The sun shone brightly upon the crystal waters of the Canterlot lake as Daring gazed longingly out the window beside her, she hated meetings these museum meetings, they were rarely interesting and almost always ended in "we don't have the funding" or "we can’t assign a team to explore that area." Daring loved the museum to death, but sometimes the way it operated made her want to pull out chunks of her mane. As the sole contractor to the National Equestrian Museum and leader of her ragtag group, the Troublemakers, she had to attend all of them, something she hated.
"Miss Do! Are you paying attention?"
"It's Daring sir, and no, I apologize I must have drifted off. It won’t happen again." she said slightly embarrassed.
"See to it that it doesn't Miss... Daring." The middle aged stallion, known as the Director, scolded. "Now, as we were saying. There has been recent documentation about a relic from the era of Solomon the Great. We believe the location of the ruins to be in south Yukatan. This exploration is being financed for out new exhibit on ancient kings and we need a team to go there and retrieve what is possible. Now as our contractor I'd like an estimate of the expenses involved in the recovery."
"Yes sir. As per our standard agreement we will require an advance payment of fifty thousand bits for travel and expenses plus 20% of the worth of the recovered items."
"You mercenaries are the reason we don't often go after artifacts like these." The Director said with disdain. The previous Director had been a much nicer pony who had sent them on quests nearly every chance he could, often to the despair of his financial advisers, but had retired due to health reasons. However before he left he had made sure to sign a financial agreement with Daring's team, much to the annoyance of the new director. So to spite them he made it a point not to send them on as many missions as possible, meaning that the items in question were of great value to the museum.
"Well sir." Daring responded, "We might be able to charge less if you sent us on more missions." She said leaning against the mahogany table. The director ground his teeth in frustration.
"Whatever the case, these artifacts are of immense worth to the museum, and if recovered would greatly benefit both of us. Now from our research team they have deduced that this may very well be the place where King Solomon is buried. Now..." after that Daring tuned out deciding that her part in the conversation was finished.
Soon after the meeting concluded and Daring rushed down the hallway to the hanger where her team spent most of their time. Pushing open the door she saw her team in their usual spots. Slight, a small unicorn with a grey coat and a purple mane was busy playing with a gadget she had been working on for a while her magic encompassing the small artifact. Her cutie mark was a lock with a small lock-pick extruding from it. Beside her was Mantra, a large bulky earth pony with a black mane, grey coat and burning red eyes. He was busy reading a book titled 'The Great Gatsby' one of his many personal favorites. His cutie mark was a pair of spectacles that represented his love for reading.
And finally there was Cutter, a stallion of moderate height; only barely taller than Daring herself, with a tan coat and a messy brown mane. Covering his body were numerous scars of varying size. Some of which he had gotten while with Daring, and others that he had never cared to explain. In fact dispite being one af her oldest friends she knew nothing of his early life.
It had been in the days before she had even started her job with the museum, she had been walking back to her apartment from her classes at Canterlot university when she had heard a small moan. It was poring rain, but even over the sound of the rain she heard him, looking around she found him huddled under a piece of cardboard. He was starving, he looked like somepony out of a holocaust camp. His stomach was caved in and each of his vertibre were showing.
He had tried to run from her when she pulled back the soggy cardboard but hadn't even been able to get to his hooves. Even stranger was that he had no cutie mark, it took her all of a moment to decide and she had put him on her back, because he had weighed nearly nothing, and carried him back to her apartment where she nursed him back to health. Since than he stuck with her, even going so far as to bribe the pony next door to move so he could have the apartment next to her. And when she had formed her group naturaly he was the first on she recruted.
Cutter was poised over a laptop monitor playing another of his video games. He was a pegasus like Daring but not a very skilled flier, instead he specialized in weaponry. In fact his cutie mark was a butterfly knife folded open, he had earned it one day when he started playing around with her kitchen knives after watching a violent movie on TV. When she cam home she found him throwing her best cutlery at her dart board, after which she bought him a knife that matched the one on his flank. It was one he kept to this day.
Daring cleared her throat and everypony turned their heads, save for Cutter who held out a hoof in acknowledgement, rolling her eyes Daring spoke up. "Gear up mares and colts, we've got a job." Cutter immediately exited his game and cut off the computer.
"Good thing I wasn't playing ranked!" he said as he grinned wildly at his captain pulling out his knife, the one she gave him as a gift, and gave it a twirl.
