Idol Hooves's time off with his daughter is interrupted by the pursuits of a past-plundering pegasus.
From the back cover of Daring Do and the Return of King Kookaracha by A.K. Yearling:
In a blast from Daring's past, King Kookaracha returns to confront our intrepid adventurer, and this time he has a daughter! The king wishes to get revenge from Daring for the loss of the cursed chalice by making her reveal the whereabouts of a temple which he believes holds the power he would need to form an unstoppable empire.
However, in a surprise turn of events, King Kookaracha and Daring Do soon find themselves teaming up when the king's daughter is kidnapped by a mysterious foe. Will the duo be able to save the king's daughter and beat the kidnapper to the secrets that lie within the temple?
Given that this is a spin-off of VDrake77's The Changeling of the Guard, reading said story is highly recommended for both context and entertainment, though not strictly necessary in order to understand what is going on.
Prologue: Prologue of Daring Do and the Return of King Kookaracha
Daring Do held on tight to the rope which hung between her and the depths as Ahuizotl plummeted to his defeat.
Darn… that one was too close, Daring thought as she began to climb her way back up. Once on solid ground, she got a knife out of her saddlebag and began to cut through the ropes which bound her wings. You’d think I’d not fall for that trap another time, but no! I did it again!
Now free of the ropes, she trudged onwards through the mud and thicket of the jungle, heading into the area where her foe had fiercely resisted her investigations. Eventually she reached a clearing with a massive temple!
Taking note of a lack of creatures defending the structure, Daring approached the apparent entrance. Sealed, Daring noted, is there another way in? She took a flight around the temple and noted none. Returning back to the entrance, she took closer a look. A carving of a ponylike creature wearing a crown and holding a cup approaching a throne. The throne appears to be illuminated. Is this a palace? A temple? A tomb?
On the doorway was a panel slightly larger than her own hoof. Daring considered whether or not the panel could trigger something. Could be a way in, could be trap, Daring thought, But I’m not Daring Do if I don’t! Reaching out, Daring touched the panel, only to feel a sharp and sudden pain.
Ouch! Daring yanked her arm back from the electrifying panel far quicker than she had placed it. Fortunately for her, the pain stopped as she did so.
A buzzer of some sort, with quite the sting but fortunately not lethal. Huh, perhaps I should be more careful when touching things? On the other hand, I-
The structure spoke, interrupting Daring’s thoughts in a language few besides her were familiar with, “Inside lies the blessing of the worthy… It awaits the one who has acquired the cup.”
The cup? What cup, exactly? Daring took a closer look at the carving at the entrance. Cup… now that I think about it, that cup looks familiar...
Daring realized where she had seen that cup. “King Kookaracha? No, I thought the curse would have prevented him from coming back… unless…” Daring’s eyes widened as she considered the implications “He’s still around despite the curse of the chalice? Where is he then?”
After considering the possibilities for a while, Daring began to make her way out of the jungle. “I suppose I should start searching.”
In the nearby jungle, another pony listened in. Rubbing his chin, he noted, “King Kookaracha? Huh… sounds like I’ll be doing some searching of my own.”
“- and with a few careful words you successfully derailed a multi-year plot to write into law a cartel in the cake industry! All the while, the parties involved have been none the wiser on who caused the rift in their alliance. Well done, Cersus! I must say-”
Having reached the end of the hall from which the voice emanated, I gently knocked with chitin hoof upon the door from which the voice emanated.
“- that your performance during our few sessions together has been exemplary.” The door opened to reveal two unicorns, one larger and one smaller, the latter of whom leapt into my hooves and embraced me.
“Idol!”
“Hello, Cersus.”
“Good morning, Sergeant Hooves, I suppose that you are on leave from your service to the Crystal Empire?”
Gently putting Cersus down, I turned to the prince in name and offered a quick bow before I spoke, “Indeed, Prince Blueblood, I am. Unfortunately, I must take Cersus away from you for a moment. Princess Celestia has requested her presence alongside mine soon as is convenient.”
He nodded in acknowledgement. “That will not be a problem at all, we were just in the process of wrapping up for today.” He smiled. “Besides, she is your daughter, who am I to keep you from her?”
“A prince, sir?”
With exaggerated flair and a grandiose wave of the hoof, he exclaimed, “Why indeed, peon!” before relaxing and allowing himself a small chuckle, “Anywho, have a lovely rest of day, the both of you.”
“You as well.”
