COMPLETE: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 158: The Salamence Curse)

[LightningTopaz]

Brock and the gang celebrate a renovation with a new round of stories!

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Week 132: The Donphan's Wisdom

(real tale: The Wise Elephant)

"Wow..." Sachi gasps when she walks into the new wings, which have been expanded. "Now we have more room to store stuff and change into costume!"

"Considering how Brock's stories have caused show attendance to jump, it was only a matter of time until we would need to renovate to make more room." Rylan smiles as he watches Brock run out to meet the enthusiastic crowd.

Onstage, Brock begins his tale for the week. "Once upon a time, in a land far from here, there lived a judge who was known far and wide for his extraordinary decisions. Most amazing of all, the judge employed a Donphan to help him decide his cases, and everyone knew the Donphan was never wrong."

Interested murmurs fill the air at this, but Brock just explains "In those days, Donphans did all kinds of jobs for many people, and people understood they were wise Pokemon. But what the judge discovered, or so people said, was that not only was the Donphan strong and diligent, he understood the hearts of humans. And so whenever the judge was torn -- when he did not know who to listen to or who to believe -- he called upon his Donphan."

"Aw"s fill the air at this. "One day, a family came to court to plead their case." Brock explains. Months earlier, thieves had broken into the family's house during the night and stolen everything they had--gold and jewels and furniture and every imaginable treasure."

Concerned murmurs race through the crowd as Brock intones "When the guard could not solve the case, the neighbors began to worry, and then one night, a second home was robbed, and every imaginable valuable was taken from that house too. When the guard did not find the thief, panic took over. People around town began to worry that their house would be next. They complained to the captain of the guard, who sent his men out around the clock to try to solve the case."

He then assures the jittery audience "Finally, five suspects were arrested."

Relieved sighs waft through the new auditorium as Brock continues "When the day came for the five suspects to appear in court, it seemed as if the whole city gathered. Everyone wished to see justice done. The judge called the courtroom to order, and he asked the first couple who had been robbed to come before him.

"Do you recognize the robber among these men?" he asks in character as Flint.

As himself, he interjects "The woman nodded vigorously and pointed to a tall, slender man with graying hair and a pale face.

"It's him. I'm sure it's him." he declares in a perfect mimic of Sachi

"And that one too!" he adds as a younger man, pointing at an imagined man offstage.

"I've done nothing!" he protests as an older man.

"I haven't either. I'm innocent!" he pleads as another man.

He looks again at the imagined woman. "Are you sure this is the man who robbed you?" he asks in character as the judge.

"Absolutely," he replies as the woman. "When I turned on the light and saw him fleeing, I caught sight of his graying hair. It's definitely him."

"And you, sir, how can you be sure?" he asks an imagined man as the judge

"I'd recognize that man anywhere," he replies as the husband. "He took a ring right off my finger, and I looked into his eyes! That mustache is a certain giveaway."

"But I've never stolen anything!" he protests as another man.

"Neither have I!" he agrees as the older man.

He next walks over towards stage left and studies the two imagined men's faces. "Where were you on the night of the robberies?" he asks as the judge.

"I'm sorry, I don't remember -- it's been months," he stammers as the older man.

"And you?" he asks the other imagined suspect as the judge.

"I was out of the country until last month," he replies as the other man. "I could not have robbed anyone."

"Do you have any money?" he asks as the judge.

"I'm very poor," he explains as the older man, "but I would never take something that did not belong to me."

"Nor would I!" he agrees as the other man.

"And where did the guard find you?" he asks as the judge.

"I was walking down the street," he replies as the older man.

"The very street where the houses were robbed!" he announces in a mimic of Kano.

The crowd applauds Brock's ability to recreate the whole scene using just his voice. "The judge asked more questions, one after another, and to each question the gray-haired man and the pudgy man had answers." he explains as himself. "At long last, the judge stroked his beard and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he announced to the court that he would call upon the Donphan to decide the case. And with that, the Donphan was called into the courtroom."

Nincadas chirp as the audience waits to hear the Donphan's decision. "The courtroom grew silent, just like you guys are now." Brock tells the audience. "Everyone knew the Donphan was remarkably wise and could read the hearts of humans, and the five suspects sat very still and looked at the magnificent Pokemon. The judge watched the five suspect, and he noticed the gray-haired man and the pudgy man sigh with relief as the Donphan entered the room.

A third man, a round-faced fellow, began to smile, and so did the man beside him. But as the judge watched, the fifth man who had been very quiet seemed to grow tense. His face flushed. Sweat dripped from his brow. And as the Donphan was led from one man to the next, the fifth man began to shiver.

Excited whispers race through the auditorium--the unmasking of the real thief is close at hand! "The judge told the Donphan to touch each suspect's forehead, and as the Donphan leaned forward and reached his trunk out to touch each suspect, the fifth suspect suddenly stood up and confessed everything to all that were present. The Donphan lowered his trunk, and the four innocent men sighed with relief."

Applause goes up as Brock continues "The judge looked at the couple who had testified...."

"You see," he explains as the judge, "you must be careful who you accuse of a crime." He then smiles at an imagined Donphan. "I am grateful to have this wise assistant who helps me to take care in my judgments."

He concludes as himself "The next day, a young boy came to the courthouse to ask to speak to the judge. This boy had watched the scene in court, and he wished to know how the Donphan knew so much about human beings. The judge told him that as long as the people believe in the Donphan's deep wisdom, the innocent have nothing to fear, and those who are guilty will be afraid. the boy understood that the Donphan was a fine creature, but it was the judge who was truly the wise one."

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 133: The Man with the Golden Beard)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Week 133: The Man with The Golden Beard

(real tale: The Gold-bearded Man)


"Once upon a time there lived a great king who had a wife and one son whom he loved very much." Brock begins, acknowledging some of the Players who are listening from the wings. "The boy--we'll call him Kenta--was still young when one day, the king told the queen he felt that his time to die was close, and he wanted her to promise that she would never take another husband but dedicate herself to bringing up Kenta. Naturally, the queen burst into tears at the news, and vowed that she would never, never marry again, and that her son's welfare should be her first thought as long as she lived. Her promise comforted the troubled heart of the king, and a few days later, he joined Arceus in the heavens."

"Poor king..." Sachi sighs at this.

"But no sooner had the funeral rites been completed, did the queen realize that to promise is one thing, and to keep is quite another." Brock explains. "The last spadeful of earth had hardly settled over the coffin before she married a noble from a neighboring country, and had him made king instead of Prince Kenta. Her new husband was a cruel, wicked man, who treated his stepson very badly, and gave him hardly anything to eat, only rags to wear; and he would even have killed the boy if it weren't for the will of the people."

"Sounds like 'Cinderella'..." Yuki notes.

"Now, by the palace grounds there ran a stream, but instead of water, it was filled with milk." Brock continues. "Both rich and poor flocked to it daily and drew as much milk as they liked. The first thing the new king did was to forbid anyone to go near the brook, on pain of being arrested. On top of that, the move was purely spite, for there was plenty of milk for everyone."

"That isn't very nice!" a girl grumbles angrily at this.

"For some days no one dared venture near the banks of the stream, but eventually some of the guards noticed that early in the morning a man with a gold beard came down to the brook with a pail, which he filled up to the brim with milk, and then vanished like smoke before they could get close enough to see who he was." Brock continues. "So they went and told the king what they had seen. At first the king didn't believe their story, but as they kept insisting that it was true, he assured them that he would go and watch the stream that night himself. Sure enough, at dawn the gold-bearded man appeared, and filled his pail as he always did. Then he vanished, as if by magic."

"Whoa..." Rylan is impressed.

"The king stood dumbfounded at the place where the man had disappeared. He had never seen him before, that was for sure; but what mattered much more was how to catch him, and what to do with him when he was caught. He would have a cage built as a prison, and everyone would talk about it, for in other countries thieves were put in the dungeon, and it had been some time since any king had used a cage. It was all well and good to plan, and even to station a guard behind every bush, but it was no use, for the man was never caught." Brock explains as he paces the stage. "They would sneak up to him softly on the grass, as he was stooping to fill his pail, and just as they stretched out their hands to grab him, he vanished before their eyes. Time after time this happened, till the king grew mad with rage, and offered a large reward to anyone who could tell him how to capture his enemy. The first person that came with a plan was an old soldier who promised the king that if he would only put some bread and bacon and a flask of wine on the bank of the stream, the gold-bearded man would be sure to eat and drink, and they could shake some sleeping powder into the wine, which would put him to sleep right then. Then there was nothing to do but to put him in the cage. This idea pleased the king, and he ordered bread and bacon and a flask of spiked wine to be placed on the bank of the stream, and the number of guards to be doubled. Then, full of hope, he waited and watched to see what would happen."

"So what happened?" Kano is interested.

"Everything happened just as the soldier had said-- early the next morning the gold-bearded man came down to the brook, ate, drank, and fell sound asleep, so that the guards easily bound him, and carried him off to the palace." Brock intones. "In a moment the king had him captive in the golden cage, and showed him, with near-on euphoria, to any guests that visited his court. The poor captive, when he awoke from his induced sleep, tried to talk to them, but no one would listen to him, so he stayed completely quiet, and the people who came to stare took him for a hermit. He cried and bemoaned his fate to himself all day, and would hardly touch food, though, in dread that he should die and escape his tormentors, the king ordered his head cook to send him dishes from the royal table."

"I don't get what makes this guy so special..." Rylan muses.

"The gold-bearded man had been in captivity about a month, when the king was forced to go to war upon a neighboring country, and left the palace to take command of his army." Brock continues. "But before he went he called his Prince Kenta to him and told him to make sure his captive had plenty to eat and drink, but not to let him escape, or even let out for any reason. If that happened, it would be his life in exchange."

The audience and the Players that are listening swallow hard as Brock intones "Prince Kenta was thankful that his stepfather was going off to war, and secretly hoped he would not return. No sooner he had ridden off did Prince Kenta go to the room where the cage was kept, and never left it night and day. He even played chess and backgammon beside it."

"Interesting..." one of the Firelights notes.

"One day he was practicing his aim with his bow, when one of his arrows fell into the golden cage." Brock explains as he pantomimes shooting a bow. "Prince Kenta asked for it back, but the gold-bearded man said he would, only if he was let out. Prince Kenta said no, and explained that if he did, it would be his life in exchange. The man handed the arrow through the bars, but when he had done so he pleaded harder than ever that Prince Kenta would set him free." he goes on to some giggles. "Seeing him pray to Arceus for his freedom touched Prince Kenta's heart, for he hated seeing others suffer. So he undid the lock, and the gold-bearded man stepped out into the world."

"Oh no!" Akane gasps, afraid for Prince Kenta.

"The man thanked Prince Kenta profusely, and said he would repay him a thousand times over before he vanished." Brock assures the audience and Akane. "Prince Kenta began to think about what he would say to the king when he returned; then he wondered whether it would be wise to wait for his stepfather's return and run the risk of dying in place of the captive. He finally decided to flee the castle and go out into the world."

