Adelaide Alice paced cautiously into the final room of the ancient temple. Her prize, a small golden statue that stood on a stone pedestal, seemed to beckon to her. The tan kangaroo adjusted her pith helmet as she approached the pedestal. Gently she began to lift the statue, only to put it back quickly upon noticing the surface it was resting on rising slightly.
"Pressure plate," the adventurer whispered.
Reaching into her kangaroo pouch, Alice drew out a cloth bag and began to fill it with sand from a pile at the base of the pedestal. Another handful... another... just a pinch more... too much, empty it out a bit... perfect! Nodding in satisfaction, the kangaroo tightened the neck of the bag with string. Once more Alice turned her attention to the golden statue. In one smooth motion, she whisked it off the pedestal, replacing it with the bag of sand. The pressure plate shuddered for a few seconds, then was still. The trick had worked.
The kangaroo turned her back on the pedestal, tucking the statue away in her pouch and wiping her brow.. only to freeze as she felt her tail knock the bag of sand off the pedestal. The ominous CLICK that followed didn't make her feel any better.
"Oh, bugger," Alice muttered, right before everything started to shake.

Guardian made a face.
"Seriously? Who designs a security system that can be thwarted that easily? If that kangaroo hadn't been so clumsy at the end, she would've gotten away without a hitch!"
The Felidae statue had just walked in on the museum's night staff watching a movie in the break room. One of them turned to face him.
"It's a movie, Guardian. It doesn't have to be realistic. It's common for movies to stray from the truth if it means a little more excitement."
"Besides," someone else concurred, "not every ancient civilization could afford to have fancy enchanted guardian statues like you."
Guardian sighed, fidgeting with his scepter in his hands.
"Well, it's just... I..."
"We know these things too, Guardian. But sometimes you've got to enjoy something for what it is, and ignore the inaccuracies."
Guardian nodded silently. They were right; he was worrying too much. And that movie DID look a little interesting. He took a position behind the others, where he had a good view of the TV screen. The kangaroo depicted on-screen was now fleeing for her life, a giant boulder rolling after her.
And who in their right mind would build a trap like this? It's impressive, sure, but it gives the raider a fair chance to escape, and it only works once...


A collaboration with  SonicInterface who wrote this story.
If you like this, please go and let him know :)