DARING DO AND THE COMPASS OF DISCORD

by De Writer

Chapter 1 : A Meeting with Eris

Author's Note:

This tale takes place in an AU some years advanced from the regular MLP timeline.
There have been advances in both practical magic, technology and a blend of the two known as Mage/Tech, or MT.
This tale also touches on the real purpose of Eris/Discord. It is far more complex than simply sowing chaos, though that is often a side effect of her/his real goal.

Tapping the letter on the table between them, Daring Do said, “Tell me again, why the Princesses themselves wrote to me asking me to meet with you?”

Daring Do stared directly into the red, unequal irised eyes of her visitor, sitting across the table from her in the Private Dining room of the Adventures Guild.

Eris, the Dragonequis Discord in female form, took a cup of the Rom Black tea in her claw. She sipped delicately before answering, “They are my friends. They do know what my real purpose is and how important it is that my work go forward smoothly.”

Daring Do returned, “Spreading Chaos is important work?”

Cyrene, a lovely looking mare with a mane of so deep a blue that it almost looked black except for the highlights in it, looked earnestly at Daring Do with her single, perfectly centered eye and replied, “If it is done properly, it is not just important, it is absolutely necessary.”

Eris nodded, her horn and antler bobbing. “Cy is right. I don’t think that I can tell you exactly what it is that I do, but the whole spreading Chaos bit is only a small symptom of the real work.”

Cy nodded, and sipped from the tangerine nectar and pomegranate cocktail in front of her. “The problem is, that the Discordians, ponies with no clue about what they are doing, are finding the places that Eris is working. They rush in and “Spread Chaos”, thinking that they are helping. Actually, they are ruining the Mistress’ work and in some cases, making it impossible to undo their damage.”

Daring Do looked down at the letter of introduction. Over the three kingdom seals was written in Luna’s unmistakable personal script:

“Celestia and I both entreat you to assist our dear friend Eris in the task that she needs done. As when you found and conserved the tomb of Im Farst, money and any needful travel documents will be underwritten in total, along with a worthwhile personal fee for your efforts, whether you succeed or not.

Yours with the deepest respect,
Princess Luna
Princess Celestia”

Daring Do nibbled around the edges of her asparagus salad before pointing out, “The letter and you both have been clear that you want me to do something for you, Eris. What is totally unclear is exactly WHAT it is that you want done.”

Cyrene filled in, “Have you, as an Antiquarian, heard of the Compass of Discord?”

Daring Do almost spit out her mouthful of salad as she choked back a laugh! “Heard of it!? Yes. I have even seen drawings of it. Huge thing mounted to an altar in the hidden Temple of Discord. The only problem is, nopony but Discordians know where that is!”

Grimly, Eris stated, “I do know where the Temple of Discord is. Those idiots worship me as a god of some sort. I wish that I was a god. Then, I could just MAKE them stop messing with my work.

“The problem is stated very simply. I am not omniscient or Cy and I could just go and get the Compass and that would be the end of the affair. I know where the Temple is. What you have seen drawings of is a show piece for the worshipers. The true Compass is not there. It is actually a little thing, about this size.”

She gestured with paw and claw, showing a circle about ten centimeters across.

“The original use of the Compass, thousands of years ago, was to point to me, so that they could pray in my direction. Somehow, quite recently, they have learned to use it to locate the places where I am doing my work. That is when they rush in to “help” and spoil everything.”

Daring Do stared about the small private dining room of the Adventures Guild, where she kept her rooms when she was in Canterlot. She considered deeply before asking, “Do you even know for sure which continent of Equestria the Compass is on?”

Cy looked down and shook her head slowly. “I am afraid not, Doctor Do. Does that mean that you can’t help us?”

Daring Do, deep in thought, looked at the many souvenirs of various adventures that the Guild had been involved in over the years of its existence. “Perhaps, Cy. I hope that I can. As you both know far better than I, magic is not instant. Possibly we can use that knowledge to narrow the search.

“I will need a list of all of the places where Eris’ work has been disrupted. Each one should have a note of exactly when the work was begun and, as closely as possible, when it was disrupted.

“I have a friend at the Royal University who does statistical work. Perhaps Withers can sort out an idea of where the disruptions are originating, if his data are accurate enough.

“After that, I will have something to take to the Great Library for some deep research. That is the best that I can offer right now. It may give us some leads.”

Eris relaxed all over, and asked, “Do you need to know what I was doing at those places?”

Daring Do shook her head. “Not necessary. If the Princesses think that it is important I will assume it is. I need the locations, the times of initiation and the times of disruption, all as closely as possible. For the analysis, that should be enough.

“It may only show us where the orders to disrupt your work are coming from, and not where the Compass is. Still, it is all that we have to go on.”

As she resumed her asparagus salad and mixed fruit juice cocktail, Cy pulled out paper and a writing kit. Cy wrote busily for a short while and hoofed the list to Daring Do.

Eris smiled a warm and genuine smile as she placed a small pile of golden bits on the table. “Let me pay for this meeting, Doctor Do. This should cover everything, including a goodly tip for the Guild’s most discrete service staff.”