Chapter 10 - Late Night Endeavors (Part 2)
King Malevolence frowns and clenches a fist.
“The pony princess DARES to try and take our most sacred relic?!”
“I’m sure she has a good reason, father.”
Arc looks to the mare. “Tell me something, Daring Do. If this item has been here for centuries why come here to retrieve it now?”
“I did ask that question before leaving on this expedition. She told me it was thought to be long since destroyed either after or during the final battle between the demons and Equestrian forces.”
Malevolence sneers. “It better not have been!”
Arc puts a hand to his chin. “Thought to have been destroyed?”
Daring Do nods. “Right. The item or its remains were never recovered. However, Princess Luna believes it to be here still.”
Auriel grimaces. “And she waited until now to verify that?”
“She only said that it was a very recent development. Not sure what exactly that means though. Time is kind of a funny thing for alicorns.”
Auriel turns to Arc. “What should we do?”
Malevolence cracks his knuckles. “Before or after we string up this little sneak thief?!”
“Father, you couldn’t possibly…!”
“Oh but I can! I am the Demon King! Lord of this land and master of this palace! She has broken in to MY home and has admitted to plotting to steal from OUR kingdom, Auriel! What other punishment could there be?!”
Daring Do takes up a fighting stance. “Just try it!”
“Gladly!”
Arc steps in between the pair. “Easy there. Let’s not rush to judgment here.”
Malevolence points a claw. “But you heard her…!”
“That may be, King Malevolence. But you have to remember that she is still a citizen of Equestria. I can’t allow you to just arbitrarily take her.”
Auriel grimaces. “And you’re still on probation.”
Arc turns away to look back the way they came. “I assume that Princess Twilight would be most unhappy to hear that you’ve gone back to your old ways so quickly as well.”
“But…!”
“Father, this is a perfect opportunity to show Twilight that you’re not just some mindless killer!”
Daring Do puts up her hooves. “Come on, big fella! I’m not afraid of you!”
Arc frowns. “Don’t taunt him please.”
“Why not?!”
Arc narrows his eyes. “Because I said so.”
Daring Do frowns and looks away as Auriel does her best to calm her father. Arc walks over to the mare before him.
“Now then, I’d like to see this artifact for myself. Can you tell us where it is?”
Daring Do shrugs. “Princess Luna wasn’t actually sure. Just that it would be somewhere in the ruins here.”
“RUINS?!”
“Father, please! This place has been abandoned for centuries!”
Arc turns to the king. “What exactly is this ‘Telepathy Ball’?”
“That is not for outsiders to know!”
“Do you know where it is, father?”
“Of course!”
“Could you lead us to it?”
“Auriel, I just said…!”
“Father… as a member of the royal family shouldn’t I be able to know of state secrets such as this?”
“I… suppose you should. But I need to know one thing.”
“Yes?”
“What will you do with such knowledge?”
“You’re wondering if I’ll turn it over to Arc, aren’t you?”
“I am. Will you?”
Auriel sighs. “He is in a position to become my future husband.”
“That does not answer my question, Auriel!”
“I will… do what is best for all of demon kind.”
“And if you believe that to be turning it over?”
Auriel puts a claw on the wall as she shakes her head. “Artifact, relics, trinkets, and the like are all tangible goods, father. They can be replaced. Our citizen’s lives and freedom can’t be.”
She turns to Arc and smiles before continuing.
“That… and I do trust him. Please do the same.”
“But…!”
Auriel interrupts. “As my husband he would have access to it anyways, would he not?”
The king sighs and nods.
“Yes… yes he would.”
Daring Do grins as she holds out a hoof expectantly. “So fork it over then!”
Arc frowns. “Leave this to me, Daring Do.”
Turning to the king, he speaks evenly.
“May I please see the ‘Telepathy Ball’?”
Auriel looks to her father wordlessly. Eventually he nods soberly.
“This way.”
The king leads them through a set of large double doors and down another corridor to a large vault door. It stands there silently, already open. Daring Do groans.
“Looks like somepony got here first!”