“Goodbye, Mister Blueblood!” Cersus waved he closed the door.
Upon exiting the premises and entering the street, I asked Cersus a question. “I see that you are not red, Ce- Lady Redcoat?”
She turned to look at me, with eyebrow raised and feigned haughty tone, “I see that Prince Blueblood is not blue, Sergeant Hooves?” She walked past me, onwards to the castle.
As followed behind her, I considered her question, then accepted her point as an oddity of the Pony vernacular.
“Your Highness, Lady Redcoat.”
Princess Celestia waited for the Throne Room doors to close behind us before she spoke. “Hello Cersus, how was your lesson with Blueblood today?”
Cersus smiled as she dropped her Lady Redcoat disguise. “Great! I saved your cakes, Princess Celestia!”
Princess Celestia laughed. “Oh, you evil filly, enabling my bad habits! What could I ever pay you back with? Hmm… Oh I know, there is a Daring Do convention in town this weekend, and I have tickets which I cannot use! Would you like to visit with your father?”
Cersus jumped up and down with glee. “Tickets to the Daring Do convention? Would I?”
“They are all yours, so long as your father says yes!”
Cersus turned to look at me. “C’mon Idol, please?”
I nodded. “If it is her highness’s will.”
“Yes!” As Cersus celebrated, the princess levitated the tickets over to us.
“That is settled then! I will send a messenger to Blueblood to inform him of your upcoming absence.” Princess Celestia clapped her hooves together. “Now, it would be lovely if the two of you would join me for lunch. But first, Idol, may I have a moment to speak with you in private?”
“I am at your service, your highness.”
“Thank you, Idol.” Princess Celestia took a moment to address The Nymph. “Cersus, please feel free to head onwards to the dining hall, we will not be long.”
“Ok!” Returning to her Redcoat disguise, Cersus turned to leave. Once she had disappeared behind the doors, I returned my attention to Princess Celestia.
“I would perhaps think it more fitting for Cersus to attend the convention alongside her friends?”
Princess Celestia smiled. “Perhaps so, but when you mentioned earlier that you were unsure of how you would spend time with your daughter, I thought of this as an opportunity for the two of you to spend time together!”
I nodded. “That is fair. I do believe my charge would enjoy it.”
“I believe she would.” Princess Celestia paused as if to consider something before continuing. “Idol, I can’t help but notice that you continue to call her your charge. Is there a reason you do not wish to call her your daughter, beyond it perhaps being a changeling practice?”
I responded, “It is a practice among my people, yes, yet that is not why I am hesitant to call her my daughter…” I took a moment to determine how to best express my feelings. “… I certainly care about her wellbeing, your highness, but I cannot help but consider how I am far from perfect… I suppose that I feel like I am unworthy of calling her so. I have failed her before, and I fear I shall do so again.”
“Well Idol, it is not abnormal for parents to question whether or not they are doing a good job of raising their foals.”
Princess Celestia continued. “I understand that you may have feel like you have failed before. I can say I feel that way too with regards to my sister. However, would you suggest that either of us would be happier if we distanced ourselves from one another?”
I responded, “I do not, your highness. I would not say I am distancing myself from my charge, however, so much as… hesitating to become too close for fear of hurting her”
Princess Celestia nodded. “I understand. Yet, keeping your distance has the potential to hurt your loved ones more. In my case, I fear it led to my sister's disappearance a thousand years ago..."
"... I suppose it is quite silly that I am dwelling on my own failures while lecturing you on not doing so for yours." Princess Celestia shook her head and that dwelling out of her mind. "Nonetheless, the point I want to get to is that, my sister and I will find places where we disagree or misunderstand each other, yet in the end we both care and do our best to be there for one another.”
Princess Celestia stood up to go join my charge in the kitchens and beckoned for me to follow. “I hope you will think about it while you spend time with your daughter throughout the next few days.”
“I shall do my best, your highness.”
After lunch, I left the castle alongside my charge. She, now assuming her more frequented Redshock disguise, seemed as excited as a good changeling could allow themselves to be.
“-ooh and I hear that A. K. Yearling herself is going to be there! I might be able to get some books signed! Daring Do’s Adventure Awaits, Daring Do and the Cursed Chalice, Oh- do you think Topaz would mind if I got her copy of Eternal Flower signed? Also, Daring Do and the…”
The Cursed Chalice…
It was clear that Yearling was familiar in some magnitude with Daring Do’s exploits, and that Celestia was curious about the original cup. I wondered if Daring might have been able to suggest some replacements. It would be an appropriate way for thank Princess Celestia for her help, both for this opportunity to spend time with my charge and for watching all her little ponies over the years.
