Ch20: Moonshadow Harp Fetch Quest
Once we all reentered the Moonshadow Door without Trode, the others were amazed that we were in the exact same location as we were when we came through the window on the wishing hill. "The Moonshadow world really is mysterious isn't it?" Stella asked as she flew around my head. "You can say that again..." Red frowned, having joined back up with us once the scrambled eggs were done being made. "Well, since we're back here, we might as well see if our old friend Angelica is here as well," Jess smirked, taking the lead as we walked forward and into the same building we met her before.
"Hmm? What are you all doing here once more?" Angelica asked us when she heard our footsteps. "In normality, the Moonshadow Window only opens once every hundred or so years... it is very rare for anyone to come through more than that... and from different locations no less..." "Well, I guess we just have the thorns of Trodain to thank for something after all," I admitted. "Mm... I think that I know what it is you seek... you wish to use the magic ship that has been unused and abandoned since the ancient past... am I correct?" she asked, her voice soothing everyone in the group, but me and Angelo especially.
"Right. Think you could do it?" Yangus asked. "Mm..." Angelica smiled as she began to strum her harp... only to have it break, just as the game said it would. "Oh dear... it is just as I had feared... this task is not suited to my current harp... I need a new Moonshadow Harp... hmm..." Angelica said as she looked at our bodies with her minds eye. "I can sense it... the Moonshadow Harp has been nearby in one of the lands you have visited... it is the same kingdom that you first needed my assistance... the Kingdom of Ascantha... I trust you will help me get this new harp, my friends," Angelica smiled, our bodies immediately being warped out of the Moonshadow World and appearing right outside Trodain with Trode and Medea.
"Well, that certainly happened," I said. "So, our next stop to getting that ship up and running is a trip to Ascantha. Angelo, do you mind?" I smiled. "Not at all," he smirked back as we all were instantly warped to the entrance of Ascantha, the moon now high up in the sky to signal midnight. "Okay... let's go ahead and speak with King Pavan. He still owes us a favor and I'm quite certain that he'd be willing to cough it up if he has it," I smiled.
We were immediately allowed into the castle setup because of how we helped them out in the past (except Trode because of his appearance to the guards... guess they didn't get the memo even though the citizens had) and we eventually climbed the stairs to the king's throne room. "Ah! It's you guys again!" Pavan smiled as he jumped from his throne and held onto my hand. "It's so great to see you all again. Thanks to you all, Ascantha is now as lively as it was 2 years ago! If it weren't for you..." Pavan sighed as he held his hand to his heart. "Anyways, what can I help you with?"
"Well, we were actually hoping to take you up on that debt you owed us... see, we need to get this boat and we ended up going back to the Moonshadow Land. But in order for us to get the boat, which is giant and in a canyon by the way, we need a Moonshadow Harp... and the keeper of the Moonshadow Land said it was here in this area... do you know if you might have one?" I asked with a smile. "Yes, it is a precious family heirloom... but since you have helped me before, I guess that you may have it as a debt repaid. Just follow me down and we'll..." he was about to finish until he saw the tiny fairy on my head.
"Heh. Don't be surprised bub. It's happened to nearly everyone that's been a temporary team member, believe me," Stella giggled at Pavan's priceless face of shock. "Er... yes, well... follow me then," Pavan said, obviously stunned that we had a fairy with us. "You know... I never thought that the sister of our goddess would be traveling with you at all," Pavan admitted as we went down the stairs. "That's the same exact thing I said when I first met her," Angelo admitted.
Once Pavan had opened the way for us to get into the Ascantha Treasure Room, something happened in there that I certainly didn't expect. All of the items were still there, but currently being looted by Don Mole and his squad of moles. "Hey! What are you doing?!" Pavan exclaimed in shock at the lot of monsters. "Oh snap! Seems that someone came to crash da party!" Don Mole exclaimed upon seeing us, the Moonshadow Harp in hand. "Listen, Mister Mole, I know that you probably won't listen, but we need that harp. Otherwise, a madman murderer will continue his killing spree," I frowned at him.
"Hah! You think that I'm gon-" Don Mole almost said, until he sniffed the air. "Huh... wait... what's that good kinda funky smell?" he then took another sniff and he immediately gasped at our group, as did the moles that followed his sniffing. "Oh snap! Ya'll are buddy buddy with dat Angelica chick aint'cha?! I can smell her scent all over ya!" "Heh. Well, at least now you know the second reason why we need that harp. It actually belongs to her. So could you possibly give it back? I'm sure I can convince her to get you a different instrument if you do so," I smiled at him.
"You'd do that for us? Even after we got caught stealin'? Man, you lot are sweet stuff!" Don Mole smirked as he threw us the harp and I caught it in midair. "Yo! Now, I'll be waitin' at the entrance to our hole. The Don Mole expects you to hold your word on this righteous deal!" Don Mole smirked as he and his Soul Moles retreated back into the same hole that they made, leaving all the treasure back where it belonged. "My word... you really are an amazing team... you managed to save my treasury and befriend the moles! You've proven yourselves to be so amazing, in fact, you may have whatever is in this treasure room. I insist," King Pavan smiled at us. "Thanks, Pavan! We won't forget this at all," Stella smirked happily.
After we took the whole of the treasure minus coinage (didn't want Pavan to go broke after all), we found that he had quite the good weapons and armor in his treasury. Angelo quickly put on his Dragon Robe, Yangus found that he fit into the Bandit Mail very nicely, and I decided that I would do the daring and fit myself into the amazing female provisions of the Divine Bustier. "Heh. Does this make me look hot or what?" I smiled at the other girls. "Heh. I'll admit that it does make you look better than that other armor," Red smirked slyly at me as she put on her daring pirate outfit thanks to the Cap'n's Clothes and Pirate hat she found in one chest.
"And look at this great Bow. I could fell a Cyclops with this," Angelo smirked at his new Odin's Bow. "This was very great of him to do for us. He even had some clothes for Trode to change into!" I smiled as I held Trode's new outfit in my hands, just waiting to present it to him. And the moment we stepped outside, Trode was baffled at how we all looked. "Um... what happened in there while I was waiting?" Trode asked us. "Well, we got the harp, befriended a bunch of moles, and were granted full access to the Ascantha treasury. Also, here's a gift worthy of a king," I smiled at Trode as I handed him the kingly garb that I had retrieved from the treasury.
Sure, it was obviously worn most likely by Pavan's grandfather or someone like that, but it was just right for Trode to fit into. "Ah... it's... it's beautiful!" Trode gawked at it. "We'll go ahead out of town and you can get changed. Alrigh-" I said, but the exact moment I handed it to Trode, he sped off like a rocket to the outskirts of town, leaving Medea and us all behind. "Well... 'e's lookin' mighty happy," Yangus laughed a bit. "Yes he is," I smiled as I saw Medea actually start to produce tears. "Come on, let's go after him!" I smiled as I led Medea and our group out of town where the horse princess was finally allowed to cry her joyful tears.