Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a peaceful kingdom ruled by a beautiful queen. Her name was Monika, and she both loved and was loved by her citizens. She ruled from atop a marvelous castle that overlooked vast fields of green, sparsely populated with villages and towns, and she worked hard to make sure each and every one of her citizens lived happy, productive lives.
In her service was a brave knight. Her name was Lady Sayori, and she was a warrior with a pure and kind heart. She was captain of the guard, as well as Queen Monika's chief adventurer. She rode a great grey mare that had served as her trusty steed since she first fit her boot in a stirrup. Recently, though, things had been quiet within the kingdom. While Lady Sayori very much enjoyed the benefits of peace, her heart still yearned for adventure beyond the walls of the castle.
Her wish would granted, for one day, Queen Monika barged into her chambers. There was an expression of great concern and stress on her face as she clutched a piece of parchment tightly in her hands. She was flanked to her left by Yuri the Archmage, a very quiet, yet very smart scholar of the art of magic.
Lady Sayori rose from her nap at once, then shook off the morning fatigue as best as she could. "My queen," she greeted with a bow. "Forgive me, but what is the trouble?"
"Rise, Lady Sayori," Queen Monika commanded politely, yet firmly. Even in her stressed state, Queen Monika still carried herself with a kind grace that commanded the genuine respect of anyone in her presence. "I have a quest for you."
Lady Sayori nodded, her eyes briefly focusing their attention on the suit of chainmail that had been gathering dust in the corner. She smirked, already tasting the thought of adventure. "Anything, my queen."
"The Dragon," Monika swallowed. "He has returned at last."
Sayori's eyes widened. Okay, maybe not that dangerous of an adventure. "Already!? I thought he was supposed to sleep for another fifty years!"
"I know," Monika replied as Sayori reached for her armor, sword and shield. I've heard reports from an eastern garrison that he is hiding in the Lone Mountain. Come, your horse is waiting in the stables."
The four of them walked down one of the many grand chambers of castle when they suddenly heard a shuffling noise, following by a groan, then a chandelier fell about ten feet to their right.
"Oops!" a masculine voice called out from above. "Sorry!"
"Come out of the shadows, MC," Queen Monika ordered in annoyance.
There was a sigh, then a cloaked figure, armed with a razor-sharp dagger, dropped from a pillar. He removed his hood to reveal a pair of devilish golden eyes and a mischievous, handsome smirk. "You caught me, Princess. Guess I'll have to be quieter next time."
"That's queen, MC" Queen Monika corrected sternly. "What are you doing sneaking around the castle, anyway?"
MC shrugged. "Your guards make excellent stealth practice," he explained as he winked charmingly at Sayori, causing her to blush furiously. He may have been far from a noble figure, but MC the Rogue nevertheless held a special place in her heart. For someone as charismatic as he was, though, MC never seemed to realize that those longing stares were not those that belonged to a close friend and a companion, but instead to a wanting and loving woman.
Queen Monika shrugged. "Why I even let you in the castle, I don't know."
"Probably because I've saved your kingdom quite a few times," MC reminded as he lazily twirled his dagger. "Remember the Trolls of-"
"You're going to have to save your heroic tales for later, MC," Monika interrupted. "We have important business to attend to."
MC's smile dropped. "So I heard. The Dragon, right?"
Queen Monika nodded solemnly. "He has returned. I'm dispatching Lady Sayori to handle the situation."
"Just Lady Sayori?" MC inquired with a raised eyebrow. "Shouldn't we dispatch the whole round table rather than a single knight? You're putting her in a lot danger, you know that?"
Monika shook her head. "I know what I'm doing, it would just be more chaotic if we sent more than just one knight. Besides, Lady Sayori has proven herself in battle," she defended, turning to Lady Sayori with a small smile. "Isn't that right, Lady Sayori?"
"Yep!" Lady Sayori bowed, though she would much rather journey with MC than ride alone. "Still, I wouldn't mind the help of a rogue. He might be useful, after all."
Monika shook her head. "I have a quest for MC as well. There's been talk of a couple of bandit camps scattered among the Southern Trade Roads. I'm sending him to clear them out."
"Bandit duty," MC sighed, sheathing his dagger. "Lovely."
"Well, you don't exactly wear any armor," Archmage Yuri commented. "You wouldn't want to be burned to ashes by a dragon, would you?"
"Well, er, no, but-"
"Exactly," Yuri interrupted. "Dragon's fire is dangerous to those not armored against it. The magic within it is vile and potent."
"Archmages and their book smarts," MC whispered to himself.
"Hey, don't feel bad," Sayori offered as she wrapped an arm around MC. "We can always adventure together sometime, right?"
MC sighed. "I know. I just-" he leaned in closely and whispered. "I just worry about you sometimes, you know?"
"I know," Sayori whispered back. "I'll be fine, trust me."
I hope I can trust myself, Sayori thought to herself.
The four of them made their way to the stables where Sayori had her horse hitched. She hopped onto her saddle, steadied herself, and began to leisurely trot out of the castle gate. Once she had cleared the moat, she turned back to her four companions with a nervous frown.