After checking into the convention, my charge brought us to a panel discussion titled “Daring Do and the Big Fat Plothole? Investigating Inconsistencies in the Series”.
“Ok! Now it’s your turn, Groom! What plot point did you bring for us today?” The pony moderating the panel addressed an earth pony stallion who promptly revealed the cover of the book he had picked out to the audience.
“Thank you, Mister Bloom, today I have picked out Daring Do and the Eternal Flower. I want to focus on one particular scene in Chapter Six. When Daring Do confronts the Doctor and learns that he has sold the Everleaf to Ahuizotl, she is offered help from one of his assistants, Rosy Thorn. You all remember this scene, yes?”
There were a few murmurs of affirmation from the crowd. “Well, my question is this: The Doctor is portrayed as a dishonorable merchant who would sell off others at a drop of a hat, so why would he allow Daring Do to simply walk off with one of his employees? If you have ever led a team at work or elsewhere, you would know that replacing someone can be a massive headache. In the Doctor’s case, he would have to train someone in wilderness survival, archaeological excavation, weapons management…”
Groom let out a polite cough. “Anyways, my point is that it seems contradictory to me that Daring Do could have a massive fight with the Doctor in one encounter then walk off with one of his employees in the next, with no struggle whatsoever.”
“Interesting. Are you suggesting, perhaps, that Cah… Calla… Ca-”
“Doctor Caballeron”
Bloom nodded. “-Yes, thank you. Are you suggesting that Doctor Caballeron may have, I don’t know… perhaps… that he let Daring Do walk off with one of his henchponies in exchange for something?”
Groom shrugged. “Maybe, it may very well be a case of an unreliable narrator who portrays the protagonist as positively as possible and, likewise, portrays her rivals in as negative a light as possible.”
“I see. But doesn’t the narrator recognize when Daring Do makes a mistake?”
“I suppose she does. But it is always a mechanical error like ‘I didn’t tie the knot tight enough!’ and never a personal one like ‘I completely underestimated this stallion!’.”
Groom smiled, though his emotions tasted slightly of anger rather than happiness. “But who knows? It could be many other things as well. It could even be possible that the narrator made up the connection between the Doctor and Rosy Thorn. It could be that Rosy Thorn never associated with the Doctor in the first place, and had been following Daring Do the whole time and waited until that encounter between the Doctor and herself to emerge from the thicket and offer her assistance. Who knows besides Daring Do and the narrator who tells the story?”
Bloom rubbed his chin. “Fascinating speculation. But, speculation is just so, and unfortunately it is quickly deviating from the subject of this panel, so we shall move on for the time being. Next up, we have Quibble Pants. Quibble, what would you like to share with us today?”
As I exited the obstacle course, I made my way to the timekeeper to determine how well I had performed. To my chagrin, she had not been entirely impressed despite my efforts to navigate the challenge with great haste at my charge’s request.
“Well… you would have set a record time, but you disqualified yourself during the rope swinging portion. Soooo, I’m not supposed to count that.”
I responded, “I do not see why there would be a problem with how I handled that obstacle. I saw a path through and used it.”
“I mean… you did make your way through, I guess, buuut… you’re not supposed to go through the quicksand. You’re supposed to go over? I mean, that the ropes are for.”
“The sand did appear not to be quicksand. It was perfectly fine to walk across.”
“… Yeah, but… it’s.. supposed to represent it? As in if it was real quicksand, you would have drowned?”
I took a moment to consider my own abilities. “I believe I could have made my way through quicksand.”
“… I don’t know if I believe that. Maybe if you were an earth pony or had the right cutie mark... Regardless, in the spirit of the contest you were supposed to swing on the ropes, so I’m sorry. I can’t count your time.”
I nodded in acceptance of the mare’s ruling. “Very well.” I took solace in the knowledge that my charge had done quite well when she ran the course before me and would have done even better if she had been more accustomed to maneuvering when her wings were bound.
“I really enjoyed the panel, it was really interesting how that third panelist… Quibble? How he worked through the dialogue in the Razor of Dreams to point out a contradiction in the Daring Do timeline! It was a shame about the obstacle course though. If you hadn’t been disqualified, I think you could’ve won, even with the additional time you would need to spend on the rope swing!”
