Yello everypony! Silver back with a new chapter for Daring Do and Epsilon Hoof! I promise I spent more time with this chapter. If you still think it sucked, sorry. I did my best.
Anyway! Easter eggs in the last chapter were Jackof Alltrade and Snaggletooth. Jackof Alltrade is a name based off the saying, "jack of all trades," which is a person who is well rounded and good with most every skill, but excells in none. Snaggletooth is an insult towards Ripfang, a villain in Lord Brocktree by Brian Jacques.
Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
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Ch 5 Mad Dog
After getting the boat, or rather, what remained of the boat, into Dabylon Harbor, Daring Do and her band gathered their belongings, surprisingly intact after the attack, and found the nearest inn to spend the night. The next morning, the group was laying out plans to decide their next move.
"So. D, any ideas?" Jett asked.
"I think," Epsilon said,"we need to find somepony that knows the ins and outs of this city like the back of their hoof."
"What for?" Daring asked.
"You know, an inside man. Someone who knows the routine of every pony in this city, would be able to tell who was from around here, who's out of place, and who means trouble," Epsilon explained.
"Oh that is a simply wonderful plan, Epsilon. You're extremely intelligent and know oh so well how to handle a situation," Ruby flattered to a much embarrassed Epsilon. "Surely through your travels on various cases, you'd have contacts here in Dabylon wouldn't you?"
"Sadly, I don't," Epsilon said, standing up, making a show of deep thinking, even though he was probably just trying to get away from Ruby.
"Hmmm. Wait! We know somepony who can help," Jett said gesturing to himself, Daring, and Ruby.
"We do?" Ruby asked, perplexed.
"Of course we do! Remember D! You know who I'm talking about!" Jett said nudging Daring Do.
A smirk slowly started to cross Daring's face. "Oh of course! How could I have forgotten him! You remember Ruby! You're" - Daring started to snicker - "betrothed!" Daring Do lost it then and fell over laughing. Jett soon followed suit, and soon, both ponies were holding their sides, tears rolling down their faces.
Ruby Ice's face turned much redder as realization dawned on her. "Oh no! No, no, NO! Not that guy! Anyone, but that guy! I'll agree to hire a mercenary as long as we don't go to that guy for help!"
Epsilon was looking at everyone, confusion written on his face. "I'm lost. What's going on?"
Epsilon was ignored as Jett and Daring continued laughing. "It wouldn't cost two bits to get this guy! He'd probably be so happy to see you, he'd do anything we asked, no matter how unreasonable! He's too crazy to care his wife to be walked out on him!" Jett continued laughing.
"I'm assuming you know someone who can help?" Epsilon said.
"Oh yes we do. Although I'm not sure he'll help us unless Ruby is there," Jett said, as he and Daring finally got themselves under control.
"We met him on our expedition to unearth Nezerra's tomb. He was absolutely taken with Ruby. And she unwittingly married him!" Daring said.
"How exactly do you do that? And how is he?" Epsilon continued.
"That's a story for another time," Jett said.
"And you'll see who he is soon enough," Daring Do said with a wink. "Let's go!" The four filed out of their room.
ooX~Xoo
After weaving through the narrow streets and the bazaars of Dabylon, Daring Do led them to a small, run down house, more of a shack, made of tin and bamboo, by the docks and the only road that led out of Dabylon. In the distance, the ruins of the original Dabylon were visible. Daring knocked on the door and was rewarded by the sound of shuffling footsteps and yelling.
"Get back Ragged Patch! Away from the door!" The door opened and out stepped a diamond dog, patches of gray showing all over what remained of his fur, his eyes bloodshot and darting back and forth. "Who are you? What do you want?!" Epsilon backed away, fear in his eyes.
"Hydro Phobia! It's us! Jett and Daring! And Ruby Ice as well," Jett said.
Hydro the diamond dog stood staring at them for a while, and then he burst out laughing. "Of course! HAHAHAHAHA! You three! Come on in! Bring your shaken looking friend too," he said pointing at Epsilon.
