“There’s a big difference between confidence, and actually having the necessary skills…”
Daring was highly amused by Velvet’s actions, and she laughed accordingly. She waited a second or two for the excited Unicorn to stop her little dance before speaking, “So, Velvet. I’m assuming that you’ve done a little of this sort of thing before, that you just weren’t telling me about?” She said, expectantly.
Velvet stopped and looked at her, eyes wide, “Oh… Well, actually… No. Your observation earlier was right. This is the first time I’ve ever been out of Equestria. This is the most ‘adventuring’ I’ve done.”
The Pegasus gave her a disbelieving look, “You’re kidding…” she gave a nervous chuckle, “You’re kidding, right?”
All Velvet did was shake her head slowly. Daring’s hoof connected with her forehead in a heartfelt manner, “Oh, Celestia save us.” She moaned.
“Hey! I’m not that useless!” Velvet cried, indignantly, “I may not be athletic and stuff, like you, but I can think things through well enough! I’m a writer; I am conditioned to expect the unexpected. First off, let’s start by looking at the research and supplies that you have, yeah?”
“Well, the supplies I can easily tell you now. I have about enough to last one pony a week or so. But two ponies? About three and a half days, if used sparingly.” Daring said, taking a deep breath before trotting over to a large bag she had set up in one corner.
Out of the bag, she produced a few rolled up pieces of paper, and carried them over to the table she had set up by the fire, motioning to Velvet. The Unicorn trotted over, trying to use her magic to clear a space on the table for the scrolls. She was unable to do so, frustratingly enough. It seemed that her magic was still fairly burnt out. Of course, elixir only worked against headaches. What use would Daring have for one that aided against magical burnout? Diverting her thought process, Twilight Velvet set about helping Daring Do actually clear a space on the table top using her mouth and hooves. Once that order of business was taken care of, Daring spread the sheets of paper out, pinning the edges down with stones, “Alright, so what I’ve got here is a map of the area, and just various notes on sightings and reports about Ahuizotl. What do you want to look over first?”
Velvet glanced back and forth for a few seconds, considering, before finally deciding upon the notes. She tapped a hoof against the paper to signify her choice, and Daring caught the hint, “Okay. So, as you probably know – since I will assume that you have read books about him before,” At Velvet’s affirming nod, Daring smirked a little in triumph before continuing on, “Well then, you’ll know why Ahuizotl consumes ponies. As I’m sure you’re aware, any race that possesses a Mark – Ponies specifically – bears some kind of natural magical aura. Of course, only Unicorns are able to actively manipulate it. We Pegasi have the passive ability to manipulate clouds and weather and stuff, and Earth ponies are naturally stronger, and more durable.”
All of this Velvet already knew, but she remained silent, allowing Daring to continue, “Anyway, it’s those natural magical auras that Ahuizotl garners his power from. He consumes a Pony, and absorbs their magical aura. I wasn’t able to find any sort of articles or accounts about exactly why he needs these, but all I know is that if he gets enough, bad stuff happens for us. You have any idea on what that is?” She asks, tilting her head to Velvet.
The Unicorn shook her head slowly, “Unfortunately, I can’t say I know what happens either. Do you know why he needs the Sapphire Statue? Or is it just a pretty little thing he keeps around?”
Daring nodded for a second, “Yeah. The Sapphire Statue works as a kind of storage unit for the magic auras he’s taken. Don’t ask how he gets them in there, because I don’t actually know.”
“Okay,” Velvet said, glancing over the notes for a couple seconds before looking back to Daring Do, “So, how did your taking the Sapphire Statue ‘release’ him?”
“I’m not entirely sure that I ‘released’ him, to be completely honest. It might have just been his being dramatic, when I think about it. In none of the articles that I read mentioned anything about his being sealed,” Daring said, starting to fold up the notes, “I managed to get an audience with Celestia a few weeks before coming here – in fact, it was her that directed me here – and she didn’t really let on to that. I think what it might have been was Ahuizotl being in a kind of ‘dormant’ state, a little like hibernation. I think when I took the Statue; it woke him up from that. Now he’s going to try and do his thing.”
“Huh.” That was all that Twilight Velvet was able to come up with to say for the time being. Eventually, she managed something more, “You mentioned that Celestia directed you here?” She asked.
Daring nodded, “Yep. She gave me my map and everything. That’s kinda why I’m so determined to get this Statue back, you see. I feel like it’s a mission straight from the Princess.”
“Wow,” Twilight Velvet said, “That’s pretty… wow,” she cleared her throat, “Alright, so this feels a little cooler now. Anyway, so about the map, where is the Statue?” she waved a hoof over the map, which outlined a large rainforest. On one end, there was a small campfire symbol, which she deduced was marking Daring Do’s campsite.
