A Figment of Her Imagination

Chapters

Dare
Reality
Clarity
Rival
Figment
Truth
Doppelganger

Dare

The Golden Oaks Library was packed with ponies of every sort. Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns, all eager to see the latest spell Princess Twilight was to perform. It was no ordinary spell, though, and she wasn’t at all sure she could pull it off.

This was why Twilight – in a side room away from the crowd – was shooting her friend Rainbow Dash a dirty look. “You told them.”

Rainbow tried to hide her anxiety with a grin, rubbing the back of her head. “Eheh… Yeah?”

Twilight groaned and rubbed her head with both hooves. “That is exactly what I told you not to do!”

“I know, but I was just too excited,” the pegasus admitted with a blush. “I mean, if it works—”

“I don’t know if it’s going to work!” Twilight rocked her head back on her shoulders with a sigh. “This magic is highly experimental. I don’t know for sure what’s going to happen!”

Rainbow waved dismissively, working hard to maintain her bravado. “Meh, you’re a princess. I have every confidence in ya.”

Her friend’s lips pursed as she attained the glare that typically signified a coming lecture. “Rainbow…”

Rainbow knew better than to dodge any longer, and clapped her hooves together as she spoke. “Okay, I’m sorry! I only told one or two ponies, and it sorta got outta hoof. I didn’t mean for things to get this way, I swear!”

“Umm, Twilight?” They both turned to see Spike peering through the doorway, a thick book under his arm. “Everypony’s getting antsy. What are we gonna do?” He closed the door and approached, hesitantly offering the book to her.

Twilight sighed and took the book with her magic. She cast one more glower at Rainbow before heading for the door. “I guess I might as well try it anyway. But you and I are still gonna have a little talk about secrets, Rainbow!”

“Yeah, sure,” Rainbow acknowledged, waiting until her friend was out of the room to wipe her brow and sag in relief. One lecture avoided!

“Whew,” Spike muttered, “that was close.” He grinned up at Rainbow. “So are you as excited as I am?!”

“Are you kidding?” Rainbow lifted off to pose with a grin. “This was my idea in the first place. You bet your scales I’m excited!”

“Yeah, me too,” he declared, balling his claws as if not knowing what to do with them. “There’s so much I wanna ask her, like why she’s so attached to the hat!”

“Or what it was like visiting Chicomoztoc,” Rainbow added.

“And don’t forget the biggest question of all,” Spike pointed out.

They shouted in unison: “How did she know to go through the third door?!”

“Yeah,” Rainbow admitted, tapping her chin, “that one always bugged me.”

Spike threw his arms up in exasperation. “It bugs everypony! Come on, Twilight could be starting at any moment.”

They went back to the main room of the library together, Rainbow carrying Spike over the crowd of ponies. They found Twilight standing before a pedestal, the book resting on it and opened wide. Rainbow set Spike down next to Scootaloo, who was dressed for the occasion in a brown shirt and safari hat. The filly was grinning ear to ear, and was quick to hug her mentor once Rainbow landed next to her. Rainbow returned the hug, though she made a mental note to lecture her later about keeping secrets.

Not that she had any room to talk.

Twilight cast her gaze about the room, ears laid back and chewing her lip. She made it a point to fire one more dirty look Rainbow’s way; Rainbow blushed and averted her eyes in response.

“Come on, do it,” somepony in the crowd called.

“Yeah, hurry!”

“You can do it, we know you can!”

“Alright already!” Twilight snapped, effectively silencing them. She cast one more look around, as if daring somepony else to speak, then turned to the book. The ponies waited with bated breaths, and Rainbow realized she was leaning forward. She kept her eyes glued to the book as Twilight began to focus her magic.

A pale aura slowly reached out from Twilight’s horn, engulfing the book in its glow. Rainbow could feel her heart beating faster at the mere idea of the spell's purpose. She barely registered the need to breathe…

Seconds became minutes as Twilight struggled with the spell, grunting and cringing with effort. While the crowd watched in awe, the violet aura began to take on a physical shape. Gradually the shape grew taller, more definite. Just as it took on the form of a pony, though, the transformation began to slow. Rainbow glanced at her friend and saw Twilight covered in sweat, her horn sparking violently as she struggled to keep up the spell.

No, she had to finish! “Come on, Twilight,” Rainbow called, flying up into the air. “You can do it!”

Other ponies began to call out their encouragement, and soon the entire room was chanting the Princess’ name. Though she didn’t dare break her concentration, Twilight’s smile was enough to make it clear that she appreciated the gesture, and she redoubled her efforts. The pony-shaped aura began to solidify, and then to develop color.

Twilight collapsed as her aura faded. The spell was completed; a golden-coated, greyscale-maned mare stood before the enraptured crowd, her eyes closed. Rainbow, torn between her excitement and her commitment to her friend, flew down to Twilight to help her up, but couldn’t take her eyes off the newcomer.

It worked. It really worked!

The pony – dressed in a jungle-green vest and safari helmet – took a deep breath before opening her magenta eyes. Silence filled the room as she gazed at the crowd, almost as if she didn’t know what she was looking at. Her head rolled about, eyes studying the library, then she turned her attention back to the rest of the ponies.

“W-where the hay am I?”

Twilight, wiping the sweat from her brow, shot Rainbow a triumphant grin before stepping up to the pony. “Miss Do, I’m—"

“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!” Rainbow literally knocked Twilight aside in her rush to get close to her hero. “It’s really you, you’re really here! This is so awesome!”

Daring Do leaned back, eyes wide and shifting back and forth as if in search of an escape. “Umm… Thanks?”

“Rainbow!” Twilight, just getting up off the floor, shot her friend a heavy-lidded glare.

“Huh?” Rainbow glanced at Twilight, then at Daring, and blushed. “Oh… I mean… Uhh…”

Her words were drowned out by the abrupt cheers that filled the room. An instant later, all the ponies were crowding forward, talking and asking questions and rushing to be the first to meet the storybook hero, Daring Do. Rainbow and Twilight were knocked to the floor – an “Oh, come on!” from the latter – and soon lost the adventurer in the crowd.

“What the...?” Rainbow looked about the mass of legs with ears lowered. “A little self control, guys!” She noted Twilight’s piercing gaze and turned her eyes away with a quiet cough.

“Who the buck are you ponies?! Leave me alone!” Rainbow was just able to make out Daring Do flying above the crowd, and she didn’t look at all happy to be surrounded by adoring fans. Heck, she looked more like she felt threatened.

Realizing that things were getting out of hoof very quickly, Rainbow managed to grab Twilight and help her fly out of the crowd. “What do we do, now?”

“Get her out of here,” Twilight snapped. “Find her a place to lay low until we can calm everypony down!”

“Got it!” Utilizing her superior wingpower, Rainbow easily shoved her way through the pegasi crowding around Daring. “Come on, let’s get out of here!”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Daring shouted, following as Rainbow turned to dart off.

Twilight raised a hoof, eyes going wide. “Not through my—!”

Too late; Rainbow smashed through a window and was out in the cold winter air, Daring following close behind.

Rainbow paused as Daring flew on. Turning around, Rainbow found the crowds pouring out of Twilight’s house to pursue. This wasn’t going at all like she’d hoped… “Guys, slow down! Give her time to think!”

But they ignored her, all too eager in their pursuit of a literary star.

Rainbow cursed under her breath and flew as fast as she could after Daring Do, trying to think of what to do in this situation. She’d only wanted to meet the adventurer, not see her mobbed by adoring fans! Why had she gone and mentioned this to anypony? She should have listened to Twilight! What was supposed to have been an awesome moment was totally ruined, and she had nopony but herself to blame.

She was able to quickly catch up to Daring, who was not as fast as Rainbow had expected. Once she was flying next to her storybook hero, she called out, “I’m sorry, I didn’t think they’d ambush you like that!”

Daring paused, shoulders sagging as she took a moment to catch her breath. “W-what… W-what the buck is going on? Where am I? Who are you?!”

“I’ll explain everything later,” Rainbow assured her. “But first, we’ve got to find you a place to lay low until they calm down!” She looked about frantically, and quickly spotted a surefire hiding spot. “This way, come on!”

Daring followed, for which Rainbow was grateful. Under the circumstances, she doubted Daring had any reason to trust her. The poor adventurer was probably acting out of instinct, just like Rainbow.

They landed before the familiar cottage, Rainbow banging on the front door before her hooves even touched the ground. “Fluttershy, open up! It’s an emergency!” She glanced back to see pegasi approaching from town, and felt her heart sink. “Fluttershy!”

The door opened, and Rainbow immediately thrust Daring through. Fluttershy let out a surprised squeak at the abrupt home invasion, eyes going wide at the sight of the stranger. “Rainbow? What’s going on?”

“I promise both of you I’ll explain later,” Rainbow insisted, turning back to see the pegasi coming closer. “Just keep her here while I distract her fans!”

And she was off, trailed by a rainbow that everypony in Ponyville could readily see…and follow.

The stranger flopped down to her belly and sucked in a deep, recovering breath, while a completely miffed Fluttershy watched as Rainbow disappeared to the North. She was promptly chased by a small cloud of pegasi. “What in Equestria was that all about?”

She closed her door and turned to the stranger, who sat up with a sigh. She looked curiously familiar… “Umm… Hello?”

The pony adjusted her helmet before turning to glower at Fluttershy. “I don’t suppose you know what’s going on, do you?” Fluttershy shook her head, even as she took a step back at the stranger’s aggressive demeanor.

“Figures.” The golden pony walked to the window to glare outside. “Where the hay am I?”

Fluttershy knew the question had been rhetorical, but she felt she should answer anyway. “Umm… This is Ponyville.”

“Ponyville?” The stranger rubbed her chin for a few seconds. “I think I’ve heard of it. Isn’t it somewhere near Canterlot?” She glanced at Fluttershy with a raised eyebrow, and the pink-maned pegasus nodded. “But…that doesn’t make any sense! How could I be back in Equestria?”

The pony wasn’t making any sense, either. Fluttershy tilted her head slightly and asked, “So where were you, before?”

“Saddle Arabia.”

Fluttershy leaned back, eyes going wide. “What? But how is that—?”

“—possible?” the stranger finished for her with a sneer, throwing her hooves high. “How should I know?! One minute I’m searching the deserts for the Ancient Pyramid of 1000 Curses, and suddenly I’m here getting ambushed by ponies!”

“P-Pyramid of 1000 C-Curses?” Fluttershy shrank a little. “Why would you want to find someplace with a n-name like that?”

“So I can get the Eyes of Nehkbet, duh.” The stranger rolled her eyes. “I’ve gotta get them before Sobek does. There’s no telling what that scaly rockhead’s gonna do if he gets his claws on ‘em! But if I’m in Equestria, there’s no way I’m gonna get to them.”

She sat and thought on the matter, leaving Fluttershy to stare with a clueless gape. Who was this pony? But then… The Eyes of Nekhbet. That sounded strangely familiar.

The stranger stood, eyes hard and jaw set. “I’ve gotta go back to where I first showed up here. Maybe I can figure out how I made such a ridiculous trip so quickly, and get back just as quickly!”

Fluttershy watched her move for the door, still trying to piece things together, but then snapped out of her stupor and ran to block the stranger’s path. “W-wait! Rainbow say to stay put, didn’t she?”

“I don’t care!” The stranger shoved Fluttershy aside. “There’s too much at stake. If I don’t get back to—” She opened the door, paused, then immediately slammed it closed again. “Ahh crud, it’s that alicorn again! I’ll have to find another way out…”

Alicorn? Fluttershy went to the door just as she heard a knock through the wood. “There’s only one alicorn in Ponyville,” she noted as Daring backed away with a sneer. Sure enough, she opened the door to find Twilight standing before her. “Hey, Twilight. Did Rainbow send you?”

Twilight lowered her head, ears flat. “Tell me Daring’s still here.”

“Daring? You meEE—!”

Fluttershy was knocked aside by the stranger, who raised a hoof threateningly at the princess. “How do you know my name? Did you have something to do with bringing me here, huh?!”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Twilight waved for the pony to step back, glancing around with fretting eyes. “Hurry, back inside before somepony sees you!”

“What’s going on?” Fluttershy asked, picking herself up off the floor.

“Yeah,” the stranger snapped. “Did you bring me here? You’re not in league with Sobek, are ya?”

Twilight closed the door with a relieved sigh before turning to Daring. She offered a weak smile. “I am so sorry about all this, Daring Do, really. It was just supposed to be me and Rainbow Dash present when I summoned you.”

Daring let out a shout and jumped, hovering a few feet in the air and glaring daggers. “I knew it, you are responsible for this! You send me back right now, or I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”

“Daring Do?” Fluttershy asked, the pieces finally coming together in her mind. “But I thought she was just a character in a book.”

“She is,” Twilight replied, shooting the hovering pony a meaningful look.

“A book?” Daring straightened, eyebrows rising in disbelief and anger. “What book? What are you talking about?”

Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated, her horn glowing. A moment later, a book poofed into existence. Tiny purple clouds faded as she displayed it to the two pegasi. “This book, to be specific.”

Fluttershy and Daring drew close to read the title: Daring Do and the Eyes of Nekhbet. The cover showed Daring racing to climb to the top of a gryphon statue with a vulture head, a strange crocodile-like creature giving chase. The statue’s eyes, a highlight of the cover, were shining red jewels.

“What? Give me that!” Daring snatched the book up to peer at the cover more closely. “What is this? Since when were ponies writing books about me? Who does this A.K. Yearling think she is? How does she know what I look like? Or about the Eyes of Nekbhet?!”

Fluttershy turned a questioning look Twilight’s way. The princess blushed and waved at the adventurer. “Umm… You might wanna take a seat for this.”

“Buck that!” Daring chucked the book against the wall. “What’s going on?! Come on, out with it!”

Twilight sighed and rubbed her forehead, but answered anyway. “Daring, you really are just a character from a book.”

Daring’s lips twisted into a dull frown, legs hanging loosely. “Right. And I suppose ya brought me here just ‘cause you’re a fan and wanted to meet me, is that it?”

Twilight blushed and offered a sheepish smile. “Well… Yeah.”

Daring landed before Twilight so hard the floor shook. “Get real! Sobek is on his way to the temple right now, and if I don’t get there first—”

“—Sobek will use the Eyes of Nekbhet to control time itself,” Twilight interrupted. “There will be nothing to stop him from conquering the world.”

