Daring Do and the magic lamp

by Andy Ray

Chapter 1. Daring Do's quest

The sun was high above, its rays were filtering through the jungle's trees' canopy, and down beneath them was Daring Do making her way. The air felt warm and humid, as it was supposed to be in jungle, and breathing was hard for Daring. But nonetheless did she plough her way forward, as her quest was not going to get itself completed.

"Why am I even doing this to myself?? -- wondered Daring under her breath, as she tried to ignore the mosquitoes swarming around her. -- Why not just leave it all to somepony, who actually cares for that thrice accursed, stupid Ahuizotl, and not put myself through this ordeal?!"

For, you see, her sworn enemy Ahuizotl planned yet another devilry this time: upon hearing of a magic lamp that granted its master any wish the master had -- he decided to place his hands on that lamp and to grant himself every wish possible! Of course, as is customary in the world of fiction, his vile plans were about to be ruined by a brave heroine, whose adventures and predicaments she was going to be put through had simply to fascinate and to capture the readers' hearts. As you may have probably guessed, this heroine was none other, than Daring Do, who, however, was somewhat displeased with the idea of going through a lot of surviving and extremely dangerous challenges. To put it simply, Daring Do did not want to be such a heroine. She'd very much rather not.

"Yeah, I might as well even say "screw it all!" and go home for a change, -- said she to herself. -- After all, who makes me do this? Who but myself?.."

Indeed, she might as well just have gone home and not risked her life in jungle full of dangers! Yet... she plodded through the jungle, fighting greenery that stood in her way. An occasional wild animal would jump out and try to serve her, as she did so. Not as a noble knight would, mind you! She was in jungle, after all! To serve her for dinner, that's how! But, no matter the danger, no matter, how much she disliked herself doing this, Daring Do never faltered to proceed to her goal, determination not abandoning her!

The reason for that determination was simple: Daring Do was writing fiction. More, than anything else, she succeeded in writing adventures. Why, she loved adventures herself! She had been quite an adventurous filly back in her childhood days, that's for sure! Yet, when she had realised what it took to be adventurous, she had ceased on being reckless (which she had used to be, those, who'd known her, would have told!). But never had the spirit of adventure left her, and always would she be thrilled with the anxiousness the sticky and thought to be impossible-to-get-out-of situations brought to her!

As a result, she'd dug into reading. When she had become a writer herself, that had all been due to the inspiration she'd received from all the reading she'd done. As a result, her stories had become successful. Which had left her in a need for more plots, when the fans had had the demand.

Well, you've guessed it: she endangered herself in a hope, that something should happen, and when that something did happen, she made it an adventure. Huh? Yeah, a rather unreasonable technique, if you were to ask, but it did work somehow! For some unfathomable reason, inconceivable to Daring Do herself, she never got into any real mess. However unthinkable her predicament be, she always managed to get herself out of trouble, almost unscratched. This puzzled even Daring Do herself, but was she really to complain, when this helped with her writing? So she didn't.

This strategy, to go for an adventure herself and to make a story of that, had proven to be quite effective (no kidding!). Life never seemed to go easy on those, who dared it, so, obviously, Daring never complained, when it came to life's being hard! She wondered sometimes, if her name meant she was destined to dare life itself to put her to the greatest and toughest challenges ever held in store! One never opposes to his name, does he? Anyway, Daring Do never opposed to hers.

As she had done the times before, she was in for an adventure. Not, that it pleased her. The thrill of overcoming difficulties had left her after all the times she had stood up to her eternal foe -- Ahuizotl. That fiend never seemed to get enough. Sometimes Daring even wondered, if Ahuizotl was paid for making her, Daring's, life miserable... Then again... the fans paid for her books, which she wrote, so basically she was paid for getting herself into this mess, too. A funny thought crossed her mind: what, if Ahuizotl wrote his books about how he defeated her, Daring Do? She chuckled upon thinking that and shooed the mosquitoes away yet again: oh, the things-I-could-have-done! why does she always own me??! Aargh! That's unacceptable! This should've gone like this -- and that was how he wrote his stories.

The greenery she had been fighting through made way to some open space, and she stopped: before her was a river. Daring pulled out a map and looked at it. "So... Here comes the river... and then I shall go... to here! -- and she pointed her hoof at a place on the map. -- There begins the path. Oh, -- her face became clouded with concern, -- I so hope Ahuizotl hasn't reached the temple yet!" Adventure or not, losing was by far the worst possible option.

