Morning, Pinkie Pie.
Get your "Ponyville Chronicle"
right here.
Fan-tizzy-astic.
[ Ding! ]
I just love to read
about happy happenings,
and it's always good
to be a Pony in the know.
You know?
And there's so much to know.
Eh, seems like a bunch
of boring hooey to me.
Does, "New shrubbery
in castle gardens,"
sound like boring
hooey to you?
Snooze.
What about,
"Parasprite infestation
in Fillydelphia eradicated"?
Oh, that's great news!
Eh, another day,
another parasprite hype story.
"Noodles named official
food of whinnyapolis,"
"Author A.K. Yearling
announces retirement,"
"Cloudsdale election
heating up for candidate
in favor of cooling it down."
What?
Let me see that!
Oh! I never knew you were
so into politics, Rainbow!
No, this!
It can't be true!
Well, I would have
never picked noodles
as the official food
of whinnyapolis, either,
but here we are.
No, Pinkie!
I can't believe that
the greatest author and secret
Pony adventurer of all time,
A.K. Yearling, is retiring!
♪♪
♪ My little Pony,
my little Pony ♪
♪ Aaaahhh ♪
♪ My little Pony ♪
♪ I used to wonder what
friendship could be. ♪
♪ My Little Pony ♪
♪ Until you all shared
its magic with me. ♪
♪ Big adventure! ♪
♪ Tons of fun ♪
♪ A beautiful heart! ♪ ♪
Faithful and strong! ♪
♪ Sharing kindness ♪
♪ it's an easy feat ♪
♪ And magic makes it
all complete! ♪
♪ To have my little pony ♪
♪ Do you know you're all
my very best friends? ♪
♪♪
Do you know you're all
like, today.
Are you sure
she wants visitors?
Pinkie, the A.K. Yearling
I know would never quit
and retire out of the blue.
Something could be
really wrong,
and we need to make sure
she's really okay.
Okay.
Hey, you're not just trying
to make sure she writes more
"Daring Do" books, are you?
Of course not, but that
wouldn't hurt, either.
Now, come on.
[ Furiously pounding ]
Maybe, she's not home.
Maybe, she went
to the editor in chief
of "the Ponyville Chronicle"
to correct the misprint
they made.
Nope, she's home.
How do you know?
Because she's right there,
looking all sad and alone.
I knew it!
Something is wrong!
A.k.!
Now, she's sighing
with the weight of the world.
Now, she's hanging her head
in utter despair,
and now, she's shaking her hoof
and cursing the heavens
like nothing could ever
possibly be the same again.
Why, oh, why did
this happen to her?
What?
Whoops, never mind, that time
she was just stretching.
A.k., it's us, Rainbow Dash
and Pinkie Pie,
your friends!
♪♪
♪♪
Oh, no. Did somePony ransack
your cottage again
and steal some ancient,
mysterious relic that's the key
to saving all of Equestria?
Mmm! Ooh, sparky.
[ Gasps ]
Nothing has been stolen.
Then, is some Pony blackmailing
you and forcing you to retire?
Because if they are...
No, nothing like that.
So you're just quitting
and moving away?
Why would you do that?
I already explained everything
to "the Ponyville Chronicle."
Oh, really?
"Author A.K. Yearling
announced yesterday
that the next adventure
novel in your popular series,
"DARING DO AND THE CURSE
OF THE PHARAOH'S TOMB",
will be her last.
Yearling looks forward
to her retirement."
That doesn't explain anything.
It just says you're giving
up writing stories,
but most Ponies don't know
that you actually are Daring Do
and that
the stories are real,
so what you're really saying is
that you're giving up
being Daring Do,
but you're not saying why!
Of course, if you don't feel
like talking about it,
that's a-okay, A.K.
As your friends,
we completely understand.
Right, Rainbow Dash?
Oh, yeah.
We just came to make sure
you're all right.
That's really why we wanted
to find out what's going on.
If you really want to know,
my last quest took me
to a village
in Southern Equestria,
where I started
seeing these.
