The Unfinished Stories - "Daring Do is Dead"

Since I'm very... Sporradic to say the least when it comes to writing stories, I got some lying around which I'll probably never finish. That's sad. So I decided that maybe I could post some of the workable bits here.

This was part of a side project I called REquestria, where I'd be rewriting episodes to what I wanted them to be. There was Daring Don't (This one), Keep Calm and Flutter On (Canceled because it was shit) and REquestria Girls (Might still do that one. It was pretty good imho).

This version of Daring Do was made because I didn't like how Daring Do turned out to be a real pony. I think it'd be much better to keep her a fictional character.
Anyways... This is how far as I got.

(This isn't really my writing style, btw. I tried to make it look like an actually episode (or atleast the script of one))

Rainbow Dash could barely contain her excitement. Her heart was beating as fast, if not faster than during one of her races. Her wings fluttered so much she couldn’t even fly. She had that familiar half-joy-half-nausea feeling in her stomach…

To say she was hyped would be an understatement.

“I still cannot believe I’m about to meet A. K. Yearling herself! Like, in person!”

“And I can’t believe you’re actually wearing that…”

She stopped to look at Applejack with a smug smile. “What’s the matter, Applejack? You jealous of my totally awesome Daring Do attire?” She gave some twirls and poses while the Earth Pony rolled her eyes. “I can’t really blame you. I imagine nopony has one this authentic down to the last detail! It’s just miles above the rip-off crap they sell as Nightmare Night costumes!” She gave Rarity her most genuine grateful look.

Rarity returned her appreciation with a smile of her own. “You’re very welcome, darling. I just couldn’t let you outside in those cheap rags you showed me.” She shuddered just thinking about them. “Really. Even I, who am not that into Daring Do, could spot the mistakes of that costume. You’d think they’d at least try to make it as accurate as possible…”

Twilight, who up until now had been busy reading the map at the front of the group, turned to answer her. “That’s because they’re not official merchandise. For some reason A. K. Yearling has refused to let anypony make anything related to her series, so they can’t make it too accurate or they’ll get sued. Unfortunately that also limit fans to said knock-off brands and…” Her eyes drifted over to Rainbow. “Homebrews. I must say, Rarity. You really outdid yourself! Any Daring Do fan would love to have one of those!” Twilight gaze travelled downwards as a blush appeared on her face. “… You don’t think that…”

“Hmmm?” Seeing her friend’s sudden apprehension, Rarity put on a façade of phlegm before cracking up in a huge smile. “Since it’s for a friend, I’d be happy to whip together another one.”

Twilight immediately broke out in a massive squeal. But stopped when she noticed her friends all watching her. Rainbow placed a supporting hoof around her neck as her blush grew tenfold.

They only walked a short distance more when they entered a small glade in the forest. At the other end of it was a small cabin-like house.

“We’re here!!!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she skips ahead.

As they made their way over to the house they couldn’t help gazing at the scenery. The newly cut grass around the house made a good size garden and that’s not including the nearby forest. The sun made its way over the treetops just right to flood the glade with its soothing light.

It looked as picturesque as can be.

“Don’t you think Yearling might get mad at us for showing up like this…?” Asked Fluttershy, who was getting more and more unsure of their ‘quest’ as they got closer. “Ponies who live like this usually want to be alone…”

“I have to agree with Fluttershy,” said Applejack. “You guys sure this is a good idea?”

Rarity pondered for a moment. “Now, I admit that I was sceptical about this at first. But now I’m all for! I mean, who would say no to get some help around the house?”

“I agree!” Pinkie said, suddenly being right beside them before running ahead again. “Just look at all this clutter!!!”

Pinkie Pie was right. Looking closer revealed the area around to the house to be very unkempt. Wooden furniture spread about the yard. Rusty metal objects hidden in the grass. Even the house had some minor blemishes.

But Twilight still wasn’t convinced. “Maybe we should just turn back and forget the whole thing…”

“We can’t go back now!!” Rainbow shouted as she flew centimetres from Twilight’s face. “It took us all day to get here and now you three just want to leave without meeting her!?”

Applejack got her down to the ground by tugging her tail. “Hold up, Dash. That’s not what we’re saying. We’re saying that maybe she won’t be thrilled at us showing up unannounced.”

“But we’re already here! And it’s not like we’re going to force her to accept our help.” She put her hoof around Twilight. “C’mon, Twilight! Don’t you want to help her so the book can come out on schedule? I’ll let you borrow my costume until Rarity finishes yours! Please…!”

Twilight’s face contorted in a large frown as she tried to think it through. Obviously she wanted there to be another Daring Do book soon. But was this the right way to go about it…?

Eventually her friends pleading face cracked her resistance. “Sigh… Okay.”

The moment she said that, Rainbow flew the last distance to the door at full speed and showered it with knocks. She only stopped when the rest of them got behind her and she saw their disapproving stares. “Ehehe… Sorry.” And she gave one final, proper knock.

