The next morning was cold and gray in Trottingham, hazy light shining through a thick cloud cover. A clocktower in the town square chimed out six in the morning. As the final tones died away, Flash Sentry and Twilight walked quickly through the town square, moving through the early-morning shoppers and the merchants selling their wares.

"Do we really have to make all these turns and double back so often?" Twilight growled to Flash grumpily.

"I'm trying to make sure that we're not followed," Flash replied back, a bit more testily than he should have. He'd spent much of the night hovering over a map of Trottingham, plotting out a path to the train station that would allow him to get to his destination quickly, moving through public places, while giving him enough time to shake off any pursuers. The plan involved a lot of U-turns and going around blocks, but he had to be absolutely certain that Twilight was safe.

Even if she didn't appreciate skipping breakfast and having to make extra legwork just to get to the station right on time to get onto the train back to Ponyville.

Twilight's stomach grumbled, prompting her to start grumbling herself. "We could've had breakfast at the hotel, you know. And maybe if you'd planned this out, we would have had time for that and still arrived at the train plenty early. But no, you said we had to leave as late as possible..."

Flash, who was checking his reflection in the shop windows out of the corner of his eye for any suspicious ponies, decided it was best to tune her out. Better be paranoid and be dealing with a cranky princess than lax and dealing with a dead one.

Finally, they reached the train station, where Flash bought a ticket to Ponyville and guided Twilight to a carriage, which he triple-checked before letting Twilight into a small, private room and moving to the window. Twilight sat down on the cushiony sofa with a sigh.

"Nopony was following us," Flash said, scanning the window.

"Are you happy now?" Twilight grumbled back.

"I'm happy you're alive," Flash shot back, his frustration getting the better of him. Twilight looked away in annoyance. Flash continued to watch out the window, scanning the ponies milling on the platform for any suspicious signs. He noticed a mare wearing a long dark green rain jacket with the hood up and sunglasses entering another carriage. He also saw a pony sitting on a bench reading a newspaper, a charcoal gray trilby visible above the paper.

Finally, Twilight sighed. "I'm sorry, Flash," she said softly. "I know you're trying to look out for me."

"So, it'd be best that you listen to me once in a while," Flash replied. Twilight made a little noise that sounded like a wince, and Flash cringed internally. "I'm sorry, Your Highness," he said. "That was out of line. I..."

"It's all right," Twilight said. "We're both just a little stressed and cranky." Her stomach growled again. "Can we go get some breakfast? Please?" She gave him a little pouty face, flattening her ears against her head and sticking her lower lip out. Flash had to laugh. "All right, Your Highness. The cafe car is this way."

As they exited, Flash glanced out the window again. The pony in the gray trilby was gone.

His hat pulled down over his eyes, Phillip walked down the aisle of another carriage car, balancing a tray carrying two cups of coffee. He reached the door he was looking for. Glancing behind him one last time, he opened the door and slipped inside. The mare with the rain jacket was inside; she had taken off the hood and sunglasses, revealing her grayscale hair and rosy pink eyes that were dull with sleep. She looked up as he entered, closing the door behind him and setting the tray down on the table between them.

"Two scoops of sugar and a dash of creamer," he said, handing her one cup.

The mare smiled. "You remembered," Daring Do said, accepting the cup and taking a grateful sip. The caffeine went a long way to dispelling the sleep in her eyes, which brightened like the dawn. Phillip took his own cup and sipped from it, sitting in the seat opposite her.

"Still black, three sugars?" Daring asked.

Phillip smiled. "You remembered." His ribs suddenly flared with pain, and he winced softly. Daring noticed this and sighed softly.

"How come you're always the one getting beaten up?" she asked.

With a mischievous smirk, Phillip replied, "Because I'm the one saving your stupid arse."

"Hey!" Daring said, glaring at him. "If it hadn't been for me, you'd have been piranha bait in Llamazon!"

"If it hadn't been for me, that sniper in Griffonstone would've turned your swollen head into pink mist," Phillip replied.

"If it hadn't been for me, that Cowhili tribe would've sacrificed you to their volcano god," Daring shot back.

"If it hadn't been for—" Phillip started to say, then stopped. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, the absurdity of their argument slowly dawning on them both. Daring snorted, and then both of them started laughing, shoulders shaking as they leaned back in their seats, smiles stretching across their faces. It had been a long time since either of them had laughed like that, and they both enjoyed every second of it.

Daring sighed as the laughter died away. "Ah, the good old days," she said. "What happened to them?"

Instantly, all trace of laughter was erased from Phillip's face. He lowered his gaze towards his cup of coffee, then spoke softly. "You left."

The mood changed as quickly as a switch being flipped. Both ponies suddenly felt as though the air in the carriage had frozen, the elephant that had been in the room with them since they met at Skinny's bar finally coming into play. Both of their minds went back...

Rain poured down on the window of their shared flat in Chicoltgo. Phillip sat in one of the couches in the living room, idly playing a faint, whispering tune on his saxophone. Daring sat in another chair, reading a novel, but barely comprehending the words. She kept glancing up at her partner, who had his eyes shut as he gently caressed his brass instrument.

Finally, she tossed the book aside with a sigh. "This isn't working, is it?" she said.

