“So, how far out are these ruins?” Isabella asked.
“We only have half of the information, but from what I can remember it it’s towards the city Brow Ba'and.” Daring Do replied.
“So it is like I thought,” Isabella laughed. “Almost every city does have some type of equine related name.”
“Because MANhattan is much more appealing, right?” Daring Do jabbed.
“I was just having a little fun with you, you need to lighten up some,” Isabella said looking around the large city, until she spied something familiar to her. “Follow me.”
Against her better judgement, Daring Do followed her human comrade. Though Falsemane’s henchponies were still at least a day and a half behind them, she still didn’t want to take the chance of them getting ahead of her. She couldn’t leave Isabella alone now either though.
“Okay, you have me in the bar, now what is this swell plan of yours?” Daring Do asked.
"You need to relax, you're super serious about everything." Isabella replied
"If your plan is to get me tipsy-" Daring Do started.
"Not tipsy, just loose." Isabella said.
"Loose..." Daring Do deadpanned.
"Yes, loose, now drink." Isabella ordered.
Daring Do stared at the drink her companion had ordered. She briefly wondered how Isabella had even paid for it, but some questions were probably better left un answered. Ignorance is bliss after all.
"Fine, one drink, then we're catching the boat to Brow Ba'and." Daring Do huffed.
One drink suddenly turned into five, and she was surprised at how...good she felt. Isabella might have been on the right track when she suggested this. The mare would give the human this one, for the time being. There was one thing she had to know though, something that had been bugging her.
"I've been meaning to ask, what made you get into history and traveling?" Daring Do asked. "I mean, really get into it."
"To be honest? I ran away from home." Isabella replied, the drinks clearly affecting her now.
"Wait...then, how did you study? How were you funded?" Daring Do was now left with more questions than answers.
"I was poor for a while. I lied to my family, even my brother, about having things sorted out..." Isabella sighed as she absent mindedly stirred he drink with a finger. "I went from job to job, making what I could...all because I wanted to be free, and be my own person."
Daring Do was quiet as she came forward with this information. She had clearly kept these things to herself for a while now, and needed somepony to tell them to. Plus, this was also a small glimpse of life from her world, which seemed to be quite similar to Equestria, having its own problems and short comings.
"Then I was given a second chance as an assistant for a crazy old man. Things kind of took off from there; learning what I could from him, studying when I had time, and eventually going to college. I got my life straightened out again...except for my family, I left them behind." Isabella confessed.
"Sometimes we hurt those closest to us when we chase our dreams." Daring Do said.
"That old man...he always said I reminded him of his daughter, and he made me the strangest pastry. It made absolutely no sense, but I still request them to keep his memory alive. I don't want to forget what I was given...even if it cost me almost everything." Isabella sighed.
"You're a rare case," Daring Do chuckled. "You actually learned your lesson, instead of repeating your mistake."
"How does that make me a rare case?" Isabella asked.
"I've dealt with ponies who are so self-centered that they'll risk the lives of others, as well as their own, in a never ending pursuit of greed. It was greed that brought about an end to the tribe that made the scepter we're after...history repeats itself only because nopony was listening the first time." Daring Do explained.
"What about you?" Isabella asked.
"I don't want others in my way, especially those I care about." Daring Do replied.
"Maybe it's time you stopped the solo act for good." Isabella blushed.
"W-What are you saying" Daring Do stammered.
"I'm saying, you don't have to be alone anymore...you have me." Isabella replied, as she pulled Daring Do into a sensual-
"Stop!" Daring Do groaned. "You and I both know that would never happen."
"Pfft, lighten up, it was just an idea for your book." Isabella retorted.
"How would a brief lesbian scene benefit the readers at all?" Daring Do asked. "A better question, how would it progress the story? It's like you took progress from our trip to the boat dock and threw in a bar segment."
"Think about it, a little romance in there would get some extra attention," Isabella grinned. "Especially if our world shares a few unmentionable similarities."
"I would prefer to keep my material away from chronic masturbators as much as possible." Daring Do huffed.
"What about fanfiction writers?" Isabella asked, casting a quick glance outside the boat window.
"Again, as much as possible." Daring Do repeated with a defeated sigh.
“Spoiled sport.” Isabella mumbled.
Silence filled the room as the two explorer’s conversation died down. While Daring Do had found it mildly entertaining, she wasn’t about to admit that openly. Isabella’s idea had sparked a bit of curiosity though, aside from the implied lesbian action between the two of them.
“Was it all true?” Daring Do asked.
“Say what now?” Isabella asked in return.
“The part of your little…um…addition, was it true?” the mare repeated.
“Oh, that,” Isabella said dismissively. “Mostly, yeah. I mean, there’s more to the story than that. I went through a lot of things I would never want published, but I came out all right in the end…mostly right, anyways.”
“Oh, I see.” Daring Do said, sitting on her bed.
“Hey, come here for a second.” Isabella motioned with her hand.
