//------------------------------//
// 27 - Confrontation 
// Story: Chasing Treasures 
// by Yukito 
//------------------------------//

Reaching the ship had been a simple matter for the two, and boarding it even moreso. Navigating it, however, would prove to be quite the challenge indeed. For not only was it crawling with enemies, but the interior was a long, winding maze, with the only signs in a language that neither Daring Do nor Caballeron could read.

"You'd think at least one of us would've Korean at some point," Daring Do said, ducking behind a barrel as a couple of guards passed them by.

"It was never useful to me," Caballeron admitted, cocking his gun as he watched a lone guard up ahead. He hadn't moved for two minutes, and it was starting to look unlikely that he ever would. "I thought you had been to Korea before."

"Only to the north. Doctor Solomon had been capture there and I had to break him out. Let's just say I'm now public-enemy numbers one, two and three there."

Caballeron pointed his silenced-pistol at the guard, and fired. The guard dropped instantly, and the two pressed forward. "I normally do not infiltrate an enemy facility without prior research. You should feel honoured, Miss Do."

"You are the worst type of person, Caballeron, but for now, I'll abide you. There are much bigger things at stake than bringing you to justice."

Caballeron grinned, and stopped to turn to Daring Do. "Oh? The 'worst', you say? Funny. I feel you had a different impression of me when we first met."

"Because you hadn't revealed what a scumbag you were yet," she said.

Caballeron moved closer, pushing one arm against the wall behind Daring Do. "And yet, despite how many times we run into each other, you never kill me. I wonder why?"

Daring Do simply shrugged. "You make it hard."

"Is that it? Or is it simply my charms?"

"Sorry, that's just you dreaming." Daring Do placed her pistol to Caballeron's chin. He didn't even flinch. "Keep moving, before I change my tune."

"Ahhh, my favourite waltz with you." Daring Do and Caballeron turned immediately and pointed their guns down the hallway, towards the sailors that had spotted them and were approaching fast. "It always ends like this."

"Let's just find that nuke before the alarm goes off," Daring Do said.

"Forget the nuke. All we need to do is to secure the controls," Caballeron said. "If we can sabotage the data, the weapon cannot be launched."

"You know I'm not good with that sort of stuff. I hack puzzle boxes, not computer programs."

"That's why I'm here." The two started firing, knocking down the sailors one-after-another. "I am an expert. I hacked your computer, after all."

Daring Do reloaded her gun. "I knew that was you! And you sent me that damn virus, too, huh?"

Caballeron shook his head. "No. That was from that website you visited."

Daring Do blushed, and suddenly, her shots were a lot more accurate. "T-That was from a different virus!"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm serious!"

"I believe you. By the way, our targets are all down now."

Daring Do realised she was still firing, her shots now simply hitting walls. Clearing her throat, she said, "Well, lead the way then, since you seem to be such an expert."

Caballeron nodded, and walked down the ship's hallway, taking a few turns and reaching a dead-end before declaring, "I'm lost."

And then, the alarm sounded.

"I think they know we're here," Daring Do said.

"Good news," Caballeron chimed, leading Daring Do to an open door beside them. The room inside was stocked with weapons and ammunition. It was an armoury, and some incompetent soldier had left it open to all.

Daring Do picked up an M60 and grinned. "Let's wait here, and ask for directions from the next person we see."

That poor unfortunate soul arrived soon after, having returned from the restroom to guard the armoury… only to be captured by a mad woman with a big gun. He cracked easily, and told the two exactly where to go.

"Sorry I scared ya!" Daring Do shouted back as she left with Caballeron down the hall. "I'll buy ya a drink sometime!"

The sailor simply sat, dumbfounded, as the two left him alive… And then, the power went out.





Sunset watched as a large, muscular man stood before her, deflecting Tirek's magic with a shield. He grunted, struggling to keep his footing as the magic bore into his shield. And then, the attack ended, and the shield, though cracked, was still whole.

The man turned to his right, and shouted, "Now! Get him while he's open!"

Another man jumped out from behind a building, a trio of timberwolves following behind him. He pointed a finger at Tirek and said, "Feed!"

Tirek narrowed his eyes. "Scorpan and Cybil. I thought I had ordered you two dead."

The timberwolves neared, and they jumped to pounce on their prey. Tirek held up his hands, and a magical barrier burst out from the ground, pushing the timberwolves back. They whimpered as their bodies hit the ground and shattered, but their magics soon allowed them to start healing.

"Damnit!" Scorpan shouted, aiming a grenade launcher at Tirek and firing two shells. The first one exploded in the air as Tirek swatted it with his magic. The second landed at Tirek's feet, and he was forced to shield himself before the explosion happened.

As it did, Scorpan took out a pair of pistols and fired blindly into the smoke, screaming as the barrage of bullets flew true to where Tirek had been standing. His clips emptied, and he threw the guns aside. He waited for the smoke to clear, the tension high in the air as nothing happened for some time… and then, a blast of magic struck Scorpan, pushing him back and sending him crashing into a small house.

Cybil watched with horror, before quickly turning his sights onto Tirek. He gasped as he saw another blast of magic, and braced himself. Sunset fired her own spell to deflect Tirek’s, drawing his attention onto herself. “You want an opponent?! You got one right here!” she shouted, firing her pistol at him. The bullets bounced off of his barrier, and she retreated quickly through the town, reloading and firing as she moved.

Tirek grunted, and gave chase after the impudent girl. As he ran, he fired a barrage of spells at Sunset, but each one was negated with ease by the girl. “C’mon, a foal could perform better magic than you!”

Tirek growled, his face turning red as his spells increased in ferocity. “Your death shall not be swift!”

Sunset saw floating rocks gather around Tirek, and then each one was thrown towards her, forcing her to weave about in her path in order to avoid them. Suddenly, Bon Bon’s voice sounded through the radio strapped to her waist.

“Sunset!” she shouted. “Sunset, I’m in position! Get him to the edge of the town!”

Sunset gritted her teeth, and made a sharp turn, narrowly avoiding a boulder that smashed into the ground beside her. She hadn’t realised how fast Tirek was, and as she turned, she found that he was right beside her, his fists raised in the air. Swiftly, she fired the pistol at his chest, forcing Tirek to abandon his attack to protect himself.

This gave Sunset the opening that she needed to make some distance, but she knew that she was running out of steam. As she neared the outskirts of the town, she stopped to catch her breath. She hoped that Bon Bon could get a clear shot from where she was.

“Finally, the chase is over,” Tirek said, walking towards Sunset from behind, his fists clenched and glowing with red auras. “You meddlesome pony! This will be the end of you!”





Bon Bon took the shot.