fic-DBSK-TQKTIC (Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains; Chapter 1: Ternia)
Title: The Quest for the Key to the Tower of Inspiration and Creativity; Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains; Chapter 1; Ternia
Author: virdant
Length: 1,372; 1/?
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy AU; Crack; Moderate reference to D&D but not really.
Pairing: None as of now. I suspect pairings will spawn as they will.
Summary:
Story Summary: Five bards meet at a bar and go off in search of maidens to rescue, gold, and most importantly, INSPIRATION FOR YOOCHUN’S NEW SONG TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD. Or maybe not.
Chapter Summary: So the five of them put their heads together to create a stunning performance. They were bards, after all, and performances were in their Blood… well, maybe not Blood, but it was in their Life. And Life was Blood. Or Blood was Life. Whatever. So performances were in their Blood. Obliquely.
Warning: Moderate bard-bashing. Take in the humor of things.
Notes: I will be perfectly honest. The first time Junsu said the word Charisma the first thing I thought of was D&D. SO. Here I am, several months after that first thought, making them BARDS. Oh yegads, I hate bards. W/e.
Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains: Chapter 1: Ternia / Chapter 2: What Happened- / Chapter 3: Set Up / Chapter 4: Shiny
The Quest for the Key to the Tower of Inspiration and Creativity
or TQKTIC
Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains
Chapter 1: Ternia
In the small town of Ternia by the Sleeping Mountains lay a man who had searched long and far for the key to the Tower of Inspiration and Creativity. The townspeople watched him, mourning with this man named Park Yoochun the loss of the gold-wrought key to-
“Isn’t it a little early in your career for you to be making songs about yourself?”
Yoochun yelped and fell out of the tree he had been resting in. He staggered to his feet, grimacing as he dusted himself off. “Isn’t it a little early for you to be… uh… killing… um… murdering people out in the streets! Yeah.”
“That was weak,” Shim Changmin retorted. Yoochun supposed it was a lousy come-back, but not everybody could be geniuses like Changmin. Changmin offered a wry smile. “Hey Yoochun.”
“Long time no see, Changmin. How long as it been, three months?” Yoochun took the time to properly take in Changmin’s apparel, dust-covered as the traveling cloak and worn leather armor was. He had just come into Ternia from outside then. “So where did you come from?” Yoochun asked, reaching into the tree for his handy lute. He preferred to keep that lute with him. You never knew when an evil dragon would come, flame spewing; it was always good to stay prepared.
“We just came in with a caravan from Aden,” Changmin said, referring to the largest city, also known as the City of Coin, Commerce, and Cash.
“We?”
Changmin grinned. “Jaejoong’s headed to the nearest bar.”
Yoochun grinned back. It had been a long time since he had seen his fondly dubbed soul-mate. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
*
Jaejoong was-all wide-eyed innocence-persuading a pretty barmaid that the ale he had just drunk was on the house-or bar-when Yoochun and Changmin walked in.
Yoochun raised an arm. “Yo, Jaejoong!”
“Chunnie!” Jaejoong exclaimed gleefully, slipping out of the barmaid’s faltering stare to tangle arms around Yoochun. “Soul-mate!”
Yoochun laughed and hugged him back.
The barmaid faltered at the sight of three bards in Ternia’s The Happy Mug. Yoochun had been singing the odd song lately, gathering the crowds, and no doubt if there were three bards instead of one, the profit would triple…
Changmin smiled winningly at the barmaid. “Got any more of that ale?”
She squeaked and scurried away. “Yes! Coming!”
The three of them settled comfortably onto the worn wooden chairs. Yoochun leaned back, rocking on the unsteady legs. “What brings you two to Ternia? Actually, why are the two of you traveling together?”
Jaejoong giggled nervously behind a hand as Changmin sighed. “That’s a long story,” Changmin said tiredly.
Yoochun flicked a glance out the window. Blue skies, white clouds, the sun still high. “Long enough to tide me over until the sun sets and we earn our living?”
“Longer.”
Yoochun nodded. “Then I can wait until tomorrow.”
What Yoochun didn’t know, was that they wouldn’t have any time tomorrow to tell stories.
