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EVERYONE: Sun, Fun and Memories

LightningTopaz

LightningTopaz

Brock's Pikachu
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Ash and co. and the Brocklings

in

"Sun, Fun, and Memories"

June 1

So school's out for another year, and I couldn't be more ready! While it is inevitable that 90% of kids I know will complain that they're bored within the first few hours on three months of freedom, with nine other siblings (one of them being the coolest big brother ever) and some of the best friends I know, it'll be a challenge to say that I'm bored--cause when Brock (the aforementioned coolest big brother ever) is in the house, nobody is ever bored!

Dad was nice enough to buy me this journal to celebrate another summer--and since Brock will be here with his pals Ash and Dawn, he says that I can write down all the adventures we go on--and believe me, there's going to be a lot of them!

Until then,

Forest


June 1, part 2

Brock arrived not too long ago--and I am stoked, because he brought his guitar with him as well as "a bunch of new stories that we haven't heard before" (his words). Right now, he's resting in his room while Ash and Dawn unpack and settle in. He's promised a sing-along after dinner. Those are fun, because in addition to old standbys like "Durants Go Marching" and "Clementine", he also throws in some original stuff and songs from when Mom and Dad were my age--and those are the best songs of all. Things can get crazy when he asks us to get up and move to the song--we have broke things whilst dancing!

So on that note (no pun intended), here's Forest's Top 10 Favorite Songs that Brock Often Plays:

10. "I've Been Working on the Railroad"--if only for the "train whistle" effect Ash will do on the harmonica somewhere in the song. It's almost a game to guess when he will do it--sometimes he'll do it at the very beginning, sometimes at the end, and sometimes in between a verse. It is usually followed by an impromptu harmonica and guitar jam filled with several more "train whistles".

9. "Durants Go Marching"--Even though this one goes up to ten, it's always fun to suggest things for the little one to do. (my favorite is five by five--"the little one stopped to do a jive")

8. "Jenny Jenkins"--Now this one can go on forever (provided we can keep thinking of colors), but the verse about yellow gets the best reaction--who knew Jello could be so funny? But the best memory I have of this song is trying to stump Brock with an exotic color, but some of what he comes up with for puce, bole, fawn, or icterine is pure genius! The rule is when you come up with a color Brock can't sing a verse for, the song is over. Having a big book of paint colors helps.

7. "The Meowth Came Back"--This one a riot, and also can go on forever as we think up crazier ways for Old Mr. Johnson to get rid of the Meowth.

6. "Consider Yourself"--one of the rare show tunes Brock will play, part of the fun is hearing him do an English accent

5. "Yellow Submarine" and practically every Beatles song ever--This one needs no introduction--they're just that fun to sing!

4. "Down in the Valley Where Nobody Goes"--Like all great sing-along songs, this one goes on forever. The gibberish chorus is also fun to sing.

3. "Eddie Kootchie Catchie"--While, yeah, it has a bummer ending, the fun comes from singing the really really long name.

2. "The Gypsy Rover" With a playful little melody and a sweet story, everyone likes this one. Ash playing interludes on a whistle always helps.

and my number one song that Brock often plays is...

1. "Morning Bells"--We always end our last sing along on Brock's final full day with this song--as if to assure us that even though it's time for him to go, he'll always be close to us in our hearts.

Luckily, I won't have to hear "Morning Bells" until it's almost time for school to start--he's staying with us the whole summer!

I can hear him tuning up downstairs--time to go sing these favorites and more!

Until next time,

Forest
 
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June 2

The sing along last night was wonderful--Brock played "The Gypsy Rover" and "Jenny Jenkins" (we finally stumped him with phlox after about forty verses), and many of our old favorites. But he also taught us some new songs too, such as "Nomel Tree", "Day is Done", "Octillery's Garden", "Sloop John B", and one of my new favorites, "Beyond the Sea" (Brock likes to give it a little swing.)

Today though, we went to Diamond Grove, a huge Berry farm not far from town. For a cool 500 credits, you can pick as many Berries as you want (or at least as much as you can fit in a basket.) It's so fun wandering down the rows of bushes and trees and seeing the bewildering array of Berries growing. (Although it was funny seeing the look on my sister Terra's face when Farmer Meyer asked her to try a Tanga Berry. Ash tells me Tamato Berries are even worse in the spicy department)

After our berry picking was done, we froze some of our haul for pancakes, left some out to make drinks, and some we used in pies--Grandma's Leppa pie may come close, but Brock's is better--he doesn't go overboard on the cinnamon like Grandma does. There's just enough for you to know it's there, but it doesn't overpower the Leppas either.

