Oh the Places You'll Goby CornonthebobChaptersAnother Day at the OfficeNot Like that!Tapping OutAnother Day at the Office“And when you're alone there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.” -Dr. Seuss She was sweating more now. The lava had risen a few more feet in the past few seconds and the small piece of rock she’d been sheltering on was looking more and more like a deathtrap. The bubbling molten stew already covered the floor and the original entrance she came in through was flooded. Daring knew she only had moments to figure out a plan before she became barbecue. A second tunnel higher up on the wall was too far away to jump to and there was no way she could fly across with the weight of the Marellenium Medallion slung across her neck. She hadn't snuck past the mummy guards of Tzerneck and dodged through the Hall of Fifty Thousand Torments to be killed by natures molasses. Think Daring, Think! This is not the time to be second guessing yourself girl. She scooted nervously as her mind raced, sweat cascading down her face as more and more rapidly the carpet became lava. “Aha!” She had it. Hefting her trusty whip she lashed out and caught one of the stone rafters that adorned the high temple ceiling. Tugging on her lifeline to make sure it was secure, she quickly leaned back and jumped. The small space had left little in the way of gaining momentum so as she began to slow down at the lowest point of her swing Daring quickly unfurled her wings and beat the air furiously urging herself to push forward. She gritted her teeth as the lava continued to rise. “GAH!” the lava had risen high enough that the tip of her tail brushed against the molten substance causing her to cry out and instinctively shut her eyes. In her momentary lapse of control, she let go of the whip and her mind screamed in terror as she felt the coiled strip of leather fall out from her teeth. “You’ve met with a terrible fate haven’t you…?” Any ordinary pony would've been burnt to cinders, but as our astute reader can infer, she was by no means an ordinary pony. Her eyes shot open again and thankfully she wasn't greeted by the sounds of angels and trumpets, but of the collapsing temple. Not the worst case scenario, but far from the best. She would've let out a sigh of relief if she had the time; had she had the time at least as a chunk of ceiling impacted the space she was previously occupying. When you overstay your welcome it's best to run She chuckled to herself. At a full gallop she sped down the long narrow hallway her hoofs clanging against the polished stone. Like any good monster movie the lava gave chase, more out temple design rather than motive you see. She reached a near blinding speed and her legs carried her so fast she had to narrow her eyes to shield them from the rushing air. She hadn’t seen this tunnel on her way in so she had no idea where it would be taking her. It didn’t make any sense to her in her head. The floor had cracked unleashing tides of magma before she even took the medallion. She’d seen it a thousand times, that the trap went off after grabbing the priceless artifact, not beforehand, that’s not how things were done. Everything about this temple was so generic she could have navigated it in her sleep. But then why had the lava been in the wrong order? Something wasn’t right. Blindly running through the tunnel she could scarcely figure out which way to go in the dark narrow passages illuminated by the onrushing tide behind her. As she continued to run she saw streaks of light begin to stream from the sides of the wall to her left. Her breath caught in her throat for a second as she feared that at first the entire passage was immersed in lava, however the lump quickly passed as she realized the light wasn’t the same orange red color as the wave of death coming after her, no…it was daylight! Daring Do shouted out in joy as she realized she had a way out. Digging her front hooves into the stone floor sliding while she did so she took in a sharp breath hoping her luck would hold out. Rearing up her hind legs and silently praying to Celestia she wall was thin enough to break. If not she would probably end up breaking both her hind legs, which in her circumstances would have been the opposite of helpful. Throwing caution to wind she bucked as hard as she could. ======================================= Fate decided to have some fun with her that day. Two things broke in that moment, the wall, and her wing. As the walls of Jericho came tumbling down she never considered collateral damage. A brick fell from the top and crashed down on the delicate extremity smashing the bones inside with a sickening crunch. She screamed as she tumbled out of the corridor into the open air. Careening down the sloped ruins she smashed against the hard stone several times. Her cry bounced all about the jungle as the passage collapsed behind her blocking in the cascading lava. Finally coming to land at the bottom the mare simply laid the. Daring choked on the dust as she tried to rise to her feet but an agonizing jolt tore through her torso and she screamed again her wing hung limply by her side. Falling to her feet, she was in far too much pain to try and walk again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to drag herself forward. Even this simple task requested too much from her body. The cuts and burns scrapped roughly across the coarse dirt surrounding the temple and she grimaced. Much like jumping from a burning plane without a parachute you had traded an immediate danger for an equally albeit slower one. Only hindsight would provide the means to know that. She managed to pull herself under the shade of a tree where she curled up sobbing. Famous adventurer or not, getting your wing crushed by a rock was one of the most painful things a Pegasus could hope to never encounter. She was a brave courageous mare, but a broken wing could paralyze the best of their kind. She didn't know how much time passed before her nerves stopped screaming. Reaching down into her saddlebag she pulled her canteen out and shakily took a swig of water. The liquid soothed the ragged tissue of her throat and brought some relief to her sore aching body. The tears had finally stopped and she was only sniffling now. Pulling out several bandages from the pack and with a couple of sticks she fashioned a makeshift splint. Gingerly wrapping her wing she cried out several times as it felt the broken bones protest her handling. By the time she finished she was sweating and shaking all over.. With trembling hooves she pulled off the Marellenium Medallion and tucked it into the deepest recesses of the bag. She needed to rest. The night was coming but she was too far tied to try and build a fire. Without anything else to ward of the approaching cold Daring pitifully clung to her pack. Pulling her helmet over face she tried to conserve as much heat as she could, it was going to be a miserable night. Pulling the bags against herself she positioned her body in a way that wouldn’t further injure her broken wing. Nestling into her makeshift bed she drifted to a fitful sleep. Not Like that!