It was a warm spring day in the town of Ppnyville, and Appejack was making some final preparations for the treasure hunt. Everything was set up, where it they were supposed to be, some out of sight and hidden well, and some in plain sight to be used as hints. She head d to the gates that enclosed the orchard, and angled her hat so them sun wouldn't get in her eyes. She looked all around at the eager ponies around the dirt path. Earth ponies, unicorns and Pegasi alike, all awaiting for the event to start.
Applejack knew fully that there would be at least one celebrity presence here at the treasure hunt, yet the one she saw seemed unusually familiar. She wouldn't nag on her, unless the other mare started first.
"Alright, everypony," She started. "the rules are simple. You'll team up in groups of four at most, and recieve the first hint from me. Any fighting will not be tolerated, and if you don't understand somethin', or need a little boost to a hint, mah sister and brother will be back here at the gates shortly after the game begins. So, are y'all ready?"
Daring Do looked up at Applejack. "Wait a minute... I know her..." Daring Do noted to herself. "It's one of Rainbow Dash's friend... How-" She sighed, "Coincidences..." Blinking as she realized she had to be in a group. Looking around hoping to find Rainbow Dash. Of course she couldn't be here. Off doing something else. Maybe reading Daring Do for the 50th time as she said in her letter she sent her a few days ago. "I'll go on this alone, I guess." She mumbled to herself. Seeing as many ponies got into their group, they were all ready to receive their first hint. "Ready." She muttered under her breath. Taking off her glasses she placed them in her front pocket in her dress shirt, preparing herself.
"Now, with all that bein' said, Ah'll pass out the first hints, and when yer' all teamed up ad ready to go, the hunt is on!" She stated, then jumping down from her stand made of hay stacks and opening the gates to the barn. Most of which were in teams of two or three, a couple of groups of four, but there was one lonesome mare... The familiar one. She grabbed the last hint to be handed out and made to her way. "'Scuse me, Miss?" She said. "It's all fine if ya wanna hunt alone, but yer' gonna need the first hint." She said, and held the note out to the formally dressed mare.
Blinking as she talked to her, she snapped out of her flow of thought. "Oh, yes ma'am. Sorry... Er, Ma'am." She said putting on a smile. "Thanks. Oh, but just one question... A little off topic I know. But did you happen to see anything flying down the valley? Anything giant in the sky? A bird possibly...?" She asked, giving an awkward smile. 'Damn it I sound crazy don't I?' Daring Do thought to herself, resisting a facehoof.
Applejack was a little surprised ad being called "ma'am", having not been called that since she left Sweet Apple Accres to join her aunt and uncle... "A bird? Giant, perhaps?" She put a good to her chin in thought. "Not so sure 'bout a 'giant' bird, but Ah'm pretty sure Ah saw a Griffon er' two headin' south. Why? If ya don't mind me askin'."
"No? Alright..." Daring Do rubbed the back of her head, sighing. "Darn. Maybe somepony else saw it..." She mumbled under her breath. Griffons? She thought to herself. Last time she was with griffons it didn't end well. "And why? Oh it's a long story... Quite boring really. You definitely wouldn't want to know about it." She gave an awkward smile.
"Yeah, sorry, Miss..." She pondered a little to herself. What would a giant bird be doing in Ponyville? And why? Seemed kind of pointless to her. "Ya sure? Ah'm good with long stories. Ah could probably help!" She said willingly. If this familiar mare were here looking for a giant bird, perhaps it may have had something to do with the treasure hunt...
"Well..." Her voice trailed off.
"It all started in class a few weeks ago. Teaching archaeology, I came across a rather familiar passage given by one of my students, for an essay."
~~~
"Here you are Professor." The student had given her their essay before leaving class. The bell rang, and the class was dismissed. Professor Do sat back and read over it, but as she read on things even she didn't know about came into view.
It was then Daring Do had decided what she would have to do. Going from city to city, she checked all of the libraries and asked about the artifact that was mentioned in the essay. It wasn't given a name but the information given about it was good enough that one pony, a professor, in Saddle Arabia, had known about it. In fact they had plenty of information. It was known as the Amulet of Kings.
At the time, Daring Do was avoiding something. Or someone to be more exact. Tushul was his name. A giant bird, the complexion of leaves at the core of autumn. Along her journey to find the Amulet, she often faced many battles against this persistent foe.
A few days later after the third attack...
He stopped.
She was unsure when he would strike. It was then, she felt safe. She had recently located the location but was trying to get him off her tail for a few moments so she wouldn't lead him straight to the treasure. But that is exactly what she did. Reaching the ruin, venturing through, she made it to the end of her perilous adventure. Or at least that is what she had thought.
Right when she was about to retrieve the amulet, none other then the pesky Tushul showed up. She had led him straight to the amulet without even knowing it. He took the amulet, and just like that. He was gone.
~~~
"You see, Tushul, the giant bird, came flying down the valley right this way. I was hoping you might have seen him, or the amulet. I'm afraid if he had left it here, then it's somewhere within the orchard. And if so, then I have to join the treasure hunt to find it." She then blinked.
"Yes I know, how strange is it to see a teacher doing all of this stuff- I am not sure you remember me, but I'm Daring Do. Rainbow Dash's... err, friend."
"You'll never get away with this!" She yelled, watching as the bird flew away with the relic. "
Oh but that's where you are wrong. I already have!" The bird crowed, his claws holding the relic within it's grasp. Daring Do took her hat and threw it to the ground.
"He'll be anywhere. How will I find him?!" She asked herself, narrowing her eyes thinking. "Where would he actually go?"
Daring Do had left the temple in the Palace of the Dragontails. It was off to search. If she is going to preserve the Amulet of Kings, and restore the Palace to it's fullest powers. Sitting down at the peak of the mountain above Canterlot she looked around having an amazing view of Equestria. Taking her hat off her head she held it to her chest. "If I don't get that amulet back." Her eyes widen, "No! I can't think like this! Look out Tushul, because Daring Do is on the move." As she began to run off into the distance, she head for a small town. She could have sworn she saw the bird head in that direction. Maybe they saw something. She'd go to Canterlot but they weren't much help comparing it to last time.
Arriving at the town known as Ponyville, she trotted around in as professor. Daring Do no longer dressed as "A.K. Yearling" an author but instead a Professor in the range of Archaeology. Trotting along, she looked at a post seeing a flier.
"Ponyville Summer Treasure hunt?" She echoed, raising an eyebrow at what she had just read. Prof. Do sighed, "Worth a shot. Many ponies might be there..." So she trotted off to this place known as "Sweet Apple Acres".
