//------------------------------// // Daring Do’s New Biggest Fan // Story: Good Times in Equestria: Thomas’s Adventures in Ponyville // by GoebelTron //------------------------------// In a cave full of aqua bluish green crystals, Daring Do was searching for another lost treasure. She was a pegasus mare that looked like Rainbow Dash, but she had light gold fur, a noir colored rainbow mane and tail, magenta eyes, she had a olive green safari shirt with darker sleeve cuffs, shirt pockets and collar, a light grayish tan safari hat with olive green straps and a black strap, and her flank had a cutie mark of a map compass symbol. She crossed over a stone bridge, but accidentally slipped her hoof, as she looked down and saw how shallow and steep the fall was. After looking back up, she saw a bronze amulet that looked like a key. It was in the shape of a crocodile and had aqua green emeralds on the eyes and chest. When she was about to walk towards it, the bridge crumbled, and Daring Do slipped again, until she flew towards the amulet. Suddenly, she was surrounded by cobras. Inside a Daring Do Convention, Rainbow Dash and Thomas were walking around the place with excitement in themselves. “I know what you’re thinking. Your first time at a Daring Do Fan Convention in Manehattan!” Rainbow Dash said. “I know! I can’t wait to meet the author!” Thomas said. “Don’t worry, kiddo. As soon as we find that meet and greet section, you’ll have plenty of time for autographs!” Rainbow Dash said. They looked around a couple of stalls and saw a lot of ponies dressed up as Daring Do. Suddenly, they were jumped by an employee, “You look like a pony who'd be up for an all-inclusive one-of-a-kind adventu-cation, where you and your child can get to live the Daring Do experience!” “No thanks. Did that already,” Rainbow Dash said, and then she walked away with Thomas on her back. “Did you really?” Thomas asked. “Just go with it,” Rainbow Dash said, until she and her nephew found a cosplay of pressure plates that had blowholes full of streamers and mist. “Wow...” Thomas said. “I know, right. Since you’ve read some of the first trilogy, there’ll be more just for you and I to read,” Rainbow Dash said. “And I’m sure that you’ll get what you want soon.” Thomas nodded, and then they continued to enjoy themselves. “Rainbow Dash?” a voice appeared. There was a pegasus mare that looked like Rainbow Dash, but she had light gold fur, her mane and tail were in many shades of dark gray but combed, the same magenta eyes as Rainbow Dash, and she wore red glasses, a orchid cloak with white floral lines, and a gray hat. “A.K.! Thank Celestia I’ve found you!” Rainbow Dash said. “Shhh! Not here!” A.K. Yearling said in a hushed tone. “Follow me!” After she put Thomas down and asked him to stay put, Rainbow Dash followed her to a hotel room, and A.K. Yearling locked the doors. “What are you doing here by yourself and why aren’t you signing autographs or enjoying the convention, because my nephew really wants one of those after a picture with you,” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’m undercover, and I’ve got bigger problems than signing autographs,” A.K. Yearling said, as she was covering the curtains on the windows. “Why is that? What kind of problem?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It’s Caballeron again. I think he may or may not have followed me around here,” A.K. Yearling said. “That guy again?! Ugh! What does he want now?” Rainbow Dash frustratingly asked. “I was afraid you were going to ask that,” A.K. Yearling said, showing Rainbow Dash the key-shaped amulet she found as Daring Do. “Whoa...” Rainbow Dash said. “The Amulet of Culiacan, and Caballeron wants it. But it’s only a key.” A.K. Yearling chuckled, then continued, after showing Rainbow Dash a treasure map to a temple, “The actual treasure is hidden somewhere inside a lost temple. The Seven-Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc,” A.K. Yearling said. “Caballeron wants to sell it for the highest bidder, and that of course is why I need to find it first before he does.” “Great! Sounds like another awesome Daring Do adventure! But... what are you doing here if you’re not finding it since this is a fan convention of you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Easy. Since I haven’t found the temple yet, it’s the safest place for me and the amulet for now,” A.K. Yearling explained. “But somehow, it’s crawling with super fans and security guards, and if I get into trouble...” she took off her cloak, and