Daring’s jaw dropped. “How do you know that?”

“It’s in the book.” Twilight’s horn shined, and the book came floating over from where it had fallen. It flipped open and hovered just before Daring’s muzzle. “But what neither of you know is that the Eyes were being used to seal a powerful demigod within the statue of Nekhbet, who will be a major villain in the next book.”

Daring took the book, this time slowly. Her eyes roamed the page, then she began to flip back to the beginning. As she read, Fluttershy glanced at Twilight. “You created her from the book?” Twilight nodded, beaming proudly. “Wow, that’s impressive! But why did Rainbow have to bring her here?”

Twilight’s lips pursed in a tight frown, eyelids lowering. “Because Rainbow went and told some ponies about it, and now all the Daring Do fans in Ponyville – and a few from beyond Ponyville – have come to meet her! She’s got to keep hidden until we can calm them down.”

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy said, covering her lips. “Is it really that bad?”

Twilight raised her head and smiled. “I’m sure they’ll all come to their senses soon and behave reasonably.” Her expression drooped, her smile becoming unsteady. “Well, I hope so…”

Daring’s head rose from the book, her eyes wide. “Th-this book has my thoughts. I remember thinking these exact thoughts.”

“That’s because A.K. Yearling wrote them,” Twilight insisted. “You really are a character from a book, Daring.” But then Twilight beamed and took an eager step. “I am a huge fan, you have no idea! And I have just a few questions about some things you did in the first few books. Like—”

The door burst open, and Rainbow came darting in to land atop Twilight, knocking her to the floor. “Is she still here? Tell me she’s still here!” Her eyes locked on Daring, who dropped the book and took a step back at Rainbow’s huge grin. “You’re still here! Oh my gosh, I am so excited!” She flew forward and into the adventurer’s alarmed face, wings flapping wildly. “You and me are gonna hang out, and it is gonna be so awesome!”

“Oh dear, are you all right?” Fluttershy went to help Twilight up.

Twilight lifted her face from the floor with eyes swirling. She shook her head to clear it as she accepted Fluttershy’s aid. Mane akimbo, she lifted her head to cry out: “Rainbow Dash!”

Rainbow jumped and jerked about. “Oh, hey, Twilight. What happened to you?”

Author's Note

Part I! This story is my entry into Random Romance's December contest, and for once I have high expectations.

This story was conceived before I saw the Daring Don't episode, which left me with some issues. Ultimately, I decided to write the story on the basis that the events within occur before that episode. This let me carry on without changing any of my plans. Even so, I created a scene in a later chapter that acknowledged the episode, and it'll be pretty obvious when it comes up.

EDIT: Updated 1/10/2014 with edits from Cerulean Voice!

Reality

Daring Do darted from tree to tree, head swiveling about constantly for threats. She had to be extremely cautious; a single mistake was all it would take for her to be caught. She couldn’t let that happen, no matter what. The danger was just too great, even for the seasoned explorer. So she kept to the shadows, made not a sound, and hoped she wasn’t being followed.

At last she found her destination. It had taken her a while, for she wasn’t used to the region. Getting to it would be a trick, as she had a large space to clear with no good hiding places. But if she could cross the bridge and get to the entrance without being spotted, she’d be in the clear! At least, she hoped so…

She paused beneath some bushes, eyes roaming the scene. There were no ponies that she could see, but that didn’t mean anything. Her eyes scanned the skies, which had turned red with the dusk. She cursed; there were lots of clouds. Any pegasus could be hiding behind them. Dare she risk it?

Who was she kidding? She was Daring Do. Of course she was going to! She adjusted her helmet and readied herself. Her mind was focused on the task ahead, ignoring the sick feeling in her gut. A moment to plan her route, a quick count to three, and she was off, running as fast as her legs could carry her! Down the road, over the bridge, through the yard!

Daring slid to a stop at the door and banged as hard as she could. She spun about, eyes scanning the area for dangers and hooves dancing wildly. Nopony yet, but at any moment… Come on, come on…

The door opened, and Daring dove into the cottage, slamming the door behind her and leaning against it with a long sigh.

Fluttershy was standing perfectly still, hoof raised where it had been upon opening the door. She stared at Daring with wide, confused eyes, their muzzles mere inches from one another. At last Fluttershy blinked and took a step back, emitting a quiet “Oh.”

Daring, her back pressed against the door and hat hanging precariously off one ear, gave Fluttershy a hopeful look. “Have you read my books?”

Fluttershy blinked, not seeming to understand. But then she blushed and, hiding behind her long pink mane, shook her head. “Umm… Sorry?”

“Thank the Goddess!” Daring cried, dropping to her knees and pressing her hooves against Fluttershy’s legs in an imploring gesture. “Can I please crash here for a while? If I have to spend one more minute with another adoring fan, I might go insane!”

“Oh!” Fluttershy tilted her head. “Umm… But what about Rainbow Dash? You stayed with her the past two nights, didn’t you?”

Daring’s head dropped, face smacking against the floor as she let out a groan. “She’s the worst of them all! I’m sick and tired of her fawning over me like I’m some kind of icon. She knows more about me than I do, and that’s just creepy.” She raised her head up to gaze with big eyes. “Please, I just want one peaceful night without being bombarded with questions! I’d rather face Ahuizotl again than deal with this.”

Fluttershy studied her for a long moment, then sighed with a soft smile. “Oh, alright.”

“Thank you!” Daring’s chin dropped to the floor, and she finally let herself relax. “You have no idea what I’ve had to put up with in the past few days…”

Fluttershy giggled. “I don’t know about that. I bet it’s not much different from how I felt back when I was a model.”

Daring’s ears perked up, and she cast a roving eye upon her savior. “You’re a model?”

Fluttershy blushed and turned away, heading for her kitchen. “I used to be, and I’d rather not be again. It was terrible.”

Daring watched her go, paying close attention to Fluttershy’s body. Yes, she could definitely see her as model material. Just one look at that flank was enough to—

She took off her helmet and whacked herself on the head; what was she doing, ogling Fluttershy like that? This pony was veritably rescuing her from a clear and present danger, and she was being rude! She climbed wearily to a sitting position, rubbing her mane into place before putting her helmet back on. What she needed was some proper rest.

“Sorry about that,” Fluttershy said from inside the kitchen. “Now come on, lay back down so I can see.”

Daring blinked and looked up, but Fluttershy was beyond her vision. Was somepony else here?

“I know it hurts, but I did warn you not to go eating too many of those sugarcap berries, didn’t I?”

It sounded as if she were having a conversation with an imaginary friend. Daring’s curiosity told her to take a look, but the thought frightened her. After all, what if it was another one of those nutso fans?

“I promise, it’ll be over quick. Just a little dab and we’ll be done.”

Daring couldn’t take it anymore. She approached the kitchen, which had no doorway, for it was really an extension of the dining room. That meant Daring had to stay close to the wall if she was to keep hidden.

“That’s right, nice and easy. Oh, be careful of the tea set! Let me get that out of the way.”

Daring was at the corner. Ready to fly off in an instant, she peered into the kitchen. What she saw made her gasp: a bear – a live bear! – was reclining on Fluttershy’s kitchen table!

She jumped out into the open and grabbed her whip instinctively. “Why is there a bear in your house?!”

Fluttershy, hovering by a tall cabinet with a tea kettle in her hooves, turned about. “What? Why wouldn’t there be?” The bear, now lying on its back properly, shifted its head to cast a quizzical glance at Daring.

Daring couldn’t believe her ears! She unrolled her whip and cracked it. “Out, you brute! Don’t make me use this, ‘cause I will!”

She expected the bear to attack, or roar, or any of a hundred things. Instead it jumped back off the table and tried to hide behind a chair woefully undersized for such a purpose.

“What are you doing?!” Fluttershy dropped down to hover between Daring and the beast. “Leave Bearrington alone!”

Daring paused, confused by the behavior of both the animal and her host. “Bearrington?”

Fluttershy flew back to the bear and held him by the shoulder, unpleasant eyes locked on Daring. “Why would you want to hurt him? He didn’t do anything to you!” The bear actually looked frightened, staring at its attacker from between Fluttershy’s legs with wide eyes.

Daring’s legs and shoulders went limp. She looked at the bear, then Fluttershy, then her whip. “I… I thought he was gonna attack or…or something…”

“Attack?” Fluttershy floated back to rub the big animal under the chin. It grinned and rolled its eyes back at her touch. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly, would you, Bearrington?” she cooed. “No, you wouldn’t.”

Daring dropped to her haunches, mouth wide open and whip forgotten on the floor. It took her a few seconds to recover, shaking herself and biting her leg, just in case this was some crazy dream. It hurt, and she was still there. So it had to be real, right? Blushing, she rolled her whip up. “I… I’m sorry. All the bears I ever met were…well…bears.” How else was she supposed to put it? But Fluttershy was giving her a questioning look, so she added, “Dangerous. Aggressive.”

Her host nodded, though she didn’t look pleased. “I guess A.K. Yearling wouldn’t have a proper adventure if she didn’t misrepresent my poor animal friends. Just because bears are mean in your books doesn’t mean they are here.”

She turned and gestured to the animal, which slowly stood up. It was still eyeing Daring, though. “It’s okay,” Fluttershy told him, rubbing his shoulder with a sunny smile. “Daring was just surprised, that’s all. She won’t hurt you.” She cast a raised eyebrow at her guest. “Will she?”

She was making Daring promise not to attack? The experienced adventurer felt as though her world was turning upside down! But she nodded anyway. “Uh… Yeah. Promise?”

Fluttershy beamed and turned back to Bearrington. “See? Now come on, on the table.” The bear sagged and rubbed its jaw, prompting Fluttershy to whack its paw. “No, you shouldn’t rub it!”

Daring could only gape as the bear lowered its paws with a jerk, a long frown on its face as if it were a child being chastised by its mother. It carefully climbed back on top of the kitchen table, lying on its back. It’s lips were trembling, and…was that moisture in its eyes?!

Fluttershy had turned to one of her cabinets again, and a moment later was hovering beside the bear’s face with a large blue jar in one hoof. “Okay, now open wide,” she ordered with an encouraging smile. The bear whimpered but did as it was told, opening its mouth to reveal dangerous-looking fangs. Daring was itching to grab her whip, but resisted the temptation and instead watched in rapt amazement as her host spread a thin layer of some green paste on the animal’s unusually red gums.

Bearrington winced and let out a pained sound, but didn’t close his mouth. Daring couldn’t believe what she was seeing; if she’d ever come that close to a bear’s mouth in her own encounters, she’d have lost a leg! “W-what are you doing…?”

“Sssh, it’s okay,” Fluttershy whispered to the bear, moving to the upper jaw. “Bearrington ate too many sugary berries, and now his teeth are suffering. This is one of Zecora’s remedies. It should have him feeling okay soon, provided he controls himself next time.” Bearrington only whimpered.

Zecora? Probably a healer. Daring had more immediate things to hold her attention. She cast her eyes about the room, and suddenly was very aware of cages, holes in the walls and other signs of animal habitation. “Umm… Are there any other...potentially dangerous creatures living here?”

Fluttershy giggled even as the poor bear – did Daring really just think of that bear as poor? – squirmed. “Some ponies would say Angel’s pretty dangerous. Other than that? No.”

Daring tilted her head. “Angel?”

Something tapped her leg, and when she looked down she found a small white bunny standing before her. It puffed out its chest and posed with a grin. Daring raised an eyebrow and looked back up at Fluttershy. “You’re kidding, right? Ow!” She jerked her hoof back from where the bunny had kicked her. The little twerp could pack a wallop! “Why you little—!” Too late; it had scampered off to disappear through a door.

Fluttershy called after him, “Angel, behave yourself!” She began screwing the cap onto the jar, her attention already back on her patient. “Now you just wait for a little longer, Bearrington, and I promise it’ll be over soon.”

The tear-struck bear – gums fully lathered with green gunk – looked up at her with mouth wide open and made a whimpering sound. Fluttershy set the jar aside, leaned over the bear and rubbed its massive head. “I know it hurts, and I’m sorry. If you don’t want to go through this, you should be more careful about how much you eat.”

Still nursing her bruised leg, Daring gave her host a thoughtful look. “So you’re…a vet?”

Fluttershy nodded with a beaming smile, the kind that Daring suspected made a lot of stallions melt. “I look after all the animals around Ponyville! It’s my special gift.”

“Huh.” Daring eyed the bear on the table. “And you can understand what he’s saying?” Fluttershy nodded again. “Wow, what I wouldn’t give to have an ability like that! Do you know how much easier traipsing through a jungle would be if I could actually talk to the animals, rather than nearly getting eaten?”

Fluttershy giggled, automatically reaching back to knock away one of the bear’s paws before it could rub its teeth. “I guess it wouldn’t make for an exciting book, though, would it?”

Daring chuckled with a blush. “Naw, I guess not.” Deep down, she had to admit she was impressed. Here was a pony who didn’t look at all suited to danger, and she was lecturing a bear six times her size. And putting her hoof in its mouth, for Zeus’ sake! She couldn’t help feeling…humbled.

She’d not felt that in a long time.

It had been five days since Daring Do had been conjured up in Ponyville. Five days she’d remained in town, appeasing fans she never knew she had. Those fans had finally calmed down to such a degree that she could safely walk about the place without fear of an ambush, though there were still eyes on her no matter where she went. At least she’d been able to stay at Fluttershy’s place the last three nights, which was far more tolerable than Rainbow’s cloud house.

She was the first to acknowledge that she and Rainbow shared some things in common, but that only frustrated the adventurer more! On the other hoof, Fluttershy was calm, patient and above all else, quiet. Daring had nothing against Rainbow Dash per se, but if given the choice of who she’d rather stay with there was no uncertainty in her mind. She tried to make up for it by spending a little time with her “biggest fan”, though it was hard to do; everypony had been competing for her attention!

That got very old very quickly.

Now Daring had just one thing on her mind: wanderlust. She couldn’t stand that she’d been stuck in one place for so long! There was only one thing to do, and that was leave. She was an explorer, after all. She’d mentioned this to Fluttershy, who she’d really come to open up to, and her host had suggested she visit Twilight Sparkle.

So there she was, standing in the snow before the Golden Oaks Library. She’d already decided that she didn’t like the Princess, if only because of how her life had taken such an insane turn. Even so, Twilight was purported to be a pony of great knowledge, and she may be able to point out a direction for Daring.