*
That evening, a crowd of bored villagers and no small amount of people from the caravan from Aden, City of Coin, Commerce, and Cash and the caravan from Some City Up North, City of Something and Something else, wandered into The Happy Mug in search of food, ale, lodgings, and Entertainment. Different Entertainment mostly, because the villagers of Ternia were tired of Yoochun’s sad love songs about kissing lovers goodbye-Yoochun protested that they had no appreciation for true art-the people from Aden were tired of Jaejoong’s not very coherent stories and Changmin’s too sharp wit, and the people from Some City Up North needed reprieve from the two bards who had traveled with them-Yunho’s blade-work was beautiful, but a bit too nerve-wracking to watch too often and Junsu’s jokes, as hilarious as they were got old rather quickly. Well, that evening a crowd of bored villagers and no small amount of people from the caravans wandered into The Happy Mug mostly because everybody always enjoyed watching bards make fools of themselves in the name of Entertainment, Creativity (and Inspiration, in Yoochun’s case) and Food (in Changmin’s case).
So the five of them put their heads together to create a stunning performance. They were bards, after all, and performances were in their Blood… well, maybe not Blood, but it was in their Life. And Life was Blood. Or Blood was Life. Whatever. So performances were in their Blood. Obliquely.
*
“I know ‘Hug,’” Junsu volunteered, balancing on his head. The jester hummed random notes before bursting into a strange mixture of “Hug,” “Somebody to Love,” and a song that Yoochun had never sung before but had the word love in it. Needless to say, it was more painful than amusing, and Yoochun had to wonder if Junsu really was a jester, because he certainly didn’t fit the job description. Weren’t jesters supposed to paint hearts and stars on their faces and do stuff like juggle? Junsu had attempted to juggle, but had ended up dropping the bulging sacks Jaejoong had handed Junsu. Yoochun hadn’t wanted to know where Jaejoong had found them.
“I know that song too,” Changmin said agreeably, likely referring to “Hug” instead of the strange remix Junsu was singing.
Yoochun nodded, wondering if he could immortalize Five Bards in a Bar in a song… only there was already a Story-Song called “Five Bards in a Bar,” even if it wasn’t particularly well known except in Bard circles. How did it go again?
Yunho shrugged awkwardly. “I know it too.”
In the Days of Old were Five Bards in a Bar? No, but close. There were once Five Bards in a Bar in the Days of Old? No. If only he remembered the first line. It was something about Five Bards in a Bar. Changmin would know. Yoochun made a mental note to ask Changmin sometime soon.
They turned to stare at Jaejoong, who was contemplating his fingernails fiercely. “Is there a chip on this nail?” he asked, holding up a finger. “I think there’s a chip on this nail. It makes my nail… chippy. And that’s bad. Speaking of bad things, I saw a black cat”-
Junsu giggled. “Chippy Chirpy Chicks!” He covered his face and laughed. Jaejoong continued rambling.
Yoochun gaped. They were so getting booed out of town tonight.
*
They ended up performing “Hug.” And a multitudes of other songs. And Yunho ended up doing some weird spinning thing with a sword in his hand that looked really flashy, but Yoochun wasn’t certain the purpose to it. Yunho called it a Defensive Spin with Shiny Flashy Special Effects for Entertainment Purposes™ but Yoochun decided that that name was a little long. Changmin agreed with Yoochun, and suggested they call it: I Get Dizzy Really Quickly™ instead. Junsu had cracked up and ended up having to breathe into an empty money pouch-Jaejoong helpfully emptied the coins out into his own bag. Yoochun decided not to ask where the old ratty pouch had come from; he suspected that many patrons today would be heading out many coins lighter with Jaejoong around… but that was what made Jaejoong such a profitable bard. Jaejoong had an amazing ability to procure money.
Needless to say, it was only a five hours before the first bar fight of the evening broke out. Yoochun figured this was a record; there had always been a Bash the Bard game after three hours when only he was around. It had taken five this night. Yoochun figured that he was lucky today.
*
“Get out! And don’t come back until that Crocodile-Thing-Infestation in the mountains is gone!”
The five bards stared at The (No Longer) Happy Mug from their position outside. They stared at each other, shrugged, and then shouldered their belongings. That had gone rather well.
No. Really.
At least they had turned a profit tonight, judging by the much heavier-and larger-bag Jaejoong was sporting. He smiled cheerfully at them and Changmin one-touched him with a suspicious glance (and a handy dagger). Money spilled out. Lots of Money spilled out.
They really had turned a profit. Yoochun gaped. He hadn’t known that so much money existed.
After all, he was a bard.
To Be Continued in Chapter 2: What Happened-
End Notes: Yeah. I don't understand it either. But I know what's going to happen next. Hopefully. Yeah.
