“So this is the Griffon Kingdom,” Blitz says as he and Daring disembark.

Daring licks her lips. “Yep and many more places to be alone.”

“Reign it in daring, we are on our honeymoon.” Blitz jokes.

Daring pouts. “Party pooper.”

“Ok, ok, Daring, enough jokes for now,” Blitz says as they watched the griffon bounties being taken away by the law enforcement.

Daring sighs. “Sorry. Still getting used to it.”

“Take your time,” Blitz says letting her be close to him.

Daring smiles at him. “Thanks for letting me stay with you. If I had gone on my own, I would probably be under a stallion right now.”

“Don’t worry about it. So what’s next?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks around. “Check in at the immigration office. You need to register yourself so you can officially receive your pay.”

“Very well and then what, you want to get a hotel room or do you have a friend?” Blitz asks.

Daring nods. “Yeah, I’m supposed to meet this griffon in this average cafe near the university. Think you can find me?”

“I will just follow you. I can get my money later. Oh, and if asked let’s just say I was hired to be your bodyguard.” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “That sounds nice. To the immigration office, otherwise you might be labeled as a wanted criminal and you would be the one with a price on his head.” She said walking to the nearby buildings.

“Very well,” Blitz says following her.

After getting their papers signed and Blitz marked as a bounty hunter and the receptionist nearly having a heart attack meeting him, they headed to the city to find this place. “Okay, classic case, look for the high-class area,” Daring said, heading to where the buildings and streets were better maintained.

“This tourist guide brochure isn’t helping too much,” Blitz says trying to make heads or tails out of it.

Daring takes the guide and throws it into the nearby trash. “It’s actually never been updated since five years ago.”

“So before we head back to Equestria, want to go see Prance?” Blitz asks.

Daring shakes her head. “Nope got caught there once. Apparently, a high game robbery happened and I became suspect number one.” She says until she realizes he asked her to the city of love.

“They probably don’t remember now,” Blitz says.

Daring turns to him. “They took my pictures and hoof prints.” She said, showing her hoof.

“So you got a criminal record,” Blitz says getting close.

Daring shakes her head. “No, they took it so they know who I am, but I don’t want to make too much trouble again, so I’m heading there again.” She then rounds the corner and stops. “We’re here.”

“Huh?” Blitz asks looking around the corner as well.

Looking around they can see a cafe with many griffons and some ponies sitting around and chatting. “Let’s see,” Daring said taking out a photo and going into the cafe. “Where are you?”

“Daring I presume?” A voice behind them asks.

They both look behind them and sees a griffon sipping away at her drinking straw. “Celia.” Daring greets.

“That’s me, my uncle told me you were coming, but who’s your friend?” Celia asks taking a sip.

Daring moves away slightly. “Oh, this is Cross, Southern Cross. He’s my bodyguard.”

Celia hearing this, eyes go wide and does a spit take. “Cross, the Southern Cross?!” She calls out.

“Please don’t yell.” Blitz requests politely.

Celia nods. “Um…sure, sorry sir.”

“Thank you,” Blitz says pulling out the seat for Daring.

Daring smiles as she sits down. “Thank you. So what do you got?” She asks Celia.

“Well, I got the professor of my university to agree to meet you, but be warned he’s a hard beak,” Celia warns.

Daring smirks. “Don’t worry, I can take it.”

Blitz says nothing as he just stands guard, scanning the area for bounties and was disappointed he didn’t see any.

Celia sighs. “Alright, come on.” She said getting out of her seat and leading them out. “So how was your trip?” She asks after a while.

“Eventful,” Daring says as she and Blitz followed.

Celia looks to them. “Not going to tell?”

“Mostly this guy moonlighting on the cruise,” Daring says.

Celia giggles. “Oh, I would love to see that.”

“Here is your chance to see the result,” Blitz says as a large prison wagon passes with several griffons in chains.

Celia watches as they were led off. “Oh my feathers, what did you do?” Celia asks looking at them.

“Collected bounties alive,” Blitz says like it was a natural thing.

Daring leans close to Celia. “To be honest, they did something you should never do to a female.”

“Yeah, they didn’t tip the waitress,” Blitz says serious, but Daring knew he was joking so she would have to say what they did to her.

Daring sighs. “I’ll tell you later in private.” She said to her as they approached the university. “Are you still going down the doctor line?”

“Yes, I’m studying for my first medical exam,” Celia says with pride.

“Good, you have a respectable job, unlike me,” Blitz says.

Daring pats his back. “You have a good job, you’re keeping others safe.”

“Doctors save lives. They are those who I respect most.” Blitz says, no hint of sadness in his voice.

Daring looks sadly to him before they enter the university and sees griffons and ponies staying where they can to study. “You going for the chemical line of doctors, right?” Daring asks.

“Actually, surgeon,” Celia says.

Daring nods. “I see, well here’s hoping you don’t faint like last time.” She jokes.

“Hey, that was seven years ago. I have overcome that fear.” Celia says puffing her feathers up.

Daring smooths out her feather which makes Celia moan a little. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Now, I got another question, you got any friends on the toxin and chemical side?”

“Well, there’s Lunzer. He studies chemicals almost religiously.” Celia says with a small blush that didn’t escape Daring’s notice.

Daring grins. “Oh ho, what is this? My friend is falling in love?”

“S…shut up. Be grateful the professor is even seeing you. He isn’t even one of my teachers.” Celia says.

Daring pats her side. “It’s okay, just get us to this professor and tell your lover to see if he can use the lab.”

“Why?” Celia asks.

Daring sighs. “Just tell him that it’s a toxin that’s supposed to make a pony body act naturally to something that was never supposed to never happen again.”

“O…kay,” Celia says, stopping outside the office. “Here he is. Just come down the hall at the end. We’ll try to take time for the last lab for you.” She said before walking away.

Daring sighs and opens the door to find the professor griffon writing away at papers on his desk. He notices the two visitors and stops writing. “Yes?”

“Um…yes, excuse me, I’m professor Do. I believe a student asked for a meeting.” Daring says in a professional tone.

The professor nods. “Yes, welcome Miss Do. Have a seat.” He said pointing to a seat in front of his desk before seeing the pony behind her. “And this one?”

“Oh, he is my bodyguard. Can’t be too safe nowadays.” Daring says.

The griffons nods. “Okay, so, what do you need me for?”

“Would you know what this is?” Daring asks taking out a dark purple orb.

The griffons quickly slam the desk and move his head close to the object. “How did you get this?!”

Daring pushes the blaster away as Blitz trains it on the griffon. “Found it.”

“I…I see.” The griffon says.

Daring still eyes Blitz. “You might want to lean back, but what do you know about it?”

“The eye of Tifus, as described in the manuscript of Tifus himself.” The griffon says leaning back.

Daring frowns a little. “Anything else?”

“You want to find the lost tomb of Tifus don’t you?” He asks.

Daring nods. “Yeah, need to end this now.”

“Ok, I have spent the better part of my life searching for this myself. I will give everything I have on one condition.” He says.

Daring leans in slightly. “Yes?”

“Let this old griffon come along.” He says.

Daring looks a bit surprised. “Are you sure? You do realize this is an old tomb with possibly the power of a god at the end that is filled with so many traps, you need to over bend your spine to survive?”

“This is my life dream.” He says, looking over to the pictures on the wall.

Daring sighs while Blitz looks over and sees the photos and maps. “Okay, just don’t get in the way of getting in there.” She agreed.

“Thank you, Miss. Do.” He says.

Daring nods and takes the orb back. “Yeah, why don’t you prepare while we finish some other business.” She suggested getting out of her seat. “Come on Cross.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Blitz says opening the door for her.

Daring walks out, leaving the griffon wide-eyed at what the pony’s name was. Daring sighs in relief as she walks down the hall. “That could have gone better.”

“If it was to found out what happened to your father, would you not act the same way?” Blitz asks.

Daring slows down a little. “Yeah, I actually would.” She said before quickening the pace.

After a bit of walking, they reach the labs and go to the farthest one and enter and walk in on something they didn’t expect. Celia on her knees while doing something to a male griffon’s groin. “We should have knocked,” Daring said to Blitz quickly.

“Found it,” Celia says putting a beaker on the table.

“False alarm Daring,” Blitz says.

The birds quickly look over to the visitors. Celia chuckles nervously. “Um…this isn’t what it looks like.”

Blitz closes the door. “I think we have more important things to do than talk over something all of us have figured out,” Blitz says setting the suitcases he had been carrying around all day.

The male griffon nods. “Yes, now what did you need the chemical and toxin lab for?”

Daring sighs. “I need you to check on a heat drug placed in me. Something went wrong when trying to cure it.”

“Interesting,” Lunzer says adjusting his lab coat.

Daring nods and sits on one of the seats. “How long would it take?”

“Well, I first need a sample of your blood,” Lunzer says pulling out a syringe.

Daring nods and pulls up her sleeves while Celia sits next to her. After Lunzer got the sample he moves over to a separator and places the vial in and a test tube of water on the other side, before turning it on.

“Just so you know, I brought the antidote I used on her. However, I was not able to recover the toxin bag.” Blitz said moving the case to him as he waited.

