The Adventures of Flare Brimstone

by Burningbloom78

Down and Dirty in Southern Equestria

Author's Note:

If any of you had wondered what cutie mark Flare Brimstone bears, it's a burning compass with no needle.

The surge of heat fills the air; a bright light shines across the land in a blistering blaze; sweat from the brow and labored breathing, followed by silent curses. Indeed, the Southern side of Equestria is for a different breed of ponies for sure.

As the irradiated sun casts forth a heat haze, an adventurer with a knack for danger saunters into an arid village bustling with ponies at work. Everywhere an eye wandered, one could discern in the arid town's market: exotic novelties, knickknacks, and trinkets.

The ponies were usually friendly and offered their wares to anypony willing to part away a few bits for odd gadgets; the adventurer was practically bursting at the seams with how many awesome items were on display. She was in her element; she loved basking in the heat of the sun, the fuggy odor lingering in the air, and the potential for danger made her squeal like a filly opening her presents on Hearth's Warming.

Although the adventurer would love nothing more than to run herself ragged, she came here on a mission from Princess Celestia to help aid a certain pony. She was told that her cohort would be around Somnambula. As the mare searches for her ally, she heard a shrill scream from another mare.

She cried out, "Thief! Somepony, help!" as the adventurer witnessed the crime unfolding. It was a stallion shrouded in a brown cloak and black rags carrying a small bag most likely filled with bits he had looted. His face was obscured, but his intentions were clear as crystal shining in the sun's blaring rays of light.

The adventurer chuckled to herself, amped that there's trouble and a thief that needs to be stomped on. She trotted in place and darted for the thief making a mad dash out the village. Unfortunately, for him, he didn't count on Adventure Extraordinaire, Flare Brimstone, clutching the thief's ripped garb. She threw him to the dusty ground with a mighty thud.

The stallion let out a cry of pain as he forced himself from the rocky earth. He laid eyes on the ardent mare covered in a brown vest and brown pants. Her countenance displayed a roaring passion for danger. She scraped the ground with her hoof as the fire in her eyes locked on the stallion.

There's was this unnatural tension swelling inside him, as the mare before the stallion exhumed some kind of freaky aura. His eyes widened in suspense as he stepped back: Afraid, he was about to turn the other direction to flee; the apprehension he felt compelled him to stay, to the stallion's dismay.

Flare Brimstone blitzed behind the stallion before he had to chance to even think. She wrapped her forelegs around his waist, lifted the stallion with little to no effort, and fell backward, slamming his back on the ground; a low rumble reverberated across the village. Everypony was silent, even the wind. The stallion's eyes rattled, and his ears rang, then he passed out. Flare Brimstone had cracked the earth underneath the stallion; it wasn't her intention to get so rough, however, the job was done, nonetheless.

Flare retrieved the bag of stolen bits presented them to the mare that tailed the thief. She bowed in appreciation as Flare Brimstone laughed loudly, triumphant. A crowd gathered around the pony and cheered. It was pretty awesome; however, another cloaked stallion pushed his way through the crowd, and with a sharp ching, unsheathed a hidden blade and attempted to assassinate Flare Brimstone.

The mare looked over and saw the stallion galloping towards her, but before he could try to make contact with Flare, a figure jumped from the crowd and landed on the assailant, causing him to crash to the ground in a skidding halt. Then the figure stomped their hoof on the stallion, knocking him out completely.

The crowd and even Flare Brimstone were silent, yet she grew a large smile on her face. The figure, a mare, wore a broad hat, draped in a purple garb while sporting comically large glasses, but her gaze was hardened and cold. The folk of the town dispersed as the mare rounded up the stallion Flare Brimstone took out with the other one.

"Well, I'll be," Flare uttered in awe, rubbing the back of her mane. "I haven't seen you in quite some time, Dazzle."

"It's Daring Do, Flare, and don't call me that in public," she snipped at the bat pony. "You don't see me calling out your nickname 'Lucky' in public, do you?"

Flare Brimstone laughed merrily. "I haven't seen you since we raided that temple. You know, the one that exploded."

Daring Do rolled her eyes and scowled at her ally. "You mean the one you exploded? We almost died."

"Ah, good times," she replied jovially. "So, what you been up to?"

Daring Do began to tie the thieves together. "I've been taking a break from all the danger, but recently, I encountered a problem. What about you?"

Flare Brimstone licked her lips and puffed out her chest. "I'm on a mission for Her Radiance. I even brought a small friend along with the ride," she whispered in Daring Do's ear. "It's cradled in my pocket. It's so cute when it is sleeping."

Daring Do raised her brow; curiosity got the better of her and she bit. "What is it?"

Flare Brimstone chuckled and presented a small snake napping soundly in her hooves. "Its name is Nesotoc, and I brought it out here to give it some nice, fresh...fuggy air."

Daring Do groaned and rubbed her face. "Of course, it's a snake. There's always a snake, is there? Well, care to tell me about your mission Princess Celestia gave you?"

"Well," Flare started, gently putting Nesotoc into her pocket, "Princess Celestia informed me that there have been strange happenings in Southern Equestria, and told me to investigate. She also informed me that I would be having a partner during my investigation."

