Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stoneby JK YearlingChaptersChapter OneChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter One "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "Its magic will last forever... "Ugh, I can never remember the next part!" Daring Do's voice reverberated off of the concrete walls of the sweltering prison cell. As always, it was a frigid one hundred and twelve degrees in Manehico City, and there was a plethora of wonderful summer activities for Daring in her jail cell, including playing wall ball with crumpled-up paper, counting to a million, and singing the song she's had stuck in head since she was unjustly arrested by militants two weeks ago. "Its magic will last foreeeeeeveeeeeeer..." "Has anyone ever told you that you have a wonderful voice? You sound just like your sister!" Daring sprang up from her downward-facing position on her cot. "Flamington! It's about time!" Two guards that flanked the dragon unlocked the door of the cell, allowing Daring to accost her savior. "How many pages this time?" she asked Flamington. "I lost count around two fifty, and that doesn't even count the forms the lawyers had to fill out, and the pardons from Celestia's desk." "Jeez, that's gotta be some sort of record." "What can I say? Manehico's always been pretty screwed up, don't you think?" The freed pegasus laughed amid the dirty looks from the guards resulting from Flamington's comment. She really had no idea what she would do without her trusty secretary; he was the Trotson to her Sherlock Horse, the loyal realist to her idealistic ambition. And now he had aided in her release from political prisonerhood for the sixth time. Daring shrugged when he revealed this figure to her as they left the prison grounds, saying, "Hey, that's what happens when you try to take photo essays in the middle of war zones!" She was referring to the reason she came to Manehico in the first place: she was reporting on political instability in the nation for the publication she worked for, Equestrian Geographic. She was just a writer now, but she knew that if she worked hard and wrote great stories, she could succeed Globetrotter as Editor-In-Chief one day! Of course, before that could happen they had to get out of Manehico City. They hailed a wagon-taxi pulled by two chupacabras and climbed in. The streets were full of wagons pulled by chupacabras (also known as just chupas), as that demographic made up most of the population of Manehico ever since ponies withdrew their influence nearly a decade ago. They really didn't want to, but corrupt politicians had convinced the populace that ponies were evil in order to win votes, and it quickly became dangerous for ponies to stay in the country. These days most chupas didn't hate ponies anymore, but some still did, which was why Daring found herself being barraged by hateful stares as the wagon-taxi pulled along. "You see all these chupas staring at us? It's creeping me out!" said Daring. "If I were you," said Flamington, "I'd be worried about the ones that are following us, especially the guys with the rifles." Daring's blood ran cold as she turned to face the stalkers behind them. Chupas only used weapons for one reason: to blow ponies to smithereens. Daring had felt that "I'm going to die today" feeling a few times prior, but this was even more dire, especially since she recognized the pursuers as not only the chupas that wrongfully arrested her two weeks prior, but the others that captured her the six other times and their cronies. Daring was so wrapped up in her trepidation that she didn't realize that the convoy was now actively chasing them and that Flamington, ever vigilant, had ordered the drivers to run like crazy. She was brought back to reality by the sound of gunfire ringing through the city streets and by Flamington's screams. "Great Celestia! The drivers got hit!" The wagon-taxi came to a sudden halt as the injured drivers collapsed. The two darted from the immobile vehicle like hooves from boiling water, Flamington taking care to leave a hundred bits in the cab as an apology. The pair could actually go faster by flying, but they couldn't go for too long before their wings wore out, and their exposed forms were easy targets for the shooters. "There's a balloon waiting for us just outside the city," said Flamington, breathless. "If we can get there in time we're safe." "So what are you saying?" Daring breathed. "We have to keep dodging bullets until we either reach this balloon or our wings give up?" "Do you have a better idea?!" he retorted. "Actually, I do!" she said. With Daring leading, they zipped into an alleyway, and as soon as they came upon a wall they shot into the sky at a ninety-degree angle, leaving the flightless chupas to hopelessly aim at two shrinking dots in the sky. They could see the balloon from their vantage point, and zoomed toward it as fast as their abilities would allow. "This is a great idea," he said, "But now instead of dying from gunshot wounds I'm going to die when my wings give out and I hit the ground." "Don't talk like that!" she encouraged. "I know you can make it!" "Except I can't," said Flamington, who dropped out of the sky like a bowling ball when his unexcercised asthmatic bookworm's wings gave a one last push and finally ran out of energy. Chapter Two Daring, quickly running out of energy herself, screamed down towards the dragon's descending form and managed to scoop him up just before he hit the hard asphalt. They had just managed to escape the chupas' weapon range, but now the slow, laden pegasus was easy pickings for the passionate convoy. She tried with every inch of her being to dodge the bullets. Although she was grazed many times, almost having her ear blown off at least twice, she managed just enough energy to barely stay out of range. Before she knew it, the balloon was in her reach. She finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was all over. But wait... the balloon was full of armed chupas! "Of course!" Daring said. "This can never be easy, can it?" They touched the ground, Flamington just getting his energy back. They wasted no time in trying to wrestle the militants out of the balloon, but they persisted and stood their ground. Daring threw one onto the ground, and he landed on the anchor rope, making it rise into the sky. They were finally safe from the chupas on the ground, but now they had to throw out the ones in the balloon. They kicked and punched and bit with all of their dwindling might, Daring using the skills she learned from that time she spent with a Kung-Fu master, Flamington doing whatever Daring was doing. They finally managed to throw the last militant onto the ground, and they were officially safe from the shooters, the balloon and basket being made of magic puncture-proof material. "So," Flamington said, "You got out of jail; escaped Manehican militants with rifles, barely avoiding getting hit; carried me eight miles to the balloon while you were getting shot at, and finally threw fifteen thugs out of a balloon basket meant for about six ponies. You are just the epitome of awesome, aren't you?" "Yeah, I guess I am, aren't I?" Daring joked, feigning cockiness. Flamington looked nauseous. "Geez, I'm not that cheesy, am I?" she said, worried. "It's not your humor," he said. "It's..." A plume of fire erupted from his mouth, with a letter enrobed in the green flames. "Ugh, that's the one thing I hate about being your secretary. Who figured out that you can do that, anyway?" Daring was silent as she read her letter, her excited attitude slowly being replaced by a sort of trepidation akin to what she felt earlier. "It's official," she said, a dead look on her face. "My sister is going to marry my ex-boyfriend." *** Dear Daring, So! How have things been?? It's been soooo long since we talked last; you're missing out on a lot!! I don't usually like to write letters, but there's something really important I need to tell you: me and Golden Harvest are getting married!! I know, it's a little sudden, but we've been wanting to get married for a while now, and now is the perfect time since we both just turned 21! (Isn't it cool how the three of us happen to have the same birthday??) I can't wait to see you at the wedding; here's your invitation, mailed extra early because I know you're super busy! You are Cordially Invited To the Wedding of Golden Harvest And Ditzy Do At the Royal Canterlot Museum of Art Eastern Ballroom On the Third of July, 984 Please bring a donation to benefit the Royal Art History Society, if able. Hope you have fun! Your TSBF (Twin Sister Best Friend), Ditzy Do "Yeah, I'm gonna have a ball," she said. *** Daring Do was born in Mareami to Mi Re Do, her mother, and Do Si Do, her father, at the same time as Ditzy Do, her sister (it was literally the same time; their mother has an impeccable amount of pain tolerance.) Daring was named for her recently deceased aunt, Daring Deed, while Ditzy was named for the Old Equestrian word for "angel voice," "Det'zie." Ditzy was born with a rare optic nerve dysfunction known as equestrian oculitis, where her eyes don't line up properly, while the only dysfunction that Daring was born with, in her family's opinion, was how she would rather write stories and go on adventures than be a musician like she was expected to. Her family's disapproval of her interests, especially after her cutie mark set her fate in stone, caused a rift to form between them. As she got older, she took to writing moody poetry and going for walks in the woods while Ditzy used her amazing voice to join choirs and get scholarships, eventually moving to Canterlot to attend the Royal Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. And then, when she entered high school, she met Golden Harvest. Like Daring, he was different from his peers; he was born with his cutie mark, and he had his whole life to figure out what it meant. Even though it was a grain of wheat surrounded by a golden corona, he decided that his calling was to be an art historian, and he concluded that his cutie mark was a symbol of the agrarian folk art movement of the 400s. Daring and Harvest were an inseparable pair once they decided to be together in their sophomore year. They read the same books together, went hiking on the weekends, and had a wonderful time at both junior and senior prom. Daring had become nearly estranged from her family in this time, only depending on her parents for a meal and a place to rest. Likewise, he was never very close to his parents, and so as she never bothered to introduce him to her family, he never bothered to introduce her to his. Harvest was Daring's only family, and Daring was Harvest's only family. And then it happened the night of graduation. While her parents didn't really care to attend, Ditzy came all the way from Canterlot to see her walk across the stage, ignorant the whole time of her relationship with Harvest. There was a soirée afterwards for the graduates and their families at a hotel, and Daring went with Ditzy to catch up and tell stories (but certainly not about Mom and Dad or Harvest!) Daring wasn't feeling well, so she stepped out for a bit while Ditzy got cake. That's when Harvest saw her. Somehow he saw past the messed-up eyes and could see a beautiful fraternal twin that was just like Daring without the baggage, and he also sensed something extra about her that he just couldn't place at the time. Daring felt a burning fury like she had never felt before when she walked in on them in the courtyard. She was so angry that she had no idea what to do with her body; she could feel a fiery rage that boiled her blood and set her brain ablaze. She only stood there for about three seconds, but it felt like an eternity of merciless torture, watching them kiss with lovers' gay abandon. After what seemed like forever, she decided that she couldn't take it any longer and started to walk wherever her hooves would take her. She walked and walked with enraged passion through the streets of downtown Mareami, into the surrounding neighborhoods, into the rural forest, and finally she found herself being taken to the trail in the woods where she and Harvest would hike on the weekends. She wandered up the path as far as she could make herself go, and collapsed on the ground in the clearing where he had first told her that he loved her. Then Daring, in her expensive cocktail dress that had consumed a month's salary, in her sweat-smeared makeup, in a clearing lit by nothing but Luna's luminous moon, broke down and cried harder than her poor mother had the day she was born. As she cried and wailed and screamed, she took a small folded-up note that she had concealed in her satin hoofbag and tore it into a thousand pieces. On the night when the rest of their lives officially began, in the clearing where Harvest had professed his love for Daring, she ripped up the note she was going to give to him that said, "I love you, Golden Harvest. Will you marry me?" Chapter Three Despite having her heart burned to a crisp by the fires of rage, life went on for Daring Do. She continued to work at the local Barns&Stable bookstore while penning freelance articles for various newspapers over the next several years. She wasn't nearly as happy as she wanted to be, but she lived on her own now, and it was better than enduring her parents' incessant disapproval on a daily basis. As time went by, she became a better and better writer and got more and more prestigious writing commissions. One day, she got a request from the Mareami Herald to do a piece, and she squealed with joy; it had been a lifelong goal of hers to write for the Herald, the newspaper that helped her learn how to read when she was just a filly. She ended up writing a piece about her experiences with neglectful parents as a part of a series on controversial parenting methods. Although she was excited about writing for the Herald and poured every ounce of effort she could into the piece, it was really hard for her to reflect on her unhappy childhood; it took her almost five minutes to gather the courage to write, "Although no words of the sort were ever exchanged, it was mutually understood that they didn't care about me or what happened to me." Her blood, sweat, and copious tears paid off in the end, and the editors were delighted with the quality of the piece. Then she received another letter in the mail, a letter that would change her life. It had a Canterlot address on it, which made her think it was from her sister, so she opened it carelessly and expected the worst. What it contained was a complete surprise: if she had looked at the address more closely, she would have seen that it was from the Equestrian Geographic Society! They had read her beautifully written story and wanted her to write for them. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt more elation; while writing for the Herald was a goal of hers, writing for EG was a dream! She had been a member of the Society since she was old enough to read the magazine. She was enchanted by the vivid descriptions of how ponies from faraway lands lived and the breathtaking photography of Equestrian landmarks. She was particularly inspired by an article about flora in South Equestria, which was where she happened to live. There was a photo of a cool-looking blue slime mold that she was dying to find, and she set out on a quest through the woods around her neighborhood to find it. She packed a little bag with a compass, a magnifying glass, a box to put cool rocks in, and an egg salad sandwich, and she set off at sunrise (well, she told herself to set off at sunrise, but she really ended up leaving around eleven a.m.; her bed was just so cozy!) When she finally found the slime mold, it paled in comparison to the wonders she had seen on her quest: ancient trees covered in carpets of emerald moss housed busy woodpeckers and icky grubs, a babbling creek filled with smooth stones and darting minnows, little dark caves that hid sleeping bats and snoring bears. Who knew that all of this awesome stuff was just outside her door? As she made her way home, she thought about all of the stuff that she'd tell her sister and parents about; this was going to be awesome! She was so excited that she didn't even realize that she had gotten her cutie mark, which was a sepia compass rose. As she reflected on this years later when she was deliberating over what to write for EG, she decided what she really wanted to write: she'd report on South Equestrian wildlife, but this time she'd give it a more ecological theme, as many ponies didn't realize how the population explosion in the area was affecting the environment. And so began a phase in her life where she finally began to heal from her heartbreak that lingered from Harvest's betrayal and her unloving parents. She went on to gain a position on the EG staff, moved to Canterlot to be closer to her office at the headquarters, and hired Flamington as her personal assistant. Other than a couple of letters every year from her sister, she thought that she'd never have to think about her old life ever again. Unfortunately, she was dead wrong. Chapter Four Daring had retraced the steps