Chapters Chapter 1 - Haunting Nightmares
SSSHHLACCK! Daring couldn't get enough of that sound as her loyal machete hacked through a group of vines in her way. Venturing on, the brush seemed to be getting thicker and noticeably darker. Sheathing her knife for a break, she sat down and sighed.
I can't believe it. I swore never to go on another stupid adventure, yet here I am. Dumb cutie mark destiny…
Digging into her saddlebags, she produced an apple and took a bite letting the sweet juice flow over her tongue. A quick swig from one of her canteens and Daring Do was soon chopping again and had a sneaking feeling she was about to add one more discovery to her list. Her grayscale mane and golden tan coat eventually became soaked in sweat as one more swing penetrated the thicket and a ray of sunlight beamed through into the shadowed wood.
An accomplished smile creeped it's way onto Daring Do's face as she pried the vines apart and with no energy left to spare, she simply tumbled into the clearing and let her fatigue finally take over as she fell into deep treacherous sleep.
~ ~ ~
Flying at full speed, sheer terror and adrenaline fueling her, Daring was racing out of a dark chamber hall, not even caring that she was setting off every trap hidden in the temple. She wanted out and she wanted it NOW!
A dart whizzed towards her head piercing her ear and joining a party of the steel pins stuck in her body. Her hat was lost when she initially took off and along with it, her primary head protection. In pain, she slammed her eyes shut and gave a pained grunt but when she saw again, it was the ceiling with free-hanging chains was she headed straight for!
Crashing into the swinging chains, they wrapped around her as if having a life of their own and entangled the terrified mare. Desperate to get out, she thrashed with all of her might just as a fly in a spider's web would, only entangled her further.
Then her real nightmare began.
She heard the horrible creature drawing nearer, it's scuttling feet across the ancient chipped sandstone slabs that layered the floor. Her eyes widened further and she squirmed for all she was worth to get free, but the chains held strong, rubbing her skin raw.
A shot of pain ripped through Daring Do's back and she screamed in agony as she looked back and saw a rusty chain had dragged across her back and tore a bloody gash through her flesh. Tears flooded her eyes from fright and pain as she hung there still thrashing to get out, the rusty chain digging further into her free-flowing wound.
Her movements slow and the slow realization dawns on her: the darts are poisoned. Then she saw it. The horrific monster emerged from the pitch black corridor and the pegasus let out a final echoing scream into the deep depths of the chamber.
~ ~ ~
Waking up in a cold sweat, Daring hugged herself tight and soon found herself crying. The monster has haunted her mind ever since nearly a decade ago. She closed her eyes and by some miracle of Princess Luna herself drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
Sunrise came and the night slowly subsided for Celestia's day. Sleep slowly lifted off of the mare and with her eyes still closed, she rolled onto her back and felt the cool grass on her back and the sun warming her belly, giving Daring a content smile.
I must've passed out in Berry Punch's yard after another one of her parties , Daring thought to herself. "Hey! Lyra! Colgate! Bon Bon! Roseluck! Anypony still here!?" No response.
Groggily opening her eyes, Daring looked around for anypony. Tree... Tree... Tree... Oh horsefeathers...
As she snapped up suddenly, wave of green flooded her vision and she remembered what happened yesterday. "CELESTIA DAMN IT!!!"
Her sudden outburst offset her balance and falling over, Daring covered her face with her hooves and cursed herself. Laying there for who knows how long, she heard leaves brushing behind her head. Not bothering to get up, she rolled over and looked towards the rustling.
Oh, great joy , she thought. The hole she cleaved through the vines were mending themselves at an alarming rate- the same ones from the Forbidden Northern Jungles. (Of course Daring ignored the namesake though.) The vines aren’t anything to worry about, they’re just annoying and from experience, Daring knew they get harder to cut the more you do so.
Giving the vines an annoyed look, Daring lifted herself up and looked around, surveying her surroundings. The clearing she was in was flawless. Blades of green grass accompanied the perfect white daisies that were all over on the small hill and now looking, an intricate pattern the vines were woven into looked obviously unnatural, so she did the logical thing. She picked a few batches of flowers.
A few strokes of her graceful wings lifted her hooves off the soft field and gave Daring a bit more of a view. Pulling out her compass, she took a glance towards her comforting home in Fillydelphia, but quickly went back to looking for any sort of oddity in the seemingly infinite living forest.
