Seven - A New Task at Hoof
Sleep had always been something that the farmer always either struggled with, or simply welcomed like a warm apple pie in the middle of a snowstorm. Some nights were easy, usually after a hard day’s work accompanied by a fatigued body and mind. But when his brain was filled with uncertainty, anxiety and even fear, Braeburn found rest to be a lost virtue. The background noises of the train and the moving environment didn’t help either, preventing even a wink of sleep.
Braeburn sat alone that night, unfocused but tireless in yet another uncomfortable booth. He was tired of doing nothing after waiting hours for a train to depart to Appleloosa. He sat on his haunches, scooted up against the back of his seat, looking down at the weapons before him. In the small space that he didn’t occupy, both of his rifles were laid out in front of him. They both pointed toward the window as a safety precaution, more to quell the worries of the few passengers nowhere near his seat. None of them cast the earth pony a single glance, something he was thankful for after the previous night. He hadn’t the patience for others asking questions or thanking him at the moment, for he needed peace and quiet to mull over his racing thoughts.
His gaze had been set on the reflective brass receiver of his new rifle, mindlessly tracing the lines of the engraving with his eyes. It was odd owning a weapon with no name after wielding Thumper for so long. He played with the idea of giving it one, more to distract himself than anything. But what would he call it? Did he name it something to reflect its unique look and beauty, or simply reference the allegedly dangerous secondary ammunition that it fired? It wasn’t made from any well-known manufacturer like Marechester or even Auberti, so he couldn’t even call it that. He wondered just what the Dragon’s Breath rounds did, as well as what they were capable of. But with the risk and his extremely limited supply of them, he didn’t dare waste one over mere curiosity. Due to the name, he imagined fire; a large tongue of flame similar to what a real dragon could produce. But without ever witnessing a fully grown dragon display his firepower, Braeburn had nothing detailed to visualize.
The stallion entertained his mental procrastination for a few moments before he returned to a place that he was all too familiar with. His thoughts returned to Daring Do, but this time the theme wasn’t of depression, but of worry. If it was true that Sure Shot was tracking her down, then would she be able to evade them? If she was caught, would she be killed? He may not have known what her situation was for sure, but that didn’t stop his heart from beating in the pit of his stomach. He had noticed that happening more recently as well; his soul panging every time he had the audacity to think of her. Like everything else these days, he wasn’t entirely certain, but Braeburn was starting to think that Autumn Breeze was indeed on to something. Perhaps her question wasn’t so farfetched, for she did seem to know what she was talking about. Not only that, but she suggested a word that Braeburn found to truly define his emotions. He couldn’t imagine worrying about somepony else this much, not without the warmth that Daring’s mere existence brought him.
Hours trekked by as slowly as possible; at least that was what it felt like. Eventually the exhausted stallion watched the moon disappear, replaced by the vista of the rising sun. Finally he arrived in his town, which was quiet to say the least. No other ponies joined him to step onto the platform, nor did anypony depart it either. With every step his eyes fluttered, attempting to close. But even when they did, Braeburn couldn’t sleep. His tireless mind prevented such privileges as always, forcing him to walk on down the small town’s main street. Nopony was awake at this early hour, even though the sun had finally cleared the horizon. He imagined that his father had been awake for at least an hour now, and that he would be scolded immediately.
Braeburn lost track of the time it took to reach the apple orchards on the edge of the settlement, but knew from experience that at least ten minutes must have passed by. He walked up the pathway through the modest wooden arches, spotting one of Bullet Tyme’s workers in the fields to the East. He didn’t take the time to exchange pleasantries, and was thankful that the farmer hadn’t noticed him either. Instead, Braeburn pressed on to the front porch, noticing the lights shining through the curtained windows. Just as he expected, his father was never one to disappoint.
The earth pony went raise a hoof to knock on the door, but was interrupted as it was opened for him. On the other side of the threshold, Bullet Tyme stood without his usual vest and hat. His long mane was even free of its usual tie, draped over his shoulder. His expression looked torn between a scowl and relief, more than Braeburn had expected. But what surprised him the most were the other two ponies in the living room behind his father.
Braeburn’s eyelids flew open at the sight of two mares standing with parted lips, staring at him with looks of worry. The one on the left was a violet unicorn, her straight mane and tail a deep purple with a thin line of bright pink separating the strands. On the right was an orange earth pony, who Braeburn immediately recognized as his younger cousin. Her blonde mane looked frayed in several areas, her usually wafting bangs disheveled. The unicorn looked to be in similar condition, though not as much as the orange mare.