"So what happened to Prince Kenta?" a boy in the audience asks.

"He snuck out of the castle when dusk fell, and for many days he wandered over mountains and through forests and valleys without knowing where he was going or what he should do." Brock replies as he walks around the stage for a moment to mimic traveling. "One morning, he saw a Pidove sitting on a branch. Just as he prepared to shoot, the Pidove spoke to him, saying she had two little ones of her own. Prince Kenta stood down, and the Pidove thanked him, saying she would repay him in return if he only sang 'Karuto, iichiida shou...'."

"And then?" Lotta smiles--if gibberish spellsongs are involved, then magical aspects are not far behind.

"Before long he reached the edge of a lake, and he spotted a wild Ducklett flying towards some reeds which grew near the shore." Brock explains. "Now, when his real father was alive, and he had everything to eat he could possibly wish for, the prince always had roast Ducklett for his birthday dinner. But before he could shoot, the Ducklett pleaded for him not to, as she too had two little ones of her own. Prince Kenta stood down and the Ducklett thanked him,saying she would repay him if he only sang 'Rou iitsa ron selga vichii'. He had not wandered far from the shores of the lake, when he noticed an Altaria in the water, and got ready to shoot, but the Altaria pleaded for him to spare her, as she had two Swablus of her own."

"Prince Kenta stood down, and the Altaria thanked him." Rylan fills in the blank from offstage.

"She told him she would repay him somehow, if he only sang the song..." Kano thinks for a moment for a good spellsong before suggesting "'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...'".

Brock just smiles, pleased the Players are paying attention. "He had not gone far when he fell in with two discharged soldiers looking for another job. When Prince Kenta told them he was looking for a job as well, they agreed to go together they went on, and on, and on, through at least seven kingdoms, without finding anything they were able to do. They finally reached a palace in a distant land, and told the king they were seeking a job. The king appointed the soldiers as his new coachmen; but he made Prince Kenta his companion, and gave him rooms near his own. The soldiers were jealous when they heard this, for they didn't know who Prince Kenta really was; and they soon began to brainstorm ways to have him lose the king's favor."

"Uh oh..." Rylan giggles.

"So one day, they came before the king and told him they had heard Prince Kenta boasting if he were the royal steward he would not lose a single grain of Cornn out of the storehouses." Brock continues. "The king ordered that a sack of wheat be mixed with one of barley, and gave Prince Kenta two hours to separate both grains, or else."

He waits for a beat, then continues "Prince Kenta hardly knew where to begin the impossible task, and in desperation sang Karuto, iichiida shou...

The crowd roars at the gibberish spellsong. "The song was barely out of his mouth when a huge flock of Pidoves appeared, and they all separated the grains into two neat heaps in a matter of minutes." Brock announces as the applause quiets. "When the king came back he could not believe his eyes; but search as he might through the two heaps, he could not find any barley among the wheat, or any wheat amongst the barley. So he praised Prince Kenta for his industry and cleverness, and appointed him his steward. This made the two soldiers even more jealous, and they began to hatch another plot."

"I think I know where this is going..." Kano grins.

"They told the king a few weeks later that they had overheard Prince Kenta saying if he had the care of the royal jewels not so much as a gold pin should ever be lost." Brock goes on. "So the king had his daughter--we'll call her Motoko--throw her favorite sapphire ring into the river, and told Prince Kenta to find it in two hours, or else. He looked up and down both banks, but couldn't find it. In desperation, he sang Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

"And then? And then?" some children in the audience beg.

"He had hardly finished singing the song when a huge flock of wild Duckletts were swimming all up and down the stream looking with all their might, and found the ring in a matter of minutes." Brock replies. "The king was even more astonished at the cleverness of his steward, and appointed him keeper of the royal jewels."

The auditorium is silent for a moment as what has happened so far sinks in. "Now you would have thought that by this time the king would have been satisfied with Prince Kenta and left him alone; but it wasn't long before the two jealous soldiers came to him with a new farfetched claim." Brock continues. "They told him that they had heard Prince Kenta say that he could call forth Meloetta, a talent which only the best summoners and mages had. So the king ordered Prince Kenta to summon Meloetta for him, or else be tied to a Ponyta's tail and dragged about until dead."

The audience and the Players gasp at this. "In spite of what the soldiers had said, Prince Kenta had no inkling of magical power, and his task seemed more hopeless than before." Brock continues. "He lay crying in the chamber which he was forbidden to leave, when suddenly he heard a sharp tapping at the window, and, looking up, he saw the Altaria, and told her his dillema. The Altaria reminded him of the incantation of how to summon Meloetta, and Prince Kenta sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Cheers go up as Melody appears by Brock's side. "Sure enough, Meloetta appeared to him in a flash of light and sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... herself, conjuring...." Brock thinks of an instrument for a moment, then continues. "a mandolin. With that, she played a set of tunes so lively and beautiful that even Prince Kenta forgot his sorrows as he listened."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Melody sings the same spellsong, conjuring a mandolin just like in the story.

Everyone listens as Melody plays a set of her own. When the applause dies down, Brock continues "Then she conjured a flute and a harp, and played them just as well!"

He then fills in the music by playing solo sets on his own instruments as Melody looks on. "The next morning the king went straight to Prince Kenta's room, and saw Meloetta play with his own eyes." Brock continues when he finishes his set on his harp. "he was amazed that Prince Kenta had summoned Meloetta, and that he had to be an archmage to pull off the feat. On top of that, Princess Motoko confessed her love for Prince Kenta, and they were married right there."

He concludes "When the festivities were finally over, he asked Prince Kenta how he pulled off all three tasks. Prince Kenta told the king everything, and thw king chased the two soldiers away with whips, and told them that if they ever dared to show their faces across the borders of his kingdom, they would die. As for Prince Kenta and Princess Motoko, they both lived happily ever after."

The audience roars with applause as Brock and Melody take a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 134: The Heroes and the Coach)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 134: The Heroes and the Coach

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 64, story 3)

"Once a great hero slew a demon that was terrorizing all of Kanto--which is a story in itself." Brock begins. "He and his companions returned to the Aiiro City to a hero's welcome. So great was the celebration, even the Pokemon dropped what they were doing to cheer for the heroes that had saved Kanto."

"Must've been a really powerful demon..." Lotta muses as she and some of the other Players listen from backstage,

"The fervor was so great, that the people were still cheering for them for months afterwards--which made it hard to even stay at home." Brock continues. "It wasn't long before the summer festival was approaching, and the four of them contemplated how to get there. If they rode, they would probably be mistaken for invaders; and if they walked, they would still be mobbed by the people."

"So what did they do to get to the festival unseen?" a girl in the audience wonders.

"Finally, one of them suggested they travel in a coach, like nobles did." Brock replies. "They agreed to the plan, and set out the next morning."

He waits for a beat, then continues "As they entered into town, another coach sped by, its young driver urging the Ponytas too much and going too fast. The heroes' driver tried to catch up to the rogue coach and tell the driver to slow down, but it eventually turned into a race between the two coaches, jostling the heroes all the while as they sped through town and crashed into everything."

The audience roars with laughter as they picture the wild chase. "It turned out that while the two coaches were making a mess of everything, they missed the entire festival." Brock interjects, quieting the laughter. "The heroes decided to walk home, and got mobbed by the people all the while."

He concludes "They didn't take a coach for a long time after that!"

"I can see why!" Lotta giggles as she applauds. The audience's applause is just as enthusiastic as Brock takes a bow....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 135: The Spring of Miracle Water)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 135: The Spring of Miracle Water

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 65, story 1)



"In a certain village lived a girl--we'll call her Kazuna--who lived all alone, as she had lost her parents at a young age." Brock begins.

"Aw"s fill the air as Brock continues "One night, Arceus appeared to Kazuna in a dream, and instructed her to follow the stream by her house downstream until it reached the main river, and then follow the river upstream. A boy would meet her at the river's source at sunset, and it was this boy she was to marry."

Excited chatter races through the crowd as they debate what kind of boy Kazuna will find. "The next morning, Kazuna did as she was told, and found a boy--we'll call him Shinjiro--cutting wood at the river's source. Kazuna told him what Arceus told her in her dream, and Shinjiro offered to introduce her to his father. It wasn't long before the two of them fell in love, and with his father's blessing, they were soon married."

Applause goes up at this, but the smile on Brock's face signals his story's not over yet. "A few nights later, after the wedding festivities died down, Arceus appeared to Shinjiro in a dream, and commanded him to build a house at certain place farther up the river. The next morning, Shinjiro told the others about his dream, and Kazuna agreed, saying that if Arceus appears to you in a dream, you had better do whatever he commands you to do."

He walks around the stage as he continues "They did as they were told the next morning, but the place Shinjiro saw in his dream was filled with weeds and old tree stumps. Even so, they built a little house and planted a field nonetheless, even though they still struggled to make ends meet."

He waits for a beat, then goes on "One day, Shinjiro decided to take a nap under a tree, as it was the heat of the day, and he was tired from working all morning. As he slept, a Yanma flew up and tapped its tail three times on Shinjiro's mouth before flying away. Then it returned a few moments later and did this again."

Murmurs fill the air as the audience speculates about the Yanma. "When Shinjiro woke up, he told Kazuna that he dreamed he was drinking the purest and cleanest water." Brock explains, silencing the chatter. "Kazuna told him about the Yanma, and pointed out where it went. They followed it behind a rock, where sure enough, they found a spring filled with the purest and cleanest water that they had ever tasted. They gathered as much of the water as they could carry, and took it home. The next day, they decided to sell it in town. The townsfolk were amazed at how wonderful it tasted, and the water even healed any disease. Word of the miracle water spread like wildfire, and people began to come from far and wide to get some."

He concludes "Shinjiro and Kazuna grew very wealthy from selling the miracle water, and never had to worry about food or money again. Yet every day, they gave thanks to Arceus for sending the Yanma that led them to the spring of miracle water."

The crowd roars with applause as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 136: The Water Lilly and the Goldspinners)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 136: The Water Lilly and the Goldspinners

(real tale: The Water Lilly and the Goldspinners)


"I hear Ash and the gang are back for a play!" Yuki gasps as she leads some of the other Players backstage to listen to Brock's tale for the week

"Well, after Brock is done, those of us with roles need to head backstage..." Sachi reminds the group as the crowd applauds Brock's arrival onstage.

"Once upon a time, in a large forest, there lived an old woman and three maidens." Brock begins once the crowd is quiet. "They were all beautiful, but the youngest--we'll call her Heather--was the fairest. Their hut was quite hidden by trees, and none saw their beauty but Ho'oh by day, and Lugia by night, and Jirachi as he danced among the stars. The old woman kept the girls hard at work, from morning till night, spinning gold thread into yarn, and when one spool was empty another was given to them, so they had no chance to rest."

"And why couldn't they at least get a break?" Lotta wonders.