Epsilon whispered to Ruby, "So, your contact is a rabid diamond dog?"
Ruby walked in, not pleased to be there. "He's not rabid. But he is a diamond dog."
"Ragged Patch! Get off the couch! We have guests! No I don't wanna hear any of that! Go sit on the floor over there while I get something for these ponies to eat," Hydro said walking into the only other room in the shack. The "couch" turned out to be a row of mats on the floor. Ragged Patch, was nowhere to be seen.
"You sure he doesn't have rabies? He's certainly crazy," Epsilon said.
"Hydro is crazy. But he doesn't have rabies. He just, kinda sees things that aren't really there," Daring explained.
"Then, why is he called Hydro Phobia?"
"That's an excellent question," Hydro said from the other room. Epsilon's face flushed with embarrasment as he realized Hydro had heard their whole conversation. "My parents used to say I would never touch water when I was born, so they assumed I was afraid of it. Thus the name. Ragged Patch, that is NOT the reason! Stop saying lies! Ignore the rude griffon. I don't think he's right in the head."
"Right. It's Ragged Patch that's not right in the head," Ruby said.
"So he thinks he lives with an insane griffon?!" Epsilon muttered out of the side of his mouth to Daring Do.
"Ah! My sweet Ruby!" Hydro said, as if taking notice of Ruby Ice for the first time. "It pains me to say this, but I have filed a divorce with you, for I have found true love!"
"I didn't think this guy was sane enough to file anything," Epsilon said, continuing his whispered conversation.
"Ummm. Excuse me?" Ruby asked.
"Well let's be honest. You've done zero work here as my wife. It's like you haven't been here at all. But my new bride, Jewel Eye has captured my heart. So, you're an unmarried mare again," Hydro said, resuming his strange lecture.
Nopony was following any of this. But Jett did come to one realization. "AH-HAHAHAHAHAHA! Ruby, you just got rejected by Hydro, of all ponies!"
"Wait! What's wrong with me!" Ruby said, her rage at being rejected by anyone overcoming her disgust with Hydro.
"You're a terrible wife. There's nothing more to it. Now eat up," Hydro said returning from the other room, carrying plates containing an indescernable brown mush.
Ruby was still burning with humiliation. Hydro placed the food, if you could call it that, in front of everypony and put one off to the side, which we can assume was for Ragged Patch. Hydro ate it with great gusto. Epsilon ventured a bite. It was stomachable, but just barely. If a damp, musty cellar were able to have a taste, it would taste like the mush.
"So. Ummm. Who's your new wife?" Daring Do asked, obviously trying very hard to make small talk.
"And more importantly, can everypony else see her? Ow!" Jett said after receiving a sharp elbow from Ruby.
Hydro put down his bowl, which was already empty. "You ponies aren't here to make small talk. What is it you want. What? For the love of Celestia! What do you mean you're not hungry Ragged Patch?! That wasn't what you were saying earlier! Bah! Your loss!" Hydro said, picking up the bowl meant for the non-existent griffon.
"We were hoping you could give us some information regarding the ponies that come in and out of Dabylon," Jett said.
"Well I'm sure I can help you there. There's nopony within Dabylon I don't know about. We monitor the only two entrances and exits to Dabylon. Even at the latest of hours. I take first watch, then Ragged Patch!" Hydro said with obvious pride.
"I wonder what the reports of this griffon of his sound like," Epsilon muttered under his breath.
"Well, have you noticed any strange ponies or other creatures going into Dabylon lately?" Daring Do asked.
"Strange?" Hydro asked.
"Like, suspicious."
"Can't say I have. Hmmm. What? Ragged Patch has though, apparently. Why don't you ask him?" Hydro said, oblivious to the fact only he could see the griffon.
"He...has?" Ruby asked, clearly bewildered.
"Let's just humor the dog," Jett whispered to Daring.
"So. Ragged Patch. What suspicious character have you seen entering Dabylon?" Jett asked. Silence reigned in the hut. Hydro broke it with a yell. "WHAT?! You should have woken me! What would've happened if you had been killed! Actually, that might've helped me!"