Then at dinner, Brock worked some more of his kitchen wizardry--roast Combusken kabobs with boiled potatoes with herbs (he even puts mint in them for a sweet surprise) and Razz Berries and cream for dessert. I would love to know where he gets some of his food inspiration, because he can even make spinach or Brussels sprouts delicious!

All in all, we had a blast--I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow?

Until then,

Forest
 
Hi, Lightning. If your Blogging Up Pichu fanfic is anything to go by, this story will be great! Do you mind tagging me whenever you post a new chapter?
 
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June 3

One fun aspect of Brock's visits is seeing his little ones--first he came home with a Bonsly, and now he's "daddy" to a Happini. And she is SO cute!

Sometimes, I'll get a chance to look after her myself, and we get into some pretty crazy adventures.

Take today--Brock had left on an early morning jaunt to the store, and had left me instructions on what to do when Happini woke up. I didn't have to wait too long--no sooner had I gotten dressed, did I hear contented laughter coming from her room.

"Hi, sweetie pie." I cooed to her. She was a little confused as to why someone else was waking her up at first, but I quickly explained "Daddy's out getting breakfast right now." She seemed satisfied with that answer, so I let her use the potty and took her downstairs to the kitchen. Good thing she's not that picky--she eagerly ate all the Berries Brock left for her.

Brock returned not long after I got my breakfast, and was pleased she had cleaned her plate. After getting the OK that Honey Nut Crunchy-O's were fine for her to eat, I let her have a taste. (she loved them)

After breakfast, she wanted to go outside, so I took one of her Meowth dolls, hid it in the grass, and challenged her to "save" it. (she found it easily) By then, it was getting hot, so back inside we went.

I watched a little TV while she doodled on some paper from my old notebooks from school. By the time one cartoon was over, she had drawn a picture of me and her running in a grassy field. I went and put that up on the refrigerator, only to be presented with another picture of a Pidgey flying in the sky. So I put that one on the refrigerator too, only to get ANOTHER picture, this one of me as an astronaut.

By the time it was time for her afternoon nap, the refrigerator was covered in her artwork. (and it looked surprisingly good for the equivalent of a two or three year old child) I assured her we could draw some more after lunch.

I hope to teach her how to draw comics--then she can tell a story with her pictures.

Until next time,

Forest
 
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June 4


When he's not traveling or helping less fortunate Pokemon, Brock is in demand as a pro storyteller. He's played at schools, libraries, auditoriums, and festivals all over the world--and we are his "focus group" for new material--cause if nine kids don't like a story, then it's pretty likely an audience of nine hundred won't like it either.

So one rainy afternoon, Mia (one of my younger sisters) came asking for him to spin one of his yarns. Then, Bobby (another one of my brothers) came asking where the Arabian Nights came from (he was doing a summer reading report about folklore, and the Arabian Nights was one of his sources)

Brock decided to kill two Pidgeys with one stone--he told the story about how the Arabian Nights came to be.

Basically, in ancient times, there was a king that had two sons--the eldest succeeds his father, and his brother becomes king of another land. They rule peacefully for about twenty years, until the younger brother's heart is broken by his girlfriend (or wife, don't remember exactly) leaving him. The same thing happens to the older brother too, and he becomes a mean and cruel ruler, marrying a new lady every night only to kill her the next morning.

Eventually, a clever and smart girl named Scheherazade (I'm pretty sure that's how you spell it) decides to marry the king, and every night she would tell a story, but stop at the best part. (so the king would hold off killing her so he could hear the rest of the stories) and by the time a thousand and one nights pass, the king has fallen in love with her, and they live happily ever after. (that's why it's also called The Thousand and One Nights)

Mia was impressed that there was a story behind such stories as Aladdin, Sinbad, and Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, and Bobby pleaded to include Brock's performance in his report.

But his repetoire is more than how stories came to be--maybe tomorrow I can ask him to tell one of his more imaginative tales.