Nothing came of it.
Floating back to the ground with a sigh of resignation, the pegasus took one more look around and-
Who put that arch there?
A perfect curving doorway in the vines stood where Daring looked not twenty seconds ago, revealing another sunny clearing she should’ve seen from the sky. Caution and suspicion were the first things on the mare’s mind while gingerly stepping through the newfound opening.
Shock quickly replaced her caution as she stuttered, “Wait- how does... what? Why didn’t I...”
What she saw, she simply could never comprehend.
A village. A burning village.
It was a sizable settlement, maybe a couple hundred yards across. The houses were rather huts woven from thick grasses and branches from trees, but they were all destroyed. Fires were set to some homes, ashes blowing across the wouldbe beautiful field.
What really stunned Daring is the fact that she didn’t see this when she did her aerial scout. The smoke from some of the still-smoldering houses would’ve been an obvious signal of anypony being there. The eerie quiet was bothersome too. Slowly, Daring began to walk into the ruins, still pondering the hidden clearing when a wrong turn took her to the villagers.
It was a small town of zebras and they were everywhere. Some had angry faces and were holding spears, a few had confused looks, but most of them looked surprised.
But they were all the same.
Dead.
This, however was a tragedy dulled down to a resigned sigh in the daring mare’s mind. Things like this were unfortunately common on her explorations, however.
I hate how bands of gangs, bounty hunters, or even native tribes would destroy anything or anyone getting in the way of their goal , She thought absentmindedly. Taking homes, loved ones, even lives for something they only get to keep until death. Is it really worth that much to them?
It’s that thought again, and she only had hatred for it. Though she was world-renowned Daring Do: Explorer of the unknown, she ventured to take things ancient ponies did for their precious beliefs. The real question was: was she really just another raider?
Was Daring Do any different?
Scowling, she put the thought away and kept trekking through the town. The zebras had been shown no mercy. The whoever, or whatever did this almost seemed to enjoy the slaughter...
The silence was making Daring’s mane twitch and she gave a small hum just to calm her nerves and make sure she could still hear. Looking around, she picked a hut at random. It wasn’t anything special, it was just a small place, maybe twenty feet in width.
Inside the huts was the real gruesome sight. The villagers had been dissected and strewn all around the place, then pinned to walls like bloody decor. The rest of the home had been seemingly pillaged for anything of even minor value.
Stepping out she let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Somewhere behind her, a small crash met her ears and whirling around, a little cloud of ash told her where.
Trotting over to the thinning cloud, she looked for what fell over. There wasn’t much. Just a bed, three-legged table and a painted sitting in a little crater of ash. That’d be it.
Flying above the village just high enough to see to the edges, there was no sign of life. Maybe the rock just fell off the-
FFF-TING
Her thoughts were interrupted by a dart whizzing by her head and bouncing off her pith helmet. Her eyes met the origin. A small equine figure in a brown cloak was running towards the edge of the village, but Daring wanted to meet the attacker.
Dropping like a hawk out of the sky, she was upon the mystery mare in moments. Pulling up, the wind blew the cloak right off and revealed a sad sight.
A young zebra mare. Cowering with eyes filled to the brim with sheer terror and trembling, scared for her life. She was cut up and bleeding in several places, but nothing too major. Then the dam broke. Her tears came streaming non stop, falling and wetting the fallen ash at her feet.
Putting on the softest voice she could muster, Daring said, “Hey, it’s going to be alright. What’s your name?”
At which point the poor thing simply couldn’t handle anything else, so she just fainted.
Chapter 2 - Zönta
Not a bad job , Daring thought to herself.
Just as the thought was formed, as the universe always has and will do, a beam holding a patch in the roof caved and along with it, a section of the roof and another blinding cloud of ash and dust. Daring fanned the smokescreen with her wings and tried to stop coughing. By the same token, not a good job either...
A groan in the back corner of the hut told Daring the zebra was waking. Turning, she saw the small mare was already sitting up, trying to process what was going on. "Good morning," Daring quietly said.
The zebra wasn't as confused as she seemed. Quickly looking up, her pupils shrank as she held perfectly still, paralyzed by fear once more.
