Daring Do and the Captive Chicken

The Only Chapter

She opened her eyes. She blinked trying to get accustomed to the then bright light. The tan mare looked to her left; then to her right. She shook her head clearing the laziness and drowsiness from her body. She blew her hair from her face and faced the giant stone wall. It was in grayscale like her hair. She sneaked a look up at the ceiling. Something was seated on a pillar that towered over her. She quickly scanned her surroundings.

Daring Do could only manage to find a rope, duct tape, two paper clips, and a pen. “A good adventurer can always find a way to use what she can find,” She whispered to herself. It was at this point she was glad that she was by herself. “Rainbow Dash might just fly in and set off whatever traps are set,” She giggled.

The mare set to work readying a plan to nab whatever the pillar had seated a top it. “The paper clips could work as a key which would allow me to pick the lock; if it’s locked. Or anything that could have a lock,” She said aloud as if confirming her plan. “The rope could be used as something for me to pull the object down from its place.” It was then that the famous adventurer was reminded of the stabbing, almost unbearable pain that a broken wing could give a Pegasus pony. She’d broken it when the kidnappers manhandled her. Daring groaned and quickly rethought the use of the rope.

“Okay. The rope is now going to be used as a method to climb the pillar but, I’d have to use something to keep it in pl- the duct tape!” Daring Do exclaimed as she widened her magenta colored eyes. “Okay. Next part, the pen…is the pen even useful?” She questioned herself. “I can’t figure anything out to use the pen for. Maybe it can be used to help the paperclips. Taping the two bent paperclips together might add a bit more strength,” Daring concluded with a hoof on her chin. Closing her eyes and taking in the stale; dry air of the room Daring launched into action. She scooped up the paperclips and bent them with her teeth and hooves.

Once they were bent, she pulled a piece of the duct tape and used her teeth to detach the piece from the roll. She took the piece and put it on one end of the rope. Then, standing on her hind legs, Daring tried her best to put it high enough so she could scale the pillar. “Oh, Celestia,” Daring mumbled. She jumped a bit and achieved the height she wanted. She took a steadying breath and began her climb. Daring could feel the rope giving way due to the duct tape starting to give way under her weight. She hopped down and tore another piece and held it in her mouth. She began her climb again but this time before making it to the top of the pillar, she placed the second piece over the top of the last piece so it formed an ‘X’. She pulled herself up and narrowed her eyes.

A rubber chicken. Something told her that it didn’t belong to Pinkie Pie or Cheese Sandwich. She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out the pen and the paperclips. She pulled off the cap and stuck both the paperclips and the pen into the lock. She sat and fiddled with the lock. Soon, Daring heard the satisfying click of the lock. She swung the creaky cage door opened and grabbed the chicken. She placed the rubber chicken into her saddlebags and hopped down.

Before trying to find a way out she grabbed the duct tape and stuck it into her saddlebags as well. “Now, to find a way out and I think the only way out is up,” Daring said as she looked for a hole in the ceiling. Finally spotting one, she pulled out the rope and began trying to throw it up into the hole so she could once again climb it. “One more try. Then I have to use my wings.” Daring gathered the rope into her mouth and gave the rope a good toss. It fell and Daring Do groaned. She readied her wings after checking to make sure that the rubber chicken would for sure be secure. She lowered and then took off out of the hole in the ceiling.

Daring was met face to face with a glass dome that covered the already dead vegetation. She spotted something with a rather huge shadow. She moved as quickly and quietly as her legs would let her go. The stabbing pain had returned and she was now drawing sharp; deep breaths. This isn’t good. That thing’ll get to me before I can get this chicken and me out of here, Daring thought as she kept her senses peeled. C’mon Daring! Get a move on! She mentally yelled at herself. Daring picked up speed.

The shadow lifted its head and sniffed. It then smiled a toothy grin which would have given a filly the shakes. Daring turned to see the shadow come bounding down the field towards her. She let out a noise of surprise and ran for the other side of the dome. I think if I let it into the light, It’ll burn or back off into the shadows where it came from, Daring thought quickly as she looked over her shoulder.

Daring moved to the left slightly so she was in the middle of the sun’s rays. Sure enough, the shadow had followed her. She gave the shadow beast a confident smile as smoke began to come off its body. Daring slowed her pace. “To leave, I think I’ll have to break through the glass. I’ll probably have a lot of cuts to deal with but I’ve got to get out of this place.” She backed up a bit and ran forward and crashed through the glass of the dome and she continued her walk to where ever she was going to have to go to find the owner of the rubber chicken.

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A.K. Yearling gave a content sigh as she finished the last chapter to her latest book. She removed the final paper and put it in the stack with the rest. She gathered up her work and left her home. Rainbow Dash was probably eagerly awaiting the book so she would have to meet with her editor and then her publisher so her friend could get the very first one. “I hope she’ll enjoy it just like she enjoyed the other ones.”