of her entire life during the wedding ceremony to keep from fuming or crying the whole time. She had pretended for a very long time that the years before she worked at Equestrian Geographic had never happened, and this kept her happy, but now she could no longer ignore or deny it. She had been in denial for so long that she hardly even remembered it anymore, but as she watched her ignorant sister walk down the aisle to wed her traitorous ex, it was like Ponydora's box had been opened in her brain. Before she knew it, she had walked with the procession to the reception hall to have cake and mingle. This was the hour she had dreaded since she got the letter; she could hide under Ditzy's radar before and during the ceremony since the bride and groom were so busy, but now her sister was definitely going to- "DAAAAAAAAAAARIIIIIIING! Ohmygoshhowsmytwinsisterbestfriendbeendoing??" "Ditzy! I missed you so much! I'm so glad I was able to make time to see my only sister get married! Congratulations!" Daring marveled at her ability to lie. It had gotten her out of many sticky situations before, and if she could feign happiness for the rest of the night, she could go home and forget that any of this had ever happened. "You'll never guess where Harvest is taking me for our honeymoon! Go on, guess!" Daring pretended to deliberate for a moment then said, "I don't know...Haywaii?" "He said we're going on an all-expenses paid tour of the Amarezon to see the river dragon migration! And to kick it off, he said he's going to get me a special gift! How cool is that?" Daring couldn't believe her ears! Harvest said that if he ever took her on vacation with him, he'd take her to see the migration! It was like he was teasing her or something! "I'll be right back; I'm gonna go talk to Harvest's parents!" Thank Celestia, Daring thought. I've just gotta make it through the night without seeing- She felt a tap on the shoulder and turned around to see somepony that she wanted not to see with all her heart. "Hi, Daring." "It's been a long time, Golden Harvest." They stared each other down, each daring the other to make a move. "I've got some explaining to do, don't I?" Harvest said. "It's fine. I stopped caring a long time ago," Daring lied. Daring stared at him with an icy expression, suppressing her anger so as to not make a spectacle. Harvest was also suppressing something, and Daring knew very well what it was, but she didn't want to admit it to herself. Harvest stepped closer to her. "There's something I want you to know," he said. "Don't bother; I already know what you're going to say," she nonchalantly replied. "No, Daring, you don't understand," said Harvest, looking deep in her eyes. "I understand very well, Harvest," Daring said, losing her cool just a tiny bit. "And if what I understand happens to be true, it is way too late to come around. The day I give you my heart again is the day that chop off my right hoof!" "Daring-" "Now you listen," she said, losing her cool more and more with every word. "I may not be very close to Ditzy, but she is my sister, and if you don't giver every ounce of love that you possibly can you will wake up in Manehico where gangs of chupacabras will spit on your carcass after you die of repeated gunfire from illegal firearms. DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING..." She then realized that they had been staring into each other's eyes since he had inched closer to her and that the previous conversation had taken place in her mind. "There's something I need to tell you," he said, making her almost feel like an oracle. "Don't bother, I know what you're going to-" "Three hundred seven degrees north, fifty-two south, and remember the key." He trotted away, leaving Daring absolutely speechless. She stood gaping for a few seconds, then snapped out of it when she heard everypony start to move to the front of the hall towards a covered pedestal. She moved with the crowd to see what was going on, and felt a sharp pain in her hoof. She looked down and saw a small chrome pyramid. "Did somepony drop something?" she yelled to deaf ears. When no one claimed it, she put it in her hoofbag and moved towards the front. "Mares and gentlecolts," said Golden Harvest after everypony settled down, with a completely different demeanor than earlier. "I have something very important to announce. As many of you know, the museum is opening a gemstone exhibit this fall, and I as curator have the privilege of selecting fine pieces of art and jewelry for the exhibition. You may also be aware that there is a special flagship artifact that has been kept a secret... Until tonight!" Ponies in the audience oohed and aahed at the prospect of finding out this secret, while Daring was curious as to why it was being revealed tonight. "Before I reveal it," he continued, "I just wanna say that no gem or stone in all of Equestria can compare to the beauty of my bride. That's why I want to dedicate this artifact to you, Ditzy. " All of the mares thought that was so sweet, and Ditzy started tearing up, but Daring just rolled her eyes. He put his hooves on the covering. "Mares and gentlecolts... presenting... the beautiful Sapphire Stone!" Every pony including Daring gasped in amazement. The Sapphire Stone was one of the most flawless and sought-after gemstones ever mined. It was actually a statue of two marble jackals flanking the actual sapphire. "This gem's history is as colorful as its many facets," said Harvest. "The gem was stolen from a statue of Xaoixotal in South Amareica according to urban legend, although no pony knows for sure where it came from. We do know that it was sold to Princess Celestia sometime in the 600s, but it was mysteriously stolen from the royal treasury. It changed hooves many more times over the next few centuries, being purchased by wizards and princesses and even, some say, the King of the Dragons. Although there's a well-known myth that says it's cursed, I don't-" Suddenly, in the middle of his sentence, the power went out. What happened? Daring thought. Did the museum use its energy bill money to buy the Stone? As suddenly as they had turned off, the light turned on again, although something seemed to be missing... "The stone! It's gone!" "HARVEST! He's gone too!" Chapter Five Everypony started to panic, searching in each other's pockets for the stone and accusing one another of thievery. As some started to run out of the hall to look for Harvest, Ditzy slammed the doors shut and scanned the crowd furiously. "Everypony calm down NOW! You all stay in here while I go down to the police station. Somepony in here has stolen the Sapphire Stone; if anypony even thinks about leaving before the cops finish the questioning, you will PAY FOR ruining my wedding!" Everypony stared at her in disbelief; not even Daring had ever heard her raise her voice like that. "Thank you," she said, returning to her calm self. "Daring, would you care to accompany me to the police station?" "There's no need for that now, dear Ditzy." "WHO SAID THAT? I SWEAR I WILL-" A dark hooded figure suddenly appeared at the door. Of course there's a dark hooded figure, Daring thought. A priceless artifact can never disappear and just have it turn up in some thief's basement. "Well," it said, regarding Ditzy, "Don't you look stunning? Isn't Golden Harvest a lucky-" Ditzy knocked the figure to the ground in anger and tore off its cloak, revealing it to be a stallion she had never seen before, although Daring recognized the jackal tattoo on his shoulder instantly. "The cult of Xaoixotal," she breathed. "I thought that was just a legend." Ditzy looked confused, so she explained herself. "Like Harvest said earlier, some say that the Sapphire Stone was stolen from a statue of Xaoixotal in South Amareica. There's actually more to the legend than most ponies know..." "It's not just a legend, you know, the Stone holds an immense amount of power," the stallion said. "Yeah," said Daring, "Enough to summon Xaoixotal from the Beyond and bring forth the end of the Equestria." Ditzy positively fumed by now. "Will somepony PLEASE tell me who this Xaoixotal is and what this has to do with Harvest?!" "There was a time," Daring said, "Before Celestia created the world, when the universe was ruled by an ancient deity. His name was Xaoixotal, and if ponies had existed back then... well, you don't wanna know what he'd have done. He was eventually dethroned and banished into the Beyond by Celestia, who, as everypony knows, wanted to live among beings like her, so she created our world." "Very good, Miss Do," the stranger said. "Would you happen