//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 - Research and Developments 
// Story: Edited Details 
// by ILurvTrixie 
//------------------------------//

The trio of two pegasi and one draconequus appeared in a flash of light and shimmering air in the small clearing where the two pegasi had previously conquered their griffon foe. They split apart, Daring refolding her wings as Dash stared unhappily at the draconequus. Discord stretched out with a happy sigh. "Oh yes, this is so much better." He stuck his tongue out at Rainbow Dash. "Now since you actually were talking about doing something to me, but didn't do it, I'll give you a warning. Don't use your shower tonight." He winked with an evil chuckle, as Dash upgraded her stare to a glare. "Now I really must go check on Fluttershy. Daring." He nodded a farewell to the adventurer, before pondering for a moment, and offering a plush toy version of himself with button eyes to the less colorful pegasus. Daring raised an eyebrow as she accepted it. 
The doll proudly proclaimed "that's a lie, I'd never do that!" 
Daring blinked at it incredulously, then back at Discord, who smiled lopsidedly. "I'm going to wager Dash is going to give you an earful as soon as I'm out of the picture. But since I really don't expect any scintillating wit out of her-"
"Hey!" Dash grumbled.
"- I figure automated responses will be good enough. Anyway, tootles!" The draconequus vanished without further pomp. Daring put the plush toy on her back between her wings with a bemused smile. Dash stared at her in confusion.
"You trust him?!" 
"Don't worry. It's perfectly fine. Probably. Heh heh heh." The plush commented.
"Fluttershy trusts him. And for what limited experience I've had with her, she seems to have a good judge of character." Daring popped her pith helmet off her head, scooping up the artifact from where she'd left it on the ground.
"Do you even know what he's done?! Who that is?! That's Discord! He almost ruined Equestria, like, three times!" Dash took to the air, gesturing with frustrated energy. "He came back and drove us all crazy and then he's always causing trouble!"
"I am not a crook!" The plush toy responded with indomitable self assurance.
"You stay out of this!" Dash put a hoof to her mouth in embarrassment as Daring raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. Dash groaned. "Look, he does all these things, and calls them pranks, but it's like he doesn't understand what a real prank is, and he uses magic all the freaking time! I bet that toy is enchanted for the most annoying response at a given time!"
"Alright, so, how about you give me the extended version about Discord? We've got a bit of time unless you were planning to race back to Fluttershy's." Daring took the pith helmet in her mouth, and started trotting through the Everfree. 
Dash gaped at her. "Aren't we going to fly back?"
Daring looked back at her. "If this mini-Discord is enchanted I don't want to see if it reacts to the artifact, and I'm not about to just throw it on the ground."
"Don't deny it, this is a trustworthy face!" The plush toy continued to stare blankly. 
Dash glared at it. She sighed, settling onto the Everfree turf again with a grumble. "Fine. Fine. But I reserve the right to be the first one to stomp that thing apart if you get tired of it."
Daring rolled her eyes, and settled into a pleasant walk, with a perhaps overly dramatic monologue accompanying it. Interrupted every so often by a recorded soundbite of snark.


~*~


Fluttershy had made dandelion salad for dinner, which had been appreciated all around. She excused herself a few moments later to feed her animal friends, which left Daring and Dash to eat alone. Discord was unavailable for further comment, but Daring put the plush Discord on the dinner table with a gentle pat. She had to admit she was amazed that Fluttershy's window had gotten repaired in the short time they were away, but Dash had waved that off as 'normal for Ponyville.'
"Well well well." The plush had yet to stop commentating, much to Dash's frustration.
The two pegasi wrapped up their meal with relative speed, showing more hunger than either had anticipated. Dash cleared the table as Daring did the dishes. Dash quietly tried to avoid making direct eye-contact, before staring at the ceiling with a frustrated groan, and just looked at Daring. "What did you mean I'm not Hue?"
Daring blinked, smiling at Dash. "Really, we're going back to that point? Not that I still trust Fluttershy, and don't mind Discord?"
Dash made a scrunchy face, grumbling, before sighing and kicking at the floor. "That's kind of the point I'm at with Discord too. I trust Fluttershy but I don't trust Discord. So the best I could do is try to make you dislike Discord, and... well, that would be unfair. He pegged me, like he always does, back in those ruins. He's Fluttershy's friend. And while we're not really friends, I guess I shouldn't actually interfere to that extent.
"So since that point is dead, I'm going back to the earlier one."
"Looks like somepony broke the rules." The plush remained as non-sequitur as ever. Dash glared at it, biting her tongue.
"Alright..." Daring wiped her hooves clean of the wash water, and put on her best thoughtful expression. "You've met me before?"
"Yeah, of course!" Dash grinned enthusiastically. "Big fan. Huge fan."
"Do I look the same?"
"Huh?" Dash looked at Daring with a puzzled frown. Daring gestured expansively.
"Humor me. I don't even have my jacket on, so this should be even easier."
Dash stared at the adventurous pegasus, and pointed at her. "You've got your cutie mark, you're the same color. You're you."
"Humor me." Daring shook her head, repeating the request with an admonishing tone."Take all you know about 'Daring', and compare it to me."
"Somepony stop me!" The plush contributed helpfully.
Dash sighed, but walked around Daring, staring at the pony. She was rather convinced this whole thing was a waste of time. They'd talked a bit, and it was weird that Daring didn't seem to remember things right, but...
Dash took a double-take. Then a triple-take. 
Those scars.
While Daring had had a few scars here and there, she had admitted that a lot of the more epic battles and wounds had to be invented for the books. Considering how tough she was, it wasn't too much of a surprise. If Daring jumped into every battle and finished it with a single shot, it wouldn't make for an exciting read. 
But Daring... Not Daring... This... Imposter-Daring... Was covered in scars. Many of which were old enough to have worn away slightly, but newer ones told tales of countless dangers braved, and survived, not dominated. Dash's eyes narrowed as she braced her hooves and spread her wings threateningly. "Are you a spy?!"
Daring blinked at Dash incredulously. "What?"
"You heard me, Imposter! You're not the real Daring! What are you doing here? Who sent you?!"
Daring flinched as Dash rocketed into her face, doing her best Canterlot Royal Voice impression. She gave Dash her best deadpan expression in return. "You know, I was the one who asked you to check me over. A simple 'yes, you're different from what I expected' was all I needed."
Dash blinked, planting all four hooves on the ground as she bit her lower lip. She chuckled nervously. "Uh, sorry."
Daring shook her head with a sigh. "I don't even want to know. Anyway, my working theory right now is that I'm not the 'local' Daring. I think that artifact might be teleporting me between two similar worlds. Discord clued me in some when he commented that something was 'off' about me."
"Pfft, like he's one to talk."
"I used that line already. Get your own material." The two pegasi exchanged smiles. Daring started pacing as she continued her thoughts. "My point remains, I'm not from 'here', so whatever similarities there are are... inconsistent at best."
"Do you turn into a giant monster with a tentacle beard under the full moon and eat ponies?"
Daring stopped pacing and blinked at Dash. "...What?"
Dash shrugged. "Worth checking, right?"
Daring opened her mouth, closed it, and just tilted her head at Dash. "Do you?"
Dash leaped into the air, hovering in surprise. "Don't be crazy! Of course not!"
"Well that's a relief." The two pegasi turned to examine the amused purple alicorn that had walked into Fluttershy's cottage, followed by the owner of same cottage. "Miss Do, it's an honor and a pleasure again."
"Pull the other one, it's got bells on!" The Discord plush quipped. Twilight blinked at it, then shook her head, turning back to the trio of pegasi, who were giving her expectant stares. Suddenly put on the spot, she put on a sheepish grin, looking from one face to the next. 
"So, um, I was here to help figure out this artifact?"


