//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: Singapone 
// Story: Daring Do and the Hand of Doom 
// by Unwhole Hole 
//------------------------------//

There was a rumble of severe turbulence as Rainbow Dash exited the Jetstream. Her wings shook and twisted dangerously as she suddenly went from a comfortable pace in the cool, fast-moving high atmospheric air to the still air just outside it where she immediately found herself moving at incredible speeds. It was a rough transition, but her wings did not buckle. She would not allow them to- -especially not in the presence of Daring Do.
Daring Do had braced her wings close to her body to exit, which caused her to lose altitude quickly. Rainbow Dash had to compensate to follow her, simultaneously noting the genius of the maneuver; with closed wings, it was only a matter of keeping oneself level though the exit arc. 
“Oh wow!” she cried, catching up to Daring Do as the pair of them- -along with a large number of other Pegasi, all moving in orderly flight patterns- -descended from the Jetstream over a large city below. “That was a rush! I’ve never used the Jetstream before! I mean, the Wonderbolts covered the theory in drills, but I never had a chance to actually use it! I’m the only one of my friends with wings…well, except for Twilight, but she just teleports, and Fluttershy…but she doesn’t count.”
“Well,” said Daring Do. “How do you think I get around for globe-spanning adventures? It would take me weeks on a ship or in a zeppelin. My whole career is based on being able to get places before other ponies do.” And, she thought to herself as her arthritic wings burned from the exertion of almost eight hours of flying, her entire career predicated on her ability to fly. She gritted her teeth, though, and hid the pain, hoping that she would at least be able to make a landing. Daring Do refused to allow herself to show weakness in front of Rainbow Dash.   
Rainbow Dash hardly noticed. Instead, she was looking upward at the trail of Pegasi moving through the Jetstream. All of them seemed to be flying at a relatively leisurely pace- -and yet they were moving at speeds that even Rainbow Dash would have trouble sustaining for long, thanks to the rapid motion of the air surrounding them. More Pegasi from below were joining them, and those already inside had started to put out their guiding lanterns as Celestia’s sun arose from the east. 
“So,” said Rainbow Dash, resuming her normal flight path and falling into wing-position beside Daring Do. “Where are we?”
“Singapone.” 
The answer was simple because there was no better way to describe it and not be redundant. After all, Rainbow Dash would know soon enough. The city stretched out below both of them: a massive, convoluted city state stretching outward in every direction. The rising sun, however, betrayed the fact that the city was not built by clearing forests or carving into rocks: rather, it had been constructed on a series of small islands that had long-since been linked by bridges and walkways. 
Rainbow Dash stared at it in awe, and Daring Do smiled slightly. The expression on Rainbow Dash’s face was the same one that had been on her face when she had first seen the city, and really the same one that came to her whenever she found herself in a new land- -something that had as of recently become a very, very rare occurrence for her.
The city was, in many respects, spectacular. Archeological evidence- -the boring sort, of course, that Daring Do generally left to the Institute- -suggested that it had first been constructed by Pegasi explorers who had arrived by the Jetstream. It had further been developed by unicorns arriving from the north, who used it as a waystation and trading post, taking advantage of the rapid Pegasus-based commerce. The mercantile infrastructure expanded exponentially later when earth-pony sailors first arrived, finding the port location a perfect location to center many of their Eastern trade empires. 
The city was still one of the most vibrant in Equestria. It was not considered as modern as a place like Manehattan, or as sacred as the temple-city of Canterlot. What it did have, though, was wealth. It always had, and likely always would. This manifested as a number of vast buildings and swelling ports, as well as a government that functioned almost more like a vassal state than a small element of Celestia and Luna’s alicorn dominion. Money seemed, to Daring Do, to be the logical stepping stone to power- -and vice versa. 
Which was not to say that the city was perfect. As Rainbow Dash would soon find out. The pair of them were not headed toward the advanced towers or beautiful gardens, or to the elaborate manors of trade barons and money so old it could be considered ancient. They were instead headed toward the outer islands of the archipelago, the ones closer to where the city began to merge into the vast and empty swamps beyond. Those where wealth still flowed, but in stranger- -and much less legal- -directions. 
“Wait,” said Rainbow Dash. “I think we’re going the wrong way.”	
“No. This is the right way to go. We’re going to meet a…friend of mine.”
Rainbow Dash sighed audibly- -but it was not a sigh of disappointment, much to Daring Do’s surprise. Rainbow Dash laughed loudly. “Finally!”
“What?” Daring Do blinked, confused.
“Every time I have to go to these stupid cities, I always have to ‘be civilized, Rainbow Dash’, or ‘stop being so uncouth, Rainbow Dash’, or ‘oh heavens, Rainbow Dash, you can’t do that right out in the STREET!’. Now I finally get to go somewhere FUN!”
“Fun but dangerous- -”
“EXACTLY! Like in ‘Daring Do and the Darkteak Fog.”
“Oh,” winced Daring Do. “That wasn’t my best.”