Daring Do chuckled softly. "That's my problem. So, you'll be my partner, yeah?"

Flare Brimstone excitedly trotted in place. "You're the cohort!" she beamed joyfully, embracing her friend. "This is great! It's been too long since we teamed up, Dazzle!"

Daring Do groaned and strained to release herself from Flare's wickedly killer grip. "It's Daring Do, Flare," she grumbled. "Come on, let's take these two idiots to the slammer. We'll question them and hopefully get some answers."

Flare Brimstone agreed, scooping up the thieves on her back as Daring Do lead the way. The two mares entered a small house where a stallion, the sheriff, resides. He thanks the mares for stopping the thieves and guides them to a few jail cells. Flare Brimstone tosses the thieves into different cells, causing them to spring up as a jarring pain rose from the back of their heads.

They take a second to gather themselves, meeting the gazes of Daring Do and Flare Brimstone. In an instant, they cowered, and they had every right to do so. One mare would make you eat a handful of dirt while the other one would do a suplex.

"Calm down," Flare said in a soft tone, sitting in front of the cell. "We want to ask you a few questions. My name is Flare Brimstone and I work for Her Radiant Majesty, Princess Celestia."

One of the thieves' eyes widened and immediately bowed in apology. "Please, spare me," he cried, sobbing as his face kissed the floor in front of Flare. "I'll do anything you want, but please, spare me the wrath of Her Majesty!"

"Dulock! Show some backbone, brother," he chastised. "We're already in trouble!"

"B-but Moddy..." his voice trails off as the stallion slinks into a corner of his jail cell.

"That you are," Daring Do uttered as she stepped closer to the cell. "One of you tried to assassinate the agent of Princess Celestia and the other tried to steal from hardworking ponies, so suffice to say, you have already earned Her Highness's ire. If you both answer our questions, Flare may be able to alleviate your punishments."

Flare Brimstone nodded. "I'm only here because of strange occurrences taking place around Southern Equestria. Tell us what you know."

Dulock looked at his brother with tears streaming down his face and then back at the two mares, wiping his tears. "O-okay... We'll talk."

Flare smiled. "Good," she said. "What do you both know? Since your thieves, it should be no surprise that you both have seen a few things outside the town. Tell us what you know."

Moddy began to explain. "We weren't always thieves, we were merchants," he confessed, the brows of both Daring and Flare rose in confusion. "It happened a few weeks ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday...the sky was a dismal color. The wind was cold that evening, more so than usual, and the air had a foul taste to it like it was being violated by an ugly force of nature. We don't get rain or storms around here often, but it came, and disaster struck harder than a bludgeon smashing a cart full of cabbages."

Daring Do was taken slightly aback from Moddy's descriptions, asking, "What happened? What did you and Dulock see?"

Moddy was hesitant, choking on his words, but he found the strength to begin again. "I can't tell you," He solemnly mumbled, his eyes becoming dark and gloomy. "It was all a blur when it stormed through. It came out of nowhere, as silent as the wind with the ferocity of a typhoon; there was no stopping its path. The creature destroyed the town my brother and I grew up in, leaving naught but destruction and ash. As quickly as it came, it left. It just...disappeared."

Flare Brimstone's eyes narrowed as she mused Moddy's conferred confessions, then she looked at the stallion with a sternly critical visage. "So, you both are victims of whatever trashed your town. Losing everything, you both resorted to becoming lowly thieves," she spoke with a trace of bitterness over her words. "Fine. You two are off the hook."

"Are you serious?!" Daring Do spat at her partner. "I didn't expect this coming out of you. Why?"

"Because Her Majesty would have done the same thing," the bat pony uttered under her breath, hissing at Daring Do. "I know it's silly, but this is the right thing. With that being said, however, you are still getting punished for attempted murder and thievery and will sit in these cells until the investigation here is concluded. On top of that, you will have your merchant licenses revoked in Southern Equestria; you will never work in this part of the country again as a vendor. Is this clear?"

Dulock cried as Moddy was seething with rage. "You can't do this!" he bellowed, hitting the bars of the cell. "This isn't fair!"

Flare Brimstone stomped the ground and cracked it on impact, snapping everypony into attention; Daring Do was surprised to see this side of her bat pony friend. "Either this or spend a lifetime in a dungeon as atonement. I empathize with you both, but we can't simply look this over."

Moddy's eyes widened as he slumped over, limping to a corner of the cell to sulk, accepting his fate. Dulock was silent. He had never seen him so despondent.

Flare Brimstone chuckled. "Princess Celestia always had a kick for exacerbating these issues, so let me say this: if you two assist in my mission, the crimes you just committed will be wiped clean."

Moddy and Dulock were speechless, quickly crawling to the bars and bowing Flare Brimstone and Daring Do in forgiveness.

Daring Do sighed and rolled her eyes. "Here I thought you changed," she jeered, punching Flare's right foreleg playfully.

