//------------------------------// // ch5: Never Smile at a Crocodile prt 1 // Story: Odds and Ends. // by Redstargazer //------------------------------// Since beginning her career in ‘professional exploring,’ Daring Do had experienced life-threatening perils as often as an office pony might experience paper cuts. Like that office pony with the cut, she would simply shrug off each event and move on. Some would question the sanity of any pony that treated death traps and megalomaniacs with that kind of casual attitude but, when it came down to it, you couldn’t freak out at every little thing and expect to survive this business long. At the moment, she would’ve been ecstatic to find herself dangling over another pit of poisonous snakes rather than sitting in this hut. Daring had made it upstairs in time to see the Princess stumbling out of bed like a drunkard. After offering her a stabilizing hoof and giving hasty introductions, Daring did a quick inventory over injuries that confirmed the Princess wouldn’t be flying or using magic for a while. An unfortunate, though not unexpected, hiccup to any plans of escape. This didn’t bother Daring too much. If anything, she actually preferred leaving magic out of the equation. She dealt with more than enough freaky, ancient voodoo hocus pocus with her day to day work with forbidden artifacts thank you very much. What did bother her though was Luna’s response when trying to present the Princess with a plan to get out of the forest. The Princess waved a dismissive hoof saying, “Tis appreciated that you are thinking that far ahead, Daring. However I think it best we wait until we speak with James and see what he has in mind.” At Daring’s blank stare, the Princess explained that she had already acquainted herself with their host and learned that he could be trusted to guide them out. It involved lots of eloquent recommendations, ye-old speak, and dream symbolism mixed with magic theory. Daring said nothing and betrayed no emotion on her face during the explanation, but the meaning she got out of it went along the lines of, ‘Oh, don’t bother your pretty head with plans. The scary hermit warrior monk downstairs will see to all the little details of our survival. I know he’s good for it because I jumped into his head and had a nice chat over pretend tea. That was after he nearly tore my consciousness, despite my being an ancient god-like being, into little pieces. That was just a little mix up though so it’s all fine and good.’ Needless to say, the spiel did little to put Daring at ease. If anything, she wanted to roll her eyes while telling Ms Sand Mare to keep quiet and let the professionals handle it. Of course there are some things you just don’t say to one of your country’s sovereigns. Especially when, wounded or not, said sovereign could stomp you into a greasy smear. Besides, she couldn’t argue against the fact that this guy did seem to know his way around the forest. She learned a long time ago that, whether you like the source or not, you don’t dismiss that kind of help while stuck in unfamiliar territory. Even with her stubborn refusal to work with partner, she knew only an idiot would do otherwise. When they first got down, Luna actually hesitated at her first sight of James as if expecting something else than the hide wearing wild man in front of them. She seemed to lose her confusion after making eye contact with him and, after shrugging her shoulders, she and Daring made their way over to where he sat cross-legged on the in front of a small stone tea set. That’s how Daring came to find herself in her current position seated on the floor with the Princess and their ‘host’ around the crude little tea set. Instead of planning as Daring assumed they would be doing they spent the better part of thirty minutes in silence. Luna sat all prim and proper as if at a dinner party but kept sneaking glances over her cup at James like some school filly on a first date. James just…well, honestly, Daring had a really hard time reading that guy. Aside from the occasional twitch from his mouth that may have been the hint of a smile he might as well have been one of the statues from the royal gardens. Daring eventually reached her limit of awkward silence for the year. She stomped her left hoof hard enough to make the floor creak and rattle the tea set drawing the attention of the other two hut occupants while accusingly pointing her right hoof at James. “Alright buddy I think it’s time you gave us some answers. Let’s start with ‘just what the heck are you?!’” Luna stared in shock for a moment before her expression gave way to anger. “How dare you speak to our host in that manner?! He helped us, gave us shelter and-” “It’s alright Luna,” James interrupted gently before looking toward Daring with the same calm expression he wore the whole time. “Under the circumstances, anyo-er-pony would want to know what they were dealing with. I’m something called a human and-” “Horseapples.” This got another glare from Luna and a single blink, what Daring assumed to be a sign of surprise, from James. Daring just barreled on, “A human couldn’t pull half the stuff you did with those timber wolves. Not to mention the fact that humans developed in a non-magic environment and would keel over from the exposure to magic in the atmosphere.” “And just how would you know that?” Luna asked suspiciously with a narrowed glare at Daring. “While we only met today I have done enough reading through royal