she was identified as Daring Do. “... I can just blend in with all the Daring Do cosplayers.” “How can I help?” Rainbow Dash asked with bravery. “Just... try to lay low, and keep your eyes out for anything suspicious,” Daring Do said. “Got it!” Rainbow Dash said, and then they got to work. “Oh, before I forget, can I tell you about my nephew later? He’s been through a lot, and he really wants to meet you.” Daring Do nodded, and then Rainbow Dash gave her a wink, and then left the room again. Later on, Rainbow Dash kept looking for Dr. Caballeron, but there was no sign of the real one since there were some ponies dressed up as him. “Man, none of these cosplayers show some of the real deal of Dr. Caballeron,” she said. “Auntie Rainbow Dash?” Thomas’s voice appeared. She turned around and saw her nephew wearing a light grayish green t-shirt of Daring Do’s cutie mark underneath his charcoal gray hooded jacket, and a hat that looked like hers. “You got yourself souvenirs?! Wow!” Rainbow Dash said, until she saw a food joint. “Wanna grab some lunch?” Thomas nodded and they went to grab a bite to eat. Meanwhile, Dr. Caballeron and his henchponies were searching around the convention for his hated enemy, Daring Do. Dr. Caballeron was an earth pony stallion with dark brownish gray fur with facial hair on his muzzle, a combed dark arctic bluish gray mane and tail with gray streaks, chartreuse green eyes, and he was wearing a grayish amber shirt with a red bandanna with white polka dots, and his flank had a cutie mark of a golden skull. He sighed with disgust, “I find all this fanfare around my archenemy... very disturbing.” He suddenly saw a salespony, “I mean, uh... where is the booth for Caballeron? Hehe...” He was suddenly beat, as the salepony walked away. “I do not see the likeness. Come, let us find Daring Do and the Amulet of Culiacan. I don't want to spend any more time in this place than I have to!” Dr. Caballeron said, as they continued their search. Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Thomas ate at a hay burger joint for hay burgers and cola. “Uh... Thomas? Do you think we should head home or do you want to keep going with the exploratory?” Rainbow Dash asked. “No, I wanna stay for more. Why?” Thomas asked. “Just asking,” Rainbow Dash said. “Are you feeling okay?” Thomas asked. “Not really. I just get this feeling like we might somehow run into... CABALLERON?!” Rainbow Dash replied. “Uhh, you’re not making any sense,” Thomas said, but Rainbow Dash turned him around, until Dr. Caballeron and his henchponies confronted them, and they both ran for their lives, but he and his henchponies ran after them. Rainbow Dash tried to look for a place for Thomas to hide while she held him against her chest by wrapping her hoof around his belly. “Was that really... Dr. Caballeron?!” Thomas asked in fear. “Yeah, and he’s not a fair pony to hang out with,” Rainbow Dash said, until she saw a vase. “Okay, buddy. Stay in here and keep quiet.” Thomas nodded and then he hugged his aunt’s hoof. Then, Rainbow Dash went to go make a diversion. While she was searching, she saw a salespony. “Uh, excuse me, have you seen a group of robbers dressed up as cosplayers that almost look similar to the actual Dr. Caballeron character and others that look like his henchponies anywhere?” The salespony shook his head, and then Rainbow Dash walked away, “Sorry, but thanks for your time!” The salespony nodded, and then Rainbow Dash continued to look for the villainous black market traders. Thomas kept hiding in the vase, but he suddenly felt like he needed to go to the bathroom, so he carefully climbed out and then went to the colt’s restroom for his potty break. After a couple of minutes, he came back out from washing his hands, but he suddenly ran into Caballeron and his gang. “What do we have here? Rainbow Dash’s little nephew!” he said. “HELP! SOMEBODY!” Thomas hollered, until he was tied up with a rope, and then blinded and silenced with white cloth, and placed into a potato sack. When the bag was taken off Thomas, the henchpony took both the two white cloth pieces off his eyes and mouth, and then Thomas tried to move, but he wouldn’t budge. “I do not know what kind of game Daring Do is playing at, but if she told you and your aunt of my plan to steal the amulet from Daring Do, you must’ve been working with her... or for her,” Caballeron said. “What do you want from me?! Why did you bring me here?!” Thomas asked fearfully. Dr. Caballeron cackled evilly, then started explaining, “So clever, my dear boy. The Temple of Chicomoztoc is somewhere in this jungle. When I find it, the Seven-Sided Chest is as good as mine! I just need the Amulet of Culiacan to unlock it.