Lunzer sighs and opens the case and Blitz shows him the antidote he uses before Lunzer takes a sample and places it on the side as the separator stops. “Alright, let’s see what we get.”

Celia turns to Daring as the boys work. “So what the heck happened?”

“Another time,” Daring says.

“Fascinating. This cure is attacking the foreign chemicals as a virus does.” Lunzer says looking through notes and books. “It’s eating away at it and even improving the cells around it, but this is a healthy blood sample.” He grabs Daring’s blood and mixes the toxin and watches as the cells react violently. “And of course the cells are going haywire. Cure time my pretties.” He said injecting the antidote. “Strange, they are attacking the toxin, but it’s making some stay stuck to the cells and even taking the shape of the toxin.” He then turns to Blitz. “What the heck did you give her?”

“A cure-all chemical. It has always cured poison, other chemicals, and even the common cold.” Blitz says.

Lunzer just raises an eyebrow. “I’m not going to question that last part.” He sighs. “The thing is, she said a toxin that makes her have the effects of heat, right?”

Blitz nods. “Yeah, what about it?”

Lunzer grimaces. “Heat is a natural process. The antidote was looking for foreign, meaning not natural to the body.” He looks through the microscope again. “It seems that antidote couldn’t cure it completely because it’s all natural to her and so doesn’t pick up by the antidote. Plus the fact you made things worse because the antidote makes a protective coating around the affected cells, trapping it and making sure it doesn’t come back, but because it doesn’t recognize her heat hormones and contaminants, it trapped them on the cells. I’m afraid Daring Do is stuck in heat forever because of you and that antidote. If you’d let the heat run its course, she wouldn’t be stuck like this, maybe a month as for most regular ponies, and she would lose the hormones as a natural process. You trapped her.”

“Ah I see, so that’s what happened. Well, at least I have something to negate the agent.” Blitz says opening the briefcase up once again.

Daring stops him as Lunzer looks over the case full of vials. “Which one?” He asks.

Blitz points to a green one and Lunzer takes it and takes a sample before injecting it into the sample he set up. “Daring, can you live without hatchlings for the rest of your life?”

“Um…no, I want to have foals one day,” Daring says.

Lunzer sighs. “Well then don’t take this.” He said getting back up. “The agent got rid of the coating, yes, but also all possible connections. If a blood cell is connected to your hormone it would then separate it and then destroyed the one without a base connection, i.e., the hormone. Even the ones floating around, it would destroy it. I think if you take this, you lose all hormones that are being used right now and since that is heat…” He trails off for her to finish on her own.

“Or you could try this one,” Blitz says pulling out a white one.

Lunzer huffs. “You got an answer for everything, don’t you?” He said taking out another antidote sample of blood and using the white serum. “Destroys the coating…and there goes the blood cell. I think its best you stop at this point. You already set up a dangerous cocktail.”

“It’s called a gene restorer. It is a last resort. It forces the one taking it for its body to forcibly reset itself to where they were before the alteration. But it is like torn apart from the inside out and you could die.” Blitz says.

Lunzer looks over the white serum. “But before what alternation? We, as a growing species, are changing every time.”

“Any unnatural ones,” Blitz says putting it away.

Lunzer sighs. “Everything can be unnatural to us. But let’s leave it to her.” He said looking to Daring.

“It’s your call, Daring,” Blitz says.

Daring takes the white serum out and looks it over. “Any unnatural you say?”

Lunzer grimaces. “Unnatural as we understand it means everything except your base code. So everything you had when you were born, but not giving vaccinations and things of that nature.”

Daring keeps looking at the bottle. “No.” She said placing it down.

Blitz secures the serums. “Well, what now Daring?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks to him. “I’m in heat, yes, but I can control it and no stallion notices anything coming from me so it’s not that level. I guess the only thing is to expect things faster and more percentage of it happening and prepare for the sexy terms to come out more often. I’ll be careful.”

“Yeah, so want to go get a hotel and rest up for the trip?” Blitz asks.

Daring nods and gets down from her seat. “Yeah, let’s go.” She turns Celia. “It was great seeing you again and your boyfriend here.” She said looking over to Lunzer. “But I have to go now.”

“Daring!” They heard Celia screech after Blitz closed the door.

Daring lightly smiles as she looks slightly back to the door. “She’ll be with a fine griffon.” She then looks to Blitz. “Come on.” She said before starting to leave the university.

“You lead the way boss,” Blitz says.

Daring grins. “Boss, huh?”

“You got a problem with that professor?” Blitz asks.

Daring shakes her head. “No, none at all.” She before trying to speed up.

Blitz seeing this, matches her pace while trying to keep the briefcases from falling off him.

Soon they reach a small hotel and went inside to find it moderately nice. “Good enough.” She said going to the front desk and going through the process of getting a room. After getting their key, they head upstairs in the elevator. “Blitz?”

“I know, too heavy, I’ll take the stairs,” Blitz says carrying all the luggage.

Daring smiles as he steps out of the elevator and allows it to close before taking the long walk up. Daring hums along to the tune of the music until it stops a few floors away from hers. The door opens and an employee stallion enters with his luggage carriage. “Excuse me miss.” He said moving it inside.

Daring moves to the side and allows the stallion to move next to her and ready to push out before he starts sniffing something. “Miss, do you smell something?” The stallion asks.

Daring quickly shakes her as the stallion keeps sniffing before he ends his sniffing at her. ‘Dang it, I didn’t know it was that strong.’ The stallion soon started to breathe heavily as he moves closer to her. “Miss.” He said breathlessly. ‘Must have never been laid.’

The stallions start to slowly push her against the wall as Daring tries to fight it. ‘This is all stronger than I thought, it must affect both ways.’ The stallions soon push her against the wall and sniff her neck. Daring gulps as she lost control of movements and soon was rescued by the elevator bell ringing as they reached her floor and something pulls the stallion off of her. “Oy! Not a good place.” A voice said before putting him on the other side of the elevator and grabbing Daring and placing her on his back.

Daring breathes carefully as she regained control as he walks to their room. “I think…I think I should stay with you, forever.”

“Yeah,” Blitz says as he reaches the room door. He then enters the room with her locking the door after he closed it. “You want to get into the bath?” Blitz asks putting her on the bed.

Daring nods. “Yeah, go run it.” She said starting to get out of her clothes.

“Look Daring. I’m sorry.” Blitz says.

Daring looks at him as she stops unbuttoning her shirt. “What are you sorry about? It’s my fault.”

“No, I rushed and gave you something without thinking about the consequences,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “The antidote, right?”

“Yeah, if I had thought ahead, you wouldn’t be like this,” Blitz says.

Daring shakes her head. “No, you couldn’t have known. And…can you get out of that thing? Feels like I’m talking to a tin pony.”

“So you didn’t notice?” Blitz asks.

Daring tilts her head. “Notice what?”

“In the lobby, there was a brown unicorn mare with a blue mane, sound familiar?” Blitz asks.

Daring thinks for a few. “Oh yeah, her. The unfaithful employer.”

“She might be the mare he told us about,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “So…what are we going to do?”

“We have no proof and she has no bounty so I’m just staying on guard for now,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “Can you run the bath?” She asks returning to getting out of clothes.

“Sure,” Blitz says getting up.

Daring watches as he goes to the bathroom and soon heard the water as she takes her hat off. She groans as she gets off the bed and starts heading for the shower to find Blitz getting out of his armor. “Can you come in with me?” She asks stepping in a bit.

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Blitz asks.

Daring tries to smile. “If it’s you. You know how to put up with me and know how to handle me if things go wrong.” Blitz looks down and Daring could tell he was blaming himself again. Daring sighs. “Blitz, it wasn’t your fault. As I said, you couldn’t have known.”

“But, I…” Blitz stops when Daring grabbed hold.

Daring glares at him. “Never knowing is different than knowing. One places you under a burden, the other is already accepted.”

Blitz remains silent as Daring leads him into the shower. Daring sighs and lets the water hit them as she leans against him. “Blitz, I could never hate you.”

“How couldn’t you? How could any of you care for a murderer for hire?” Blitz asks.

Daring puts her head under his. “Because the pony with me is not Southern Cross. It’s Apple Blitzkrieg. A kind unicorn that wants to help others, no matter what happens to him. If you weren’t there on the ship or at the temple, it might have gotten worse for me. And I’m sure you did things in the name of Southern Cross, but it’s Blitzkrieg who was running the show and making sure everypony is okay behind the scenes.”

Blitz just leaned into the crook of Daring’s neck, not about to contain his tears as the water rushed over him. Daring smiles a little as he starts to shakes a little and she can hear him whimper a little. “Southern Cross is never with me, it’s the strong and kind and funny Blitz and he makes sure that nothing goes wrong to his friends and family.”

“And yet, all I do is fail. Just like I failed with you.” Blitz says letting her support him completely as he breaks down.

Daring shakes her head. “No, if you failed me, I would have left and never looked back. But I’m here with you, supporting you. If you failed, why do you still have me, right beside you?”

Blitz couldn’t say anything more as he was now realized how funny it was, being held up by Daring’s support.

Daring hears him laughs quietly. “What’s so funny?”

“I have been working alone in the field for so long and the moment another supports and comforts me after I feel I failed them, I break down like a little foal. It’s hilarious and can be considered a little pathetic.” Blitz says.