"Wake of destruction:
Daring do ruins entire
village marketplace."
"Dare or scare,
local rogue Daring Do
involved
in frightful fiasco"?
"Daring do leads bull into china
shop during high-speed chase."
That's enough!
EveryPony I tried to help
is mad at me.
That's not true.
They're not mad
at A.K. Yearling.
They're mad at Daring Do.
They don't sell my books
in southern Equestria.
The Ponies there don't know
who A.K. Yearling is.
They only know Daring Do,
and apparently,
she does more harm than good.
Then, I guess it's a good thing
you look so different
as A.K. Yearling.
So all we have to do
is go down there and explain
to these Ponies
that none of this stuff is true!
Easy, peasy, cheesy!
But that's just the thing.
It is true.
What? what?
I guess I've always been focused
on saving priceless relics
and stopping the bad guys
that I never really thought
about the mess I leave behind.
Then, you are
in a tricky pickle.
But why is all this
happening now?
I guess Ponies
are finally fed up.
Either way, I'm done with
adventures, having or writing.
Come on!
For every one Pony who's upset,
there must be at least
a hundred that know
you're a hero!
I don't think so, Dash.
Well, why don't we
go visit this village,
Somnambula, and see
for ourselves?
Those articles seem
to make it pretty clear
how the villagers feel.
But if we go there, the Ponies
can tell you in person
just how much
they appreciate you.
And what a heap of rotten apple
cores these articles are!
You really think so?
I know so.
Let's go!
[ Sighs ]
♪♪
♪♪
This is so cool.
It looks just like that village
in your last book
where Daring Do recovers
the doomed diadem
from the wild bunch g*ng,
who chase after her
through the desert.
It should.
I based that entire chapter
on my experiences here
in Somnambula.
What happens?
No, wait.
Don't tell me.
I changed my mind.
Tell me!
Daring do thwarts Ahuizotl's
evil plot to separate
the sister crown relics.
And if it wasn't for her,
the region would be cursed
with eternal might,
and the entire town
of Somnambula
would have sunk into the ground!
Eh, puh, there's no chance
that these Ponies
don't think you're a hero.
Watch this.
Hiya there, mister.
I was hoping you could tell me
about a Pony named Daring Do.
I hear she's an awesome
adventure Pony hero.
Daring do?
Oh, she's awesome, all right.
Awesome at destroying Ponies'
apple carts
and priceless, sacred statues!
Indeed.
Daring do is a menace who
destroys everything she touches.
What?
No!
Daring do is the exact
opposite of a menace!
I tried to tell you.
Coming back here was a
mistake.
♪♪
Com'on...
Cked a back example.
That was just one angry Pony.
Two angry Ponies!
It doesn't matter.
I never should have
come with you.
You two should just go home!
Come on.
We got to follow her.
I don't know.
It really seemed like
she doesn't want us
cramping her saddle.
But we have to convince her
that Ponies do appreciate her.
As her friend, I have to make
sure she believes that.
Look, Pinkie,
it's the get on inn.
Daring do stays here
all the time in her adventures,
which means there must be
Ponies here who love Daring Do!
Maybe, they can help us.
Mm, my nose is telling me
to help myself to muffins.
[ Bell dinging ]
Come on.
Um! Ooh, she's fancy.
I got this.
Good evening to you,
madam.
We are but weary travelers
who humbly wish to inquire
about the status
of a certain matter
of intrigue
taking residence here.
What in southern Equestria
are you on about?
Is it true that Daring
Do stays here?
Uh! Not anymore, she doesn't.
Why not?
The last time I rented
that rascal a room,
she was in such a rush
to hightail it out of here,
she didn't even pay her bill.
- But...
- After that,
a band of ruffians showed up
and destroyed half the rooms,
looking for her!
Guess she made them even
more mad than she made me!
No, no, no.
You got it all wrong!
Uh!
How do you figure?
