Daring Do and the Hand of Doom

by Unwhole Hole

Chapter 65: Negotiations

Daring Do was shoved hard into an uncomfortable chair. Rainbow Dash, likewise, was pushed into a chair on her left, and White was forced into one on her right. The bison who had done the marehandling snorted, staring at them angrily in their business suits and feathers. Daring Do supposed that the feathers meant that this particular group was female, although otherwise she was totally incapable of telling the difference.

White looked at her questioningly. She wore an eyepatch over one empty socket, but the other had been filled with an artificial eye borrowed from her sister. They each now only had one eye, but both were able to see.

They were seated in a long room. The floor was made of green marble edged with solid gold grout and covered in a pale carpet made entirely out of sea-silk. Ancient tapestries lined the walls, as well as the skins of various endangered monsters. A few displays had been assembled at the perimeter; antique statues dressed in violet-dyed silken robes, as well as a preponderance of hideous ceremonial weapons. Weapons that despite their bizarre shapes and blades were still quite sharp and lethal.

“Mane this place is creepy,” whispered Rainbow Dash. “Really, really cool, but so creepy.”

“Thank you, dear.”

Daring Do stiffened at the sound of the voice, knowing that it unmistakably belonged to her “sister”. Wun Perr-Synt entered from a side door. Two ponies followed her. One was Chunky Milk, who was directed to stand by the door by one of the bison. The other was a pale unicorn dressed in full tack, complete with blinders. His horn had been mostly cut away, and he was shaking as Wun bade him to stand beside her chair. The unicorn stared at Daring Do pleadingly, and Daring Do realized that she recognized him.

“Wait. You were one of Caballeron’s henchponies. Oxford.”

The pony whimpered softly and lowered his head as Wun stroked her hoof through his mane. “So you recognize him,” she said, smiling. “Yes, isn’t he a stunning specimen? As you know, I’ve always had a weakness for academics.”

Chunky cleared his throat angrily from across the room. He was turning several shades darker than his normal pinkish appearance, and Wun continued to smile. She was enjoying herself to no end, although Daring Do knew that her joy hid a deep well of seething anger. This conversation was not going to be easy.

“It looks like you did a number to his horn. Doesn’t that lower the value?”

Wun laughed softly. “Oh no. I couldn’t have him using magic while I train him, could I? You have no need to worry. I did not cut it to the quick. It will grow back. Long, hard, and beautiful. And oh, he will be talented. My own professional thief. Who knows? Perhaps he might ensure that you get a competent niece.”

Chunky suddenly stepped forward. Wun’s horn flashed and he froze, not by her magic but out of fear alone.

“Dear husband,” she said, icily. “I am in the middle of a very important conversation with my dear sister. Do NOT interrupt me.”

“But Wun, you can’t- -”

“I am WEARING more wealth than your family has ever known. I can do whatever I please, even if that means assembling an entire stable of unicorns for my disposal. Actually that’s not a bad idea. Now either close your mouth or go outside and flirt with the mare that I cannot manage to extricate from my trees.”

Chunky recoiled, but did not leave. He retreated to the side of the bison, who looked at him with only contempt. They, unlike him, knew how to treat their boss with proper respect.

Daring Do chuckled. “You always had a way with stallions.”

“Only because I was not hard-set on the exotic sort, dear sister.” She paused. “Or perhaps I never had the luxury. After all, I have a bloodline to keep pure.” Her eyes turned to Rainbow Dash, and to the dial ticking in her chest. Wun clearly saw it, but did not acknowledge it quite yet. That was not how her conversations tended to flow. “Although,” she said, “I imagine the stallion who helped you produce this specimen was quite a stud indeed.”

“She’s not- -”

Daring Do kicked Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash luckily caught the hint. “Yeah,” she said. “My dad has the same mane as I do.”

“Of course. There always has to be one unique element, of course. Although in all honesty I’m rather surprised you were born without stripes.”

Rainbow Dash blushed, even though Daring Do had seen her carefully inspecting Caballeron’s mercenary associate.

“Can we cut to business?” asked Daring Do.

“Are you in a hurry?”

“Yes, but my time hardly matters. I know how expensive yours is.”

