Daring Do Adventures: Daring Do And The Raiders Of Atlantis

Chapters

Chapter 1: "The Presentation."
Chapter 2: "Iceland Cometh."
Chapter 3: "Legends and Truths."
Chapter 4: "Coco's Bazaar Trades and Goods."
Chapter 5: "Schemes In Motion."
Chapter 6: "Friends In Cold Places."
Chapter 7: "The Lost Dialogue."
Chapter 8: "Lost In Translation."
Chapter 9: "Chasing Answers."
Chapter 10: "An Unlikely Source."
Chapter 12: "Deceptions."
Chapter 13: "Those Who Fear The Light."
Chapter 14: "Moonlit Melody."
Chapter 15: "Luna's Story."
Chapter 16: "Dark Hearts."
Chapter 17: "Atlantis Or Bust!"
Chapter 18: "The Temple Of Oceana."
Chapter 11: "The Grand Galloping Gala."

Chapter 1: "The Presentation."

The Manehatten Theater was next to vacant as, Daring Do sat uncomfortably in her seat, struggling to relax herself in the snug, sequined ball gown she had worn. Her mane was done up in a fancy updo, and an emerald necklace adorned her neck. She didn't like dressing up all prim and proper like this, but she didn't hate it either. Being undercover always made her feel like a spy on a mission. And she was indeed on a mission.

Returning from Kamara Mista, Daring had had Herpy, one of the school's pages and her assistant and friend, dig up all he could on Atlantis and her father's old friend, Professor Atlas. Herpy hadn't found much on Atlantis that she could actually use, but he did discover that Professor Atlas was doing a presentation on Atlantis that same week. Daring hadn't wasted a moment packing up her things and taking the first train to Manehatten with her father's journal tucked in her satchel.

Daring looked around the amphitheater at the ponies that actually did show up to see Professor Atlas's presentation. Real high end society ponies. Dressed in the fanciest gowns and tuxedos, and gathering in small groups to chat excitedly about things Daring didn't understand (Nor care about for that matter.)

She was surprised to see one of them, a beautiful lavender unicorn with almond eyes and a swirly blue updo, take a seat next to her.

"Exciting isn't it?" she asked in a sweet voice.

Daring looked confused "Huh?"

"The presentation, silly!"

"Oh! um, yeah it is pretty exciting." Daring answered with a smile. "But, I didn't think anypony actually cared about the presentation. I thought these ponies were just here to dress fancy." She added.

The unicorn chuckled. "I see what you mean. I don't normally dress like this either, but I'm a huge fan of Professor Atlas's work! I wouldn't miss this presentation for the world!"

"Really? So you don't think she's nuts or anything like that?"

"Celestia, No! She's just an eccentric. Some ponies would rather claim shes crazy, then actually consider for one moment that they may be wrong about something." She replied with a smile.

Daring sat up in her seat. "So, you believe that Atlantis is really out there?" She asked excitedly.

The unicorn smiled. "I'm not the sort to say something isn't real, just because I haven't seen it. These stories came from somewhere, my dear. And I believe there is something out there. After all we have magic, so the idea of an underwater civilization isn't that far fetched now is it?"

Daring nodded.

The unicorn leaned in so Daring could hear her over the chatter in the theater. "My name's Moonbeam, by the way." she said softly.

She stuck out her hoof and Daring shook it. "Daring Do." she replied with a smile.

"I thought as much. A presentation on a grand legend such as this, would've definitely attracted the attention of Equestria's greatest adventurer!" Moonbeam exclaimed.

"Oh no, actually-

"Shh! It's starting!"

The lights all dimmed as the chatter died off. Ponies found their seats and a bright spotlight illuminated the stage.

A minute passed before professor Atlas finally walked out onto the stage pushing a heavy cart with a projector on top of it. She was a meek and smart looking dark pink earth pony with thick glasses, a bow tie and a messy yellow mane that fell over the left side of her head in a fluffy updo. She had a pencil tucked behind her ear, and a globe of the world for a cutie mark.

She struggled to push the heavy cart to the center of the stage, before she asked for the screen to be lowered.

"Screen, please?" She asked. She spoke in a nasally and thick Manehatten accent.

A screen came down and hit the mare right on the head.

Several ponies laughed. But Daring only felt sorry for the poor pony. It was obvious she didn't have many fans here.

"Thank you" she said miserably, rubbing her head. More ponies laughed, and Daring felt her face get hot.

She turned to Moonbeam "How can they be so mean to her?"

Moonbeam chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure its all in good fun."

"Good fun?! Their making a fool out of her!"

"She'll be fine, don't worry. They do this all the time!"

Daring could actually feel herself scowl at that remark. She looked back up at the stage, as Professor Atlas had turned on the projector and took her place behind the podium. She tapped the microphone with a hoof and began.

"Good evening Mares and gentlecolts. First off, I'd like to thank you all for coming out here today to hear my presentation." She said with a smile.

"Now let's begin."

She clicked the remote in her hoof, and a slide of a a sunken Icelandic ship flipped onto the screen.

"The legend of Atlantis is by far the most well known and storied of every other legend out there. Walk up to any pony on the street and they'll tell you it was a city lost to the sea, many centuries ago."

She pushed up her glasses. "But the facts, dear friends. The facts can tell us so much more."

She gestured towards the slide of the ship. "In the 12th year before Celestia, An Icelandic shipping freighter reported the existence of an amazing city above the waves. A utopian civilization, possessing technology and knowledge far superior to our own."

A slide of a sketch of an old and wise looking Pegasus with a long white beard flashed onto the screen.

"The findings of this discovery was, documented by Plato, a philosopher on board the ship. He detailed a society that used agriculture, arts, science and technology that wouldn't be seen again for over a thousand years."

A slide of a hasty sketch of a utopian city flashed on the screen.

"This is an artist's rendition of how Atlantis might've appeared in it's heyday. Glorious, prosperous and socially and technically advanced. A veritable paradise on the ocean!"

A slide appeared on the screen that seemed to detail a massive disaster.

"Our friend Plato, goes on to say that this great Continent was suddenly struck by a cataclysmic event, so destructive, that it sent the entire Atlantis civilization to the bottom of the sea."

Professor Atlas adjusted her glasses. "Now, I'm painfully aware that there are many in our audience that don't believe in this story. Your saying, Its just a myth, nothing but pure fantasy and legend."

A snobbish colt beside Daring snorted. "Heh, not aware enough to actually give up on this stupidity."

Daring then took this moment to elbow this colt in the ribs, knocking the wind out of him and sending him to the floor.

Daring feigned surprise. "Oh dear! I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't aware of how close you were."

Back up on stage, Professor Atlas had apparently reached the part of her presentation she was most excited about. She was now smiling broadly.

"But I'm afraid this, my friends, is where you'd be wrong."

A slide of several stone tablets each with a different picture carved into them flashed on the screen.

"Five thousand years before the pyramids had been built, Atlantis already had electricity, agriculture, Advanced science and medicine, and magic beyond anything we know of today."

She paused for effect, as many in the audience began to chat amongst themselves.

Atlas cleared her throat and continued.

"Now what happened to Atlantis? How could such a powerful and advanced civilization have been lost?"

She paused again, as a slide of several ancient inscriptions came on screen.

"We may never know for sure. But what we do know, is that Plato detailed everything he discovered about Atlantis in his dialogue."

She smiled again. "Including, where to find it."

Several ponies in the audience laughed, others booed. The rest chatted with one another.

But Atlas wasn't done yet. "I understand all of your opinions on that remark, but hear me out on this."

She flipped to a slide of a geothermic vent system and several undersea volcanoes.

"While Atlantis did sink, it was never actually described by Plato as having been destroyed. I theorize that the city sank due to a massive volcanic eruption, that sent the whole city in its entirety to the bottom of the ocean."

"Which means that the entire city sank, intact."

Atlas's eyes lit up behind her glasses. "Its still out there! The greatest archeological find in Equestrian history, filled with discoveries that'll revolutionize the entire world, just waiting for some pony to go and find it."

Moonbeam raised her hoof. "And how do you suppose we find it, Ms. Atlas?" She asked.

Atlas seemed taken back. She hadn't actually expected anyone to ask any questions. She shuffled her hooves nervously.

"Well...the location of Atlantis is detailed in Plato's Lost Dialogue." She answered.

Moonbeam continued. "And where is this dialogue, Ms. Atlas?"

Atlas gulped and smiled nervously. "Well its, um lost obviously. But I actually have a lead on where to find-

"I knew it!" A mare in the back yelled out. "She's still just a sham, as always!"

The whole room filled with angry shouts and booing, as others began to stand up and hurl insults at poor Atlas who had taken cover behind the podium, in case anyone threw anything at her.

"She's a hack!"

"A con-artist!"

"A loser!"

"Her glasses make her look like a nerd!"

Daring Do had had enough. She stood up, and shouted over top of the angry crowd.

"WE'LL, I BELIEVE HER!" She yelled, silencing every other voice in the room.

Atlas peeked out from behind the podium. "Y-you do?"

Daring turned to the meek professor and smiled. "I do." she said loud enough for everyone to hear.

A mint green stallion in a top hat, who sat only a few seats down her row, spoke up. "And just who are you, then?" He jeered.

Daring gave him a look that could've killed him. She marched over to him, put both hooves on the arms of his chair, and glared down at him menacingly.

"I'm Daring Do. The Daring Do. And I'd say my opinion is worth a million times that of any of you pompous jerks!" She exclaimed loudly.

The stallion had fallen silent and curled up into a frightened ball.

"Not a single one of you knows the risk or the danger, we go through to deliver facts like these to you. And I'm fairly confident not a single one of you has ever explored a dangerous temple, or recovered a priceless artifact from a tribe of angry natives or done anything besides complain!"

The entire room had fallen silent, and many ponies were now looking down at their feet.

Daring glanced to Professor Atlas. "This mare, came out here because she took those risks. She even risked the abuse you jerks have subjected her to, just so she could tell someone what she discovered!"

Daring turned back to the crowd. "She's braver and smarter then any one of you! You should all be ashamed of yourselves, for bullying her just because you think what she says is a myth! Do you have any idea how many myths I've brought back to Canterlot University?"

A timid white earth pony in a red dress raised her hoof nervously. "Um...seven?"

Daring thought for a moment. "Nah, it's way more than that. Probably closer to, wait- that's not the point!"

"You all think Atlantis is a myth? Fine! Where's your proof then, huh? Where's your evidence that Atlantis doesn't exist?"

No pony in the audience answered.

Daring smiled. "You see? There's more proof out there that Atlantis does exist, than there is that it doesn't."

Many ponies started chatting again, all of them taking into count on what Daring had said.

On stage, Professor Atlas wiped away tears, and looked over at Daring.

"Daring? As in, Daren's little filly?"

Daring turned and smiled at her.

"Professor Atlas, I need to speak with you. About Atlantis."

She narrowed her eyes. "And about my father."

Chapter 2: "Iceland Cometh."

Professor Atlas's room was stuffy and very hot. Mostly because her room, was actually just the maintenance closet where they had the furnace. Daring was comfortably back in her green adventurer's shirt and pith helmet as she sat on an all too tiny fold out chair, talking to Atlas, who's seat was tucked in the corner across from her.

"So, its true then? You and my dad really were looking for Atlantis?" Daring asked her.

Atlas smiled as she adjusted her glasses. "Yes, it's true. Daren and I knew each other from our younger days. He was always so smart, so confident. He knew exactly what to say to ponies to get them to really listen."

She looked down at her feet. "Meanwhile, I well...not so much."

"I always admired your father. Even back then, I wanted nothing more than to work with him on one of his adventures. When he came and asked me to help him find Atlantis, it was the happiest I'd been in a long time."

She paused for a moment, before continuing. "This wasn't the first time I'd been laughed at on a stage, or accused of being a hack or a phony. I mean who wouldn't make fun of a professor who spent her whole career chasing after a myth? A Legend?"

"But..Daren, your dad. He took every word I said seriously. He not only believed me, but he wanted my help to find Atlantis! My help!"

Daring smiled. "What did you guys find? Surely you found some evidence or a lead to finding it."

She thought for a moment. "Well, we didn't find Atlantis, obviously. But Daren did have something on Plato's Lost dialogue!"

She got up from her chair and went over to a filing cabinet. Leafing through it, she came across a large photograph. She trotted over and showed it to Daring.

Daring gasped. "I-Is that?"

Atlas chuckled. "That's us."

The photograph showed Professor Atlas in a fluffy parka standing in the snow, amongst an frozen backdrop, beside a tall blue earth pony in a parka and googles, and at the end of them, smiling with a hoof on the blue pony's shoulder, was Daring's father. A rugged and burly looking bronze Pegasus, with a combed grey and black mane, steely eyes and a thick stubble. He wore a white adventurer's shirt under his thick brown leather jacket, and had a worn looking brown fedora tucked under his wing. A cutie mark of a golden idol adorned his flank as he stood in the snow smiling confidently.

Daring felt a a twinge in her chest as she looked at it. She hadn't seen her father's face since she was a filly. Seeing him now, after so many years, even as a photograph, stirred up her emotions.

Atlas looked at the picture with her and smiled. "That pony in the middle of us, his name is Dr. Quill-Pen. He was the one your father had tasked with finding Plato's Lost Dialogue. He went out to Iceland in search of it, but he never got back to us. A week after, was when your dad went missing."

Atlas removed her glasses and brushed back a lose lock of her mane, only for it to fall back in its place.

"I didn't hear from any of them for months." She said sadly.

Then she looked up at Daring with a smile.

"But Atlantis was something more to both of us. So I never gave up. I kept doing research on Atlantis, traveling all over the world,going on week long treks with ponies who couldn't even understand what I was saying, all so I could at least tell Daren, if I ever saw him again, that I hadn't given up."

Daring smiled at Professor Atlas who returned the gesture. She kept looking down at the picture.

"What was he like?" She asked Atlas suddenly.

Atlas seemed to lose herself in thought as she answered.

"He was brave, confident, a scholar, adventurous and a master treasure hunter."

She looked warmly at Daring. "There isn't a doubt in my mind that if anyone could ever find Atlantis, it was your father."

Daring stood up. "Then lets go!"

"Pardon?"

"Lets go to Iceland, Find this Dr. Quill-Pen, and find Atlantis!"

"What??"

"What do you mean, What?"

"I-I can't do anything like that!"

"Sure you can! You went with dad, didn't you?"

"B-But I have a job! I'm a professor of archaeology, not an adventurer!"

Daring smiled at that. "Well, I'm both of those things, and if I can go, you can too!"

"For the last time, I'm not going to Iceland!"

Daring looked at her "Why not? This is your dream isn't it? To find Atlantis!"

"I'm a teacher, not a treasure hunter! I've only ever studied Atlantis. I could never actually go looking for it!"

"Yes you can! You helped my dad on his expedition, he wrote about it in his journal!" Daring exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but...wait. How did you know what he wrote in his journal?" Professor Atlas suddenly asked, wide eyed.

Daring smiled as she pulled out her father's journal, and handed it to Atlas.

"I-I...This is-

"Yep."

"Where-

"Kamara Mista."

"KAMARA MISTA!?"

Atlas's hooves were shaking and she now seemed so anxious she reminded Daring of Herpy back at the university.

Her glasses tilted down to her muzzle as she looked at the worn leather journal like it was going to explode.

"You mean, he found....and you-

"Yeah. I sort of saved all of Equestria from being enslaved and stuff." Daring said casually.

Atlas seemed to slide back into her chair as she looked up at the ceiling with wide eyes.

"Dear Celestia." She sighed.

Daring gave her a moment for it all to sink in, before she asked "So...can we go to Iceland now?"

Professor Atlas didn't answer as she took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes, a million thoughts flooding her mind at once.

"Professor Atlas?..."

"I-I, I'm just a teacher, Daring."

"So? I'm a teacher too!"

"But, I'm not like you and Daren. I'm...a loser."

Daring looked shocked. "What!? You are not a loser, professor! Your so smart! All the stuff you know about Atlantis-

"It doesn't matter! I'm a laughing stock! No pony has ever given me the time of day for anything I've presented! Atlantis? It's a fairy Tale, Daring! A myth, it's not real!"

Tears welled up in the mare's eyes as Daring looked at her straight on.

"You don't believe that. I know you don't.

Atlas wiped away her tears as she looked down at the ground. "It doesn't matter what I believe. They all think its just a fairy tale."

Daring got up out of her seat, trotted over and narrowed her eyes as she looked at Atlas.

"Then, prove them wrong." She said seriously.

Atlas looked up at Daring's confident face.

Daring smiled at her. "You know its out there, professor! I can see it in your eyes. So lets go find it!"

"I'm not like Daren-

"This isn't about my father!"

Atlas looked at Daring with surprise.

"You deserve to find Atlantis, with everything you've gone through! It's more than just a treasure hunt. It's you're destiny!"

Atlas's eyes welled up as she looked at Daring, awestruck.

"You're the one, Atlantis has been waiting for! Not me, not my father, or any pony else. It's you!"

Professor Atlas was actually crying now.

Tears rolled down her face as she asked "You really think so?"

Daring smiled broadly at her. "It's time to stop studying, professor. Lets go find the real thing." She said softly.

Professor Atlas stopped crying as she removed her glasses and wiped away her tears.

When she put them back on, she sniffled as she smiled brightly at Daring.

"Your right!"

She stood up from her chair. "I'm done being the scientific world's punching bag! Let's do it!"

"Let's find Atlantis!" She exclaimed.

Daring stood up from her chair and smiled confidently. "Yeah! That's the spirit!"

Daring put a hoof on the door out to the hallway, and turned to Atlas.

"I'm heading back to the university to get ready. You get your stuff together, then meet me at my office, tomorrow morning. I'll have us a way to Iceland by then."

Atlas looked surprised. "You have a plane?"

Daring walked out the door, looking back from the hallway. "Well, no."

"But I have a friend who does." she said with a sly smile.

Chapter 3: "Legends and Truths."

Daring was back in her office at Canterlot University, packing several satchels with supplies she needed for her trip to Iceland. Thoughts of excitement raced through her mind, as she folded up a map of the North Atlantic and put it into her bag.

Atlantis. The legendary lost city, that probably every pony in the world knew the story of. Her dad had gone looking for it, and now she was following his trail to find him. She had gone after a lot of mythical treasures and artifacts in her day, But Atlantis was in its own category among all of them. She had never gone after anything this big before.

But then another thought popped into her head.

What if she actually found her father there? Maybe he had found the city, but he had been trapped in it when he tried to escape! What if he had been waiting all this time for someone to find and rescue him?

What if he had planned everything like this? So he could be reunited with his daughter?

Daring was brought out of her thoughts by Herpy, who walked into her office with two mugs of coffee. He stopped, seeing Daring packing her bags.

"Um, going somewhere?" He asked with a weak smile.

Daring smiled at him as she took down a few books from her shelf and put them in her bag.

"Yep. Iceland."

"ICELAND!?"

Herpy caught himself before he dropped the coffee in his surprise.

"W-Why are you going to Iceland? And what happened with Professor Atlas?"

Daring packed another spare adventurer shirt as she answered.

"Oh, I met her. She's a little quirky, but shes also really smart! We're heading to Iceland to find this pony my dad had looking for Plato's Lost Dialogue."

Herpy's eyes went wide. "P-Plato's Lost Dialogue?!"

Daring looked over at him. "I...take it you've heard of it?"

Herpy calmed himself.

"Plato's Lost Dialogue is one of the most coveted historical tomes in recorded history, Probably every historian in the world knows about it!" He explained.

"Plato wrote at least eleven dialogues on several subjects, the arts, agriculture,medicine, science. But the last one he ever wrote, was never found: The Lost Dialogue, so to speak."

Daring smiled. "Yeah, that's the one he wrote when he found Atlantis."

Herpy gave a nervous chuckle. "We'll that's what the legend says, at least. But it's never been proven that Plato ever wrote a twelfth dialogue! That's why its dismissed as a myth!"

Daring chuckled. "Welp, we'll see how much of a myth it is, when I bring it back for every pony to see!"

"And you think it's in Iceland?"

Daring thought for a moment. "Well, the guy who was supposed to find it is. And if he didn't, maybe he can point us in the right direction."

Herpy looked concerned as he sat the coffee down on Daring's desk. "Are you sure about this, Daring? That's an awfully long way to go just to talk to someone."

Daring loaded her bags onto her back.

"Yeah, but this someone, could lead us to Atlantis! Not only that but, he may know where I can find my father!"

"Daring-

"What if he's in Atlantis, Herpy? What if he got trapped down there, and needs me to come rescue him?"

"I get that your concerned, but-

"Plus! It's Atlantis, for Celestia's sake. If I'd managed to bring back even a rock from Atlantis, Mazra will flip right out of her chair!"

Daring and Herpy both laughed.

They looked at one another.

Daring smiled. "You know you can come with me, right?"

"Oh, no! I-I couldn't,I-

"Why not? You were stuck here the whole time, when we went to Kamara Mista! I'd thought you'd want to at least go and see Atlantis."

Herpy looked at the ground.

"I can't swim."

"Oh."

"Heh, well I mean it's not like were going to be swimming down there! It's at the bottom of the ocean, we'll probably just get a submarine or something."

Herpy looked surprised. "Where in Equestria, are you going to get a Submarine?"

Daring shrugged. "I don't know...Coco?"

"You think Coco has a submarine?"

Daring chuckled. "Coco has everything, Herpy."

She suddenly looked at the clock above her desk.

"Speaking of Coco, I've got to get over to her stall and get a plane for me and Professor Atlas! Oh, and Professor Atlas will be here tomorrow morning, so I'll need you to unlock my door for her. In case I get jumped or something."

"What?? Why would you get jumped?"

