Well, don't stop there!
You read, I pack, that's the deal!
I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash.
I just keep thinking about how much fun you're gonna have at the Daring Do convention.
I wish Princess Celestia did not need my help with the Friendship Summit in Griffonstone.
Don't worry!
I'll make sure A.K. Yearling signs your book.
I can't believe she's gonna be there!
She never goes to conventions!
Which…
I guess… will be cool for all those other fan ponies.
But since you and I know A. K. Yearling personally…
And we know that she's secretly Daring Do herself…
It's no big deal!
This convention will be fun,
but it's nothing to get too excited about.
So… excited!
You look like a pony who'd be up for an all-inclusive one-of-a-kind
adventu-cation
where you can get to live the Daring Do experience!
No thanks.
Did that already.
This is the...
...awesomest thing ever!
Now this is something that only a true fan can appreciate!
They even put the tiles in the right order!
Good catch.
Oh, I'm Quibble Pants. Nice to meet you.
Rainbow Dash.
Nice costume.
You, too.
Thanks. The hard part was figuring out the right...
…number of arrow holes.
B-B-B-Because on page eighty four of Sapphire Stone,
i-it describes her dodging a, quote,
"score of arrows shooting forth from
holes in the very walls," unquote,
but then on page one hundred and seven,
Daring Do says she, quote
"barely made it, past the traps,
barrage of arrows," unquote, but
clearly, Daring Do is embellishing
and the correct number of arrows is…
Twenty!
Oh, I'm so glad I ran into you.
Even though I knew the convention would have been totally awesome,
it's more fun when you're with someone who really knows Daring Do.
I know what you mean.
It's so hard to find a pony who really gets it!
Hmm, that's weird.
We've only done stuff from the first trilogy.
After lunch we should probably work our way to the other books.
There are no other books.
Of course there are.
"Daring Do and the Trek to the Terrifying Tower",
"Daring Do and the Many Faces…"
Please, please, don't…
Just don't even mention the titles.
I'm not saying those books don't exist, I'm saying,
that I refuse to acknowledge them.
Why?
'Cause they're horrible!
I mean, there isn't a single thing after "Ring of Destiny" that is even remotely in the realm of the possible!
What?!
I know for a fact that everything in every one of those books is one hundred percent possible.
And how could you possibly know that?
I… just… do…
Well, that's a compelling argument!
Why would you even come to this convention if you hate Daring Do so much?
I don't "hate" Daring Do.
The first series was smart and cool
and an amazing nod to old-time serialized adventure books
that somehow manages to be self-reflective and ironic,
while at the same time celebrating the art form without a hint of cynicism.
Which is why I came here to ask A. K. Yearling muzzle to muzzle
why she sold out and dumbed down the rest of her books
into just a series of impossible action sequences!
Okay, now I know you're crazy.
A. K. Yearling is awesome.
And every Daring Do book that comes out is better than the last!
Okay, yeah, I-I'm sorry but I could never be friends with somepony
who's willing to believe impossible stuff is possible as long as Daring Do does it.
That's okay because I could never be friends with somepony who's so focused on things being possible,
that he's willing to turn his back on a coolest hero of all time!
Fine!
Look, just tell A. K. Yearling that Rainbow Dash is here.
I need her help to convince a know-it-all pony that everything Daring Do has actually done has actually happened.
Rainbow Dash?
A. K.! I've got to talk to you!
It's an emergency!
Not here.
Now tell me, what's going on?
Is it Caballeron?
Did you see him?
What?
No.
But there is a pony downstairs,
who thinks everything you've written after the first trilogy is totally unrealistic and terrible!
And I need you to help me prove him, that it's all totally possible.
I've got bigger problems on my hooves than dissatisfied fanponies.
The Amulet of Culiacan and Caballeron wants it.
But the amulet's only a key.
The real treasure is hidden in a lost temple.
The seven-sided chest of Chicomoztoc.
Caballeron wants to sell it to the highest bidder, of course.
Which is why I need to find it first.
Yes!
Sounds like another awesome Daring Do adventure!
But… what are you doing here?
Since I haven't found the temple yet, it's the safest place for me and the amulet.
It's crawling with security and if I get into trouble…
…I can just blend in with all the Daring Do cosplayers.
How can I help?
Just keep your eyes out for anything suspicious.
Got it!
Does a pony who only likes your first trilogy qualify as suspicious?
Just checking.
I find all this fanfare around my arch-enemy…
Disturbing!
I mean, where is the booth for…
Caballeron!
I do not see the likeness.
Come.
Let us find the Daring Do and the Amulet of Culiacan.
I don't want to spend any more time in this place than I have to!
Well, if it isn't the pony who knows impossible things can happen because…
she just does.