Trying to comfort the poor thing, Daring Do quietly said, "Please don't run. I only want to help you. What's your name at least?"
Barely audible, the zebra replied, not any less frightened, "W-why would you want to help me? You ponies did this..."
Sighing, Daring simply put it and said, "Because I'm not those ponies."
A long pause was finally broken by the young zebra. She uttered a quiet, "Zönta"
"What?"
"My name. It- it's Zönta."
"Well I'm glad you're coming out a little. I am Daring Do, famous explorer and stuff."
No reaction from the young mare. "I also notice you don't speak in rhyme. Living in the forest, you should've been spouting rhymes by now. Why not?"
Too fast. She tried to pull her tattered blanket up further, but instead began to tear the worn fabric.
Shame came across her face and she dropped the blanket. "I don't want to talk about it. Ever."
After a while of just sitting, Daring broke the silence. "Would you like some apples to eat? I have some in my saddle bags if you would."
Finally looking up, Zönta was thinking about saying 'no thank you', but her stomach said otherwise.
~ ~ ~
The sun was beginning to set, and with full bellies, Daring and Zönta were sitting around a small campfire Zönta had started up herself while Daring cleared some of the bodies for less of a gruesome sight for the small zebra.
"Why are you being nice to me like this?" Zönta asked.
"You were in need and I like to help anypony in need. I try to be different from those raiders. They're just heartless."
"Oh."
"Now I have a question. Why do you still stay with me even though you don't seem to trust me?"
A look of confusion came over Zönta before looking down and answering, "I- I don't know."
Standing up, Daring said resignedly, "Well, I'll let you think about that one because I'm going to sleep."
Daring walked over to a little bundle of blankets a few feet away and soon gave a content sigh.
"Aren't you going to take that bed," Zönta asked, perplexed.
"It's not mine. You were the one using it, not me. Sleep well."
With that the pegasus rolled over and didn't say another word.
Why does she put herself through such trouble for me? Zönta thought to herself, She doesn't even properly know me, yet she feeds me, seems to have tended to my wounds, and gives up luxury so I would be comfortable... What blessing is this mare?
~ ~ ~
Zönta's family along with other tribal members all sat around the ancient tribal artifacts of the Sukatah tribe, chanting ominously. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees and Zönta could begin to see the others breath in the ever cooling air. A shiver passed through the young zebra as fright began to set in.
She had never witnessed a- whatever this is and at this point, she didn't like it. Panic began to rise in her chest as the old bones and runes began to glow a dark turquoise with powerful zebra magic. The air was now nearly freezing, though none of the others were giving a hint of feeling it.
The bubble in her chest burst and she lost her wits. She leaped up and made a beeline for the tarp covering the door, but as she passed, a small nudge of her hoof sent the glowing items tumbling.
Blinding white exploded in the hut and the last thing Zönta remembered was a falling sensation, then peace.
~ ~ ~
Slowly opening her eyes, the zebra laid there and stared at the ceiling. Why was I so foalish to run out of such an important ceremony? Tears began slowly streaming their way down her muzzle, but were quickly wiped away as soon as Daring walked into the repaired hut.
"How'd you sleep?", Daring asked cheerfully.
"Fine."
"Any dreams?"
"Y- No," Zönta lied. She was about to tell Daring what had happened, but that would mean explaining her regretful history. "Why do you ask?"
With a shrug, Daring replied, "I heard you whimpering and moving in your sleep and was just wondering is all."
"Oh." Was all.
A long pause and Zönta caught a whiff of something good. "Are you cooking?"
A nod and a smile was all that was needed from Daring. A small thankful smile crept it's way onto Zönta's face as she walked with the pegasus out into fresh air where a pot hung over a fire and two seats where a sandwich waited on a plate.
"Have a seat. The tea will be ready in a minute," Daring said casually.
Zönta did so and looked at the plate next to her. Picking up the sandwich to inspect it, a small flower fell out A gasp escaped her lips before her gaze snapped up to Daring, munching her breakfast. Daring looked over at Zönta with another of the flowers hanging from the edge of her mouth. She sucked it up and asked, "Is everything alright? I promise I didn't do anything to your sandwich."
Barely a whisper out of pure shock, Zönta asked, "Wh- How did you- Where did you ever find these? They don't grow anywhere near this village!"
