Daring Do and the Otherworldly Prince
Main Characters: Helios, Krile, Daring Do
Original Start Date: December 22, 2015
Helios yawns as he makes his way to his hotel room. Krile nuzzles him, lifting his spirits. They freeze when they open the door. Somepony is in the room already, a yellow-brown pegasus mare with monochrome hair. She is watching a news broadcast of Starlight's arrival in Deerope. Hearing the door open, the mare sits up and smirks mischievously.
“Hello, sexy,” Daring Do greets. “Looks like I lucked out and got a two-for-one deal.”
Helios blocks the door. “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in our room?”
“What? You don't recognize me? I'm a little offended by that.”
The former prince lifts Daring with his magic. “I don't know who you are, but we're tired so just get out and leave us alone.”
Daring struggles to get free. “Kids these days… Wait! I have a proposal for you. Come. Join me on the bed. Maybe not in that order.”
Helios drags Daring to the door. She puts her wings up and catches herself before getting evicted.
“Rei said you were stubborn, but she also said you'd be kind enough to give me a chance.”
“Rei? How do you know my sister?”
“Because I work at her store now and again. I'm Daring Do. I'm her friend and a famous adventurer. I'm kinda a big deal.”
“Daring…” Helios looks at Krile for support.
“I didn't think she was real either,” the young mare says, “but this world is so very different from our own. And if she is a friend of your sister, we should give her a chance.”
Helios looks back and forth at the mares. He sighs and sets Daring down. All three ponies enter the room. Daring returns to lounging on the bed while the others sit off to the side.
“Okay, ‘Daring Do’, what do you want?” Helios asks.
Daring reaches beside the bed and gets out her saddlebag. “I was asked by an employer who will remain anonymous to find a certain thing. When I heard you were in the area, I knew you would be perfect to assist me in this task.”
“What can I do?”
Daring grins evilly. “Hypothetically speaking, what do you know about making royalty disappear without a trace?”
Helios scowls at the guest. Within seconds, Daring and her pack are unceremoniously tossed into the hallway. The door is slammed behind them.
Daring laughs to herself, picks herself up and dusts herself off. “Must have hit pretty close to the mark to get him all riled up like that.” She taps on the doors. “Come on. Let me back in. I was just testing the extent of the information your sisters gave me.”
“Go away, Daring,” Helios shouts back.
“Fine. I'll do this on my own, but I still don't believe you want to SLEEP WITH YOUR SISTER!” She waits a few moments for guests in the surrounding rooms to start eavesdropping. “THE MARE YOU'RE WITH IS AN UNICORN LIKE YOU,” -- whispering -- “unlike Rei” -- loudly -- “IT IS NO SURPRISE YOU WANT TO NAIL HER” -- whispering -- “instead.”
The door bursts open and Helios drags the pegasus inside before she can embarrass him further.
“Listen, you little b-,” Helios growls.
Daring boops the unicorn on the nose. “Huh. Rei was right about that too. I thought she was just making it up. Pregnancy craziness and all that.”
“Helios, she knows all of the right buttons to press,” Krile sighs. “Maybe it will be less painful to play along with her?”
“Now I know why you're the brains of this outfit, sweet flanks,” Daring compliments.
Helios takes a few deep breaths and paces around the room. “Fine. We'll listen, but try anything anything creepy again, and I'll prove all the bad rumors about me to be true.”
“Ooo! Scary. I'll make sure to tell your big bro that he was right about that too.”
“Don't call him that.”
Krile places a hoof on Helios’ shoulder. “Miss Do, why don't you tell us about your mission?”
“Anything, cutie.” Daring digs in her bag and gets out a photo of a dark red crystal. “I'm looking for a crystal like this.”
“I hear there is a whole empire that can help you with that,” Helios snorts.
“I've found a few in the past for my employer,” the adventurer continues, ignoring the comment. “Most were part of a larger work, usually on the back of a mirror or something, and were easy to spot, purchase, and remove. Unfortunately, the pony who hid these crystals scattered them all over Equestria and beyond. The best way to find them is by the magic they resonate.” She gets out a piece of paper with arcane symbols written on it. “Fortunately, I have a copy of the spell to detect them.”
“What do you need me for?” Helios groans. “Can't you harass a random stranger who might actually be interested instead?”