Sucking in a deep breath and wiping the sneer from her face, Daring knocked. She shivered in the snow, taking a moment to tighten the thick coat she was wearing, a gift from one of her more practically-minded fans. She was waiting for a while, so she knocked again with more force.

“Come in!”

Doing her best to force a smile to her lips, Daring entered. She paused at the doorway, staring as books of all sorts floated about in neat lines and circles. Twilight, horn glowing, was standing in the center of the main room and scanning books that passed her by on their way to the shelves. Daring watched for several seconds before blurting out, “What the hay are you doing?”

“Oh.” Twilight caught sight of her, a brief glance before her eyes went back to the books. “Hey, Daring! Just sorting my books. They tend to get misplaced after a while.”

“I see.” Daring closed the door, watching for a few seconds as the thousands of tomes darted about in a curiously organized manner. How was she keeping up with all of it? “Umm… I guess I should leave you to it. But do you have a world map, or something?”

“Yep.” Twilight gestured to some shelves, eyes still locked on her work. “Second drawer from left, bottom. Lots of maps in there, should be one for the known world.”

Aha, the known world! That was exactly what Daring wanted to hear, ‘cause it meant there were unknown parts to be explored. She made her way to the shelves and began her search.

It hadn’t taken her long to accept that the world she’d come from – that she remembered so well – was a fake. She didn’t know why it was so easy to accept, but it was. But now that all her old responsibilities were moot, she needed some new ones. She figured a good start was to do what she was good at.

“So what do you need the map, for?” Twilight asked in an absent-minded manner.

“Gotcha.” Daring pulled out a large, rolled up map with the label ‘World Atlas’ scrawled on its band, and eagerly brought it to a nearby desk. “I’m going to go exploring. I can’t stay in Ponyville forever.”

“You’re going to what?!”

Daring let out a shout as all the books that had been flying about suddenly dropped, covering her in a mountain of pages. She struggled for a few seconds in darkness before managing to shove her head out from beneath the pile. A moment later, Twilight’s head burst up in a similar fashion, and Daring wasted no time shooting her an annoyed grimace. “What did you go and do that for?”

Twilight tapped her forehooves together as she hesitated. “I really don’t think you should go. You need to make as much use of the little time you have left.”

Daring rolled her eyes. “I thought you said you were a fan. If you’ve really read my books, then you’d know that I’m an adventurer! I need to—” She came to an abrupt pause. “What do you mean, ‘what little time I have left?’”

Twilight began to pull herself out of the pile of books as she replied, “The spell only lasts about three weeks.”

Daring was able to pull her forelegs out of the books. “What spell?” Twilight half-attentively gestured to her again. Daring considered this response, resting her cheek in a hoof as she leaned over the books. “You mean…my spell? The one that brought me here?”

“That’s the one,” Twilight acknowledged. She brushed her mane back into place, finally free of the veritable mountain of books.

Daring thought on this news for a moment, trying to understand the significance. She’d been summoned, right? Did those spells really have time limits? And if so, what did it matter? She wasn’t a unicorn, she didn’t know a thing about magic. “So what happens when the spell wears off?”

Twilight studied Daring with eyelids lowered. “Well… You’ll disappear.”

The pegasus paused, letting those words sink in. “W-what do you mean, disappear?” She gestured to a random book with a nervous smile. “You mean I’ll go back to my book world?”

“The book world doesn’t exist,” Twilight declared in a lecturing tone, but caught herself and hesitated once more. She studied Daring, and her expression was sympathetic. “Daring, you’re just a character from a book. You’re not real.”

She didn’t know why, but Daring felt a touch of anger filling her at that statement. She pounded a hoof against the books she was still pinned under and glared. “Whaddaya mean, I’m not real? I’m here aren’t I? A living, breathing pony!”

Twilight shifted, averting her eyes once more. “Technically speaking you’re…umm…not a living pony.”

This was supposed to be the smartest pony in Ponyville? Daring sneered and jerked herself up from the book pile so that she could stand hoof-to-hoof with the Princess. “Not living? Look at me! I talk, I think! I got memories, just like you!”

Twilight shook her head. “Your memories were put in your head by the spell. It’s all fake, Daring.”

Now Daring really was mad. “Where do you get off, huh? Who are you to tell me I’m not real?! I breathe, I feel pain! I’ve got a heart, just like you!”

Twilight raised a skeptical eyebrow, and her horn began to glow. With a poof of violet clouds, a stethoscope appeared in the air between them. Twilight promptly put it on and pressed the cold device to Daring’s chest. Mildly surprised, Daring could only stare at her.

A tense moment passed, then another.

“Actually,” Twilight said, voice apologetic, “you don’t have a heart.”

“What? Let me see that!” Daring snatched the stethoscope from her and took a listen herself, pressing the device where her heart should be and trying to breathe normally.

Nothing.

She blinked and shifted the device a little. Silence met her ears.

A horrible thought hit her, but she shoved it down with a snarl and threw the stethoscope away. “Bah, this thing’s just busted! Some mage you are.”

As if this were a direct attack, Twilight’s anxious manner disappeared, replaced with a pursed-lipped glower. The Princess promptly grabbed one of Daring’s forehooves, raised it to eye level, and set a hoof just above the lowest knuckle. Another long pause. “No pulse, either.”

“Oh, come on!” Daring shoved her away and touched her hoof to her wrist. “Amateur. You just don’t know how to check for…a…pulse…”

She stared at her leg where she was pressing. She released herself, tried again, pressed a little harder. She took a few quick breaths, trying to speed up her heart rate. Horror slowly began to build in her mind.

“I don’t have a pulse.” She looked up at Twilight, eyes wide and jaw loose. “I… I don’t have a pulse. Why don’t I have a pulse?!”

“Because you’re not a real pony,” Twilight explained, her lecturing tone coming back. “You’re more like a…” She paused to think. “Like a very realistic mannequin.”

Daring stared at the Princess for several seconds, trying to process this. She wasn’t real? What did that even mean? She looked down at her hoof, still feeling for a pulse that, by now, she knew didn’t exist. She released her leg and realized her hooves were shaking.

“But… B-but… I have thoughts. I feel pain. I have emotions, opinions!” She grabbed Twilight by the shoulders and shook her violently. “Isn’t that enough? Doesn’t that mean I’m real? You can’t just deny my existence like that!”

“Daring, calm down!”

The horrified pony thrust Twilight away with a shout. “No, I will not calm down! You just told me I’m going to die!”

Twilight shot Daring a frustrated look. “You’re not going to die. You—”

“I will cease to exist!” Daring threw up her hooves. “What else would you call it?! I don’t wanna die, I only just got here! How can you write me off like I’m nothing? I am not just a character in a book!”

The two stared at one another, the world encased in silence. Daring was huffing, anger and fear mixing within her like chemicals about to detonate. She glared, waiting for the Princess to acknowledge her existence, each second making her more and more frustrated.

Twilight, on the other hoof, appeared to be piecing together some sort of puzzle in her head. She seemed upset, but also very confused. She rubbed her chin, looked down at the floor. “This isn’t right. Something’s wrong.”

Daring scowled. “You’re telling me?”

“You’re not supposed to be like this,” Twilight noted. “You were supposed to be…well…”

“Happy to go?” Daring growled.

Twilight shook her head. At this point her anger was gone, entirely replaced by confusion. “No… You’re just…not supposed to care.”

Daring threw up her hooves once more. “Why wouldn’t I care? We’re talking about my life!”

“But that’s not how the spell was meant to work,” Twilight said, now looking genuinely worried. “Your mind’s supposed to be bound to the book character. You’re not supposed to be thinking dynamically!”

Daring took a step back. “So I’m supposed to be what? A doll for everypony to play with, then jump back into the book with a smile on my face?”

Twilight drooped and averted her eyes. “When you put it like that—”

“It sounds wrong, don’t it?”

“But it doesn’t make any sense,” Twilight said. “You’re not supposed to have intelligence, and we’ve established that you’re not technically ‘alive’. How could the spell have possibly done something so impressive? Sentience is not something so simple as—”

Daring let out a frustrated shout and shoved Twilight so hard she fell. “You’re still thinking about the spell?! Buck the magic, what are ya gonna do about me? How are ya gonna keep me around?!”

Twilight didn’t bother getting up. She looked up at Daring with ears low. “I… I don’t know if I can. Or should. It’s not that simple, Daring.”

“Not that simple? I wanna live, it doesn’t get simpler than–” Daring snarled and turned for the door. “Ya know what? Buck this, and buck you!”

“Daring, wait!”

She was already out the door.

Author's Note

And here we have the central point of this story, at least for me. It comes down to a question of ethics. Is Daring alive? Does she deserve the same rights as other ponies? Should an effort be made to maintain her existence? To some people it's cut and dry, and the questions in and of themselves are ridiculous. But think on it for a while, and you might start to realize that things aren't really that simple.

This story doesn't devote as much time addressing the topic as I might have liked, but it's still there, pushed into the open. And that's all I was really after.

Clarity

A snowball smashed against the side of a tree. Then another. And another. Daring kept throwing, a small growl rumbling from her throat with each toss. She had no better way to vent her anger.

What was she?

Smash.

A pony?

Smash.

A doll?

Smash.

Some dumb character in an equally dumb book?

Smash.

Daring reached down and felt nothing; she’d run out of snowballs. Cursing, she kicked at the snow and sat, glaring at the forest that surrounded her. What was she going to do? Where was she going to go? Was there any point in doing anything? In going anywhere? She had two weeks left, and then she was nothing. Literally nothing.

She wanted to scream. To lash out and pound somepony! Who were they to just make her and throw her away? Did they not even consider how she might feel about it? What kind of bucked up world was this?

She began to pace, stomping hard on the snow for the sake of crunching something beneath her hooves. She wished her books were real, that there was some artifact or ancient relic that would fix all of this. But her books weren’t real, and that kind of artifact didn’t exist. Or if it did, she had no way to know it. She’d probably not last long enough to locate it, much less get to it.

She wanted to live. That one thought kept coming back, over and over again. She wanted to live. Why couldn’t she stay? Maybe she didn’t have a pulse, but did that really mean she wasn’t alive? She was warm, she was breathing. Anypony who didn’t know better would think she was alive, so what was the difference?

“There you are!”

Daring’s hackles rose. That was the last voice she wanted to hear! “Go away, Rainbow.”

The fan landed before Daring, concern etched on her face. “What are ya doing out in the Everfree Forest? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out here?”

Daring sneered and turned her head away with a jerk. “Who cares? I’m supposed to die soon anyway, right? Just leave me alone.”

Rainbow winced. “Y-yeah… Twilight told me what happened. It’s a real mess.”

“Why?” Daring turned her back on the pony. “Because you won’t get to hang with your ‘hero’? Oh, it’s so terrible!”

There was a moment of tense silence. Daring didn’t care if she'd hurt Rainbow’s feelings. She didn’t care about much of anything now. She just wanted to be left alone to brood, bitterly hoping that the stupid pony would take the hint!

But Rainbow didn’t leave, and when she spoke, it was with great hesitancy. “Look… If you’re gonna be angry at somepony, be angry at me, not Twilight. It’s my fault, really.”

As far as Daring was concerned, they were all responsible. Still she was curious – to her immense frustration – so she glanced back and waited.

Rainbow, sitting with head lowered, explained. “I like to think I’m your biggest fan, y’know?”

“Oh, believe me,” Daring muttered with a roll of her eyes, “I know.”

Rainbow averted her eyes with a blush. “Well… It was my idea for Twilight to summon you. I sorta pushed her into it, goaded her on, challenged her. She didn’t wanna at first. But she’s a fan, too. Wasn’t hard to get her excited about the idea. So if you’re gonna hate somepony, hate me, ‘cause it’s my fault.”

Daring turned to stare at her fan, who kept low as if expecting some sort of fury. But Daring didn’t lash out. She didn’t scream or attack or fly off. She didn’t have the energy to do so. And besides, she was better than that. So she sat in the cold snow and drooped. “I don’t hate ya, Rainbow, not really. I don’t hate any of you. I’m just so…mad! Did you not think about what you were doing at all?”

Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with averted eyes. “We were kinda too stuck on the idea of actually meeting ya.”

Daring leaned back to stare at the sky through the trees. She was so tired… She let herself flop onto her back, snow flying up at the impact. Her anger was gone now, replaced by a mind-numbing depression. “What am I gonna do, Rainbow? I haven’t been here a week, and I’m gonna die in two. What does a pony do, knowing that?”

“I dunno,” Rainbow admitted,standing over the miserable hero. “We can’t do anything, Double D, but Twilight might. She wants to talk, if you’ll let her.”

Daring studied Rainbow’s face and saw that her concern was real. She still didn’t much care for Twilight…but what choice did she have? “Yeah. I guess I better.”

Four mind-numbing, depressing days. Daring watched the trees roll by from her train window, cheek resting on a hoof and feeling about as despondent as ever. She still didn’t understand why Twilight couldn’t just make the spell permanent and be done with it.

No, that wasn’t true. She did understand that the magic had to be researched, and great care needed to be observed. Creating the spell had taken nearly a year of preparation, and modifying it to that purpose could take even longer. Twilight wasn’t even sure she could extend the spell’s duration, much less make it permanent.

What Daring really didn’t understand was the debating. And debating. And debating. She’d been stuck in Canterlot for two days. Twilight had insisted that there were moral and ethical issues involved with the decision, as the situation had no known precedent. With that in mind, she’d refused to make a decision about continuing the magic on her own. Instead, she’d brought Daring to meet the Princesses of Equestria.

So Daring had met with Celestia, Luna and Cadance, not to mention a large number of esteemed mages and individuals supposedly of moral superiority. The concept of meeting them didn’t bother Daring; a pony who’d stopped the machinations of dark gods and foiled the plans of corrupt sheiks didn’t bat an eye upon meeting royalty. But there had been so many meetings, so much debating, so many questions! By the time it was over, Daring had half a mind to just let the spell expire so she wouldn’t have to put up with anymore of it!

And the worst part was that it actually wasn’t over; Twilight was staying in Canterlot to continue the debate and do research. Daring’s part was over, but her fate was still undecided.

At least she wasn’t alone. Rainbow Dash lay napping across from her, while Fluttershy sat at her side. They’d come to show their support and keep her entertained somewhat during the whole ridiculous process.