to know what the Stone has to do with this?" "Well, I know that if something is done to it, Xaoixotal can be summoned again and he'll kill Celestia out of revenge then take over the world." The stallion laughed. "You don't know the half of it! Actually, that's probably a good thing, considering how I'm here to tell you the only thing you're allowed to know: Daring and Ditzy must come to the secret location alone before sundown on the third of September or you'll never see Golden Harvest again!" If Ditzy was mad before, she was infuriated now. "Don't you lay a HOOF on him, you goon!" She lunged at the stranger, fire in her eyes, and made to throw him across the room, but not before he managed to disappear. "COME BACK HERE COWARD! You never told us where to go!" Oh my gosh, Ditzy realized, if I hadn't tried to strangle him he'd probably have told us where to go! How could I be such an idiot?! "I think I know where we need to go," Daring said. "Does anypony know where the coordinates three hundred seven degrees north, fifty-two south are?" Chapter Six "Radio?" "Check." "Magic map?" "Check." "Antivenin?" "Check." "Toothpaste?" "Uhhh..." "Daring? Again?" "Whatever! I'm sure they have that stuff in Whinnies!" Flamington really felt like Daring's babysitter sometimes. She was a little forgetful when they first met, and his job was to do everything for her so she could focus on writing, but now that forgetfulness had escalated to carelessness since she was almost completely dependent on him. He really wondered how she was able to study orangutans in Brayneo for months on end without him being there to remind her to brush her mane. At least Ditzy would be there with her on this mission, even if she wasn't the brightest mare herself. There were also the spy ponies that were going with them to make sure they were safe, but they weren't supposed to be spoken to or seen since the two were supposed to show up alone. The fact that they needed body guards scared him a little; Daring had been in life-threatening situations before, but the lives of two other ponies and the entire free world had never been at stake like this. If, of course, the threat was to be taken seriously. Daring wasn't afraid in the least bit, mostly because the cult of Xaoixotal was the stupidest thing she had ever heard of. She had feigned fear at the reception because she felt bad for the silly, crazy pony; she was holding back laughter, and she knew that a few other ponies were also. The cult was made up of ponies who believed that the return of Xaoixotal was imminent, and who thought that only the faithful would be spared in the "harvest of souls." They were taken seriously a long time ago, for it was thought that Discord was the reincarnation of Xaoixotal. Obviously, he wasn't, and they were ridiculed for their misconception. They tried to gain respect again many times over the following millennia by staging fake threats like this one was bound to be, but nopony took them seriously until modern times because of a famous urban legend. A (fake) book was published in the 930s telling of how Xaoixotal had come back before and almost took over the world until Celestia defeated him and erased everypony's memory so they wouldn't be traumatized. Most ponies bought the story, and even though it was later proven that not even Celestia is powerful enough to erase the memories of every living pony, the story had permeated into common knowledge. Now nearly every pony believed the lie, even the level-headed Flamington, and only a select few, such as Daring, knew the truth. Ditzy, of course, swore by the story, and this trip was terrifying her. She was screaming like a maniac on the inside when Daring told her what the plan of action was going to be and screamed on the outside when she finished talking. "This is going to be a long trip," Daring muttered both at that time and right now. After Flamington "helped" her through her checklist and Ditzy unloaded the last of her bags into the balloon, screaming internally the whole time, the two climbed into the basket with the pilot and the ninja bodyguards. The two waved goodbye to the lone dragon that was staying behind... And Ditzy's internal panic suddenly became external. "I just remembered that I've never flown above 20,000 feet!" *** "Ewewewewewewewewewewewew!" "Ditzy! Relax! It's just peat moss!" "But it's so... squishy! Yuck! And it's getting all up in my hooves! I just had them polished for the trip, too!" Daring rolled her eyes. Ditzy had been insufferable since the moment the balloon took off. "She needs to get it through that thick, empty skull of hers that this is not a vacation!" she thought. "Even if the cult is baloney, a friend is still being held hostage, and this could get ugly. Of course, if she keeps whining like this it'll get ugly now!" They tread on in the dismal, expansive moor of Whinnies. Daring had to keep up her focus, for a wrong turn could mean getting lost. Just as she thought that they really were lost, she found the river that was indicative of how they were almost there. "We're gonna have to ford this river," she said. Ditzy looked like throwing up. "Absolutely not! I'll get duckweed in my mane!" Daring rolled her eyes again. "I can drag you across, how about that?" Obviously, Ditzy chose to ford it on her own, and despite her grumbling about the duckweed, they were making good time. Then they saw a log disappear under a deeper part of the water. Daring stopped in her tracks, and Ditzy did the same. "Okay," Daring said, "So there are two explanations as to why that log just vanished. One, a pony with impeccable lung capacity decided to suddenly drag it down to scare us; in that case, ha ha! You're very funny! You can come up now!" No pony responded. "Oh, fabulous. There's only one other explanation..." "Bunyip..." "How did you know that?" "I actually-AAAAAAAH!" "What? What just happened?" "It just bit me! I'm going to be eaten!" "Ditzy! Now that we know that it is in fact a Bunyip, it is very important that we not make a sound-" "IT BIT ME AGAIN!" "Ditzy! Be quiet! They have poor eyesight and can only tell that we're here by the sound we make!" "Well, you're not helping! You're screaming too!" "I'm sorry! How about we not say anything from now on?" "It just bit me a-AAAAAAAAAH!" "Ditzy!" Ditzy disappeared under the water, dragged down by the malicious creature to the deeper part. Daring wasted no time in diving under the murky water only to pause for the slightest fraction of an instant to have a tempting thought run through her mind. "Hang on a second," her mind told her. "She's been giving you nothing but grief ever since she decided to waltz back into your life. What made her think she could do that? You were perfectly happy until she decided to marry Harvest. What if you could get that life back? You'd rescue him and tell everyone that she got eaten by a Bunyip, you being completely unable to do anything about it. Harvest would realize that he never loved Ditzy and you would live happily ever-" Daring caught sight of the creature with Ditzy's leg in its jaws. Her luminous eyes were open, and she could see one directed at her hoof while the other stared at Daring, begging for dear life. Those eyes... they would haunt her for the rest of her life if she had the audacity to leave her. They were truly a window to her soul; they revealed that she was not as perfect as she strived to be. They caused her to be taunted fiercely when they were foals, Daring being at her side when she was too shy to fend for her self. She couldn't let her die! Not her twin sister best friend! Daring blinked and they were back at the shallow part of the river. She had such instinctual drive to save her kin when she saw those eyes that she didn't even realize what she was doing. Ditzy gave her sister a bear hug. "You saved my life! You really saved my life! I love you, Daring!" "Yes, well, we need to get going." Ditzy remained silent for the next two hours of walking. She was lucky to be alive; she wouldn't dream of complaining now! Daring was also silent, but for different reasons. She was ashamed by how she has considered leaving Ditzy to become some Bunyip's meal. She couldn't stew in shame for too long, though, for they were upon their destination. There was a huge hill that towered above the others. It had a dark hole cut in the side nearest to them, and a torchlit tunnel led deep underground. As they descended into the hill, Ditzy couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. "It's just the atmosphere," Daring said. "This humidity is making me feel antsy, too." Unfortunately, Ditzy was right. Something was very wrong.