"The thread had to be fine and even, and when it was done, it was locked up in a secret chamber by the old woman, who went on a few long journeys every summer." Brock continues. "Before she left, she gave out work for each day of her absence, and always returned at night, so that the girls never saw what she brought back with her, nor would she tell them from whence the gold flax came, or what it was to be used for."

"I have a bad feeling about this...." Rylan shudders.

"Now, when the time came for the old woman to set out on one of these journeys, she gave each girl work for six days, with the usual warning: don't let your eyes wander, and under no circumstances speak to a man." Brock explains. "If they did, their thread would lose its brightness, and misfortunes of all kinds would follow. The girls would laugh at this oft-repeated caution, asking each other how their gold thread could lose its brightness, and how they had any chance of speaking to a man."

"And then some guy gets lost in the forest..." Lotta guesses.

"On the third day, a young prince--we'll call him Grant--was hunting in the forest, when he got separated from his companions, and completely lost to boot." Brock replies, confirming Lotta's prediction. "When he got tired of seeking a way out, he laid down under a tree, leaving his Ponyta to graze, and fell asleep."

He pauses for a beat, then goes on "The sun had set when he woke, and he kept working on a way to try and find his way out of the forest. At last he spotted a narrow path, which he eagerly followed and found that it led him to a small hut. The girls, who were sitting at the door of their hut to keep cool, saw him approaching, and the two elder girls were quite panicked , for they remembered the old woman's warning; but Heather talked them into having one look. The other girls pleaded with her to come in, but, seeing that she would not, left her, and Prince Grant courteously greeted Heather, and told her he had lost his way in the forest and was both hungry and weary. She set food before him, and was so delighted with his conversation that she forgot the old woman's caution, and lingered for hours."

"And then what happened?" a boy asks.

"Meanwhile, Prince Grant's companions sought him far and wide, but to no avail, so they sent two messengers to tell the sad news to the king, who immediately ordered a regiment of cavalry and one of infantry to go and look for him." Brock goes on. "After three days' search, they found the hut. Prince Grant was still sitting by the door and had been so happy in Heather's company that the time had seemed like an hour. Before leaving, he promised to return and take her to his father's court, where he would make her his bride. When he had gone, she sat down to her wheel to make up for lost time, but was dismayed to find that her thread had lost all its brightness. Her heart beat fast and she wept bitterly, for she remembered the old woman's warning and knew not what misfortune might now befall her."

Happini, who is in Yuki's arms, swallows hard at the thought of some terrible thing or another happening to Heather. "The old woman returned that night and knew by the tarnished thread what had happened in her absence. She was furiously angry and told Heather that she had brought down misery both on herself and on Prince Grant." Brock intones. "Heather could hardly sleep thinking about this. At last, she could bear it no longer, and resolved to seek help from Prince Grant."

"How could he help?" Lotta asks, intrigued

"As a child she had learned to understand the language of Pokemon, and this proved to be a big help to her. When she saw a Murkrow preening itself on a pine branch, she cried softly to it..." Brock narrates.

"Dear Murkrow, cleverest of all Pokemon, as well as swiftest on wing, will you help me?" a familiar voice pleads as Heather.

"Melody!" Kano recognizes the voice. "Ash's Meloetta!"

"How can I help you?" the group hears Ash ask as the Murkrow.

"Fly away, until you come to a great city, where stands a king's palace; seek out the king's son and tell him that a great misfortune has befallen me." Melody tells Ash as Heather.

"Then...then...Ash is here to perform with us!" Sachi excitedly whispers.

"Heather told the Murkrow how her thread had lost its brightness, how terribly angry the old woman was, and how she feared some great disaster." Brock narrates when the applause for the interplay dies down and the spotlights on Ash and Melody blink off. "The Murkrow promised to do her bidding, and, spreading its wings, flew away. Heather went home and worked hard all day at winding up the yarn her elder sisters had spun, for the old woman would let her spin no longer. Around sunset she heard the Murkrow's cry from the pine tree, and eagerly hurried to hear the answer."

"What did the Murkrow find out?" Sachi asks.

"By sheer luck, the Murkrow had found a wind mage's son in the palace garden, who understood the language of Pokemon, and to him he entrusted the message." Brock goes on. "When Prince Grant heard it, he was very sorrowful, and took counsel with his friends how to free Heather. Then he told the wind mage's son..." In an older version of himself, he continues "Beg the Murkrow to fly quickly back to Heather and tell her to be ready on the ninth night, for then will I come and take her to the palace."

As himself, he continues "The wind mage's son did this, and the Murkrow flew so swiftly that it reached the hut that same evening. Heather thanked the Murkrow heartily and went home, telling no one what she had heard."

"And then?" a boy in one row asks.

"As the ninth night drew near she became very worried, for she feared that some terrible mishap would come up and ruin them all." Brock intones. "On this night she crept quietly out of the house and waited trembling at some little distance from the hut. Suddenly, she heard the muffled beats of Ponyta hooves, and soon the armed troops appeared, led by Prince Grant, who had marked all the trees beforehand in order to find the way. When he saw Heather, he sprang from his Ponyta, lifted her into the saddle, and then, mounting behind, rode homeward. The moon shone so brightly that they had no difficulty in seeing the marked trees."

"Pika..." Even Pikachu fears something bad is about to befall Heather and Prince Grant.

"The coming of dawn unleashed all the songs of all the bird Pokemon, and, had Prince Grant only known what they were saying, or Heather been listening, they might have been spared much sorrow, but they were thinking only of each other, and when they came out of the forest the sun was high overhead." Brock intones. "The next morning, when she saw that Heather did not come to her work, the old woman asked where she was. The sisters pretended not to know, but the old woman easily guessed what had happened, and, as she was actually a wicked witch, determined to punish the fugitives. Accordingly, she collected nine different kinds of nightshade, added some salt, which she first bewitched, and, doing all up in a cloth into the shape of a fluffy ball, sent it after them on the wings of the wind."

"Oh no!" an older girl gasps.

"At noon Prince Grant and his men came to a deep river, spanned by so narrow a bridge that only one rider could cross at a time. The Ponyta that Prince Grant and Heather were riding had just reached the middle when the magic ball flew by. The Ponyta in its fright suddenly reared, and before anyone could stop it flung Heather into the swift current below." Brock goes on. "Prince Grant tried to jump in after her, but his men held him back, and in spite of his struggles led him home, where for six weeks he holed up in a secret chamber, and wouldn't even eat nor drink, so great was his grief."

"Pi ni..." Happini sighs.

"He finally got so sick everyone feared the worst, and the king caused all the clerics and healers in the land to be summoned. But not one of them had a clue how to cure him." Brock goes on. "Finally the wind mage's son asked the king if he could call down Meloetta from the heavens, as it was said that with her holy spellsong, she knew more than all the mages and clerics in the kingdom combined."

"Wow!" Rylan is impressed.

"So many prayers went up to heaven, and a week later Meloetta arrived on the wings of the wind and a song." Brock narrates.

<i>Karuto, iichiida shou...</i> Melody sings as she reappears in her spotlight. She waits for the applause to quiet before continuing "Your Majesty, the wind has blown this illness upon your son, and a cursed ball has snatched away his beloved. This is what makes him grieve so. Let the wind blow upon him that it may blow away his sorrow."

"So the king had Prince Grant go out into the wind, and he gradually recovered and told his father everything." Brock narrates, acknowledging Melody with a nod. "The king tried to talk Prince Grant into taking another bride; but Prince Grant said he could never love another."

"And then?" Rylan asks as he pets Pikachu, who has joined the group backstage.

"A year went by, until one day Prince Grant happened upon the bridge where his beloved Heather had been lost. As he remembered the painful memory, he wept bitterly, and would have given all he owned to have her alive again." Brock continues. "In the midst of his grief he thought he heard a voice singing, and looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Then he heard the voice again, and it said..."

<i>Emis! Wennanned es es bonnizen, 'kas a vyas clii bor ester renna! Ve wemosted tee gees ris kizen, kee go ras gasa, gith fis cee zuar!</i> Melody sings some gibberish in the holy language for effect.

"Prince Grant was stunned at this--he sprang from his Ponyta,, and looked everywhere to see if someone was hidden under the bridge; but no one was there." Brock continues. "Then, he noticed a yellow water lily floating on the surface of the water, half hidden by its broad leaves; but he knew normal flowers did not sing, and so he waited, hoping to hear more. Then the voice sang again..." He motions for Melody to sing.

<i>Emis! Wennanned es es bonnizen, 'kas a vyas clii bor ester renna! Ve wemosted tee gees ris kizen, kee go ras gasa, gith fis cee zuar!</i> Melody sings again.

"Prince Grant suddenly remembered the gold spinners, and thought to himself: 'If I ride there, maybe they could explain this to me...'" Brock goes on. "He rode to the hut, and found the two maidens at the fountain. He told them what had happened to their sister the year before, and how he had twice heard a strange song, but yet could see no singer. They concluded that the yellow water lily could be none other than their sister, who was not dead, but transformed by the magic ball. Before he went to bed, the eldest girl made a cake of magic herbs, which she gave him to eat."

"And he turned into a Froagie, or something!" Rylan guesses.

"That night, he dreamed that he was living in the forest and could understand all that the Pokemon said to each other." Brock replies, shooting down Rylan's prediction. "The next morning, he told this to the girls, and they said that the enchanted cake had caused it, and advised him to listen well to the Pokemon, and see what they could tell him. When he had recovered his bride they pleaded with him to return and deliver them from their bondage."

"Then what?" Morgan asks as she joins the group backstage, excited for what happened next.

"Having promised this, Prince Grant started for home, and as he was riding through the forest he could perfectly understand all that the Pokemon said." Brock replies. "He heard a Pikachu say to a Fletchling..."

"How stupid people are! They cannot understand the simplest thing." Ash interjects in a voice that more or les sounds like Pikachu. "It has now been a year since the girl was transformed into a water lily, and, though she sings so sadly that anyone going over the bridge must hear her, yet no one comes to her aid. Her former bridegroom rode over it a few days ago and heard her singing, but was no wiser than the rest."

"And he is to blame for all her misfortunes," Melody adds as the Fletchling. "If he heeds only the words of men she will remain a flower forever. She were soon delivered were the matter only laid before Meloetta."

Brock waits for the applause to die down before continuing "After hearing this, Prince Grant wondered how he could get a message conveyed to Meloetta. He then overheard one Taillow telling another how he wished he could hear Meloetta sing. Prince Grant then asked the Taillows to ask Meloetta how he could restore a maiden transformed into a flower to her true form."

"What did Meloetta say?" Yuki asks.

"The Taillows flew away, and Prince Grant rode on to the bridge. There he waited, hoping to hear the song. But he heard nothing but the rushing of the water and the moaning of the wind, and, disappointed, rode home." Brock replies. "A few days later, he was sitting in the garden, thinking that the Taillows must have forgotten his message, when he saw an Braviary flying above him. The magnificent Pokemon gradually descended until it perched on a tree close to Prince Grant and told him..."