Flare stuck her tongue out at her friend. "You certainly changed," she started, shrugging. "The old you would've seen these two stallions in a dungeon for what they committed. Over the years, your serious disposition has seldom lessened; ebb & and flow, I suppose."

"Maybe I'm getting too old." Daring Do titters, turning her attention to the brothers. "Is there anything else you two can help us with?"

Moddy was silent, shaking his head. After a few moments of gathering his thoughts, he rose his head to answer his captors. "When the towering creature came to our town, we were hit with a wave none of us couldn't explain thoroughly. It... felt like magic. It bellowed loudly, and when it screeched, it was like nails on a chalkboard; it rang in our ears and muddled with our vision; we almost passed out, but we managed to escape the harrowing ordeal just barely with our lives."

Flare Brimstone mused Moddy's words before shifting her gaze at her pegasus friend. "A towering creature with magic? And here I thought we'd be messing with Tirek, but he's incarcerated back to Tartarus. Daring," the bat pony continued, "I say we get over to this other town and see what some of the locals have to say."

Daring Do raised her brow. "You think one of them saw something different?"

Flare Brimstone nodded in affirmation. "Indeed. I have my suspicions, but before I inform you of my thoughts, I want to make sure that this is the case before jumping to conclusions."

"Alright," Daring Do let out with gusto, "let's not delay. Moddy, Dulock, what's your town named?"

Dulock rose his head. "Haystrings," he answered softly. "It's a few hours from Somnambula if you're trotting, and thirty minutes if you are flying. Go east of this village, and then follow the beaten path."

"But be careful," Moddy grimly chimed in. "We do not know where that beast is lurking. Be on your guard; that horrid monstrosity could appear out of nowhere."

Flare Brimstone wore a warm smile. "We will," she whispered. "I'm sorry for what happened to you both. Once the mission is concluded, you and your brother will be set free, and I'll forget what you both had done."

The two mares set out to Haystrings, exiting east of Somnambula. Flare Brimstone inhaled the arid breeze's air with a sigh of relief before stretching her limbs. Daring did the same.

"You ready?" Flare asked with a smile, trotting in place.

Daring Do rolled her eyes, pointing to her wings and Flare's bat-like variants. "You know we can fly, right? Open your wings, Flare," she bade to her eccentric bat friend.

Flare Brimstone looked at her wings gaily and shook her head merrily, saying, "Nah, I like galloping much better! Don't get me wrong, I do use my cute wings for other stuff, but I get a rush of adrenaline when I run!"

Daring Do groaned softly, rubbing her forehead. "Like you need it. You think you'll get there faster?"

Flare Brimstone nodded vehemently and extended her right hoof towards her adventurous ally. "I've gotten super fast since the last time you saw me a few years back, Dazzle," she winked with a sly look across her face. "Come on, let me show you!"

Flare Brimstone egged Daring Do with her right hoof, whom the pegasus was hesitant to hold knowing of her... bizarreness, but she couldn't refuse when the bat pony's eyes began to rapidly flutter seductively at her. Irked by Flare's incessant blinking, Daring Do begrudgingly obliged, and a part of her wishes she hadn't been persuaded so easily, but what's a mare to do?

With an odd squeal and a nutsy look most would call deranged; Flare Brimstone snatched Daring Do's hoof and zipped on the beaten path with reckless abandon, leaving nothing but dust as she blitzed. Daring Do couldn't believe the astronomical speed Flare was able to put out; everything was a colorful blur to the pegasus.

"Holy sweet Sun of Celestia! F-Flare, you crazy pony! Please slow down," Daring Do called out desperately. "I-I can't see anything!" Unfortunately, Daring Do's requests fell on deaf ears; Flare Brimstone was in the zone, and in her excitement, blocked out any noise, to Daring's dismay.

The mare wasn't getting any younger.

Flare Brimstone was so determined to figure out what this monster is, it filled her hooves with the speed that would put Rainbow Dash to shame. Five minutes, accompanied by shouts and screams from the bat pony's partner. That's all it took. The duo found themselves skidding across the rugged earth to a smooth swerve before finally coming to a halt.

Flare Brimstone cheerily skipped in place while Daring Do have an awestruck expression. She fixed her mane and gasped for air: She had to make a mental note to not allow Flare to get her way like that ever again, lest she shave years off her life.

The two mares focused their gaze upon the ruined state of Haystrings. Houses were broken down and the marketplace was a mess, but at least the residents of Haystrings were still around, although few and far between. With the market in a state of disrepair, it made sense for those who made a living as vendors go out the town to the other towns and villages stationed in Southern Equestria.

The two mares enter the town and begin to question the inhabitants about what they saw weeks ago. One stallion was approached by the mares and asked what had happened.

"Well," the stallion began, "the sky was dark, and it was storming when that thing came out of nowhere, screeching and hollering like mad. I thought the end times were upon us, I truly did. It was a monstrosity, however majestic, and I saw it cast magic that bombarded our homes." The stallion gestured to the houses that lay scattered across the town. "The harrowing beast sure made quick work of our quaint little town. We are still looking for any survivors."

Flare Brimstone took in the stallion's information and sighed heavily. It was nearly the same as Moddy's description. "Anything else?"