“There ya’ are,” Bullet Tyme grunted, pulling his son into the home by his duster. Braeburn reflexively shook him off, growing weary of ponies handling him in such a manner. “Where in the hay have ya’ been?”
“Yeah cuz, ya’ had us darned near sick with worry!” Applejack joined in, her voice with more obvious concern than Bullet’s. Her friend, however, remained silent as she seemed to find the floorboards particularly interesting.
Braeburn placed a hoof to his temple, closing his eyes as he felt a headache approaching. “Now just hold on a second. Ah had a rough night and-”
“You had a rough night?” Bullet interjected, appalled. “How ‘bout ya’ think o’ yer family fer a second? Ah told ya’ not to leave Appleloosa ‘till we figured out more ‘bout what’s goin’ on! Fer all we knew, ya’ could’a been dead on the side of a road!”
“Well Ah’m not, alright?” Braeburn retorted, opening his eyes to glare at the stallion before him. “Ah knew there wasn’t a thing we could figure out ‘round these parts, and Gunmetal sent me a letter ‘bout this here rifle. And guess what, Pa? Ah found out-”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, boy.”
“Will you listen fer one cotton-pickin’ moment?!” Braeburn almost yelled, his annoyance climbing. “Ah found out what Sure Shot is after!”
Bullet Tyme recoiled, and there was a still silence in the living room for a moment. Braeburn took the opportunity to cast a quick glance over to the two mares on the right, finding both wearing similar looks of shock.
“S-Sure Shot?” Applejack stuttered, taking off her notched Stetson as if it would help her take the information in. “Are ya’ll sayin’ that he’s outta jail again?”
“Isn’t that the pony you put away last year, Braeburn? Is he what caused all of this mess?” asked Twilight quietly, her curiosity evidently outweighing her awkward silence. The riflepony exhaled through his nose, only answering the question with a furrow of his brow.
“AJ, what’re you and yer friend doin’ here? These ain’t exactly good times to be visiting,” he asked, attempting to calm himself down. But it seemed that his father was still cross with him.
“AJ’s here ‘cause she was worried ‘bout ya’,” Bullet said. “She sent a letter askin’ how we were doin’, and after Ah replied with the news, she and Miss Twilight here got on the first train to Appleloosa.”
“I didn’t want Applejack to go alone,” Twilight chimed in, still looking guilty as if she had done something wrong. “Not after hearing what was going on around here.”
“They were up all night worryin’ about ya’,” Bullet grunted, much to his son’s dismay.
“Well Ah’m here now, alright?” Braeburn snapped, looking back to his father. His increase in volume instilled a slight recoil from Twilight and Applejack, which he immediately felt guilty for. Bullet Tyme didn’t reply with anything, but seemed to be holding in his anger. The beige earth pony sighed through his nostrils, closing his eyes for a brief moment. “Look, Ah’m sorry. But me leavin’ fer Dodge ended up bein’ a good idea.”
He then went on to explain the events of the previous day and nights, not skipping a beat even to avoid their looks of shock and worry. When he was done, Braeburn walked around his father and took a well-deserved seat on the couch. The other stallion followed suit as his son stripped himself of his equipment, duster and hat, laying them all out on the table between them. Twilight and Applejack, on the other hoof, merely stood to the right of the table, keeping an eye on the exhausted stallion. Braeburn rubbed his eyes with his hooves, sitting upright on his haunches. His body needed rest, but his mind was having difficulty even contemplating the word.
Bullet Tyme took up the new rifle and inspected it, an impressed look on his face. “Cunning’s journal, huh? Ah guess there was more to our ancestor than we thought.”
“What d’ya think it could be? Another treasure?” asked Applejack.
“I don’t know, but it seems important if that bandit escaped from prison to find it,” Twilight joined in, evidently very interested in the subject.
“It could be treasure or even some sorta’ artifact or somethin’,” Braeburn replied. “But if Sure Shot wants whatever it is, we can’t let him get a hold of it.”
Twilight moved closer to Braeburn, coming into his vision. “Weren’t there copies made of the diary?”
“Yeah, fer Daring and Ah,” he answered. “And Ah have no clue where she or her copy is. Ah’m thinkin’ they’re goin’ after hers, or the one in Canterlot.”
“But the original was taken out of its place in the museum. It was locked up and everything,” said the unicorn. Braeburn’s eyes widened at that, his head whipping around to gape at the violet mare.
“Was that public information?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did you go there and find out fer yerself or was it in the newspaper?” Braeburn demanded, perhaps a little louder than he meant to.
Twilight looked uneasy, taken aback from his volume. “Oh, yes. There was an article about it a while back, maybe a few months or so.”