Daring Do was trying to save
everyPony from the curse
of the doomed Diadem of Xilati,
and she was only in a rush
because she had
to get the crown back
to the Tiara of Teotlale
before the curse took effect.
Chapter .
Sounds like a tall tale to me,
and a hard one to believe now
that I know Daring Do is
a scoundrel and a thief!
Every year, Ponies come
to offer precious Glowpaz
to the Somnambula statue
in the village
in hopes for a good future.
Why, that poor fellow had
his Glowpaz necklace stolen by
Daring Do just yesterday!
Hmm.
[ Both gasp ]
There's A.K.!
There's A.K.!
Daring do ruined our town
and stole our precious Glowpaz!
We need to make sure that,
if she turns up again,
there will be consequences!
EveryPony who's with me,
meet at the statue tomorrow!
All right!
That's right!
Now, I'm getting blamed
for things I didn't even do?
Why would I steal from them?
They are super bad!
But we're still staying
the night, right?
Because I already ate
all the free mini muffins.
Listen, A.K.
After a good night's sleep,
we're going to fix all of this.
I promise.
[ Indistinct conversations ]
I shouldn't be here,
Rainbow Dash.
This is never going to work.
Of course, it will!
All we have to do
is go up there and explain
to everyPony how wrong
they all are!
Yeah! and then, I'll be like,
"what she said."
Easy, peasy, cheesy.
Exactly.
Here it is,
the remains of your...
I mean,
our Somnambula statue,
now that Daring Do
has destroyed it!
Tell me,
where will we hang our Glowpaz?
We don't even have any Glowpaz
because they were stolen by
Daring Do!
Crowd: YEAH!
Boo! Boo!
Daring do would never
steal anything!
And okay, she destroyed
your statue,
but it was because
she was trying
to save you all from Ahuizotl!
Ahuizotl?
He's about yea big, long neck,
itty-bitty face,
weird claw thingy
on his tail?
Ooh, ooh, I know him!
He's a baddie!
[ Crowd murmuring ]
Trust me, if ahuizotl had gotten
away with the doomed Diadem,
your entire village would
have been swallowed up,
and that's a lot worse than
losing some crummy old statue.
[ Crowd gasps ]
Agh Aahem!
This was not
some crummy old statue!
It was the namesake of our town!
If you want to understand us,
you must first understand her.
- Who?
- Somnambula.
Long ago, this village
fell prey to an evil Sphinx
who demanded
most of their crops.
Like her fellow villagers,
Somnambula didn't have much,
but she used what
she had to keep others
from giving up hope.
The son of the Pharaoh,
Prince Hizan, was so moved
by her compassion
that he degreed no Pony
would go hungry again.
♪♪
♪♪
But when Hizan stood up
to the Sphinx,
the beast captured him,
telling the Pharaoh
the only way to get
Hizan back was
to solve her riddle.
No Pony would volunteer
to save the Prince,
no Pony except Somnambula.
♪♪
♪♪
The Sphinx gave her the riddle.
"I shine brightest in the dark.
I am there
but cannot be seen.
To have me cost you nothing.
To be without me
costs you everything."
As Somnambula thought
of the hardships
she and her fellow villagers
had experienced,
she instantly
knew the answer.
"Hope," she shouted.
The Sphinx was so enraged.
It seemed she might still refuse
to release the prince,
so Somnambula asked her
for one more challenge,
but if she accomplished it,
the Sphinx would leave
from the kingdom forever.
The Sphinx quickly agreed,
asking only that
Somnambula walk to the prince
across a deep chasm,
blindfolded.
Further, the Sphinx had cast
a powerful spell that prevented
Somnambula from flying!
But Somnambula never lost hope.
She knew she'd need
to make a leap of faith
to save the prince.
Guided by the sound
of the prince's voice,
she easily made it across.
♪♪
♪♪
The pharaoh asked how
Somnambula prevailed,
and she explained that
she had always hoped
she could make things
better for her people
and that hope had
carried her through.
The Prince replaced the pearls
Somnambula gave up
with a string of Glowpaz,
and around her neck,
it glowed bright enough
to light the entire kingdom.