"Ride forth, brave knight," commanded Queen Monika with a firm kindness befitting the most benevolent of monarchs. "You have the full faith of the kingdom behind you. I wouldn't have selected you for this quest if you were not up to this task," she assured with the faintest of smiles.
Sayori gazed down at her shield, which was emblazoned with her own personal emblem of a coral-pink heart. A sudden, overwhelming anxiety threatened to buck her right there. Could she really do it? Was she really up to the task? She had never stood against any dragon before, much less one with such a violent and evil reputation. Rainclouds began to gather in her head, but she took one look at Queen Monika and her entourage, saw the hopeful smiles they were giving her, and the rainclouds evaporated.
They believed in her. They really did. And so, she believed in herself.
Without another word, she placed her bascinet on her head and drew a shiny sword from her scabbard. It glinted brilliantly in the sunlight, for it was forged with the best steel the world could offer. It granted her the courage she would need for the journey. She pointed it forward, and her trusty sneed emitted a confident snort.
"Yahh!" Sayori exclaimed as she spurred her horse to action, and she was off to the cheering of crowds.
"God save Lady Sayori!" exclaimed the peasants as they watched her ride off. "You can do it!"
And so, with the fire of life roaring in her soul, she rode bravely onward. She threw her head back, allowing one last look at her friends as she disappeared over the horizon.
She had to do this. That's what she reminded themselves once she could no longer hear their cheering or see their smiles. This was her destiny. These people were counting on her to be brave, to be strong, and she had to do it for them.
The weather was excellent as she rode. She passed through beautiful green meadows and lush forests as sunshine warmed her body and her heart. It had been a while since her last adventure in the frontier, and she had forgotten how serene it was to be alone in the woods. As she exited the forest, however, she came to the base of the mountain. Up there was the dragon that threatened to destroy everything the kingdom held dear. Worry entered her heart, but she gripped her hilt and breathed deeply.
It was time to be brave.
For the kingdom.
To make Queen Monika proud.
Most of all, though, for that roguish thief she had come to love.
She dismounted from her horse, heard it's sad whinny, and nuzzled it closely.
"I'll be back soon, girl," she whispered with a reassuring hug.
"I sure hope so," she muttered after letting it go.
She climbed to the top of the mountain, a tedious, yet safe journey. As she did neared the summit, clouds of dragon smoke rolled in to block out the sunlight. However, Lady Sayori was not deterred, for she still had the memory of her friends' smiles in her head. What kind of a knight would she be to back out now?
Soon, she reached the top. On the summit of the mountain stood a cave that emitted thick clouds of smoke. The odor was intoxicating, but Lady Sayori did not even cough. She marched forth, her sword gripped tightly in hand, until darkness swallowed her.
A deep, forboding growl shattered the silence of the cave. Out from the darkness sprang a mighty dragon, his body was black, scaly, and marked with the swords and arrows of precious attackers. Through the dim lighting, Lady Sayori saw it's piercing red eyes lock onto her. She froze.
"Who DARES enter my lair!?" roared the foul beast as it closed in on Sayori. Soon, she was encircled by the great dragon, though she held her out her sword and shield in defiance.
"I am Lady Sayori!" she bellowed in response, still keeping her sword firmly between her and the dragon. "You know why I've come here."
"Ah, yes," hissed the dragon as he continued to encircle her. "Another 'brave knight' has come to slay me. Tell me, why do your people deny simple truths?"
Lady Sayori's head emerged inquisitively. "What do you mean?"
"Take it how you want it," the dragon insisted. "That your people are weak, that they are selfish, or that they are fools. All of them are true."
Lady Sayori tried her best not to let the words unnerve her, yet there was something about the dragon that struck fear in her heart. He was so calm in the face of this danger, as if he had faced down this scenario a million times before, that Lady Sayori began to wonder if she would prove worthless to Lady Monika.
"I do not believe you!" Lady Sayori proclaimed as her sword flashed in the dim light. "You only seek to worry me! The only thing that's true is that you're pure evil!"
The dragon snorted. "Typical arrogant human. I was going to give you a chance to leave with your body intact, but I see now that you are determined to end your own life."
Lady Sayori nodded, though she shook in her armor just a little bit. "Let's dance, then."
The dragon lurched forward with the speed of an arrow, only to bite at nothing as Sayori jumped away just in time. The dragon reeled back in confusion, but Sayori had enough time to slice the dragon along its scales. It was a relatively shallow cut, but the dragon's pained hiss signaled that she had still done some damage. She didn't have time to celebrate, however, for the dragon blew a great wall of fire at her. She raised her shield just in time, protecting her from the flames. When she raised her head, however, she was met with the claws of the dragon. She blocked them with her shield, but the force of the attack was still enough to knock her onto the ground. She struggled to rise, but the impact of the fall combined with the heavy weight of the armor left her vulnerable. The dragon stomped forward until it was right above her, and Lady Sayori thought it was all over.
