Chapter 20: "Epilogue."
Mazra paced angrily around her desk, as Daring Do sat in a chair in front of her, wishing she was anywhere but here right now.
"The deposit for the lawn care we had to hire to fix that grass, is coming out of your next paycheck!" She fumed.
"I know." Daring said solemnly.
"And making poor Herpy, teach not only yours, but Professor Storm Talon's classes while you two ran off to chase some mythical lost city!"
Daring stood up. "Hey! I saved all of Equestria! If it wasn't for me, that maniac would've enslaved every pony in Canterlot!"
"It doesn't excuse you abandoning your classes, again, to go treasure hunting!" Mazra argued.
"Every pony in Canterlot, would disagree." Daring said plainly.
Mazra finally sat down in her chair and took of her spectacles to brush a stray lock of her sliver mane from her face.
She sighed. "Look, Daring. I understand how important it is for you to find your father-"
Daring sat up again. "Then you get why-"
"But Atlantis, Daring? Atlantis??" Mazra said, not at all hiding her disbelief.
She stood up and looked at Daring. "Atlantis is a myth! a fairy tale, dreampt up by old pony philosophers, some 500 years ago!"
"But!-
"I will not have you fly off, only to drown at the bottom of the Atlantic, searching in vain for a lost city, that doesn't even exist!"
Daring stood up from the chair. "My dad wrote about his whole expedition in his journal! He even had a friend helping him find it! Professor Atlas!"
"Professor Atlas?"
Mazra chuckled. "Professor Atlas is just a hack, Daring. Shes always said she'll make some big discovery that'll change Equestria, but she never has any facts or evidence! All she does is make speeches and show slides at the Manehatten Theater whenever they have nothing else showing."
Mazra adjusted her spectacles. "She's a laughing stock at her university. They all say shes nuts, and they keep her there out of pity."
Daring eyed Mazra. "She's a friend of my dad's. And I don't care how nuts she is, she can help me find Atlantis! And she may even help me find him."
Mazra sighed. "Your hearts in the right place, Daring. But its obvious your dad was just using the poor mare to-"
Daring was suddenly very close to Mazra's face making her lean back in her chair.
"My father would never use anyone. Ever." She said narrowing her eyes.
Mazra blinked.
Then she sighed. "Alright, alright. I see there's no point trying to talk you out of this."
Daring sat back down in the chair, with a satisfied smile.
"If anything, you may actually end up finding your father."
And then, Mazra smiled warmly. "He was an eccentric, no doubt. But he was an absolute genius. The smartest Pegasus I ever knew."
She looked at Daring, in an almost friendly manner.
"If there's a chance that you'll find him on this crazy expedition of yours, then I'll allow it."
Daring soared up out of her chair, pumping her hooves in the air. "YES!"
"But!"
She landed back on the floor. "But?"
Mazra eyed Daring. "I don't want you doing anything dangerous. Hunt for your father all you like, but if you go searching for a myth, you'll only end up getting hurt."
Daring raised an eyebrow. "And...your concerned about that?"
Mazra looked shocked. "O-Of course I'm concerned, Daring! I may be a little strict, But I'm not evil for Celestia's sake! I care about all of you. I don't want you getting hurt because of a legend."
Daring smiled. "And if it turns out to be more then a legend?"
Mazra smiled back. "Then by all means, bring me back a lost city for my museum."
Daring leapt out of her seat and saluted Mazra. "Can do, ma'am!"
With that she left the headmaster's office,leaving Mazra to sit back in her chair and think to herself.
"Atlantis? Hmm..."
She trotted over to her window,and looked up at the sky.
"Is that where you've been hiding, Daren?" she asked herself.
She chuckled. "I guess we'll find out."