Daring Do's Vacation

by Smaug the Golden

Riddle the Sphinx

Daring knocked on the library door. She knew that she would probably be annoyed to her wits end for knocking on this door, but she figured that if an evil psychiatrist was trying to take over Equestria, then she would need all the help she could get, even if that help came in the form of creepy fan girls.

Twilight answered the door. “Hi. Did the trip to the psychiatrist go well?”

Yes it did.

“It didn’t. He wasn’t there, and when I went to his house, it was trashed and he had left a note on the door saying he was busy with an evil plan to take over Equestria.”

“Hm. That could be a problem. What do you want me to do about it?”

“Well, since last time you guys helped me out, I was hoping you could help me. I have no idea what Mental is planning, so I figured back up would be helpful.” Daring hoped that she would say no. They were probably the best option, but she figured that others might follow orders a lot more easily.

“Sure, we’ll help.” Daring sighed. Of course they would help. They were the helping type. “Just give me a moment. Pinkie should be here in about… three seconds.”

“Hi! Where are we going? I heard that you and Daring wanted the others so that we could go fight and evil psychiatrist named Mental. Should I get Rainbow Dash?”

Ah. A pony after my own heart. Pinkie Pie, the pony of mystery.

“How is Pinkie Pie the pony of mystery?”

“I don’t know. I just act this way. My Pinkie Sense told me that something big was going to happen.”

“Then how did you know I needed your help to stop an evil psychiatrist?”

Pinkie shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just being Pinkie Pie.”

Told you she was a pony of mystery. She doesn’t even know. But I know for a fact that I don’t know. I also know that she can travel fast, break the fourth wall, and many other strange things.

“Brief question Twilight. What is the fourth wall?” Daring asked. Bedlam wasn’t making any sense, so maybe she could help.

Twilight shrugged. “Something to do with acting. But do you want me to define the fourth wall or gather my friends to help you defeat an evil psychiatrist who is named Mental? I think we only have time for one?”

Daring thought about that for a moment before answering. “How about we go defeat Mental, and then you can tell me about the fourth wall? That seems to be a bit more promising.”

Pinkie shrugged. “Okie-dokey-lokey. I’ll go get the others, and you can go get ready. See you.” And with that, the pink pony bounced down the path towards where the others were, moving at a surprisingly fast pace.

Psyche had been surprised to find out that A. K. Yearling were one and the same, as Daring had thrown off her disguise, but she had taken in quite well, much better than Rainbow Dash had. Psyche had simply asked a few questions, and then there had been a quick moment when her heart stopped and Bedlam said that they would need a defibrillator, but that had been it, and she was doing quite fine at the moment.

Rainbow had been ecstatic over the fact that they were going on a new adventure, but had felt slightly upset when she had found out that they were fighting Mental, the town psychiatrist, and not Ahuizotl. “Come on, couldn’t you just invite Ahuizotl to work with Mental? It would be a lot more exciting.” Those were the words that Rainbow had uttered, and had earned her several scowls from her friends, but a cheer from Bedlam.

The eight of them, nine if you counted Bedlam, were currently in the middle of the forest searching for Mental. Mental had given very clear directions for finding his secret lair, making their job a whole lot easier.

“So, according to the note, we have to turn right at the big tree that looks like a what-cha-ma-call-it,” Rarity read. “Then, turn left at the really steep cliff. After that, walk forward until you bump your head into a massive temple. This is ridiculous darling. What kind of villain gives directions to his secret lair?”

Pinkie jumped up and down. “Ooh, I know! One who wants us to be there so he can throw us a party.”

Daring sighed. “I really don’t think he wants to throw us a party.”

Pinkie gasped. “B-b-but… who wouldn’t want to throw me a party?” The pink pony actually looked close to tears. Apparently the thought of somepony not throwing a party for Pinkie Pie was horrendous.

“Aw, don’t be sad darling. He’s a villain. He doesn’t like parties,” Rarity said, trying to comfort her friend.

“But, everypony likes a party,” Pinkie sniffled.

Daring sighed again. “Pinkie, if you want, you and Rarity can go back to Ponyville to wait. We understand if you don’t want to face a pony who dislikes parties.”

Aw, but I was hoping she would come to fight the evil psychiatrist.

Pinkie shook her head. “No. I am going to throw this evil-big-party-hating-meanie-pants a party, and then he will like parties. I am not going back.” She stood up straight, or as straight as she could, and marched forward, actually disregarding her normal means of bouncing.

Wow. The idea that someone would dislike parties really made her mad.

“Um, okay. Pinkie, when we get there, we can throw him a party, but right now let’s find his base.” The group proceeded to travel, finding the tree shaped like a what-cha-ma-call-it, which was shaped like a manticore, and the really steep cliff, which was really steep, and then they bumped into a massive temple, just like the note said.

“Wow. That note was a lot more helpful than I thought it would be,” Psyche commented. “I thought it would be hidden, but then again, this is Mental we are talking about.” She proceeded to head to the door, which had a massive ‘knock here to enter’ door knocker. She knocked once, and nothing seemed to happen.