~*~


Twilight was headed home with a spring in her step and the artifact contained in a small cooking pot, which she floated in her telekinetic grip. She'd grilled both Dash and Daring about the object, getting what information Daring had pieced together, as well as Dash's experience on the other side. Fluttershy's comments on how angry the griffons were were noted, but not expected to be helpful. Dash had excused herself for the evening, saying she wanted to be well rested for the inevitable research trip Twilight was sure to suggest. 
Really, she just didn't want to break into giggles at the goo-goo eyes Fluttershy kept tossing at the back of Daring's head. Dash remembered how hard it had been for Fluttershy to admit having a crush on her, and figured it wasn't going to go anywhere. It was vaguely flattering that Fluttershy still had a similar 'type' to Dash. Plus, it wasn't like Daring liked mares.
Right?
That momentary doubt sent Dash flying straight into a tree, much to her consternation. She raised her head with a groan, rubbing same object with a hoof. Trying to remember what had just caused her train of thought to derail brought out a blank, so she shrugged and headed on home. It couldn't have been that important if she couldn't remember it.
Right...?


~*~


Daring had, unsurprisingly, been more than welcome to stay at Fluttershy's. The adventurer had been even more pleasantly surprised that Fluttershy had a spare toothbrush, making today the first day in a while that she could claim she felt well groomed. Between the bath, massage, a freshly laundered adventuring jacket and hat, and actual clean teeth, Daring was almost feeling spoiled. She smiled to herself slipping the pith helmet from on top of her head to back over her eyes with a satisfied smile.
The tiny whimper in the darkness snapped her eyes open. The muted noise of the animals never even stopped as Daring silently rolled off the couch. With the practiced grace of a hunter stalking through foilage, she eased her way up the stairs, using her wings and hooves in concert to prevent herself from making any noise. She slid up to Fluttershy's bedroom door, and peeked in.
Fluttershy was clutching the little Discord plush and shaking quietly. As Daring peered into the room Fluttershy shuddered and whimpered. Bad dreams seemed to be haunting her. Although from what, Daring couldn't say. The adventurer considered the terrified pegasus a moment longer before setting her own jaw. She moved into the room, and gently nudged Fluttershy with a hoof. Fluttershy shot up with a startled squeak before dropping back to her bed, having forgotten to flap her wings. Daring smiled weakly. "Bad dreams?"
The yellow pegasus took a deep breath, and nodded quietly.
"Wanna talk about it?"
Fluttershy whimpered, her eyes going wide as she clutched the Discord plushie, shimmering waterlines appearing around the base of her eyes.
"Want a hug?"
Fluttershy nodded desperately. Daring smiled at her, and wrapped her forehooves and wings around the shaking pegasus. Fluttershy squeaked again, unwilling to let go of her plush companion. She finally settled for desperately burying her head in Daring's chest. The adventurer gently used her body weight to push the shy pegasus back onto the bed, humming gently as she started to stroke Fluttershy's mane with a hoof.
"Hush now, quiet now, it's time to lay your sleepy head, hush now, quiet now, it's time to go to bed.
Drifting off to sleep, exciting day behind you, drifitng off to sleep, let the joy of Dream Land find you."
Daring's voice wasn't as practiced at singing as it was at shouting challenges, but right now all it had to do was help Fluttershy feel comfortable. Surrounded by the warmth of another pony, and comforted by the wings around her, Fluttershy drifted into a happy sleep by the third stanza. Daring smiled weakly, closing her own eyes. The two mares swept off into peaceful sleep, Fluttershy with her head buried in Daring's chest, and a Discord plush snuggled firmly in her hooves. Daring for her part smiled at the chance to spend some time with another pony, without fear of complications for her latest adventure. A warm and happy blackness surrounded them.