Daring sighs and looks to him. “No, you’re not pathetic, you’re you. The stallion I know and…” She quickly quiets down and looks away.

“Yeah, there is no need to say anything else,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “Yeah, none at all.”

“So no matter what you learn about me, you have decided to stay by my side?” Blitz asks.

Daring nods. “Yeah, there is nopony else that I trust more than you.”

“You might regret it. Are you sure you want to take the risk?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks to him. “If I do, what kind of friend am I for breaking off on the most important thing we need? I always stay with my friends.”

“And those you feel stronger for?” Blitz asks.

Daring sighs. “No matter what, I stand by them and help them. If I don’t, I’m the worst pony to even be in it.”

“Alright,” Blitz says, starting to calm down.

Daring huffs as she leans against him. “I told you, not your fault and not mine either. All his.” She said.

“I should have beaten him to a bloody pulp while I had the chance,” Blitz says.

“Speaking of which, were you seriously going to use that third claw?” Daring asks.

“Oh, no there is only two claws. I was lying through my teeth.” Blitz says smirking.

Daring smiles and pushes her head under his. “That’s the Blitz I know.”

“Daring, you know you’ve stopped giving off heat and your smell,” Blitz says surprised when he noticed it.

Daring looks a little surprised as well. “Really, you can’t smell me?”

“No, which is weird, I have been about to smell you as plain as day ever since that morning,” Blitz says.

Daring looks to herself. “But…I still feel something.”

“What?” Blitz asks.

“Relief,” Daring says smirking at playing him.

Blitz hits her. “Thanks for that. I was worried I had to watch you for the rest of your life.”

Daring stuck her tongue out at him. “Yeah, I played you completely. I started feeling better yesterday. That’s for not telling me who you were when we met superstar.”

Blitz narrows his eyes slightly. “Daring, I was really worried. I thought you might be stuck like this and you had to fight off all the stallions of your life.”

“Nope, while you were asleep, I went to see the physician on the cruise ship who originally gave me an inoculation shot for the griffon kingdom and every time I get one of those, I get seasick. Well, the doctor gave me something for the drug after examining my blood and told me it would slowly cure me, but most of the drug was already destroyed by what you gave me and I would feel a minor version of it until my body expelled the last bit. I even sent a letter on ahead using the delivery pigeon to get those two to play along.” Daring explains, still smirking.

Blitz sighs. “Daring…please don’t make me worry like this again. But why did you play along for the entire thing?”

“Like I said, to punish you for not telling me who you were. My publisher nearly didn’t publish my latest book because he was afraid you would sue for copyrights.” Daring says.

Blitz raises an eyebrow before sighing and letting go of her and steps out. “I don’t even know the copyright system like that. Just criminal and corporate crimes.”

“Oh no, you don’t. You’re not done in here.” Daring says pulling him back in and pours shampoo on his head. “You haven’t bathed in three days and you reek. Time to get clean.” Daring says.

Blitz grumbles. “Well, you can head out on your own after this. I doubt you would need me anymore.”

“Oh no can do Blitzy, you are coming with me. After all, you said so yourself that my rival has already seen you with me.” Daring says scrubbing him.

“Meaning they will come after me. Maybe you are right, for me that is a Mandalorian trick that I use for hunting a few bounties.” Blitz sighing as she lathers him up with soap.

Daring looks to him. “And you need a friend in these times. Nopony can live without a friend forever.”

“Well, I would have brought Terran along, but somepony needs to watch Lightning Dust’s back as she starts,” Blitz says.

“Lightning Dust, your sister perhaps?” Daring asks.

“No, just a pegasus I picked up off the street and decided to train,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “But if you were given a chance, would you leave if there is no trouble?”

“The main reason I came over here was to make bits, so I can financially start up the restoration project back in Equestria,” Blitz says.

Daring watches him. “So you would leave me?”

“Let’s see, I made a hundred thousand right off the back and I’m betting that they will hire more thugs and some might have bounties an…don’t you dare put that bow on the sink in my mane,” Blitz says as if reading Daring’s mind.

Daring scoffs. “Why do you ruin my life?”

“Because it would look so much better in yours,” Blitz says as the water rinsed him off.

Daring blushes a bit. “You know, maybe I should just let you go. I can handle myself.”

“Not bringing it up and now it is your turn, Daring. You wash my back, now I wash yours.” Blitz says.

Daring shakes her head and puts him out. “I can handle myself.” She said before closing the curtain.

“Ah…Daring.” Blitz says.

“What?” Daring asks sticking her head out and seeing he had the soap and shampoo.

Daring glares and grabs the stuff before going back in. “Just go to sleep.”

“Daring, I have always wondered something,” Blitz says.

Daring’s huff was heard. “What?”

“What is it like to fly under your own power?” Blitz asks.

“I don’t know. Just freedom.” She said.

“You probably heard the rumors I can fly right?” Blitz asks.

“So what? You experience it, didn’t you?” She asks.

“No, that was my armor. I can’t fly, only with that type of armor can I fly.” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “Just freedom. That’s it, now get to sleep.”

“Tell me if this sounds stupid, but a lifelong dream of mine, that I only recently remembered, is to fly under my own power with no need for equipment or magic,” Blitz says.

Daring was silent for a bit. “It’s not, but go to sleep. We got a big day tomorrow.”

“Ok, I’ll leave be. After all, a bodyguard shouldn’t intrude on the privacy of the mare he is guarding.” Blitz says getting his equipment out of the bathroom floor.

Daring only respond by throwing her shampoo at him and hits him on the head. “Get out!” Daring got it back surrounded in a golden yellow aura before she heard the door close.

Blitz sighs as he places his armor on the table before heading to the bed before stopping and looking around and then moves to the window and lays down right beside it and tries to sleep. He rolls several times trying to get some sleep before sighing and walks over to the briefcase.

Daring moans slightly as she dries herself and then opens the door before almost closing it and sees Blitz mess around with his case and injects himself with something and then closes the case after placing it back in and moves to the window and lays down again. “What did you do?” Daring asks.

“Gave myself something to sleep,” Blitz says closing the curtains with his magic.

Daring looks at him as he tries to sleep and soon a snoring sound came from him. She sighs and moves over to her bed and brings the covers around her as well and trying to sleep. ‘Come to think of it, I’ve seen you inject yourself with something before going to sleep all but the first night on the ship.’ Daring thinks.

She looks to him and sighs and gets out of bed. She then goes over to him and lays down with him and covers him with her wing and tries to sleep. “I’m sorry.” She said, even though he was already sleeping.

The night passed and Daring yawned as she awoke, finding Blitz still in her wings. She smiles and leans against him a bit. “I’m sorry for what I said,” Daring says, after a few moments she gets up and unwraps Blitz from her wings and starts getting dressed. As she puts on her hat, she sees the injector on the table, the container for the chemical still mostly full. “What is that anyway?” Daring wonders, going over. Daring picks it up and smells it and her eyes fly wide open. ‘Oh Celestia no.’ She thinks before moving over to Blitz with great speed and shakes him harshly. “Blitz come on wake up!” Daring yells.

“Wha…wha…what is it, what is going on!” Blitz yells jolting awake.

Daring just throws the injector on the ground. “What’s in this stuff?!” She yells while swaying a bit.

“Ugh…hold on a minute, I need some strong coffee,” Blitz says still trying to wake up.

Daring grabs him and pulls him to his hooves and she falls down from lack of balance. “Fix this!”

“You smelled it, didn’t you?” Blitz asks getting up.

Daring groans. “Fix it!”

“You need coffee is all,” Blitz says picking her up.

Daring glares at him. “This is your fault!”

“Seriously, are we married?” Blitz asks.

Daring squirms a bit. “If you haven’t used that thing then I wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“I can’t sleep when I’m on the job. I have to force myself to with that.” Blitz says.

Daring was then put down. “You idiot! After this, you’re fired!”

“Yeah, yeah, after the job is over,” Blitz says before ordering coffee from room service and starting to put on his armor.

Daring growls. “No, after we leave this place, you’re on your own! I don’t want to see you again!”

“Daring,” Blitz says and several moments later she huffed. “Fine.” She says. “But I’m watching you, no more poisoning yourself,” Daring says.

Blitz shrugs. “It’s not poison.”

“Same difference, no more of it.” She says.

“Yeah, I think I forgot our wedding.” Blitz jokes.

Daring growls. “If I wasn’t on the ground, I would bucking murder you!”

“You will get your chance soon enough Daring. A few minutes after drinking the coffee and you will be like you didn’t smell it.” Blitz says.

Daring kept growling before a waiter came up and gave Blitz the cups of coffee and tips him before closing the door and gave Daring one of the cups and soon she was up and about. Daring still frowned as she didn’t look at him. “I still hate you.”

“Oh Daring, I heard an interesting idea from the rumors floating around in Equestria,” Blitz says.

Daring huffs. “I don’t care and I could hear it on my own day.”

“They think I’m a mare and the only reason you were the first to have me in a book was that we sleep together. Tell me how ridiculous is that. I mean seriously, I even overheard this from a mare.” Blitz says.

Daring frowns. “Good, more trouble for you. I mean it, Blitz, after this, I don’t want to see you.”

