Seeking Eternity

by Bluecatcinema

Dare To Dream, Dare To Love

At the shore next to the waterfall, both Shine and Gothic washed ashore, sputtering profusely. Daring Do joined them, trying to catch her breath.

"Ugh... I can't believe... we made it." Shine gasped.

"Yeah..." Gothic spat out some water. "I am really getting too old for this-"

"Caboose!" Daring yelled.

The two stallions glanced at the water, where an unconscious Caboose was floating. Quickly, Daring pulled him ashore. Shine and Gothic looked on in fear, as Daring tried to stir him awake.

"Come on, Caboose!" Daring shook the stallion hard. "Don't do this! Don't die on us!" She slapped him. "Breathe, dang it, breathe!

Caboose remained limp.

"Come on, Caboose, wake up!" Shine begged.

"You can't die like this!" Gothic urged.

Daring glanced at Caboose... and realized what she had to do, much to her discomfort.

"Oh, why me..." She sighed. "Stand back, I'll have to give him mouth-to-mouth."

Daring grimaced as she opened Caboose's mouth. Shuddering, she pinched Caboose's nostrils and in one fell swoop, put her mouth to his. Immediately, Caboose's eyes opened, and he saw Daring 'kissing' him. Daring froze in terror, noticing his eyes.

"GAH!" She leapt back, blushing profusely.

"What the?! What?!" Caboose gasped.

"Caboose, you're alright!" Shine smiled.

"That's a relief!" Gothic chuckled.

Cabose stared at Daring.

"You... kissed me!" He sighed.

"No, I gave you CPR." Daring countered.

"Seemed more like L-U-V to me!" Caboose chuckled.

"Ugh. Say what you want…" Daring groaned, before taking note of the setting sun. "But we'd better get a fire going, dry off before night comes."

Before long, Shine and Gothic were drying by a small fire, while Daring Do was trying to pinpoint their location by using the stars, Caboose watching from afar.

"Wow... she's pretty." He sighed, before switching to O'Malley. "I'll say. Just look at that flank. Hubba-hubba."

"O'Malley! That's a lady you're talking about here. Show some decency!"

"Hey, I'm the part of your brain that can actually enjoy stuff in life! Besides, you tellin' me you don't want that chick hanging on your hooves?"

"Well... I do... but I don't want you to ruin this for me! You realize how many ponies you freak out when you make me do stuff?"

"Those ponies were cowards. Besides, there's no way you're gonna get that mare without my help."

"Oh yeah? I tell you, I learned a lot about courting a mare from Vinny."

"So did I. You forced me to listen to that dweeb for hours."

"Please, O'Malley, I beg of you. I really like this girl."

"So do I. And trust me, by the time I'm through, she'll be putty in our hoof."

"Our precious?" Caboose said creepily.

"What?!"

"Sorry, I just had to make that reference."

"You see? That's what I'm talking about-"

Shine and Gothic watched Caboose argue with himself.

"I really wonder what that pony's deal is..." Shine declared.

"At this point, Shine, I just don't care anymore." Gothic admitted.

Minutes later, Caboose trotted over to Daring, who was now in the process of bandaging her wings.

"Here, let me help you with those." He offered.

"I've got it, thanks." Daring declared.

"Trust me." Caboose smiled. "I've bandaged up my share of battle wounds before."

As Caboose wrapped Daring's wing, he accidentally tied up his hooves in the bandages.

"No problem." He nervously chuckled. "I got this."

Caboose struggled to free himself, to no avail. In fact, he got even more of his hooves stuck in the bandages. Sighing heavily, Daring got out a penknife and cut the bandages herself.

"Thanks." Caboose said awkwardly.

"Okay, fellas." Daring declared. "I've got an idea of our general location. Tomorrow, we get back on the path to the Phoenix."

"Good. The sooner we get to the Phoenix, the better." Gothic nodded.

"Let's all get some sleep." Shine declared.

"You can share my sleeping bag, if you want." Caboose told Daring.

"No, thanks." Daring shook her head. "I always carry one of my own."

"Oh." Caboose sighed.

The next morning, they continued on their journey. As they walked, Caboose saw a pretty flower in the ground. He plucked it and handed it to Daring.

"For you." He smiled.

"Thanks." Daring smiled back... then ate the flower, to Caboose's shock. "I was getting kinda hungry."

Later, they entered a small crevice blocking their path.

"I got this." O'Malley declared.

he stallion sauntered over to a tree and kicked it down... only for the tree to fall the wrong direction, squashing him.

