Undeniably, Unquestionably...
This story revolves mainly around tickling. Any rude comments towards the story or its content will be promptly ignored. If you don't like it, click the Dislike button instead of wasting all of that time writing out a nasty, nonconstructive comment. (I gladly welcome constructive criticism and advice, however!) This will be the first of many to come, so forgive the short chapter and enjoy!
The musty stench of the jungle. The salty taste of the sweat as it runs down your forehead. The sensation of the adrenaline rushing through your veins. The shiver inducing warmth of the predators breathing down your neck...
This is what Daring Do feels as her hooves pound against the jungle floor, mud, dirt and leaves left in her wake as they carry her to hopeful safety. Her pursuers are many, and her weariness steadily increases. She knows not what chases her, but only that it hungers for her. This isn't a situation she hasn't seen at least once before, but that doesn't prevent it from being any less of a threat.
"Not good, Daring, not good... gotta find a place to hide if I can't run 'em off... dumb wildlife... why do they always gotta be hungry?!"
Distracted by her thoughts, Daring notices the vine too late. It snags her hoof before she can even start to slow down, sending her careening into a steep decline. Many an "Oof!" and "Ouch!" can be heard as she tumbles before she finally slides to a stop.
"...blech!" She spits various jungle debris from her mouth, groaning as a dull pain covers where bruises would soon be. Daring pauses for a moment, her ears flicking around and her breath bated. The sound of the jungle and its peaceful wildlife is all she hears. "...they're gone..."
The adventuress sighs in relief, finally pulling herself off of the stone floor...
"Wait... this is... stone?"
Daring's gaze travels upward, the aforementioned stone forming into a road of sorts that leads to a distant, but very visible pyramidal temple. Her eyes light up, her mouth agape at the sheer size of the structure. The architecture of its era is unparalleled even in the modern world. Akin to her nature, Daring dares to get a closer look. She places her Jones-esque hat snugly on her head and makes a beeline for the pyramid.
Every ancient temple, however, is not without its traps. Before Daring can even come close to her goal, a pitfall opens up in the road, the stone under her hooves falling away. The pegasus gasps and flares her wings to save herself from what would surely be a nasty fall. She quickly discovers that matters aren't helped; her right wing refuses to extend, crumpled from the previous fall.
"Aw, buck..."
She descends into the dark pit with a shrill cry and without her own flight to save her from sure demise. The stone road closes over the hole once more, Daring's hat floating to a rest upon the path, left behind.
And then, a splash.
Seconds pass; perhaps moments, even, before Daring Do's head breaks the surface of the water. It becomes apparent that the trap was to frighten and hinder rather than to eliminate the curious architect.
"Gasp! Ugh!!" She flicks her wet mane out of her eyes, trying to gain the slightest sense of her surroundings.
"Stupid.. pitfalls.."
The disoriented mare groans and feels around blindly in the unlit area, her hoof coming to rest on what feels like sand, or dirt, perhaps. Without a second thought, she pulls herself onto the semi-solid substance.
"You've seen worse, Do..." She mutters to herself, feeling around on her vest. "Flint and steel.. gotta get light.."
After successfully locating the tool in question, the sound of strike after strike bounces off what she assumes are walls. Daring may have noticed something else in particular, were she not so focused on getting the slightest bit of light. She strikes once more and the room illuminates from the sparks for a brief moment. The adventuress' eyes widen in shock as the small flame lasts long enough for her to see... and it is then pitch black once more.
The horror sets in as quickly as the darkness. The vines, seeming sentient, take Daring without warning. She screams in fright, struggling against what she cannot see, though it yields no result. The last sound to echo through the cave is one last cry.
"HELP!!!"
No one will hear her last, desperate call; only the walls from which it resounds.
Nopony, at the very least. Something different, something small, something numerous stirs... no, awakens... within the temple from the pegasus' cries of despair. One emerges from the sand Daring laid on moments ago, though she wouldn't have seen it in the darkness. The parasite is not quite microscopic, yet it would be hard to spot it even in broad daylight under the keenest of eyes. It's coloration may be the most distinct oddity of the creature. A dull, pinkish color, nearly grey.
It chitters. Within a second, many, many more writhe out of the sand. In numbers, they are quite visible, almost like a greyish-pink patch of dirt. It's quite a sight to behold... or it would be, if anypony was present in the temple, apart from Daring. The poor mare may not know it now, but she will soon realize that she has stumbled into the wrong temple; taken a 'Daring Do' approach to the wrong dare. Her adventures have lead her into what may be the most trying situation of her life. She knows not what is in store for her yet, but oh, she will know what she has awoken.
The pyramid and it's tiny inhabitants will make absolute certain of that.