"Why, yes!" -- cried someone out, and Daring felt a push applied to her. She lost her balance and tumbled into the river, yelps of panic escaping her throat.

"Woo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" -- cackled someone madly in a not ear-pleasing voice, easily identified by a fallen Daring Do as that of her foe -- Ahuizotl! However she had not enough time to respond, as she touched the muddy water of the river and made a splash. "Why, yes! Yes, I haven't reached the temple yet! Yet! But now, that you've fallen down this river, I can gain some distance, while you're busy fighting the current! And now you shall never get ahead of me, for I've got your!.. Wait! Where is your map?!" -- shrieked Ahuizotl, as he realised, he hadn't the map yet.

Daring Do, though irritated to no end, because her journey had been interrupted so rudely, managed a smirk, as she did indeed fight the current, but rather in order not to lose her precious belongings (which had soaked by now, sadly), than to get ahead of Ahuizotl:

"Nice work ruining it... villain!" -- she taunted him.

Ahuizotl growled and almost made to tear a tuft of his own hair out, only to realise, that he had no hair, rather fur. This pissed him off even more so.

"You shall never get away with this, Daring Do!" -- he bellowed in her wake.

"Well, -- replied Daring, her grin even wider, than before, -- the river seems to be disagreeing with you on that matter!"

"What?" -- asked a confused Ahuizotl, only to realise, the river was dragging Daring Do away from him.

Along with the map... the map that led to the temple...

"No! WAI-I-IT!!!" -- he screeched, giving chase to the floating away Daring.

"Yeah, help is very appreciated at this moment!" -- cried she to him.

"Shut UP and just hold still, WILL YA!" -- barked the foe.

Daring only sighed:

"What a pathetic villain..."

"You shall pay for that one as well!!!" -- roared Ahuizotl and hurried to fish the mare out of the water. Not because he was such caring a creature, really.

---

The river had been left behind, and now Daring Do was hurrying up, trying to get as ahead of Ahuizotl, as possible. Yes, she had managed to get out of the river and not to get caught by either of his limbs (which included his hand attached to his tail), and that'd been a doozy! She had thought, she would have never made it alive! But of course that wouldn't be included in any of her book's chapters: her adventure should have to stay epic! Nonetheless she couldn't ask for more: she was alive, and her foe -- behind her. On hot pursuit, actually. She'd better hurry!

Her heart was racing and pounding in her chest -- she might not be able to run any more soon! She choked, her limbs almost failing to carry her further, so exhausted she was! Any time she was about to collapse breathless, and then it would be the end: Ahuizotl would get a hold of the map, and then it wouldn't be long, before he found his way to the temple!

Despite being tired out of her mind Daring noticed some orange glow ahead. Mustering all strength she could, she crawled out to the sight of a rift, from which the glow was emanated. Daring Do perked up with delight: this was the lava rift, according to the map, and that meant, the path began somewhere near here! But then worry overwhelmed her: that also meant, if Ahuizotl were to catch up with her, he'd be able to find his way to the temple even without the map! Daring started thinking desperately, trying to come up with a plan. "Oh, why didn't I make a fake map just for the cases like this! -- she berated herself. -- Didn't I use this as a convenient plot device back in?.."

But she never got to finish her panicked train of thought, as she heard the unmistakable yells of her enemy: "Where, for the wrath of the spirits, IS that damn mare?! -- his screams were near. Very near. -- She MUST be somewhere around here, I can't be mistaken!" He murmured something under his breath, seemingly cursing, as he tried to pick up Daring's trail.

Daring lay low, praying for the grass to hide her, be it not so tall, as she'd have preferred. She tried to hold her breath, but that was nearly impossible with how much time she had been running. Her heart was going to leap out of her chest, as it pounded with all its (no little) might, as if with actual fists. "Damn you, calm... the hay... down!" -- tried Daring to order her heart with a wheeze. The addressee seemed to pretend to be deaf.

Daring was gasping for air desperately, hoping, her foe didn't find her! She pressed herself hard against the ground, scared! Meanwhile her enemy was wandering about, trying still to pick up her trail. "What, has she fallen down the ground?!!" -- screeched he.

...Then considered. "Wait, of COURSE!" -- he bellowed and ran toward the lava rift.

Daring tried to cling to the ground even more: he was nearing! Nearer! And nearer! And yet nearer!!..

She shut her eyes in fear, dreading the inevitable victorious outcry and a mocking evil cackling to come!..

...Only none followed. "Huh??" -- she uttered almost out loud, nearly slapping herself for that, her disguise now half blown. She froze. Even her breath held. Her heart raised an unsure fist to pound yet again and reconsidered. Daring felt, she was about to explode...