“Are you kidding me?! You infiltrated a gang of teak poachers to uncover the Ressurection Stone of Arligoth in the Forest of Mirk! And you started right HERE, in the dirty, bizzare streets of Singapone!”
“But that was a long time ago. Things aren’t like that anymore.”
“So…I’m not going to be able to punch a pony in the face?”
“Why would you want to do that?”
“Well…”
“And I didn’t say that! In fact, it’s probably better that you’re ready.” Rainbow Dash’s eyes lit up. Daring Do chuckled. “When I first came here, I was fourteen. I got punched in the face at least twice a day just walking down the street. And do you know what you do when you get punched in the face?”
“What?”
“You punch right back!” 
Rainbow Dash squealed with joy. Daring Do was not sure if she should be concerned or proud.  

When they landed, the sun was still not over the horizon. Had they not just been flying, though, they would not have known. The streets were exceedingly narrow and the buildings high, meaning that although the smoky sky overhead was growing brighter, little light actually made it to the bottom.
The majority of the city seemed to be asleep. The shop keepers had not even started to put their wears out; they knew that there was no point in doing it this early. After all, most of their best sales were at night, when ponies bought expensive things that they did not want others to see. 
The only ponies on the street were those that had started there the night before. A few stallions and mares sat in veritable pools of salt, having sweated it out from the nights before. Some of them were still asleep, and others were wandering around in a stupor trying to find water. An especially well-salted kiso girl walked by, her mascara running from a night of tears.
“Why did she have to be so mean?” she sniffled as she passed. 
Rainbow Dash paused to say something, but Daring Do pushed her onward. “Come on,” she said. “It’s down here. Next block over.” 
Daring Do led Rainbow Dash forward- -but suddenly stopped.
“Daring?”
The tone in Rainbow Dash’s voice was filled with sudden concern, but Daring Do did not respond. Her eyes flitted around the narrow city street, watching every angle. The air smelled strongly of ozone, and she tasted a familiar flavor of metal. 
“Do you smell that?” she whispered.
“N…no?”
A shadow passed overhead. Daring Do turned her face up, barely catching a small flock pass over the narrow opening to the dull brown sky overhead. She had seen feathers- -it was either a flock of dark birds, or a black griffon or Pegasus. 
“We just tripped a spell,” she said. She looked down at the ground, trying to see if there was some aspect of a rune: paint, or thin wire, or perhaps a line of sight between two artifacts. She saw none of those things, but knew that the spell could be accomplished anyway. Especially if the components were buried underground. 
“I don’t feel anything.” Rainbow Dash was starting to sound panicked. She started looking around. “I don’t see any unicorns!”
“Of course not,” said Daring Do, carefully taking account of her surroundings. She could have sworn she saw a pony move on the top of one of the buildings, but she did not dare chase after him or her. Doing so would probably be impossible; the prolonged flight had left her wings tight and frozen. “It’s not that kind of spell. It’s a perimeter charm. A really powerful one. The kind of magic that takes a long time to set up.”
“You mean a trap?”
“I don’t think so. If it was, we’d have seen something by now. I think it was a sensor. Somepony was waiting for us. And now they know we’re here.”
“But who would do that?”
“I have an idea,” muttered Daring Do. Except that the idea she had made little sense. Caballeron, though versed in the arcane in at least an academic sense, was still an earth-pony. He had about as much chance of performing magic as Daring Do did, and a spell like this would have been well beyond even relatively adept unicorns. It was too specific, tuned specifically to Daring Do’s trace magical signature. She supposed Caballeron could have paid somepony to make it, but Daring Do knew the stallion, perhaps better than anypony else in all of Equestria. Paying for pointlessly complex spells without the immediate payoff of a rapid, showy trap was not like him at all.   
“We need to hurry,” she said. “I don’t know how much time we have.” 

The curio shop was dark and dusty. Rainbow Dash blinked, finding it intolerably dark. The windows were small and dirty, and what little illumination there was came from dripping candles spread throughout the shop in holders or in a badly tarnished brass chandelier. 
“Is this place even open?” 
“It’s always open,” grumbled Daring Do, pushing past Rainbow Dash. “Just don’t touch anything.”
Rainbow Dash nodded, and then proceeded to look around. As ominous as the shop was, it seemed to Rainbow Dash a lot like any antique shop. It had the same smell: dust, old books, and older wood- -and something else that Rainbow Dash could not recognize that was specific just to this shop. Most of the items appeared to Rainbow Dash as, essentially, junk; she began to feel sleepy, just as she did when Twilight forced her to go antiquing whenever the need struck her and Sunburst was not around. 
The wooden floor creaked as Rainbow Dash walked along it, and the ominousness of the room seemed to increase. The walls almost seemed closer, and the objects present took on a strange, sinister menace. What Rainbow Dash had initially dismissed as boring used books were suddenly found to be thick, magical tomes with strange writing on their covers; the various odds and ends that she at first saw as painless flotsam suddenly seemed to range from downright grim to positively morbid. A strange fear began to tingle through Rainbow Dash’s neck and wings- -and she loved every second of it. 