In a deeper version of himself, he intones "Meloetta greets you from heaven and bids me to tell you that you free the maiden like so: Go to the river and douse yourself completely in water; then sing this magic song--'Rou iitsa ron selga vichii' and you will transform into a Buizel. Dive into the water, swim as close as you can to the water lily's roots, and loosen them from the mud and reeds. This done, hold onto the roots and rise with them to the surface. Let the water flow all over the flower, and drift with the current until you come to an oak tree on the left bank with a large stone nearby. Stop there and sing this magic song: 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul' and you both will be restored to your true forms."

As himself, Brock continues "Prince Grant let some time pass before he worked up the courage to attempt to rescue Heather. So he mounted his Ponyta and went to the bridge. Again he heard the water lily's lament, and after dousing himself completely in water, sang <i>Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...</i>, transformed into a Buizel in a flash of blue light, and plunged into the river. For a moment the water hissed in his ears, and then all was silent. He swam up to the plant and began to loosen its roots, but so firmly were they fixed in the mud and reeds that this took him a long time. He then grasped them and rose to the surface, letting the water flow over the flower. The current carried them down the stream, but nowhere could he see the oak tree."

"So where was the oak tree?" Rylan wonders.

"He finally saw it and the rock some minutes later." Brock replies "He climbed on the bank and sang <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i> and to his delight found himself once more a prince, and Heather was by his side. She was ten times more beautiful than before, and wore a magnificent pale yellow robe, sparkling with jewels. She thanked him for having freed her from the cruel witch's power, and confessed her love for him."

"Aw..." the audience choruses as they start to applaud, thinking the story's over.

"But when they came to the bridge where he had left his Ponyta, it was nowhere to be seen." Brock interrupts, quieting the applause. "Though Prince Grant thought he had been a Buizel only a few hours, he had in reality been under the water for more than ten days. While they were wondering how they should reach his father's court, they saw a splendid coach driven by six festively decorated Rapidashes coming along the bank. The king and the queen had been crying out to Arceus in hopes that their son was alive somewhere. Great was their delight and astonishment when Prince Grant entered the shrine, leading Heather by the hand."

He concludes "The wedding was celebrated right there, and there was feasting and merry-making throughout the kingdom for six weeks, at least."

"But what about Heather's sisters?" Morgan reminds Brock as she joins him, Ash and Melody onstage. "Did Prince Grant save them from the witch like he said he would?"

"Prince Grant did keep his promise, and saved Heather's sisters." Brock assures Morgan. "But that is another story for another day!" The crowd accepts that answer, and applaud as Brock, Ash,and Melody take a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever (part 1)


The audience murmurs as the stage curtains open to reveal the set of a road somewhere in a fantastic land. "In a far away land lived a boy named Naoki." Kano narrates from a nook at stage right. "While many believed Naoki wasn't the sharpest tack in the drawer,there were some--his mother among them--that found him clever. It was because of this he was affectionately nicknamed Naoki the Clever..." With that, his spotlight blinks off.

After a few tense seconds, Ash--clad in a fantastic common boy's costume--arrives on the stage scatting "The Hearthome Pilgrim" As he makes his way across the stage, he notices a rock close to center stage, and opts to rest there, still singing as he makes himself comfortable. A few moments later, a few of the younger Players arrive, notice Ash, and feign giggles and point at him. "Hello, Naoki-san!" one of the girls calls.

"Or should we say, Naoki-san the Clever?" a boy taunts.

"Or at least, his mom thinks him clever!" another boy agrees, making the audience laugh in agreement.

The first boy almost screams in Ash's face "Hello there, Naoki-san, the clever one! Can't you hear me?"

"Of course I hear you, and I can see you too." Ash calmly replies, oblivious to the children.

"Then what do you see with that dreamy look?" a girl taunts.

"I see four silly children who have nothing better to do than taunt a weary traveler." Ash replies, making the teasing stop.

There is an awkward silence for a moment before the second girl asks "So, where are you going on this beautiful day?"

"I am on my way to town, on my mother's behalf." Ash explains. "You see, this morning she was worried sick about how to pay the rent for this month, and I suggested we sell some eggs from the Combuskens. Then she worried about how to buy food once the rent was paid."

"And what did you tell her?" a boy asks.

"Sell more eggs."Ash replies. "Then she worried what would happen when the Combusken was too old to lay more eggs. I told her we would somehow find a way."

"What else did she tell you?" the other boy asks.

"She told me to bring the eggs in my bag to town." Ash replies, gesturing to the bag at his foot.

"But it's nearly noon!" a girl notes.

"Haven't you been to town yet?" the first boy asks.

"Not yet..." Ash concedes. "First I watched the Goldeens swimming in the stream, then laid on the plains and wondered what Pokemon the clouds formed, and listened to the Fletchlings sing..."

"He's a strange one..." one girl muses over Ash's rambling.

"His mom thinks him clever, but he's not the sharpest tack in the drawer!" one boy giggles.

"It's not the wisdom of the head that matters, but the wisdom of the heart." Ash reminds the children before preparing to leave. "I must be off..."

The children nod, and hurry off, taunting Ash all the while. Once Ash is alone on the stage, the lights go down as he resumes his song.

Over time, Ash's performance slows down and becomes less enthusiastic before finally coming to a stop. When the lights come up again, he is dozing by the rock.

After a few tense seconds, the audience hears a familiar <i>Karuto, iichida shou...</i> as Melody materializes on the stage. She flies over and examines Ash for a few moments before announcing herself with the same song. <i>Karuto, iichida shou...</i>

"mm-what?" Ash wakes up from his feigned nap, piqued in the song.

"Well, good afternoon, sleepyhead!" Melody scolds. "And they call you Naoki the Clever! For how can you see the wonders of this world when you are in the world of dreams?"

Ash finally recognizes who is speaking to him. "Good day, Meloetta, Guardian of Song." he stammers as he bows before Melody.

"And to you likewise, Naoki the Clever." Melody replies. "I came because I wish to trade with you."

"Trade?" Ash gasps before remembering the prop eggs in his bag. "What do you have in return for these fine eggs?" he asks, showing Melody the prop eggs.

"I come offering this." Melody shows Ash a green glass bottle.

Ash looks at the bottle quizzically. "How is a bottle a good trade for eggs? Although it would be nice to keep things in..."

"Remember what you learned when young--do not judge by appearances alone." Melody reminds him before asking him "What do you wish for?"

Ash thinks for a moment, then replies "I wish my mother and I each had some new clothes."

"Observe." With that, Melody opens the bottle and sings <i>Gran zirtan vin fangan miti...</i> making some nicer fantasy boy's clothes and a fantastic dress appear in a flash of green light, to some applause.

Ash balks in feigned surprise. "Wow! I will gladly trade anything for your bottle of wonders!" he tells Melody.

Once the trade is complete, Melody cautions "Guard the bottle with your life, Naoki--for if it is lost or taken from you, everything you conjure from it will disappear."

"You have my word, Lady Meloetta--I will keep the bottle safe." Ash replies. He waves goodbye as Melody disappears in a puff of greenish white smoke.

Once Ash is alone again, something dawns on him. "Maybe if I conjured some food from this bottle..." With that, he opens the bottle and sings a gibberish song of his own. <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i>

More applause goes up as an impressive array of prop food appears in a flash of light."There...now we won't have to worry about food for a while." Ash smiles before stashing the bottle in his bag and gathering up the prop food and clothes.

He is still working when Morgan--in a fantastic common woman's dress--arrives onstage. "There you are! I've been waiting for your return all morning!" she begins.

"I did sell the eggs..." Ash assures Morgan as he works.

"What did you get in return?" Morgan asks, piqued.

"I got this....a gift from the Guardian of Song herself!" Ash proudly shows Morgan the bottle.

Morgan examines the bottle."What good will a bottle do?"

"Never judge things by appearances alone." Ash reminds Morgan. "That bottle, though humble in appearance, has magical power--I have already conjured some new clothes for both of us, and some food for tonight!" He gestures to the pile of props he is organizing.

A smile forms on Morgan's face when she sees the props. "You spoke true! It's a miracle!" She hurries to help Ash as the lights go down over a peaceful interlude...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever (part 2)


"Word of Naoki's gift spread like wildfire, where it soon reached the royal ears of the king." Kano narrates from his nook at stage right. "The king was intrigued by the magical bottle, and summoned him to the castle. But Naoki had another goal in mind--the hand of the Princess Reina."

The lights come up on the set of a royal guest room. After a few awkward giggles from the audience,a knock comes at the door. When no one comes, the knock comes again, followed by Akane's voice calling "Coming!" as she--in a royal maid's costume--arrives onstage and answers the door. "Yes?"

"Is His Majesty home, good lady?" Ash asks from offstage.

"Yes, His Majesty is home...please, come in and make yourselves comfortable." Akane replies, inviting Ash and Morgan--now in the nicer clothes--onstage.

"I hope His Majesty won't mind hearing our request this early in the morning..." Morgan muses.

"It is early in the morning, yes..." Akane concedes. "But it had to be urgent if you came all this way so early."

"Never judge by the outside." Ash reminds Akane.

"Yes...that's right." Akane smiles.

"Will you please inform His Majesty we wish to see him?" Morgan asks.

"How shall I introduce you?" Akane asks as she turns to leave

"The lady Hirona Tanaka, and her son Naoki." Morgan requests.

As Akane departs, Ash whispers to Morgan "I hope the king will grant my request..."

"I'm sure he will, once he sees the gifts from the bottle Meloetta gave you." Morgan assures Ash.

"And Princess Reina is beautiful, too!" Ash adds.

Just then, a majestic melody begins, and Ash and Morgan bow in respect as Brock--in his standard king costume--arrives in the room to some applause. Akane is not far behind with a tray of bread and other treats

"Good morning to both of you." Brock begins. "Please, make yourselves at home."

Once everyone is comfortable, Brock addresses Ash. "Now, what is your request, Lord Naoki?"

Ash balks at the title, but composes himself. "Your Majesty, I humbly request the hand of the Princess Reina in marriage."

"What?" Brock gasps in feigned surprise.

"I wish to take the hand of Princess Reina in marriage!" Ash repeats a bit more confidently.

"Hm..." Brock is intrigued by the request. "If your request and love for her is sincere, you will first present a basket full of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, pearls, and other gems."

"This is very simple, Your Majesty." Ash assures Brock before getting up to leave. "I'll return shortly!"

Brock is confused as Ash departs. "How, may I ask, can the average person find a basket full of jewels in a matter of minutes?"

Ash singing <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i> from offstage prompts the audience to cheer. Ash returns a few moments later with a basket in one hand. "Here you are." he smiles as he offers the basket to Brock.

The audience laughs as Brock feigns shock over the prop jewels in the basket. "Amazing...but I promised Reina's mother that she would walk down the aisle wearing a pair of crystal shoes that glittered like the stars..."

"I can get that too!" Ash replies before dashing off.

