To court a prince (closed)

[Warhaven]

Sir Rahegalhoff grinned inwardly, wondering if he should go around as Sir Sir Rahegalhoff, or simply stay at Sir Rahegalhoff. Not having Ray and Chris's humor, he decided to stay simply Sir Rahegalhoff.

[The Floor Kippers]

He would probably realise that that was Aldred Meant when she was worried that he couldn't be a Sir Twice
"If you would like to go into the next room" Queen Aldred said, "Once we're done we're going to have a rather nice lunch"

[Warhaven]

So the twelve gracefully rose and walked off to the next room, where they consulted the pamphlets they had been given.

.....

"With this, that makes 365 times Raggy's been knighted for one reason or another, and the 20th for the other masters, except Irene, it's her first." Pondera commented.

[The Floor Kippers]

Once they had moved on Aldred continued
"Now we move on to those men and women who serve this nation everyday, keeping us all safe and keeping things running smoothly...."
She then called in a group of Ministry workers and knighted them.
She then moved on to the one Minister that was to be knighted this year, Bill
....
The Pamphlets explained that the freedom of The Floor Kippers entitled them to exemption to certain laws, such as the freedom to herd live animals through the larger cities, to carry weapons in public, Reduced Prices in shops and restaraunts, the right to ask for a government car should they need one.
....
"What's Bill Doing at Beeching House?" Charlie asked as Bill appeared on screem

[Warhaven]

Rahegalhoff smiled, and his famous sword "Justice" promptly appeared at his side, along with a mirror shield.

.....

"I assume he's apart of the ceremony. Why else would he be there? He doesn't strike me as the sort to crash a party like this." Pondera said.

"Maybe he's to be knighted for something." Jezeel theorized.

[The Floor Kippers]

Jezeel was right
"By the Power vested in me by my bloodline and the Dragons of this nation, I hereby dub you Sir Bill Miller, Knight of the Order of Gryphox." Queen aldred said, tapping the sword on Bill's Shoulders and handing him his medal.
....
"So that's why they said to watch the ceremony" Carol said

[Warhaven]

"I wonder what he got knighted for." Jezeel said.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Long Service to the Government Probably" Charlie said "He's been in the Ministry of Multiversal Interaction since he was twenty. You could ask him when he gets back"

[Warhaven]

"That makes sense." Pondera agreed, on both parts.

[The Floor Kippers]

By the time the knighting ceremony was finished it was well past lunchtime.
For the Masters a luxury buffet awaited them and the other newly knighted people.
For Jezeel, Charlie, Pondera and Carol, it was up to them what they had.

[Warhaven]

Once again, Irene would have a little of everything, with the rest of the masters being more modest.

....

"So, what does everyone want for lunch?" Jezeel asked.

"I don't care as long as it's tasty and satisfying." Pondera said.

[The Floor Kippers]

"I was just going to slam a couple of Pizzas in the oven" Charlie said

[Warhaven]

"We've been together entirely too long if you can read my mind like that." Jezeel said.

OOC: No, seriously, that's exactly what I was planning, as I had just had one for lunch.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Jezeel, I refuse to believe that we can spend too much time together" Charlie said Heading into the Kitchen

OOC: Weird, I'm going down to Asda to get some this afternoon.

[Warhaven]

"I may have been making that part up, but seriously, I was thinking of Pizza." Jezeel said.

OOC: No idea what Asda is, but I'm assuming they have good pizza.

[The Floor Kippers]

"What a coincidence." Charlie said "You know what they say, great minds think alike."

OOC: Asda is the UK Walmart. I even think it's a part of Walmart.

[Warhaven]

JEzeel chuckled.

OOC: You'll never guess who I work for over here in the US...

[The Floor Kippers]

Charlie turned the oven on and got two pizzas out from the freezer
"One Cheese, One Pepperoni okay?" He asked

OOC: Hmmmm, The Postal Service?

[Warhaven]

"Sounds good to me." Pondera said.

"Same here. Hey, tell us a story while you cook." Jezeel said.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Okay, what sort of story do you want, a happy frothy one, a heavy, life changing one or a really sad one?" Charlie asked "Or a self realiseation one?"

