Daring Do and the Crown of Corruption

by Dr Dash

Paging Doctor Daring

The small blue pegasus galloped through the streets at a rapid pace. “I hope I’m not too late!” she said exhaustedly as she rounded the final corner towards her destination. Before her loomed a towering building, the facade made of exquisite carved marble and quartz. Large columns framed the giant wooden double doors, which stood open, beckoning inside patrons of all ages. Above this imposing entrance a brass plaque was mounted, the words Manehattan Museum of Nature and Science engraved upon it in an elegant script. The pegasus shot past the ticket counter and the many docents and families that packed the expansive lobby, before making a sharp turn down the employee hallway. Having traveled this route many times before, she knew that nopony would be around to stop her entering the main museum, free of charge.

Her glorious escapades were cut short by an office door opening suddenly, bringing her to an abrupt and painful halt with a resounding CRASH! Several letters popped off the glass, but Dr. Heartstrings, Head of Homosapien Research was still legible. A mint-colored unicorn with faint cyan and white hair gasped and helped the dazed filly to her feet.

“Oh my goodness! Azure! Are you all right?!” she said frantically. “I didn’t hear you coming down the hall! I’m so sorry...” she trailed off, spouting apologies.

“I’m fine Lyra!” she said in an exasperated tone. “A good knock to the head never hurt anyone. At least...not permanently.”

“Good. Now, what did I tell you about sneaking around back here last time this happened? If security catches you again you’ll be banned from the museum for at least a month this time! Besides, I told you to come find me if you needed to get in for any reason. I get far too many free tickets every month, and Bon Bon can only take seeing the same stuffy exhibits once every season...”

Azure looked up sheepishly. “Sorry...I just heard about the new exhibition today and I didn’t want to miss the grand opening!”

Lyra sighed as her magic glowed around her lab-coat pocket. She withdrew a stamped piece of paper attached to a small red lanyard, which she laid around Azure’s neck. “There.” she said with a smile, “Now Marty and Bob won’t have any reason to toss out everyone’s favorite museum-goer. Run along now, she’s supposed to start any minute!”

Azure grinned from ear to ear as she sprinted off down the hallway. “THANKS LYRA!” she shouted as she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

---

No matter how many ancient tombs she plundered, devious villains she thwarted, or priceless treasures she rescued, public speaking would never be one of Daring Do’s strong points. She paced back and forth behind the velvet curtain, sweating profusely and constantly readjusting her pith helmet in an attempt to stay occupied. Several museum docents bustled about, one setting up a podium while several more gathered her hastily scribbled notes that she had flung across the stage in a fit of panic. Two large, muscled security guards stood statuesque next to a glass case with a jet black tarp draped on top of it. The museum director, a kindly elderly mare with a greying mane and half-moon glasses, stood nearby, offering words of encouragement.

“You’ve done this sort of thing hundreds of times! And besides, talking to a few hundred ponies pales in comparison to the effort you went through to retrieve that.” she said, and gestured towards the covered cube with her horn.

Daring Do sighed. The Director was right. Her mind flashed back to her most recent adventure. Images of crocodiles, floor traps, quicksand, and a large blue jackal creature with a spanish accent flowed through her mind, and she began to relax.

“You’re right. This is nothing! I can take on twenty armed assassins with my bare hooves and I’m worried about giving a speech?” she chuckled nervously, “Lets just get this over with. I need some coffee, BAD.”

The Director nodded towards the stage crew, and the curtain began to rise towards the ceiling. The loudspeaker clicked on, and after a few seconds of static, the Director’s voice rang out over the gathered crowd.

“LADIES AND GENTLECOLTS! IT IS OUR GREAT HONOR TO WELCOME BACK TO THE MANEHATTAN MUSEUM ONE OF THE GREATEST ARCHAEOLOGISTS OF OUR TIME! PLEASE, PUT YOUR HOOVES TOGETHER FOR THE ONE AND ONLY....DARING DOOOOOOOOOO!”

The crowd exploded into cheers as Daring Do sheepishly made her way to the podium, nervously tipping her hat towards the assembled mass of ponies. She took several large gulps of water and multiple deep breaths before addressing the audience.

“Hi everypony! I’m...uh...Daring Do...and I’m here to...uh....” she trailed off, her brain going into full-alert panic mode as she proceeded to forget her entire speech. She looked frantically back at the Director, who simply smiled and motioned for her to continue. As she turned back to face the crowd, her mind snapped back to the memories of her most recent quest. She quickly suppressed her overwhelming urge to vomit, and resumed her speech.