“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” ― Dr. Seuss Stepping out onto the balcony, the Princess of Night observed her evening work. Taking in breaths of cold air she closed her eyes and basked in the glory of the night. A smile crept to her lips. The wind whipped against her tail and mane sending them fluttering in the breeze. She hardly registered when her sister walked up behind her. Celestia observed her sister whilst walking alongside her. She chuckled, “it’s good to see you with a smile on your face for once Luna” she teased. The smaller alicorn blushed furiously and coughed several times. “Why yes! Of course! It’s been so busy around the Canterlot courts recently that I haven’t had much time to sit back appreciate anything, much less my own work.” Luna cast her glance up to the moon again and sighed. “Sometimes, Celestia, I cannot help but wonder how two ponies like us managed to do something so beautiful every single day and night.” Celestia levitated a small plate of cookies to her sister who gave a mirthless laugh before taking one. Biting into the sweet Luna paused before chewing and swallowing. “Oh sometimes I think the chief thinks the same thing.” She took another. “I didn’t know Frances was back from his sabbatical?” The solar princess took one for herself and between chews answered. “Just got back in time I think Luna. I’ve been dying for his sweets ever since he left.” Celestia paused for a moment than glanced down toward scuffing her hoofs along the stone of the balcony. “Something wrong my sister?” Celestia sighed gently and her gaze wandered up to the moon. After a moment’s hesitation she spoke. “Sometimes dear sister, I wonder the same thing, how we do what we do. Yet, I find it moments like this, it is best to simply enjoy the things you’ve created. For change is inevitable in its vast and terrible nature, so cling to that which keeps you joyous and your days will be glad.” Luna raised her eye brows at the uncharacteristically poignant speech before laughing softly. “Sage words my dear sister, and I thought Nightmare Moon enjoyed long speeches!” Celestia blushed at the comment before throwing her sister a playful look. “Sorry Luna, sometimes I forget to turn off my more formal personality. Always entertaining bureaucrats gives you an overly formal speech sometimes and it doesn’t go away easily. Like you said, it can get very stressful.” “You should probably start drinking again.” The two laughed quietly at their jest enjoying the calm of the evening. It would surely be a lovely night. The End… Unfortunately, as much as it would be nice for this to the end of the story, the point of any tale rests not in the lull, but in action. That any story of merit like the heroes it pertains to, are forged in conflict and strife. The two sisters would have their fill by the end of that night. The anathema that would plague their nation, no, their world, as well as tying in the destinies of so many lives and stories would bring calamity raining down upon them. The last night of peace that this world would enjoy for a great many nights was about to end. A quiet end really, as if a mute choking their last breath, quietly, pitifully, and unheard and unnoticed. There were others things to be worried about honestly. The end of a day promised tomorrow so how could they have known to worry. How could they have known that death was at their door? They didn’t, and they wouldn’t. It all began with three. ============ “Daring Do” It was a small noise, almost indistinguishable from the sounds of the forest, the rustle of trees and the hush of the wind. She had heard it though, something had whispered her name. As if on a switch her eyes suddenly snapped open. Her head shot up without warning and she uncurled her body switching to a defensive stance. Her eyes were bloodshot and her heart jerked suddenly at the rapid change of action. Her sleepy brain fumbled clumsily after her instincts still trying to piece together the details. It had barely registered that she already had whip in mouth and was brandishing it threateningly against the unseen opponent. Her wing protested the sudden motion and she grimaced as the dull pain not erupted to life again. “Schloo – uuoslf!” Daring paused for a moment before slapping her forehead in exasperation. Putting down the whip she salvaged her mangling of the English language. “Show yourself!” Only silence answered her command. Someone’s there! I know I heard something! Her vision darted from side to side attempting to locate the stranger in the woods. It was an unbearably long minute as she strained her hearing to pick up on something, anything. “Daring do” It happened again but this time it wasn’t alone. This time with the cracking screeching sound of a tree being uprooted, groaning as it was torn asunder. Daring took a step back and snatched the whip up off the ground. “Stay back! I’m armed pal!” Daring shouted at the cold dark forest. “I’ll certainly say Miss Do.” The pony’s eyes shrunk as she heard that voice. “There’s no way he could be here.” Her heart thundered in her chest as she immediately recognized the owner of the voice. To her great dread her nemesis, the hulking form of Ahuizotl broke the tree line. His blue fur glowed menacingly against the starlight, the outlines of several of his pet carnivores skulked around her forming a semi-circle with the outnumbered mare at the center. “Armed and dangerous Miss Do” Ahuizotl echoed her. “Though, nowhere near as normal my dear, in fact, far less than normal.” Daring bared her teeth at him, still clutching her whip, her gaze dead set on monster. “Mmmmphh, mmmphhh?” “Wut?” Her enemy cocked his head in confusion and scratched the top of his head. She cursed herself for once again forgetting there was a whip in her mouth. She shot her loathsome enemy a venomous look before spitting out her whip again. “I asked why you were here Ahuizotl?” Regaining his composure after the initial and awkward exchange, he slipped easily back into his proper role. Waving one of his hands dramatically Ahuizol continued. “I really should thank you Daring, retrieving the Marellenium Medallion and guarding it for me. If I didn’t know better you actually wanted me to have it.” He paused to look at her grinning. “So instead of trading black eyes as usual, why don’t you make it simple on yourself and just hand it over? What do you say?” He stroked her cheek tenderly and her eyes narrowed. Lashing out suddenly the whip snapped and Ahuizotl ducked quickly out of the way, his cats wincing at the sharp noise. Glancing at the spot where his head had previously occupied, her dreaded enemy grinned again. “Tsk, tsk Daring, your beauty is only matched by your tenacity! She simply growled. He paused briefly to chuckle “However, I know your health is not in the greatest state, so instead of causing you more pain, I’ll let you off the hook for once.” He brought his face closer to hers, “For the measly price of one…little…medallion.” Being the polite, calm, and civilized mare she was, Daring Do cautiously selected the most diplomatic and agreeable answer she could... Ahuizotl wiped the spit out of his eye while barring his teeth at the mare. “Have it your way Daring” he snarled. The cats pounced as if on cue. Claws extended ready to rend flesh with fangs bared and eyes dead set on ending Miss Do’s illustrious career. The largest of the cats a tiger, reached her first, or thought it did anyway. Instead of claws tearing a mustard yellow pony apart, it instead received the biting end of a cowhide whip sending it sprawling away. Another pounced on the mare but was swiftly met with a buck from her hind legs leaving is gasping and staggering away. If every dog was to have its day it was the kitten. The tiny miniscule white kitten managed to slip into the melee unseen by the veteran fighters currently occupying it. With a loud hiss it leapt up and clawed Daring’s face. The claws hit home and dug into her skin and with a toward pull tore open the sensitive flesh. “Gwah!” The mare cried out dropping her whip and shutting her eyes as the rest of the cats pounced. The struggle kicked up a cloud of dust which Ahuizotl watched with great amusement. Reaching down into her saddlebags he plucked his prize. When the dust had settled only moments later Daring Do was held down by the paws of her assailants struggling viciously but utterly beaten. “Give…it…back!” She grunted while straining against her captors. He merely laughed at her efforts. “Bad form Miss Do. If only I had known you were this easy to beat, our history together would be much briefer. Perhaps I only lost the Sapphire Stone to my own error