Daring knit her brows for a moment, then relaxed and explained how she was from Ponyville and every detail up to where she had found Zönta. With every word however, Zönta looked more and more afraid like Daring was going to kill her.
"And that's how Equestria was made!", she finished as a joke Pinkie Pie had taught her from when she had first come to Ponyville.
That did it again. The poor zebra filly, for the second time in ten hours, fainted.
"Uh... Sorry kid."
Another few hours passed before Zönta had awoken again, and this time nothing that would traumatize her.
"I promise, how I got here was not the beginning of Equestria. It was a joke somepony else told me."
"But those flowers! It would take a day's walk to find any of those! And you are nowhere near Ponyville or anywhere like that!", she cried in dismay.
"Like I said, it was in a little circular field right outside the village. They were growing like crazy," was the simply reply.
"But-", Zönta began to say, but Daring interrupted, "I'm as clueless as you and I have no idea how I ended up on the other side of the world, but I've been through so much, it's not even surprising anymore. But given it is really strange."
"I-", she began, but instead gave a resigned sigh. That mare popped out of nowhere and she doesn't even care she's nowhere near where she came from... What IS she!?
Daring picked herself up and brushed a stray flower from her cargo vest. "Whelp. That's me. Anyway, I think I hear sleep calling. G'night."
Trotting back to the hut, she gave a last glance to see Zönta, jaw on the ground and eyes the size of dinner plates. Yep, that's me.
Waking up once more, Daring and Zönta had a breakfast of the last few apples in Daring's saddlebags, Daring changed Zönta's bandages, and they were sitting in silence, save the crackling of the fire. Zönta was the first to speak that morning. "I'm sorry for wasting your food..."
Looking over, a puzzled look crossed Daring's face. Straightening her posture and turning to the zebra, she said, "I have no idea what I wasted my food on. If it's for eating, then those apples accomplished their purpose just fine."
Zönta looked to Daring again, a smile crept it's way onto her face. "I- You are a good pony. Thank you."
"Yeah... Say, if you said we're not even in the Everfree, Where are we exactly?"
"Um... I think you ponies call it 'Shaded Hollow'? Is that it?"
"Hollow Shades, huh? Then we're just North-West of Fillydelphia. Alright! I know where we are, now I want to ask you a question."
The younger looked up tentatively, waiting for whatever the pegasus had.
"What do you want to do?"
Zönta knit her brow, not understanding the question. She had never made any real decisions in her tribe, what was she supposed to do?
"I mean, do you want to come with me, stay here, I can find you an adoptive family in Fillyde-"
"I want to stay with you." The answer was plain and simple. Daring had saved Zönta's life, fed her, healed her wounds, and most of all accepted an outcast. "You're the first one that's talked with me in many moons, please don't leave me alone."
A tear leaked out of Zönta's eye, but she didn't care. This beautiful mare, her savior, was all Zönta had now. One out of nothing.
A smirk from Daring was all that was needed; Daring had a new friend and Zönta had a family. "Come on, let's go get some food.
~ ~ ~
Darkness. Hollow Shades had given no mercy as the two trudged through the forest, the sun making it's decent into the West to make way for the moon. Poking her head out of a treetop, Daring had stopped to admire the Earth's planetary sibling. Zönta was just getting up to a solid branch as she gave the pegasus a worried look. "Do you worship the moon?"
Daring sunk back under the the leaves and gave thoughtful look. "Well I... guess so, Yeah. Something wrong?"
"So you worship the Nightmare?"
An understanding smile came over Daring. "I see what this is about. No, the Nightmare is gone. Have you ever heard about the Elements of Harmony?"
Her question was met with a perplexed look.
"It's pretty much six relics had the power to banish any evil, so six ponies used them against Nightmare Moon and freed Princess Luna from the evil spirit that took her over- the Nightmare you're referring to. Nightmare's been long gone so there's no need to- Um... kid?"
Zönta was on her hooves, staring into the eternal dark of the forest, much like a dog sensing danger. There seemed to be nothing to Daring, who was reclined on a tree branch looking lazily over at Zönta. She had a right to be relaxed though, after managing to steal the Sapphire Stone from Ahuizotl it was kind of hard not to get a smug look from it.
