The Flying Dutchpony was just the same as they remembered it. Old oil lanterns hung from the ceiling, providing the restaurant with a pale yellowish glow. Rickety tables, many of them constructed of giant ship’s wheels and old anchor capstans, were spread out across the creaky wooden floor. The old but still faithful jukebox was in the corner, crooning out an old sea shanty that mingled with the chatter, clinking of cutlery, and clattering of cider steins. The scent of cheap cider, charcoal, strong tobacco, and grilled vegetables and fish hung in the air.

Daring and Phillip found a corner booth and ordered up two plates of poached eggs with potato salad on the side and two bottles of cider, the dirt-cheap brand that burned going down your throat and left a slightly sour taste in your mouth. Phil sat silently, staring out the window at passerby.

“How far off is Aushaylia, anyway?” Daring asked out of curiosity.

“Easily three days sailing from here, assuming the weather cooperated,” Phillip answered. “The weather down under was always a bit treacherous. That’s partly why we were so isolated.”

“Down under?” Daring raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“As in ‘down under the edge of the map,’” Phillip explained.

Daring nodded in understanding. They sat in silence for a while longer, waiting for their meal to arrive. Daring subtly used the reflection in the window to study the other customers in the restaurant. Most of them seemed to be primarily interested in their own meals and conversations, paying little attention to them. However, she thought she saw a strange pony sitting at the bar who seemed to be glancing over in their direction every so often. The potential spy was a scrawny pale blue unicorn with a mane and tail that appeared to have been yellow once, but were now closer to white. He was wearing a long, faded trenchcoat that was covering his cutie marks, and he was nursing a bottle of hard cider.

“I think I should go,” Phillip abruptly interrupted.

“Go where?” Daring asked.

“To Aushaylia,” Phillip continued. “We could hire a ship, sail down there, have a look around.”

Daring listened closely, examining her partner’s face. Though Phillip’s tone was even, and his face mostly impassive, she had long learned to be able to read a pony’s microexpressions, the various minor tics and twitches of their face and body that whispered of their true thoughts. Even now, she could detect the minor half-blinks, the quick glances downward, and slight shuffle of his front hooves on the table, all of them signalling the same thing: pain. Uncertainty. Fear.

“Are you sure you want to go?” she asked in concern.

Phil started to answer, but was stopped by a raised eyebrow. He sighed and seemed to fold into himself slightly. “No,” he admitted. “As I said, it’s been seventeen years, and there’s nothing left. Except the memories,” he added quietly.

“Not all of them were bad, right?” Daring pressed. Phil didn’t answer except by looking down at the floor, studying an old stain of indeterminate origin on the oaken wood. Daring sighed, thinking hard on how to deal with her friend’s fright.

At that moment, the waiter arrived with their steaming plates of food. As the waiter walked off to the next table, Daring was suddenly struck with an idea.

“Maybe we could bring your friends with us,” she offered.

Phillip blinked and tilted his head at her, a forkful of eggs halfway to his mouth. “Really?”

“You like being with them, right?” Daring stated.

“No, I meant, you’d usually talk about doing this alone,” Phillip countered.

Daring took a few moments to answer. “I would...in the past,” she said slowly. “But this is important enough that it’d be worth bringing them. They work really well with you, and I guess I work well with them, too. Besides, it would be kind of nice seeing them again,” she admitted.

Phillip studied Daring for a few moments, then nodded approvingly. “You’re right,” he agreed. “We can ask them when we see them.”

The bell hanging over the restaurant door jingled, signalling the entry of new customers. Daring looked up and grinned. “We won’t be waiting long,” she said, nodding towards the door. Phillip turned and spotted the entering group: Twilight, Flash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Starlight Glimmer.

“You really wanted to stop here for lunch?” Twilight Sparkle asked Pinkie Pie, looking around the establishment.

“Sure!” Pinkie declared, bouncing into the restaurant. “My Pinkie Sense says that there’s good things in here.” She looked around and spotted Phil and Daring, her smile growing wider at the sight. “And I just found them!”

The group spotted the two and waved them over to a larger circular table. Phil and Daring looked at each other for a moment, then both nodded and walked over to join them, carrying their plates with them.

“Mates,” Phil greeted the group as they sat down. “You all know Irene Alibi.”

“Nice to see you all again,” Irene said, winking at Rainbow. Rainbow winked back.

“So what are you two doing here?” Flash asked, sitting to Twilight’s right. “Got another case?”

“No,” Daring stated, her eyes on the stranger of the group. Starlight Glimmer, seated on Twilight’s left, looked back at Irene nervously.

“Irene,” Twilight smiled. “This is my student, Starlight Glimmer.”