Chapter One "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "My eyes have seen the glory of the power of Friendship... "Its magic will last forever... "Ugh, I can never remember the next part!" Daring Do's voice reverberated off of the concrete walls of the sweltering prison cell. As always, it was a frigid one hundred and twelve degrees in Manehico City, and there was a plethora of wonderful summer activities for Daring in her jail cell, including playing wall ball with crumpled-up paper, counting to a million, and singing the song she's had stuck in head since she was unjustly arrested by militants two weeks ago. "Its magic will last foreeeeeeveeeeeeer..." "Has anyone ever told you that you have a wonderful voice? You sound just like your sister!" Daring sprang up from her downward-facing position on her cot. "Flamington! It's about time!" Two guards that flanked the dragon unlocked the door of the cell, allowing Daring to accost her savior. "How many pages this time?" she asked Flamington. "I lost count around two fifty, and that doesn't even count the forms the lawyers had to fill out, and the pardons from Celestia's desk." "Jeez, that's gotta be some sort of record." "What can I say? Manehico's always been pretty screwed up, don't you think?" The freed pegasus laughed amid the dirty looks from the guards resulting from Flamington's comment. She really had no idea what she would do without her trusty secretary; he was the Trotson to her Sherlock Horse, the loyal realist to her idealistic ambition. And now he had aided in her release from political prisonerhood for the sixth time. Daring shrugged when he revealed this figure to her as they left the prison grounds, saying, "Hey, that's what happens when you try to take photo essays in the middle of war zones!" She was referring to the reason she came to Manehico in the first place: she was reporting on political instability in the nation for the publication she worked for, Equestrian Geographic. She was just a writer now, but she knew that if she worked hard and wrote great stories, she could succeed Globetrotter as Editor-In-Chief one day! Of course, before that could happen they had to get out of Manehico City. They hailed a wagon-taxi pulled by two chupacabras and climbed in. The streets were full of wagons pulled by chupacabras (also known as just chupas), as that demographic made up most of the population of Manehico ever since ponies withdrew their influence nearly a decade ago. They really didn't want to, but corrupt politicians had convinced the populace that ponies were evil in order to win votes, and it quickly became dangerous for ponies to stay in the country. These days most chupas didn't hate ponies anymore, but some still did, which was why Daring found herself being barraged by hateful stares as the wagon-taxi pulled along. "You see all these chupas staring at us? It's creeping me out!" said Daring. "If I were you," said Flamington, "I'd be worried about the ones that are following us, especially the guys with the rifles." Daring's blood ran cold as she turned to face the stalkers behind them. Chupas only used weapons for one reason: to blow ponies to smithereens. Daring had felt that "I'm going to die today" feeling a few times prior, but this was even more dire, especially since she recognized the pursuers as not only the chupas that wrongfully arrested her two weeks prior, but the others that captured her the six other times and their cronies. Daring was so wrapped up in her trepidation that she didn't realize that the convoy was now actively chasing them and that Flamington, ever vigilant, had ordered the drivers to run like crazy. She was brought back to reality by the sound of gunfire ringing through the city streets and by Flamington's screams. "Great Celestia! The drivers got hit!" The wagon-taxi came to a sudden halt as the injured drivers collapsed. The two darted from the immobile vehicle like hooves from boiling water, Flamington taking care to leave a hundred bits in the cab as an apology. The pair could actually go faster by flying, but they couldn't go for too long before their wings wore out, and their exposed forms were easy targets for the shooters. "There's a balloon waiting for us just outside the city," said Flamington, breathless. "If we can get there in time we're safe." "So what are you saying?" Daring breathed. "We have to keep dodging bullets until we either reach this balloon or our wings give up?" "Do you have a better idea?!" he retorted. "Actually, I do!" she said. With Daring leading, they zipped into an alleyway, and as soon as they came upon a wall they shot into the sky at a ninety-degree angle, leaving the flightless chupas to hopelessly aim at two shrinking dots in the sky. They could see the balloon from their vantage point, and zoomed toward it as fast as their abilities would allow. "This is a great idea," he said, "But now instead of dying from gunshot wounds I'm going to die when my wings give out and I hit the ground." "Don't talk like that!" she encouraged. "I know you can make it!" "Except I can't," said Flamington, who dropped out of the sky like a bowling ball when his unexcercised asthmatic bookworm's wings gave a one last push and finally ran out of energy.
Chapter Two Daring, quickly running out of energy herself, screamed down towards the dragon's descending form and managed to scoop him up just before he hit the hard asphalt. They had just managed to escape the chupas' weapon range, but now the slow, laden pegasus was easy pickings for the passionate convoy. She tried with every inch of her being to dodge the bullets. Although she was grazed many times, almost having her ear blown off at least twice, she managed just enough energy to barely stay out of range. Before she knew it, the balloon was in her reach. She finally breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was all over. But wait... the balloon was full of armed chupas! "Of course!" Daring said. "This can never be easy, can it?" They touched the ground, Flamington just getting his energy back. They wasted no time in trying to wrestle the militants out of the balloon, but they persisted and stood their ground. Daring threw one onto the ground, and he landed on the anchor rope, making it rise into the sky. They were finally safe from the chupas on the ground, but now they had to throw out the ones in the balloon. They kicked and punched and bit with all of their dwindling might, Daring using the skills she learned from that time she spent with a Kung-Fu master, Flamington doing whatever Daring was doing. They finally managed to throw the last militant onto the ground, and they were officially safe from the shooters, the balloon and basket being made of magic puncture-proof material. "So," Flamington said, "You got out of jail; escaped Manehican militants with rifles, barely avoiding getting hit; carried me eight miles to the balloon while you were getting shot at, and finally threw fifteen thugs out of a balloon basket meant for about six ponies. You are just the epitome of awesome, aren't you?" "Yeah, I guess I am, aren't I?" Daring joked, feigning cockiness. Flamington looked nauseous. "Geez, I'm not that cheesy, am I?" she said, worried. "It's not your humor," he said. "It's..." A plume of fire erupted from his mouth, with a letter enrobed in the green flames. "Ugh, that's the one thing I hate about being your secretary. Who figured out that you can do that, anyway?" Daring was silent as she read her letter, her excited attitude slowly being replaced by a sort of trepidation akin to what she felt earlier. "It's official," she said, a dead look on her face. "My sister is going to marry my ex-boyfriend." *** Dear Daring, So! How have things been?? It's been soooo long since we talked last; you're missing out on a lot!! I don't usually like to write letters, but there's something really important I need to tell you: me and Golden Harvest are getting married!! I know, it's a little sudden, but we've been wanting to get married for a while now, and now is the perfect time since we both just turned 21! (Isn't it cool how the three of us happen to have the same birthday??) I can't wait to see you at the wedding; here's your invitation, mailed extra early because I know you're super busy! You are Cordially Invited To the Wedding of Golden Harvest And Ditzy Do At the Royal Canterlot Museum of Art Eastern Ballroom On the Third of July, 984 Please bring a donation to benefit the Royal Art History Society, if able. Hope you have fun! Your TSBF (Twin Sister Best Friend), Ditzy