//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8: Eye of the Hurricane 
// Story: Daring Do & The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well: Canterlot Crisis 
// by Canon Fodder 
//------------------------------//

Unknown Location, 6:26 pm, September 28th

What a strange turn of events. There they were, about to snag the name of the pony behind all this, then the complete implosion of their plan. Foiled. They had anticipated every reasonably possible contingency...except an assassination, of course. They believed in the Guard's capability, their high status of perfect defense, but they were wrong. Rusty Anchor was eliminated right then and there, wiped from existence, as well as their chance of ever finding out where and what H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. was up to. The only information given was the mentioning of parasprites. What were they planning?

Daring Do awoke with a crippling headache. It felt like she'd been hit by a runaway stagecoach. She rubbed a hoof down her neck and cracked her joints in various places of her body before taking in her surroundings. She blinked faintly twice, then opened wide when she learned she had been lying in a bed all this time. A surprisingly soft bed at that. She kept peering across the room and noticed the control panel next to her on the nightstand. Curious, the adventuress slid her hoof over a switch and it illuminated the room. It was like somepony picked her up, and dropped her off at one of the finest hotel suites in Equestria. The bedroom was lavishing.

There were couches, coffee tables, a billiards table, kitchen, dining table, walk-in closet, the works! All of it surrounded by the brightening array of decor up on the walls and around. There were portraits of famous ponies, and landscapes on every aspect of the room. There were flower pots, statues, centerpieces. Just where was Daring Do? She pondered this with bewilderment painted to her face, but that only lasted so long until she realized the other pony bundled under the sheets. The half-asleep mare pulled the sheets over, and there was the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, fast asleep but still in her attire. But wouldn't they have stripped the mare to find out who she was? It was at this point Daring didn't know anything that was going on anymore. Where was she, how did she get there, and why was she there?

She reached over and gave her slumbering friend a couple slight nudges. "Mare-Do-Well. Hey, it's Daring. Wake up."

"..."

When her response was met with a brush-off and the sheets being pulled back over her body, Daring made more of an effort, aggressively shoving the mare off of the bed. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well landed with a thump, inevitably waking her up. She opened her eyes and found herself on the floor. She was too confused to be hurt from the fall. Her only reaction was a yawn. Carefully she climbed back into the bed and sat up next to her ally who was just as perplexed. "Where are we?"

Daring shrugged. "No clue. All I can remember is being knocked out on top of that building."

Then it clicked in, and Mare-Do-Well caressed the lump on the side of her skull. "Oh Yeah, that. Would you look at this room! Who checked us into the Mareion while we were out?"

"That's just what I was thinking." Do giggled. "All jokes aside, we should probably get up and try to find a way out of this place."

The shadowy mare agreed and lifted herself out of the bed. "I guess you're right. You have any idea how long we've been sitting here?"

Daring shook her head. "Notta clue. I think it's been a while though. By the way, those thugs back there that caught us, I found it strange how they didn't try to unmask you."

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well sported a clever grin. "That is the security of my outfit. This suit specially designed to only be taken off with my magic. It was expensive. I had to order it in from Los Pegasus."

"Nifty, but come on, let's look for a way out of here."

Mare-Do-Well nodded. "Agreed."

After a brief stretch, the girls began scanning the room for an exit. They tried simply opening the three doors that were there but one was the closet, another was the washroom, and the third was completely locked from the outside. They figured that was the door they had to open, but there appeared to be no possible way of fiddling with the system. Mare-Do-Well even tried using one of her lock-picking gadgets to break it open but no dice, this door wasn't budging. 

So they tried grazing the room for some sort of hidden switch. There had to be a way out. Unless this was their kidnapper's idea of a prison. It certainly wasn't what the girls were used to. In the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well's case, she had been tied to chairs, thrown in cells, locked in gas chambers, and even submerged in water. When it came to Daring's similar scenarios, she found herself strapped to ancient torture racks, nearly burned at the stake, tossed into a snake pit. And the most ironic fact the girls realized, they were easily able to escape such fates. But this, they couldn't find their way out of a five-star bedroom.

Just when they were about to give up, they were startled by an ominous voice being broadcast throughout the room, but turns out it was just a few loudspeakers. The voice was of a stallion's, a stallion who sounded very full of himself. "I'm detecting quite a bit of motion from this room. I assume that you, my pets, have awaken from your slumber..."

Daring swung her head around, trying to find the origin of the anonymous speaker. "Okay, this is getting a little creepy. Who are you?" She yelled.

"All will be revealed soon, Daring Do." It laughed, snickering as it stretched out the archaeologist's name. "I suppose you're both wondering how to escape this room? Do you like it? I designed the room myself. I don't consider myself to be sinister. I'm more of a modest pony that will even treat my prisoners with the best of care."

"Would you just shut up and tell us how to get out of here!" Mare-Do-Well exclaimed impatiently. 

"Well, well, well, aren't we touchy to the nerves. If you haven't realized by now, this room can only be opened from the other side. Allow me to open it for you, my dears..."

Suddenly the door slid open, just like the voice told them. The two girls threw a worried glance at each other, unsure of the obstacles that could be ahead of them. "You sure about this?" Daring whispered.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Her partner mused.

The voice jumped back in with a humored chuckle. "I assure you ladies, you have nothing to fear...but fear itself."

It cackled louder, making the mares feel even more on edge, but they knew simply standing there wasn't going to solve anything. They had to move on. With a deep breath, Daring took the first steps, crossing the threshold into a hallway, soon followed by the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well who looked around the brightly lit corridor. To their anticipation, the voice addressed them again. "That's it, please be so kind as to follow the lighted path to your destination."

Daring raised a brow. "What lighted path?" Her dumbfounded query just to be answered by the masked mare, poking her on the shoulder then pointing at the ground in front of them. "Oh...That lighted path."