“Next!” The stallion managing the line beckoned us forwards.
I turned my attention to the A.K. Yearling’s table as my charge and I approached her. As my gaze landed on the author herself, we made eye contact for a brief moment before she directed her attention to my charge.
“Hello there, what’s your name?”
“Hi Miss Yearling, I’m Redshock and I’m a huge fan of Daring Do!”
“Hello Redshock! I’m happy that you enjoy the series! Is your dad a fan too? His King Kookaracha cosplay is really convincing! I love the detail in his cutie mark; it looks just like the real thing!”
“Cosplay? Mister Hooves isn’t cosplaying.”
“Huh?” A.K. Yearling did a double take before her eyes rested upon me.
“This is indeed my regular appearance,” I confirmed.
“Oh… Okay, my apologies!” A.K. Yearling released a fleeting bit of embarrassment, before returning her attention to my charge. “So! What am I signing for you today?”
“This!” Cersus pulled out her copy of Daring Do and the Cursed Chalice.
“Ok! Are you looking for a signature, or a message?...”
As Cersus began to answer A.K. Yearling’s question, I considered how to ask the author about enlisting the help of her adventurer acquaintance. I supposed that it would perhaps be difficult to find her outside of this designated time.
“… Signed, A.K. Yearling.” The author handed the book back to my charge.
“Thank you, Miss Yearling!”
“My pleasure, now have a great day the both of y-”
“You mentioned my cutie mark?”
A.K. Yearling turned to look at me. “-ou… Uh. Yes, why?”
I answered as my charge began to wander off, “It is a cup which I loved dearly. It was lost in an altercation and I would appreciate your assistance in finding a replacement.”
A.K. Yearling’s emotions tasted of confusion. “Oh… Well, I wish you the best of luck, but I don’t think I could be of much help.”
I leaned in closer before I responded. “Perhaps so, but I believe you know someone who may… Perhaps, I could also let the two of you examine my cutie mark more closely. I suspect she may not have been able to get a good look during our prior encounter.”
Her eyes flitted back and forth between my cutie mark and my face, and as confusion shifted to surprise and her eyes widened, I received a tap on the shoulder and turned to see the stallion in charge of the line.
“Excuse me sir, but you’re holding up the line. Also, it is hardly appropriate to approach someone like that in publi-”
“What name can I call you by?” I turned back to A.K. Yearling as she took a piece of paper from her desk and started writing on it.
“My name is Idol Hooves, Miss Yearling.”
A.K. Yearling nodded as she continued to write for a few more seconds. Once done, she looked back to me and offered me the piece of paper.
“This is the address of the hotel I am staying in. Would you be free around nine?”
As I accepted the paper, I took a moment to figure that my charge would most likely be done with the convention’s events for the day before I confirmed, “Yes, I believe that should work.”
The author nodded again. “Ok, I’ll let the reception know that I am expecting a guest around then. I’ll see you soon.”
“I look forward to it, Miss Yearling.” I gave a quick bow before I turned to leave. As I did so, I noticed that the line manager that was radiating embarrassment, face flushed.
“Please accept my apologies for holding up the line, sir,” I offered to him before I moved to where Cersus was waiting.
“What? But? Um…” The stallion shook his head as if to remove whatever he was struggling to articulate from his mind, though the embarrassment continued to linger. “Next!”
I thought it quite curious.
Once I caught up to Cersus, she asked, “What was that about, Idol?”
“I was just looking to get a gift for Princess Celestia,”
“Oh, okay… Lunch?”
I nodded.
“Great! Anyways, it was really cool getting to meet Miss Yearling! I really like that she…”
And as our conversation continued, so did our day.
The remainder of our day passed rather uneventfully; we attended a few more events before heading out for dinner. Afterwards, we went to our hotel, where I convinced Cersus to go to bed early in order to be on time for the start of the next day of the convention.
After putting Cersus to bed, I made my way out to meet with Miss Yearling, arriving at the address that she had provided around fifteen minutes prior to the offered meeting time. Upon reaching the destination, however, I realized that Miss Yearling had not written down a place within the hotel at which to meet her. I entered, and after taking a brief look around the lobby to confirm that she was not waiting for me there, I made my way to the receptionist’s desk.
The receptionist smiled as she greeted me. “Good evening, Sir. Welcome to the First Resorts Hackneigh. How may I help you tonight?”
