The haze had dissipated, and upon reintroducing myself to lucidity I once again found that I was in my guest room. I sat up as I placed a hand to my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

The action was easier said than done with the light rapping against my window.

Growing annoyed, I threw off the covers laid over me and swung my feet to the floor, not paying any mind to the fact that someone had taken care to remove my shoes while I was out of it while I made toward the source of the incessant noise. The curtain was torn open to reveal a set of large pink eyes. I jumped back, almost, but most certainly not, shrieking in surprise.

Daring placed a hoof over her mouth to suppress an urge to giggle at my reaction before adopting a serious expression, motioning for me to give her entrance to the room. I frowned. Sure, we had traded stories - mostly hers - over drinks about a day ago, but to me she was still a stranger. Paranoia, that same creeping paranoia I experienced when the fog had overtaken my senses, kept me from immediately doing as she asked.

I thought back to the conversation Q had with his father on my first night here. Why was it that such a friendly, carefree guy such as him wouldn’t trust Daring? Odd indeed. However, I then thought back to the largely forgotten conversation I had with her while we were hammered.

Daring tapped at the window even more urgently, knocking me out of my train of thought as she frowned, impatiently repeating the same motions for me to let her in.

Eh, fuck it. It was with this internal declaration that I moved to do as she had ordered. She didn’t seem to be so bad from the brief interaction I’d had with her, and the fact that she was one of the few people I’d met so far that wasn’t out for my blood earned her points of favor, if not trust. Hell, if she tries anything funny, I could just try slamming a door into her face.

Daring smiled gratefully as she flew on inside, and I was a little too caught up in my current thoughts to properly greet her as I made to sit on the bed. Speaking of door-slamming, I wonder how that prick Barney’s doing with his busted nose. He and the Fearsome Threesome couldn’t have gotten much further than I have… I furrowed my brows. And that means Sarif and his butt buddies ain’t too far behind, either...

I dismissed the implications of that admittedly troubling conclusion, choosing instead to focus on the pacing pegasus in front of me.

I was going to make a saucy comment on how she and I were in the same bedroom alone, but decided against it as I was not feeling particularly flippant at the moment. Instead I settled on getting straight to the point.

“Now, what are you doin’ tap-tap-tapping at my window at this time of the night, Daring?” I pressed.

Daring, for some reason with her hat on as well as a pack that was fastened around her waist as though she were ready to leave in the next minute, stopped her pacing as she looked up to me, worried. “You should leave, Ladarion. Right now.” The seriousness and urgency in her tone caught me off guard. “Just pack your things, follow me, and get out of this town as soon as possible.”

I pursed my lips. “Why?”

Daring shook her head, looking around before closing the curtains of the windows and walking over to the door to press an ear to it. “We don’t have much time, Ladarion! You have to get out of here! Just trust me!” she whispered.

“No.” I responded calmly. “This is the safest I’ve ever been since I got to this damned place, and I ain’t gonna throw that, as well as the hospitality of the Blancas, away by pissing on their kindness and running away from them in the dead of night like they’re my enemies.” I glared at Daring, keeping my voice low as well. “Now give me a reason or get out.”

Daring went back to pacing, her wings twitching slightly as she appeared to be contemplating something. Finally, she let out a sigh as she opened up her horsey pack, pulling out what looked to be a picture and handing (hoofing?) it to me. “Here’s your reason.”

I looked at the black and white photograph in my hands, trying hard to discern the ponies from one another - a difficult task considering just how similar they look to one another without their colors to differentiate - before finding my focus drawn to the center of the picture. Amongst a crowd of ponies, and more than a few Saddle Arabians was an ornately dressed, swan necked pony with more than a few pieces of jewelry around his neck and right next to him, in a button up shirt that was mostly unbuttoned with a beer mug in hand was…

“Is that… Queseque?” I asked, rotating the photograph in my hands in an effort to better identify the ponies. He and the Saddle Arabian ringleader were sitting at a poker table, cards in hoof, with a few bottles of beer next to them, both seeming to enjoy each others’ company.“And who’s this pony he’s all chummy with? He looks rather...” I paused as the memories of both the meeting between Barney and Sarif as well as the conversation between the Saddle Arabian grunt, Arib, and Queseque came flooding into my mind. I put two and two together in no time after that. “...regal.” I finished, scanning the photo even more intently, seeing a pony that resembled Jafar approaching the table.

