//------------------------------// // Date Eight - The Deepest, Darkest Date // Story: Cheerilee's Thousand // by xjuggernaughtx //------------------------------// “Look, all I’m saying is that I took a chance on you!” Cheerilee said through clenched teeth. “I don’t normally date mares, you know. I’m taking a big risk here. It would be nice if you’d do the same!” Daring tried to stretch out her wing, but her knees buckled as she attempted to flap. “Looks like I’m grounded again. How does that always happen?” Approaching slowly, Daring Do eyed the quicksand, dipping her front hoof into the slimy pool. “Brrr!” she said, shivering. “It’s… kinda cold.” Cheerilee thrashed a bit, managing only to sink in further. “You don’t say?” she replied, giving the adventurer a flat stare. “I would’ve never known.” “Look, I’m sorry!” Daring said, pacing back and forth fretfully. “It’s just… well… I have this thing about quicksand. It makes my skin crawl!” Daring began fishing through her explorer’s knapsack. “If I could just find that map, I could go get you some help!” she muttered, tossing items aside in the hunt. Cheerilee winced as a canteen, several days’ rations, and a compass bounced off of the nearby tree and rolled into the pool. “You traded the map to those natives for the feathery head-dress two days ago!” Cheerilee yelled. “Perhaps you remember it? It’s when I was telling you that you were out of your mind!” “Oh, yeah!” Daring said, perking up. “I love that thing! Look!” Daring scooped the mask out of her bag. Straightening a few bent feathers, she placed it on her head, leaping back and forth in a bizarre mockery of the tribe’s ritualistic dancing. Cheerilee grimaced as she slid thigh deep into the muck. “Look, will you just throw me a vine or something?!” she cried. “You’re supposed to be taking me on an adventure- and romance-filled jungle tour, but so far, we’ve been nearly eaten by a tiger, attacked by crocodiles, had to eat bugs because you thought you’d lost the food, even though it was in your pack all along—” “Oops!” Daring replied ruefully, lifting her pith helmet to scratch behind her ear. “Which I might add just sank into the pool here!” “Huh?” Daring replied. “When?” “Just now!” Cheerilee shouted as she pointed to the spot. “Right there!” “I don’t see anything,” Daring said, shrugging. “Of course you don’t! That’s because it sank, never to be seen again! Just like I am, so get me out of here!” “Look, I…” Daring said, waving a hoof vaguely at the lush vegetation. “I’m just not all that good at this jungle-y stuff.” “What do you mean ‘you’re not good at it’?!” Cheerilee screeched as the quicksand slid up to her stomach. “You’re Equestria’s authority on exotic locales and dangerous situations!” “I am?” Daring said, tilting her head to one side. “Since when?” “Since you’ve had a long-running, best selling series of books written about your death-defying adventures!” Cheerilee said, wishing badly that she had something to throw at Daring Do. “OH!” Daring said, breaking into a relieved grin. “You’ve got it all mixed up. I’m not that Daring Do. I’m from Las Pegasus. Ponies mix us up all the time.” “WHAT?!” Cheerilee said, her eyes flying wide. “Yeah, total coincidence. We’ve got the same name, and we look a lot alike, but I’m not her!” Daring frowned at Cheerilee “You know, you really should have made clear which Daring you wanted to go out with from the beginning. Now I’ve wasted five whole days.” “You’re wearing a khaki shirt and a pith helmet! You wanted to go hang out in the jungle! Who else was I supposed to think it was?!” “What, I can’t wear something because somepony else does?” Daring said, throwing her hoof wide. “Do you just go out onto the street and yell at everypony who’s wearing clothes you’ve seen somewhere else before?” Daring turned away, sniffing. “You sure are one critical mare!” Daring turned to glare at Cheerilee over her shoulder. “Plus you’re the one who was all ‘the jungle must be so fascinating!’ What was I supposed—” “WOULD YOU JUST TOSS ME A VINE OR SOMETHING, PLEASE?!” Cheerilee screamed as the quicksand made its way up to her shoulders. “Um, are you sure you want a vine?” Daring said, eyeing the nearby vegetation nervously. “I DON’T CARE WHAT IT IS, AS LONG AS IT GETS ME OUT OF HERE!” Daring picked up a small stick, poking at the vine. “It’s just that it might be a snake. Some of those snakes back in that cave we got trapped in were pretty sneaky. I’m not sure I would trust this thing.” She turned to Cheerilee, chewing on her lower lip. “What if it bites me or something?” “It’s just a vine,” Cheerilee said, trying for calm where panic had failed to motivate. “See, it has leaves on it.” “Oh, yeah!” Daring said, grinning widely. “You should be the jungle explorer!” “Well, one of us has to be,” Cheerilee replied, gritting her teeth before whimpering. The quicksand was up to her neck. “Now, just throw it over here and we can get back to town and forget all about this and each other.” “What if it has caterpillars on it?” Daring said, her voice quavering. “They totally creep me out.” “That's it!” Cheerilee said, beginning to thrash in place. “I’m going to make it out of this quicksand, and then I’m going to throw you in here!” “Hey, that’s no way to talk to a pony that’s trying to help you out!” Daring said in a hurt tone. “I could have just left you here, you know!” “Yes, you could have left me here and gone to get some help!” “But then I’d be lonely!” Daring said, her brow furrowing. “I hate being alone.” “Yes,” Cheerilee said, lifting her chin as she sank further into the mire, “I can’t imagine why more ponies don’t love your company.” “Well, if you’re going—” Cheerilee missed the rest has her head finally slipped below the surface of the pool. She desperately kicked out in every direction, praying for some sort of purchase. No! I don't want to— It was all that she could to do stop herself from taking a deep, steadying breath as her hooves sank into a thick layer of rotting leaves and clay. Step by step, she began climbing the shallow basin, trying not to think about her lungs as they screamed for air. If Daring Do has two brain cells to rub together, she'll be long gone by the time I get out of here! she thought, hoping that her head would break the surface soon. But then again, if she had any sense, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place! As images of revenge flashed through her mind's eye, Cheerilee trudged on.