Daring Do and the Countess of Monte Colto

by gothchick7

Chapter 1: Starting Towards Mare-is

Both ponies stared at each other for what felt like a good minute. The silence was soon broken as the stranger cleared his throat.

“Well, I’m sure that I want to play catch-up with you, but there is another matter at hand,” he said as he handed Daring Do an envelope.

The golden Pegasus took the envelope and looked at it, noting the seal on it.

“Somepony from the Monte Colto family sent you to deliver this?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Night Serenade said. “It was a butler serving the legacy. He told me to get this to you and to mention that it’s urgent.”

Daring looked at the envelope and went over to her rolltop desk.

“Think you can get me those horn-rimmed glasses over there?” Daring asked as she pointed her towards one spot in her house.

Night Serenade went to get the object in question as Daring opened the envelope and carefully took out the contents of it. When Night Serenade came back, he gave her the glasses, which she put on. She then looked at the letter and made a face. The letter was written in a jumble of letters and read like so:

JFRR DPQLKB DL

FS FR LT USJLRS FJMLQSPKNA SCPS F WQFSA SL YLU PR RLLK PR MLRRFEIA P SCFAT CPD SCA KAQUA SL RSAPI P MQFNAIARR SQAPRUQA TQLJ JY JPRSAQR PELDA SCA JLKSA NLISL MAKDPKD JY NUQQAKS JPRSAQ SCA NLUKSARR FR SPQSPQUR EAKS LK QAVAKHA PHPFKRS SCA NUIMQFS RL F CUJEIY QAOURS SCPS YLU CAIM TFKD SCA MAKDPKS EATQSA FSR SLL OPSA SCFR OASSAQ FR WQFSSAK FK P NLMCAQ RL SCPS FS DLARKS TPII FKSL SCA WQLKB CLLVAR

BLLD IUNH LK YLUW OUARS

N

Daring Do looked over the letter several times before walking over to the bookcase. Night Serenade watched her as she looked over the various book spines.

“Now where did I…?” she asked before her hoof found one spine. “Bingo!”

She then pulled out the book and walked back to the desk. She set the book down, showing the title as Codes, Ciphers, and Other Puzzles. Night Serenade raised an eyebrow as Daring opened the book and flipped the pages.

“There!” Daring exclaimed as she pointed to a page in particular.

Night Serenade looked to see a page about a cipher called Keyword Cipher.

“If I’m right,” Daring started, “this is the cipher that the Monte Colto butler used. If I could figure out what the keyword is, we can at least get started.”

As the two pondered, Night Serenade picked up the Encyclopedia Equestria book that Daring had set down.

“Hey, should we consult this?” he asked as he showed her the book in question.

“It’s a start,” Daring said. “Let’s take a look.”

They both stood at the desk as Night Serenade set the M-N Volume onto it and opened it. As he flipped each page, both Pegasi looked at them, hoping to at least find some sort of clue to the cipher’s keyword. After a while, they were looking at one page when Daring’s eyes had caught something.

“Hold up!” she said as she pointed to one item in particular. “Look at this.”

Night Serenade looked at what she was pointing at as she read the entry out loud.

“Let’s see. ‘Monte Colto Pendant: a powerful charm named after its founding along with Monte Colto’s treasure by the first Count of Monte Colto, known as wrongly-convicted Flantes at the time. This charm is believed to bring great fortune upon those who possess it and has since been used as a wedding gift following the first Count’s marriage to the first Countess of Monte Colto, Marecedes.’ You thinking what I’m thinking, Night?”

“The keyword’s ‘Pendant’?”

“Yeah,” Daring said as she took out a blank piece of paper. “You got a quill on you?”

“Always,” Night Serenade said as he took out a purple feather quill and gave it to her.

Daring looked over the quill and then started writing down the key for the cipher. After that was done, she got to work deciphering the letter that was sent to her. Eventually, she looked at the now deciphered letter.

“Well, looks like that butler was right in telling you that it was urgent that I get this letter,” she said. “Someone stole the Monte Colto Pendant and now, the current Countess is out for blood.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Night Serenade remarked. “I heard that the Monte Colto family can hold one Tartarus of a grudge.”

“All the more reason to get to Mare-is as soon as possible,” Daring Do said as she went to get her pack ready. “No rest for the weary.”

