Daring Don't
Rainbow's POV
Rainbow was flying around Ponyville really excited. "Four more months," she repeated and she found herself by Fluttershy, who was teaching some baby birds how to fly. "I bet you're excited, huh?" she asked her fellow pegasi.
"Oh, my, I uh… I could be excited. I don't really know. I wasn't really thinking…" Fluttershy started.
"Come on. You gotta be excited," Rainbow told her.
"Oh, well, I guess maybe I'm a little, kind of sort of excited…" Fluttershy answered.
"I thought so," Rainbow stated.
"Yeah. So, um… Why am I excited?" Fluttershy asked.
"Because the next Daring Do book is coming out exactly four months from today!" Rainbow answered. Ever since Twilight introduced the series to her, Rainbow was immediately hooked and had read the entire series so far, and was waiting for the next book.
"THAT'S how exciting it is! So what amazing, incredible, awesome adventure do you think Daring Do will have in her next book, huh? Will she at long last stalk the Fortress of Talocan? Only to be forced to contend with it dreaded and impenetrable arrow defense? And if so, could her skill, quick wits, and courage possibly carry the day? Or will her next adventure bring her face-to-face with the vast and horrible Ahuizotl himself? Would she cower? Turn tail and run? Or would she fly him full bore, knowing full well against all odds that the greatest challenge she'd ever faced was still sure to be no match for-" Rainbow started, fangirling about what would be in the next book when Fluttershy screeched, "Look out!" as Rainbow dived at her and slammed into a tree.
A few days later, Rainbow was still too excited as she made her way to the Golden Oak Library. "Three months and twenty-six days!" she repeated as she did so. When she made it to the entrance, she opened the door. "Hey Twilight, aren't you excited that-" Rainbow started when a party horn went off.
Looking around, Rainbow saw that the rest of her friends were wearing different outfits. "So glad you finally made it!" Twilight said.
"What's everypony doing here?" Rainbow asked.
"We're having a holiday party," Pinkie answered.
"So, what holiday would today be?" Rainbow asked, wondering what Pinkie had planned.
"National Random Holiday Party Day. Whoo-hoo!" Pinkie shouted.
"I'd never heard of it either. But the punch is quite tasty," Rarity commented.
"You might say the secret ingredient is…" Pinkie started before looking around quickly. "A secret," she whispered into Rainbow's ear.
"How come nopony bothered to invite me?" Rainbow asked.
"I came to invite you personally, but it seems you were a spec too busy reading the last Daring Do book for the twelfth time," Applejack answered.
"Yeah, well, in three months and twenty-six more days I'll be able to read the next one," Rainbow stated before grabbing a cup of punch.
"Oh, haven't you heard? The release of the next book got pushed another two months," Twilight stated. Rainbow's eyes widened and she spat out her drink in Twilight's face.
"Two more months?!" Rainbow asked in shock. "I've been waiting so long already, I don't think I can take another two months! I'll never make it!"
"Yeah, I can vouch for that," Fluttershy added.
"Well, you'll have to, just like how the rest of us have to wait for the things we want," Night stated.
Pinkie then hung from the ceiling and gave Rainbow a hat. "Did they give a reason?" she asked.
"The publisher just said that A.K. Yearling won't be able to finish the book for another two months," Twilight answered before bringing up a tray. "Cupcakes?"
"How could you possibly know that before me? I'm the series' biggest fan!" Rainbow asked.
"I'm just as big a fan as you. In fact, I'm the one who first introduced you to the books. Remember?" Twilight stated.
"Also, we live in a library so this kind of stuff just ends up on our doorstep," Night added.
"Oh, right," Rainbow said, realizing their points.
"A.K. Yearling just might be my favorite author. I know everything about her. Where she grew up. Where she studied literature," Twilight started but Night put his hoof over her mouth.
"Don't start a five-hour lesson about what you know, please. Let's just enjoy the party," Night told her.
"Where she lives?" Rainbow asked, getting an idea.
"Uh, no… though I could probably find out somehow. Why?" Twilight asked.
"Don't you get it? The new book is obviously delayed because she needs help dealing with whatever everyday nonsense is distracting her from spending her every living breathing second writing! So I… I mean, fans like me, can get to read the next book ASAP!" Rainbow stated.
"Authors write books because they want to Rainbow. What if this distraction has to do with her family or something else that's important? You think of that?" Night asked her.
