Daring Do & The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well: Canterlot Crisis

by Canon Fodder

Chapter 6: In Search of Answers

Mare-Do-Well's Underground Hideout, 5:30 am, September 28th

Daring Do slung her hoof over the snooze button of the alarm clock, trying to disregard its rude ringing. It had been one long day in the hours before, and it took quite a toll on the adventuress. She felt as if she had to force herself out of bed and search for food, or that's what she was used to. It felt like another expedition. Daring was laying in a queen sized bed, her entire body wrapped in its polyester sheet and toasty comforter. She wasn't about to ruin such a relaxing moment due to some alarm. She simply laid there, sighing in everlasting relief, taking in every moment like a day at the spa. Her greyscale mane was frazzled and tossed all around her head, her tail less so. But when she finally decided to sit up, her mane drooped down and suspended carelessly through the air. It's not as if she ever cared how it looked, because it always fell back into place, so she never bothered to groom it, other than washing it out in the shower.

She gazed around the bedroom of her new acquaintance. It wasn't like the rest of her lavished lair. It was actually quite normal. High class, yet still normal. Nothing seemed to stand out other than the annoying ringing of the clock that had gone every ten minutes since five. It was pretty average sized too, except the bed itself of course. Perhaps no bigger than the inside of her stagecoach was a good scale to compare it to. There was actually wallpaper and the entire room was lit by nothing more than a sole incandescent light bulb rather than the rest of the den with its shining white walls and classy lighting system. Daring found it fascinating. She felt like she was home. It certainly contrasted the rest of her assets.

But then it was like a light bulb of her own went off in her head. She was reminded of her secretive job title; a guardian, fighter of crime, defender of law and order. It must be quite the experience, and nerve-wracking at times. Maybe this normalized room was Mare-Do-Well's own way of finding her solace. A break from the wild cases and action-packed world of her's. Just like Daring's world of adventure, with dangers almost always lurking around every corner, she found the moon to be her guiding light to psychological and sometimes emotional security. She sat there, contemplating their lives for several minutes before concluding in her thoughts that maybe the two weren't that different after all. But it must be merely a coincidence, Daring rethought.

With that in mind, she disregarded the moment of comparison and fell back into the sea of warmth underneath the blankets, letting out a sigh of absolute comfort and smiling happily...But it was short lived. As soon as she closed her eyes, the irritating blare of the alarm clock rang in her ear for the fourth time. After she leaned over the nightstand and smacked the snooze button again, she heard a voice coming from the other room. "That's the fourth time!" Then a humble laugh on the end. "I'm usually up by the second alarm."

The archaeologist rolled her eyes to Mare-Do-Well's teasing. Reluctantly, she flicked her messy mane out of her eyes and glanced at the actual clock part of the clock. It was 5:40 in the morning, and she was still in bed. Getting up at this time should be normal to her. She did have to be at the University an hour before the students after all. But the events of yesterday and her previous injuries had fatigued her body to no end. But she gritted her teeth and forcibly removed her limp body from the warm sheets. Before leaving the room, she reached to the bath robe hung on one of the bed's corner posts. She wrapped the soft fabric around her then studied the console built into the wall until she found the button that opened the door. When it slid open, she crossed into the main room of the lair and found Mare-Do-Well still glued to her massive computer. "You're still up?" She asked in amazement. "Didn't you sleep?"

"Oh I slept." The mare assured, being sure to sip her steaming cup of tea carefully. "I went to bed about an hour after you drifted off. Those couches over there are ones that you'll never regret sleeping on if you have to give up your bed for the night. Also since I'm so used to that alarm in there, I got up when I heard it going off the first time. Loud isn't it?"

Daring agreed with a slow nod as she rubbed her right eye. "Oh You got that right. Did you have to pick the most obnoxious ringing though?"

The caped crusader laughed back. "Well it works! Anyways I took your shirt out of the dryer this morning and hung it up in the washroom. Go get yourself ready and we'll get down to business."

