In this chapter, I'm including the Gryphon from Quest for Camelot, both of which I don't own. Just to give you the heads up. Other than that, enjoy.

Ch.3: Let the Love Game Begin

Daring couldn't believe what just happened. One minute, she and Ahuizotl were fighting. The next minute, he's romantic with her and kissing her. Now he's taking her to his new pyramid abode while holding her with his tail. Even though it just transformed into a skunk tail that doesn't stink, it still acts like his original tail and still has the strength to hold her. She couldn't even get her wings out of its soft snugness.

Daring's even surprised that Ahuizotl's cats walking alongside them didn't react so badly or with surprise. If they were surprised, they sure are taking it rather well as if they knew all along about Ahuizotl's newfound love for her.

Despite all of this, Daring struggled her hardest to get out, even as they entered the pyramid and made their way to his living quarters, which are at the top of the pyramid. Well, he is the boss of his tribe. Why shouldn't he have his living quarters at the top level of a pyramid?

Where's Rainbow Dash when you need her? Daring thought to herself.

*Meanwhile above Ponyville*

Rainbow Dash kept on flying through the clouds as fast as her cramping wings would go, still trying to get away from Lionwing. As you recalled from the Epilogue of Pepe le Discord, Discord shot him with one of his Love Arrows to turn him into Pepe le Lionwing and make him fall in love with the rainbow-maned Pegasus.

Finding a large enough cloud, Rainbow dove into it to hide and rested within its fluffy softness with pants for breath, grateful to finally give her hurting wings a break.

Finally I've given him the slip.

"Ello, ma petite arc en ciel." Before she could react, a pair of large black-and-purple wings wrapped themselves around her as a pair of eagle claws took a gentle hold at her sides. She turned her gaze to the smiling gryphon resting his head on her shoulder.

"Lionwing!" she cried, struggling to get out of his grip. "Let go of me! Right! Now!" Lionwing only chuckled before hugging her affectionately.

"You're so cute," he cooed before pressing his lips into hers. Shocked, Rainbow's body went stiff as her face turned red.

I knew I should've stayed with Daring Do a while longer.

*Back with Daring Do*

"Here we are, Cariña," Ahuizotl said as they entered the doorway into his living quarters. "Maison douce maison."

Daring then looked around and was awed at the area. The upper level serving as Ahuizotl's living quarters is richly furnished with golden furniture, red and violet drapes, and flowers growing from vines hanging from the ceiling. She felt as though she has entered the apartment of a Saddle Arabian prince. She was snapped out of her thoughts when Ahuizotl brought her to his chest and held her in his arms while nuzzling her neck ticklishly.

"Oh, mi amore," he purred as he caressed her back with his skunk tail. "Tu es si belle quand vous êtes dans la crainte." He then turned to his cats and nodded his head to them, and they returned the nod with purrs before leaving.

"Wait!" Daring said, struggling to get out of his embrace. "Ahuizotl, you can't just—EEP!" She cried out with a yelp when he returned his muzzle to her neck and started to trail small kisses up it to her cheek.

"Eres tan lindo," he purred before cupping her cheek with his hand and looking into her eyes with half-closed ones. "Mais tes yeux sont mes bijoux préférés." Daring then tried to push him away.

"Ahuizotl, knock it off!" she demanded, her face red from his flirty look. "What has gotten into you?!"

"Nothing, ma petite cutie," he cooed, nuzzling her nose in an Eskimo kiss. "I'm just…en amor con usted."

"What?!" Daring cried, pushing away from him the best she could before she could kiss her on the lips again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on, Ahuizotl! Why would you be in love with me? I'm your enemy!" He only chuckled at her before peppering her faces with kisses.

"Even enemies can fall in love…" he purred softly into her ear before looking at her blushing face. "But I can tell you're still confused about returning my feelings."

"Who-Who said I'm confused?! I'm not—"

"How about we jugar un juego?" Daring blinked with surprise before giving him a suspicious look.

"What kind of a game?"