"And she might want respect for her privacy," Twilight added.
"She can always just say no," Rainbow stated.
"I suppose you might be right…" Twilight said.
"Of course I'm right," Rainbow said. Before she left the library, she remembered something. So, about getting that address?"
Night's POV
Once Twilight had the information she needed the group headed out with Night hoping to find some clues to the keys for the Chest along the way, but it was a long shot. The journey took them around Equestria with Pinkie somehow having an infinite paintbrush that showed their path in a bright red line.
"You see what I mean. Why would she live in this remote part of Equestria, except to keep folks from intruding on her privacy?" Twilight asked Rainbow when they entered a forest that was rumored to be worse than the Everfree forest. "We should respect-"
"I think I spotted the house! We're super close. This way!" Rainbow said excitedly and the others, but Night and Twilight followed them.
"Wait!" Twilight called out, but it was too late.
"This is a horrible idea," Night commented as the two Alicorns followed the others to the house. What they found however, shocked them.
"Oh no," Twilight said.
"I think somepony has already intruded on her privacy pretty hard," Rainbow said, seeing the house was torn apart like someone ransacked the place. Rainbow went up to the door and knocked, only for the door to fall to the ground. They entered the place to see the inside was worse than the out.
"Ooowee. Somepony really trashed this place," Applejack said.
"Hmm. Maybe. Or, maybe A.K. Yearling's just a terrible, horrible, unbelievable slob," Pinkie said cheerfully.
"I must be dreaming because I hope Pinkie is right," Night commented.
"I hope A.K. Yearling's all right," Rarity stated.
"Oh no! What if something terrible happened to her?" Twilight wondered aloud.
"I know! There might be no more books!" Rainbow shouted, earning her a glare from Night and Twilight. "Uh, but of course I'd be worried about her too. Heh," Rainbow corrected herself.
"What are you all doing here?" somepony asked from the door. Night turned to see A.K. Yearling there.
"Uh… A… K… Yearling?" Rainbow questioned.
"We didn't do this; we swear!" Twilight quickly said, seeing how this looked.
"What did you do to my house?" she asked, sounding like she was trying to control her anger.
"We found it like this," Night answered.
"We're awfully glad to see you're alright," Twilight added as A.K. Yearling searched her place for something.
"OK, clearly this isn't the best time, but I just gotta say how much we all really love your books," Rainbow told the author. She didn't acknowledge Rainbow however, as she pulled out the book she was standing on. A.K. Yearling then put in some kind of unlocking on the book to reveal a gold ring inside.
"Ah. It's safe," she said before slipping the ring into the cloak she wore.
"Great. Maybe now would be a good time for me to ask her how we can help move the new book along a little faster," Rainbow said, but the author rolled her eyes.
"Rainbow Dash, a minute please," Twilight said, pulling Rainbow out of the house with her magic with the others right behind them. "A.K. Yearling has made it pretty clear that she wants to be left alone. We need to respect her wishes," Twilight told her.
"You should tell that to those guys," Pinkie said, pointing at three ponies who were entering the house from the roof. They looked through the window and saw the three ponies corner her, but the author threw off her cloak, hat, and glasses to reveal a pony Night had only seen on book covers.
"A.K. Yearling IS Daring Do?!" Twilight and Rainbow asked in surprise.
"A.K. Yearling and Daring Do are one-and-the-same. My mind is officially blown," Twilight said, going into fangirl mode.
"Guess this means you'll have to move the Daring Do books to nonfiction," Night joked to her.
"Your right!" Twilight said cheerfully.
The three ponies then started fighting Daring Do, trying to take the ring from her. But the pegasus was clearing a capable fighter. The ring then got sent into the fireplace and before the three intruders could figure out how to get it out without burning themselves, Daring Do grabbed it with her whip and used a jug of juice nearby to cool it down. "Wow! So much action!" Pinkie commented.
After getting the ring, Daring Do was once again backed into a corner and Rainbow called out to her. That proved to be a bad move as when she got distracted, the three intruders attacked her, knocking the ring to the door. A fourth pony then showed up and took the ring. The fighting stopped as the fourth pony looked at the adventurer. "Many thanks, Daring Do. As you probably surmised, our earlier search for this treasure was unsuccessful. So kind of you to find it for us," he said.
