“Eh? What’s up, Doc?”
The ride to Canterlot involved exactly what Daring had said it would: a detailed recounting of her adventures in the Griffon Kingdoms. The Pegasus was incredibly good at talking about her exploits, and fitting in thousands of words in just an hour long train ride and managing to stay understandable. It was lucky for Velvet that she was able to remember all that was said, and write notes in a commendably swift fashion.
By the end of the ride, Daring had only a few more sentences before she had wrapped up her narrative, “And after the little ‘indoctrination’ ceremony, they gave me a ride home. Just saying this now, Griffons are a whole hang of a lot better at flying things than most ponies. Even us Pegasi! Probably has something to do with their being able to wrap their feet around things, but hey. Anyway, I managed to stop the civil war, get the two families to make peace and I think one of them might have proposed to me. Still not sure how their culture works,” she laughs, before wrapping up, “And then I got back here to Equestria, and you know the rest from that. So, what do you think?”
Velvet waits to respond until she has finished her note taking, thus leaving Daring’s question up in the air for a minute. Finally, she sets her quill down and smiles, “It sounds very ‘Daring Do’, which should be obvious enough. It’ll take me a month or more to convert this into actual story form, but you know how it goes.”
As Velvet finished her speech, the train crawled to a stop at the station, and let out a shrill call from its whistle. At one time, Velvet had wondered why the conductor did that, despite it being quite obvious that the train was stopped. She had learned the reason why a few years ago when she saw a mare that had dozed off during the trip jolted into wakefulness by the loud call. She stood and stashed her writing supplies into her saddlebags, and filed out into the aisle to get off of the train. Daring followed suit, resituating the scarf that she wore about her neck.
Upon finally making it out of the train car, the two mares went through the busy station and onto the cobblestone streets of Canterlot. Daring lifted herself into the air just a few inches above Velvet’s head and gave a slight sigh, “Ah, Canterlot. City that most ponies will think of upon hearing the name ‘Equestria’, and it’s probably the most annoying place to be in. All the ‘high and mighty’ Unicorns that think they’re just a different class of citizen.”
She pulls a disgusted face before dropping down beside Velvet and poking her in the side, “I’m really glad that you’re not like that Vel. Not so sure I would have been able to handle taking you along with me,” the Pegasus seemed to notice something different about where she had poked Velvet, and stated as such, “Oh! I see that you healed up all nice and normal from your little run in with an arrow.”
Velvet smirks at her friend’s description of the city, and chuckled dryly at her observation about the arrow wound, “Yeah, the spell the healer had used was a pretty good one. Got it all healed up like it never happened. And I am immensely glad that I’m not one of those types either. The ones around here are bad enough to support that stereotype of Unicorns. We don’t need the ones in Fillydelphia doing the same.”
Their conversation continued in the form of small talk until they eventually came to the Starswirl Academic Publication Office. Upon entering, Twilight Velvet felt a rush of emotion, the most prominent of which were giddiness, nervousness, and simple elation. It took nearly every fiber of her will she could muster not to prance about like a young filly squealing with delight. Daring just followed after her, smiling with amusement at her friend’s obvious excitement.
With Daring Do waiting outside for her to be finished, Velvet entered the same office that she had been to the earlier week to submit her manuscript, and seated herself when beckoned to by the same stallion behind the desk. The dark colored Unicorn smiled at her, “My apologies, miss. I was unaware that our letter of confirmation had not been sent out when we meant for it to have been. I nearly didn’t advance your story forward because of that. One of my readers suggested that we look into the problem a little deeper before going that far,” He clears his throat, “But anyway, you came here for a reason, and that was not to hear me talking.”
Reaching into a drawer on his side of the desk, the stallion draws out a paper in his magic, and sets it on the table, pushing a quill and ink towards her with his hoof as he does, “If you’ll just sign along the dotted line, we’ll be finished here, and your novel will be sent on for full publication.”
With a silent nod, Velvet carefully enveloped the quill in her magical aura and tapped off the excess ink, before transferring the end of the feather to the paper, and in her exquisite writing style, signed her name along the line. When she was finished, she returned the quill, and presented the contract to the stallion, “Here you are sir.” She said, no longer able to hold back her smile.
Taking the paper in his own magical aura, the stallion gives her a nod, “You are quite welcome, Miss Velvet, and congratulations on a successful novel! If I may give my own opinion, I daresay that this will be quite the popular story.” He smiles and stands, holding out a hoof.
Velvet stood with him, and shook his hoof, “You are very kind, sir. I wish you a good rest of your day.” And with that, she turned to leave.
“And I hope you have the same, miss.” The stallion says as she exits the room.
Upon shutting the door, Velvet turns to Daring, who was giving the Unicorn a look that clearly read, ‘So, what’s your verdict now?’ Velvet’s response was exactly what the Pegasus had been hoping for, as she finally let loose and danced excitedly in place, giving a quiet squeal. Daring laughed along with her friend’s antics, though she fell silent upon seeing one of the employees stop on the other side of the Unicorn writer, and give her a highly amused look.
Daring at first was waiting to see if Velvet would notice, but when it became abundantly clear that she was not going to any time soon, Daring gave her a firm tap on the shoulder. When Velvet stopped and looked at her curiously, Daring pointed at the stallion on the other side of her. Twilight Velvet looked, and instantly turned a deep shade of red and stumbled back beside Daring. It was Night Light.
The blue Unicorn stallion chuckled, “Was I interrupting something, Velvet?”
The white mare rubbed her cheek, willing the blood to retreat from her face as she stumbled to come up with a response. She was unable to, and Night just chuckled again and gave her a smile,
“Congratulations, by the way. I’m glad the letter finally got to you. After I read your story, I suggested it to be sent on immediately. I had become worried when you nearly missed the deadline. They weren’t going to send it on.”