"Well, c'mon Herpy it's Atlantis. There's got to be some evil or malevolent force out there that wants to find Atlantis and use its secrets for their own nefarious purposes! It's Treasure Hunting 101!"

Herpy looked confused, but agreed anyway. "So, when will you be back?"

Daring thought for a moment. "We'll Iceland is a good two thousand miles away, and we'll probably need to stop to refuel on the way."

"Also seeing as how were looking for an ancient lost civilization, that has never been found in the thousands of years its legend has been told, all based from cryptic clues that my father wrote in his journal years ago, that alludes to how we need to first find a legendary manuscript written by a long dead philosopher, that most of the scientific world dismisses as a myth, I'd say...."

"Four weeks?" She said finally.

Herpy blinked, then laughed.

"We'll it's not like you can't handle it."

"That's right. Just another adventure, and another treasure to be found, right?"

"Right."

Daring smiled and opened her door. She turned back to Herpy.

"If you change your mind about coming with us, just let me know tomorrow, okay?"

"I-I really don't think I'm capable of going along on an adventure like this."

"Oh, come on! Your only other option is to stay here, and file books or whatever."

"W-Well, actually-

"Come on, Herpy! You'd be a huge help on this, I know it."

Herpy seemed unsure of what to say. He shuffled his hooves anxiously, as he usually did we he was unsure of something.

Daring glanced back at the clock. "I gotta head to Coco's. Just think about it, and let me know tomorrow, okay?

"Y-Yeah. Alright."

Daring turned to leave. "Later, Herpy! See you tomorrow!"

With that Daring left her office, leaving Herpy standing there, unsure of what he should do.

Daring hurried down the hall. But as she passed the headmaster's office, she stopped.

She had noticed someone in the room, talking to Mazra. It looked rather serious.

Daring took a few steps back and peeked in through the cracked door.

Mazra was sitting patiently at her desk, while a tall and burly looking white unicorn in a pleated suit and tie was eyeing her rather harshly.

"Please, headmaster be reasonable." He said, speaking in a manner that Daring immediately pegged as that of a gangster's.

Mazra looked plainly at him, her eyes seemingly scanning him. "I am being reasonable Mr. Heypony. What's unreasonable, is you barging in here, asking for information on one of my faculty!" She exclaimed.

Mr. Heypony dropped his facade, as he glared at Mazra.

"Now, you listen here-

Mazra stood up from her chair.

"No! You listen, Mr. Heypony. I don't care who you work for, I don't take threats or bribes, and I am not telling you a single earthly thing about one of my most respected professors!" Mazra's eyes were cranked up to full power as she stared down the thuggish unicorn.

Mazra sat back down, and adjusted her half moon spectacles, "If you or your boss, want to know so badly about Ms. Do's profession, then I suggest you look elsewhere."

She glared at Heypony.

"Because your not getting anything from me, and you will not be getting anything from her either. I assure you of that, Mr. Heypony."

Heypony sat silently for a moment.

Mazra smiled politely. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to let yourself out, or should I have security come and escort you?"

Mr. Heypony glared at her, But Mazra was unphased.

He stood up and straightened his tie. "There's no need for that, ma'am. I'll be going."

He marched to Mazra's door, making Daring jump back. But he turned to Mazra again.

"But, my boss won't be happy about this."

Mazra glanced over to him. "I could care less, if your boss is angry or not, Mr. Heypony." she said plainly.

A strange smile crept over the unicorn's face. "Oh, but you will, headmaster. You will."

Daring had hidden behind the corner, as Heypony came out of Mazra's office and hurried down the far hall.

As she looked back to make sure the coast was clear, her mind swarmed with a million thoughts.

"So, somepony else is after Atlantis." She thought.

"And whoever they are, they know that I'm looking for it. Do they know about professor Atlas too?"

Daring thought for a moment. if they had tried to get information about her from Mazra, then odds are they were gonna be going after professor Atlas too!

There wasn't a moment to lose, Daring had to hurry over to Coco's, then warn the professor, before it was too late!

Bewildered students ducked out of the way, as Daring Do raced down the hall and out of the school heading towards the town square, where her friend Coco had set up shop.

Chapter 4: "Coco's Bazaar Trades and Goods."

The Town square was bustling with busy ponies, eagerly buying up various wares and merchandise from the many stalls that bordered its pathways. But Daring Do raced towards one in particular. A large, cluttered beyond description, Sales kiosk, that had a sign proudly exclaiming: "Coco's Bazaar Trades and Goods- If its strange or wack, we have it in back!" in bright green letters.

As always, Coco Pie, the lovable sales pony who seemingly sold anything a pony could need or want, was behind the counter discussing something with one of her customers.

"While it certainly looks like it, I can assure you that this figurine doesn't dance." Coco smiled sweetly as she gestured to a medium sized fiber glass model of a lemon with arms, legs and a large mustache that seemed to be tap dancing.

Her customer, a yellow unicorn with a light blue mane eyed the thing suspiciously.

Daring ran up to Coco's kiosk, nearly out of breath.

"Coco!"

Coco glanced over to Daring and smiled warmly.

"Hey, Daring! I'll be with you in a minute, kay?"

"Coco,I don't really have time for-

"Now, as I was saying, the figurine looks like he's dancing, but in actuality he can't dance."

The unicorn still looked suspicious. "And your sure, it can't dance?" She asked.

Coco smiled and nodded. "A hundred percent! So what do you say?"

The unicorn thought for a moment, before answering.

"Well...alright."

She dropped a bag of bits on the counter.

"But if it does start dancing, I can take it back right?"

Coco smiled again. "Absolutely! Just bring him back while he's still dancing."

She glanced over at the figurine. "Because, I'd really like to see that!"

The unicorn collected the figurine and trotted off, as Daring approached the counter.

Coco deposited the bits from the bag into her register, then plopped the bag into a large crate marked "Bags."

"So, what can I do for you today, Daring?"

Daring was in a hurry, so she got right to the point. "I need a plane that can get me to Iceland." She said plainly.

"Oh? Going after yet another treasure of great value? or are you just going skiing?"

Daring sighed. "I don't have time to explain, Coco. Do you have a plane for me?"

Coco looked taken back a bit, but smiled anyway. "Give me a sec!"

She went back behind the stall's curtain. Daring heard all manner of strange noises and sounds as Coco searched her back room.

She came back after a minute holding a set of plane keys in her mouth.

"Here you go! It's the big blue one at the docks! It might need to be refueled, but it should get you to Iceland just fine." She said tossing the keys to Daring.

Daring pocketed the keys. "Thanks Coco. Hang on, I've got something to trade for-

"Oh! Don't worry about that. it's on the house this time!" Coco said cheerfully.

Daring was surprised. "Wait, You don't want anything to trade for it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Coco smiled sweetly. "Nope, Just be sure to bring me back something cool from Atlantis, kay?"

"Thanks Coco!"

Daring turned to leave, then stopped.

"Wait...How did-

Daring was about to ask Coco how she possibly could've known about Atlantis. But she was on a time limit.

She thought better of it, then hurried off.

As she watched her friend gallop away, Coco looked over at no one in particular and smiled slyly.

"I wonder how this one, will play out." She wondered aloud, garnering several looks from passers by.

Coco was a strange earth pony, indeed.

Chapter 5: "Schemes In Motion."

Daring had flown back to Manehatten as fast as her wings could take her. She needed to warn professor Atlas, that someone else knew about Atlantis, and were planning on coming after her and the professor for information. And Daring guessed they weren't exactly gonna be nice about it.

She arrived at The Manehatten Theater, out of breath and out of time.

She opened the door, and raced over to the receptionist, still panting from her trip.

"Is...Professor Atlas, still here?" She asked, breathing heavily.

The receptionist seemed oblivious at Daring's exhaustion as she smiled.

"Yes, she is! But she's talking with somepony right now, so she probably shouldn't be disturbed."

Daring's exhaustion went away instantly.

"what?? who is it?"

The receptionist continued to smile. "Oh, some nice unicorn in a suit. He was with someone. A mare, I believe."

Daring didn't wait for her to finish. she raced through the lobby, down the hall and stopped outside Professor Atlas's room.

As quietly as she could, Daring leaned in and pressed an ear to the closed door, listening carefully.

A familiar sounding voice made her eyes widen.

"Now professor, we've tried to be nice. I've been very courteous, and I even explained our plans." The voice said calmly.

"So why do you insist, on stalling us?"

Daring heard professor Atlas respond. She sounded scared, but determined.

"Because your plans are insane! Your messing with things, you can't possibly understand!" Atlas exclaimed.

The voice sounded disappointed.

"Oh, now insane is a strong word. I prefer the term, open minded."

"Atlantis isn't some weapon for you to exploit." Atlas responded coldly.

The voice chuckled. "Oh, I couldn't care less about that city. It's whats in Atlantis, that I seek."

Atlas sounded serious now. "You'll get nothing from me. I'm done being every pony's punching bag."

"Way to go, professor!" Daring thought to herself.

The voice sounded less than impressed. "How noble." It jeered.

"But if you won't tell us, well, that's just fine-

Daring yelped as she was suddenly picked up off the ground by magic, and pulled into the room.

Daring gasped as she saw who the voice belonged to.

Moonbeam smiled wickedly as she said " I'm sure Ms.Do can enlighten us without a fuss."

Mysterious Back Room (Manehatten Theater)

Daring struggled to loosen the ropes that binded her and Professor Atlas together. Mr. Heypony and another burly looking unicorn stood by the doors.

"I knew it was you! That voice sounded way too familiar."

Moonbeam chuckled. "Oh, but you didn't Ms. Do."

"You know, you really should learn to think more quietly. You never know if someone could be listening to your thoughts." She added motioning towards her head.

"Y-You can read minds?" Daring gasped.

"Heh. No Ms. Do."

Daring's ropes suddenly turned into long slimy snakes, making both her and Atlas yell out.

"I can do, so much more than that."

The snakes coiled along one another, as Daring narrowed her eyes at Moonbeam. "Just who are you, anyway? What do you want with Atlantis?"

Moonbeam trotted over to a picture the professor had on her table,and examined it.

"Oh me? Well, I'm a collector of sorts. You see, the organization I lead is a reowned society of magic users. We collect the most powerful magics in the world, and lock them away for our own use."

Moonbeam turned to look at Daring with a glint in her eye. "But the magics your used to, are just so...weak. So bland."

"I've long since abandoned trivial unicorn magic. There's just so much more that the Dark Arts can teach. So much more."

Daring's eyes went wide."The Dark Arts? You really are insane." She said amazed.

Moonbeam was suddenly an inch from Daring's face."No! Ms.Do."

"I am enlightened." She said with a strange smile.

Moonbeam began to slowly walk around Daring and Atlas, as the snakes coiled around them, hissed menacingly.

"The Dark Arts have enlightened me, to a higher state of power, far beyond that of Equestria's pathetic magics."

She stopped and leaned in closely. "So imagine, what we'd be able to do with the magics of Atlantis at our disposal. We'd be even more powerful then Celestia herself!" She exclaimed.

Daring was at a loss for words. But then she laughed.

"Wow. I mean, I knew you guys were crazy, but...

Daring smirked at Moonbeam. "I didn't think you were idiots, too."

Moonbeam sighed. "You disappoint me, Daring."

"I thought you, at least, could see the bigger picture here. But...it seems your just as ignorant as your father."

Daring narrowed her eyes. "What do you know, about my father?" She demanded.

Moonbeam smiled. "Oh, I'm afraid we've run out of friendly conversations, Ms. Do."

She turned away from them and ordered her henchponies out the door. "Now, If you'll excuse me, we have a lost city to find."

She smiled back at them. "Oh, and by the way. Those snakes will coil tighter and tighter until they've literally squeezed all the energy out of you. Toodles!"

She left with a wave and locked the door.

Daring and Atlas began to try and squirm free from the snake's grasp. But it was no use, as the snakes coiled tighter and tighter.

Daring struggled to speak. "Well...this is a new one. Even for me. I've never been tied up with snakes before."

"Points for creativity." She added.

The snakes hissed loudly, as they coiled around.

"But minus a million points for being completely off her saddle, and trying to kill us." Daring said as she felt the snakes squeeze around her.

Professor Atlas was freaking out, but trying her best to speak calmly. "W-What do we do?"

"Working on it."

"Well, do you think you could work faster? These snakes don't seem very patient." Atlas said worriedly.

Daring looked around the room, for something, anything she could use to free herself and the professor from the snake's slimy grasp.

Then she spotted the furnace and got an idea.

"Hey Professor."

"Yes?"

"How hot do you think those pipes over by the furnace are?"

"Well, the furnace is on full blast, because its rather chilly out today. I'd say they'd be very hot indeed. Why?"

Daring smiled. "I've got an idea. On the count of three, we both stand up at the same time, okay?"

"Uh...okay?"

The snakes were now squeezing tighter than ever, but Daring now had a plan to get rid of them.

"Alright. ready?" she asked Atlas.

"Ready."

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

They both stood up on their hind legs at the same time. The snakes hissed loudly, annoyed.

Daring chuckled. "Alright! Now head for that pipe by the furnace."

"Okay!"

They both slowly made their way over to the furnace, taking effort to match each others steps.

Stumbling towards the furnace, Daring glanced down at the snakes. They were still coiling tighter and tighter. She felt no regrets from doing this to the snakes.

Beside them, a metal pipe coming from the side of the furnace, radiated with intense heat.

"Okay, now carefully lean towards the pipe."

Atlas did as she was told, and the two of them leaned into the pipe.

Their was a loud hissing, as the snakes suddenly uncoiled themselves from around Daring and Atlas's waist, and slithered off.

Daring smiled broadly. "Ha! I guess they couldn't take the heat!" She joked.

Atlas breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled. "Indeed."

They took a minute to collect themselves.

"Alright. There's no time to lose. We need to get to Iceland before Moonbeam and her thugs do!"

"Absolutely! We can't let her get her hooves on the magic of Atlantis, Daring! We just can't."

Daring smiled. "Don't worry professor. She's not even going to make it to Atlantis."

They raced out of the theater, and Daring hailed a taxi. "We need to get to the docks. I got us a plane to go to Iceland!"

"You did?"

"Yep. We'll need to refuel, but we can be out of here and on our way to Iceland, in an hour."

A taxi pulled up,and Daring opened the door for the professor.

"By the way professor, what was moonbeam going on about anyway?'

"The magic of Atlantis is beyond anything we know. Far beyond even that of Alicorn Magic."

Daring's eyes widened. "But it's just magic, right? I mean, what all can she do with it?" She asked.

Atlas looked worried. She looked at Daring with a very concerned look.

"A better question would be: What couldn't she do with it?"

Canterlot Docks (Warehouse District.)

As the taxi drove away, Daring and Atlas loaded the plane with all their stuff. the Professor had packed a small bag with various notebooks, pens, and all of her research books on Atlantis. She loaded them into the cargo hold, As Daring refueled the plane.

A voice made them both jump.

"Room for two more?"

Daring looked to see her friend Swift Wing, smiling broadly while gazing up at the plane. Herpy stood beside her, carrying a large saddle bag.

"Glad to see you changed your mind, Herpy!" Daring said cheerfully.

Herpy shuffled his feet as he smiled back.

"But how did you know about the trip, Swift?"

Swift Wing chuckled. 'Oh, you thought you could fly off on some epic quest to find Atlantis, without me knowing about it?" She joked.

They both laughed.

But then Daring looked at her seriously. "Swift. I know you want to go with us...

"But we got some bad ponies after us. And their not very friendly."

Swift Wing laughed. "So? What else is new?"

Daring didn't want to imagine what Moonbeam or her cronies would do to them, if they caught them. Swift hadn't seen what that crazy mare was capable of.

"Her name is Moonbeam." Daring explained.

She's like an insanely powerful unicorn, and she doesn't use magic. She uses The Dark Arts!"

Swift Wing's eyes widened. "Whoa, seriously? That's so cool!"

Daring looked concerned. "She's dangerous, Swift! She turned a pair of ropes into snakes, for Celestia's sake!" she exclaimed.

Swift Wing looked even more excited. "Well, see now you have to take me."

"Look, It sounds awesome, I know, but you'd be safer here!"

Swift Wing raised an eyebrow. "So you know how to fly a plane, then?"

Daring went silent. She had no idea how to fly a plane. Not without crashing one anyway.

"Uh...

Swift Wing smiled slyly. "That's what I thought."

She hurried past Daring, and hopped into the cockpit.

"C'mon! Iceland ain't getting any colder!"

Daring stood there for a moment. Then she smiled.

"You heard her. Let's go!"

Herpy and the others finished loading their stuff onto the plane, as Swift Wing donned her googles and started the engines.

The propellers spun instantly, as the engines roared to life. Hopping into a passenger seat, behind Swift Wing, Daring held onto her helmet.

"Hang On!" Swift shouted over the roar of the engines.

She pushed the thrust forwards, as the plane sped down the runway and soared up into the clouds, bound for Iceland.

Chapter 6: "Friends In Cold Places."

The icy winds of the north Atlantic, whipped Daring's face as she and her team trekked through the snow covered tundras of Iceland's northern borders. She paused to re-read the passage from her father's journal.

"Going back to the states soon. Quill, says he's staying here to do research on Plato. His camp's to the north, near the mountains. Just past Grim Shallow. Don't know how he can stand the cold of this place, but, that's Quill for ya. He's always been a little out there."

Daring Do, Herpy, Professor Atlas and Swift Wing had landed on the coast of Iceland about three hours ago. The trip was long, but Daring kept herself busy reading her father's journal. It seemed Atlantis had only been his first stop in his quest to find "The discovery that would put the Do name, back in the history books."

He had been traveling all over the world, meeting and befriending ponies, griffins, and other adventurers, searching for what he described as the Ultimate Treasure.

Daring had been rather surprised at this. "Wait. Atlantis isn't an Ultimate treasure!? What could possibly be bigger than Atlantis?" She wondered.

She was more than a little eager to find out.

Another hour had gone by, and according to the journal, they were close to Dr. Quill-Pen's campsite. Daring knew if he was still in Iceland, looking for Plato's Lost Dialogue, then that's where he would be.

Swift Wing called out over the howling wind that stirred the snow around them. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost. It should be just over this ridge."

"Well, lets hurry then. I feel like I'm about to freeze to death out here!"

Professor Atlas spoke up. "Well, I doubt that. It's actually very warm in Iceland, this time of year."

"This is warm!?"

Atlas chuckled. "Well, its warm near the coastline. Its always much colder in northern parts of Iceland."

"So why are we all the way out here?" Swift replied, annoyed and shivering.

Daring looked back and gave weak smile. "Dr. Quill-Pen was dad's guy he had looking for Plato's Lost Dialogue. He set up camp to the north, near the mountains."

"Why? Why not set up camp near the coastline?"

Daring thought for a moment. The wind howled loudly around them.

"Maybe he was hiding."

Herpy spoke up. "Hiding? From what?"

Daring glanced back at him. "I don't think it was a what he was hiding from."

They came around the corner to a small clearing, where a campsite was indeed set up. But it looked completely abandoned.

"Uh...Is this it?" Swift Wing asked, eyeing a bundle of wood that was probably once used as a campfire.

Professor Atlas looked at a worn looking tent, that was pitched lopsided. "It doesn't look like any pony's been here for months." She said observantly.

Daring wasn't giving up yet. He had to be here! Maybe this was his old campsite, and he had moved farther up north.

'This has to be it!" She said determined. "Look around, maybe's he out getting wood."

Atlas put her hoof on Daring's shoulder. "Daring. Look around. It's obvious no one has been here in months. Dr Quill-Pen must've left years ago."

Daring looked over at the tent. "But why would this tent still be here?" She wondered aloud.

Herpy, who had never walked this far in his life, and was shivering from the bitter cold, sat down next to a large snow mound to rest.

He wasn't expecting this snow mound, to then say hello to him.

"Hello, there!"

If Daring and Swift Wing hadn't grabbed him by his tail, they were sure Herpy would've literally flown up the nearest tree.

They watched as the snow mound rose up to reveal an ice covered blue parka, and the blue earth pony in ski googles who wore said parka.

Icicles fell from his white beard as he spoke.

"Sorry to scare ya! Must've fallen asleep outside again. I do that sometimes, when I'm stargazing." The pony said with a jaunty accent, Daring placed as being Scottish.

As Herpy clung to Swift Wing, scared out of his wits, Daring approached the earth pony and smiled. "Dr. Quill-Pen, I presume?"

The earth pony nodded. "That's me! Now, what brings you and your group out this far north?" He asked with a smile.

Daring glanced back at her friends before turning back to Dr.Quill-Pen. "Were looking for Atlantis."

"Care to help us out?"

Dr. Quill-Pen's Campsite (Northern Iceland)

Everyone took turns warming up by the fire that Quill had made, and helping themselves to the hot cocoa he'd whipped up, while he and Daring talked at length about all manner of things.

"If I hadn't seen it, I never would've believed it! You are Daren's little filly! " Quill exclaimed excitedly, upon seeing Daring's cutie mark.

Daring blushed as she chuckled to herself. "Heh, not so little anymore, really."

Quill sipped his cocoa. "I'll say! Why, in those photos, you were just the littlest foal! Now look at ya!"

"Photos?"

"Oh, of course! Daren kept pictures of you, your sister, your mum. Not a day went by, when he didn't look at em."

Daring smiled."Really?"

"Yes ma'am. He would look at those pictures for hours, almost. Always talked about how proud he was of ya. How you'd grow up to do great things. Me and Atlas, we would listen for hours how he talked about ya and your sister. How you were his whole world."

Daring felt tears well up in her eyes. She quickly brushed them away as she asked. "How long did you know my father, Mr. Quill-Pen?"

Quill laughed. "Oh, please Daring. There's no need for formality with me! Call me Quill! That's the name I've always gone by!" He exclaimed cheerfully.

