Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone

  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!"