Suddenly, a dagger soared through the air as it raced towards its target: the dragon's eye. It connected perfectly, and the dragon yelped in pain as it flailed about wrecklessly. Lady Sayori turned to find MC standing in the entrance of the cave.
"Stay away from her, you monster!" he bellowed fearlessly at the creature.
Lady Sayori jumped to her feet. "MC? What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't let you do this alone," MC assured with a grin as he suddenly kissed her delicately on the lips. "I love you too much to risk losing you."
Lady Sayori smiled, overcome with joyous emotion and tender love. "I love you too," she whispered.
"We can do it," MC smirked, taking her by the hand. "I'll be with you the whole way."
"Together, my love," Sayori whispered.
She was not alone. She was never alone. So long as the two of them stood together, anything was possible.
Lady Sayori snatched her sword from the floor, took one last, loving look at MC, and the two of them charged together. At this point, the dragon recovered from MC's blinding attack, and it roared in defiance. However, all fear within Lady Sayori merely evaporated. MC drew his dagger, leapt at the dragon, and sliced at it once more. It roared in pain, opening its neck for an attack. Lady Sayori roared like a mighty lion, charging forward with all her might, when-
"Hey, Sayori," MC greeted as he took a seat next to her. "Whatcha' writing?"
"N-nothing!" Sayori exclaimed nervously as she jerked the paper away from MC. "You h-have nothing to worry about. It's stupid."
"Are you sure it's stupid?" MC inquired with a frown. "You looked so happy while you were writing it."
Sayori giggled nervously. "Y-yeah. It's just me in a dumb adventure story, some dumb fantasy. I should just get rid of it."
MC raised an eyebrow. "Don't say that. I want to read it. I like the things you write, Sayori. You have a good imagination, and you always give your stories happy endings."
But Sayori merely shook her head. "It's not any good. You'd be better off reading something by Yuri. She's a much better writer than I am."
"I don't want to read what Yuri wrote, though, I want to read your story. Yuri tries too hard to make something deep and depressing, anyway. Your stories are always so uplifting."
Sayori tore the paper anyway. "But this story is no good. It's just a wish-fulfillment fantasy." she assured him with a slight blush. She cursed herself inwardly for tearing up her hard work, but she couldn't let him see the ending, couldn't have him know how she really felt about him.
He had been her best friend for what seemed like forever. If they were truly meant to be more, their relationship would have evolved years ago, right?
MC sighed as he watched her tear the paper.
Satisfied with her destruction, Sayori took the scraps of paper, stood up, and threw them in the garbage. "C'mon, MC. The club meeting's over; let's just go home."
MC saw the dejection in her eyes, then flickered his gaze over to the trash can for just a split-second. "Yeah, you go," he said, patting her on the shoulder. Wait for me out in the hall real quick, I still have to gather my books."
Sayori nodded. "Alright."
Once she exited the classroom, MC snuck over to the trash can and dug out the scraps of paper from within it. Placing them in his pocket, he grabbed his backpack and joined Sayori out in the hall.
Sayori trudged through the busy school halls as the student body went about their morning. She yawned, shaking off the last throes of sleep, and made her way to her locker absentmindedly.
As she walked, her mind wandered to the story she wrote yesterday. She hated that she had to write that whole section out again, but at least the whole incident reminded her to be more careful around MC. What if she had left it sitting out and he read it while she was gone? Sayori shivered at the thought. He would never see her the same way again.
With this thought, she reached her locker and opened it up, only for a piece of paper to flutter out of it and onto the floor. Puzzled, Sayori picked it up. It was crumpled, wrinked, and taped back together, and her eyes widened as she read the large letters of the top.
Lady Sayori's Quest
Sayori's jaw dropped.
He didn't. . .
Oh, he did.
At the very bottom of the paper was a sticky note, and Sayori immediately recognized the handwriting:
You should keep this, Sayori. I want to see more adventures.
Your number one fan,
MC
Sayori was silent for a moment as she reread the note again, then once more, for while she knew the words in front of her were not a mirage, she nevertheless couldn't believe them. She hugged the paper, a happy sigh escaping her as all worries evaporated into joy.
"Got my note, I presume?"
Sayori spun around to find MC right behind her, flashing her a proud smile that comforted her more than any words could ever would.
She suddenly realized that her cheeks were burning.
"When are we getting a sequel?" MC inquired with a smirk. "Maybe we can discuss one over dinner."
"MC, I. . . Why?"
He pulled her into a tight hug. "Because I'm your number one fan," he whispered in her ear. "I love you."
Those words alone invigorated Sayori. She may not have been a knight, but in that moment, she felt like she could stand against a whole army of dragons, so long as she clutched that truth close to her heart.
MC let her go. "So, I'll see you at the club?"
Sayori pulled him close and kissed him on the lips. "Of course, silly," she purred into his ear.
She pulled back, saw that he, too, was redder than a beet, and smiled brighter than she had in months. Her story still in her hand, she skipped off victoriously, already planning the next grand adventure for Lady Sayori.