"What did he say? I couldn't hear him," Daring asked.
"Couldn't hear? He basically yelled it! I'll be surprised if anyone two houses down didn't hear it," Hydro said.
"I wasn't paying attention," Daring said.
"Well, Ragged said he saw some large fellow, cloak covering his body and face. Said the cloak had a patch with a star on it. With a sun in the center," Hydro said.
The room was frozen in shock. This was too specific to be just a hallucination of an insane diamond dog. Somehow, Hydro had seen a member of Celestia's Disciples. "What else did he see?" Daring Do said in a voice little over a whisper.
"He got suspicious, so he followed the guy. The cloaked figure weaved through the narrowest and darkest alleys. He certainly didn't want to be seen, it would seem. Ragged followed him until the cloaked figure stopped at one of the old salt mine entrances. The cloaked guy was met up by others, dressed similarily. They entered the mine, but Ragged didn't wanna follow 'em. Says he got a feeling like he wouldn't come out," Hydro concluded.
Daring was deep in thought. Jett looked like he was trying to decide whether this was true, or he himself had gone insane. Ruby had gone pale. And Epsilon was regarding Hydro with a look like he was a strange specimen that needed more research.
"Do you think, uh, Ragged Patch could lead us to the salt mine?" Epsilon asked.
"Well I'm sure he will. 'Specially since I'll be making sure of it. When do ya' wanna leave?" Hydro asked.
"Right now would be good," Daring Do, said standing up.
ooX~Xoo
"So this is the place?" Daring Do asked. They were standing at the entrance to the salt mine, the opening looking like a mouth ready to swallow them into the depths of the dark tunnel.
"Yup. Ragged's sure of it. Who knows what those cloaked guys would be doing here? There's a lot of weird guys out in the world, huh Epsilon?" Hydro said.
"Oh yes. I'm quite aware of that," Epsilon replied.
"Welp! If that's all ya' needed, me and Ragged'll be headed home now. Good luck with whatever it is you're doing!" Hydro said leaving them.
"I don't think I'll want to be meeting him again," Epsilon said.
"Oh come on Epsilon," Jett said. "He may be insane, but he's perfectly harmless. And he hasn't totally lost it. He had enough sense to reject Ruby."
"That was not a rejection. That dog is completely insane, so it doesn't count. Reject me! The thought of it!" Ruby huffed.
"I'm still wondering as to who the heck Hydro was talking about, what with his 'new bride,'" Daring said.
"Probably another hallucination, but how can we know. He may have met a female diamond dog as insane as himself," Jett said.
"Way to go Jett. You believe no matter how unappealing a pony is, they can find love. That's a good thought for you to have," Ruby said with a chuckle.
Jett's face burned with indignation at that remark, but before he could say anything, Daring asked, "So do you guys think you'll be ready to go in there in a few days?"
"What?" Ruby asked. "Daring. Don't you think this might have been another hallucination Hydro had?" Ruby said, although she didn't sound too sure about it herself.
"I don't think so. This was far too specific. It was unmistakinly a Disciple. As to how he saw it if he really does switch off shifts with his imaginary griffon, I have no idea," Epsilon said.
"Doesn't matter. After we get some more information on these mines and get equipped, we're going," Daring said. And it was agreed.
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First chapter to go over 2,000 words! Although I'm sure these author's notes at the beginning and end have something to do with it...
So. What do you guys think? Was it better than the last chapter? Probably not, considering you're trying to compare a poorly written action chapter with a better written plot chapter.
By the by, can you give me some feedback on what you thought of Hydro Phobia? His name doesn't just mean 'fear of water.' It's also the technical term for rabies. I meant for him to be an insane, yet not entirely unlikeable character. The parts where he's talking to Ragged Patch when it doesn't benefit the plot are mainly for the purpose of showing his insanity. I hope you guys think I accomplished that!
No easter eggs in this chapter. Leave a comment of praise or constructive criticism.
Next chapter will be posted in a week at the latest. Until next time, keep on writing my fellow authors! Silver, out!