The largest cave belonged to Analog - an elderly female dragon. She was resting just inside the entrance of her cave, watching the newcomers with practiced disinterest as she sipped from what appeared to be a teacup filled with motor oil.
When they were close enough, Sakura turned toward the impressive masterpiece of a clockwork and metal creature that was a time dragon. Amazing, she found herself thinking, before the overriding need to try and find a way to convince them to help break the clock drove her into a deep bow. "Thank you for seeing us, Lord Time Dragon." She had no idea if the address was correct, and didn't exactly have anyone to ask. "My name is Haruno Sakura." She straightened, hands clasping behind her back. "I hope we're not interrupting your tea."
She looked around, trying to hide her disquiet. Sakura wasn't the sort of person sent in on diplomatic missions, if everyone was taking a chance on these dragons. She had to do her best.
Sakura not so politely dodged the flying oil. It was luckily not too much effort, a quick shift to the left followed by another bow to disguise the fact she was fighting off an urge to roll her eyes. It wasn't the time or the place to be bothered by the manners of their current hope for the lives of fellow crewmates.
Besides, how would she ever explain that one to Tsunade? I acted like Naruto does when he gets irritated, you know the way.
Hell no.
"As you prefer, Great Time Dragon Analog. Are you an equally great taster of teas?" What an odd sound her mouth made. Sakura wondered if that was natural for all Time Dragons, or something unique to Analog herself.
Analog was certainly unique in more ways than one.
"What the scallywag are you even talking about, fleshy creature?" She shook her container around with her shaking hands so much that liquid fell over. Considering she was the size of a bus, it was a lot of spilled liquid. "This is motor oil! Why would you even think that someone as great as me would drink tea! It's disgusting, that's what it is." She coughed some more. "Kids. Can't even tell their tea from their motor oil."
"I must be going blind in my young age," she replied, one step away from being technically polite. "Pardon me for asking, but are you feeling all right, Great Time Dragon Analog?"
"That's right," she agreed. "I can't even imagine what you'll be like at my age. Not as beautiful as me, that's for certain." She coughed again and looked incredibly annoyed.
"Why are you asking me that? Do I look sick to you? You kids, someone coughs up a bit and they assume the worse things! Back in my day, they never sent the kids to talk to Me anyway. And they came with tribute to honor my greatness! You're just prancing around like a ninny in my cave like there's not a problem in the world."
Sakura had no idea what a sick Time Dragon looked like compared to any other kind. "I wouldn't know," she offered simply, "Not as far as Time Dragons go. As for why I'm here, we, the crewmembers of Sta'c K'ltrrb'txft, have come to Era in hopes of speaking with one of you and reaching an agreement. Many of our friends and colleagues have been affected by a clock that has been stealing away their time. It's getting dangerously close to taking them right out of existence, but that can be stopped -- if the clock is destroyed."
"A Great Time Dragon such as you would find it an easy task to complete. My question is if you would do this task for us, if," she paused, trying to think of wording that would make sense, "We gave you tribute in honor of your greatness like you expect and are certainly due."
Certainly according to herself. "Maybe even tribute such as fine and varied oils."
"I have all the oils I need in this cave," the dragon grumbled, not caring for anything of the worst. "Someone like Me, the Greatest of the Time Dragons, is not going to budge an inch just for a little bit of quality motor oil." In fact, she lowered her head.
"Now I'm going to take a nap. If you're going to continue on and babble, just get on with it so I can have some peace and quiet."
Playing guessing games with what a dragon could possibly desire. Sakura tried clearing her mind, taking in the details she saw and what had been said so far. "Not, I can't imagine you would." Hey, she could hope.
Yet the reality was this came down to determining what a time dragon could possibly desire. Directly asking questions seemed to be producing... grumps. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be persistent, but is there something in your throat?" If this was going to earn her another, do I look sick to you? she'd have to refrain from saying the like hell I'd know from last time.
"My throat is fine!" she crackled, beginning to be very annoyed. "If you're trying to find out what I might like as tribute, you're as cold as liquid nitrogen! And where is the praise, girl? I am gorgeous and beautiful, I demand you address me as such doggonnabbit!" The dragon's ears moved around in growing irritation.
"And before you ask, you don't fit as a tribute either." Suddenly she turned over and smelled the girl, letting out a disgusted groan before moving her head again. "That's what I thought. Not a even princess. Baaah! Why did they even bother to bring you along for this, you're worthless to me."
"Not just any dumb princess," the dragon answered, yawning, lowering it's wings. "She has to be pure! They to taste really dreadful if they've been doing the jiggy before getting into my belly."
Had we mentioned that Analog was kind of really nasty?
"But while you might fill one of those two requirements, you'll be pleased to know that you smell awful and you're too much of a pauper to be proper anything. Just look at you, no self respecting Time Dragon would want to eat that. In fact your stench is making me nauseous. Then again, you might get lucky with one of the younger Time Dragons, those sorry fools don't understand and respect the old ways. Phaaah! Idiots. The lot of them."
"You eat virgin princesses?!" Oh why the hell was Sakura even here? She was thrilled to have a dragon talking about her 'purity,' oh so much so! As far as her origins? Why the hell wouldn't she be proud to come from a working family?
Shut up, Sakura, she's just some egotistical old dragon who has the capability to do things you don't know anything about! Don't say it! Think it, but don't say it!