“Yeah,” Night Serenade said before noticing that Daring instantly headed for the door after getting her pack. “Don’t tell me that you’re going by yourself.”

“Okay, I won’t,” Daring said as she went to open the door, only for Night Serenade to place a hoof on her shoulder and made her look at him.

“Let me go with you,” he said.

“Night,” Daring said as she lightly pushed his hoof away, “as much as I want you to come, but you know that with folks like Ahuizotl and Dr. Caballeron, I’m practically walking with a target on my back.”

“True, but I know the city of Mare-is like the back of my hoof. I could at least save you the trouble of asking around about where the Monte Colto manor is.”

The two ponies stared at each other for a silent moment or two. The silence was then broken when Daring Do let out a sigh.

“You know something?” she asked as she lightly glared at him. “I really hate it when you’re right about things.”

Night Serenade smiled and lightly booped her on the nose, much to the golden Pegasus’s slight embarrassment. Later, both Pegasi were heading towards the Get On Inn, where Daring Do often rested at during their travels. As the pair flew, they talked amongst each other.

“So, how long has it been since we’ve last done this?” Night Serenade asked.

“Well, gee, let me think,” Daring said with a fake ignorant tone. “Oh, yeah. The last time we’ve done a quest like this, you asked me to help you find the Flute of Hooflet and then you had to save me from a fanatical cult at one point during that.”

“Heh-heh. Okay, that was a weird one.”

“Yeah, it was,” Daring said with a nod.

Night Serenade nodded back. After a while of flying, the two soon reached their destination. Landing on the walkway, Daring was glad to see the Vacancy sign hanging from the Inn’s sign. They both entered the Inn, taking in the familiar scent of the carrot-and-apple stew as Mrs. Trotsworth appeared behind the front desk. The old mare raised a curious eyebrow as the two Pegasi walked up.

“Pleasure seeing you again,” Mrs. Trotsworth said to Daring Do with a smile. “You and your friend are just about the second and third ones that came here today.”

“Really?” Daring asked as she handed Mrs. Trotsworth enough Bits for her and Night Serenade’s stay. “Who else was here?”

“A nice young mare from Mare-is,” the old mare said as she handed Daring a key from room number 8. “She came here a while ago and told me that she needed a place to lay low until things have calmed down a bit in Mare-is. She paid me a good bit of money for a week’s stay and I gave her the key for Room 7.”

Both Daring Do and Night Serenade looked at one another before looking at Mrs. Trotsworth.

“Did she give you a name?” Night Serenade asked.

Mrs. Trotsworth looked at him with a hard glance. Daring noticed and was going to let her companion know to tone down on the questioning when Night Serenade gave her a couple more Bits. The old mare looked at the money before smiling.

“She told me that her name was Fillyvort,” Mrs. Trotsworth answered before coughing a bit. “Thinking about it now, she was too nice to be a Fillyvort.”

“Well, thank you for your time,” Daring said as Mrs. Trotsworth gave the two some fresh towels. “And can you send up some of that stew?”

“Can do,” the old mare said. “I’ll get it up to your room while you chat up that nice Fillyvort mare.”

“We will,” Night Serenade said as Daring Do led the way to their room.

As they reached their room, Daring looked at the door leading to room number seven. They both entered the room.

“Well, she was pleasant,” Night Serenade remarked.

“Yeah, and this place is perfect because she doesn’t ask too many questions,” Daring mentioned.

“That makes sense.”

Daring Do nodded before making a face.

“What do you know about the Fillyvort legacy?”

“I know that they are the descendants of prosecutor Fillyvort, who was only a deputy prosecutor when Flantes was wrongly convicted. According to some sources, Fillyvort was going to let Flantes go when he found out that the letter that Flantes was going to deliver was written to his father and so, instead of risking his own image being ruined, he had Flantes be imprisoned at the prison for life without even a fair trial. Since then, folks in Mare-is associate the Fillyvort legacy with the idea of Pride.”

“Huh.”

Night Serenade nodded. Daring thought for a minute before walking to the door.

“I’m gonna go meet that Fillyvort for myself,” she said.

“Need me to go with you?”

“Can’t hurt. Let’s go.”

The two Pegasi walked out of their room and headed over to room number seven. Daring politely knocked on the door. A few moments later, the door slowly opened to reveal a young mare about their age with a purple coat, indigo mane streaked with silver, and crimson eyes as well as wearing a scarlet outfit that could be described as noble-looking.