Daring chuckled. "Heh, sorry. How long did you know my father, Quill?" She asked.

Quill sat up, brushing snow of the hood of his ice covered parka. "Me and Daren? We go back to foalhood. Known him since I was only a knee tall!"

Daring sat up as she listened to Quill's story.

"When we were young, all we wanted to do was go adventuring. To see the world, like your granddad."

"Granddad?"

"That's right! The great Danger Do, the pony that put the Do name on the map! He was world famous, he was. Saw all kinds of things, brought back a new treasure every day!"

Quill gazed into the fire, lost in his memories.

"He was your dad's hero, and mine. We wanted to be just like him!"

Daring was immersed in Quill's story. She felt like a little filly again, listening to an uncle recall stories from his youth.

"What happened to him?" She asked.

Quill looked uncomfortable, suddenly. "No idea. One day, he just...didn't come back. His name faded from memory, and eventually the Do name was forgotten."

Quill looked solemn for a moment. But then he smiled.

"Then your dad took up the reins, and brought the Do name back! He was in papers every day! Me and him worked on, maybe a hundred expeditions together! He was a big, famous treasure hunter and I hung back in did the research for everything. I preferred books over the fame anyway."

He took another sip of cocoa.

Daring could help but compare her father and Quill's relationship to the one she and Herpy shared. She smiled as she imagined Herpy in a snow parka retelling stories of Daring and her adventures to other ponies.

Daring glanced over to the professor, who was happily sipping cocoa by the fire.

"What about Professor Atlas?" She asked.

"Hm?"

"How long have you known her?"

Quill looked over at Atlas and smiled. "Oh, your dad brought her on a ways back. Said she was an expert on Atlantis. And by Celestia, was she! We didn't talk much. She stuck to your dad like glue, pretty much the whole time. He was a hero to her."

He chuckled. "I don't blame her."

Daring smiled at the thought of the professor, her dad and Quill working together to find Atlantis.

But then her smile faded as she asked. "Quill?"

"Hmm?"

"....Do you know what happened to my father? Where he is now?"

Quill was silent for a moment. He seemed uneasy to answer.

Finally he answered. "Sorry, sweetie. I ain't seen mane nor tail of him, since he left this campsite years ago."

"Do you know why he left?"

"Couldn't say. Said something about it being important. That it was something he needed to do. After he left, Atlas followed suit. A week later I got news that he'd went missing."

Daring felt a tightness in her chest, as she lowered her head.

"Sorry, filly. I wish had good news for ya. Especially since ya came all the way out here!" Quill said sadly.

Then Daring remembered why, they'd come out there in the first place. "Quill!"

"Yes?"

"Plato's Dialogue! Did you ever find it?" She asked hopefully.

Quill looked taken back by Daring's sudden question. "Well, that's a question I'd thought I'd never get to answer."

"Well?" Daring asked eagerly.

Quill looked at Daring with a glint in his eye. "I think it's best if you see for yourself."

He stood up and motioned for Daring and her friends to follow. They looked confused, but did as they were asked.

They didn't have to go far, as only a few klicks from where they were, a huge cave appeared from the side of the mountain, through the snow.

Daring and her friends looked at it in awe, as Quill turned on a bright flashlight that was fastened to his googles and asked them to follow him inside.

Inside, the cave opened up into a vast tunnel system of other caves. Bats looked at them from the ceiling as they walked through to one of the tunnels, the light of Quill's flashlight being their only way of seeing in the darkness.

Quill spoke up, as Daring and her team followed him. "Found these caves, a couple months after Daren left. There the reason I never left. I think once you see em, you'll see why."

"Here we are!"

Daring heard herself and the others gasp, as they found themselves in a gigantic temple, with huge stone columns that reached the cave ceiling. A waterfall formed a river that circled the place, as they looked at the possible thousands of strange symbols and runes that covered every square inch of the cavern walls. In the center of the temple was a huge array of interlocking stone rings that appeared to have maze like structures built within each one. Daring trotted over to it and gazed down at it awestruck.

Every detail was so intricate and aligned with other parts, that it was impossible to make any sense of it. The mazes were built into one of each of the seventeen stone rings that encircled one another, forming a huge complex array or pattern.

She looked closer to see, several small statues that Daring was sure were not of ponies. In fact, she had no idea what they were statues of.

They were odd looking bipedal creatures with animal-like faces. Each statue appeared to be holding something, in what looked like claws.

"W-What is this?" She wondered aloud.

Quill trotted over to her and smiled broadly. "This, little filly,is Atlantis. An ancient model of it."

Daring and the whole group went speechless as they took in the magnitude of the moment.

Professor Atlas was the first to break the silence. "Y-you mean....

Daring looked back at her smiling even more broadly then Quill. "It's real professor. Atlantis is real!"

Quill looked at the professor warmly. "We're not crazy, Atlas! isn't that great?" He exclaimed proudly.

Tears welled up in the professor's eyes as she trotted over and stared down at the stone model.

"I-its....its, enormous!" She exclaimed.

She wasn't wrong. The stone model of Atlantis took up the whole middle of the temple. It was so large that all of Daring's friends and herself could encircle it, and they'd only cover about one corner of the thing.

They all stared in awe at it, as Quill chuckled.

"Yep, Heh. First time i found this thing, I stared at it for so long, I fell asleep in here!" he joked.

Then Daring had a thought. "Wait...why does it look like a maze? Isn't a city supposed to have buildings?"

Quill thought for a moment. "Well, according to some of these symbols here..." he gestured to the symbols that covered the walls.

"This is only the foundation of the place. They were planning on building a hundred of these, and stacking em on top of one another!" He explained.

"A hundred!?" Swift Wing exclaimed.

"There wouldn't be any room left in the ocean!" She added, staring at the sheer size of the model.

Quill laughed."But it'd make it a heck of a lot easier to find though, wouldn't it?" He joked.

He turned to Daring. "After I found this temple, i started studying these symbols."

He trotted over to a wall where the symbols were clearly lined in a manner of hieroglyphics. "And I came across one that said how this was the place, were Atlantis was being built!"

"What?!"

Swift Wing looked around. "Here? in this temple?" she asked, bewildered.

Quill smiled. "Nope, little filly. Iceland!"

"WHAT!?" They all exclaimed at once.

"They used all of Iceland, as one big super forge to construct parts of the city, then charted it off to build it somewhere else."

Professor Atlas was almost speechless. "They used Iceland itself, as one huge forge to construct parts of Atlantis?!"

"Ayep. I'd bet all of Iceland's got temples like this one hidden all over." Quill explained.

He pointed to another set of symbols. "Now these, talk about how they built these huge machines to do all the heavy lifting for em. Ain't no pictures, but according to these, they were gigantic! One could probably take up the whole coastline of Iceland!"

"Dear Celestia." Professor Atlas sat down and fanned herself, trying her best not to faint. This was all so much for her to take in at once.

Daring stood next to Quill. "Do any of them say where to find Atlantis? I mean if they were building it here, they had to have put the location of the city somewhere right?"

Quill shook his head. "If only it were that easy, filly. No, ma'am this place must've been abandoned long before they finished it. Probably moved their forge somewhere closer to the city, so they wouldn't have to hoof it so far."

"Been studying these symbols for years now. Ain't ever seen anything that said where they were dragging it all." he explained.

Daring looked crestfallen.

"But...

"But?

Quill chuckled. "I do know where Plato's dialogue is."

"You do!?" Daring asked excitedly.

"Where?!" She added, still just as eagerly. The others gathered around them to hear as well.

Quill smiled as he explained. "It ain't in Iceland, unfortunately."

"Turns out, I wasn't the only one looking for it. A professor at Baulkham University, had won the thing in an auction. When I got wind of it, I sent a letter to Daren on where it was. But he never got back to me."

"So when that failed, I sent another letter to the university claiming that it belonged to me. Didn't feel right lying, and all, but I'd wager using it to find the city of Atlantis was a heck of better use for it, then for some snooty professor to use it as a trophy or something."

"No offense." he added.

"None taken." Daring and Atlas both said at the same time.

Quill chuckled and continued. "So when the professor left the university for good, They kept his room locked up, with the dialogue still inside it!"

A realization hit Professor Atlas like lightning. "Wait! Baulkham University? T-Thats....that's my university! Your telling me, the key to finding Atlantis has been in my own school, this entire time!?" She exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Quill looked concerned. "Uh...apparently?"

This time, Professor Atlas did faint. Swift Wing caught her as she fell to the floor.

Quill looked down at her. "Was it something I said?"

Daring smiled and hugged the nutty old earth pony, who hugged her back.

"You've said exactly what we needed to hear! I can't thank you enough!" she said happily.

Quill chuckled. "Oh you know how you can thank me."

"How?"

He eyed Daring with a serious look on his face. "Find it, Daring."

"Find Atlantis. Prove to the whole world, that its not just some legend! That it's real. Show the world, what the Do name means!"

Daring looked at him warmly and nodded. "I will. Don't you worry about that."

She turned to her team, who were fanning the professor. "Well guys, looks like we got a new destination!"

Swift Wing sighed. "Great. Where to now?"

"Some place warmer."

"I'm in!"

As they loaded their stuff and the professor (who was still unconscious) into the plane, Daring turned to Quill, who had become like an uncle to her. "Are you sure you don't want to come back with us?" she asked.

Quill smiled and shook his head. "Nah, little filly. Not just yet, at least. Still so much I haven't studied here. I'll be heading back soon though, don't worry."

Daring hugged Quill one last time before she boarded the plane. Swift told everyone to hang on as she started the engines.

Then a thought hit her. She looked back over to him. "Quill?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever heard of some pony called, Moonbeam?" She asked.

Quill suddenly looked alarmed as his eyes went wide. "W-What? How do you know that name?"

"You...know her." Daring realized.

"Now listen Daring. Stay away from that one, you hear? That mare's bad news. The worst news actually."

Daring suddenly had a million questions. "Why? Who is she? What does she want?" She asked quickly.

Quill thought for a moment. "Lets just say, shes no friend of mine, yours or your father. She dabbles in things, no pony ever should."

"Like The Abyss."

Daring caught him say those whispered words to himself and froze. "What? Whats The Abyss?" She asked concerned.

Quill quickly put on a cheerful facade. "Oh, nothing! Just a legend is all!"

But Daring wasn't buying it. "But, you said that Moonbeam-

Daring didn't get to finish as the plane had taken off the ground, and headed for the skies.

She looked back to see Quill waving at them from the coastline.

She should've waved back. But her mind only held one thought: What was The Abyss? And why was Quill, so scared to even talk to her about it?"

Daring wondered this, the entire trip back to Equestria.

Chapter 7: "The Lost Dialogue."

Baulkham State University was one of the most prestigious institutions of learning in Equestria. It was known for its strict dress code, it's stricter teachers and its many awards in the field of historical research and archaeology. Professor Atlas was possibly the only teacher in the school who actually enjoyed her job, not that anyone ever respected her for it.

As soon as the professor was back in the sparkling white halls of the university, she already began to hear stifled snickering and laughter from students and faculty alike. But this time she wasn't alone.

Daring Do comforted the professor as they made their way through the school's halls.

"Don't pay any attention to them, professor." She said in a warm tone.

"They'll be laughing at themselves once we find Atlantis." She added with a smile.

Swift Wing and Herpy had decided to go to the local Library to do research on Plato, while Daring and the Professor (reluctantly) went to find the lost dialogue in the school. Herpy and Swift also wanted to see what they could dig up on their friend, Moonbeam.

Herpy had thought if Moonbeam was that bad, then either she or her organization, had to be in a history book somewhere.

Swift Wing hadn't actually gone for research. She just didn't want to set hoof in "a hive of snooty teachers and know-it-alls."

Daring saw what Swift Wing had meant. The more students she saw snickering and gossiping about the professor, the lower her opinion of them got. And the higher, her desire to sock one of em in the muzzle rose.

As Daring and the professor reached the classroom of one Dr. Hobby Fossil, the professor who had won Plato's Lost Dialogue, they saw that the door was affixed with several mean looking locks.

The professor turned to her companion.

"Okay, this is the room according to the school records. Plato's dialogue has to be in here."

Daring nodded. As another teacher trotted past them she lowered her voice. "So, how do we get in?"

"Oh, uh...I don't actually know. Any ideas?"

Daring smiled as she took out her lock picking kit. "I have one, but judging by this door it'll take a while."

Daring took a pick out, and held it with her teeth. She knelt down and got to work on the door.

"Keep an eye out for anyone, okay?" Daring asked through clenched teeth, as she worked on the lock.

"Okay." The professor assured.

One Hour Later

After an hour, and half a dozen lock picks, Daring and the professor finally heard the last lock click open.

Daring sighed as she wept sweat from her brow. "Wow. Whatever is in there, they really didn't want any pony getting to it."

The professor nodded. "Perhaps they actually know whats in here. This university would never let something like Plato's Lost Dialogue out of their grasp. They're far too reputable."

"And uptight." She added under her breath.

Daring and The professor carefully opened the door and stepped into the room.

The whole place was a virtual disaster area of books and packed boxes. It looked like a library and warehouse had been ripped apart by a tornado and scattered amongst one another. And everything was covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs.

Daring looked and saw that what used to be the professor's desk was overturned on its side.

The professor coughed violently as she took in a mouthful of dust. "It*cough* doesn't look like anypony's been here for*cough* years!" She sputtered.

Daring nodded. "Yeah. I guess they really did have this place locked up since dad disappeared."

She looked around the room, at the hundreds of boxes and dusty shelves of books. She sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy."

She turned to the professor. "Welp, lets get to it. I don't want to be in this place for any longer than I have to."

She started looking through a large box of books, as the professor nodded. "I know. The dust in this room is horrible."

"I was talking about the university."

"Oh."

They got to work unloading box after box, searching for anything that resembled Plato's Dialogue.

Apparently Dr. Fossil, had been a very astute collector of rare books. Daring found several tomes that she knew were quite famous in the fields of history and archaeology. As well as others that were extremely old.

She found one in particular that caught her attention. An old grimoire looking thing, with a dark purple cover. It had no title, but bore a strange symbol of a green evil-looking eye with purple flames encircling it, and a large horn extending out from the top of the whole design.

"Whoa. I don't think this is a history book. Not one of normal history anyway." Daring remarked, studying the cover.

The professor looked up to see the mysterious book Daring was holding.

"What in Equestria is that? I've never seen any history book so...occult looking."

Daring opened the book, making the professor nervous. "Be careful, Daring. We don't know the kind of company Dr. Fossil kept. That book could be dangerous!" She warned.

Daring smiled. "Thanks, but I've handled a lot of danger in my life. I'm sure I can handle a book." She assured.

She opened the book to its first page and read aloud, but quietly.

"The Historium Excorcisium: A History Of The Court Of The Dark Horn."

"For as long as unicorns have wielded magic, there has always been a small group of them that desired more than just the ability to move and manipulate objects with their horns. This group is thought to have first come together during the the days of King Sombra's rule over the crystal empire. A tight knit cabal made up of strictly unicorns, that embraced the fallen unicorn king's ideals of using the Dark Arts instead of traditional magic. Over the centuries, this elitist collective have gathered the most powerful magics that exist in our world, and used them to establish themselves as one of the most, if not the most powerful and dangerous organization in the world, currently."

"Their name has only recently been uncovered as "The Court Of The Dark Horn". It's believed this name is to entail the group's use of the Dark Arts as well as their elitist unicorn only philosophy."

"The group's whereabouts as well as the identity of their leader is currently unknown, but if word of an extraordinarily powerful magic were to rise, it can be assured that the Court will make itself known once again. We can only hope that they continue to stay in the shadows. As it's unclear, just how much of a chance we'd have against such a powerful threat. "

As Daring finished reading the passage, a chill went up the professor's spine.

"They don't sound too friendly." She said unnerved.

Daring nodded. "They sound like the organization that Moonbeam leads. Question is: What's the good doctor doing with a book on their history?"

The professor didn't seem to have an answer. "I'm not sure. Maybe he was being targeted by them because he had Plato's dialogue. He may have been reading up on them so he could prepare himself."

"Or maybe he was one of them." Daring suggested, suddenly.

The professor was surprised by this remark, but said nothing. They decided to simply take the book (Daring said they were just "Borrowing it.") so they could know more about Moonbeam's organization. Anything on her or her group was invaluable, and they both thought it did more good to have the book with them, than to leave it in a dusty locked up office.

Daring and the professor continued their search for Plato's Lost Dialogue. While Daring continued to search the many bookshelves, the professor decided to investigate the overturned desk that once belonged to Dr. Fossil.

She looked it over, and it appeared to have been overturned in a hurry. The papers and folders that were once stacked on it were still cluttered on the floor around it.

Turning her attention to the rest of the room, Professor Atlas saw something that caught her eye: A safe that had been built into the ceiling. If she had wanted to hide something as valuable as the lost dialogue somewhere, she would've definitely hidden it in there.

"Daring!"

Daring's head peeked out from behind a bookshelf "You found it?"She asked eagerly.

"I found a safe on the professor's ceiling! This must be where he hid Plato's Lost Dialogue." Atlas exclaimed, pointing to the ceiling.

Daring trotted over and looked over the desk, spotting the secret locked compartment.

"Huh. Well, that's definitely one of the last places I'd look. This professor guy was pretty clever." Daring remarked, looking up at the safe.

The professor looked at it as well, and raised an eyebrow. "But why is it on the ceiling? I get that he wanted to keep it safe, but how did he think he could get to it?"

Daring thought for a moment. Then she got a realization. "Of course!"

"What?"

"Don't you get it? It makes perfect sense!"

The professor looked confused, so Daring explained.

"All the members of The Court Of The Dark Horn are unicorns! A unicorn wouldn't be able to reach it-

She flew up, swung open the safe and plucked a small, ancient looking collection of parchment in laminated plastic from a shelf in the safe.

She held it aloft. "But a Pegasus could!"

The professor smiled broadly as they looked over the dialogue. It was clearly ancient, with worn and faded scripture lined in rows on its surface. Daring couldn't make out a word of it. But she knew who could.

She gently put the treasure in her satchel. "Come on, lets get this back to Herpy, so he can translate it for us!"

And we'll be one step closer to Atlantis!" She added as they trotted from the room, closing the door behind them.

Not knowing that, in taking Plato's Dialogue from the safe, a small security sensor had tripped and alerted the school's security of the theft.

Chapter 8: "Lost In Translation."

Daring Do and Professor of Atlas only made it about halfway towards the entrance hall of Baulkham University, before they were surrounded by burly looking security ponies, and being ordered to turn over any and all stolen property before being escorted off campus.

"Well...that was fast." Daring said calmly, as two security ponies blocked her way.

Professor Atlas did her best to explain the situation, but security wasn't hearing any of it.

"We don't have time for your fantasy stories, Professor. Just give us the dialogue and you can be on your way." One security pony said, eyeing the two of them.

Daring raised an eyebrow. "That's funny. How do you know it was the dialogue we took?" She questioned him, making him narrow his eyes.

He stepped toward Daring. "Just give it to us." He warned in a menacing tone. But Daring was less than intimidated. She stepped forward as well, locking eyes with burly security pony.

"And that's another thing: I thought the dialogue was a myth. I thought you said you didn't have time for fantasies!" She questioned, giving a sly smile and narrowing her eyes at them.

Two more security ponies blocked the entryway behind them.

"This is your last warning. Give us the dialogue, or we'll be escorting you out even more violently than need be." Another warned menacingly.

Daring only smiled. "Try it." She challenged.

As Daring and the security ponies were about to duke it out, Professor Atlas stopped them.

"Wait! Please, T-There's...There's no need for violence." She said calmly.

"We'll give you the dialogue." She added sadly.

Daring whipped around and stared at Atlas "What!? Are you crazy?" Daring exclaimed.

"After all that, were just gonna hand it back to some snooty, stuck-up university who don't know the first thing about-

"Daring. Please. Just...give it to them." Atlas said calmly.

"But...Professor-

"Please."

Daring looked down at the ground sadly. She swallowed her pride (Which was quite alot to swallow) reached into her satchel without looking back, and handed the dialogue to the nearest security pony.

And by handed, she thrust the document so hard into his chest she literally knocked him over. Daring stepped over him than trotted in a huff out the door, with the professor in tow.

Outside on the university lot, Daring laid into Atlas.

"Are you out of your mind!? How could you just let them intimidate you like that, again?" She exclaimed.

The professor looked back to make sure they weren't followed.

"I could've taken those losers down with both hooves tied behind my back! Why did you have me just hand over the only thing that can lead us to Atlantis?" Daring asked inquisitively.

"I didn't."

"What? What do you mean you didn't?"

The professor smiled as she reached into her satchel, and produced the Lost Dialogue, still laminated and untouched, from her bag.

Daring was speechless. "B-But, How did-

"I switched the dialogue in your bag with a form from my bag. In case somepony tried to take it back from us." Atlas explained with a wide grin.

Daring was more than impressed. "Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, still amazed.

The professor smiled."I didn't think it would be very convincing, unless you believed that you had actually given it up."

She looked down at her feet. "Sorry, for worrying you."

"Are you kidding?! That was amazing!"

Atlas blushed.

"You've definitely got the makings of a true adventurer, professor! No doubt." Daring said smiling.

Atlas smiled back, and chuckled to herself. "We should get going." She said calmly.

Daring nodded, and the two hurried away from the campus.

But Daring stopped and turned to the professor. "By the way...

"Yes?"

"If you had the dialogue, then what did I hand to that security pony?" Daring asked curiously.

The professor smiled slyly. "My resignation. I think I'd like to try a career change."

Daring smiled back, as the two continued to trot off towards the library.