They walked to one end of the hall then looked to the right where the small lights embedded in the floor began to trail. It went on for quite a while but it was simple enough. Nopony jumped out at them or tried to attack. Even the ominous owner of the voice remained quiet as the girls trot on the path. From the strange events, they could only guess that they were going to meet the owner very soon. It made perfect sense.

"Where do you think we're going?" Daring asked suddenly.

Unaware that she had done so, Mare-Do-Well was now ahead of the pegasus. She looked back at her then eyeballed her surroundings. "I'm not entirely sure. Your guess is as good as mine, but according to what I learned from experience, this path is bringing us to whoever owns that voice. Does it sound familiar to you?"

"Not really." She sighed with a shrug. "But all these guys sound the same. They all act the same too. They talk and act with their ego. It's just natural to them."

"You're right, there." The hooded one laughed. "Hey look up ahead, we're here."

Daring shot a glance forward and it was true. After several minutes of walking, the girls were stopped in front of a set of double doors. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well and Daring stood side by side, being sure to walk in together. The adventuress nodded, Mare-Do-Well nodded back. Using her magic, the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well gripped the knobs and turned, pushing simultaneously and both of them crossed into the dimly lit office of the pony sitting at the desk at the end of the room. But he wasn't the only one. Daring Do scowled at the sight of her nemesis, Giovanni D'Angelo, sitting across from the shadowed pony in another chair, the two sharing an interesting game of chess.

With a smile curving up his lips, the griffon stood and acknowledged the guests. "We meet again, Daring Do, and I see you've brought your friend as well. Welcome."

"Shove it, D'Angelo." Daring slurred. "What's going on here?"

The griffon fixed the beret on his head and sat back down with his hindlegs crossed. He never answered the question, but the pony in front of him wearing a fedora hat didn't mind answering. "Daring Do...and the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. Two ladies that have caused me so much trouble, yet so much amusement."

"Believe me, wait until it's my turn to be amused." Mare-Do-Well remarked.

The anonymous stallion decided to disregard the chess match and turned his head to something off in the shadows of the room. Moments later, another pony stepped into the light, brightening the orange coat of a pony the girls encountered just hours ago. It looked like he had cleaned himself up, now wearing a slicked-back mane and a white necktie to replace the previous dusty cloak. He approached the side of the desk where a contract was slid in front of him, alongside an inkwell with a quill slouching over its edge. With a glow from his horn, he levitated the quill over the bottom line of the parchment and scribbled his name. Then followed by a humble laugh, the pony with the fedora stood and shook hooves with what looked like his new associate. "You've passed the test, welcome aboard...Number 6."

"Thank you, No. 1. I'm sure this won't be the last time we shake hooves." He grinned.

No. 1 returned his gesture with a subtle laugh. "With results you and Hercules have brought me, how can I doubt it? That'll be all."

The newly accepted agent bowed. "Thank you again, No. 1. You will not regret this decision."

As he walked past the mares to leave, No. 6 threw them a cocky smirk, being returned with a vengeful glare from the adventuress. When the door reopened, two guards trot through and blocked the girls' only possible escape. With the mare finally where he wanted them, the boss sat back down and sipped from his water on the desk. "You'll have to forgive Freelance and Hercules. Sometimes they can be quite aggressive to get their way. But whatever gets the job finished is fine with me."

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well was getting fed up with this stallion's poor attempts to stall for time. The scare tactics were mundane and cliche, something the masked mare couldn't stand. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Number 1...I've waited a long time to finally meet you. You and your little two-bit organization have caused enough trouble as it is. Just what are you up to?"

"Yeah!" exclaimed Daring. "And another thing, where is Prince Blueblood?"

No. 1 replied with a skeptical glare. "Blueblood? That royal flush? Well that shall remain my little secret for quite some time. But enough of this dawdling small talk. Allow me to introduce myself. When my predecessor passed on, this organization laid dormant for decades. High Roller scouted for years to find a suitable successor, but his failure to do so was accounted by the fact that his successor hadn't been born yet. And now, in a new era, here I am...The eye of the hurricane."

Using his magic, No. 1 brightened the lights to illuminate every aspect of the room, including himself. The girls were finally met with the revealed form of their adversary. A night-blue unicorn with sky-like sapphire eyes, wearing a grey turtleneck sweater underneath a black blazer, and a black fedora covering his short dark mane to match it. His cutie-mark depicted a sum of bits next to a stack of paper, giving the impression that this crime lord was formerly some sort of accountant. With a smug expression already on his face, he emphasized it with a devious grin. "My name is Shyster Stockholder, Head agent of H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. and its Chaos division. Under normal circumstances, I would have rather for you ladies to be killed. But when the opportunity occurred for me to meet the two ponies that have managed to damage my organization and perhaps even my pride, I couldn't resist. I had to meet with you two. Such resilience, such integrity...such stupidity. Did you two have any idea what you were up against?"

Daring huffed. "We knew exactly what to expect, but I believe it is you who does not know what you are up against."

"Enlighten me." He scoffed back.

"Because if you kill me, I won't be able to report back to the Royal Guard. In that case, they'll retaliate and your entire operation will fail so why don't you just give up now."

D'Angelo and Stockholder brushed off Daring's statement with an unimpressive laugh. "You're a very funny girl, Daring Do. I'll give you that, but I'm afraid there will be no others. Besides, from what Union has told me, you used that same pathetic excuse back in Canterlot. You see, you left a little document behind in No. 4's office. A certain report that you needed to file to the Guard. Well not to worry, because I had the courtesy to file that report for you...slightly tweeked of course."

