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The Epic Quest of Ford Mustang

by RoyalRainbow

Chapter 13: Chapter 13 – The Eyes of a Predator

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Chapter 13 – The Eyes of a Predator

For nearly two weeks, Ford Mustang continues his intense training regarding with his newfound draconian powers. Through Hindel’s guidance, he not only improves his breathing capability to help store and absorb the energy around him, but he also masters the energy manipulation within his body; thus increasing his strength, endurance, agility, and speed into a multitude of folds. For his fire breathing, he learns how to manipulate the flames into various forms such as explosive fireballs, multiple missiles, precision beams, and overpowering blasts of intense inferno. As for his roar, he not only learns how to create a wide-spread shockwave to knockout and stun any foe surrounding him, but he also learns how to condense that vocal power into a single, more powerful concussion blast of immense soundwaves.

Of course, his training doesn’t just end with Hindel’s rigorous lessons. Even when Ford ventures out into the Everfree Forest in search for his daily food, he has to encounter some dangerous creatures along the way. But overtime, he manages to thwart them all. He tamed the furious Manticore. He stared down a Cockatrice. He tangled with the Four-Headed Hydra. He even freed himself from the Giant Spider’s silky entrapment by radiating enough heat in his body to melt through the sticky webs. Relying on his newfound strengths, cunning wits, and survival instincts, Ford Mustang overcomes nearly every predator in the forest.

One day, Ford is out in the forest in search of his latest meal. To his delight, he finds some wild, ripe squashes, which have the right taste of natural sweetness to them. As he was gouging on the delectably sweet vegetables, Ford thinks he hears something before snapping his head around to see who or what is out there. Upon surveying the dark, dense forest, he could swear he saw something moved out there... Something really big. With a quick rub to his eyes, he looks at the scenery again. Nothing moved that time. Figuring that he had enough to eat, he briskly trots back to the valley as he feels like he’s being watched.

Little did the edgy stallion know that something is watching him! The large, slithering shadow continues to prowl around the forest as it stalks its latest prey. Getting anxious over what’s behind him, Ford hastily turns around to get the best out of the shadowy stalker. To his surprise, there is no one behind him again.

“Heh, must be my imagination.” he says to himself with a nervous smile.

But as he turns back to his general direction, the monstrous beast reveals itself as it stares down at the utterly horrified Pegasus! This sinister-looking monster is definitely the largest snake Ford has ever seen! It must have been 100-foot long with dark scales bearing a greenish brown color that helps it blend within the haunting forest! But the most petrifying feature out of this mighty anaconda is its eyes!

The enormous snake’s orange, glowing eyes are so frightening to look at, that it would put a Cockatrice to shame if they had a staring contest. And while the snake’s eyes can’t turn anyone into stone, Ford Mustang is immediately paralyzed by the predator’s fearsome gaze. With its latest catch unable to go anywhere, the slithering serpent slowly comes closer to its paralyzed prey.

As the petrified pony remains frozen in his tracks, he knows that he can’t remain like this forever. While closing his eyes to concentrate, he focuses on his steady breathing as he gathers up the energy to break the spell that was casted on him. As he’s gathering up his willpower, he can hear the snake’s hissing ever so closely with each passing second. Ford can feel the great beast’s presence from the immense, heated energy it is emulating as the snake arches his neck back to prepare its first, and perhaps its only strike. At that moment, the struggling Pegasus finally breaks free of his paralysis and he closely dodges the monster’s swift attack!

Once Ford is out of the snake’s range of attack momentarily, he quickly leaps into the air and tries to take flight. Unfortunately, he slams to the ground hard after his attempted takeoff. He puzzles greatly over this as he looks at his locked-in wings, but there’s no magical, golden band on him this time! Apparently, the snake’s petrifying gaze is so powerful, that it can still leave his wings temporarily numb even after he broke away from that dreadful stare!

After he recovers from his fall, Ford immediately makes a break for it and madly dashes out of the forest. Unfortunately for him, the giant, hungry snake is trailing him from behind. Sensing this, Ford decides to use his fire breath to help create a barricade between them as well as to frighten the snake. However, that wall of fire didn’t faze the monstrous python, let alone harm it, as it dives right through it without losing its sights on its next meal.