Applejack’s pupils shrunk, rivaling Braeburn’s as she seemed to grasp the nature of such a fact. “Th-Then that means that Sure Shot knows about it!”
“And without access to the original, Sure Shot would have no choice but to find Daring’s,” Bullet concluded gravely.
Twilight gasped, placing a hoof to her mouth. Braeburn fell back into his seat on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling with wide eyes. Then it was true: Daring Do was in danger, and nopony in Equestria knew of her whereabouts. If he wasn’t awake before, he certainly was now. The stallion felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach, quickening in pace as dread overtook him. His body screamed at him to suit up and find her before it was too late, but without a clue of where she was, he was useless. Braeburn groaned aloud, sitting back up and placing his face in his hooves.
“Can’t we get a hold of the Guard and have them deal with this?” asked Applejack before turning to her friend. “Can’t ya’ tell Celestia ‘bout this?”
“Well yes, I could try. But if we don’t know where Sure Shot or Daring Do are, even the Princess won’t be able to do anything about it,” Twilight replied hopelessly.
“We can still get the word out!” Braeburn said, desperation in his voice. “Maybe they were spotted somewhere. We can’t just sit around and not tell nopony!”
Twilight nodded, although halfheartedly. “You’re both right. Bullet Tyme, do you-”
“Parchment’s in the den. Down the hall and to the right,” he replied, receiving another nod before the unicorn darted out of the room.
As the conversation died, Braeburn allowed himself to breathe as he sat up straight once more, his gaze fixated on the cluttered table before him. Applejack took the opportunity to sit next to her cousin, placing a brief but reassuring hoof on his shoulder. He glanced at her to find a small smile, despite the deep concern in her emerald eyes. “She’ll be alright, cousin. Celestia wouldn’t let one of her subjects down.”
“But what if the Guard doesn’t find them in time?” Braeburn replied quietly. “What if Sure Shot finds her first? Daring would know if there was somethin’ hidden in Cunning’s journal, and would never respond to threats. What if they killed her, Applejack?”
“Ya’ can’t let yerself fret now, boy,” came Bullet’s voice, much more understanding than before. “Fer now, all we can do is hope fer the best.”
“But Ah can’t help but worry,” the riflepony whispered.
Before anypony could respond, there was a flash of purple light from the hallway, accompanied by the tell-tale sparkling of magic.. Twilight trotted back into the living room shortly after, receiving expectant looks from the three earth ponies.
“Alright, I wrote the Princess a letter explaining the situation. Celestia is usually very quick to reply, so we should expect one in-”
Her words were cut off by a quick burst of white light, followed by a tied scroll landing on the floor in front of the unicorn. She pursed her lips with a somewhat unsurprised look on her face, floating the letter in front of her face as it was untied. “How in Equestria does she do that?”
“What does it say?” Applejack perked up, contrary to Braeburn’s pessimism.
Twilight cleared her throat as all eyes fell on her. She read the letter aloud, quickly and calmly:
“To my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle: I have indeed been made aware of the bandit named Sure Shot and his escape. The Royal Guard has been told as well, and have been instructed to arrest him on sight. As for his current whereabouts, he seems to be well hidden, for he’s been wanted throughout Equestria since the day of his escape, and yet still he seems to have evaded us.”
Twilight cocked her head back, quirking an eyebrow. “That’s odd. Something like that is usually on a need to know basis.”
“To the public, not to her personal student,” said Bullet Tyme, gesturing for her to read on.
The unicorn complied: “To answer your question of Daring Do's whereabouts, I apologize, but I am unaware. Ever since her finding of Cunning the Colt's tomb, I haven't heard anything more. Truth be told, it doesn’t seem that we know any more of the situation than you do. However, I can assure you that I have some of my best ponies on the case, and that we shall find this bandit and his followers so that they may meet justice.”
Braeburn failed to suppress a quiet scoff from escaping his lips. Applejack responded with a hushing punch to the shoulder, which he ignored. Twilight continued once more:
“I would advise you and your friends to be extremely careful for the time being. Considering that we know not of Sure Shot’s location, it would be unwise to stay outdoors after dark. Keep your wits about you Twilight Sparkle. I will send word with more information the minute we obtain it. Sincerely, Princess Celestia.”
“Well, at least the Princess is tryin’!” Applejack perked up in an attempt to lighten the mood. Twilight seemed to be on the same page, or at least the same chapter. She wore a halfhearted smile, her eyes switching between Braeburn and Bullet Tyme.
“Yeah, at least there’s that,” the riflepony sighed, his gaze unfocused. The same went for his thoughts, for they didn’t seem to have any one point of focus other than the general thought of Daring Do. “So what now?”