Forever after, Glowpaz
became our symbol of hope.
[ Excited chatter ]
Wow!
I had no idea how special
the statue was to you.
Somnambula sounds like
a pretty cool Pony,
but I bet if she were here,
she'd tell you how cool
Daring Do is, too,
because they both fought
to protect this town!
[ Chatter ]
If Somnambula were here today,
she would condemn Daring Do for
destroying our symbol of hope!
Boo!
♪♪
Hey, buddy!
What did Daring Do ever do
to you to deserve all this?
Only everything!
Dr. Caballeron?
Yes, Rainbow Dash.
When I saw you,
her closest friend,
I knew that Daring Do
would not be far behind.
I really do owe you
for leading her right to me.
But I-I-I didn't mean to!
Thank you for having me
break Daring Do's spirit
by destroying her reputation,
but I can't have you running off
and telling her my plan.
[ Whistles ]
♪♪
Help!
Caballeron?
No!
He's got Rainbow Dash!
Come on!
♪♪
[ Panting ]
I'm... coming...
Rainbow... Dash!
I knew you'd come!
You did?
I sure didn't.
What if I cause more trouble?
You won't.
How do you know?
I just do.
You wouldn't let anything
happen to Rainbow Dash.
You care too much.
You're right.
Which way did they go?
To the pyramid!
SomePony help!
SomePony!
AnyPony!
Pinkie pie?
Daring do?
Is that you?
Don't worry, Rainbow!
We'll save you!
[ Cracking ]
[ Sinister laughter ]
If my previous plan
didn't cause you to give up,
Daring Do,
then the shame of losing
your dear friend,
Rainbow Dash,
to the slime, will!
Oh, and that ancient magic
from the legend is real.
There will be no flying
in the pyramid.
Good luck, Daring Do!
[ Laughing ]
[ Grunting ]
He's right.
We'll never get to her in time.
If this really is like
Somnambula's story,
then we just have to have
hope that we can!
I think we need more
than hope, Pinkie.
There was a bridge in the story,
and there's no bridge here!
What are we going to do?
I don't know.
Rainbow Dash is our friend.
Just like Somnambula,
we need to make a leap of faith
and hope that we can save her!
Pinkie!
[ Hissing ]
A-ha!
Wee!
I knew we'd do it!
Thanks for reminding me
to never give up hope, Pinkie.
And I'm kind of hoping
you Ponies will untie me
before we all take a bath
in bubbling green slime!
We're on it!
♪♪
[ Air hissing ]
♪♪
[ Indistinct conversation ]
Not so fast, Caballeron!
[ Ponies gasping ]
You stole our Glowpaz!
[ Angry shouting ]
I should have known you were
just trying to sully my name
so that you'd be free to steal
whatever you wanted!
Of course, that was the plan,
Daring Do!
At first, I just wanted
the Glowpaz, but then,
I saw an opportunity
to write you
out of the story for good!
[ Laughing, Ponies gasp ]
And with the destruction
you leave in your wake,
it didn't take too much
to convince Ponies
you were a villain!
You're wrong, Caballeron,
and I won't let you
break my spirit again
because I'm never
going to give up
hope that I can protect Ponies
and ancient treasures
from miscreants like you!
Uh, remember, she ruined
your statue!
You're fools to believe in her!
[ Angry groan ]
You'll pay for this, Daring Do!
[ Cheering ]
Okay, okay, that's enough.
Thanks for helping me
come to my senses.
You two are true friends.
Are you kidding?
That was awesome!
We're just glad you're back
to your old self again.
Me, too, but I'm glad
I realized that,
even if you're fighting
for something good,
you're still responsible
for your actions.
And if something bad happens
that you didn't intend,
you shouldn't give up hope
or lose faith in yourself.
Yeah! all you've got to do
is make it right.
Feel free to use
that in your next book.
You know, I think I will.
[ Squealing, laughter ]
♪♪
[ Ding ]
♪♪
[ Cheering ]