"You may stop hiding now! -- said Ahuizotl with an almost audible smirk. -- I know you're right there!"

"For the love of dearest of princesses, Celestia, you had better hear me now! WHY!!!" -- she would have cried out, had it not been for the terror that petrified her completely.

"Come o-o-on, Daring dear! Would you, please, come out?" -- asked Ahuizotl very politely, albeit in a very sinister and mocking manner.

"Welp... Here comes!.." -- thought Daring to herself, feeling tears swelling up. She was doomed.

"You may hide, but I'll get down there and drag you out, ya hear that?! -- yelled Ahuizotl... and echo answered him. -- Or I'll just wait, till you are so hot you'll not even bear to stand this lava's heat and will come out, you pathetic wimp!"

As he was busy yelling his threats and taunts down the lava rift, Daring thanked Celestia seven times seventy times, relieved. The foe hadn't noticed her! Rather he had thought, she had been hiding down in the lava rift!

Daring allowed herself to lie on the ground some more, trying carefully to keep her breath in check, as it was returning to normal, so that it not give her away to the busy villain. "Phew-w-w! Boy, that was a very, very close one! -- she thought, shuddering. -- I think, I should take a day-off for a day!.." -- she heaved carefully, for the curse-emitting Ahuizotl was still here. Slowly, as her breath was being regained, she started crawling toward where she had seen the path begin. Ahuizotl's taunts never ended, as she was making it inch by inch, her heart now shrunk inside, the mere thought of Ahuizotl accidentally turning around and spotting her making her dizzy. "I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it, oh, please, CELESTIA!!!" -- the thought rang through her head.

Even when the path's beginning was reached, Daring never relaxed, her position making her even more thrilled! She crept slowly and carefully down the path, somehow shrinking even more every time she thought Ahuizotl had spotted her!.. but he never did. His curses fell silent behind, as she had crept forward enough for the foe not to notice her, even if she were to sneeze loudly. Daring rose onto her flailing hooves, which almost gave way under her weight -- through so much thrill had she gone!

"Y-yay!" -- let Daring out a small, weak squeak, her voice failing her. She sprung her trembling wings and, safe out of the trouble, almost squealing a sigh of relief from her experience, dashed along the path that would lead her to the temple, according to the map...

The map...

Through her excitement Daring never noticed, that, while she was creeping toward her escape... the map fell out of its storage and lay now not far away from Ahuizotl, who was still cursing his head off to the missing Daring Do down the lava rift.

...Soon it wouldn't be long, before he got tired of his fruitless activity and started pacing impatiently, catching a glimpse of a piece of paper that was lying abandoned!..

But, before he found that out, Daring Do would be far ahead, no doubt half way through to the magic lamp...

---

"And so ended the path. Daring Do saw..."

Daring Do contemplated the line she had just come up with, observing the site. Nothing interesting, really. The same trees. The same flora. Random animals flashing between the trees.

In other words, nothing that wouldn't have been described.

"Uh... OK, I'll think something up afterwards... Uh, in anyway! -- she said and shook her head, turning her attention to the matter at hoof. -- I'd better start digging down to the temple (there's no other reason, -- mumbled she under her breath, -- for the temple not to be here, if the map stated clearly, that the temple had got to be here)".

With those words said she took out a shovel she'd prepared before setting off to the quest, and proceeded to digging.

---

"Phew! -- sighed Daring, as she wiped her brow tiredly and leant on the shovel. -- Is the temple far yet?" -- and she frowned angrily: who could have known the temple was this deep down?

She stuck the shovel into the dirt below, sighed and stretched. "I should have a snack now", -- said she to herself and went to do just that. She ascended the stairs she had made, while digging down, got to her saddle bags and rummaged through them.

She found nothing.

"Oo-oops! -- let she out in annoyance. -- What a twist!" Given, how hungry she felt -- not too hungry, really, but still, -- she'd think, she'd never make it home alive! "And now I'm screwed. Oh, well!" With that she prepared to go find some food in the jungle.

Which she would have done. Really, what did a pony need to have a snack? But then she remembered, she'd seen some seemingly edible berries on her way to here, so she turned to go back and to head in the opposite direction...

When suddenly... "Gah!" -- Daring yelped and ducked quickly to the ground, praying, she hadn't been noticed: were her eyes tricking her, or was that?..

"Ha! And here it ends!" -- exclaimed Ahuizotl triumphantly. Yes, emerging from the woods was none else, than...