For once, the adventuress couldn't bounce back with her usual witty response. But the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well wasn't about to hold back. "Slightly tweeked? You've only said one thing and already I can tell you're dishonest, deceitful, manipulative, and desperate."

"Desperate?" He repeated, laughing at her. "They must have knocked you in the head quite hard. If you haven't realized, I am in control of one of the most powerful crime syndicates, not only in Equestria, but possibly the entire world. When we've achieved success in our mission, every other kingdom will shake with fear."

They sounded serious, but Daring knew when somepony's ego was talking. "Don't make me laugh! H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. fell once and it will fall again. We know that package contained parasprite spores, now just what do you plan on doing with them?"

That question caught the crime lord by surprise and brought his fit of amusement to an immediate standstill. "So, you girls have been around. Well I see no reason not to tell you. But please, sit down."

The archaeologist and Mare-Do-Well had no intent to, but not two seconds after he requested it, Stockholder's thugs grabbed them from behind, sitting them down in the two other armchairs next to Giovanni. After the girls were sought, Shyster reached underneath his desk flicked a concealed switch. Suddenly the girls were trapped, steel braces protruded from the arms and legs of the chair and locked over their hooves. "Now we can begin." No. 1 smiled.

"You're sick." Daring scowled, almost looking ill at the corrupt unicorn.

"Three of my agents have already made the mistake of letting you two escape." He replied matter-of-factly. "I will not allow that to happen a second time."

At that moment Giovanni sighed and calmly fixed his ascot while Shyster poured himself another glass of water. While they seemed distracted for the moment, the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well attempted to break the locks with her magic but as soon as her horn was lit, a thin, razor sharp blade was brought to her neck from Giovanni's baton. He ruffled his feathers and snickered. "Do not believe in magic, my dear. There is nothing you can do to escape."

"Just where are we anyway?" She asked back.

The griffon withdrew the sharp epee and sheathed it again. He rose from his seat and walked over to the large window covered by blinds. He bent one of the shades down and peeked at the clouds around them, the sun was soon beginning its descent. "We're about several thousand feet, travelling southwest just outside of Fillydelphia on the Spectrum airship, Zephyrus."

"No. 2, open those blinds." Stockholder ordered. "Let Professor Do and Miss Mare-Do-Well see the daylight one last time."

D'Angelo cackled arrogantly as he walked over to console next to the window and pressed the button.

Then the shutters flew up and further brightened the office. Daring took notice that they were indeed, among the clouds. "That explains the popping." She said before turning to Shyster. "The parasprites, Stockholder."

"I was just getting to that. You remember that horrific outbreak of parasprites in Ponyville and Fillydelphia four years ago? Well I have devised a plan that will no doubt, give me the power to turn the tables of the kingdom's food supply where ever I want them to go. This outbreak, although the damage was minimal to one farm just outside of Ponyville, Fillydelphia took a tragic and substantial toll. Farming families were devastated by the crop-devouring insects, costing millions of bits in property damage and of course, crippling the year's harvest. It caused an economic meltdown in the east. Now imagine that again, except on a much wider scale. Thousands upon thousands of spores escaping into the world, multiplying at an exponential rate of great financial chaos. Famine will spread from one end of the kingdom to the other, eventually radiating overseas and infecting yet another kingdom in the path of the swarm. It will be the swarm of the century. Not even Princess Celestia will be able to control the creatures. Equestria's economy will fumble and ultimately crash, leading to civil war among communities, and everlasting chaos so long as the parasprites thrive...Unless my demands are met, I will proceed with the mission and eradicate all species of fruit and herbaceous produce all over the globe. There's not a thing you can do to stop me. Already, Phase 3 is underway and soon the distribution of my crisis will begin in Canterlot."

The masked mare sighed. "Thus, Canterlot Crisis."

"Exactly." He grinned.

"Then what is the meaning of kidnapping the Prince?" Daring wondered.

"And the bomb I seen in the schematics?" Added Mare-Do-Well.

Shyster simply shook his head and looked up at D'Angelo. "I told you it would puzzle them. Ladies, over the years, many masterminds like myself have foolishly fallen due to lack of preparation. They run on one plan and waste their resources trying to pursue that plan. Then when it is foiled, that pony, griffon, or whoever it may be, fails and is soon compromised by his or her adversary...Unlike them, I have prepared a contingency plan."

Staring down at the chess game, Shyster lit his horn and held a pawn in front of the girls. "Take this pawn for example. Right now, Blueblood is my distraction to the Royal Guard. As we are speaking, hundreds of oblivious soldiers are working tirelessly trying to locate the beloved Prince."

Next he lifted the bishops, knights and rooks from the game. "Unicorns, earth ponies, and pegasi guards all about are letting their defense lower."

With a pawn in front of him, the bishops, knights and rooks to his left, he levitated the king and queen to the right. "Let this king represent Equestria. H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. is like the queen, we can move in any direction and will often be the main target to the opposing player. But if the king's defenses are out of the way of the opposing queen, like the bishops, knights and rooks on my left..."

Finally he allowed all the pieces but the queen and king fall to the ground and he shot a spell of electricity from his horn at the king piece, frying it black then it slamming the queen through its top, exploding the small wooden sculpture into smoky ashes and the queen landed on the surface of the desk, standing above the rest. "Then it traps, and strikes the king. Much like the game of chess, H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. will take advantage of this diversion and not only hold the Prince captive, we will make it believable by holding a ransom for his return. But let's be serious, we will not be needing such a hefty reward of 500 million. It is simply a facade for Spectrum to operate our main plan behind the eyes of the law, and with the respectable Union Jack as the president, there are no flaws. It was a fact that while the Prince was being kidnapped, the captain of the Royal Guard called in every operative within distance of Cloudsdale, allowing Union to slide the package through the Guard and continue on to Cloudsdale Headquarters without further interruption. So as you can see, thanks to that one slip in defense, we have managed to smuggle the spores of one of the most proliferate creatures in the world. Now that I've got you two trapped, this operation is now completely impregnable."