Fillydelphia Public Library (Historical Records)

Herpy was a quiet lad, who rarely rose his voice all that much. But this wasn't the case when Daring had shown up in the historical records section of the public library, bearing Plato's Lost Dialogue.

"You found it!" He exclaimed, making several librarians shush him quickly.

Daring chuckled as she handed the parchment to him. "It was actually a little easier to get to then I had thought." She explained.

Herpy took the parchment and looked it over carefully.

It was clearly centuries old, judging by the faded foreign script and the crinkled and worn state of the parchment itself. The lamination protected each page from harm and kept it dry and intact. It also made a few lines of script easier to see.

The script was early Greek, and had been hoof-written. Broad elegant strokes, and not a single dab of ink out of place. There was no doubt. This was Plato's Lost Dialogue.

Herpy carefully set the manuscript down. "I have so many questions."

Daring smiled. "Well, ask them, after you get this translated." She said eagerly.

Herpy gave a weak smile. "About that...

"What? You can translate it, right?" Daring asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I can! It'll just take some time. Plato probably wrote this in some form of ancient code, or perhaps in some early greek dialect that'll have to be translated to Equestrian. Its going to be a while."

"How long?"

"Oh, um...All night?"

"All night!?"

"I'm sorry Daring! But my hooves are tied here. I can only work so fast, and this is something that's going to require time." Herpy explained calmly.

Daring sighed. "Alright. I guess we'll be staying in Fillydelphia for the night. We don't have time to head back to Canterlot, and it'll be night soon anyway."

The professor spoke up. "I know a very nice hotel downtown. I stayed there sometimes when I was doing research, to get away from the university. She explained.

"That'll work."

"Whoo! Room service!" Swift Wing cheered.

Late Evening ( The Trottingham Hotel, Room 218)

Herpy watched rain fall down outside from his bedside. Professor Atlas and Daring had gotten a room together, while Herpy and Swift had gotten separate rooms. Herpy didn't mind. He would need plenty of room to work on the dialogue.

He was more than eager to get to work on translating it. Odds are he wouldn't be sleeping much tonight anyway. Storms always made him restless, and this one was particularly fierce.

He opened his copy of Early Greek to Equestrian Translation and got to work.

It took him an hour, but he managed to translate the first quarter of the manuscript. He noted that several details were not exact, and the Old Greek measurement system had been incorporated in numerous ways that did not translate well to base equestrian measurements.

Herpy read the first few paragraphs to himself.

Hemocrates

In shame, I hereby do recant the time and place whereof Criterias spoke. In rendering Egyptian into Greek, he made a tenfold error.

Instead of lying 3,000 hence, Atlantis may well have been 30,000 leagues away. Or perhaps it was less than 300 paces from our own shores.

Likewise, it may be that the Lost Kingdom held away as many as 100,000 moon's ages, or as few as 1,000.

Socrates

If a kingdom arose on earth beyond anywhere ponies might travel, then we would never hear of it. We ought to accept the lesser figure.

So glorious, Atlantis founded two colonies, the lesser, 240 leagues north of the city, and the greater, 490 leagues to the south.

Gates of the kingdom opened only with special stones.

At many outposts, a sun-stone sufficed if morning light warmed the tall horns.

At the greater colony, a moon-stone was also needed with the sun dying as a new moon is born.

To approach Atlantis itself, a world-stone was required as well with darkest night soon to rule the western sea.

Final entrance yielded only to contrary minds.

And it is said that dwellers in Atlantis had no wings, nor any need of them.

Orichalcum, the metal that glittered like fire, this they had instead. They cast it into shining beads and used them as we do minted coins, paying statues to do their work by magic.

When their colonies were falling, wise ponies carved strange devices out of amber to search for the metal, but only proud Atlantis ever yielded a supply.

Socrates

You have called the kingdom wealthy,but surely this is absurd.

As the waters rose around their city, the Kings Of Atlantis, one after another sought to hold off fate.

Knowing mortal equestrians would never rule the sea, they planned a huge colossus which by use of ten beads at a time would make them like the Great Queen herself.

Na be-Al Sam was one such king. He it was, say the wise ponies of Egypt, who first put equestrians in the colossus, making many wrongdoing of nature at times when the skies were well aligned.

Socrates

This I doubt. We are hearing a foal's tale.

As Herpy began to work on translating the rest of the manuscript, He heard something move behind him.

He quickly turned around, eyes wide in fear. "Hello? Is anyone there?" he called softly, his eyes darting around the room.

He waited for a response. When none came, he got up from his seat and began to look around the room for any sign of intruders.

Herpy was no Daring Do, but he could put on a brave face when he needed to. He searched the kitchen, the living room and even checked under his bed, but found nothing there.

"Huh. I guess it was just my imagination."

A flash of lighting and thunder made him jump, half a foot in the air.

Taking a minute to calm himself, Herpy decided that he was alone, then returned to his desk.

He heard himself gasp in horror as he returned to see Plato's Dialogue was gone, and all of his notes stolen.

Daring and Atlas's Room (Room 225)

The way Daring Do prepared for bed was rather unique.

For one thing, she didn't dress for bed. She kept her green adventurer's shirt and pith helmet on, tilting the helmet down over her face when she went to sleep.

She laid on top of the covers, and kept her wings slightly spread, so she'd be ready to move at any given moment, even if she was asleep.

When the professor questioned Daring as to why she slept this way, She chuckled and said "An adventurer needs to be ready to go at any given moment. I can't afford to get too comfy, even when I sleep."

The professor simply shrugged as she gathered a few of her books to be ready in the morning. She nearly dropped all of them in surprise as their was suddenly a volley of knocks at their door.

"Daring! Daring open up!" Came Herpy's frantic voice from behind the door.

Daring flew over and opened the door, letting Herpy stumble into the room.

"Herpy? Whats wrong?" She asked.

"Its the dialogue! it's gone!"

"What!? What do you mean it's gone?"

Herpy calmed himself so he could explain.

"I was in the room, when I heard a noise behind me. I thought someone was in the room, so I went to look around. "

"When I didn't find anyone, I returned to the desk and the dialogue was gone!"

Daring thought for a moment. "Your saying it just vanished?"

"I-I...I don't know!"

"Are you sure you were alone in your room, Herpy?" the professor asked, calmly.

"I-I didn't see anyone! It was just me, but-

"But something doesn't feel right." Daring said thoughtfully.

"Let's head over and see whats going on here." She claimed, trotting out the door.

The professor and Herpy exchanged looks, then followed Daring, leading them back to Herpy's room.

Back In Herpy's Room

"I...I don't understand."

When they returned to Herpy's room, he was shocked to see that the dialogue was sitting on his desk, right where he left it. His notes were also there, like nothing had happened.

"But-But it was gone! Really!" Herpy exclaimed turning to Daring and the professor.

The professor looked quite puzzled. "What do think this means Daring? Maybe Herpy was just seeing things?"

Daring thought for a moment. Then it hit her.

"Herpy."

"Yes?"

"You said the dialogue was gone right?"

"Y-Yes! It was gone from my desk, you have to believe me!" Herpy exclaimed.

"I believe you Herpy. But I don't think the dialogue was taken."

"Huh? Then how did it disappear?" Herpy asked, confused.

"Because they wanted you to think it was gone, so you'd come get us and we could all be trapped in this room."

Daring turned around and smiled. "Right, Moonbeam?"

Moonbeam smiled wickedly as she and her cronies stepped out from the doorway. They came into the room, closing the door and swiftly locking it.

Moonbeam clapped her hoofs. "Well done, Daring! Well, done indeed! You are indeed your father's daughter." She said mockingly.

Daring narrowed her eyes at the unicorn. "What do know about my father,Moonbeam?! What does he have to do with the Court Of The Dark Horn?" Daring demanded.

Moonbeam raised an eyebrow and gave a mocking smile.

"The Court of The Dark Horn?" And then she and her cronies laughed as if Daring had told a joke.

Daring and her friends looked confused. "What's so funny?" Daring asked.

Moonbeam stopped laughing and smiled. "Oh Daring, that's cute." She said smartly.

"Our organization hasn't been called that, in over 100 years." She explained.

Daring narrowed her eyes. "I read about it in a book detailing the history of your organization! It said you were called The Court Of The Dark Horn!" daring explained, getting frustrated.

Moonbeam chuckled mockingly. "The history, Daring. Today, my organization goes by a better name. A name that truly symbolizes our role and superiority in this world of ours."

Moonbeam paused for effect. "We are known as Altum Magicae."

It only took a moment for Daring, who had studied Latin since she was a filly, to translate what the name meant.

"Altum Magicae?...High Magic."

"Fitting, isn't it?"

Herpy spoke up. "But how did you make the dialogue disappear? I was right here, and I didn't see anyone!"

Moonbeam laughed again, making Herpy feel like he'd asked a dumb question.

"Oh please! Invisibility spells are beneath pre-school level spells to us! We were in here and out, before you even saw it had vanished." She mocked.

Atlas was confused. "But why make it invisible? Why not just take it?"

Moonbeam smiled at her. "Oh, excellent question professor! It's simple really."

She motioned for her goons to approach Herpy, making him back away slowly.

"We also need the page for it to be translated. So if you'll just come with us-

Daring moved to block the goon's path. "You want him, you'll have to get through me, first." She threatened.

Moonbeam looked at her for a minute. Before she smiled and said "Kay!"

Daring was lifted off the ground by magic and hung in the air, as Moonbeam and her goons approached Herpy.

Daring sighed. "Of course. Magic. right."

"You grab the page, I'll get the dialogue." Said Moonbeam to her goons..

They nodded and began to chase a fleeing Herpy all around the room, knocking over furniture in the process.

Daring squirmed in the air, as she struggled to free herself from Moonbeam's magic. "Run, Herpy! Don't let them catch you!"

"Wasn't planning on it!" Herpy exclaimed, ducking under a coffee table, as one henchpony dived at him smacking his head off the wall.

Moonbeam approached the desk, But Atlas moved to stop her.

Only to also be lifted into the air by magic.

Atlas looked sadly over at Daring, as they hung in the air.

"I tried."

"Same." Daring said with a smile.

"Don't worry, we'll think of something." Daring added confidently.

"Think all you like, Daring. "Moonbeam retorted a she held the dialogue delicately and looked it over.

"You can't bravado your way out this one."

Daring was about to retort, when they all heard a knock at the door. It was Swift Wing.

"Herpy? You alright in there? I keep hearing furniture being knocked around." She called from behind the door.

Moonbeam glared up at Daring and Atlas. "Not one word." She warned.

She motioned for her cronies to go out and take care of swift Wing.

Herpy started to freak out silently, but Daring only smiled.

Atlas looked mortified. "What in Equestria are you smiling about?" she whispered concerned.

"Just watch." Daring replied, watching as the two henchponies, quickly opened the door, and tackled Swift Wing.

Only to then be knocked back into the room, by a hard kick from the startled earth pony.

Moonbeam looked surprised as her goons struggled to get to their feet.

Swift Wing took one look around the room.

First at Daring and Atlas ("hey, Swift.)

Then at Herpy, who was peeking out from under the bed.

And then at Moonbeam, who was now glaring angrily at her.

"Did I...interrupt something?"

Moonbeam didn't give anyone time to answer as she used her magic to animate two armchairs and sent them after Swift Wing.

Swift yelped as she dove out of the way of one of the chairs, which moved and warped its body to resemble some sort of horrible chair spider.

While Swift wing fought off the spider chairs, Moonbeam tried to make her escape by blasting a massive hole in the wall to the outside, then spawning an evil pair of bat wings and flying out the hole.

Daring yelled out to Swift Wing. "Swift! Don't let her get away!"

Swift nodded, gave a hard two hoofed back kick to one of the spider chairs then dove towards Moonbeam as she took off, grabbing and hanging onto her back hoofs as they both flew out into the night.

Moonbeam swerved as she flew up to the sky. "Let go of me!" She yelled angrily at Swift Wing, who hung on tightly to her hind legs.

"Make me!" She dared. And Moonbeam did indeed try to make her, swerving and flipping every which way to knock Swift off.

Moonbeam's magic was no longer focused enough to keep Daring and Atlas in the air, as they fell onto the carpeted floor of the hotel room.

Daring brushed herself off, as Atlas caught her breath.

"Daring! Are you alright?" Herpy called out from under the bed.

Daring looked over to Herpy. "No time to talk, I gotta get after those two, before Moonbeam gets away."

"Or Swift crashes them into a billboard." She added as she unfurled her wings.

Daring turned to Atlas. "You and Herpy get out of here. Head back to Canterlot University, and me and Swift will meet you there." She said seriously.

Atlas nodded. "Okay. Just be careful, Daring. You know how dangerous that mare is."

"Oh I know."

Daring flapped off the ground and smiled. "But she has no clue, how dangerous I can be."

With that she took off into the stormy night, in pursuit of Moonbeam, Swift Wing and the stolen Dialogue of Plato.

Chapter 9: "Chasing Answers."

The rain belted down from the skies, as Daring Do struggled to keep up with Moonbeam who flew in the most erratic patterns in an attempt to knock Swift Wing from her hind legs. The two were ducking and weaving past buildings,as Daring sped after them, with added difficulty due to the downpour of rain. It also didn't help, that they were flying above the city skyline, where lighting flashed and arched across the skies.

Daring's wings flapped furiously as she maneuvered through the city, trying her best to keep Moonbeam and Swift in view.

"Ugh! You'd think she'd slow down a little!" Daring thought, frustrated as Moonbeam ducked past a set of skyscrapers, which Daring only barely avoided, skimming her wings along the edge of the windows.

Daring tried to call out to Moonbeam, but Moonbeam couldn't hear her over the howling winds.

She suddenly nosedived towards the busy streets, with a terrified Swift Wing clutching onto her back legs for dear life. Daring quickly followed, as they were now racing just above the streets of Fillydelphia.

Moonbeam glanced back at Daring and sent a volley of black fireballs from her horn, which seemed to zero in on Daring.

She ducked and swerved around them, as they hit several buildings, and exploded in large purple explosions. Daring looked back to make sure no one was hurt. When she saw no one had been hit, she continued her pursuit.

As Daring raced after them, Swift Wing finally manged to grab onto Moonbeam's neck and forced her down to a nearby building, where they crashed into a large garden on the rooftop of a hotel.

Daring landed to see Swift Wing get up off the ground without much difficulty.

"Are you alright?" Daring asked, watching Swift Wing brush herself off.

Swift had a few bruises but smiled back. "I've taken worse." She said confidentiality.

They both turned to see Moonbeam, stumble as she got up from the ground. She had quite a few bruises herself, and her coat and mane were ruined with dirt from the plants she had crashed into.

Daring narrowed her eyes as she glared at her. She was done chasing this unicorn around. Moonbeam knew something about her dad, and Daring was determined to get some answers from her.

"Enough of your games, Moonbeam! I want to know what you know about my father, and you're not leaving this rooftop, until you do!" She demanded loudly.

Moonbeam looked up at her menacingly, but Daring returned the same look. Lightning flashed over both of them, illuminating their faces in the moonlight.

The unicorn's glare wavered as she closed her eyes and chuckled to herself. "Well...If you put it that way." She said in a mocking tone of voice.

The storm around them raged as Daring continued to stare down Moonbeam, with Swift Wing joining in as well.

The unicorn hesitated for a second, before she answered.

"I knew your father, because he was once one of us, Daring."

"He was a member of Altum Magicae."

Daring's eyes flared. "You're lying! My dad would never work with ponies like you!" She yelled angrily.

Moonbeam laughed. "Say what you will! The truth is, Daren Do did work with us." She exclaimed.

Then her face went dark as she scowled to herself. "But he had other goals besides our own."

Daring's anger lessened as Moonbeam told her story.

"He was working with us on a project that involved the Dark Arts. He helped to decipher several of the ancient runes that lined the inside of an ancient temple that supposedly belonged to the Dark Alicorn."

Daring raised the question. "What's the Dark Alicorn."

Moonbeam smiled evilly. "She's far beyond your understanding. You're not worth the time it would take to explain it."

Swift Wing pushed further. "What, is she your dark god, or something?"

Moonbeam ignored Swift and continued.

"You're father was a genius. And a true scholar. He had so much potential." Moonbeam said dreamily, lost in thought.

"But he was narrow minded. He ignored the big picture of what we were trying to accomplish!" Moonbeam exclaimed angrily.

She began to pace around the rooftop, as her face showed disgust.

"No, all he cared about was "making a discovery, worthy of the Do name" and "making his family proud of him!" She said mockingly.

Daring came to her father's defense. "You wouldn't understand Moonbeam. My dad wasn't interested in whatever dark cult stuff you were up to. He was probably only pretending to work with you so he could try and stop you." She said proudly.

Moonbeam laughed, this time in an almost insane manner, that surprised both Daring and Swift Wing.

She narrowed her eyes at Daring and gave a strange smile. "Oh, Daring. So naive."

Daring began to back away slowly, as Moonbeam used her magic to get rid of the dirt and grime on her coat and mane, then heal her bruises.

Now looking just as pretty as ever, Moonbeam sneered at Daring.

"You're just like the rest of them, Daring. Just like the rest of these miserable mouth breathers of Equestria." She growled.

"Ponies like you. Like all of them, will never understand the true power, magic has in our world."

Daring and Swift Wing backed away, as Moonbeam's horn suddenly glowed bright with a dark flame like aura.

They watched in awe, as Moonbeam's form seemed to shift and flare upwards like fire.

"You won't be able to stop us, Daring." Moonbeam said calmly as her body now appeared to have taken on the shape of purple and black flames.

As Moonbeam's body began to break up into flames, Daring heard her call. "But it will be very fun, to watch you try!"

With that, the purple flames that became Moonbeam, flared upwards and faded into nothingness, leaving Daring and Swift Wing to gape at the spot where the unicorn once stood.

For a moment they said nothing as the rain came down around them.

Then Daring broke the silence. "Well....that happened."

Swift Wing walked up to her.

"Do you think she was telling the truth? What she said about, y'know, your dad?" She asked calmly.

Daring could tell when anyone was lying about anything. It had always been a gift of hers, since she was a filly. Every member of the Do family had it. And she saw that Moonbeam had been telling the truth. At least what she had thought was the truth.

Swift Wing nudged Daring gently. "Daring?"

"I...I don't know."

Daring turned and smiled at her friend. "Let's head back to the university. I have some....things, to think about along the way." She said heading to the stairs that lead down into the hotel.

Swift Wing looked back one more time to where Moonbeam had turned into flames and vanished.

Daring hadn't been kidding when she said Moonbeam was powerful. Swift Wing had never seen a unicorn use magic like that before!

She could even conjure up wings and fly! Just what else was that mare capable of? She thought.

A crash of thunder brought Swift out of her thoughts, as she followed Daring off the rooftop.

Canterlot Express (Early Morning)

Neither Daring or Swift Wing were able to forget their encounter with Moonbeam, the entire train ride home.

The unicorn's words echoed in Daring's mind, as she looked out at the gentle rainfall beyond her window.

"You won't be able to stop us, Daring."

Daring could picture Moonbeam mocking her.

"But it will be very fun, to watch you try!"

She couldn't help but think Moonbeam was telling the truth about her dad. But what research was he doing for them? Daring couldn't imagine her father would work with an evil dark organization like that, without a very good reason.

Atlantis had only been his first expedition. What else was he after?

The loud screech of the train coming to a halt at Canterlot Station, brought Daring out of her thoughts, and Swift Wing from her nap. She decided she would discuss it with the others, when she returned to the university. They had other things to worry about now.

Daring and Swift gathered their bags, then joined the large crowd of ponies as they left the train.

She hadn't been paying much attention, when Daring suddenly bumped into a stout looking zebra in a trench coat, who appeared to have come out of nowhere.

"Sorry, I wasn't-

Daring was taken by surprise when the stranger suddenly pulled her close and whispered something in her ear.

"When unicorn's horns loom in dark, A quest for light you must embark."

"Go to where light meets the trees, where the eyes of Equestria only sees."

"Only here is truth unsealed, and so Do's destiny is revealed."

With that the zebra left without another word, and when Daring turned to protest, he had vanished.

Daring stood in that spot for several minutes as other ponies rushed passed her.

"Hey, Daring! You coming or what?"

Daring looked to see Swift Wing already at the exit from the station, waving for her to come along.

Daring looked around for the mysterious zebra, but saw no sign of him in the crowds.

She turned and made her way to swift Wing, her mind now racing with even more questions then before.

"You alright?"

Daring looked up at Swift and smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. C'mon Herpy and the professor are waiting for us."

Swift didn't look convinced but nodded anyway.

Chapter 10: "An Unlikely Source."

Something wasn't right about it. Of this, Daring knew perfectly well.

Moonbeam had claimed that Daring's father had worked with her organization. That he was...looking for something. But what? What could be so important that Daren Do would team up with a group of evil unicorns to find it?

Something was going on. Something much bigger then just a normal expedition. It's like everyone knew something about her father. Except where he had disappeared to.

And Quill. What did he know about Moonbeam that he didn't want Daring to know? How did it all fit together? And just what in Equestria was The Abyss, he had accidentally mentioned? There was no doubt about it. Something bigger was going on. Much bigger.

"Daring!"

The professor's voice brought Daring out of her thoughts. Daring and Swift Wing had returned to the university, and had found their friends waiting for them patiently in her office. While Swift Wing had taken up residence on her couch, Daring had become lost in thought as she had tried to relay what had happened with Moonbeam to Atlas and Herpy.

"Are you alright, Daring?" Herpy asked concerned. He was setting down a tray of tea for everyone on the coffee table. He looked at her with worry.

"What happened with Moonbeam? Did you get the dialogue back?" he asked.

"Well...no. But I do have a lead on something else."