"Ahuizotl?! -- exclaimed Daring in a hushed voice. -- What's he doing here??! He was supposed to have lost my track!"

And yet it was him in his own person.

"How did he find a way to here? -- never did Daring stop asking herself. -- Did he spot the path? It wasn't that near the rift!"

Questions were swarming in her head, but all became clear, when her enemy spoke:

"Now, according to this map, the temple must be here... -- he stuck his nose to the piece of paper he was holding, then lowered it. -- Yes".

He gazed away to a strangely shaped rock not too high above the ground.

"Hm-m-m... -- he hummed. -- This must be that peak... Wait, why is it so low? -- he rechecked the map. -- Didn't it say, it was a rather high rock?"

As Daring watched the scene unfold before her eyes, she couldn't believe them. "B... but!.. But the map!.. Uh... Wha??!" Yes, so struck she was with bewilderment, she couldn't even form coherent sentences. She rechecked her saddle bags quickly and carefully, lest Ahuizotl hear her. The map wasn't in them. "How could I possibly lose it?!" -- she almost cried out, but managed to keep her voice in check. She almost cursed herself for never noticing the map's disappearance!

Meanwhile realisation hit Ahuizotl:

"Of course! The temple must be DOWN below! I am a genius!"

"Yeah, right!" -- thought Daring sarcastically. She remembered contentedly, she had realised that without even having to consult the map. All it had taken had been pure assuredness of her knowing the map as her... well, hoof? wing's feathers?? Her knowing the map very well, in short. Yes, she realised, she had not once looked at the map, since she'd crept the path.

"Wow", -- marvelled she.

However she had no time to marvel her skills, for her adversary decided to proceed with his own quest:

"Now, let's see here... The temple must be... Oh, what's this?" -- he wondered, taking notice of the pit Daring had dug. He looked at the map, then back at the pit. "Huh. Someone dug a pit here. But, apparently, he gave up. Of course he would! -- and he laughed. -- For he hadn't the map, which I have now, thanks to that thrice cursed Daring Do, who lost it!" -- and he cackled madly, while Daring facehoofed.

Then Ahuizotl cut his cackling short and considered:

"Uh-h-h... Am I supposed to be thanking her for losing the map for me?.." -- he sank into thoughts...

Then shook his head violently:

"No! I will never thank my sworn enemy!"

Daring only rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"Now, -- Ahuizotl continued, -- where shall I find the temple?.." -- and he gazed at the map, until exclaiming finally:

"Oh, yes, here!" -- and he headed away from Daring's pit to the temple's supposed location.

Daring watched him go, until he disappeared from the sight, and then dove into her pit to fetch her shovel she'd left there.

"And here went the pit, -- she grumbled. -- For Celestia's sake! I spent so much thunder-striking time digging it!"

However not much time was there for her: her foe was headed straight to the lamp, and she had simply to do something, and quickly! Before he took the lamp!

---

"...and when I thought "before he takes the lamp", I meant "way before that"!" -- a thought flashed through the angry Daring Do's head, as she watched forty times accursed Ahuizotl enter the room in the temple's labyrinth of corridors, who upon entering said room was greeted by the sight of...

"Huzza! My dream has been fulfilled!" -- cried he, for he was greeted by the sight of a shining lamp, much like one genies come out of in fairy tales (despite being genies, and not, well, fairies. Then again, why should it matter so much?).

"Oh, tremble ye, pathetic... worms! For I, Ahuizotl the Great, shall... I... I'll squash you like bugs! Woo-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-hah!"

He choked with his laughter, his mind overwhelmed with finding the besought treasure. For never in his saturated life of a villain had he actually come this close to victory!

As he was cackling, though, Daring Do did not waste her time. With determined expression on her face she started to get closer to the lamp step by step. And, as Ahuizotl was about to utter something villainous, she, not even stopping to think of a witty one-liner ("I'll come up with one later, -- thought she to herself, -- when I'm far away at home at my writing desk"), hopped quickly and snatched the lamp right from-under the foe's nose.

The latter couldn't even react to it properly, confused as never, while Daring afforded to stop and to watch her enemy look stupid, as she smiled smugly, holding the lamp in her hoof.

"Ha! Looks, Ahuizotl, as you are the one out of luck!.."

But never did she get to finish that last word, as the ground started trembling suddenly.

Daring yelped and tried to regain her balance, as the earth was shaking under her hooves (or was it rather underground shaking?). She wasn't very successful. Ahuizotl, meanwhile, snapped out of his stupor and, though stumbling upon the ground's shaking, rushed to resnatch the lamp from Daring Do's grip.