“ “You’re insane! Daring Do wouldn’t give you the amulet, and neither would I! I don’t even know what it is!” Thomas said. Dr. Caballeron chuckled, “So heroic, my lad. But I’m afraid you won’t be going anywhere! You may not approve of my plan, but I’m the mastermind here! And I say you will remain here with me and my men until Daring Do comes to rescue you. And if she or your poor auntie want you back in one piece, she will have no choice but to surrender the Amulet of Culiacan first! Tie him up!” The henchponies field him up with chains around the rope and then Dr. Caballeron had the Griffon’s Lock in his hoof. “Hey! The Griffon’s Lock!” Thomas said. “Ah! You know of it, do you? Curiosity kills the cat again! Such a clever one for an agent of Daring Do!” Dr. Caballeron. “What are you talking about?! I don’t work for anybody!” Thomas said, until Caballeron placed the lock in the chains. “Haha! You cannot fool me with your pathetic lies! And now I will continue my search for the temple. Bring him with,” Dr. Caballeron said, as he started to let out a long, drawn out evil laugh. Thomas was then carried by one of the henchponies as he was placed on his back. After crossing the bridge, and passing through the jungle again, they finally found the pathway that was near the temple, they heard a noise from the bushes. “What was that?!” A henchpony asked. “Probably just a j-j-jaguar,” Thomas said. “Silencio! Spread out! We can’t let Daring Do rescue the boy!” Dr. Caballeron hollered, and Thomas was all alone. He suddenly scooted over to a bush and did a little private business, but suddenly, Caballeron came back. “What are you doing over there?!” he asked. “I have to go to the bathroom!” Thomas said. “Fine! But make it quick!” Dr. Caballeron said. Thomas then finished up, and then one of his henchponies came back. “Señor? We’ve arrived,” he said. “I should thank you for being our humble guest, my dear boy,” Dr. Caballeron said mischievously. “For you have led us to the Lost Temple of Chicomoztoc!” He then made another cackle as Thomas gazed at the temple. As they went inside, Dr. Caballeron looked at the paintings on the walls. “Make sure he is still secure! We can’t have him running off to his mama!” Dr. Caballeron made another cackle. “You won’t get away with this! When my Auntie Rainbow Dash finds me, you are gonna be sorry!” Thomas said. Dr. Caballeron walked over to the captive child, “Won't I? You've help me find a suitable path that led me to the temple, and Daring Do is too noble to let harm befall her companion’s most dear nephew, so the amulet and the chest are as good as mine. So I assume you have no witty remarks this time about how silly my plan is?” “No! I don’t, but I’m not afraid of you!” Thomas said, as he accidentally stepped on a pressure plate, that caused some rocks to tumble and water to flood a little. “WATCH WHERE YOU ARE STEPPING, YOU BRAT!” Dr. Caballeron hollered. Thomas suddenly fell back until he suddenly had one of his arms free and drew a sword from a skeleton and pointed it at the bandits, “Stay away from me, you bullies! I’m warning you!” “Put that thing away before you poke somepony’s eye out. You know you don’t want to,” Dr. Caballeron said. Thomas kept pointing the sword at them, until they heard a huge hissing and growling noise behind them. He turned around and saw a big aqua green and forest green colored Cipactli with gold shackles and spikes on its back, until it roared at them. “Cipactli! Flee!” Caballeron hollered, and then he and his henchponies ran off towards the door. Caballeron grinned mischievously and trapped Thomas inside the room. Thomas tried to get out, but the Cipactli came over and was about to pounce, but as it charged towards him with a chomp from its jaws, Thomas ran for his life into a cave. “HELP!” he screamed, as the Cipactli kept crawling faster enough to catch up with him, but suddenly bumped into a rock, and then it chased Thomas again until it chewed on another rock. Thomas then screamed, and slipped and slid on a mossy and dirty grass covered floor and fell into a small pool of swamp water, and then the Cipactli appeared and started making monstrous noises as it slowly walked over to him, and was about to eat him. “Help!!! Help!!! Aah! Aah! No! No! Help me! HELP!!!!” Thomas screamed. As the beast get closer, until Thomas cowered in fear. A light gold