Daring explained to her friends about her encounter with the mysterious zebra, who had run into her at the train station. How he had told her to go to "Where light meets the trees, and where the eyes of Equestria only sees." Perhaps this was a clue on what they should do next.

Or a trap set up by Moonbeam.

No one had a straight forward explanation for the zebra's message, nor as to their identity. "What are the eyes of Equestria?" Swift asked.

Everyone took a moment to think about this. Then Professor Atlas came to a fairly surprising answer.

"What about the Celestial princesses?"

Swift Wing sat up on the couch. "Y-you can't be serious. What could princess Celestia and princess Luna have to do with this?" she asked, utterly amazed at what she thought atlas was suggesting.

Atlas defended her idea. "I'm not saying they have anything to do with it. But if I was thinking of looking for "the eyes of Equestria", well...I don't know whose eyes see more of Equestria, then the Celestial princesses." She explained.

The idea sounded strange, but it also made too much sense. Daring had to admit that Atlas was right: Nobody saw more in Equestria than princess Celestia and Princess Luna. But if that was the first part of the message...

"Where light meets the trees."

Daring stood up as the realization hit her. "The Palace gardens."

'What?"

"That's where that zebra meant, The palace gardens! It makes sense: The princesses watch over all of Equestria from the palace. and the light touches the trees of the gardens, every morning Princess Celestia raises the sun. That's where we need to go."

Herpy was the most surprised of anyone. "But, that's crazy! You can't just waltz into the royal palace, and ask if you can investigate the gardens!" Herpy exclaimed, as if the idea was guaranteed to get Daring into serious trouble.

And Daring agreed. She would no doubt attract unwanted attention from the royal guard, and she wasn't up for facing the celestial princesses to explain why she had tried to sneak into the palace. But this wasn't the only way in. There was another.

"The Grand Galloping Gala. It's tonight." Daring said with a smile.

Atlas smiled as well. "Of course! You could attend this year's Gala! The commotion would no doubt provide cover for you to sneak away, investigate the gardens, then sneak back to the party, before anypony is the wiser. It's brilliant!"

"But...How will you get an invitation? No offense Daring, but they don't just let anypony have an invite to the grandest ball in Equestria." Herpy explained.

Daring smiled. "Oh I already know where to get one. And its right here in the university: Mazra."

Herpy looked quite scared. "M-Ma

"Mazra." Daring confirmed.

Daring and Herpy both completely understood the gravity of this name. But Swift Wing and the professor simply looked confused.

Daring smiled as she explained her plan.

"It's simple. I'll just go see Mazra. She gets an invitation to every gala, on behalf of the university. I'll just convince her to give me her invitation."

Mazra was known for being possibly the most stern, poised and intimidating headmaster the royal Canterlot university had had in a long time. Although she was certainly one for the rules, and didn't appreciate Daring running off every other day to embark on some epic adventure, while leaving her classes attended by whoever she managed to convince to watch her students for her, Mazra was not a bad pony. Daring knew if, she would be able to, Mazra would help her with whatever she needed.

Herpy did not sound too confident however. "How in the world, will you convince Mazra to just give you her invitation to the grandest party in Equestria? he asked.

Daring only smiled slyly. "Oh, don't worry. I have the perfect plan." she said confidently.

Sometime Later (Mazra's Office)

Mazra's office was lavish and very organized. Every book and file placed carefully and neatly, according to Mazra's own cut and dry system. She kept a small collection of priceless artifacts and antiques on display behind glass on one side of the room, and her desk to the front. One chair for her. One chair for any guests she may have.

In this case, that chair was being occupied by Daring Do, who had just finished explaining most of what had happened since she first told Mazra she would go looking for Atlantis. Needless to say, Mazra wasn't sure what to think.

She rested her head on her hooves, as her diamond-tipped eyes, scanned Daring with utmost precision.

"That is...quite a story, Daring." She elaborated, with a calm tone.

Daring held her breath. Mazra had to believe her.

"Well?" she asked earnestly.

But to her chagrin, Mazra sighed her usual sigh and narrowed her eyes just slightly. "Well as I, said." She looked at Daring.

"Its quite a story."

"But!"

Mazra stopped Daring before she could argue. "Daring, I believe in your search for Atlantis, and for your father. I do."

She sighed again as she removed her spectacles, making her icy eyes even clearer. And more intimidating than ever. "But this talk of evil unicorns, conspiracies and...The Dark Arts? Sorry, but it all sounds like utter nonsense, dreampt up by somepony more interested in chasing fantasies, than treasure."

Daring fought back. "No, its true! Her name is Moonbeam and she's a member of Altum Magicae, and their all a bunch of evil unicorns that are trying-

"Evil unicorns? Daring, I've never heard of this Altum Magicae, or this, what was her name, Moonbeam?"

"Mazra, shes evil! She's going to take over Equestria, if we don't stop her! Shes trying to become more powerful than Celestia and Luna!"

"Oh, now I know this is nonsense. Nopony is more powerful than the celestial princesses, Daring. Dark Arts or no." Mazra dismissed.

"Now, I'm not sure why you keep insisting on this ridiculous-"

Daring was getting impatient. She stood up from her chair and slammed both hooves on Mazra's desk. "Mazra, I don't have time to argue with you! Whether you believe me, or not, I couldn't care less. But if I don't get into that gala, then not just Equestria, but the whole world will be in grave danger!" She exclaimed.

Mazra sat back in her seat, eyes wide. She didn't seem to have a response, So Daring continued.

"I'm the only one, who can stop Moonbeam and her goons before they find Atlantis. And when they do...It'll mean the end. For everyone."

"Could you live with yourself, if you let that happen?"

Mazra sat in her chair, seemingly dumbfounded as she looked on at Daring's deadly serious expression.

A short moment passed, where both of them said nothing. Then Mazra put her spectacles back on looked at Daring, her expression lethal.

"In all my years, as a headmaster at this university, nopony, has ever spoken to me in the manner you just did!" She exclaimed, her eyes penetrating every fiber of Daring's being.

Daring was legitimately terrified, but she did not relent. She stood her ground. And at this, Mazra's expression softened.

"And the fact that you did...must mean that you, at least believe, you are telling the truth." She said, suddenly calm.

Daring sat back down, as relief poured over her in an ocean. She said nothing as Mazra continued.

"I may not understand the complete situation, but you seem to know more about it than I do. Whether evil unicorns are involved, I cannot say. But if the world, truly is in danger...

Mazra reached into her desk drawer and withdrew a gleaming gold ticket inscribed in fancy lettering, that read: "Admit One. The Grand Galloping Gala at Canterlot Palace." The lettering was exquisite. Exactly what would be expected on an invitation from Princess Celestia, herself.

Mazra smiled as she handed the ticket to Daring. "Than I know that Daring Do, is the pony who can save it." She said kindly.

Daring took the ticket in her hooves, and smiled. "Thank you, Mazra!" She exclaimed wrapping the startled earth pony in an awkward hug.

Awkward for Mazra, at least, as she slowly patted Daring's back with her hoof. Like she seemed eager to get out of it.

Daring let go of her, and ran to the door to the hall. She looked back and smiled at Mazra. "See? I knew you weren't as evil as everyone says." She said warmly.

She ran out the door, with the invitation tucked tightly under her wing, as Mazra simply looked on.

"Um...Thank you?" she said, unsure if she should feel thankful or offended.

Chapter 12: "Deceptions."

Daring felt like she had been standing in that spot for weeks, unable to look away as Moonbeam and the princesses chatted away like long time friends.

She could've said something. She could've warned them. Warned everyone.

But her instincts told her different. She couldn't raise a panic, not here. Not in front of Celestia and Luna.

Surrounded by countless other ponies, Daring knew Moonbeam wouldn't try anything. But being this close to her enemy, made her very uneasy. Daring scowled at her, as Moonbeam continued to wear a fake warm smile, talking with the princesses.

Daring had a mission. And she had to do it. No distractions. Taking a breath, Daring trotted over to the other side of the grand ballroom and tried to let the gentle wafting music take her stress away. And it worked.

Till Moonbeam decided to join her.

To the other ponies, it would seem as if two friends were talking together. And that's exactly how Moonbeam wanted it to look.

"Hello Daring. I hope your enjoying the gala." She said in a polite manner, that hid her biting sarcasm.

Out of earshot, Daring looked straight ahead as she quietly questioned Moonbeam. "What are you doing here, Moonbeam? What are you planning?" She whispered angrily. Daring replaced her scowl with a smile as two well dressed mares in gowns passed the two of them.

Moonbeam didn't bat an eye, but only smiled. "Planning? Me? Now what makes you think that I'm not simply here to enjoy the gala?" She asked, still wearing a calm and poised expression. She was clearly very good at keeping an act up.

Daring narrowed her eyes. "Because you're you and what were you talking about with the princesses?"

Moonbeam chuckled, but then her smile waned ever so slightly. "Don't you pretend like you know me, Daring! You know nothing, about me! About anything! I'm here for my own reasons." Moonbeam said with a lilt in her voice.

"Which are?"

"Oh? You mean the great Daring Do doesn't know something? How disappointing." Moonbeam said in a mocking tone.

Having had enough of Moonbeam's act, Daring finally turned and locked eyes with the wicked mare. "Why are you doing this? All of it. What do you have to gain from using magic you know nothing about? Why are so bent on finding and exploiting Atlantis?"

Moonbeam laughed and rolled her eyes. "And what do you know, Daring?"

Before Daring could respond, Moonbeam continued. She began to pace around Daring as other ponies were too distracted by the festivities to notice the conflict.

"You think just cause you've found a few treasures, and explored some old temples, that you suddenly know how the world works?" Moonbeam said sternly, slowly pacing around Daring. "I know more about magic then any other unicorn alive! And I certainly know more than you ever could." She said with a bragging tone.

But Daring wasn't intimidated. "Why don't you use it for something good then? With your powers, you could help all of Equestria! You don't have to be the bad guy." Daring said, trying to convince Moonbeam to change her ways.

But the unicorn only smirked. "You mean use my magic to be a good little unicorn? To help ponies and learn about the powers of kindwess and fwiendship?" Moonbeam mocked in a high and squeaky voice.

Then she laughed to herself. "Oh please." She said, still smiling from laughter. "All that stuff is meaningless to me."

"But look what its accomplished! Look at the world we live in now!"

"Oh yes, Daring! let us look at this world that you have all "accomplished." Moonbeam rounded on Daring, getting very close to her face with burning hate-filled eyes. "Magic is the most powerful force in our world. And what do you idiots use it for? Moving books and fetching tea. Making rainbows, and raising the sun! Not one of you even has any idea of the true power you could all have, and you all waste it on the most trivial and useless activities in existence! It's sickening!"

Moonbeam's eyes flared, as her horn became enveloped in a black aura. It was subtle though, just enough for nopony to notice, save for Daring whom was directly in front of her. "Every last pony in this world is useless. All I'm trying to do is show them the way to make our society truly flourish. To give them a purpose. To make it so every pony in Equestria can use magic, not just unicorns!"

Her eyes softened but were still cold and mean. "And if that makes me the bad guy...

Moonbeam smiled evilly as her eyes burned into Daring's, who only narrowed hers in response. "Then there is no other role, I would like more."

Daring and Moonbeam exchanged menacing looks. But Moonbeam changed back to her kind facade almost immediately. She turned on the spot to face away from Daring.

"But, tonight: That all will change."

"What??"

"As I said, Daring. I have my own reasons for being here. What yours are, I could not care in the slightest. So go. Go about your business. I won't stop you."

Moonbeam turned with a smile and began to trot gracefully down the hall. But she stopped and turned to look at Daring with a strange smile. "But feel free to try and stop me. We all know how that's worked out for you."

She smirked again, causing Daring to grit her teeth in anger. The unicorn trotted down the hall with the other ponies and was gone, leaving Daring alone with her thoughts in the ballroom.

She stood there for almost a minute before she finally sighed. 'Well...I tried." She said to herself. And she had. But Moonbeam's role had already been decided by her. And there was no changing her mind.

Now there was only one thing to do: Get to the courtyard, find the clue that would lead her to Atlantis, and stop Moonbeam.

Daring turned and began to walk down the hall, searching around for the entryway out into the courtyard. As she walked she took in the splendor of the royal palace. Her hooves clicked softly under the sparkling marble floors, as the vast crystal ceiling shined above her. The vastness of the hall was truly something to behold.

"Wow, the celestial princesses really know how to live." Daring commented, passing another golden guard statue.

"Indeed they do."

Daring yelped as she turned back to see a royal guard step out from behind the gold statue. "Are you lost, miss...?

"Mazra!" Daring said blurting out the first name that occurred to her.

The guard raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Daring shuffled her hooves nervously. "Um, my name is Mazra." She said, in a calm tone.

"Mazra? As in, You're the headmaster of the Royal Canterlot University?" The guard said, clearly suspicious of Daring's outburst.

Daring was nervous for a moment, but did her best to become as Mazra-like as she could, so she could fool the guard.

Daring Do had been called to Mazra's office so many times over the course of her teaching career, that she was sure she could nail the headmaster's routine perfectly. (It was at least worth a shot.)

She straightened her posture, lifted her head and tried to look stern and uninterested. "Yes, I am. Is there a problem?" Daring asked, in a very Mazra-like fashion, speaking in a manner that always made a teacher's blood run cold, and burrowing her diamond tipped eyes into the soul of whoever she was speaking with.

Somehow or another this worked, as the guard suddenly looked quite intimidated, and backed up slightly. "N-No ma'am, just wondering if you needed directions!" He explained, looking quite nervous now.

"Oh. Well then, I'm trying to get to the courtyard. Can you point me in the right direction?" Daring asked, returning to her normal manner.

The guard smiled and bowed his head respectfully. "Of course, Ms. Mazra! I'll lead you there right away!"

"Oh. Awesome!" Daring said with an Un-Mazra-like smile.

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. Lead the way, uh...good sir."

"Yes, ma'am."

Daring followed the guard down the hallway and down a small flight of stairs. She had only practiced her Mazra routine once, when she had to get hold of some particularly rowdy students a few weeks before spring break. Needless to say, they were much less rowdy for that class.

And the rest of the year.

They passed a few guests making their ways through the halls, when Daring spotted the large entryway to the courtyard. Through it she could see the massive garden eclipsed by the large waterfalls in the background. She had made it!

"Here we are Ms. Mazra. Is there anything else you needed?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, no. That's quite alright. Um, be on your way then."

"Yes ma'am."

As the guard made his way back down the hall, Daring couldn't help but feel proud of herself. And a little guilty for fooling the poor stallion, but she'd apologize after she and her friends found Atlantis and saved the world.

Slowly Daring made her way up the steps and through the ivory gates to the courtyard, where hopefully she would find the answers that would lead her to Atlantis.

And her father.

Chapter 13: "Those Who Fear The Light."

The palace gardens were truly a sight to behold. And as Daring Do trotted through them, she felt as if she was in another world.

The grass underneath her hooves was greener than green, and like everything else felt alive in a way that made her feel magic in every step she took. A few feet away, Daring spotted a grove of trees that bore strange and luscious-looking fruit that cycled steadily through a rainbow of colors.

Farther off was a gurgling brook that Daring swore was singing to her, saying "Welcome." On the banks of the stream, enormous flowers swayed in the breeze, their giant blue blossoms (some as big as beach balls) were opening and closing hypnotically, as if they were breathing. Their scent wafted toward her on the breeze. Daring stopped and smelled the air. It smelled like the ocean and fresh baked-blueberry pie. Daring had never smelled anything that was so pleasing to her senses before.

The enormous golden fence that bordered the courtyard was covered in fresh growing moss and tangled with twisting vines along each row. Daring made her way through the gardens, taking in every detail, until she came upon an enormous mosaic tile pattern that bordered around a massive oak tree.

Sitting at the base of the tree, was a mysterious white robed hooded figure that payed absolutely no mind to Daring. But she didn't dare lower her guard as she slowly approached the figure.

"I'm not going to bite, Daring Do." came a young female voice from underneath the hood.

Daring instinctively jumped back as the figure stood up on their hind legs and lowered her hood. Now looking at Daring was a young but wise looking young zebra with chestnut eyes and a mysterious smile that told Daring she was quite wise for her age. Her mane had a tribal curl to it, which spiked up at the top of her head, neatly. She had a few tribal tattoos that dotted her face along with her black stripes, as well.

The zebra bowed to Daring. "It's nice to see you got my message, Ms. Do. It's an honor." she said with a smile.

Daring nodded. So this was who had sent that zebra to talk to her. "And you are?"

"I am Ozma. A member of a long standing tribe of zebra, that have stood against the forces of darkness since before Celestia's time. And also...a friend."

Daring nodded again, and waited for Ozma to stand on her four hooves like she was. But Ozma continued to stand up, perfectly balanced on her hind legs, without trouble.

Daring raised an eyebrow. "How...how are you doing that?"

Ozma chuckled. "Practice and meditation are powerful allies, Ms. Do. Your father was quite adept at them, as well."

"You knew my father?"

"No, Ms. Do. I know your father."

"You mean...you know where he is?" Daring asked eagerly.

Ozma shook her head. "Do not despair my friend. You shall reunite with your father someday soon. I promise you this. For now...we have other matters to attend to."

Daring knew it was foolish to ask any more about her father, so she just nodded again. "You asked me to come here. To the palace gardens on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. Why?"

Ozma said nothing but walked over to admire the mosaic art that lined the ground they stood on. They were tile paintings done to resemble both Celestia and Luna standing at either side of the floor, on the backdrop o both a golden sun and a sparkling silver moon.

"This art piece has been around for a very long time. It was done long before Celestia and Luna were known as the "Celestial princesses." And it holds a secret that even they do not know about."

As Ozma said this, she waved her hoof and the mosaic tile suddenly came alive, moving in every which direction, rearranging itself in various colors and hues until Daring could finally make up the new image that the pattern showed.

Celestia and Luna were gone and the design now showed only the golden sun and the silver moon, side by side, entwined in a white circle. This circle was now resting on a circular design that now resembled light shining through the clouds. At the very border was an inky black darkness that seemed to be slowly closing in around the entire design.

Before Daring could say anything, Ozma reached into her cloak and threw a hoof-full of sparkling dust into the air. The air shimmered, as pink glittery energy swirled in midair. It was like watching pink glittery fish swim through the air, twisting and looping in little spirals, growing brighter and stronger and pinker by the second until Daring had to shield her eyes.

Ozma spoke as the energy began to take form. "A great evil has surfaced after many years."

The energy took the form of the evil eye design with the horn she had seen on that book about the Court Of The Dark Horn.

"Of which, you have had numerous encounters with."

The energy now took the shape of Moonbeam's pretty but wickedly smiling face.

"Indeed, it is here as we speak. in these halls. And it seeks the most dangerous magic known to any one of us: The Black Magic Of Atlantis."

Suddenly the pink aura faded, as the energy now took the form of a hideously grotesque black tar-like skull that oozed in midair.

"This magic is unlike any that we know of. It has no rules. No restrictions. No way of casting it. It simply goes by whose strong enough to use it, and takes them as its host. Like a parasite feeding on the very soul of a catalyst."

The skull opened its disgusting mouth in a soundless scream. And yet Daring couldn't help but think she heard something come from it.

"As its host, the user is given access to unimaginable magic power, without limit and no restrictions what so ever on its use. The cost for this power is life. In order to feed this deplorable magic, the user must sacrifice the life essence of others by feeding on their souls. The more souls taken, the more powerful the user becomes."

Daring felt her jaw drop. She couldn't believe something so evil actually existed. And the fact that Moonbeam actually thought she could control it was pure madness. No one could control something like that. It sounded like a monster that lived inside of you, and you had to keep feeding it to keep it from destroying everything.

Ozma continued as the energy now took the form of city on the ocean. Atlantis, Daring guessed. "But of course, nothing can be staved off for long. And once the user is unable to feed the beast..."

The city then shook as it sank beneath the glittering waves in the air. "Catastrophe is always to follow."

Daring's eyes were wider than ever as she looked at the scene, and had it replay in her mind. Now she understood. It hadn't been a volcanic eruption or natural disaster that had sunk Atlantis. It had been the magic itself.

The Atlanteans must've lost control of it, and as a result, doomed the entire city to destruction. "W-why?....why would anypony, in their right mind, think of creating something like that?" Daring asked, utterly horrified.

Ozma shook her head. "The Atlanteans were not ponies Daring. They were unlike anything else in the world, and you'll never read about them anywhere. Not in any book, nor any legends. They are, and will always be a mystery."

Daring looked at Ozma. "Then...how do you know about them?"

Ozma chuckled. "Because our ancestors had met them firsthoof. They didn't write down much on them. Just that they were brilliant, kept to themselves and their tribes and did not trust outsiders. And that, they could walk on two legs. This knowledge was passed down, and eventually my tribe learned to do it as well. As you can see."

Daring was amazed that their were beings out there that could walk on two legs. And that it could be learned. "Can you teach me how to do that?" Daring asked, eagerly.

Ozma chuckled to herself again. "Perhaps someday. For now, you must stop Moonbeam and her organization. They must not get their hooves on the Black Magic Of Atlantis. Or all will be lost."

"But Moonbeam's here! Just come with me and we can-

"I cannot reveal myself to her Daring. Less she realize that we are aware of her. You can handle her Daring. Though she talks big, she is much weaker than she boasts. For example, if she is distracted, she loses focus in her magic. And like all her ilk, she fears the light."

"The light? You mean like a vampire?"

"Heh. No, Daring. As in she fears those whose hearts are uncorrupted by the dark. Unlike hers. Like you and your father."

There it was again. That twinge in her chest, every time someone said something about her father. It was beginning to seem unfair that everyone seemed to know her dad, better than she did.

"Ozma?"

"Yes?"