Author: virdant
Length: 1,372; 1/?
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Fantasy AU; Crack; Moderate reference to D&D but not really.
Pairing: None as of now. I suspect pairings will spawn as they will.
Summary:
Story Summary: Five bards meet at a bar and go off in search of maidens to rescue, gold, and most importantly, INSPIRATION FOR YOOCHUN’S NEW SONG TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD. Or maybe not.
Chapter Summary: So the five of them put their heads together to create a stunning performance. They were bards, after all, and performances were in their Blood… well, maybe not Blood, but it was in their Life. And Life was Blood. Or Blood was Life. Whatever. So performances were in their Blood. Obliquely.
Warning: Moderate bard-bashing. Take in the humor of things.
Notes: I will be perfectly honest. The first time Junsu said the word Charisma the first thing I thought of was D&D. SO. Here I am, several months after that first thought, making them BARDS. Oh yegads, I hate bards. W/e.
Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains: Chapter 1: Ternia / Chapter 2: What Happened- / Chapter 3: Set Up / Chapter 4: Shiny
The Quest for the Key to the Tower of Inspiration and Creativity
or TQKTIC
Part 1: The Sleeping Mountains
Chapter 1: Ternia
In the small town of Ternia by the Sleeping Mountains lay a man who had searched long and far for the key to the Tower of Inspiration and Creativity. The townspeople watched him, mourning with this man named Park Yoochun the loss of the gold-wrought key to-
“Isn’t it a little early in your career for you to be making songs about yourself?”
Yoochun yelped and fell out of the tree he had been resting in. He staggered to his feet, grimacing as he dusted himself off. “Isn’t it a little early for you to be… uh… killing… um… murdering people out in the streets! Yeah.”
“That was weak,” Shim Changmin retorted. Yoochun supposed it was a lousy come-back, but not everybody could be geniuses like Changmin. Changmin offered a wry smile. “Hey Yoochun.”
“Long time no see, Changmin. How long as it been, three months?” Yoochun took the time to properly take in Changmin’s apparel, dust-covered as the traveling cloak and worn leather armor was. He had just come into Ternia from outside then. “So where did you come from?” Yoochun asked, reaching into the tree for his handy lute. He preferred to keep that lute with him. You never knew when an evil dragon would come, flame spewing; it was always good to stay prepared.
“We just came in with a caravan from Aden,” Changmin said, referring to the largest city, also known as the City of Coin, Commerce, and Cash.
“We?”
Changmin grinned. “Jaejoong’s headed to the nearest bar.”
Yoochun grinned back. It had been a long time since he had seen his fondly dubbed soul-mate. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go!”
*
Jaejoong was-all wide-eyed innocence-persuading a pretty barmaid that the ale he had just drunk was on the house-or bar-when Yoochun and Changmin walked in.
Yoochun raised an arm. “Yo, Jaejoong!”
“Chunnie!” Jaejoong exclaimed gleefully, slipping out of the barmaid’s faltering stare to tangle arms around Yoochun. “Soul-mate!”
Yoochun laughed and hugged him back.
The barmaid faltered at the sight of three bards in Ternia’s The Happy Mug. Yoochun had been singing the odd song lately, gathering the crowds, and no doubt if there were three bards instead of one, the profit would triple…
Changmin smiled winningly at the barmaid. “Got any more of that ale?”
She squeaked and scurried away. “Yes! Coming!”
The three of them settled comfortably onto the worn wooden chairs. Yoochun leaned back, rocking on the unsteady legs. “What brings you two to Ternia? Actually, why are the two of you traveling together?”
Jaejoong giggled nervously behind a hand as Changmin sighed. “That’s a long story,” Changmin said tiredly.
Yoochun flicked a glance out the window. Blue skies, white clouds, the sun still high. “Long enough to tide me over until the sun sets and we earn our living?”
“Longer.”
Yoochun nodded. “Then I can wait until tomorrow.”
What Yoochun didn’t know, was that they wouldn’t have any time tomorrow to tell stories.