“Daring, I already accepted the job to be your bodyguard. You even said so yourself and I never quit a job even if the employer wants me to. You’re stuck with me Daring.” Blitz says.

Daring growls as she turns to him. “Don’t you get it?! I hate you and I never want to see you again. So shut up and leave me alone!”

“Daring, you know I can tell you’re lying to me,” Blitz says downing the coffee and walking over.

Daring glares at him. “Take off your helmet.”

Blitz takes it off and puts it on the table. “Daring, if you hated me, you wouldn’t have supported me last night. I can already tell you are a kind soul and trying to push me away so you don’t hurt me.” Blitz says.

Daring stares at him before punching him straight in the face and sends him reeling back. “I told you…everything is your fault.”

“You are lying to yourself and me Daring,” Blitz says getting up and facing her again.

Daring growls and hits him again that sends him back a bit.

“I’m not running nor am I leaving Daring,” Blitz says getting up and moves closer.

Daring yells and hits him on the head, sending him down to the ground. “Shut up!”

Blitz gets up this time evading her next punch and grabs her. Blitz doesn’t say a word and just holds her close.

Daring starts hitting him over and over as she started to cry. “Get away from me. Just get away. Get away. Leave me to die.” She sobbed as her punches were getting slower and lighter.

“Never,” Blitz says.

Daring whimpers. “Why don’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because I know what it is like and I won’t let you be that way anymore,” Blitz says.

Daring cries as she pushes her head against his chest. “Just…leave me alone.”

“I won’t. I’m not leaving you behind.” Blitz says.

Daring tries to push him away. “Blitz, please leave me alone. I want to be alone. It’s the one thing I’m good at.”

“I once thought that, but I was saved from it. Now it is your turn. Stop clinging to the past and move on. Lay the memory of your father to rest. I know it isn’t easy. I also have those who I have yet to do it too.” Blitz says.

Daring cries into his chest now as she stopped hitting him. “Blitz, why are you doing this?”

“Because I care for you,” Blitz says.

Daring sniffs. “Blitz, why?”

“Do I need a reason?” Blitz asks.

Daring nods into his chest.

“I don’t, you have been betrayed enough to have someone be there for you without a reason,” Blitz says.

Daring just cries now. “Blitz?”

“Let it out,” Blitz says petting her mane.

Daring cries into his chest for a bit as time pass by. “Blitz?”

“Yes Daring?” Blitz asks.

Daring sniffs a bit. “I don’t care about archaeology. I don’t care about teaching.” She finally pulls her head away and looks at him. “I just want you.”

“You got me Daring, but on one condition. You can’t give up on your other two joys of archaeology and teaching.” Blitz says.

Daring sniffs. “Blitz, do you love me?”

“Daring, you know I’m no good with saying how I feel. So please judge by my actions.” Blitz says.

Daring smiles a bit. “Ok, I’ll expect nothing less from you softy.” She says her eyes on the helmet on the table and a smirk forms as she looks over his shoulder.

Blitz sighs. “Thank you, Daring, but we need to go now. So are you sure you’re ready?” Blitz says letting go and going to put up the injector still on the floor after he sterilized it. Looking back, he sees Daring wearing his helmet. “Daring, what are you doing?” Blitz asks.

Daring giggles a bit before walking over to him and stopping in front of him. “Trying to figure out how to turn it on?” Blitz asks smirking.

“Maybe,” Daring says in a playful voice.

Blitz sighs. “Okay Daring, take it off.”

“What do you got to offer for it?” Daring asks.

Blitz smirks. “How about marrying me?”

“I don’t see a ring, so for now,” Daring says before tackling him onto the bed.

Blitz looks a bit worried. “Um…Daring?”

“Shush. I’m getting my payment.” Daring says removing the helmet before kissing him.

Blitz goes wide-eyed as she kissed him before letting go. “Daring…stop.” He said while trying to get out.

“Payment rendered.” She whispers into his ear before placing the helmet on his head.

Blitz looks confused at her. “That’s it? Nothing else?”

“Nope. One kiss.” Daring says smugly waving her tail at him.

Blitz frowns a bit before smiling. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah, I do. Now come on.” Daring says.

“Yes…would you prefer, boss or ma’am?” Blitz asks.

Daring stops and looks at him. “How about…Daring. Because I’m going to give payment now and again.”

“I guess I’ll take the payment method you just used when we are alone,” Blitz says.

Daring smirks. “You want it again?”

“Don’t you?” Blitz asks getting next to her.

Daring smiles as she starts to push him back to the bed. “Kinda, you?”

“I’ll let you figure that out, now come on, let’s go,” Blitz says lifting her up with magic.

Daring pouts a bit before sighing. “I’m sorry.”

“You got nothing to be sorry for. Now come on Daring, we have to meet with your excavation crew.” Blitz says.

Daring smiles a bit. “You know we could just spend some time here or someplace private without that armor of yours.”

“Then we would have to deal with mor…” Blitz stops when he opens the door and a pony with a serving tray stand on the other end. Blitz tilts his head. “Can I help y…oh wait, never mind. You got a bounty for assassinating.” He takes out his blaster and points it at him. “Collection time!” Blitz cheers shooting a stunning shot into the pony. “Daring, I think we are going to have to check out,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “I might have to agree. Shall we, my sexy stallion?”

“Lead the way,” Blitz says getting all the luggage with his magic and drags the assassin down the stairs with them roughly.

Daring grins as she hears the grunts from the assassin. “So…want to grab a bite to eat on the way?” She asks casually while Blitz ‘accidentally’ drops the assassin down over two stairs, making him hit his head extra hard.

“Only if it is to go,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “Good enough. But I need to pay twice.”

“Rather than letting more like this one come at us,” Blitz says now dragging the assassin by the tail.

Daring nods as they get close to the ground floor. “Okay, but I mean a different kind of payment for you.”

“Start a tab for me,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles and places her tail over him. “Come on, you know what I’m talking about.”

“I know and I meant what I said,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “And when do you want payment?”

“When we are alone. After all, you don’t want the public know what I look like so they can’t annoy us while I’m Southern Cross.” Blitz says.

Daring smirks and moves her tail under him and taps him. “What about just this area uncovered?”

“Well…um…I don’t think I’m ready for that step just yet.” Blitz says.

“Oh that’s right you can be quiet and shy. Though you can be quiet while I do something that doesn’t involve that far.” Daring says smirking.

“Yeah, so please don’t tease.” Blitz requests.

Daring smirks. “So I can mess with it?”

“That is not what I meant and you know it,” Blitz says.

Daring pouts before starting to burst out laughing. “Oh boy, you actually thought I might do that for you?”

“Well…I…um.” Blitz tries to form a proper sentence.

“Ok, listen, I consider myself a classy mare when it comes to that,” Daring says as the assassin hits his head again.

“Oh thank heaven,” Blitz says.

Daring suddenly moves near his ear. “Or am I?”

“Daring!” Blitz yells as Daring nearly falls over laughing.

After checking out and turning in the assassin, they finally took the train to the excavation site. “So I can’t do that?” Daring asks smirking as they sat in their cabin and Daring was rubbing her hoof on his piece of armor.

“No, I have never done that, for your information,” Blitz says grabbing her hoof.

Daring smiles and pulls her hoof back and leans back in her seat. “Hey Blitz?”

“Yes?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks to him. “It sounds like you have somepony.”

“Well, Princess Twilight has made some moves,” Blitz says as he leaned on his hoof as he looks out the window to the sky.

Daring smiles. “Sounds like there’s more.”

“I’ll make you a deal Daring,” Blitz says.

Daring tilts her head. “What is it?”

“I’ll tell ya’ll everything if you can keep from asking about it till we finish the job,” Blitz says.

Daring pouts. “Aww. That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t that better than getting bits and pieces of it?” Blitz asks.

Daring smiles. “I guess it is. Though you got anything else you can tell?”

“Yeah, I envy you a bit for being able to fly under our own power,” Blitz says, continuing to look into the sky.

Daring looks to him. “I don’t know what to do about that.”

“Nothing can be done, it is just the way I was born,” Blitz says.

Daring watches him. “Did you ever wanted to be born different?”

“Sometimes, but I guess it is just like my adopted father said I’m just howling for the moon,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “Do you know who your real parents are?”

“No,” Blitz says flatly.

Daring sighs. “Sorry.”

“No harm was done. I would have liked to have known them, but what is done is done. Heck, my birth mother could be Luna as far as I know.” Blitz jokes.

Daring raises an eyebrow at him. “Maybe.”

“That was a joke,” Blitz says facing her.

Daring sighs and goes to the door and brings down the blinds before sitting down by him again.

“Time to pay my tab?” Blitz asks closing the blinds of the window and takes off his helmet.

Daring just look to him. “It never stopped. Come on.” She said grabbing his hoof and leading him to the bed on the other end.

“I pay in kisses remember,” Blitz says hooking his hoof around her.

Daring smiles. “Did you ever want something more?”

“Um…I’m not able to do that yet. Still struggling with kissing sometimes.” Blitz says.

Daring smiles as she holds a hoof to his lips. “How about you take what you want?”

Blitz nods before leaning forward and kissing Daring. Daring smiles as she kisses back before he lets go and goes to kiss her again which she allows as she starts stepping back with him following. Blitz smiles before he fell forward and fell onto Daring on the bed, making him stop and look to her. “What the heck?” He asks.

