*CANCELED*

Chapter 2

Daring Do flipped on the switch to her apartment, only to find it not turning on.

“Bucking Tarturus,” She mumbled.

She opened a chest that was near the entrance to her apartment and opened it. Inside were candles and matches, just in case a storm caused a blackout, like the one that was happening outside.

She lit it, and part of the room lit up. It also lit up part of the room where a mare was sitting.

“What in bucking- Fleur, what are you doing here? You scared me!”

“Sorry if I did,” Replied Fleur. “But I heard you quit today,”

“Yeah, I did. Stupid horse-ass president doesn’t want to fund my expedition,” she angrily said.

Fleur stood up. “What if I said…” She said, getting close to Daring’s ears. Daring shivered at the close contact.

“That my husband was able to fund it?” She said quietly, like somepony would hear.

“R-Really?” Daring said, skeptically.

“Yes, he’ll be able to fund it. Every last bit.”

“But I plan on leaving as soon as possible,”

“No problem. He’s already done it.”

Daring stared out of the carriage, which was driven by Fleur, and only saw lightning and rain.

“Where are we going?” Daring questioned.

“To my hubby’s mansion.” Fleur responded.

A few moments later, they were parked under a shade, which was extended out from the entrance of the mansion. Daring just gawked at the size.

“C”mon, it’s getting cold.” Fleur said, shivering.

“R-Right,” Daring replied, and hurried in as well.

But before she entered, she saw a plaque that had something written on it. As she peered closer, it read, “Fancy Pants”.

“C’mon Daring! Do you want to catch a cold?” scolded Fleur from the elevator.

“Coming!” Daring said, and hurried in.

When Daring entered, all she could do was stare at the exquisite carvings and decor on the wall. In the middle of the room was a red carpet, stretching all the wall from the entrance to the back of the foyer.There was a grand fireplace one side of the room, a warm fire burning inside. To the left, in the corner of the room, were two elevators, going up and down.

“My husband’s office is in the basement,” Fleur said. She urged Daring into one of the elevators. As soon as they got in, Fleur closed the gates and pressed ‘Basement’ on one of the buttons.

“Now, don’t be afraid when you meet him,” Fleur lectured. “He’s a very nice stallion, and I doubt he won’t treat you well. You ready?”

Daring nodded. “Good, because we’re here.” Fleur said as the elevator slowed to a halt. Fleur opened the gates with her magic and ushered them through.

Daring looked around. For a basement, it was a pretty nice one. To the side of one wall was a mammoth fireplace, with the letters, “F.P”. On the adjacent wall to the right was a huge- like, HUGE- fish tank with two old prehistoric looking fish in the tank. On the back wall were mostly paintings and a huge door in the middle. But something caught her eye. She looked towards the doors, and saw her father.

“Dad..?” She said, stunned. above the wall was a picture of two ponies, one looking quite old and the other looking like he was about to reach forty. They were conversing with each other; her dad’s arm wrapped around the other stallion.

“Yep,” said a fine voice beside her. She jumped a little, then turned to the source of the voice. “Such a great stallion he was. Too bad he got shunned down,” Fancy Pants said.

“What do you mean?” Daring asked.

“He thought Atlantis was real. But ponies said, ‘Nope. No bucking way.’ And down went his career.”

“Were you friends with him?” Daring questioned.

“Was until his very last day. Now come, let us sit.” He said, trotting towards his desk in front of the tank.

She sat down, and Fancy did so as well. “Now, before we start talking, I want to give you something your father always wanted to give you.” Fancy said, levitating a rectangular shaped object covered in brown paper. Daring grabbed it carefully, and ripped the paper off gently. What was inside was shocking.

“But… It's Clover’s Journal,” She said, stunned.

“But… It's Clover’s Journal,” She said, stunned.

“All in its glory,” Fancy Pants added.

“But… How did he get it?” she asked, carefully opening the pages and flipping through them.

“Years of research. And he got shunned for that too,” Fancy replied.

“But why?” Daring said.

“They considered it taboo, and they still do.” Fancy replied, putting his hoof onto his muzzle. “I don’t know why they can’t deal with it,” he mumbled.