“Nice to meet you,” Starlight said with a quick smile. “You here on vacation, too?”

“No, we’re...here to see a friend of mine,” Phillip admitted.

“A friend? What kind of friend?” Pinkie asked eagerly.

Phil hesitated, looking up at Daring. She nodded.

“An old neighbor of mine, from Sydneigh,” Phillip explained. “He wanted to show me something from an old ancestor’s journal. He thinks it’s got a secret message in it.”

“A secret message?” Rainbow asked eagerly, leaning forward with her eyes wide. “What’s it about?”

Phillip subtly glanced around to make sure that none of the other diners were paying attention to them, then leaned in closer. “He thinks it may lead to an old treasure.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened into the size of dinner plates. “Really?”

Phillip told them the story of Captain Bushwacker and the founding of Aushaylia. The eight friends listened attentively, their eyes seeming to reflect the sea and stars of the southern oceans as it was painted before them.

“Your ancestor’s treasure,” Applejack whistled once the story was over. “Ain’t that something.”

“You think you could come along?” Phillip offered.

“Heck yeah!” Rainbow shouted enthusiastically as she lifted off the ground in excitement, causing a number of heads to turn towards them.

“Keep your voice down,” Daring hissed.

“Sorry,” Rainbow apologized with a nervous grin, lowering herself back into her seat.

“An ocean voyage?” Rarity pondered. “That does sound like a fabulous idea: nothing like a cruise to destress and get away from the world.”

“And it’d probably be better than our little sailing trip!” Applejack laughed.

“Yes, it’d be nice to actually get more than ten feet away from the docks,” Rarity agreed with a chortle.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Flash interrupted. “We came here to go on vacation and relax, not go on another wacky adventure.”

“It wouldn’t be that bad,” Rainbow protested.

“All kinds of things can happen on a sailing trip,” Flash pointed out. “Rogue storm, getting lost, sea monsters...or pirates,” he added, nodding to a poster tacked up on the wall near their table.

This poster stood out like a rogue thundercloud in a clear blue sky amongst the photographs of ships and portraits of sailors. It was a large Wanted poster with a photograph of a female griffon glaring out at the attendees. Her crest hung down over her face, partially obscuring one of her bright, pale yellow eyes. A vicious red scar was drawn across her cheek and down her jawline, and her short, blunt beak was drawn into a sneer.

“I saw that poster tacked up all over town,” Flash stated. Twilight used her magic to pull the poster off the wall and float it over to her so she could read it out loud.

“‘Wanted by the Royal Navy: Whitestone, Captain of the Silver Talon. Charges include piracy, robbery, extortion, kidnapping, assault, murder, smuggling, impersonating a Royal Guard, impersonating a doctor, impersonating a pilot, impersonating a lawyer, vandalism, littering, and jaywalking. Armed and Extremely Dangerous: Do Not Approach. The Royal Navy is offering a reward of up to 25,000 bits for information leading to the capture or confirmed death of Whitestone or any known members of her crew.”

Daring whistled. “Long rap sheet.”

Starlight shuddered at the image on the poster. “She creeps me out,” she admitted.

“I’d hate to think of you guys meeting up with somepony like her,” Flash stated as Twilight returned the poster to the wall.

“We’ve dealt with worse than her,” Daring pointed out flatly.

“I’m not denying that, but still…” Flash sighed. “Just hate to think of you guys getting into trouble.”

Twilight chuckled wearily. “Trouble seems to just find us,” she pointed out.

The group around the table chuckled. “Yeah, they do,” Flash admitted, extending a wing around Twilight. As he did so, Daring observed the silver engagement rings that both he and Twilight were wearing on their right wings.

“Congratulations,” she stated.

“Hmm?” Flash asked, glancing at his wing. “Oh, thank you.”

“What kind of animals live in Aushaylia, Phil?” Fluttershy asked eagerly.

“Kangaroos,” Phillip stated. “Kookaburras, wallabies, platypuses…”

“I thought those were just legends!” Fluttershy gaped, looking ecstatic.

“Real as this place,” Phillip stated. “You can see for yourself if you head down there.”

Fluttershy’s face lit up with joy at the idea. “Oh, I’d love to!”

“It would be interesting to learn about the Aushaylian culture and history,” Twilight added, an epiphany dawning on her face. “I tried to do some research on Aushaylia after I met you, but I couldn’t find much. I should’ve thought of this sooner!” she squealed, her wings spreading open in excitement.

Everypony around the table exchanged a look of weary amusement at Twilight’s enthusiasm.