“Are you serious?” Daring Do asked skeptically, her mind running wild with assumptions.
“Chill, I don’t swing that way well, maybe once out of rebellion, but I wasn’t a fan, just trust me.” Isabella laughed.
“Try anything, and I’ll give you a black eyeeooh…” no sooner had Daring Do landed on the bed, Isabella swiftly started rubbing and scratching behind her ears.
The mare stood defiantly on quaking legs, resisting the desire to simply relax for a bit. It was a battle she was quickly losing, as her human companion continued to administer her mysterious, addicting touch to her sensitive ears, which weakened her resolve with each passing second.
“Just chill for a bit, you’ve been a bundle of nerves this entire journey.” Isabella said.
Maybe the human was right, perhaps she had been a bit uppity; ready and willing to fight her own shadow if it came down to it. She slowly lowered herself onto Isabella’s bed, resting her head on her leg as the human continued to massage her ears, and scalp, causing her tail to swish happily.
“Better?” Isabella asked.
“I don’t like you…” Daring Do mumbled with a goofy expression on her muzzle.
“Uh huh.” Isabella giggled.
It didn’t take long for Daring Do to peacefully drift off into an ear scratch induced nap. The pegasus quietly curled up against the woman, still resting her head on her leg for support. To Isabella, the pony reminded her of a large house cat more so than a miniature equine with wings and the ability to talk and reason.
The sun was already starting to set as the boat continued to travel down the lazy river towards their destination. Isabella continued to idly pet and massage Daring Do's ears and head as she looked out the window.
Once she was sure Daring Do was fast asleep, she gently removed the mare's head from her leg and placed a pillow underneath it. The pegasus fussed a bit from the lack of warmth, but settled down shortly after.
"Sleep tight hero." Isabella whispered, leaving the room as quietly as she could.
She hadn't been on the deck of a boat in a long time, especially while being on an expedition. This didn't really qualify as one to her, per say given the fact that her life was legitimately in danger, but it was still an adventure.
Upon exiting the stairwell that led to the deck, she was greeted by a wave of heat, a striking contrast to the cool air kept within the boat. Smoke was belched from a large pipe jutting out from the middle of the ship, accompanied by a steady thrumming noise from what Isabella assumed was the engines.
She approached the railing, not sure what she was expecting to see, but curious all the same. Isabella was pleasantly surprised to see a few fish swimming alongside the ship, though a closer look revealed they were far from the docile looking fish of her home world.
These fish had long teeth, that broke the surface of the water, much like a shark’s dorsal fin. IT was an unsettling sight, yet she found herself unable to look away from the aquatic life forms, who’s colors seemed to shift with each flick of their tails.
“Rainbow Fish,” said a muffled voice from behind her. beautiful to look at, but deadly, I’m afraid.”
Isabella turned around to see what she assumed was a unicorn wearing a mask. It had a horn like one, the mask threw for a loop, but she assumed the stallion was some kind of desert dweller, or a sheik of some nature. She dismissed his strange appearance, thankful that for once she wasn’t being asked or judged because of hers.
“With teeth like that they would probably give anyone a bad day,” Isabella laughed lightly. “So what’s with the get up?”
“Get up?” the figure asked.
“Yeah, you sound like Bane,” Isabella rolled her eyes when the unicorn remained unresponsive to her crack at his voice. “He’s a character from my world.”
“So, you are the interloper then?” the stallion asked rhetorically.
Something in his voice put Isabella on red alert now; it was a malice that had been absent before. Her eyes were always drawn to the mask, as if it had some sort of control over her. It commanded her attention, which finally made her realize who she had been talking to.
“Falsemane…” Isabella whispered to herself.
“I see you’ve heard of me, perhaps from Miss Do? Or is it A.K. Yearling at the moment?” Falsemane asked, as a hulking diamond dog appeared from the shadows.
“Uh…yes.” Isabella replied, putting her arms up, looking for something, anything that could break a unicorn’s concentration.
“Adorable.” Falsemane said with a quick nod of his head.
Drake charged the woman, his claws leaving behind splinters as he rushed towards her. He was clearly out for blood, perhaps more than a little miffed at being bested the first time by the human. He was convinced he was stronger than her, and was hell-bent on proving it to her.
“Not this again!” Isabella exclaimed, dashing away from the railing of the boat, as the few crew members who had been on the deck quickly scattered in fear.
Drake’s clawed paw caught the back of Isabella’s shirt, leaving a long tear in it, drawing a bit of blood. She retaliated with a hard kick to the muzzle, sending the diamond dog staggering backwards. Drake whimpered a bit before his lips curled back into a horrid snarl, revealing his teeth.
“Heh…good boy?” Isabella smiled nervously, as the sinking realization hit her that this creature was much sturdier than a human.
“Drake, don’t kill her,” Falsemane spoke up. “Do break her legs though, it will make her easier to manage.”
The diamond dog chuckled and lumbered towards Isabella, dragging his nails across the deck. Isabella wasn’t about to let this unicorn’s pet take her down and started making quick observations of her surroundings as she backed away.
