Sitting down at the table Daring Do massaged her head with her hooves; she was being stared at by an expectant unicorn while their friends were currently being entertained by the magician. Taking a glance off to the side Daring watched as the magician picked up and hugged a small alligator before returning back to her show. It kind of caused Daring to remember all the close calls in all the swamps, lagoons, jungles and forests she kept ending up in over the last few years. At least her three friends were being entertained while she talked business with the so called mercenaries.
“Okay, how did you know I exist? My identity is actually kept under wraps pretty well.” Daring Do’s first question was one that most intrigued her. “Also I’m rather curious as to how your friend immediately identified the fact that I was looking help.”
“To answer your first question, the town librarian is privy to a lot of information and records that led to such a discovery. I’m just surprised that this town didn’t really have one until I came to Ponyville.” Twilight closed her eyes and remembered the surprised look on her face given she heard that Daring Do was a real pony and that she knew her mother. “As for the second you’re Daring Do; when are you not dealing with awful artifacts, ancient articles and aggressive associates. My friend and I really like you’re books Miss Yearling. Aside from that you’re pretty recognizable from the book’s cover and my brother caught Ahuizotl himself while in a pitched battle that involved a giant banana monster and a gaggle of minotaurs. You’re well acquainted with my mother and even I recognized you from that right off the bat as I’ve seen you once or twice before today.”
“Really, who’s your mother?” Daring was very wary of ponies knowing her on sight. Her beige coat and her black and grey mane was not as colorful as most ponies so she stood out slightly. Usually she’d wear a boring looking hat and nerdy glasses to hide who she really was. It only took her seconds after stepping off the train to be recognized. Not that the party that was thrown for her and her friends was all bad, it was a simple one and she liked the free cupcakes the pink pony was peddling.
“Twilight Velvet Quality Sparkle, I believe she does some editing for you. I once thought that was the most normal thing my mother does, but now I can see even that was secretly weird.” Not a single thing about her parents was ever normal, not that Twilight disliked that fact. She loved her affectionate parents; it’s just that they couldn’t go to the store without wrestling a bear, getting launched over a tank full of sharks and end up getting into a vicious fight while on a runaway carriage all within the span of ten minutes. “Mom always had an eye for detail and I guess that was useful to your partial autobiography played off as fantasy books for young ponies like this one rambunctious filly I know named Scootaloo.”
“Yes, I know your mother then at least. Can we get to a different topic?” Daring was rather uncomfortable at the mention of Scootaloo and really hoped that Twilight couldn’t read her currently worried mind. She really wanted to steer the conversation entirely away from Scootaloo. If the unicorn started prying too far into it she didn’t know what she’d do about it. “You both don’t exactly look like mercenaries and especially not the kind of cutthroat ones I’d expect to handle the situation I’m in. Though the way your friend handled that wyvern was pretty impressive.”
“What can I say, we may not look it but we’re good at solving problems of all kinds. Trust me when I say we can take on just about anything you can throw at us.” Twilight was proud of being able to help ponies successfully and she wasn’t going to stop now. “So what’s the problem, what artifact does it involve and how can we help you solve it? I like working as a hairstylist and Tress is a beauty products maker. Aside from that we’ve been involved in several volatile situations or else we wouldn’t be Trims, Tresses and Trouble Takers.”
“Before I tell you that, what have you and your friend exactly done besides taking down a wyvern?” Again Daring looked off to the side to see the pink pony serve free refreshments out to the Saddle Arabians, it was nice to see them not looking as glum or grim now. That pony could cheer up any pony.
“You’re really worried about them; it must have been hard for them to leave their country. I’m guessing something bad is going down in Saddle Arabia given their looks.” After making her observation Twilight decided to answer Daring’s question. “Well thus far we’ve dealt with a jabberwock, a bandersnatch, that wyvern you saw today, a five headed hydra, stalled a pack of armed minotaurs raiding a passenger train for whatever reason, had a problem with some creepy exploding frogs a few days ago, battled a dragon that was made entirely out of fruitcake and quite a lot of other stuff like that to name a few things. Would getting a princess to imprison herself count as something successful? I’m not exactly sure.”
“Wait, you’re the reason why Princess Cadence jailed herself on purpose? Well at least she knows she did wrong by some ponies and admitted to her faults.” Daring had always thought Cadence was a bit flighty with her spell usage, then again it was said she was a pegasus before she turned into an alicorn. Throw in a bit of idle conversation and maybe she might actually hire these two hair care focused ponies to help her out of a jam, since apparently they were really adventurous hair care ponies. “Speaking of knowing things, what’s your level of schooling? I was personally born and raised in Manehatten where I got my passion for archaeology and exploration from a field trip to a museum. I started writing once I found out my job really didn’t pay as much as I thought it would, but I still do what I love.”
