The Problem With Jewelry

by bahatumay

Chapter 2

Daring Do ate ravenously. Apple pancake after apple pancake vanished in a spray of syrup and whipped cream. When she literally could not eat another, she politely wiped her mouth with the edge of the tablecloth and went to wash her plate. “I gotta say, that was delicious,” she said. “Can I move here if I ever retire?”

“You don’t seem like the retiring type to me,” Rainbow grinned, going for the not-so-subtle compliment.

“I’m not; but…” Daring Do exhaled and rolled up a sleeve, revealing a bandage that covered a large gash on her foreleg. “I’m getting older, Rainbow Dash. Either that, or they’re getting faster. One of the two.”

“But you’re not retiring any time soon, are you?” Rainbow whimpered, the thought of no more Daring Do books suddenly filling her with dread.

“Nah,” Daring grinned, the fire back in her voice. She threw a few punches in the air. “Too many things to watch out for, too many things to still accomplish, too many tombs and artifacts left undiscovered. I’ve got a few years left in me, and I’m gonna live ‘em!” Her voice grew a bit quieter. “But yeah, eventually, I guess. One day.” She straightened up, invigorated. “But today is not that day!” She turned to Applejack. “Speaking of artifacts, I’m here for a very special reason.”

“Me?” Applejack asked, surprised.

“More like your new accessory.” She pointed at Applejack’s bracelet.

Applejack glanced down. “What, this thing?”

“Yeah. For years I thought they were just a myth by some acolyte; and you just find one on your farm?” She chuckled darkly. “I mean, what are the odds?”

“It's not like I meant to…” Applejack protested, even though she had no idea what Daring Do was even talking about.

Daring Do massaged her temples. “No, you didn't. I know you didn't. Trust me. If you knew what this thing was, you’d’ve tried to destroy it the moment you saw it.”

Applejack blinked. “That bad, huh?”

Daring Do nodded. “It must be destroyed. Permanently.”

“What about the whole it belongs in a museum thing?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You know, for the kids?”

“Remember the Orb of Chrysanthemum?”

Rainbow licked her lips. “Yeah…?”

“And the three-pronged Stick of Griddim?”

Rainbow flinched. “Yeah…?”

“Foals’ play compared to the Bracelets of Oddi.”

“Oh. Yep.” Rainbow turned to Applejack. “Gotta destroy it. Now would be good.” She grinned wryly and stage-whispered, “Told you it was a cursed bracelet.”

Applejack grimaced. “Take it,” she said, sliding it off and holding it out.

“Oh, you wish it was that simple,” Daring said, shaking her head slightly. “You're coming, too.”

“What?”

“It's bound itself to you. You need to come with me to get rid of it.”

Applejack squinted and set the bracelet down on the table. “What do you mean?”

“Hoofbump,” Daring offered, holding out her left hoof.

Applejack was bemused, but played along… and as she lifted her hoof, she saw the bracelet back on her foreleg.

Daring grinned mirthlessly. “That’s what I mean.”

Applejack slid the bracelet off and turned, throwing it as far as she could. She turned back to the table and brushed the flyaways of her mane out of her face. Then she froze. “It’s back on again, ain’t it?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow said, staring in horror at Applejack’s foreleg.

“So what’s this bracelet thingy do, anyway?” Applejack asked, squinting at her bracelet.

“Does it slowly drain her magic to feed the rebirth of an ancient king?” Rainbow suggested, sounding equally excited as horrified.

“Not quite,” Daring said, slightly bemused. “It’ll make you stronger. More powerful. Amplifies your inner magic.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Rainbow commented hopefully.

“And, if you get all four bracelets put on you, it’ll make you a slave of whoever holds the leash of the collar that goes along with them.”

“That part does sound bad,” Rainbow amended.

“Now, hold on,” Applejack protested. “I ain’t about to be anypony’s slave.”

“Not yet, you won’t,” Daring agreed. “You’d still need to put on the other three bracelets and the collar. But if we destroy the bracelet you have…”

“Then the bracelets become powerless without all the pieces,” Rainbow realized.

“Something like that,” Daring confirmed.

Applejack exhaled. “I’ll tell Macintosh,” she said. “Looks like we’re going on another adventure.”

* * *

“Can you believe Twilight has a checklist for going out on incredible journeys like this?” Rainbow asked. “She thinks of everything. I mean, I had the whole water and food and extra bandages thing, but the bandanas and the tarps and the baby powder were a good call.”

“I’m surprised and I’m not at the same time,” Applejack said, hefting her saddlebag. Her eyes flicked over to the other pegasus. Daring Do had already had her supplies with her, but she did ask for—and had received—a few apples from the farm before leaving.

“So, where are we headed?” Rainbow Dash asked. “An ancient volcano high in the mountains? A deep, dark, dense jungle? The pyramids in Saddle Arabia?”

“All of those things and more, actually,” Daring said with a grin. “The temple we’re heading for is a small pyramid in the jungle about an hour’s journey from a volcano.”

“Sweet!” Rainbow pumped her hoof in the air. “That’s all kinds of adventure!”