“Nowhere to run now, weird thing.” Drake said with a brutish tone.
Isabella knew she couldn’t outrun the strange bipedal creature forever, and being trapped on a boat made her options less than favorable, especially with a river filled with dangerous fish. As the thought of the river crossed her mind, a plan began to form in her head as her eyes bounced quickly around the ship, looking for what she would need to carry out her best change of dealing with the diamond dog.
“Who’s running, dick head?” Isabella taunted.
Drake snarled and ceased his slow, drawn out approach in favor of an all-out sprint for the woman. Isabella turned and ran towards the opposite end of the boat, snatching a utility pole of sorts that had been propped up against the side of one of the deck’s structures.
Drake swung wildly at Isabella’s head and missed, which only added to his frustration. He continued to run the fleeing girl down, slowly gaining on her. He watched the human leap into a life boat and ready the pole she had picked up as she fled him.
The diamond dog wasted little time in jumping in after Isabella, grinning to himself as he pictured his claws running through her skin. Falsemane had said not to kill her, but a little maiming was never out of the question, given the unicorn’s taste.
Before he could enjoy any sort of victory, Isabella pole-vaulted out of the small life vessel, landing back onto the deck of the ship. The dumbfounded diamond dog spun around clumsily, his bulk causing the vessel to swing in the air, knocking him off balance.
“Have a nice dip!” Isabella shouted, hitting the drop lever as hard as she could with the pole.
The life vessel fell from the side of the ship at an alarming rate of speed. The force of the impact against the water was enough to launch Drake from the boat and into the warm water of the river. The river’s occupants wasted little time in rushing towards the diamond dog, pleasantly surprised their patience had paid off.
Isabella didn’t look over the rail for long, not wanting to see the end result of her actions. She still had to deal with the diamond dog’s boss, after all. She didn’t have to wait long to confront him either, as Falsemane had already tracked her down.
“Fascinating,” Falsemane said as his magical aura encased Isabella’s neck, lifting her up off the deck. “Such a delicate looking creature, besting a diamond dog…I must commend you for your efforts.”
Isabella clutched helplessly at her throat, trying to remove the invisible assailant. Her vision was already starting to blur as Falsemane spoke, only able to produce gasp and coughs as she tried to take in air.
“Sadly, you’re in my way. Perhaps if you had given up Daring Do this could have been avoided…I’m sorry my dear.” Falsemane’s voice was almost genuinely sympathetic as he spoke.
Isabella was losing focus now, her struggles becoming weaker. Her ears were filled with an odd buzzing sound as her vision started to go dark, her eyes rolling in her head as Falsemane achieved his goal.
Just as Isabella was about to give up, she felt the vice around her throat vanish, dropping her to the deck, hard. Instinctively, she took in several large gulps of air, as her mind swam back from the verge of unconsciousness.
---
“Blast!” Falsemane roared, rubbing his horn in pain.
“So you’re the reason my ears were burning,” Daring Do said, placing her hat back on top of her head. “All of this for little old me?”
“Daring Do, your timing is impeccable as always.” Falsemane grumbled.
“I’ll take the complement, even if it is from a thug like you.” Daring Do said sternly.
“And now we’re doing this it seems.” Falsemane sighed, as a whip of orange energy sprang forth from his horn towards the mare.
Daring Do easily dodged the attack, but didn’t expect the whip to bounce back to life and wrap around her hind leg as she tried to become airborne. The mare was slammed into the deck with merciless force, only to be drug across it and flung into the side railing.
“You’ve caused trouble one too many times Daring Do, now it’s going to cost you.” Falsemane hissed through his mask.
Before Falsemane could bring his whip back, Daring Do used the railing to give herself a boost of speed as she kicked off from it; much like a swimmer against the side of a pool. She hit the unicorn dead center in the chest, knocking the wind out of him, giving her time to deliver a sharp blow to his horn.
This caused Falsemane to fall to the deck in agony, giving Daring Do time to escape. She spotted Isabella and quickly flew over to the woman, urging her to get up.
The explorer heard Falsemane let out a terrible roar, as a large blast of energy was fire directly into the deck of the ship out of frustration. The boat shuddered from the sudden impact, a unicorn in pain was never a good thing, especially one who’s horn had been damaged or injured.
“Isabella, come on, we have to move, now!” Daring Do exclaimed, as panicked passengers poured out from the boat’s depths.
A massive fire had broken out, and it had all the workers preoccupied at the moment. The screams and growing heat of the fire seemed to be enough to get Isabella back on her feet, albeit a bit wobbly.
“Can you swim?” Daring Do asked.
“You’re crazy, I know what’s in there.” Isabella replied.
“I’m not going to let you die Isabella, just trust me!” Daring Do exclaimed.
Isabella leaned against the railing, her body not truly prepared for what they were about to do, but their options were quite limited, and none of them looked good. She took in a deep breath and flung herself over the edge