Daring eyed Rainbow, who was flopped on her back with a leg hanging loosely over the side of her seat. She seemed to think she was wholly responsible for this fiasco, and was doing her best to make up for it. Daring appreciated her. She’d originally found her annoying, although once the stars were out of her eyes Rainbow proved an entertaining and pleasant companion. There was a bit of annoyance, though; Rainbow Dash was a lot like Daring in some ways, which resulted in them butting heads on more than one occasion. Yet Rainbow always yielded, perhaps because she still felt guilty.

Daring’s eye roamed to Fluttershy, who was quietly reading a magazine article about – what else? – animal care. If there was a silver lining to this disaster, it was her. Her talent for comfort was unparalleled, her kindness was humbling, and her oft-whispered advice kept Daring from blowing up during the meetings on several occasions. Without her, Daring wasn’t sure she’d have mentally survived the ordeal.

Not to mention the added benefit of her being a knockout. It was one thing to have a helpful friend around, but it was another when that friend was easy on the eyes. In fact, several high-class ponies had recognized her from her brief modeling career and made attempts to court her into a new one (or court her in other ways). They were all refused, and those that didn’t bow out gracefully were sent packing by both Daring and Rainbow.

Fluttershy was kind, gentle, helpful, entertaining and attractive. She made the world a little brighter whenever she walked into the room. Every day – almost every hour – Daring found herself liking Fluttershy more and more.

That was a problem.

Daring had a week and a half to live, assuming the debates didn’t go her way. There was nothing anypony could do to keep it from weighing on her mind. What good would it do her to fall for somepony if she wasn’t going to be able to do anything with said pony? Was there any point in even bringing the topic up?

Daring had never been a logical pony, yet even she knew that the best route was to ignore the attraction. If she couldn’t stay, then she’d be the only pony who knew, and when she was gone so was the issue. Besides, there was no sign that Fluttershy might even be remotely interested, so who was to say she wasn’t sparing herself needless heartache?

Yet, as Fluttershy glanced up to hit her with that heart-melting little smile, Daring knew that she wasn’t sparing herself at all. She wanted that pegasus, in more ways than one. It was an entirely new concept, for she’d never had an interest in romance before.

Fluttershy raised her pretty eyes again, this time with a little more focus. “Is something wrong?”

Daring turned a little too quickly to stare out the window, face going red. “Nope. Not a thing.”

An uncomfortable quiet passed, interrupted only by the steady clack-a-clack of the railroad. Daring could feel Fluttershy’s eyes on her. She fought to keep from shifting, or speaking, or doing anything that might give her away.

“It’s going to be okay,” Fluttershy declared. Daring blinked and turned back to her companion, who had set the magazine down to offer her full attention. “The Princesses are smart ponies. Good ponies. They’ll make the right decision.”

Daring sighed, strangely disappointed, and turned to sit straight in her seat. “I’ve been hearing that one a lot lately.”

“I know,” Fluttershy confessed. “But it helps to hear it, right?”

Daring recognized the hope in that tone, and forced a smile to her lips. “Yeah… Kinda. I just want it to be over with. One way or another.”

Fluttershy let out a fretful sound and leaned close, making the storybook adventurer lean back with a blush. “What do you mean, one way or another? You’re not thinking it would be okay to die, are you?”

“Don’t be silly.” Daring pushed Fluttershy back into place. “I wanna live! But if I’m not going to, I’d rather it be over and done with. I’m sick of waiting.”

Fluttershy frowned. “That doesn’t sound like the Daring Do from the books. She’d never accept defeat as a possibility.”

Daring’s ears perked up. “I thought you said you’d never read my books.”

Now it was Fluttershy who blushed and averted her eyes. “Well, I sorta started reading them after you showed up. Just to know more.”

If Daring had a heart it would have skipped a beat, but she shoved the thoughts down as quickly as they’d come up. Fluttershy was not reading Daring’s book because she was interested! She was trying to know more about the stranger she was letting stay in her home. Who wouldn’t do that?

Still… “What did you think of them?”

Fluttershy winced. “Umm… They’re a little…scary.”

Daring’s entire body slackened. “Scary? They’re adventure stories, not horrors.”

“I know,” Fluttershy confessed with a blush. “It’s just that everything you do is so…dangerous. I mean, I know you get through it all, but for a pony like me…” She shook her head and said no more.

Daring laughed. She couldn’t help it. “You are adorable!”

She clamped her mouth closed, eyes going wide. Forget that the word ‘adorable’ should never pass through her lips; she’d just confessed! She leaned back against the window, face going red, and waited in horror for Fluttershy’s reaction.

“I’m a scaredy-pony, is what I am,” Fluttershy confessed with a sigh. For Ra’s sake, the confession had passed right over her head! Daring didn’t know whether to be relieved or whack the pegasus over her pretty head for missing it.

That was Daring’s major self-revelation of the day: deep down, she’d wanted Fluttershy to catch on. What did that mean? Did it mean anything?

She noted Fluttershy’s self-conscious manner and mentally kicked herself. “You’re not a scaredy-pony, Fluttershy. Anypony who can stick her hoof in a bear’s mouth without fear of losing a leg is no scaredy–pony.”

Fluttershy giggled. “That’s not the same thing."

“Oi.” They glanced over to see Rainbow Dash peering at them with one unpleasant eye. “Keep it down, would ya? I’m trying to nap here!”

Daring and Fluttershy exchanged bemused glances. “We’re sorry,” Daring replied.

“Yes,” Fluttershy added, “we’ll try to be quieter.”

“Thank you.” Rainbow rolled so her back was to them. Daring thought that was the end of it, but after about a second Rainbow added, “And stop pretending to be a wimp, Fluttershy. If ya want Daring to be your rescuer, just say so.”

It was clearly meant to be a joke, but Daring was turning red anyway. She glanced at Fluttershy and, to her surprise, saw that she was blushing, too. Once more she felt that rising feeling in her chest, but she shot the thoughts down. She was blushing because she was being made the butt of a jib, no more! She forced a chuckle from her throat. “Y-yeah, good one, Rainbow.”

Fluttershy huffed a laugh that was about as blatantly fake as could be. She wouldn’t meet Daring’s eye.

The rest of the trip was about as frustrating as possible. Daring Do tried to relieve the tension in her mind, but it just wouldn’t go away. She kept seeing hints that rational thought told her didn’t really exist, even as her emotions went wild. The only relief she’d had came when Fluttershy blessedly left the booth to ‘go for a walk’, but that had left Daring alone with a snoring Rainbow Dash and her own tempestuous thoughts. She couldn’t get involved, she just couldn’t.

But by the time they stepped off the train at the Ponyville platform, she knew it was too late. Like it or not, she was falling, and falling hard. By now she was trying to find ways to justify her interest, but she held back. She wouldn’t make a move, she refused! She didn’t even know if she was going to be around past Hearth’s Warming Eve, and until she knew the whole concept was off limits!

But that didn’t mean she couldn’t prepare for the possibility…right?

“Rainbow!” She stopped the pegasus from flying off just in time. As Rainbow came swooping back, Daring glanced behind to ensure Fluttershy was well out of hearing range.

“What’s up?” Rainbow asked, hovering just over Daring’s head with an eager smile.

“Back when you told me about the Elements of Harmony, you mentioned some castle ruins,” Daring noted. “Was there anything…special about them?”

Rainbow frowned as she considered the question. “Special? Whaddaya mean?”

Daring couldn’t state her true intentions, so she thought fast. “I’m an explorer,” she declared with a distinguished air. “And I’ll be bummed if I don’t go on at least one adventure! So just in case, I wanna do a little exploring. That castle is probably the closest thing to an adventure I’m gonna get. But,” she added with a frown, “there’s no point in going on an adventure without a goal. Surely there’s some artifact or relic or…jewel…that might be left over in the ruins?”

“Ooooh, I get it,” Rainbow admitted with a grin and a wink. Somehow Daring didn’t think she understood, at all. “You wanna go on another epic journey! I’m sorry to say there’s nothing really epic about that dusty old castle, though.”

That wasn’t at all what Daring wanted to hear. She glowered as she spoke. “It can’t hurt to look, though. Surely there’s something out there. I mean, it’s an abandoned ruin, and my adventurer’s experience makes it clear that those always have something worth finding.”

Rainbow shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe you can check out the library for some bit of info; my adventurer’s experience makes it clear that there’s always something helpful in that mass of books Twilight worships.”

“Then I guess I’m off to the library.”

“Oh!” Rainbow was in Daring’s face with a huge grin and sparks in her eyes. “Can I come? Going on an adventure with you would be soooooo awesome!”

No! “Umm, haven’t you already been there?”

“Not the point,” Rainbow declared, so excited she was doing flips. “It’s an adventure with Daring Do! Sign me up, any day!”

Daring rolled her eyes, knowing that the incorrigible fan wouldn’t be dissuaded. “Fine…”

Author's Note

The point of the contest was to get Daring and Fluttershy together, so this was inevitable. I don't mind; Fluttershy's an easy target for romance. Let's face it, everypony wants to do her.

Rival

The cold winter days seemed to fly by. Daring and Fluttershy could hardly leave one another alone. They were always happy and usually together. They even had one particularly steamy night, which they both joked was a necessity given that a harsh blizzard had trapped them inside for nearly two days.

But as hopelessly infatuated as they had become, they kept their heads. The relationship was a secret from everypony in town. After all, there was no telling what the princesses’ decision would be and neither Daring nor Fluttershy could guess how news of the romance would affect things. Besides, if Daring was to fade away, they only had so much time. They wanted to use up as much of it as possible.

So when word came from Spike that Twilight was on her way back to Ponyville with the princesses’ conclusion, Daring and Fluttershy agreed that only Daring would go to investigate. It was a hard decision, particularly for Fluttershy, but they would not risk their relationship being found out, not yet. Not until they had a well-drawn plan, which they wouldn’t be able to form until they knew what had been decided.

And so Daring waited at the station, bouncing from hoof to hoof to keep warm. Even the coat and scarf wasn’t doing enough. She wished she were a real pony; maybe if she had actual blood, and veins for that blood to flow through, she might be warmer. Snow came in a slow, graceful descent, the last remnants of the two-day blizzard.

Tomorrow would be Hearth’s Warming Eve. For all her happiness, that fact weighed heavily on Daring’s mind, for if the spell was not renewed then that day would be her last. But she kept herself positive, bolstered by her thoughts of Fluttershy. The princesses would let the spell be renewed. How could they not? She’d surely proven that she had every right to live as they did.

She would survive. She would be with Fluttershy. She would find happiness in this new world and make her own identity. A.K. Yearling’s predictions hardly disturbed her. In fact, she’d not thought of that jerk of a pony in quite some time.

The train came rolling up, and Daring waited with bated breath for her fate. Ponies began to file out, greeted by friends and loved ones. It was a busy traveling day; ponies from all over were returning home to be with their families on Equestria’s most beloved holiday. She watched as the ponies in the crowd laughed, talked, hugged and kissed.

Then she was hit with a hard truth: she had no family. She could remember her father and mother, but they were just characters in books. The real Daring Do’s parents wouldn’t know her. Indeed, there was no way for her to know if A.K. Yearling had written information about her real parents or not. As far as Daring knew, the parents in her head didn’t exist at all.

Everything she’d ever known about her past was a fable, and that was disturbing.

“Daring?” She jerked out of her reverie, realizing that Twilight was standing right in front of her. The princess studied her with a concerned frown. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “Just… facing some sad facts. But I’m okay.” She leaned over to see Twilight’s suitcases. “You need any help with those?”

Twilight offered a soft, understanding smile. “Yeah, sure. We’ll each take one.” Daring had the strange feeling that she knew exactly what ‘sad facts’ Daring had been talking about.

They made their way to the library, Daring quietly listening as Twilight spoke of her time in Canterlot. She talked about her royal duties, the annoyances of politics and how getting to spend time with Celestia made it all worth it. Daring wanted to shout; she wasn’t interested in any of that! But the pegasus held her tongue, knowing she should not press the princess.

It wasn’t until they’d made it into the library and Spike, curiously polite, took the suitcases upstairs that Daring finally asked the question. “So what about me? What was the decision?”

Twilight smirked. “I was wondering when you’d finally run out of patience. The news is mixed.”

Daring tilted her head with a raised eyebrow. “Whaddaya mean, mixed?”

Twilight sat and stuck out her chest in a regal pose. “It is the official decision of the Princesses of Equestria that the spell used to summon Daring Do is to never be used again. It is both dangerous and potentially immoral, and thus has been banned from all future casting.”

If Daring had a heart, it would be sinking. She stepped back, eyes wide and hooves shaking. “H-how is that mixed? What’s going to happen to me?”

Twilight raised a hoof with a patient smile. She went on, maintaining the formal speech she’d adopted for the moment. “However, as Daring Do is already present and has shown definite signs of individuality, intellect and self-awareness, it is also the judgment of the princesses that she be considered a living, sentient pony. To permit her end would be unequine, and all measures are to be taken to ensure her continued survival.”

She lowered her hoof and grinned. “In short, we’re making an exception. You’re gonna live, Daring.”

Daring sagged so low her chin nearly hit the floor, the air she’d been holding flying out of what she could only assume were lungs. But she quickly took on a confident pose. “Well of course, I knew it all along! It was the only proper solution.”

Twilight giggled. “Right. Actually, the question of what to do with you was answered pretty quickly. Most of the debating was about the first part: whether the spell should be banned. I wanted to keep it available for academic use, but I couldn’t pull it off.” She shrugged. “Well, ya win some, ya lose some. But congratulations! You’re a pony in name, if not in body.”

“It’ll do,” Daring declared with a grin. She glanced around the library. “So… When are ya gonna renew the spell? You can renew the spell, can’t you?”

“Sure can. I wasn’t just debating and spending time with Celestia; I did a lot of good research, too. I’m confident I know what I need for you to stick around for another month. But—” Twilight added with a firm look, “—a more permanent spell is a long ways away, I’m afraid.”

Daring noted her seriousness and knew exactly what she meant. “So I’ll have to come in about once a month to stay around, is that it?”

Twilight nodded. “Until I can find a way to make the spell last, and that could take years. I’m sorry, Daring. I know it’s not a practical solution, but if you miss even one appointment you’re gone, and there’s nothing I can do about that.”