The stallion nodded. "It had razor-sharp fangs, hooves, four legs, a long tail, two curved horns that stretched to the back of its head, and it had fur that swayed chaotically amongst the storms. We hardly ever get storms here; there hasn't been a weather team here for months!"

Daring Do looked to Flare, who was soaking in the stallion's knowledge. "Should we ask another?"

Flare grinned at her friend. "Yeah," she said, turning to face the stallion. "Thanks for sharing your experience. Is there another pony here that might've seen the beast?"

The stallion mused Flare's question, and then an idea struck him. "Yeah, there is, but not a pony," he answered, gesturing his hoof towards a dilapidated home at the end of the village. "That's where the beast entered, near Maggy's home. She's an avian who witnessed the events two weeks ago. Talk with her and you'll get some more info."

The two mares appreciated the stallion's help and hurriedly made their way to Maggy's home. It was in a sorry state, but it is one of the only houses that still stood from the attack. They circled to the back of the house and saw Maggy sweeping the debris and approached her tentatively.

Maggy had a brown shirt, brown pants with a large brown hat, and black shades covering her eyes. She waved at Flare and Daring Do with a small smile. "The name's Maggy, a vendor from Saddle Arabia, but as you can see...I'm out of business at the moment. So is everypony else for that matter."

Flare stepped forward. "My name is Flare Brimstone, and this is Daring Do," the bat pony introduced to Maggy. "I work for Princess Celestia. My partner and I were wondering if you could tell us what you saw two weeks ago."

Maggy placed a claw on her beak and tapped it to recollect the event. She looked down at the ponies and says, "It was stormy that day, but there was no sign of any weather team around Haystrings. The wind picked up and it suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the beast, I mean, and it began to wreak havoc on the town. The thing screeched and magic poured from those curved horns. Its glowing eyes were large and golden-yellow, and the way it rampaged throughout the town...it was unstoppable. I've never seen anything like it before."

Flare Brimstone's eyes narrowed. Every bit of information is nearly the same: the storm, the magic, the size, the way it thundered through the town, and the destruction it left behind. The musing bat pony didn't want to confirm her thoughts, hoping it wasn't the case, but as the townsfolk continued to say otherwise, it seems to point in that direction.

Flare Brimstone thanked Maggy's cooperation as she and Daring Do leave the avian to her devices. From that, the two mares proceeded to question the townies before the duo congregated outside Haystrings.

Daring Do tapped Flare out of her concentration. "Care to share what's on your mind?"

Flare Brimstone sighed and ran her hoof down her mane before eying her friend with a firm nod. "The shift in nature; the storms, the magic, and the appearance we were able to gather from the locals all point to something I didn't want to be true," she whispered exasperatedly. "We may be dealing with a Xexion Clover Beast."

Daring Do was confused, asking, "Xexion Clover Beast?"

"In Northern Equestria, there is a place called Hunter's Ground that harbors many dangerous and deadly monsters found in and out of Equestria," Flare began to explain. "XCBs or Xexion Clover Beasts are found exclusively in Beasts' Dwelling, a massive forest Hunter's Ground oversees. Some ponies all over Equestria with talents for fighting go there to prove themselves to land a job as a bounty hunter/monster hunter.

"It's only been around for five years, and the occupation of a hunter of any kind is fairly new. Despite the purpose of Hunter's Ground and Beasts' Dwelling, there is a species of monster that no hunter, seasoned or not, especially alicorns, mess with unless it is completely necessary, and that's Xexion Clover Beasts."

Daring Do saw Flare Brimstone was visibly shaken and worried. "So, what are they doing there then if they're so dangerous?"

"Xexion Clover Beasts are an endangered species, and they reside in Beasts' Dwelling in a secluded area away from the other creatures to reduce the risk of aggravation," Flare answered, constantly rubbing her mane. "They are also studied by Canterlot Researchers under the supervision of the late president's daughter, Milly Mantle. They usually have certain machines and tech to help in their endeavors. I haven't been up there much at all.

"Xexion Clover Beasts are the most docile creatures in the world, and they often, from what I heard, don't mind when the Canterlot Researchers get near them for studying. However, if you make a gentle giant angry, the results could be disastrous. XCBs are one of the few creatures to wield magic, and they are magically and physically as powerful as an alicorn, and there are no more than twenty of them left in all of existence. If one goes on a rampage, it's almost impossible to calm one down. That's why I'm worried."

Daring Do was silent, trying to soak up all the information Flare had explained. "You have a very good reason to worry, and I'm guessing it's the fact one of those creatures somehow made its way to Southern Equestria?" Daring assumed.

Flare Brimstone affirmed her partner's thought. "It doesn't make any sense," she mumbled, continually rubbing her mane in a frenzy. "How the hay did an XCB manage to not only exit Beasts' Dwelling, but also travel down here?! They aren't ignorant creatures, they're very smart, but they live as a herd!"

"I haven't seen you like this. You're truly concerned, aren't you?"