"And just what do you want for this little scheme of your's?" Daring questioned. It picked at her brain. For something this detailed, it had to be something interesting.

That query however, was answered with a petty laugh of egotism. He leaned back and sipped at his water, obviously trying to build the suspense. After a thirst-quenching sigh, Shyster turned his head to the window and took in the view of the outside world. It was a picture worth a thousand words. The breath-taking autumn sun beamed across the northern cornfields and apple orchards of Equestria, polishing the rich lands of aging apple trees with all shades of fiery red, stretching to the end of the sky where a majestic range of mountains towered in the far north, barricading the kingdom's plains from the vicious wintry gales behind it. It was beautiful, and the look on Stockholder's face showed it. With his eyes bubbling with envy, he looked back at the girls and pointed to the north. "Them. I want the Crystal Mountains. For two reasons of course. The development of Spectrum's northern research facility, and ownership to one of the finest crystal mines in the world. Imagine it, gems of all kinds. I'm talking rubies, emeralds, amethysts, diamonds, you name it! Within a year, H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. could be operating a multi-million bit business. We'll make a fortune. Exporting the greatest rocks to high-end retailers from all over the world! To places like Canterlot, Manehatten, Los Pegasus, and international cities like Manechester, Roam, Maredrid, Rio de Janeighro. The possibilities are endless."

It seemed like a viable exchange for the threat they were flaunting, but the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well thought of a potential drawback. "You're plan is interesting, but you've overlooked one fact. Let's say you get your ransom. Won't there be a problem in your credibility when distributing these valuables? After all, when the foreign companies learn that this mine is run by an insane pony who threatened his homeland with an army of parasprites in an extortion plot, do you really think they'll trust you?"

"That problem has already been solved." He rebutted with pompous smirk. "When I go to put forth my demands, not only will the Crystal Mountains be on the table, but the pardon for every criminal act made by H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E., therefore rendering the possibility of slander void. To cease further anarchy, the Guard will more than likely keep the return of H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. a secret. So there I am not particularly worried about that."

For once the hooded hero could hardly find flaws in his plan. He really had thought ahead to every aspect and assured that nothing would jeopardize their mission. At that moment, the unicorn felt like accepting defeat. Nothing she was saying could shake the villain. Daring however, still wasn't satisfied. "Alright, you've elaborated on the parasprites and the kidnapping, but what's the deal around that bomb we seen?"

"Don't you two get tired of playing twenty questions?" He sighed. "It is my backup plan. Should this plot backfire, I have a reserve."

"And what is that?"

Stockholder broke another devious smile from side of his lips. "You bore me, Daring Do. I don't see the reason why you wish to know all of this while you only have minutes to live."

"Oh So you are going to kill us?" The archaeologist replied, the H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. leader sensing sarcasm in her tone. "That's good to hear, you were starting to bore me as well."

Her statements were met with nothing more than Shyster's sinister chuckle. "You're attempting to anger me, but I see no reason to lose a nerve when you two are in such a pathetic position." 

Daring didn't feel the least bit intimidated, she still had one trick up her sleeve. The adventuress worked well under pressure. A skill that one is required to have when venturing through countless temples and dungeons while having to put up with egotistical narcissists of villains. She decided to have a little fun with Mr. Shyster Stockholder. "You're not exactly familiar with my line of work, are you?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." He answered as he continued to gaze across the glittering mountains in the distance. "Professor Daring Do, relic hunter. Born into a family native of Cloudsdale, but moved to Canterlot City just months after your birth for your father's career. Unfortunately for you however, your parents met a tragic end while you were still very young and you were forced to raise yourself. You decided to follow in your father's hoofsteps, therefore you began your studies in archaeology. With such determination, you were the youngest mare to graduate your high school at 16 after jumping two grades due to your level of intelligence. Some years later, you graduated from the University of Canterlot with honors and a master's degree in archaeology. At such a young age of 24, you took no wait in going on your first few expeditions. Of course making your first big snag with the Sapphire Statue, then onward to the Griffon's Goblet, and so on, and so on. When you're not adventuring, you spend your time lecturing students at the same university where you achieved that master's. There is nothing you can me of which I don't already know."

Mare-Do-Well had no clue what was going on. All she had to go on was Daring's seemingly elated mood. She figured the pegasus had some sort of idea, some escape plan, but the odds looked slim. Her gadgets were useless without her hooves and with Giovanni ready slit her throat, magic was also out of the question. She was intrigued to wonder why the mare next to her was suddenly upbeat. "I guess when it's time to go, you gotta go out with a bang." She thought wearily.

"Oh Yawn, so you know my back story. That doesn't mean you know me." Daring pointed out. Then she turned to the griffon staring right back at her. "Right? You never did tell me how you got involved in all this, Giovanni. What's in it for you?"

"Oh Not much." The middle-aged griffon shrugged, gripping the baton tucked in his wing and slowly approaching his long time rival. "You see, Daring Do. All my life I have worshiped archaeology and the value behind lost treasures of the world. After thirty years in my career, I have been to every corner of this globe, reluctantly with you close behind me. But even after all that, I still have one dream to complete. I'm sure even you, my archaeological adversary, have a long sought dream you wish to uncover one day."

That much, was true. Daring acknowledged it with a simple nod. "Well, yes. Don't we all?" 