For a moment – just a tender moment – A.K. Yearling’s warning came back to echo in Daring’s mind. She shook it off; this was worth it. For Fluttershy, she could do this.

“I’ve got it, Twilight. Believe me, I’ve got it.”

“Good.” Twilight glanced around the library, pursing her lips. “I need to move some things around, get the spell ready. It’s not as simple as just pointing my horn at you. This time I’m gonna need to use runes and the like. Weaving the spell's parts together the first time was one thing, but this is going to require me to completely rework everything that made you.”

Daring winced and took a step back. “That sounds… painful. Is it dangerous?”

Twilight turned to her with a grin. “Oh, no. You won’t feel a thing! Well, maybe you’ll feel something, but I have absolutely no reason to think it would hurt. Trust me.”

Daring raised her hooves with a smile. “Hey, like I’ve got a choice? I’ll trust ya, Twilight. Just tell me what I need to do.”

“Not a thing,” Twilight replied, once again eyeing the library with a critical gaze. “I just need a day to set things up. Come back tomorrow evening and we’ll get it done. Might have to use the laboratory, though…”

She rubbed her chin, glancing up at the ceiling with piercing eyes. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lot to do, starting with figuring out what Spike’s done. He hasn’t been down since he grabbed my suitcases, and he was awfully… nice. Exaggeratedly so. He did something, I just know it.”

That suited Daring just fine; she was eager to tell Fluttershy the good news anyway. “By all means, have at ‘em,” she replied, making for the door. “And thanks, Twilight. Thanks for everything!”

“Daring.” She paused to glance back, and Twilight locked her with her most serious stare yet. “This is an appointment you really can’t afford to miss.

“Don’t be late.”

It was the day of Hearth’s Warming Eve and nothing could ruin Daring’s mood. Not four hours at Pinkie Pie’s ‘You’re a Real Pony!’ party, not even three hours keeping her side of her deal with Rarity and trying on her grotesque ‘adventurer’ fashion line. Daring had two things on her mind: she was going to live, and she was going to live with Fluttershy. All was right with the world.

She finally escaped the Carousel Boutique, trotting along at a giddy pace and pack rocking at her side. In it was her prize, the fruit of her little adventure with Rainbow Dash. She still had a few hours yet before she was supposed to see Twilight and she couldn’t be burdened with waiting; she was headed straight for Fluttershy’s cottage. She was so pleased with herself, she even made time to greet and chat with her fans, to their clear delight.

She was still in the center of town when Rainbow appeared, floating down from a low cloud to land in the snow next to the road. “Hey, Double D! You look like you just had the best birthday ever.” She eyed the beaming adventurer and fell in-step with her along the road. “Don’t tell me you actually liked being Rarity’s toy for a few hours?”

Daring rolled her eyes, though she was still grinning. “Good Goddess, no! But it was well worth it. Today is a special day, after all.”

“Yeah, Twilight told me,” Rainbow acknowledged with a hoof-pump. “Daring Do is here to stay. Oh yeah, awesomely fun times ahead!”

Daring typically found Rainbow’s overenthusiastic nature annoying, but today she made an exception and offered a hoof-bump, which Rainbow accepted with gusto. “Wait till Soarin hears this,” the fawning fan declared with a strut. “He’s a big fan. I’m sure I mentioned that. He’s gonna be so jealous when he finds out you’re gonna be my neighbor! So, hey, wanna hang out before you go see Twilight?”

Daring chuckled. “Naw, I’ve got something real important to do with Fluttershy. I didn’t go through three hours of Rarity for nothin’.”

Rainbow’s grin faded as she raised a curious eyebrow. “Really? You got Fluttershy something?”

Under normal circumstances, Daring never would have shared her intentions. But Rainbow had helped her at the castle. Besides, she wanted to share, so she reached into her pouch and pulled out her prize. It was a necklace, the wire hidden beneath green stones carved to look like vines. The bottom part was a wide piece made from golden silk that shimmered in the winter sunlight, and at the center – surrounded by sparkling peridots – was the Tear of Ay Dede. Daring displayed it to Rainbow like a trophy and beamed.

“Whoa…” Rainbow’s eyes went wide as she stared at the necklace. “Rarity had to have gone all out! This is what you’re giving Fluttershy?” She reached up, and Daring let her hold it. Rainbow studied it closely, clearly impressed. “It’s lighter than it looks…”

“Fluttershy’s all soft,” Daring noted with a smile. “I thought it would be appropriate.”

“Wait.” Rainbow turned and, keeping the necklace held up in one hoof, gestured to the large blue stone. “This looks familiar. It looks like… like that jewel you were after in the castle! The Tear of Something-or-Other.”

She cast a suspecting look at Daring, who blushed. “Erm… yeah. I meant to tell ya, I actually did find it. I just… sorta forgot.”

“You forgot?” Rainbow frowned and thrust the necklace right before Daring’s muzzle. “This is the whole reason we went out there! How could you forget?”

Daring took the necklace back, cheeks burning. “I had a lot on my mind, okay? I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret, really.”

Rainbow considered this with a solemn expression, but abruptly grinned. “Ya know what? That’s okay. We can just say it’s a gift from both of us, how ‘bought that?”

Daring sucked in a sharp breath and took a step back, holding the necklace close. “No way. This is my gift to Fluttershy!”

Rainbow blinked, eyebrows rising. “What? But we got it together, didn’t we? We both went to the ruins. We worked together to solve the puzzles.”

Daring shook her head, worry creeping into her mind. Oh please, don’t let the accursed pegasus press the issue! “The entire reason I wanted to go to the castle in the first place was to get something for Fluttershy, something that is wholly and unquestionably me. I can’t share it, it’s too important.”

She hurriedly put the necklace back in her pouch and started to walk on, hoping she’d settled the matter. Rainbow didn’t follow, which she prayed was a sign of her acceptance.

“Important why?”

Daring paused, closed her eyes and sucked in a calming breath to ease her worry. She looked back over her shoulder at Rainbow, who now had her head lowered and eyes sharp.

“What do you mean?”

Rainbow eyed the pouch, then locked her focus back on her hero. “Why is it so important that you gift this to Fluttershy alone? I know she’s helped you out, but this sounds like more than that.”

Daring’s cheeks burned once more and she suddenly couldn’t meet Rainbow’s gaze. Should she confess the truth? It was going to come out soon anyway. Was there any point in keeping the secret, anymore? Daring was going to stay, that was established. So…

“Fluttershy’s important to me.” Daring offered a reassuring smile. “We’re close.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened, and it was several seconds before she could respond. “H-how close?”

Daring thought of her host – no, her partner – and imagined their first kiss. She brushed her lips and couldn’t resist a smile.

“It’s pretty serious, Rainbow.”

Rainbow’s jaw dropped almost to the snow, her eyes going wider than saucers. “Y-you mean…you two…”

“Don’t worry!” Daring turned and waved her hooves. “I know she’s your friend. I promise I’m being careful about all this. It’s not like I meant to fall for her or anything.” She turned away, readjusting her pack and grinning at the speechless mare over her shoulder. “Look, I’ll tell her you helped me find it, okay? But this has to be a gift from me. It’s important, Rainbow.”

She looked away, breathed a happy sigh, took two steps—

—and fell on her haunches. Rainbow had flown over to hit the ground before her so hard the snow erupted in a thick wave, blinding Daring with white. She shook her head to get the snow off her face and was alarmed to see Rainbow's lips half-curled in a sinister sneer.

“R-Rainbow? What’s gotten into you?”

Rainbow’s voice was cold as ice, rising up from her throat and through gritted teeth. “You can’t give her the necklace.”

Daring frowned and stood, back-stepping a little at her fan’s – former fan’s? – threatening presence. “What do you mean? Why not?”

Rainbow’s eyes flared, a snort blowing steam from her nostrils. “I have been with Fluttershy most of my life. I have protected her, stood by her and encouraged her.” Her voice grew louder with each word. “We’ve comforted one another through the worst times, always had one another’s backs. I have been at her side for years and I am not going to let some storybook doll take her away from me!”

Daring stared, wide eyed in the realization that her abrupt romance was stamping on the hooves of a very different affection, a secret affection. “You mean after all that time, you never even tried?”

Rainbow leaned back, an instant of alarm coming over her. “I… I-I was waiting for the right moment!” But her anger was back just as quickly as it had gone. “Yeah, the right moment, and I’m not letting you beat me to the buck!”

Daring realized the situation she was in, but she also felt no sympathy. On the contrary, if she felt anything about this, it was annoyance. This was supposed to be her ‘greatest fan’? She readjusted her pouch, making sure it was well away from Rainbow, and leveled a grim frown her way.

“You’re too late, Rainbow. We’re already an item. If I beat you to it, you have only yourself to blame. You should have been more decisive. Now get out of my way.”

“No!” Rainbow rose, wings beating in rhythm with her pounding hooves. “Fluttershy is mine.”

Daring sneered. “And ponies say I’m arro—hey!”

Before she could register the attack, Rainbow had dropped down, grabbed her by the shoulder and tossed her. She slammed painfully into a nearby wall, but was able to land on all fours. By the time she looked up Rainbow was there, delivering an uppercut so fast all Daring saw was a blur of colors! Rainbow flew high with the hit and then darted by from Daring’s left, her hoof smacking Daring’s jaw.

Holy horseshoes, that pony was quick! Thinking fast, Daring hoped the attack pattern was obvious and stuck out a hoof. Rainbow – coming from the right this time – slammed into the side of the stiff leg. Daring spun in place, but the move served its purpose; Rainbow lost control and smashed into the snow-covered ground, a long trench marking her path.

In the back of her mind, Daring heard a voice telling her to be the better pony, to ignore her instincts, to not get in a brawl with Fluttershy’s foalhood friend. Wings spread, she ignored that voice and flew. She was hurting, she was angry, and she had a lesson to teach.

Rainbow’s head came up, covered in snow. She brushed the stuff away and turned just in time to take Daring’s foreknee across the cheek. She was knocked away, but Daring caught her by the tail and jerked. Rainbow was tugged back, and just as she passed Daring delivered a powerful hit aimed straight down. Rainbow hit the ground on her stomach with a gasp.

“You think you can fight me?”

Daring grabbed Rainbow by the shoulders and, demonstrating her strength, lifted the pony over her head.

“You think you’ve got what it takes to face Daring Do?”

She threw Rainbow right through the window of the house next to them.

“I’ve saved the world a dozen times over. I’ve gone up against demigods!” She flew through the window to hover over her opponent, ignoring the two ponies who fled the room. Her former fan was just beginning to pick herself up off the glass-covered floor. “You don’t stand a chance, Rainbow!”

Rainbow looked up at her, blood dripping from her muzzle. She rubbed it away, gaze calm and menacing. “Okay, I’ll admit it: ya could probably give AJ a run for her money in the power department. But…”

The hit came in a blur, Rainbow zooming underneath Daring and hitting her in the stomach. She flew straight up, smashing Daring between herself and the roof with such force that the wood cracked. The air knocked from her lungs, Daring struggled to breathe, but it was difficult with Rainbow flying circles and delivering hit after hit after hit. After what was probably only a second or two – but felt like minutes – Rainbow ceased her incessant strikes and caught Daring by the back of the head, forcing her low and tossing her back out the window.

Daring recovered, spread her wings and managed to ascend just in time to avoid smacking the snow as Rainbow had. She rose, turned around and shouted as a multicolored blur flew past her, but there was no hit. Then something whacked the back of the head – hard – and she dropped to the ground on her knees.

Rainbow’s words hit her ears. “You think you’re the only hero in Ponyville? I’ve faced off against Discord, the changeling queen and Nightmare Moon! I did it with my friends, because I actually have some. I’m not some arrogant, standoffish jerk!”

Daring climbed to her hooves and turned to face her new enemy, a sneer on her lips. “It’s not my fault I was written to be a loner.”

“But that’s just it, isn’t it?” Rainbow began to fly quick circles over Daring’s head. “You’re written. Everything you’ve ever done is fake! You’re not a real pony, you never really fought Ahuizotl. You wouldn’t even exist if I hadn’t begged Twilight to summon you up in the first place!”

“Shut up!” Daring flew up to strike, but Rainbow dodged with ease, made a few lightning-fast circles around Daring and hit her from the side.

“You’ve done nothing,” Rainbow snapped as Daring reeled through the air, working to orient herself after the powerful strike. “You’ve only been alive three weeks! My achievements are real.”

Daring was struck just as she was beginning to align her horizon.

“My achievements are known!”

Another hit.

“I worked hard to be where I am!”

And another. She was too fast, Daring couldn't see where the strikes were coming from.

“You’re piggybacking off the fame of a book.”

Whack! Daring saw stars and knew she was in trouble.

“And you want to take my special somepony away?”

Smack! She was flipping head-over-hooves.

“I should have left you as a name on paper!”

Something grabbed Daring, and she found her world spinning. Rainbow had her by the tail! She was sent flying, too dizzy from the hits and spinning to align herself. She spread her wings, flapped, struggled to find a horizon that swung wildly across her eyes. She saw the tree, but couldn’t place it. She tried to swerve left, ended up flipping upside down.

She struck limbs. Her forehoof caught on something and twisted so hard she let out a scream. Her body smacked the trunk and she toppled. She hit the ground on her side, snow flying from the impact. Daring tried to stand, only to cringe and collapse: her leg was broken.

Rainbow landed before her, tall and seething as she gazed down her muzzle at the broken pony. “Give. Me. The necklace!”

Daring clutched at the pouch with her good hoof, glaring daggers at her attacker. “It’s not yours to give!”

She was ready to fight some more, pain or no, but the attack didn’t come. Rainbow was staring, her anger suddenly mixed with surprise. Daring noticed, and hesitantly followed Rainbow’s gaze.

It was her first good look at her broken leg. Except it wasn’t… normal. The break had occurred below the knee, but it wasn’t a twist, and there was no bone sticking out. Instead, it was like something had partially ripped the leg off, revealing what was inside. And what was inside was… gold. It was solid, and the exact same color as her coat.

Daring stared at her ruined limb, not comprehending what she was seeing. Tentatively, she reached her good hoof down and touched the inside. She cringed at the intense pain that resulted from it, but at the same time noted how it had felt soft. Like… Like her coat. Though it stung like hell, she felt a determined need to know, so she used her good hoof to move the leg and set it back into position. The parts matched perfectly, like ripped paper. She gazed at the perfect lines, mind numbed by the otherworldly image.