personnel files to know of you and your work: archeologist, explorer, writer, professor. Biologist, however, was not among your listed professions.” Daring immediately lost her bluster and started with a stumbling explanation. “W-well you see. Um, that is…” she looked nervously at James then back to Luna and motioned to him helplessly. “Look, Princess, there are state secrets I can’t just say and-” “I personally vouch for James’ character and integrity. You can say anything here and trust it to be in confidence.” “My word on it,” James agreed solemnly. Daring gave one last look between the two before hanging her head and sighing. “Alright fine…In the last few years, just before you came back from your exile,” Daring said with a wave of her hoof toward Luna before continuing, “there were some unexplained instances of humans appearing here and there. It’s been mostly kept under wraps as we still have a lot of questions that we couldn’t answer yet. We never learned how it happened, but when they showed up and came in contact with magic in the atmosphere they…” Daring actually had to come to a stop and swallow at the memory. She continued in a flat voice, “Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty.” Luna actually blanched and James slightly grimaced at the implication. Before anyone could speak, Daring pointed an accusatory hoof at James again. “If you were really human then you would have keeled over the moment you found yourself here, especially without anyone around to help!” “I think we can explain that.” Daring and James both looked toward Luna who now had a pained expression. “First tell me, Daring Do. What do you know of the Everfree Forest’s origin?” Daring blinked at the question then frowned in thought. “Well as much as anyone in the historian circles; which isn’t all that much. It was pretty much summed up as the last scars left by the end of the Chaos Wars.” Luna nodded sadly, “Yes that is the truth. At least the parts of it my sister and I allowed to be released.” The Princess took a deep breath and exhaled as she set her cup aside seeming to brace herself to open old wounds. The royal confidence in her face gave way to a haggard expression as she spoke, “After we successfully imprisoned Discord, my sister and I made a terrible discovery. To this day we don’t know whether it was a side effect from the war or a last sick joke left in the event of Discord’s defeat but we discovered that the magic seals on the Tartarus gates were warped and breaking down as they now clashed with the world’s magic. Any attempt to use magic on the seals threatened to break them entirely so we did the next best thing: we purged the area of magic and took measures prevent more from coming in.” “Wait, hang on. That doesn’t make any sense,” Daring said as she removed her hat and scratched her head in confusion. “There’s magic everywhere in the world and even you and your sister don’t have the power to just make magic stop appearing in any given area. Even if you could, any spell like that would discharge enough magic that the seals would react and collapse on themselves.” “You are correct. We can’t just make it disappear or shield against it. That only left the option of redirecting it.” “The forest,” James muttered. “You made a spell that had the forest and its inhabitants absorb magic as it flowed toward the gates. It was a measure that directed magic away from the gate without actually having to directly affect the gate itself.” “Aye. At first, the field was only centered on the immediate area of the gate. This succeeded in clearing magic from the gates but came with consequences. Having that much magic flowing into the denizens of that area had far more extreme effects on the life there than we initially expected.” Luna closed her eyes and shuddered as she recalled one of many dark moments in her past. “Trees quickly grew from sprout to tree and fell to rot. Creatures, both prey and predator, were born and died only to be replaced with radically different species as numerous generations passed. We watched in shock as changes that should have occurred over millennia took place in minutes. Despite the spell affecting a small area, that area was churning out horrific forms at a rate that would have spread across Equestria within the year. We came to the horrific realization that in trying to prevent Tartarus’ opening our solution could simply turn the above world into a second Tartarus. “In a desperate effort to correct our mistake, my sister cut swaths of the accelerated growth with solar strikes as I added new layers to the spell to extend its border. The idea was giving the spell a wider range would mean more targets resulting in a less concentrated flow of magic.” “Resulting in the Everfree Forest,” Daring finished for Luna. She put a hoof to her chin in recollection before adding, “I seem to remember historians mention an event called ‘The Rain of Lights.’ They said it was a sign of the Chaos Wars’ end. I take it that was actually this little adventure of yours?” Luna smiled thinly. “They weren’t wrong. We simply didn’t see the point of panicking everypony by mentioning how close to disaster they were at the time. At any rate, the gate was secure. The newly formed Everfree Forest prevented magic from breaking down the seals and even acted as an additional defense with its dangerous wildlife that now lived there. “However, despite the relative stability, the Forest still posed new problems. Without magic in the atmosphere keeping balance the forest relied on its inhabitants’ natural born attributes to decide just what was ‘natural’ for its environment. The same went for the weather as the skies no longer responded to ponies’ magic and simply reacted based on whatever environmental patterns happened to form at the time. Add the fact that the magic wasn’t simply absent but directed into the wildlife and plant life increasing the efficiency of their attributes and we couldn’t predict just what changes would occur in the forest” “So, Darwinism to the umpteenth power eh?” Daring barked a laugh. “I’d wager that provided more than a few security concerns in our land of harmony.” “Darwinism?” Luna asked unsurely. “I suppose this is a more modern naming for Starswirl’s theory of Magica Absenstia? That, in the absence of magic, nature’s order would break down into the mandate of the strong above the weak?” “Y-yeah. Somepony decided to refine it a bit after having the Everfree around long enough to put it to the test.” Aside from the slight catch, Daring did a decent job in keeping her voice even. Most of her attention was focused on making sure she didn’t say anything else stupid in front of Luna but Daring could almost swear she saw James’ eyebrows furrow slightly. “Indeed? I suppose that’s just one more thing I’ll have to look into when I continue my studies.” Daring inwardly sighed at Luna’s casual acceptance. “To confirm your guess, yes, this did cause a good deal of concern. My sister and I worried that something in this hostile environment could develop and escape into the populace if left unchecked. Along with some of our most loyal and trusted subjects, my sister and I established Equestria’s capital within the Everfree so we could keep an eye on it while still performing our duties. It went well for a time. Until…” Luna trailed off and bit her lip. “Until the Nightmare Moon incident,” James finished softly. The look in Luna’s eye forced Daring to turn away. She might not have been annoyed by Luna’s earlier haughty attitude but it just seemed so wrong for such a strong willed pony to look that broken. When she looked back, Daring was glad to see some confidence back in those old eyes. She frowned for a moment as she noticed James giving an encouraging nod. She might not have liked seeing some total stranger apparently having that much influence over the Princess’ mood in such a short time but Daring had to admit he seemed to be helping. “I can’t remember all of what transpired but my sister says the influx of magic from our fight reacted badly with the present spell and she had to quickly evacuate the citizens to where Canterlot now stands. Several…didn’t survive the exodus.” Luna bowed her head in sorrow before continuing, “My sister pushed herself to her limits trying to maintain the daily duties of the kingdom, tending to the sun and moon, and trying to keep watch on the Everfree. Thankfully, things eventually calmed enough that she was able to delegate watch on the Everfree Forest to others. She told me that, a little over a hundred years ago, she sent some of her best warriors to establish a small outpost on the border. To make sure the citizenry didn’t panic, Celestia had her warriors start the outpost under the guise of a homesteading for them and their families. As time went by and the forest proved relatively quiet, the outpost grew into a small community.” “The Applefarm and Ponyville,” Daring breathed, her face a look of shocked realization. “Aye, the very same,” Luna confirmed with a nod. “As a reward for their steadfast service, those warriors posted there were awarded full ownership of the land and a small stipend to help in tending to any damages that the property may still incur resulting from the Everfree.” Daring shook her head slowly, “I never would have thought it of those small town ponies. I mean, they may be tougher than most but they don’t exactly strike me as the big bad warrior type.” “That was the idea, though there was no doubt some loss of warrior traits over the years and generations,” Luna said dryly. “That said, it would be unwise to underestimate any of them. They are far stronger of body and spirit than they may first appear. Those ponies wouldn’t hesitate to fight and lay down their lives for their loved ones. It has,” Luna hesitated and had to take a breath before finishing glumly, “happened before.” The room fell quiet at the somber implication. Daring cleared her throat loudly in an attempt to ward off the doom and gloom and get back to the original topic, “Well this has been very enlightening but we still haven’t gotten a full answer on how James here survived in Equestria. Even if the center of the forest is free of magic, there is still bound to be some further out. From what I heard in Ponyville he actually ventured out far enough to save a mare that wandered in and I know there would’ve been enough magic to affect him.” Luna directed a questioning glance to James who nodded and confirmed, “It’s true. I found some poor mare half delirious and snapping her camera at practically anything that moved. I managed to carry her close enough to the border where patrols could pick her up.” “And where there would have been more than enough magic to kill you,” Daring pointed out. “As I said, there has got to be something else with you because humans can’t survive magic.” “Maybe, maybe not,” James muttered as he rubbed his thickly bearded chin in thought. “It might not be that