Daring Do attempted to attack him, but her leg cracked causing her to fall to the ground. "Give it back, Caballeron!" she demanded.
"That's Dr. Caballeron to you," he stated.
"He's from Book 4: Daring Do and the Razor of Dreams. He wanted to partner with Daring Do on her adventures," Rainbow said.
"I know. But she refused. I can't believe it. The real Daring Do and the real Caballeron!" Twilight added, the two fangirling.
"So let me guess: Ahuizotl has put you up to this," Daring Do said to Caballeron, managing to stand up. "You're stealing the ring to give to him so his hold on the Fortress of Talocan will be good for eight centuries as foretold by prophecy."
"Close… but no. I'm going to sell this to him, make a bundle and retire from archeology in splendor," Caballeron answered.
"Caballeron, you fool!" Daring Do shouted, trying to get to him but her injured leg and the other three ponies wouldn't let her. "You're dooming the valley to eight centuries of unrelenting heat!"
"To market henchponies," Caballeron ordered. The four then left, leaving the injured Daring Do behind. She tried to follow, but her leg was too badly injured.
"Uh, should we go in and help her maybe?" Fluttershy asked.
"Oh, right," everypony said, realizing they had just watched the whole scene without doing anything.
"Are you OK?" Rainbow asked as Daring Do tied a few sticks around her leg.
"I've got this," Daring Do answered rudely.
"Um… She was just trying to help, Ms. Do," Fluttershy stated.
"Daring Do doesn't need help. She handles her business herself," she answered, limping out of the house before flying away.
"We've gotta go help!" Rainbow shouted.
"You heard her. She says she works alone," Twilight told her.
"How can we just stand by and do nothing?" Rainbow asked Twilight. "You know what's at stake here. Ahuizotl has sought control of the Tenochtitlan Basin since Book 3."
"True, but in Book 4, she defeated Ahuizotl and secured control of the Amulet of Atonement, dispelling the dark magic of Ketztwctl Empress, and thus protecting the basin with the Radiant Shield of Razdon."
"But the Radiant Shield of Razdon is vulnerable to the dark enchantment of the Rings of Scorchero."
"But are you forgetting that the rings were scattered to the four corners of Tenochtitlan, thus rendering the dark enchantment powerless?"
"Only if you assume that the rings have yet to be retrieved and the ring Caballeron just stole isn't the last to completely restore the dark tower and its cruel hold on Tenochtitlan. Did you ever think of that?"
"You gotta admit, Rainbow Dash makes a pretty good point," Pinkie said. Night was really confused however, as he'd yet to read the Daring Do books.
"We've gotta help Daring Do retrieve the ring for safekeeping before it's too late," Rainbow stated.
Twilight sighed. "OK. But sounds to me like we're in way way way over our heads. We're going to need a carefully thought out plan," she said.
"I'm coming, Daring Do!" Rainbow shouted, taking off into the sky.
"Rainbow, no!" Night shouted, flying after her. He then tackled her as she stopped. "Are you out of your mind? We need an actual plan," Night told her.
"Daring Do is right there, we'll just follow hers," Rainbow said confidently as she flew done to the adventurer. She then veered off at the last second and was clearly having an eternal battle that Night caught the ending of. "A pony who stops entire armies of bad guys with nothing more than her bare hooves, and an attitude and-" she said before smacking herself. "That's starting to hurt."
"What were you expecting?" Night asked.
The two were then suddenly tackled to the ground by Daring Do. "Oh. It's just you," she commented, more to Rainbow then Night before leaving.
"Wait. Don't go!" Rainbow shouted, but the adventurer ignored her. "Think fast. This is your big chance to impress her with your quick wit and courage," she told herself.
"You have those?" Night teased, to which Rainbow glared at him.
The two followed her and Rainbow then poked her head up. "I am suuuuch a huge fan," she said before letting out a small laugh. Daring Do sighed before continuing on. "Wait, wait, wait! Let me help you! I promise I could be a huge, huge help if you just give me a chance," Rainbow pleaded.
"I. Work. Alone." Daring Do answered coldly.
"But why won't you let me, I mean us, team up with you just this once?" Rainbow asked, referring to herself and Night.
"My work always involves secrets. And since you never know who you can trust, it's best never to trust anypony," Daring Do stated.
"But just because you can't trust some, doesn't mean nopony can be trusted!" Rainbow argued.