Do "Yeah, I'm gonna have a ball," she said. *** Daring Do was born in Mareami to Mi Re Do, her mother, and Do Si Do, her father, at the same time as Ditzy Do, her sister (it was literally the same time; their mother has an impeccable amount of pain tolerance.) Daring was named for her recently deceased aunt, Daring Deed, while Ditzy was named for the Old Equestrian word for "angel voice," "Det'zie." Ditzy was born with a rare optic nerve dysfunction known as equestrian oculitis, where her eyes don't line up properly, while the only dysfunction that Daring was born with, in her family's opinion, was how she would rather write stories and go on adventures than be a musician like she was expected to. Her family's disapproval of her interests, especially after her cutie mark set her fate in stone, caused a rift to form between them. As she got older, she took to writing moody poetry and going for walks in the woods while Ditzy used her amazing voice to join choirs and get scholarships, eventually moving to Canterlot to attend the Royal Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. And then, when she entered high school, she met Golden Harvest. Like Daring, he was different from his peers; he was born with his cutie mark, and he had his whole life to figure out what it meant. Even though it was a grain of wheat surrounded by a golden corona, he decided that his calling was to be an art historian, and he concluded that his cutie mark was a symbol of the agrarian folk art movement of the 400s. Daring and Harvest were an inseparable pair once they decided to be together in their sophomore year. They read the same books together, went hiking on the weekends, and had a wonderful time at both junior and senior prom. Daring had become nearly estranged from her family in this time, only depending on her parents for a meal and a place to rest. Likewise, he was never very close to his parents, and so as she never bothered to introduce him to her family, he never bothered to introduce her to his. Harvest was Daring's only family, and Daring was Harvest's only family. And then it happened the night of graduation. While her parents didn't really care to attend, Ditzy came all the way from Canterlot to see her walk across the stage, ignorant the whole time of her relationship with Harvest. There was a soirée afterwards for the graduates and their families at a hotel, and Daring went with Ditzy to catch up and tell stories (but certainly not about Mom and Dad or Harvest!) Daring wasn't feeling well, so she stepped out for a bit while Ditzy got cake. That's when Harvest saw her. Somehow he saw past the messed-up eyes and could see a beautiful fraternal twin that was just like Daring without the baggage, and he also sensed something extra about her that he just couldn't place at the time. Daring felt a burning fury like she had never felt before when she walked in on them in the courtyard. She was so angry that she had no idea what to do with her body; she could feel a fiery rage that boiled her blood and set her brain ablaze. She only stood there for about three seconds, but it felt like an eternity of merciless torture, watching them kiss with lovers' gay abandon. After what seemed like forever, she decided that she couldn't take it any longer and started to walk wherever her hooves would take her. She walked and walked with enraged passion through the streets of downtown Mareami, into the surrounding neighborhoods, into the rural forest, and finally she found herself being taken to the trail in the woods where she and Harvest would hike on the weekends. She wandered up the path as far as she could make herself go, and collapsed on the ground in the clearing where he had first told her that he loved her. Then Daring, in her expensive cocktail dress that had consumed a month's salary, in her sweat-smeared makeup, in a clearing lit by nothing but Luna's luminous moon, broke down and cried harder than her poor mother had the day she was born. As she cried and wailed and screamed, she took a small folded-up note that she had concealed in her satin hoofbag and tore it into a thousand pieces. On the night when the rest of their lives officially began, in the clearing where Harvest had professed his love for Daring, she ripped up the note she was going to give to him that said, "I love you, Golden Harvest. Will you marry me?"
Chapter Three Despite having her heart burned to a crisp by the fires of rage, life went on for Daring Do. She continued to work at the local Barns&Stable bookstore while penning freelance articles for various newspapers over the next several years. She wasn't nearly as happy as she wanted to be, but she lived on her own now, and it was better than enduring her parents' incessant disapproval on a daily basis. As time went by, she became a better and better writer and got more and more prestigious writing commissions. One day, she got a request from the Mareami Herald to do a piece, and she squealed with joy; it had been a lifelong goal of hers to write for the Herald, the newspaper that helped her learn how to read when she was just a filly. She ended up writing a piece about her experiences with neglectful parents as a part of a series on controversial parenting methods. Although she was excited about writing for the Herald and poured every ounce of effort she could into the piece, it was really hard for her to reflect on her unhappy childhood; it took her almost five minutes to gather the courage to write, "Although no words of the sort were ever exchanged, it was mutually understood that they didn't care about me or what happened to me." Her blood, sweat, and copious tears paid off in the end, and the editors were delighted with the quality of the piece. Then she received another letter in the mail, a letter that would change her life. It had a Canterlot address on it, which made her think it was from her sister, so she opened it carelessly and expected the worst. What it contained was a complete surprise: if she had looked at the address more closely, she would have seen that it was from the Equestrian Geographic Society! They had read her beautifully written story and wanted her to write for them. She couldn't remember a time when she'd felt more elation; while writing for the Herald was a goal of hers, writing for EG was a dream! She had been a member of the Society since she was old enough to read the magazine. She was enchanted by the vivid descriptions of how ponies from faraway lands lived and the breathtaking photography of Equestrian landmarks. She was particularly inspired by an article about flora in South Equestria, which was where she happened to live. There was a photo of a cool-looking blue slime mold that she was dying to find, and she set out on a quest through the woods around her neighborhood to find it. She packed a little bag with a compass, a magnifying glass, a box to put cool rocks in, and an egg salad sandwich, and she set off at sunrise (well, she told herself to set off at sunrise, but she really ended up leaving around eleven a.m.; her bed was just so cozy!) When she finally found the slime mold, it paled in comparison to the wonders she had seen on her quest: ancient trees covered in carpets of emerald moss housed busy woodpeckers and icky grubs, a babbling creek filled with smooth stones and darting minnows, little dark caves that hid sleeping bats and snoring bears. Who knew that all of this awesome stuff was just outside her door? As she made her way home, she thought about all of the stuff that she'd tell her sister and parents about; this was going to be awesome! She was so excited that she didn't even realize that she had gotten her cutie mark, which was a sepia compass rose. As she reflected on this years later when she was deliberating over what to write for EG, she decided what she really wanted to write: she'd report on South Equestrian wildlife, but this time she'd give it a more ecological theme, as many ponies didn't realize how the population explosion in the area was affecting the environment. And so began a phase in her life where she finally began to heal from her heartbreak that lingered from Harvest's betrayal and her unloving parents. She went on to gain a position on the EG staff, moved to Canterlot to be closer to her office at the headquarters, and hired Flamington as her personal assistant. Other than a couple of letters every year from her sister, she thought that she'd never have to think about her old life ever again. Unfortunately, she was dead wrong.