She stopped in front of a strange bell-jar placed on an antique wooden stand. Looking closely, Rainbow Dash saw that the jar contained a furry red object about the size of a softball. It stood on four legs in the exact center of the jar and was facing away- -until it slowly turned toward Rainbow Dash. The sensation of watching it was odd and somewhat nauseating, as although it had turned- -Rainbow Dash was absolutely sure it had- -she was equally sure that it had not moved in the slightest.   
The red object stared at Rainbow Dash with a pair of large, glossy black eyes. Then a wide smile began to cross its otherwise featureless face. 
A hoof suddenly shook Rainbow Dash’s shoulder violently. Rainbow Dash blinked and turned her head to realize that Daring Do was shaking her. The older pony had a deathly serious look on her face, and only then did Rainbow Dash realize that her own hooves were on the sides of the bell-jar, preparing to lift the glass away from the hideously grinning creature beneath. 
“It’s not a good idea to stare at that,” warned Daring Do, sternly. “I already told you not to touch anything. Don’t make me repeat it again.”
“S- -sorry,” stammered Rainbow Dash, feeling herself blush. She turned herself away from the strange creature- -with odd difficulty- -and followed Daring Do through the paths that led to the rear of the shop. 
Then, in an instant, a pony appeared, looming over one of the long dark-oak counters covered in strange candles and statues. Rainbow Dash gasped and nearly jumped, but Daring Do remained unsurprised. 
“Welcome,” said the stallion, grinning menacingly. He was an earth-stallion with a steely gray coat that was mostly covered by a brown coat and a pair of white shirtsleeves. In addition, he wore a rounded red and gold hat over his long braded main and a pair of small Pince-nez glasses on his nose. To Rainbow Dash, he looked exactly like what the proprietor of an ominous curio shop should look like. 
“Well well well,” he said, adjusting his glasses as he looked at the ponies before him. “As I live and breathe. If it isn’t Daring Do! And company. Very pleasant company indeed…”
“Um, you know I could bop you in the nose before you could even blink, right?”
“There will be no bopping!” snapped Daring Do, causing Rainbow Dash to recoil in shame. Daring Do sighed upon seeing this, and turned back to the shopkeeper. “So. You’ve gotten a lot of inventory in, haven’t you?”
The shopkeeper scowled. “I have,” he said, slowly. “All of it simple antiques. Rare and expensive antiques indeed, but nothing looted from sacred tombs that you would be concerned about. I simply sell curios!”
“Heavily charged, magical, dangerous curios.”
The shopkeeper scowled even harder. “I cannot legally be held responsible for misuse of my wares. My clients signed a waiver!” 
“I’m sure they did. But I didn’t come all the way out to Singapone to bust your flank for selling hooves of glory or barbegazi toenails.”
“Then what DID you come for?”
“For my usual.” Daring Do leaned over the counter. “For information.”
The shopkeeper’s scowl suddenly vanished and was replaced by a happy smile. He even laughed. It was a dry, hoarse sound that could only have been produced by years of breathing antique dust. 
“Well, why didn’t you say so? What is it that you’d like to know, my dearest friend?”
Daring Do paused for a moment, her eyes wandering over the various curios and antiques. A few of them looked back. “I’m wondering,” she said, slowly, “just one thing. If Caballeron is in Singapone right now.”
The air was suddenly cut by a shrill cry that caused both Daring Do and the shopkeeper to jump. The sound had origionated from Rainbow Dash, who was now flapping excitedly.
“I knew it! I knew Caballeron would be the villain in this one! Oh mane this is going to be SO AWESOME!!”
“Rainbow,” snapped Daring Do. 
“Oh,” said Rainbow, landing back on the ground and retreating. “Sorry. I’ll be…over here.” 
Rainbow Dash departed them to go look at some of the random items through the shop, or at least to pretend to. She paid careful attention to avoid the hairy red thing in the bell-jar- -which was still staring at her- -but also to keep within hearing range of Daring Do and the shopkeeper.
“Now,” said Daring Do. “About Caballeron.”
“Hmm,” said the shopkeeper. “Well, I do know the name, of course. He is reasonably famous here. Of course I never deal with him, in person or indirectly!”
“Because what he sells is way more expensive than what your clients are willing to spend.”
“While that may be true, I prefer to think that it is because I am a fine, upstanding citizen. I don’t deal in looted artifacts!”
“At least not those looted recently.” 
“I prefer to think of it as ‘appropriated’. Or ‘rescued’ if you like.” He raised an eyebrow. “Or did you actually come here to insult my business practices?”
“No. I told you what I came for.” 
“Indeed you have. And…I may know something.”
“Something good?”
The shopkeeper’s dark eyes flashed. “That depends on how much you’re willing to pay.”
“Nothing. Because you’re going to give it up for free.”