“Oh darn, I guess you can lead a pony to water, but you can’t force it to drink,” Daring says trying to be cute with the comment.

Blitz sighs and kisses her nose. “You’re too cute.”

“I know,” Daring says sticking out her tongue.

Blitz sighs and sits up while sitting up with Daring and has her sit on his lap. “How many do I owe now?” He asks.

“None, you paid your tab for now,” Daring says tracing her hoof around on Blitz’s armor.

“Oh, you not extending my bill with interest?” Blitz jokes.

Daring smirks. “Do you want me to?”

“You aren’t the only one with jokes,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles as she leans her head against him. “You sure can make my life crazy.”

“Would you rather it be boring?” Blitz asks.

Daring shakes her head. “No, just…let’s not hurt each other again.”

“For that, we need to be honest with each other,” Blitz says.

Daring slightly looks at him. “Are you ever going to tell yours?”

“Now Daring, I told you I would tell you everything when this over,” Blitz says booping her nose lightly.

Daring smiles as she rubs her nose. “Then how am I going, to be honest with you?”

“You tell me how you feel,” Blitz says.

Daring stiffens a bit. “Well…I feel…” She sighs and turns to him. “Can you kiss me?” Blitz says nothing and kisses her again. Daring moans into the kiss as she leans more into him. Soon they separated again. “Do I have to say it?” She asks a bit embarrassed as she leans her head into his neck.

“In public, when I can’t take off my armor, yes,” Blitz says.

Daring presses her lips together and just buries her face into his neck. “Don’t make me say it.” She said muffled.

“You’re adorable when you’re like this,” Blitz says.

Daring just raises a hoof in front of him and was about to bring it down before just placing it on his face. “Do you really want me to say it?”

“Only if you’re ready,” Blitz says.

Daring moves her hoof over to his cheek before making his head turn to her. She looks up at him as she pulls him in close. “I am.”

“Then say it,” Blitz says holding her as her wings encircle him.

Daring sighs as she gets closer. “I…I love you.”

“There you go,” Blitz says as his ear perked up. “Somepony is coming.” He says grabbing his helmet with his magic and slips it on.

Daring looks away as he places her down on the bed and he moves to the other side of the room.

“We will continue that later,” Blitz says as the door opens.

The professor opens the door and sees the state Daring is in. “Did I interrupt something?”

“No, nothing at all. So has something happened?” Daring asks adjusting her hat.

The professor sighs. “Well, we got heavy weather at the site. Visibility is poor” He said taking out a paper. “Rain, wind, the whole thing. We can still work, but we can stay at the site for it to blow over if you want. What do you want to do?”

“It’s your call, Daring,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “We don’t have a lot of time when we get there, especially with who wants the eye and the treasure for themselves. We have to go through the weather.”

“As you say, boss,” Blitz says.

The professor nods. “Okay, I’ll send the message ahead to the dig site and tell them to get ready. We should be there in a few hours.” He said before closing the door and leaving.

“Strange, I checked the weather, we aren’t supposed to have rain for two weeks,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs. “Blitz, can we not talk about this for a bit?”

“Daring, I think those who are after the eye are either close or at the site,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “I already got that, but can we not talk about it for now?”

Blitz sat against the wall as he waited.

“Blitz, can you come over here?”

“This is the perfect spot to get any would-be assassins from getting you,” Blitz says his blasters out.

Daring sighs. “And not even next to me is a good spot?”

“From here, I can blast them as they jump through the window and if they come through the door,” Blitz says.

Daring looks away. “Blitz, why can’t you ever talk about yourself?”

“I told ya, Daring, I would tell you everything when this is over,” Blitz says.

“Well, I notice your country accent,” Daring says. Blitz goes silent. “I got to say it is kind of adorable,” Daring says.

Blitz blushes. “I’m going to look over the land.” He said to cover himself. Daring says nothing as she moves beside him and lays down. Blitz looks slightly over to her. “What are you doing?” He asks.

“Since you won’t come to me. I came to you.” Daring says.

Blitz gulps a bit. “O…O…Okay.” He said before turning back forward.

“You know, I’ve never felt safer,” Daring says.

Blitz tries to smile. “That’s because I’m saving your flank every time.”

“There is that and there is the fact…” Daring trails off and leans against him.

Blitz sighs. “What are you going to do when we get back to Equestria?”

“Drag you to a church,” Daring says smirking.

Blitz couldn’t help but give a little laugh. “Listen, Daring, I got the princess and some others after me. What would it look like when you marry me right off the block?”

“That I one-upped them all.” Daring joked.

Blitz smiles. “You are going against a princess.”

“I’ve gone up against mummy’s curses, ancient monsters, and deadly traps, this is just something added to the list.” Daring jokes.

Blitz chuckles. “Is a spiritual journey from ancient artifacts that taught you the true meaning of the artifact and what it’s for, on that list as well?”

“Maybe,” Daring says.

Blitz sighs. “Now you’re learning.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I will pick out a nice dress for you to wear.” Daring jokes.

Blitz sighs and wraps his leg around her. “So…what do we have to expect from the temple?”

“Death traps, lost secret, maybe a platypus bunny,” Daring says

“A what?” Blitz asks.

Daring smirks. “Ever heard of the honey badger?”

“Yes, ugly little things, but vicious,” Blitz says.

Daring nods. “Same thing with the bunny.”

“Ok, now you have completely lost me,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles. “Yeah, that tends to happen.”

“Oh, I can tell my life with you in it will be very confusing,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles some more as she leans against him. “And it wasn’t now?”

“Point,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “Can you take that thing off?” She asks tapping his helmet.

“Not for a while,” Blitz says.

Daring sighs and just leans against him. “Think we might get attack just as we step off the train?”

“A possibility or they could be thinking of coming through that window any second,” Blitz says.

Daring looks to him. “You worry too much.”

“And you don’t worry enough,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles. “Now we just need the rings and wedding cake and we got ourselves balanced out and ready to have fun.”

“Hey, the marriage jokes are my thing,” Blitz says in a light-hearted way.

Daring laughs as she hits his shoulder. “Well too bad.” She said sticking her tongue out at him.

They rode the rest of the way in silence as Blitz kept on guard and Daring started studying the material the professor gave her. After a while, the professor opened their door. “We’re here.” He said holding his bag over his shoulder. They packed their bags and followed the professor and soon they exited the train onto the platform which has the land having rain and a slight fog. “Might want to grab something to eat, it’s going to be a while.” The professor said as he walks toward a carriage.

Blitz says nothing as he carefully surveys the area. Daring smiles as she buys some treats and gives some to Blitz while the professor came back. “Got a ride. Let’s go.” He said and they got on and started to ride to the site as the rain got a bit heavier and foggier.

“I don’t like this,” Blitz says in the carriage.

Daring huffs. “You’re not the only one.”

The professor nods. “Yeah, it’s almost…unnatural.”

They watch as the carriage soon stops at a gap in a fencing and a worn path ahead of it. “This is it.” The professor said putting his coat on and getting out.

“Hold on,” Blitz says getting out and observing the road carefully.

Daring sighs and puts her raincoat on and sticks her head out. “Anything?”

“Yeah, hard to tell, but the side of the road there has recently been dug up,” Blitz says.

The professor looks around as well. “Anything to tell what it is?”

“No, But I got something for it,” Blitz says taking out a grenade and tossing it to the spot he specified.

After a few seconds, the grenade exploded and body parts flew up and screeches were heard before some thuds were heard. “Wow, spiders huh?” Daring asks as she sees a leg.

“I hate spiders,” Blitz says flatly.

Daring sighs and gets out and pays the driver before he speeds off for some reason that almost tilts his carriage over. “Well, that was weird.” She said as she watches him leave.

“Giant spiders are a problem here in the griffon kingdom.” The professor says.

“And who wants to bet they are in the temple?” Blitz asks.

Daring sighs and walks along the path. “Let’s go, we need to get there before this weather gets any worse.”

They started to follow her as the fog got even heavier and the professor and Blitz kept an eye out for anything. After a while, they finally started to walk on the old stone that was partially flooded in some areas. “I think this is it,” Daring said as the professor took out something.

“Yeah, this is the site.” The professor said, reading a sign.

“Here lies the key of the rebel hero,” Blitz says reading the translation of the inscription his helmet provided.

They look to him a confused. “That’s…correct.” The professor said.

Daring sighs. “Come on. When he’s around, expect weird stuff to happen.” She said heading between two pillars with statues on top of them.

“To avoid traps for barbarians and foreigners, walk the way of the bird to your left.” Blitz reads.

They immediately turn left at that. “Well, now I’m glad you brought him along.” The professor said as they near some light in the fog.

The light soon separated the fog and revealed the campsite sitting outside the entrance of the temple. “This isn’t the picture I was thinking,” Daring said.

The professor nods as he looks at the abandoned and open tents and temporary buildings, fires left attended but controlled, high winds sending things around and the rain making them wipe it away from their faces every now and again. “Huh, well now we need a scraping sound, some crows and maybe an artifact in front of us and we got a b-rated horror movie and maybe a video camera for the found footage version.”