I looked up, many thoughts plaguing my mind. Shit.

“That’s right. You’re looking at your ‘pal’ Q and Prince Yahguul of the Saddle Arabian Empire fraternising in a Blanca casino.”

“Oh, that ain’t what caught my attention,” I said, my mouth suddenly running dry. “Y’see, I already knew about the friendship between Q and the Prince. From what I’ve heard, Yahguul was a pretty laidback guy, only really worried about material possessions and hedonistic pleasures.” Daring looked at me like I grew a second head. “This may be wishful thinking, but so far nothing’s become of this relationship between the two; I doubt Yahguul even knows I arrived. However, the thing that does have me concerned is this guy right here.” I showed Daring the picture and pointed to Sarif.

“You knew about their relationship!? Do you have a brain in that headcase of yours!?"

I shrugged. "I figured Q, being the chummy guy he is, wouldn't sell me out to no one. Seriously, I've been fed, bathed, conversed with, and offered drinks here. The Blancas even went so far as to bandage me up when I was hurt and were thoughtful enough to clothe me. Ain't much reason in rewarding their kindness with suspicion in that case."

Daring Do closed her eyes for a moment, stitting down. "That makes sense, I suppose. So why are you worried about the baluk-bashi?” she questioned.

“Well, let’s just say that certain events had certain outcomes that may have this certain pony pissed off with a certain person, and leave it at that.”

“You do know, too, that what you said about the Prince’s ignorance isn’t true, right?” I blanched at that, wondering just how he could have found out anything. “He’s got ears all over the streets, Ladarion. Every bit of gossip, every new development, every pin that drops is reported back to him. Nothing goes under his radar. He may have been described to you as vain and airheaded, but the guy’s got a head for making sure nothing happens without his being aware of it. He knows you’re here in the Blanca mansion, Ladarion, and it’s only so long before he comes for you.”

“W-what do you mean by that?” I asked. “He’s got no power here, him doing such a thing could result in an international dispute, a war if the action is retaliated against to the extreme!”

“You mentioned Prince Yahguul being only concerned with material possessions and such, correct? Well, Ladarion, to him you’re nothing but property. Property that is rightfully his. I overheard him and Queseque talking about you. I’ve been gathering evidence of the illegal activities that go on here - and trust me, there are enough to fill the entirety of the court at Canterlot Castle - but recently I’ve caught wind of some ‘transaction'. You were that transaction, weren’t you?” I didn’t answer. "Queseque mentioned wanting to ‘keep you all for himself’, but Yahguul said that you were too unique an investment to leave on Equestrian soil, even saying that he had lost enough money because of you and a gang of bandits.

“You may not have noticed it, Ladarion, but the Princesses have their attention settled on other matters, matters concerning the world at large as well as the Gryphons overseas. They’re not going to save you. And with them pulling their forces back to Central and Northern Equestria, neither are any forms of law enforcement.” She frowned. “This is the Soranora Desert. It’s like the Savage South all over again. Corrupted politicians on the dime of the Saddle Arabians or other lesser powerhouses for protection against larger looming threats after being abandoned by their own nation, the expanding Everfree, and the law being only what individuals make of it. The Prince may not have ‘power’ here in the legitimate sense, but he’s most certainly got a footing, and with that the ability to influence whomever he pleases.”

I was silent for a long moment, pondering just how fucked I could possibly be if the Prince was as powerful as Daring made him out to be.

“...Why are you telling me this?” I asked, my voice clear and calm despite my quaking fists. “Why the hell were you there in the first place?”

“Neither of those questions are important. What is important, however, is the fact that we are not supposed to be here.”

“You keep saying ‘we’. What interest does Q or the Prince have in you, Daring Do?” I stood up, looking down at the pony as she stared right back up at me with a neutral expression. “Answer me, dammit! How am I to trust a damn thing you’ve said if you won’t provide a simple answer!?”

There was a pregnant pause as the two of us stared at one another, waiting for the other to back down as the tension rose with each passing second.

“Neither of those questions are importa-”

“Well fuck you, then! Get the hell out, Daring. Just go!” I shouted, turning away from the infuriating pony as I mulled over our conversation.

She narrowed her eyes, reaching into a saddle pack and pulling out a map of the layout of the surrounding lands. Using her wing, she pulled out an ink bottle before uncapping it with her hoof. She then bit into her wing, plucking a feather from it and dipping it into the ink. I watched her silently as she marked a small X over a part of the map that was named ‘Argothra Falls’.