"Look, I don't have time to argue—" Daring Do started.
"Neither do I. Let's go!" Rainbow said before taking off ahead of her.
Daring Do sighed before looking at Night. "Is she always like this?" she asked him.
"More often than not. I am just trying to keep her from doing something stupid," Night answered.
Daring Do reluctantly allowed the two to follow her and they tracked down Caballeron to his camp. By the time they did, the sun had set. "Looks like they decided to have an early dinner before making their way back down the hill to the marketplace in town," Rainbow noted. Daring Do didn't say anything as she started to work on something. "Oh, I see. You're gonna ambush them like in book four at the Horavian caves! Or maybe, that neat trick you did in book three, where you swoop in and knock three guys down with one swing! Or maybe—" Rainbow started to fangirl, but Daring Do's glare shut her up.
"So, what is the plan?" Night asked quietly. Daring Do continued to not say anything but finished her disguise, which had a bunch of leaves making a full beard, and pulled out a bag of gold bits.
She then walked out into the open and put the bag on the ground in front of Caballeron and his group. She then started speaking in a clear accent. "I have been led to believe you have in your possession an item of significant importance that might be for sale," she said as Caballeron looked at the gold in delight.
"Oh, um, well, I did have another buyer lined up but he's not here, so… sounds like we have a deal," Caballeron told Daring Do as he pulled out the ring, clearly falling for the disguise. A roar was then heard and something crashed through the forest.
A large creature then emerged. "Caballeron!" it shouted.
"It's Ahuizotl!" Rainbow whispered to Night in excitement.
"The ring!" Ahuizotl demanded. Caballeron didn't think twice as the grabbed Daring Do's money before taking off while throwing the ring away. Daring Do grabbed it, revealing her true self and Ahuizotl roared.
"Be cool, Rainbow Dash, be cool. She's got this," she told herself.
"The ring, Daring Do. Give it to me," Ahuizotl demanded, trying to attack her.
"Now Ahuizotl, you know I love you, but I can't give you the ring till I've properly proposed," Daring Do joked. Night chuckled at that and Rainbow made an odd sound.
"Interesting. Because my friends here have a proposal of their own," Ahuizotl said as he snapped his fingers. Four large cats and one small kitten appeared, hissing at Daring Do.
"Still think she's got this?" Night asked Rainbow.
"Bring it!" Daring Do dared the cats. The Panther ran forward and Daring Do knocked it to the ground. The Tiger then attacked and the pony jumped over it and slammed on its head before attacking the cheetah. The Puma then pounced on her causing a tussle.
"Come on, Daring Do, come on…" Rainbow cheered silently before noticing something. "Daring Do! I've got your hat! You want me to toss it?" Rainbow called out but got no response. "Daring Do! Daring Do!" she shouted, but Ahuizotl noticed her. He grabbed her with his tail and Night wasted no time.
"Let her go!" he shouted, charging up lightning before diving down.
"An Elemental? Haven't seen one of you in ages," Ahuizotl commented before pulling something out. "Good thing I know who to deal with you," he said before blasting Night with some kind of amulet. Night felt his power leave him and Ahuizotl grabbed him as well. Distracted, Daring Do was then tackled to the ground by the cats and got tied up somehow.
"Don't worry, Daring Do! I'll come help you!" Rainbow shouted, but Ahuizotl threw her away.
"Don't bother! I'd say you've already 'helped' plenty," Daring Do told her as Ahuizotl took Daring Do and Night away to a temple.
"Why am I still a hostage in all this?" Night wondered aloud.
"It's quite simple really. I can't let an Elemental disrupt my plans. Your kind has always proved troublesome," Ahuizotl answered.
"What in Equestria is an Elemental?" Daring Do asked.
"A creature who has control over an element of nature. This one is the Sky Elemental," Ahuizotl answered, pointing at Night.
"This is just perfect," Night muttered.
Twilight's POV
After searching for Night and Rainbow threw the night, they eventually found Rainbow looking defeated. "Thank goodness you're alright!" Rarity shouted when she saw her.
"Quick, where does it hurt? And where's Night?" Twilight asked, getting a bit worried.
"In here," Rainbow answered, pointing to her heart. "Daring Do, Night, and the ring have been captured by the dreaded Ahuizotl, and it's all my fault," she said in defeat.