"Poursuite de l'amant," he answered with a wink. "You run and hide; I chase and seek, si? If you can hide from me for a half-hour without me finding you three times, I'll let you go free. But if I find you three times before the half-hour's up…" He then kissed her on the nose, making her blush more. "Vous êtes tous les miens."

"Fine!" Daring replied with a confident smirk despite her blush. "I'll take on your challenge and get out this messed-up mess."

"Just a couple of things," he added, wagging his finger at her teasingly. "Uno, you can only use the hiding spots inside ma pyramide."

"Fair enough," she replied with an understanding shrug. "And second?" Then she felt a clamp on her midsection and wings and turned with a start to find a golden ring with jewels pinning her wings to her sides.

"Dos," he answered now firmly, "aucun vol. I want you to be fair as well." Daring then shot a glare at her new "lover." He always anticipated her flying abilities enough to come prepared. Then again, these things tend to make things somewhat interesting for her as well.

"Fine," she groaned with a roll of her eyes. Ahuizotl then smiled with confidence.

"Buena," he said before turning to from her and closing his eyes. "And to be fair with you, I'm going to close my eyes and count to ten to give you une longueur d'avance dix secondes." He then cracked an eye open at her flirtingly. "I suggest you make lo mejor of it…unless you really want rester avec moi."

Daring's blushed with a glare as he closed his eyes again and began speaking in Spanish.

"Uno…dos…tres…" Hearing that he means it, Daring started to think up a good plan. If she could lead him down the wrong path from him, she can buy herself more time to win the bet and get out of here. And she knows just how to do it.

"Cuatro...cinco..." Quickly, she galloped over to a table covered with a long violet-with-golden-embroideries tablecloth, the clopping of her hooves against the stone floor mixing with Ahuizotl's counting. She then went under the tablecloth and start to run in place to keep up the sound of her clopping.

"Seis...siete...ocho…" She only quieted down her hooves until she stopped completely and held completely still. She plans to lead Ahuizotl out of the room and stay here for a full half-hour, making him think she ran out of the room to hide somewhere else in the pyramid and search other places.

"Nueve...diez," she heard Ahuizotl finish before his tone became a calling one. "Prêt ou pas, je viens ici!" Daring forced herself to hold back a giggle. She hated to admit it, but Ahuizotl's pretty cute when he's speaking in Prench…although she loves him better with his Spanish…

Wha…No way! Uh-uh, she thought to herself with a blushing face and a furious shake of her head. Don't you go thinking that, Daring Do! Ahuizotl's your enemy who's not right in the head with you, and—

"Gotcha!" Daring let out a yelp when a pair of strong, blue-furred arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her to an Adonis-toned chest.

"Wha—" she cried, turning to Ahuizotl and his flirty grin. "How did you—" He only peppered her cheek with little kisses before explaining.

"Your intoxicating scent was stronger here than down the doorway." Daring wanted to hit herself as he nuzzled his cheek into hers with a warm chuckle. How could she have forgotten about his keen sense of smell?!

"You are just demasiado linda," he purred, making shivers go up and down her spine, "using that vieux truc on trick on me. I can hear you jogging in place right behind me where the table is as well."

And his sharp hearing? Jeez, this game's gonna be harder than she thought.

"Do you really want to stay with me, mi querida yegua," he asked, pecking a kiss on her neck to make her wince with unwanted delight, "or do you want to finish our petit jeu?" She then struggled to answer his question quickly before he gets more wrong ideas.

"F-finish the game…" she whimpered with a blush. Ahuizotl chuckled at how cute she looks before letting her go.

"Alright, but you better prisa; you only have two more hiding attempts and twenty-eight and a half minutes left. Le temps est compté…tick-tock…tick-tock…" Not wasting any time, Daring dashed out from under the table and ran out of the room to find a better hiding place. And Ahuizotl went off after her, hopping like Pepe le Pew.

But despite wanting to hide better, she couldn't help but miss it all: his suave charm…his strong embrace…his gentle kisses…Does he really love her for real? Or is he trying to trick her into loving him back?