Giovanni grinned back at her agreement and sat on the corner of Stockholder's desk with the baton now resting vertically on the floor with his talons cupped firmly on top of it. "My position here with H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. is not permanent. I was offered the job for an investment of fifteen million Gryphonian larks, which is approximately twenty million Equestrian bits. After my work here is done, No. 1 has agreed to reimburse me with a gross revenue of 75 million. Following which, I will resign from the hierarchy to carry out my final expedition of my illustrious career. A crusade for a relic that has been hidden for centuries. Hence, the last crusade. Many have attempted the treacherous descent into its labyrinth, but all have failed. But I, I have studied its history all my life. So before I retire, I will travel to the distant desert lands of Karith, and finally uncover the lost Daylight Stone. It is believed to be among the five most valued artifacts in the world and I shall find it. Not to sell or donate to some museum, but to have it atop my pedestal, defining me as the greatest archaeologist in the world! And now with death staring you in the face, you are no longer a factor in my life."

Daring Do was nearly sick to her stomach to hear that. Not only going against the legends of the Daylight Stone, but keeping it for personal gain. An act of which according to Daring, was the worst crime of all in archaeology. With a sudden pent-up rage flooding her heart, she barked at her nemesis. "You...SELFISH son of a bitch! It belongs in a museum! It's griffons and ponies like you that give archaeology a bad name. How dare you, you of all archaeologists dare to attempt something you will never achieve? If you've studied it all your life, then you know that it is said that only the pure of heart will be able to find the lost relic, and you really think you are pure? Giovanni, you are the definition of every word that defines a conceited megalomaniac. I knew you were a cold-hearted fiend, but I never thought you would go as far as to break the honor of archaeology."

"I expected an answer like that. You see, you and I are very much alike. Archaeology is our religion, yet we have both fallen from the pure faith. Our methods have not differed as much as you pretend. I am but a shadowy reflection of you. It would take only a nudge to make you like me. To push you out of the light. It does not matter what you think anymore." Giovanni laughed, letting the thought of his nemesis' fate sink into reality. "Although I will be honest, I never thought I'd finally see you dead."

The griffon turned to his superior and nodded, then as the griffon archaeologist moved off to the side, Stockholder rose from his seat and walked over to one of his guards. He gestured his eyes at the stallion's back and his bodyguard got the signal. The large pony reached behind himself and hoofed over the loaded spear gun from its scabbard. The psychotic blue unicorn held it in one hoof and caressed the spear with the other while his eyes slowly shifted over at the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well like a lunatic. Finally he approached her, levitating the gun in a magical bind. He turned the empty chair that D'Angelo previously occupied and faced it toward the girls. Then he sat, his hindhooves crossed and the spear gun resting on his thigh with a hoof wrapped around the trigger. He tilted it at the violet-clad mare first. "My primary orders were to have you killed, how it was to be done was the killer's business. As for me, I will make it to be a very unpleasant experience. You've caused me a great deal of stress of which I cannot accept any longer. If the first spear doesn't kill you, the second one may, but if not the third, then definitely the fourth. I guess what I'm trying to say is, checkmate."

"Wait!" Daring shouted suddenly, startling Shyster to aim the gun at her on instinct. He noticed the girl had begun to shiver and the cracking in her voice was appealing to hear. "Is there anyway you can let us survive?"

No. 1 gave a callous smile and shook his head. "Not a chance-"

"Then what about me, at least." She interjected suddenly, bringing on a very surprised reaction from the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well who's neck almost snapped at the response. Do let out a fearful sigh and a small stream of tears rolled down her brown cheeks. "Please, I'll do anything. I'll take D'Angelo's offer. Let me join you guys, just don't kill me, please."

"You laughed in my face and threw the offer out the window. Why suddenly the change of heart?" Giovanni inquired, not believing the tears the mare was making. "Stop crying! Don't listen to her, No. 1."

The sulking archaeologist whimpered further. "Because I know there is no escape from here. We're are in the middle of the sky with the four of you surrounding us. I have braces holding me down. How in the hoof am I going to escape? I'll do anything! Let me prove it."

If there was anything Shyster loved the most, it was groveling, and the smirk plastered on his face brandished it. He was almost laughing. No. 2 seen him, watching the mare break down in front of him. He would have liked to join in the amusement as well but the Gryphonian knew what his superior was thinking about. "You're not buying this sob story, are you?"

Shyster Stockholder raised his hoof and dismissed his question. "Don't get your feathers in a ruffle, No. 2. This could be interesting."

"But No. 1-"

"Quiet, Giovanni! I'm no idiot. If she can prove to us she's H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. material, then we may able to spare her. A mare is just what we need." Shyster lifted from the armchair returned to the swiveling one behind his desk instead. He gestured the spear gun at his bodyguard and tossed it back over. "Like I said, I'm no idiot. My guard will have the spear gun directly aimed at your back so if you make any sudden moves against one of us, you will gravely regret it. Now let us begin."

When No. 1 was back in his seat he deactivated the braces around Daring's hooves with his magic. As the mare slowly got up from her position, she eyed the stallions around her. She was almost shocked that they allowed her to live, but she wasn't out of the woods yet. Silently she took a couple hoofsteps to stand in front of the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well who now bore a disgusted scowl of being betrayed. But before the mare could even gather up any words to say about it, Daring winded up and struck Mare-Do-Well across the face, sending the emotional feeling of a knife, wrenching into her back. "You've got me as far as you could, but a thousand to one sounds a heck of a lot better than two to a thousand." Daring speculated.

Shyster watch on from his chair while D'Angelo's claws were on his baton, in disbelief and ready to unsheath his blade when ready. He wasn't convinced with the single hit, but as soon as that thought came to mind, the backstabbing mare struck the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well a second time. The masked mare was feeling hopeless. The look in Daring's eyes, the demonic smile curving up her lips and the aggression she felt in the attacks. The archaeologist she grew to trust had turned against her. With hardly enough effort to even want to acknowledge her, Mare-Do-Well leered at Do with new resentment and a boiling anger flooding from her tone. "Well I hope you enjoy the rest of your life you ungrateful mule! You'll see how far working with these brutes will get you. Go ahead and kill me! After all, I'll die happy knowing that you'll all be burned in the end."