"There's something there, I know this for fact. Be on your guard miss, or we will be attacked."
"So you can talk in rhyme. And what danger? I don't hear a thing."
Zönta turned around, seeming more uneasy than usual, "Daring Do, are you not hearing this? Those howls of the threat cannot be easily missed! Please tell me you're joking; this is some crude joke? Please can we leave before they rip out our throats!?"
Bewilderment had wrapped around Daring like a cloak. Any sign of danger would be apparent to an experienced traveler such as herself, but there were things she never could understand (Pinkie Pie's 'Pinkie Sense' drove her nuts until Twilight said just to deal with it) and Zönta might be one of them. She trotted over and with her soft, motherly voice, she quietly spoke, "Zönta, it will be alright. We can leave right now, there's trees we can hide in... Whatever it is, I promise on my life it will never touch a hair of your mane. Alright? Are you going to be okay?"
All in vain. "Please Daring, please! We need to run! They're closing in and there's a ton!!! Why are you relaxed at a time of peril? Do you wish for this forest to be your burial!? Why are we not running- is this not severe? We need to now before the pack's-" She abruptly cut off and her breathing quickened. Now Daring too sensed a presence in the murk of the woods, something malicious.
A low, barely audible growl echoed from seemingly everywhere. Daring and Zönta (whom had grown perfectly silent) backed into a tree, covering their backs. The growl sounded once more as in the deep distance, nearly invisible, a pair of ominously glowing green eyes glared with a thirst for blood.
"-right there..."
Daring Do logbook
Adventure #142
Entry #1
I'm not sure what I just saw... All I know is that kid isn't normal. She has this... ability to... Ugh, I don't believe it. I need to see this a few more times to be sure, but... Argh! Why isn't seeing believing!?!
Anyhow, we made it into Fillydelphia mostly safe and sound. I got cut up a little bit and I should probably get it checked out but Zönta seems almost... ashamed. Back in Hollow Shades, she protected me. This timid little zebra filly lost her mind to protect me and... now she's ashamed. Just what is going on in her head!?
~ ~ ~
The duo had arrived it town looking pretty scrappy. Daring mostly had only small nicks and cuts, but one larger gash on her foreleg, but limping was manageable. Zönta, however was virtually untouched, save a burn up most of her foreleg. Her coat showed no sign of cuts, her mane was pristine, and yet, she looked like she wanted to die.
Daring had been carrying Zönta for a while after the timberwolves had been taken care of, but once Zönta came too, she scrambled away and just hung her head and walked in silence. Nothing. The pegasus mare hadn't said much either, being in shock from the impossibility she had witnessed.
The first line of order was finding some healing potions and magical gauze. Walking around for while found a small shop bearing large red block letters above the door reading
GreenMane Pharmacy
Walking up, one of the letters simply burst out in a shower of sparks, surprising some nearby ponies. After a pause, Daring was the first to say, "Well, it's something I guess."
Upon entering, a friendly voice rang out, "Well hey there! Welcome to GreenMane Pharmacy! What can I ge-"
A large earth pony buck walking out of a back room was cut short by the sight in front of him. He had a kaki vest over his dark-carmel coat. He wore a pair of maroon glasses over his lavender eyes, a mortar and pestle with the letters Rx on it, and of course, sported a tow-toned forest green mane.
A moment passed. "Hi, we'd like to buy some healing gauze and four healing potions. How much'll tha-" It was Daring who got cut off this time. The buck rushed back into the back room and after some crashes, a lot of urgent yells, and an "OW!", he came back with a burlap sac and promptly slung it right over Daring's back then gave them one open healing potion each.
"Sorry miss, but I won't just let you walk in all banged up like that and pay for what you obviously need . It's on th' house."
Snapping herself out of the initial stun, Daring just looked down at the potion in her hoof, then to Zönta, and finally back to the buck, giving a thankful smile. "I've met a lot of ponies, griffons, diamond dogs, and everything in between, but It's been too long since I've met a buck like you. Thank you."
"It's my policy. By the way, sorry for not introducing myself, but hello! I'm Rex and you kinda look like you're the famed Daring Do?"
"Mmmmmmaybe... Yeah. Say, Rex, we're trying to get to the San Palomino Desert and... kind of got thrown off course. Do you know where any sort of hotel might be where we can crash for a night?"