rather than your…shall I say lackluster skills.” Villains loved to monologue and none as much as Ahuizotl. “Yet, I feel as if tonight is a beautiful night Miss Do, and I’d hate to waste such a beautiful night with merely taking one thing from you. What’s the expression your kind uses?” His grin returned in all its malicious glory. “Upping the ante?” Daring didn’t like the sound of this at all. “What are you going to do Ahuizotl?” The villain merely smiled sweetly before continuing. “Well you see Miss Do, we’ve been about this little dance of ours for quite some time. You defeating me and vise versa. Stealing my treasure, you getting beaten up and thrown off a cliff. However, if I was to take this medallion from you, it wouldn’t trouble you for long. Sooner or later you’d be out adventuring again until our paths crossed. Material objects clearly aren’t of much sentimental value to you. Are they?” He got closer to her now. “So I’ve considered that this time I should take something...” He ran a hand through her mane. “…more permanent.” If her eyes were small before they shrunk even more now. Her voice stammered as her heart continued to speed on. “T-take w-what exactly?” Her mind raced towards some unsavory thoughts and for some reason the jungle got a little warmer. Her uniform had torn in the scuffle and Daring suddenly became well aware it left little to the imagination, she figured everyone else present had noticed it too. Oh my god he can’t be serious. I mean…I-I-I know we’ve have some strange sexual tension in the past. B-But-but…and oh god why me?! His hand glided down lower on her body passing through her mane and heading towards her back. “I was considering Miss Do, taking something a little…more personal to you.” What if there are kids?! What do I do then? I’ll have to settle down?! I can’t be a mom! I’ve never even driven to a soccer game! His voice got lower and deeper, its timbres rumbling through the air. “Something you can’t ever, ever get back.” His hand was passing down between her wings. Holyshitholyshitholyshit “Don’t you even think about that!” Daring virtually screamed at him causing Ahuizotl to back away, startled at the sudden outburst. Daring frantically tried covering herself with her hooves. “This not okay at all Ahuizotl! We’re supposed to be enemies!” Daring was getting hysterical “I don’t think of you like that! “I know there’s been some stuff between us in the past but for the sake of Celestia, NO!” His mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged. “B-but that…that’s not what I…Oh my god Daring,..what….?!” Pulling a hoof out from her captors she pointed it accusingly. “You wanted to have your way with me you freak!” “Why would you even think about that? That’s not what I meant at all!” “Of course it is!…I mean…I- You…weren’t…” “….oh….” The two of them exchanged awkward glances and even the predatory cats loosened their grip on Daring suddenly disgusted as realization washed over them. Ahuizotl broke the silence first. “I-I was just going to break your other wing Daring…why would I even? With you?...Jesus, how long have you been alone in the jungle?!” She was blushing furiously. “Shit….” Her enemy pawed the ground nervously for a moment neither willing to make further eye contact. Daring coughed. “So…I guess this is the part I beg you about not breaking my other wing.” The villain glanced up, still clearly uncomfortable. He made a reach for a wing but stopped. “Eh-not-not…today Daring Do. We have….other business…to…Look…Look just don’t follow us. I have the medallion, you’re beaten, heroine loses, villain wins.” The cats let go her as Ahuizotl quickly turned back. His face held an awkward expression and he quickly made his way towards the deeper parts of the jungle leaving Daring dazed and confused. Before he disappeared he glanced back at his foe. She rose shakily to her hooves, her face still flushing beet red. Not wanting to make it anymore awkward Ahuizotl quickly turned and vanished. The fight had left her exhausted and after the blood finally decided to abandon her cheeks, Daring fell fast asleep. It seemed she had unnerved the forest enough for one night, it wouldn't disturb her again. I want to kill myself some days A rumble in her stomach told her it was breakfast. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, so maybe it was lunch, or worse yet dinner. She had laid there for several hours recovering from the fight and embarrassment. The last of the granola bars had been trampled to death during the fight and as she raised the canteen to her lips she discovered the bottom had been punctured. The precious liquid seeped out much to her dismay. Throwing down the useless hunk of metal she nearly screamed in frustration. The fight had left her too tired to walk anywhere and without supplies Ahuizotl might have as well killed her. She wasn’t ready to give up; but she wasn’t ready to die either. Furiously she plotted ideas and strategies, the prognosis becoming more and more grim as she mentally calculated her poor chance of success out in the woods. Still embarrassed about her thoughts as well the moment stayed with her buzzing about as a fly. “Think Daring think!” She smacked a hoof against her forehead in frustration. She banged her head against a nearby tree. I can’t fly out here. I can’t walk out of here. It’s too soon for the academy to send a search party and Cat lady and his goonies destroyed all my supplies.” She lifted her head; a grim smile adorned her face. There’s no way out is there? She glanced up towards the top of the trees where glints of sunlight filtered through. I’m going to need a miracle. For better or for worse, a miracle is exactly what she got. Tapping OutNow, When you actually sit for a second and consider some things, a miracle is a rather subjective concept don’t you think? Divine Intervention, a Heroic Rescue, and Plain stupid luck? We can thank our friends, the creator, or whatever someone happens to believe in. I’m very certain most of the animal kingdom was quite glad when the dinosaurs kicked the bucket. They praised the giant flaming boulder that wiped out the giant bloodthirsty lizards. I’m fairly certain the meteor didn’t care for their praise. On the other hand the dinosaurs themselves should be considered. Did they appreciate being wiped out? Not quite so much. Miracles are a strange thing. Her snout was still pressed into the surface of the jungle floor when she felt it. She had been traveling the world long enough to differentiate natural from unnatural phenomenon, and whatever had decided to interrupt her sleep definitely the latter. Her eyes shot open as she felt the earth tremble. Lifting her head with a groan she winced as the sore muscles complained at the sudden movement. Her dry mouth huffed as her breath quickened in response to the unknown movement. Her mind was lagging far behind her instincts and like an aquarium of black moors she clumsily roused to awareness. “wusattwhosdere….” She mumbled incoherently. Her sense of balance was still struggling to reassert itself. Shakily she tried to rise to her feet. She tried to raise herself up in case she had to start running; not that she was in any position to. The earth shook again and Daring fell heavily to her knees. A squawking filled the area and her eyes widened as she saw a swarm of birds emerge from the trees. Pulling her hat down over her face Daring bit the earth as the massive black swarm passed overhead screaming off into the sky. What’s going on?! What’s happening out there? She was answered by a deafening explosion. Her heart almost stopped as a great light suddenly appeared in the sky. Her eyes opened impossibly wide as a brilliant plume of fire and smoke burst from the clouds themselves. It rose higher and higher touching the heavens. The fire spread out into the sky its wrath lashed out threatening to set the earth ablaze. The rumbling