“I’m a graduate of Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns and as for Tress she is as knowledgeable as I am in many subjects. I have a doctorate in enchantments and I’m good in all forms of magic and can even see traps if they are enchantment based. For an example as to how strong my magic is, my levitation spell is powerful enough to lift an Ursa Minor and I have done so in aiding a friend while she was taking care of a sick one.” At some point Twilight figured she was understating how useful her skill at all forms of magic was. “My friend Tress is hoof to hoof combat expert and she’s much more dangerous then she initially appears.”
“You better believe I’m dangerous knowing me as you do, no other pony would be crazy enough to take a wyvern head on aside from Rainbow.” It was a fleeting thought, but Tress actually realized she was worried about the colorful nuisance that aided her without question. She had to admit Rainbow did get some credit for helping bring down the wyvern and was a good friend when she wasn’t ignoring your existence. Twilight had already paid for Rainbow’s short stay in the hospital. “I hope she’s okay.”
“She is Tress; our favorite knucklehead isn’t that easy to take out for long.” Chuckling at the sentiment, Twilight knew Rainbow would be too rowdy a patient to keep down. She gave Rainbow two days before she made a full recovery and was once again zipping across the skies. Turning to Daring, she took on a serious look. “Can you give us more information about what is going on now?”
“The city of Neighgraba in Saddle Arabia has been overthrown by the power mad grand vizier Jabber Fartulong. Apparently he got a hold of an artifact I was after and it had a genie in it, which is why I’m currently here looking for help.” Daring hadn’t seen the genie personally but she saw the effects of what happened after the vizier got a hold of it well enough. “As far as I know he’s captured the princess’s father the sultan of Neighgraba, has somehow gained complete control over the guards and is forcing mares that he likes into being slaves for him. That genie is way too powerful to take on in a straightforward confrontation and it almost got the guy in the green cloak over there killed.”
“Are you sure it’s a genie he has helping him though? As far as I know of genies they can’t directly kill, force love of any kind, bring any being back to life or change a powerful nature of the world. An example of a powerful nature would be an alicorn like Celestia.” Twilight didn’t like the sound of going near a genie, but she needed to know for sure it was a genie as that would have been a simpler thing to deal with. “Then there’s the alternative and I really don’t like the idea of dealing with one of those creatures as it’s far worse than a genie and knowing my luck it probably is one of those.”
“What alternative could there be other than it being a genie and why would it be worse than one?” Daring was curious and it caused her to immediately have a bad feeling about what was going on back in Neighgraba.
“A genie has a limit of three wishes and can do things for their masters of their own free will up and to the point the third wish is made. On the other hoof, there is a nastier version of a genie that is called a jinn.” Twilight shivered at just saying the name of the dark version of a genie. “Jinns aren’t exactly bound to the three wishes thing like genies are and are said to be bringers of great evil. As long as the item binding them to this world is kept safe they can’t be stopped easily. If this grand vizier was the owner to a lamp holding one, then things are slowly getting far worse in Neighgraba then what you’ve already heard or saw. A jinn will always be pleased with an evil master that spreads misery, destruction and greed. Unlike genies, a jinn can directly kill you.”
“Yikes, hope it’s not a jinn he’s got then…” Daring didn't know all this stuff about genies and jinn, if it was a jinn then finding help was a good idea. “You’re hired, how exactly do we go about dealing with this situation? Other than finding that lamp and smashing it to pieces that is.”
“Well first I need to send a letter to my parents. If we are dealing with a jinn we’re going to need all the help we can muster. My parents have been to Saddle Arabian territories before and I’m not afraid of asking for their help on this one.” Twilight was going to need the help of quite a few of her friends; she had to make sure they were available for this trip though. “I’m also going to get together a few of my friends to help out with this adventure. Do you think we can all get a small part in your next book?”
“I don’t see why not, but there won’t be a next book if Jabber continues to hold sway over Neighgraba. I’d be too depressed about my failure to prevent this mess in the first place to write anything new.” Daring sat back and picked up a cupcake to bite into it. After swallowing and looking Twilight in the eyes, she just had to ask as it had been on her mind since the start of this conversation. “How much is this going to cost me?”
“I’d say your friendship for one and that would mostly be about it. Even I’m not about to let a ruthless pony get away with harming mostly innocent people.” Tress was already aware that Twilight wouldn’t turn down this trouble even if it sounded difficult. Camels, griffons and plenty of other merchants of all species passed through Neighgraba so saying ‘ponies’ wasn’t the right word for it when a good portion of the population was in fact not.
“I can live with that cost, friendship and a part in my book huh. You guys certainly work for cheap don’t you?” Daring wondered if she should have just gone back and taken care of this trouble personally, she worked alone for a very good reason. She could only hope things didn’t blow up in her face, because now she had to watch out for these ponies as well and couldn’t be everywhere at once.
“Our business does give some of the biggest first time discounts you'll ever see, you’re a friend of my family and you’re going to become my friend personally. It’s almost paid in full except for one tiny question I have to ask after we’re done helping you with your trouble. Tress could you please go find Rarity, Fluttershy and Chrysalis.” As she said this, Twilight had a twinkle in her eye while she levitated out some paper and ink. “I can already tell this is going to be an interesting experience.”