Phillip stopped playing and looked up. "What isn't?" he asked.

"This," Daring said. "You and I...us."

Phillip frowned, looking confused. "We travel around Equestria, find ancient treasures, solve crimes, catch criminals...what's not working?"

Daring let out a frustrated sigh and got up to leave. "Never mind," she said, heading for the stairs to her bedroom.

"Wait," Phillip called after her. "What is it? I don't understand."

"Of course you don't," Daring replied, heading up to her room, leaving Phillip sitting on the couch, confused and more than a little hurt.

"I came down the next morning and found that you were gone," Phillip said, his face and voice expressionless. "No note, nothing."

The accusation was spoken quietly, but it didn't make Daring hurt any less. She'd left early that morning because she didn't want to have to see him, didn't want to have to explain herself in a talk that she had been certain would turn into a sticky, emotional argument. She simply hadn't wanted their relationship to end with both of them hating each other's guts.

"Was it me?" Phillip asked, a note of hurt entering his quiet voice. "Did I do something? I asked myself that for months after, if there was something that I should have said or done that would make you—make you..."

"Yes," Daring blurted. "I mean, no! I mean..." She let out a half frustrated growl, half annoyed sigh, holding her forehead in her hoof. Phillip simply continued to look at her coolly, his head tilted a little to the side. A part of her wanted him to get angry, to yell at her, to berate her for being so stupid and emotional. It would have felt better than to have him just stare at her like that.

"You shouldn't have to apologize for being who you are." Instantly, Daring wished she had said almost anything else. The phrase was deep, meaningful, and just about the dumbest thing that had ever come out of her mouth.

The two sat in silence for a while longer, avoiding each other's gaze. Eventually, Phillip took a breath. "Why don't we just admit it?" he said, continuing to watch the scenery speeding past out the window. "We were both stupid and we both hurt each other. We didn't mean to, but that's what happened." He paused, collecting his thoughts, then both ponies simultaneously turned to look at each other.

"But for what little it's worth now...I'm sorry."

Daring let out a long, slow breath. "I missed you," she said softly.

"I missed you, too," Phillip said. He sat up straight, extending his hoof. Daring sat up, and took his hoof, shaking it. Instantly, the air between them cleared and warmed, the past injuries forgotten. The two of them returned to their coffee, talking quietly about idle things, past adventures and what they had been up to since they had parted ways. Occasionally, they would lapse into silence, just watching the world outside and enjoying each other's presence.

"So the Elements of Harmony," Daring asked as they neared Ponyville. "I didn't really get a chance to know them that last time. What are they like?"

Phillip let out a small chuckle. "Well, they're...a little odd."

"WHAT?!" Rainbow shouted, flying right into Phillip's face. "You knew Daring Do and you never told me?!"

"You never asked," Phillip dryly replied.

"Anyway, that doesn't matter," Twilight said, laying out a map on the table in the throne room of the Castle of Friendship. "What matters is this: there's a hidden treasure somewhere in the Everfree Forest. And it needs the Elements of Harmony to be opened."

"Except that we gave up the Elements to the Tree of Harmony," Rarity pointed out.

Meanwhile, Daring had just realized that Pinkie was looking at her, her eyes narrowed and her chin stuck out in contemplation. "What is it?" Daring asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Has anypony ever told you that you look just like Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie said with a friendly smile. "Well, except that your colors are different and you've got those wrinkles on your forehead and around your eyes."

Daring had no idea how to react, so she just continued to look at Pinkie with her eyebrow raised. At that moment, Pinkie let out a loud hiccup that caused her entire body to spasm. "I got the hiccups!" she exclaimed.

"I know a good cure for hiccups," Applejack said. "Just drink water from a glass upside-down."

"Oh, I can do that!" Pinkie zipped off to the kitchen and returned a moment later with a glass of water with a straw. Bizarrely, she turned the glass upside-down and started drinking through the straw; none of the water spilled out of the glass. On seeing this, Daring's jaw dropped and she stared for several seconds before slowly turning to Phillip and pointing at her. "It's best if you not think about it," he whispered.

"I know that, Rarity," Twilight was saying. "But remember, we are the representations of the Elements of Harmony. The clue said that whoever possesses the Elements is able to access the treasure."

"As well as focus, bravery, endurance and one more," Daring said, repeating the clue from the Mare Lisa.

"One more what?" Fluttershy asked.

"We're not sure," Twilight said. "But I'm guessing that there are some kind of tests that we have to pass."

"Will they be dangerous?" Rainbow asked, turning to Daring.

"With my luck, yes," Daring replied.

"I'm in!" Rainbow cheered.

"Me too," Applejack said.

"Sounds like fun!" Pinkie said.

"I shall come as well," Rarity said.

"Um, if all of you are coming, I guess I will too," Fluttershy said.

"Where you go, I go," Flash said to Twilight.

Daring looked at Phillip, who just nodded back. "Right. We'll meet up at the edge of the forest in an hour. Twilight will lead us to the Tree of Harmony, and then I take over."

Author's Notes:

I like to pretend that I have some idea what I'm doing. I admit, I'm not very good at writing emotional dialogue. Any pointers and suggestions that you could give me would be appreciated.