Chapter Two: The Ties That Bind

By Feather Scratch

As Daring Do trekked through the tropical jungle, the wet heat sapped her energy and slowed her every step. If only she could escape this oppressive atmosphere and fly up into the cool blue sky. But her crash landing in the jungle had injured her wing and she was grounded for a few days. A few days... it might as well be a few months, or a few years!

The mosquitoes buzzed loudly. The Macaws cried from the high trees. Yet all of these distracting noises were not enough to cover the sound of the predators following her every step.

~~~

“Yeesh, talk about milking the drama.”

Daring closed her copy of ‘Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone’ and leaned back against the cold, iron wall of the 221 B’s Engineer’s Cabin, allowing the steady rumbling of the train to massage the tension out of her aching muscles. She was in no mood to be alone right now and so had opted out of the comfort of her private car in favour of keeping Artemis company.

She glanced over at her godfather who had remained stony faced ever since receiving the mysterious telegram in Ponyville. She hated this. She was the one going through the emotional turmoil yet every fibre of her being was telling her Artemis was suddenly the one in need of sympathy.

The few attempts she had made to start a conversation had been met with silence or gruff, one-word answers that effectively eliminated any chance of a decent dialogue. It had gotten to the point where the tension was so awkward that Daring was driven to try and escape into one of the few things that irritated her most in the world, her namesake novels.

“The books are kind of funny if you don’t take them too seriously,” Daring continued, her voice cracking as she tried to keep her tone light, “I mean, artistic licence is one thing, but who’s ever heard of a fluffy white feral kitten?”

Artemis said nothing, keeping his eyes firmly locked on the little track ahead that was still visible. The sun had set over an hour ago and in the unpopulated expanse between Ponyville and Dodge Junction only the single head lamp of the train gave shape to the otherwise consummate darkness.

Daring heaved a weary sigh and moved to stand beside Artemis, mimicking his pose. In the darkness she could almost imagine the train had flown away, carrying them into the infinite stillness of the night sky and leaving the world and all their woes and worries behind. Then the engine would lurch over a bump in the tracks and she’d be brought crashing back down to reality.

“You know you’re going to tell me what was in that telegram.” Daring stated flatly. “We’ve been through this a hundred times before. You find out something you don’t want me to know about, you put on your best poker face which is about as subtle as a zebra welcome mask, I ask what’s wrong, you deny, I keep digging and pushing, whipping out the puppy dog eyes if necessary and one way or another you crack and fold like a house of cards. You couldn’t hide it when my pet monkey died and you’re not going to hide this. So tell me,” she turned her head, fixing the gray stallion with a look of concern, “what did the telegram say to upset you so much?”

For several heartbeats she thought he wouldn’t answer. She took a deep breath, preparing to begin her lengthy interrogation when his stony demeanour finally cracked. His ears and head drooped and he let out a long suffering sigh.

“I’m not trying to hide anything from you Daring. I just didn’t want to burden you any more than you already were. You have enough on your plate without adding my personal problems to the load.”

A small smile crossing her face, Daring gently nuzzled Artemis’ cheek and wrapped a hoof around his shoulders.

“Hey now, you old mule, did you forget who you were talking to? You’re the only family I have left, which makes your personal problems mine too. Don’t think the whole protective thing is a one way street. Whatever’s upsetting you, I need to know what it is so I can make it stop.”

Artemis gave a half hearted chuckle and fell to his haunches. “I’m afraid you’re a little late for that kiddo.”

He reached under the engineer’s cap he wore while on the job and withdrew the crumpled telegram. Hesitating just for a second, he passed it wordlessly to Daring. She took it gently as though she were being passed a newborn foal by an emotional mother. Carefully unfolding it, she began to read:

DEAR ARTEMIS TROTSON STOP
WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS PAST SUNDAY ONE MISTER FETLOCK HOOVES HAS PASSED AWAY STOP
BEING ONE OF THE NAMES LISTED IN MISTER HOOVES MEDICAL RECORDS AS HIS EMERGENCY CONTACT YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUESTED IN TRANSYLMANEIA FOR A FORMAL IDENTIFICATION AND COLLECTION OF THE BODY STOP
WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSE STOP
YOURS TRUELY THE TRANSYLMANEIA GUARD DAY WATCH STOP

Daring finished reading the note and looked up at Artemis. He was a strong stallion. The strongest Daring had ever known. He was always the rock that kept her grounded, the shoulder that was always there for her to cry on, but right at this moment, he looked as though it would take nothing more than one wrong word to shatter the little self control that was holding his composure together.

“This Fetlock Hooves must have meant a lot to you.” Daring began hesitantly. “Was he a friend?”

Artemis looked his goddaughter in the eye and gave a sad, nostalgic smile. “You could say that. I owe everything to him. I wouldn’t be the stallion I am today if he hadn’t picked me up out of the gutter and put me back on the right path.” Artemis chuckled. “In a roundabout way, he was actually the reason I met your parents in the first place.”

“You never told me that.” Daring’s ears perked to attention at the new information. “In fact, now that I think about it, you never told me how you met my mom and dad. I had always just assumed you were an old family friend.”

Artemis looked out the window, smiling at a scene only he could see. “Well I guess that depends on your definition of old. You weren’t born when we met if that counts, but you were on the way. Your parents were making their way back to Manehatten after investigating the cave paintings at Rambling Rock Ridge. Compass Rose being as heavily pregnant as she was, meant they couldn’t make the trip in one go so they decided to spend the night in Hollow Shades before pressing on.

“As it so happened, that very night, Hooves and I found ourselves in the same quiet little town tying up some... loose ends.”