Chapter Four Daring had retraced the steps of her entire life during the wedding ceremony to keep from fuming or crying the whole time. She had pretended for a very long time that the years before she worked at Equestrian Geographic had never happened, and this kept her happy, but now she could no longer ignore or deny it. She had been in denial for so long that she hardly even remembered it anymore, but as she watched her ignorant sister walk down the aisle to wed her traitorous ex, it was like Ponydora's box had been opened in her brain. Before she knew it, she had walked with the procession to the reception hall to have cake and mingle. This was the hour she had dreaded since she got the letter; she could hide under Ditzy's radar before and during the ceremony since the bride and groom were so busy, but now her sister was definitely going to- "DAAAAAAAAAAARIIIIIIING! Ohmygoshhowsmytwinsisterbestfriendbeendoing??" "Ditzy! I missed you so much! I'm so glad I was able to make time to see my only sister get married! Congratulations!" Daring marveled at her ability to lie. It had gotten her out of many sticky situations before, and if she could feign happiness for the rest of the night, she could go home and forget that any of this had ever happened. "You'll never guess where Harvest is taking me for our honeymoon! Go on, guess!" Daring pretended to deliberate for a moment then said, "I don't know...Haywaii?" "He said we're going on an all-expenses paid tour of the Amarezon to see the river dragon migration! And to kick it off, he said he's going to get me a special gift! How cool is that?" Daring couldn't believe her ears! Harvest said that if he ever took her on vacation with him, he'd take her to see the migration! It was like he was teasing her or something! "I'll be right back; I'm gonna go talk to Harvest's parents!" Thank Celestia, Daring thought. I've just gotta make it through the night without seeing- She felt a tap on the shoulder and turned around to see somepony that she wanted not to see with all her heart. "Hi, Daring." "It's been a long time, Golden Harvest." They stared each other down, each daring the other to make a move. "I've got some explaining to do, don't I?" Harvest said. "It's fine. I stopped caring a long time ago," Daring lied. Daring stared at him with an icy expression, suppressing her anger so as to not make a spectacle. Harvest was also suppressing something, and Daring knew very well what it was, but she didn't want to admit it to herself. Harvest stepped closer to her. "There's something I want you to know," he said. "Don't bother; I already know what you're going to say," she nonchalantly replied. "No, Daring, you don't understand," said Harvest, looking deep in her eyes. "I understand very well, Harvest," Daring said, losing her cool just a tiny bit. "And if what I understand happens to be true, it is way too late to come around. The day I give you my heart again is the day that chop off my right hoof!" "Daring-" "Now you listen," she said, losing her cool more and more with every word. "I may not be very close to Ditzy, but she is my sister, and if you don't giver every ounce of love that you possibly can you will wake up in Manehico where gangs of chupacabras will spit on your carcass after you die of repeated gunfire from illegal firearms. DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING..." She then realized that they had been staring into each other's eyes since he had inched closer to her and that the previous conversation had taken place in her mind. "There's something I need to tell you," he said, making her almost feel like an oracle. "Don't bother, I know what you're going to-" "Three hundred seven degrees north, fifty-two south, and remember the key." He trotted away, leaving Daring absolutely speechless. She stood gaping for a few seconds, then snapped out of it when she heard everypony start to move to the front of the hall towards a covered pedestal. She moved with the crowd to see what was going on, and felt a sharp pain in her hoof. She looked down and saw a small chrome pyramid. "Did somepony drop something?" she yelled to deaf ears. When no one claimed it, she put it in her hoofbag and moved towards the front. "Mares and gentlecolts," said Golden Harvest after everypony settled down, with a completely different demeanor than earlier. "I have something very important to announce. As many of you know, the museum is opening a gemstone exhibit this fall, and I as curator have the privilege of selecting fine pieces of art and jewelry for the exhibition. You may also be aware that there is a special flagship artifact that has been kept a secret... Until tonight!" Ponies in the audience oohed and aahed at the prospect of finding out this secret, while Daring was curious as to why it was being revealed tonight. "Before I reveal it," he continued, "I just wanna say that no gem or stone in all of Equestria can compare to the beauty of my bride. That's why I want to dedicate this artifact to you, Ditzy. " All of the mares thought that was so sweet, and Ditzy started tearing up, but Daring just rolled her eyes. He put his hooves on the covering. "Mares and gentlecolts... presenting... the beautiful Sapphire Stone!" Every pony including Daring gasped in amazement. The Sapphire Stone was one of the most flawless and sought-after gemstones ever mined. It was actually a statue of two marble jackals flanking the actual sapphire. "This gem's history is as colorful as its many facets," said Harvest. "The gem was stolen from a statue of Xaoixotal in South Amareica according to urban legend, although no pony knows for sure where it came from. We do know that it was sold to Princess Celestia sometime in the 600s, but it was mysteriously stolen from the royal treasury. It changed hooves many more times over the next few centuries, being purchased by wizards and princesses and even, some say, the King of the Dragons. Although there's a well-known myth that says it's cursed, I don't-" Suddenly, in the middle of his sentence, the power went out. What happened? Daring thought. Did the museum use its energy bill money to buy the Stone? As suddenly as they had turned off, the light turned on again, although something seemed to be missing... "The stone! It's gone!" "HARVEST! He's gone too!"
Chapter Five Everypony started to panic, searching in each other's pockets for the stone and accusing one another of thievery. As some started to run out of the hall to look for Harvest, Ditzy slammed the doors shut and scanned the crowd furiously. "Everypony calm down NOW! You all stay in here while I go down to the police station. Somepony in here has stolen the Sapphire Stone; if anypony even thinks about leaving before the cops finish the questioning, you will PAY FOR ruining my wedding!" Everypony stared at her in disbelief; not even Daring had ever heard her raise her voice like that. "Thank you," she said, returning to her calm self. "Daring, would you care to accompany me to the police station?" "There's no need for that now, dear Ditzy." "WHO SAID THAT? I SWEAR I WILL-" A dark hooded figure suddenly appeared at the door. Of course there's a dark hooded figure, Daring thought. A priceless artifact can never disappear and just have it turn up in some thief's basement. "Well," it said, regarding Ditzy, "Don't you look stunning? Isn't Golden Harvest a lucky-" Ditzy knocked the figure to the ground in anger and tore off its cloak, revealing it to be a stallion she had never seen before, although Daring recognized the jackal tattoo on his shoulder instantly. "The cult of Xaoixotal," she breathed. "I thought that was just a legend." Ditzy looked confused, so she explained herself. "Like Harvest said earlier, some say that the Sapphire Stone was stolen from a statue of Xaoixotal in South Amareica. There's actually more to the legend than most ponies know..." "It's not just a legend, you know, the Stone holds an immense amount of power," the stallion said. "Yeah," said Daring, "Enough to summon Xaoixotal from the Beyond and bring forth the end of the Equestria." Ditzy positively fumed by now. "Will somepony PLEASE tell me who this Xaoixotal is and what this has to do with Harvest?!" "There was a time," Daring said, "Before Celestia created the world, when the universe was ruled by an ancient deity. His name was Xaoixotal, and if ponies had existed back then... well, you don't wanna know what he'd have done. He was eventually dethroned and banished into the Beyond by Celestia, who, as everypony knows, wanted to live among beings like her, so she created our world." "Very good, Miss Do," the stranger said. "Would you happen to know what the Stone has to do with this?" "Well, I know that if something is done to it, Xaoixotal can be summoned again and he'll kill Celestia out of revenge then take over the world." The stallion laughed. "You don't know the half of it! Actually, that's probably a good thing, considering how I'm here to tell you the only thing you're allowed to know: Daring and Ditzy must come to the secret location alone before sundown on the third of September or you'll never see Golden Harvest again!" If Ditzy was mad before, she was infuriated now. "Don't you lay a HOOF on him, you goon!" She lunged at the stranger, fire in her eyes, and made to throw him across the room, but not before he managed to disappear. "COME BACK HERE COWARD! You never told us where to go!" Oh my gosh, Ditzy realized, if I hadn't tried to strangle him he'd probably have told us where to go! How could I be such an idiot?! "I think I know where we need to go," Daring said. "Does anypony know where the coordinates three hundred seven degrees north, fifty-two south are?"