“Indeed,” said Wun, leaning forward. She was far taller than any of them and seemed to tower overhead. “But I am glad to take my time to do this. Just as I am glad to take time training this academic thief, or inspecting my collection. I savor things that I enjoy. Even if that includes causing pain.”

“Wun. I can explain.”

“Why you managed to break into my collection with my supplier, ruining my security system and escaping with one of my most valuable artifacts? Really. I would be interested in the explanation for that.”

“I had nothing to do with that. I knew Caballeron was coming here- -”

“And you did not warn me? Your own sister? I have mechanisms to deal with that. The artifact could have been returned to me without ever leaving the premises. Now I have no idea where it is, or what condition it is even in. No, you did not steal it. But you are partly responsible.”

“I know where the Spear is.”

“Really. Then you wouldn’t mind returning it.”

“We…still need it. Just for a little longer.”

“No you do not. It is mine. I paid for it, and it belongs to me.”

“It doesn’t belong to you!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash, standing up. “It belongs to Commander Hurricane- -”

“Or to her bloodline, perhaps?” One of the bison slammed Rainbow Dash back into her chair. “Is that what you came here to claim? Because having a rainbow-colored mane like she did does not make you her heir. I own the Spear of Extinction. It belongs to me.”

“The Spear is Exmoori.”

Wun froze. Oxford recoiled almost instinctively, even as Wun gently ran her hoof through his mane. Her gaze slowly turned to Daring Do. “Do you have proof of this?”

“I have it on the world of an expert.”

“And which expert would that be?”

“Corvius Flock. I think you know him.”

A look of great contempt crossed Wun’s face, as though she had just eaten something horrible tasting for the sole sake of destroying it. “Flock. Of course he would have something to do with this.”

“You know him?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“Of course. He came to me, a powerful and handsome wizard reeking of dark spells. Something I have seen so rarely in my time. A Stallion in Black. We opened negotiations.”

“For what?”

“For him to examine my collection. For him to have access to the Spear of Extinction. In exchange for granting me what I want?”

“Apart from an heir?”

Wun hissed softly. “You wound me, sister. The implication that I would contaminate my bloodline so deeply. No. He promised me something I desire even more than that. He offered an Exmoori artifact.” She leaned back. “But now I learn that I had one all along. One that he took from me and has not returned.”

“You didn’t let him take the Spear?”

“Of course not. That was never part of the deal. Just research access, to confirm its provenance. He did ask, but I denied it. He seemed amiable to that response. But now I have no doubts that he was assisting Caballeron in its theft.”

“That son of a- -”

“Chunky. You know I love you. But when I’m angry, I like to hang things. Unicorns by their horns, Pegasi by their wings. What do you think I would hang you by, though?”

Chunky gulped and fell silent again.

“Sycophant,” muttered Wun under her breath. “Speaking of wings. I have an ultimatum for you. Bring me the Spear. No negotiations, no delay. Bring it back.”

“Or what? You’ll break my wings?”

Wun laughed softly. “Your old, arthritic wings would barely notice. You’re on the verge of being flightless anyway. No. I’d rather ruin a different career.”

One of the bison lurched forward. Before Rainbow Dash could move, she grabbed her wings through the slat of her chair. Rainbow Dash’s eyes went wide and she cried out.

“W- -WAIT!” she cried, struggling- -but quickly stopping when she felt the pressure on her most precious organs. “Wait! Daring Do- -”

“Normally,” said Wun, calmly, “I would have one snapped. A compound fracture, one that would take months to heal. In the process your balance would be ruined so that you cannot even walk. I would wait for the other. The longer you take, the longer it goes without being set. Take too long and it will never heal. Don’t come back at all and I break the other personally, using magic. In a way that will never heal at all.”

“Daring Do- -” Rainbow Dash was now pleading, but Daring Do remained stoic, standing ahead.

“She’s just a girl,” she said. “I’m not flightless yet. If you have to take a set of wings, take mine.”

“No,” said Wun. “I could hardly injure you. We are sisters. Likewise, nor could I injure my niece.”

The bison released Rainbow Dash, and she nearly collapsed with relief.

“However, this one with the strange eye. I don’t recognize her. I don’t mind turning her into an earth-pony.”

The bison grabbed White’s wings. White stiffened, but braced herself. Daring Do winced, seeing that she had been trained to deal with torture like this. She was ready and prepared to make that sacrifice if Daring Do asked for it.