“Oh, hello,” the mare said with a warm smile. “I didn’t expect to have neighbors so soon.”

“I didn’t think there were other ponies staying here as well,” Daring said honestly. “My name is Rose Compass and this is my acquaintance, Evening Ballad.”

“Hello,” Night Serenade said, catching on to Daring Do’s idea of aliases.

“A pleasure meeting you both,” the mare said. “I’m Nobella Fillyvort.”

“Funny, you’re too nice to be a Fillyvort,” Night Serenade joked.

Nobella giggled a bit at that.

“I get that a lot,” Nobella said. “So, what brings you two here?”

That was when Daring Do decided to think up a quick, but reasonable, excuse.

“We’re planning on visiting Mare-is to see some of Evening Ballad’s relatives,” she explained. “We’re only staying here to rest for a bit before we get back to our journey.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” Nobella said with a small smile, though the two Pegasi can tell that she sounded uncertain. “I’m only staying here just for a while to collect myself. Life in Mare-is has gotten hectic lately.”

“How so?” Night Serenade gently asked.

“Well…” Nobella said in hesitation before sighing. “I’m pretty sure you haven’t heard, but everypony is scared stiff of the Countess of Monte Colto’s wrath right now.”

“Really?” Daring Do asked.

Nobella nodded.

“Her wedding day was the other day and she as well as her family was attacked during that. As far as I know, no pony even knows how it happened.”

Both Daring and Night looked at each other. They both have a good idea about the how part of the story.

“Well, I’m sure that somepony will figure it out,” Daring said reassuringly.

“I hope you’re right,” Nobella said, her smile resuming its usual brightness. “Well, it’s been nice talking to you two.”

“It’s been nice talking to you as well,” Night Serenade said. “Enjoy the rest of your stay.”

“You two as well,” Nobella said before going back into her room.

The Pegasi walked back to their room and started eating the stew that was already served into two bowls on a table.

“Okay, let’s review,” Daring started as she sipped from her bowl. “The Monte Colto Pendant was recently stolen, which may have resulted in the current Countess getting attacked on her wedding day.”

“Not to mention that Nobella Fillyvort had went to here a couple of days after to stay out of the potential dangers of the Countess’s wrath,” Night Serenade mentioned.

“Now that I think of it, I know that we both noticed that Nobella had a hint of uncertainty in her voice when I mentioned that we were visiting Mare-is.”

“That reminds me, how’d you know that I had relatives in Mare-is?”

“I didn’t. I had to make some kind of excuse that would at least make sense.”

“Okay, I walked right into that one.”

Daring Do gave him a smirk that said ‘Yes, you did’. After a while of discussion and planning, both ponies finish the last of their stew and get ready for bed, with Daring having put up her pith helmet and Night Serenade putting up his cloak and lute as well.

“You sure you don’t mind sleeping on the couch?” Daring Do asked. “You can always have the bed.”

“I don’t mind having the couch,” Night Serenade said. “Besides, you look like you need the bed worse than I do.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I haven’t gotten a chance to really relax after getting the Gilded Cat of Longevity to a museum.”

“Yeah… Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. Adventure always calls out and no pony can resist that call.”

“True.”

Both Pegasi nod as Daring Do got onto the bed while Night Serenade got onto the couch and draped a blanket over him. They exchanged good-nights to one another before Daring put out the light and the two went to sleep. However, Daring was having trouble sleeping. There were too many thoughts running through her mind. The most obvious would be Night Serenade’s unexpected reappearance, though she thought that he probably didn’t expect to be asked to deliver the letter to her. Another obvious thought was how bad the current Countess’s wrath could be if what she heard about the legacy was true. The third and least obvious was who could’ve stolen the pendant as well as if Nobella had anything to do with it. She shook her head free of all of those thoughts and attempted to at least sleep a bit.

Then, in the darkness of midnight, somepony screamed.

Author's Note:

Phew. Finally finished. Hope you're enjoying this so far! There will be more to come! Oh, and if you need help translating, let me know.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

If the main OCs in this story were voiced, what would they sound like?

[gothchick7]

8614696
Normally, I would say that's up to interpretation... But now I can't un-hear Night Serenade sounding like either Michael Bolton or Josh Gad.