“It is a complex spell,” Daring explains. “Only a really talented magic user can use it. I've tried regular unicorns in the past, but none of them could get it right.”
Krile looks at the spell for a moment before handing it to Helios. “It doesn't look like the spell's radius is very large.”
“About ten to twenty meters, from what I've been told.”
The former prince studies the spell. “So you just want me to wander around Vanhoover until the crystal is in range?” He sets down the spell. “You have to be joking.”
Daring shakes her head. “My contact traced the crystal to this area. If somepony found it already, it is likely in the hooves of a merchant. Otherwise, it is in one of the many parks in the area.” She laughs. “Consider this a good excuse to sightsee too. You handle the parks. I handle the merchants, legal and otherwise…”
“If your employer knows it is here, why doesn't he get it himself?”
“Let's just say my employer has a very good reason to avoid being seen casting strange magic in a major city.” Daring pushes the spell forward. “Please. There are other ponies after this crystal. I have to find it first. If not… find them and take it from them.”
“Helios… You know what I think,” Krile says, hugging her coltfriend.
“I agree,” Helios concurs. “We'll help you, Miss Do. On one condition: you have to get your own hotel room. Preferably very far from here.”
Daring smiles happily, mischievously. “No promises, sweet plot.” She collects her bag. “And call me ‘Daring’. The other way sounds… gross.”
The next day. While Daring hunts for leads in the various markets, antique dealers, and gem stores of Vanhoover, Helios and Krile take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city as planned. The only change to the schedule is casting the spell Daring gave them.
Krile hikes up a winding trail in a densely forested park. Helios trudges behind, trying to hide his displeasure with casting the spell and the strenuous exercise he has been getting all day.
“Nature is so fascinating…” Krile muses, looking up into the trees.
Helios swats a bug chewing on his leg. “Yes. Very. Why do we have to be out here instead of touring the city?”
“We were planning on doing this anyway, dear. This way we help Daring too.”
“We can do that from the back of a cab as we take in the local culture and history. We belong in a museum.”
“Pfft!” Krile snorts, blowing off the comment. “This is fun. You're the one who wanted to see more of this Equestria. Why can't we have a little fun too?”
“We can have just as much fun in a sea park,” Helios pouts.
Krile trots back and nuzzles her coltfriend. “How about some souvenir shopping later? Would that make you happy?”
“I guess…”
“Great! Then you can go out with Daring after lunch. I'm sure she'd like the company,” the young mare replies hopping down the trail.
“I still don't believe it's her!” Helios calls after his fillyfriend, trudging behind her.
“I'm pretty sure she is~!”
Helios groans and keeps hiking. The trees rattle above him, but he ignores it. A beefy pegasus watches the couple make their way through the park. He gets out a mobile phone and makes a call.
Daring joins Helios and Krile for dinner at a dim sum restaurant in Equinatown. Helios eats up, as if making up for all of the calories burned hiking. Behind them, a television reports on Starlight, Alba, and Del going missing in Deerope.
“That was a waste of time,” Daring complains. “Checked all my sources and came up with nothing.”
“We wandered through the wilderness for hours for the same thing,” Helios adds.
“Um…” Krile tries interrupting.
“Do you have any better clues for us?” the stallion asks.
Daring sighs. “I didn't want to consider this, but we might have to go into construction.”
“What?”
“The pony who hid the crystal did so about a thousand years ago. If museums and artefact dealers haven't seen it, construction must have.”
“Or they threw it into the ocean.”
Daring shakes her head. “Nah. Seaponies are checking there. They're pretty good about that sort of stuff.”
“What if it was found in somepony's backyard and is part of a family's collection?”
“How do you feel about seeing suburbia?”
Both ponies shudder at the thought.
“Actually, I detected something,” Krile speaks up.
Daring gapes. “But he said you didn't!”
“But I didn't detect anything!” Helios says.
The pegasus reaches across the table and hits the stallion. “The spell wasn't meant for you, idiot!”
“What?”
“I said ‘only a really talented magic user can use it’. Krile has way more talent than you do.”
Helios looks sad. “But… I… Ah...” He looks down, frowning.
Somewhere in the distance, a sad trumpet is heard.
Daring turns to the other mare. “Where is it?”
Krile comforts her coltfriend. “I barely detected something at one of the parks. Way in the distance.”