Upon this pursuit, Ford runs into a dead end: a steep cliff with hardly any platforms to jump on. He briskly turns around as he faces his inevitable fate with the death-glaring snake. The Pegasus is rapidly losing control of his breathing. He couldn’t concentrate on his powers that he has worked so hard on. His confidence over his abilities begins to diminish as his fears start to suffocate him. He’s running out of options fast. He wants to call out for Hindel’s aid, but he can’t. Right now, he’s too scared to even say a word as his heart keeps beating at a rapid, aching pace. Ford is certain that this is finally it for him! No final battle with Arrogon! No world to save! And most certainly no last goodbyes with Rainbow Dash! No, in the end, he’ll just end up as this snake’s latest main dish in this cruel, natural circle of life!

But just before the snake finally sinks its teeth in, a very large, winged creature lands abruptly right between the ferocious predator and its prey! With the dust clearing away, Ford Mustang gets a good glimpse at his savior as his prays have been answered! Hindel the All-Seeing Dragon stands tall and ready as he faces the menacing snake with a fierce expression on his face!

“Sorry to disappoint you, but you won’t frighten me that easily!” Hindel says firmly to the slightly startled snake as it unexpectedly notices the dragon’s blindness. “Now back away from the pony this instant! Otherwise, you will have to deal with me first!” Hindel growls with condensed fury.

The two gigantic reptiles face each other sternly without making any sudden moves. The snake knows to not take the dragon’s threat so lightly, so it decides to slither back into the treacherous forest and not pursue the terrified Pegasus. At least… for now.

Once Hindel makes sure the glaring snake is out of his presence, he sighs in relief as his expression softens before turning his attention to his small, trembling apprentice.

“Are you alright, Mustang? Can you move?” he asks softly

“I… I’m fine, Hindel.” Ford responds shakily as he gradually gets himself off the floor. “But my wings… they’re frozen stiff!”

“Don't worry. It will wear off overtime. Here, I’ll give you a ride back to the valley.” Hindel offers as he lays his head and neck down on the ground. Ford climbs aboard the elongated neck before he ascends to the dragon’s back. Once there, he firmly grasps the ridge of Hindel’s back with all four of his hooves.

“Hang on.” Hindel says as he expands his enormous wings before he starts to mightily flap them. Once they have reached an altitude that’s high above the treetops, Hindel flies at a steady speed towards their temporary home.

“How were you able to find me, Hindel?” Ford asks. “I couldn’t even call out to you!”

“All-Seeing Dragon. Remember?” Hindel answers with a smirk to his passenger. “I saw you were in trouble through my visions, and I was able to track you down by sensing your energy. I was fortunate enough to get there in time too.”

“Hindel, what was that thing? It wasn’t like anything I have ever faced before!”

“That, my friend, is a Basilisk! The largest snake to have ever slithered on the face of this earth! The Basilisk only lives in the deepest parts of the jungle. And if there is one creature that would deserve the title of ‘King of the Jungle’, it would certainly be the Basilisk! Some say that this creature is just a legend, but as you have come to know around here, truths and legends go hand-to-hand. Its strength and ferocity can rival that with the mightiest dragons, including myself. I haven’t faced a Basilisk in countless years. Heh, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the same one too.”

“And that stare of his…” Ford cringes upon reflecting that dreadful moment. “It was like I was completely frozen without even turning to stone!”

“Yes, it’s that stare that you have to watch out for. It’s the Basilisk’s most well-known and deadliest aspect. Some say that its gaze is so terrifying, that the Basilisk can kill its prey just by looking at it. If you haven’t encountered and overcame that Cockatrice before, you would have been dead before you even know it.”

Ford gulps heavily as he shivers on what would have happened to him if he didn’t break out of the Basilisk’s stare in time. Then, he begins to feel incredible shame for himself. Hindel trusted him that he would be fine on his own in the forest, but now, he had to be dependent on his dragon master in order to flee for his life from that overwhelming opponent. Once they have landed back in the dragon’s valley, Ford carefully gets off of Hindel’s back before facing him with his dejected head low to the ground.