started again and Daring felt the ground beneath her lurch violently. A deathly quiet suddenly followed. A wild guess that’s nothing good, I think it’s time to get up Daring. The trees suddenly buckled over. Their leaves were shorn from them as the bark was stripped off in an instant and their mighty trunks splintered and broke. Daring being somewhat less hardy than a tree felt an immense force pluck her off the ground and hurl her against the pile of rubble at her escape tunnel. She barely registered the splinters of wood as they mercilessly pelted her body before she slammed into the stones. The most unfortunate heroine landed on her back twisting the broken wing. “AHGHHHHGHHHHH” Her cries were drowned out as wind blasted past, screaming through the ruined trees and tearing stones from the ruins and hurling them past. The tears streamed out of her eyes as she twisted reflexively trying to ease the mind-numbing, no, mind erasing pain. Her body rolled down the rocks further twisting the abused injury. Her momentum carried her forward and Daring could barely tell up from down as she fell in a heap back onto the forest floor. Dust kicked up by her body as she lay unresponsive in the ground sprawled out. Her broken leg now twisted at a sickening angle. The pain she had felt when she had first broken her wing was nothing compared to the agonizing torture she now felt. She would have given anything to slip into the blissful sleep of unconsciousness, the universe felt otherwise. Streaked with tears she could barely see out of the haze, gritting her teeth she cried out again as several of them tumbled out of her bloody mouth. She tried to rise to her feet but achieved nothing beyond crawling a few paces forward. Collapsing in a heap again Daring suddenly noticed that she was becoming much colder than before. It’s not nightfall yet, how can I be this cold—oh no... Weakly she turned her head downwards and examined her body with growing horror. She barely had time to turn her mouth upwards as she threw up. Fate had seen fit to see Daring Do come out of most of her adventure completely unscathed. From Cabelleron’s traps, to the lava pits of ancient tombs, to the occasional crashing plane; Daring had managed to walk out of each. Evidently, fate had been keeping a tally. Mangled was the only term that could be used to describe her body. All her limbs now matched the broken ones and her mustard coat was stained crimson. Her fur was missing in patches and replaced with ugly burns that oozed pus. Brackish dark blood spurted out from a gash in her side and splinters of wood peppered her body. The rapid onset of shock and blood loss was the only barriers from her mind entering an estranged panic. She doubted she could struggle at this point, she doubted if it was even worth it. But she’d be damned if she didn’t try. Daring regarded the fatal wounds wordlessly, assuming of course her ragged torn throat was capable of speech. The revulsion and horror bubbled up inside of her as blood now filled her lungs. She coughed and sputtered as crimson liquid flew from her mouth and stained her lips a deep red Most normal beings regard their deaths with a kind of acceptance when it’s laid out so plainly for them. Most normal beings accept their ends. Daring was not a normal being. She would fight to bitter end. The very bitter end. The incredibly bitter looking end. Her instincts kicked into overdrive and every fiber of her being shouted at her to get up, to fight, to resist that oh so alluring urge to just lay down and sleep. I-I-I’m not g-gonna die here…I won’t. That wonderful desire to sleep rose within her. The kind of desire that stems from a long day at work, when all we want at the last kissing sunbeams is the embrace of sheets and a pillow. The kind of desire that was about to kill her. The most terrifying sleep she could imagine. She pathetically tried to move limbs that refused her orders, bones and nerves mashed to a pulp. Her vision began to cloud as more blood abandoned her sating the thirst of the grass. No no no no no no Her mind viciously lashed out at her again, trying to make her body move in a way it no longer could. She coughed up more blood as blackness began to invade her vision, her heart filled with dread. The pain began to flood her body and she groaned as her abused nervous systems began to flicker off. Weakly she tried to call out for help. “S-s-omeone….he-lp….p-p-p…lughss,” the words died in her throat. She coughed again staining more of the rocks. Daring could feel her pulse begin to weaken and the panic kicked in again as her brain tried to figure a way out of this mess. Don't be such a baby Daring. I've been through worse. Haven't I? Haven't I? She was terrified.Her mind stopped screaming at her now. It was almost time. Daring Do was at death's door. Oh, Celestia, help me…I don’t want to die… She sobbed again, tears began to flow freely mixing with the blood on her face. The salt stung her wounds. Her thoughts were becoming muddy and she could feel herself slipping. In her panic she barely registered it. The rustle of grass alerted her to the presence of something else. Something was coming; she could barely make out the shape of something coming towards her body. Her body twitched weakly trying to reach out to whoever they were, desperate for someone, anyone. As it neared she could barely make out its form. It towered over her, garbed in a flowing black robe that whipped against the wind. It kneeled down her and whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry, i'm so so sorry." a feminine voice spoke out, its voice filled with regret. Daring didn't respond. She was too busy dying. She closed her eyes, possibly for the last time. “Do you want to live?” it asked in asked sadly. Her eyes fluttered open, she didn't understand. What was going on? "Do. You. Want. To. Live?" It repeated again. The pony nodded weakly. Gentle hands grasped Daring’s face and brought her head, cradling her in its lap. “Do you mean that? Are you absolutely sure? Daring barely moved her head in a ghost of a motion. The figure reached into it's robes, it searched for something deep inside. It pulled out a pen. "W-what?" Daring mumbled weakly. She wasn't going to last much longer and pain was getting worse. The figure reached back into its robes and withdrew a document of some kind. Gingerly the figure awkwardly tried to put the pen into one of Daring's broken hooves and she moaned in pain. Her vision was getting darker and she could feel herself beginning to slip away. The figure didn't seem to notice and unhurriedly stuffed the pen inside Daring's mouth. It held the bottom of the document firmly against the pen. "Sign it," the voice commanded. Between the blood loss and the trauma Daring could barely form a coherent question. "w-w-ha-tt." The figure seemed to grow annoyed. "If you want to live, sign it, Now." Daring still didn't understand, the pen lolled in her mouth uselessly. The darkness now covered most of her vision and her pulse had weakened to the point where she couldn't feel it anymore. "Your going to last another minute." It spoke somewhat angrily. "Your're going to go to sleep and never wake up again. I don't think you want that" The voice grew more sympathetic. "I know you're confused but I can explain later." Nothing to lose at this point I suppose. Geronimo Weakly she scribbled a poorly produced version of her name onto the paper. The pain was reaching a new crescendo. The figure placed a hand directly over Daring’s face and closed her eyelids as if encouraging her to sleep. "I'm going to give you something for the pain," the voice cooed gently. Something slipped into the chest pocket of her shirt. “Give this to the lady at the desk.” “W-what?” The figure suddenly gripped the mare’s head and twisted, snapping her neck. Daring’s vision was forced upward, the air filled with an organic crunching sound. Then nothing., Daring Do slipped off into the darkness.