"I know it might seem foolish to ask but...I haven't seen my father since I was a filly. I know so little about him, and yet I just want to see him again. I don't know if he's okay, or lost somewhere or anything. I miss him. I...I want him to come home."

Ozma looked at Daring, as if she felt sorry for her.

"Can you tell me anything about where my father is? Anything? Even somewhere he used to be? Please."

Ozma's heart went out to Daring as she smiled at her. "Yes, Daring. I can indeed do that."

Daring's heart leapt as Ozma reached into her cloak and withdrew a small parcel, with innumerable postal stamps on it. "Daren came to us when he realized what Moonbeam was after. We taught him how to face the coming darkness, and he told us about you. Before he left, he gave me this, to give to you. This was only a year ago, so its quite recent as well."

Daring's hooves shook as she took the package and opened it carefully. Inside was a tribal looking wooden box with several paper charms on it. Taped to this box was a letter, with a single word on it.

Daring

Daring set the box down as she unfurled the slightly crinkled letter, and immediately noted her father's calligraphy like hoof writing from his journal. She carefully read every single word to herself, allowing her fathers voice to read it to her in her head.

My Dearest Daring.

If your reading this, it means I'm away. You might not know where I am, or what I'm doing, but know that even now you are always on my mind. I have not once stopped thinking of you, Darla or your mother. Nor will I ever stop.

You must have so many questions. And I'm sorry I can't be there to answer them. But know you are not alone out here. Ozma and her tribe have helped me in the past, and after meeting Moonbeam, they have even made it so I no longer fear the darkness of this world. And neither should you, Daring. Trust her. They will help you on your journey.

Moonbeam is just like all those other ponies that have tried to stand in your way. To keep you from achieving your greatness. But do not be afraid my little Daring. The talisman in the box was made for you by Ozma's shaman. Wear it, and I think you will see that the light is always stronger than the dark.

Atlantis was only the first step for me. For all of us. I never truly discovered what Moonbeam was after in that city. But I know you can. And I know you can stop her. There are always those who will want to scare us off and even harm us, to keep us from finding our greatness. So its up to us to show them that a Do will not quit so easily.

Also in the box is two stones. One carved of a moon. One of The sun. These will allow you to enter Atlantis. Without them, no one else will be able to follow you. Not even Moonbeam.

Find it Daring. And destroy whatever it is they're after. Its too dangerous to be used by anyone, no matter who they may be. I only got so far, so its up to you to complete this step for me. And I know you will.

After all, your my daughter. And I am eternally grateful, that you are.

I love you Daring. And we will see each other again. Someday. I swear it.

Good Luck, my little explorer.

- Dad.

Tears poured from Daring's eyes as she wept, staining the parchment of the letter. As she wiped her eyes, she opened the box and removed the talisman inside. It was a pure white flower with several runes inscribed on its petals. It was held by a beaded chain of glistening green stones, that Daring knew to be jade. It gave off a calming and peaceful aura, that made Daring feel warm inside.

As she put it on, this warmth suddenly spread throughout her whole body, down to the very tips of her hooves. She wiped her eyes again, before she took out the two stones her dad had told her about. They were smaller than she had expected, and were made of some strange orange mineral that sparkled like fire. She carefully pocketed them as she looked up at Ozma.

"Thank you." Daring said, still sniffling a bit.

Ozma bowed and smiled at Daring in response. "Atlantis awaits you Daring Do. Go."

"But where is it? This whole time I've been looking for it, and I have no clue where it could be!"

Ozma chuckled once more. "Of course you do. Look at the package."

Daring eyed the packaging and suddenly realized that every stamp was from the same place: Greece. Not only that but a little 300 was scrawled into the corner of every one. Daring knew exactly what this meant.

"300 miles from Greece. That places it in the Mediterranean! That's where Atlantis is! I found it! Well, dad found it, but I'll actually find it."

Ozma laughed joyfully. "Indeed."

Ozma grasped her necklace and began to glow white. "Farewell Daring. We shall meet again, very soon."

"Wait! I still have so many questions!"

Ozma was now fading away like fog. "You'll find your answers Daring. For now just focus on your goal: Find Atlantis. Destroy the Black Magic and save us all."

"And remember: Do not fear those, who fear the light."

With that, Ozma vanished in a whirl of white petals that ascended into the sky.

Daring stood in that spot for a while, until she finally collected herself, then walked back inside, her fathers gift in tow.

She didn't see the mosaic art transform back into the faces of Celestia and Luna gazing up into the skies.

Chapter 14: "Moonlit Melody."

A newfound confidence was emanating from Daring as she strode through the halls of the palace. She couldn't decide if she should just leave and go tell her friends that, thanks to her father, she had finally discovered the location of Atlantis...

Or if she should try out her new talisman against Moonbeam.

Part of her felt that if she could somehow manage to defeat Moonbeam here and now, then that would be it. The world would be saved and she wouldn't have to worry about anyone misusing the magic of Atlantis anymore.

But, of course, Daring knew better. It didn't matter if it was Moonbeam, or some other nameless evil out there, as long as the Black Magic Of Atlantis continued to exist, then there would always be somepony out there wanting to use it, thinking they can control it, and the world would never be truly safe from it.

She had already decided she was going to destroy it. And Moonbeam was not going to stop her this time.

Canterlot Palace Ballroom

The gala was in full swing now, as ponies danced the night away along the freshly polished ballroom floor. This made it quite easy for Daring to make her way through the crowd and to the exit to the main lobby. She was almost there.

When she spotted Moonbeam talking with her henchponies in the hall. Their voices were tuned down to barely audible whispers, as Daring hid swiftly behind the door, being sure to keep out of sight as she listened to them speak. Or rather, Moonbeam spoke. Her henchponies listened.

"You're sure everything is in place?" Moonbeam asked, with a slightly threatening tone.

The portly henchpony in front of her nodded. "Yes, mistress, everything's exactly the way you wanted it set up."

"And our friend, Daring?"

The thinner henchpony looked almost scared to answer. "We haven't seen her just yet, mistress."

"Well find her!" Moonbeam snapped. "I don't want her ruining this for me, or my organization." Moonbeam turned and looked into the ballroom, as if expecting Daring to jump out at any moment. She narrowed her eyes. "Whatever she's here for, I know it isn't for this pathetic little party Celestia and her sister throw every year. She came for something about Atlantis. And if she's gotten it..."

Moonbeam turned back to her henchponies, an evil smile cracked across her pretty face. "Then obviously we can't let her leave, now can we?"

The portly henchpony shrugged. "Well yeah, of course. Then she would find Atlantis before us, right?"

Moonbeam rolled her almond shaped eyes. "It was a rhetorical question, you lummox." she said like a teacher correcting a grammar weak student in school.

"Rheto-what now?"

"Just get in there and find her! Now!" Moonbeam yelled. Her henchponies instantly scrambled into the ballroom, causing Daring to lean a little further back into her hiding spot, before she peaked out again.

Moonbeam sighed to herself, before she walked up the stairs to the higher parts of the Royal Castle, and out of sight.

Daring quietly came out from behind the door and let her eyes shift from inside the ballroom, to the stairs Moonbeam had just climbed. What should she do? She had to get back to her friends, but...now Moonbeam was looking for her. More than that she was planning on doing something at the gala. And Daring knew it was something bad.

Her mind raced as Daring struggled to come up with the best thing for her to do. But a voice behind her caught her by surprise.

"Is everything alright?"It asked sincerely.

Daring whirled around, half expecting Moonbeam or one of her henchponies. But the pony standing before her was neither of the two.

"I...uh.." was all Daring managed to say, for her mind had gone blank.

Princess Luna looked concerned at the young Pegasus in front of her, who was clearly worried about something. But she seemed to be tongue tied at the moment. Perhaps she had startled the poor mare.

"Forgive me if I alarmed you. I was just wondering what you were doing out here by yourself, instead of enjoying the festivities with all of us." Luna said with a kind smile and even kinder eyes that sparkled like a moonless, star filled night.

Unfortunately, Daring's ability to speak still refused to work at the moment. She hadn't expected to see the princesses again, let alone actually have a conversation with one of them. But then something occurred to her...

Maybe this could be a good thing. If Luna knew about Moonbeam and Celestia's history, then maybe she could help her. Tell her about Moonbeam's past, or even warn her sister and the other ponies about Moonbeam's plans. But where should she start?

Daring thought it best to start, by actually saying words.

"Oh, no I- I'm sorry I just came out here to, well, to see somepony." Daring said calmly.

"Oh? Are they still out here?" asked Luna, looking around, and seeing no one.

"Well, um..." Daring was failing miserably. She had never had to speak to anyone as important as Princess Luna before. And she decided, that it would be best to just come clean. She had no time to waste anyway.

Daring took a breath. "Princess Luna? Do you know anypony named Moonbeam?" she asked curtly.

Luna blinked for a moment, as if to quickly process the question, before answering. "I do indeed. Is she a friend of yours?"Luna asked, with a barely noticeable lilt of suspicion in her voice.

But Daring didn't care. She wasn't about to lie to Princess Luna. She needed help, and for that, Luna had to know everything she could tell her. Daring looked Luna in the eye. "No, Princess Luna, she isn't. In fact, she's no-pony's friend at all. She's an evil and wicked unicorn whose planning to overthrow you, Celestia and the rest of Equestria once she finds Atlantis and uses the Black Magic Of Atlantis to take over everything alongside her organization of evil Dark magic using unicorns. I don't know what she's doing at this party, but I know it isn't good. I need to stop whatever she's planning, but I need help. Please, Princess Luna, can you help me?"

By the time Daring finished explaining everything, she was nearly out of breath, and was expecting the worst. Would Luna call the guards and have her thrown out? Maybe ask if she needs mental help? Or maybe she would just plain laugh about all of it.

But Luna simply closed her eyes and spoke in a grave tone. "I see...so Moonbeam still hasn't changed her ways."

Daring was NOT expecting this answer from Luna. "Um...huh?"

Princess Luna put a hoof to her muzzle. "Not here. Follow me to my chambers, we can talk more there." With that Luna hurried up the stairs on her wings, with a bewildered Daring Do following close behind.

Princess Luna's Chambers

Luna's bed chambers had a calming yet dark tone to it. It was a majestic kaleidoscope of deep blues and evening purples that carried in them a sort of enchanting feeling of laying under the stars.

Luna's large crescent moon shaped bed sat near the window, which was opened to the night sky, that perfectly matched the star filled ceiling above Daring. She watched in amazement as the stars on the ceiling twinkled and shined, in what could've been the exact same way the stars outside were.

The room was illuminated by three moon like orbs which hung without support on curled vine like poles. They hovered and shimmered in their places, as bright as small moons, as Luna quickly used her magic to close the window and doors, locking them tightly in the process.

Daring couldn't help but feel she was in trouble. (A feeling she knew far, far too well) as Luna removed a book from her shelf. "I'm deeply sorry for anything Moonbeam has done, Ms. Do. This is all of my fault." Luna said solemnly, turning the pages of the book.

Now Daring was really confused. "Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for, Princess Luna? wait...you know who I am?" Daring asked genuinely surprised.

Luna chuckled a bit. "We both did. It's not hard to notice somepony who feels they shouldn't be here in a crowd."

"Then...why did you let me in?"

Luna turned to Daring and smiled. "Because we were willing to let it slide this once. What right did we have to keep you from enjoying yourself?"

Luna's smile suddenly faded again. "Only, because of Moonbeam and myself, you couldn't do that could you?"

Daring raised an eyebrow. "Why do you keep blaming yourself Princess Luna? Do you know Moonbeam from the past or something?"

Luna sighed and shut her eyes. "If only it was that simple. No Ms. Do. I know Moonbeam very well...

Because she was once my student."

Chapter 15: "Luna's Story."

Daring had actually grabbed hold of her jaw to keep it from hitting the floor. Or at least she felt that it would've. All thought and courtesy had gone from her mind as only one word, one thought, came to her brain and then was quickly blurted out of her mouth: "WHAT!?"

If they hadn't been on the top floor of the castle, if everypony else hadn't been down in the ballroom, there was no doubt they all would've heard Daring yell out. Including Moonbeam and her cronies.

Daring was quickly hushed calmly by Luna, but her eyes were still bulging out of her head. She regained control over the volume of her voice, but her shock and bewilderment was still fresh in her mind. "W-what do you mean you....you...you have to be kidding right? You're kidding right? You're just joking with me, right Princess Luna?" Daring practically begged as she asked Luna in a desperate tone.

But Luna shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not."

Daring felt she should try to calm herself, as Luna began her story. Daring simply sat and listened, unable to inquire anything further and simply desperate for some form of explanation.

"It was several years ago..."

Several Years Ago, Canterlot Palace

Moonbeam hurried across the morning grass, just as the guards opened the gates. One jumped out of the way as the young unicorn galloped past them. "Sorry! But I don't wanna be late!" she called back to them.

It was a bright, clear summer morning, and today was the day. She had stayed up all night perfecting her speech and her demonstration to be sure it was ready to present to Celestia and the group of visiting ponies from the Equestrian Board Of Magic Advancement. Today was it.

She was sure to get it this time!

Moonbeam rushed into the hall and stopped outside the lecture hall. She saw the other students lined up, but a few still hadn't arrived yet. She turned and studied the clock. Yes! she'd made it with one minute to spare!

Moonbeam opened the door and made her way to her place on stage alongside the other unicorns who were testing to see who would become Princess Celestia's first pupil. Naturally half of Equestria had shown up to see this historic moment, as well as the magic board, whom all eyed the students calmly from their seats above the audience.

Moonbeam was a confident face amongst several other nervous ones. "Naturally." She thought. She doubted anypony had studied as hard as she had. She had been practicing her demonstration for weeks on end without stop, and memorized her Complete History Of Magic books to such a degree that she had begun having dreams of reading it.

Everything was in place. She was going to get it for sure! Now they only had to wait for Princess Celestia and Luna to arrive.

Suddenly the doors burst open, and everyone turned to see not Celestia or Luna but a very exhausted looking pale yellow unicorn with a bright red and gold streaked mane and a sunset for a cutie mark. The mare trotted forward nervously, as all eyes were on her. She gave an awkward smile to Moonbeam as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Hey, am I late?" she asked.

Moonbeam could've lied. But lying wasn't going to get her anywhere here. What reason did she have to lie to another student, when she had the best chance of becoming Celestia's first pupil out of any of them? She might as well at least act friendly. Moonbeam gave the unicorn a whimsical smile. "Nope, your right on time!" She said cheerfully.

The unicorn breathed a sigh of relief as she took her spot on stage, right next to Moonbeam. Everyone looked up as they noticed the members of the board eyeing the unicorn, shaking their heads and making several marks on their clipboards.

"Well..." Moonbeam thought. "There's no way she's going to get it, at least."

The unicorn didn't seem to notice though as she looked over at Moonbeam and extended her hoof. "My names Sunset Shimmer, by the way." she said in a friendly manner.

Moonbeam decided to be friendly as well. "Moonbeam." she said, shaking hooves with the odd unicorn.

"Cool name. Mines pretty cool too, huh?" Sunset asked, nudging Moonbeam gently.

"It certainly is. Is this the first time you've tested to be Princess Celestia's pupil?" Moonbeam asked curiously.

"Yep. Been studying magic all year. And, I don't mean to brag (she said this in a tone that sounded very much like she wanted to brag) But I think I'm a shoo-in on this one." Sunset said confidently.

Moonbeam held back a chuckle. "I suppose we'll see."

Just as she said this, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna entered the room and took their places by the stage. The room went quiet as Celestia addressed the room. She smiled brightly as every excited face was now on her.

"Mares and Gentlecolts. On behalf of myself and my dear sister, I would like to thank you for all coming to this truly momentous event." Celestia said proudly. Moonbeam was one of the many unicorns who couldn't hold back her excitement, and was hanging onto Celestia's every word.

"It was said long ago by one Starswirl The Bearded, that magic is the most amazing thing in our world. With it we can shape mountains, twist the climates, and even bend the very fabric of space time itself. (Moonbeam smiled at this, having memorized this exact quote herself many times.)

Celestia paused a moment before continuing. "But with this, It is also a fact that, magic is only as good as the pony using it. The same applies to any student of which that pony is responsible for." Celestia said proudly, looking over at the excited unicorns on stage.

"And today I'm proud to call myself one such pony. Today, one of these talented and amazing unicorns will become my very first student, and I solemnly promise to do everything that I am able to make sure that my student strives to be all they can be. And so much more."

Moonbeam actually began to struggle to contain herself but none the less remained composed, despite her overwhelming excitement. This grew even harder when Celestia actually strode over to them and smiled at them all. "I want you all to know that I'm proud of each and every one of you. If I was able to, I would take all of you as my students. But If I were to do that , I would be taking you away from your own abilities to learn on your own. Just know that whoever passes, I believe all of you will succeed one day. I wish you all the very best of luck." Celestia said cheerfully.

She turned back to the crowd. "Now then with the introductions over, I will begin the testing with the first name on the ledger. We will continue to go down the list, and once all unicorns have taken the test, we will discuss the results with the board, then announce who has passed at the very end." Celestia said over the scribbling of pens on clipboards from the board members.

With a courteous nod from Princess Luna, the unicorns on stage all made their ways to the sidelines, to await when their names were called.

After a brief applause, Celestia joined her sister Luna, who magically held the ledger in front of her, and called out the first name.

"Cheerheart Maple!"

Cheerheart was a timid looking amber unicorn with a wheat colored mane and green eyes, with a smiling maple leaf for a cutie mark. She slowly made her way to the center stage. She looked quite nervous indeed.

The testing itself was rather simple, and those who had tried out before, knew the process well.

First, a unicorn had to explain in any way they could, what magic meant to them, or to Equestria as a whole.

Second, A demonstration of that unicorn's magical skill and ability. They were free to use any spell they wished, so long as they were sure they could control it.

And finally, they had to simply answer Princess Celestia's Final Question, correctly. Which no one ever had.

Back on stage, Cheerheart had done fairly well. She had explained in a shaky voice that magic instilled her with inspiration and made her feel like she could do anything. That the same applied to all unicorns, and most unicorns in the room agreed with her.

For her demonstration of her magical skill, Cheerheart conjured a massive oak tree on stage, that's leaves shifted in a rainbow of colors. Everypony applauded her, as she took a little bow, before dissipating the tree out of existence in a flurry of purple sparkles.

And finally came the final question. For this, Princess Celestia came on stage and congratulated Cheerheart on her progress. After Cheerheart had said thank you, Celestia bowed and said she would be asking the final question to her directly. Cheerheart nodded as Celestia asked the now confident unicorn directly: "What Is The Value Of Friendship?" she asked with a calm smile.

The smile flushed from Cheerheart's face, as she seemed to have become mentally lost in the question. She wasn't the only one, as every other unicorn on the sidelines was now scratching their heads or just looking completely confused. Including Moonbeam.

"Friendship? Is this some kind of joke?!" Moonbeam thought bitterly. "What does friendship have to do with magic?" Moonbeam was now scowling to herself, as she hadn't been able to study anything like "Friendship" in any book. How was she supposed to know the answer then? Was this some kind of test? Maybe it was a trick question? Moonbeam tried to think logically, while Cheerheart now looked utterly lost on stage.

She just said the first thing she could: "I-I...I don't know the answer to that, Princess Celestia." the mare said in a final defeated voice.

But Celestia only smiled. "That's alright my dear. It's not a question that just anypony can answer easily. You did very well, Cheerheart. You may return to your seat, whenever your ready."

Cheerheart bowed respectfully, then returned to join the other unicorns to the side of the stage. Tension now brewed in the lecture hall as every unicorn was now either very nervous, very confused or just at a loss as to what the final question meant. Moonbeam was particularly angry over the fact that she couldn't seem to figure it out.

The nervous chatter died down immediately as Luna called out the next unicorn's name: "Silver Brush!"

Silver Brush was a lanky teal blue stallion with a puffy periwinkle mane and a paintbrush for a cutie mark. As Silver Brush took the test Moonbeam put all her brainpower into trying to figure out what Celestia's last question could mean.

Finally, as Silver Brush demonstrated his magical skill of manipulating colors to create living works of art, Moonbeam finally solved it. It was a trick question! Obviously she was supposed to say something about how magic can affect the world and the relations of ponies and their environments. It was so simple, Moonbeam actually chuckled to herself for being so confused by such a trivial question.

When the time came for Silver Brush to answer the question he simply said: "To make friends?"

Princess Celestia chuckled a bit before she politely returned him to his seat.

Over the next few minutes, Luna called out more names from the ledger. Each time was the same: Each unicorn seemed to show fantastic skill with magic, and once again excelled in their answers to the first question. But when it came down to the last question, they were all completely stumped. No one seemed to get it.

By the time they reached Moonbeam, she was smiling so pridefully to herself, that Celestia had smiled back as she took center stage. This was it, the moment she had been waiting months for. She was going to blow everyone away with her demonstration. Where as everyone had studied traditional magic, and clearly demonstrated skill in it, Moonbeam had other areas of magic she wanted demonstrate. It was her sure fire way of winning Celestia's interests. No doubt about it.

Moonbeam looked out at the sea of curious faces in front of her, and took a deep breath as the first question was asked of her. "What does magic mean to you?" asked Luna calmly.

Moonbeam smiled as she spoke, clearly and confidently. "Magic is life. It is Change, It is Love, It is hate, indeed I could go on and on about how magic has shaped the very foundation of our world. But I see it used in so many ways. Ways that I can't help but think it to be wasted on!"

All eyes were now on Moonbeam, as Celestia and Luna both looked at the mare with budding interest.

"Magic is so much more than what we all use it for. There are magics out there that we cannot even begin to imagine, forces that simply breach the laws of what we believe is possible. If we could just learn to harness it, to not be afraid of what we know and what we don't...then I truly believe we can accomplish greatness that hasn't been seen since the days of our celestial princesses times."