“Good enough for me,” Daring says, sitting back and stealing some food from Helios’ plate. “We'll get plenty of rest and check it out tomorrow.” She grins craftily. “Unless either of you want to join me and not get plenty of rest.”
“We'll just stay in. Thank you,” Krile replies.
“Fine. I won't share the coolest night spots in town with you.” The pegasus sits back and drinks her beer. “Lame-os.”
Krile and Helios roll their eyes and go back to their meal.
The next day. Krile leads Daring and Helios through the forest again. The pegasus hovers above the unicorns, keeping an eye open for any sign of the crystal. Helios drags himself along at the back of the pack, ready to leave at a moment's notice.
“This way… I think,” Krile says, changing directions.
Helios groans. “You keep saying that.”
“It is not like this spell creates a giant yellow arrow to point us in the right direction.”
Daring gets out a notepad. “Next time I see Twilight, ‘giant yellow arrow’.”
Helios shakes his head in dismay.
Krile stops. “Somewhere around here.” She looks around. “Don't tell me we have to start digging.”
Daring flies tree to tree. “Flying helps too.” She hovers by an odd knot a good distance up a large pine tree. “Aha! Can somepony lend me a hoof? I think it is in deep.”
Helios looks up, confused.
Krile trots to her coltfriend and focuses her spell. She puts her forelegs around him and brings her horn close to his. “Here. Let my magic guide you. Do you sense it?”
Helios nods. “Yeah. I think I do.” He casts a spell. The crystal, still slightly surrounded by xylem, appears in front of him. “Found it. Can we get lunch now?”
Daring swoops down and hugs the stallion. “My hero.” She lets go, taking the crystal. “Go on ahead. I need to make some notes about the area.”
Helios nods, quickly trotting away, ready to get back to the city. Krile follows, looking back at Daring.
The pegasus jots some notes and gets out her mobile to record the GPS coordinates where the crystal was found. Once she sees the others out of sight, she makes a call. “Hey, sexy. I found it. … Yes, I have to greet everypony like that.” She smirks. “Does it make tall, dark, and evil jealous? … It was about where you said, but I think you could have handled this on your own. We're pretty far out of town. … Yeah. I see your point. Anyway, I'll put this with the others, and you can pay me next time we meet. … Yeah. I'll keep my eyes open. … Hope, you be safe too.”
Daring puts her mobile and crystal away. She adjusts her hat, looks around, and flies after the unicorns. Above her, the trees rustle slightly.
Near the park entrance. Helios and Daring wait near a visitor's kiosk while Krile uses the little filly's room. Helios stares at his mobile, planning which sight to see next. Daring is on edge since it is quieter than it should be.
“I'm going to go check on her,” the pegasus states.
“It's fine,” Helios replies. “With how long we've been out here plus keeping hydrated, of course she'll take a while.”
Daring snorts and watches for Krile. She hears somepony approach and is immediately on guard when she sees a familiar face holding Krile at knifepoint. Helios jumps to attention when he sees his fillyfriend in trouble.
“Doctor Caballeron,” Daring snarls. “I hoped I wouldn't run into you.”
“Nice to see you too, Daring Do,” Caballeron greets sarcastically. “I feel pride that you failed to notice my goons.”
“Who?” Helios asks.
Caballeron whistles. More earth ponies come out from hiding around Helios and Daring. Pegasi land on the trees above the standoff below.
“Hired goons.”
“Hired goons?” Helios replies, seemingly still confused.
“As much as I'd love to continue this intellectual conversation,” the evil treasure hunter says, “I believe you have something of mine.” He presses the knife against Krile's neck. “The crystal, if you'd be so kind.”
“Only you'd sink so low to hold a defenceless mare hostage to get to me,” Daring growls. “But you are never getting this crystal.”
“What?!” Helios gasps. “You're not risking Krile's life for some rock.”
Daring glares at him. “No, I'm not. That's because you're going to teleport her away from him.”
Caballeron laughs. “You really think it will be that easy?”
“I can take six stallions at once,” Daring retorts. She pauses then looks at Helios. “Your father or brother would have made a snappy remark about that.”
“I think there are more pressing matters,” Helios snorts.
“You should have said something earlier if you had to go too.”
Caballeron whistles to break up the argument. “If you think I wasn't prepared to handle your bravado, you're as foolish as you look.”
Daring poses mockingly. “I think I look more dashing than anything else.”
“Stupid ponies,” a new voice says. “All you do is talk.”
