//------------------------------// // Preface - Volume 12 - Daring Deeds // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// In our previous volume, Arc and Dinky arrived safely, for the most part, on Earth. Arc takes Dinky inside and properly clothes her in his old hand-me-downs. He teaches her how to walk like a human and act like one. The next morning, Arc takes Dinky to meet some other humans. His old friends, Lily and Shelly at their business “Shelly’s Kitchen”. Introducing them to her as Daisy, both of them quickly take a liking to the young filly turned girl. After breakfast, the pair head to the mall for some proper clothes for Dinky. Arc and Dinky spend the next week working on cleaning, painting and dusting Arc’s house. They focus heavily on the basement! The day they are to leave, Dinky insists on saying goodbye to Lily and Shelly. Upon arriving, Dinky has her first taste of soda with her meal. Arc announces to his friends that he is taking Dinky home, and they say goodbye. Returning home, Arc activates the portable recall unit and the pair walk through. Back in Princess Celestia’s room, the Mane 6 along with the princesses, Derpy and Sunburst wait patiently for them. The pair come flying out of the portal, and are saved by Sereb’s quick thinking. Arc announces his plans to return to Earth to deal with his hometown’s problems. He opens a portal and brings the group back to Ponyville. Twilight invites Arc to tea later that morning after he finishes his errands. Later that morning, the pair share some very special tea. Unbeknownst to Arc, Twilight had infused it with pure extract from a plant containing very special properties. After several cups of tea and a good conversation later, Arc returns to Derpy’s house and Twilight heads to her lab to think of a new plan. The next morning Arc, Derpy and Dinky eat breakfast together. They, along with Twilight, are going to Canterlot for a school field trip. Arc heads for his base to begin his own day. In the cafeteria, he finds Saffron acting strangely. Passing it off as her being overworked, he asks Ember to keep an eye on her and heads for town. Stopping at Sugar Cube Corner for a snack, Pinkie invites him upstairs to speak about something. She says several strange things before lunging at Arc! A carnal look on her face forces Arc to restrain her as Sereb rushes to his air! Putting her to sleep, Arc then orders Sereb to take the unconscious mare to the hospital. While he is doing that, Arc interviews the other patrons in the bakery, but learns nothing new. After dismissing the customers, Arc heads to the kitchen to speak with Rainbow Dash. She appears groggy and tipsy. After throwing up in the sink multiple times, Arc cleans her up. Rainbow Dash then looks to Arc, a strange look on her face and asks if he could ever fall for her. Sereb enters the kitchen and puts the pegasus to sleep just like her friends. They take her to the hospital before heading to Carousel Boutique. Inquiring of Rarity and Applejack, the pair suddenly start acting strangely, and attack Arc just like their friends did! They are taken to the hospital like the others. After returning to the bakery to give instructions to the investigation team, Arc and Sereb head for Fluttershy’s cottage to warn her of the illness. She heads to the hospital to care for her friends. Returning to his base, Arc speaks to Sandstorm Mirage on what he found at the bakery. Finding no real clues at either business, they are back to square one. Later, Arc visits the hospital to check on Doctor Horse’s progress. As he is leaving, the doors burst open and Flash Sentry enters with some Royal Guards forcefully carrying Raven and Saffron! Ordering them to bed, Ember then attacks Arc herself! Forced to order his best friend into bed, Arc and Sereb head to Town Hall to consult with Mayor Mare. Leaving shortly thereafter, the pair head back to Light’s Hope. Arc hurries to his office and activates his emergency comm link! The princesses, entertaining the school foals at that moment, learn of the trouble in Ponyville. Arc informs them of his placing a quarantine on the town and declaring martial law. Calling for every guard under his command, he explains the situation and places Flash Sentry as temporary governor of Ponyville. Organizing patrols from the Town Hall, Flash Sentry does his best to keep the town secure. After being advised by the doctor of his friends’ small recovery, Arc goes to see them. As he enters the room however, they suddenly relapse into raving madmares! Returning to his empty base, he finds Tempest waiting for him. Questioning her over a light snack in the kitchen, Tempest suddenly keels over with flu-like symptoms. Arc carries her back to her quarters. After bathing Tempest in