Twilight looked as if she wanted to answer, but was cut off as Bullet Tyme bolted upright in his recliner, causing the rest of them to flinch at the sudden movement. The stallion’s brow was lowered and his ears were lifted straight up, twitching as if to pick up some sort of low frequency. “Hear that?”
“Hear what?” Applejack asked, pricking her own ears up as well. “Frankly Uncle B, Ah’m surprise you can hear anything after decades o’ shootin’.”
Bullet shushed her quietly as he climbed to the floor, walking toward the front door to Braeburn’s right. “Sounds like propellers.”
“Propellers?” Applejack repeated uncertainly. “Like on a boat?”
“Why would a boat be out here in the desert, AJ?” Braeburn scoffed.
“Ah’m not sayin’ there’s a boat out there-”
“Then why’d ya’ say it?”
“Will you two shut yer pie holes?” Bullet Tyme hissed from the door. Braeburn rolled his eyes, distracting himself with a look out the window behind the couch. His irritation immediately disappeared at what he assumed to be the source of the sound his father was hearing.
In the distance over the buildings of Appleloosa was a large ovular balloon, with a long wooden craft on its underside. It had short wings on either side of the body, with what looked like turbines spinning two large propellers. The balloon was a dull shade of green, with a single stripe of off-white down the side. Overlapping the color scheme was a picture of a golden compass rose situated toward the rear of the balloon. The craft was in the middle of a turn, its assumed front end pointing directly toward the farm. As Braeburn stared out the window, the other three ponies joined him to gape at the sight.
The beige stallion started to hear what his father was talking about; the quick and heavy fwump fwump fwump of the airship’s propellers. His eyes were drawn to the golden design on the balloon. It was familiar, something he had seen before. It took a moment, but Braeburn finally remembered just where he knew the symbol from.
“Th-That’s Daring’s cutie mark!” he stammered, pointing at the compass rose.
“She has an airship?” Twilight almost gasped. “And here I thought my hot air balloon was nice.”
But Braeburn was no longer in the mood for pandering. His heart rose to life, beating hard against his chest. He sprung away from the window and off the couch, throwing the brass rifle over his back and leaving Thumper behind as he darted for the door. In his excitement, Braeburn ignored the calls from his father and his cousin, opening the door and bolting through it. He sped down the dirt path and through the wooden arch at a steady gallop, his eyes fixed on the airship ahead. It was still far above the town, but was descending at an alarming rate toward the orchards. Pushing aside his elation, the stallion came to a halt directly in front of the farm’s borders. He could hear Twilight, Applejack and his father approaching him from behind, but he didn’t care.
All that was on Braeburn’s mind was the aircraft, and the mare that had to be inside of it. Finally, after a year and a half, he would see her again. He could hold her; tell her everything that he felt about her, regardless of how she felt in return. He had his hopes, but the stallion only wished to see her bright rose eyes light up at the sight of him again. Braeburn kept his eyes on the windows of the cockpit, attempting to make out the pilot with a grin he couldn’t seem to get rid of.
“Hold on now, boy,” came his father’s gruff voice as the other three caught up to him. “Ya’ don’t know if that’s her or not.”
“Well that’s definitely her cutie mark on the balloon,” said Twilight, catching her breath from the run.
“Ya’ sure ‘bout that?” asked Applejack skeptically. “Ah don’t really remember what it looked like to be honest with ya’.”
Twilight prodded her temple with a hoof, wearing a smug grin. “Photographic memory. It never fails.”
“Either way, Ah don’t think Ah’ve ever seen ya’ so excited in my life, cousin,” said the orange mare with a chuckle. Braeburn didn’t answer for lack of coherent thought. All he knew was that he was finally about to see the mare he couldn’t stop thinking about.
The airship was closing in, reaching a point just above them as Braeburn spotted something bolting out from behind the wooden cabin. His eyes deceived him momentarily, making him think that the object was a dark yellow and gray. But after a few blinks, he noticed that it was in fact a pegasus, although not the one he was hoping to see. Even from the distance, he could see the mare’s bright yellow coat, complimented by a mane and tail of two shades of red. Twilight and Applejack made noises of confusion behind Braeburn, who noticed the pegasus turn around to make a bee-line for them. As the airship began its landing process in the fields just to the North, the mare gained an enormous amount of speed, hurtling down toward the ground at a shallow angle.
Before either Braeburn or his father could draw their weapons out of uncertainty, the pegasus hit the ground ten yards in front of them. Her momentum put her into a long skid, her hooves digging into the dirt as she quickly slid toward Braeburn. He made no motion to draw his rifle, for it didn’t seem like this mare came to pick any sort of fight. Once her momentum was depleted, the yellow pony trotted up to the four of them, her large ruby eyes looking Braeburn over with evident haste.