"Let's just go around." Gothic cringed.

Once they cleared that obstacle, it began to rain. Caboose offered Daring an umbrella from his pack... only to be zapped by lightning.

"Yeowch." He coughed.

"You okay?" Daring asked.

"I think so…" Caboose squeaked, before falling face first into a puddle.

Even more later, the group was walking through another set of trees.

"You wanna hear a poem?" Caboose asked Daring, "Roses are red, violets are blue, nopony's prettier than Daring Do."

"I'm not really into poetry." Daring admitted.

"Oh." Caboose sighed. O'Malley took over him for a second. "Looks like you're running out of cruddy ways to woo a mare."

Caboose shifted back, getting angry, "Hey, at least I didn't squash myself, O'Malley!"

Daring glanced at him oddly. "…Is everything alright, Caboose?"

"It's O'Malley." O'Malley corrected, before going back to Caboose. "No it's not." O'Malley returned, "Yes it is."

Caboose and O'Malley started going back between personalities, as Daring snuck away.

"Caboose… is one strange pony." Daring told Shine and Gothic.

"Tell me about it." Gothic rolled his eyes.

As the group neared a small marsh, a cragadile emerged from the muddy waters.

"A cragadile?" Shine gasped. "Here?"

"What are the odds?" Gothic shrugged.

"Don't make any sudden moves." Daring instructed through gritted teeth.

However, O'Malley took over for Caboose, "You're mine!" O'Malley yelled, charging at the cragadile.

"What are you doing, you idiot?!" Daring yelled.

"Wrestlin' a cragadile, what's it look like?" O'Malley growled, in a Australian-like accent.

It was a titanic tussle. Despite being outclassed in both size and strength, O'Malley fought well. At a crucial moment, O'Malley (stopping only to wink at Daring) bucked the underside of the cragodile's mouth with both back hooves. The cragodile fell onto its side, unconscious. O'Malley raised his hooves, relishing in his victory.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlecolts, you've been a lovely audience!" He declared.

The cragodile suddenly tipped over and crushed him. The others winced at the sight, then made to extricate him.

"Ugh…" O'Malley groaned.

"Caboose, are you okay?" Shine asked.

"TOASTY!" Caboose answered in a daze before falling unconscious.

"Wow… I don't know whether to compliment this 'O'Malley' on his bravery or his stupidity." Daring frowned, shaking her head.

"How about you don't compliment O'Malley?" Gothic suggested. "It only encourages him to do even stupider stuff."

As night fell, they set up camp. Daring was looking at her map, while Caboose, Shine, and Gothic were around a fire. Caboose glanced at Daring, sighing.

"You know, Caboose, you shouldn't stare at mares, it's rude." Gothic declared.

"I'm sorry... it's just... I think I really like this girl, and I've been trying everything to get her to like me!" Caboose groaned.

"Really?" Shine smirked. "I hadn't noticed, what with you wrestling a cragodile and trying to give her flowers."

"You have it bad for Daring, don't you?" Gothic asked.

"I do... but nothing I did worked!" Caboose whined. "She's still ignoring me!"

"You know, Caboose... there is one thing you haven't tried..." Shine realized.

"Oh yeah, what?" Caboose asked.

"Talk to her." Shine declared. "Tell her how you feel. That's all it takes. That all it did for me and Gothic."

"Yeah... but what about O'Malley?" Caboose asked. "I mean, I must have freaked her out with that crazy psycho." He suddenly changed to O'Malley. "Oh, and being Mr. Romantic was completely sane. Complete horses-" Caboose snapped back. "You see?"

"Come now, Caboose." Gothic nodded. "The best part of having a special somepony is that they would love you for who you are and for all your flaws."

"You really think so?" Caboose smiled.

"We know so." Shine gestured to Daring. "Go get her, Caboose."

"Okay." Caboose gulped. "Wish me luck."

Caboose made his way over to Daring.

"Oh, hey, Caboose." She nodded. "Do ya need anything?"

"Oh no." Caboose shrugged. "I just… I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Fine... though, I am a little sad that our adventure is nearly over." Daring declared.

"Sad?" Caboose asked.

"Well, yeah." Daring continued. "This is going to be my final adventure. Once I find the Phoenix, I will have all that I need for my last book, and after that... well, I will hang up my pith helmet."

"Oh. Well, at least it was fun... right?" Caboose asked.

"Yes. Ever since the Sapphire Stone, it's been nothing but fun... though once this is all over, I won't know what to do next..." Daring sighed.