Until then,

Forest
 
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June 5

It was hot today, and the best way to cool off was to stay inside. Happini then found a book of fairy tale plays and insisted we put one on. So one set, a haphazard tryout session, and a few rushed rehearsals later, we put on "The Test" for Mom and Dad.

Brock played the minstrel that narrated the story (okay, technically there was no narrator, but Happini insisted there be one), and I played Prince Boyd (the yellow prince), with Mia as Iero, his page. Iero wasn't supposed to speak, and Mia did great at pantomiming. Brock meanwhile, played the minstrel role to a tee--poofy costume (by boy's standards) harp, and all.

My favorite line of his? His setup of Scene 2. "And so, the four princes hurried off to the royal library, each of them eager to pass their father's test. Prince Rohan and Akai were the first to arrive, and they were confident thay would succeed." While that doesn't look great on paper, he was almost dancing as he said it--and in Happini's world, if it dances, it is cool and/or funny. She laughed so hard she almost fell of the chair she was watching from.

However, the play almost didn't happen--Ash was initially cast as the king, but he complained that he didn't know how to play royal roles. The king almost became a queen when Dawn volunteered to play that part, but one of my other brothers said he would do it, so Dawn played the chamberlain. Ash was then asked to play the herald instead--all he had to do was pantomime playing a prop trumpet (while a sound file on the PC provided the sound) and announce people at first.

Then Dawn remembered that Ash CAN play a real trumpet--since Dad gave up collecting rocks and switched to instruments when Brock left on his first jouney with Ash, he had amassed a huge collection--if it made music, he had it. So he brought out what playable trumpets he had so Ash could try them--so our production gained a real trumpet. (we even made a banner for the one Ash used, since it was one of those cool ones with a banner hanging off of it.) The only time we cheated and used a sound file was just after Brock set up Scene 3.

Not to mention that Ash has a pretty powerful voice as well--I can still remember what he said to announce us. I quote:

"We are assembled at this midday hour to choose a worthy successor to the throne of His Majesty King Adrian--the chamberlain will explain the test to the four princes."

At which point Dawn would explain the test--find two words with the exact same meaning. Of course, Dawn would play up her character's wordiness and go on and on and on. (Dad even had to tell her to get on with it at one point!)

We had a blast putting on "The Test"--I wish I knew where the video camera was, so Mom could've taped it.
 
June 6


Play fever was still prevalent today--only we didn't want to stop at just us as the cast--we wanted to dream bigger and put on a bigger production.

So we decided to do "The Pied Piper of Hamelin". At first, it seemed that Ash was a shoo-in for the title role, but then I remembered Brock could play both Pokeflute and whistle himself. (he's better on the whistle, though)

Ash was a good sport about it, saying he would be happy to narrate if Brock played the lead. Next was writing the script.

I had a little fun writing the Piper's lines--I decided to make him speak in rhyme (the explanation being he was once a minstrel and recited poetry a lot) To further accomodate this, he does not explicitly name any Pokemon. (so Meowths and Rattatas are simply called cats and rats).

Next question was how to deal with the bummer ending to the original story--the Piper charming away all the kids. I then thought about having one child be left behind and this child convinces the Piper to bring them back. I tentively named him Obie until I could think of something better.

Ash thought Obie sounded too old-fashioned, so he suggested this boy be named Tommy. Dad suggested Wesley, Mom suggested Ren, and Brock suggested Liam. In the end, I went with Tristan.

Then came my biggest question--would Ash or Brock make the better Piper?

Asking them to play something would end up in a tie, as both play really well. I then decided to perform the Happini Test--have them both read the opening scene with Tristan with me in front of Happini--and whoever got the better reaction got the part.

Ash did great at bringing out the Piper's personality as a minstrel forced to wander due to causing an injustice (what this is, I leave you guys to figure out). He chose to make him a bit softspoken and mysterious, with his words a bit sing-songy in keeping with the rhyming speech. We had some chemistry--enough to make Happini smile.

Brock decided to play up the rhyming speech--and his speaking was very rhythmic. Maybe it was a bit too rhythmic in some respects, but it made Happini smile. No laughter or anything--just a smile.