Auriel looks over the door and shakes her head. “Judging from the damage here I’m thinking this was done many years ago.”
Arc turns to her. “Like shortly after the demons were banished?”
“Yes.”
They enter the vault. It is empty save for several abandoned looking animal’s nests and innumerable cobwebs. The king looks around and sighs.
“It appears Equestria took everything.”
Daring Do shrugs. “If the legends are true, that’s for the best.”
Arc raises an eyebrow. “Is it?”
Auriel nods. “Supposedly this vault held the most dangerous items of our kingdom.”
Malevolence clenches a fist angrily. “As well as numerous cultural artifacts, yes.”
Arc appears hopeful. “With luck Princess Celestia kept them in the vault back in Canterlot for safekeeping.”
“Now then, father… where is this relic?”
King Malevolence walks over to the wall and puts a hand over a simple looking decorative tile. He casts a dark spell which snakes its way across the walls and even the ceiling. Eventually they converge at a single point and a small door opens in the wall across the room. The king walks over to it and pulls out a dark orb roughly the size of a cantaloupe. Turning to the others he holds the item in his palm for a few moments silently. Daring Do steps forward and extends a hoof to him.
“On behalf of Princess Luna, I’ll be taking the ‘Telepathy Ball’ with me.”
Malevolence scoffs. “You and what army?!”
Auriel moves to stand with her father. “My father is right! This isn’t yours to take!”
Daring Do smiles smugly. “Yeah? Well I think the Hero of Light here will back me up on this.”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “You will not lay a hoof on it, Daring Do.”
“WHAT?! B-but you said…!”
“If you recall, I only asked to SEE the ‘Telepathy Ball’ for myself. Not to turn it over to you OR Princess Luna.”
Daring Do grits her teeth. “You’re supposed to be on OUR side!”
“No, Daring Do. I’m the Hero of Light. Which means I’m not on anyone’s ‘side’ as you put it. All I want to do is protect Equestria.”
He turns back to the king before continuing and holds out a gauntlet.
“Will you please give me the relic?”
King Malevolence sighs and looks at the orb in his hand. Turning to Auriel, he carefully puts it in her palms.
“Father?”
“Auriel… the fate of our country now literally rests in your claws. What will you do with it?”
“I… don’t really know…”
“Remember, my dear… should this fall to the princess it is not likely we will ever see it again. Then all would be lost. But you need to understand that only a creature of darkness can safely handle such a thing.”
“What if Arc was one?”
“Then he would be fine. Why do you ask?”
Auriel turns to Arc. “Shall we step outside?”
“Sure.”
Leading the group out to the front steps Auriel descends them and looks out at the dark terrain before her. Arc stops a short distance away from her with the others. Turning back to him, Auriel sighs.
“You know what you need to do, Arc.”
Nodding, Arc recalls his armor. Looking up at the moon he transforms into his Crimson form. Daring Do steps back nervously.
“What in Celestia’s name…?!”
Malevolence gasps. “This… this defies all reason!”
Arc stands there, his red eyes aglow as Auriel slowly walks toward him. Stopping in front of him, she stands there motionlessly for a time as Arc looks to her. Eventually Daring Do loses patience.
“The Hero of Light wants you to do something! Hurry up and comply!”
Auriel looks him in the eye.
“Arc?”
“Yes?”
“This is very important to my father AND the Great Demon Kingdom for reasons that I don’t understand. What will you do with it?”
“Learn its purpose.”
“Will you turn it over to Princess Luna?”
“Just Twilight at the moment. She can probably better analyze it.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Would it be returned to us?”
“If there’s no danger to either country, yes.”
“And if there is?”
“Then we’ll have to re-evaluate the situation.”
“I… don’t really know what to do.”
“You have my word that I’ll do what’s best for the greatest number of individuals.”
Nodding, Auriel looks down at the orb’s swirling energies for a time. Eventually she holds it out to Arc. He extends a hand and allows her to put it into his palm. She does so but does not pull her claws away. Looking up into Arc’s face, she stares soberly at him before speaking.
“You’ve never let be down before. And I trust you not to do so now.”