…

Nopony opened.

Everypony aww-ed.

“Looks like we actually did walk here for nothing” Applejack said as she and the rest started to go back.

Except Rainbow Dash…

She felt like the ground underneath her hooves had disappeared. It couldn’t end like this, couldn’t it? Not after all the hassle it took to get here. There must be something she could do!

And so, she slowly brought her hoof up to turn the door handle. To her astonishment, and absolute joy, the door swung open.

“Woah, guys! Guys! Look! The door is unlocked!” And before they could react, she flew inside.

But she didn’t get far before the lavender magic of Twilight enveloped her and dragged her outside again. “Rainbow Dash! I understand you want the next book to come out soon. But you can’t break into Yearlings home because of that!”

Of course Rainbow knew that too. She just got so excited. Maybe they were right. Maybe they should just go home and wait.

But…

“But… But the door was open! What if she’s in there sick, or passed out or something!?”

That got them thinking. They all shared nervous glances.

“Maybe she just forgot to lock the door…?” Rarity suggested.

Applejack wasn’t so sure anymore. “While I don’t like it, I think we should check just to be sure. Rainbow Dash could be right.”

They all agreed to that. Twilight released her magic, allowing Rainbow to enter the house once again with the rest in suit.

The inside was… Interesting.

It wasn’t particularly clean. But not overly filthy either. More like somewhere right in between. The place really could use a proper dusting and mopping. Which was strange considering the general lack of furniture. Really, apart from the fireplace, a pair of drawers and a desk it was empty.

But what it lacked in furniture it sure made up in books. The desk, which they presumed was where she wrote, was surrounded by pony sized stacks of books and crumbled papers.

“Wow…” Pinkie said. “Who would have thought A.K. Yearling would be such a slob!”

“She clearly need more help than I imagined…” Rarity agreed. “But let’s focus on finding her first”

They scattered to search for the missing mare.

After a short while they regrouped in the living room. Fluttershy came down from the upper floor. “She wasn’t in the bedroom.”

“Not back there either,” said Applejack, who had searched the back rooms.

“The kichhn wash emmpy!” Pinkie Pie stated. Conspicuously chewing something.

Rarity hadn’t been able to stop herself from dusting and Twilight was heavy in though.

Rainbow Dash on the other hand had immediately spotted a very interesting stack of papers next to a typewriter on the desk. Closer inspection revealed it to be the script to the very next Daring Do book.

Okay Rainbow, focus…! You’re here to meet Yearling, not to snoop around her desk… Urrgh! Stop taunting me!

And yet, she couldn’t take her eyes from it...

Her friends were all preoccupied debating what to do. She sneaked closer to the desk without anypony noticing. Now she was completely in reach of the manuscript. Almost without thinking she brought her hoof out and started reading it.

… Daring Do and the Caverns of Hope… At the yearly Ravenwood Museum Ball… Mysterious package of… Orichalcum...? Urgent letter… From Professor Eaken!?

“Twilight! Guess what!? Professor Eaken is set to return in this book!!!”

The shock she felt at getting torn from the discussion she just had quickly disappeared when Twilight realised what Rainbow had said. “What!?” She shouted and rushed to Rainbow’s side. “But he died at the end of book 4!”

“I know! But it’s here! Look!”

Applejack, as well as the rest of the ponies was quite surprised at this exchange. “Emm. Twilight…? Care to come back to us?”

Twilight caught herself in her fan frenzy. She grew deep red as she realise what she’d just done. It took a while before she was able to speak. “Ahem. Sorry about that…” She turned back to Rainbow Dash. “Rainbow! We can’t read her private notes! Put that back before--!”

She couldn’t finish the sentence as another voice called out. “What in the hay is going on here!!?”

Everypony turned to the door to see a beige coloured earth pony

Yearling would obviously be quite ticked off by somepony going inside her home while she was out. When RD said they were her fans, she'd express doubt since most of her fans were little colts (joke stolen from an episode of House MD.)

When RD say she have to finish the book, Yearling screams that Daring Do is dead and throw the manuscript into the fire.

About a month later, RD would have sworn off Daring Do and somewhat quite depressed. Her weather manager tells her she need to deliver some overcast to a nearby town for a funeral. When she does she spots Yearling and strikes up a conversation with her.

Yearling reveals that Daring Do is a real person. Her old college roommate that she admired named Desert Clue, who studied archeology. Yearling wrote her first book in her honour, but Desert hated it, claiming that it rediculed her profession with all the drama and fantasy.

Yearling never planned to keep writing after that, but her publisher pressured her since it had become a huge hit. Thus she continued and lost the friendship with Desert Clue. (This is also the reason she seems to hate her fans and refuse to make merch)

Rainbow apologise for her actions and offers some words of advice and they leave as friends.

Another month pass and she recieve a package from Yearling.
It is the new Daring Do first draft with a dedication to Desert Clue and Rainbow Dash in it.

END