“Good evening to you as well, Miss-“ I glanced at her nameplate. ”-Bell. I was invited to meet with Miss A. K. Yearling this evening at nine. However, I am afraid that she did not offer a more specific location for our meeting. May I ask where I can find her?”
The receptionist smiled politely. “I am sorry sir. In order to protect the privacy of our guests, I cannot offer confirmation or the location of anyone unless they call ahead and confirm that they are receiving visitors.”
I frowned, but offered up the note which Miss Yearling had provided. “If it would help, this is the note on which she wrote the address of this hotel”.
The receptionist frowned. “That is not sufficient for me to offer confirmation. It is the responsibility of any guest to call ahead and-” A phone rang from behind the receptionist’s desk. “-inform us about incoming visitors. Please excuse me, I have to take this call.”
The receptionist picked up the phone. “Good evening, this is the receptionist speaking, how may I help you? … I see… Could you describe what this guest looks like? … He was actually asking for you just now, may I send him up at this time?... Offer him a room card as well? … Oh… I will let him know. Have a great evening as well.”
The receptionist hung up and turned back to me, with the faintest blush. “Fortunately, it appears that said guest just offered confirmation that you are to meet with her.”
“Yes, fortunate indeed. I would certainly not wish to disappoint.”
The receptionist considered me for a moment before nodding slowly. “May I have a name, sir?”
“Idol Hooves.”
I watched as the receptionist proceeded to set up a hotel key before offering it to me in a hoof-sized folder.
“Inside of the folder is the room number and key. You may find the elevators to the left. A complimentary breakfast will be available at the restaurant to your right between six and ten in the morning. May I help you with anything else?”
“No, that shall suffice. Have a great evening, Miss Bell.”
“You have a great evening as well, Sir.”
Having received the number of the room in which to find Miss Yearling, I took the elevator and followed the signs on the walls as I made my way through the halls to meet her. Eventually, I found the door with a brass number plate matching the one listed inside of the folder the receptionist had provided, and knocked.
Shortly after, I heard a faint “Come in!”. I proceed to put the key into the card slot, the door offering a confirming buzz as it unlocked.
I opened the door and entered into a small living room with a coffee table surrounded by a set of chairs. I could see a series of doors and a kitchenette visible further down the hall as well.
However, strangely enough, there was nobody visible in the apartment, and I could not sense any emotions either, except from… above?
As I turned my head upwards, I saw a blur descending upon me from above the doorframe. I leapt forwards to limit the assailant’s strike to a glancing blow; if not for my prior sparring with the Element of Loyalty, I may have been put to the floor entirely by this ambush.
Quickly repositioning myself to face the attacker, I was soon able to identify the golden pegasus who struck me (and, I suppose, struck me) as someone I had not encountered for years. I looked at her person and took note of the crossbow in her hooves.
“My apologies Miss Do, but I believe I am supposed to be meeting with Miss Yearling. Though your attendance is certainly not unwelcome, so long as Miss Yearling is okay with it I-”
Daring Do repositioned the aim the crossbow she wielded from the floor up to my head. “Drop the act! What do you want?”
I offered a raised eyebrow. “Well, first of all, Miss Do, I would appreciate it if you would put the crossbow down.”
The pegasus only scowled. “What? You think I’ll let my guard down just like that?”
“If you do not, I may be obligated to act as a member of Equestria’s security forces and arrest you for threatening an officer of the law,” I informed her. She would have received a firm talking-to in one of the holding cells of Princess Celestia’s castle. Given her status as a literary hero, however, she most likely would have been let off with just a warning. Fortunately so, I recognized, because I would never hear the end of it from the nymph if I put her favorite adventurer in jail for an extended period of time.
“You’ve infiltrated the guard? What for?” Daring Do scowled harder. “Are you trying to get your revenge by taking over Equestria and commandeering the guard to search for the temple? Well, you better give up now, because as soon as Princess Celestia hears from me about your stupid flank, you’ll be outed!”
“I believe you shall find that Her Highness is more than familiar with me and my ‘stupid flank’,” I corrected her.
Daring Do balked. “Y-you’ve seduced the princess like you tried to seduce me, with your domineering powers?... That is… That’s evil! Were you going to infiltrate the royal family and install your daughter as the Evil Bug Empress of Equestria?”
It was my turn to balk. “No. It would be entirely inappropriate for someone of my stature to consider her highness in such a manner. And, to my knowledge, I do not possess any ‘domineering powers’… though I suppose I could selectively amplify or suppress emotions in others…”
Daring Do’s eyebrows tightened. “I’m not sure that helps your case here.”