Chapter Six "Radio?" "Check." "Magic map?" "Check." "Antivenin?" "Check." "Toothpaste?" "Uhhh..." "Daring? Again?" "Whatever! I'm sure they have that stuff in Whinnies!" Flamington really felt like Daring's babysitter sometimes. She was a little forgetful when they first met, and his job was to do everything for her so she could focus on writing, but now that forgetfulness had escalated to carelessness since she was almost completely dependent on him. He really wondered how she was able to study orangutans in Brayneo for months on end without him being there to remind her to brush her mane. At least Ditzy would be there with her on this mission, even if she wasn't the brightest mare herself. There were also the spy ponies that were going with them to make sure they were safe, but they weren't supposed to be spoken to or seen since the two were supposed to show up alone. The fact that they needed body guards scared him a little; Daring had been in life-threatening situations before, but the lives of two other ponies and the entire free world had never been at stake like this. If, of course, the threat was to be taken seriously. Daring wasn't afraid in the least bit, mostly because the cult of Xaoixotal was the stupidest thing she had ever heard of. She had feigned fear at the reception because she felt bad for the silly, crazy pony; she was holding back laughter, and she knew that a few other ponies were also. The cult was made up of ponies who believed that the return of Xaoixotal was imminent, and who thought that only the faithful would be spared in the "harvest of souls." They were taken seriously a long time ago, for it was thought that Discord was the reincarnation of Xaoixotal. Obviously, he wasn't, and they were ridiculed for their misconception. They tried to gain respect again many times over the following millennia by staging fake threats like this one was bound to be, but nopony took them seriously until modern times because of a famous urban legend. A (fake) book was published in the 930s telling of how Xaoixotal had come back before and almost took over the world until Celestia defeated him and erased everypony's memory so they wouldn't be traumatized. Most ponies bought the story, and even though it was later proven that not even Celestia is powerful enough to erase the memories of every living pony, the story had permeated into common knowledge. Now nearly every pony believed the lie, even the level-headed Flamington, and only a select few, such as Daring, knew the truth. Ditzy, of course, swore by the story, and this trip was terrifying her. She was screaming like a maniac on the inside when Daring told her what the plan of action was going to be and screamed on the outside when she finished talking. "This is going to be a long trip," Daring muttered both at that time and right now. After Flamington "helped" her through her checklist and Ditzy unloaded the last of her bags into the balloon, screaming internally the whole time, the two climbed into the basket with the pilot and the ninja bodyguards. The two waved goodbye to the lone dragon that was staying behind... And Ditzy's internal panic suddenly became external. "I just remembered that I've never flown above 20,000 feet!" *** "Ewewewewewewewewewewewew!" "Ditzy! Relax! It's just peat moss!" "But it's so... squishy! Yuck! And it's getting all up in my hooves! I just had them polished for the trip, too!" Daring rolled her eyes. Ditzy had been insufferable since the moment the balloon took off. "She needs to get it through that thick, empty skull of hers that this is not a vacation!" she thought. "Even if the cult is baloney, a friend is still being held hostage, and this could get ugly. Of course, if she keeps whining like this it'll get ugly now!" They tread on in the dismal, expansive moor of Whinnies. Daring had to keep up her focus, for a wrong turn could mean getting lost. Just as she thought that they really were lost, she found the river that was indicative of how they were almost there. "We're gonna have to ford this river," she said. Ditzy looked like throwing up. "Absolutely not! I'll get duckweed in my mane!" Daring rolled her eyes again. "I can drag you across, how about that?" Obviously, Ditzy chose to ford it on her own, and despite her grumbling about the duckweed, they were making good time. Then they saw a log disappear under a deeper part of the water. Daring stopped in her tracks, and Ditzy did the same. "Okay," Daring said, "So there are two explanations as to why that log just vanished. One, a pony with impeccable lung capacity decided to suddenly drag it down to scare us; in that case, ha ha! You're very funny! You can come up now!" No pony responded. "Oh, fabulous. There's only one other explanation..." "Bunyip..." "How did you know that?" "I actually-AAAAAAAH!" "What? What just happened?" "It just bit me! I'm going to be eaten!" "Ditzy! Now that we know that it is in fact a Bunyip, it is very important that we not make a sound-" "IT BIT ME AGAIN!" "Ditzy! Be quiet! They have poor eyesight and can only tell that we're here by the sound we make!" "Well, you're not helping! You're screaming too!" "I'm sorry! How about we not say anything from now on?" "It just bit me a-AAAAAAAAAH!" "Ditzy!" Ditzy disappeared under the water, dragged down by the malicious creature to the deeper part. Daring wasted no time in diving under the murky water only to pause for the slightest fraction of an instant to have a tempting thought run through her mind. "Hang on a second," her mind told her. "She's been giving you nothing but grief ever since she decided to waltz back into your life. What made her think she could do that? You were perfectly happy until she decided to marry Harvest. What if you could get that life back? You'd rescue him and tell everyone that she got eaten by a Bunyip, you being completely unable to do anything about it. Harvest would realize that he never loved Ditzy and you would live happily ever-" Daring caught sight of the creature with Ditzy's leg in its jaws. Her luminous eyes were open, and she could see one directed at her hoof while the other stared at Daring, begging for dear life. Those eyes... they would haunt her for the rest of her life if she had the audacity to leave her. They were truly a window to her soul; they revealed that she was not as perfect as she strived to be. They caused her to be taunted fiercely when they were foals, Daring being at her side when she was too shy to fend for her self. She couldn't let her die! Not her twin sister best friend! Daring blinked and they were back at the shallow part of the river. She had such instinctual drive to save her kin when she saw those eyes that she didn't even realize what she was doing. Ditzy gave her sister a bear hug. "You saved my life! You really saved my life! I love you, Daring!" "Yes, well, we need to get going." Ditzy remained silent for the next two hours of walking. She was lucky to be alive; she wouldn't dream of complaining now! Daring was also silent, but for different reasons. She was ashamed by how she has considered leaving Ditzy to become some Bunyip's meal. She couldn't stew in shame for too long, though, for they were upon their destination. There was a huge hill that towered above the others. It had a dark hole cut in the side nearest to them, and a torchlit tunnel led deep underground. As they descended into the hill, Ditzy couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. "It's just the atmosphere," Daring said. "This humidity is making me feel antsy, too." Unfortunately, Ditzy was right. Something was very wrong.