Yet Daring was not so fast to give up! As the room was crumbling, threatening to bury them under its ruins for the centuries, the millennia even to come, she pursued the lamp's safety, for all was in her hooves now! Everypony's fate, every creature's life, all-of-Equestria's future!

She would have posed at that dramatically, but the circumstances weren't really friendly toward such an attitude. Really.

"You! -- barked Ahuizotl at her, infuriated. -- Are you brain-dead?! Don't you realise, we'll perish under this room's ruins??!" -- and he tried once again to take a hold of the precious lamp, only for Daring Do to dodge his grip, making sure it felt epic enough:

"Ha! Do you really care that... much? -- she dodged a rock nearly pulling her down to her end. -- Or do you want me... to... give... up?"

Yeah, talking, while at the risk of losing one's life, was never an easy task in the slightest, despite what the books made it look like. This thought was pissing Daring off a bit, but nonetheless she did not relent.

"Oh, forget that, I'm leaving!" -- suddenly a terrified Ahuizotl conceded and made to flee, realising, he wouldn't make it, if he kept fighting the mare.

Despite wanting to insert another one-liner Daring, nonetheless, decided, she should better be leaving this crumbling place as well! Almost squirming her way through the chaos of the falling apart room, she tried her best to get to safety...

Now, most of the time, whatever happened to her, was way too boring to be thrilling from another angle. Pretty much like anyone's life would. So much can be said just by recalling, how uneventful, aside from some particularly fascinating moments, her whole adventure has been.

This one, however, proved to be quite, quite a doozy! For a second there Daring had a feeling she'd never make it alive. She started almost regretting not listening to Ahuizotl's advice. Just how much trouble she could have saved herself by that time! Does it have to be mentioned here, what Daring experienced, as she fought her way to live! Has any of you been in a room under destruction? No? Well, then what do you know?

Despite almost dying of all the adrenaline she had received, Daring fought her way, all set to survive, her determination pushing her, even when she felt trapped! Had she been able to take notes, she would have most certainly taken a few, seeing it, as the puzzle was... problematic to death! But she had no time to take any. Like, at all.

"Oh, what do I do?!" -- whimpered Daring miserably. Not bothering to contemplate that any further, she just proceeded to do something: she tried not to get smashed by an occasional large boulder, all the while trying to stand upright, as, be reminded, the ground never ceased its shaking! Not even for a minute! Try one to stand, would he last for a long time?! That's not even to mention, she had to be very careful, as not to slip and fall, and had to navigate her way despite all the disarray (yeah, try that one! For how long would you last?!)! Truly, only the most determined souls could pass this trial in one piece!

Perhaps, Daring would regret her not paying much attention to the details. The experience of passing through this (and she did finally pass it, leaving the room's leftovers in shambles!) would certainly leave a mark of fascination in her readers' hearts! She shuddered, reviving the memories just for a second, and closed her eyes, mentally exhausted.

"Ain't no way I'm doing this any time in my life again!" -- swore she to herself in mind.

About to collapse, she found a solid wall to lean on, without even cracking one eye open. She needed to catch her breath. To take a rest from the turmoil.

She needed time to come to her senses.

To calm down.

...And that was, when the ever waking enemy made his dirty move!..

---

Silence. Eerie one, at that. Long, dimly lit corridors. The oppressive atmosphere this underground place imposed. Loneliness. Panic-inducing fear...

"Why, oh, why, Celestia! -- prayed Daring silently, her voice choked, a lump in her throat. -- Why? Why?!"

She cried the last part out. Despair was enveloping her, as it seemed, she was trapped under ground with almost no way to find the exit, starving, almost having given up and knowing, Ahuizotl, that Celestia-accursed Ahuizotl had taken a hold of one of those incredibly powerful artefacts, which were to be kept as far away from the likes of him, as possible, lest they doom the world to its grim ending!

She sniffled unwillingly, not far away from breaking down in tears. That was not the way she had expected it to happen!

She had been plodding, but stopped and slumped on her rear, her head hung low. She fought the tears back, but hardly succeeded, as a few trickles escaped from-under her eyelids.

Then she rose angrily with a frown on her face, growling exasperatedly, as she did so. Refilled with determination and anger, she stomped down the corridor toward yet another turn. "I swear to Celestia, if that damn turn doesn't lead to this place's map!.. or a buffet!.. Celestia, it had better lead to the exit!" -- she mumbled irritably and with a tinge of despair, somewhere near the verge of breaking down weeping. She had long since forsaken the tears, which stained her face, overwhelmed with a burning desire to strangle someone for all of her misadventures! All she wished for was now only for her to get somehow out of this prison!