Arc nods and pulls the ‘Telepathy Ball’ to himself. Looking across its glassy surface, he sighs.
“Thank you, Auriel. I’ll take good care of it for you.”
Malevolence looks him over from a distance. “Are you alright, Arc?”
Arc turns to the king. “Fine. Why do you ask?”
“Only a dark creature should be able to handle the ‘Telepathy Ball’. I’ve seen you using Light Magic in the past. How can you now be a creature of darkness?”
Arc sighs as he looks at the orb. “It is a very long and somewhat sad story. But we should probably go back to the ship and get some sleep.”
Auriel points to the orb. “What will you do with… that?”
“Keep it safe for now.”
Daring Do grits her teeth. “I still think that Princess Luna could do a better job of that!”
Arc frowns as he puts the orb in his ring. “Well it’s not up to you.”
“What am I supposed to tell her?!”
“Nothing at the moment. It’s late, after all. You’re welcome to stay the night here in my ship though.”
Malevolence frowns. “Is that wise, Arc?!”
“Probably not. But I can’t just leave her out here surrounded by wild animals.”
Daring Do scoffs. “I got out here, didn’t I?!”
Auriel shrugs. “That is pretty impressive.”
Malevolence rolls his eyes. “I’m sure she had help.”
“Daring Do doesn't need help! She handles her business herself!”
Arc groans. “Yeah, yeah. So are you coming with us, or am I locking you out here?”
The sound of animals roaring in the distance rings out. Daring Do sighs as she turns to Arc.
“I’ll come with you.”
Arc leads the way back to the ship. Entering, he closes the hatch behind him and touches his earring.
“Arc to Bridge.”
“Wrangler here, sir. Did you need to talk to the captain?”
Arc shakes his head. “No. In fact, you’re probably the one I need to mention this to.”
“Sir?”
“I’m carrying a dark magical item in my ring. Anything on scanners?”
“One moment, sir.”
Walking over to the science station, she looks over the readings momentarily.
“Nothing on sensors, sir.”
“Good. Keep watch though.”
“Aye, sir.”
“One more thing. I’ve brought aboard a mare named ‘Daring Do’. She’s my… guest, I suppose.”
Wrangler raises an eyebrow. “All the way out here, sir?”
“Yes, well… stranger things have happened.”
“Shall I notify Princess Twilight for you, sir?”
“No need. I’ll inform Princess Twilight of tonight’s activities tomorrow morning over breakfast.”
“Yes sir. Will there be anything else?”
“I think that covers it. Thanks for doing all this.”
“Just doing my job, sir.”
“Well, I still appreciate it. But I’ll let you get back to work now. Arc out.”
He touches his earring, severing the connection before turning back to the group.
“This way.”
Leading the group back to the VIP suites, Arc looks to the king and Auriel.
“See you two in the morning.”
Malevolence points a claw at Daring Do. “Shouldn’t guards be placed around this one’s door?!”
Daring Do glares at him. “What for?!”
Auriel frowns. “Well, you are after our nation’s greatest treasure.”
“It’s what I do!”
Arc groans. “Enough. Auriel, go with your father and get some sleep. There will be time in the morning to deal with this.”
“Very well.”
She walks over to him and smiles widely before planting a kiss on his cheek.
“Good night, Arc.”
Turning, her and the king enter their room. Daring Do walks over to Arc and looks up at him.
“Can we talk?”
“Now?”
“It’s important.”
Arc sighs. “Look, just because I don’t need to rest in this form doesn’t mean that I don’t want to.”
Daring Do rolls her eyes. “I’m sure you want that red harpy’s dad to fall asleep so you can do your thing, but this is…!”
Arc pushes opens a suite door. “Her name’s Auriel. Now please get some sleep. I’ll hear what you have to say in the morning.”
“But…!”
Arc stomps a foot and points. Daring Do frowns but does as she is told. Closing the door behind her she flops down on the bed and looks up at the ceiling as she mutters to herself.
“That fool. Can’t he see that harpy’s playing him?!”
Sighing, she looks out the window for a time.
