Rhyme and Riddle

Poople scooted back slowly from the door. “What?”
“Dragon treasure door, reporting. Got any good news you’re hoarding?” The door kept smiling.
Quill nodded at the door. “Pleased to meet you, we have no information for you but we do have business to attend to on the other side of you.”
“Business have you? Well then riddle battle me to get through.” The door’s face had formed from the door - like someone had shaped it out of a brick of clay.
Poople drew her sword and stabbed at the door. The sword bounced off, nearly hitting Quill.
“I suspect your efforts at forcing the magic portal open are doomed to failure.”
“Oh she can open me.” The door said. “By decoding word puzzles, you’ll see.”
“Stand back, Quill!” Poople shouted. “I’m going to smash this stupid door!”
Quill moved out of the way. Poople stepped back several feet and then ran full speed at the door. She hit hard with her shoulder, and fell onto the ground. The door laughed. “Nope. No hope. Use of force is a dead horse.”
Poople rolled around on the floor, groaning and holding her shoulder.
“Very well, the..” Quill said. “Can you explain the rules of your game?”
“We trade until you or I fade?” The door smiled even bigger than before.
“Alright. So what happens if you can't answer my riddle?” Quill asked.
The door giggled. “You win and slide past me like a shark fin.”
“And what happens if I can't decipher your riddle?” Quill asked.
The door giggled. “Your defeat means I get your feet.”
Quill paused. “You go free?”
“Yep! I become you and you become me! I'm free.” The door winked.
“I will be transformed into a door if I fail?” Quill frowned. “Very well. I accept your challenge.”
“So brave, you foolish knave.” The door closed its eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then blinked. “I'm sometimes full, but I never overflow. What am I?”
Quill paced back and forth. “Full but I never overflow. Interesting.” He paused and tapped his foot on the hard floor. “So you're not a cup, because cups can be full but they can most certainly overflow. You're not a bowl, either, for the same reason. In fact, you're not any sort of regular container. This is a linguistic trick. The answer must be an expression we use in which we call something full but it isn’t actually holding anything.”
Poople stood up slowly, still rubbing her shoulder. “What about your stomach. That's sometimes full, right?”
Quill nodded. “The stomach is a biological container. Someone who eats too much cake vomits.”
Poople shrugged. “I've heard people say their hearts are full. Is that it?”
The door smiled. “Is that your answer, word dancer?”
“No. We're still thinking. I'll tell you when we've got our answer.” Quill said. “But the more I think about that expression, the more I think people's hearts can overflow. They get so full of emotions they cry. Keep thinking, Poople.”
Poople stomped her foot. “Who cares about some stupid riddle? We're here for the moon rock. Let's just find a way around this blabbing door.”
Quill froze. “That’s it!”
“That's what? You figured out a way around the door?” Poople asked.
“No, no! The moon! Sometimes it's full but it never overflows. The answer to the riddle is the moon.” Quill said.
The door grinned a wide wooden smile. “Final answer, sentence prancer?”
“Yes.” Quill nodded.
“You’re right. Now let’s continue the fight.” The door said, still smiling.
“Why do you love riddles so much?” Poople asked.
“It’s not love, but my only glove. It’s not a choice, but my only voice. It’s not a horse, but my…”
Poople frowned and interrupted the door’s rhyming spree. “Whatever. Don't you have to let us through now? We answered your riddle so open up, buddy. Swing those hinges for us and get out of the way!”
“Remember the rules, fools. To swing past me, you must stump me.”
Quill started walking back and forth, looking at the floor. “Do you have any good riddles, Poople?”
“Uh, sure. Why did the chicken cross the road?” Poople asked.
Quill laughed. “No! Not jokes. Riddles.”
“Well, I mean, there is a right answer.” Poople said.
Quill shook her head. “Really? And what is the right answer?”
“Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side!” Poople laughed.
“Right. Ok, well why did the chicken cross the playground?” Quill asked.
Poople wrinkled her nose. “The playground? What the heck is the chicken doing at a playground?”
“Playing, probably. Give up?” Quill asked.
“Uh. Heck. Yeah. I give up. Why did the chicken cross the playground?” Poople asked.
“To get to the other slide!” Quill laughed.
Poople shook her head. “That's terrible. It just rhymes with side. That's not funny.”
Quill giggled. “Yeah well, I think it is.”
“I love a rhyme, anytime!” Said the door, smiling as always. “But the game is not for joke comedians but riddle encyclopedias.”
Quill nodded. “Very well. I go in and around the house but never touch it. What am I?”
“No touching but certainly rushing.” he door said.
“Or instead of rhyming you could answer a riddle.” Quill said.
The door laughed. “In my own time, the answer will be delivered in rhyme.”
“I think we have stumped him, Poople.” Quill said.
“I have an inkling, but am still thinking.” The door replied.

“Maybe a spider.” The door said. “That wiggles and jiggles inside her.”