So she smiled. "I'm sorry we can't spare any princesses, Noble and Hist...orically Magnificent one. Had we but known... but we are sadly not as capable of great, insightful forethought as you, Great Time Dragon Analog." One step away from thinking sex sounded pretty fucking fantastic as she let her smile stay.
I hope you choke after all this you old nag."What about mirrors?" Really, Ino should be here. Between Ino and Tsunade, Analog would have been handled. "Surely a shining example of lustrous," jackassery, "metallic allure such as yourself can never have enough reflective surfaces around to allow you to bask in the unending
( ... )
"I already have enough mirrors in the back of my cave," she said, pointing with her tail at the mountain of mirrors that were now there. Had they been there before? It was a mystery. None of them appeared to be broken either, sorry Sakura. "None of them reflect half of the what a beautiful Time Dragon that I am."
With a forceful sigh, she moved her head farther away from her.
"You're not any closer to getting my help, virgin pauper."
"I think that's technically impossible," she said, pretty much frozen in that smile. Haha. Ha. Ha. "No mirror's been invented capable of doing that."
She opened her eyes wide, as if awestruck. Sakura hoped to hell people were succeeding in the other caves, because her chances? Were looking slim, and getting slimmer. "I don't even know if I can... I'd have to reflect for decades. Oh!" she said, putting a hand over her mouth. "That's -- that's not rust, is it? Not on your flawless, stunning, sublime self?"
Reply
She looked around, trying to hide her disquiet. Sakura wasn't the sort of person sent in on diplomatic missions, if everyone was taking a chance on these dragons. She had to do her best.
No excuses.
"You have a lovely home."
Reply
( ... )
Reply
Besides, how would she ever explain that one to Tsunade? I acted like Naruto does when he gets irritated, you know the way.
Hell no.
"As you prefer, Great Time Dragon Analog. Are you an equally great taster of teas?" What an odd sound her mouth made. Sakura wondered if that was natural for all Time Dragons, or something unique to Analog herself.
Reply
"What the scallywag are you even talking about, fleshy creature?" She shook her container around with her shaking hands so much that liquid fell over. Considering she was the size of a bus, it was a lot of spilled liquid. "This is motor oil! Why would you even think that someone as great as me would drink tea! It's disgusting, that's what it is." She coughed some more. "Kids. Can't even tell their tea from their motor oil."
Reply
Reply
"Why are you asking me that? Do I look sick to you? You kids, someone coughs up a bit and they assume the worse things! Back in my day, they never sent the kids to talk to Me anyway. And they came with tribute to honor my greatness! You're just prancing around like a ninny in my cave like there's not a problem in the world."
Reply
"A Great Time Dragon such as you would find it an easy task to complete. My question is if you would do this task for us, if," she paused, trying to think of wording that would make sense, "We gave you tribute in honor of your greatness like you expect and are certainly due."
Certainly according to herself. "Maybe even tribute such as fine and varied oils."
Reply
"Now I'm going to take a nap. If you're going to continue on and babble, just get on with it so I can have some peace and quiet."
Reply
Yet the reality was this came down to determining what a time dragon could possibly desire. Directly asking questions seemed to be producing... grumps. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be persistent, but is there something in your throat?" If this was going to earn her another, do I look sick to you? she'd have to refrain from saying the like hell I'd know from last time.
Reply
"And before you ask, you don't fit as a tribute either." Suddenly she turned over and smelled the girl, letting out a disgusted groan before moving her head again. "That's what I thought. Not a even princess. Baaah! Why did they even bother to bring you along for this, you're worthless to me."
Reply
So not happening.
So not happening.
Reply
Had we mentioned that Analog was kind of really nasty?
"But while you might fill one of those two requirements, you'll be pleased to know that you smell awful and you're too much of a pauper to be proper anything. Just look at you, no self respecting Time Dragon would want to eat that. In fact your stench is making me nauseous. Then again, you might get lucky with one of the younger Time Dragons, those sorry fools don't understand and respect the old ways. Phaaah! Idiots. The lot of them."
Reply
Shut up, Sakura, she's just some egotistical old dragon who has the capability to do things you don't know anything about! Don't say it! Think it, but don't say it!
So she smiled. "I'm sorry we can't spare any princesses, Noble and Hist...orically Magnificent one. Had we but known... but we are sadly not as capable of great, insightful forethought as you, Great Time Dragon Analog." One step away from thinking sex sounded pretty fucking fantastic as she let her smile stay.
I hope you choke after all this you old nag."What about mirrors?" Really, Ino should be here. Between Ino and Tsunade, Analog would have been handled. "Surely a shining example of lustrous," jackassery, "metallic allure such as yourself can never have enough reflective surfaces around to allow you to bask in the unending ( ... )
Reply
With a forceful sigh, she moved her head farther away from her.
"You're not any closer to getting my help, virgin pauper."
Reply
She opened her eyes wide, as if awestruck. Sakura hoped to hell people were succeeding in the other caves, because her chances? Were looking slim, and getting slimmer. "I don't even know if I can... I'd have to reflect for decades. Oh!" she said, putting a hand over her mouth. "That's -- that's not rust, is it? Not on your flawless, stunning, sublime self?"
Reply
Leave a comment