~~~

“Hooves, forget it. Even if they are here, we don’t know what they look like, or even how many there are. Look, we caught Mareiarty. Without him, his agents are running scared. We did our part; let the guards clean up the rest.”

The duo walked down the pier of Hollow Shades endeavouring to look as casual and inconspicuous as possible. Or at least Artemis was. Hooves swaggered down the boardwalk as though he owned the place, meeting the stare of any local with a raised eyebrow of his own until they blinked and looked away.

The night air was still and humid. The smell of moss and stagnant water floated up from the swamp surrounding the raised town. Swarms of dancing fireflies lit the tree canopy with an eerie, iridescent glow and an unseen banjo player did his best to drown out the sound of hissing gators hidden in the distant, dark waters. It would have been a pleasant, relaxing place to visit, thought Artemis, if he’d been here with anypony else.

“Let the guards clean up the rest?” Hooves turned his attention from the town and fixed his unblinking eyes on Artemis. “My dear boy, the guards couldn’t find their own reflections in a hall of mirrors, let alone the faceless inner circle of a criminal mastermind. No. I shan’t rest easy until every variable is accounted for, and the only way to see it done properly is first hoof.”

“Even if that were true, which it isn’t, we’ve been chasing shadows for days! There are nearly a dozen major metropolitan areas we haven’t searched yet, all of which Mareiarty had properties and holdings in. So what in Equestria would make you think his agents would come here to the back end of nowhere?”

They stopped outside the largest building in the small town. The sound of a poorly played, tinny piano, laughter and lively conversations floated out from inside. Several jugs of different sizes sporting ‘Triple X’ labels hung from the porch roof, acting as makeshift wind chimes and a faded wooden sign over the door read ‘Moonshine Tavern’.

“They would come here dear boy, because ‘the back end of nowhere’ is exactly the place one would expect to find rogues and scoundrels. Everypony knows this so the guards will likely look everywhere but, assuming the stallions in Mareiarty’s employ would never be so obvious.”

Artemis clenched his eyes tightly shut and rubbed his temples with his hooves. “So you’re saying they’ll do exactly what everypony expects them to do under the assumption that the guards will expect them to do the exact opposite of what they’re expected to do and therefore won’t bother looking in the most obvious place?”

“Precisely!”

“Are you insane?! We’re ignoring genuine leads on some farfetched hunch! Whatever happened to ‘never theorise without data’?”

Hooves trotted up to the door of the tavern. “All I’m asking is one night for some piece of mind. Best case scenario: we spot the blaggards right away and take them down before they know what hit them. Worst case scenario: I’m wrong and we spend the night drinking and enjoying the local colour. What do you say?”

“Fine,” Artemis sighed, “but you’re buying the drinks.”

Tavern doors are funny things. They exert a certain magical gravitas all their own. No matter where in the world it is, no matter who the occupants are, no matter what is transpiring inside, the second a tavern door is opened, everything stops, and all eyes are undeniably drawn to the individuals that opened them. The inevitable awkward silence that follows is crucial to the rest of the night because whatever breaks the silence could mean the difference between a free drink and a bar brawl.