The room gave a great applause to Moonbeam's speech, including Celestia and Luna. But she wasn't finished yet.

"And now for my demonstration..." Moonbeam paused for effect.

"I will be doing just that."

The room went quiet as Moonbeam's horn began to glow unlike any had ever seen. Dark bolts of electrical energy coiled around it as a green aura enveloped it, to match Moonbeam's now glowing green eyes. Unicorns were awestruck as this energy could be felt emerging on every corner of the room, as Moonbeam lifted her head up, an almost devilish grin on her face. "This is what I mean."

There was a flash of green and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air. And something vast, green and glittering erupted from the shimmering air above everyone's heads. Several ponies screamed, others hid under their desks, and the judges all dropped their clipboards, too stunned to make any notes.

A colossal skull, comprised of what looked like millions of emerald colored stars, now looked down upon the students, its empty face contorted into a wicked looking sneer. It opened its mouth and great gouts of green flame spewed forth, scaring even more ponies out of their wits. But these flames soon took another shape: A great dragon of pure fire now sailed down and landed on stage, its wings outstretched as it roared a terrible roar, before vanishing in a clap of green dust, as did the skull.

For a while the room was quiet. No pony dared to say a word. Moonbeam waited for applause. But none came, as everyone was far too shaken to do anything. Then when the tension died down, many did indeed applaud, but only because they were glad to still be alive.

Moonbeam bowed as Celestia and Luna both looked at the unicorn, completely awestruck. "I knew they'd be impressed." Moonbeam thought pleasantly to herself. She had done it. She had displayed the potential of the Dark Arts to other ponies. And now all that was left was the final question.

Princess Celestia came up on stage with a cheerful, yet cautious disposition. "That was certainly...different, then what I have seen thus far, Moonbeam. Well done indeed."Celestia said, with a slight lilt of unease in her voice. But Moonbeam didn't notice only accepting the fact that Celestia was impressed.

Princess Celestia paused a moment before she asked Moonbeam her final question.

"Now then: What Is The Value Of Friendship?" Celestia asked calmly.

Moonbeam smiled as she gave her answer, almost instantly: "It's a trick question."

Celestia raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Moonbeam nodded. "The value of friendship is a term used to describe the relations between magic and the ponies who wield it. Friendship is meaningless in the way that truly mastering magic is. As no one will ever truly master magic. Ergo, the question is simply a statement to the importance of studying hard, to get as close to mastering magic as one can."

All the unicorns to the side of stage were amazed. "Oh! Why didn't I think of that!" one yelled out.

"Of course, it was a trick question!" another called out.

"She's way smarter than I thought." another said, thoroughly impressed.

"And a lot scarier." Cheerheart added softy.

Princess Celestia smiled. "I see. That's a very well thought answer, Moonbeam." Moonbeam bowed respectfully, and took her place back amongst the other unicorns. Every one of them was looking at her thoroughly stunned. All except Sunset Shimmer, who simply snickered to herself and shook her head.

"And what are you laughing at?" Moonbeam inquired, very annoyed at the unicorns mocking.

Sunset smiled at her. "You really think that was the right answer, don't you?" She asked, as if she knew that what Moonbeam had just said, had been completely wrong.

Before Moonbeam could argue, the last name was called: "Sunset Shimmer!"

Sunset looked utterly relaxed as she took the stage, a calm smile on her face. "Break a leg!" Moonbeam yelled out.

"Literally." she added bitterly under her breath.

Luna calmly asked the first question: "What Does Magic Mean To You?"

Sunset smiled as she answered. "I don't need a speech to answer that, Princess Luna."

Luna looked up. "I'm sorry?"

Sunset looked outside the window. "I mean just look at it all out there. The trees, the birds, the wind. That is real magic. This whole world is made with magic. Magic we may not be able to use to lift a book from its shelf, or make ourselves breakfast in the morning. But magic that inspires us to do those things. To me, that's what magic means: To inspire others, not just myself, to keep adding to the magic around them."

Sunset walked off stage and put her arm around Silver Brush, who blushed nervously. "I mean, did you see what this guy could do? It was amazing! He made art just phase into existence right here on this stage. That's because he's inspired by what he sees around him."

Silver Brush blushed even harder and smiled as everyone else smiled at him.

Moonbeam shuffled uncomfortably as Sunset made her way over to her and gestured to Cheerheart. "And what she did with that tree? You can't tell me she wasn't inspired by the trees we see everyday! She added something to the world, based on what inspired her to."

Sunset returned to the stage as Cheerheart was now receiving several friendly looks from everyone around her. She smiled at them as Moonbeam only scowled in Sunset's direction.

"What in Equestria is she doing?" She thought to herself. "She isn't performing any magic at all! She just keeps talking about the things that everypony else did! Is she a complete idiot!?" Moonbeam thought in disbelief.

Sunset smiled as the members of the board and the celestial princesses were all smiling at her. "As for my demonstration, I would like to decline."

"What!?" Moonbeam yelled out. "You decline? You can't just decline!"

Sunset shrugged. "Just did. I don't have to show anyone up, to prove myself. I know I'm great at magic, that's all that matters."

Moonbeam was in complete shock. She couldn't decide if she was furious, confused or just bewildered at the same time. What was this mare doing here then? She was never going to pass now! She hadn't even taken the test!

Sunset only smiled still, which further infuriated Moonbeam. Sunset then turned to face both Princess Celestia and Luna. "And for your last question, Princess Celestia?"

Princess Celestia nodded. But this time she stayed right where she was as she exchanged pleased looks with her sister. Then they turned their attention to Sunset. "And what is your answer, Sunset Shimmer?" she asked with a calm smile.

Sunset smiled as she said: "Friendship is Magic. The most important magic of all. Its the one that binds us as students, as ponies of Equestria. I might not know as much about it as I would like. But...it's definitely something we should all take time to learn about. Perhaps even more so than traditional magic. So in my opinion, the value of friendship...is Priceless."

At this, Moonbeam had lost her temper. "DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!?" she yelled startling everyone in the room. She rushed on stage and got very close to Sunset's face, her flaring eyes digging into Sunset's own. "This is a test on MAGIC. This is place to study, MAGIC. Yet for the past few moments, all you've been doing is wasting everyone's time with these stupid little speeches of yours!"

Everyone looked as the two unicorns stared each other down, not daring to say a word. "This is not some pathetic after school club, where you can voice your meaningless opinions! Magic is about one thing, and one thing only: Understanding what it's capable of, and not being afraid to go the extra mile in order to use it to its fullest potential." Moonbeam said still glaring at Sunset, intensely.

Sunset was shaken but held her ground. She narrowed her eyes to match Moonbeams. "Magic is more than just understanding what it does and being more powerful than everyone else. You need to understand-

"You, need to understand that, like it or not, the dark arts has more to offer then your so called, ideal magic, as I have proved!" Moonbeam snapped.

Sunset laughed. "Really? Like that demonstration of yours from earlier that scared the living daylights out of everyone? What did that prove?"

Moonbeam took a step back and gave a glaring look over her shoulder at the audience. "That your weak. That your all too afraid to embrace what you don't understand. Too afraid to see things from a new perspective." she said spitefully.

The ponies in the audience all grimaced at this remark, while others began whispering with one another. Moonbeam turned her attention back to Sunset.

"Like it or not, there is darkness inside all of us, and no matter how cheerful and friendly you are, one day you'll let that darkness out yourself. Then what will happen? Where will your "Friendship Is Magic" theory take you then?" Moonbeam asked with an evil grin.

Sunset went silent for a moment. "You're right. Maybe one day, I will lose sight of my real self. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up just like you: an angry, self-absorbed, condescending, manipulative pony who has no regard for others or their feelings. I may not even remember anything about friendship at all." Sunset admitted honestly.

Moonbeam laughed wickedly. "You see!? Your no different than any other pony that has darkness deep in their hearts! If you embrace that darkness now, then-

"But."

"But??"

"But, I know that somehow, someway, I will find friendship again. And then I'll be back to my normal self. That's the magic of friendship, Moonbeam. No matter how far down into the dark you've fallen, it will always find you in the end." Sunset said kindly, and offered her hoof out to Moonbeam. "Don't let yourself fall down that hole. You still have a chance to see what's right in front of you." said Sunset, smiling warmly.

But Moonbeam only scowled at her even more. She chuckled to herself, as she glared at Sunset more intensely than ever before, hatred filling her eyes to such a degree that she looked almost manic now. "You're an idiot." She growled in a grave tone "You will never understand what magic is really capable of. Your weak just like all the others." Moonbeam turned to Celestia who was now standing right beside them."And Princess Celestia knows it."

Sunset lowered her hoof and turned away sadly. They both faced Princess Celestia now.

The other unicorns watched intensely as they all realized the moment had come: Princess Celestia was going to choose her student.

Chapter 16: "Dark Hearts."

Back in the present day, Daring Do was now leaning forward over the top of the chair she had taken a seat to listen to Luna's story, more than excited to hear more. "And?? Who'd she choose?" Daring asked eagerly. She had become completely immersed in Luna's story to the point she had forgotten why she had even come up here with her.

Luna smiled at her as she closed the book and set it back on the shelf. "My sister chose Sunset Shimmer, of course."

Daring raised an eyebrow. "Really? But I thought you said she hadn't really even done the test."

"She didn't need to. Out of all the unicorns in the room, Sunset Shimmer understood the real thing that my sister was looking for that day. Not a powerful unicorn with great knowledge of magic, but somepony who shared her ideals regarding the importance of friendship and what it meant to all of us."

Daring laughed as she got up from her seat. "Yeah, we'll I can't think of a worse student to teach that, then Moonbeam." Daring scoffed.

Luna looked over at the window, the moon peering in and reflecting its light all around them. "Moonbeam was enraged when Sunset had been chosen. She stormed out of the lecture hall, and slammed the door so hard it smashed apart on its hinges."

"Whoa. Sore loser, I guess."

Luna gave a disapproving look at Daring, who quickly apologized. Moonbeam had been her student after all.

"I found her outside in the garden. She had reduced the entire place to charred black cinders, and now sat under the charred remains of an oak tree." Luna continued.

"What did you do?"

"I told her that I was like her. And I am. I know what intoxicating power the Dark Arts is able to grant, and Moonbeam at the time, had only barely scratched the surface of what she was capable of. We were alike in so many ways, I asked her to become my student. She accepted."

Daring's eyes grew wide. "What did you teach her?"

"I taught her of the darkness within myself. How I had embraced what I am, and how I learned to harness the Dark to give me strength. To give me power, far beyond that of what magic could give. But at the same time, I taught her to control it. To never lose herself to the darkness or its seductive lure, lest she lose herself completely."

Luna looked out and gazed at the moon longingly. "The moon was our catalyst. We shared it in everything, even our names showed its bond to us. From it, we saw the darkness in the world, and harnessed it for our own. In time, Moonbeam became more powerful than she ever could have."

Daring listened intently as Luna lowered her head sadly. "But...one day she changed. She wanted more, to explore just how deep the hole went. She wanted to let go of herself completely, and learn everything. She devoted herself to the Dark Arts completely."

Princess Luna suddenly turned and looked at Daring with wide teary eyes. "You must understand, I tried to stop her. To warn her of what she was becoming! But, she insisted on learning more about the Dark Arts.

"About The Abyss."

At those words, Daring sprang to her feet. "The Abyss?? My friend Dr. Quill-Pen said something about Moonbeam and The Abyss! Please, Princess Luna, can you tell me what it is? Quill seemed almost...scared to even say anything about it." Daring explained, remembering how hesitant Quill had been to even explain anything to Daring about it. What could it possibly be? And why was everyone so scared of it?

Luna looked at Daring with great concern in her eyes. "He was right to be scared Daring. The Abyss Of Despair, is...something that many are unable to properly describe. It is not of our world, nor of our capacity to understand."

Luna looked passed Daring as if she saw something in her field of vision that Daring could not. "It is a pitch black hole in the world, that is simply unending in its reach into the deepest depths imaginable. It is an unwelcome anomaly on the edge of understanding and fear. I have encountered those touched by it before. How it twisted and warped their minds and bodies into...something unspeakable."

Daring was hesitant to ask about The Abyss anymore, as Luna seemed genuinely scared to even say any more about it. But she now had the full name of it: "The Abyss Of Despair." Sounded friendly.

Daring had more questions for Luna. "What does Moonbeam want with The Black Magic Of Atlantis, anyway?"

Luna turned around and examined the books on her shelf, lost in thought. "I'm unsure. Perhaps she simply wants it for power, or she believes it will aid her in finding and mastering The Abyss Of Despair, believing it will help her to control it."

"And will it?" Daring asked.

Before Princess Luna could answer, another voice answered from behind Daring. "Once I reach Atlantis, I guess you'll find out."

Daring and Princess Luna turned around to see Moonbeam and her henchponies standing in the now open doorway.

The wicked mare stepped forward and smiled evilly at Daring. "If, your still alive to see it." She said coldly.

Daring Do only narrowed her eyes at Moonbeam as she chuckled to herself. "Is that a threat?" she said cooly.

"No Daring, it's not worth it." Princess Luna said, as she stepped forward and met the eyes of her former student. A great tension suddenly sliced through the room, as they looked at one another.

For a moment, Moonbeam's wicked expression softened. "Its good to see you again, Princess Luna." Moonbeam said in an almost kind voice.

But the expression was not returned as Luna only looked down at Moonbeam with disapproving, cold eyes that seemed to cut right through her. "I wish I could say the same, Moonbeam." Luna said coldly.

Moonbeam chuckled as her evil grin returned. "I'm not here to discuss the past with you, Luna. I'm here for whatever my friend here has discovered about Atlantis." Moonbeam said calmly, yet the way she said it seemed to tell Daring she did not intend to get what she wanted without a fight.

And Daring was indeed ready for a fight. She was done running. If she had to end this here and now...then she would.

Daring bravely stepped forward. "I know everything now Moonbeam." she said simply.

Moonbeam raised an eyebrow, but mocked her remark as well. "Oh do you now?"

Daring ignored her. "I know you wanted to be Celestia's student. I know that you were outmatched by that unicorn, Sunset Shimmer. She understood what the value of friendship was, and that's why-

"SHE UNDERSTOOD NOTHING!" Moonbeam screamed suddenly, her face contorting in her rage. Her horn glowed menacingly as her henchponies took a step back in fear. Moonbeam was now breathing heavily through clenched teeth. "That...imbecile had no right to even show up that day! I was the one who had studied the hardest, I was the one who had trained until daybreak, I was the one WHO SHOULD'VE BEEN CHOSEN!" Moonbeam yelled, her voice gradually getting louder and angrier.

Then her expression went almost manic. Her eyes suddenly widened and looked ahead as her pupils shrunk, and a strange smile crossed her face. "But who did she choose? Not me, the pony who demonstrated her willingness to pursue the Dark Arts for the sake of bettering herself and others. NO....she chose the happy, cheerful unicorn who believed that "Friendship Is Magic."

Moonbeam turned away. "But...that's all in the past now. I've become more powerful than either of them."

"You're not more powerful than them, Moonbeam." Daring said softly. "Celestia didn't pick you because, you didn't understand what she was really looking for that day. She wanted someone who understood her morals. Who would want to help others, and succeed alongside them. Not just for themselves."

Moonbeam looked down at the floor not saying anything. Her henchponies were now crouching to try and see her face.

Princess Luna stepped forward as well. "Moonbeam. You are an exceptionally skilled unicorn. The best I have seen in a long time, and you have so much potential." she said calmly.

Still Moonbeam said nothing as she continued to look down. Daring was curious. She didn't trust this situation for a second.

Princess Luna stepped forward still and smiled down at Moonbeam with kindness in her eyes. "You were once my student Moonbeam. I know there is some good left in your heart. All you have to do is listen to it....Please save yourself before it's too-

"SHUT UP!!"

Moonbeam suddenly unleashed a massive shock wave of dark energy from her horn, that knocked everyone in the room against the walls and shattered the windows and doors apart, as broken glass rained down from all directions.

"Don't talk to me like you know me, like you understand me! No one understands me!! That's why I have to make them understand!" Moonbeam yelled angrily. "I have nothing in my heart anymore. I abandoned all that long ago, when I decided to take matters into my own hooves and sought my own teaching." Moonbeam said seriously. "My heart is as dark as yours now." She added.

Moonbeam walked slowly towards Luna, who was recovering to her hooves gingerly."When I was your student, you were always holding me back. I wanted to pursue more! But you, you were the one that always kept me back, the one who always told me not to try this spell, or cast this incantation or study this ritual! You were always too scared to show me real power." Moonbeam spat.

Daring rolled over on her side, and touched her wing gingerly,before she reeled back as it stung to touch it. It was sprained, but she could tend to it. Once she had dealt with Moonbeam. Then as Daring stood up, she suddenly felt heat against her chest, that spread from her neck to her back, and finally her sprained wing which seemed to have been completely healed in seconds.

Amazed, Daring looked down, and sure enough, the talisman she had received from her father was now glowing with a faint gold aura.

Daring looked ahead to see Princess Luna had returned to her feet, and Moonbeam seemed more enraged then ever. She had to do something, or Luna and who knows how many guests at the gala could get hurt or worse.

Luna looked somberly at Moonbeam, as her own horn now glowed with a dark blue hue. "I don't want to fight you, Moonbeam! I was only trying to protect you back then, you have no idea how dangerous the Dark Arts can really be; It can destroy you! I've seen it happen before!"

Moonbeam wasn't listening as her eyes narrowed even more. "I'm through with hearing your excuses, Luna! Once I find the Black Magic Of Atlantis, you and everypony else will regret ever doubting me! I'll show all of you the power of The Dark Arts, and once both of you have realized your mistakes...maybe I'll consider letting you two keep ruling Equestria...maybe."

As Moonbeam laughed, Luna opened her mouth to retort, but was cut short, as Daring Do, having been unable to come up with a plan, simply sprang from her hooves and tackled Moonbeam into the wall. They both crashed into the nearby bookshelf, sending a volley of books tumbling to the floor.

As Princess Luna looked on in both shock and surprise, Daring looked at her from the ground. "Go warn everypony downstairs! I can handle this!" It wasn't the smartest plan, in fact it may be the dumbest plan Daring had had in a good while. But it was all she could come up with. At least with her talisman, she stood some chance against Moonbeam. But the other ponies at the Gala could get caught in the crossfire. She couldn't risk anything like that.

Plus, she had just had enough of Moonbeam and her cronies.

Princess Luna hesitated for a moment before she spread her wings and flew out of the room, leaving Daring and Moonbeam to square off. Moonbeam yelled angrily as she let off another dark energy blast, throwing Daring off of her. But this time Daring timed her landing and flapped her wings to cushion her fall.

"Always the hero, aren't we Daring!?" Moonbeam yelled, annoyed. Her henchponies returned to her side, ready to fight Daring.

Daring meanwhile only lightly brushed herself off and smiled. "Eh...it's what I do." she said nonchalantly.

Moonbeam narrowed her eyes at her. "GET RID OF THAT PEGASUS ONCE AND FOR ALL!" she ordered, and her henchman obliged, charging full speed at Daring.

Daring easily rolled over the back of one portly henchpony who tried to grab her, only to just barely miss being struck in the head by a dark energy bolt from Moonbeam.

"Hey! That's cheating!" Daring complained, only to just dodge out of the way of another attack. Moonbeam ignored her as she let loose a massive volley of fireballs that all zeroed in on Daring.

Unfortunately, the portly henchpony had decided to try and grab Daring again, and got in the way of the attack taking the full force of it and was sent flying into Daring, who were then both flung out the now smashed open window, and fell down into the entrance courtyard.

But just before they hit the ground, Daring unfurled her wings and caught the portly henchpony and held him aloft, as they floated just mere inches off the ground. The pony's immense weight didn't help much, as Daring struggled to hold the collar of his suit in her hooves.

Portly looked up at her in surprise. Daring only rolled her eyes. "You're welcome." Before she dropped him onto the ground and flew off. She looked back to see several large groups of ponies were now exiting the castle and waiting in the courtyard. Daring breathed a sigh of relief. Princess Luna had told them they had to evacuate. And hopefully she had told her sister about Moonbeam and her plans.

Daring hesitated to keep flying. Thinking she should return to the gala and help Luna and Celestia with Moonbeam. But then she thought that it was more important for her to get to her friends. She not only had discovered Moonbeam's true intentions,but now knew the location of Atlantis. And they had to get there as soon as they could. She had to find The Black Magic Of Atlantis and destroy it, so nopony else could ever come looking for it. Plus, Daring was very sure that the two most powerful ponies in Equestria could handle, even the likes of Moonbeam.

For Now: Atlantis was waiting for them. And Daring had every intention to make the wait worth it.

Chapter 17: "Atlantis Or Bust!"

Daring had finally made it back to her friends, and explained everything that had transpired at The Grand Galloping Gala. For some reason it had seemed to take quite a while to explain everything, but she finally got to the most important part.

Daring withdrew the stones she had gotten from her father's gift. "Oh! and we need to take these stones with us to Atlantis, which is in the Mediterranean!"

The group simply looked on as Daring held the stones up close to the light. They shined and sparkled like fire, and looked to be made of amber in this light. Though it was impossible to tell what they were actually made of.

Herpy asked Daring if he could examine them. "Hmmm..."he said, taking them under a microscope.

"....well?" Daring asked,leaning over Herpy's shoulder.

"They appear to be some sort of....light storage device. The material is extremely photoabsorbant, and are able to store the light from the sun and the moon. They must be the key somehow!" Herpy explained.

At this, Atlas let out an audible gasp. "I've read in legends that, the gates of Atlantis are supposed to be sealed by the sun and moon. But I've never known what it meant. That must be it!" She exclaimed happily. "And you said the Mediterranean?"