“Are you Braeburn Apple?” she asked, her voice quick and laced with desperation. Her eyes looked bloodshot, with dark circles underneath them. She couldn’t seem to stop shaking either, as if something terrible had happened. As quick as it came, Braeburn’s excitement died away, replaced by a creeping dread. His smile disappeared as he looked back over to the landing airship, and then back to her.
“Y-Yes. Yes Ah am,” he replied, his voice shaken. “Do Ah know you, Ma’am?”
The mare let out a quick sigh of relief before rearing up to place both her forehooves on Braeburn’s shoulders. “Thank Celestia I found you! Braeburn listen to me, I need you to come with me right now!”
“Ah’m a might sorry Miss, but Ah don’t-”
“Braeburn, it’s Daring! She’s in trouble and she needs your help!”
There was a gasp behind the beige stallion, followed by a murmur of shocked confusion. Braeburn only stared at the mare, his heart slowing down to a dangerously slow pace. He searched her eyes, looking desperately for any sign or tell of a lie. But when he found none, Braeburn inhaled a shaking breath as every last one of his fears were confirmed. The pegasus let herself fall from his shoulders, although not backing up one step. She looked up to him with large eyes, waiting for him to say something.
“Wh-What? What happened?!” he demanded. “Where is she?!”
“I’ll explain everything on the way there. But for now I need you to get on that airship so we can get to her,” the mare said, her words quick and faltering as if she had been crying.
Bullet Tyme walked over to Braeburn’s left side, looking down on her with a suspicious look on his face. “Who are ya’? How do we know yer not lyin’ to us?”
The mare cocked her head back, appalled. “We don’t have time for this, sir!” she said, turning back to Braeburn. “Braeburn, please! I need you to help us right now! Daring might not have much time left, and if we don’t leave right this second she could be killed!”
Braeburn’s eyes shot even further open as his entire body seemed to freeze on the spot. He was dreaming, he had to be dreaming. He may have only hesitated for a fraction of a second, but it was enough for the impatient pegasus in front of him.
“Braeburn, it’s Ahuitzotl alright?!” she screamed, her desperation starting to turn into anger. Another gasp was heard behind him, but this time Braeburn didn’t hesitate. The riflepony dug a hindhoof into the ground, turning around to dart back toward the barn home. “What are you doing?! Where are you going?!”
The beige stallion turned his head back to holler over his shoulder: “Keep the ship runnin’!”
Braeburn focused on nothing but what the pegasus had said, as well as leaving as quickly as possible. Daring had once mentioned Ahuitzotl; a monster that was much more dangerous than how he was perceived in the books. But she had said that the beast was locked away, kept away from the world, so just what happened? He knew that he would be told in a few minutes, but the stallion wanted answers now. He wanted to know if they had enough time to save her; he wanted to know if she was even alive.
Braeburn leaped over the front porch and through the door, skidding to a halt next to the table cluttered with his equipment. But before he could start to dress himself, a glow of violet light erupted from his clothes and his weapons. He forgot about Twilight’s magic, thanking her with a nod as she came into her vision. The riflepony reared up, balancing on his hindlegs with his forelegs spread wide. The unicorn floated his duster over first, followed by his dual scabbard and hat. The three items fitted themselves around the stallion, the coat draping over his tail in his bipedal position.
“Are you sure about this?” Twilight asked. However, it was more of a confirmation than a question, the level of her seriousness defined by the look on her face. Braeburn stared her straight in the eyes, his expression stern. “This could be dangerous. We don’t know what the real Ahuitzotl is capable of.”
“It doesn’t matter what he can do,” said Braeburn flatly. “If he has Daring, then Ah’m not waitin’ ‘round fer the Guard to find him.”
“I imagine you’re going to tell Applejack and I to go back home and wait for this all to end,” she replied, receiving another nod in return.
“Ah’m not involvin’ anypony that Ah don’t have to.”
“But we can help!” Twilight tried, although to no avail. “We can gather the Elements of Harmony and-”
“If what that pegasus out there says is true, then we don’t have time fer that,” said Braeburn, falling back to his hooves as Twilight finished by sheathing both rifles on his back, along with his bag of previously-packed supplies. “Ah’m sorry Twi’, Ah know ya’ll wanna help but Ah can’t let anypony else get hurt ‘cause o’ this.”
At the end of Braeburn’s sentence, Bullet Tyme reentered the house, walking straight across to the hallway behind Twilight. “Well that’s all well and good Braeburn, but there ain’t a thing you can do to stop a father from bein’ there fer his son. Ah’m goin’ with ya’.”