"Will do." She yawned, shuffling her way to the washroom as she shut the door behind her.

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well swiveled back around in her chair and continued her research. Up on the computer screen was the documents she had scavenged from the brief raid of Union Jack's office. It had truly come in handy. In a way, she had to thank Daring. If she hadn't helped in that fight, she might have not escaped with the document, let alone her very life. Maybe it was time to take on a partner. For years the mare had gone it alone, sort of. Her computer had saved her life once or twice. But a computer could not fight off three baddies like she and Do did.

But the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well knew she was mixing professionalism with emotions. It was only a matter of chance that Daring was there. She knew she was better off alone, for she had been going alone all her life. Why should anything change now? She asked herself this for a few minutes, and couldn't think of a viable answer. To find the answer, she had to gaze up at her computer screen. H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E., her biggest challenge yet. This wasn't just one or two criminals, this was a criminal organization; a syndicate, an army, a team of conspirators that had to be dealt with quickly. Their plot was still cloudy to understand or to even predict, but hopefully they would find their answers soon enough.

The washroom door opened, Daring stepped through with her mane back to normal and her olive-green shirt replaced the robe. The last thing she needed was her pith-helmet. She scanned the room but soon remembered she left it at the foot of the bed. She stepped into the bedroom quickly and retrieved her friend, placing it carefully on her head. At last she was ready to take on the world...again. She found Mare-Do-Well sitting on one of the plush sofas in the corner of her large room. The adventuress took advantage of the situation and plopped down into the other, melting into it comforting fabric. "Now I see what you mean. So can we talk now?"

"Yup," she nodded. "What do you want to know?"

That question alone struck Daring, it was such a vague query. There were dozens of things she wanted to ask the enigmatic mare. But she decided to start off with the most interesting. "Who are you?"

The hooded mare sighed, shaking her head at that question. "I already told you, I can't reveal my identity. It may compromise others that I have worked with. My enemies are still out there, trying to find me. And if they know who I communicate with, they'll likely go through them to get to me. Who knows, they could be listening to me right now. Next question."

"Ok, I understand. But it must be quite a lonely life, don't it?" This question didn't churn well with the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. Obviously it was a lonely job, but that didn't need to be discussed.

Daring didn't have to see her face to tell that was the wrong question to be asking, for she knew herself, her expeditions weren't that socially tuned neither. She decided to ask something more on subject. "How about Giovanni? Can you tell me anything about what he's been up to? I mean what has archaeology got to do with all this?"

"It don't." She said simply. "But he must be financing them in some sort of way. You don't rise to second in command just on transferable skills alone."

The adventuress agreed on that fact. But she could see the griffon weaseling into a position like that. "He's quite a talker, I'll give him that, and yes he is very rich. When he wasn't chasing me around, he was able to scavenge a good few artifacts. He turned those artifacts into profits. That's what eats me up about D'Angelo, he don't care about the thrill of adventure. He doesn't see the fascinating details that could have been thousands, even millions of years old. To him, the money behind it was all that mattered. Mare-Do-Well, I'm happy teaching archaeology at the University. I simply get giddy over the entire concept. All my expeditions I've conducted over the years were mostly for the adrenaline rush. It makes me feel so alive, and to see Giovanni turn it into some sort of get-rich-quick scheme really hurts my pride. That's not true archaeology...Oh I'm sorry, kinda went off track."

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well replied a jubilant laugh. "It's alright. That's completely understandable. I can see where your resentment arises for him, but still, we'll have to look for some more clues before we can find out why and how he was given the No. 2 position of the Hurricane agents."

She was right, the past never really explained anything other than Daring's reasons for hating the obnoxious griffon. Then Daring decided to poke her curiosity at somepony else. "What about Union Jack? That's a pony I just can't figure out."

"If you're referring to his two-faced persona then I'm in the dark just as much as you are." Mare-Do-Well remarked. "But funny as it may seem, I think it's better explained by his enthusiasm over roses."

