John’s perspective:

I continued to gently stroke Daring’s mane. She was so beautiful that it literally took my breath away. Every so often I would be forced to take a rather large breath and she would ask me if I was okay. I’d simply nod and tell her I was fine.

I looked to the grandfather clock to see that it was eight o’clock. I let out a sigh. “I guess we should probably get up.” I muttered. Daring didn’t move and let out a content sigh. I began to stroke my hoof along her soft cheeks, down her face, to her shoulders then would do it again.

She leaned her body in closer to mine and we just laid like this for another half an hour before I let out a morning yawn and groaned. “Well… I’m hungry.” My statement seemed to knock her out of whatever daze she was in.

“Oh my… uh, wow. Look at the time. Yeah we better get a move on if we’re gonna find Black Mane.” She stammered, quickly crawling out of bed. I followed close behind, tossing on my clothes as I went along towards the door.

She exited the room first and I followed. “NO WAY!” Billy gasped. Both Daring and I groaned from what he believed happened.

Daring didn’t say anything and went right to the bathroom which wasn’t occupied. I flopped down on a chair by Billy in the living room. “No way… tell me every detail!” He gasped and I rolled my eyes.

“Well… you two love birds kept her up and eventually she came over to my room. Then she crawled into bed and passed out. I passed out shortly after then we woke up this morning and… you said: ‘No way!’” I replied, leaving out the part about me stroking her mane.

“Oh come on man! Tell me what happened! I told you!” He whined and I simply chuckled.

“Sorry Billy. That’s all that happened. Nothing of sexual nature went on between us.” I informed him and he simply gave and unsatisfied ‘Humph’.

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I had been up late when Daring began to have her late night restlessness. She had obviously been having a bad dream and I stayed up to make sure she slept better, but that meant I lacked a good night’s sleep.

“Tired?” Billy asked and I nodded. “Too much late night hugging and kissing?” He asked and I shook my head. “Oh, just enough or no as in yes it was too much?” He asked slyly. I sighed without opening my eyes.

“Well Billy, believe what you want but it won’t change the fact that nothing happened between us.” I told him. He let out a chuckle. I could tell he still thought something had happened.

I won’t lie, the past few days I’ve been wondering about Daring. She has really been acting strange whenever Brixie and I conversed but now she wasn’t so agitated with Brixie and Billy together.

Actually I was starting to feel a little differently about Daring, I’m not sure how or why but I am. Regardless I won’t let anything become of it, strictly business. Besides, she wouldn’t like me anyway, not like that.

Eventually Daring left the washroom and Brixie took her place. Then soon after, the pale blue unicorn exited the washroom and we were all ready to go. Well almost. We got up to leave and I looked to the others.

“What’s the plan?” I asked. Brixie answered.

“Billy and I shall search the top levels anf make our way down while you and Daring search bottom up. We shall meet somewhere in the middle.” She suggested. I couldn’t really argue with that. It did seem like a good plan.

“Okay, but if you do see them, don’t do anything. We aren’t authority on this ship. We’ll meet up and contact the crew of the ship to have them arrested as soon as we dock.” I told them.

Brixie and Billy both nodded then quickly left in a flash. Jeeze they were really raring to go I guess. Darin and I went to leave but Daring quickly scoffed and grabbed me by the shoulder.

“You aren’t seriously planning to trot around by my side looking like that are you?” She asked and I raised an eyebrow then nodded curiously. “Seriously?! You look like you were just hit by a hurricane. You look awful. I’m not one to be prissy but I don’t really want ponies staring at us because they think we are uncivilized due to our appearance.

I rolled my eyes and groaned. “This is coming from the mare who didn’t want to wear a white dress.” I told her. She quickly dragged me over to the bathroom and pointed to the mirror. I looked at my reflection and chuckled at my appearance. My mane was frazzled and sticking out in multiple directions.

I brought a hoof up to my chin in thought. I let out a deep sigh then quickly frazzled my hair down a little just to make it look somewhat presentable. “There… good as new.” I said with a smile and Daring rolled her eyes.

“John, we have all day. Take a bath for Celestia’s sake. You’re starting to smell again.” She scowled. I rolled my eyes then went to leave, figuring she was joking but she grabbed me. “John, I’m serious.” She told me and I let out a whinny peep.

“Come on Daring… we have bad guys to deal with. Personal hygiene isn’t at the top of the list right now.” I told her but she gave me a playful glare. I knew she was just playing around.

“John… you’re taking a bath… even if I have to scrub you.” She told me with a smirk.

“I let you use that threat before… now I think I’ll make you eat your words.” I countered and her eyes went wide. “That’s what I thought.” I said with a chuckle as I lifted my nose up and trotted out of the washroom victoriously. Suddenly a hoof grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me back into the washroom.

Daring slammed the door behind her and dragged me over to the bathtub. “No wait Daring… you can’t. I won’t be decent.” I tried to explain but as I let her drag me into the tub I realized she had no intentions of undressing me to thoroughly wash my fur. Rather she was just going to soak me.

“WAIT!” I yelled and she was taken aback by my sudden outburst. I unholstered my M1911 and shoulder holster strapped with loaded magazines then placed all the items on the bathroom counter. “Okay, do your worst you… you… you crazy mare.” I laughed and she gasped from the comment.

“I am not a crazy mare!” She gasped playfully.

“Are too.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!” I replied but then she splashed me with a basin of water that soaked my mane enough to have it droop down in front of my face. Water dripped down my face and my clothes were now soaked all the way down to my waistline.

“I am now.” She giggled.

With a shocked expression I looked to her. “You didn’t…” I trailed off and she smiled brightly. “You did.” I muttered in play.

“No hold still while I wash you. You reek like a dairy stable.” She laughed. She went to bring up a second basin filled with warm water. I let her splash me down with it and then she began to scrub my mane. I gave a playful scrunched face as she washed my mane. I didn’t really need a bath that badly.

She filled a third basin and went to pour it on me. I smirked slyly and right before the water poured out I grabbed the basin with my right hoof. Daring was about to scream in shock but I lept up and lightly tackled both our bodies to the floor as the basin of water splashed down on the both of us. I was kneeled atop of her triumphantly, my dripping wet mane dropping past my face and dripping droplets of water down onto Daring’s already soaked face.

Daring managed to gasp “You… you just… oh you didn’t.” She continued to look in shockingly into my eyes. I looked into her dark pink eyes and for some reason with both just seemed to gap out and look into each other’s eyes for what seemed like eternity.

After a while Daring whispered to me. “John… I need to tell you something. I don’t know how you’ll take it but I really need to tell you.” I nodded. Out of nowhere she splashed me with a rather large concentration of water which made me close my eyes and gasp.

She giggled to herself as I left my mouth open in shock from the sneak attack. “Hey John… Gotcha.” She laughed and I wiped away a bit of water from my face so that I could see again.

“Oh, it is on!”