Another Day at the Office“And when you're alone there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.” -Dr. Seuss She was sweating more now. The lava had risen a few more feet in the past few seconds and the small piece of rock she’d been sheltering on was looking more and more like a deathtrap. The bubbling molten stew already covered the floor and the original entrance she came in through was flooded. Daring knew she only had moments to figure out a plan before she became barbecue. A second tunnel higher up on the wall was too far away to jump to and there was no way she could fly across with the weight of the Marellenium Medallion slung across her neck. She hadn't snuck past the mummy guards of Tzerneck and dodged through the Hall of Fifty Thousand Torments to be killed by natures molasses. Think Daring, Think! This is not the time to be second guessing yourself girl. She scooted nervously as her mind raced, sweat cascading down her face as more and more rapidly the carpet became lava. “Aha!” She had it. Hefting her trusty whip she lashed out and caught one of the stone rafters that adorned the high temple ceiling. Tugging on her lifeline to make sure it was secure, she quickly leaned back and jumped. The small space had left little in the way of gaining momentum so as she began to slow down at the lowest point of her swing Daring quickly unfurled her wings and beat the air furiously urging herself to push forward. She gritted her teeth as the lava continued to rise. “GAH!” the lava had risen high enough that the tip of her tail brushed against the molten substance causing her to cry out and instinctively shut her eyes. In her momentary lapse of control, she let go of the whip and her mind screamed in terror as she felt the coiled strip of leather fall out from her teeth. “You’ve met with a terrible fate haven’t you…?” Any ordinary pony would've been burnt to cinders, but as our astute reader can infer, she was by no means an ordinary pony. Her eyes shot open again and thankfully she wasn't greeted by the sounds of angels and trumpets, but of the collapsing temple. Not the worst case scenario, but far from the best. She would've let out a sigh of relief if she had the time; had she had the time at least as a chunk of ceiling impacted the space she was previously occupying. When you overstay your welcome it's best to run She chuckled to herself. At a full gallop she sped down the long narrow hallway her hoofs clanging against the polished stone. Like any good monster movie the lava gave chase, more out temple design rather than motive you see. She reached a near blinding speed and her legs carried her so fast she had to narrow her eyes to shield them from the rushing air. She hadn’t seen this tunnel on her way in so she had no idea where it would be taking her. It didn’t make any sense to her in her head. The floor had cracked unleashing tides of magma before she even took the medallion. She’d seen it a thousand times, that the trap went off after grabbing the priceless artifact, not beforehand, that’s not how things were done. Everything about this temple was so generic she could have navigated it in her sleep. But then why had the lava been in the wrong order? Something wasn’t right. Blindly running through the tunnel she could scarcely figure out which way to go in the dark narrow passages illuminated by the onrushing tide behind her. As she continued to run she saw streaks of light begin to stream from the sides of the wall to her left. Her breath caught in her throat for a second as she feared that at first the entire passage was immersed in lava, however the lump quickly passed as she realized the light wasn’t the same orange red color as the wave of death coming after her, no…it was daylight! Daring Do shouted out in joy as she realized she had a way out. Digging her front hooves into the stone floor sliding while she did so she took in a sharp breath hoping her luck would hold out. Rearing up her hind legs and silently praying to Celestia she wall was thin enough to break. If not she would probably end up breaking both her hind legs, which in her circumstances would have been the opposite of helpful. Throwing caution to wind she bucked as hard as she could. ======================================= Fate decided to have some fun with her that day. Two things broke in that moment, the wall, and her wing. As the walls of Jericho came tumbling down she never considered collateral damage. A brick fell from the top and crashed down on the delicate extremity smashing the bones inside with a sickening crunch. She screamed as she tumbled out of the corridor into the open air. Careening down the sloped ruins she smashed against the hard stone several times. Her cry bounced all about the jungle as the passage collapsed behind her blocking in the cascading lava. Finally coming to land at the bottom the mare simply laid the. Daring choked on the dust as she tried to rise to her feet but an agonizing jolt tore through her torso and she screamed again her wing hung limply by her side. Falling to her feet, she was in far too much pain to try and walk again. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to drag herself forward. Even this simple task requested too much from her body. The cuts and burns scrapped roughly across the coarse dirt surrounding the temple and she grimaced. Much like jumping from a burning plane without a parachute you had traded an immediate danger for an equally albeit slower one. Only hindsight would provide the means to know that. She managed to pull herself under the shade of a tree where she curled up sobbing. Famous adventurer or not, getting your wing crushed by a rock was one of the most painful things a Pegasus could hope to never encounter. She was a brave courageous mare, but a broken wing could paralyze the best of their kind. She didn't know how much time passed before her nerves stopped screaming. Reaching down into her saddlebag she pulled her canteen out and shakily took a swig of water. The liquid soothed the ragged tissue of her throat and brought some relief to her sore aching body. The tears had finally stopped and she was only sniffling now. Pulling out several bandages from the pack and with a couple of sticks she fashioned a makeshift splint. Gingerly wrapping her wing she cried out several times as it felt the broken bones protest her handling. By the time she finished she was sweating and shaking all over.. With trembling hooves she pulled off the Marellenium Medallion and tucked it into the deepest recesses of the bag. She needed to rest. The night was coming but she was too far tied to try and build a fire. Without anything else to ward of the approaching cold Daring pitifully clung to her pack. Pulling her helmet over face she tried to conserve as much heat as she could, it was going to be a miserable night. Pulling the bags against herself she positioned her body in a way that wouldn’t further injure her broken wing. Nestling into her makeshift bed she drifted to a fitful sleep.