The Pegasus hummed slightly scanning over her map for a few seconds before tapping a hoof to a spot in the center, “It’s unmarked on here, but through research and asking around, I managed to get a general location of where it is. Somewhere around here, near the heart of the rainforest that we are on the fringe of.”
“So how exactly are we going to get there?” Velvet asked, “Trek the entire way through the jungle? I feel like that would take a little bit too long…”
“Already got that covered, Vel. I managed to get another acquaintance here, has access to a balloon that said they’d get me and whoever I added to my expedition where we needed to go.” Daring responded without skipping a beat, “Just have to meet him on the outskirts of town, and we’ll be on our way.”
Velvet groaned, “Oh joy. We get to go into town again.” She said.
The Pegasus adventurer chuckled at her, “Don’t worry. We’re not going into the center where we had that little escapade last night. Just to the outskirts to pick up a few more supplies and we’ll be on our way.”
Twilight Velvet stretched, sighing, “So when do we head out?” She asked.
“We leave as soon as you’re able.” Daring said with a slight smile.
/)*(\
The return to the city of Caballo was much less eventful than Velvet had worried. They had no run-ins with their ‘friends’ from the night before, and had little trouble procuring supplies and in locating Daring’s acquaintance. The pony in question was an older stallion, an Earth pony with a soil brown hue to his coat, and his mane, whatever color it had once been, was now grey with age. He gave the two mares a wide smile as they approached, each carrying saddlebags with enough food to last each a week in the forest, if used sparingly, and while Daring carried her map and some other tools, Velvet carried with her a few writing supplies. The stallion’s smile faltered slightly when he realized it was just the two of them.
“Good morning, Caius!” The Pegasus adventurer said in a chipper tone, ignoring the stallion’s expression, and trotted over to where he stood beside his balloon.
Caius waved to her in response, “And a good morning to you as well, Miss Do,” He said, slightly distracted. He looked at Velvet for a few seconds, before back to Daring, and then at the place where they had come, and finally, back to the Pegasus again, “Where’s the rest of your crew?” He asked, unsure.
“First off, I’m going to ask you one more time not to call me ‘Miss Do’. Just ‘Daring’, or if you must be formal, ‘Miss Daring’ will do well enough,” The dark khaki mare said as she tossed her saddlebags into the balloon’s basket, “As for the rest of the crew…” she glances at Velvet, and grins slightly, “This is it. It’s just me, and my latest friend, Twilight Velvet.”
The Unicorn stepped forward, and held out a hoof, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Caius.” She said, smiling slightly.
Caius shook her hoof, nodding slowly a few times as he tried to wrap his mind around what he had just been told,
“So… You’re telling me, that it’s just you going along with Miss Do—Daring?” He asked.
Velvet nodded, “That’s correct, sir! I know I don’t exactly look like the most adventurous of ponies, but I am confident that I’ll be able to handle myself out there!”
Caius scoffed, “There’s a big difference between being confident, and actually having the skills necessary, missy. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, now won’t we?”
The writer was at a loss for words at the stallion’s callous statement. But she did not need to have words, as she situated her gear, Daring spoke for her, “Can it, Caius. Velvet’s intelligent, and if anything, it might be that level head of hers that keeps me alive out there. I’m not paying you to try and scare off the only pony gutsy enough to come with me. I’m paying you to get me wherever my team and I need to go.”
“Right you are, Miss Daring!” He called in response, wheeling about and hoisting himself up into the basket. He set about preparing the balloon for lift off.
The Pegasus mare vaulted over the edge of the basket and held a hoof out to Velvet, “Just ignore the codger. He’s only here for the bits I’m paying him, and as you heard, I’m only paying him for the balloon, not his opinion,” She said with a raised voice, so as to be sure that Caius heard. She was rewarded with a slight cackle coming from the stallion, “Now, let’s get your gear loaded up, so we can be on our way.” Daring said, giving her friend a smile before turning back to the basket.
Twilight Velvet hummed beneath her breath. Her magic had come back slightly since that morning. Or at least enough for her to levitate her bags into place beneath the balloon. She clambered up into the basket behind her supplies, and set them carefully alongside Daring’s, as instructed by Caius. When all of that was taken care of, the old stallion untied the balloon from its anchor, dropped the necessary weight in sand, and slowly, ever so surely, they began to lift off the ground. Caius glanced at a compass set into the centerpiece, and adjusted their trajectory accordingly. They were on their way to the temple.