Chapter Three: Not expected

Rainbow followed Daring Do into the darkness of the cave. She tried to concentrate on the adventurer’s torch, but it soon flickered and went dark. Dash attempted to orientate herself, but something pulled at her, making it impossible to take another step.

It pulled her away from the cave, away from Daring, back to her cloudhome.

“What the buck?!” Dash cried out, as she hit the floor of her home muzzle first.

Sitting up, Dash rubbed her muzzle while muttering under her breath. “Twilight… what the buck?” Looking around, it seemed as though nothing had changed, other than the sun being a bit further along in the sky. Rainbow Dash let out a low growl before rushing out her front door and taking flight.

Flying to the library as quickly as she could, she was so frustrated that she overshot the front door and crashed through the second story window. The cyan pegasus tumbled into the book shelves with nothing short of a dull roar as the tomes came crashing down.

“What in Celestia…” Twilight, stunned by the sudden crash, averted her attention to Rainbow Dash flying through the window just in time to see her careen into the bookshelves and have all the books come falling on top of her.

All the books she had just had Spike reorganize.

“Rainbow Dash!” She exclaimed before letting out a sigh and rubbing her muzzle with a hoof. “It’s so nice to see you again. I should’ve expected you, given that you haven’t crashed into the library since the last time I reorganized everything. Wait, why are you here?”

“Your enchantment-thingy isn’t working! I got kicked out of the book,” Dash said as soon as she escaped the grave of books.

“Well, duh.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “It’s a safety precaution, so you don’t spend the rest of your life there. After exactly two hours, the spell ends your connection.”

“Make it longer!”

“What do I get out of this?”

“What?”

Twilight sighed. “What do I get out of doing that for you? Maybe an… extension of our deal?”

“Fine, what do you want?” Dash asked.

“Nothing.”

“Huh?” Rainbow looked dumbfounded.

“Nothing. It was a test to see how far you would go. I’ll extend the limit to four hours. That’s it. If you’ve got time, you can jump back into the book, but I’m leaving the safety on for your sake. It saves you from getting trapped forever and allows the connection to be broken if there’s a problem in real life.”

Dash mumbled her appreciation to the unicorn.

“Look, Rainbow Dash”—Twilight put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder— “I know you love the Daring Do books, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this animated over them. Find something you really enjoy in the book?” Twilight asked with a slight grin.

“What? No… I…We’re just friends—” Dash clamped her hooves over her muzzle.

“Oh my gosh, Rainbow Dash! I’m just joking around, relax.” Twilight smiled. “It’s pretty amazing to actually get to meet the Daring Do. Trust me, I know. I went in too.”

Wait, did she not even realize what I just said? Wait! What did I just say? We are just friends, right? “Heh heh, right. Daring Do. It’s a dream come true!” Rainbow chuckled nervously, silently thanking Celestia that Twilight hadn’t noticed her slip up. Not that she would actually call it that.

“Alright, where is the book?” Twilight asked.

“The book? Oh, shit, I forgot it home.”

Twilight only chuckled. “It’s alright. You get it and I’ll wait here.”

Dash darted out of the library, using the front door this time. Twilight said a silent “thank you” to Celestia as she closed the door, while being sure to keep it unlocked for the pegasus’ return. After a moment’s rest and utilizing the breathing exercise Cadance had taught her, she began to pick up the books that had been displaced.

Rainbow Dash bolted through her front door and headed straight for the book. Picking it up, she fought the urge to begin reading again. Read now and have to go back later? Or go now, and read longer. I kinda want to see where this is going with Daring. She mentally facehoofed. I mean ‘want to see where Daring is going.’ What the buck is wrong with me?

In a flash, she was gone. If anyone had been paying attention, the only thing they would’ve noticed was a cyan blur with a rainbow trail shooting across the skies. As usual—and much to what would normally be Rainbow’s chagrin—no one did.

Twilight finished placing the last book back on the shelf and began reading her own book when a loud thump resonated through the library. Confused, she walked upstairs and opened the door to her balcony, finding Dash in front of it, rubbing her muzzle.

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “The front door was open, Dash.”

“Argh, why is this closed anyways? Who would break into your library, Twilight?”

“Maybe you?”

“Why me?”

“Dash…”

“I didn’t do anything!”

Twilight sighed and shook her head. “You got the book, Rainbow?”

“Of course.”

“Alright, come in and I’ll change the safety.”

Dash grinned as she made her way in and down the stairs, closely followed by Twilight. “You already organized the books again? Geez, you’re a real egghead, Twilight.”

“Some of us like to live in something a bit more than what you would call organized chaos, Dash.”