“Yeah,” Daring said, making a slight left and heading towards the train station. “We’ve just got to get there, first. That’s usually the hardest part.”

“Usually?”

* * *

Applejack watched the scenery go rushing by outside the train window. She looked back down, and then squinted at the ticket. “Uh, Miss Do?”

“Daring, please,” Daring Do said amicably from her relaxed position, back against the wall, forelegs crossed behind her head. “Ahuizotl calls me Miss Do.”

“Daring, then,” Applejack corrected. “Uh, what’s in Vanhoover?”

Daring raised an eyebrow. “Ice hockey and plants of questionable legality. Why?”

“That’s where these tickets are going.”

“Oh, yeah. This train passes over the river we need to sail down to get where we’re going.”

“Sailing?”

“Faster than walking,” Daring grinned. “And, no offense, but I can’t carry you that far.”

Applejack wasn’t quite sure that answered her question, but she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash coming back into their train car, carrying with her a few snacks.

“Hey, girls,” she said, grinning widely. “Guess what they’re selling now?”

“Is it apple candy?” Applejack guessed.

Rainbow shook her head. “Cloudbursts,” she said, holding up a small pink rock. Inside, it seemed to sparkle. On further examination, it seemed to be a miniature cloud, or maybe a hailstone, with lightning flickering inside.

“No way!” Daring said, sliding over. “I love cloudbursts! I haven’t had those in forever!”

Rainbow held out the bag. “Brought them to share,” she offered.

Daring Do popped a blue one into her mouth. She grinned. “Oh, makes me feel like a filly again. My mom used to make these.”

Applejack blinked as she realized that Rainbow Dash had not offered her one. She scooted over a bit closer to her. “Can I try one?”

Rainbow hesitated. “They’re kinda shocking,” she said, “but if you want one…”

Now feeling somewhat defiant, Applejack took one and popped it in her mouth.

Now, Applejack had been in many eating contests before. She’d been on the judges panel for more than one Apple Family Spicy Vegetable Chili Cook-Offs. But she wasn’t prepared for the burst of electricity that exploded in her mouth. It was as if she’d swallowed a lightning bolt. Her head twitched and she choked. It had been flavorful, yes; but at what cost? Would she ever be able to taste anything ever again?

Rainbow chortled. “Guess it’s more of a pegasus thing. We’re a bit more immune to lightning.”

Applejack morosely rubbed her numb tongue. “Gueth tho,” she mumbled.

* * *

It hadn’t been an hour later when a snoozing Applejack was woken up by somepony shaking her shoulder.

“Get up,” Daring Do whispered. “We’re there.”

Applejack peered out the window, but there didn’t seem to be anything that could possibly qualify as ‘there’. “Where’s there?”

“Come on,” Daring said, now shaking Rainbow Dash awake. “We’re going to miss it!”

“Miss what?” Applejack asked. The train didn’t even look like it was slowing down. What was she talking about?

Daring Do merely gestured with her head. “Grab your saddlebags and let’s go!”

They followed her through the train cars, past the passengers, all the way back to the end of the train. Daring Do opened the side door of the last baggage car.

“Well, this is our stop!” Daring shouted over the roaring wind. “Get ready to jump!”

“Ju-?! Are you out of your gourd?” Applejack shouted back.

“Probably!” Daring Do said cheerfully as she tightened her saddlebags.

“We can’t survive that!” Applejack insisted.

In response, Daring Do spread her wings. Applejack glanced over, and Rainbow Dash had also spread her wings.

Applejack, of course, had no wings to spread. “And what am I supposed to do?”

Daring Do thought for a moment, and then reached inside Rainbow’s saddlebag and pulled out the tarp. “You ride,” she said.

“You’re kidding me,” Applejack deadpanned.

“You have a better idea?”

Applejack sputtered. “No,” she admitted.

Rainbow picked up her half of the tarp in her teeth. “Then get on!”

Applejack grit her teeth together and got on the tarp, straddling it as if it were a pole. When she was in position, the two pegasi pulled apart until Applejack was suspended (and flipped upside-down). She wrapped her legs around it as tightly as she could. Daring Do nodded to count them down, and on her mark, they jumped out of the train, their wings beating furiously to keep all three ponies aloft. Applejack clung on tightly, but she needn’t have worried; both pegasi flew smoothly as they lowered her gently to the ground.

“Ok, that wasn’t half bad,” Applejack grudgingly admitted as she kicked her hooves free of the tarp. It had felt slightly awkward, but it hadn’t been terribly uncomfortable.

“Admit it, flying is awesome!” Rainbow said, nudging Applejack’s hips.

“I said it wasn’t half bad, and that’s all you’re getting,” Applejack grinned impishly.

Rainbow shrugged. “Fine. Now what?”

“Now, we hitch a ride,” Daring said, pulling out a pair of binoculars. She grinned at something only she could see. “Perfect. You’re right on schedule, you are…”

Rainbow walked up and squinted. “Who is?”

Daring Do lowered her binoculars. “How do you feel about steamboats?”

Comments

[Aatxe360]

RD will have the leash by the end.