“Perhaps not, and I have in accordance told the princesses of my concerns about the danger I may pose to the kingdom’s security, especially in the wake of the Changeling invasion. Yet, while I would refrain from bringing into question the judgement of the princesses, they determined that I am somehow trustworthy, and instead promoted me to a leadership position of all things, in the Crystal Empire.”
“Huh… Hold on, Changelings? Crystal Empire?” Daring Do asked.
My own eyebrows rose. “The newly-revealed peoples and nation.”
“Oh… I see… you will have to explain to me what those are… I really should have my editor update me on current events.” She murmured as she gestured to the chairs in the room. She cleared her throat. “Please feel free to get comfortable”
“I am inclined to believe that having a weapon brandished towards one’s head is typically a hinderance towards becoming comfortable.”
Daring Do looked at me for a moment before smirking. “True, but I only invited you to do so. Besides, I can’t know for certain that you aren’t just trying to get my guard down.” She lowered the crossbow down to my barrel, a retargeting towards an easier part of the body to hit in a fight, perhaps, but a gesture I was ready to recognize as a concession towards my own observation. I accepted such with one of my own, offering a small nod before calmly taking a seat, hopefully conveying to her that I had arranged this meeting in good faith, but remaining alert nonetheless and making sure not to let her out of my sight in turn.
Daring Do proceeded to take a seat across from me, still maintaining her aim with the crossbow but taking her hoof off of the trigger. “So, what can you tell me about changelings and the Crystal Empire? How are they related?”
“Well, despite both of them appearing to the public around the same time as one another, they are, for a large part, unrelated...” I proceeded to inform her on what I knew about changelings and the Crystal Empire that did not go beyond publicly-available knowledge. I did clarify that some of the more outlandish public rumors about changelings were falsehoods, however, showing my undisguised self to her in the process. She proceeded to compare the information I offered to her with observations from her prior encounter with me with great interest.
My answering of her questions eventually branched off into how I had been integrated as a member of the Canterlot Guard and, later on, the Crystal Guard in spite of the racial, geographical, and cultural divide through the good fortune of encountering and learning from Sandy’s convoy, and later, Topaz.
“I see, and you live with Miss Showers today… Are you two...?” Daring Do gestured with her hooves, pointing them at one another.
I confirmed, “Yes, we are a couple, though that was a development between the two of us later on, around the time of Emperor Armor and Empress Cadance’s wedding, in fact.”
“I see… I suppose if I hadn’t left for a dig a few days before the wedding, I may have met you or Topaz at some point” Daring brought a hoof up to her chin. “Now that I think about it, that dig turned out to be a red herring. We didn’t really find anything, and some of the documentation for the dig organizers and members was a bit spotty. Some were no-shows as well… I wonder if any of them were changelings…”
I considered. “That is not impossible. I am afraid that to this day we still do not fully understand all of Chrysalis’s plans for the wedding. It is not impossible that she engineered diversions in order to draw possible threats away from Canterlot.”
“Little old me? A possible threat? Thank you for the compliment!”
I nodded along as my thoughts began to shift; with the mention of an archaeological dig, I remembered what I had initially arranged my meeting with Daring Do and A. K. Yearling for.
“That does remind me, with regards to the chalice… I actually wanted to ask you and Miss Yearling for a favor... Speaking of which, where is she?”
“I still don’t believe I owe you a cup, but...” Daring Do blinked. “Wait. You don’t realize?”
“I’m sorry. Realize what?”
“Who A. K. Yearling is.”
“… I am not sure what you mean.”
“…Wait here for a second.” She placed the crossbow, which I then realized she had stopped pointing at me some time during our conversation, on the table and went inside one of the doors along the passageway to the kitchen, returning a moment later with a remotely-familiar pair of eyeglasses.
“Look at me.”
I did, and after a few seconds of eye contact she proceeded to put on the glasses. Upon my own moment of comprehension, I promptly leant back in my chair and brought a hoof to my face in acknowledgment of what was now more clearly evident.
Daring, now Yearling, began to cackle. “Hah-Haaah… And to think, your disguise is almost your real appearance too, you should have known… Haa-”
Yearling took a few moments to calm down. “Sorry about that, heh, I needed a moment…” Daring composed herself, before continuing.
“Anyways, as I was about to say, I’ll at least hear out your request, especially considering that I’ve… had you here for a while. But before that, could I get you something to drink? I’ll be brewing some tea for myself.”