“No.” Poople shook her head. “Because sometimes they fall off their webs and touch the ground. You know when you like walk into a web on accident and the spider is all ‘aaaah!’ and hits the ground running.”
“We shouldn’t be dispensing hints, right Poople?” Quill asked.
Poople shrugged and looked at the floor.
“The wind comes to mind.” The door grinned. “From front door to back door it could wind.”
Poople looked back up. “No, no, no. Because the wind pushes all the bits of paper around and makes them fly around like crazy airplane and they are all like ‘aaah! Stop this crazy wind from pushing me around.’ So yeah, definitely not wind.”
Quill cleared his throat. “Poople. Stop helping.” He put a hand on Poople's shoulder. “Remember, That we want to win. If we offer assistance to the door, it is more likely to get the riddle, and then it gets to ask us a riddle and we might get it wrong and then instead of us getting the moon rock, I get transformed into a door.”
“Oh, right. Sorry. I guess it's because I don't even know the answer so I'm trying to guess too.”
The door started humming.
“Give up yet?” Quill asked.
“Nope, don’t worry. There is still hope.” The door said happily.
A few minutes passed. “Is there a maximum time in which to guess the answer?” Quill asked.
“Never played that way before. Why, do you find me a bore?” The door asked.
“Yeah eventually our arch enemy Stylus is gonna be here at some point .” Poople said.
Quill froze for a second. “Correct. We don't wanna be here bantering riddles when the villain comes strolling in with an army.”
“Villain? I could listen to that story, if the tellers are willin’.” The door smiled.
“Not enough time, so just hurry up and answer the dang riddle.” Poople crossed her arms on her chest.
“In a polite game, being rude makes you lame.” The door said, it's smile diminishing for the first time.
“Stylus a chronic liar and a thief. He kidnapped our friend Feather’s kid. He lied to our friend Percy, told Percy that we had burned down his village and killed his sister. He built a giant wooden frog and stuffed a dwarf lizardman in the hollow head so the lizardman could sneak out at night, open the gate, and burn down the castle of our friend the Empress.” Quill explained.
The door smiled wide again. “An epic tale! Back to the game, I shall not fail!”
“Yes, fail or succeed, let’s move forward.” Quill said.
The door laughed. Three more minutes passed.
“Perhaps a flashlight, is that right?” The door asked.
Poople started to respond but Quill slapped his hand over her mouth. “Remember, Poople? No helping.”
The door grinned wider. “Your hand on her mouth means your riddle has gone south! Flashlight is my guess, I can already picture myself running in a dress!”
“Incorrect!” Quill said. “The answer is the sun. It rises and sets around the house, and the light shines through the windows but never actually touches anything inside the house.”
The door laughed and opened. “A door I remain, so goes my refrain. I will see your villain, and slay him with riddles if he is willin’.”
“Why would he be willing to be slain?” Quill asked.
“Willing to play, I meant to say.” The door explained.
Poople smiled. “If you could turn HIM into a door, that would be super helpful.”
They stepped past their riddling friend and into a huge, brightly lit chamber. Poople wasn’t sure where the light was coming from, but she was sure it was nearly blinding her.
“Ack!” She yelled, and shaded her eyes with her hands.
Quill squinted. He saw giant piles of gold, heaps of diamonds, and a sleeping dragon. “I believe it would be in our best interest if we were to keep quiet.” He whispered.
Poople sighed. “Yeah? Why?”
The door slammed shut behind them. Poople, caught off guard, shrieked. “Aaaaagh!”
Quill put his hand on Poople’s shoulder. “Calm, my friend. There is a sleeping dragon in the room.”
Poople jumped. “What? Where?” She shouted.
Quill calmly pointed to the enormous snoring monster lying on the mountain of treasure. “There.”
Poople screamed. Quill slowly gave her a hug and shushed her. “Try to focus on breathing. In through the nose and out through the mouth.”
Poople gulped in a few breaths. “I’ve just never seen a real dragon before.” She looked at Quill. “Have you?”
The dragon, without opening its eyes, spoke in a slow voice. “It’s been a long time. I don’t really remember what they look like. It might be nice to talk to a dragon.”
There was a banging on the door.
The dragon opened its giant yellow eyes and frowned. “Now who could that be? So many visitors. I’m hungry. Do either of you two have any food? I could go for a meal right about now.”
Quill let go of Poople and looked through his backpack. “I’ve got a couple of rice cakes.” He extended them toward the dragon.
The dragon snorted and a puff of smoke exited his nostrils. “No thanks. I’m a carnivore.”
The pounding at the door got louder.
Poople clenched her fists. “Well you’re not going to eat us!”
The dragon moved closer to Quill and Poople. His breath smelled like a campfire. “Oh, really?” He said carefully. “And why am I not going to eat you?”
Quill patted Poople on the shoulder. “He won’t eat us. He’ll eat Stylus.” He turned to the dragon. “You won’t eat us because we can serve you a bigger meal.” He bowed. “I will open the door, and you breathe fire through the opening. Then, we will fetch you your food.”