She sucked in a sharp breath as the seam began to mend before her eyes! It didn’t hurt, it only tingled a little. Within seconds her leg was back together, like nothing had ever happened. She flexed it, waved it, worked her hoof around, but it was entirely normal.

“What the buck are you?”

Daring gazed up at Rainbow with wide eyes. This was a moment of truth, and Daring was abruptly terrified.

“I don’t have any bones. I… I don’t have any muscles.” Her eyes locked on Rainbow’s muzzle, which was still dripping blood. Surely she should be bleeding like that, too… She felt at her nose, but there was no moisture. “I don’t have any blood…”

Rainbow, all anger lost, took a few steps back. She gazed upon Daring as if she were some otherworldly creature, rather than a pony.

Daring felt at her cheeks. No moisture. After the pain she’d been through, she should have tears. “I… I-I don’t have tears! No blood, no bones, no tears, no heart. R-Rainbow… what am I?”

Rainbow licked her lips as she hesitated. “You’re… I don't know...”

Daring was hyperventilating. She looked down to see her hooves shaking violently. She fought for control, but only one thought kept running through her head: she wasn’t real.

She broke into a run. She didn’t know why, or where she was going. She just ran, an inexplicable horror guiding her to flee as fast as her hooves could carry her. The thought kept flying through her mind, over and over and over again…

She wasn’t real.

Author's Note

The fight didn't go anything like I'd originally hoped. I mean, come on, it's a duel between Rainbow Dash and Daring Do. It should be epic!

But I realized that if I really overworked their duel, it would seem like the chapter was all about the fight. Worse, it might have looked like I'd written this entire story just for that purpose. So I held back, and made the fight short. It might not seem short, but compared to what it could have been? It's short.

I always had this curious impression that Daring was something of a powerhouse, like Applejack. This was somewhat supported when she kicked the crap out of those wild cats in Daring Don't, but really it's just my headcanon. Yet I've never favored powerhouses; I'm a firm believer in speed over strength, which in my mind means Rainbow would trump Daring any day. This ended up being reflected in the duel, as I think we can all agree that Rainbow dominated.

My one fear? I don't want people to go thinking that I've made Rainbow into a total jerk. Although she might have handled the situation better, I personally think her anger is entirely justified, even if Daring's entirely correct about Rainbow having nopony but herself to blame.

Figment

Snow was falling in gentle waves, making a small pile on her muzzle. Not for the first time that night, Daring wondered how it was she could even feel the cold. Or warmth, pain, joy... It was a true mystery, but she tried not to dwell on it.

When she'd first been told by Twilight that there were ethical dilemmas revolving around her existence, Daring hadn't understood. She did now, and she'd spent her last few hours lost in deep thought about the consequences of her life. She remembered her encounter with A.K. Yearling and, now more than ever, understood what her creator had been trying to say. Her eyes were opened... and she'd made her decision.

She stared at Fluttershy’s cottage from the edge of the woods, keeping to the shadows. Lights were on in the windows. Every now and again she would see somepony in them. It was Rainbow Dash and Twilight.

They were looking for Daring. They probably thought Fluttershy would know where she was. Were they worried? Were they afraid?

Did it matter?

She felt frail, like all her energy had been sucked away. Her head hung low, her eyes were heavy, her legs weak. She knew she didn’t have much time left. She wanted them to leave. She had to talk to Fluttershy. But if she went to the cottage now, would they insist upon her going with Twilight? Probably. So she stayed in the shadows, waiting.

It seemed to take an eternity, but the ponies finally left, flying off in different directions to continue their search. Fluttershy stood at her door, staring into the darkness. The sight of her would have made Daring’s heart break, if she’d had one. After nearly a minute, though, the pegasus turned and went back inside. Good, she was going to wait.

Daring had to force her body to move forward. It didn’t seem to want to obey her commands. Every step felt like her horseshoes were made of lead, her hoofprints in the snow reflecting her dragging gait. Part of her didn’t want to do this, wanted instead to turn and walk right back into the forest and avoid this entire confrontation.

But she couldn’t do that. She was about to hurt Fluttershy and the pony deserved to know why.

At last, she reached the front door. With great effort, she forced her leg up and knocked. The door opened so quickly she wondered if Fluttershy had been waiting to open it.

“Daring!” Fluttershy embraced her, and Daring found herself delighting in the warmth of her body. “Oh no, you’re frozen solid! Come in, quick.”

Daring – lacking the energy to resist – let herself to be dragged inside. Before she knew it, she was sitting on a couch and had a couple of blankets thrown over her. Fluttershy snuggled up to her, but there was no hiding the tears in her eyes.

“Where have you been? Rainbow and Twilight have been searching for you all this time, and I was so worried when they said you’d missed your appointment. No, what am I saying? I need to get Twilight, before it’s too late!”

Just as Fluttershy started to pull herself away, Daring caught her in both hooves and held her close. “No, Fluttershy. Please, don’t go…”

Fluttershy blushed and smiled, pressing tightly to her special somepony. “N-not now, Daring. There’s no time. If you don’t get to Twilight’s library soon—”

She tried to pull away once more, but Daring only tightened her hold. Fluttershy resisted at first, but then her movements slowed. “D-Daring…?”

Daring closed her eyes, chin resting on Fluttershy’s shoulder. She wished she had tears to offer, but her cheeks remained dry.

“I… I can’t stay.”

Fluttershy stiffened, her hold tightened. “W-what do you mean?”

Daring buried her head in Fluttershy’s delightful pink mane, hooves shaking. “I don’t belong here, Fluttershy. I’m not real.”

Fluttershy jerked away, even her feeble strength too much for Daring to manage. “Where did this come from? You want to stay, you said you did!”

Daring leaned back in the couch, hooves slowly reaching up to caress her lover’s cheeks. Those eyes, with their pleading moisture, stung far more than any blow she’d ever received from Rainbow. She hated herself so much.

“I do want to stay,” she whispered. “I just can’t. If I do, I’ll only hurt you even more than I am now.”

“You don’t know that!” Fluttershy moved closer and kissed her on the forehead. “Twilight can keep you alive, we can stay together. Why are you giving up all of a sudden?”

“It was a dream, Fluttershy.” Daring held her close, felt the pony’s tears on her cheeks. “What am I? I’m a figment of your imagination. You deserve something better than that.”

Fluttershy shook her head vehemently. “That’s for me to decide! Maybe I’d prefer the dream.”

“No, you won’t,” Daring whispered with a weak smile, kissing Fluttershy’s tears. “I was made to be an adventurer. I was made to wander. Eventually, I’ll mess up and be gone too long. I’m not going to do that to you.”

Fluttershy leaned back to rub her eyes. “S-stop. Stop it. What happened to my confident and determined Daring? Twilight will find a way to make the spell permanent, and then it won’t matter anymore.”

Daring shook her head. “And how long before she manages that? A year? Five? Ten? I won’t be able to wait that long, Fluttershy. And besides, look at me.”

Fluttershy did, fighting back sniffs as her eyes roamed Daring’s body. “Y-you’re beautiful…”

“I’m fake.” Daring observed her hooves, which were still shaking. “I should be in tears, but I’m not. My eyes can’t make them. I don’t have a pulse, or bones, or blood. I don’t even have a heart.”

“Don’t talk like that!”

Fluttershy came forward, setting her forehooves just above Daring’s shoulders as she looked into her eyes. Her soft pink mane hung over Daring, tickling the adventurer’s face. “You have emotions, don’t you? You love me, don’t you? You can’t have such feelings and not have a heart.”

Daring could only stare at the creature above her. She hardly seemed equine, but rather something far more precious. A weak smile came to Daring’s lips, and though it took much effort, she reached a trembling hoof to touch that soft face.

“Holy horseshoes, but you’re a pretty pegasus.”

Fluttershy’s face broke. She collapsed, clutching at her love and weeping. “P-please, Daring, d-don’t do this!”

Still smiling, Daring brushed a hoof through that delightful mane. She could feel her energy slipping even farther. “It’s too late. Even if I was to change my mind, we’d never make it to the library in time. It’s over, Fluttershy.”

“B-but… But why?” Fluttershy nuzzled Daring’s chest, eyes closed tight. “We could have been h-happy.”

“Because I love you,” Daring whispered, leaning her head back to stare unseeing at the ceiling. “I’m not going to hurt you anymore than I have to. You’re a smart pony. I think you’ll understand, in time.”

“But I don’t understand now!” It came out as a wail, a pitiful cry that stung Daring in unfathomable ways. Fluttershy stared up at Daring for a few seconds, struggling to contain herself, but finally rested her forehead against Daring’s chest and sobbed once more.

“P-please… Please s-stay with me…”

They remained like that for some time, Fluttershy’s weeping the only sound. Daring noted the birds and other animals peering from their hiding places, but ignored them. At that moment, the last moment, Fluttershy was her world. She would have done anything to ease the pain, but there was nothing to do but wait and hold on tight.

She felt… light. She reached a hoof up and saw that it was growing transparent.

It was time.

A deep-rooted fear struck Daring. Once again she felt that primal instinct, that determined desire to survive. Yet it was most definitely too late, so she clutched Fluttershy as tight as she could and prayed.

“I’m s-sorry,” she whispered over her lover’s sobs. “I’m sorry about everything. But I promise, things will get better. You’ll see. You have friends. You have a pony who loves you. You’ll do better than a storybook doll.”

Her stomach churned. She glanced over Fluttershy’s shoulder to see that her lower body was fading. No pain, aside from the emotional. Just a strange lightness, and a terrible understanding that she was about to become… nothing.

She closed her eyes and spoke over Fluttershy’s weeping. “I love you. Remember that, please. No matter what happens, I’m doing this for you. I love you, Fluttershy. Never, ever forget that.”

A second later, she was gone. Fluttershy could do nothing but curl up on the couch beneath the still-warm blankets and sob.

Author's Note

...

I got nothin'.

Truth

Hearth’s Warming Eve, and Fluttershy was alone.

She sat at the window of her bedroom, staring out at the snowfall that made the world so pristine and beautiful. Moving carefully, she set a lone candle on her windowsill, struck a match and lit it. The tiny flame blazed brightly, filling her room with an unearthly glow. She turned back to face the room, watching as shadows danced on her wall. She smiled at the magical sight of it, entranced by the images brought to mind. Perhaps this was how she would spend every Hearth’s Warming Eve.

She was better now. It had taken time, but she was better. The pain had...mostly passed. Some days she hardly recalled it.

Other ponies were out with family, or attending the year’s Hearth’s Warming Pageant. Fluttershy would remain at home and think on things that might have been. She went to a nearby bookshelf, taking down a Daring Do novel. Some light reading to help her through this memorable night. Her own little tribute to a pony who had been so very special to her... and still was.

She was just about to climb into bed when there came rapping on her window. Curious, she went to look outside. Moving the candle aside, she pushed open the window and raised herself up on the windowsill.

“Rainbow! What are you doing out there? It must be freezing!”

“N-no kid-ding?” Rainbow rolled her eyes even as her teeth chattered, rubbing her shoulders. “You letting m-me in or n-n-not?”

Fluttershy stepped aside and Rainbow darted inside. Fluttershy took a moment to close her window and set the candle into place before turning to find Rainbow snuggling under her comforter with a relaxed smile. “Oooh, thank you. I was about to be a popsicle!”

Fluttershy shot the pegasus a frown. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d be at Pinkie’s party.”

“Says the pony hiding in her dark and lonely room on the most important holiday in Equestria.” Rainbow climbed off the bed, kicking the covers off with a distracted buck. It was then that Fluttershy saw it: the pack.

Wide-eyed, she stepped forward to get a closer look. Abruptly aware of the attention, Rainbow sat and averted her eyes with a blush.

“Is that… Is that Daring’s pack?” Fluttershy lifted it from Rainbow’s side to examine it closer. “It is! Where did you find this?”

She looked up at Rainbow, who forced a smile and couldn’t meet her gaze. Her oldest friend coughed, rubbed the back of her head, glanced about for inspiration…and finally sighed. She drooped and pulled the pack off. “I’ll be straight with ya, Fluttershy. I came here tonight to give this to ya.”

She offered the pack. Fluttershy took it, but very slowly. It was heavy. She looked up at Rainbow again, but her friend still wouldn’t meet her gaze. “Rainbow?”

Rainbow looked down at the pack, shoulders sagged and ears low. “I… Well, last year when she disappeared, I went searching the woods. I found the pack out there, hanging from some tree. I’ve been holding on to it ever since.”

Fluttershy hesitated, but finally opened the pack. What she found inside stunned her: a dazzling, gold-silk necklace with a brilliant, midnight-blue gemstone at its center. “Oh my… She had this all along?”

Rainbow shook her head, reaching out to push the necklace closer to Fluttershy. “She went through a lot of trouble to get that for you. It was meant to be a Hearth’s Warming Eve’s present.”

Fluttershy’s chest tightened. Her eyes explored the brilliant necklace, its precious peridots glittering in the candlelight. Daring had gone through that kind of trouble? But then she caught Rainbow’s words, and when she looked up she found her friend looking away with guilt-ridden eyes.

“Rainbow… How did you know about this?”

Rainbow flinched and drooped a little more. “B-because… Because I helped her get it. When we went to the castle together, that blue stone was what she was after. She had Rarity make it into the necklace. Rarity didn’t know the purpose, though.”

Fluttershy looked down at the necklace, then back up at Rainbow. “B-but… Why didn’t you give it to me last year, when you found it?”

For the first time that night, Rainbow looked directly at her, and the sorrow on her face was piercing. Before Fluttershy knew it, Rainbow was embracing her.

“I’m so sorry, Fluttershy. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault! I wanted to tell you, b-but I was scared.”

“Tell me?” Fluttershy shifted, awkwardly raising her hooves to hold the shaking pegasus. “I don’t understand. What’s your fault?”

“Everything!” Rainbow stepped back to give Fluttershy a direct, miserable look. “Daring Do was my fault. I talked Twilight into bringing her here, and I’m the reason she left.”

Fluttershy considered this and smiled. “Rainbow. Just because you had a part in bringing her here, that doesn’t mean—”

“No, Fluttershy!” Rainbow turned around and sat, head hanging low once again. “You don’t understand. Daring Do left because of me. I met her that day, right before she was gonna give you the necklace, and… and… and I fought her.”