[Warhaven]

"One that has an element of each." Pondera said.

"Tell them about how you overcame your demons." Jezeel urged.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Okay then" Charlie said "I will.
This all took place a little after Jezeel had come to terms with her being an Inferno Dragon. During that process had promised her that if she could get all of her heads to work together I would face my own internal demons broguth on by my rejection of my breed. So we got an Aqumarinian in to help, like when Jezeel was dealing with the circumstances of discovering the truth of her father. The Memories are a little foggy, but this is how things went."

As Charlie spoke, his voice took on the smooth, almost lyrical quality that storytellers used, images began to swim in the Minds of the others, as if the memories were their own and they were remembering them.
Charlie and Jezeel's living room came into view, Charlie was lying on the sofa, The Aquamarinian connected to him. Jezeel stood watching the Network screen.
An Image faded on to it
It was of Charlie, sat at a desk in a nicely decorated private office, filing something, presumably to go in one of the many filing cabinets behind him, He looked at a set of photographs and chuckled dirtily.

"That was one Hell of a Night" He said "A very different end to the way the day started. She really does look great in black, and in the other colours of the rainbow."

Charlie slid the series of photographs into the file and threw it into a cabinet marked "Memories" that opened up for the file and closed once it had landed in it.

As he moved on to the next file a small Grey Dragon the size of a cat faded into existence on the floor behind Charlie.

"Whatchadoin' Charlie boy?" The Dragon asked

"Normal Brain stuff" Charlie said not turning to look at The Dragon "Like I always am Flydale. And don't call me Charlie boy"

"How've you been Charlie boy? Flydale asked

"Shhh" Charlie said, putting a finger to his lips

"Aww. You're not as fun as you use to be Charlie boy" Flydale said walking around looking at the filing cabinets.

"Well you're still an ass Flydale" Charlie said "You've done this so many times before. It's been months since you last tried. What kept you?"

"Well, you've had something to keep me out these last few months, a new hope. But all new hope brings new doubts and doubts bring self-doubts to add to the pile of old ones and these new ones are so powerful." Flydale said opening a cabinet marked "Hopes and Dreams (Non-subconscious)".

"Hey, Get out of there!" Charlie shouted spinning around on his chair

Flydale ignored him and pulled out a file and opened it up. Inside it was a picture of Charlie and Jezeel dressed in what he imagined they'd wear on their wedding day, with hindsight he was pretty close to what they actually wore.
"So this is the fantastic Jezeel, the one who gave you the power to keep me out longer than ever before. My, my, my isn't she pretty, I can see why you fell for her and I can see why she gave you the power to keep me out. But not enough to power stop me." Flydale said, smiling wickedly "Of course I wonder, and so does everyone who knows her and who knows you, why she's settling for you."

Charlie opened his mouth to say something but Flydale interupted him.

"I mean look at her. Even the ladies turn and look when she walks by. She has pick of the genders, anyone could be her mate if she wanted and she goes for someone who is barely male. What? You think one quick screw after a party and its true love? Come on Charlie, you know the Multiverse doesn't work like that. Especially after the way you performed that night. After all, she's beautiful, clever, strong and way out of your league she could have any brave adventurer she fancied, so why does she settle for you? Pity I suppose. After all you're weak, stupid and pathetic. What else could it be? All the strong ones like a man they can pity"

"You Shut Your Mouth" Charlie snapped

"Strong words from a man who couldn't stay in a reltionship with a Neko." Flydale said "Those things are the loosest species in the Multiverse and you didn't even get off with one when you were dating? Come on. No wonder she went off to date Clive Newhands? Probably got bored waiting. I don't even get why she entered a relationship with you in the first place? Pity I suppose"

"Not everyone pities me" Charlie said crossly, he was starting to weaken

"Think about it Charlie. Pity explains alot of your life. Why else did the Millers adopt you? They pitied you because of what you were to your parents. Carol pitied you, because you were clumsy and slow like the young of your breed while you were growing up and she was graceful and smart. All your friends pitied you because you sat in the corner of the playground all alone while the other Dracos bullied you because of what you are. Those four girlfriends, they got together with you because they felt sorry for you, but when something better came along they left you."

