Daring Do had to read the note over a few times just to make sure she read it right. She was confused by multiple parts of the letter and looked at A. B. Ravenhoof expectantly, but Ravenhoof merely returned the look.
“Well? What does it say?”
“Well, it says they... they need me for something,” Daring said. “But... I don’t get it. It mentions they know that I go on trips for you looking for items, and they’ve sent me a royal order to meet someone at a specified address tomorrow morning.”
Ravenhoof looked worried. “Is there a specific signature?”
“No. Just three royal insignias. They seem to be of Princess Celestia, Prince Blueblood, and Captain Shining Armor.”
Ravenhoof took the envelope and looked it over, carefully examining the wax seals. “So they are. Princess Celestia’s been used for over a thousand years without a change, but Prince Blueblood’s and Captain Armor’s are on the spot. No doubt this is from royalty. And if a guard brought it here and took the cultist without question, it may have something to do with this letter.”
“Do you think they know? About the events in Tenochtitlan Basin? I mean, I only got back three days ago.”
“I wouldn’t dare question why they wouldn’t know about it. Princess Celestia is very powerful and wise, and I’m sure she has a rather large network of informants.”
“Sounds... rather ominous.”
“Yes, but I’d wager they’re meant for specific instances such as this; imbalances in power among Equestria and it’s neighboring nations.”
Daring Do looked at the letter again, taking note of the address labeled on it. “I just wished we knew what they wanted to tell us— tell me about. If they could have given us one hint about what’s going on, it’d be easier to say whether or not to go for it.”
“I’m sure they have their reasons. If they know of the existence of Ahuizotl, they probably know his cultists are around and wouldn’t want it falling into the wrong hooves, such as the pony who intruded tonight. But I’m afraid you’re stuck answering it; it is impolite to refuse such an order, and answering it is the only way to answer any questions you might have.”
Daring looked at Ravenhoof. “Do you trust this letter?”
“I trust that the seals are the actual seals, and the letter comes from a source that requires utmost confidentiality. You should get back to bed; I will wake you tomorrow and make sure you have breakfast. When you go: leave early, take a roundabout route, and tell no one.”
Daring Do nodded and headed back towards the bed. “Alright. So breakfast at eight o’clock tomorrow?”
“I will be up by seven-thirty if you need anything. And keep that Ring of Mesmer on! We can’t have another intruder coming in here to poison you with Tenochtitlan snake venom...”
Daring Do woke up at seven forty-five on the nose. Without waiting for second thoughts, Daring went into the bathroom and jumped in the shower. When she was done, she selected a rather plain blue dress that covered her cutie mark and hat for Canterlot society and carefully stored her adventuring vest and pith helmet in a reasonably selected hiding place in the guest bedroom and went downstairs as soon as she smelled Ravenhoof’s cooking.
Ravenhoof had cooked up a hearty meal; scrambled egg whites, fried potatoes, and bell peppers fried together in a skillet, a side of fresh fruit, warm toast with butter and jam. He was setting the plates down at the table and filling up glasses of orange juice and milk when Daring entered.
“You look like a common Canterlot lady,” he said with an appreciative smile. “The blue looks nice on you.”
“I prefer the jacket,” Daring Do replied. “But I figured go somewhat incognito if those cultists are out here already.”
Ravenhoof motioned Daring down to eat. “Probably safer, I’d guess. And make sure you take the letter with you.”
“I will.” Daring took a seat and examined the food. “This has a pocket I can use in case I need to carry anything.”
“I’ve got a handbag that would look good with that if you so like.”
Daring stopped putting a bite of egg and pepper to her mouth. She gave a noticeable look of disgust to Ravenhoof, shook her head, and resumed eating without a word.
Ravenhoof gave a noise of amusement, but smiled at the rebuttal. “Or not,” he said calmly and kindly. “Do as you like. I merely offer my advice.”
“It is welcomed, I assure you,” Daring said apologetically. “I just don’t care for the handbag. I prefer my satchel, but I’d rather not take that with me, either, since I carry it everywhere.”
“Fair assessment. Oh, what about a necklace?”
Daring thought about it. “If you really want to go that direction, do you think I could have the Quetzalcoatl pendant?”
Ravenhoof opened his mouth as though he was about to object, but after a while changed to a more thoughtful one and said no more throughout breakfast.
When Daring Do prepared to leave, Ravenhoof got up from the table and went to his own closet. He pulled out a black satchel and put the letter with the royal seals and something else inside it. “At least take this,” he said, giving her the satchel. “Less trouble than just the pocket.”
Daring selected one of Ravenhoof’s many sunglasses, then took a small coin-purse and placed it in the satchel. “I’ll take it. Thanks.” She smiled to show him she meant it, and left.
Daring Do looked like a rather ordinary Canterlot citizen out ambling the streets at nine that morning. Daring lazily walked a few blocks out of the way and found a coffee shop she was rather keen on and ordered an iced caramel latte, taking care to speak with a slightly affected accent. When the time came to pay, Daring opened the satchel and got out her coin-purse, but not before noticing a special gift had been placed inside.
Daring paid for the coffee and sipped it gently at one of the corner tables of the coffee shop. She took a few sips before gently reaching into the satchel and taking out golden pendant of Quetzalcoatl. She knew Ravenhoof would never have offered her the satchel otherwise, and would never agree upfront about giving her the pendant. Daring carefully put it on and adjusted it to her neck size, letting it hang just slightly, before she resumed sipping the coffee.
By the time she was done, it was almost time for the meeting. Daring walked out and brought up her pace a little bit as she made her way to the address listed on the note, aware that it seemed like someone was following her.