The shopkeeper gasped- -or at least Rainbow Dash thought he gasped, at first. It turned out to be a long, wheezy form of laughter that made him sound as though he were actively choosing to snort antique dust rather than just breathing it. Inevitably, this wheezing laugh collapsed into outright coughing. 
When the shopkeeper finally regained his composure, he chuckled in a much more orthodox manner. “Mrs. Do. I am a businesspony. Unlike you, I am not independently wealthy. I cannot afford to simply give away such a valuable commodity.”
“It’s ‘Ms.’ I was never married.”
“And yet your daughter is on the verge of disrupting some very expensive seeing crystal.”
Daring Do turned her head, glaring at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash smiled awkwardly and took her hoof away from the carved objects. Daring Do then sighed and turned back to the shopkeeper. “Not my daughter. Not married. And not paying a broken bit.”
“Then I will ask you to leave.”
“And if you do, I will.” Daring Do stood up and began walking toward the door. Confused, Rainbow Dash followed her. “I don’t need the information all that bad. It’s not really anything important.”
“Daring!” hissed Rainbow Dash.
“BUT,” said Daring Do, stopping by the bell-jar containing the red furry creature. It was still smiling viciously, waiting. “For the sake of safety…I’ll probably have to report this to CRUT.”
The shopkeeper suddenly became pale. “You will NOT! That jellenheimer is completely registered! Entirely legal!” 
“CRUT hasn’t registered class J monsters since the bugbear incident. And a jellenheimer is a sub-seven J. It shouldn’t be within a hundred miles of a populated area. And it definitely shouldn’t be under a bell jar.”
“If I keep it in the lead pig like they want then the customers can’t see it!”
“So you admitted to me, in front of a witness,” Daring Do pointed at Rainbow Dash. “That you are SELLING a class J monster?”
“No- -I- -you can’t- -you can’t prove anything! That’s- -that’s not even a real jellenheimer! It’s a replica!”
Daring Do smiled mischievously. “So you wouldn’t mind, then,” she said, placing her hoof on the bell-jar. “If I were to give this a little, tinnnny tip…”
The stallion moved with such speed that he surprised even Rainbow Dash. In a flash, he was standing on top of the bell-jar, pressing it down with all his strength. The jelleneimer continued to stare. That seemed like almost all it was capable of doing.
“NO!” he cried. “Alright! ALRIGHT! By Celestia’s soft and warm flank! You have no sense of the art of negotiation!”
“Says the stallion who just waived my information fee.”
The stallion blushed, but seemed otherwise to take it well. He climbed off the bell-jar and straightened his long brown jacket and rounded hat. “Fine, then,” he said. “A deal is a deal.” He returned to his counter where he seemed more mysterious. He leaned forward and pressed his hooves together. “Yes. Caballeron is in Singapone. Which is in itself very peculiar.”
“Hardly. There’s a lot of wealthy buyers here willing to spend their weight in bits for whatever he’s selling.”
“Which is why his presence is so curious. Because as far as I am aware- -and you know that I am, in fact, quite aware- -he has not set up a meeting with any potential buyers or auction houses. Why, the- -ahem- -‘high quality’ antique market is always abuzz  when he brings something.”
“You mean gossip.”
“I mean very informative gossip. But right now? None. He isn’t selling. And he is certainly not here to buy.” 
“That doesn’t make any sense. There’s no reason for him to be here.”
“Unless the Hand is here,” chimed in Rainbow Dash.
“A hand?” said the shopkeeper, suddenly seeming interested. “And what hand would that be? Oh, never mind. Such a sour expression, Daring.”
“If you want information, then you have to pay.”
“That’s not how it works. But regardless, I know what I need to know. You’re on a case, aren’t you? Are you looking for anything in particular?”
Rainbow Dash stepped forward. “Have you ever heard the word ‘Exmoori’?”
“Rainbow Dash!” hissed Daring Do.
The shopkeep smiled. “Why yes, yes I have,” he said. “And, in fact, there is an artifact in the city. At this very moment.”
Daring Do’s eyes lit up. “And do you know where I might find it?”
“I do. And you need to look no further. Because- -through no small effort and no spared cost- -I just so happen to have acquired it. For resale, of course…with a goodly profit.”
Daring Do stepped forward as the shopkeeper reached under his counter. Then, in an instant, he produced a large, dark-colored vase. The sides were covered in detailed painted images of various cavorting ponies. Rainbow Dash gasped, unable to believe their luck- -but she also noticed Daring Do’s expression harden.
“As you can see,” said the shopkeeper, “genuine Exmoori pottery. And it can be yours for just one hundred- -I a thousand- -”
“That isn’t Exmoori”
“I beg your pardon! I have had this authenticated! I have the certificates- -”
“Yeah. And I’d bet my favorite hat they’re from the same guy who you had forge your jellenheimer registration.” Daring do pointed at the vase. “This is a late-Classical Assyrian amphora. Probably used to ship perfume. They were coded by color.”
Rainbow Dash stood agape. “How did you know?”
“Because if you look, all the figures on the sides are donkeys, not ponies.” 