Setting the book down in the living area, Dash waited as patiently as she could for Twilight to modify the spell. Given the fact that the spell allowed her to live her dream with Daring Do, and the fact that Rainbow Dash was unaccustomed to waiting for anything, all resulted in her bouncing on all four hooves like a filly waiting for Hearth's Warming presents.

Twilight picked up the book with her magic and opened it. Her eyes were scanning the pages as her lips mumbled indecipherable words.

“Are you done yet?” Rainbow groaned.

“Just a moment, Dash. I found something really, really interesting,” Twilight giggled.

“What?!”

“Let me quote it,” Twilight said. “‘Rainbow Dash caught herself having very conflicting thoughts, as she recognized that her gaze laid on the adventurer’s toned flank with the compass-rose cutie mark.’”

Dash’s face and muzzle turned a darker shade of blue as a blush peeked through her coat. “Are you reading it?” Dash asked through her embarrassment.

“Well, the spell is intertwined with the book so… no, not really. But it sure is a good read.” Twilight grinned.

“Not. Cool!”

“Oh relax. Besides, I won’t hold it against you. She’s an amazing mare. So adventurous.”

“Yeah.”

“And fearless.”

“Yeah…”

“And that plot.”

“Yeah…” Dash blinked. “Wait, what?” A twinge of jealousy seared through the pegasus. It’s my story, my Daring Do… wait, did something happen in her story?

“The plot of the story, Rainbow. Stay with me.”

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. “Oh, right. The story plot. Heh heh.”

She didn’t even notice the breath Twilight released.

A glow surrounded Twilight’s horn and stretched to encompass the book held in the pegasus’ hooves. “There,” Twilight said with a smile, “all done.”

Rainbow hugged the book tightly to her chest and let out a short squee before opening her eyes and seeing the sly look Twilight was giving her.

“You didn’t just see that, right?”

“Of course, Rainbow.”

“Hey listen, it’s already getting late, and I kinda wanna get back into the book. Would you mind if I…” Rainbow trailed off into an incomprehensible mumble.

“What was that, Dashie?”

“I asked if I could… hang out here and read?” Rainbow spoke at a level slightly above Fluttershy when she was afraid, but it was audible to Twilight none the less.

Twilight donned a faux look of shock. “Why Dashie, are you asking to hang out in a library and read a book? Like some sort of egghead?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened before she regained her composure. “N-no! I just… in case the spell didn’t work, or if I need more time, or if something happens. This way you’re around to fix it.”

“That eager to get back into it?” Twilight smiled with a raised eyebrow.

“It’s just so awesome, and Daring is amazing!” The Pegasus squealed back before she could stop herself.

“Alright. I’ll go and fetch some cushions and blankets—at least for myself—for if you go explore the story further.” Twilight winked. “And don't get too lost in the story!”

“Heh,” Dash chuckled. “I’ll take it easy egghead, promise.”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she left the room, leaving Dash alone with the book.

“Alright, let’s see, where where were we?” Dash muttered as she opened the book. “Me, an egghead. Pft. It’s just a book, it’s not like I have a crush on it… or Daring.”

There was just one problem with that. Even Rainbow couldn’t deny that a few spots in the story really sounded like she had a thing for Daring Doo. Especially since the part Twilight read about the adventurer’s flank wasn’t the only spot where it sounded like that….

Okay, okay, don’t panic now, Dash thought. Maybe I’ve got a small crush, but she’s awesome after all. Still, she’s just a ima… aimag… buck the egghead word, she’s just fake. She’s not real.

She found the spot where she left off, and then the world around her went dark. The pegasus was transported from Twilight’s library to a damp and dark cave, and a brief flicker from up around a curve was the only source of illumination her eyes could see.

***

“Alright, Dash, I’ve got the—” Twilight stopped talking, cutting herself short at the sight of the Daring Do book lying open on the floor, without a pegasus to be seen. “Oh come on! You couldn’t even wait?” Twilight levitated the blankets and pillows to the floor and arranged them so she could make herself comfortable. Just out of the goodness of her heart, she placed some in front of the book as well. She knew how jumping out of the story and onto a cold, hard floor could hurt.

Twilight sighed and mused to herself, “Well, let’s see what they’re up to…”

***

Dash only had time for a quick shout before she unceremoniously crashed down onto the cave floor. Her noise startled Daring who was just around the corner.

“Rainbow Dash, what the… You tripped?”

Dash blinked confused. Daring acted like she wasn’t gone at all a second before, but she was sure it had been at least one or two hours since the book kicked her out. “Yeah, tripped, sorry.”

