It was a sad day when the announcement first befell on the ears of Twilight and Rainbow Dash, the news that Daring Do and the Defeat of Ahuizotl would be the last book in the series. A.K Yearling kept all comments to herself but the one was detailed in the newspaper, “I am sad to see Daring go, but that’s just how it is.”
Everypony else who read it was fine with it and didn’t have a second glance, but Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle knew that something had happened that made her stop.
“Well why else would A.K Yearling stop being Daring Do?” Asked Rainbow.
“I don’t know but I am positive it isn’t because she followed your fanfic and melted down the Rings of Scorchero into a statue of you.” Argued Twilight.
“You don’t that for sure!”
Twilight pause, “True but there is only one way we can find out. We should go visit her again and make sure that everything is alright.”
“Can we not bring Pinkie Pie this time, the paint she used was expensive and I feel like it was a waste?” Rainbow requested. “Can you believe she made us all pitch in to buy it.”
“That doesn’t matter right now, for now we just need to make sure that Ms. Yearling is fine.”
With these words they set out on the sort of same path as before, minus the twists and turns that pinkie pie depicted on the map. By the time that they had gotten to Yearlings house they had already discussed the recent fanfics that they had read and what they personally thought would happen in the final book. Twilight believed that Ahuizotl had given up on fighting against Daring while Dashie had figured that Daring had crushed him in an epic battle.
“I can see it now,” Rainbow began, “Ahuizotl is standing at the top of the dark tower at Tenochtitlan and laughing maniacally. Suddenly, Daring Do swings in from atop the largest tree and kicks the villain into the air and throws her whip to catch his tail. She pulls him back in and begins to paddleball him from the top of the tower.” She sighed. “That’d be the way I’d go down in history for saving a basin from complete and utter destruction.”
“Rainbow, I think you’d take anything to go down in history for…” Twilight said, “But I personally believe that she defeats as she normally does in the books but Ahuizotl admits to being tired of always loosing and decides to leave the basin to try and terrorize elsewhere. Daring wouldn’t have that at all so she makes him completely surrender to the Royal Forces of Canterlot and is locked in prison until the end of time.”
At this time, they were at the door, and much to their surprise they found A.K Yearling sitting outside of her house, waiting for them.
“Rainbow Dash!” She called out, “Twilight!” Waving them all inside they were beckoned into a warm house with a fire going.
“Ms. Yearling! It’s so good to see you again!” Twilight said in a respectful manor, “How have you been?”
Yearling looked older than the last time that they had come, older than time could wear away in almost a year. She had more grey in her hair and didn’t have such a spry gait anymore, she had a cane that she used to support her right foreleg and it was decorated with marks and symbols from her adventures. The dark tower and the Rings of Scorchero were just a few of these.
“I’ve been good, but I would like to hear your opinions on what you think of my retirement.” She stated matter-of-factly.
“You should seriously reconsider.” Rainbow said, in a cool tone while she leaned against a wall.
Twilight glared at her, but it fell on blind eyes. Rainbow was too busy secretly trying to fix her mane.
The princess cleared her throat, “I would like to know why you’re considering going into retirement.”
“Well, I was doing my adventure, like all the other books, but this one was different. This story had a very different ending. You see, the rings were scattered thanks to Rainbow,” She motioned, “Ahuizotl was nearly destroyed with just that defeat and he somehow managed to reconstruct artificial rings that worked the same way; I found out by doing a fly over of the dark tower and he set up a trap for me, he clipped my wigs and I couldn’t fly for a while.”
She took off her cloak and showed where her wings were still recovering from the cuts on the endings.
“By the time I hit the ground I already knew that the Rings had to have been reassembled. When I woke up he was sitting in front of me, about a hundred feet away but in front of the rings that were all present and all but one was placed on. He had his usual monologue and I ended up escaping but I had decided to do something different, I shattered all the rings, anytime I got the chance I’d give a hard kick to the rings and they shattered. I still fought him, but after the last ring broke Ahuizotl was so distraught that he didn’t try to flee when I came to take him to justice in Canterlot.”
“Ha!” Twilight interrupted. “I was right!”
“Partially! I was right too you know!” Rainbow Dash claimed, “They had an epic fight in the end.”
“What are you two going on about? Can I please finish my story?” Yearling said, annoyed.
“Sure.” The two young mares said in unison.
“I brought him to justice, his sentence was eternal and now there is nothing threatening this basin. So this is the last book, whether the fans like it or not there isn’t anything more to write about.”
The shock hit both of the mares that were out of the loop to begin with but were now thrust into one that they hadn’t expected. A.K Yearling had a ligament reason to retire the story. Rainbow Dash quite literally fell over and out of her chair.
“The gang members were all tracked down and now, not one thing is threatening the basin that I always write about, so the series is over.” Yearling summed up.
“B-But, there must be something!” exclaimed Rainbow.
“No, nothing. Everything is safe here. I’m not doing anything else around here so Daring Do is done, she’s gone elsewhere to make sure that area is safe and secure.” Explain the author.
“Ms. Yearling,” Twilight began, “I think that you should reconsider, not because of the fact that we are big fans and all, but because there are ponies all across Equestria who love your writing. If you stop the series here, they might move on, but wouldn’t it be great if you are able to say that you have influence other ponies through your writing?”
Yearling paused; almost shocked at the fact that so many ponies loved her writing. “Come on, not that many ponies like my writing. I rarely receive fan mail, and most of the time-“
“Most of the time it’s from yours truly!” Rainbow said with a hoof on her chest.
Twilight face-hoofed.
Daring then took off her cloak, which she had on until now, revealing her golden coat. She was obviously disheartened at seeing her second life go, but that was how it was happening and there was nothing that she could do about it.
“Ms. Yearling… Maybe I can suggest something, something that can save what you want desperately to live on. Continue writing Daring Do, but instead of it actually happening to you and you publishing it as fiction, make it actually fiction. Nothing changes her personality and everything can continue as you would’ve hoped it to.”
Yearling pondered this, “But I won’t be having those adventures anymore, I won’t be able to be Daring ever again.”
“But you can,” Twilight began, “think of every adventure that you wanted to have and make them happen. Use your imagination to continue Daring Do and write until you have lived everything that you have ever wanted with her.”
A.K Yearling was tearing up at this point, no words came to her mouth but she was unable to contain these emotions that were thrust upon her. She might not be able to live on as two ponies, but she was able to live as one pony who had adventures as the other for the rest of her days.
Ω
The next book was recalled so that there could be a title change; it wasn’t a very dramatic one, just something that would allow Yearling some room to continue her adventures as Daring Do. Instead of the Defeat of Ahuizotl, it was Daring Do and the Sanctification of the Basin. Ahuizotl was still defeated but he ended up escaping in the end. While this was true for Daring, in this world, Ahuizotl was never heard from again and kept locked away.
And if he ever does come back, Yearling would be waiting for him.