"How can I not be?! We have an XCB on the loose! That creature is dangerous when angered, and judging from what information we gathered, it's royally peeved!" Flare Brimstone groaned and faced hooved. "Normally, I would be excited to take on one of these magnificent creatures, but the situation we're in is quite dire: There are citizens at stake here. This XCB, in particular, can just emerge and begin to wreak havoc."

Daring Do sighed and placed her hoof on Flare's face. "Relax. It's not like you to appear... troubled," she said in a low voice, tapping Flare's face. "So far, as we've seen, there's been no casualties. Put aside your concerns and let's figure this out."

Flare Brimstone took a deep breath and exhaled. "Thanks," she uttered. "It's not every day you get to go hunting for a Xexion Clover Beast! But we need to figure out how it even got down here in the first place. Any ideas?"

Daring Do mulled over Flare's query and decided that they should head back to Somnambula. Flare Brimstone agrees and the duo starts flying back to the village.

While the trip there has been kind of quiet with Flare trying to figure out the situation with the Xexion Clover Beast, Daring Do had decided to ask another question about the species.

"Flare," Daring began, tapping on her friend's back mid-flight, "why exactly are XCBs endangered? With all their power, how are they at risk of extinction?"

Flare pondered Daring's question before looking back at her compatriot. "When XCBs are young, they are weak and unable to defend themselves, more so than unicorn foals are," she answered, continuing to explain. "Their hide is soft, they don't have access to magic until they're older, and they have no signs of physical strength when born. It's best to get rid of the infant before it grows up enough to defend itself. Predators had an easy time with that and even, on scarce occasions, poachers."

"That's...a little morbid."

Flare Brimstone agreed. "Princess Celestia herded every single XCB and transported them personally with Princess Luna, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and even Princess Cadence from the Crystal Empire. Thankfully, XCBs are very cooperative, so moving them wasn't a difficult task, especially with the expert aid of a pegasus named Fluttershy. She made the process even easier from what I heard."

Daring Do was mildly whelmed. "That's a lot of security. Now we have to find out how one managed to get down here."

"It couldn't have done it alone. XCBs are social creatures and live in herds with their species," she explained plainly. "If one were by itself, it would be, at best, confused. It needs direction."

Daring's eyes narrowed as she pulled Flare's attention to something out in the distance. It was a giant sandstorm forming. Suddenly, the air around the mares began to shift, the sky was becoming dark and shrouded by clouds that came out of nowhere.

"What the hay is going on?!" Flare shouted.

Before the duo could discern what was happening, a green glint caught Flare's eye as a beam of emerald magic is directed at Daring Do. With little time to think, Flare Brimstone pushed her friend out the way as the beam collides and engulfs the bat pony's body, sending the sprawling mare plummeting to the ground with a large crash.

"Flare!" Daring Do cried out, descending to the ground. Daring fanned the dust away to see a small crater where Flare laid in: She was motionless. Daring hurriedly galloped to Flare Brimstone and tried to awaken her.

She shook and lightly slapped at Flare's body, but she wasn't responding. Cursing under her breath, Daring Do heard a monstrous screech that filled her ears with the worst pain imaginable as she yelled in distress. It rang incessantly in her ears, but Daring Do didn't relent, and she finally was able to awaken her friend, but not before falling to the ground in exhaustion. Flare sprung to life and looked that Daring Do was unconscious. With a large inhale, Flare Brimstone blitzed towards the disturbance, piercing through the sandstorm with sheer strength, and laid her eyes on the Xexion Clover Beast.

"Sun of Celestia," she uttered, astonished at the towering beast before her. A quick observation reveals that this XCB is merely a juvenile; a teenager, with something odd attached around its neck. "That shouldn't be there. Whatever that black object is, it may be agitating the XCB. I wonder what would happen if I removed it..."

With Daring Do temporarily out of commission, Flare Brimstone digs into her pocket and fishes out Nesotoc, who's still sleeping soundly.

Flare Brimstone was awestruck at how heavy a sleeper Nesotoc is. "This makes me wonder how well you guard my valuables at the shop," she jeered, booping the snake awake. With a cute yawn, Nesotoc springs to life. "Nessie, I need your assistance!"

Flare Brimstone directed the snake to the giant XCB in front of her. Nesotoc was unfazed. "Clover... beast. Unholy creature; an adversary; detestable rivals."

Flare was surprised. "You mean to tell me that this large beast is some lifelong enemy to your species?!"

Nesotoc nodded, its tongue flicking constantly from its mouth. "Direct me and I shall deliver."

"There's that odd object around the beast's neck," she pointed to the black thing with her hoof. "We're going to attempt to take it off and hopefully calm the creature down. You up for some action?"

Nesotoc chortled, saying, "Born ready."

Flare Brimstone displayed a wicked grin as she chucked Nesotoc into the air. Black smoke shrouded the snake as Nesotoc screeched, growing in size. The smoke clears and the snake towers over Flare Brimstone who whistles in amazement; it has been a little while since she's seen her friend take the big form.

She jumps onto Nesotoc's back and yelled, "Charge!" The snake slithers quickly around the XCB, who began to send a torrent of emerald lasers from its eyes with the intent to kill.

