Chapter 45: The Dragon Wingmate (1/2)
Vainqueur Knightsbane, greatest of all dragon adventurers, checked his travel bag, in case he had forgotten anything.
The map, to find his targets.
Three sheeps, for breakfast.
Enough coins to build a makeshift bed, on which he could sleep.
There would be enough space within to gather treasures he collected, alongside princesses, if he caught one on his journey. From his spot near the Devil District, the dragon glanced at his beautiful city, which his minions were busy restoring after the damage the fairy caused; it irked him to leave it and his hoard behind, even for a few days.
The thought of that cursed Icefang getting the lead on him infuriated him more, however. What if that silver lover caught the Blue Rose Legion before Vainqueur did? He wouldn’t stand another humiliation, especially not after the fairy fiasco.
But he would leave tomorrow. Tonight, he would be busy commanding his elite minions for a sensitive operation, the most important since the War of the Hoard. He observed the small crowd gathered in front of him, each aware that their life would be forfeited should they fail Vainqueur today.
“Scrap golem?” Vainqueur began to check his lackeys.
“The feast is ready,” Rolo the golem nodded, having put on a white chef hat. “I have brought out my most precious vegetable and wine from storage, Savoureuse supplied us with the best cheese this side of Outremonde, and I can finally cook that Black Rabbit.”
“I spared no expense,” Savoureuse boasted. “My adorable Victor needs to settle down with the right, caring girl.”
“I still think we should have gone with a vegetarian dinner, or at least stick to fish,” Allison the dryad said, who had assisted the chef with the presentation.
“You cannot have dinner without meat,” Vainqueur replied, incensed by the woman’s lack of culture. “Even if my minion is obsessed with that apple vegetable, his dragon half will demand raw sheep meat. Where is Chocolatine?”
“Already inside,” Allison replied. “Malfy is coaching her on the proper script.”
Vainqueur suddenly realized he should have done the same with his chief of staff. Too late.
As a reward for reimbursing his debt to his dragon master, and dealing with that damn fairy, Vainqueur had decided to personally make sure the minion’s mating ritual would go well. Manling Victor had proven helpless at reproducing on his own, but the dragon had been an excellent goblin breeder in his youth. He knew how a minion’s mind worked.
Sometimes, it hadn't worked out so well, resulting in minion wars and Vainqueur's policy against minion harassment. However, Manling Victor had proven himself the best minion he ever had. The dragon knew his friend would be responsible; and if helping him breed with Chocolatine was the only way his lackey to pass on his genes, then so be it.
“Kobold Rangers, are you all ready?” the dragon asked his favorite servants; even though they no longer counted as Kobolds, the name stuck.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Red Ranger nodded, a banjo in his hands; each of the five carrying a different musical instrument. “Pink made us practice the songs.”
“She wasn’t very enthusiastic about it though,” Yellow said.
“Because… because…” Pink seemed to hesitate with the plan, much to Vainqueur’s confusion. “Because Lord Victor belongs with the Emperor!”
“Of course he does, he is my chief of staff,” Vainqueur replied, confused by the ambient embarrassment among the Rangers.
“Don’t listen to her, Your Majesty,” Ranger Black said, putting his foot on Pink’s. “She didn’t mean it that way!”
“I can’t silence the truth…” Pink struggled to find her words. “I… I even… I even wrote a book about it!”
She brought out a scroll, too fast for the other Rangers to steal from her hands. “Pink, you lied to us!” Red glared at her. “You said you would burn it!”
“I couldn’t! His Majesty must know!”
“I must know what?” Vainqueur wondered angrily. “Are you hiding things from me, minions?”
“Your Majesty, please do not read this!” Red panicked, as everyone looked at the scene in confusion. “This is… this is a cursed work, that should never have been committed to paper…”
“Minion Red, I am Emperor of all I see. I can handle any hard truth of my territories. Pink, tell me of this book, but be short. My minion will arrive soon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Pink Ranger opened the scroll, while the other rangers recoiled. “My Immortal Dragon, Chapter One: The Minion’s Wish.”
From the first sentence on, Vainqueur started to feel odd. The world began to chill like the frozen heart of winter, and he sensed a sinister force crawling on his back with every paragraph detailing Manling Victor’s forbidden love for his master. The other minions shivered in dread, perhaps none more than Allison the dryad.
Charisma check successful! [Terror] and [Madness] negated!
“Is this how Manling Victor feels?” Vainqueur asked, even more terrified than the other minions.
“I know in my heart, that he does!” Pink Ranger replied.
That poor chief of staff… Vainqueur would have to let him down gently. “I will deal with this myself. Until then, follow my grand strategy.”
Speaking of the devil, Vainqueur could smell his chief of staff coming. “Quick, in position!” the dragon ordered, the minions dispersing, while Vainqueur moved towards the entrance of Malfy’s newest casino, a den of iniquity and wastefulness.
Such a vile establishment… Vainqueur couldn’t understand why minions would risk wasting their hoard for nothing. Did they not appreciate their gold, the way a dragon did? If so then the Emperor would work tirelessly so quest givers would give him their coins to safeguard.
“Manling Victor,” Vainqueur welcomed his chief of staff, as his servant landed in front of the entrance; two demonic bouncers nodded at them.
His friend had made an effort to dress brighter for the night. “Your Majesty, have you come for my deathbed confession?”
“Pink Ranger informed me of how you feel towards me,” Vainqueur replied. “Which… I understand. Look at me. I am me. Everyone loves me on sight because I am good, smart and wealthy.”
“What is Your Majesty saying?” the poor minion denied his feelings. “I do not understand.”
“Minion, I cannot reciprocate your feelings for me. I know this hurts, but it is true. I owe this honesty instead of stringing you along.”
“What the Happyland are you implying here?” Manling Victor remained in denial.
Are you sure you want to friendzone: Victor Dalton?
Yes. It broke Vainqueur's heart, but he had to.
“Minion, while you are my most valuable lackey and friend, but my one true love shall remain my hoard and myself. I am too important to share.”
Charisma check successful! Victor Dalton now suffers from the [Confused] status!
You have successfully friendzoned: Victor Dalton.
“But rejoice, tomorrow we go on an adventure together,” Vainqueur cheered him up. “We will finally clear my name!”
“Yeah… I guess the next hour will suck, but it will be worth my peace of mind afterward.” His chief of staff excused himself, walking into the casino with a heavy heart.
Poor minion.
Vainqueur activated his blinkblink ring and peeked at the summit of the casino, where the luxury lounge was located. The place had been emptied of everyone but Chocolatine, the staff, and the minions; Malfy had set a table where Sweet Chocolatine waited, having traded her usual clothes for a cow-leather dress. The Kobold Rangers had already started playing slow music, to put the minions in the mood.
When Malfy guided Manling Victor to the roof, he almost didn’t recognize the werewolf waiting for him. “Choc?”
“Hi, Vic!” She waved happily at him, before frowning at his lack of reaction. “Is something the matter?”
“Aw, I… I never saw you in a dress, that’s all.” He sat at the table, as Malfy handed them the menu. Hidden from Manling Victor, the fiend slipped a detailed script in Chocolatine’s card.
“You know, Vic,” Chocolatine began by reading the script, “It is so nice to have a date without background prejudiced comments.”
“You’ve suffered from discrimination?” Manling Victor frowned.
“Yes, because I am a half-breed,” she kept reading, “I’m half-monster, and half-monster.”