Not Like that!“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” ― Dr. Seuss Stepping out onto the balcony, the Princess of Night observed her evening work. Taking in breaths of cold air she closed her eyes and basked in the glory of the night. A smile crept to her lips. The wind whipped against her tail and mane sending them fluttering in the breeze. She hardly registered when her sister walked up behind her. Celestia observed her sister whilst walking alongside her. She chuckled, “it’s good to see you with a smile on your face for once Luna” she teased. The smaller alicorn blushed furiously and coughed several times. “Why yes! Of course! It’s been so busy around the Canterlot courts recently that I haven’t had much time to sit back appreciate anything, much less my own work.” Luna cast her glance up to the moon again and sighed. “Sometimes, Celestia, I cannot help but wonder how two ponies like us managed to do something so beautiful every single day and night.” Celestia levitated a small plate of cookies to her sister who gave a mirthless laugh before taking one. Biting into the sweet Luna paused before chewing and swallowing. “Oh sometimes I think the chief thinks the same thing.” She took another. “I didn’t know Frances was back from his sabbatical?” The solar princess took one for herself and between chews answered. “Just got back in time I think Luna. I’ve been dying for his sweets ever since he left.” Celestia paused for a moment than glanced down toward scuffing her hoofs along the stone of the balcony. “Something wrong my sister?” Celestia sighed gently and her gaze wandered up to the moon. After a moment’s hesitation she spoke. “Sometimes dear sister, I wonder the same thing, how we do what we do. Yet, I find it moments like this, it is best to simply enjoy the things you’ve created. For change is inevitable in its vast and terrible nature, so cling to that which keeps you joyous and your days will be glad.” Luna raised her eye brows at the uncharacteristically poignant speech before laughing softly. “Sage words my dear sister, and I thought Nightmare Moon enjoyed long speeches!” Celestia blushed at the comment before throwing her sister a playful look. “Sorry Luna, sometimes I forget to turn off my more formal personality. Always entertaining bureaucrats gives you an overly formal speech sometimes and it doesn’t go away easily. Like you said, it can get very stressful.” “You should probably start drinking again.” The two laughed quietly at their jest enjoying the calm of the evening. It would surely be a lovely night. The End… Unfortunately, as much as it would be nice for this to the end of the story, the point of any tale rests not in the lull, but in action. That any story of merit like the heroes it pertains to, are forged in conflict and strife. The two sisters would have their fill by the end of that night. The anathema that would plague their nation, no, their world, as well as tying in the destinies of so many lives and stories would bring calamity raining down upon them. The last night of peace that this world would enjoy for a great many nights was about to end. A quiet end really, as if a mute choking their last breath, quietly, pitifully, and unheard and unnoticed. There were others things to be worried about honestly. The end of a day promised tomorrow so how could they have known to worry. How could they have known that death was at their door? They didn’t, and they wouldn’t. It all began with three. ============ “Daring Do” It was a small noise, almost indistinguishable from the sounds of the forest, the rustle of trees and the hush of the wind. She had heard it though, something had whispered her name. As if on a switch her eyes suddenly snapped open. Her head shot up without warning and she uncurled her body switching to a defensive stance. Her eyes were bloodshot and her heart jerked suddenly at the rapid change of action. Her sleepy brain fumbled clumsily after her instincts still trying to piece together the details. It had barely registered that she already had whip in mouth and was brandishing it threateningly against the unseen opponent. Her wing protested the sudden motion and she grimaced as the dull pain not erupted to life again. “Schloo – uuoslf!” Daring paused for a moment before slapping her forehead in exasperation. Putting down the whip she salvaged her mangling of the English language. “Show yourself!” Only silence answered her command. Someone’s there! I know I heard something! Her vision darted from side to side attempting to locate the stranger in the woods. It was an unbearably long minute as she strained her hearing to pick up on something, anything. “Daring do” It happened again but this time it wasn’t alone. This time with the cracking screeching sound of a tree being uprooted, groaning as it was torn asunder. Daring took a step back and snatched the whip up off the ground. “Stay back! I’m armed pal!” Daring shouted at the cold dark forest. “I’ll certainly say Miss Do.” The pony’s eyes shrunk as she heard that voice. “There’s no way he could be here.” Her heart thundered in her chest as she immediately recognized the owner of the voice. To her great dread her nemesis, the hulking form of Ahuizotl broke the tree line. His blue fur glowed menacingly against the starlight, the outlines of several of his pet carnivores skulked around her forming a semi-circle with the outnumbered mare at the center. “Armed and dangerous Miss Do” Ahuizotl echoed her. “Though, nowhere near as normal my dear, in fact, far less than normal.” Daring bared her teeth at him, still clutching her whip, her gaze dead set on monster. “Mmmmphh, mmmphhh?” “Wut?” Her enemy cocked his head in confusion and scratched the top of his head. She cursed herself for once again forgetting there was a whip in her mouth. She shot her loathsome enemy a venomous look before spitting out her whip again. “I asked why you were here Ahuizotl?” Regaining his composure after the initial and awkward exchange, he slipped easily back into his proper role. Waving one of his hands dramatically Ahuizol continued. “I really should thank you Daring, retrieving the Marellenium Medallion and guarding it for me. If I didn’t know better you actually wanted me to have it.” He paused to look at her grinning. “So instead of trading black eyes as usual, why don’t you make it simple on yourself and just hand it over? What do you say?” He stroked her cheek tenderly and her eyes narrowed. Lashing out suddenly the whip snapped and Ahuizotl ducked quickly out of the way, his cats wincing at the sharp noise. Glancing at the spot where his head had previously occupied, her dreaded enemy grinned again. “Tsk, tsk Daring, your beauty is only matched by your tenacity! She simply growled. He paused briefly to chuckle “However, I know your health is not in the greatest state, so instead of causing you more pain, I’ll let you off the hook for once.” He brought his face closer to hers, “For the measly price of one…little…medallion.” Being the polite, calm, and civilized mare she was, Daring Do cautiously selected the most diplomatic and agreeable answer she could... Ahuizotl wiped the spit out of his eye while barring his teeth at the mare. “Have it your way Daring” he snarled. The cats pounced as if on cue. Claws extended ready to rend flesh with fangs bared and eyes dead set on ending Miss Do’s illustrious career. The largest of the cats a tiger, reached her first, or thought it did anyway. Instead of claws tearing a mustard yellow pony apart, it instead received the biting end of a cowhide whip sending it sprawling away. Another pounced on the mare but was swiftly met with a buck from her hind legs leaving is gasping and staggering away. If every dog was to have its day it was the kitten. The tiny miniscule white kitten managed to slip into the melee unseen by the veteran fighters currently occupying it. With a loud hiss it leapt up and clawed Daring’s face. The claws hit home and dug into her skin and with a toward pull tore open the sensitive flesh. “Gwah!” The mare cried out dropping her whip and shutting her eyes as the rest of the cats pounced. The struggle kicked up a cloud of dust which Ahuizotl watched with great amusement. Reaching down into her saddlebags he plucked his prize. When the dust had settled only moments later Daring Do was held down by the paws of her assailants struggling viciously but utterly beaten. “Give…it…back!” She grunted while straining against her captors. He merely laughed at her efforts. “Bad form Miss Do. If only I had known you were this easy to beat, our history together would be much briefer. Perhaps I only lost the Sapphire Stone to my own error rather than your…shall I say