“And a lot of spider repellent,” Blitz says starting to fire.

Daring frowns as she looks around. “Get down, now!” She whispered harshly as she took cover behind an overturned table.

“You want some, come get it. I got enough for all of you.” Blitz says blasting almost at random.

The professor and Daring look at him and sweatdrop. “Does this…happen often?” He asks.

Daring facehoof. “Kind of.” She said before grabbing the back of his collar and pulls him down. “You’re lucky those things didn’t react.” She whispered pointing to the pony shapes sluggishly moving around.

“Oh, no way. Tell me those are not zombies.” Blitz says using the flamethrower on another spider close by.

Daring grabs his weapon and aim carefully before shooting and hitting the part of the body where the heart is. They watch as the body falls down. “Guess n…” The professor stops as it gets back up. “Never mind.”

“Sunva bitch!” Blitz yells flipping a spider onto one of them and it digs into the body, not bothering the pony at all.

Daring sighs. “Okay, apparently they have some bad hearing after your outburst and the shot.” She said giving Blitz his blaster back. “We will sneak past and…do you guys hear breathing?”

“Daring, which would be better, explosives or ripping it apart with claws?” Blitz asks.

Daring grabs his blaster again and turns around quickly and fires into the head of the pony. “There.” She said before it slowly gets up again. “Burn it.”

“Ok, I’m just going to ask it now, when did we enter a survival horror video game?” Blitz asks burning the thing to ashes.

The professor sighs. “Maybe when we have to deal with the new treasure. Also, they’re coming over.” He said pointing to the bodies of both ponies and griffons coming at them and acting almost like an angry mob.

Blitz tosses a grenade to Daring. “Pull the pin and throw it over their heads,” Blitz instructs ripping a mandible out of a spider’s mouth and using it to kill it.

Daring pulls the pin before reeling back to throw and sees the fuel containers and throws it there, away from the supposed zombies. “Might want to duck when it goes.”

Blitz flips another spider onto the zombies and ducks with Daring with the professor covering them both as the grenade explodes and makes the fuel tanks go off and sends shards of metal and plastic away and slices through some of the zombies and spiders. Daring peeks her head up and sees most of them down or stunned.

Daring gathers her things pulls the professor up. “Let’s go.” She said before rushing into the temple.

“I feel the sign was misleading now,” Blitz says.

The professor huffs. “Isn’t every single one of them misleading?” He said picking up a shovel and running after Daring while whacking a pony on the head along the way.

“Let’s see. This is the way of the entombed.” Blitz reads the inscription in the door frame. “This isn’t the way of the bird,” Blitz says twitching a bit.

The professor looks inside and sees Daring struggling with something. “And we already got trouble.” He said rushing in.

Blitz walks in still twitching to see it was bandaged trying to drag Daring into a sarcophagus and burns them away before taking her outside with the professor. “This is all I have to say to this way,” Blitz says barely containing himself as he throws grenades to the top of the entrance.

The professor just looks at Daring as the grenade explodes and the entrance collapses. “Did you almost get raped by bandages, in a sarcophagus?” He asks.

“No, that is the path of the entombed. If I had to guess, it would have made her into one of those from before.” Blitz says.

Daring turns to him. “Then where do we go?”

“We find the path of the bird and god help any more spiders I encounter!” Blitz yells and Daring actually see some giant spider slink away.

The professor sighs and hits a griffon on the head nonchalantly as it walks up to him. “So where is the next path?” He said then slicing the head off with the shovel.

Blitz suddenly stops and does an improvised facehoof. “Oh my god, I just realized something,” Blitz says.

They both look at him. “What?” They ask.

“How does a bird even travel?” Blitz asks.

They both look to each other before looking to their own wings and then back to him. “Well shit.” The professor said.

“Should I wait while you two look?” Blitz asks.

Daring frowns. “And leave you with the tutorial level?” She asks shoving her hoof to the zombies still walking around.

“Oh don’t worry, I can handle them. So please go find the path of the bird.” Blitz requests.

They both look to each other before nodding. “Just make sure you start burning th…” Her only answer was a flamethrower being fired.

“Burn! All of you burn!” Blitz yells.

The professor sighs. “Let’s go.” He said before taking off.

After a bit of searching, they found a landing platform hidden very well. “Path of the bird.” Daring reads.

The professor sighs and sees the temple entrance. “Come on. The quicker we do this, the better chance we have of getting out of here without dying.” He said going inside and hitting the pony coming around the corner.

“Ow, what the heck ya bleedin idiot, why did ya hit me?” A scottish accented pony asks.

The professor looks a bit surprised. “Oh, you ain’t a zombie.”

“No ya overgrown chicken.” The pony insults taking a swig of his bottle of alcohol.

Daring looks a bit confused. “How the heck did you survive all those things down there?”

“I blew up everythin that wasn’t me.” The pony says.

The professor and Daring just look at each other. “Please tell me he’s for real?” The professor asks.

“Ah, a bloody lassie is here. You must be the one that put this whole thing together. Miss. Do, right?” The pony asks to which Daring nods. “Well, thanks for killin me friends out there!”

“Um…not my fault. I specifically told you all to wait for me before digging.” Daring says.

“Oh, sure and that bloody assistant of yours didn’t tell us just to break open the tomb.” The earth pony says.

Now the professor and Daring looks confused. “We don’t have assistants.” They said at the same time.

“Sure ya do, the lassie is a brown unicorn mare with a blue mane.” The pony says.

Daring’s eyes widen. “Um…she doesn’t work for me. In fact, she’s trying to kill me.”

“What, that is ridicul….come to think of it, the lassie did disappear right before we blew open the first door, releasing those spiders.” The pony says.

Daring sighs. “At least we know who is behind this. Did you at least find a big entrance that not even the explosives could break through?”

“Unfortunately, I ran out of me explosives a while ago killing them zombies.” The pony thinks.

“Daring, do you think you should go get your bodyguard now that we have found the safe entrance?” The professor asks.

Daring sighs. “I got another way.” She said showing the eye a bit and some of the touches and plates of ash and wood immediately spark to life. “This is the master key.”

“Oh the bloody hell, a pegasus usin magic.” The pony says.

Daring shakes her head before walking again. “Come on.” She said heading down the hallway.

“What about Southern Cross?” The professor asks.

An explosion outside answered their question. “Good enough fo…back off,” Daring said as a wall closed on a zombie after she held up the eye.

Moments later, two claws covered in blood, come through the wall. Daring ducks as the claws came really close to her head before she uses the eye again and the wall pulls back up as they claws retracted and the zombie standing there was being burned alive by Blitz.

“Wow, but I’m not paying for dry cleaning,” Daring said.

“Oh, there you are Daring. I ran out of them out there to burn so I enter the spider way and found myself here.” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “Well we have a way, come on.” She said leaving down a hallway.

“Who’s he?” Blitz asks gesturing to the light blue earth pony taking another drink from his bottle.

The professor just points at him. “Meet the other requirement for a horror movie. The one character who can survive this whole thing, but looks insane by outside views.”

“I thought the only other one was the first one to die.” Blitz jokes.

The professor chuckles. “No, that’s the female naked and running through the woods and when she’s about to die she just screams while everyone else tries to run. Plus, that was racist.”

“It was a joke unlike that giant queen like the spider I burned to death, before reuniting with the group,” Blitz says.

The professor raises an eyebrow. “Giant queen spider?”

“Do not ask, that thing will haunt me for weeks,” Blitz says.

Daring peeks her head around the corner. “If you boys have finished your dick measuring contest, we got a tomb to explore.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Blitz says following with everypony else and the pony complaining about getting more scotch. “So how did you survive Mr.?” Blitz asks the earth pony.

“Aodh laddie.”

“Yes, Mr. Aodh, how did you survive the spiders and the zombified ponies and griffons?” Blitz asks.

Aodh shrugs. “Run and explode. Simple as that. I might have busted a few heads on the way through.”

“So you are a demolitionist, how good are you?” Blitz asks.

Aodh just looks to him. “Demolonisits? I just explode the thing.”

“How good are you at it?” Blitz asks.

Aodh grins. “Too good.”

“I see,” Blitz says.

Aodh laughs a little before taking a swig. “Ahh, want some laddie?”

“No, I don’t drink weak water.” Blitz jokes.

Aodh frowns. “Ahh, you don’t know what yer missing.”

As they walk, an engraving caught Blitz’s notice as it was under a unicorn stallion and a pegasus mare on the wall. “Hey Daring.” Blitz calls.

Daring looks back at him. “Yeah?”

“What do you make of this? I think the unicorn is Tifus.” Blitz says.

Daring walks up to the wall as her shirt pocket glows from the inside. “I don’t know exactly…wait, it says that the weapon of power is something that is always used for others. Never has it been used for something inconsiderate or for peril. For when used in times of old does it never respond. For use when others are involved will it react, but also shape the world. The use of it will be catastrophic in every way and never will it be in the good graces of others.”

“What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?” Aodh asks.

Daring sighs. “It means no matter what, using the weapon will never be good even if used for good.”

“So if that is Tifus, who is the mare? His wife?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks all over and couldn’t find anything. “Who knows? Maybe she is, but for now, we don’t know.”

“Yeah, let’s keep going,” Blitz says.