Mantra quietly folded his book and placed it on the shelf next to him with a silent smile. Slight however reacted exuberantly letting out a whoop as she tossed her contraption on the table. Everypony acted in unison, gathering necessary provisions and gear. It was time for an adventure and they were sure as buck not going in without the necessary equipment.
A few days later the group found themselves on a freighter plane headed for Yukatan. The plane reeked of onions and looked worse than it smelled. The netting above them barely held their gear in place as they bumped and rattled around. Slight piped up, "I hope we don't have to deal with Tailiban." breaking the silence as she leaned over Mantra's shoulder, looking at the book in his hooves.
To this Mantra rolled his eyes, "The Tailiban are in Pakistan, not Yukatan." he said in a rather irritated fashion. Obviously annoyed with his reaction Slight frowned, and then smiled deviously.
"You know, your tail was in a bind last night as I remember." she said nibbling on his neck. To this Mantra blushed a bright red and quickly crossed his legs. Cutter nearly fell out of his seat laughing as Daring rolled her eyes and returned to the book on ancient legends in that area. Apparently the temple was cursed, few ponies had returned after searching for it and those who did died mysterious deaths within a few months.
"So what are we looking at here?" Cutter asked, startling Daring.
"Celestia, don't do that Cutter, you nearly gave me a heart attack. Anyways not good, I'm worried this might be another Gahna." She said showing him the book. He frowned visibly.
"I don't like it, maybe we shouldn't go." he said. "I'm getting a bad feeling from this one." This surprised Daring. Usually Cutter was the first one to go into a dangerous situation. In fact one time he had taken on three armed guards with nothing but a kitchen knife. He ended up walking away with several new weapons curtsey of the now deceased guards.
"The museum was adamant about us recovering whatever we could from this temple, we can’t stop now." She said determinedly. Cutter nodded and smiled wickedly.
"Well then, let’s do this."
The plane touched down with a jolt causing everypony to grab what was nearest to them, and a voice rang out from the cockpit in a thick Russian accent. "We are here, now get off plane." Everypony was glad to accommodate the cranky Russian and in no time they were all on their way to town.
"Alright," Daring announced in the jeep as they made their way to town. "Our goal is to find somepony crazy, greedy, stupid, or just plain ballsy enough to take us into the heart of the jungle. Also scrounge up any supplies we may need. Now let’s do this." Everypony nodded their heads in unison and exited the jeep. Splitting up, Daring found herself immersed in the hustle of a third world market place. Everypony rushed about everywhere and vendors constantly tried to push their goods on anypony that passed by. Fortunately this wasn't her first time in a crowded marketplace and she knew how to handle herself. After turning down a particularly pushy salespony she felt a tug at her hindquarters and turned to see a small foal, about 11 or 12 attempting to pick her pocket. It would have worked if not for the string she had attached to her bit bag. Smiling she plucked her bag from the young colt and handed him three bits.
"Now I want you to tell me a little something and you can expect more where that came from."
Soon enough Daring was outside a small garage, the home of, according to the foal, the craziest tour guide in the country. Making her way inside she dodged a wrench and several other parts, from the back of the shop somepony was cursing.
“Celestia damn mother bucking piece of shit.”
“Hello.” Daring said as she came into line of sight with an older unicorn, slightly bigger than Cutter with a brown coat and rust colored mane, on his flank was a wrench crossed with a machete. The stallion was working on a jeep with long claw marks and several dents in it. At this point it would have taken a lot to convince Daring that this wasn’t their pony. “I’m looking for a guide to take me and three others into the jungle to look for the ruins of Solomon the Great, and I heard that you are the only son of a bitch crazy enough to do it.”
The stallion looked at her than smiled, “That I am, but what makes you think I’d let you go out in that jungle little girl?”
“Because this little girl could lay you on your back faster than you could pull out that 20 cal. on your hip.” Daring said confidently staring him down. The old stallion looked back at her his gaze never wavering until a smile spread across his face.
“Fifty bits an hour, plus expenses.” He said
“Deal, but alcohol does not count as an expense.” She said. The old stallion frowned but quickly regained his smile and shook hooves with Daring. “Now, time to see what trouble the others have gotten into.” Walking out of the garage Daring saw a cluster of ponies in the distance, “Cutter...” She said facehoofing before walking toward the commotion.