The dragon nodded. “And what will be on the menu?” He paused and looked at his claws. Each one looked like a white curved sword.
“Lizardmen and a six horned demon.” Quill said.
The dragon smiled. “I love eating lizard!”
A mighty pounding came from the other side of the door.
“Sounds like your meal is getting anxious.” Quill turned the knob. Poople and Quill hid so that they could not be seen.”
On the other side stood Stylus and five lizardmen soldiers.
The dragon took a deep breath. The lizardmen froze. Stylus turned and sprinted away. Fire leapt from the dragon’s mouth, through the door, and engulfed the paralyzed soldiers.
“I think Stylus escaped!” Shouted Poople. “Let’s get him!”
Quill held Poople back. “No. Wait. Let’s trick him instead. Let’s give him a fake moon rock. If we fight him and win, surely he will kill Feather’s daughter. But if we give him a fake, we might be able to rescue the girl.”
Poople frowned. “How the heck do we give him a fake rock?”
The dragon sighed. Smoke came out of his nose. “Give me my food and I’ll tell you.”
They dragged the crispy lizardmen bodies into the dragon’s treasure room. The dragon delicately and slowly devoured them one by one.
The dragon gave Poople a necklace and a rock. “Here. This is the real moon rock and a magic amulet. If you ever need my help, you can summon me with that amulet.”
The dragon gave Quill another rock. “Here. This is the fake moon rock. Give this to your villain.”
Poople shrugged. “But we cant go out there and just give it to him. He’ll kill us for it or not believe us. It will never work.”
“I will go out there disguised as a burned and wounded lizardman. I will say that I barely escaped with the moon rock. He will take it from me and flee.” Quill said.
“If he is a true villain, he won’t try to help you, even if he thinks you are truly one on his soldiers.” Said the dragon.
Poople nodded. “I’ll wait here for an hour and then meet you outside, just to be sure.”
Quill transformed himself into a burned and bleeding lizardman. He limped out the door and gave a thumbs up.

Poople thanked the dragon and ran outside. The moon was out, half full, and bright white in the sky. She jogged over to Quill’s still form on the ground. “Did it work?”
Quill stood up and transformed back into himself. “Perfectly. He took the rock and departed immediately.”
Poople nodded. “Excellent. Now where are the others?”
They heard some shouting not too far away.
“Is that Noople shouting?” Quill asked. “That certainly sounds like her.”
Poople didn't answer but instead ran toward the noise. As she got closer, she heard more voices raised in anger.
“...you think you can stop me, little cat-girl?” Stylus was yelling.
Quill grabbed Poople by the shoulder. “Slowly. Don't bolt straight in. If we sneak carefully around the side, Quill will think we were with the bigger group the whole time. If we run straight in, he might get suspicious and start thinking we had split off on our own.”
“So?” Poople said, starting to move forward again.
Quill stopped her. “Remember, we want Stylus thinking he's got the correct moon rock.”
Poople inhaled slowly. “Right.” They snuck around and quietly joined their group of friends. Feather saw them and her eyes opened wide. Quill made a shushing motion with her finger. Stylus was standing in the middle of three lizardmen and Grok, his tiny yet powerful sidekick.
“Well, there’s no point in talking to you idiots. I’ve got the moon rock and you’re officially of no use to me whatsoever.” Stylus shouted.
Percy landed on a nearby tree branch. “You're outnumbered, Stylus.” With the flash of a wing, the owl shot a fireball toward Stylus. The fireball dissolved upon impact with his magic shield.
Stylus laughed. “I don't need numbers to defeat you weaklings!”
Grok, the lizardman dwarf, drew a nasty looking axe from his backpack and began to swing it around his head. The three lizardmen soldiers drew their swords.
“It’d be nice to already have Sun-hop here.” Poople muttered and charged into battle.
The Empress and the Ant Queen hid behind a tree. From there, they could hear the sounds of fireballs, lightning bolts, swords, and axes. The Empress looked around quickly.
“What are you looking for?” The Ant Queen asked.
“Something to throw.” The Empress said.
“How about those?” The Ant Queen asked, pointing at a pile of rocks on the ground.
The Empress ran over and grabbed a couple of rocks the size of her fist. The Ant Queen followed along. They snuck around to the side of the battle. Poople was fighting Grok. Noople and Quill were fending off the three Lizardmen soldiers. Percy and Stylus were locked in Wizard combat. Doughnut and Zoughnut were flying above the battle shouting out warnings and encouragements to their friends.
The Empress stepped slightly to the left, getting a good angle on Grok. She tossed a rock at his head, hitting him right in the temple. He hit the ground hard and didn’t get back up. This freed up Poople, who rushed over to help Noople and Quill fight the soldiers.
Now, the Ant Queen snuck around from behind a tree and threw one of her rocks at a lizardmen. Thwack. Down he went. Now that the fight was three against two, Poople, Noople, and Quill quickly cut the remaining Lizardmen to bits. Everyone advanced toward Stylus, their weapons flashing in the moonlight.