well, I need to take it for safekeeping. And I can't let anypony else know I was here, or word might get out of where I've taken it." Zecora sighs, removing the ring and holding it up. Daring Do takes it, glancing at her split saddlebag. "Well, it'll have to do." She flies off, grabbing a vine and wrapping it around the tear. Ring goes in the bag, bag around the pegasus, and the pegasus flies off towards the train station, waving goodbye to the two.

A few minutes pass, Zecora watching the forest before she paddles to the edge, Doug a few yards behind. She stands on the bank, finally able to dry her coat. Doug takes off his backpack, asking, "How the hay did you wear all that gold the entire time?" The zebra hoists the ill-fitting container to her back. She turns, a wave and a wink to Doug before she disappears into the trees.

Doug shakes his head, starting the trek back to Ponyville. He spots a gray rainbow blur in the darkening sky, a wave catching her attention. Rainbow zooms over, exclaiming, "Doug! You're alive!" Rainbow tries to pull up but plows into him, knocking the two to the ground. She wraps all four legs around him, her normally brash voice quivering, "We were afraid you were gone forever in..." she shakes as she eeks out, "The Everfree Forest!"

"And incredibly glad to be out of there," he says, Rainbow resting her tired wings and nestling her head under his chin. "Hows the rest of the herd?"

"I think they saw me zoom over." Rainbow glances back, her magenta eyes squinting in the evening light, "Yeah, they're gathering on the bridge, heading this way. What the hay happened out there?" Doug stands, picking Rainbow up as she continues, not giving him a chance to answer, "I mean, you probably noticed, but there's this huge storm out over the Everfree, so we couldn't safely send in a search party without it quickly becoming a dozen stranded ponies. And we didn't even know where you had gone!" She hugs him tightly from her perch on his back, "And so we were just hoping that you were okay, and scouting where we could." She squeezes even tighter, her forelegs nearly cutting off his airflow, "I'm so glad you're okay!"

The two reach the rest of the herd, mixtures of relief and disgust playing among the ponies' expressions. "Well," Doug says, "You're probably wondering what happened with me and Zecora."

"Yes, and why you smell so incredibly bad!" Rarity says, coming close for exactly one nuzzle before backing up several paces, grimacing at the stench.

"Ooh!" Pinkie Pie exclaims, "Did Zecora mix up an evil brew?"

"I don't know about evil, but there were potions involved," Doug says, "Actually, there was quite a bit of evil. And we danced with death a few times. The raging river especially. And the bad guys."

The mares gasp, Pinkie Pie standing on two legs and holding two forelegs to her muzzle. "There were eeevil dances?"

"Um, there was a big chase scene at the end, culminating with a waterfall," Doug says, groaning as he rubs his back, a collective gasp again coming from the ponies as they walk back. "I might have strained my arm and back." Rainbow grunts, not leaving her spot on Doug's back, merely trying to rest more weight on his hips.

Rarity, from out ahead of the group and upwind, asks, "And that powder she blew in your eyes! What did it do to you?"

"It was enchanted powder," another gasp, "That messed with my vision. Still have that going on, I can just see in black and white. Another one was really weird, this ghostly haze that let me see corruption. That one is gone now, though."

"She's an evil enchantress!" Pinkie Pie yells, dashing off.

Applejack nuzzles Doug, "Well, Ah've heard enough. Ah sure ain't stepping hoof into the Everfree, not unless Ah gosh darn have to." She walks alongside him, "But, Ah also know Granny Smith ain't gonna let you step hoof into the farmhouse, not smelling like that, so we might be bedding down in one of the barns. Ain't like Ah never did that growing up."

"Yeah," Fluttershy quietly adds, slowing down as they near her house, "I don't know if I really want to hear any more, especially if it's scary tales about the Everfree Forest. I'm glad you're safe, Doug, but I need to call off the animals searching for you."

"And I need to return to the Boutique, business picked up considerably when you were gone. So many ponies inquiring about and purchasing some of the sturdier clothes inspired from your more, ahem, rugged line. I think a lot of them were preparing to help out, if we did need to search through the forest. I do hope I don't get a lot of returns, now that the scare is over."

"How about you, Rainbow?" Doug asks, looking back at the pegasus, "You want to hear more about it?"

"Eh," she replies noncommittally, "If you really need to talk about it, but right now I'm just glad you're back and safe."

"Yeah, me too," Doug says, a relieved sigh as he, Applejack, and Rainbow walk through Ponyville, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres.

Comments

[Viper Pit]

wel this was a nice chapter to stop following on sorry but this book just the most out their and least consistent i will still follow the series but I have to stop following this book because its just not what i signed on for

[AnormalUnicornPony]

Meh. Still game.

[FanficReader920]

Soooo, is Doug NOT going to mention he and Zecora were friends and she isn’t evil?

No?

Okay, guess that’s Future Doug’s problem.

[Blik]

Doug nods along, "Yeah, me too, just glad to be alive and uninjured, just sore. By the way, the name is Doug. I just took on the Dread Pirate Roberts name because, well, nopony would surrender to Dread Pirate Doug Graves." He reaches up, a soaked pith helmet finding its way to Daring Do's head. "Also, you forgot this, Daring Do, if that is your name."
"Hey, thanks!" Daring Do exclaims, adjusting the helmet, content to continue drifting down the river. "Actually, I think that second name is a mite scarier," Daring Do says, a bit of a wink.

How have I read this far into the story without realizing this? I thought everyone was just commenting on his last name being Graves as rather morbid, but it's taken me until now to realize "Dug Graves" is ten times more so. And now his pseudonym of "Cold Digger" makes more sense, as it's a pun on that same idea, the sort of name you'd expect a gravedigger to have.

[Doug Graves]

10003301
And it's doubly a pun on 'gold digger' that hides the true pun! But, yeah, quite the macabre name.

[DarkPhoenixx]

And so Doug inadvertently continues that misconceptions about Zecora lol

[Silentwoodfire]

Nothing about the being the skull brought to the land?

[Doug Graves]

10253344
We don't talk about the time with the Crystal Skull.