Sure enough Cutter was in the middle of the circle standing on two hooves where a native pony had drawn a wicked looking sword. The opposing stallion was a good head taller than Cutter and more muscular as well. The stallion swung his sword in a flurry of slashes that dizzied Daring with their speed. To this however Cutter smiled and bounced his butterfly knife out of its holster flipping it open eccentrically, rolling it up and down his arm. The opposing stallion charged and slashed at Cutter, but at the last possible second he dodged the blade bringing his to bear and leaving a small slash on the opposing stallions chest. Enraged the stallion followed with a furry of blows that Cutter dodged easily. On a downward slash Cutter grabbed the enemy stallions arm and kicked him in his chest. The arm popped out of the socket with an audible 'pop' and the stallion screamed as he fell to the ground.
Daring Walked over to Cutter and eyed him suspiciously, “Why in the hell did you do that?”
“Don't worry I didn't break anything. Anyway I found him beating a mare for... well I don't know but I doubt she deserved it.” He said grinning. Daring smiled and gave him an approving nod before punching him in the gut.
“Don’t make it a public display next time, moron.” She said before walking off with Cutter limping close behind. After a good half hour of looking around before they found Mantra and Slight at a bar, Mantra was sitting across from a burly looking stallion, sitting at eye level with him. Slight was standing next to him looking determined. On the table were two bags of bits.
The two stallions locked hooves and began to arm wrestle, neither ones hooves going in either direction but it was obvious from the muscles bulging in their arms that they were struggling. Frowning Slight leaned down and whispered something into Mantra’s ear that made his eyes widen and in one deft motion he slammed the other stallions hoof to the table jostling the bits. The other stallion nused as his bits were swept away by an overexcited mare. Rolling her eyes, Daring approached the table. “Come on guys, time to get to work.” She said.
Mantra stood up with a smile and trotted over to where Cutter stood haggling with a street merchant about a blade. Daring looked back to Slight who was beaming happily with two bags of bits at her side. “What exactly did you say to him that made him win?” Daring asked.
“Oh,” Slight said devilishly. “I told him if he didn’t win there would be no sex for a month.”
The mechanic swore as he lifted the cover to the jeep, smoke plumed from the expired machine. "Damn it, we're going to be stuck here for a bit." He said over the sounds of the metal cooling.
Daring looked at him with mild annoyance. "Just how long are we talking?"
"Three maybe four days, the engine overheated and I'm going to have to run back to the shop for some of the parts. I'll take a bike back but that's a day and a half of walking plus repair time."
Daring sighed. "Well get a move on then, we'll meet up at the designated area, but the time it takes us to get there will be deducted from your final pay."
"I know, I know, I'll be back as soon as I can, what are you lot going to do in the meantime?"
"We're going to head forward on hoof, we'll meet up at the scheduled place in five days time. Understood?"
The old stallion nodded, "You lot sure are determined, they must be paying ya a fortune to do.... whatever it is you do."
Cutter smiled "We have a contract, and besides we've been in sticker situations than this."
Mantra laughed "What my friend says is true, we have plenty of experience doing what we do."
The elder stallion eyed them suspiciously. "And what is that exactly?"
Daring smiled at this, "Us? We're adventurers."
The elder stallion laughed, "You lot are crazy, you know that. All of you, the whole lot, insane."
Slight wiggled her hips and winked, "And we make it look good." And with that they all turned around and headed into the jungle. Cutter stood in front carrying the weapons satchel and wielding a machete cutting down the dense brush in front of them, behind him Daring used a compass and map to guide them while Mantra and Slight kept watch for anything that might cause them harm. Eventually the sun began to set and they decided to set up camp.
Late that night they all gathered around the campfire and ate the first of many packaged meals. "Celestia these things taste like ass." Slight said poking at her beans. "This is the one thing I hate about missions out in places like this, the food."
Mantra nodded his head, "Though I wouldn't have put it in such crude terminology, I have to agree, the food is lacking."
Cutter scowled, "You lot are so picky, have you ever gone so long without food you could count your own ribs?!? No?! Than just shut up and eat!" he snapped. Everypony quickly quieted down a growing feeling of unrest settling over the group.
" I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean.." Slight said.
Cutter exhaled, "No, I'm sorry, just hit a nerve. You're right the food is terrible, but it's better than the alternative." He smiled, "Tell ya what when we get back dinners on me, anywhere you guys want."
Slight smiled, "Oh you're going to regret that." she said
Everypony laughed "I'll bet I will." Cutter said. The tension vanished and they all enjoyed a few more laughs before they put out the fire and went to bed. No sooner than their heads hit the pillows did they fall into deep slumber.