The archaeologist didn't understand, and she cocked a brow. This compelled the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well to further enlighten her theory. "Don't you get it? Roses are beautiful in nature. They seem peaceful and carefree. Something that is too much of a sin to endanger. But if you look just below the enticing petals, reality kicks in. Their thorns. Thorns that can pierce the skin and demonstrate the deceptive power roses have. It's sort vague but that's Union Jack, in a nutshell. On the outside, he's a polite, charming, honest, and a considerate stallion from Trottingham. Giving back to the community with his thousands in donations. Keeping a clean reputation as a generous and virtuous pony. Never committed a crime nor expressed any sort of corruption. But if we look closer, dig deeper and investigate, he is vindictive. He is using his good reputation as a mask, lurking in the shadows of his fake personality to turn the tables his way, and nopony suspects a thing. That's how he can work for H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E., it's the most logical explanation."

"Oh Yeah, I remember him saying something about that." Daring said in the moment of an epiphany.

"Let me ask you something." Mare-Do-Well said suddenly. "What do you get out of this? I know there's something about this mission that goes beyond Giovanni D'Angelo. I can see it in your eyes. There's another reason."

Daring contemplated her question, staring not at the mask, but the sincere pony behind that mask. She may not know what it looked like, physically. But psychologically, she could see concern and veracity. Eventually the question was answered with a simple nod and a sigh. "Yeah. Yeah, there is. I don't really like to talk about it but you've answered the big questions I wanted to know, so it's only right that you know my side."

The brightness in Daring's magenta eyes was more than enough to convince the masked mare that it was a touchy subject. "Daring, it's fine. You don't have to tell me. I just wanted know if there was another reason. I can see that there is-"

"No, no." Daring cut in. "I need to get this off my chest."

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well didn't say anything in response. She understood her need to vent and sat patiently, ready to listen to every word. The adventuress took a long inhale before she elaborated. Then with the heavy exhale, she began. "When Nimble Stratus kidnapped Prince Blueblood, he left several ponies dead in his path of destruction. One of those ponies being a dear friend of mine. Somepony I looked up to like a father, and he knew that. Dean White Collar was one pony that I could go to with any problem, and walk away with a smile. It wasn't just about what he said, but it was how he said it. Everypony at the University loved to see him, hear him talk. He was so full of enthusiasm. He was the one who came to me when he needed a pony to lecture student on archaeology. He was the one that scored me my first expedition for the Sapphire Statue. He was the one that never dealt with stress. Even in the presence of royalty, he still stood proud and was simply himself. He was the one...He was the one I'll never have the chance to say 'I love you' to."

Tears had flooded into her eyes during her speech. It was the first time she had really let herself go since she visited his grave. Again she was beginning to choke up, soon turning into sorrowful weeping as she allowed her head to eventually fall into her forehooves. She didn't have to say anymore. Her touching speech evoked the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well to join her on the other sofa, wrapping a hoof around her neck which was promptly returned by Daring's own embrace. She was no where near of being a called a friend, but during the event of something like the loss of a loved one, offering support to another pony was simply the humane thing to do.

After a long hug, Daring broke free and smiled gratefully at the hooded mare. "I'm sorry." Mare-Do-Well whispered softly.

"I'll be fine." Daring replied, drying her eyes with her fetlock and trying to regain her sense of normal pride after she realized what she just done. "Thank you. Sorry, I'm normally not this sappy. Just so much that has happened."

She didn't return her thanks with a welcoming reply, but simply gave her a pad on the back and stood, making her way back to her desk. "When you're ready, come look. This you gotta see."

After she finished wiping the last of the tears away, the archaeologist rose from the couch and trudged her way beside the mare typing away. She watched the screen as Mare-Do-Well flicked through several photos and dozens of scanned paper documents. "The file I stole last night was exactly the one I was looking for, we can now find what H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. is hiding."

Daring was astonished, yet somewhat skeptical. "That's extraordinary! But how did you know where to find it? I mean there was papers flying everywhere."

"I didn't." She replied simply.