They kept walking through the temple as they see more and more depictions of Tifus and the mare and the civilization. “Strange that there is more of her. Maybe she is the wife.” The professor deduced.

“Huh?” Blitz asks noticing what looked like a small monument with an inscription in it. “Let’s see. Here I leave my last words and truth of what happened in those days for all those who come after. This is my story. The story of Tifus.” Blitz reads.

They all stop and look at it. “So what does it say?” The professor asks.

“Some of it is worn by time, but what I am mostly getting is he fell in love with a slave mare who was a pegasus who was bought by his superior in, I think this means rank, but a lot of various meaning for this word. Anyways, the superior was well known for taking delight in being cruel and torturing other creatures. So when he learned of this, he thought he could torture two at once, but Tifus did what didn’t expect he lead his troops and attacked the superior and killed him. After that, there was no going back and he decided to not stop there and started freeing other enslaved creatures until it leads to full-on opposing the empire.” Blitz says.

They all looked a bit surprised. “Wow, that’s…surprising.” The professor said. “The old texts have him just freeing of others.”

“Apparently there was more to it than that,” Blitz says.

Daring looks to him. “And what’s that?”

“He loved the slave pegasus mare Daring,” Blitz says.

Daring keeps looking at him until she remembered something. “Loving a slave was frowned upon, even marrying one.”

“Yes, keeping them for pleasure was acceptable, but any children they had would have been slaves as well. It seems Tifus fell in love with this one and knowing full well what he would lose, he chooses her over it all.” Blitz says sounding like he had a newfound respect for him.

Daring smiles a bit. “Well…do you know what happened to them?”

“No, it seems this one does not contain the full story. There must be others with the rest.” Blitz says.

Daring pulls him along. “Come on, we might find more along the way.”

“Yeah, let’s go,” Blitz says still looking at the engraving of the two ponies and also looking back at him and Daring.

Daring keeps looking around as the hallway actually widens out a bit. “Does anypony get the feeling we should have hit the other side of the temple?” She asks after a while.

“And that we have passed this corridor four times?” Blitz asks eyeing the scorch marks where he burned the last zombie.

Daring keeps looking around. “It has to be…wait.” She said talking out the eye. “I wonder?” She said holding it up a bit. After a while of nothing happening, the eye suddenly glows a bit and soon everything started to move around them including the far parts of the hallway. “Get close. I have a feeling this is going to be big.” She said as she held it up higher.

The three got up real close as the corridor started to shift and change. It’s only when the pillars started to fall apart did they tense up. As the pillars fell the ceiling started to collapse and soon the outside was revealed. But they saw was not the outside of rain and fog, but rather a sun and clear skies as the pillars reverted back to their shape. After a while of nothing happening, Daring put the eye back in her pocket and moves over to a hallway leading outside and looks out. “Guys, you might want to see this, cliché.” She added as an afterthought.

They followed her and looked outside to see something surprising. “Since when did the camp disappear and this town appear, which has ponies going around as normal?” Blitz asks.

“Take a closer look, that isn’t a normal town Blitz.” The professor said.

Blitz looks closer and sees most ponies in either twos or threes and never more than a foot apart. “Wait, don’t tell me…” He said as he spies mostly mares up close to stallions in either chains or leashes.

Daring sighs. “Welcome to the past. And this is my second trip into this kind of run.”

“Wait, second?” Blitz asks.

Daring smiles to him. “Remember when you asked me about that artifact which makes me learn about the artifact?”

“Yeah,” Blitz says.

Daring looks proud. “I actually went to an ancient city full of demons and freed it.”

“Ok, I definitely can’t let you run off wherever you want any more,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles, but then frowns as she looks back to the town. “We need to go down there. You guys can walk around freely, but I may need to be tied. Who’s willing to be my so-called master?”

“We all know who it is going to be, come on,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles as she looks to him. “I know, just making sure. There is nopony I trust more.”

“Just don’t cause trouble,” Blitz says.

Daring grins. “Yes, master. Now we just need something to tell I’m a slave.”

“Speaking of which, I probably should buy you some new clothes,” Blitz says observing what most were wearing.

Daring sighs. “We just need to…” She then spies a mare and stallion heading into the forest near the temple. “There, they must have something extra.”

“Take a closer look. That is armor, meaning a soldier or an officer.” Blitz says.

The professor looks down. “Or maybe this is the start of the story.”

“Clothes first, then we will follow if they aren’t back,” Blitz says dragging her along.

Daring giggles a little. “You fell into the master role a little fast.”

“No, I’m concerned about how they will react to how you dress,” Blitz says.

Daring smiles. “I know, we just need to find a merchant or something or maybe just find an unlucky traveler.”

“Just follow me and don’t talk, I’m used to dealing with these types,” Blitz says as he keeps dragging her.

After a while, they were about to exit the temple when Daring stopped his pulling. “Wait.” She said before taking off her hat and was reaching for her clothes. “Me wearing this is enough to put suspicion.”

“And my armor isn’t?” Blitz asks.

Daring looks up to him. “Your armor is good. It sort of matches foreigners they might get. But me…I’m a mare and they consider them slaves. Besides, you also need something else.” She said taking off her shirt and putting it in his saddlebags with her hat before taking out a leash from another bag. “What were you doing with this anyway?”

“Got it off a vampire pony. Don’t ask.” Blitz says.

Daring looks to him with an eyebrow raised before putting it around herself and giving him the leash. “Let’s go.”

Blitz holds onto the leash as he drags her through the market getting many different looks as he scans the stores till he spots a store with clothes. “Come on,” Blitz says moving to it.

Daring only can follow as she looks to the ponies in armor and some high looking ponies just looking at Blitz. ‘Good, this is working.’

Blitz looks over the clothing as the merchant looks at him. “See anything you like for yourself?” The merchant asks, his language being translated from Blitz’s armor.

“I want something for her,” Blitz says, his armor translating his words into the language.

The merchant looks to the slave behind him. “Well, I got this and this only. The other merchants have the same thing.” He said reaching behind the stall and taking out a box full of robes.

“Daring, pick one you like,” Blitz says surprising the merchant. Daring looks up and sees the robes before picking up one that looks like her regular clothing color.

“Will this be enough?” Blitz asks pulling out a diamond he took off the assassin from the hotel.

If the merchant wasn’t surprised before he was certainly surprised now. He looks at the diamond before reaching under his stall and taking out a box and rummaging through it before dropping some rubies. “More than enough.”

“Keep the change,” Blitz says as Daring slips on the robes.

The merchant looks shocked still as they walk away as he looks at the diamond. “But…only the lord has diamonds.” He said to himself.

Blitz keeps walking with Daring as now he noticed some unicorns now watching Daring with smirks.

Daring sighs as they kept walking around, trying to find someplace higher other than the temple until two unicorns approached him. “Excuse me, but are you a foreigner?” One of them asks.

“And if I am?” Blitz asks.

The other just smiles. “Simply put, foreigners out here must pay a small fee to keep being here.”

“Oh, really?” Blitz asks.

They nod. “Yes, we are representatives from the palace. We go around and make sure everything is all right. Now you need to pay at least fifty gold pieces.”

“And if I don’t have that much?” Blitz asks.

One of them nods. “Then we would have to report you and you may be asked to leave.”

“Makes no difference to me, I’m just passing through,” Blitz says.

The unicorns look confused. “Still, if that’s true, why not take the mountain pass?” One said pointing to the nearby mountain. “Takes you straight to the next town.”

“Because I promised her I would get her something,” Blitz says.

The unicorns look a little surprised. “You are getting something for your slave?” One asks.

“When one gives their word, one must honor it,” Blitz says.

The unicorns look to each before looking back at him. “Even so, you must pay or be reported and if you can’t pay in gold we will just take your slave here.” One of them says as he moves closer to Daring from behind.

“Touch her and I will take something from you.” Blitz threatens.

The unicorns tried another step. “Listen, you will lose her if you’re reported. This is a tax we usually do and for foreigners, it is usually higher.” The unicorn says reaching for Daring.

“I warned you,” Blitz says and, in a flash of steel, the unicorn yelled as he held his face as a long diagonal cut was now they’re going through his left eye. Blitz held up a now bloodied claw coming out of his hoof’s armor as he stood between them and Daring.

The other one growls a bit. “You bastard. You just violated at least ten laws. We will take her.”

“Try and take her and I will do far worse,” Blitz says.

The unicorn that was uninjured moves over to the other and pulls him away. “Come on, let’s go. You’ll pay and you will lose.” He said before leaving.

“You ok?” Blitz asks.

Daring smiles. “With you, always. But yeah, I’m fine. Didn’t touch a bit of hair on me.”

“If they had, I would have taken his head instead of his eye,” Blitz says.

Daring giggles a little. “Thanks, but we need to keep moving. That would have caught a lot of attention.”

“Oh, they won’t come after us. They were just humiliated and were trying to scam me to take you.” Blitz says.

Daring blushes. “You won’t let me go, will you?”

“You know what I’m capable of and I already made you that promise now, come on, we have to go find those two and make sure they don’t cause too much trouble,” Blitz says.

Daring smirks. “Let’s go get them.”

“Right,” Blitz says as they walk towards the food area.

The unicorns grumble to themselves as the one injured patches himself up in a sitting area for the food area. “Got another plan?” He asks.