"Canterlot Crisis will not fail, Miss Mare-Do-Well." Stockholder promised. "In a little over twelve hours, Princess Celestia will be given the ultimatum. If she accepts, the Prince will be returned and the parasprite distributor will be turned over. But if she declines, then the world will witness the greatest famine of the millennium and the economy will crumble and depreciate for the next hundred years."

Daring smiled down at the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well, holding her by the shoulders then patting her on the cheek. "I'm sorry, but in this world, it's survival of the fittest..."

Suddenly the pegasus flapped out her left wing, clipping the spear gun and knocking it into the air. Immediately using what little time she had, Daring stabilized her forehooves on the arms of Mare-Do-Well's chair and bucked the now unarmed guard, knocking him hard into the other. They fell to the ground but were quick to get to their hooves. Unbeknownst to the adventuress, Giovanni readied himself to pounce with the baton but the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well struck first with her magic, blasting the griffon with a fireball. She now knew why Daring had done what she done.

The shocked Shyster leaped back against the wall and hid behind his chair. "Kill them! Get off your flanks and kill them!"

The bucked bodyguard tried to spear down the freed Daring, but his excessive mass made him too slow against the agile pegasus diving out of the way. She tucked and rolled to dodge the assault, arming herself with the dropped spear gun as she rolled over. With quick intuition and dexterity when she came up, she aimed down the firearm and shot at the stallion that dove at her. The speeding bolt zipped through the air and pierced the stallion's chest, propelling him back like he was hit by a bull and smashed him through the window as he screamed to his impending death.

The gales of the wind came in, sending papers flying off Stockholder's desk all around the room as if it were a cyclone. D'Angelo was recovering from Mare-Do-Well's attack when he realized he had a chance to kill the still tied-down pony. He got ready to charge at her as he was getting up with the blade protruding outward, but was quickly thwarted by his nemesis. Daring Do broke into a quick gallop then slid across the floor with her hindhooves tripping No. 2 as they collided. Giovanni let go of the blade and sent it through the air, coming ever so close to stabbing the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well as it stuck in the chair next to her neck. "Daring, a little help here!"

After a brief struggle on the ground, Do unloaded three shots on Giovanni's beak. But he was quick to shake away the stars and used his natural griffon strength to shove the smaller attacker off him. He stumbled to his paws and talons, wiping a trickle of blood from his beak. Daring took flight, tackling Giovanni again but this time the griffon evaded and instead, Daring hit the wall opposite to the shattered window, fumbling to the ground shortly after. 

She rubbed her hoof on her forehead then suddenly felt somepony take a hold of her mane and tail. Unable to react quickly enough, the remaining bodyguard took her up and swung the dazed pegasus around, releasing her into a bookcase. The impact was shattering as Daring let out an aching yelp as her body struck the ebony frame. Meanwhile Mare-Do-Well tried to hold back Giovanni with an elemental spell, bending the wind and aiming a strong super gale at the griffon, keeping him at bay against the wall. The masked mare couldn't help but laugh. "What a suitable punishment for a windbag!"

The livid D'Angelo couldn't move, he was completely pinned against the wall. Through the powerful force, he shouted at the spellcaster. "You cannot hold that magic forever! When I'm free, I will paint the walls with your blood!"

Before the sandstone pegasus realized it, she was being picked up again. This time the thug swung her at the wall again, bouncing off it like a ball. The wicked thud her body made as she fell to the floor gave her the awkward feeling that she might have broken something, but she had to drive that thought out of her mind. The bulky steed was coming towards her yet again. This time, the mare made use of her speed and lifted her hindleg into a kick as the stallion went to grab her again. It caught him by surprise, whipping across his head and caused him to stumble back. 

The adventuress was free again but only to notice the guard shaking off the kick and charging into a gallop. With a split second to react, Daring looked around and took a hold of a decorative sword off the wall in her teeth. Suddenly the stallion braked his hooves and staggered back as she swung, just grazing his snout. Daring went to impale him and the guard sidestepped, but his large physique would be his downfall when the energetic pegasus spun herself around and caught him in the back with a wide slash, killing the stallion as her attack reached the spine.

The adrenaline was running wild inside Daring. She can't remember the last time she had such a rush. It was what she lived for and what she would die for. But for the moment she had to put that thought to the side, the brawl wasn't over yet. Having to take matters into his own hooves, Shyster Stockholder stepped out from behind his chair and concentrated on the deceptive pegasus, unleashing a powerful yellow glowing ball of electricity through the air. Not expecting the attack, Daring tripped over her own hooves and fell to get out of the way of the mystical projectile. But before she could get over the threat of the first one, another thunder ball was already coming her way. With a quick jumping leap, Daring evaded it, and another, and another until the adventuress was hoof to hoof with the mastermind. 

By the second, Giovanni D'Angelo could feel Mare-Do-Well's magic fading weaker. In another minute, he anticipated the spell to fail and he would be free to take care of unfinished business. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well herself knew this to be true. She was sweating a river and a migraine was beginning to settle in. She was not used to using battle spells such as fire and wind, but she did know some of it, but that didn't change the question, how long could she really keep it up?