“Well, I never! I assure you, I would never stoop to dishonesty of that magnitude- -”
“Of course, this IS genuine Assyrian,” said Daring Do. “Based on the patina and distinctive color.” She leaned over and looked inside. “And the myrrh resins left on the inside. This should be in a museum.” Her eyes met the shopkeeper’s before he could interrupt. “But these are common enough that I wouldn’t stop a private sale. A sale for, my guess? No less than forty thousand bits.” 
The shopkeeper’s eyes goggled, and he grasped the vase. He then slid it under the counter with gingerness that Rainbow Dash had only seen in cases where especially talented stallion were holding their beloved marefriends.
“I will…ahem…take a note of that.” 
“And for future reference? Don’t try to lie to me. Especially about archeology.”
“Duly- -duly noted.”    
“Now. As for Caballeron?”
The shopkeeper shook his head. “I don’t know anything else. Apart from the fact that a dear…um…friend of mine saw him recently in the local salt bar.”
“Caballeron never goes for salt. He’s too cultured for it.”
“No one is too cultured for a few licks. But nevertheless: my friend saw him in contact with a rather unsavory character by the name of Zel.”
“Zel? That’s a zebra name. But I don’t recognize it.”
“You wouldn’t. He’s a relatively recent immigrant. And in that short time he has produced a rather successful mercenary band.”
Daring Do frowned. “Caballeron was hiring mercenaries?” 
“So it seems. Or perhaps he had other dealings with Zel. Many zebras choose finance their flights with very precious masks.” He pointed behind him, gesturing toward several zebra masks that were hiding behind him. 
“Again. Caballeron doesn’t buy.”
“Precisely the conundrum, isn’t it?” 
Daring Do paused for a long moment, staring at the shopkeeper. Then she sighed, and the shopkeeper smiled. He had given her everything he could, and seemed to take pleasure in the fact that it had not been much.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Yes.” Daring Do stepped up to the counter and pointed at a display case behind it. “That amulet. The silver one.”
The shopkeeper gasped. “Oh, no! I can’t do that! The amulet is FAR too dangerous! I simply can’t sell it! It cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hooves- -”
“Do you even sell amulets that aren’t dangerous?” Daring Do removed a sack from one of her pockets and threw it on the counter. Rainbow Dash spied a bright blue sapphire tumble out of it, and the shopkeeper stared at it as though he had seen the most beautiful mare in the world. Within a fraction of a second he had snatched away the jewels.
“Would you like it giftwrapped?” he asked, smiling. 

As they left the curio shop, Daring Do stopped Rainbow Dash.
“Here,” she said, giving the amulet she had just purchased to Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow Dash gasped. She was being given an expensive gift from her favorite hero in the entirety of Equestria. The honor was almost crushing- -but receiving jewelry from another mare made her feel strange. Not bad, but strange.
“Um…I don’t know how I feel about this.”
“Trust me. You need this.”
Rainbow dash looked at the amulet. It was actually quite hideous, resembling the head of a rather aggressive aardvark or armadillo, complete with its tongue sticking out. The whole of it was made of silver, although despite this the eyes seemed to glow slightly red. 
“Why in the name of Luna’s tiny thighs do I need this?”
“It’s a vedmak amulet,” explained Daring Do. “You find them from time to time in shops like this. The vedmaks were monster hunters.”
“Like CRUT?”
“Vastly predating CRUT. Although I hear they have a few decrepit specimens still napping in t heir back offices. Regardless. Vedmaks used these to detect magic. Here.” Daring Do slid the thin but surprisingly heavy silver chain of the amulet over Rainbow Dash’s neck. The aardvark head sat nestled on the fluff of her chest. “There. If you have a shirt you can tuck it in.”
“But I don’t understand- -”
“If you’re around magic, the amulet vibrates. It’s a simple reaction. Trust me, you’ll know.” 
“But wait, you need this more than I do!” Rainbow Dash moved to remove the amulet, but Daring Do stopped her.
“No. Because I’ve learned to sense magic on my own. But you can’t. And that’s a dangerous liability.”
“I can too sense magic!”
“Yes. With the amulet. Trust me on this.”
Rainbow Dash continued to balk. “I don’t see why I need this!”
“Really?” snapped Daring Do. “Stop and think logically for a moment. That spell we stepped in on the way in? That was a mage. A powerful one. And you claim to have seen a black pony in the crystal library.”
“I told you! I DID see a black pony! He stole that book!”
“But the guards saw no one. And neither the castle nor the city protection charms were activated. No one saw him enter or leave on a train.”
“But he was real! I promise, Daring Do, you have to believe me!”
“If I didn’t believe you, I wouldn’t have spent all those jewels on this amulet! Use your head, Dash! If there was a pony who could do all that? He had to be a mage. A wizard, even. And a pretty powerful one if those protections are as good as your handsome friend said they are.”
“Wait. Handsome?”
“For a unicorn, yes. But that’s not the point. The point is the amulet. Wear it. If the mage tries to get to you, I want you to know. And I want you to fly. As fast as you can, away.”