“We can’t go to the lord of the lands about this. We would have to explain this to him if we did.” The other says.

The injured one huffs. “Then how will we get a mare to sell? You know our lord is expecting at least a single mare to sell so then he’s allowed to give us one to share at least then we can have our own.”

“Yeah, the lord is a real tight ass. I hear most other lords hand out mares to their soldiers.” The guard says.

The injured unicorn hisses as he puts something on his cut. “Damn, we got to find a mare and fast. Who else are easy pickings?”

“You mean who won’t run to the lord?” The uninjured one asks.

The injured one huffs. “We just need to find a low-class scum and take his slave, who would believe him?” The injured one says before he stops moving and points to where Blitz and Daring were meeting with their other companions.

Blitz frowns a bit. “Kinda hate this place.” He said as the professor and Aodh sat down at a table with them.

“I know what cha mean laddie,” Aodh says.

The professor sighs and looks to Daring. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Cross here had to teach a few unicorns a few things though,” Daring says.

The professor frowns. “Let’s hope we don’t cause a commotion from it.”

“Well, here they come again,” Blitz says.

They all look over to the two unicorns coming over. “Nice job laddie,” Aodh said seeing the cut.

“Looks like they still haven’t learned their lesson,” Blitz says unmoving.

Daring watches them as they get close before she feels her collar tightening and she grabs her collar to get it loose. “What?” She breathes out. “What’s going on?” She asks as she tried to loosen her collar.

“You want something else?” Blitz asks.

The injured one huffs as his horn lights up. “We want that mare. Now give her to us and we might let her live.”

“I see. Then the solution is simple.” Blitz says bringing out a blaster. “I end what I started,” Blitz says casually shooting the unicorn’s horn off.

Daring breathes in hard as she feels the collar loosen up. “Oh boy, that was a bit scary.” She said trying to make sure her neck wasn’t damaged.

The unicorn who wasn’t shot lets out a small growl. “Shut it, slave! This is between us.”

“No, it’s over. Continue this and I will kill you.” Blitz says fully serious picking up the shattered horn.

The uninjured one was about to step forward when his injured partner holds him back. “Don’t…” He groans. “We’re done. Get me to a healer.” He groans out as he holds his head.

“Be grateful I let you have your life,” Blitz says.

“Yes, you two be grateful.” A new voice says.

Daring looks up to the voice as she hears a somewhat familiar voice and sees a pony with his head covered by a metal helmet and in a uniform with somepony behind him. She then looks back to Blitz. “Did he just used your voice?”

“Your lordship, this foreigner…” The uninjured one starts.

The lord turns to them mad. “Quiet!” He yelled making them shrink back. He then turns to the four at the table. “You four are to come with me.”

“And if we refuse?” Blitz asks.

The lord grins. “Then you are just going around with your heads cut off like a headless chicken.”

“You want to try and back that up?” Blitz asks threateningly.

The lord chuckles before moving out of the way for the pony behind him. “Want to tell them?” He asks the mare tied by her collar to him.

“His lordship has guards all around ready to take you into custody.” The mare says respectfully.

Blitz raises an eyebrow at the idea of the mare talking before sighing. “Okay, come on guys.” He said getting up and pulling on Daring’s leash a little.

The others follow the lord and the mare as they walk out through the little forest before the lord stops and looks at them. He smiles and grabs the mare’s collar and let her off her leash. “You can let yours off the leash now. I can see that you hate it.” He said packing away the leash and taking off his helmet.

“Well, this is interesting,” Blitz says as it was like looking into a mirror.

Daring looks a little shocked as Blitz took off her collar and leash. “Whoa, this is weird.” She said looking back at Blitz.

“Yes, I know Daring,” Blitz says removing his helmet shocking both the mare and the lord.

The mare stutters a bit. “But…how is that possible? How can there be two lords?”

The lord keeps looking until he smiles. “Then this will makes things easier getting into my palace.” He said fishing around his saddlebag.

“You knew we would come, didn’t you? The key every legend and text of your’s keeps referring to is how isn’t it?” Blitz asks.

The lord chuckles as he tilts his head slightly. “I knew my message and eye would get out sometime, but I didn’t expect a doppelganger to come also.” He said taking out a collar. “Here, put this on your mare. It would say she belongs to me and no one is allowed to touch her under the penalty of death. You sure don’t want the guards around to have fun, if you catch my meaning.” He said showing a blue collar and a golden plate on it with an inscription.

“Daring is not my servant or my slave, the collar is just for show, but tell me, how much do you truly know?” Blitz asks.

The lord gives Daring the collar anyway and takes out another one. “So are these. But I don’t want to find my mare in the guard’s house on the ground and out cold. Right sweets?” He asks her.

The mare nods and smiles. “Yeah, we certainly don’t want that.” She said as he puts the collar on her.

The lord looks back to them. “Anyway, I need your help, even though my weapon can win the war it always comes with a price as all weapons and battles do. Think you’re up for it?”

“First answer my question and we shall see,” Blitz says.

The lord sighs. “Okay, my information here is limited and I knew I needed help. My spies could only do so much as my army too. I needed help and I looked to the past for that. I learned that the need for numbers decreased as time went by. So I thought of leaving a message for future ponies and beings to figure out. I knew that the ones who cracked the texts and clues would be the one to help me and stay true. Still, I didn’t expect a perfect replica to come as well.”

“Well you know what they say, there is always someone who looks just like you,” Blitz says.

The lord laughs. “Yeah.” He then looks to Daring. “Why don’t you place that on and follow Sheka here? She’ll get you into the palace and we’ll be close behind.” He said motioning to the mare behind him.

“So you’re Tifus?” The professor asks.

Tifus smiles. “Yes, nice to meet you griffon, but why do you have that tool?”

“Oh, I’m a professor at a university or a very big school because one has yet to be founded yet.” The professor says.

Tifus just looks confused. “Okay. So how about it, want to scout the place as it is?” He asks Daring.

“Careful, Daring has some sticky hooves when it comes to artifacts and everything from this time fits the bill for her,” Blitz whispers into Tifus’ ear.

Tifus chuckles. “Then Sheka and Daring here will get along just nicely. Sheka has that impulse to take a sweet every now and then. Besides, don’t worry about them. As long as the collars are on them the guards and others won’t dare touch them. I already had that with Sheka ten times already.”

“Yes, oh and get your soldiers ready to ambush the so-called superior when he tries to kidnap her and forcefully take her back to the capital as his own,” Blitz warns putting back on his helmet and, to Tifus’ shock, disappearing completely.

Tifus narrows his eyes at where he disappeared. He then sighs and turns back to Daring. “Go on and wear it.” He then looks to the professor and the other pony. “Come on. We have to go to my head guard.”

Daring sighs and puts the collar on as Sheka pulls her off to the palace. “Just keep yourself looking a bit down. The guards have never seen me happy so any new collared mares have the same look to keep the lookup. Tifus really treats us differently.” She said blushing a bit.

“Oh he treats you really special doesn’t he?” Daring asks.

Sheka nods. “Yeah, he’s really sweet to me. I don’t know why, but after all, I have been through I don’t mind.”

“Oh, ho, ho, I have a few ideas why he is so sweet on you,” Daring says.

“You are different from any other mare I have encounter,” Sheka says.

Daring smiles. “That’s because I’m not from here. In my place mares are free and able to lead lives like the males. Heck, I’m a teacher at the big school and our rulers are mares as well. In fact, now that I think about it, I think the ratio between mares and stallions is too large.” Daring says thinking it over.

Sheka smiles. “Sounds great, wish I could go. But Tifus warned that we can’t go with anyone who comes and help if it sounds like a good world. We belong here and not there, so we have many more things to fix soon.”

“You want to know a secret?” Daring asks.

Sheka looks to her. “What is it?”

“It’s not that it is a different world, we are from the future,” Daring says.

Sheka nods. “I know, it just feels different.”

“It’s because of what work you and Tifus do and others building upon it,” Daring says.

Sheka blushes a bit. “Thanks. We should get to the palace.” She walking to it again.

“Actually that has me thinking, we are from the distant future and Blitz and Tifus look exactly like each other eerily so. What are the chances they are related?” Daring says thinking out loud.

Sneak shrugs. “Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. The point is, we got a better plan to work with.”

“So what is your opinion on Blitz from what you learned about him so far?” Daring asks looking at the silverish coat pegasus mare.

Sheka smiles. “Well, he’s respectful. Watches out for others. Definitely doesn’t want to be in the norm of things. Yet…he has the air of mystery around him.”

“And he wounded that soldier to that degree for either trying to take me or threatening me,” Daring said.

Sheka sighs. “Sounds like Tifus. He’s almost the same.”

“That’s almost…wait we aren’t going to start having trouble telling them apart are we?” Daring asks.

Sheka has a certain light in her eyes. “Oh, that might be fun.”

“Oh, we are going to get along well,” Daring says mirroring her.

Sheka looks her over. “Maybe because we are around the same.”

“Oh, maybe we can pull the same to them and see if they can figure it out?” Daring asks.

Sheka grins. “Maybe you and I can trade places?”

“Oh, where have you been all my life sister?” Daring asks.

Sheka giggles. “Just a jump away.”