The sandstone pegasus cocked a brow. "Then how did you-"

"Dumb luck." Mare-Do-Well smirked. "Let's investigate, shall we?"

The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well got up and offered Daring Do her chair. The adventuress accepted and sat down while Mare-Do-Well reach into one of desk drawers. She picked up an extendable pointer with her magic and walked over to the large computer monitor. "Computer, bring up Slide 1."

The first image to show up was the schematics for the most unusual flying apparatus Do had ever seen. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well however, was well aware of an Earth pony's invention and extended the pointer to the diagonal drawing of the machine. "Now I will try to keep this brief. This is a device only unicorns can use. It is called a gyrocopter, or autogyro if you prefer. It was invented about seventy years ago and is rarely ever used anymore, especially around here. This device, as you can see, has two propellers. The main one on top, and the other situated in the rear of the vehicle to not only propel the machine, but control direction with assistance from its tail which is controlled by the steering device up front. Tilting the stick forward will start a descent, pulling back will cause an increase in altitude instead. Hauling left or right, I think you get the idea there, and the rest of the controls are only things that a flight instructor could tell you because I've never encountered one of these before. The only other thing I can tell you is that it's powered by magic. Magic activates the propellers, which activates the controls, which activates movement, which allows the wingless to fly."

"What do you think this Hierarchy is planning with them?" Daring inquired.

Mare-Do-Well shook her head. "It's hard to say, but if anything, it's more likely to control their airspace in Cloudsdale over Spectrum. Computer, Slide 2 please."

The next set of schematics depicted a weapon. A weapon normally made for underwater use, except with it's modifications, it appeared to fit more outside of the water. "Anypony in water sports is familiar with this tool. This is a spear gun. But not just any spear gun. It is far different from its aquatic sister. No, this is made for killing another pony, not sport. From what it looks like, it's made with this light-weight aluminum and this small tank back here must mean the weapon is fired through highly compressed gas. Slide 3."

At her command, the computer brought up the blue prints for the gun's spear. "Ah Yes, then we come to this. To an average pony, this would appear to be just like any other spear. But, look closely. There are very small gaps along the shaft, and there are fins here normally used in archery. Don't you get it? This is the ammunition to the spear gun. But if my hypothesis is correct, these three are used together, by a pilot."

"Are you positive?" Daring asked, seeming very doubtful that such a thing could fly.

"Almost 100%!" she exclaimed. "The spear gun and spears themselves are aerodynamic, so it makes logical sense that Hurricane's pegasi could be flying with a gun and their own wings while the unicorns use their magic to power the gyrocopters, and have the spear guns next to them...and if their No.1 wasn't informed last night, then he or she is definitely filled in on the details now."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they are after us. We have yet to investigate Spectrum's Cloudsdale HQ, and looking at these last three sets of schematics, it's no mystery that they will be keeping their eyes peeled. But let's move on. Slide 4, computer."

While the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well elaborated on her research, all that appeared clear to Daring Do was that this was no longer just about Giovanni. It was also about stopping him and this secret society of baddies that became more and more dangerous to the mare by the minute. But why was Giovanni, an archaeologist like her, involved in all this? Let alone being second in command of the group. It stimulated her intense desire to know. It just didn't make sense to the pegasus. When she was tuned back in to her ally's lecture, she was circling with her pointer, around a rose. A rose that had a beautiful exterior, but had mechanical innards. "Recognize this?"

Daring nodded. "Yeah, it's a rose. A red one like Jack likes to carry around. I have a feeling it not all it seems to be?"

Mare-Do-Well chuckled to her curious tone. "He shot you with that gas too, did he? Well yours and my suspicion turn out to be true. This is no ordinary rose. Looks like it was manufactured personally for Union Jack. With the squeeze of its mid-stem, it will shoot out a mild tranquilizer in gas form. Its repulsive aroma and stinging to the eyes can disable any adversary for several to thirty seconds, depending on the range of the attack. I'll say personally, and I think you'll agree, it is quite painful. But there's one thing about the rose that, thankfully, never came into contact with us."