"How can--" Brock starts, but is cut off when Ash singing <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i> offstage gets his attention. "Interesting song..." he muses, but balks in feigned surprise when Ash returns with glittering crystal shoes. He smiles. "You have proven to me twice that you can procure rare and wondrous things....but how fare ye in bringing ordinary items?"

"Like what, Your Majesty?" Ash asks

Brock thinks for a moment. "The royal maids have said we are running out of towels..."

"Consider it done!" With that, Ash hurries off again.

The audience hears Ash sing <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i> again from offstage. Morgan then interjects "It is quite a miracle, that song--before, we were just barely struggling to get by, and now all Naoki needs to do is sing to grant us anything we need."

'And who taught him that song?" Brock motions for Morgan to continue.

"He met--!" This is as far as Morgan gets before Ash cuts her off with a "Sh!"

Brock just chuckles as Akane arrives and balks at the towels Ash has brought in. "However he learned it, he should cherish the gift.

"There's more towels ouside." Ash explains.

Brock motions to Akane. "Help Lord Naoki bring in the towels, and inform the cook to prepare two more places at the table." Akane nods and hurries out as the lights go down over an interlude...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever (part 3)

"The king's banquet was a grand affair, and Princess Reina was intrigued by Naoki's gift." Kano narrates. "But Naoki forgot all about Meloetta's warning..."

The lights come up on Morgan, Ash, some extras, and Brock before a long table piled high with prop food. "Just think, two weeks ago we were struggling to survive...and then you traded those eggs..."

"And what, if I may ask, did you receive in return for those eggs?" Brock wonders.

Ash is about to answer when a herald arrives. "Reina is here, as you requested."

Yuki, as Princess Reina, arrives in the scene some moments later. "You wished me to join you for lunch?" she asks Brock.

"Not just lunch, but we have guests as well--the lady Hirona Tanaka and her son Naoki." Brock replies before motioning for Yuki to take her place at the table.

"Nice to meet you, Your Grace." Morgan smiles.

"A pleasure to meet you, my love." Ash agrees.

Yuki isn't sure what to make of Ash addressing her as 'my love'. "My love? I was expecting to...why are you...how did you..."

"Lord Naoki has made it known he wishes for your hand." Brock explains.

"Really?" Yuki is surprised. "But he is merely a common boy..."

"But can a common boy conjure a basketful of jewels?" Brock asks, showing Yuki the jewels from earlier.

"Wow..." Yuki gasps. "How beautiful!"

"And can he conjure a pair of crystal shoes, just your size?" Brock continues, showing Yuki the shoes from before.

Yuki steps into the shoes, where sure enough, they fit. "They look lovely!"

"And can he conjure more towels than the maids know what to do with?" Brock asks again as Akane walks by with some of the towels from before."

"That's amazing!" Yuki smiles before addressing Ash. "How did you get all of these wonderful gifts?"

"I was told to keep that a secret...and if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret any more, would it?" Ash replies.

"Oh come on, you can tell me!" Yuki grins cutely.

Ash sighs, and begins. "I was taking some eggs to town to sell. As I stopped under a tree to rest, Meloetta appeared to me..."

The audience gasps as the lights blink off and an ominous stinger plays....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever (part 4)

When the lights come up on the fantasy road again, Ash and Morgan reappear in their commoner costumes from before. "What are we going to do now?" Morgan sighs after an uneasy silence.

"Do as the bird Pokemon do and trust the Great Lord in heaven." Ash replies.

"If only you didn't tell them about your gift!" Morgan laments.

"But Princess Reina begged so hard!" Ash protests.

"Listen...Princess Reina is beautiful, but she is used to receiving everything she desires." Morgan cautions. "If by some miracle, you marry her, you have to learn how to tell her no."

"But I can't marry Princess Reina now...not like this." Ash sighs glumly.

"If only you hadn't--!" Morgan starts.

"Shown her the bottle." Ash repeats the last part of the line with Morgan.

"Maybe they only wished for us to sleep in the royal guest rooms so they could take the bottle..." Morgan muses.

Ash's glum face brightens a little. "Why didn't I think of this before?"

"It was quite a shock when we sat down to breakfast, and the king requested some butter for toast..." Morgan sighs.

"Then when I opened the bottle and sang the song, nothing happened." Ash continues. "It was not the real bottle at all! And just as Meloetta said, everything I wished for disappeared--the gifts I gave to the king, our fine outfits, our large house, gone!"

"Not to mention we were kicked out of the palace." Morgan adds,to some laughter.

After contemplating their predicament for a while, Morgan gets up from the rock she is sitting on and gives Ash the basket of prop eggs from before. "I'm going home to get the house in order--can I trust you to sell these eggs for food?"

"Okay!" Ash replies. After Morgan departs offstage at stage left, he is about to exit stage right when a familiar voice sings <i>Karuto, iichiida shou...</i> from nowhere.

The crowd roars as Melody materializes before Ash. "Meloetta?" Ash gasps. "Forgive me for losing your gift from before!"

"Peace--I heard what happened, but I come not to punish you, but to help you set things right again." Melody assures him as she shows him a second bottle, this one blue. "Here is another bottle like the one you lost, and will work with the same incantation. Maybe it will help get the first bottle I gave you back."

A huge smile forms on Ash's face. "Maybe there is still hope--when Princess Reina demanded the green bottle, I did not teach her or anyone else at the palace the song--so the magic won't work for her!"

He offers the basket of prop eggs to Melody. "Will these eggs be an acceptable trade? I promise I will be careful with this bottle!"

"Those eggs will do very nicely." Melody replies. They make the exchange as the lights go down over a hopeful interlude.....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Sidestory 11: The Legend of Naoki the Clever (part 5)

"With his new bottle in hand, Naoki hurried back to the house, and told his mother to hurry and get ready for another trip to the palace." Kano narrates. "Meanwhile, try as the king might, he could not get anything to come out of the green bottle..."

The lights come up on Brock thinking about something as he toys with the green bottle. Then, an idea occurs to him. "Okay...let's try... <i>Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...</i> Nothing happens, to the bemusement of the audience. "All right, we'll try <i>Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...</i>

"It's no use..." a voice sighs.

Brock whirls around and gasps in feigned surprise when he finds Yuki onstage with him. "Don't scare me like that, love." he sheepishly reminds her.

"I wanted to come in here, because here I met Lord Naoki." Yuki explains.

"Because of the gifts?" Brock presses Yuki for more information.

"At first, yes, but then I got to know him a bit, and I realized I love him..." Yuki sighs as tears form in her eyes.

"Well, he wasn't the sharpest tack in the drawer, that's for sure." Brock muses. "Not to mention plain..."

"But he has his own quiet wisdom, and that's why I love him!" Yuki sobs with feigned tears. "If only you hadn't taken his bottle!"

"There, there..." Brock tries to console Yuki as "Aw"s fill the auditorium. "I'm sure you'll meet a fine prince one day--although if Naoki would return and show me how to work this bottle, I may consider you marrying him."

A knock offstage startles Brock and Yuki. "I wonder who that could be at this hour..." Akane muses as she answers the door offstage. "Why, Lord Naoki and Lady Hirona!" she gasps.

Ash and Morgan, still in the commoner's clothes, enter the scene and bow before Brock and Yuki. "Hail and well met to Your Majesties." Morgan begins.

"What may I do for you?" Brock asks.

"I still would like to marry Princess Reina...and come bearing another bottle." Ash shows Brock the blue bottle. "If you will return the green bottle to me, I will show you how this one works."

"Why don't you show me how this works first?" Brock suggests as he takes the blue bottle from Ash.

"Okay...when you open it, sing 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul'" Ash instructs.

Brock nods, and opens the blue bottle. <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i>

The audience laughs as a large spray of cold air begins spraying Brock, making he try to run somewhere warm. "Oh my! H-how d-do you st-stop th-this?" he finally shivers some moments later as more cold air sprays on him.

"If you will give back the green bottle and allow me to marry Princess Reina, i will banish the cold." Ash explains.

"Okay! Okay! Anything to st-stop th-this c-c-cold!" Brock pleads.

Ash sings <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul</i> again, binding the cold air inside the blue bottle.

"Is this true? You'll really let me marry Lord Naoki?" Yuki smiles.

"He has proven his cleverness by nearly turning me into a kingsicle..." Brock sighs in defeat as the lights go down.

"And so it was that Naoki and Princess Reina were married." Kano concludes. "Yet he kept both bottles with him, in case he ever needed their powers again."

The crowd roars as Kano leads off the bows....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 137: The Fairies and the Farmer)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 137: The Fairies and the Farmer

(real tale: The Gifts of the Fairies)

"In a land far away, on a little island, there lived a band of fairies, ruled by the beautiful and wise Queen Titania." Brock begins as he arrives onstage, pausing to pick up the harp on his way to his place at center stage. "One day, Queen Titania’s daughter--we'll call her Orla-- decided she wished to see the world. Her mother gave her the power to turn herself into a bird Pokemon, and off she flew, under the guise of a Fletching."

He plays a soft chord to mimic a Fletching flying. "She returned that night and told her mother she had met a kind young farmer--we'll call him Dalton--who lived in the valley. A witch had cursed the poor man and his Miltanks, leaving them in ill health. This particular witch had the power to turn herself into a Buneary, and though the villagers and hunters chased her for what seemed like an eternity, she could not be caught. The town miller, who was renowned for being a miser, knew her well, and would often find her a place to hide."

Angry murmurs waft through the audience, but the harp playing a hopeful interlude quiets the chatter. "Needless to say, Queen Titania’s heart broke for the farmer’s pain." Brock explains as he plays. "The other fairies didn't like to see their queen sad, and so they suggested she help him."

The children in the audience whisper in agreement. "So Queen Titania gathered a small blue pot, the spellbook containing all kinds of magical songs, and some healing potions and set off to find Dalton." Brock explains. "When she arrived, and he spotted her by the window, she explained that she had come to cure him of the curse, if he believed with all his heart. Dalton was elated at this news, and thanked Queen Titania profusely, saying he would be forever in her debt."

Applause goes up at this. "Then, Queen Titania placed her small blue pot in the center of Dalton's modest house. She then invoked the spellsong..." In his best mimic of a woman, he sings <i>Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...</i>.

More applause goes up at the gibberish song. "A moment later, the room swirled with scents of berries and herbs. Then Queen Titania summoned her attendants, and moments later, six of them appeared, and together they sang the great spellsong <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul....</i>"

Cheers mix in with the applause as Brock continues "In that instant, Dalton's pale skin grew pink again,. His unsteady limbs grew strong, his sores disappeared, he felt blood rushing through his veins, and he heard his Miltanks mooing from the fields with newfound vigor."

He waits for the applause and cheers to quiet before playing a mystical interlude. "Dalton fell to his knees and asked Queen Titania what he could do to repay her. Queen Titania just smiled and told him to travel to the plains by the cliffs and grow a fairy ring there. She also told him to build three walls around the ring, but to leave a space open to the sea. That way, the fairies would be able to come and go easily."