magic is complete anathema to human anatomy. Maybe it’s just shock from an abrupt environment change? Maybe we just need time to gradually adjust like with altitude or water depth? When I first got here I couldn’t leave the glade without getting violently sick, true, but each day I ventured out I was able to go a little bit farther before I had to head back.” Daring blinked owlishly before looking down in thought. “I…never looked at it like that. Now that I think about it my…studies on those incidents showed they first appeared in areas where magic would’ve been pretty thick in the air.” Silence hung over the hut until a delicate throat clearing from Luna got James and Daring’s attention. “While I am glad this may allayed your suspicions Daring, we should likely focus on escaping the forest.” “Escape! Right, yeah, escape important I-” Daring coughed and rubbed her neck awkwardly as she composed herself and turned to Luna. “Right, then. Options. How are things in the magic department, Princess? Think you could do a quick teleport after some rest?” Luna frowned a moment before tentatively reaching a hoof to her horn. She hissed in pain as a spark arched from horn to hoof. “I fear not, Daring,” she answered as she tried to wave the soreness out of her hoof. “Without healing magic directly applied it will take a good two days bed rest to recover. Unacceptable, as my sister would not sit idly by. She would search and, to minimize time away from the throne, she would have to bring a contingent of guard to sweep the forest.” “And while Celestia might handle things okay the guard would be put at risk as they came deeper into the forest.” Daring added quietly with a concerned frown. “That and teleporting wouldn’t be too healthy for me anyway. I might be able to handle atmospheric magic but I’m not sure I would want to be part of a direct spell and risk getting turned inside out.” The two mares turned surprised stares to James who merely shrugged. “Hey, I may enjoy a little solitude and currently look like nutty hermit but that doesn’t mean I want to spend the rest of my life in the middle of nowhere scrounging for roots with flesh-eating beasts for company.” Daring smirked and Luna nodded with a small smile before assuring, “Of course. After doing so much for the two of us I won’t simply leave you to be forgotten.” “Good,” James clapped once before moving on. “With that out of the way, we can focus on getting out of this forest. I propose taking a hiking trail I know of. I can lead.” He looked back and forth between the two mares and frowned as he noticed their disbelieving looks. “What’re those looks for? Luna just said she couldn’t use magic and I know you’re both out of commission in terms of flight. It might not be ideal but I know these woods well enough to find a safe path and nothing will try to attack so long as you stay close to me.” “Pfft. Yeah sure,” Daring scoffed. “And how is that going to work out? I’ve seen you can take care of yourself but that doesn’t mean you can take on the whole forest and I can’t see anything less happening with two bandaged up mares as potential targets. You might look scary but definitely not that scary.” James ignored Daring’s not so subtle jab and looked her in the eye. “From what I’ve seen of you I’d guess this isn’t your first time being shoulder deep in wilderness. In all of your jaunts you might have seen something odd like a brightly colored small animal or plant sticking out in the scenery? Something that looks like it would be an easy meal but the predators wouldn’t touch. Think you could explain why?” “Well duh,” Daring said rolling her eyes. “They were probably toxic or something and the rest of the critters remember something nasty happening to the last chump that tried to eat them.” “Exactly. I might have only been here a short while but the creatures here at the forest’s heart are fast learners and they remember me taking on Stumpy when they couldn’t.” “They can’t be that scared of you. Those Timberwolves didn’t bother running when you showed up to sa-help me and the Princess.” Daring hesitated and quirked an eyebrow before asking, “And just who or what is Stumpy?” “First off, those earlier Timberwolves were in a killing frenzy. If they weren’t distracted by what they thought was easy prey then they wouldn’t have come near me. And secondly,” for the first time that night, Daring saw what might have been nervousness in the stoic hermit as he hesitated. “Well if we’re lucky and things go smoothly you won’t have to find out. I will say this: He’s big, eats anything that won’t eat him first *mumble*which is basically everything in the forest*mumble*, and tends to hold a grudge.” Daring was tempted to push for more answers. However, common sense took charge for a change and convinced her to back down as this might be one time she didn’t have to know all the answers. Especially if ‘Stumpy’ was big and bad enough to make this guy uncomfortable. Daring nodded with a sigh, “Okay. I guess we’ll follow your lead on this. What’s our next move?” “Well, it’s going to be fairly straight forward. First, we’ll take a few hours to rest and-” “No! We must leave now!” At the exclamation, Daring and James turned to see a distraught Luna standing tall though with a hint of desperation. “The longer we tarry here, the greater chances of my sister and her guards taking an unnecessary risk. I will not wait here while others endanger themselves on my behalf.” “I understand your