an attempt to help her feel better, he puts her to bed and calls the Town Hall for a status report. Heading for bed himself, Arc quickly falls asleep. He awakens the next morning to Tempest curled up in bed with him! Heading for the shower, Arc scrubs at his skin furiously trying to remove the image of the mare in bed with him. Emerging from the bathroom he finds Tempest cooking him breakfast. After eating, Arc calls Town Hall to check up on things. Sereb answers the phone. He reports that Flash Sentry has not returned. Arc and Tempest head for the hospital together. They find the lieutenant asleep next to Raven’s bed. After sending Flash Sentry back to Town Hall, Arc and Tempest head to Doctor Horse’s office. On the way, everyone who sees Tempest flees! Entering the doctor’s office, they share a conference call with Sunburst in Canterlot. He recommends consulting with the Dragon Lord on spells that may have caused the illness. The pair head through a portal to Ember’s house. Arriving, Arc leaves Tempest at the house as he goes to the Throne of the Dragon Lord. He is informed of a number of spells from ancient times that were used to achieve such effects. Returning to Ember’s house to retrieve Tempest, she loses control and comes after Arc! He is able to subdue her with a lamp and return to the Dragon Lord with her in tow. Offering Arc a trade, Torch will give him a compass that will point toward the spells focus. In return Equestria will accept an envoy from the Dragon Lands. Left with no choice, Arc agrees. He and Tempest returns to Ember’s house to wait for Torch’s chosen emissary. As the wait, the pair clean up the mess they made. Garble arrives to deliver Brightwing. The trio returns to Ponyville. Looking at the compass, they search the base for a time. Eventually Tempest discovers Arc himself is the focus of the spell! They meet Sunburst in Arc’s quarters in Canterlot Castle so he can dispel the spell’s effects. Twilight volunteers to be a test subject, and confirms the spell is indeed negated. Returning to Doctor Horse, he informs Arc that his friends will be able to counter their condition with hormone therapy and daily shots. Pinkie Pie, however, is not responding to therapy. Refusing to leave them to such a fate, Arc turns to leave the room. However, he finds only darkness before him. Turning around, Arc finds the office has disappeared. A voice calls out to him. Turning again, he finds himself in the presence of Kronos. Arc angrily lashes out at the demigod! Blaming it for Cherry’s death! Kronos gives Arc a box that contains the source of the ailment. Returning to the Town Hall, he opens the box to find a piece of Dragon Fruit. Flash Sentry tells Arc about Zecora’s vast knowledge of herbs and plants, and the group heads to the Everfree Forest. Finding the hut, Arc knocks. Zecora is quite hostile toward them until she learns only one member of the group is a pony. However, upon learning the cure he seeks is for ponies, she attempts to shoo them out. Falling to the floor from an earlier injury, Arc helps her make a healing salve by donating some of his blood and Brightwing’s acid spit. Rubbing it on her wound, Arc is able to convince her of his intentions. She makes a cure for his friends and sends them on their way. Hurrying back to Ponyville Hospital, Arc and company rush to Pinkie’s room! They find the medical staff trying desperately to resuscitate here! Running over, Arc takes a drink from the bottle and, pressing his lips to Pinkies, gives her the medicine. She quickly regains consciousness and is wheeled back to the others, who have already been given the cure. They understandably are greatly embarrassed for their earlier actions toward Arc. He forgives each of them as they apologize, and admits that he himself was unwittingly responsible for what happened. Returning to Light’s Hope with Tempest, Arc gives her the bottle of cure. She drinks it and returns to normal. Disgusted by her earlier behavior, she storms out of the base! Arc heads to Canterlot and brings home the school foals via portal. He and his guards escort them home. Returning to his base, he finds Tempest sitting out back. Joining her, she askes him why he didn’t take advantage of her. Answering truthfully, Tempest leaves. Arc continues to look up at the moon and contemplate recent events. Many questions remain unanswered. How are Shelly and Lily faring with no business to speak of? What is Arc’s plan for his house on Earth? What did the Dark One hope to accomplish by giving Twilight the Dragon Fruit? Is Tempest truly trying to turn over a new leaf? Why does Zecora hate ponies so much? How will the Mane 6 and Arc’s relationship survive this extreme breach of trust?! Time will tell. Sooner or later… time will tell.