The harp's interlude begins to speed up to simulate the passage of time. "Dalton eagerly did as he was told, and it wasn't long before a small ring of white mushrooms were growing at that place, surrounded by rock on three sides."

Brock then stops the song to interject "But Queen Titania knew she had to find a way to overcome the witch’s power, and she knew the only way to do that was by the arm of a human. She asked Orla if she knew of any strong and brave men in the world of humans, and Orla suggested Dalton."

Some giggles go up as Brock plays a bell-like riff to simulate a fairy flying. "Queen Titania made her way to Dalton's house, and asked him to come with her to the fairy ring. When he arrived, he found millions of fairies there, planting a pole in the ground. When the pole was planted, the fairies hung a mirror from the pole, and they fastened a many colored streamer from the top of the pole. They began to walk in a circle around that pole, with each fairy holding a bell in one hand and a cup of burning incense in the other."

After playing "The Fairy Waltz" for effect, he continues "A few moments passed before Queen Titania asked Dalton to look in the mirror. Dalton looked, and saw the witch transform into a Buneary, and run into the mill. He agreed to meet Queen Titania there at noon."

Brock sets the harp aside before going on "The next day at noon, right on time, Dalton met Queen Titania at the door to the mill. She gave him a bow and some arrows." He pauses to pick up a bow and a quiver of prop arrows, which he slings on his back. "She explained she had enchanted the arrows with holy magic, and when the clock in the town square struck three, he was to climb the hill and stand in the middle of the fairy ring. When he heard the click of the mill, he was to fire one of the enchanted arrows as fast as he could."

Excited whispers fill the air as Brock looks around the stage for a moment, as if looking for a target. "Dalton did everything Queen Titania had told him, and just after three, he heard the click of the mill." A click comes from offstage, signaling Brock that his target is in place and he is clear to shoot. "He looked up and saw the Buneary racing toward the mill, and he fired an arrow with all his strength."

With that, he readies an arrow and fires at the offstage target.

The audience applauds when they hear the <i>thunk</i> of a successful shot. "The arrow reached its target, lodging itself in the Buneary’s skull, and she transformed into her true form." Brock continues as he sets the bow and arrows aside and retrieves the harp. "Dalton called to all the hunters to come help, and so they did. They fastened the witch’s body to a Ponyta and dragged her to the bottom of the valley, where they buried her in a grave so deep, she would never escape. The townsfolk were elated the witch was gone, and rewarded Dalton handsomely."

He concludes over a peaceful melody "The fairy ring Dalton planted is still there today, and if you're lucky, you just might see the fairies and their magic mirror."

When the last chord dies, the crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 138: The Demons Are Judged)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Week 138: The Demons are Judged

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 68, story 3)

"A long time ago, demons terrorized much of the world, setting entire cities ablaze, stealing food and belongings, and kidnapping and killing men, women, children, and Pokemon." Brock begins. "One particular village--where Lavaridge Town is today--had had enough of the pillaging and killing, and decided to take matters into their own hands, never mind that the Aiiro City warned that no human weapon could kill a demon."

Fearful and intrigued murmurs race through the crowd. "As they were pondering a way to defeat the demons, the ground began to rumble--a warning that Mt. Chimney was about to erupt!" Brock announces.

Gasps go up, but become intrigued murmurs as Brock explains "The people of that area believe even today that Groudon lives inside Mt. Chimney, and if he is angry, Mt. Chimney will erupt."

He then quiets the chatter in the audience be continuing "So one day, two brothers decided to go ask the village elder what to do. They explained that they wanted to have one of the Legends of fire--or even better, Groudon himself--come down from Mt. Chimney and defeat the demons. The elder tried to talk them out of it, but after three days of pleas, he caved and agreed to take them inside Mt. Chimney."

Debate races through the auditorium as Brock continues "After a long journey--which is a story in itself--the party reached Mt. Chimney, but as they are climbing up, the mountain rumbled again! But the three of them were not afraid--in fact, the rumbling gave them even more resolve."

The excited whispers intensify as Brock goes on "Finally, they reached the shrine of fire, where they spent three days pleading to the Legends of fire to defeat the demons. On the third day, Moltres burst forth from the mountain in a stream of lava and embers. The party hurried back to the village, but the demons met the fury of the flames."

He concludes over the awed chatter "Many of the demons that survived the fire pleaded for Arceus to spare them, and Arceus agreed, provided they not bother the world of mortals again. Ever since then, this is why fireworks are shot off at festivals--to remind the demons what will happen if they break their promise!"

Thunderous applause goes up as Brock takes a bow....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 139: The Travels of Ardea)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Week 139: The Travels of Ardea

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 67, story 1)

Brock grinned as he approached the wings--this week, he was telling a tall tale based on a true incident Ardea had told him about while he had visited Minami. While the real incident involving a rogue attendant had been neatly resolved, Brock had exaggerated it to an adventure of epic proportions.

<i>Ardea, if you're watching, this is for you.</i> he thought before running out to meet the cheering crowd.

"Anyone here ever visited the Minami region before?" he asked the crowd as he arrived in his place at center stage.

Some mild cheers went up in reply. "Well, any trainers who come to the region of Minami know about Ardea, the "archer of flame". But when she is not training at the bow or giving out Ember Badges, she is traveling." Brock explains "However, one of her attendants secretly vowed that one day, he would kick Ardea to the curb and declare himself Gym Leader."

Some angry murmurs fill the air as Brock interjects "In fact, Ardea would sometimes stay up incredibly late for a week training at a target range, and then be so tired she crashed for a week."

Nervous giggles go up at the wry observation. "One day, the treacherous attendant--who shall remain nameless--told Ardea that the Pokemon Master wished to see her." Brock goes on. "Just to be sure Ardea wouldn't suspect his ruse, the attendant spiked her Pokenade with a sleeping potion. He then abandoned her on a deserted island, then went back and told the other attendants and the people of Honoru City a believeable enough lie--that Ardea had died via Yveltal's Oblivion Wing, and had left instructions naming him the new Gym Leader. The other attendants fell for the lie hook, line, and sinker, but the people believed that Ardea was out there, alive."

More angry whispers race through the crowd. "However, neither the attendants nor the Pokemon listened to the treacherous attendant, they were that loyal to Ardea." Brock explains. "The treacherous attendant, however, lived it up as Gym Leader, to the point where no trainer wanted to get an Ember Badge."

He then assures the crowd "Meanwhile, Ardea was doing perfectly fine on the island, and had befriended many of the Pokemon, who watched over her as she trained and while she slept. Eventually, she built herself a raft, and braved many storms on her journey back to Minami. She eventually returned to Honoru City, where the people are elated that she was alive and well. She returned to the Gym, where the treacherous attendant had challenged the city to see if anyone besides Ardea could ride her Ponyta, Epona."

The audience waits expectantly to see how the treachrous attendant will react. "He did not expect to see Ardea return, and told her he would let her try, and if she failed to tame Epona, he would kill them both!"

Gasps go up as Brock continues "Ardea just leapt aboard and charged at her treacherous attendant, trying to pin him to the wall with an arrow. The attendant begged for mercy as he fled in a rain of arrows."

Relieved applause goes up as Brock concludes "Ardea told her remaining attendants and all of Honoru City what really happened--trainers from every region began coming in droves again, because to this day, they are inspired by her bravery."

Applause goes up as Brock takes a bow, but inside the Honoru Gym, the real Ardea and Kitsune applaud the tale that just transpired on their TV....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 140: The Shepherd's Dreams)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 140: The Shepherd's Dreams

(real tale: The Shepherd's Dreams)

"Once upon a time, there lived a poor young shepherd--we'll call him Blair--who dreamed of glory." Brock begins. "He owned little else but his vast imagination; and so he told everyone he met that his imagination was so rich that he felt he was a wealthy man."

Fascinated murmurs fill the air as Brock continues "His fellow shepherds laughed at him and called him a fool, but one day as he was watching his flock near the royal road, he happened to notice a knight riding his Ponyta, on his way to the Aiiro City. Blair wondered just where the knight was going, and he waited all that day and into the next to speak to him. He yearned to ask him what the Pokemon League looked like. Most of all, he wanted to hear stories of the Pokemon Master's daughter--we'll call her Maya. Blair figured Princess Maya was more beautiful than a Gardevoir, and wiser, too."

Whispers of agreement waft through the crowd. "But the knight never returned, and the next day Blair saw another knight heading that way." Brock goes on. "He vowed that the next time he saw a passing stranger, he would ask. The second knight did not return, and when a third passed by, Blair explained that he saw many knights riding to the Aiiro City, but none had returned, and wondered why."

"So why did none of the knights come back?" Sachi asks as she and some of the other Players listen from the wings.

"The knight explained that the Pokemon Master had proclaimed that any man who could watch Princess Maya through the night and not fall asleep would have her hand in marriage." Brock replies, acknowledging Sachi with a nod. "But those who failed would lose their lives in exchange. and that he too was off to try his luck, for he had heard Princess Maya was a wise and fair and beautiful lady."

Excited whispers race through the auditoriumas the audience speculates what Blair will do. "So Blair thought for a moment, and decided he would try his luck--regardless of the risk of dying, and so after leaving his flock in the care of a friend, he set off for the Aiiro City." Brock continues, quieting the chatter. "The journey was relatively uneventful until he came to a rushing river. He rolled up his leggings, and as he was wading across, he noticed some shining Goldeens at his feet. So he picked up four of them and stashed them into his pocket."

After pausing for a beat, Brock continues "When he arrived at the Pokemon League, the servants took him to the hall where Princess Maya awaited her suitors. She welcomed him as she had all the others, but for some reason, she was drawn to Blair — he, too, was handsome and kind and fair. She led him to a table set with all manner of exotic food and drink--a far cry from the stale bread and hard cheese Blair ate at home. He ate, and drank, and as the clock struck midnight, he could feel his eyelids growing heavy."

Gasps go upas Brock continues "He settled in one of the luxurious chairs across from Princess Maya, and when she saw how sleepy-eyed he looked, she accused him of dozing, but before she could call the guards, Blair assured her that he wasn’t dozing at all--he was fishing."

Laughter fills the air at the unexpected turn of events. "Understandably, Princess Maya thought Blair was nuts, but he just smiled and pulled out one of the Shiny Goldeens from his pocket." Brock assures the giggling crowd. "She was astonished by this young man’s magic, and so she waited a little while, and she watched him carefully--every time she swore Blair was sleeping, he would reach into his pocket and hand her another Goldeen. The Pokemon Master was amazed when he heard the news the next morning, and even more amazed when Blair produced the other two Goldeens for him. Princess Maya confessed her love for him, and with the Pokemon Master's blessing, they were married a few days later."

Some light applause goes up as Brock concludes "They lived happily ever after, for Blair's fine imagination never failed to delight Princess Maya."