All eyes in the room bore down on Artemis and Hooves. Artemis tensed, ready to fight or run.

“Lovely wind chimes,” Hooves nonchalantly motioned in the general direction of the jugs outside, “very rustic.”

The piano and conversations once again jumped into life and the locals rolled their eyes. Tourists!

Artemis relaxed and released the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding. He followed Hooves over to a small table in the corner and slumped into a seat. Hooves called for some drinks and sat down beside him.

“This isn’t so bad is it?” Hooves grinned and gave Artemis a friendly elbow. “Why I think it’s rather a charming little establishment.”

It was an act. Artemis had known Hooves long enough to know his tells when he saw them. The way he grinned, the way he spoke just a little louder than was necessary, the way his eyes didn’t match his smile, Hooves was in full blown detective mode and he knew they were being watched.

The waitress deposited two foaming mugs of cider in front of them and tromped off, not even bothering to acknowledge their muttered thanks.

“Great service, eh?” Artemis said loudly, leaning forward and taking a long, deep draught of his drink. “What are you seeing Hooves?” He muttered into his glass.

“Everything,” Hooves whispered back. “Not counting us, there are thirty one ponies in this room. Seven are mares so we can rule them out, as we know Mareiarty’s inner circle were all stallions. The bartender moves with too much confidence and familiarity with his surroundings to be a new arrival, so we can rule him out. That leaves twenty three. What can you tell me about them?”

Artemis took another sip of his drink, wiped his muzzle and focused. It was all about the little details.

“We can rule out the Unicorn in the corner.”

“Why?”

“The Pegasus mare he’s with is pregnant. If he were a pony on the run, he wouldn’t travel with a companion that would slow him down.”

“He could have just struck up a conversation in the tavern.”

Artemis paused, “His hooves.”

“What about them?”

“They’re rough and worn. Mareiarty employed thugs, but they were always from cities. Even a violent stallion wouldn’t get hooves like that in a paved city. He’d need to have been trekking through rough terrain for some time, like mountains or caves.

“Furthermore,” Artemis added with a smirk, “the mare he’s with has hooves in a similar condition, meaning wherever he’s come from, she came with him.”

Hooves chuckled and patted Artemis on the shoulder. “Well done, dear boy. Keep it up and you may make a half decent detective yet.”

Artemis drained his mug and called for another round. He refused to acknowledge the compliment. Not only because he was sure it contained a veiled insult about his intelligence, but because he couldn’t let Hooves know how much the praise meant to him. Their relationship was one built on pride and mutual stubbornness. The detective would never let him live down any kind of vanity.

“We’re not going to have to go through this with every pony in the room are we?”

“No, that won’t be necessary.” Hooves rested his chin on his fetlocks and let his eyes relax. This was another trait Artemis had seen all too often. Hooves would enter a kind of trance, shutting down all unnecessary parts of his brain and devoting all his energy to his perception of the world around him. In this state he could pick up every little detail from the ponies the bartender kept an eye on to the notes the pianist wasn’t playing.

“Twelve of the remaining ponies are regulars. The bartender is keeping an eye on several of them, suggesting they’ve picked fights in the past. The waitress who was less than friendly towards us has been smiling and chatting with others, suggesting more than a passing familiarity. Those remaining are sporting well worn fishing attire, suggesting they make their living working the swamp.”

“They could have just bought the fishing gear to blend in.” Artemis pointed out smugly.

“True, but the stains on their clothing match the stains on their hooves and coats which in turn match the hue of the local earth and flora. Do think before you interrupt dear boy.”

Artemis huffed but remained silent.

“That leaves ten.”

“Surely Mareiarty wouldn’t have trusted ten lieutenants.” Artemis scanned the room, trying to see what Hooves was seeing. “And there’s still no guarantee that any pony in this room is who we’re looking for.”

“Oh, but there is, dear boy,” Hooves slowly pushed his chair out from under the table and cocked one ear in the direction of the piano, softly tapping a hoof in time with the music.

“The pianist is missing all the same notes and utilising the same off beat tempo we heard during our investigation of the Applewood Salt Shaker Club, the south’s most popular recruiting spot for individuals of negotiable morals.