Braeburn went to open his mouth to reply before his father exited the living room, only to find himself biting on his lower lip in hesitation. To his annoyance, he realized that the older stallion was right; he couldn’t keep Bullet Tyme from worrying, much less stop him from accompanying him. As Braeburn grunted, Twilight took a single step forward, her previously-awkward demeanor switching to something more confident and determined. She furrowed her brow, tilting her head up to look at him.
“I understand that you don’t want us to risk our lives like you’re doing, Braeburn, but me, Applejack and the other bearers of the Elements are grown mares. We can take care of ourselves; we’ve done it before.”
The earth pony pursed his lips, tapping a forehoof on the wooden floor. In his impatience, he couldn’t justify having this argument right now. He needed to get on that airship and leave as quickly as possible. “Look, Ah’m not gonna tell ya’ what to do or not to do, but it’s just too soon to know if we’ll need the Elements. This isn’t just Ahuitzotl; this is also Sure Shot and his gang too. When we find out more, Ah’ll do what Ah can to let ya’ll know, alright?”
Twilight didn’t seem completely satisfied, but dropped the matter regardless. “Alright. Applejack’s outside with that mare. I’ll make sure to tell her not to try and go with you. I know she’ll try.”
And with that, the unicorn disappeared in a spherical flash of purple light, reappearing outside next to Applejack down the path. A beat later Bullet Tyme returned into the living room from the hall, a new rifle strapped to his back along with a saddlebag of his own. “Ah’m not gonna hear no argument from you, am Ah?”
“Like ya’ said, Ah can’t stop ya’,” said Braeburn, gesturing to the door with his head. He led his father out the front door and down the path after Bullet Tyme locked the barn home. They galloped down to the air ship, finding the three mares waiting impatiently for them to approach. The propellers of the large craft were keeping the balloon a few hooves from the ground, the rear of the cabin opened to allow a ramp to touch the ground. Artemis was nowhere to be found, and was assumed to be in the cockpit. Applejack gave the two stallions a look of irritation, to which Braeburn replied with a solemn expression. He withdrew his keys from his pocket with his teeth, tossing them to Applejack, whom caught them around her hoof.
"My copy of the diary needs to disappear, alright?" he asked, his tone indicating the importance of the request. Applejack nodded along with Twilight.
“You two better come back in one piece, ya’ hear?” she said in a demanding tone, rearing up to wrap them both in a brief but loving hug.
“O’ course we will,” Bullet grunted as they were released. “And you better keep yerself safe.”
“You too,” said Twilight and Applejack quietly.
With a simultaneous nod, Braeburn and Bullet Tyme followed the silent yellow pegasus up the ramp of the craft, waving what very well could have been their final goodbyes.
She was left alone in the dark, bleeding on the cold stone floor. It could have been five minutes or even an hour, it was all the same to her. She laid on her front, her bleeding cheek to the floor with her eyes closed. The pain in her head had dulled, but the rest of her body seemed to be picking up the slack in that department. Daring was immobile, her spine flaring with every minor movement or wince. She couldn’t feel her hindhoof anymore, but the fractured joint was enough to make a young filly bawl her eyes out relentlessly. The lack of light prevented her from looking at it, which was the only thing she could be thankful for. She tried every mental trick in the book to block out the pain, but with absolutely zero success.
Daring breathed slowly, valuing every inhale as if it were her last. But she wasn’t fearful for herself, but for yet another friend she had endangered. For all she knew, Day Break was facing a similar fate somewhere nearby, a thought she couldn’t bear. The last time Daring saw the yellow mare, she was unconscious on the side of the trail. But for how long was she asleep? Was she able to make a run for it, or was she dead by now? The monochromatic mare choked on her own breath, clinging on to a pinprick of hope for her fillyhood friend. Daring Do had let her down, in the worst way imaginable. She just wanted to wake up in the airship and realize that it was all a terrible dream. But by now, there was no mistaking it: this was real, and the archaeologist had no foreseeable means of escape. Even if she wasn’t bound by the steel cables, there was no hope of movement in her crippled state.
The insides of her eyelids lit up as the sound of the lanterns igniting filled the silence of the large room, followed by a long grinding noise. Daring allowed her eyes to flicker open halfway, panting in agony as she turned her head to spot the visitor. She had expected Sure Shot to enter, but found a blue unicorn instead. It took a few moments for her to make out the details, but eventually the blur was close enough for her to see. The unicorn was male, with a short, unkempt mane and tail of a bright teal. He was short and had a thin frame, but looked to be almost Daring’s age. On his back was a single saddlebag, obscuring his cutie mark. He looked down to her with solemn yellow eyes as he approached, but still instilled a look of hate from Daring Do.
