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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Daring Do and the Greatest Adventure of All
“You’ll never get away with this, Ahuizotl!”
Daring Do strained at the ropes, held fast to the altar. Ahuizotl reached out his tail hand, taunting her with the ancient treasure just a feather out of reach.
“Your pitiful struggles amuse me, but all is for naught, Daring Do.” Ahuizotl raised his arms to the sky. The failing light on the horizon cast a shadow across the captive pony. “Once I set the band, there’s no turning back. I’ll have my revenge and you will be mine, forever!” His evil laugh reverberated through the ruins.
“No matter what you do, Ahuizotl, I’ll never give in! Never!” Daring’s monochrome tail thrashed against several layers of tulle. Her vision, clouded in shadow, fixed on the red-gold halo surrounding her nemesis.
“Your objection is noted, but I must ask regardless. It’s part of the spell.” A wry grin spread across Ahuizotl’s face, a look mirrored in the gallery of jungle cats perched on the ledge above. Colorful urns spilled their foliage, framing the stage in an odd mix of celebration and pity. “Any last words before you bend to my will?”
A streak of gold shot across the altar.
“The flowers are a nice touch, but you should really let the mare pick her own colors.”
“Wha—” Ahuizotl staggered backward, reeling from the surprise attack. “Who dares disturb this ceremony?”
The golden dart flipped around, striking a pose against the setting sun. “They call me, Adventure—High Adventure!” The gleam off the pegasus stallion’s confident smile rivaled the stars for sparkle. His crimson-tipped mane lit a second fire in the sky. “Care to join me, Miss Do?”
“You’re too late!” Ahuizotl screamed. “The Band of Alianza’s power is eternal!”
Daring Do pushed back against the altar with all four hooves. The dissected ropes fell away with ease as she shot into the sky. Yanking back the veil dangling across the brim of her pith helmet, she shouted down at the monster, “The magic of the ring doesn’t work like that!”
“Especially when you lose sight of the prize!” High Adventure swung around, taking up position next to Daring.
“We’ll see about that!” Ahuizotl’s tail snapped to the fore. A red-velvet pillow sat empty in his grasp. “What? No!”
“Looking for this?” High Adventure held out a hoof. A radiant band of gold meshed with the fur encircling his fetlock.
Ahuizotl’s growl split the sky like thunder. “Curse you, Daring Do, and… whoever you are!”
“High Adventure!” he shouted with a jaunty laugh to seal the retort.
With a twist of his wing, he did his best to kneel in midair. Presenting the treasure, he gazed into Daring’s eyes. “Miss Daring Do, I’ve read all of your books, and I would be honored if you would accept this ring as a token of my affection.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Will you marry me?”
Daring blushed, a sudden warmth filling her body. “But, we’ve just met. I hardly know you.”
“Life is an open book, my love, and I want to write all the coming chapters with you by my side.” The golden stallion tossed his mane and warmed a ruggedly handsome grin. “Adventure is waiting. Will you answer the call?”
Daring glanced away, peering down at her foe. Ahuizotl’s cries rang like the cooing of a dove against the beating of her heart. She took a deep breath and locked eyes on Adventure with a bold and courageous stare. “I’m all in!”
A ring slid onto her pastern, and she threw herself against the stallion. Tails intertwined as they locked muzzles, spinning into a cloud-rending kiss.
Coming up for air, Daring arched her neck. Her mane stood on end with a tingle riding down her spine. “Let’s go get to writing that book.”
Ahuizotl shook his fist in vain as the couple flew off toward the setting sun and the start of a new life, together.
“Rainbow!” The cloud door burst open, and Twilight came to a stop at the foot of Rainbow Dash’s bed. “Have you seen the new Daring Do book?”
Rainbow Dash lowered her hooves and nodded her head. “Yeah… I just finished my second read-through. It’s kind of weird how she made it a romance novel.”
Twilight held up her copy in her left forehoof while furiously pointing at it with her right. “You know what this means, right?”
“Yep.” Rainbow sighed and tossed her copy on the cloud table. “It means I owe her a wedding present.”