“Tea sounds good I suppose.”
Daring, glasses removed, returned a few minutes later to sit down and continue our conversation, crossbow now put aside and unloaded to make room for the teapot and two teacups on saucers intended to quench our throats and thirst.
I proceeded to explain to her my interest in finding an artifact similar to the chalice as a gift for Princess Celestia, perhaps as something that could help my longtime friend, Emperor Armor.
She nodded at the conclusion of my explanation. “I understand. As I told you earlier, I don’t believe that I owe you a favor…” her head drifted off to the side before she brought it back to me with a sharp tap of a hooftip on the table. “However. There actually is a favor you could do for me that could get you what you want.”
Daring leaned towards me slightly. “A few months ago, I found a… temple? Tomb? Not certain, I haven’t been able to get inside. Anyways, it seems to be related to the one you previously explored, and the temple is meant to open for… well, I’m not entirely certain on how to translate what I heard, but roughly ‘one who has drunk of the cup’,” she made air quotes with her hooves, then pointed at me. “and you’re the only one who has touched that cup.”
Daring continued, “There may be an artifact inside, but I can’t access it without your help. If you can take the time out to help me get inside and investigate, I could allow you to take said artifact to Princess Celestia. If it’s something powerful or dangerous like you seem to be looking for, it would probably go to her for safekeeping anyways. You would just need a spare… month or two, I think?... to help me…” She considered what she said for a second before nodding. “Right, most people don’t have free time like that… Maybe a sabbatical?”
I considered her inquiry. “The princesses often urge me to use my vacation days, yet with my current duties I do not know if I could use them consecutively as such. I suppose I can discuss with Emperor Armor and get back in touch with you once I have a better idea?”
Daring nodded, “That makes sense. I suppose I could give you an address to contact by dragonfire?”
I nodded.
“Great! Now let me write it down… do you still have that index card?”
After getting the card back, Daring Do’s contact now included, I bid the mare farewell and made my way back to my own hotel. I entered the hotel room to see that the light to Cersus’s Room and the door open. Concerning.
I went over to advise her to go to sleep lest she have no energy for the second day of the convention, only to discover that she was not in the room. More concerning.
I then saw that there was a note on the bed. I picked it up and read the stamped-letter text:
MR. HOOVES,
WE HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF YOUR COMPANION AND ARE HOLDING HER HOSTAGE. IF YOU WISH TO SEE HER AGAIN, YOU WILL SURRENDER YOURSELF AT THE LIMEHOUSE DOCK BEFORE SUNRISE AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN SEARCHING FOR AN ARTIFACT RELATED TO YOUR TIME AS “KING KOOKARACHA”.
I promptly looked around the hotel room, down the immediate hallways, and at the rooftop outside and saw neither sign of a struggle nor any potential combatants. I looked at our bags and found them untouched.
Having done my best to confirm myself clear from any immediate threats and assemble a basic read of the situation, I took the most sensible next step:
I went to sleep.
Having consumed a guard-issue Instant-Sleep-Instant-Signal potion from my travel bag, I fell asleep within seconds into a dream replicating the hotel room I resided in. After a few more seconds passed, Princess Luna entered into the room, attention drawn by the concoction.
“Good Evening, Idol! I see that you are in a room by yourself. While I do enjoy catching up with you, I hope that you did not use your guard’s potion simply for leisure.”
“That I am in a room by myself is precisely the problem.”
Luna smiled. “Aww, alright. I’ll keep you company for a moment. I do have to get back to work though… You know, earlier this evening I found the most peculiar piece of trivia in the morning newspaper. Did you know that the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is around twenty miles per hour? How do they measure that? Do they pay the swallows with food or something of the sort? Perhaps Miss Fluttershy would be able to-”
I cut her off. “I am sorry, your majesty. I request that we skip the pleasantries for now, for my charge has been taken.”
Luna faltered for a moment until her face shifted towards comprehension and concern. “Oh…” Her Highness grimaced before continuing, “please, tell me what you know.”
I promptly handed the Princess the note which had been left behind by the apparent kidnapper, which she proceeded to read, eyebrows furrowing as she read through with quickening pace.
Once she was done reading the note, she looked back to me with a scowl. “I recall that thou art attending a convention? Why were thee not watching her?”
“I was seeking an audience with Miss A.K. Yearling. I presumed my charge to be safe in the hotel room.”