Luckily, Nesotoc was able to maneuver amongst the cascade of spells, whipping its tail around the right hind leg of the XCB, reeling back, and snapping forward into the air, landing safely on the giant's back.

"Nesotoc, just get me to that black object!" Flare directed with gusto. "Once I get a handle on the object, it'll be up to you to distract the giant!"

Nesotoc nodded, grabbing Flare Brimstone with its tail and flinging her forward at breakneck speed until the bat pony seized the giant black object, which, on closer inspection, is a type of fetter enclapsed tightly around the XCB's neck; the odd gyve was made up of metal. It's some type of tech... and it's ponymade, but who could have created these shackles? Flare has never seen something like this before, but that didn't matter at the moment.

The XCB bellowed angrily, snapping Flare out of her musing as the creature violently battled Nesotoc. Flare Brimstone was on a time limit; there may not be another chance to attempt to remove this black fetter. She punches and kicks the object to no avail. She tried pulling and lifting the object, but her endeavor had failed. There seemed to be no way to forcefully remove the object from the XCB, and Flare Brimstone had no answer to solve the problem.

Time was not on her side, and eventually, as she witnessed, Nesotoc being thrown into the earth with a large crash. Stunned seeing her companion hurt, Flare Brimstone was struck by an emerald blast of magic that sent her hurling into the ground, splitting the earth around her in a four-way fissure.

Hurriedly recovering from the crash, Flare Brimstone spat blood from her mouth to the ground as a wickedly fiery smile found its way on her face. She lurched and careened into the danger of the XCB; the monstrous beast lifting its hoof to smash the bat pony: Flare raises her front hooves to catch the beast's hoof. Immediately, the ground gave away and Flare fell into the earth, yet she still held the hoof of the XCB with all her strength. Her body ached, her eyes strained, and she felt the weight of the monster was stronger than Princess Luna's Tantabus by a wide margin. It was trying to kill her.

The lowly rumble of the reverberations from the creature's attack awoke Daring Do, who turned her attention to the beast. She saw the ground beginning to be torn sunder and ripple wildly as an ocean's turbulent billow. She looked around to find Flare Brimstone, but she was nowhere to be seen, most likely fighting the XCB, and by the looks of it, she was losing.

What could Daring Do hope to accomplish? Sure, she was strong and dexterous, but she could not compete in any physical prowess against Flare. If anything, she'd only get in the way, but she couldn't just stand there and let her bat pony pal struggle against that XCB. Without further delay, Daring Do flew quickly towards the fight, but only to stop after getting a clearer view of the beast's body, especially its neck.

"I've seen that before but from where?" she pondered. The black fetter clutching around the beast's neck sent Daring Do's mind racing, and that's when it hit her. "Caballeron! I should have known!"

Basking in her sudden revelation, Daring Do gets caught off guard as Flare Brimstone yelled at the top of her lungs, pushing the giant XCB back. Daring witnesses Flare blitzing out of the large crater in a wicked blur, punching the face of the XCB as the force of each impact rippled in the air. The immense physical feat sent the XCB toppling towards the ground.

Daring Do saw Flare's mane and coat disheveled; she was sweaty with a crazed ire, her slit pupils were shimmering, and her ears swiveled constantly, trying to hear unexpected sounds. Flare momentarily shifted her gaze to Daring Do and darted in front of her ally.

"Good to see you awake," the bat pony said quietly. "There's a black object around the XCB's neck, and I assume it's making the beast go mad. I've been trying to remove it, but it won't budge. Right now, I will attempt to weaken the beast and try again to remove the object when I have a chance."

Daring Do was almost unnerved by not only Flare's appearance, but the way she talked with such coldness in her voice was worrisome. The pegasus quickly abated her friend's attempt by saying, "I know what that device is, or rather, I know who it belongs to," she told her batty companion. "It's from a merc named Caballeron, one of my enemies. He probably stole the device to control an XCB, and for what reason? To take his revenge on me."

Flare Brimstone's eyes narrowed with contempt. "He's that thief and attempted murderer," she replied coldly, her hoof scraping at the earth in agitation. "Do you know where he might be?"

"Not exactly," Daring replied, seeing her bat pony pal frustrated with her answer. "However, I do know that he has to be in range to control the beast; he's hiding somewhere close by. Keep the XCB occupied, and I'll track down, confront, and takedown Caballeron. We passed a rainforest during our... speedy travel to Haystrings. I'll look there."

Flare nodded. "Good deal," she said, turning her gaze towards the large crater. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this."

"Don't worry about it. Let's get this done. You ready?"

Flare smiled. "I am." Flare Brimstone called out to Nesotoc as it rose from the earth and slithered over to the bat pony. Daring was awestruck. "Nessie, new plan. We'll keep the beast occupied while my friend tracks down the one responsible. Ready to go?"

"Yes," it said, ushering Flare to climb on its back. She did and ordered Nesotoc to charge toward the XCB. The crew parted ways. Daring Do heads off to the rainforest to find Caballeron hidden within.