Sorry, Quibble, I've got more important things to do than argue with a pony who thinks awesome means unrealistic.
No! Wait! I wanna hear more about how you're one hundred percent sure
that in "Curse of the Jungle Queen" Daring Do could survive a sixty story drop
from the top of a waterfall after sustaining a broken wing in a category six rapid!
Obviously, her wing wasn't broken!..
Caballeron!
See, now that's a great character.
Solid backstory, good motivations…
No-no-no-no, Caballeron is right there!
Of course he is.
He's also over there,
over there, oh, ooh, over there,
and over there.
Where're you going!
And we're out here because…
Daring Do told me that Caballeron came to this convention to steal the Amulet of Culiacan,
and we just saw him and his henchponies come this way!
Okay, I'm gonna head back inside.
This is a little too much crazy out here for the both of us.
I do not know what Daring Do is playing at.
But if she told you two fanponies of my plan to steal the amulet,
you must work for her.
Caballeron, hah!
What you have to say now, Quibble?
This was your plan to prove the Daring Do books are realistic?
You bought a Daring Do experience adventucation?
Really?
What? No!
Look around us!
Henchponies! Caballeron!
A jungle that took forever to get to?
This is the real deal!
Right, we're actually being held captive by Caballeron?
Please, this guy's accent is all over the place.
No offence.
So, what's the setup here?
You kidnapped us and taken us to the middle of nowhere because…
The temple of Chicomoztoc is somewhere in this jungle.
When I find it, the seven-sided chest is as good as mine!
I just need the Amulet of Culiacan to unlock it.
And Daring Do has the amulet, so you came up with this overcomplicated plot
to lure her into the jungle and exchange it for us.
I wouldn't call it overcomplicated, but…
…Yes.
Okay, we're done here, great work, seriously, very believable.
Listen, pal, you can keep her money, but I'm not…
…Going anywhere!
You may not approve of my plan, but I'm the mastermind here!
Debatable…
And I say you will remain here until Daring Do comes to rescue you.
And if she wants you back in one piece,
she will give me the amulet!
Tie them up!
The Griffon's Lock!
You know of it?
Further proof that you are an agent of Daring Do.
Or an avid reader.
And now I will continue my search for the temple.
Don't go anywhere.
Listen. If I pretend to believe this nonsense is real
will you call off the henchpony repertory theatre over there?
They're not gonna listen to me.
They abducted us both.
Oh, well, so you're gonna stick with that script.
Okay, fine, we're, we're in a Daring Do adventure.
What was that?
Daring Do, thank goodness, we're over here!
Fan out!
Can't let Daring Do rescue these two.
All four?
I mean, shouldn't at least one of them stay behind and guard us?
Oh, oh wait.
No, because it wouldn't be a terrible Daring Do adventure.
It doesn't matter.
We'll never solve the Griffon's Lock before they get back.
Okay, that was pretty good.
Quick, we've gotta get out of here and warn Daring Do!
No, wait.
Just point me at the hotel and
you can play vampony and hunt treasure out here all day long.
Fine.
Let's just say this is a Daring Do adventu-cation.
The only way to get back to the convention is to go through it.
So just follow me and I'll lead you out.
Deal?
I…
Fine!
Maybe if I just leave you in a jungle, it will convince you.
…which would make Daring Do left-hoofed which we know is false, and that
is everything that's wrong with "Daring Do and The Trek to the Terrifying Tower".
Now, the problems with the next book are even…
Oh, right. What Daring Do adventure would be complete without the precarious rope bridge?
Look, I'm all for making this feel as real as possible,
but are these adventu-cation ponies sure this thing is safe?
Is it too realistic for you?
Wouldn't want that on a Daring Do adventure, would we?
If this was really a Daring Do adventure, I'm sure I'd…
step on a wrong plank at exactly the wrong mo…
Good thing this is all just a pretend adventure.
Least we know all this struggling won't make the bridge fall apart.
You need to get your money back.
How's that for not possible?
That was awesome!
I… I… I… I thought we…
And then you began flying!
I was like "Where are you going?!"
And… And… And then you swerved!
And I was… I was… I was on a water and a… and the rock…
Yeah. If you'd read that in the book, you might even think it was unrealistic.
Okay, I'll give you that one, I… I mean, we could have been done for.
We could have been done for!
What… what kind of adventu-cation is this?!
I mean that's just bad business, but…
What are these ponies thinking?!
Right now?
We are thinking that we should thank you for escaping.
For you had let us directly to the lost temple of Chicomoztoc!
Make sure they are secure this time.
We can't have them escaped again.
You'll never get away with this!
Won't I?
You've led me to the temple.
