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 going to have
at the Daring Do Convention.
I wish Princess Celestia didn't need my help
with the friendship summit in Griffonstone.
Don't worry. I'll make sure AK Yearling signs your book.
I can't believe she's going to 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 AK Yearling personally...
...and we know that she's secretly Daring Do, herself...
It's no big deal.
This convention'll be fun,
but it's nothing to get too excited about.
So! Excited!
Regular subtitles by YayPonies Episode released inside a pony convention! https://yp1.yayponies.no/
You look like a pony who'd be up for an all-inclusive,
one-of-a-kind, adventu-cation where you get to live
"The Daring Do Experience."
No thanks. Did that already.
Ah!
This is the awe--
--someest thing ever!
Now this is something that only a true fan can appreciate.
They even put the tiles in the right order!
Good catch. 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-because on page eighty-four of Sapphire Stone,
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 trap's barrage of arrows" unquote.
But clearly, Daring Do is embellishing
and the correct number of arrows is--
Twenty.
I am so glad I ran into you.
Even though I knew the convention
would be 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.
That's weird. We've only done stuff from the first trilogy.
After lunch, we should probably start working our way back
through the other books.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. There are no "other books."
Of course there are.
Daring Do and the Trek of the Terrifying Tower,
Daring Do and the Many Faces of--
Uh, 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?
Because 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-reflexive and ironic
while at the same time celebrating the art form
without a hint of cynicism.
Which is why I came here to ask AK Yearling, muzzle-to-muzzle,
why she sold out and dumbed down the rest of her books
into just a series of impossible action sequences.
OK, now I know you're crazy.
AK Yearling is awesome and every Daring Do book that comes out
is better than the last.
Wow. OK. Yeah. I'm-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 OK, 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 the coolest hero of all time!
Fine!
Look, just tell AK Yearling that Rainbow Dash is here
and I need her help to convince a know-it-all pony
that everything Daring Do's ever done actually happened.
Rainbow Dash?
AK! 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 to him
that it's all totally possible.
I've got bigger problems on my hoofs
than dissatisfied fan-ponies.
Whoa!
The Amulet of Culhuacan. 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 cos-players.
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 archenemy disturbing.
I mean, where is the booth for Caballeron?
I do not see the likeness.
Come. Let us find Daring Do and the Amulet of Culhuacan.
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.
Ugh. 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 100% 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.
Ugh.
Obviously her wing wasn't broke--
Caballeron!
See, now THAT'S a great character!
Solid backstory. Good motivations.
No-no-no! Caballeron is right there!
Of course he is.
He's also over there, over there,
Oh-oh over there, and over there.
Where are you going?
And we're out here because...
Daring Do told me that Caballeron
came to this convention to steal the Amulet of Culhuacan
and I just saw him and his henchponies come this way.
OK. I'm gonna head back inside.
Just 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! HA! What do you have to say NOW, Quibble?
This was your plan to prove the Daring Do books are realistic?
You bought a "Daring Do Experience, Adventu-cation"?
Really?
What?! NO! Look around us! Henchponies. Caballeron!
The jungle it 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 offense.
I....
So, what's the setup, here? You've 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 Culhuacan to unlock it!
Uh-huh. 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.
OK, 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 theater over there?
They're not going to listen to me. They abducted us BOTH!
Oh, wow. So you're going to stick with that script?
Oh, OK fine. We're in a Daring Do adventure.
What was that?
DARING DO! THANK GOODNESS! WE'RE OVER HERE!
Fan out! We can't let Daring Do rescue these two.
All four? I mean, shouldn't at least one of them stay behind
to guard us? Oh-oh wait, no because then
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.
OK, that was pretty good.
Quick! We've got to get out of here and warn Daring Do!
No way. Just point me to the hotel
and you can play fanpony
and hunt treasure out here all day long.
Fine. Let's 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?
Ugh. Fine.
Maybe if I just leave you in the jungle, it'll 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 things 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 were really a Daring Do adventure,
I'm sure I'd step on the wrong plank at exactly the wrong mo-
Heh. Good thing this is all just a pretend adventure.
At least we know all of this struggling
won't make the bridge fall apart.
You need to get your money back.
Ha! How's THAT for not possible!
THAT. WAS. AWESOME! I-I-I thought we...
And then you... and the flying...
Wow, and I was like WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!
And then you swerved!
And I was-was-was on the water! And the-the rocks?! WOW.
Yeah. If you read that in a book
you might even think it was unrealistic.
OK. I'll give you that one.
I mean we could have been done for.
We could have been done for!
What kind of Adventu-cation IS this?
I mean that's just bad business! What are these ponies thinking?
Right now?
We are thinking that we should thank you for escaping.
For you have led us directly to the Lost Temple of Chicomoztoc!
Make sure they are secure this time!
We can't have them escaping 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 her companions
so the amulet is as good as mine.
What? 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!
Ugh.
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, and 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.
Uh... 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 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 wanna be monster and I have a feeling
that would be a bit too much
for you bargain basement adventurers to pull off.
Um. 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.
Whoa whoa whoa. You're real.
You're-you're... friends with her?
Uh, 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.
Whoa!
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--
Um... Maybe you should let Daring Do figure it out?
Oh, excuse me.
Not that one.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh.
Is he always like this?
Yeah. But...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.
Uh, 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 a 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, 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!
OK, I've got it. Let's create a fake treasure
out of mud and rocks, give THAT to Caballeron and then when--
Not EVERY Daring Do plan has to be super complicated.
I swear I heard them!
I'll get you Daring Doooooooo!
Uh. Not particularly original or inspired, but it worked.
Who are you again?
He's a fan.
Uh-huh. There's some stairs on the other side of the temple
that lead out of the ravine.
I suggest you two take them and head west.
What about you?
I've got to get this to a museum. Thanks for your help.
I couldn't have done it without you. Both of you.
So?
So. Maybe the later books ARE slightly more realistic
than I gave them credit for. I still don't like them.
What? How can you--
Wait! Hold on! Before we get in another fight,
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.
OK.
And that's OK!
We might never agree on what makes Daring Do cool.
But YOU are definitely cool.
I mean the way you saved me on the bridge? Wow.
And escaping from the temple! You, Rainbow Dash, are AWESOME.
Well. I'm not the one who can locate a 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 AK Yearling would consider
letting ME write the next book?
I mean, think I could
make things way clearer.
I mean for instance, in the second adventure
there's a side character;
I don't want to kind of name it right now,
because it's sort of this thing that I've
already written a lot of fan fiction on.
I don't want you know...
Not that I'm saying that you would steal it;
but I am saying that this would totally go along,
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?
I'm kind of a Yearlite myself,
so I'm sure she'd be open to--
Uh, Quibble?
Sorry!