“Whatcha’ got there? More things to torture me with?” she grunted, her voice haggard and low.
“Not quite,” the unicorn replied, his tones as somber as his expression. “That’s not my role here.”
Daring arched her eyebrows, wincing as confusion washed over her dreary mind. “Then what are you here for?”
The unicorn looked to his right, floating the bags off himself and placing them on the floor. With another azure spark, he opened the magic and began laying out an array of medical supplies. “To heal you.”
“Wh-What?” Daring stammered, her voice cracking slightly. “Are you here to break me out or something?”
The stallion frowned, looking down to the supplies he had finished unpacking. “No. To quote my boss, ‘I am to prepare you for your next round.’ I assume that means so Ahuitzotl can come back in here again.”
Daring squinted her eyes at the stallion suspiciously, watching him uncork a small vial full of violet liquid. Healing the pony being tortured didn’t make sense. But she knew that Sure Shot wasn’t stupid. There had to be a reason for it. “Wouldn’t making me suffer with a broken leg be more likely to force the answer you want out?”
“It’s not an answer I want,” he answered hotly, as if he was insulted. However, he didn’t continue on to answer the question.
While he kept a solid exterior, there was something else in his yellow eyes, something contradicting his actions. Before she could ask another question, the stallion placed the vial down and walked around to Daring’s hindlegs. She made a quick instinctive move away from him, only to be struck with a tidal wave of pain through her leg and spine. The mare could only bite back so much of her scream, resulting in a broken groan through gritted teeth.
“How can I fix your leg if I don’t know how bad the fracture is?”
“Why should I trust you?” she seethed. “How do I know you’re not going to just make it worse?”
The unicorn didn’t reply with words, but instead with a flash of his horn. Daring immediately flinched at the touch of his magic around her broken leg, grunting with her face contorted in pain. He released it almost instantly, letting it fall a few inches to the floor.
“Alright, you’re going to have to drink that fluid,” he said, floating the opened vial to her lips. Daring reflexively backed her face away from the small glass. “This is going to hurt quite a lot. Either you drink that or deal with the pain.”
The mare furrowed her brow in confusion, squinting her eyes at the vial. None of this made sense to her. Surely in their minds, Daring deserved to be put in as much pain as possible until they got what they wanted, so why would this pony save her even this much? However, it didn’t matter in the long run. With no foreseeable way of escape in her mind, Daring knew she would only be put through a divine amount of agony very soon either way. But that didn’t mean she had to deal with any of it at the moment.
Daring leaned her neck forward, allowing the unicorn to press the opening of the vial against her lips. She expected it to taste foul, but was surprised to find it flavorless. The small amount of alleged medicine took only a second or two for her to consume, and she gasped as it instantly took effect. But instead of the effects of the everyday painkiller, a warmth spread over her leg and spine. They weren’t numb, but a sense of calm seemed to tingle in her damaged bones.
“There, all set,” came the stallion’s voice as he came into view. He didn’t look at her, but to the supplies he started to repack. Daring winced an eye at him, catching his attention. “So are you going to try and move that leg or not?”
“Wh-What?”
“It should be healed now,” he replied in a low tone, looking determined to keep his face apathetic.
Daring slowly bent her body forward on her side, looking down to her right hindleg. Her eyes flew open as she watched herself move it freely without so much as a pang of discomfort. It was as if it were never broken, save for the slight swelling just below her knee. She tested it further by pressing her hindhoof against the floor. Again, there was zero pain. It was like the time it took for the leg to heal had been speed up to an impossible degree. Daring looked up again, keeping her bewildered eyes on the unicorn as she rose to her haunches. “H-How...”
The unicorn let out a short burst of air through his nostrils, throwing the bag over his back and turning to walk away. Once he reached the towering stone doors, he stopped to give her a final sidelong glance. “One more thing, Daring Do: that vial never existed.”
With that, he left through the stone doors, and she heard him lock it a moment after. Daring stared with wide eyes at the spot the unicorn had previously occupied, her jaw agape. She waited a few moments to find the torches still lit. She didn’t notice it at first, but a short smile played on her lips.
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Quite the yarn you spin my friend, I absolutely love your story ^^ Pins and needles I am on to find out what happens next! Seriously, I read through your first tale in one sitting, so waiting like this is KILLING me! Keep up the great work!
Oh my gosh... I can save $1.00 on Cream of Wheat!
Also, Braeburn's going on a daring rescue mission, or a Daring rescue mission...
Well now, that's a bit more hope than the last chapter left us with. Not sure if I believe Day Break is on the level or not, but even if it's a trap Braeburn and his father can hardly save Daring if they don't know where she is.