"Yep. 300 miles west from Greece to be exact!" Daring exclaimed with a grin.

Swift Wing got up and stretched her arms. "Then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going already!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Daring and her friends were finally on their way to finding Atlantis. As they touched down in the city of Alabriss, Daring and her friends made their way to the docks so they could rent a small submarine to, according to the map they had made beforehand, a small underwater cave opening. And through there....would be the entrance to Atlantis.

Daring used her incredible haggling skills to try and talk the harbormaster down to a reasonable price.

"20 Bits!"

"The price is 100 bits, ma'am."

"Okay. 15 bits!"

"That's lower then what you said before."

"You drive a hard bargain, my friend. Okay, 10 bits, and that's as low as I'll go!...5 bits."

"Are you trying to haggle with me about renting a submarine?"

"Is it working?"

"No."

Daring was about to offer the elderly pony 2 Bits and her hat, when Atlas gladly stepped up and rented a four pony marine submersible. "Thank you sir." she said as she took the receipt and keys for the submarine, which was docked nearby.

As Herpy and Swift Wing loaded onto the sub, Daring had a chat with Atlas, who seemed to be nearly hyperventilating with either excitement or fear. "You okay?" she asked.

"Huh? Me, oh just fine! I'm just only a mere 300 miles from uncovering the greatest archaeological discovery of all time! The thing I've spent my entire life researching and studying and...and"

Daring put a hoof to her shoulder. "Whoa! Easy Professor, you're starting to freak out a bit."

"Am I? Oh. Sorry about that, I...I think I'll just go lay down for a bit." Atlas said, before boarding the submarine and retiring to her quarters, where she quickly fainted on the bed.

Daring herself then loaded her own stuff into the sub and climbed inside. The inside of the sub was surprisingly spacious, and offered plenty of room. There was just one problem.

"Does anypony know how to pilot a submarine?" Daring asked.

Luckily Swift Wing recognized the controls and adapted to them fairly well. And though the submarine was basically rocketing through the water, they would make it to the caverns in a few hours. But little did they know they were being pursued, by a massive black submarine that hovered like a ghost in the ocean as it silently followed Daring and her friends.

300 Miles Later, Mysterious Underwater Cave, Middle of The Mediterranean Sea

Daring awoke from her nap with a start, as a loud alarm started blaring throughout the sub. "Wha-What's going on?" She said looking around wildly.

Swift Wing looked at the sub's radar. Two large dots flashed brightly on the screen. "Proximity alert, were approaching something big. And something big is approaching us!" She exclaimed over the loud alarm.

Herpy began to freak out. "What?! Who else could be down this far into the middle of the ocean?"

Daring looked outside the view window of the submarine and narrowed her eyes. "I think I have an idea..."

Sure enough the massive black submarine that had been in pursuit loomed out in front of them, blocking their path. Everyone gathered around the viewing window in the pilot's cabin with Swift Wing. Atlas had terror in her eyes. "What in Equestria, IS THAT!?" she exclaimed.

A series of small metal plates slid down on the side of the craft to reveal hundreds of small, armed magical cannons. And every one of them was aimed at the submarine.

Behind the massive metal behemoth, Daring could see the entrance to a small cave. She was so close, she hadn't come this far to turn tail now. "We have to go around it!"

Swift Wing looked at Daring like she was nuts. "Are you nuts?! Look at that thing, there's no way this dinky submarine can maneuver around it!"

Daring locked eyes with her. "Then pretend it's a plane!"

"What??"

"If this was a plane, then you could get us into that cave right?"

"I-I well, yeah I could, but-

"Then just pretend it's a plane!"

"Daring, I can't-

"Yes you can Swift! You got this. I know you do!"

Swift Wing looked unsure for a minute, but then she looked at Daring with a confident gleam in her eye. She flipped her goggles down over her eyes, and grabbed hold of the controls, after letting the steam filter through the engines, she called "Hang on everypony! This is going to get bumpy!"

With that, Swift pulled the steam gauge to its breaking point and yanked hard on both levers, sending the submarine rocketing up over the black craft at insane speeds.

The cannons fired, spraying red laser beams all throughout the sea, as Swift Wing managed to dodge every single one, with incredible expertise. As the submarine sailed through the water, dipping, dodging and outmaneuvering laser fire, several small submersibles departed from the docking bay aboard the black vessel and began to catch up to Swift Wing.

But Swift Wing only laughed. "Looks like somepony wants to play!" she called out, as she pushed both levers down, sending the sub into a sudden downward drop, near a bed of coral. As everyone else held on for dear life, Daring and Swift Wing only laughed happily as the submarine easily pulled back up from the coral, just as it was about to hit.

As it sailed back up, Swift turned a large gauge to the side, and the sub turned and sped like a bullet towards the cave entrance. The vessel fired more lasers at the sub, but Swift Wing was too fast, and finally after dodging the last of the lasers and rival submarines, the sub finally flew through the cave entrance and sped upwards as Daring could clearly see light shining brightly through the surface of the water.

Chapter 18: "The Temple Of Oceana."

As the submarine burst up through the water, it quickly fell down and rested on the calm waves. Daring opened the hatch while everyone else struggled to get up on their feet (Herpy especially, who was clutching the railing inside so hard, he found was unable to let go, and Atlas and Swift had to work to yank him from it). She looked around in total amazement at the gorgeous scene that presented itself to her. "Whoa...."

The Temple Of Oceana

She stood agape, as they now found themselves in a magnificent cave temple, that seemed to be carved completely from the purest sea stone and marble. Huge pillars towered above them from the sides, blending in perfectly with the masonry of the temple itself. The sub rested calmly on a pool that sat in the middle of the marble floor of the temple, and the centerpiece of it all, was the colossal statue of a mysterious but breathtakingly beautiful pony with a flowing mane, a unicorns horn and carried a massive orange orb in each of her....fins?

"Fins?" Daring thought. She went to get a closer look, and now saw that the statue had no hooves, but fins, along with other marine features, that made Daring think she was some kind of...Seapony.

As Daring examined the strange runes etched into the bottom of the statue, she heard her friends all audibly gasp in wonder as they looked around the splendor of the temple.

"Wow!" exclaimed Swift Wing.

"Unbelievable..." whispered Herpy.

"Breathtaking." said Atlas, nearly on the verge of fainting again.

"And soon....it'll be my statue up there." A voice said behind them.

They all turned around to see Moonbeam standing at the side of the pool as a large group of henchponies disembarked from their submersibles and gathered around you from all corners of the temple, their horns glowing menacingly as Moonbeam smugly trotted up to Daring. "Daring? What a surprise to run into you here!" she exclaimed with biting sarcasm.

Daring glared at her menacingly. "What do you want, Moonbeam?"

"Ohoho...you know exactly what I want."

"Yeah. I do. And you're not getting it."

"Always have to do things the hard way don't we, Daring?" Moonbeam mocked, as her horn crackled with dark energy.

Daring only smiled. "It's more fun that way."

Moonbeam's horn sparked as she let out a sigh. "Listen, Daring. I grow tired of all this. I'm done chasing after you, and I'm done with you being a thorn in my side! What say you help me obtain The Black Magic Of Atlantis, and I'll....spare you're friends."

She suddenly raised a hoof, and like a flash, Henchponies swarmed Herpy, Swift Wing and Atlas, picking them up off the ground, and trapping the struggling ponies in their arms. As Daring moved to save them, she was stopped when Moonbeam brought her horn dangerously close to Daring's face. It sparked and glowed with black energy.

Moonbeam smiled wickedly. "Get me into Atlantis....and I'll give you your friends back. Refuse, and well....I don't think I need to tell you what happens if you did that." she chuckled.

Daring glared at Moonbeam, but looked back at her struggling friends with sad eyes. Taking a deep breath, she saw she had no choice. "Fine." She said begrudgingly. "But when this is over-"She then got very close to Moonbeam's face, and gave her such a look of loathing that Moonbeam actually backed off a bit. "I'm breaking that horn off your pretty little head and shoving it, right up your-!

Daring was interrupted by Moonbeam shushing her as she put a hoof to her mouth. "Less talking, more gate opening."

Daring smacked Moonbeam's hoof away and went to the statue of the large Seapony and tried to decipher the runes, once more. Reading through what she could, she saw images telling a story, a story of a great and powerful civilization, their queen that protected and watched over them and a magical pearl. But, as Daring read more, she saw images of some kind of horrible catastrophe, that doomed this civilization, and an evil unlike any other, living deep within its ruins, while the queen and her subjects fled into the oceans, and...Daring stopped as she saw an image of the sun and moon, light shining down from the heavens onto what resembled the statue she now stood before. A clever smile spread across Daring's face.

Moonbeam raised an eyebrow. "What are you smiling about?" she asked suspiciously.

Daring didn't answer but instead unfurled her wings and flew up to the ceiling of the temple, where two skylights were seen at opposite sides. Going up to one, Daring saw a circular shaped slot etched into the strange crystal glass. she took out the sun stone, and placed it into the slot, it flashed and glowed brightly as it fit into place with a click.

She then flew over and did the same with the other one, the same thing happening as two beams of light; one gold and one blue, shot down from the stones, into the orbs that the statue held aloft.

A great rumbling was heard as the temple walls shook. Great ancient machinery was heard springing to life in the walls, as an electronic hum reverberated throughout the temple. Looking back, as she landed back on the ground, Daring saw the eyes on the statue flash and glow bright blue, before the floor of the temple suddenly parted.

"What the?" Moonbeam glared at Daring. "What did you do!?" she demanded. Hench ponies fled to the walls, letting go of Daring's friends in the process. Everyone was afraid to move as the temple shifted and moved around.

The water in the pool emptied as the submarine now rested on a stone floor. The floor slid into the walls, revealing a set of ancient stairs that descended further into the temple. Moonbeam looked down over the stairs, and smiled. "At last..." she whispered.

She looked up at the light from the sky, happiness in her eyes. "After all this....it'll finally be mine." she said to herself. "The Black Magic Of-HRRK!"

As she was about to finish her sentence, Daring lunged forward and connected a hard punch to Moonbeam's jaw, sending her to the floor. She laid there in a daze for a brief moment, while Daring cupped her hooves around her mouth. "GUYS, MOVE YOUR FLANKS!" She yelled to her friends, as she dove down to the stairs.

Herpy, Atlas and Swift Wing wasted no time in heeding Daring's call, and charged down the steps, following Daring down a long corridor.

They ran as fast as they could, but as they approached the end of the corridor they all stopped dead in their tracks. A large orange energy field shimmered and shifted in front of them. Behind it they saw the entrance to some sort of library, but it was unclear exactly what it was as the strange force field shimmered like water.

No, wait. As Daring looked closer, she saw that there was water, behind the force field. In fact everything on the other side of it, was completely submerged, like it existed underwater. (Which made perfect sense given where they were)

Atlas looked at the shimmering orange energy in wonder. "Amazing. It looks like behind this is some sort of...underwater library!"

Daring scratched her head. "So....Atlantis is a library?"

"Of course not, but it may have something to do with it. Perhaps they're connected somehow...."

Swift Wing put a hoof to her chin as she looked up at it, then to her friends. "So...should we go through it?"

Before anypony could answer, an enraged scream was heard behind them. "DARING DO!!"

As everyone looked back, Moonbeam stood at the base of the stairs, Massive black bolts of black energy crackled and arched around her as her eyes and horn glowed blood red. Her face contorted in blind rage, her mane flaring up wildly, as the ground beneath her split apart and she launched a massive bolt of crackling red energy that shredded the floor apart as it sailed down the corridor towards Daring and her friends.

"Yep! We go through it!" Daring exclaimed as she roughly pushed all of them through the orange force field and into the library, her going in with them.

Mysterious Underwater Library

As soon as she had gone through the force field, Daring was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of water all around her as she took in a mouthful of seawater. She held her breath as she turned to see a massive stone door come down and seal the way they had just come in. The entire room shook with the force of the blast of Moonbeam's spell hitting the door. And yet the door didn't budge an inch.

"Whoa. Sturdy." Daring thought as she looked around. Herpy and Atlas swam around in bewilderment, while Swift Wing, tried to find some way out of the room. And she was right. They couldn't hold their breath forever! They had to get out of here!

As Daring's lungs began to burn for oxygen, a strange blue light suddenly shot up from the ground beneath her, and an air bubble appeared on her head. Daring took in a great breath as she coughed and sputtered for a minute.

She looked to see that the same thing had happened to everyone else, and they now all had strange air bubbles over their heads like helmets.

"Everyone alright?" Swift Wing called out.

"Yeah. I'm good." Daring confirmed.

"Yes, I'm fine." Atlas said, sounding immensely relieved.

When Herpy didn't respond, Daring instinctively looked around for him. "Herpy?" She saw him over in the far corner of the massive library.

"Just...just look at this place!" he exclaimed like a foal in a candy store.

Finally taking a look around, Daring was amazed at the splendor of this place. The library was as big as a city, with shelves towering like skyscrapers at all spots around the room. The entire place was lit up brightly by strange glowing orbs that hung from the ceiling, each one as big as twenty houses.

The gleaming marble floor sparkled even underwater, and gold outlined the many tables and ornate chairs that dotted the place. A magnificent domed roof, painted in breathtaking murals adorned the whole ceiling. And finally at the far end of the room, was a gigantic gleaming golden gate, that stretched all the way to the ceiling. Ornate designs and symbols were carved into its surface, along with images of Seaponies and tall spires.

Daring smiled cheerfully, as her excitement reached it's limit. "Over here guys! This is it!" she exclaimed.

They all swam to the gate, and looked up at it in awe. Atlas was nearly in tears. "Behind this gate....is Atlantis....I...I" she fell silent as tears ran down her face. She reached out with her hoof to touch the gate. To feel her dream about to be realized.

When Daring saw a flash from above them. Her instincts going off like lighting, Daring grabbed Atlas and pulled her back from the door, just as the end of the huge golden trident impacted into the floor, shattering that area of the floor apart into a thousand marble pieces, spraying broken marble everywhere, and rippling a massive wave through the water.

As everyone reeled back in terror. Daring got a look at the large female Seapony wielding the trident. She was dark blue and massive, standing even taller then Celestia did, and her beautiful golden eyes were flaring with anger. She glared over at Daring and her friends.

Daring smiled nervously. "Um....Hi?" she said as she waved a hoof weakly.

The Seapony's angry shout and charging at them with her trident was apparently her response to Daring's greeting.

Chapter 11: "The Grand Galloping Gala."

Moonbeam looked back at her cutie mark of a glittering blue star next to a silver crescent moon. She smiled as she looked it over. To her, it symbolized her destiny to change the world. Her destiny to shine brighter then any other star.

And when she found Atlantis, she would do just that. Soon everypony in Equestria would look at her as they did Celestia. Just as she once looked at her. It seemed like eons since she had wanted to study magic under the great Princess Celestia. But that chance was taken away from her, by another unicorn, who knew nothing of what magic could really do.

Moonbeam scowled at the thought, her mirrored reflection showing her mixed expression of regret and anger. She had never forgotten that day when she was passed over to become Celestia's student. She had wanted so bad to learn from her. To become her pupil. Celestia had been her hero.

But what had happened? she was rejected. And that yellow unicorn with the flame colored mane had gotten chosen instead of her. After she had proven she was so much better than all of them. But it didn't matter now. Celestia would realize her mistake. And Moonbeam would make sure that she regretted it. That they all did.

She was more powerful than any unicorn, now. The Dark arts had taught her more in a month, than Celestia could've taught to her in 5 years. She smiled to herself. She was beyond trivial unicorn magic. And soon, she would show the whole world, what the true power of the Dark Arts was really capable of.

A goon poked his head into her room. "We've prepared the displays just as you asked, Mistress. Everything's set and ready to go."

Moonbeam gave the slightest glance over to him. "Good. Get it all ready for transport." She ordered.

She looked back to herself in the mirror. At her elegant silver and white sequined gown, her diamond encrusted necklace and her extravagant updo with numerous swirls and braided in a way that made her look like a queen. Because very soon, she thought, I will be.

She gave another glance over to the goon. "And be sure to dress nice." She smirked.

"The Grand Galloping Gala is very important to Celestia."

She narrowed her eyes as she smiled wickedly to herself in the mirror. "We wouldn't want to ruin it, for her."

Daring's Office

This marked the second time, that Daring would be dressing fancy for the sake of finding Atlantis. Again though, she didn't mind.

She had decided to wear the same olive colored gown she had wore to professor Atlas's presentation. Albeit, with a different, slightly more fancy updo and necklace. After all, she wasn't going for the party, but she was still going to the Grand Galloping Gala.

She turned and looked at herself in the mirror, that she had carefully balanced against a large stack of books by her desk. She smiled as she did a little twirl, letting the olive fabric sweep around with her. I do look good, she thought.

Putting her mind back on track, Daring glanced over at the picture on her desk. It was the photo of the professor, Quill and her father. Atlas had given it to her after they had returned from Iceland. She looked over at it fondly, and smiled, his confident grin smiling back at her from the frame.

"Don't worry dad. I'll find you soon." Daring said softly, as she turned and went out the door, being sure to lock it as she left.

Canterlot Palace (Outside The Palace Doors)

Daring Do was but an olive colored dot in a multicolored sea of hundreds of well dressed and extravagant ponies, all waiting earnestly outside the great looming doors of the Royal Canterlot Palace, eager to get inside and take part in the festivities of the Grand Galloping Gala.

After they checked their invitations with the royal guards at the gates.

Daring looked around in amazement at the scenery around her. The crisp night air blew gently through the lavishly decorated trees and strings of gold colored lights adorned every lamppost and hung down from the archways that dotted the path leading up to the palace. Ponies all looked around in awe at the amazing display around them. If Daring didn't have other things on her mind, she would've been far too captivated to notice she was next to give her invitation to the guard.

"Miss?"

"Huh?" Daring said, turning her attention away from the extravagantly decorated tree beside her.

"You're invitation?"

"Oh...right."

Daring pulled out the invitation and handed it to the guard. He looked it over.

He then handed it back to her and smiled. "Thank you, ma'am. Enjoy the gala."

Daring smiled as the guard opened the door for her. "Oh, thanks. I intend to." She said warmly as she went inside.

The hall of the Royal palace was alive with countless scenes of grandeur and awe. There were a hundred lively conversations taking place at once in the lobby. Each conversation was upbeat, and was usually about the wonder of tonight's events. Daring glanced over at the walls to see perfectly lined up along them, were fifty massive round tables. Each was covered in a crisp white tablecloth and set for ten guests. Gorgeous blooms of jasmine, lavender, and rainbow hibiscus were arranged into tall centerpieces, and they filled the air with perfumed freshness, delighting everypony, including Daring.

Each lucky guest’s place was set with gold-plated utensils, fresh flower petals, and an exclusive party favor. There was a tiny chocolate truffle in the shape of a rose, and next to it was a real long-stemmed blossom with a card bearing the guests name. The elaborate calligraphy bore many loops and swirls, much like the vines of ivy that covered the bandstand. Daring glanced over at the card, that bore Mazra's name.

Ms. Mazra, Headmaster Of The Royal Canterlot University. Daring had to stop herself from thinking "Where's my name?", when she remembered that she had not actually been invited to the gala, and was here in Mazra's place. She would have to come up with a very good explanation as to why she had shown up instead of the headmaster of Canterlot's pride and joy, the Royal Canterlot university, but she would worry about that later. In spite of trying to stay focused, Daring admitted to herself that she was a little bit jealous at having not received an invitation herself, dismissing that it must've gotten lost in the mail. Shaking her head, Daring returned to focusing on her task: She had to get to the courtyard. That is where she would get her answers, finally. She couldn't get swept up in the night's festivities. No matter how extravagant they were.

But then, looking over at the great marble stairway, Daring saw them.

The Celestial princesses stood majestically at the top of the stairs, warmly greeting guests who were heading to the ballroom. Princess Celestia stood taller than any other pony in the room, and her sister, Luna stood beside her, both of their enchanting manes flowing endlessly behind them.One as bright and colorful as a rainbow, and the other as dark and beautiful as a starry night sky. Both of them were not wearing any dresses nor additional flare. For they had no need to do so, already being as beautiful as they had ever been.

Daring froze in her place. She had to get past them to reach the courtyard. Daring had always been clever and could handle situations where she needed to lie, fairly well.But this was another matter. Did she really have the heart to lie to Princess Celestia's face?

Wait!, maybe she didn't need to lie. All she had to do was trot past them, and that would be it. She didn't actually need to talk to them. All she had to do was smile, and nod her head in response when they princesses greeted her. Then she would be free to find the courtyard.

But would that really work? Despite having not thought through it completely, Daring's legs were already moving of their own accord, towards the stairway.

Daring held her breath and forced an elegant smile to her face, as she approached the celestial princesses at the top of the stairs, who bowed respectfully to her.

"Welcome to the Gala." Celestia said warmly.

"Please enjoy your evening." Luna said equally as warmly.

Both princesses spoke beautifully, and in a tone, that Daring thought she had to say "Thank you." But she didn't, keeping her mind firm, she nodded elegantly and smiled back. The princesses returned the favor, and turned their attention to the next guest behind daring.

Daring had done it! Now she just needed to find the courtyard. She hurried up to the next set of stairs.

But then daring heard Celestia call out a name. A name that made her freeze on the spot.

"Moonbeam! How absolutely wonderful it is to see you again!"

Daring turned to see Celestia bow her head to an extravagantly well dressed Moonbeam, who bowed her head respectfully back. "Oh no, Your highness."

Daring looked as Moonbeam raised her head.

"The honor is all mine." She said looking directly up at Daring, who stood frozen behind the princesses, and smiled wickedly.