concern, Princess. However, Daring did make a good point earlier. As you are now, both of you make tempting targets. We need to lessen that temptation by you showing as little weakness as possible and that won’t happen if you stumble through the forest as you did down that flight of stairs a minute ago. We can afford a few hours rest.” The Princess seemed about to say more before James held his hand up and interrupted. “No, Luna. No sulking. No arguments. You are going to go upstairs to take your nap or I’ll carry you there and put your nose in a corner. Princess of the Moon or not, you’re still in a bad enough way that I could pull it off.” Is this guy completely off his rocker?! Daring thought as her eyes widened and watched the two stare each other down; Luna glaring and James staring back patiently as any adult waiting on a foal. If possible, Daring’s eyes widened further at Luna’s reaction. The Princess puffed her cheeks out and exhaled before pouting, glaring down to her left and muttering, “I am a Princess. I do not sulk!” “Good,” James nodded casually as if he didn’t just talk down a Princess and leave her pouting like some kid. “Since a Princess doesn’t sulk then I know I can count on you to make the mature decision. Now go get some rest and I’ll let you know when we are heading out.” The Princess stood with as much dignity as her injuries would allow and turned to stalk toward and up the stairs. Daring wasn’t sure but she thought she heard the Princess mumble ‘just like that old codger.’ The explorer stared in shock at the stair way before finally nodding slowly. “Okay. I’ll admit it. I’m impressed.” She turned toward James. “Okay, that drama out of the way, what are we going to do next?” James glanced for a moment then shrugged, “Pretty much what it sounds like. We’re going to rest up, prepare as best we can, then head out and hope we don’t just crash and burn like another Ameila Earhart washout.” He turned and walked to an equipment pile on a heavy, oak work table where he started fiddling with vials without giving a second look back. Daring blinked slowly then asked in a deceptively calm voice, “Oh? Ameila Earhart? Who might that be?” “Meh. Just some loony nobody with a chip on her shoulder. I don’t want to bore you.” “Oh no no. Please go on,” Daring spoke through gritted teeth. “I’m an explorer. I like learning new things. Tell me more about this ‘loony nobody with a chip on her shoulder.’” James didn’t appear to notice the menace in the explorer’s voice. “Well, if you say so. From what I’ve seen from you and Luna, females in this world have a solid place in society but things were a little different back home. Women had to put up with centuries of being kept at the hearth and not given a say. At best they were treated as something fragile and incapable of being trusted with big decisions. At worst they were treated like lesser beings. Things eventually improved but not before some women stepped up and proved they could do plenty of heavy lifting themselves.” He paused in his impromptu lecture long enough to study a small vial then set it on the table and picked up another to examine as he continued. “Problem was for every stride forward they made there were always a few obnoxious blowhards that damaged that progress by acting every bit as hair brained as the stereotypes suggested. In Earhart’s case she was a cocky know-it-all that bit off more than she could chew. The crazy rookie got a few lucky flights off, most of which done taking needless risk trying to prove she was a one woman flight crew, and then took a one way trip that got her killed. One more sad example that convinced the more sexist males they were right believing women belonged in a kitchen. Looking back, Earhart would’ve likely turned out better if she stuck with burnt meatloaf and –Oof!?” James grunted as he was tackled to the ground knocking the work table over on the trip down. He opened his eyes to find himself staring back at an incensed pegasus. Daring’s hooves were firmly planted on James chest restricting his movement. Her eyes glared into James’, her ears flickered in agitation, and warm air blew across his face as she angrily snorted little more than an inch away from his face. “How dare you?” she whispered menacingly. “How dare you?! You arrogant, testosterone drunk, hairy, male chauvinist pig! ‘Lucky flights’ and ‘needless risk?!’ How else was I going to prove I deserved a chance in the sky when most men thought it was beneath them to work with a woman? How would you feel if everyone told you what dreams you were allowed to live out?! How would you feel growing up with parent figures that shook their head over you because you weren’t ‘proper?’ How would-?!” Her tirade halted as she noticed a change in James’ demeanor and frowned. “Just what are you smirking about cave man?” “Just think about the last few minutes Ms. Earhart,” James suggested calmly. “Think really hard.” Daring’s frown changed from pissed to thoughtful as she thought and her eyes widened. She quickly hopped off and stared at James who sat up and regarded her with a smug look. “How…? How did you know?” “Mostly a lot of little things topped off with one gambit to confirm it all.” James lifted his right hand and started counting off points. “Earlier when you were surprised you said ‘anyone.’ When Luna talked she said anypony. While I could believe you could pick up different habits in travel we usually slip into older habits when upset or surprised. Kind of like when Luna starts using old speech. When you talked about past incidents you spoke with a lot more intensity than someone giving a second hand account. And then there was the Darwinism slip. I might have believed in the concept existing here but the name? In a world with names like ‘Luna’ or ‘Daring Do’ how is Darwin going to come up? “All of that convinced me of your possible human origins. As for how I guessed Amelia Earhart specifically? Out of all the unexplained disappearances back home only one had a personality that matched what I’ve seen of Daring Do. All that was left was to test for reactions. A random pony, heck even most people back home, wouldn’t react quite so strongly to trash talk about a stranger as they would themselves.” Daring shook her head slowly. “God, I can’t believe I walked into that. You manipulative bastard,” she muttered half in anger and half in awe. James frowned as he stood, brushed himself off and addressed Daring disapprovingly, “I’m a chaplain you know.” “Call yourself whatever you want you manipulative bastard,” she muttered absently. She looked back up to stare James in the eye and calmly state, “I don’t buy it.” James started to speak before Daring lifted a hoof and interrupted, “No. No don’t try to explain it away. Your explanation was fairly sound but my gut says it was still off. Too…convenient. And I learned a long time ago to trust my instincts over anything too convenient.” She glared suspiciously at James. “I think you know a little more about the human connection to all of this than you let on.” James put up his hands in placation as he quickly assured, “Hey, it’s like I told Luna. I have no idea how I got here. One minute I was on Earth and the next I woke up here in the Glade.” Daring tilted her head as she studied the man before her. He acted like a standup guy. He seemed sincere in following his own little chaplain code and didn’t show any signs of lying. But… “Okay, choir boy. You don’t know the how? Maybe I should ask who. As in ‘who do you remember being involved?’” James blinked and opened and closed his mouth before settling for an elegant, “Aw crap.” Daring lifted an accusing hoof before James put in, “Alright, alright. Look, the only reason I didn’t tell Luna was because I wanted to find out some more information myself before panicking anyone. Anypony. Whatever. All I know is that he owned a shop called Odds and Ends and he mentioned you as a previous ‘customer.’ He had this creepy voodoo, mystic, knows-more-than-he-should vibe to him. Semi tribal look, African decent-” “Simon,” Daring growled. “So he still used the same name then? Huh. I didn’t even think that was his real name.” “That’s the name he used but, between you and me, I don’t think that’s his real name either. But there’s a bigger question here.” Daring put a pondering hoof to her chin. “What is his angle? Why go to the trouble of dropping humans here?” “Maybe he doesn’t want humans here. Maybe he just wants one.” James mumbled thoughtfully. He noticed the confused look from Daring. “Tell me this Daring. Exactly how did your arrival go? From what you said earlier, I gather you and any other humans that arrived were dropped randomly, suffered from magic shock, then had to survive through,” he motioned at Daring’s general direction before deciding on a proper phrase, “alternative means?” Daring grimaced. “You could say that. I wasn’t the first so they knew enough to get me away from magic. They took me to a null magic chamber.” She noticed James’ questioning look and elaborated, “It’s a room that works kind of like the trick Celestia and Luna pulled with the Everfree but more sophisticated. As far as I could understand, it worked like a lightning rod protected building; it drew magic away then discharged it elsewhere safely. After talking it out and telling me what happened with previous cases they told me the best they could do was use indirect means (alchemy, surgery and even very minor spells over extended periods) to convert my form to something that could handle magic. My only condition was something that could fly and, well, here I am.” “But Simon just dropped you off and left it to the locals? Nothing more?” Daring nodded and James motioned around him. “My trip was completely different. He had a magically sterile house set up. He left step by step instructions on how to work my immunity. All in all he was pretty through about it. I figured he had experience with transporting humans but now… Maybe he didn’t even know for sure. Maybe everything he learned…” “Was from trial and error,” Daring finished in a horrified whisper. “Tests. We were tests!? That bastard used us as guinea pigs!” “Tests he was using to find a way to bring a human here unaltered,” James noticed Daring’s incredulous looks between him and his spear before correcting himself, “Well, mostly unaltered.” “But why?” Daring asked no one in particular as she glared at the floor. “What would he gain?” “It might not be him per say. I don’t know if he gave you the same song and dance but he told me part of the way he did business was services for third parties.” Daring’s looked as if she were going to ask what the point was when her eyes widened in realization. Pony and human sat in silence as new unspoken questions hung in the air. Who was the third party and what did they gain? Eventually, James broke the silence. “So…Daring or Amelia?” Daring blinked then nodded as she realized his meaning. “It’s Daring. I left that