“Not even a protest,” said Wun. “Impressive. Or it would be if you were not mute. But that was surgery. This will be quite different. It is not so much the pain, but the significance. It is the same as severing a unicorn’s horn. I have watched it destroy a pony’s identity entirely.”

White closed her eye and braced herself.

“Wait,” said Daring Do.

“For what?”

“For negotiations.”

“There will be none. Break her.”

“I want another artifact.”

Wun held up her hoof suddenly. The bison released some of the tension on White’s wing. The bone actually flexed slightly as it returned to being straight.

“Had any other pony said that to me, now, in this state, I would have done something that would regrettably have ruined my rug. Something satisfyingly gruesome that would make you wish it had just been your wings. But from you I feel no anger. I’m just intrigued. What is it you would ask for?”

“The Masque of Red Death.”

Wun laughed. “Of all the things I possess, the Masque?” She leaned forward. “Do you know what it does? Any pony who touches it, even for a moment, is driven instantly mad. You cannot use it as weapon, or for any gain, apart from admiring it. And believe me, it is genuine. Rest assured in that fact. What do you intend to do with such a thing, dear sister?”

“I intend to wear it.”

Wun stared at her in shock, and then burst into girlish laughter. It was disturbing to hear that sound from somepony over three centuries old. “You? You would wear the Masque? You would be torn apart. Touching it is fatal to the mind, but wearing it? Wearing it is such an impossible thing. Such an impossible assertion.” She leaned forward. “And one that I have no doubt you could. One I would pay to see, in fact.”

“How much?”

“You misunderstand. I would pay you the Masque and the Masque alone. But what would you offer me?”

“I’m just back from an expedition. One concerning the Exmoori.”

Wun could not hide her intrigue. “Really.”

“Sure. And you yourself said you would trade your perfect curved horn for just one piece of their artifacts.”

“Figuratively or literally, yes.”

“I can give you access to the site. The whole thing. Not even the Institute knows about it. You wouldn’t have to abide by any regulations. Take whatever you want.”

“And if I don’t believe you?”

“I’m your sister.”

“True.” Wun seemed to mull over the thought for a moment. “I have additional requests.”

“Name them.”

“Return the Spear to me. Intact and complete. The Masque if you can, but the priority is that Spear, especially now that I know that the thing I desired most was under my nose the whole time. And one additional thing.”

“What?”

“Flock has a unique collection. I’m under the impression that it rivals even mine.”

“I’ve seen it. Yours is just as impressive.”

“Flattery, I am sure, as you are a poor liar. My demands are not great. I want my choice of one artifact.”

Daring Do hesitated. “The things in his collection aren’t safe,” she said. “And I don’t know if he’ll part with them.”

“Then the deal is off.” Wun smiled. “Or perhaps you would like to know which piece I have my eye on?”

“You haven’t even seen the collection.”

“I do not have to. It is right here, now.” She pointed- -at Rainbow Dash’s chest.

“The dial?”

Wun nodded. “I recognize what it is. And I know that there are none known to exist in functional condition. It is both rare and powerful. Both qualities have piqued my attention greatly.”

“Oh he’s not going to like this,” said Rainbow Dash.

“He’ll have to deal with it,” said Daring Do. “Wun stated her terms. And she isn’t going to go back on them. Isn’t that right?”

Wun smiled. “You know me too well, sister.”

Daring Do extended her hoof. “I accept your terms.”

Wun extended her own long, thin hoof and tapped it against Daring Do’s, sealing the bargain. She smiled as she did so. “In retrospect it is lucky you did not take your father’s company. Your negotiating skill is amazingly poor.”

“But good enough to get the job done.”

Wun stood. “Perhaps. I will have the Masque brought to you. If you truly are intent on wearing it, then I bid you goodbye. For one final time, dear sister. I will miss you greatly, and cherish this memory, as it will be the last time I see you.”

“Don’t count on it.”

Wun chuckled softly. “Ah, how amusing you are. Knowing you, you would succeed.”

Daring Do smiled, hoping that Wun could not see how badly she was shaking, because she knew what fate would not be guaranteed to her. But Wun was right- -she would find something, some way out. At least so she hoped.