Morning in Baltimare came late, the chill sea air reluctant to warm up even under the direct light of the rising sun. Clouds of fog rolled in from the sea, covering the city in gray blankets that seemed to signal most of the town to remain in their homes. The eight chimes of the temple belltower were muffled by the thick gray mists, one of the only sound on the streets.

Phillip and Daring walked down Disko Street, their frosty breath mingling with the fog. Phillip shivered slightly and shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t know how he manages to live here,” he muttered.

“You always hated the cold,” Daring chuckled, wrapping a wing around him for warmth. Phillip half-smiled.

They reached Blue’s house, walking up the stone pathway to the door and knocking. A minute later, the door opened wide and Blue appeared, greeting them with a broad smile. “C’mon in,” he gestured them inside. “I’ve got some anzac biscuits fresh from the oven.”

Daring and Phil walked into the sitting room and placed themselves down on one of the hammocks. Daring sampled one of the warm biscuits from the tray in front of her, biting down into the hardtack with a satisfied hum. “Is that coconut?”

“It is,” Blue said, emerging from another room with the journal and a bundle of papers held in his magic. “My grandmother’s old recipe.” His smile flickered for a couple moments, then he forced it back onto his face again. “Well, here it is. The original journal and the transcription, with the translation of the hidden message in the back.”

Phillip reached out for the gift, then suddenly seemed to withdraw into himself with a hiss of shock. His body was seized with shivering, his eyes narrowing and focusing on the ancient diary. Blue withdrew in surprise, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern. “Phil, what is it?”

The seizure passed as soon as it had come and Phillip shook himself back to reality, his face falling into serious lines. “It’s nothing, I’m fine,” he grunted as he took the bundle of papers and flipped to the back, reading the translation of the Aboriginal message. “‘I looked upon the Wandering Colt’s face, where the Rainbow Serpent slept, the Seven Sisters sang to me…’ It’s a songline.”

“A songline?” Daring asked.

“Aboriginal ponies used them to navigate the island long ago,” Blue explained eagerly. “According to Aboriginal beliefs, when the world was being created in the time known as ‘The Dreaming,’ several spirits and creatures traveled across the land and sky, carving out the land. A songline is a track on the land or the sky that was believed to have been left by one of the creator spirits; by remembering the songline, one could follow their trail across the land.”

“Interesting,” Daring said, turning back to Phillip. “Does this mean anything to you?”

“Yes, I recognize these landmarks. I can use this to follow the trail,” Phillip said, pocketing the transcript and the journal. “Thank you, Blue.”

“Does this mean you’re going to go search for the treasure?” Blue asked, his old eyes lighting up eagerly.

Phillip glanced at Daring. “I will. This is a mystery, and I cannot abide a mystery.”

“Ripper!” Blue cheered. “I wish I could go with you, but these old bones won’t be much use on a ship anymore. Oh!” he suddenly cried, hopping up. “You should take these with you, too.” He rummaged across his bookshelf, flipping through several of the titles before selecting two books and handing them to Daring. “A sea chart and maps of Aushaylia, and a guide to the local flora and fauna. You’ll be needing those.”

“Thank you,” Daring smiled, eagerly accepting the gift.

“Good luck to you both!” Blue called as they exited his home. “I know you’ll find the treasure, Phil! It is in your name, after all!”

“Appreciate the thought,” Phil said with a nod as they left. As soon as the door closed behind them, he turned and walked quickly back up the pathway to the sidewalk.

“Crime sense warning?” Daring asked, hurrying alongside him.

“Yes. And it’s centered on the journal,” Phillip replied, holding up the old, oil-bound diary.

“What do you want to do?”

Phillip paused, pondering his next move in his head. “My gut’s telling me that we should go to Aushaylia.”

“Are you sure?” Daring asked in concern.

Phillip swallowed, looking around at anything else instead of her. The fog was still lingering about the streets, clinging to the homes. The vague shapes of the few pedestrians that had abandoned their homes flickered in and out of their vision like ghosts. “Yes. Yes, I’m sure,” he said.

“If you’re positive…” Daring started to say.

“I am,” Phillip cut in, crossing the street. Daring hesitated, then followed after him.

“We need to find somepony that we can hire to pilot a ship down to the island,” Phillip was saying. “We also need to contact the others, get them to help prepare for the voyage. We’d need enough food and water to last at least two weeks, for starters...”

They continued down the street, the houses still quiet and the streets empty and silent. From out of the fog came the shape of a motorized delivery carriage, paused in the midst of the street with the engine quietly humming. Two ponies, both of them wearing bright yellow shirts that marked them as delivery ponies, were standing behind the carriage, both of them bending over a map of Baltimare. One of them was a dark blue pegasus with a scruffy purple mane, the other a lanky orange unicorn with tomato red hair.