life behind a long time ago.” James nodded and turned back grunted as he put the work table right side up. “Well then, Daring, I suggest you go get some rest too. We’re likely to have an eventful trek ahead of us.” The explorer nodded in agreement and started to head for the cushion she had earlier. She stopped at the doorway and turned to look back at James as he worked at the table. “So…how much of that was real?” James only stood there and Daring elaborated, “The trash talk. How much was a test and how much was how I’m remembered? You know, back home?” “I’d be lying if I said at least some people didn’t think some of that. Frankly, I doubt I could name all the different groups and people that had their own take on what message they think your life proved; good or bad.” “And you? What was your take on it?” In all of her life and death situations she survived she never felt as tense as she did now. She couldn’t understand why though. It’s not like she cared what others said before. Even stranger was how much it seemed to matter coming from a guy she just met. Maybe it was because this was the first time in a long time she talked with someone from home. Maybe Daring worried more about how she was remembered than she originally thought. A few minutes passed and Daring started to wonder if she would get an answer before James spoke quietly. “Honestly? I’d say anyone, man or woman, would have to be a little off in the head to try half the stuff you pulled. That said, the moral I see in your life is this: Life doesn’t leave you much in the way of a grey area. You either live it safe in a corner or chasing your dreams. You made your choice and went all in without looking back. I may not know you well enough to say if I would agree with every decision you made, but that last one is one I can respect.” The hut remained quiet until Daring gave a slight snigger. “Really? That’s got to be one of the corniest things I’ve ever heard.” James actually joined in with a slight chuckle of his own. “Yeah, well. I’ve always been something of a sentimentalist myself. Even so, I can’t help but think I would have achieved more with my life if I had a tenth of your insanity.” “Oh?” “Yup. I’ve done more living here in the last few months than I have in all the time I lived on Earth and that happened by doing the crazy thing and signing that contract. Thinking back, I think a lot of that may have been affected by the fact that I heard you came through before I did.” “Pfft. Suuuure. Blame your insanity on the last chump that came through. That’s responsible.” Daring gave one more laugh and strolled back to her cushion. But not before whispering a soft, “Thanks.” When she left James whispered an equally soft, “The honor was mine Ms. Earhart.” Everfree Forest- later that evening The three traveled quietly together making their way past the thick brush and through various game trails that winded around the forest floor. Some shafts of line shown through the canopy but the forest itself remained fairly dark. Daring glanced back and forth occasionally out of nerves. Luna noticed as she glanced to her side. “Is everything well, Daring?” Though she spoke softly it wasn’t whispered or holding any urgency. Daring, on the other hand, had beads of sweat forming down her brow as she whispered back harshly. “Oh sure. Everything’s peachy! My fur has been on end for the last few hours and my gut’s been telling me that there’s something out there but we haven’t heard anything beyond a few smaller animals.” She looked around again as if confirming something wasn’t about to leap from a nearby bush then back to Luna. “Not that I’m complaining about not being attacked but I don’t like having the feeling that something is out there and not knowing where it is!” To Daring’s annoyance, Luna just laughed softly. “Is that what bothers you? If so, then allow me put your mind at ease. Without making any sudden movements look directly west of us.” Daring frowned but did as she was told squinting as she tried to see past the clustered trees and thick brush. She didn’t notice anything until she looked closely at some gold lights in the distance. At first she thought they were refractions of sunlight from some due covered ferns until closer inspection revealed they seemed to be matching their movements. And there were eight pairs exactly. Daring gulped and looked back ahead. She had to fight the urge to glare at the Princess as Luna laughed again at noticing her discomfort. “Fear not friend Daring. I’ve been aware of them for a while. Nearly as soon as we left the Glade in fact.” “Oh sure thanks, Princess,” Daring whispered snidely. “I feel so much better knowing that they’ve just been following us all this time.” “Following, yes. But not attacking. Nor will they.” Luna continued speaking calmly as if they were discussing the weather team’s schedule while they walked. “As the Princess of the Night and all that dwells within, I’ve long since gained an understanding of predators.” Luna paused a moment glanced ahead toward where James walked and smiled. “An understanding our guide seems to share as well. His words proved as much earlier and I am sure he is just as aware of their presence as I am. The creatures may be tempted to attack but they recognize when there is a greater predator nearby.” Daring looked from Luna to James and back again with a disturbed frown. “Okaaaay. Moving along and hoping things don’t get any creepier. What is your impression on ‘our guide.’ I mean, you’ve literally been inside his head. What is he like?” Luna looked ahead at James who continued strolling ahead and watching for potential threats. “There is much I still don’t know about him. His defenses were…formidable to say the least. From what little I gathered in our talk, however, he strikes me as a being of integrity and honor. He strongly adheres to the code of his faith and is unlikely to deviate far from it. He also has a strong desire to aid others in need.” It sounded like some old knight from the Arthurian tales. Daring looked ahead and tried to fit what she heard with the wooly wild man she was seeing now. “Sooo what? Beneath that dangerous shell he’s actually a big softy?” Luna actually blinked in surprise before shaking her head. “Oh no not at all. He’s likely one of the most dangerous creatures I’ve ever met. Our meeting was actually one of the first times in centuries I feared for my life. Certainly the first time in the Dreamscape.” Daring’s eyes widened worriedly at the apparent shift. “Ummm.” “He’s cunning, determined, calculating. While not inherently cruel he has the potential to be absolutely ruthless against those who make themselves his enemy. If some of the signs were interpreted correctly, there is even a good deal of anger deep within.” “Okay, Princess!” Daring whispered harshly trying to get her attention without letting James in on the conversation and inadvertently provoking him. “If there is a part where I shouldn’t be afraid of him now would be a good time to share it.” Luna blinked at Daring’s words and nodded apologetically. “Forgive me, Daring. I did not mean imply he was a danger to us. I suppose my duties and past work tends to have me focus on the darker aspects of others.” She grimaced and closed her eyes as she tried to put her feelings to more adequate wording. “The cunning, determination, and calculating sides of his personality are purely tools to protect others. He would likely put himself in harm’s path long before he allowed another to suffer. Any ruthlessness would be tempered by his capacity for justice, compassion, and patience. From what I have seen of his character and code it would take a truly wicked creature to earn the title ‘enemy’ in his eyes. Even then he would give that creature a chance to redeem itself before committing to…harsher action. As for the anger?” Luna sighed. “I’d wager none would fear it more than he. Much of the discipline I saw in him was likely born from the fear that he would hurt others.” Luna’s eyes fell and she mumbled, “In that regard we may well be kindred spirits.” Daring fell quiet both to think on Luna’s earlier words and to avoid revealing that she heard the last words as they likely weren’t meant to be heard. She focused ahead on their mystery man who was still strolling ahead as easily as if he were in his own backyard aside from occasional glances to either side. Questions ran through her mind. What did Simon see in this guy to send him here? What was he like? She considered all that Luna said and what she saw of James thus far. Cunning and calculating? He certainly showed that in how he prodded her into reacting and how easily he slipped into answering questions without actually giving anything away. Determination and patience? He would’ve been manticore chow by now if he didn’t have any of that. He showed plenty of protectiveness in how he jumped in a fight to save two beings he didn’t know from a pack of Timberwolves. As for an odd mix of ruthlessness and compassion? She thought about the fight itself. He was efficient, certainly. He didn’t show any pleasure or hate as he fought but he didn’t hesitate in killing them either. It was like he understood the necessity of what he was doing but still didn’t like it so he just carried it out as quickly as possible and moved on. Daring couldn’t decide whether that should be comforting or scary. Maybe a little of both? Daring was so preoccupied by her thoughts she didn’t notice soft obstacle ahead of her until it smacked her face forcing her to step backwards while spitting out feathers. She glared at Luna as she realized the Princess had stretched out her good wing to stop Daring. “Hey! What’s the big idea, Princess?! Why did…you?...” Daring’s rant faded as she noticed the Princess standing at her full height and glancing back and forth searching the surrounding forest. She looked past Luna to see James standing stock still. “Uh, hey guys?” Daring asked worriedly. “What’s the deal?” “The forest is still. Unnaturally so,” Luna spoke softly as she cautiously scanned the surroundings. Daring shrugged as she tried to fight the chill working its way up her spine. “Y-yeah. We’ve been followed by Timberwolves, remember? Anything with sense would clam up when they’re around.” “That’s just it, Daring. They are gone as well.” Luna waited long enough for Daring to look around and gasp in understanding before continuing in a steady though worried explanation, “Tis true that prey will hide in the presence of hunters. But when the predators flee as well? What do you think that means?” Before Daring could respond the ominous question, the attention of both mares was drawn to their human guide as his shoulders slumped and he sighed, “It means we are not as lucky as I hoped and that Daring is about to get an answer to her question back at the hut.” James glanced back at the mares with a stony expression aside from the tightening of his eyes. “Stumpy is somewhere up ahead.”