And Daring Do is too…
noble to let harm befall on her companions, so the amulet is as good as mine.
Whoa?
No witty remarks this time about how silly my plan is?
This isn't the official Daring Do experience adventu-cation, is it?
Finally!
It's some cheap knock-off!
Run by a bunch of incompetent ponies that…
have no idea how to execute this adventure with any level of safety!
What was that with the bridge?!
We were in serious danger!
I'm reporting you all to…
Well, I don't know who I'm reporting you to, but it's gonna be somepony important!
Oh, all this cut-rate excuse for an "experience" hasn't proved anything except that I'm right!
It has all the hallmarks of a lame Daring Do adventure!
Quibble?
No. I'm talking.
Generic jungle locations? Check.
Overly complicated villain plot? Check.
Random coincidences? That conveniently get us to the next big set piece? Check!
Watch for where you are stepping, you fool!
Listen, buddy.
I don't take orders from some second rate performer
who learned acting from the supervillain school of bad accents.
The only thing this mess is missing is some giant
Ahuizotl-wannabe monster and I have a feeling
that would be a bit too much for your bargain-basement adventure is to pull off!
You're real.
This is real.
This is real!
I told you to warn me of anything suspicious,
not run off on an adventure without me!
You… you're real!
You… you… you're friends with her?
We'll have to do introductions later.
Right now we have to…
…get out of here, yes!
Thank you!
Actually, no!
What?!
We can't leave without the treasure!
And we should probably get to it before our friend gets any higher.
Seven doors, seven locks.
One of them leads to the treasure.
I'd rather not think about what the others lead to.
Yeah, yeah, the classic "pony and the tiger" bit.
All you have to do is…
Maybe you should let Daring Do figure it out?
Oh, excuse me!
Not that one.
Is he always like this?
Yeah.
Bu-u-ut… he's usually right.
Which lock do you think it is?
Finally!
Look, each door has another door that matches.
These two?
Both have earth ponies fighting serpents.
These two have pegasi fighting griffons.
These two have unicorns fighting bears.
But this one…
Has an alicorn on it!
It's the only one without a match.
How did I miss that?
I've been asking myself that ever since book four.
The seven-sided chest of Chicomoztoc!
Guys…
The way out is totally covered!
How are we gonna get out of here?
There!
Seriously, do you ever not escape out of the top of the temple?
We'll have to carry Mister Adventure Critic out with us.
We won't be fast enough,
we'll never make it!
Guys!
I think Rainbow Dash and I have this covered.
Go around, you can't go over him!
Go over him, are you crazy?
If Quibble says go over him, we'll go over him.
You two are insane!
You said "go over him!"
I said "go around him!"
And I said "be quiet!"
This way, I heard them!
Okay, I got it.
Let's create a fake treasure out of mud and rocks,
give that to Caballeron, and then we…
Not every Daring Do plan has to be super complicated.
I swear I heard them!
I'll get you, Daring Do!
Not particularly original or inspired, but it worked.
Who were you, again?
He's a fan.
There are some stairs on the other side of the temple that lead out of the ravine.
I suggest you to take them and head west.
What about you?
I've gotta get this to a museum.
Thanks for your help.
I couldn't have done it without you.
Both of you.
So…
maybe the later books are slightly more realistic than I gave them credit for.
Still don't like them.
What?!
How can you…
Wait, hold on.
Before we get in another fight, I…
I think I finally figured it out!
I love the Daring Do that solves puzzles
and uses her brain to get out of tough situations.
And she did way more of that in the original trilogy!
You love the Daring Do that is brave and awesome and
comes out on top, no matter what the odds!
Okay…
And that's okay!
We might never agree on what makes Daring Do cool, but
you are definately cool,
I… I mean, the way you saved me on the bridge.
And escaping from the temple,
you, Rainbow Dash, are awesome.
Well…
I'm not the one who can locate the treasure in half the time Daring Do can.
You may have terrible taste in books, but
you're pretty awesome yourself.
In a brainy egghead puzzle solving kind of way.
I guess, we don't have to agree on everything to get along.
Friends?
Definitely friends!
Do you think A.K. Yearling would consider letting me write the next book?
I… I think I can make things way clearer.
I mean, for instance, in the second adventure there is a side character, I don't wanna…
anon2anon sunnysubs.com
kinda name it right now, because it's sort of…
this thing, that I've already written a lot of fan fiction, I don't want you to…
Not that I'm saying you would steal it, but I am saying
that this would totally go along with my whole thing about
puzzle-solving, except, what if each puzzle that was solved unlocked a new karate move!
Think of it that way, right?
And I mean I'm kind of a "Yearlite" myself, so, I'm sure, she'd be open to…
Quibble?
Sorry!