and olive green streak swooped in and grabbed Thomas after the Cipactli bumped into the wall. “Huh?” Thomas saw that he was being hugged by a light gold foreleg that had a recognizable shirt sleeve that was olive green. Thomas looked up and saw Daring Do looking at him. Thomas was shocked about what he saw, “DARING DO?! YOU’RE REAL?!” “You bet I am, kid!” Daring Do replied, giving him a wink. Thomas then turned himself around and gently buried himself against her chest for a hug. Daring Do smiled warmly with a soft deep red blush, “Aww... Aren’t you sweet?” Daring Do let go off the vine and landed on a safer platform and then she let Thomas stand on the floor. “Alright, hold still, sweetie,” Daring Do said, and she carefully picked through the combinations on the Griffon’s Lock, until it popped open and Thomas was finally free from the rope and chains. Thomas then hugged the heroic and adventurous pegasus mare again. “Thank you, Miss Daring Do for saving my life,” Thomas said. Daring Do was touched by his kindness, so she held him on one foreleg and brought him against her chest, “No problem, little guy.” After the hug, Daring Do put him down, “What are you doing out here by yourself?” “That crocodile tried to eat me, before Caballeron trapped me with it after he escaped,” Thomas explained. He then explained what happened while he was held captive by Caballeron and his henchpoines, and then Daring Do calmed him down after realizing how scared Thomas was by giving him another hug. “But, how do we get outta here?” Thomas asked. “Well, we’ll find a way out, after we look for the chest,” Daring Do said. “Can I go with?” Thomas asked. “Sure. I’d be happy for you to accompany me, plus you might come in handy,” Daring Do said. “Really?! You mean it?!” Thomas asked. “Well, what are you waiting for? Climb on,” Daring Do said, and then Thomas excitedly climbed onto her back and then carefully grasped the back of her shirt collar. She stood up and did the whinnying stance, and then ran off with Thomas on her back so they can look for the treasure. They suddenly saw Rainbow Dash and began screaming like crazy. “Auntie Rainbow Dash!” Thomas said, as he climbed off Daring Do’s back and went over to his aunt for a hug. “Thomas! You’re okay!” Rainbow Dash said. “I’m so sorry I got you into this mess! But don’t worry, your awesome Auntie Rainbow Dash won’t do that ever again.” Thomas nodded and then they continued the hug. “Wait a minute... you’re Rainbow Dash’s nephew, that she mentioned before?” Daring Do asked. “Thomas nodded, “Mmhmm.” Daring Do then looked back at Rainbow Dash, “What are you doing here anyway? I thought I told you to wait for me, not just barge in here without me!” “I wanted to help save my nephew. Besides, I promised Fluttershy, who is Thomas’s mom, watch over him,” Rainbow Dash said. “Fluttershy’s your mother, Thomas, is it?” Daring Do asked. Thomas nodded, and then Daring went over to him, and placed him back on her back. “Auntie Rainbow Dash? Are you and Miss Daring Do friends?” Thomas asked, as Rainbow Dash smirked and placed her wing over Daring Do. “Uhh... Well... if you say it like that... then yeah, we’re friends. We’re friends,” Daring Do said. “By the way, Thomas. In case you didn’t know, I’m also the author of the books.” “Really?!” Thomas asked. “Yeah,” Daring Do said. “Can I have an autograph after we get a picture taken? I promise not to tell anybody about your other identity” Thomas asked. “Yeah, sure,” Daring Do said. “Sweet!” Thomas said. “Now, let’s go get that chest!” Rainbow Dash said, as she, Daring Do, with Thomas on her back, continued their quest. When they arrived, they saw five doors with ancient drawings. “Hey, I recognize those drawings!” Thomas said. “You do?” Daring Do asked. “Yeah! See that one?” Thomas replied. “Yeah,” Daring Do said. “That one, along with the other show an earth pony fighting a serpent. The second looks like a pegasus fighting a griffon. The third one has a unicorn that’s fighting a grizzly bear, and I think that one...” Daring Do suddenly gasped as what it was showing. “Has an alicorn on it! It’s the only door without a match! How’d you know all of that?” Daring Do asked. “I guessed,” Thomas said. “You’ve really got a clever kid for a nephew, Rainbow Dash,” Darling Do said, as she gently ruffled his hair. Rainbow Dash nodded, “You think he’s really clever? You should probably see how well he does in school.” Daring Do smirked, and then she took out the amulet from underneath her shirt. “Is that the amulet Dr. Caballeron