Fluttershy blinked, tilted her head. “Fought? You mean… had an argument?”

Rainbow sighed and shook her head. “No, a fight. She threw me through a window, and I broke her leg against a tree!”

“What?” Fluttershy thought back on that night, struggling to recall the tender memories. “B-but her leg wasn’t broken…”

“That’s because it healed.” Rainbow shivered. “Right in front of me, it just… healed. Freakiest thing I ever saw! And then she sorta snapped. That had to be the moment when she decided to go.”

Fluttershy sat on her bed and studied the necklace. She tried to imagine Rainbow and Daring in a fight, but it was hard. She lifted the necklace to display it. “You mean you fought with her over this?”

Rainbow spun around to point, tears in her eyes. “Over you, Fluttershy! We were fighting over you!”

Fluttershy’s cheeks burned and the necklace dropped to the floor, forgotten. “W-what do you m-mean, over me?”

Rainbow covered her mouth, cheeks going red and eyes wide. She turned away once more, maintaining the alarmed look. But then she fell into that despondent mood once more. “Y-yeah, over you. She showed me the necklace, and when she said what she intended to do with it… I was mad. I felt like I’d just been backstabbed. Then she said you were already a couple and I… I just… attacked. I couldn’t help it. I was just so angry.”

“But why?” Fluttershy dropped from the bed to stand by Rainbow’s side, but Rainbow only turned away. “Rainbow, what was so bad about her and me being together?”

For a long time, Rainbow wouldn’t answer. At last, she raised her head.

“I was jealous. I was stubborn and selfish. I… I didn’t want her to have you, because you were so important to me, and I thought… I thought you were…”

Understanding hit Fluttershy like a bolt of lightning. For a few seconds she could only sit and stare. “R-Rainbow?”

Her oldest friend stood and turned to the window, adamantly refusing to look at her. “You should hate me. I hurt you pretty bad, so I deserve it. I’m… I’m just gonna go. If ya don’t wanna talk to me again, I… I’ll understand.”

She went to the window and prepared to open it, but Fluttershy jumped forward and caught her by the tail. “Wait!”

Rainbow still wouldn’t look at her, but she didn’t try to leave either. Fluttershy sighed her relief and dropped the tail, taking a moment to collect her thoughts.

“Rainbow… I don’t hate you.”

Her friend – her secret admirer – glanced back over her shoulder, ears low and lips trembling. “R-really…? You don’t have to pretend or nothin’, y’know.”

Fluttershy offered her softest, most reassuring smile. “Rainbow, you’re my oldest friend. I can’t hate you! And besides… I’m glad you told me.”

Rainbow raised her head, ears perking up and eyebrows rising. “You are?”

“Mm-hmm.” Fluttershy turned away to pick up the necklace. “It gives me a clearer picture. I can’t blame you for what happened.”

“But—” Rainbow paused, perhaps to think on her words. “But… If I hadn’t fought her, she’d still be here! You and Daring could have been together.”

With necklace in hoof, Fluttershy turned back to Rainbow, beaming. “I’ve had a year to think things over. I believe I understand why she did what she did, and I know she was thinking of me the entire time. I don’t know if she was right to leave, but she thought she was acting in my best interest, and I’ll always appreciate that.”

Rainbow’s head lowered as she considered this. “But… that has nothing to do with what I did.”

“Maybe not, but you’re here now, trying to do the right thing, even if it means losing something important to you. You and Daring are more alike than you know… and I appreciate you, too.”

Blue cheeks turned red. Rainbow fidgeted and averted her eyes. “You… You mean that?”

Fluttershy stepped forward and nuzzled Rainbow’s cheek. “I do. I really—”

Rainbow’s wings opened with a jerk. Fluttershy's cheeks grew hot, but she didn’t pull back.

“Umm… Yes, I do.”

Rainbow jumped back and sat, trying to push down her wings and blushing wildly. “Umm… Err… Yeah. This is… Umm… It’s just…”

Fluttershy giggled at the sight, then started to laugh out loud. Rainbow paused, rubbed her mane… then started to laugh as well. They laughed and laughed. Rainbow sat and threw her head back, tears of mirth falling down her cheeks. Fluttershy fell back on the bed and fought to control her giggles.

When they at last calmed down enough to think properly, Fluttershy sat up and grinned at her old friend. Then she carefully put the necklace on.

“So… How does it look?”

Rainbow stared, considered, blushed. “You look good in anything.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I meant the necklace.”

Rainbow chuckled. A moment of silence passed between them, their world made of shadows. The light of the candle danced around them, sometimes illuminating Rainbow’s face, sometimes covering her in shade. There was a certain… magic to it, and Fluttershy felt strangely warm.

“So… you’re really not mad at me or anything?” Rainbow scuffed her hoof on the floor. “I mean, for real?”

Fluttershy smiled and reached for her discarded book. She displayed it to Rainbow. “I was gonna share this night with her. Want to join me?”

Her old friend’s eyes lit up. “Y-yeah. Yeah! I’d love to!” Fluttershy patted the bed, and Rainbow practically dove to her side. “Thank you so much! I was freaking out before I came here, I just knew you’d be furious with… w-with…”

She paused and stared as Fluttershy climbed under the covers, book tucked under a foreleg. “Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy poked her head from under the covers and propped the book on a pillow, opening it to the first page. She then cast an eye on Rainbow, who blushed and fidgeted. Fluttershy didn’t say anything, only patted the spot beside her and waited.

Rainbow gained a slow smile, eyes moistening as she stared. Finally, she pulled herself under the covers and set herself beside Fluttershy.

They read in silence for a few seconds. Everything seemed normal. Rainbow was beginning to relax…

Fluttershy pressed close and rested her chin on Rainbow’s shoulder. She heard Rainbow’s breath catch, felt her fidget and knew she was trying to prevent another embarrassing display of her wings. Fluttershy only smiled and closed her eyes, realizing that she was content. Daring Do had been right; there was a pony out there for her.

She offered a silent prayer, forever appreciative of the sacrifice that had been made for the sake of her happiness.

Author's Note

The question remains: did Daring do the right thing?

I leave that up to my readers.

Doppelganger

Daring Do’s adventurer’s instinct was never wrong, and it once again had proven more than adequate for this latest ‘adventure’. The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters was not up to snuff compared to many of the other dungeons and ruins and tombs she’d faced, but it served its purpose. Hidden passages, the occasional trap, general creepiness. She was satisfied, even if it wasn’t a challenge. So now she and Rainbow stood in a long hallway deep beneath the castle, on their way to the ancient royal vault.

“Well, that wasn’t as hard as I’d expected,” Rainbow admitted as she hovered just behind Daring. “For a creepy old castle, it sure is lacking.”

Daring Do rolled her eyes. “This castle was built as a home for the sisters Celestia and Luna. It wasn’t protecting some ancient superpowered relic or anything like that. It didn’t need outrageous traps.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Rainbow replied with a chuckle. “I mean, who’d wanna live in a place that might end up killing ya? Talk about stressful.”

Daring’s ears lowered, but she managed to keep her “Indeed” somewhat civil.

In truth, Rainbow had been a decent help on this little sojourn. She didn’t get in the way, and she even spotted a few things before Daring did. Still, her bubbly excitement for being on an adventure with her ‘hero’ was unnerving, and Daring couldn’t wait to be finished with this trip.

Rainbow moved before Daring and flew backwards as she looked down at her. “So, what are we here for, anyway? I know you mentioned you wanted a jewel, for some reason. Is it something specific?”

Daring nodded. “It's a historical fact that the Princess Celestia, about a century after she banished her sister, was gifted with a gemstone from the Mongols when she traveled to their lands to discuss trade. It was meant as a sign of their desire for peace. Called the Tear of Ay Dede, Celestia had it placed here, in honor of her sister. Of course, the peace ended several hundred years later in the War of the Nambu, when the tribes in the Far East became embroiled in horrible—”

“Yeeeah.” Rainbow waved a hoof with a blush and a giggle. “I know all about it. No need for the history lesson!”

Daring raised a skeptical eyebrow at her companion, but decided not to bother testing her. It would probably be a waste of breath. “Anyway, the gemstone was moved to the royal vault here, until such time as peace returned, but was ultimately forgotten when the castle was abandoned. Supposedly.”

Rainbow, still flying backwards, tilted her head. “Supposedly?”

Daring nodded. “It may have been moved without anypony knowing about it. There’s really no way to know until we get in there. Watch your head.”

“For whaOW!” Rainbow cracked the back of her head against the stone frame of the vault door and dropped to her hooves. Daring ignored the cursing and pushed through the rotting doors, not minding the dust and crumbling wood. She entered the room, eyes roaming the gloom.

Nothing. Empty shelves, busted chests, shattered antiques. The place had been ransacked.

Rainbow stepped up beside her, nursing the back of her head. “Looks like somepony beat us to it ages ago.”

“So it would seem,” Daring grumbled, entering the room. She kicked around some debris, but knew there was no point; everything of value was gone. The gemstone, too. So much for using her adventuring skills to secure a gift for Fluttershy. She bowed her head and sighed. If only she could have found it, and done one thing worthwhile in this real world…

“Aww, don’t look so down,” Rainbow said, patting her on the shoulder. “Maybe there’s a hidden room or something. Ya never know! Just like in Daring Do and the Shimmering Song!”

Yes, Daring remembered that adventure. Except she’d never really had it, had she? “I guess it’s worth a look,” she grumbled, though she didn’t move.

“Yeah!” Rainbow flew a few circles around the room, examining the walls. “Ya gotta stay positive! That’s what you do, isn’t it? You never give up, so neither will I!”

Daring was really getting tired of that positive attitude of hers. “It doesn’t always work like in the books, y’know. Don’t be disappointed if we don’t find anything.”

Rainbow turned to her with a grin. “Oh, come on! Even if we don’t, we still had an adventure, right? That makes it all worthwhile. Isn’t the journey half the fun? You just wait!” She dropped to the floor by the wall and struck a proud pose. “In the end, you’ll feel happy you came, jewel or no jew—whoa!”

The wall behind Rainbow spun about, and when it finished its turn she was nowhere to be seen. At the exact same time, the wall opposite where she’d been standing also turned, revealing something Daring never would have expected in any dungeon: an unfamiliar pony.

Daring was in the air in an instant, alarm and caution hitting her at once as she faced the stranger. “Who the buck are—” Her words caught in her throat when she got a good look at the pony, and when she did, she knew. Even though she’d never seen the pony before, she could feel the connection between them. “You… Y-you’re…”

The pony, dressed in a purple shawl, grey cloche and red glasses, observed Daring with sharp red eyes. “So… You can tell.”

Daring landed on her haunches, eyes wide as saucers. “A.K. Yearling?”

Yearling adjusted her glasses, the epitome of calm and control. “Yes, Daring, it’s me. When I heard that Princess Twilight had made you, I had to investigate. Of course.”

In the name of Ra, this was the pony who’d conceived her! Daring didn’t understand why, but this simple-looking mare… scared her. How many ponies could legitimately claim to have met their creator? She didn’t relish the concept; she felt as if her very brief life was about to face judgment.

She shook herself and fought to regain her posture. “W-what are you doing way out here?”

Yearling smiled and began to walk slow circles around Daring, eyes roaming her body. “I knew you’d want to go on at least one adventure, and this was the only place close enough. There’s nothing you might find here, except perhaps the Tear of Ay Dede. So I came and waited, and right on time too – you only kept me waiting a day.”

Daring stood, anger slipping into her fretful mind. “Stop talking like you know everything about me. And bring Rainbow back!”

Yearling rolled her eyes and sat before Daring. “Please, you think she’s hurt? When I leave – the same way I showed up – she’ll be deposited right back here, and you two can continue your little ‘adventure’ if you’d like. I just wanted to talk to you alone.”

Daring glowered at her ‘creator’. “Well then, do I live up to your expectations?”

Yearling raised an eyebrow, her pause seeming to be merely for dramatic effect. “Well, it did take you a couple hours longer to solve this place’s mysteries than I expected, but you had that stupid blue pegasus in your way.”

Daring stood and stomped her hoof. “Her name is Rainbow Dash. She happens to be a huge fan, in case you didn’t know. You should be more appreciative. Without ponies like her, you wouldn’t have a job!”

“Maybe I should leave an autograph, someday.” By her air, Daring doubted Yearling had any intention of ever doing so.

There was a long, uncomfortable pause as the two stared at one another. Daring, completely unprepared for this meeting, had no idea what to say. She shifted, sat back down, wondered about this strange encounter.

It was Yearling who finally broke the silence. “I don’t like that somepony went and created you without permission.”

Daring sneered. “What, like you own me?”

Yearling nodded, tapping her head. “Intellectual property. Besides, there’s not enough room for two Daring Dos in this world.”

Daring sagged, unable to believe her ears. “What, two yous? Look at you!” She jumped up to hover before the writer, pointing an accusing hoof. “You think you’re anything like me? You’re a writer. Ya look like a secretary, for buck’s sake! I bet I’m nothing more than an escape for you, where you pretend you’re something better than you can ever be. But I’m real now, and you better come up with some other delusion to—”

Yearling threw off her shawl, revealing a familiar green vest and a golden coat. She tossed aside her hat and glasses and spread wings, jumping up to hover at the same height as Daring.

Daring’s words caught in her throat. Her wings froze and she hit the floor with a thud that echoed throughout the room and halls. She could only stare, mind numb at the sight of a pony who looked exactly like her in every possible way.

“You… Y-you…”

“That’s right,” Yearling declared with force, “I'm the real Daring Do!”

Daring struggled to consider this news, her mind moving at about the pace of a slug drenched in cold molasses. She was finally able to work her lips, and after a time she even managed a few syllables. “S… S-so… The books are… They’re real?”

The real Daring Do landed heavily before the fake one, expression stern. “So you tell me, Daring: how does it feel to know that there’s two of us wandering around Equestria?”

Daring was too busy trying to grasp this new reality to properly answer.

“That’s right,” the real Daring snapped, “It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable. It’s… unwelcome.”

Daring’s mind finally snapped back into place. She stood to match her creator glare for glare. “Yeah, I don’t like it either. It’s… unnatural.”

“No,” the real Daring replied, “you’re unnatural. You’re not supposed to exist.”

Daring stepped up close, words laced with venom. “So what would you prefer, that I die?”