Daring Do whips through the trees with expertise, flawlessly swinging on vines and weaving by the foliage, and occasionally taking down/escaping a few tigers and other animals of the like during her search for her old enemy. She tirelessly searched high and low until her frantic scouring leads her to an abandoned, dilapidated hovel barely standing against the rot of time.

Hopefully, Daring Do will confront Caballeron. Forward she goes, smashing down the grimy door and trekking within the dark, shady hovel. It was a dry smell as dust flittered in the air when Daring Do hear the cackling of a stallion further in the slum of a home. Wary, Daring Do exercised caution until she met the source of the cackling. A gruff stallion sat in the middle of the room grasping a small device that conveyed the fight currently taking place with Flare and the XCB.

"That troublesome agent has too much on her plate, removing her from my plan worked," he confessed, laughing gaily. "But it seems my scheme to draw out Daring Do has already succeeded, and what's left is the main event." Caballeron turns to meet Daring's glowering, ire-filled gaze. "Welcome, Daring Do. It's a displeasure to see you alive and well. Come in, make your hate comfortable."

Daring Do refused, thinking that Caballeron set up traps to harm her, but he chuckled at the pegasus. "There's no foul play here, I assure you, not that it's necessary," he said, raising from the dirty floor. "You're wasting valuable time standing there, Daring, so come and step inside."

Daring Do reluctantly stepped forth and entered Caballeron's room. "What have you done?! Answer me!" she demanded with a stomp on the floor.

Caballeron smirked. "I snuck into Beasts' Dwelling, coerced a gullible Xexion Clover Beast into following me away from its pack, and forced it to wear the Mind Ring."

"I knew it," Daring Do said angrily. "I've seen it only twice, but for you to acquire one... how did you? You aren't smart enough to build that thing."

"You're right, so I stole it from those Canterlot Researchers in Hunter's Ground. Those fools left something so powerful unguarded... what a joke!"

"Caballeron," Daring uttered threateningly, "deactivate the Mind Ring and I promise I won't break most of your bones."

Caballeron shook his head dejectedly. "Not until you give me what I want."

"I wasn't asking, you rat."

"The fire in your eyes is exactly what I want. It's just us. Here. Alone. Only hatred of the other exists here, and that's what I want."

Daring raised a brow. "What are you suggesting?"

"That we have one last fight. I'm sick and tired of you ruining everything, so I'm going to make sure that this time, once and for all, you will never stand in my way again!"

Daring huffed and smiled. "Attempted murderer to murderer, huh?" she quipped. "Fine. I'm sick of you as well."

Caballeron cackled madly. "My last act of mercy is allowing you to breathe in your final moments but let me ask you something. Would you kill to save your friend?"

Daring Do didn't answer as Caballeron took out a serrated knife from his pocket. He sharpened it and stared at the pegasus with a vicious ire. "You'll have to make a decision. It's me or you. How far will the famous Daring Do go to save a pony she cares for?" Caballeron marched forward as Daring trod back. "A dream will end before the evening fades to black!"

Caballeron zips over to Daring Do and swipes at her with the knife. The pegasus dodged her enemy's attack and countered with a push. She dashes forward and uses her tail to wrap around the knife, struggling to disarm Caballeron as he retaliates.

"You won't get out of this situation like you always do! You will make a choice, Daring Do!" Caballeron yelled, bucking Daring into a wall as a yelp escaped her lips.

Caballeron runs up to Daring and attempts to jab the knife in her side, but Daring was able to use her tail to grip the knife. Her endeavor to slow the speed of the knife fails and it slowly makes contact with her flesh as a suppressed scream built inside her throat.

"Heroes do bleed; you will rue the times you hadn't killed me when the chances presented themselves," Caballeron said with the knife slowly digging into Daring's body. "It seems that I will win our final fight!"

In an instant, Daring Do removed the knife with all her strength and headbutts Caballeron to the ground as she fell as well.

"Caballeron... you are a fool," Daring whispered, clutching her seething wound with her hoof. "All this just for revenge. You can't come back from this. You've cracked..."

Caballeron laughs at Daring's words, and he agrees wholeheartedly. "What's the point of stealing if you are just going to stop me? I can't tell how many schemes I concocted to eliminate you, but all of them never mattered because you always came out on top. So, I came up with the plan of all plans, and I forced you to find me. It's such a simple plan: a knife to the throat or gut. And it's going well so far," gesturing to Daring Do's wound.

The pegasus needed to end this quickly; she has to get that Mind Ring deactivated. She rushes and collides with Caballeron as they continued fighting. A punch here, a kick there accompanied by pained grunts and wincing, the two foes fought for ten minutes straight until finally Caballeron staggers from his injuries and drops the knife. Acting quickly, Daring Do painfully snatches the knife and impales Caballeron's chest, pushing him against a wall as the knife deepens beneath his flesh.

A burning, seething pain shoots through Caballeron as he howls in pain, punching Daring Do's body, but each strike became weaker and slower. Daring lets Caballeron go as his body slumps down and his head hits the floor in a heavy thud.

Daring Do stepped away from Caballeron, taking in every labored breath she could muster. It was done. She stopped him... but she felt awful.