"Sure thing I do! Take a right outta my shop, head down three blocks, a left, and keep goin' until you see Sunny Days' Inn. Tell my girl Sunny I said heyo and she'll be pretty nice to ya. Unless it's her sister, Night Star. Don't say a thing about me or she'll kick ya out. We kinda used to go out, but things turned... sour."
Daring nodded and looked to Zönta, whom had been smiling at the energetic buck. That's new. A few more thanks and they were off to meet Sunny (or Night).
The sun setting over the horizon, the two were walking down Mane Street, Daring shooting occasional glances at Zönta. The filly's momentary smile had disappeared, only to be replaced by the same sullen, shameful expression. "Hey, Zönta, I don't hate you, you know."
She stopped walking.
Daring stoped as well and turned to look at Zönta. "You saved me and I just want you to know we're here right now because of you. There's no reason in the world to be ashamed."
Zönta had gone rigid and began shivering. A tear fell to the pavement, a spot of dark on the almost glowing pavement. She never wanted to use her curse again. It was bad- evil even. She was shunned for it. She was so angry and disappointed for breaking her promise- that she'd never use it.
"I- I- I'm just so sorry Daring. I- I used it though I p-promised never t-to use it", Zönta had managed. Then the floodgates opened. Tears falling like gems glistened as they fell to the ground and it confused and broke Daring Do's heart.
"Hey, I'm sorry. I knew you don't want to talk about it and that's my fault. You broke a promise to yourself and that's understandable, but why don't we at least get to that Inn before night falls, huh?"
A nod.
~ ~ ~
"Hey there and welcome to Sunny Days Inn. I'm Sunny Days how can I help you two?"
The Inn was beautiful. The entrance would deceive anypony passing by on the street, for it looked like just another building, but the inside was something else completely! The walls were a slightly faded yellow leading all around behind the service desk. It looked like it was hoof-carved and whoever made it sure had talent. Past the stairs was another room where three other ponies sat, one listening to a radio and the other two playing chess and laughing. It wasn't anything special about it, in fact the whole place was really basic. It was just... homey.
Daring and Zönta went up to the grinning golden-coated pegasus mare sitting behind the desk. "Hi, Miss Days. We'd like to-"
"Please," she said, "Sunny's just fine. I'm not too formal."
"Well, Sunny, can we get a room? We were recommended this place by Rex, around the corner and he made it sound pretty good."
"Oh! Rex sent you? He's such a nice buck, selfless as can be... Tell ya' what, I'll give you a room for a discount if you promise to tell everypony about this place. One room, two beds for maybe about... Oh, 40 bits per night. Deal?"
Daring smirked. "You're going to get a lot of business then because I travel a lot. You've got a deal, Sunny!"
It didn't take very long to settle in, both with little to no belongings. The sun had set by now and the crescent moon was dominating it's territory. Not much needed to be said, so Daring and Zönta just went to bed (fluffy comfy).
~ ~ ~
That night, Daring got a replay of the unworldly scene that played out that night. When Zönta used her magic. They were just backing into the tree as Daring thought I swear to Luna, if this becomes a reoccurring thing I'm gonna be really annoyed...
The timberwolves came out like shadows, their eyes, thirsty for blood. One of them had a bloody maw and was even still chewing on a small bone. Another had a deep gash over one of it's eyes, but no harm was done. Counting all of them, there were six. Zönta had a glaze over her eyes and she was shivering violently. Small gasping noises were just barely audible for Daring, but the Timberwolves heard it loud and clear, because everyone know dogs can smell fear.
Daring started running through her options. The trees overhead were almost a solid, so there was no flying out, running would get them run down, fighting... they'd maybe get out in pieces. There was nothing. Just forest.
It took a moment to realize Zönta wasn't cowering behind Daring any more... She was walking right up to the front of the pack! That madmare is going to get killed! No thinking. Now to move.
Daring made a mad dash for Zönta of course, grabbing the zebra filly waiting for no response. The Timberwolves were a bit slow to react, but Daring bought them some time knocking two apart. They'd be dealt with again later. Now the hunt was on. A crazy zebra filly and an adventurous pegasus mare running from death itself with no options.