"Ahuizotl has Night? How? Is he alright? What happened?" Twilight asked, fearful for Night.
"Ahuizotl used some kind of amulet on him. Took his powers away. I don't know beyond that," Rainbow answered, unable to look Twilight in the eye.
"We're getting him back," Twilight said determinedly.
"Then we go home," Rainbow said sadly.
"We can't go back now! Looks a mite like she needs our help more than ever!" Applejack pointed out.
"Trying to help is how we got in this mess in the first place. You were right, Twilight. We should've stayed out of this," Rainbow replied.
Twilight's anger then boiled over. "If you won't do anything then fine. Go back to Ponyville. I'm going to get Night out of there even if you won't," Twilight said scornfully.
Daring Do's POV
After she was captured, Daring Do was attached to a wall that overlooked a pool of Puranas. "Surrender now, Ahuizotl, or I'll be forced to take you down!" Daring Do threatened.
Ahuizotl merely laughed as he showed up from a corridor. "Oh, Daring Do, I will so miss your amusing laughter-jokes. Now, I must leave to commence the ring-placing ceremony to unleash eight hundred years of unrelenting, sweltering heat across all of Equestria!" he declared.
"How? The magic only affects the valley?" Daring Do asked.
"That's normally. But thanks to the Amulet of Nature, I can use the power of an Elemental to increase the power of a spell," he answered, holding up the amulet that took the black pony's lightning away. Ahuizotl then pulled a lever causing water to flow out of a pipe that rose the water level, laughing as he left.
Daring Do started to struggle in an attempt to free herself but ended up pulling out the stones she was attached to. After getting three of her extremities out, she managed to pull the fourth one out as the pony with the rainbow mane grabbed her. "Gotcha!" she said, trying to fly up to a safe spot. "You can flap too, y'know!" she commented and Daring Do flapped her wings to help her out.
She was set down and she smashed the stone bricks. "I was just about to save myself, y'know," she told the rainbow pony.
"Of course. I just thought you might need this," she answered, pulling out her hat.
"Have I mentioned yet that I work alone?" she asked, putting her hat on.
"Have I mentioned yet that you're lucky I don't?" she answered. "Name's Rainbow Dash by the way," she added. Daring Do sighed before smiling.
"Let's go, before Ahuizolt does something bad to the Sky Elemental," she said as the two ran towards the room. When the two arrived, Daring Do saw the other ponies that arrived at her house distracting Ahuizotl and his men. She also saw the Sky Elemental trapped on some kind of wheel that sat in front of the Amulet of Nature. "Destroy that amulet then met me by the rings," she told Rainbow Dash.
She did so and Daring Do saw a storm form overhead. "Alright then. Come at me!" the Sky Elemental shouted, bringing lightning down from the clouds.
"Help me get these rings off," Daring Do told Rainbow Dash and the two started to pull the rings off the pillar they were on. "If we can remove the giant ring at the bottom, the whole fortress will collapse!" she added after removing a few rings.
"Was this your plan all along?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I had to find a way to get into the fortress," Daring Do answered.
"You did it on purpose? But I thought-" Rainbow Dash started.
"Didn't count on how heavy these rings would be, though. Guess having a little help can be handy sometimes," she admitted. The two were just starting to pull the last ring off when rumbling was heard.
"Stop her!" Ahuizotl screamed. The ponies following him started to attack the two pegasi with spears, but a sword came out of nowhere and cut off the points.
"You can flap too, y'know!" Daring Do told Rainbow Dash.
Just as they were about to get the last ring off, Rainbow Dash shouted, "Ponies! Run! This place is goin' down!" Not waiting to see if they listened or not, the two pulled off the ring and flew out of the temple.
"Daring Do! I will have my revenge!" she heard Ahuizotl shouted from the ruins. She and Rainbow Dash then threw the ring, causing it to shatter.
"Could never have done this without you, Rainbow Dash," she told her, holding out her hoof to shake. She was surprised when the pegasus hugged her instead. She briefly returned it before pulling her off. "I've got a book to finish!" she said before flying off.
Night's POV
"That was too close," Night admitted.
"I'm just glad you're alright," Twilight told him.
"That was awesome though! What do you think the chances are that the two of us will get on the front cover?" Rainbow asked Night eagerly.
"Let's just go home. This has been an exhausting trip," Night answered.