“And what IS he?! This isn’t a good sign, what with our Hero of Light hanging out with demons!”
Hopping off the bed, Daring Do paces the floor as she frowns and continues muttering.
“This won’t be easy. Now that he has that… that THING in his ring! But it’s certainly not impossible. I can still pull this off if I handle things perfectly. Just have to get to the ring and remove the item within. It certainly wouldn’t be my first time dealing with enchanted rings holding treasure.”
She grins and rubs her hooves together wickedly.
“The key will be timing with a good bit of stealth mixed in for good measure. I just need to hole up here for a bit.”
Meanwhile, Arc heads back to his room and walks over to the bed. Carefully Blinking back under the covers he gently strokes Rarity’s mane a few times. She moans quietly in her sleep before snuggling up to him. As she does so Arc puts a hand on Hammer’s arm. Just like Rarity she scooches closer to him and sighs contentedly. Arc lays there for a time just staring up at the ceiling.
“Tomorrow should be interesting.”
Looking down at his bedmates, Arc chuckles.
“But this is equally enjoyable to me.”
Closing his eyes, Arc drifts off to sleep. A few hours later the bedroom door silently swings open. Daring Do swiftly crosses the floor in her magic cloak, careful to not make a sound. Reaching the bed she pokes it to check the mattress. Pressing her chest against the footboard, the mare tosses the robe off behind her. Slowly but surely, Daring Do crawls under the covers and inches her way across the bed toward Arc. Cautiously feeling where his legs are, she slowly steps over them. Reaching his midsection, she carefully maneuvers her legs on either side of him to straddle his body with hers. Reaching his chest, Daring Do looks up to find his ring hand draped over his face. Moving at a snail’s pace the mare moves to reach up toward it. However as she does so something warm and soft touches one of her rear fetlocks. Turing her head Daring Do looks to one side to see Hammer’s leg pressed against hers in an effort to play footsies with Arc. Frowning, she muses to herself angrily.
“What the…?! That is DEFINITELY not the harpy’s leg! Is he… is he cheating on her with another demon?!”
Shaking the thought from her mind, Daring Do refocuses her attention to Arc’s ring. Reaching up again, she again feels something. However this time on her other rear fetlock. Gritting her teeth Daring Do turns to look the other way. Spotting Rarity’s hip moving to press against Arc’s leg she gasps as her own fetlock is pressed against Arc’s leg on either side, effectively immobilizing her as she muses to herself.
“Great. Now I’m stuck here.”
Looking up again, she spots the ring. Reaching out, Daring Do finds herself unable to reach it while at the same time unable to move forward without using too much force. Thinking for a few moments she looks to Hammer’s hand resting on the bed next to her. Leaning to one side, the mare carefully picks it up and puts the young woman’s hand on Arc’s chest. Looking to the other side, she spots Rarity’s hoof. Doing the same, she puts it on Arc’s chest on top of Hammer’s hand which causes the mare to lean in closer to her lover. Smiling in his sleep, Arc reaches down and puts his ring hand on the pair’s appendages. Spying the ring now inches from her face Daring Do reaches toward it. Giving it a gentle tug she frowns.
“Now THAT’S tight! How does he not notice that?!”
Continuing to tug gently, Daring Do fails to notice Arc’s other hand carefully casting a Telekinesis Spell to carefully move his bedmate’s hand/hoof away. When the time is right he wraps both arms and legs around the mare and quickly Blinks them both into his adjoining bathroom. Lunging forward, he throws his entire body weight onto her so that she can do little more than squirm. Clamping a hand over her muzzle, Arc holds her mouth shut and glares at her.
“Daring Do?! What the heck were you…?!”
Stopping, Arc takes a deep breath and calms himself before speaking again.
“We can talk more in a minute.”
Holding up a hand, he casts a Sleep Spell on the mare. Her eyelids become heavy and her limbs go limp. Arc puts his head to her chest and listens for a few moments before standing and looking down at her.
“Out like a light. Now then, let’s see what we can do with you.”