“…Thee should taketh more care of thy companions given thy elevated stature, yet thou art -“ Her Highness took a deep breath before continuing. ”- You are not entirely unreasonable in expecting a hotel room to be safe. But there is no time to discuss parenting. Let us get to work.”
Princess Luna turned to leave, opening a hole in the fabric of the dream and beginning its dissolution into the ether. “I shall mobilize the sleeper agents here in Canterlot and the surrounding area.”
I nodded. Once Princess Luna activated the sleeper agents in their dreams, they would wake and mobilize the multiple guard outposts throughout the city, helping to organize Night Guard search teams without requiring the princess to wake.
The princess began to walk out of the dream before I prompted her, “What may I do to help in the meantime, your highness?”.
Princess Luna stopped and turned part of the way back, taking a moment to consider before nodding to herself. “You told me that you sought out Miss Yearling. Are you aware of her connected identity?”
“Yes,” I confirmed.
Princess Luna nodded. “Seek her assistance if you still know where she is. She has worked with the night guard in an unofficial capacity in the past and shall be capable of lending a hoof. Keep an eye out for dragonfire messages from Operational Command.”
I nodded again and saluted. “I shall”.
Princess Luna nodded back, then exited the dream, fully dissolving it and sending me back to the waking world.
Once awake, I wasted no time and gathered my saddlebag, opened the window, and leapt in to the sky, taking flight through the night towards Daring’s hotel. Upon arrival, I hoofed my way up to the adventurer’s room as quickly as possible and knocked, resisting the urge to add additional knocks in my own trepidation.
After a few long moments and some shuffling coming from inside, the door opened to reveal Daring in a pair of pajamas with paper in hoof, looking like she had had her slumber cut short.
Daring sighed, “Hey, Idol… When you said we would keep in touch, I was expecting you to send me a dragonfire message a few days later, after the convention. Instead, you sent me one in the middle of the same night and come knocking at my door… Would you mind letting me sleep?”
“I do have something urgent. My charge has been taken... and I didn’t send you a message… was it from someone else in the guard?”
“Yeah, thanks. Goodni-“ Daring began to close the door before stopping as she registered my declaration of distress. “-Wait. What?” She took a closer look at the paper in her hoof, eyes widening upon comprehension of its contents.
She looked back up and beckoned me in. “Alright. Kidnapping, hostage, artifacts. Come in. I’m going to wash my face before you give me some more detail. I want to get a better idea of who we might be dealing with while I check in with the Night Guard.”
I complied, and she closed the door behind the two of us. When she came back out of the bathroom, I described what I saw to her while she changed out of her pajamas and into her adventurer’s outfit.
She began to button up her shirt as I finished providing her with my own perspective.
“Got it,” Daring acknowledged. “You said they left the room untouched. Are you sure they didn’t leave behind any listening devices?“
I shook my head. “No, I checked.”
“Ok. Any sign you were being followed once you left your hotel?” Daring grabbed a notepad from her bag and a dragonfire lighter.
I hesitated. “I am not sure. I did not sense or see anyone trailing me, at least.”
“Hm. Alright, we’ll have to be careful if we leave the room,” Daring noted. She scribbled a few words onto a page of her notepad before ripping out said page and using the lighter to send a message.
We both continued to look at the point of the room where the adventurer’s note had been consumed by the embers, until said adventurer spoke.
“So… I do have a question for you if I may… I noticed that you tend to refer to your younger companion as a ‘charge’. Are you two not related? I thought she was your daughter or something like that.”
I responded. “No… Yes… Perhaps? We are not related. And the idea of being a parent is not one I think I fully understand. It is rather… alien to me. I have yet to come to terms with the idea. There was not much consideration of parenthood in the hive.”
“…I see.”
We sat there for a few long moments until a return message materialized inside of Daring Do’s bag. Daring promptly dug out the message and proceeded to read its contents out loud.
“Compass-One, we have identified a probable location where the hostage may have been taken, a warehouse approximately two miles East of the Limehouse Dock. However, we have identified a large number of armed hostiles in the vicinity of the warehouse. We do not wish to risk civilian casualties within the surrounding neighborhood.
Daring continued to read. “We request that you aid Shield-Two in setting up a diversion at the proposed point of surrender in order to draw their forces out of fortification. We will send a squad to provide support. From Nightwatch-East.”
Daring turned to look at me. “Well? Can you do that?”
I considered for a moment before nodding.
“Good. I’ll send the affirmation and arrange a meeting point, then we’ll head out.”