“But- -”
“No buts! The only reason I’m letting you tag along is because we’re just doing research right now. Nothing dangerous. Nothing serious. But if it goes south- -and trusty me, it ALWAYS goes south- -you have to stay safe.”
“Daring…”
Daring Do patted the amulet on Rainbow Dash’s chest and started walking. “Now,” she continued. “We’ve got to do some thinking. Caballeron is in Singapone.  He has the other half of the fresco rubbings and he’s looking for the same Exmoori artifact as us. But why the heck is he here? What’s his plan?” 
A nasal voice called out from behind them. “Ooh! I can help with that!” 
Both Rainbow Dash and Daring Do turned sharply, and both were equally surprised, even though Daring Do had already recognized the voice. Running up behind them, out of breath, was a surprisingly well-built unicorn stallion in an unseasonable thick twill coat with elbow pads. A tattered overstuffed briefcase levitating in his magic was trailing papers behind him as he ran and panted.
“Dulcimer?” 
Dulcimer stopped running and gasped for breath. Rainbow Dash stared at him, confused, and was about to ask how Daring Do knew him- -when suddenly the amulet around her neck began to shake violently. This was a surprise, as Rainbow Dash had subconsciously assumed that it would not do anything at all, or that the shaking would be barely perceptible. It was, however, actually quite vigorous.
Rainbow Dash jumped back slightly, and Dulcimer’s orange eyes immediately turned toward her- -and then locked on the amulet. It instantly stopped vibrating. 
“That’s a strange piece of jewelry,” he said, cheerfully. Then he laughed. “Ha! But you know what they say! If you don’t come back with a souvenir, you weren’t here!” He reached into one of his pockets and produced a tiny die-cast model of a unicorn wizard, complete with a cape and hat. “See? I have got a little wizard from one of the stalls on the west side of the island. I think he kind of looks like me.”
Rainbow Dash stared at Dulcimer, and then turned to Daring Do. “Um, this guy is pretty much dude Lyra,” she said. She turned back to Dulcimer. “Like some sort of…Guyra. It’s kind of freaking me out.”
“Lyra? Dash, I have no idea who that is.”
“Neither do I,” said Dulcimer. 
“Oh. Lyra Heartstrings. She lives in my town. She looks JUST like you.”
Daring Do noticed a sudden flash in Dulcimer’s eyes, one that he tried- -and largely succeeded- -to hide. Any pony beside Daring Do might not have noticed, but there had been a reaction. He had not seem to know the name ‘Lyra’, but he clearly recognized her surname. 
“Dulcimer,” said Daring Do, “what are you even doing in Singapone?”
“Yeah!” said Rainbow Dash. “Did you follow us?”
“Follow you? No! NO! I could never hope to manage to track the illustrious Daring Do, especially undetected. I’m afraid our chance meeting is simply happenstance! And a fortuitous one at that!”
“Meaning?”
Dulcimer turned his head, eyeing several haggard ponies passing by with their faces obscured with cloaks. “Not here,” he said. “This is important. About the investigation. Do you know anywhere more…private?” 

The atmosphere was so smoky that Rainbow Dash almost immediately choked on the thick, saccharine smell as she entered the building. Apart from having a nearly opaque atmosphere, the room was dark and the ceiling barely two feet over her head. Dulcimer, being a surprisingly tall stallion, almost had to duck.
As her eyes adjusted, though, Rainbow Dash realized that this was not really the kind of place she wanted to be. At all. The smell, she quickly realized, was the scent of caramelizing sugar. Ponies sat around the room on dirty overstuffed couches, leaning against each other silently and staring with blank, foggy eyes. On counters in front of them sat piles of sugarcubes- -and burners. Occasionally, a pony would move, as if in slow motion, dipping a hyperbolically small spoon into the browning liquid and equally slowly dragging it back to their mouth. 
“I shouldn’t be here,” said Rainbow Dash, turning toward the door. “If the Wonderbolts find out I was even AROUND caramelized sugar- -”
“Relax,” said Daring Do, turning Rainbow Dash around. “Come on. We all eat sugar.”
“Yeah, but not PLAIN!” She paused. “Well, except Pinkie Pie, but that’s different. She’s not addicted, she just likes the flavor. She said so herself.” 
“I don’t much like this either,” said Dulcimer. “Perhaps this is a bit too much culture for me…”
“It’s not a problem,” said Daring Do, leading both of them into the smoky room. “I know the guy who owns the place. And I know he and Caballeron are not friends. At all. And look at these guys.” She pointed at the stationary patrons, whose eyes slowly turned to her, but remained only for a second before turning back to their sugar. “Notice anything?”
“That they are slowly giving themselves diabetes, you mean?”
“No. That they’re all glazed. At this time of day, if you see one who isn’t?”
“He’s the narc!” gasped Rainbow Dash.
“Exactly. We can talk here. And trust me, no one is going to remember a thing we say.” 