was talking about?!” Thomas asked, as he carefully held the amulet without hurting Daring Do. “Yes, it is. It’s also a key, which I believe goes to this door,” she said, as she carefully took the amulet back as she gazed at the door, and then looked back at Thomas. “Care to do the honors?” “Really?” Thomas asked. “Hey, you helped me solved the doors, and I think a certain colt with the same trait for courageously adventurous like myself should do the honors of unlocking the door,” Daring Do replied, as she carefully wrapped her foreleg around his front side and gently pulled him against her chest as she lifted him up. Thomas grabbed the amulet, “I won’t let go of it, Miss Daring Do.” “You don’t need to call me Miss. Just either Daring or Daring Do is fine,” she said. “Now, come on. Open the door,” Rainbow Dash said. Thomas nodded and then he carefully placed the lock through the door and then he placed it through the keyhole. When it was placed, the door made the ground crumble, and the door began to open, and they saw what appeared to be the Seven-Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc. “Wow... what is it?” Thomas asked. “That’s what Caballeron’s after. The Seven-Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc,” Daring Do replied. She then carefully grabbed it with her wing and looked at it with a smile. “It’s so pretty...” Thomas said. “It sure is,” Daring Do said. “Uh, guys? We better get outta here, because the path you saved my nephew from isn’t safe at all anymore,” Rainbow Dash said. “How are we gonna get outta here?!” Thomas asked, as Daring Do held him close to her chest as he faced forward. She looked for an exit, until she saw a hole on the ceiling, “There!” “Daring! Can you carry him out?” Rainbow Dash asked. She looked down at Thomas in her embrace, and then nodded with confidence in her face. Daring Do and Rainbow Dash flew over the Cipactli carefully, and then Thomas was suddenly released, before Daring Do caught him in a hugging pose,and then the three safely landed in a bush. Daring Do and Rainbow Dash laid on their backs, and Daring Do looked at Thomas laying on her belly, “You okay, kid?” Thomas giggled, “Let’s do that again.” Daring Do and Rainbow Dash smiled at him, and then they heard Caballeron’s voice from afar, so they went to hide. Rainbow Dash hugged Thomas, and Daring Do covered her wing over him. “This way! I heard them!” Dr. Caballeron shouted, as he and his crew kept looking. Thomas and Daring Do peeked. “I think I have an idea,” Thomas said, showing Daring Do a rock, and whispered his plan into her ear. Daring Do nodded, “Well, like I would usually say, not every Daring Do plan has to be super-complicated.” She lifted Thomas up and then he threw it at the wall. Dr. Caballeron and his crew came and then looked around. “Rrrgh! I swear I heard them!” Dr. Caballeron growled. Suddenly, the wall crumbled, and then they saw the Cipactli appear giving them a big screeching roar. They screamed like crazy and ran for their lives while the Cipactli chased after them. “I'll get you for this, Daring Dooooo!” Dr. Caballeron screamed. Rainbow Dash and Thomas laughed at their prank, as Daring Do smirked at them. “You are really clever as I am,” she said. Thomas nodded, “I try.” “He’s a really big fan,” Rainbow Dash said. “Uh-huh. I know,” Daring Do said. “Now, there’s some stairs on the other side of the temple that lead out of the ravine. I suggest you and your nephew take them and head west.” “What about you?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I’ve gotta get this to a museum,” Daring Do said. “Thomas? It’s been nice meeting you. Thanks for your help. I couldn’t have done this without you. Both of you.” Before she was about to walk off, Daring Do suddenly forgot something, and then got out Thomas’s camera and marker. “How about a quick picture together before I go? And I’ll be sure to leave an autograph on it for you to take home,” she said. “Really?!” Thomas asked. Daring Do nodded, and then Rainbow Dash took the camera, and set it up on a tree stump, and pressed the timer on it. When it was ready, Daring Do held Thomas as he sat on her hoof and scooted a little bit closer towards her chest, and Rainbow Dash stood next to them on the left, and then they smiled for the camera together. Thomas then placed the picture on his cork-board using a office pin to hang it. The picture had both Daring Do and A.K. Yearling’s autograph on one side, saying “To my newest favorite fan and friend. From, Daring Do and A.K. Yearling”.