A number of random ponies come out of hiding. They immediately drop the spells around themselves, revealing them to be changelings. Daring rolls her eyes. Caballeron huffs angrily. Helios and the henchponies get on guard.
“Great. Changelings,” Daring groans. “Looks like a seduction is in order.”
“That was one time, and it was an accident!” Helios shouts.
Daring grins mischievously and looks at the stallion. “I meant me, but go on.”
Helios looks away, embarrassed.
“At least one doesn't look like me this time,” Krile teases.
“Not helping!” Helios shouts.
“Agreed,” Caballeron agrees. He looks at a changeling wearing light armor. “I have this under control. Go back to your master and tell her to wait.”
“Our queen is tired of waiting. She wants what she is due,” the changeling replies. “Cross her and she'll handle you like she'll soon be handling that havier in Deerope.” He looks at Daring. “Give us the crystal and leave.” He turns to Caballeron. “And leave the girl. It would be a shame to waste a source of love so soon.” He licks his lips.
Caballeron holds Krile tighter. “Pay me what I am owed first. Then I'll let her go.”
The changeling sighs and throws a bag of bits to Caballeron. The earth pony nods, and one of the henchponies retrieves it.
The changeling turns to Daring. “And now our crystal.”
Daring grits her teeth. “Fine.” She reaches into her saddlebag.
“Stop! Have the male do it.”
Daring groans loudly and slumps a bit. She looks at Helios and nods, annoyed. Helios uses his magic to reach into Daring's bag. He slowly levitates the crystal out and towards the lead changeling. Caballeron releases Krile and puts his knife away. Krile starts trotting to her friends and the changeling reaches for the crystal.
In a flash, Daring rushes forward. She catches the crystal in her mouth and rams into the changeling head first, knocking him into a tree. Helios calmly transitions from levitation magic to blasting changelings with his magic. Krile leaps to her coltfriend and raises a shield spell around them. Caballeron and his goons gallop away from the fight. The changelings swarm the remaining ponies, but Helios’ and Krile's magic holds them off while Daring bashes them. In short order, Daring stands with several changelings at her hooves. Others lay scattered around, knocked out by the unicorns’ magic.
Daring places the crystal in her bag again. “That will make a fun climax for my next book. After some embellishments, of course.”
Later. Helios and Krile see Daring off at the train station. On the televisions around the station, the news reports on raids happening throughout the Deeropean capital. Daring triple checks the crystal in her saddlebag.
“I'd say its been fun...” Helios begins.
Krile jabs him. “Even with the kidnapping, it was fun spending time with you.”
“Sure you don't want to come with me?” Daring asks.
“Very!” Both unicorns reply in unison.
Daring laughs. “You two are great.” She puts a foreleg around Helios. “I really mean what I said earlier. You'd make a great Lunar Guard. Your mom would love it.”
Helios pushes her away, flinching a bit when some hairs get caught in her hoof. “No thanks. I may be trying to find where I belong in this Equestria, but I doubt that is it.”
Daring shrugs. “Fine. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. If you really don't want to be a hero anymore, there is a great sea park in Seaddle, but watch where you park your taxi. If you do want some fun in your life, Dodge Junction and Appleoosa are right up your alley.”
“Thanks for the advice,” the stallion sighs.
Krile gives Daring a quick hug. “You be safe too, okay?”
Daring flashes a big smile. “Of course. I always am. I never do anything stupid.”
Helios opens his mouth to argue, but Krile stops him. He just nods and waves ‘goodbye’. Daring waves back and blows a kiss. The stallion shudders as he and his fillyfriend leave.
Daring finds a free bench and takes a seat as she waits for her train. She gets out her mobile. “Hey, its me. … Yeah. I got it,” she says, putting a hoofful of Helios’ hair in a plastic bag. “Yes, I'm sure I want to go through with this. … I don't care if I get in trouble. I'm still doing this! … Just have your scientists ready when I get back, Lyra.”
The mare ends the call in a huff, and adds the bag to a collection of red and yellow, bright green, black, and dark blue bags of hairs...
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Ït's always fun to read about daring in this fic
Now where could it fit in with siege of the crystal empire...
Is daring searching for the pieces of princess amore or was the crystal just an excuse to get the hair?
Nice chapter. Though I don't quite know what 'Siege of the Crystal Empire' is, if you are referencing something.