As Flydale said this the office faded away and was replaced of images of the bullying, the breakups and the clumsiness. Charlie was clearly losing ground to Flydale. Flydale was getting bigger.

"And now Jezeel. You think she really wants to marry you? She only said yes because she pitied you too much to say no. Once something better comes along she'll leave you behind in the dust like the others. Everyone who ever met you without hating you has pitied you. That's all you've ever really had, pity."

Flydale Smiled a nasty smile
"and me."

Charlie cowered on the ground as the Grey Dragon towered over him.

"By Androzani's might I will never let myself submit to you" Charlie said, forcing the words out, not believeing them even as he said them "I will have control"

"Androzani?" Flydale Scoffed "You think he cares what happens to you? You are the sole member of a breed he tried to eradicate."

Flydale flipped through the rest of the file

"You really want to be a father? You can barely take care of yourself and you want to look after the next generation? Ha! What have you done with your life? Drifted! Barely touched on your potential! Without me you are nothing. Accept me and you can become greater than Andriozani and Gallifrey ever were. You could put the pity behind you and get respect. I can give you power. People respect Power. I can make you so much more than you can ever make yourself. With me you can keep Jezeel.

You know what you could be with me behind you, you saw it when you went on your first solo excursion into the Multiverse. A child of Fifteen and you saw yourself a leader of Men and Reptiles, respected by all. Even the Wyverns obeyed your every whim."

The backdrop changed to Charlie sitting on a throne of dragon skulls in a palace of fire and stone beneath a burnt red sky, his eyes glinting madly. In front of him hoards of Wyverns bowed down in reverance to him.

Charlie said nothing for a while, cowering silently in the shadow of the huge Grey Dragon Flydale had become.

For a second Jezeel's Image flickered in the background like a poor quality television with a bad ariel, as if trying break though the other Image.

"No" Charlie said

"What?" Flydale said after a moment of silence, a look of amused disbelief on his face

"I said No" Charlie said, more defiantly

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Flydale asked, looking less amused

"It Means No" Charlie said, looking up at Flydale

"But you will never be respected without me! You will lose Jezeel!" Flydale said starting to look worried

"No!" Charlie said, leaping to his feet "You say I am nothing without you, without accepting you, but look what I have done. I saved worlds and Civilisations from being cast into the Void, on my own, I helped a beautiful woman with her own psycological problems, I helped Carol when she needed it in her teen years, I reached the rank of explorer, I defied all expectations and made it though my youth without going mad and I'm not flipping out now! Oh, one more thing, I'm getting married to the girl of my dreams and I did it without you!"

"But you will be never be accepted by your Dragon peers" Flydale said, starting to get smaller

"Who cares?" Charlie said "It's time I stopped worrying about them and got on with my life and what a life I've got to live. Its time I dealt with you once and for all. I am going to accept you and what I am. But on my terms!"

By now Flydale was the size of a Rat. The office returned and Charlie bent down and picked up Flydale by the tail.

"Hey put me down! No. No! Don't!" Flydale cried frantically, wrigging around in Charlie's grip.

Charlie opened his mouth and dropped Flydale into it before swallowing him whole.
He struggled to swallow Flydale for a few moments before finally succeeding and letting out a sigh of relief.

"That feels so much better" He said sitting back at the desk. "Now where was I?"
The Last sentence Echoed off into nothingness as Carol, Pondera and Jezeel's minds cleared as the story ended.
"And that's how I became a totally unscrewed up person" Charlie finished

[Warhaven]

"Well, congratulations on accomplishing such a feat." Pondera said.

"And for the record, niether I nor Pondera, have ever pitied you." Jezeel said.

Pondera nodded in agreement.

[The Floor Kippers]

"Me neither" Carol said "Actually, until I found out I was actually a lost goddess I was a little jealous of you. After all at the time I was a simple ordinary Gryphus Sapien."

"I know you didn't" Charlie said, putting an arm around Jezeel and pulling her close. "That's odd Carol, When you first started going out with Pondera I was Jealous of you"

[Warhaven]

"You wanted to go out with me too?" Pondera joked.