Daring Do and Trixie and the Armband of the Coatl

The day after professor Raggedy was taken, a cloaked mare walked the streets of Manehatten pulling a cart behind her. It was a familiar cart that anyone who read the paper would recognize. Trixie. She walked the streets of Manehatten searching for her friends place of residence. Following the instructions provided to her by the letter Daring sent she found her way to Pinetree Ave. Off in the distance she saw the aforementioned mansion where Daring Do lived or A. K. Yearling as she preferred to be called. She didn't need it but it was nice of Daring to offer her address openly.

Some ponies avoided her, other shot her nasty looks or comments. A few, but not many, threw things at her forcing her to erect a protective barrier around her and her cart. She paid them no mind for she had redeemed herself in the eyes of the only pony that mattered and that pony was Twilight Sparkle.

Being friends with the personal student of Princess Celestia would go a long way to regaining her ruined reputation. From the letter it sounded like Daring either didn't know of her bad rep or she didn't care. Either way it would be nice to feel welcome for a change. She made her way down Pinestreet Ave and it didn't take long for her to arrive at Daring's mansion. True to her word it was easy to find, being the only one on the entire block. She pulled up to the front gate and stood in awe of the sight before her.

It is huge! She thought taking a step back to get a whole view as best she could. After spending a few minutes inspecting the great wall before her she approached the gate, and with a gentle nude she opened it and pulled her cart inside. She followed a stone brick path that circled around a massive water feature at the center of the property between the gate and the mansion itself. She parked her cart next to the water feature. Unhinging herself she approached the two large double doors and gave a firm knock on the with her hoof.

After waiting a good minute the doors clicked and slowly the left door began to slide inwards revealing a golden hoof. A golden pegasus mare with a black and grey streaked mane stuck her head out. The two ponies grinned at the sight of the other. Trixie was the first to speak up.

"Good to see you again Daring." she said haughty tone. "Still stuffing it with mummies older than you?"

"Great to see you too Trixie." Daring replied with a smile. "Still bloated from all that hot air in your ego I see."

"Ouch." Trixie gave a mock hurt look.

Both mares laughed and hugged each other.

"Oh Trixie you're a riot!" the golden mare bellowed in amusement. "How have things been?"

The blue mare fidgeted at the question, averting her gaze from her friend.

"It's been a very long trying few weeks." she said lowering her head in shame.

The golden mare opened the door beckoning Trixie entry. "Why don't you come inside and we can talk over a cup of tea?" she said standing to the side allowing her friend to pass.

"Thanks."

Daring closed the door behind her and joined Trixie in the main hall of her home. The two walked the halls of the mansion leading to Daring Do's study/library. Along the way Trixie told her about her misadventures in Ponyville and how she came across an ancient artifact that made her enslave the same town. Daring all the while listened intently.

"-and that's how Twilight saved Trixie from that horrible amulet." she finished telling her tale.

Trixie looked over to the golden pegasus trying to asses what she was thinking. Daring was deep in thought. She knew of the alicorn amulet, powerful dark and turned anyone who possessed it evil. Any sane pony would have to be mad to seek it out and Trixie was clearly no madmare. At the same time she seemed ignorant of the side effects until it was too late. Once again Trixie acted on the fly and nearly got herself in trouble along the way.

She shook her head at the unicorn with a look of disappointment.

"Oh, Trixie."

"What?" Trixie asked irritated. "Are you going to lecture me too? Oh Trixie why didn't you think of the consequences of your actions? Why this? Why that?" she asked in a aggravated tone.

"I'm not going to lecture you. Nor am I going to judge you. You've had enough of that for as long as I've known you." Daring replied in a calm tone wrapping her wing around Trixie. "I'm your friend. Always was. Always will be."

Trixie blushed from the comment. This was the second time Daring had said that and by the heavens above she meant it. Trixie knew she did. This was the second time she told her. The first time was back in Canterlot University. She felt welcome in Daring's embrace instead of the outcast she was to the outside world. Here she was welcome. Here she was safe.

The two ponies entered the study and sat at the large desk Daring had been grading papers the night before. Daring sat at the center of the desk with Trixie at her side. Daring folded her arms leaning back in her chair as Trixie dug through her saddlebags.

"So, what you got for me Trix?" Daring asked in a sly tone.

Trixie stopped for a moment glaring at the pegasus, who smiled innocently.

"Har, har, you dare to mock Trixie?"

Daring facehooved at the terrible pun on her name. "Trixie! Why?! It hurts my brain!"

"You need one in order for it to hurt." she replied continuing to dig in her bags.

"Ouch. That hurt deep Trix." Daring clenched her heart dramatically. "I think I'll die from the ache you put on my old heart!"

