A Daring Do and Epsilon Hoof Tale: The Teardrop Keystone

by Silver Cloud Drifter

Ch. 1: A Visit from Epsilon

Hello everypony! Silver here with my first installment of my Daring Do and Epsilon Hoof stories. I really enjoy working on this and hope you'll give me some feedback. I also think I should tell you how I will be dropping references from our world, such as a book or place or something, in my stories. Easter Eggs if you will. So keep an eye out for those. So thanks for reading this and, let's begin!
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Chapter One: A Visit from Epsilon

Daring Do sat in her study immersed in a book as she took advantage of the rare quiet she was experiencing. Normally, the sounds of ponies working and going about their daily lives was constant in the city of Gallopolis. But it was Sunday and everyone was resting in their homes. Daring's study was a small, cozy room with a chair in front of a fireplace, currently lit as the fall nights could get rather chilly, illuminating the bookshelves that lined the walls. Oddly enough, only a few held books.

The rest were all filled with treasures that Daring Do had collected on her adventures. Ancient artifacts and gold from the age-old civilizations that inhabited Equestria long ago were stuffed in the shelves. Daring Do looked up and a flash of light caught her eye. Glinting in the firelight was the Saphire Statue, her very first prize. She smiled at the memory, but grimly looked down at her right wing. The injury she had sustained in that adventure was more serious than she had first believed. She would never be able to fly again.

She got up from her chair, glanced briefly at a small phoenix statue, to her desk in front of a large window looking out onto the moonlit mountain scene. Gallopolis was situated in the mountains. Given its close location to Canterlot, it was a rest stop for those who didn't want to be overwhelmed by the upper class ponies. Overtaken by a sense of nostalgia, Daring Do rifled through her files. She found a picture of herself with an earth pony with a dusty brown mane standing in front of an archealogical dig. Her closest friend, Jett Barr, had been her partner on many archealogical assignments before she pursued to become a treasure hunter.

After looking through some more files, she returned to her book, only to be interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. She walked down the hallway to the living room and opened the door. A wind gust buffeted her briefly, and then she saw the pony before her.

The unicorn was a pale brown with a black, long, well groomed mane. He was wearing a waistcoat and hat, billowing in the breeze.

"Epsilon Hoof!"

The unicorn smiled. "Daring Do! Always a pleaure to see your face again." He spoke with the accent of an upper class pony.

"Well come on in. It's been a while since I've last gotten a visit from you," Daring said.

Epsilon placed his hat on the coatstand. "Yes, well. Being an investigator from Canterlot Yard, sometimes my work overwhelms me."

Daring Do led the way to her study. "Well, take a seat Epsilon. You know, I've been reading a great book lately; Incredible Potential by Charlie Richardson. But I suppose that's not why you came here is it?"

"Indeed not. But before I get to that, I see you've been having your share of work as well. These really are extraordinary treasures. Why they're beautiful!"

Daring returned from the kitchen, Epsilon hadn't even realized she'd left, with a pot of tea. Epsilon laughed. "You always know exactly what to do, don't you?"

Daring Do poured herself a cup and said, "So, Epsilon? What have you been up to lately? Any more nasty cases involving shadow magic?"

"No nothing like that. The last case like that was about an insane unicorn who was attempting to create a potion from dragon body parts to make him live forever. Unfortunately they were baby dragons. Gruesome business." Epsilon was an expert on shadow magic. A kind of magic that was supernatural and immoral in some ways. He generally handled these kinds of cases.

"No my latest job is to find the culprit of a series of murders surrounding a group of anthropologists, which is what I have come to talk to you about," Epsilon said.

Daring Do looked at the unicorn skeptically. "What do you mean? Are you offering me a job as your partner in this? I'm a treasure hunter. Not an investigator."

"What do you know about the teardrop keystone?" Epsilon asked abruptly.

"Huh? That's nothing but a fantasy. A keystone that supposedly keeps the arch of reality from crumbling. If it was real, I'd surely try to find it. Find it, not take it."

"It's not a fantasy."

"What?!"

Epsilon leaned forward. "The murdered anthropologists were studying the whereabouts and origins of the keystone. They were murdered and their research was stolen. But one of the scientists wasn't killed. He didn't know all the facts, but we know the keystone exists."

"And it really holds reality in check?" Daring Do asked incredulously.

"Well of course not! But the scientist has assured us that the keystone has powers with shadow magic properties, which is why I was called to take it," Epsilon explained.

"Well what do we know about it?"

"Do you know about the Magia?"

"That ancient civilization of unicorns. The ones that started that huge empire."

"Correct. Those ponies were the first to start mining. And their capital city was near one of the largest emerald mines in Equestria. So when they discovered a blue stone in that cave of green gems, they thought of it as a sign of something great. So they made the blue emerald into a keystone, thinking it held the weight of reality. They hid it in a temple that was pure myth to the common Magia citizen. But a select few did know about the keystone. And one of that few, expiremented on it with shadow magic. We don't know exactly what the unicorn did, so we can only assume that the murderer wishes to harness those powers."

Daring Do was now leaning forward. "This is interesting. Why, I want to go after the keystone myself. But, since it's not common knowledge, why are you telling me all this."

"Because Miss Do," Epsilon said, all business now, "the murderer appears to have left you a calling card. Will you help me with this investigation?" Epsilon asked as he dropped a card on Daring's lap. Only two words were on it.

Daring Do.

"I'm in."
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So then. What do you all think? Leave a comment saying if you liked it or not please. If you didn't, give me some constructive criticism please. Did any of you catch my easter eggs?
One was the book Daring was reading; Incredible Potential by Charlie Richardson.
The other was Epsilon Hoof. He's an investigator based off of one in a series by the author, George Mann. Look up his books all you steampunk fans. Also, shadow magic is just my pony version of the occult.
So I'll try to post one chapter each week. Ya'll got that. Good. Until next time!

Comments

[Chow]

I must say, not bad for your first fanfiction. There were some grammar and spelling mistakes, but other than that, I thought it was a very enjoyable read.

[GluttonousFruitcakes]

I am definitely liking where this is going! Getting caught up with this story is my new priority when I get home from work tomorrow

Also..."Being an investigator from Canterlot Yard" I see what you did there, and I approve