Daring Do sat down on an especially lavish couch in a corner where other ponies were not around. Rainbow Dash sat in a chair across from her, only to find that it nearly swallowed her whole. Dulcimer, on seeing this, elected to sit on the pitted hardwood floor instead. 
“So,” said Daring Do. “The last time I saw you, you said you were going to look into Exmoori artifacts from your side.”	
“I did,” said Dulcimer, excitedly. He spilled a pile of papers from his briefcase. Unlike Daring Do’s notes, they were poorly scrawled and highly disorganized. “And that’s why I’m here! Because I believe that there is, in fact, and Exmoori artifact located here in Singapone!”
Daring Do and Rainbow Dash looked at each other, and then quickly turned to Dulcimer. “There is?”
“Well, somewhat.”
“Somewhat.” Daring Do frowned. “That’s not very helpful.”
“No, no! I promise it is! Please hear me out!” He cleared his throat and actually paused to look at an index-card full of notes. “I received word from unconfirmed sources that an artifact of great significance to the Exmoori is present in this city, as part of a private collection.”
“Unconfirmed sources?” sighed Daring Do. “You mean rumors.”
“I mean very convincing rumors! As you know, I AM, in fact, an archeologist. Just as you. And my specialty is the Exmoori.”
“Wait,” said Rainbow Dash. “Let me get this straight. You’re the one who gave Daring Do the pictures…but you didn’t translate them first?”
“Well…no. It is actually completely impossible to translate Exmoori text, I assure you.”
“No it’s not!” protested Rainbow Dash. “Daring Do already did it! Well, most of it, at least!”
Dulcimer’s eyes widened and he gasped. “You did?” he said. “How? I’ve spent DECADES trying, and can barely understand the most basic ideograms!”
“Gxurab Al’Hrabnaz,” said Daring Do, as though the name alone were enough of an explanation.
Dulcimer recoiled as if she had thrown an obese slug in his direction. “Al’Hrabnaz?! You can’t be serious! If you could even manage to find one of his books- -”
“I did. And that’s not the point. I’m on a tight schedule, Dulcimer. You said there’s an artifact in the city. Where?”
“As I said. In a private collection. Belonging to a wealthy businesspony by the name of Wun Perr-Synt.”
This time, Daring Do’s eyes widened. “Wun Perr-Synt?”
“Daughter of Wun Hun Dredd Perr-Synt!” piped Rainbow Dash excitedly. Had her chair not quite possibly already begun digesting her, she would have flown into the air with delight at having recognized the name. “The ultra-super wealthy heiress to a Signaponian trade syndicate, and a notorioius collector of illegal artifacts! Like from ‘Daring Do and the Monks of the Unclimbable Mountain’ AND in ‘Daring Do and the Mirror of Years’! You foiled der dad’s plans for being immortal TWICE!” 
“Clearly,” said Dulcimer, “considering it is Ms. Perr-Synt who is currently in control of the syndicate.”
“Oh,” said Rainbow Dash, her expression falling and being replaced with one of shame. “I didn’t know- -that he- -you know- -great.” She sighed. “Now I feel really bad.”
“Don’t,” said Daring Do. “Trust me. If Wun had even the slightest chance, she would have shoved the old stallion off a cliff. He’s lucky to have made it as far as he did.”  
“Well, that may be,” said Dulcimer. He adjusted his glasses. “I mean, personally, I hardly pay attention to politics. Far too depressing in my opinion. But Ms. Perr-Synt supposedly possesses a key artifact.”
“Of course she does,” sighed Daring Do, leaning back on her couch. “If there’s something dangerous that should be hanging in a high-security Canterlot museum, she probably has two. I’m aware of the size of her collection…and a few of the things in it.” 
“So you think she might have the Hand of Doom?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“The Hand of Doom?” said Dulcimer, looking confused.
“It’s the artifact you’re looking for,” said Daring Do. “That’s what it’s called. And no. I don’t think so.” She shook her head. “Based on the text, if she had it we would know. If only by her bragging.” She turned to Dulcimer. “So. What is it, then?”
“Well…um…I don’t actually know.”
Daring Do groaned. “Then you came out here for, what, exactly?”
Dulcimer bristled, clearly growing impatient at Daring Do’s flippant and dismissive attitude. “I don’t know what the artifact is, only that it has some relation to Exmoori history! However, I also know that Ms. Perr-Synt is currently seeking academics capable of authentication.”
“Of course. She doesn’t tolerate fakes or replicas. Only the real, priceless pieces for her personal, private gallery.” Daring Do’s eyes narrowed. “So. As an ‘expert’ in Exmoori history, you’re going to apply for the job, aren’t you?”
“There isn’t much competition,” boasted Dulcimer. “After all, I am one of the only experts.”
“…and because Wun has an understandable dislike for the Royal Archeological Society.”
“That, too.”
“It still doesn’t explain what Caballeron is doing here, though,” said Rainbow Dash. 