As she reached the turn and headed down the next corridor, her hope was about to commence a vanishing act, as it seemed to take a notice of Daring's unhappy mood. It prepared the props and started to announce the trick it was about to pull. Regardless as of how hope could have hope for Daring to get entertained, it watched its only spectator intently. Daring didn't budge, refusing to let hope go. Letting out a disappointed sigh, hope decided instead to entertain her with a card trick. Which Daring was more than wishing: wishing her hope to trick her into believing there awaited her her salvation and freedom!

Indeed, down the corridor seemed to be something! Seemingly a room even! And, as Daring did reach the end, it was in fact a room. A somewhat small one, not ten metres long. But, unfortunately, Daring noticed, it was a dead-end room, which meant, unless there had been something worth her prolonged sufferings, she had probably nothing to do in that room and might as well just try another one. And another. And yet another...

It also meant, there was only one exit, through which Daring had just come in.

The room, it would turn out, had nothing noteworthy in it. It might even be, it had once served as a store room of sorts or an utility room. True, it would have been difficult for possible janitors to move stuff out and in, as the narrow corridor would have made it tricky for them to part their ways, as they'd crossed them. Daring chuckled at the thought, as she imagined it. With her distracted a bit her mood improved somewhat. As, unknowingly to Daring, Pinkie Pie would have said, "just laugh to make them disappear". Her worries had indeed disappeared, albeit only partially, as it seemed, the room had nothing more to provide for her inspection, aside from some rubbish littering small patches of the floor and the walls, which were covered with some kind of engravings.

"Well. And here we've got it: nothing to see here!" -- she announced, a bit too cheerfully for the grimness of the news. Granted, her mind was being strained, but this cheeriness?..

She plopped her rump down and just sat, her resolve being blown off like a candle by wind. Wanting to go to nowhere else, she remained seated, deep in a trance...

The sound of something making a thud against the ground did little to attract her attention. Had she turned around and looked at the source of it, she would have seen a large stone door, that had blocked the exit completely. But Daring seemed to have already given up.

---

Who knows, how much time had passed, when Daring decided finally to snap out of it and to proceed with a renewed vigour to try to find her way out of her predicament, but, when she did, she found out she was trapped.

This helped her in no way. Nope.

---

No one would know, how much time would have passed, but, however much had passed, Daring still remained trapped in the room she had had so much luck to stumble upon. But had she the strength to damn herself for her misfortune? No. She seemed to have accepted her inevitable starving down this temple, perhaps, even long time ago... which, however, hadn't stopped her from letting her despair out on everything there could have been: the floor, which had done nothing to her, even if its inexistent heart had been as cold as the floor itself; the door, which despite the amount of wrath Daring had poured upon it hadn't even considered giving way to her, not even after she had asked it nicely to, please, let her out, after which she, of course, had bashed it with even more fury, not, that the door had cared a bit; the walls, which had cursed the day some genius decided the saying about walls having ears wasn't literal enough, and gifted the walls with actual ears, which by the time Daring had been halfway through her tantrum had withered and started to drop their petals (metaphorical ones, of course)... Even the ceiling had had its share of thoughts to add to the seemingly inanimate objects' indignant clamour, but it wasn't simply high enough to talk: for inanimate objects are not known for being able to speak, you see.

But Daring couldn't have cared less at that time: the mere thought of her life's last hours spent deep under ground had been intoxicating to such a degree, that she hadn't even given as much as a flicker of thought to what she had been doing. When about to die, as they say (or do they?..), take from life all you haven't yet, eh?

With that as intoxicating, as it was, it was no wonder, that Daring upon spotting a seemingly magic lamp had decided, it had been a good idea to give it a try and to summon a genie. Who knows, maybe, he could join the party? The more, the merrier, eh?

In fact, later after that Daring couldn't quite remember, why she had never spotted that lamp, when she had first entered that wretched room. As far, as she could recollect, it had lain simply on the floor, abandoned by everypony (if ponies had run the temple, that is). Perhaps, she had indeed been way out of her right mind, no kidding...

Anyway, as she had given it a try and rubbed the lamp, nothing had seemed to happen. And it had been only some time after that, that Daring had come to her senses...

For, what had come out of the lamp...

Author's Note:

Work in honest, unabandoned progress! Stay tuned for more to come!