Daring wasted no time. She ducked down a side alley and galloped through to the other side and resumed walking, though this time in the opposite direction of the address. But suddenly when she turned around she swore she could see the same pony walking behind her; a dark grey unicorn with face paint that seemed to be meandering randomly behind her, but never let Daring out of his sight. Daring picked up the pace, and so did he.
Daring started galloping as properly as she could. “Oh, excuse me, I’m dreadfully late for an appointment!” she said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bump into you like that... Oh! Excuse me, I just need to slip through here...” Ponies gave gentle grumbles of discontent as Daring, acting as much of the Canterlot lady guise she had assumed, maneuvered her way through the Canterlot crowds until she came through a small plaza, at which point she selected a different street and made her way back to the location of the address.
It was a plain house with a blue roof and windows covered in heavy, dark blue curtains so that she couldn’t see in. Daring paced back and forth down the street a few times, making sure no one was nearby and the stallion with the face paint was gone, before approaching a dark oak wood door with the diamond keyhole and knocking three times.
The point of a spear rested on Daring’s shoulder. Daring tried as hard as she could not to show her nervousness and prepared her rear hooves for a kick.
“You could have waited a few minutes more and I’d have escorted you...” grumbled the stallion behind her. The spear went forward and into the diamond keyhole, turned until a click sounded, and pulled out from the keyhole.
Daring Do turned around to see the dark grey stallion with the face paint standing behind her... wearing a full set of royal guard armor minus the helmet. “Oh... oh, you’re a guard. I... I saw the face paint and just assu—”
“Yes, yes. Understandable, Ms. Daring. It’s a matter of temporary protocol. Go on in; Captain Shining Armor is waiting for you.”
Daring nodded sheepishly and opened the door. “So much for a disguise...” she mumbled to herself and went inside.
Inside was a rather simple cottage that looked like it was only three rooms; a kitchen blended into dining room blended into a living room, and two doors hung slightly ajar to reveal a simple bathroom and bedroom. Daring walked in and found another guard sitting in the living room, this one with helmet on.
“Sit down,” he said, motioning to an armchair placed on one side of what Daring assumed to be the living room. “Captain Armor will be out in a moment.”
Daring took off her hat and sunglasses and placed them on the coffee table in the center of the room and sat down where the guard had indicated. She sighed and looked around at the room impatiently; the guard stood passively by the bedroom door, paying zero attention to her.
A few moments later, a white unicorn stallion with bright blue mane and eyes, and a rather regally designed purple and gold armor set came out from the bedroom. He smiled at Daring as he took the seat across from her.
“Thank you for answering our summons,” he said easily. “My name is Captain Shining Armor, but there’s no need for the honorifics.”
Daring Do held back an urge to scoff. He was something of a pretty boy for his position – no, she wasn’t interested, but she couldn’t deny he was handsome – and spoke like a surfer stallion she’d once seen at a beach near Las Pegasus. “Well, you know my name,” Daring said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Now, what do you need to know to get on with this?”
“Well, not much. Simply if you’re free at the time being and if Professor Ravenhoof has given you an assignment.”
“What’s Ravenhoof got to do with this, huh? Sending a guard around with an anonymous letter at one o’clock at night has made me rather uncomfortable with the arrangement.”
“Necessity, Ms. Do. We had the guard following the pony who tried to intrude and poison you last night. He actually had an antidote if it was absolutely needed.”
“You seem to have a lot of eyes around here if you already know about the cultists of Ahuizotl.”
“Ah... you see, Ravenhoof is a dear friend of ours. Oftentimes, it is we who give him the assignments he gets, and he shuffles through them and picks the one best suited to your current situation. Matter of fact, of our latest assignment, you’ve already completed the first crucial step.”
Daring Do smiled. So there was more behind the ‘pretty boy’ outside that was carefully hidden but waiting to spring out. “And what would that step be?”
“The statue of Ahuizotl is in safe hooves: those of Princess Celestia. The minute it gets to the Royal Equestrian Historical Society, they shall call us and it shall be delivered safely to our vault. A copy shall be constructed and go on display instead of the real thing.”
“Alright. So why isn’t the Princess here and you are?”
“A long time ago, Princess Celestia was not our only ruler. Since then, she has had to take up the responsibilities of two leaders instead of one. Meanwhile, I, as Captain of the Royal Guard, have been tasked with extending her hoof and making sure her orders are carried out. At times, that means calling on the estimable Professor to help us retrieve something of value.”
Daring nodded. “Makes sense. So, I’m guessing this has something to do with the statue of Ahuizotl I found on my trip to Tenochtitlan Basin. Where do I come in?”
“We’ll get there. But first, a bit of backstory. You see, we have fairly good relations with Mesoequestria, but this cult of Ahuizotl and it’s leader – Chief Darkhooves – is a bit of a thorn in both of our sides. For the most part, it’s been small and thus unable to get what it needs. Recently, however, the statue of Ahuizotl was found by a mercenary and given to them, hence why it was imperative we got it back.”
“So, you send me off to Tenochtitlan Basin to recover it before Ahuizotl got summoned. But something bad must have happened in order to call me here.”
“Yes. You see, Ahuizotl’s summoning ritual did work, and the ‘cult’ in Mesoequestria is growing. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not the least of them being we know have a potentially destructive god roaming quite freely around the continent. Soon as it happened, we received a message from one of their fastest fliers that told us the news, and figured it was time we moved one step ahead.”
“So, what’s going on? Why can’t the guard just disable him, or the leader of Mesoquestria send out their army?”
“You’ve seen the statue, right? Head of a crocodile. Arms of a gorilla. Strength of a big cat. Cunning as a jackal. We’re not dealing with a group of miscreant ponies here, Ms. Do; we’re dealing with a bonafide deity. And one that isn’t entirely interested in current political affairs.”