//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Stupid Myths // Story: Daring- Do and the Zombie Island Jungle // by Stepany1234 //------------------------------// Daring Do shifted her head from left to right. Everywhere she looked ponies were changing and not for the better. “No, no way. The myths were true?!” Daring Do shouted. She stood both terrified and a bit excited. Daring Do should have been more afraid than anything however her adventuress side wasn’t letting her fly away and instead stay to figure out what was causing this epidemic. “Whoa,” Daring Do said as she watched the islander ponies change into gruesome looking monsters. Large hooves, glowing colored eyes, and just completely awful appearances. Another scream was heard and from a far distance Daring Do could see not all of the ponies had changed into gruesome monsters. “Zombies,” Daring Do said under her breath as she finally realized this was reality. Even at that, she still could feel the excitement inside her growing. The same scream was heard again and she finally snapped back to reality and flew up to the sky. She flew towards the scream and searched quickly to see where it was coming from. Finally Daring Do stopped and saw the familiar pony she had just met below her. “Quest?” Daring Do said as she realized the pink pony was cornered by zombie ponies. Quest stepped back and saw she had no other way to go. She shuttered when she saw the zombie pony creatures grow closer and closer with eyes glowing as bright as the sun. Quest screamed once more before being scooped up from the ground. Her eyes were closed shut and her shuttering body came to a stop after feeling the wind cross her face. She opened her eyes to see she was high up in the air and moving quickly. She looked up to see Daring Do had saved her from the zombie ponies and was now flying through the skies with her in her arms. “Adventurer?” She said in surprise. After flying a good distance, Daring Do found herself in the jungle of the island as she landed. “Ok! What’s going on!” Quest said as Daring Do landed on the damp grass. Quest stepped forward to step onto the grass and began to pace out of fear. “I was about to ask you the same question,” Daring Do said in a slightly less alerted tone. “One minute we’re about to have a feast and seconds later everypony starts changing into monsters!?” Quest said as she began to panic. Daring Do appeared completely calm as she observed her surroundings. She realized that she was deep in the jungle of the island and had to be alert for anything that could come her way. “Aren’t you paranoid? Why do you seem so calm about this?!” Quest said frantically. Daring Do smiled at the pretty pink pony and held her head high. “Believe it or not I’ve been through things much worse than this,” Daring Do said with a smile. “Right, an adventurer. Living on this island isn’t very helpful on my knowledge to the world out there,” Quest said as she began to calm down. “So, the myths are true,” Daring Do said. Quest looked at the pegasus and shock spilled all over her face. She finally gulped and accepted the terrifying truth. “You know about that?” Quest asked. Daring Do shot the pony a cocky smile and she trotted across the grass. “Why do you think I came here in the first place?” She laughed. “The myth was nothing but that. A myth. The stories fillies and colts were told around a campfire were nothing we wanted to believe,” Quest said as she sat down on the grass. “To be honest, I came for the gems in the cave. The myths were only something I heard of when I researched the island. The journey here wasn’t that easy so I don’t think I’m going to let this little problem nudge me away,” Daring Do said with confidence as she sat down next to Quest. She looked at the pegasus with surprise. “Little problem? This isn’t scaring you?” Quest asked. “Not really,” Daring Do said with a chuckle. Quest smiled and felt safer now that she had the brave pony with her. “So, Quest. You lived here you’re whole life right?” Daring Do asked. “Well, I was raised here but I wasn’t born here. A ship came here years ago when I was a foal. I was on that ship with my mother when she came to visit the island with other tourists. She decided to stay here and raised me here. However, she got really sick when I was a filly. So ever since she passed away Enrico decided to watch after me,” Quest said. Daring Do didn’t expect to hear so much from the pony she hardly knew but felt for her. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied. Quest shook her head and smiled. “Don’t be, she went peacefully and without any pain,” Quest smiled to hide the sorrow she obviously still felt. Daring Do smiled and had forgotten about their situation for the small moment they were talking. “Hey! Is that there a pegasus? I think it is. No,” said a squeaky voice. Daring Do turned around to see three birds in a tree. One was a toucan, another was a pelican and the last one was a vulture who’s wings were shedding tremendously. “Um, can we help you?” Daring Do asked. “Wow! Really is a pegasus! Well what do you know,” said the pelican. “Pay up, I was right!” the vulture told the toucan. “Oh shut up,” the bird said as they flew away. Daring Do looked at Quest strangely and she could only shrug before letting out a laugh. “So I’m sorta brief on the story about all of this and if I’m right, there’s a gem in a cave somewhere that solves all the problems?” Daring Do asked, still skeptical about the myths she’s read about. “Surely you would know. The cave is the reason you’re here, right?” Quest smiled. “Yup, and it took zombie ponies to finally get me my answer. So where is the cave?” Daring Do asked. She stood up ready to storm off as soon as she was told the information she desired. “Nobody knows for sure,” Quest said sadly. “But according to all those stories I heard when I was little, the special gem is to be tossed into the volcano that is supposed to be the heart of the island,” Quest explained. “Hmm, won’t be so easy since this island doesn’t exactly have a map to guide me. But it hasn’t stopped me before,” Daring Do muttered as she thought aloud. “I’ll go with you. I know the island and jungle better than you do and I can help you,” Quest said as she walked over to Daring Do. “I won’t be long. I’ll just fly up to the volcano and-” Daring Do was interrupted once Quest stepped forward and spoke. “It’s not that simple. You have to find the gem in order to place it in the volcano. And to be honest… I really don’t want to be alone right now,” Quest confessed. “Well where is the gem at? I’m seriously getting tired of having this question be put off,” Daring asked as she lowered her wings and relaxed. “That's the thing, it's been told as a myth for so long that everypony just assumed it was a legend. Nopony really knows where it is exactly. I never really thought this would actually come to happen,” Quest said. “Well don't worry. I've been through some pretty tough situations in my time and I can guarantee you that we'll get through this in no time and in one piece,” Daring Do smiled. “Thank you, Daring,” Quest said before hugging the adventuress pony. Daring Do squirmed around gently to show she wasn’t comfortable with the hug. She smiled lightly and knew that the mare was just happy to know there was a solution to this scary problem. “So, um. The cave with the gems. Do you have any clue on where we could find it?” Daring Do asked as she readjusted her hat and cleared her throat. “I really don’t know its exact whereabouts but there was a scroll on the gems and the islands history. Maybe that could help us,” Quest suggested. “Where’s the scroll?” Daring Do asked. “The library in the village,” Quest answered. Daring Do looked back in the direction of the village and sighed. That exact direction is where the zombie ponies were. “Fantastic,” she said sarcastically.