"I see... well, Ms. Do, I've been thinking... I know up to this point, our relationship has been strictly professional, and since we won't see each other again after this and all, but..." Caboose stammered.

"Caboose?" Daring looked at him oddly.

"Okay, here is the question." Caboose composed himself. "Would you like to... to go out... sometime? With me?"

Daring remained silent for a moment... before sighing, and rolling up her map.

"Caboose... I can't." She said glumly.

Caboose heard the sound of windows breaking echo in his head.

"W-what? Why?" He mumbled.

"Look, Caboose..." Daring placed a hoof on his shoulder and give him a sad smile. "You are a wonderful stallion, both sweet and funny... but I am just not looking for a relationship, I had been alone for a while... and I think it's best not to change that."

"If this is about O'Malley, I swear, I'll make him disappear for good-" Caboose started.

"No, no... to be honest, O'Malley is what makes you unique in your own way." Daring nodded. "There is nothing wrong with you... I just... don't need a colt in my life right now."

Caboose was heartbroken beyond all reason. But Caboose keeps up a strong face.

"I-I understand." He choked back the tears. "You have your thing, I have mine... I think I'll turn in for the night."

"Oh..." Daring noticed the sadness in his eyes. "Good night, Caboose."

Caboose walked away, as tears began to fall from his eyes. Then O'Malley took over for a moment.

"No...don't let her see you cry." O'Malley ordered, as he sucked the tears into his eyes, before giving control back to Caboose.

As Caboose walked to his sleeping bag, Shine and Gothic noticed him.

"Hey, Caboose... how did it go?" Shine asked. Caboose ignored him. "Caboose?"

You know what, Shine? I was stupid." Caboose declared with hurt in his voice. "Stupid to believe that I could ever get a mare in my life. Every mare that I ever fall in love with always had somepony else or was a guy... and the one time I find the mare that wasn't either one... she doesn't like me. Mares just don't like me!"

"Caboose, I'm sorry that it-"

"Oh spare me the sympathy, grandpa!" Caboose roared.

Gothic was shocked. He'd expect such words from O'Malley, but not Caboose.

"I didn't even want to come on this trip in the first place." Caboose pointed out. "Why am I even out here?! To help you live forever with your supermodel-grade wives?!"

"Caboose, I know you're upset, but-" Shine began.

"But nothing!" Caboose yelled. "You two are the most ungrateful sacks of poo! At least you two have beautiful wives you can come home to, who love you. What do I have?! A psycho in my head that won't leave me alone, ponies who sees me as a klutzy idiot that is good for nothing, and-" He held up his hoof. "-Missing one hoof tip!

"Ungrateful?!" Gothic growled.

"But what about Blueblood? Dusty? Pureblood and Vito? Your brothers?" Shine pointed out. "They love you."

"Yeah, but that's only family love." Caboose retorted. "When it comes down to it, I'm probably going to die alone... with O'Malley, who also doesn't like me."

"Caboose, please..." Shine begged.

"Just leave me alone." Caboose curled up into his sleeping bag, and began to silently sob.

Shine and Gothic frowned.

"That klutz had no right to say I'm ungrateful." Gothic grumbled.

"He was hurt, Gothic." Shine said fairly. "He probably didn't mean it. Hopefully, he'll be alright in the morning."

Watching from afar, Daring noticed Caboose, shuddering in his bag.

"I'm sorry, Caboose." She sighed. "I really am."

Back at Canterlot, Luna was absentmindedly having a cup of tea. Celestia joined her.

"Is everything alright, sister?"

"It's Gothic." Luna admitted. "He and Shine have been gone for a while. I miss him."

"As do I with Shine, Luna... but it's like they said, it is only for a couple of weeks." Celestia noted. "They are probably out there having fun right now."

"I know..." Luna sighed. "But it doesn't make me worry any less about Gothic. I think he might be concerned about his age. I mean, you saw how depressed he was after he hurt himself at the party..."

"He's just coming to terms with how old he has become, Luna." Celestia declared. "Most ponies do that when they're growing old."

"Yes, but I doubt they have an alicorn for a wife." Luna pointed out. "I'm afraid he is starting to feel... inadequate, being with me."

"That is absurd, sister." Celestia nuzzled her." Gothic knew that he would grow old and you wouldn't. He loved you too much to not care. And he knows that you would still love him, even when he's 100 or so."

"You're right, sister." Luna chuckled slightly "I guess I'm missing him too much."

"That's understandable." Celestia chuckled too.