lackluster skills.” Villains loved to monologue and none as much as Ahuizotl. “Yet, I feel as if tonight is a beautiful night Miss Do, and I’d hate to waste such a beautiful night with merely taking one thing from you. What’s the expression your kind uses?” His grin returned in all its malicious glory. “Upping the ante?” Daring didn’t like the sound of this at all. “What are you going to do Ahuizotl?” The villain merely smiled sweetly before continuing. “Well you see Miss Do, we’ve been about this little dance of ours for quite some time. You defeating me and vise versa. Stealing my treasure, you getting beaten up and thrown off a cliff. However, if I was to take this medallion from you, it wouldn’t trouble you for long. Sooner or later you’d be out adventuring again until our paths crossed. Material objects clearly aren’t of much sentimental value to you. Are they?” He got closer to her now. “So I’ve considered that this time I should take something...” He ran a hand through her mane. “…more permanent.” If her eyes were small before they shrunk even more now. Her voice stammered as her heart continued to speed on. “T-take w-what exactly?” Her mind raced towards some unsavory thoughts and for some reason the jungle got a little warmer. Her uniform had torn in the scuffle and Daring suddenly became well aware it left little to the imagination, she figured everyone else present had noticed it too. Oh my god he can’t be serious. I mean…I-I-I know we’ve have some strange sexual tension in the past. B-But-but…and oh god why me?! His hand glided down lower on her body passing through her mane and heading towards her back. “I was considering Miss Do, taking something a little…more personal to you.” What if there are kids?! What do I do then? I’ll have to settle down?! I can’t be a mom! I’ve never even driven to a soccer game! His voice got lower and deeper, its timbres rumbling through the air. “Something you can’t ever, ever get back.” His hand was passing down between her wings. Holyshitholyshitholyshit “Don’t you even think about that!” Daring virtually screamed at him causing Ahuizotl to back away, startled at the sudden outburst. Daring frantically tried covering herself with her hooves. “This not okay at all Ahuizotl! We’re supposed to be enemies!” Daring was getting hysterical “I don’t think of you like that! “I know there’s been some stuff between us in the past but for the sake of Celestia, NO!” His mouth dropped open and his eyes bulged. “B-but that…that’s not what I…Oh my god Daring,..what….?!” Pulling a hoof out from her captors she pointed it accusingly. “You wanted to have your way with me you freak!” “Why would you even think about that? That’s not what I meant at all!” “Of course it is!…I mean…I- You…weren’t…” “….oh….” The two of them exchanged awkward glances and even the predatory cats loosened their grip on Daring suddenly disgusted as realization washed over them. Ahuizotl broke the silence first. “I-I was just going to break your other wing Daring…why would I even? With you?...Jesus, how long have you been alone in the jungle?!” She was blushing furiously. “Shit….” Her enemy pawed the ground nervously for a moment neither willing to make further eye contact. Daring coughed. “So…I guess this is the part I beg you about not breaking my other wing.” The villain glanced up, still clearly uncomfortable. He made a reach for a wing but stopped. “Eh-not-not…today Daring Do. We have….other business…to…Look…Look just don’t follow us. I have the medallion, you’re beaten, heroine loses, villain wins.” The cats let go her as Ahuizotl quickly turned back. His face held an awkward expression and he quickly made his way towards the deeper parts of the jungle leaving Daring dazed and confused. Before he disappeared he glanced back at his foe. She rose shakily to her hooves, her face still flushing beet red. Not wanting to make it anymore awkward Ahuizotl quickly turned and vanished. The fight had left her exhausted and after the blood finally decided to abandon her cheeks, Daring fell fast asleep. It seemed she had unnerved the forest enough for one night, it wouldn't disturb her again. I want to kill myself some days A rumble in her stomach told her it was breakfast. She wasn't sure how long she had been asleep, so maybe it was lunch, or worse yet dinner. She had laid there for several hours recovering from the fight and embarrassment. The last of the granola bars had been trampled to death during the fight and as she raised the canteen to her lips she discovered the bottom had been punctured. The precious liquid seeped out much to her dismay. Throwing down the useless hunk of metal she nearly screamed in frustration. The fight had left her too tired to walk anywhere and without supplies Ahuizotl might have as well killed her. She wasn’t ready to give up; but she wasn’t ready to die either. Furiously she plotted ideas and strategies, the prognosis becoming more and more grim as she mentally calculated her poor chance of success out in the woods. Still embarrassed about her thoughts as well the moment stayed with her buzzing about as a fly. “Think Daring think!” She smacked a hoof against her forehead in frustration. She banged her head against a nearby tree. I can’t fly out here. I can’t walk out of here. It’s too soon for the academy to send a search party and Cat lady and his goonies destroyed all my supplies.” She lifted her head; a grim smile adorned her face. There’s no way out is there? She glanced up towards the top of the trees where glints of sunlight filtered through. I’m going to need a miracle. For better or for worse, a miracle is exactly what she got.
Tapping OutNow, When you actually sit for a second and consider some things, a miracle is a rather subjective concept don’t you think? Divine Intervention, a Heroic Rescue, and Plain stupid luck? We can thank our friends, the creator, or whatever someone happens to believe in. I’m very certain most of the animal kingdom was quite glad when the dinosaurs kicked the bucket. They praised the giant flaming boulder that wiped out the giant bloodthirsty lizards. I’m fairly certain the meteor didn’t care for their praise. On the other hand the dinosaurs themselves should be considered. Did they appreciate being wiped out? Not quite so much. Miracles are a strange thing. Her snout was still pressed into the surface of the jungle floor when she felt it. She had been traveling the world long enough to differentiate natural from unnatural phenomenon, and whatever had decided to interrupt her sleep definitely the latter. Her eyes shot open as she felt the earth tremble. Lifting her head with a groan she winced as the sore muscles complained at the sudden movement. Her dry mouth huffed as her breath quickened in response to the unknown movement. Her mind was lagging far behind her instincts and like an aquarium of black moors she clumsily roused to awareness. “wusattwhosdere….” She mumbled incoherently. Her sense of balance was still struggling to reassert itself. Shakily she tried to rise to her feet. She tried to raise herself up in case she had to start running; not that she was in any position to. The earth shook again and Daring fell heavily to her knees. A squawking filled the area and her eyes widened as she saw a swarm of birds emerge from the trees. Pulling her hat down over her face Daring bit the earth as the massive black swarm passed overhead screaming off into the sky. What’s going on?! What’s happening out there? She was answered by a deafening explosion. Her heart almost stopped as a great light suddenly appeared in the sky. Her eyes opened impossibly wide as a brilliant plume of fire and smoke burst from the clouds themselves. It rose higher and higher touching the heavens. The fire spread out into the sky its wrath lashed out threatening to set the earth ablaze. The rumbling started again and Daring felt the ground beneath her lurch