“I’m here to present a brand new exhibit to the museum! From the mysterious jungles of South Amareica comes a fantastical artifact of myth and legend. Wrapped in mystery and concealed by the lost sands of time, it was lost for millennia, believed to be destroyed. However, It is my great pride to return to the world the magnificence that is...THE SAPPHIRE STONE!”

She raised her hoof towards the glass case, and the tarp was pulled away to reveal a brilliant blue solid sapphire, carved in the shape of two intertwined jackals. A faint blue glow emanated from the statue, and the crowd gasped collectively at the sight. A few seconds of awestruck silence rang out.

“YEAH DARING DO! YOU’RE AWESOME!” shouted a small filly pegasus in the back row. The audience promptly followed her example, erupting into cheers and applause for the triumphant adventurer. Daring Do smiled shyly and took several small bows, before rapidly disappearing backstage.

Meanwhile, out in the audience, a starstruck pegasus also left in quite a hurry, but for an entirely different reason.

---

“I don’t know how you do that on a daily basis. I almost threw up and it was only a thirty second speech!” Daring said as she walked to her office, accompanied by the Director.

The Director laughed softly. “Public speaking isn’t for everyone, my dear. Of course you don’t see me raiding tombs and vanquishing villains, so we all have our own areas of expertise.” She winked at the embarrassed adventurer as she turned down the hallway towards the main lobby.

“Have a good weekend!” Daring said as the Director faded away into the distance. She moved to open her office door when a loud BANG emanated from behind it. She jumped sideways and lay flat against the wall.

“WHOEVER’S IN THERE, YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS TO COME OUT WITH YOUR HOOVES WHERE I CAN SEE THEM! TRUST ME, YOU DON'T WANT ME TO COME IN AND GET YOU!” she shouted menacingly. “ONE...”

The door opened slowly before she reached the second digit. A small blue pegasus wearing a comically oversized pith helmet slowly walked out of the office, her head hung low in shame. Daring snatched the helmet off her head and glared at the ashamed filly.

“And just WHAT are you doing in MY office, young lady?” she said furiously, “Who are you, anyway?”

“My name’s Azure...” she said with a sniffle, “And...And I’m your biggest fan... I broke into your office because I thought maybe...if I had a hat like yours it’d help me be an adventurer like you someday...” She sighed and slowly began to walk towards the lobby.

Daring Do looked at the heartbroken filly and immediately felt like the worst pony to ever exist in history. She ran down the hall and stopped Azure in her tracks.

“Hey, kid! Kid, wait a second!” Azure sniffled again and looked up at her. “Look, kid. The clothes don’t really make the pony, you know that, right? It’s what's inside that counts. But...if it means so much to you...”

She dropped the helmet on the floor and dug around in her saddlebag for a few seconds before pulling out a black marker. She stuck it between her teeth and scribbled “TO AZURE, FROM D D” on the side of the helmet before placing it on Azure’s head.

“Now you’re a bona-fide archaeologist, kid.” she smiled as Azure squealed with delight.

Before the small pegasus could reply, a unicorn came galloping towards them at full tilt. As he skidded to a halt, Daring noticed he was wearing a full set of armor, emblazoned with the royal seal.

“Excuse me, but are you Daring Do?” said the stallion, gasping for breath.

She nodded in reply, slightly confused.

“I have an urgent message for you, from Canterlot.” His horn glowed slightly as he opened his saddlebag and retrieved a scroll, sealed with wax and stamped with the same insignia as his armor. He cleared his throat and began to read.

“Ms. Daring Do, I require your assistance in a matter of utmost urgency. Your presence is requested at Canterlot Castle without delay. My royal guards have a carriage ready to take you to the next train out of Manehattan. Please, arrive as soon as you can. -Princess Celestia”

Daring Do whistled through her teeth. “Celestia, eh? I wonder what ol sun-butt wants with the likes of me?” She turned to Azure. “Sorry to run off on you, but Celestia waits for nopony. See ya around, kid”

She and the stallion guard galloped off down the hall, leaving Azure in a stunned silence. “Canterlot...” she said in hushed awe, “I’ve never been to Canterlot...” She stood musing for a few moments before realizing she had dropped the pass Lyra gave her. She glanced down, and promptly gasped in excitement as she realized Lyra’s mistake. She tore the pass in half and set off at full tilt after Daring and the guard.

The unused portion floated slowly to the floor of the now-empty hallway, the words “EQUESTRIAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY UNIVERSAL TICKET, ADMIT ONE, REDEEMABLE ONCE” printed on the backside.

Author's Note:

Azure is supposed to be a dark blue and dark purple version of Scootaloo