"Um, your majesties?" Dusty entered the room, a concerned look on her face.

"Dusty, you know there's no need for formalities." Celestia smiled. "You're a princess now, like us."

"Oh, right... I didn't mean to interrupt... but I just got a letter from my father." Dusty declared.

"Your father?" Luna asked.

"Yes. I tried to not worry, but I had to know what was wrong with my family... and..." Dusty stuttered.

"What is it?" Celestia asked.

"According to my father... there is nothing wrong." Dusty declared. "He never sent a letter to Caboose... as a matter of fact, Caboose never went to Bitaly at all."

Celestia and Luna both gaped.

"What?!" Celestia whispered.

"There must be a mistake." Luna said. "Gothic told us that he went to Bitaly... he wouldn't lie to us... not to me..."

"I don't know what's going on, but I am really worried about Caboose... it's like he disappeared off the face of Equestria." Dusty frowned.

"Wait... something isn't right here." Celestia stated. "Caboose disappeared just around when Shine and Gothic went on their trip to Rainbow Falls..."

"Sister, you're not assuming that they lied about their trip as well, do you?" Luna asked.

"There is only one way to find out." Celestia stated. "And I just happen to know the pony... or draconequus who might know..."

Celestia's horn glowed, and Discord appeared... taking a shower.

"Dah-dah-dah-dah-dah, dah-dah-dah-dah-dah... uh?" He opened the curtains. "Oh, Celly, Lulu, didn't see you there."

"What's going on, Discord?" Celestia asked.

"I'm taking a shower." Discord declared, pointing out the fixture.

"She means what's going on with our husbands." Luna stepped forward. "Something's going on, and we think you know what that is."

"Oh, just because I'm the spirit of chaos, that must mean I have a hand in it?" Discord gasped dramatically. "That's profiling, missy!"

"Now that I think about it, you left the party not long after Gothic's injury." Luna noted. "And he seemed a lot more... sunny, after he came back."

"Pure conjecture." Discord snorted. "You've got nothing on me."

"We know you, Discord." Celestia glared. "We know when you're up to something. Now, talk."

"Sorry, lips are-"

*POW!*

"OW!" Discord cried.

Dusty bucked the spirit of chaos in the shin, before grabbing his goatee.

"You listen here, buster! Caboose is my uncle whom I love very much. Now you tell Celestia and Luna where you sent their husbands and my uncle before I have to go 'mafia' on you…and trust me, you do not want to see that!" Dusty threatened, gripping the draconequus's goatee tighter by the word.

"Okay, okay, fine!" Discord groaned. "Gothic was bummed about getting old, so I told him where he could find an ancient artifact that could bestow immortality upon him. Then Shine overheard us, and Gothic talked him into coming along. Oh, and they had me turn Caboose into a wind-up toy so he wouldn't tell anyone, and had him come along for the ride."

There was a momentary silence as the information sunk in.

"You what?!" Luna yelped.

"How could you?!" Celestia roared.

"Wind-up toy?!" Dusty yelled.

"Was I not supposed to do that?" Discord grinned cheekily. "Nopony told me."

"We have to find them." Luna declared.

"Discord, you tell us where our husbands are going." Celestia ordered.

"And if I don't?" Discord challenged.

"I'll have you turned to stone, and your petrified carcass shipped off to Mr. Napoleon's estate." Celestia rebutted.

"Yeah, my uncle Salt happens to love breaking statues." Dusty deviously smirked.

Discord gulped.

"Okay, no need to resort to violence." Discord soothed.

"Dusty, stay here and look after Miracle and the others." Celestia declared, "Me and Luna will be back shortly."

"Okay…" Dusty nodded… before kicking Discord in the shin again.

"GAH! What was that for?!" Discord whimpered.

"That's for turning the godfather of my children into a wind-up toy!" Dusty glared.

"I just don't believe that Gothic would lie to me…" Luna whispered.

"Don't worry, sister, we'll find them…" Celestia reassured her, before turning to Discord. "Lead the way, Discord."

Discord rubbed his now-tender shin, sighing. "Fine. One first-class trip to the Golden Phoenix, coming up!"

He snapped his fingers, and he and the sisters disappeared in a flash.

Comments

[BronyDan]

Oh shit. Nothing more terrifying in life than an angered wife. This is going to end well.

[SageBrony07]

Oh boy. There is going to be a fight. Both against Azutoto and the Familes. This is going to be crazy. Best of luck with the next chapter.

[danick]

CABOOSE I GOING TO BE A HERO OF THE DAY