“The two ponies by the door are just tourists. Their accents place them from the Vanhoover area where Mareiarty had no holdings. Furthermore they’re sitting with their backs to the window, something no seasoned criminal would ever do.”

Artemis counted out the remaining seven ponies. “I think we can rule out the stallion with the hour glass cutie mark at the bar then. He’s been sitting with his back to the door since we arrived. He barely even looked at us when we came in.”

“Well done dear boy! That leaves six.” Artemis followed Hooves out from behind the table and the pair slowly made their way to the bar. “We’ve already identified the pianist and I believe that’s every civilian unaccounted for.”

The bartender wordlessly hoofed the pair the drinks they had ordered and left them to ruminate. Irritation flashed across Artemis’ face as he watched the room through the mirror behind the bar.

“That still doesn’t prove that the six left are criminals. How can you be so sure they aren’t tourists?”

“I can’t.” Hooves whispered. “But those remaining all fit the criminal profile. All heavily built, all well dressed, all sitting with their backs to the walls.”

“So, what now?”

“Now,” Hooves grinned and drained the contents of his mug in one go, “we improvise!”

Without another word Hooves spun on the spot and lobbed his empty mug at the pianist. The resounding clunk and sudden lack of music had multiple effects. Some ponies screamed and bolted for the door, others ducked for cover but several just stood and stared at Artemis and Hooves.

“Ah, there we are,” Hooves gave a smirk of satisfaction, “all six, present and accounted for!”

Artemis glared at his companion as the remaining five criminal ponies closed in on them. “You know, sometimes I really hate you.”

Ignoring Artemis, Hooves charged headfirst into the encroaching wall of muscle. “You’re all under arrest!”

As one thug raised a hoof to swing at his attacker, Hooves ducked low and leaped forward, delivering a vicious body tackle that carried both ponies across the room and crashing through the nearest table.

Artemis took advantage of the momentary distraction by grabbing the stool he had been sitting on and bringing it down hard on the head of another thug. The pony folded like an accordion but, much to Artemis’ dismay, the sudden loss of his friend drew the attention of the largest thug from Hooves to him.

Artemis ears pinned to his head and his pupils narrowed to pin pricks, “Oh dear.”

He attempted a wild haymaker which was deftly swatted aside by the gargantuan pony. Before he could attempt anything else, he felt a powerful hoof on his neck lift him off the floor.

“Cn’t we t’k b’t t’s?”

The giant pony chuckled and with the slightest flick of his wrist, sent Artemis flying through the air only to collide with the wall mirror behind the bar. The Earth Pony fell to the ground with broken glass raining down on his head.

His ears ringing, Artemis coughed, trying to coax some air back into his winded lungs. As he clambered unsteadily to his hooves, his eyes met those of the pregnant couple who were huddling behind the bar. He gave them a half hearted smile and a nod.

“I’m really sorry about this. You two should head outside until things die down okay?”

The couple gave him a shaky nod of acknowledgement just as a pair of powerful hooves reached down and pulled Artemis bodily up from behind the bar.

“Go now!” Artemis shouted at the couple right before bringing his forehead down with a mighty crunch onto his opponent’s nose.

The giant pony immediately dropped him and cried out in pain, clutching at his bloody nose and stumbling backwards into the one-on-three brawl between Hooves and the lesser thugs. Artemis waited until the couple had safely left through the front door before jumping from the counter and landing another well aimed head butt on his opponent’s nose, sending him to the floor with a ground shaking thud.

With only two thugs to go, Artemis and Hooves leaned back to back. Hooves was breathing heavily but was otherwise in great spirits. Artemis wiped the blood from his forehead and stared down the visibly distressed thug in front of him.

“Now isn’t this more fun than sifting through holdings records in the Canterlot archives?” Hooves chuckled.

“I really hate you.” The pony in front of Artemis was quickly shifting his gaze between his massive friend’s prone figure and the blood splattered maniac who put him down.

“Go ahead,” Artemis growled. “Make your move.”

The pony paused for just a second before coming to a decision and bolting for the door. Artemis took off after him, his progress slowed from having to dodge between unconscious bodies and wrecked furniture.