“Thanks for the rescue, Hindel. And… I’m sorry, but I’ve failed you.” he apologizes shamefully.

“What are you talking about? You didn’t failed at anything--”

“YES I DID, HINDEL!” Ford snaps in outcry as pitiful tears start to pour from his eyes. “Didn’t you see me back there?! I was so scared that I didn’t even try to put up a fight! I was pretty much dead on the spot until you came in and save me! If something as frightening as that Basilisk could exist, then how can I even stand up to Arrogon now?! You and everyone else in this world are counting on me to take him down, and I’ve already failed at something before I could even face him! I just… don’t know if I can do this alone.”

Overwhelmed by his fears of failing, Ford collapses on the rocky floor as he continues to weep in self-pity with his fore hooves covering his sniveling muzzle. Hindel is silent as he feels sorry for the downhearted pony. Once Ford’s crying starts to die down, Hindel lays right next to him as he brings his face close to the weeping Pegasus.

“No, you won’t have to do this alone, Mustang.” Hindel reassures delicately with a soft smile. “You’ll have me, and you’ll have your friends back in Ponyville. And who knows, if you keep an open mind on your journey, you might find some unexpected allies along the way.”

Hindel carefully lifts Ford’s chin up with a delicate claw as the dragon continues his supportive speech. “And you didn’t fail at anything. In fact, you are progressing with your training so expeditiously, that I couldn’t be any more proud of having you as my apprentice. And you should be proud of what you have accomplished for yourself as well.” Ford begins to smile gradually after hearing such praise from his master.

“And you’re right about one thing: it isn’t fair for me to have you burdened with such an enormous task on your shoulders, and for that, I am truly sorry. But you know what I see in you? I see you as the shining beacon in this dark, dreary world we are in right now. One who’s courage and kindness can help unite the good-hearted races of this world in order to stop Arrogon’s never-ending conquest. Remember this Ford Mustang: when you are at its darkest hour, only through the fires of courage and the united hearts of harmony will you achieve a power so great, that not even Arrogon can blot out its purifying light.”

After hearing all of that, Ford beams significantly over Hindel’s encouragement as he wipes what’s left of his tears. Just as soon as Ford is feeling better, Hindel quickly lift his head up as he faces something that’s behind the recovering Pegasus. Puzzled by Hindel’s sudden alertness, Ford turns his body around before gasping in fright over what’s at the edge of the forest. A familiar set of reptilian eyes glow in the darkness of the forest as it stares at Ford with hungry anticipation!

“Hindel! It’s back!” Ford screeches in alarm. “That Basilisk is back again!”

“Hmm… It’s just what I was afraid of.” Hindel murmurs. “That persistent creature has locked onto your scent and won’t give you up easily unless you’ve become too much for it to handle.

“D-d-do you think he’s going to attack me when we’re asleep?” the Pegasus asks in a trembling voice.

“It wouldn’t dare. That Basilisk already knows how much of an immense threat I am. It may be relentless, but it isn’t stupid enough to challenge me directly. Trust me, that snake won’t try to pull off a sneak attack on you, Ford; not when I’m around.”

“Wh-what should we do then?”

“Just sleep on my back for the time being.” Hindel insists before lower his head down once more to allow Ford to climb on top of him. “You had a long, rough day as it is, and you’ll need your strength if we’re going to continue with your training tomorrow. I’ll even help you find some breakfast if it makes you feel any better.”

“O-okay. Thank you, Hindel.” Ford says gratefully as he trots on the dragon’s neck.

“You’re welcome, Ford. Now get some rest. I’ll be sure to keep an eye on that snake for you in the meantime.” After reaching on top of his new sleeping quarters, Ford couldn’t help but giggling to himself after hearing Hindel’s oxymoron sentence.

“That’s… that’s what I’m worry about!” Ford comments as he continues to laugh a little bit loudly.

“Now what’s got you laughing of all a sudden?” Hindel puzzles at his apprentice’s case of the giggles.

