//------------------------------// // Harpa's song // Story: Thing a Day // by Rennoc215 //------------------------------// Thing a day: Harpa's song The mouth of the cave loomed around them, and a slightly excited changeling took a deep breath. "This is it, guys." She said, looking at her strange band of companions. A pale unicorn, dwarfish earth pony, and regally dressed zebra nodded in unison, before she turned back to the cave. The heavy breathing coming from the cave alerted them to the dragon's presence, and the arcid smell told them all they needed to know. "So, this is the plan." She said, pointing to each member of the team. "Rhogar will stay outside, so nothing nasty catches us by suprise. And, because he's not the best at sneaking about, so we don't want the dragon to know about you, should everything fall apart." The earth pony nodded, and readied his crossbow. "Azazel and Vincent will follow me in, but wait halfway back, and you need to stay hidden, also in case things take a turn for the south." The unicorn and zebra nodded. The Unicorn raised his hoof. "Why exactly are we here again, Harpa?" The changeling shook her head. "We're here to get the third crystal puzzle shard, and to complete the blood binding ritual with the dragon. Didn't I already tell you that, Azazel?" He nodded. "Yeah, but why's it so important?" Harpa sighed, and rolled her eyes. "It's a personal thing. Anything else?" When the others shook their heads, she smiled. "Onward, then!" She called, turning and walking into the cave. The unicorn and the zebra followed her into the mouth of the cave, and the earth pony double checked his crossbow. Then, Vincent paused. "Hold up, guys." He said, the back of his head illuminating for the briefest moment. "I went ahead and cast mind link, that way the dragon won't hear our counsel." The Unicorn smiled. "Good idea, Vincent!" He said, before the two of them crouched, and continued, sticking to the shadows and hiding behind rocks, until they ended up in a nice position, where they could hear and see Harpa aproaching the slumbering Black dragon. When she got close, but not too close, she cleared her throat. "Excuse me, mister dragon, but I would like to have a word with you." The dragon grumbled, and then cracked an emerald colored eye open. "I am terribly sorry about this inconvenience. But, it is a pressing matter." The dragon repositioned himself, to face the intrepid changeling. "A lone insect approaches a dangerous dragon, such as myself, tresspasses on my small island, and then asks to have a word with me, and then expects herself not to get eaten? My, my I am intrigued. Go ahead then, changeling, have your word." Harpa bowed. "Thank you, good sir. I am Harpa Song, the orphan bard." "And I am Ember. An ironic name, certainly, seeing as I'm an acid dragon, yet my name it is." He said, bowing slightly, and spreading his wings. Harpa smiled, and sent a reassuring tug down the mind link. I think this just might work, she thought. -+-+-+-+-+- On the other end of the cave, The earth pony sent a worried tug on the line. What's going on in there? He asked. A pulse came from the other end. Harpa's trying to bed you. It was followed by the laughter of the two guy's in the cave. Rhogar rolled his eyes and chuckled slightly. I already knew that, tell me something I didn't know. What I wanted to know was what's happening right now. A pause, and then the response a few minutes later. She's doing her whole "social ladder" technique, and it's working on the dragon. Rhogar sighed. He had figured as much. -+-+-+-+-+- The dragon sighed. "As much as I love small talk, you've been dancing around the subject. Why are you here?" Harpa chuckled nervously. "It's about... a particular item." "Many items have been lost, and fewer have been found. Why do you seek me?" He interjected. That's true," she admitted with a nod. "I have reason to believe that you might have the item in question." His entirety shifted slightly. He arched his neck, his wings and nostrils puffed up slightly, and his eyes narrowed agressively. "Eyes off the hoard." He demanded, and Harpa laughed. "How could they be on the hoard," She began, "When I can't seem to take them of such an imperial figure." That got his positive attention quickly, and made him slightly interested. "Well," he said, taking a prideful position. "You're the first to notice, so I'll let that slide. But why do you seek something that might be within my hoard?" "Let's just say that it's a heratige thing. Have you heard of the story of the lost kingdom?" "You mean that legend about the landmass that simply vanished? The one with the banished evil-king?" "Yes, that legend. You see, an object that you might have could help me break the enchantment, and bring the banished land back." "And the king." "Yes," she replied sheepishly. "But the whole 'he's evil' thing isn't true." "But that's the legend. Anyways, what would I gain from giving you the shard?" "Land. Vast tracts of unclaimed land, which could belong to much of you." She shifted position slightly, straightening up and seductively looking him in the eyes. "Is there something else you seek?" She asked, slinking ever so slightly closer. "Perhaps a companion, or something of the like?" She asked, batting her eyelids. While he was completely enthralled, and she was enthralling him, Azazel silently retched. She's seducing the dragon, He called to the other two guys in the group. And it's working! I think I'm going to be sick! Only one option, He finished, before leaping up from behind the stone he was hiding behind. The dragon was caught completely unawares, and then the bolt of lightning blasted him square in the face. What? Why did you do that, she mentally screamed. It was going according to plan! Yeah? well, I got bored. Sorry, missy. And we're going to have a serious conversation about this whole personal quest once we kill this thing, Azazel bit back. Hearing this, Harpa dodged into a crevice along the wall, and then the real fight began. -+-+-+-+-+- "Really, guys?" William asked, leaning back into his seat, crossing his hands behind his head. "I even made a natural twenty on my seduction check, and with all the powers I popped, I made a fourty two. That dragon was under my foot, and didn't even know it yet." "Dude, all your plays so far have been shady. And this talk of freeing an evil king? That's just a no go." John replied. "Besides, I really was getting bored." William sighs. "And Harpa was this close..." he said with a wistful sigh. "Look on the bright side," the GM says. "At least you won't be eaten should the dragon manage to kill them all." John chuckles lightly. "I don't know if that would be a fate worse than death." That earned a chuckle from the group.