Outside a mare screamed and there was the sound of smashing pottery. Artemis felt his heart stop as visions of the worst case scenario flooded his mind. He panicked and charged head first out the door only to be met by blackness.

~~~

“Blackness?” Daring cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow.

“Uh huh,” Artemis chuckled, resuming his post at the engine as they made their approach to Dodge Junction, “turned out that pregnant couple weren’t quite as helpless as I thought. It also turned out jug wind chimes make great blunt instruments.”

Artemis rubbed his forehead where a faint scar showed just below his forelock. “Your dad caught the bad guy just as he came out and your mom well...It wasn’t her fault I looked like a bloody lunatic. When I came to, Mareiarty’s crew were in custody, and Hooves had explained the situation to the locals. Your parents and I introduced each other, we all apologised and we were friends ever since.”

The pair was silent for a while as the lights of the Dodge train station came into view. Daring threw her novel in her saddle bag and put it and her hat on, ready to disembark. Just as the train came to a stop her brow knitted and she turned to Artemis as a thought struck her.

“In your story,” she began, “you and Hooves didn’t seem to get on very well. So why are you so broken up about him now?”

Artemis led the way out of the train and set off towards the town. “Don’t misunderstand. The crazy jackass frustrated me to no end but that doesn’t mean I didn’t respect him. He was a brilliant pony, a great mentor and a loyal friend. We may have fallen out of touch but that doesn’t mean I’m not upset about him dying. He was always too stubborn for his own good.”

Daring smiled and nudged him. “Remind you of anypony?”

~~~

Daring pushed open the door to her basement apartment and flicked on the light. She threw her hat and saddlebags haphazardly on the coffee table in the centre of the room and flopped down on the comfortable sofa.

Artemis stood, framed in the doorway. A small smile played across his lips as the look of contentment on his goddaughter’s face at just being home lightened his own sullen mood. He turned to leave.

“Well, I’ll be off then.”

Leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees Daring kept the smile on her face but couldn’t hide the concern in her eyes.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I really don’t mind. I know if it were me I’d want somepony with me.”

Artemis shook his head and met Daring’s smile with one of his own. “No it’s alright kiddo. This is all just standard procedure. I’ll be there and back before you notice I’m gone. You just figure out where you want to go from here. I’ll be eager to hear your plan when I get back okay?”

“Okay,” Daring sighed as the fatigue of the day finally caught up with her. “Take care of yourself, Arty.”

“Goodnight, Daring.”

~~~

BANG, BANG, BANG

“Oh Braeburn, your rifle’s so...” Daring rolled over in bed, a slight trail of drool clinging to her cheek.

BANG, BANG, BANG

“Wow, you nailed it! Bullseye!” She threw her forelegs into the air before flopping back down spread-eagled.

BANG, BANG, BANG

Daring rolled out of bed, still tangled in her sheets and hit the floor with a dull thud. “Wuzzat?”

Her head shot up and her eyes tried to open, though they couldn’t seem to synchronise this early in the morning.

BANG, BANG, BANG

Realising someone was at the door she clambered to her hooves and walked unsteadily from her bedroom. “Uhh who could that be?”

Reaching the front door, she was about to open it when her brain finally kicked in and she hesitated. What if it was paparazzi?

“Who is it?” She called out, her voice hoarse from having slept with her mouth open all night.

“I’m looking for an Earth Pony called Artemis Trotson.” The voice that called back belonged to a mare, fairly young by the sound of it.

Daring pulled the door open and jumped slightly at the sight that met her. It was indeed a young mare. She was dressed in a wide brimmed hat and heavy travelling cloak and had been on the go for some time if the bags under her eyes were any indicator. But it wasn’t her dishevelled appearance that startled Daring, she wasn’t exactly presentable herself, it was the fact that the mare at her door was a genuine Bat Pony.

“Hi,” the Bat Pony gave a cheery wave despite the fatigue in her voice, “I’m Angel Beats. I have an urgent message for Artemis Trotson from Fetlock Hooves.”

Author's Note

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
I know this update is WAY later than I promised.
Between being ambushed by a rabid pack of deadlines (poor Auto Pilot didn't make it), pressing international family issues and a sudden bout of what I can only hope is flu I just haven't been able to write as much as I'd like.
I can only apologise profusely and promise I'll do my best to do better in the future.
Hope the chapter was worth the wait.

P.S. Thanks to Comet Burst for letting me use Angel. You da man! Everyone should check out his awesome story "The Golden Armour" where Angel comes from. You won't regret it I promise!