A young woman with black hair picked up the used shot glasses, sticky with liquor from around the small wooden tables and placed them on a tray. She had just finished sweeping out the drunken climbers and other assorted dregs that made up her usual patrons. She had even managed to drink one of them under a table on a bet. She could just about outshoot anyone at whiskey.
Marion Ravenwood was the proprietor of The Raven, since her father Abner’s passing. Her Nepalese friend Mohan also helped run the place, but he wasn’t much for conversation. Marion still somewhat resented her father, having spent all her life alongside him, searching for little bits of junk. There was also that other man who had ruined her life…
“Indiana Jones.” Marion announced, seeing the familiar shadow of his fedora, letting a shot glass shatter on the floor, “I always knew someday you’d…”
Marion was speechless once she realized the shadow wasn’t Indy’s fedora, but rather a small pith helmet, attached to the head of a small winged pony that was now trotting through her door. Marion also did not miss the irony that the pegasus looked startlingly like herself.
“What’d Mohan put in those drinks?” Marion wondered, “I must be hallucinating.”
“No, you’re not dreaming, Ms. Ravenwood.” chirped the pony’s human companion, “I thought the same thing myself. My name is Marcus Brody; I’m a friend of Indy’s.”
Marion rubbed her eyes in disbelief as Marcus followed the pegasus inside the bar.
“I’m Daring Do.” the pegasus spoke up, “You’re Marion Ravenwood, correct?”
“I gotta quit drinkin’.” Marion resolved, “I must be goin’ crazy.”
“Ms. Ravenwood, I assure you, Ms. Do is not an illusion.” Marcus explained, “Ms. Do here is a living, breathing, flying, speaking, humanly sentient pegasus.”
“We’re looking for the headpiece to the Staff of Ra.” Daring spoke up, “Your father unearthed it, correct?”
At this point, Marion broke out into drunken, maniacal laughter.
“So you’re…tellin’ me…” she said between laughs, “Marcus Brody…and this talkin’ horse…waltz in here…and ask about Abner…no…just no…”
“Ms. Ravenwood?” Marcus asked, “Is Abner available? I’d very much like to speak with your father.”
“Abner’s dead…” Marion said sternly, breaking out of her laughing spell.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.” Marcus consoled, “He was a decent man.”
“Yeah, you’re sorry…” Marion scoffed, “Everybody’s sorry…Abner was sorry for dragging me halfway across the globe…Indy’s sorry for leaving me…have you seen him?”
“Indy’s gone, somewhere.” Marcus explained, “He’s missing. When I last heard of him, he was in Peru. That’s also where Ms. Do was found.”
“That talkin’ horse…” Marion said, “I still don’t believe it. Straight out of a fairy tale. I’ll chalk it up to bad whiskey. By the way, if you do see Indy, give ‘im a message for me, will you?”
“Of course…” Marcus said.
Without warning, Marion reared her fist back and punched the professor right in the jaw. Marcus drew back in shock and nearly fell over, rubbing his bleeding lip. Daring Do fluttered up to Marion’s face and started to rear her hoof back.
“Whoa…whoa…wait…” Marion said, “I didn’t mean to get your pet riled up. But I’ve owed Indy that punch for a long time, and if I can’t deliver it to him personally…”
“I understand, Ms. Ravenwood.” Marcus said, wiping the blood from his mouth, “I think.”
“Why don’t you come back tomorrow?” Marion advised.
“Why should we?” Daring inquired.
“Because I said so, that’s why.” Marion answered, “And you’re a talking horse with wings.”
“I’m a pegasus.” Daring corrected, “And we need that headpiece, if you’ve got it.”
“Sure, I’ve got it.” Marion said, “Come back tomorrow.”
“Come back tomorrow?!” Daring argued, “We’ve come too far just to let you…”
Daring tugged at Marion’s blouse and accidentally pulled up the headpiece that Marion wore as a necklace. Marion sneered and removed the necklace, tossing it off to the side. Daring was just about to grab it when the front door swung open.
Daring felt a cold chill down her spine and instinctively flew out of sight, behind the bar. Four men stepped inside, two Germans in black trench coats and fedoras, and two local thugs in Sherpa wear. The lead German, Maj. Toht, was a short man wearing glasses, and an insidious smile.
“Good evening, fraulein.” Toht announced.
“The bar’s closed.” Marion said.
“We are not thirsty.” Toht replied.
“Whadda you want?” Marion scoffed.
“The same thing your friend Dr. Jones wanted.” Toht warned, “I hope for your sake he has not yet acquired it.”
“Jones isn’t here.” Marion said, “How about a drink for you and your men?”
“Why don’t you tell me where the piece is, right now?” Toht advised.
“Listen, Herr Mac.” Marion said, “I’m not used to people telling me what to do in my place.”
“Fraulein Ravenwood.” Toht replied, “Let me show you what I am used to. Net!”
Marion gasped as she was grabbed by the two sherpas. She saw Toht take off his glove and walk over to the fireplace.
“Your fire is dying.” Toht said, as he removed the glowing hot iron fire poker from the coals.
“Wait!” Marion pleaded, “I can be reasonable! I can tell you where the piece is!”
“That time has passed.” Toht said, smiling wickedly as he brought the red hot metal closer to Marion’s face.
“Let her go!” Daring shouted, flying out from behind the bar and punching Toht right in the nose with her hoof.
Toht’s nose bleed on impact, and the fire poker flung from his hand. It landed on the nearby drapes and set them aflame. The second German agent raised his submachine gun from under his coat and opened fire on the pegasus. Daring Do ducked back under the bar and pulled her helmet over her ears as bottles burst open, raining liquor and shattered glass around her.
Marcus attempted to leap into action by breaking a bottle over the head of one of the sherpas. The sherpa fell to the ground but his comrade retrieved a handgun from under his robe. He raised his gun to shoot Marcus but the flammable whiskey had caused the flames to spread and his robe caught on fire. He panicked, dropping his gun, while trying to put out the flames. Marion retrieved it and shot him right between the eyes, making him fall to the floor.
Marcus was suddenly ambushed by a very large sherpa who had been waiting outside. The strongman grabbed Marcus and began to strangle him.
“Shoot them.” Toht ordered, “Shoot them both.”
The second Nazi raised his machine gun and was about to fire again when Daring’s two rear hooves bucked him in the side of the head. The man was knocked out cold and his machine gun clattered to the floor. Marion retrieved it and nearly hit Marcus as she sprayed the giant sherpa with machine gun fire. The sherpa fell backward and Marcus struggled to catch his breath. He stepped back in shock at the realization that Marion had almost shot him.
In the midst of the struggle, Toht noticed the headpiece on the floor and tried to grab it. He shrieked in pain as the heated metal seared into his palm, leaving a burnt imprint. Toht dropped the artifact, whimpering in agony as he leapt out of the front window, shattering the glass. He placed his hand in the snow to ease the pain, causing it to hiss and melt.
“We gotta get outta here!” Marion warned, “This whole place is blazing!”
Marion grabbed a piece of cloth and wrapped her hand before retrieving the hot headpiece and ran out the door. Marcus quickly followed behind and Daring flew out the broken window. Marion looked at her establishment as it was consumed by the flames, the building starting to collapse.
“You sure know how to show a lady a good time!” she shouted sarcastically.
“What do we do now?!” Daring asked in frustration.
“To Egypt, I suppose.” Marcus surmised.
“As long as I have this piece you’re gonna get more than you bargained for!” Marion said, “I’m your-”
“We know!!” Daring and Marcus interrupted in unison.