A sharp cry pierced the air rousing Daring quickly from her sleep. Instinctively she drew the pistol next to her sleeping bag and flipped the safety off. Jumping from the tent she found Cutter atop a Blue stallion pinning him to the ground an assult rifle lying next to them. The blue pony was an earth pony with a dark brown mane, he was wearing a black uniform similar to military but with twin hydra heads intertwining on the shoulder.
"Cutter, whats going on?" Darring asked keeping her gun aimed at the head of the unknown pony.
"Found this guy sneaking around camp. Tried to pull that gun on me but I managed to pin him." Cutter said. As he spoke the unknown pony wiggled his jaw as though he were chewing than suddenly bit down hard. The pony began writhing and foaming at the mouth, his eyes rolling back into his head before finally collapsing into the dirt his eyes distant blood trickling from his mouth.
"What the fuck?" Daring swore as she watched the pony twitch a few final times.
Mantra emerged from the tent he shared with Slight his gun drawn as well. He looked down at the pony than back to Cutter. "What happened?"
Cutter swore, "Fucking cyanide capsule. Who the fuck even uses those anymore?" He released the now limp pony from the arm bar and stood up. "What in the hell is going on here?"
Mantra shook his head, "I don't know what would make somepony end their own lives, but whatever it is I don't think it's something we need to be poking our noses into. Daring, It's your call. How do we proceed?"
Daring flicked the Safety on her gun as Slight came out of the tent, took one look at the sight and ran to the edge of the space they cleared and threw up. Daring looked away and took a breath. "We don't have a choice here, we either keep going, or we go back and give that rat bastard reason to end our contract." she said falling back to four hooves. Cutter and Mantra nodded, Slight walked back a distant look on her face.
Mantra stabilized her, "You ok?" he said patting her on the back.
She smiled weakly at him. "Yeah, probably just some bad beans or something. I'll be fine." And with that they returned to sleep but with one of them on watch, Cutter insisted he go first saying he was still to pumped to go back to sleep. Mantra handled the second watch and Daring the third. Slight was ordered to rest after her incident and with a little resistance she agreed. And so went the first night went.
Morning crawled it's way along, somehow finding itself on Daring's shift. She managed to gather enough wood to start a fire and cook up some coffee, soon everypony was up and about. As she drank her coffee she watched Cutter playing with his butterfly knife. "Want some?" she teased.
A disgusted face passed across his scarred features. "Oh hell no." Daring laughed as she remembered his first time trying coffee, he had readily taken a bid slug, then immediately turned green and ran for the bathroom. For weeks after he held his nose every time they walked by the coffee shop on the way to the museum. They all ate a quick breakfast that consisted of protein bars and some water. They quickly packed up camp and made their way forward. Eventually they reached an outcropping of rock that prevented them from going any further.
Daring scratched her head, "That's odd, this is the exact spot that the museum gave me. Alright ponies spread out and look for some sort of."
"Opening?" Slight said brushing aside some vines and revealing a carved passage that ran deep into the rock face
Daring blinked several times before facehoofing, "Every freaking time, this is going just like Nikeragua."
Slight smiled. "Except this time it's vines instead of a waterfall." she said as she slipped inside. Mumbling under her breath Daring entered followed by Mantra, and Cutter. Slight took lead being the best spotter and lightest on their hooves, as she was the most likely to spot any traps. Suddenly she stopped and swore "Shit."
Everypony stopped in their tracks. "What is it?" Daring asked in a somber tone.
"Take a look." Slight said. Walking up to Slight, Daring shone her flashlight ahead. In front of her was a disaster, The entire ruin was in, well, ruins. Everything was defaced with graffiti, trash littered the floor and any sign of what had originally had been was covered by cheep spray paint and gum.
"Celestia damn it, it's been looted guys. There's nothing here."
"Fuck." Cutter swore and Mantra stomped his hoof in frustration.
Daring spoke again, "The museum is gonna be pissed, well we'd best get back to the road. Our ride is five days off and I don't want to be in this gods forsaken jungle any longer than we have to so lets get a move on it's a long walk back to the city from here."
"Wait! Everypony quiet!" Cutter said ducking behind the curtain of weeds in front of the entrance. Daring crawled her way up to where he was at an peeked out, outside were several trucks moving along each emblazoned with the same symbol as the pony in the forest. "Will they never leave me alone." Cutter said under his breath.
"What?" Daring whispered back to him.
Cutter looked at her than quickly back to the trucks "I said will they ever leave us alone. We need to get out of here soon."
"I agree" Daring replied. And so they waited, after a few minutes the trucks moved along, however the group waited a few more minutes just to make sure that they were gone. Than they made their way back outside and began backtracking their way through the jungle.