Recapping the ink and replacing it along with the feather into her horsey pack, Daring rolled up the map and gave it to me, me taking it more so out of confusion than anything. “Place that in one of your shoes. That’s the last place anypony’ll check.”

“What?” I asked dumbly, my anger forgotten.

“We’ll meet up at the destination I marked on the map.” She opened the curtains.”Don’t make me wait.” Before I could ask her just what that meant, she had already defenestrated herself, flying off into the distance as her shadow was illuminated only by the weak moon’s rays.

I would have taken more time to consider everything that had been said if it were not for the mass of Saddle Arabians I spied waiting on the other side of the Blanca gate. My blood ran cold at the sight, my eyes widening as my heart pumped faster and faster. When my wits returned to me, I quickly tore off a shoe and placed the map inside. I put my shoe back on before running about the room, assembling my possessions. There was the rock that I still don’t remember keeping in hand, my phone, the rucksack (in which I stuffed my change of clothes as well as my water canteens and my bag of quarters), and last, but most certainly not least, my…

Where was my knife?

I could’ve sworn it was left in my room with everything else. Hell, I hardly even would let it out of my sight in my paranoia. But now? After having left the thing when I agreed, rather idiotically I might add, to go out on the town with Q, I return to find it missing!? Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. And the Saddle Arabians outside were not the only source of this pit in my stomach.

Who the hell was in my room before I woke up?

“I gotta talk to Q. Tell him that the Prince has sent troops to his very doorstep who look like they’re ready for a war.” Why did I want to tell Q before his old man? Well, because Q believed me and, in my mind, it would make more sense for a father to listen to their son than some alien stranger in such an already outlandish situation.

This just keeps getting better and better. I tossed the rucksack around my shoulders. Even when I try to take a second to breathe, this world is already tossing me back to the wolves.

Opening the door that led out into the halls, a frightening sight awaited me. There, lining the walls with weapons in hand, were the Blanca Guard, and all were staring straight at me. What’s more, I caught sight of a face that I really, really was hoping I wouldn’t see in a long while. With Arib and a guard who had a hoof in a cast - I assumed that was the one from before who couldn’t speak any English - flanking him, there stood my old pal Sarif, a grim smile on his face as he saw me walk out of my room.

“Fucking hell,” I breathed, a cold sweat breaking down my forehead. “Well, it seems as though I’ve appeared at a rather bad time, so I’ll just-” As I turned around to walk back into my room, hoping to jump through the window and regretting not taking Daring’s offer the moment she arrived, I was halted in my advance when two spears crossed in the doorway. I looked down at the two guards as they stared indifferently at me.

“Ohoho, no, my friend.” There was that same dreaded voice that I thought I left to rot in the desert. “You’ve arrived at the perfect time! I was just about to go and wake you up myself, but it appears that you are already prepared for our meeting.”

“Meeting?” I asked, moving forward as the two guards at the door poked me with a spear. I raised my hands to show that I was no threat to anyone as I advanced toward Sarif. The slimy bastard simply smiled at me, Arib giving me a skeptical glance and the English-hating cripple glaring at me with all the hatred in the world as Sarif motioned for me to follow.

“Come, creature. All will be understood when the young Queseque Blanca explains these alien circumstances.” With no other options given to me, and no feasible route of escape, I followed, keeping my hands in sight so no one would have any excuses to skewer me.

We approached the door to Mr. Blanca’s study, and Sarif and his guards backed off, the Blanca Guards taking up posts by both sides of the door, ensuring I wouldn’t make a run for it.

“Well? Go on, creature. He’s waiting for you beyond that door.” With the ever so encouraging words of Sarif, I let out a shuddering breath before reaching for the doorknob.

What awaited me on the other side, however, nothing could have prepared me for.

Author's Notes:

What's this? Story progression? A developing plot!? Impossible! Somebody stop me now before the world implodes!

Silliness aside, my apologies for the wait, but I am glad that I have waited this time around, since my head wasn't exactly giving me the best of ideas as to how to continue this story for the past few months. I've rewritten this chapter three separate times, and have gotten two rather shabby outcomes. This feels much more natural than the others, and I'm rather happy with the result. Anyway, see y'all when I see y'all. Comments and criticisms are very much appreciated.