The applause intensifies as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 141: The Broken Wing)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 141: The Broken Wing

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 69, story 1)

"Everyone in Houen knows that summertime is when the Swellows return to their home nests and raise new Taillows." Brock explains. "Those Taillows then scatter across the world, hopefully evolve, and then return the next summer to raise Taillows of their own."

Fascinated whispers race through the crowd. "But one day, a man--we'll call him Natsu--was returning home and spotted a Taillow on the ground, its wing broken from a run in with a Persian." Brock continues. "He felt sorry for the poor Pokemon, and nursed its wing until it was able to fly again."

"Aw"s fill the air as Brock goes on "The next year, the Taillow--now a Swellow--returned to that place and dropped a huge black seed at Natsu's feet. He planted it, tended it with utmost care, and it ultimately grew into a Watmel bush. When he brought the Watmel Berry inside, it split open on its own, and Celebi and Shaymin emerged from it with hundreds of earth fairies."

Awed chatter wafts through the front rows as the audience debates what kind of blessing Natsu will get. "Shaymin noticed the house's walls and ceilings were a bit run down, and told the fairies to build him a new house." Brock explains. "Natsu loved the idea, and offered to provide the fairies food and drink, which he did for two weeks. When the house was ready, Celebi then gave Natsu more food than he could ever eat in a lifetime. It was only then that Natsu realized that the fairies were actually Taillows and Swellows in human form thanking him for caring for one of their own!"

He concludes "Every year when the Swellows returned, Natsu gave thanks to Arceus for blessing him through the Taillows that built him a house."

More "aw"s fill the air as the crowd applauds and Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Interlude 20: Sachi's Session)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Interlude 20: Sachi's Session

Sachi is about to enter Brock's room, listening to a favorite song on a portable mini radio clipped to her left jeans pocket. But before she can enter, she starts dancing to the song, unaware that the online video camera is on and recording every move of her enthusiastic dance.

However, when the song ends, she spots the camera and freezes "Oh no...did my enthusiastic dance to 'Together Forever' just get broadcast for the world to see?"

Some laughter reassures her as Brock enters the hallway "Of course not, Sachi--everything this camera records is reviewed before it is broadcast online." Sachi heaves a sigh of relief as Brock locates the footage in question. "Okay...it's gonna be gone in three...two...one..." With that, he hits the DELETE button with a flourish, making the embarrassing footage disappear from the review queue.

"You know what we need to do?" Kano suggests. "We need to do another impromptu session with common instruments and put it up on the site."

"You're right...we need to do another one of those...we're WAY overdue for another one." Brock concedes before addressing Sachi. "Every once in a while, we'll round up all the most common instruments you'd probably find in, say, a school music room, and cover hits of yesterday and today with them." The last one we actually showed on TV was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in Season 1, but we've done a few more for our webcast show."

Sachi thinks about Brock's proposal for a moment. "If we do this for TV, can I sing it?"

"Sure." Brock replies before offering Sachi a tambourine. "Not to mention Ash is here to help with an upcoming story-besides me, Lotta, and Rylan, he's the other one that has been in all the impromptu jams. Akane has been in almost all of them--she was sick the last time we did one, and the MyTube comments were all asking some derivative of 'where's the kazoo?' when it went live."

"Aw..." Sachi smiles.

It isn't long before the group is assembled in the hallway before the camera. Brock is tuning his guitar, Sachi is next to him with the tambourine, Ash is next to Sachi, toying with a harmonica. Kano cradles a toy xylophone in one hand, Akane arrives some moments later holding her trademark red kazoo. Rylan toys with some egg shakers for a moment, Yuki lazily strums on an autoharp, and Lotta noodles around on a tin whistle. Even Morgan has decided to join the fun as she toys with a cowbell and the other members of the Firelights have other assorted percussion.

Once Brock's ready to perform, he lifts a hand to quiet the noise and notes. "Okay...let's decide on a key to play this in...

"G would be all open chords, boss." one of the Firelights reports as she gives Brock a chord chart for the song.

"That works..." Brock smiles as he slowly strums a G chord to check tuning. Various percussion noises and G notes answer him in reply.

After checking a few settings on a digital piano that is serving as their drum set, he sets it to play a relaxed rock rhythm. "Okay...one, two, three, four!"

With that, the guitar, tin whistle, autoharp and harmonica kick off the tune, over which Sachi sings:


You've been such a good friend,
I've known you since I don't know when
We've got a lot of friends,
But they come and go
Even though we've never said it,
There's something that the two of us both know...

Together, forever no matter how long... everyone joins in.
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more...

Always gone that extra mile,
Depended on you all the while... Brock joins in with Sachi.
Even in the good and bad times
You will see
From now until our journey's end
You know you can always count on me...

Together, forever no matter how long
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more

No matter where our destiny leads
I'll be there for you, always come through
And that you can believe...

With that, the harmonica, guitar, and tin whistle break off to solo before everyone enthusiastically sings the chorus again:

Together, forever no matter how long
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more...

Together, forever no matter how long
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more...

Together, forever no matter how long
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more...

"One more time!" Brock alerts the ragtag band before leading one last chorus of Together, forever no matter how long
From now, until the end of time
We'll be together, and you can be sure
That forever and a day
That's how long we'll stay
Together and forever more...

Sachi laughs as the digital piano and the camera are turned off. "That was fun! I can't wait to do this again!"

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 142: Kinomi's Secret)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;

Week 142: Kinomi's Secret

(real tale: Fadhila's Secret)


The crowd roars as Lotta--in costume in a berry print kimono-like robe--runs out with Brock onto the stage. When the applause quiets, Brock begins "Once upon a time, a young girl named Kinomi lived in a tiny village in a far away land. Kinomi had a special talent for picking the most marvelous Berries. Whenever Kinomi picked an Oran, it was the juiciest Oran; whenever she picked a Nanab , it was richer and denser than anyone else's Nanabs. This was true of every Berry she picked."

"Mm"s waft through the crowd as Brock continues "The people of Kinomi's village wondered how she found such delicious Berries, but nobody asked her to reveal her secret. It was understood that everyone has a skill, a special talent, and this was Kinomi's special talent."

The left side of the stage brightens to reveal a set of a forest with a Pikachu burrow. "And then one day, as Kinomi was walking past Sorin's house..." Brock narrates as Lotta walks past the burrow, just as a Pikachu puppet--operated by Kano--appears at the burrow's entrance. "he called out to her."

"Yoo-hoo!" Kano calls in character as Sorin, making the puppet wave in Lotta's direction.

Laughter goes up as the call even gets Brock's attention. "You see, Sorin was a terribly lazy for a Pikachu." Brock explains, trying oh-so hard not to laugh at the puppet plops at the entrance to the burrow with a snore. "He didn't like to work for himself, and he had heard tales of Kinomi's Berries. Sorin had a special talent, too. Everyone knew he was quite the trickster..."

Thunderous applause fills the air at the familiar beginning. "and this time he thought he could trick Kinomi into sharing her talents with him." Brock continues as the applause quiets.

When Lotta steps back in the scene again, he narrates "And so, using his sweetest voice, he called out..."

"Kinomi, good day to you. How are you feeling this beautiful morning?" Kano asks as Sorin.

"I'm well," Lotta assures the Pikachu puppet. "Sorin? Are you feeling well?"

"Ah," The Pikachu puppet pauses for a moment as it "thinks". "well, yes ... but I am very hungry. I wonder if I might accompany you into the forest to find some food."

Lotta looks the Pikachu puppet up and down, to some tense giggles. "You know, I am sure no one has ever come with me before...."

"Ah, yes," Kano gasps as Sorin. "I do know that. And I would consider it a special honor to be the first one to be your companion in the lonely bush."

"Well..." Lotta pauses for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons of the puppet's offer. "if you come along, you must promise you won't tell anyone my secrets."

"Of course!" Kano replies as Sorin, making the puppet nuzzle Lotta for effect.

"Promise me," Lotta warns.

"I promise," Kano replies. "Cross my heart. You can trust me!"

Lotta smiles. "Okay, then.

The lights blink over to Brock as he narrates "As they walked into the bush, Kinomi asked..."

"What kind of food do you like to eat, Sorin?" Lotta asks the Pikachu puppet as she steps into a scene of a forest

"Well..." Kano muses as Sorin. "I like Nanabs and Watmels and Pinaps, of course. And I like Cocos. And I love honey!"

"Honey!" Lotta gasps in excitement. "Wonderful, I think I can help you."

Some applause goes up as the spotlight returns to Brock. "And so, the two of them walked on, Kinomi leading the way down into parts of the bush where few people ventured. Sorin sparked with happiness, for he knew he was about to find the special place in the bush, the place that held Kinomi's secrets. If he discovered this, he would never again have to work for food. He could offer his secret to anyone who would go into the bush for him." He lets that hang as Lotta and the Pikachu puppet arrive by a prop Pecha tree.

"This is the best Pecha tree!" Lotta tells the Pikachu puppet. "It does not have that many Pechas, but each one is the sweetest in the world!"

"Sorin was a greedy fellow, and as soon as he saw the secret Pecha tree, his mouth began to water." Brock intones from his own spotlight. "It was time to act, so he pushed Kinomi into the bushes and quickly climbed the tree."

The audience laughs as the Pikachu puppet does this to Lotta. "When he had reached the highest branches, he began to eat until he had eaten every last Pecha, not leaving a single one for Kinomi."

"Aww"s go up as they watch the Pikachu puppet "eat" the prop Pechas. "When he was finished, he rubbed his belly and sighed, and he thought this must be the finest day he had ever spent." Brock narrates. "He looked down and to his delight and amazement, Kinomi said..."

"Do you want to see my special Nanabs?" Lotta asks the Pikachu puppet.

"A fine idea!" Kano replies as the Pikachu puppet hurries down the tree trunk.

"They walked a little farther on, and Kinomi showed him a patch of Nanabs, and once again, as soon as he saw the spot, he pushed her into the bushes and ate every single ripe Nanab he could find." Brock narrates as the Pikachu puppet does this. "Now Sorin's belly was so full that he thought he had never been happier, but this made him still greedier, and he wanted to know every secret of the bush."

"Are you too full, or would you like me to show you the honey?" Lotta asks the Pikachu puppet

"Oh, yes!" Kano replies as Sorin as he makes the puppet romp off after Lotta.

"they finally came to a tree so deep in the bush that no one had ever seen it..." Brock narrates as the lights come up on the scene.

"Here, this is a very special tree." Lotta explains. "Deep inside is a hole with the world's best honey."

"Sorin's eyes grew wide, and his greed greater, and once again, he shoved Kinomi into the bushes." Brock narrates. Some laughter fills the air as the Pikachu puppet shoves Lotta a third time. "He climbed the tree and when he found the little hole, he squeezed himself inside, and once again, he began to eat and eat and eat, and once again, he saved nothing for anyone else. And once again, he did not say so much as a thank you."