violently. A deathly quiet suddenly followed. A wild guess that’s nothing good, I think it’s time to get up Daring. The trees suddenly buckled over. Their leaves were shorn from them as the bark was stripped off in an instant and their mighty trunks splintered and broke. Daring being somewhat less hardy than a tree felt an immense force pluck her off the ground and hurl her against the pile of rubble at her escape tunnel. She barely registered the splinters of wood as they mercilessly pelted her body before she slammed into the stones. The most unfortunate heroine landed on her back twisting the broken wing. “AHGHHHHGHHHHH” Her cries were drowned out as wind blasted past, screaming through the ruined trees and tearing stones from the ruins and hurling them past. The tears streamed out of her eyes as she twisted reflexively trying to ease the mind-numbing, no, mind erasing pain. Her body rolled down the rocks further twisting the abused injury. Her momentum carried her forward and Daring could barely tell up from down as she fell in a heap back onto the forest floor. Dust kicked up by her body as she lay unresponsive in the ground sprawled out. Her broken leg now twisted at a sickening angle. The pain she had felt when she had first broken her wing was nothing compared to the agonizing torture she now felt. She would have given anything to slip into the blissful sleep of unconsciousness, the universe felt otherwise. Streaked with tears she could barely see out of the haze, gritting her teeth she cried out again as several of them tumbled out of her bloody mouth. She tried to rise to her feet but achieved nothing beyond crawling a few paces forward. Collapsing in a heap again Daring suddenly noticed that she was becoming much colder than before. It’s not nightfall yet, how can I be this cold—oh no... Weakly she turned her head downwards and examined her body with growing horror. She barely had time to turn her mouth upwards as she threw up. Fate had seen fit to see Daring Do come out of most of her adventure completely unscathed. From Cabelleron’s traps, to the lava pits of ancient tombs, to the occasional crashing plane; Daring had managed to walk out of each. Evidently, fate had been keeping a tally. Mangled was the only term that could be used to describe her body. All her limbs now matched the broken ones and her mustard coat was stained crimson. Her fur was missing in patches and replaced with ugly burns that oozed pus. Brackish dark blood spurted out from a gash in her side and splinters of wood peppered her body. The rapid onset of shock and blood loss was the only barriers from her mind entering an estranged panic. She doubted she could struggle at this point, she doubted if it was even worth it. But she’d be damned if she didn’t try. Daring regarded the fatal wounds wordlessly, assuming of course her ragged torn throat was capable of speech. The revulsion and horror bubbled up inside of her as blood now filled her lungs. She coughed and sputtered as crimson liquid flew from her mouth and stained her lips a deep red Most normal beings regard their deaths with a kind of acceptance when it’s laid out so plainly for them. Most normal beings accept their ends. Daring was not a normal being. She would fight to bitter end. The very bitter end. The incredibly bitter looking end. Her instincts kicked into overdrive and every fiber of her being shouted at her to get up, to fight, to resist that oh so alluring urge to just lay down and sleep. I-I-I’m not g-gonna die here…I won’t. That wonderful desire to sleep rose within her. The kind of desire that stems from a long day at work, when all we want at the last kissing sunbeams is the embrace of sheets and a pillow. The kind of desire that was about to kill her. The most terrifying sleep she could imagine. She pathetically tried to move limbs that refused her orders, bones and nerves mashed to a pulp. Her vision began to cloud as more blood abandoned her sating the thirst of the grass. No no no no no no Her mind viciously lashed out at her again, trying to make her body move in a way it no longer could. She coughed up more blood as blackness began to invade her vision, her heart filled with dread. The pain began to flood her body and she groaned as her abused nervous systems began to flicker off. Weakly she tried to call out for help. “S-s-omeone….he-lp….p-p-p…lughss,” the words died in her throat. She coughed again staining more of the rocks. Daring could feel her pulse begin to weaken and the panic kicked in again as her brain tried to figure a way out of this mess. Don't be such a baby Daring. I've been through worse. Haven't I? Haven't I? She was terrified.Her mind stopped screaming at her now. It was almost time. Daring Do was at death's door. Oh, Celestia, help me…I don’t want to die… She sobbed again, tears began to flow freely mixing with the blood on her face. The salt stung her wounds. Her thoughts were becoming muddy and she could feel herself slipping. In her panic she barely registered it. The rustle of grass alerted her to the presence of something else. Something was coming; she could barely make out the shape of something coming towards her body. Her body twitched weakly trying to reach out to whoever they were, desperate for someone, anyone. As it neared she could barely make out its form. It towered over her, garbed in a flowing black robe that whipped against the wind. It kneeled down her and whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry, i'm so so sorry." a feminine voice spoke out, its voice filled with regret. Daring didn't respond. She was too busy dying. She closed her eyes, possibly for the last time. “Do you want to live?” it asked in asked sadly. Her eyes fluttered open, she didn't understand. What was going on? "Do. You. Want. To. Live?" It repeated again. The pony nodded weakly. Gentle hands grasped Daring’s face and brought her head, cradling her in its lap. “Do you mean that? Are you absolutely sure? Daring barely moved her head in a ghost of a motion. The figure reached into it's robes, it searched for something deep inside. It pulled out a pen. "W-what?" Daring mumbled weakly. She wasn't going to last much longer and pain was getting worse. The figure reached back into its robes and withdrew a document of some kind. Gingerly the figure awkwardly tried to put the pen into one of Daring's broken hooves and she moaned in pain. Her vision was getting darker and she could feel herself beginning to slip away. The figure didn't seem to notice and unhurriedly stuffed the pen inside Daring's mouth. It held the bottom of the document firmly against the pen. "Sign it," the voice commanded. Between the blood loss and the trauma Daring could barely form a coherent question. "w-w-ha-tt." The figure seemed to grow annoyed. "If you want to live, sign it, Now." Daring still didn't understand, the pen lolled in her mouth uselessly. The darkness now covered most of her vision and her pulse had weakened to the point where she couldn't feel it anymore. "Your going to last another minute." It spoke somewhat angrily. "Your're going to go to sleep and never wake up again. I don't think you want that" The voice grew more sympathetic. "I know you're confused but I can explain later." Nothing to lose at this point I suppose. Geronimo Weakly she scribbled a poorly produced version of her name onto the paper. The pain was reaching a new crescendo. The figure placed a hand directly over Daring’s face and closed her eyelids as if encouraging her to sleep. "I'm going to give you something for the pain," the voice cooed gently. Something slipped into the chest pocket of her shirt. “Give this to the lady at the desk.” “W-what?” The figure suddenly gripped the mare’s head and twisted, snapping her neck. Daring’s vision was forced upward, the air filled with an organic crunching sound. Then nothing., Daring Do slipped off into the darkness.