Velvet’s eyes widen, “Wait, you read my story?” She asked.
He nodded, “Yeah. It was one of the stories they assigned to me. It was very good, if I may say so,” at the look that Velvet gave him, Night was quick to dispel what he thought might be going through her mind, “My being somewhat familiar with you had nothing to do with that opinion, by the way. You are genuinely a good writer, and the story itself was very interesting.”
He glances over at Daring Do, and raises an eyebrow slightly, “You know, her heroine was described as actually looking a little like you, now that I think about it.”
Daring’s ears perked upwards, “Oh, really? Vel! You didn’t tell me that you based your heroine’s design off of me!” She exclaims, punching her lightly on the shoulder.
Velvet winces slightly, “Ouch…” she says, glaring at Daring before nodding, “Yeah, well, I figured she acted a little like you, so why not?”
The Pegasus chuckles and looks back to Night, “Isn’t that something?” she chuckles, before thrusting a hoof out before her, “My name’s Dazzle, by the way.”
Night takes the hoof, and shakes it as he responds, “My name is Night Light. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dazzle. Am I right in assuming that you are friends with Velvet?”
Daring nods, “Yep! I have been for a little while now, actually. Met her a couple months back while on vacation. She never told me that she based her stories main character off of me, though! How do you know her?”
The Unicorn stallion nods, “Ah, I see. I nearly ran into her, quite literally, after she first submitted her transcript for consideration. Ended up seeing her at the café I usually go to whilst reading, and we just spent the night talking.”
Velvet stops their conversation by clearing her throat, “Excuse me, but don’t you think that you could stop talking about me like I’m not even here?”
Night nods, “Oh, right. Of course, sorry about that, Velvet,” he clears his throat, “Anyways, I should probably get on with work. It was nice meeting you, Dazzle, and it was lovely to see you again, Velvet. If you’re going to be in town for the rest of the day, feel free to come find me, if you so wish. You know where.” And with that, he waves, and goes about his business.
Velvet returned the wave, before she and Daring made their way out of the building. Once in the sunlight again, Daring breaks down in laughter again. For about a minute, Velvet was unable to get any sort of legible speech out of the Pegasus. Finally, Daring managed to get her mirth under control, and while wiping tears from her eyes, said, “You really never told me that you met a cutie like that, Velvet. I think he’s in to you,” she smirks, “And I think you kind of are to him as well, aren’t you?”
Velvet gasps as if in offense, but was unable to keep a blush out of her cheeks, “I, uh… Daring!” she gives a disgusted noise, “I am not! He’s just nice is all, I don’t… you know…” Velvet scrunches her nose, unable to come up with anything else.
“You do know that all that did was confirm it, right?” Daring laughed, “Come on Vel, don’t get so worked up about it, I’m just teasing. We should really get going to the palace. Don’t want to keep Celestia waiting any longer, do we?”
All Velvet was able to do was nod, and they began to move off, cutting through the nearby park on their way to the castle. Daring Do managed to wait one more minute, at least until Velvet’s blush went down, before saying, “‘If you’re still in town tonight, feel free to come find me. You know where’” she quoted in a poor imitation of Night’s voice, “If that doesn’t make it obvious that he likes you, I don’t know what does!”
“Daring!” Velvet exclaims, “I thought that you were done with this!”
“Vel, I’m never going to be done with this. At least not until I get a letter from you telling me that you two are dating in the next month!” The Pegasus says, laughing again.
“Daring!” Velvet yells once more, but this time whatever she had been going to say afterwards was forgotten. Another voice, a decidedly male one, had shouted the exact same word as she did, but rather than sound irritated, it sounded frantic.
The next thing that she knew, her Pegasus friend was being tackled to the ground by a brown stallion, who continued to say, “Ah, Miss Do! You are a sight for these old eyes! Come along, there is something that I could really use your help with!”
As she was pulled up by this fast talking stallion, Daring shook her head in an attempt to get her mane out of her eyes. With that failing, she gives up and just brushes it aside with her hoof, asking, “Eh? What’s up, Doc?”
“Lots is ‘up’, Daring. There’s the sky, and the clouds. Also there’s the sun and moon. Plus about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, and 0.03% carbon dioxide with very small percentages of other elements, and I think maybe even some magic.” The stallion says quickly, “But to answer your question much less literally, and in the sense which you meant by asking it, there’s basically a crisis. Is it ever any different with me? Now come on!”
He glances at Velvet, as if just noticing her for the first time, “Who’s she?”
Daring, who was willing enough to follow the hyperactive stallion – whose accent was something like what you would here in Trottingham, Velvet noticed – glanced at the mare in question, “Oh, her? That’s Twilight Velvet, a friend of mine.”
The stallion regarded Velvet for a few seconds, looking her up and down, “Can she handle an adventure?”
Daring Do grinned, “Ooooh yeah, she definitely can, Doctor.”
The Doctor seemed to beam at that, “Splendid! She can come too, the more the merrier, after all! Now let’s go!” And with that, he took off again.
Velvet caught Daring before she took off after him. She gave the Pegasus a highly confused, and worried look, “Dare, who in Celestia’s name is he?”
All Daring did was grin, “Velvet, he’s probably the most interesting pony you’ll ever meet. And I’ll just say this: prepare for the greatest adventure you will ever have!” And she would say no more. All she did was take to the air and follow after the Doctor, beckoning for Velvet to follow her as she went.
Velvet felt like it would be against her better judgment to follow along, but there was something about the strange stallion that was strangely captivating. Plus, Daring seemed to trust him, so that must have meant something about his character. Carefully, Velvet took one step forward. And then another, before finally breaking into a full out run to keep up. And with those steps, she had stepped into something that she would certainly never forget.