“Excuse us,” the pegasus called to them as they neared. “We’re a bit lost, would you mind telling us where we are?”

“Yeah,” Phil agreed, stepping closer to examine the map. “We’re at Disko and Pequod, that’s right…”

Too late, he and Daring realized their mistake, lowering their guards for a pair of strangers. The pegasus dropped the map, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a syringe loaded with a clear liquid. He plunged the syringe into Phillip’s shoulder, depressing the plunger. Phil grunted in pain and jerked back, raising a hoof to his wound. Instinctively, he lunged at his attacker, but stumbled, falling onto his face as his legs collapsed beneath him.

At the same moment, the unicorn lunged at Daring, using his magic to whip out a syringe and send it flying towards her neck. She dodged the attack and countered with a spear-hoof strike to her attacker’s throat, causing him to choke and stumble back. She followed up with another punch to the jaw, driving her hoof right up into his chin with a knockout blow that sent him sprawling. One threat eliminated, she turned her attention to the pegasus, spreading her wings and charging right at him. He flew up into the air to dodge her attack.

A split second later, the doors to the carriage burst open and four ponies leapt out. A yellow pegasus in a dusty brown jacket tackled Daring out of the air, pinning her to the ground. She reacted by launching an elbow into his face that broke his nose, shoving him off, and trying to get back up, but the dark blue pegasus flew down and kicked her in the face, knocking her back onto the sidewalk.

Her vision blurred around the edges from the force of the blow, but Daring saw the other abductors descending on Phillip’s unconscious form, lifting him up and carrying him into the carriage. “No!” she cried as the dark blue pegasus pounced on her. The two began to wrestle furiously, a tangle of hooves, wings, snarls and curses.

“Forget her, let’s go!” a green unicorn yelled as he grabbed the dazed orange unicorn and threw him into the back of the carriage.

“We need her!” the yellow pegasus protested through his broken nose, lifting himself up off the ground.

“No, we just need him!” the unicorn ordered as he raced to the cab of the carriage. “Kill her and let’s book it before the Guard comes!”

Pinned beneath the dark blue pegasus, Daring deflected a punch and grabbed his arm, pulling him in close and headbutting him in the face to stun him. She followed up by driving her knee into his groin and rolling over, pinning him beneath her and finishing him an elbow strike across the jaw.

“Go, I’ll catch up!” the yellow pegasus shouted, drawing a sharp, serrated blade from underneath his jacket. He lunged at Daring, who flapped out of the way and darted towards the carriage, desperately trying to reach Phillip.

But as she passed, the abductor reached out and seized her tail, slamming her to the ground. As she lay there, semi-dazed, the doors of the carriage slammed shut, the engine started up with a roar, and the vehicle pulled away from them, speeding down the road.

Daring’s heart leapt to her throat as she watched her kidnapped friend speeding away from her, almost blocking out her awareness of the threat behind her. She rolled out of the way as her attacker lunged at her with the knife, springing back up to her hooves. The pegasus spread his wings, subtly warning her that trying to fly away would be pointless. He grinned at Daring, then attacked once more.

He was trained: he knew to hold the knife close to him, use it as an extension of his strikes while keeping his other hoof up to guard against counterattacks. But Daring had dealt with trained ponies before. She darted back to avoid the strike, countering by punching her opponent’s arm and jamming his thrust. She followed up with a roundhouse kick to his knee, buckling his leg and causing him to fall forward, then punched at his head. The pegasus deflected her strike and sliced towards her ribs.

Withdrawing her feint, Daring grabbed his knife arm, pulling him in close and kneeing him in the gut, then bringing her forearm up and smashing the pegasus’ elbow to break it. The pegasus collapsed, bellowing in agony.

Her breath heaving in her chest, Daring looked about, but the carriage had long disappeared into the fog. Seizing the dropped knife, she rolled her disabled attacker over and held the blade into his face. “Where’d your friends go?” she demanded, her voice like a howling wind of a hurricane.

The pegasus just snarled at her. “Where?!” Daring screeched, thrusting the knife closer to him.

With a sudden movement, the pegasus seized Daring’s hoof in his good arm and pulled her forward, deliberately driving the knife through his own eye and into his brain. The limp body sprawled back onto the pavement, the single eye staring sightlessly up at the sky as blood began to slowly trickle out of the hole where the other eye had been.

Daring silently stared down at the dead pony, her hooves trembling as she climbed down from the adrenaline high. The muffled sound of approaching sirens reached her ears, but she did not react.

Author's Notes:

So far, we're running on a good schedule. Of course, Phillip might be disagreeing with me.

But what happens to Daring now? Hold tight, maties...