“But… Why didn’t he find Atlantis? He found this, so why not go and find Atlantis as well?”

“Because he wanted a future for you,” Fancy replied sadly. “He wanted you to find Atlantis, not himself. He wasn’t selfish.”

“I still can’t believe I’m actually holding it...” Daring murmured.

“It’s the real thing, I tell you! But there’s nothing in there but gibberish,” he said.

“It’s not gibberish!” Daring said. “It’s an ancient language, forgotten by most ponies! In fact, these letters point the way to Atlantis!”

“So that’s why you became a linguist,” Fancy joked.

“Yes, that’s specifically why I became a linguist,” Daring said, facehoofing. “So what about the expedition?”

“What about it?” Fancy inquired.

“I mean, is there going to be a crew?” Daring replied.

“Yes, there is.” he replied, taking out a pile of paperclipped papers and pictures.

“Dr. Horse and Nurse Redheart, the medics, also the part Canterlot Hospital crew. Roseluck, the demolition expert, also a florist. Driller, a reformed Diamond Dog. Can dig through rock as it if was dirt, although he prefers to use his digger. Silver Spanner, the mechanic. Always goes through trash to look for treasure. Good mechanic, by the way. There’s also Gilda, the other mechanic. She’s a nice griffon.

“Braeburn, a descendant from the Apple family. He’s the cook. Makes good apple pie. Vinyl Scratch is the communication expert. Be ready for some swearing. And sex. They’re the same expedition that found Clover’s Journal.”

“Where?” asked Daring.

“Iceland,” Fancy replied, tossing a picture of the crew onto the desk.

Daring threw her hooves into the air. “I knew it!” she cried out.

“But the question is, are you ready for it?” asked Fancy.

“Ready for what?” she said, after her celebratory dance.

“Atlantis.” he replied.

“B-But, I need to sell my apartment! I need a transportation mode to get to Atlantis!”

“Already done,” Fancy replied, and flicked up a cover on his desk, revealing a button. He pressed it, and moments later, a section of the desk opened up, causing Daring to back away. A submarine model came up, and other models appeared as well.

“The S.S Celestia, the finest sub ever built by ponies and griffons. Named after her majesty, the S.S Celestia can go to the deepest depths of the ocean.”

“Where did you get the money to get this?” Daring said, spinning the propeller on one of the smaller subs.

“I’m a millionaire, remember?” Fancy deadpanned.

“I know, but how did you, like, do this without the public finding out? You must’ve known what will happen if they did!”

“I had the support of my wife,” Fancy said, than turning to the big double doors. “You hear that honey?” he sweetly said.

“Yes, I did,” replied Fleur through the door. Fancy smiled, and continued.

“Anyways, I also had the support of Princess Celestia herself.”

“WHAT?!” shouted Daring.

“The one and only,” replied Fancy, not taken aback by Daring’s outburst.

“But why would you? You also must’ve known how the ponies will react to the Princess funding something taboo!”

“But Celestia is great at keeping secrets.” Fancy said. “No one knows what Celestia might be hiding.”

“True, but… Ugh, let’s move on. How many ponies will be on this expedition?” Daring said.

“At least a thousand,” he replied.

“A thousand?”

“A thousand.”

“Right… So what about my home?” she questioned.

“Already taken care off.”

“My job?”

“You quitted, remember?” Fancy said, taking out a piece of cloth and cleaning his monocle.

“My cat?” Daring asked, and a white cat jumped on her as a reply.

Fancy stood up, and trotted to Daring. “Your father wanted you to find Atlantis,” he said, levitating the Journal over to Daring. “He wanted you to leave everything behind to find it,”

“Are you sure?” Daring said.

Fancy nodded. “I’m sure.”

“Ok than.” Daring replied, and got up.

“I’m going to find Atlantis, and I gonna find it for my dad!” she cried out.

“That’s the spirit!” Fancy said, and clapped Daring on the shoulder.

“When is it going?” Daring questioned.

“In two hours. Now, get going! I’m going to be there to bid you farewell! My wife will accompany you to the Port of Equis. Now, come! We mustn’t be late!”