"Caballeron?" Daring called out cautiously, inching herself over his body. She saw faint movement; he was alive. "Thank Celestia. Now, let's put an end to that Mind Ring."

Daring Do trots over to the device and manages to turn off the Mind Ring controlling the XCB. On the screen, she saw the beast fall to the ground in exhaustion. She watched as Flare Brimstone plopped on the ground next to it with Nesotoc following suit. It was over, a sigh of relief exited Daring's mouth before she smashed the device.

"Now I have to worry about this wound and Caballeron... just my luck."

Daring Do stumbled out of the hovel and carefully made her way back to the dirt road where she saw Flare Brimstone nuzzling and booping Nesotoc lovingly. The pegasus called out to Flare as she flew beside her.

"What happened to you?!" Flare Brimstone cried out in surprise. "Did that no-good Caballeron do this?!"

Daring rubbed her mane, saying, "Yeah, he did, but trust me, he's worse for wear right now."

"If you say so. Tell me about the black object around the XCB."

Daring Do said that the object is called a Mind Ring and that she's seen it on her adventures before. It's an ancient magical band that latches firmly on a living creature and gives control to the user. It can even grow in size to accommodate the wearer. However, Daring pointed out that this one, in particular, is ponymade and infused magic along with technology, allowing the user to remotely control the recipient's mind completely. It's typically used for certain species of animals for the sake of safe and secure experimentation, no matter how violent or friendly the creature(s) is.

Daring Do explained that she smashed the device that was controlling the XCB, effectively severing the ring's influence entirely. Until a new device is created for that ring, it is nothing more than a useless piece of scrap.

"Whew... everything took a left turn so quickly that's it's hard to process, but somehow we made it here."

Daring Do chuckled before wincing at her wound. "Argh... so what now?"

Flare ponders Daring's question before concluding. "I need to send a letter to Princess Celestia informing her what happened here. She should send some guards to collect what remains of that thief."

Daring nodded. "And then what about the XCB?"

"I'll have to request Her Radiance if the animal expert, Fluttershy, would be willing to help escort the XCB back to Beasts' Dwelling. I'll have to mention the Mind Ring as well since it came from the Canterlot Researchers stationed in Hunter's Ground. After that, the rest is history; Princess Celestia will oversee everything else."

"Sounds like a plan," Daring Do said, slowly sitting on the ground. "I need to get this wound looked at... and you need a bath."

Flare Brimstone sighed. "I don't look too bad, right? Few bruises here and there, some bleeding in places I can't see, but I'm just fine."

"I forget how tolerated you are to pain, and how hard-headed you so easily brush off your injuries. Be careful, that'll get you seriously hurt or worse," the pegasus warned, playfully punching Flare's right foreleg.

Flare dismissively waved off Daring's concerns with a lazy hoof in the air. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Let's ride on Nesotoc back to Somnambula and get ourselves cleaned up. After, I'll head back to the XCB while you release the thieves from the afternoon."

And the day passed them by. Around Midnight, Princess Celestia had sent an entire squadron of guards to collect Caballeron from his hovel. Fluttershy arrived with the guards and made her way to Flare Brimstone and Daring Do and introduced herself, amped and ready to comfort the XCB.

The guards eventually met up with the duo, seeing Caballeron restrained within a glowing yellow cage. He is to present himself to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna to discuss his punishment, and once Princess Celestia finds out what he did, especially to Flare Brimstone when enacting his final plan, Caballeron will have wished he never met Her Radiance.

Moddy and Dulock were released and were told that a weather team will be around Haystrings and other parts of Southern Equestria to give the region its long-awaited rainfall tomorrow evening. Also, they were informed that an architect and a group of builders will be sent out to help with the repair and reconstruction of Haystrings. The brothers went to Haystrings to tell the rest of the village the good news.

Daring Do's wounds were treated expertly by one of the guards and then patched up finely. Flare Brimstone was treated as well, but despite the injuries she had sustained fighting the XCB, most of the inflicted damage had mysteriously been alleviated hours before the squadron of guards showed up. To her non-existent chagrin, Flare Brimstone kept quiet about how she ministered her wounds without the aid of medical supplies, and she was not questioned.

With the whole ordeal finally coming to a close, Daring Do and Flare Brimstone shared a heartfelt embrace as the guards made their way back to the capital and Fluttershy slowly encouraged the XCB on their journey to Hunter's Ground and Beasts' Dwelling.

"You should probably meet up with Fluttershy shortly, Flare. She'll need aid in keeping the Xexion Clover Beast on track," Daring Do said plainly.

Flare nodded. "You're right. What are you going to do now, Dazzle?"

Daring tapped her chin with her hoof and an idea came to light. "I'm taking a step down from all the danger, maybe travel to the more... peaceful places Equestria has to offer since I'm in retirement. Although I might reconsider after the adventure."

Flare Brimstone laughed before checking her pocket and seeing a cute Nesotoc slumbering soundly. With a small sigh, she gently put him back in her pocket and bid Daring Do farewell as the bat pony caught up to Fluttershy and the XCB.

Until the next Adventure of Flare Brimstone.