"And what is that?"

Mare-Do-Well slid the end of the pointer towards the bottom of the stem, and protruding from its rear was a small spike that Daring hadn't notice until just then. The caped crusader tapped the pointer over it. "I read the dossier last night and found that this tiny prick is indeed poison-tipped."

"Really? With what?"

"Cyanide." Mare-Do-Well answered frankly. "But the blade is not visible until the gas has already been sprayed. Turns out squeezing the stem activates the spike as well, so Union can finish off his victims. Final Slide."

The last slide was brought up with a lengthy sigh, exhaled from the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. Suddenly there was chills going down Daring's back. She felt hesitant and worried. She couldn't explain it but something just wasn't right about the hooded mare's reaction to the new image up on screen. "Mare-Do-Well? What's the matter?"

"This is it." She said simply, and without emotion. "This is what I've seen in my nightmares for the last week."

The archaeologist didn't see it at first, but she studied the large, round, metallic figure. It was constructed with solutions of different chemicals, powders, and lengths of wire compacted into its shell. The digital display, built-in console, it was soon clear that these factors were beginning to sound like an explosive. But she was thinking naive. This was indeed, a bomb. "I-I-I-It can't be." Daring retorted in denial.

Mare-Do-Well clarified her doubts. "It is. This appears to be some sort of derivative from a bunker buster, but there's been so many modifications, it's hard to tell what kind of damage it could do. At least we can predict the minimum, I guess."

"What's a 'bunker buster'?" Daring regretfully asked.

"A bunker buster was a type of bomb invented by the Germanes, about a century ago. As its name practically explains, it was used to blow out bunkers in time of war. Thankfully, the Pony-Griffon wars was nearing its end and these never had to be used numerous times. But not long after the technology had spread, the Soviet ponies to the East got a hold of this bomb and improved it to some degree."

Just the schematics on the screen was enough to make the hairs on Daring's fur stand. "Improved?"

Mare-Do-Well nodded. "Yup. Now it can demolish an entire camp if it the holder wishes. I'm afraid to say this, but I think this was the package I attempted to intercept a while back. It has to be, Rusty Anchor said 'it was the best Moscolt had to offer'...Wait a second."

Out of the blue, it was like a big flashing light went off in the mare's head. Immediately, she dropped the pointer from her magical bind and took into a gallop at Daring who coiled back in her chair. The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well grabbed Daring Do by the shoulders and hauled her in close. "Did you go through the proper channels of becoming a member of the Royal Guard, even if it is only temporary?"

"W-W-What? What are you--Well of course!" the archaeologists exclaimed matter-of-factly. "The training was a little rushed, but other than that, I had to pass a short written exam, sign papers, and take an oath."

Mare-Do-Well released her and began pacing around her room, giddy over her new plan. "Excellent! Then that must mean you have all-access pass to this investigation, correct?"

Daring lowered her eyelids and nodded once, wondering just what the mysterious one was thinking. "Yeah...Where are you going with this?"

With a keen smirk, the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well threw the adventuress a brilliant glare. "Hehe, It's not exactly where I'm going with this...It's where we are going with this. Come on, we're taking a little trip to Manehatten!"

To be continued

Comments

[GearShift77]

I really love how you have given Mare-Do-Well's HQ personality, especially her "normal" bedroom. Kind of slowly revealing a little bit about the mysterious mare herself.

The hooded mare sighed, shaking her head at that question. "I already told you, I can't reveal my identity. It may compromise others that I have worked with. My enemies are still out there, trying to find me. And if they know who I communicate with, they'll likely go through them to get to me. Who knows, they could be listening to me right now. Next question."

I wonder what are Mare-Do-Well's "other enemies" (possibly similar to Batman's rouges galleries, but just a thought). Speaking of which, when I read that quote, it somehow gives me Lemony Snicket vibes. At least, in the sense that both have unnamed enemies that are after them, and thus leaves their true face obscured and having only associates for friends (or lack thereof in Mare-Do-Well's case).