Disloyalty among the ranks I see, I have a feeling that Sure Shot is going to regret the abuse he heaped upon his unicorn minion (don't remember his name at the moment, if we were given one that is), assuming he lives long enough to do so.
Dude... this is the story I wait for updates on most and you NEVER fail to amaze! I EAGERLY await the next chapter! If listening to Nightwish does this, I swear to Faust, You need to play Nightwish while you're asleep!! Celestia only knows what you'll start pumping out then!! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Colgate_beam.png
ahhh the waiting, its killing me!!
This set me thinking. This story has a "Tragedy" tag. And Bullet Tyme insisted on coming along...
On a lighter note, it is always awesome when a character suits up before action.
love it love everything about it.except for the fact that im tired as hell but i would stay up until six in the morning just to read your works of art.
And so...The Adventure...begins again.
My previous prediction still stands. Another outstanding chapter.
Looks like Braeburns going on a Daring rescue mission! :D
If I were anymore on the edge of my seat I would fall off.
I loved this chapter to bits and pieces, but that typo honestly made me laugh out loud.
1768562 well at least you not sitting at the edge of a cliff
1768562
Haha, I've already fallen off my seat.
Anyway, great chapter! Can't wait for the next one!
1770000
I never specified where my seat was. dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Rainbow_Dash_lolface.png
Time for epicness Braeburn
28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llxuwlihfD1qe73k4o1_500.png
This is literally what happened as I was reading the chapter.
I thought to myself about how the further along I was in reading this brand-spanking sequel, I had this slowly rising feeling of anticipation and subsequent disappointment, yet I didn't know why. I had literally no idea as to why I was feeling so perturbed, it was as if I was waiting for something I didn't know and let down when it never came. It suddenly occurred to me.
Applejack and Twilight! They're what's missing. They were such a large part of the previous story that I guess I'm just bothered by the fact that they're not in this one. Oh well, this story's more focused on Braeburn and Daring, anyway. I guess they can't always-
Mhm. I knew it.
This is exactly what went through my head when Brae went to arm up.
cant wait for more. 50 bits says braeburns dad will die. i dont know, just a prediction... either that or they will get seperated... moar please!!!!!!!!!!!
Epic Braeburn is epic, Day Break is alive, and Daring Do now has a potential ally. Not a bad chapter. also... DON'T LET BULLET DIEIN AN UNEPIC FASHION!!
Twilight missed the best argument she had for coming:
"I'm worth at least a troop of Guardsponies because I can tell them where we're going!"
awesome as always. I love this story. You know, i think it has the potential to become its own thing and become published. both the last one and this one. you should think about it.
Extra period.
I see what you did there.
Prepare for heartbreak
101201.Lucky mare...
The repetition of "slow" here is kind of jarring. The second one could easily be removed, or changed to "low" or "lethargic".
I've actually looked this up, and the average size hoof for a pony is around 4-5 inches. That'd be really close to the ground. I know this isn't common knowledge, so you can probably go on using hooves/feet interchangeably, but I just multiply by 3 for how much distance I want.
Oh yes it does. Horrible, twisted, I feel bad that I understand it type sense.
I know exactly what is going on
I can't help but think Burn Notice. The unicorn gets her trust and then gets the information for Sure Shot cause he already knows that Ahuitzotl will fail or he may succeed doesn't matter to him he wants the information 
sometimes you get more results from from giving a carrot than using a stick which I could see him do 
I... Am so happy I decided to read this series. These last couple of days have been filled with adventure, and seeing as this is a work in progress, I can now look forward to anticipating each installment as I do with the episodes of the actual show.
For some reason, I feel I can appreciate the story more with it centered around Braeburn and Daring Do. Thank you for writing this.
I eagerly await your next chapter.
Silly Daring. You were healed because if you weren't, then they could only break you leg once.
I think it's more mentally damning to have you leg broken a dozen times.
looks like an unintentional game of 'good cop, bad cop' has been started.
day break has just reminded me of a line by princess bun head in thumbwars- "i escape somehow, lets go."
eeyup
Might the healing scene be a small reference to The Dark Knight Rises?
Just when I was wondering how Braeburn was going to save Daring Do, Day Break and Artemis show up in Daring's Zeppelin!
Twilight and Applejack! 
I was wondering when they'd show up. I like where this is going with Sparks. I enjoy those kinds of plotlines.
Question remains whether Braeburn will take out Ahuizotl witht the Dragon's Breath or will the Elements of Harmony show up to turn him into a statue. Or both I hope.
2108525 Oh, I didn't realize that. Could be.