The real Daring pursed her lips and sucked in a deep breath. “I’m not sure what I want done about you, but I don’t like it either way. What do you intend to do?”

Daring stood proud. “I intend to live, whether you want me around or not.”

The writer/adventurer turned her head to study Daring with a lone, critical eye. “And should the princesses decide that you aren’t really a living being?”

“Then I’ll make Twilight fix it,” she shot back. “They might be princesses, but they don’t have the right to decide my fate like that! And neither do you.”

The real Daring waved a dismissive hoof. “That’s an entirely different debate, one that I do not want to get involved in right now. Should you survive, then maybe, but that’s a big if. I know you, and I know you’re gonna do exactly what you say.”

“Shut up!” Daring turned away with a huff. “I’m already sick of you acting like you know everything.”

“When it comes to you, I do. Don’t you get it? We’re the same pony, from our memories to our thought processes. Would you think any differently if you were in my horseshoes?”

No. To Daring’s horror, she realized that she would be just as upset. She tried to think of some sort of argument, one that would convince her. “You… You can’t condemn me for existing. It’s not like I had a choice!”

The real Daring grabbed her such that they were face to face once more. “You have a choice. Those are my memories in your head, my pain, my hopes and dreams. They are what make me unique. They are important to me, and I do not want to share them! You’re a clone, a damn doppelganger, and what you have is mine. Mine, Daring!”

Curse her. It was an argument so perfect, because Daring believed it. She would have said the exact same thing!

Daring shoved the pony away with a snarl. “You can’t ask me to just throw my future away for you. I’m not the same! I have almost two week’s worth of memories and experiences that you and I don’t share. By that definition, you and I are no longer the same pony!”

The real Daring paused and rubbed her chin. “That’s a decent point... but you still have everything in you that makes you me.”

“No, I don’t.” Daring walked over to pick up the shawl that had been cast aside and display it to her creator. “I had no idea A.K. Yearling and Daring Do were one and the same. The only existence I know is that which was in the books. That means there’s a whole other half of your life that I know nothing about! We are not the same.”

The real Daring came forward and took the shawl, studying it in her hooves with scrutiny. “Okay, another point in your favor. It still doesn’t sit well with me, though.”

“I don’t like it, either,” Daring admitted, “but if you’re intending to do something about this, you know I will respond in kind. Which one of us do you think would win in a brawl?”

The real Daring huffed a small laugh. “I never intended to fight you. Like I said, I just wanted to talk.” She put the shawl on, her wings hidden effectively beneath it. “But, for the record, I think right now it’s too close to call.”

Daring watched as the pony went to pick up her hat and glasses, transforming back into A.K. Yearling.

“If they do decide to try and keep me alive, what will you do?”

“I will abide by the princesses’ decision,” Yearling said. “I’m not about to go arguing with royalty. Well, not good royalty, anyway.” She reached into her vest and produced something. “I believe you came here looking for this?”

Daring’s eyes went wide; the Tear of Ay Dede. It was a night-blue gemstone, tiny flecks shimmering like stars in its tear-shaped surface. Yearling offered it, and she took it slowly, as if it were a newborn foal needing the utmost care.

“Thank you. I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to give it to Fluttershy.”

Yearling’s eyebrows rose. “Fluttershy?”

Daring pulled the gemstone close and stepped back, blushing. “She’s… somepony I met. In Ponyville.”

Yearling eyed her, face unreadable. “You might be different, after all. Tell me, how important is this pony, to you?”

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Daring snapped, tucking the Tear inside her vest.

“I see. That important, then.”

Daring blushed, anger rising within her once more. “What’s it to you? I’m allowed to have a crush, aren’t I?”

“Does she like you?”

Daring took a step back, face burning. “I… I don’t know, okay? She might."

Yearling locked her with a dark stare. “Be very careful with what you do, Daring. You might end up hurting her.”

“What?” Daring shook her head, confusion mixing with her frustration. “Why would I hurt Fluttershy?”

Yearling sighed and removed her glasses. “I have been around magic enough to have an idea of how it works, which is another thing you wouldn’t know about. Princess Twilight might be able to extend your stay, but a permanent version of the spell has to be years away, if not decades. You’ll have to come back, what, once a month? Just to stay alive. No room for error.”

Daring didn’t like the sound of this, but it was a small price to pay for existence. “What’s your point?”

Yearling sat, her expression as grim and focused as ever. “You’re an adventurer, Daring. I’m amazed you were able to stay put in Ponyville for as long as you have. You need to go exploring, and you will go someday. You won’t be able to resist the allure, the thrill of the journey, the exhilaration of the danger! So you’ll leave Ponyville, and leave Fluttershy and Twilight behind.”

Daring sneered, but couldn’t deny that it made perfect sense. “It’s no big deal. I’ll just have to make sure I’m back in time for the recharge, that’s all.”

“I don’t think you understand,” Yearling said. “No. Room. For. Error. None! You miss one recharge, and that’s it, you go poof, like you never existed. Even if Twilight were to create another you, it wouldn’t be the same, because all the memories and experiences you’d earned since being first created would be gone. You wouldn’t even know who Fluttershy is, much less your relationship with her.”

Daring stood tall and leaned into the pony's face. “I won’t miss a recharge.”

Yearling hit her, a whack right on the cheek. “Don’t be naïve! If you’re really Daring Do, then you know that at some point you’ll be on some extremely important quest where you have to make the decision to save the day or save yourself. When that day comes, you’ll choose to be the hero, because that’s what we do!”

Daring stepped back, rubbing her cheek. “S-stop, that’s not—”

“It is!” Yearling came forward, maintaining the close distance and her harsh glare. “You know it’s true! And what will happen to Fluttershy then? She won’t have a clue what happened to you, she’ll just know that you’re gone. Forever! Would you put her through that? Can you? We’re not infallible, Daring, and we do buck up.”

Daring dropped to her haunches, still rubbing her cheek. Horror and loss were creeping into her mind. “But… B-but I like her. If you met her, you’d understand! How am I supposed to just ignore her?”

“If you can’t,” Yearling replied as she turned away, “maybe it’s better you let the spell wear off. I guarantee you, Daring; getting into a romance – with Fluttershy or any pony – will only lead to tears. But they won’t be yours. You’ll be dead, or close enough to it.”

Daring drooped, all anger washed away. She wanted to argue, to make some sound, perfect point to discredit what Yearling was saying. But that was just it: Yearling’s argument was exactly what Daring would have come up with.

And she had no way to debate it.

“It won’t be like that!” she cried as Yearling went to the wall from which she’d come. “I’ll do whatever I have to! Fluttershy is not going to suffer because of me.”

Yearling glanced back at her, calm and patient. “Y’know, maybe you really aren’t me. If you were, you’d realize what you were saying doesn’t fit in with the reality of things. I’m not going to stop you. Do whatever you like, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. Goodbye, Daring. I don’t think we’ll meet again.”

She stomped a hoof, the wall turned and she was gone.

The other wall rotated in the same instant, depositing Rainbow Dash face-first onto the hard stone floor. She climbed to her hooves, eyes spinning. “Ooowww… Daring? What just happened?”

Daring wanted to fake confidence. She wanted to act as if nothing serious had just occurred and Rainbow had simply taken an odd tumble, but she couldn’t work up the energy.

“Nothing.” She stood and trudged out the door, head low. “Not a damn thing.”

Daring knew she’d not done a good job of handling Rainbow. She’d maintained a depressed mood all the way back to Ponyville, unable to get Yearling’s words out of her head. Rainbow had been worried, which was perfectly understandable, but Daring didn’t dare share what happened. She was able to convince her fan that she was just depressed because the exploration of the castle hadn’t been very fulfilling.

Curious thing was, she’d completely forgotten that she’d been given the Tear of Ay Dede, so when she’d told Rainbow that the journey had been unsuccessful, she’d actually believed it at the time. It wasn’t until after Rainbow had finally left that Daring remembered the jewel in her vest. The sight of the Tear was encouraging, enough so that it gave Daring hope. She wanted to believe that Yearling was wrong. More than that, she wanted to prove it.

So she did what she’d planned all along: she brought the Tear to the Carousel Boutique. The owner – one Rarity – was a close friend of Fluttershy’s and had a gift for design. She knew of Daring, having dabbled into her book series out of curiosity, but wasn’t necessarily what one might call a ‘fan.’ Even so, Daring’s appearance in Ponyville had inspired the fashionista to conceive a new ‘adventurer’ line of clothing, much to Daring’s chagrin.

Daring commissioned a necklace from Rarity utilizing the Tear of Ay Dede. She had no bits with which to pay for such a job, though, so she was forced to do the only thing she could think of: she promised to model a few pieces from Rarity’s new line once they were finished. She wasn’t looking forward to that – fashion was about as appealing to Daring as walking on hot coals – but for Fluttershy, she took the deal.

It was just past sundown when she finally trudged her way back to Fluttershy’s cottage. Lights glowed dimly from the windows, a bastion leading to safety. Yearling’s words still floated through her mind. What if trying backfired? What if she really was destined to disappear, regardless of what the princesses decided? She found herself sitting before the front door, shivering in the frigid air. It was as if entering that cottage was the hardest thing she’d ever done, and why? It wasn’t like she had to make the decision now, right?

She shook herself, grimacing and trying to build up her courage. She was being ridiculous! She forced herself to her hooves and went inside, ready to face—

“There you are!” Fluttershy was in her face in an instant, nearly making Daring step back out into the snow. “I was so worried, I thought maybe something had happened to you.”

Daring could only stare as Fluttershy pulled her inside, slammed the door and began to study her from all angles. “You were... worried about me?”

“Of course I was.” Fluttershy stepped back with a hoof over her heart, breathing a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad you’re okay. The Everfree Forest is dangerous enough on its own, but you went to that terrible, scary castle! Who knows what might have happened? It’s so—” she dropped to a fearful stance, “—creepy.”

Daring was touched; Fluttershy had been genuinely worried about her! It made her feel justified in her feelings, and her intentions. She offered a calm smile as she said, “I’m okay, so you don’t have to worry anymore.”

“So you say,” Fluttershy replied, frowning. “What about the next time you go off on some adventure? I’ll be on pins and needles the entire time!” But then her unpleasant look faded to curiosity. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

Daring grinned. “As a matter of fact, I did! I already gave it to Rarity.”

Fluttershy blinked. “Rare… Rarity? W-why would you give it to her?” She was hiding behind her mane again, which made Daring nervous.

“I wanted it set,” the story-born adventurer explained. “It’s a prize, and it needs to be properly… displayed. Your friend Rarity can do that for me.”

She frowned and glanced back at the door, as if afraid the fashion designer might be right behind her. “But boy, was the price steep. At least I don’t have to worry about becoming a model for her on a regular basis.”

Fluttershy giggled. “I find it hard to believe that you would agree to model for anything.”

“Well, I did.” Daring took a moment to eye her host’s figure before adding, “I think it’ll be worth it.”

“I hope so,” Fluttershy replied. “But please, don’t worry me like that. I don’t want anything to happen, you know?”

Her words struck Daring, reminding her of Yearling. What if something bad did happen? She wanted to thrust the thoughts back, but they were there and they didn’t want to go away. Even so, as she stared at Fluttershy, she had a sudden urge to confess her attraction. To let it out and be damned with the consequences! Yet the risks involved…

It wasn’t a decision she could make so easily. Maybe, if she could just gauge Fluttershy’s opinion…

“C-can I ask you a question?”

Fluttershy had half-turned away, but paused to smile at her guest. “Of course!”

Daring sat, trying to think of how to word her thoughts without giving anything away. It wasn’t easy. But then, Fluttershy had no idea, right? So if she just played her cards right…

“If you… If you had only so much time left, and you didn’t know if you could be saved…” She rubbed the back of her head, fighting to figure out the right words. “If… If you had a reason to stay… a really good reason, but there were a lot of risks—”

“Stay.”

Daring blinked, her train of thought completely derailed. She gazed at Fluttershy, who was now facing her directly with a somber, serious manner. “Y… You didn’t let me finish.”

Then Fluttershy stepped forward and rested her head on Daring’s shoulder.

“Stay with me.”

Daring had dodged cutthroats, tricked monsters and dueled demigods without batting an eye, all while maintaining a cool, focused head. Right now? Her mind was frozen. Her lips worked, but no sound would come out of her throat. Surely she hadn’t just heard that…

“I noticed,” the beautiful mare whispered, nuzzling Daring’s neck with all the gentleness of a dove. “You were trying to hide it, but I noticed. And I know you’re scared, because you don’t know what’s coming. So let me be the one to make the decision. Stay, Daring. Please…”

Daring did what came naturally: she grabbed Fluttershy and held her close. For a few quiet seconds they held on, Fluttershy’s heart thumping against Daring’s own quiet chest. “H-how long have you known?”

“Since the train ride home,” Fluttershy confessed. “You were… obvious.”

Daring took a step back to look into Fluttershy’s eyes, noting how she was blushing wildly. “Then why didn’t you say anything?”

Fluttershy smiled and averted her gaze. “Why didn’t you?”

Daring grinned and rubbed the back of her head, face burning, but she sobered very quickly. “I… Are you sure about this? What if I… y’know… don’t make it?”

“You let me worry about that,” Fluttershy declared. “It’s my risk to take.”

Once again, Daring was forced to reconsider her view towards her host. She felt so… light. She smiled softly as she said, “I thought you were supposed to be the cowardly one?”

“Oh, I am,” Fluttershy countered with complete seriousness. “I’m afraid of many, many things! But I feel safe when you’re around. And happy, and—”

Daring cut her off with a kiss, which felt so good it left her seeing stars... and her wings wide open.

Author's Note

Looking at Fluttershy's overall development in Season 3, I felt it would be a good thing to show her being the confident, determined one of this pairing. She's accepting the risk and putting on a brave face, something that she'd have never done way back in Season 1. Being a devoted Flutterfan, I tend to take pride in her character growth, and this was just one way to show it.

And there was no way I wasn't going to have Daring Do not meet herself, not after the episode Daring Don't. The meeting between them was to be a significant eye-opener, and casts the ethics question into a slightly different light. Daring strikes me as a rather aggressive and selfish character, and I can easily see her taking offense to somepony creating a clone of her. But at the same time, she's no monster, and not about to directly punish her clone for simply existing. It's a situation that could have been much more deeply explored, but had to be left where it was if I was going to finish this story with any kind of speed.