Picking the mare up, he carries her out of the room and down the corridor. Coming to his office he enters, closing and locking the door behind him. Flicking on the lights Arc tosses the sleeping mare on the desk. Frowning, he grabs a bottle of water, opens it, and dumps the contents on her face. Gasping and sputtering, Daring Do sits up quickly and looks around as Arc tosses the now empty bottle into the trash can next to him.
“Now then, let’s have a little chat.”
“Um… o-okay. How about we…?”
Cutting herself off, the mare takes flight and makes a beeline for the door. Grabbing the knob she turns it to no avail. Feeling a magical aura surround her body, Daring Do cries out.
“Get your filthy claws off of me, you pig!”
Arc glares at her as he holds up a hand to maintain the Telekinesis Spell. “Pig, huh?!”
Daring Do nods angrily. “It’s bad enough that you’re seducing that little red harpy! But now another one AND a mare?!”
Arc rolls his eyes. “It’s not…”
“The filthy demoness from earlier and the other demon whore in your bed I don’t really care about! But when you start molesting MARES, that’s…!”
She is cut off as the pressure around her neck suddenly increases greatly. Gasping for breath, her hooves fly to her throat instinctively to try and remove the invisible magical hand choking her. Arc steps forward, grabs her by the front of her green shirt, and picks the gasping mare up. Walking over to the desk he slams her down onto it and positions his face mere inches from hers.
“Listen to me… VERY carefully! I care about them VERY much! You will not refer to Auriel as a harpy or demoness but by her name! The same goes for Hammer, who is not a demon, but a human just like me. And as far as the mare you saw goes, she too has a name! It’s Rarity! USE IT!”
Releasing his magical hold on her, Arc allows her to breathe again. Gasping for breath, she stands up on the desk and glares at him.
“How… how could you do this?!”
“Do what?!”
“Betray everypony!”
“I didn’t!”
Daring Do grits her teeth. “That’s not what Princess Celestia told the nation!”
“But it’s also not what Princess Twilight says.”
Daring Do is silent for a time. Eventually Arc speaks.
“Listen. What I do in the privacy of my own bedroom is none of your business. But for the sake of your conscience I’ll say this. Everything that I’ve done has been with everyone involved consenting, knowing about the others, and being of sound mind and body to make their own decisions. No one is forced to be here or get into bed with me against their will.”
“Are there others?!”
“Yes, there are.”
Daring Do opens her mouth to say something, but Arc interrupts her.
“No, you can’t speak to them.”
“Then let’s get back to the matter at hoof!”
“Which is…?”
“Me being locked in here with you!”
“I brought you here so you wouldn’t wake anyone up. These walls are soundproof, so we’ll have absolute privacy here.”
Daring Do backs away from him as she grits her teeth and pulls her tail close to her flank.
“I’m not consenting to THAT!”
Arc rolls his eyes. “Trust me, you’re not my type. Now tell me what you were doing in my bed.”
Daring Do sighs. “Fine. I was going after your ring.”
“While I’m pretty sure I know the answer to this, why?”
“To get that dark orb.”
“The ‘Telepathy Ball’.”
“Right.”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “Princess Luna didn’t actually send you, did she?”
Daring Do shakes her head. “No. But she would have if she knew what was happening.”
“Oh?”
“There’s an old legend about that orb.”
“Do tell.”
Daring Do shakes her head vehemently. “Not to you I won’t!”
Arc scoffs. “Afraid I’ll tell the king?”
“He can’t know!”
“How can you be so sure that he doesn’t already?”
“A calculated risk.”
“And telling me this much isn’t?”
Daring Do pulls her tail even closer to her flank. “If I didn’t, you’d have just tortured me for it!”
She looks down at his pants and grimaces before continuing.
“Or worse!”
Arc frowns. “I’m not doing that to you!”
Daring Do scoffs. “Right. Right.”
“Tell me about this legend you mentioned earlier.”
“And if I refuse?!”
“I’m not going to violate you. But that won’t stop me from locking you up and telling the princesses about you getting in bed with ME!”
Daring Do groans. “That would trash my rep though!”
“Then answer my question and tell me what you know.”