“I’m sorry, Hindel! It’s just that… you said…!” Ford tries to compose himself while keeping his laughing to a minimum.

It takes a while for the elder dragon to get it, but after replaying on what he just said earlier, Hindel starts to chuckle as well from his own contradicting statement.

“Oh, right! I guess I tripped myself on that one, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did!” Ford replies as his laughing comes to a close. “Goodnight, Hindel.”

“Goodnight, Mustang.”

After that little, unintentional joke helped ease his mood, Ford curls himself up onto Hindel’s smooth, scaly back as he tries to get some sleep. As he struggles initially, his tiresome eyes keep shifting to the entrance of the forest, where the glowing, orange eyes of his latest adversary continue to stare menacingly at the shuddering pony. Knowing that looking directly at the Basilisk’s eyes is going to makes things worse for him, Ford turns away from that dreadful gaze as he gradually drifts to sleep at last.

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In the lightly foggy, dark dreamscape, Ford Mustang is wandering around aimlessly as he wonders what has brought him here to this mystifying place. Suddenly, the fog parts before him as he sees something bright and colorful in distance. As he inches closer to the mysterious figure, the radiant beauty reveals herself while casting that beautiful grin of hers. Before his surprised eyes is the love of his life, Rainbow Dash!

Ford is certain that all this is just a dream, but he didn’t care about that right now. He’s still just as happy to see the girl of his dreams. With an overjoyed smile, he rushes over to Rainbow as she does the same for him. After so many lonely nights, he can finally find some sense of comfort in the hooves of his dreamy marefriend. Time starts to slow down as the two reunited lovers are so close to one and another. But it didn’t matter to Ford, because as soon as he can embrace her, he’ll have all the time in this dreamy world of his. As their fore hooves are nearly touching each other…

FOOM!

…a roaring wall of blue fire intervenes their reunion as it seperates the two! Soon, the trial of fire starts to expand as it encircles around the startled Mustang! Then, the slithering line of fire begins to take shape as it reveals its identity: a black-colored Basilisk with blue, fiery eyes and a wild mane of that same colored fire just like Arrogon’s! Before Ford can leap into action, the coils wrap tightly around him as the devilish snake lets out a sinister laughter of triumphant!

Suddenly, the gigantic, hissing fiend turns his attention to somepony else, Rainbow Dash, who is completely paralyzed with fear! Ford tries to call out to her, but his voice is suddenly muted as he starts to sink within the dark snake’s coils! The demonic serpent leans closer to the petrified mare as it licks it jaws with a forked tongue while mouthwatering saliva drips from its gaping maw! It was useless! No matter how much he wants to save her or how hard he desperately struggles out of this bind, Ford slowly sinks away like he is trapped in quicksand! And just before Mustang disappears into the abyss of the constricting coils, the last thing he sees is the Basilisk swiftly lunging for Rainbow, and all Ford could hear after that is the terrifying screams of his soon-to-be-devoured marefriend!

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The ringing of those ear-piercing screams snaps Ford out his hellish nightmare. Abruptly awake, he surveys the area quickly. To his surprise, the stalking predator is gone. Probably it was because that waiting all night long is pointless for the Basilisk, and it would continue its hunt later on. Once he noticed that the snake is gone, Ford looks down and sees Hindel snoozing soundly as his neck and tail are curled around his body.

As Ford tries to go back to sleep, something else is stirring him in this restless, eternal night. It isn’t fear anymore that is keeping him up at night; it’s his rage. Keeping to himself, he feels nothing but irritating angry for several reasons. He is angry at himself for barely putting up a fight when he first encountered the Basilisk. He is angry at the Basilisk for making him feel so powerlessly from the start and utterly defeated at the end. But most important of all, he is very angry at Arrogon for all that he has done to him, to his friends, and above all else, to Rainbow Dash! Ford will see to it by the end of all this that Arrogon will pay dearly for his transgressions! But first, he needs to get some rest if he wants to finish that matter with that fiendish snake once and for all.

“Next time Basilisk…” he mutters quietly to himself with fierce determination. “Next time, you’re mine!”

Next Chapter: Chapter 14 – King of the Jungle Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 47 Minutes
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