“Pay more attention. We don’t want you to accidentally walk into a trap, alright?” Daring offered her a hoof and Dash took it, quickly getting back to her hooves.

“Thanks, will do.”

“Not that I want to lecture you, but there could be traps anywhere. Just try to not die on me.”

Dash shuddered. There was a way Daring phrased the remark that made her think the adventurer still prefered to be alone. Yet, there was a tone hidden she couldn’t point a hoof at. Maybe she’s a bit glad to have backup?

“You gonna stay there the whole time or are you actually coming? If I’m right about these caves, we’ve got a hay of a walk in front of us with a lot of unknown things ahead,” Daring said, raising an eyebrow. Dash quickly caught up, walking abreast with her companion.

They walked for a while before Daring spoke up again. “So, where are you from, Rainbow?”

“I’m from Ponyville, but I was born a Cloudsdale pegasus,” Dash replied proudly.

“Ponyville, heh? I know that tiny village. Actually, I don’t live that far from it.” Daring chuckled. “If we both survive this, I’ll throw a party at my place.”

Is she joking? “So you live near Ponyville? I’ve never seen you there before.

Daring laughed. “Well, I’ve got enough work to keep me busy, and I get all my supplies through my contacts or on my trips.”

The two continued on in an amicable silence, Dash trying to figure out how else to broach the subject of seeing Daring more—and then quickly shaking it away as she remembered Daring was a fictional character, while Daring seemed intent on finding the fastest route to finding the lost treasure of Mareopolis.

Dash grunted in frustration as time passed. Every time the golden adventurer checked a carving or—what Dash could only assume was important for some reason—growth of moss, her wings ruffled, and she grew more impatient. Both due to the silence and the lack of anything to do. The fact that she kept stealing glances of Daring’s flank every time she bent down or reached up to check the markings only served to confuse and frustrate her further.

Damn it, keep to yourself, Dash. That’s not cool.

When they both reached a spot with several carvings on the floor in different colours, Daring leaned down to inspect them, making her rear that much more accented to her flustered companion.

“Huh… I’ve never seen something like that,” Daring said before turning back. “Hey, Dash. Any ideas?”

Rainbow tried to snap her eyes back to focus. “Huh? Oh, um, lemme see.” She stepped closer to inspect the floor for any pattern, sighing a bit. “You should know it from the Sapphire Stone.”

“Excuse me?” Daring gave Dash a deadpan look.

“Same stuff, just with colours and not the critters.”

“And how exactly are we supposed to figure that out then? With the critters, the pattern was obvious. It was all based on who eats who basically. This is just… a mashup of colors.”

Dash let out a small “hmmf” as she studied the floor, searching for any semblance of reason or a pattern. Despite being faded after millennia of weathering and wear-and-tear, the colors were all still visible, from red to purple.

Dash’s eyes popped open. She swung her head around and looked at her tail then quickly back to the floor in front of them.

“Gonna stop checking yourself out anytime soon, Dash?”

“It’s the color spectrum! It’s all the base colors and primaries. Red, orange, yellow, blue, green, and violet. The pattern just repeats in different directions depending on the row.” Rainbow scanned the floor, looking for the first tile out of sequence. “Ah ha!” Jumping to it, she landed safely on the first tile. Her jump was slightly too high though, causing several arrows to shoot just above her head.

Dash’s face pailed. She gulped. “Good thing we didn’t try to fly over.” Jumping to the next out of sequence tile, and then the next, she looked back. “C’mon! Just keep low!”

Daring Do glanced back at her own monochromatic tail and mumbled under her breath before following suit, occasionally stealing a glance at Dash’s tail as she did so… just to make sure I’m getting the pattern right. That’s the only reason why I’m looking.

Once in the clear, Dash couldn’t help but puff her chest out. “Ha, I got this!”

Daring smiled as she landed on the last stone before preparing for her jump to safety. “Yeah, that was actually pretty awesome.” She crouched low and pounced toward safety.

Dash stood up and dusted off her wings with a hoof. “Yeah well, when you’ve had that awesomeness your whole life it just kinda comes to you.” She walked along the edge until she heard Daring yell out. Looking up, she realized she walked right into the path of the oncoming pegasus.

The two collided and tumbled head over hooves until landing with Dash on her back and Daring splayed out over her, straddling her, muzzle to muzzle. The blush on Dash’s cheeks shone through her coat completely as her eyes quickly looked away.

“Well, guess that was heads over tail for the both of us?” Daring chuckled weakly. “Next time watch where you’re going. Unless you want me on top, that is.”

Author's Note

I really hope this chapter is okay.
Had a lot of problems finding editors for it.

Anyways, have fun!