“Fine. The original method to use that dark orb has been lost to the sands of time. It’s likely that only the king himself could remember how to make it function. However it also has a secondary function.”
“Oh?”
“It can be used to open the catacombs near the ruins of the palace.”
“What’s down there?”
“Other than the royal dead?”
“Obviously.”
Daring Do shrugs. “Nopony knows. But it has to be bad if the demons worked this hard to keep it under wraps all this time.”
Arc frowns. “What did I say about using their names?”
“I meant demons inasmuch as their race as a whole! Their ancestors created that orb millennia ago! The current king may have absolutely zero knowledge of what it’s secondary function is!”
“And you want to keep it that way.”
“As a last resort, yes. Best case scenario I want to get there first and figure this mess out myself.”
“First?”
“There are others whom are searching for these secrets too.”
Arc pats his ring. “But since I have the key right here no one can…”
Daring Do interrupts him. “Bad stallions such as these don’t need keys, fool! They’ll use whatever means are necessary to get what they want! Including high explosives!”
“And you’re sure that others are definitely on the trail?”
“I am unfortunately.”
“Then we need to get there first.”
Daring Do raises an eyebrow skeptically. “What’s with this ‘we’ stuff all of a sudden?!”
“If anyone’s willing to go to such lengths to get whatever is hidden, we can’t let them have it.”
“Well, I work alone!”
“Not this time you don’t!”
Daring Do shakes her head. “An amateur like you would just be in the way!”
Arc folds his arms over his chest. “Well this so-called ‘amateur’ was able to take you down more than once. And unless you’ve got a secret stash of explosives nearby…”
“I can find another way in, naturally. But it would be much easier if you just lent me the key.”
“You’re not getting the orb without me coming with you.”
Daring Do groans. “I don’t really have much of a choice here, do I?”
“You have two.”
“Oh?”
“Either help me find this place or leave now. Pick one.”
“But…!”
“Take all the time you need to decide. Like the next five seconds.”
“What happens to me afterward though?”
“Help me and we’ll go our separate ways when this is over. No arrests, no charges, and no nasty audiences before the Princess of the Night, whom if you recall had her name invoked fraudulently by you earlier. Now then, your five seconds are up. Do we have a deal or not?”
Daring Do bows her head and sighs. “Fine. I’ll join you.”
“Glad to see you’ve come around to my way of thinking.”
“What choice did I have?!”
“Very little after breaking into my room to trying and steal that orb. But rest assured that I’ll keep up my end of the bargain if you do.”
“Just to be sure that we’re on the same page here, that means you’ll keep everything to yourself, right?”
Arc chuckles. “Worried I’ll tarnish your image, or something?”
Daring Do grimaces. “I’m just trying to keep my marehood safe from you.”
“Like I said, you’re not my type.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
Arc shrugs. “It wasn’t really supposed to be. But in any case let’s get moving.”
They head for the door together. As Arc puts his hand on the doorknob the stops and thinks for a moment. Daring Do frowns.
“Time’s wasting! What are you…?!”
“I just need to do one thing before we go.”
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Apparently she never bothered to learn that facts no matter where they come from always tell the truth you think an archaeologist would know this. And really acting like he can't sleep with a bunch of girls if they don't mind is stupid.
and this folks is why i hate daring do
The generally written Daring Do character of Lawfully Stupid to Chaotic Neutral?
Youd hope that the security that needed something the quality of that class of Dark Artifact wouldnt be able to be bypassed by mere high explosive?
11338796
The lone wolf type.
11338823
It's a spinoff that I've been waiting a very long time to do.
I think it'll be enjoyed as the wife really liked it.
11338857
more becouse shes a loose canon and tends to grab everything shiny no matter what in the name of archeology.
to quote svings: "at what point does grave robbing become archeology"
in this case in point she claims to work for the princess first, yeah right
"hey do da don't dare, when you going to get cabaleron arestet hm?"
dosnt have to be a point in your story but thats how i see daring do the vigelanty
11339230
Daring Do is more about the ends justifying the means here. Mini adventure upcoming.