*
That evening, a crowd of bored villagers and no small amount of people from the caravan from Aden, City of Coin, Commerce, and Cash and the caravan from Some City Up North, City of Something and Something else, wandered into The Happy Mug in search of food, ale, lodgings, and Entertainment. Different Entertainment mostly, because the villagers of Ternia were tired of Yoochun’s sad love songs about kissing lovers goodbye-Yoochun protested that they had no appreciation for true art-the people from Aden were tired of Jaejoong’s not very coherent stories and Changmin’s too sharp wit, and the people from Some City Up North needed reprieve from the two bards who had traveled with them-Yunho’s blade-work was beautiful, but a bit too nerve-wracking to watch too often and Junsu’s jokes, as hilarious as they were got old rather quickly. Well, that evening a crowd of bored villagers and no small amount of people from the caravans wandered into The Happy Mug mostly because everybody always enjoyed watching bards make fools of themselves in the name of Entertainment, Creativity (and Inspiration, in Yoochun’s case) and Food (in Changmin’s case).
So the five of them put their heads together to create a stunning performance. They were bards, after all, and performances were in their Blood… well, maybe not Blood, but it was in their Life. And Life was Blood. Or Blood was Life. Whatever. So performances were in their Blood. Obliquely.
*
“I know ‘Hug,’” Junsu volunteered, balancing on his head. The jester hummed random notes before bursting into a strange mixture of “Hug,” “Somebody to Love,” and a song that Yoochun had never sung before but had the word love in it. Needless to say, it was more painful than amusing, and Yoochun had to wonder if Junsu really was a jester, because he certainly didn’t fit the job description. Weren’t jesters supposed to paint hearts and stars on their faces and do stuff like juggle? Junsu had attempted to juggle, but had ended up dropping the bulging sacks Jaejoong had handed Junsu. Yoochun hadn’t wanted to know where Jaejoong had found them.
“I know that song too,” Changmin said agreeably, likely referring to “Hug” instead of the strange remix Junsu was singing.
Yoochun nodded, wondering if he could immortalize Five Bards in a Bar in a song… only there was already a Story-Song called “Five Bards in a Bar,” even if it wasn’t particularly well known except in Bard circles. How did it go again?
Yunho shrugged awkwardly. “I know it too.”
In the Days of Old were Five Bards in a Bar? No, but close. There were once Five Bards in a Bar in the Days of Old? No. If only he remembered the first line. It was something about Five Bards in a Bar. Changmin would know. Yoochun made a mental note to ask Changmin sometime soon.
They turned to stare at Jaejoong, who was contemplating his fingernails fiercely. “Is there a chip on this nail?” he asked, holding up a finger. “I think there’s a chip on this nail. It makes my nail… chippy. And that’s bad. Speaking of bad things, I saw a black cat”-
Junsu giggled. “Chippy Chirpy Chicks!” He covered his face and laughed. Jaejoong continued rambling.
Yoochun gaped. They were so getting booed out of town tonight.
*
They ended up performing “Hug.” And a multitudes of other songs. And Yunho ended up doing some weird spinning thing with a sword in his hand that looked really flashy, but Yoochun wasn’t certain the purpose to it. Yunho called it a Defensive Spin with Shiny Flashy Special Effects for Entertainment Purposes™ but Yoochun decided that that name was a little long. Changmin agreed with Yoochun, and suggested they call it: I Get Dizzy Really Quickly™ instead. Junsu had cracked up and ended up having to breathe into an empty money pouch-Jaejoong helpfully emptied the coins out into his own bag. Yoochun decided not to ask where the old ratty pouch had come from; he suspected that many patrons today would be heading out many coins lighter with Jaejoong around… but that was what made Jaejoong such a profitable bard. Jaejoong had an amazing ability to procure money.
Needless to say, it was only a five hours before the first bar fight of the evening broke out. Yoochun figured this was a record; there had always been a Bash the Bard game after three hours when only he was around. It had taken five this night. Yoochun figured that he was lucky today.
*
“Get out! And don’t come back until that Crocodile-Thing-Infestation in the mountains is gone!”
The five bards stared at The (No Longer) Happy Mug from their position outside. They stared at each other, shrugged, and then shouldered their belongings. That had gone rather well.
No. Really.
At least they had turned a profit tonight, judging by the much heavier-and larger-bag Jaejoong was sporting. He smiled cheerfully at them and Changmin one-touched him with a suspicious glance (and a handy dagger). Money spilled out. Lots of Money spilled out.
They really had turned a profit. Yoochun gaped. He hadn’t known that so much money existed.
After all, he was a bard.
To Be Continued in Chapter 2: What Happened-
End Notes: Yeah. I don't understand it either. But I know what's going to happen next. Hopefully. Yeah.