Daring Do at last met with No. 1, throwing a haymaker at the psychopath, but the blue unicorn leaned out of the way of the strike and caught a hold of her hoof, twisted it then counteracted with a headbutt. He shoved the persistent pegasus over his desk and sent her tumbling down yet again. Very quickly he wrapped his hoof around the handle of his water jug that spilled over and broke it on his desk, shattering the base into jagged shanks. He leaped over the desk and landed on Daring, trying to cut the mare's neck. She reacted on instinct and pushed his hoof away with her own. But Stockholder pressed on and Do struggled, closer and closer the broken glass was being drawn to her jugular until she eventually began distancing the makeshift glass weapon. With both her forehooves against his one, the mare slowly pushed it away, their hooves shaking with tension. When the opportunity was open, Daring struck back with her own headbutt then as his head cocked back, the window was open her to get her legs in under him, she launched the H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. leader away with her hindhooves.

Shyster landed inches away from the edge of the window, his fedora blowing out the window as he flew through the air. He spent little time on the ground and got to his hooves right away before the archaeologist mare could get the better hoof of him. But when he seen her still trying to collect herself, he looked off to the side where the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well still sat, slaving against her mind's will to keep the spell alive, along with Giovanni's hidden blade protruding from the chair. On the spur of the moment, he ran over to take care of the exhausted unicorn once and for all but he was immediately tackled down, rolling across the ground until he and his attacker hit the wall several seconds after. Reluctantly to the mad unicorn it was Daring yet again. She pinned him and his forehooves down and then began to beat down on the defenseless head of Stockholder, a wicked smack being heard from each hit. After such a horrendous beat down, Shyster was battered and bleeding from his snout.

At last the adventuress could think. Getting to her hooves, she rushed over to Shyster's desk and scanned the surface for a way to unlock Mare-Do-Well's braces. But the hooded hero herself wasn't feeling so hot. The world around her was getting blurry, and she repeatedly bobbed her head in an attempt to keep it concentrated on D'Angelo, but the duration and difficulty of the spell had taken its toll and her horn's glow darkened until the magical sparks spit from the tip and disappeared into nothing as they hit the floor. The elemental wind spell ultimately ended and before the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well could utter to Daring for help, her head flopped forward and she passed out.

Noticing a sudden change in the atmosphere around her when the violent winds returned, Daring Do looked up from the search and found Mare-Do-Well unconscious from the unicorn condition of magical exhaustion and aggravation. "Mare-Do-Well!"

Afraid for her ally's life, Daring promptly slid everything off the desk's surface and examined every corner, face, and leg of it until she discovered the switch underneath it. The braces retracted and tucked back into the chair and the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well was liberated at last. The archaeologist galloped over to tend to her friend but was surprisingly yanked from behind when she reached her. The pegasus recognized the touch of ridged claws then abruptly remembered that Giovanni was no longer restrained by Mare-Do-Well's magic. The enraged griffon forcefully turned her around and gripped the smaller archaeologist by the shoulders before smacking her across the face. He was a wreck. The intense wind had blown his beret off his head, his glasses were chipped by Daring's previous attacks, and the dried blood stained his beak. Hot air fumed from his nose and his heart pounded with anger. "You've been making a mockery of my professionalism for the past eight years I've known you. One time I actually believed you were a decent mare. But such unorthodox methods, such aggressiveness, and such a wild persona. You have been interfering in my affairs since the day we met, but I'm afraid you have interfered with my plans for the last time, Miss Do."

He struck the mare again and shoved her backward, only to be caught and wrapped in a full nelson by the recovered Shyster Stockholder. "Shifty, aren't we? No. 2, your sword!"

"Of course, No. 1." Giovanni walked next to the unresponsive Mare-Do-Well and hauled the blade out of the chair, then held it threateningly in front of Do who was thrashing about to loosen No. 1's grip. The griffon boasted a domineering laugh at her as he spun the baton's hidden epee around in his claws. "After I've finished with you, your little friend is next."

D'Angelo went to swing the sword but Daring wouldn't give in. With assistance from her wings, she jumped vertically, flapping rapidly and as hard as she could. Just in time, she dodged the fatal blow, and unable to stop in time, Giovanni slashed through and sliced Shyster's chest, tearing his suit and leaving a wide red line in its wake followed by an agonizing scream of pain. Undoubtedly he released his grip, falling to ground and clutching his chest while Daring escaped near-death yet again. She flipped through the air and landed next to the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well sporting her famous smile. This wasn't her first time getting out of a jam.

Fed up with her resilience, Giovanni lashed out and lunged forward, screaming a Gryphonian battle cry as he dove to impale the helpless masked mare with the blade. But thinking quickly, Daring reached down and tipped her chair backward. The limp mare flopped backward to the floor along with the chair, but it saved her skin as the crazed griffon pierced the seat's bottom quick as an arrow. Giovanni wasted no time, he sliced the sword through the fabric and swung at the adventuress. She ducked, returning his gesture with a flying uppercut. His head cocked back but he wasn't out. Giovanni swatted the pegasus back then thrust forward again, this time nipping the mare's left hindleg as she tried to avoid the assault in mid-flight. She landed with a buckle in her leg but got right back into the fight. Jumping into a fast gallop, she drove her head into the griffon's stomach, knocking the wind out and sent him back staggering but not enough to fall. He knelt to the floor momentarily to catch his breath. Griffons may have been known for strength but Giovanni was still in his late fifties, and his nemesis knew this. While the window of opportunity was open, Daring Do snapped her head up and sent her pith-helmet into the air. In one fluid motion, she turned her head and caught the brim of the hard hat in her teeth then whipped it, letting it jet across the room. It traveled through the air with a faint but deadly whistle, striking the boastful griffon hard in his skull, cracking his neck to the side and sending his large body to the ground completely with a deep thud.

This was it, possibly their one and only chance before Giovanni or Stockholder could recover, who was still grovelling in anguish as the blood poured onto the carpet from the gash left in his torso. Daring sought for an escape plan and for a second, figured there was no way to do it until her eyes fell on the broken window. Desperate to get out of this predicament, the adventuress retrieved her helmet swiftly and ran over to lift the still passed out Mare-Do-Well. In a haste, she managed to get enough leverage to raise the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well up on her back. "C'mon..Mare...Do-Well. We're getting out of this rat's nest."