More laughter erupts as the Pikachu "eats". "When he was full, he began to climb out of the tree, but he discovered that he had grown too fat to squeeze through the hole." Brock narrates as the Pikachu puppet "struggles" to exit the prop tree

"Help, Kinomi!" Kano cries in character as he makes the puppet "struggle". "I cannot get out."

"If you had not been so greedy, you would not be stuck." Lotta gently scolds the puppet.

"I'm sorry!" Kano pleads as Sorin. "I'm so sorry. Please, call for help!"

"I'm no fool, though you think I am." Lotta continues. "But I'm a kind girl, too."

"And with that, Kinomi began to call for help, but she cried as softly as she could." Brock narrates as Lotta mouths calling for help. "Naturally, nobody heard Kinomi's whispers, and nobody could hear Sorin, for he was trapped inside a tree, deep in the bush. Finally, the hour grew late, so after telling Sorin goodbye, she returned home."

Once Brock is alone onstage, he concludes. "After that, whenever anyone heard the story of Sorin stuck in the honey tree, they knew they would never ask Kinomi to give away her secret. Obviously, it was for her alone to know."

The crowd roars as Lotta rejoins Brock onstage and Kano emerges from his hidden nook with Sorin, where all three take a bow....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 143: Kanade Defeats the Hydreigon)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 143: Kanade Defeats the Hydreigon

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 69, story 3)


"Remember 'How an Arcanine defeated Tornadus'" Brock asks the crowd as he arrives onstage.

Some cheers go up in reply. "Well, here's a Johto variant I learned in Mahogany Town."

With that, he begins "The Lake of Rage is well known for the many Gyarados that call it home. But long ago, something even fiercer lived in the lake--a Hydreigon!"

Fearful and intrigued murmurs race through the crowd at this. "It would ravage the fields and destroy many cities, unless it was appeased by a young girl of pure heart." Brock explains "For many years, one of the nearby towns would send a girl, her house marked by a shining arrow fired from the miko's ceremonial bow." As he is speaking, he pantomimes firing a bow for effect.

The fearful murmurs intensify as Brock returns to his usual spot at center stage. "One night, a miko from another region was traveling across the land, and noticed one house with a shining arrow in the roof. When she asked about it, she was told about the Hydreigon and the yearly sacrifice. The miko was understandably appalled at this, and the young daughter of the family agreed, saying that if the cycle continued, it would eventually come to the point where no girls were left at all--and Arceus only knew what would happen when that occurred."

Nervous giggles fill the air in agreement. "The miko offered to sacrifice herself in the daughter's place, and the next morning, she traveled to the lake, where she spent the next two days in deep prayer to Arceus."

The auditorium is silent as the audience awaits what happened next. "On the third day, the townsfolk went to check on the miko out of concern, but discovered that the still praying miko was protected by a circle of holy magic." Awed gasps go up as a spotlight slowly appears on Brock,as if he is the miko in her circle. "The Hydreigon surfaced a few moments later, and as the townsfolk looked on in terror, the miko casted a holy spell...

With that, he sings <i>Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...</i>, and a bright flash of light startles many in the crowd as they rush to shield their eyes.

Once the crowd has recovered, Brock continues "The resulting wave of light was enough to kill the Hydreigon. The townsfolk were elated the Hydreigon would wake no more, and rumors flew that the miko was no ordinary miko, but the legendary miko and heroine Kanade."

Some applause goes up as Brock concludes. "The people erected a statue of Kanade in Mahogany Town, which you can still see today. And thankfully, no Hydreigons have been seen in the Lake of Rage since then!"

The applause intensifies as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 144: The Legend of Drakestail)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 144: The Legend of Drakestail

(real tale: Drakestail)

"There was once a little Fletchling whose tail feathers shone like a Dragonair's body--this was why he was named Drakestail." Brock begins, to some light applause in approval of the Fletchling's name. "But even though he was smaller than most other Fletchlings his age, he made up for it with his wits, and could easily earn a hundred gold pieces a day with wits alone."

Giggles of anticipation waft through the crowd as Brock goes on "Now, the king of this land loved to live it up, and almost never had any money for important matters and emergencies. He heard about Drakestail's immense stash of gold, and decided he would go ask Drakstail to borrow a little of it."

He adds as an aside "Needless to say, Drakestail was a little reluctant to lend money to someone who would likely just fritter it away, but he lent a little to the king anyway."

After a few tense seconds, he continued "But when a few years went by without so much as interest being paid back to him, he took it upon himself to go and see His Majesty himself, and get paid back. So the next morning Drakestail set out on the royal road, singing to himself all the while."

With that, he jogs around the stage a few times, singing "The Hearthome Pilgrim" for effect as the audience claps along. After making enough trips around the stage to sing the familiar jig through three times, he continues "He had not gone far when he met his friend Kitsune the Fennekin, who was passing that way herself."

"Good morning, Drakestail--where are you off to so early?" he asks in a breathy female voice for Kitsune.

"I am going to ask the king for what he owes me." he replies in his best mimic of Forest to represent Drakestail.

"Oh! Let me come with you!" he pleads as Kitsune.

As himself, he continues "Drakestail agreed, and continued along the road with Kitsune by his side.

With that, he resumes singing "The Hearthome Pilgrim as he makes a few more laps around the stage. When he arrives back in his place at center stage, he goes on. "As Drakestail and Kitsune continued on their way, he found a ladder laying against a wall. Figuring that whoever owned the ladder wouldn't need it right away, he decided to borrow it for a while. Then they came to the banks of a river, where he gathered some water for the two of them. Then Drakestail met Beatrice the Vesiquen, who was overseeing all the worker Combees in her hive."

Well, good morning, Sir Drakestail," he asks in a gentle voice for Beatrice. "Where are you going at this hour?"

"I am going to ask the King for what he owes me." he replies as Drakestail

"May I come too?" he asks as Beatrice.

As himself, he continues "Drakestail agreed, and even a few of the Combees came along with their queen. It wasn't long before they arrived at the royal city, and the people weren't sure what to make of the parade of Pokemon headed to the king's palace. So Drakestail knocked at the door..." Some laughter goes up as he knocks on the stage floor for effect.

"Who is it?" he asks in character as a guard.

"It's me, Drakestail. I wish to speak to the king." he requests as Drakestail.

"Speak to the king?" he gasps as the guard. "The king is having his royal lunch right now, and will not be disturbed."

"Tell him that it is I, and I have come he well knows why." he intones as Drakestail to some giggles.

As himself, he goes on "So the guard hurried to the royal dining hall--where the king was about to sit down to lunch with his ministers. The king just chuckled at the bizarre scene the guard described, and told him to take Drakestail to the Combusken yard. The guard did as he was told--and you can only imagine how mad Drakestail was!"

Laughter goes up as the audience pictures the angry Drakestail in the Combusken yard. "Of course, the Combuskens thought Drakestail an intruder, and chased after him, kicking and scratching and pecking at him all the while." Brock intones to even more laughter. "But Drakestail whistled for Kitsune..."

Some in the front row are startled as Brock whistles for effect. "and the Combuskens turned tail and ran when Kitsune arrived! The servants in charge of the yard heard the commotion, and when they saw how battered and beaten the Combuskens were, they ran to tell the king just as the bread course arrived. When the king heard the news he was terribly annoyed, and ordered the servants to throw Drakestail into the well.

More giggles of anticipation go up as Brock goes on "But Drakestail remembered the ladder, and easily climbed out of the well. Then the king tried roasting him for the main course, but Drakestail easily put out the fire in the oven with the water he had gathered before."

The audience roars with laughter as they picture the angry king. "Finally, the king had had enough, and told the guards to bring Drakestail to him so he could kill him himself. So the guards brought him inside the royal dining hall, and when he the king as red as a flame, and all his ministers standing around him with swords in hand, he whistled for Beatrice..."

He whistles again, making more laughter fill the air, "and Beatrice and her Combees chased the king and his ministers out of the palace, never to be seen again."

He concludes "The people eagerly crowned Drakestail their new king, and he ruled with kindness and his wits for many years."

"Aww"s and applause fill the air as Brock takes a bow....

 

[LightningTopaz]

Re: Live from the Fireside: Season 6 (Week 145: The Legend of the Boulder Badge)

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster;


Week 145: The Legend of the Boulder Badge

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 71, story 1)

"Thank you!" Brock calls to the cheering crowd. "The story I want to tell this week is a little bit of a history lesson...ever wonder why we give out Boulder Badges here?"

Fascinated murmurs fill the air as Brock begins. "Well, one winter, it got so cold, people said it could chill you to your very soul. One night, a miko was braving the howling wind and blowing snow as she looked for somewhere to spend the night. Many in that village--which is today Pewter City--were poor, and did not have much food, and so had no choice but to turn the miko away. Finally, one man that lived on the outskirts of town--my distant ancestor, Yanshi--felt sorry for the miko shivering in the cold, and allowed her to stay."

Awed whispers race through the crowd at the mention of the name Yanshi. "As the miko was warming herself, Yanshi brought out a small Oran tree that was somehow blooming despite the horrible conditions outside." Brock goes on, quieting the chatter. "After stripping the tree of its berries, he cut it down and used it to keep the fire going. The miko watched him bring in more of the Berry trees, and assured him that he shouldn't have to cut down something he loves because of her. Yanshi replied that he didn't care how many he had to cut down, so long as she was warm."

"Aw"s fill the air at this. "The miko gave thanks to Arceus for sending her to someone willing to give up his most precious possession for someone else's sake, and asked Yanshi his name, as she had noticed the sheer number of mini Berry trees in the house. Yanshi told her his name, and explained that he was once a high ranking official in the Aiiro City, but a treacherous attendant had forced him to flee for his life and lay low in the poor village. In fact, he still had many of his weapons, armor, and Pokemon just in case he were called to battle, but he feared he would die of starvation than on the battlefield."

Feaful whispers waft from the front row as the children fear for Yanshi's life. "The miko assured him that he would not die that way, and thanked him for offering what little he had when she departed the next morning, saying that it was Arceus' will for them to meet, and that she would repay him for his kindness and humility one day." Brock assures them.

The lights slowly brighten to simulate the passage of time. "That spring, a message went out from Pokemon Mistress Shina commanding that all the Gym Leaders of what is now Kanto to assemble in the Aiiro City. Yanshi gathered his weapons, armor, and Pokemon, and quickly made the long journey to the Aiiro City." Brock goes on. "Some of the other Gym Leaders laughed when they saw how frail his Ponyta looked, but Yanshi was told the Pokemon Mistress wanted to see him personally. When he was told to rise, and he saw his lady's face, he was shocked to discover the miko he had helped was Pokemon Mistress Shina in disguise!"

Wild cheers explode through the auditorium at the turn of events. "Shina thanked Yanshi for proving his loyalty, and restored his lost property to him. The other Gym Leaders cheered at this, saying that Yanshi's devotion was unwavering, like a rock." Brock continues before showing the crowd a Boulder Badge. "To this day, Pewter City continues to give out Boulder Badges in memory of the official whose devotion was like a rock."

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...