Then, with a loud boom, an echo-y voice began to speak. “Fear me, little ponies, for we are your doom!” The eight ponies jumped in surprise, and Fluttershy leapt into the top of a tree.

“Wait a minute. We are their doom?” The second voice spoke up. It was nowhere near as intimidating as the first, and was definitely masculine. “Come on Riddle, isn’t that a bit rich? I mean sure, we are a group of deadly monsters, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say that we are their doom.”

“Dissonance, why are you using the super-speak? I thought that that was my job.” This time, the voice was a lot more annoyed than intimidating, and it was easily identifiable as female. “You are in charge of the technical things, I was in charge of scaring everyone, and Mental is in charge of the overall plan. You’re ruining my whole plan.”

Twilight sighed. “Don’t tell me, you’re Trixie, Discord and Mental up to mischief, correct?” She seemed smug that her guess would be correct.

Wait a minute, did she say Dissonance? Bedlam spoke up in Daring’s head. He seemed both surprised and amused at this, but before she could ask him more, Riddle was talking again.

“Wait, who’s Trixie? No matter. Dissonance let me show you how you scare intruders.”

“But booming voice, your buddy Mental left clear directions on how to get to your secret headquarters,” Psyche interjected. “It clearly said that we take a right at the tree shaped like a what-cha-ma-call-it and a left at the cliff, and then walk until we arrived here. That was very helpful.”

“Great. Riddle, you take care of them, I’ll go see Mental. See you.” The second voice stated, and then they heard a sort of echoed clumping, as if something heavy was walking on stone. Then the first voice started again.

“Sorry about Dissonance. Anyway, fear me little ponies! For I am the harbinger of your destruction! I am Riddle, the most feared being in all of Equestria! I am your doom! For I am, the Sphinx!”

A silence followed this, with several crickets heard chirping in the background. “Um, what’s a Sphinx?” Daring asked.

“What?! You have not heard of my might? I am the most feared being in all the land! Defeater of librarians, conqueror of philosophers. How can you not know of me? Riddle, the one who spread terror into the hearts of the Princesses themselves?”

“Sorry,” said Fluttershy in a whisper. “But none of us have ever heard of a sphinx. Please don’t be mad.”

“How dare you! I am going to show me my might! One second please. Dissonance, please open the door. I want to give them a riddle.” A vague voice was heard shouting, and then the massive door creaked open.

Out stepped a creature not unlike a manticore. It had a lion’s body, a pair of eagle wings, a scaly tail, and a head similar to that of a griffin. Fluttershy squeaked with fright, and hid behind Rainbow Dash. “Mwah haha. See? I strike terror into your hearts.” The voice was similar to that they had heard earlier, but a lot lighter.

Twilight shook her head. “But, you’re not scientifically possible.”

Riddle turned her head towards Twilight. “You have no idea how often I get that. Anyway, here’s the drill: I tell you a riddle, and if you get it right, you can pass. I you get it wrong, I get to punish you. So, who wants to play?”

Daring stepped forward. “I will.”

Riddle grinned. “Goodie. Here you go: What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?”

Daring thought about it. What fit those categories? Tap-dancing conga tarantulas! Beldam shouted in her head. Daring discarded the idea. There were no such thing. Then it hit her!

“Riddle, the answer to your riddle, is a pony who tried to fly. She walked on four until noon, when she flapped her front two legs to fly, while the other two stayed on the ground, and then she fell and sprained one, and walked on three for the rest of the day.”

Riddle sneered. “Wrong. The answer was tap-dancing conga tarantulas. Now, for you punishment… bring on the tap-dancing conga tarantulas!” Dozens of spiders holding little canes paraded out of the temple. They started dancing a conga line while spinning their canes and tapping their hairy feet.

Daring stared. “What’s our punishment?”

Riddle shrugged. “Watching them do their whole routine. It’s the most boring thing I’ve ever seen. You have to watch, and then you can try again.”

Told you that the answer was tap-dancing conga tarantulas. Daring sighed, and laid her back against the forest grass. This was going to be the strangest adventure and vacation she had ever been on.

Author's Note:

This chapter was fun to write. The idea of a sphinx with a riddle that made no sense was stuck in my head. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it.

Comments

[Smaug the Golden]

4301906 Go ahead, but please send me a link. I'd love to see it.

[Dogman15]

Look what you predicted. http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/946901-my-little-pony-friendship-is-magic

https://derpiboo.ru/tags/daring+do+and+the+riddle+of+the+sphinx

(Well, not really. But it is an incredible coincidence.)

[Azure Drache]

Name of Story: Daring Do's Vacation Chapter 4 Riddle the Sphinx

Pros:
Pinkie acts totally like Pinke should , good job!
tap-dancing conga tarantulas <--- stand for itself.

Cons:
If she didn´t want their help why ask them?
Sometimes it would help if you would add who is speaking. During my work with other authors I noticed that this often is a problem for nnes , to find out who is actually speaking in an conversation.
The question what a sphinx is , shouldn´t come from Daring
Wasn´t dissonance already gone , how could he open the door?

Notes Section: The Chapter is a pleasure because you hit the way Pinkie act so good , but it is a bit unclear to nnes who is speaking some times and I think you made a few bad choices who you let act at the events.