Trixie giggled at the concept of an old decrepit Daring still running around on adventures with her arch enemy. Trixie pulled out an object out covered in brown leather. Placing it to the side she gave Daring a quizzical look. Daring, can Trixie ask you a question of a personal nature?" The pegasus nodded. "Why do you write about your adventures?"

Daring thought about this. No one ever asked her what she wrote them for. Was it fame? No she didn't need it being famous at school with her students was enough. Fortune? Nope, she lived off her parents fortune and the royalties from her books. In the end she could only think of one reason.

"I honestly don't know, I guess for fun? I never really had anything before I became a teacher and adventurer. I love my students and my job but I need the adventure to keep me going. Its-"

"Your motivation in life isn't it?" Trixie finished.

"Yes!" Daring exclaimed grabbing her hooves. "You understand?! The need for the thrills the adrenaline! A simple life is nice and all but it's not the same as living."

"Trixie understands." she unwrapped the leather revealing a small green leather journal. "This belonged to my father. It catalogs everything he discovered on the ancient coatl-pony civilization. Every clue, every secret, every translation he made, it's all here."

Daring inspected the book flipping all the pages seeing several pages full f text and diagrams. A few pictures were taped inside and several were full of draconic text. She picked a random one opening it up.

"Day 387. Found a temple ruin and blah blah blah... found the remains of a pony serpent hybrid?"

Trixie nodded. She glanced around the room. There was large cases full of books ranging from archaeology to mythology and beyond. It was fascinating to read.

"So how did you find the tablet, and where did you find it?" Daring asked Trixie handing the journal over to her.

The blue mare set it down on the desk opening it to a page with a map of Equestria with a red pen mark leading to a place deep in the Badlands. Trixie pointed to the end of the line.

"There. And that's where we'll find the answers we need." she looked over to her friend. "How's it going with the tablet Trixie gave you?"

The golden pegasus looked at the clock. It was nearly time to go meet the professor. She folded up the book handing it back to Trixie. She nodded to the clock not taking her eyes off her. "we're going to meet him in about thirty minutes. Let's talk about this later, for now let's just catch up for old times sake." the pegasus said standing up.

Trixie followed suit after placing her journal back in her saddlebag. The two left the mansion but not before Daring went to her personal armory and got her Buck-18 sidearm. She holstered it under her signature coat and gathered a whip she had taken a shine to in her last adventure. Lastly she donned her adventures hat feeling complete. She struck a heroic pose admiring herself in a mirror when she heard a voice that wasn't hers.

"Ah, Trixie sees she isn't the only one to bask in her own glory. How fitting of somepony of your caliber." Trixie said smugly at the now blushing pegasus.

Daring Do, hunched over trying to become as small as possible. she glared at the blue unicorn before huffing past her. Trixie broke into a fit of giggles as she followed her mocking her all the way to the front gate. The two walked in the streets heading for the museum.

The two shared stories about their lives over the last few years. Daring told her story of her most recent adventure with Rainbow Dash and the Elements of Harmony. The two shared stories all the way up to the museum. Once there Daring showed Trixie around while heading for Dr. Raggedy's office.

When they came up to the door Daring went to knock. As her hoof made contact with the door it slid open. She slowly opened it peeking inside.

Raggedy?" she called out. "Raggedy you here?"

No response came. She pushed open the door and took a look around. She glanced around the room nothing seemed out of place. Trixie gasped pointing to the floor.By her hoof was a speckle of red. Daring looked over it and realized it was blood.

"Raggedy."

She stood up rubbing the blood on the floor. Trixie came over looking at the red smudge. She scrunched her nose at it. "Do you think it belongs to your friend?"

"One way to find out." she said walking to the security room. The two went through the surveillance footage of the museum until they found the time and place where Raggedy was taken. They observed his abduction and the ponies involved. The one that Daring took the most notice of was the blue fuzzball she knew most of her life. The evil cackle that sent chills down as her reared up to mock his prey staring right at the camera pointing at it as he left with his accomplices and Raggedy, flipping off the camera with his tail as he did.

"Ahuizotal." she bared her teeth punching the monitor.

"Trixie?"

"Hmm?"

"We're going to meet an old school friend."

"Is it anypony Trixie knows?"

"Oh you do. She was the one who mocked you since the start of your little venture." Trixie frowned. This pony was hard to deal with and she knew exactly who it was too. Dairng noticed this and hugged her blue friend. "Don't worry this has nothing to do with the past. But Ahuizotal took Raggedy, he's... kind of a father to me in a way." she said with a hushed tone like she was afraid someone would hear.

"Don't worry Daring." Trixie hugged her with one arm. "Trixie understands. Let's go see her. Let's go see Fleur de Lis."