Daring Do strained at the ropes, held fast to the altar. Ahuizotl reached out his tail hand, taunting her with the ancient treasure just a feather out of reach.
“Your pitiful struggles amuse me, but all is for naught, Daring Do.” Ahuizotl raised his arms to the sky. The failing light on the horizon cast a shadow across the captive pony. “Once I set the band, there’s no turning back. I’ll have my revenge and you will be mine, forever!” His evil laugh reverberated through the ruins.
“No matter what you do, Ahuizotl, I’ll never give in! Never!” Daring’s monochrome tail thrashed against several layers of tulle. Her vision, clouded in shadow, fixed on the red-gold halo surrounding her nemesis.
“Your objection is noted, but I must ask regardless. It’s part of the spell.” A wry grin spread across Ahuizotl’s face, a look mirrored in the gallery of jungle cats perched on the ledge above. Colorful urns spilled their foliage, framing the stage in an odd mix of celebration and pity. “Any last words before you bend to my will?”
A streak of gold shot across the altar.
“The flowers are a nice touch, but you should really let the mare pick her own colors.”
“Wha—” Ahuizotl staggered backward, reeling from the surprise attack. “Who dares disturb this ceremony?”
The golden dart flipped around, striking a pose against the setting sun. “They call me, Adventure—High Adventure!” The gleam off the pegasus stallion’s confident smile rivaled the stars for sparkle. His crimson-tipped mane lit a second fire in the sky. “Care to join me, Miss Do?”
“You’re too late!” Ahuizotl screamed. “The Band of Alianza’s power is eternal!”
Daring Do pushed back against the altar with all four hooves. The dissected ropes fell away with ease as she shot into the sky. Yanking back the veil dangling across the brim of her pith helmet, she shouted down at the monster, “The magic of the ring doesn’t work like that!”
“Especially when you lose sight of the prize!” High Adventure swung around, taking up position next to Daring.
“We’ll see about that!” Ahuizotl’s tail snapped to the fore. A red-velvet pillow sat empty in his grasp. “What? No!”
“Looking for this?” High Adventure held out a hoof. A radiant band of gold meshed with the fur encircling his fetlock.
Ahuizotl’s growl split the sky like thunder. “Curse you, Daring Do, and… whoever you are!”
“High Adventure!” he shouted with a jaunty laugh to seal the retort.
With a twist of his wing, he did his best to kneel in midair. Presenting the treasure, he gazed into Daring’s eyes. “Miss Daring Do, I’ve read all of your books, and I would be honored if you would accept this ring as a token of my affection.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Will you marry me?”
Daring blushed, a sudden warmth filling her body. “But, we’ve just met. I hardly know you.”
“Life is an open book, my love, and I want to write all the coming chapters with you by my side.” The golden stallion tossed his mane and warmed a ruggedly handsome grin. “Adventure is waiting. Will you answer the call?”
Daring glanced away, peering down at her foe. Ahuizotl’s cries rang like the cooing of a dove against the beating of her heart. She took a deep breath and locked eyes on Adventure with a bold and courageous stare. “I’m all in!”
A ring slid onto her pastern, and she threw herself against the stallion. Tails intertwined as they locked muzzles, spinning into a cloud-rending kiss.
Coming up for air, Daring arched her neck. Her mane stood on end with a tingle riding down her spine. “Let’s go get to writing that book.”
Ahuizotl shook his fist in vain as the couple flew off toward the setting sun and the start of a new life, together.
The End…?
“Rainbow!” The cloud door burst open, and Twilight came to a stop at the foot of Rainbow Dash’s bed. “Have you seen the new Daring Do book?”
Rainbow Dash lowered her hooves and nodded her head. “Yeah… I just finished my second read-through. It’s kind of weird how she made it a romance novel.”
Twilight held up her copy in her left forehoof while furiously pointing at it with her right. “You know what this means, right?”
“Yep.” Rainbow sighed and tossed her copy on the cloud table. “It means I owe her a wedding present.”