“I think it would be clear,” said Dulcimer. “If he is indeed in possession of the other half of the rubbings and looking for the same artifact- -this ‘Hand of Doom’- -then he might very well be intending to steal the artifact in question!”
“But that doesn’t make any sense,” muttered Daring Do, pressing her hooves together and looking at neither Dulcimer nor Rainbow Dash. “Caballeron’s a lot of things, but he’s not a thief. At least not like that. He robs tombs, ruins, sacred temples…but not private collections. Especially not those belonging to one of his biggest customers.” 
“But what else would he be here for?” asked Rainbow Dash. “I mean, I know that’s out of character, but if he was desperate…”
“Or if the payoff for this Hand was so big he couldn’t help himself,” suggested Daring Do. “And if he’s anywhere as far along as we are, he might be starting to get desperate…I still don’t like it, though. It isn’t like him. Something’s not right here.” 
“Well,” said Rainbow Dash. “If that IS where he’s going, then…well…”
Daring Do’s eyes turned toward Rainbow Dash. “Well what?”
“Well, if we could get our hooves on that artifact- -not to steal it! Just to, you know, borrow it. Or even just look at it. In case it’s as clue.”
“My thoughts exactly,” said Dulcimer. “Which is why I applied for the position of authenticator! So that when I am accepted, I will be able to witness the artifact first-hoof!” 
“And how long will that take.”
“Well…four to six months.”
“FOUR TO SIX- -!”
“Rainbow,” shushed Daring Do, pointing out that several of the other patrons of the sugar den- -even though they were nearing diabetic coma- -were turning toward her and eying her strangely. “Quiet.” 
“But- -”
“There has to be a faster way in.”
“Well,” said Dulcimer. “There might be. Wun Perr-Synt has actually been preparing a rather lavish and incredibly exclusive ball as of recent. Partially to show off her newest acquisitions.”
“No way. She never does that. Ever. The things she buys are for her and her alone.” 
Dulcimer shrugged. “Supposedly her behavior has grown more social since the passing of her father and her recent marriage.”
Daring Do nearly shot out of her chair. “Wait!” she cried. “Wun got MARRIED?!” 
Dulcimer seemed taken aback by this outburst. “Y- -yes. It was quite substantial news several months ago. Even I heard about it! It was something of a scandal.”
“Scandal? Why?”	
“Because the groom is an earth-pony. A wealthy one from an influential family, obviously, but…well…” Dulcimer looked up at his own horn. “As much as it pains me to admit, we unicorns can be…insular in our choice of mates. And she even took his name.” 
“An earth-pony? Anyone I know?”
“A fellow by the name of Chunky Milk.” 
“Wait,” said Rainbow Dash. “So her name is now Wun Perr-Synt Milk?”
“It seems that way,” sighed Dulcimer. “Alas, getting an invitation is virtually impossible. Even as the world’s formost expert in the culture of Exmoor, I was not invited.”
“Neither were we,” reminded Rainbow Dash.
“Not a problem,” said Daring Do. “I know what I’m doing. Trust me on this.”
She stood up and dusted herself off. “Thanks, Dulcimer,” she said. “You’ve actually been a big help. Because now I have a lead.” She helped to extricate Rainbow Dash from her chair. “Come on, Dash. We’ve got to get to the city center.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to find a dress shop.”
“Wh…why?”
“Like I said. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.” 
Daring Do began to push Rainbow Dash toward the door, but suddenly felt Dulcimer’s hoof on her shoulder. He was surprisingly gentle- -and his hoof was surprisingly cold. Clammy, even. “Daring?” he said.
“Do you have something else?”
“No, no. Although I swear to you on my own horn that I will do my best to keep looking. I just wanted to…well, frankly, I wanted to thank you from. From the bottom of my heart.”
“Dulcimer…”
“Please. It is the least I can do. I realize that I am not much of an academic, and that you have done in three days more than I have accomplished in a lifetime. Really, I am in awe of you. I suppose I always have been, to some extent, but to see it first hoof…”
“It’s what I do.”
“I know. But I’m the one who asked you. And my motives aren’t entirely selfless. This Hand of Doom. I understand that in the wrong hooves it could be devastating to Equestria, whatever it is. Even without being able to read them, I could see that in the pictures in the rubbings. I understood the gravity. But…it’s my career that benefits. From your work.”
“As long as I can recover the artifact before Caballeron does and get it into a museum where it can be carefully studied, I don’t mind. It’s what I do. I guess you could call it my career.” 
“Still. Thank you, Daring Do. Here.” He reached into his coat and produced the small die-cast unicorn. “I know this isn’t much, but…in all honesty, I got it for you. I can’t afford anything more. The wages of an academic, you understand.” He held it out. 
Daring Do looked at it, and then smiled as she took it. It was small, but she appreciated the gesture more than the gift itself. “Thank you, Dulcimer. And don’t worry. Caballeron hasn’t beat me yet.”
Dulcimer laughed. “No he hasn’t, has he? It makes me feel so much better knowing that you’re on the case.”
“That’s what I’m here for. I’m glad to help.”