Ahuizotl

Ahuizotl is a being of uncertain species or origin who serves as Guardian Creature of the Tenochtitlan Basin. Due to a series of misunderstandings and a lack of communication, he became involved in a mutual antagonism with Daring Do.

Contending with a treasure hunter
It is unknown how Ahuizotl came into his position, or exactly how he first crossed paths with Daring Do. However, Daring's penchant for stealing artifacts under Ahuizotl's protection, believing that she was safeguarding them in doing so, quickly earned the ire of the exasperated guardian. For her part, Daring presumed that Ahuizotl had villainous intentions for the artifacts he attempted to prevent her from stealing, and thus considered him evil. This perception became prevalent across Equestria due to the Daring Do novel series, which Daring wrote in her civilian persona as.

Ahuizotl's reputation also suffered as a result of his increasingly desperate measures taken to stop Daring Do from stealing the artifacts in his charge. These included employing various booby traps and enlisting an assortment of minions, including a group of cats. He also established himself in the Fortress of Talacon, which a prophecy indicated might allow him to rule over the basin for 800 years. He also entered into a tenuous partnership with Daring's rival relic hunter, Dr. Caballeron, though the doctor's tendency to steal artifacts as well made the arrangement anything but friendly.

In Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue, the first of A.K. Yearling's publications of her adventures, Ahuizotl appears to reclaim the titular Sapphire Statue after Daring Do has escaped with it. After subduing her with the aid of his cats, Ahuizotl ties Daring to an altar and leaves her at the mercy of several deathtraps. However, she manages to escape and recovers the statue, interrupting Ahuizotl's (presumably fictionalized) victorious monologue. It is unknown whether Daring's next publicized adventure, Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet, involved Ahuizotl.

At some point, Daring Do became aware of Ahuizotl's intent to control the region of Tenochtitlan, which she recounted in her third novel. This led to at least one confrontation between the two foes, in which Daring set up the Radiant Shield of Razdon to protect the area after using the Amulet of Atonement to counter the magic of the Ketztwctl Empress. She also scattered the Rings of Scorchero, which the shield was vulnerable to, across the area of Tenochtitlan, while retaining one for safekeeping. These events were later recounted in Daring Do and the Razor of Dreams; Dr. Caballeron was apparently involved as well.

On another occasion, Ahuizotl-aided by Caballeron's Gang-attempted to locate the magical Eternal Flower, capturing Daring's uncle Gallant True in the process. However, with the aid of allies Thaddeus Vine and Rosy Thorn, he arranged for Daring to "rescue" her uncle in order to follow the pair to the legendary plant. Believing he had succeeded in finding the immortality-granting bloom, Ahuizotl sampled its nectar, only to discover that he had in fact picked a Poison Joke flower. Ahuizotl was shrunken down to mouse size and retreated, while Daring would recount this adventure as Daring Do and the Eternal Flower.

Ahuizotl's adventures may or may not have involved his exploration of "Deadly Ruins", "Dusty tombs", and/or "Sunken Temples".

Meeting the Mane Six
Still eager to secure Tenochtitlan-presumably to prevent Daring and Caballeron from continuing to plunder its artifacts-Ahuizotl set about recovering the scattered Rings of Scorchero. As Daring had retained possession of one, Dr. Caballeron's gang stole it from her, intending to sell it back to Ahuizotl for a tidy profit. However, Ahuizotl walked in on Caballeron preparing to sell it to a disguised Daring, and the wily Pegasus managed to gain possession of it. A struggle ensued as Ahuizotl and his cats attempted to recover it, but eventually forced Daring to surrender by threatening an observing.

Capturing Daring, Ahuizotl placed her in yet another deathtrap in the Fortress of Talacon as he left to perform the ritual that would unleash eight centuries' worth of brutal heat upon the surrounding area. However, Rainbow Dash rescued Daring, and-joined by the rest of the Mane Six-the pair appeared to thwart Ahuizotl's plans. While their allies kept the ring out of the clutches of Ahuizotl and his pony minions, Dash and Daring removed the rest of the rings in order to destroy the fortress. This, as it turns out, had been Daring's plan all along, and she and Rainbow smashed the final ring after witnessing the fortress' collapse. Ahuizotl was left to swear revenge on his nemesis, and Daring to recount this latest adventure in Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny.

On another occasion, Ahuizotl sought to recover Queen Parabola's treasure from her castle, apparently to prevent Daring Do from doing so. This led to yet another partnership between him and Caballeron's Gang, whom he tasked with capturing the Map Spiders necessary to locate the lost stronghold. Ahuizotl later captured Daring and after they arrived at the castle, with Ahuizotl taunting Daring over her fear of spiders, which he had discovered during a previous encounter with her. However, thanks to Fluttershy and a Map Spider, Daring was able to escape the ropes Ahuizotl bound her with.

Ahuizotl got into an argument with Caballeron, who wanted to be paid before breaking into Parabola's vault. The two Pegasus mares turned the tables on the disgruntled allies, unleashing the Map Spiders they had captured on them. Ahuizotl was then knocked unconscious due to Daring Do knocking over a pillar, which struck him.

Ahuizotl's antagonism with Daring would culminate when the two of them, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Caballeron's Gang all became involved in a quest for the Truth Talisman of Tonatiuh. After restraining Daring and Rainbow Dash, Ahuizotl accused them of wanting to steal the artifact, unaware that it was in fact Caballeron attempting to do so. The pair quickly escaped from him, and he pursued them to find that Caballeron's Gang and Fluttershy had already retrieved the talisman. Furious, Ahuizotl unleashed the temple's Guardian-goyles against them, only for them to be destroyed by the Diamond of Lapis Lux that Caballeron had previously stolen.

Despite this, Ahuizotl cornered the invading ponies, only for Fluttershy to approach him with the talisman and ask why he behaved the way he did. Ahuizotl explained his role in Tenochtitlan, and further revealed that Daring and Caballeron's constant thefts had jeopardized his employment and angered his fellow guardian creatures. The two treasure hunters apologized for their actions, and agreed that they wouldn't take any more artifacts from Ahuizotl's charge. Now freed from worrying about his former foes, Ahuizotl joined them in publishing his adventures in book form, inadvertently attracting more fans than either of his former enemies.