Then with a couple deep breaths, Daring took one look at the window and leaped, spreading her wings and crossed the threshold to depart from the deadly confrontation. And as she felt the wind on her face and let it flow through her wild greyscale mane, she had a feeling in her heart. A feeling that made her smile proudly. She felt this enigmatic inner sensation numerous times over the years, but not since the death of Dean White Collar did she really feel it again. Her determination, her courage, the unexplainable Daring Do attitude to never back down had returned to its full potential.

Holding the perseverance in her veins once again, she gazed on and made a turn, going into the direction westward. The battle may have been over but the war against H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. wasn't anywhere close to being the same. At least they gained ground in the mission. Daring contemplated the amount of time the mare on her back could be out for. Sometimes the magic migraines could last only hours, or they could last days before a unicorn would regain the energy to conjure spells, even the basic ones. It all depended on what the pony was used to. But Do let her worries go free, they were free of Stockholder's clutches and could continue towards their goal, saving Equestria, and possibly even the world.

For a moment she looked back and took a look of the gigantic airship behind them, it could definitely hold a small army and it bore the Spectrum company logo on its front. Along the sides of the ship showed its name, Zephyrus. Daring pondered what sort of strange name it was until she had a recollection of a book she read on ancient mythologies. The name Zephyrus stuck out to her. She knew it was somehow related to the wind, but she couldn't put her hoof on the topic exactly.

Eventually she put the issue to rest and looked onward to their next destination. The place where they would have to put an end to the parasprite pandemonium before it could begin. Daring made sure she had the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well in a comfortable position then quickened her pace, the sun was going to set in a matter of a couple hours and she recalled hearing the blackmail would be issued in the early hours of tomorrow morning. There was nothing worth waiting for now, they had to stop it. The adventuress was flying at full tilt with one thought on her mind, if Canterlot Crisis was prevented once, it could be prevented again. She was getting that rush in her blood one more time, as she and the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well flew on to the origin and capital of Equestrian industrialization, Cloudsdale.


Shortly after...
    

Giovanni awoke from unconsciousness rubbing a lump on his temple. He concluded that the mare fought well, but it still did not justify her actions. She was a threat to the mission at hand and had to be dealt with quickly. The griffon cracked a couple joints while getting up and he looked around the destroyed room. The girls again, had left an office in pieces. The decorative portraits that hanged on the walls were disturbed. Either a couple were crooked or a few had been knocked down. The window was shattered indefinitely and glass littered the floor.

He lurked around searching for the scabbard half of his baton but instead heard the click of something falling into place. The griffon stood still and slowly turned his body with no sudden motion. He soon learned that the beaten, bruised, and sliced-up Shyster Stockholder was threatening his second in command with the reloaded spear gun pointed right at his head. Giovanni started to back away from his boss but Shyster insisted on following him. Eventually he had the nerve to ask. "No. 1, what are you doing?"

"They got away." He answered simply, his blue eyes radiating with maddened fury. "You failed me, No. 2."

The griffon's eyes flew open. "You're blaming me for this implosion? If I recall, it was you who let Daring Do free." D'Angelo countered.

But the statement went in one ear and out the other. Stockholder could care less. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pull this trigger."

No. 1's ego wouldn't let him confess to his mistake, but that didn't mean the griffon had no hope in talking his way out. Giovanni knew of one strength he had to benefit the safety of the mission. "Admit it, you let your ego take over the conversation. I tried to warn you but you shouted me down. Now you are trying to pin the blame on me for something I did not start."

Shyster couldn't escape it, D'Angelo was right. But the mastermind still felt the griffon was responsible for something. "I'll take fault for letting it start but you were still in full control of the escalation before they escaped. That Mare-Do-Well was defenseless and you still couldn't kill her. Now I want a reason and I want it now!"

As the spear gun drew closer to his body, No. 2 was prompted to give his reason with a startling jump. "Because I'm the only one that knows the mentality of Daring Do! I've known her for almost ten years and I can read the pegasus like a book. If we encounter them again, you must let me handle the situation or else something like this previous event will happen again. I've had the mare in my grasp several times over the years and she has still managed to escape, but I've learned to take my ego out of the equation. This is no ordinary mercenary. She will sacrifice everything and anything to get what she wants. She has this aura about her that drives her to do what other mares wouldn't dream of doing, but Daring Do accomplishes them. Now before kill me, think to yourself, can you afford to take that chance after so much preparation?"

The gun remained at pointblank for almost a third of a minute before Stockholder decided to let his second in command survive. Again, he was right. Shyster knew nothing of the pegasus and her ways. With a longing sigh, he tossed the gun aside and trot through the mess of the room to get to his desk. He briefly lit his horn to roll the swiveling chair towards him then flopped down in it. Retrieving a handkerchief from his inner pocket of the torn blazer he began to wipe his face of the dirt built on his coat. When he was finished Shyster threw it on the cleared desk and looked around, chairs were overturned, one of his bodyguards was laying dead on the floor, and the floor itself of a covered with debris and papers, and at last there was the condition of himself and Giovanni. He placed his hoof on one arm of his seat and let his head lean on it, closing his eyes and letting out a disappointed sigh. "I hope you weren't making that up just to spare your life, D'Angelo. Canterlot Crisis begins in as little as twelve hours and I did not spend the last few years planning and waiting just to have this crumble beneath my hooves now. For your sake, your word better be true. I want these two mares stopped."

Despite the current dilemma, Daring's nemesis crowed and let a sly grin form across his face. "Believe me No. 1, there is nothing she can possess which I cannot take away, including her life."

To be continued