Since both of them tied, we tried the ultimate way of settling a dispute--flipping a coin. It came up heads, meaning Ash won. Looking back, I think Ash's subdued yet playful treatment of the character won out over Brock's whimsy. Brock offered to narrate the tale, and then came the hard part--the rest of the cast.
 
June 7


Our production of "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" began growing by leaps and bounds once the other kids on the block got word of it--while we wouldn't have any Rattatas per se, we would have sounds to imply they were there. Ash would play the titular character, Brock would narrate, my sister Terra would play Alida, the female lead, and the aldermen were played by two neighbor boys.

The only role left was the mayor.

Now, mind you, Dad is a very good audience member and critic, but he is a little hesitant to act. (bad experiences onstage, according to him.) He's okay with being a puppeteer, but actually dressing up in a costume and acting needs a little more convincing on my part.

True to form, he was nervous when I asked him to play the mayor. I assured him that I would help him learn his lines. (Terra showing him his costume helped a bit too--he seemed to like the royal purple cape)

Next, I had him read with Ash and me. So after telling him to act like a prima donna, he waited as Ash read his cue. "Over the mountain in my fair town, a hungry one is not met with a frown! To refuse a neighbor is considered a sin..." he mused as Dad strutted into the room with a towel tied to his back like a cape, looking very much like a model on a catwalk. Ash was trying so hard not to laugh as he sputtered the last part of the line. "But here comes someone--I'll ask him!"

Mom burst out laughing at how silly Dad looked prancing around like a well-to-do lord, but I just continued with my next line. "Oh, that's the mayor! All he ever does is count money! HE never helps anyone!"

Ash decided to bow on one knee before Dad. "Please good sir, won't you tell a poor sinner where he can find a nice hot dinner?" Dad just shoved Ash away as he danced around some more.

"Certainly not...." Terra prompted, snapping Dad back to reality--and that he had lines to say!

Dad fumbled for his script and found his first line. "Why should I help a beggar like you? It's the Office of Charity's job to do that...after they've investigated you, of course!" He shoved Ash away. "Begone--I have more important matters to attend to."

"Very good!" I applauded. Dad seemed flattered by the applause, so he took a bow to Mom.

Maybe there's hope yet for Dad being an actor.

Until tomorrow,

Forest
 
June 8


Mom was nice enough to give me a Pichu to take care of so I can practice for when I really get a Pokemon of my own. Sure, we're not allowed to train them for battle until we turn ten, but there's no rule that says younger kids can't have them for a pet.

I named her Mincina (which I believe means "lightning" in some language, but at the time, I just thought it sounded cool), and she is so energetic. When I woke up today, she was doing anything in her power to get me out of bed--she was dancing, rolling over, jumping through one of Mia's hairties like it was a hoop--anything to get me to look at her.

Brock happened to peek in just as she jumped through another hairtie and applauded her. "That was very good!" he smiled.

"Want to show everyone else what you can do?" I asked Mincina. She nodded, not knowing just what my request meant for her.

So, several hoops, various props, chairs, a number of instruments, many crazy costumes, and several rushed rehearsals later, we were ready to perform. Ash, Dawn and the others played a festive melody as they paraded out before Mom, Dad, and the Pokemon, only pausing for a triumphant stab when Brock appeared in a spotlight, wearing a silver shirt, a sparkling blue jacket, black pants with silver sparkles and black shoes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Shining Gem Theater Company presents the most amazing, death defying, and electrifying stunts ever seen!" he announced. "Please welcome to the stage the Pichu acrobat, Marvelous Mincina!"

The band (if you can call a tin whistle, a tambourine, a bike horn, a drum, and several kazoos a band) gave Mincina (now wearing a ruffly red hairtie as a collar) a triumphant fanfare as she entered, starry eyed at the applause. "and her trainer, Forest." Brock deadpanned as I arrived on the "stage" some time later. "Take a bow, Forest and Mincina!" We both complied as the "band" gave us another fanfare.

Mincina tried to dart away, but I pulled her back. "Now now, don't you want to show the audience what you were doing before?" I asked. She nodded.

"You sure she's ready?" Brock asked, noting Mincina's unease.

"She's ready." I told Brock as she romped back by my side.

Brock snapped back into ringmaster mode."Okay! The first trick will be..."

"The roll-over." I replied as I tried yet again to calm her down.

"The Roll-Over!" Brock announced.

"Mincina, roll over." I coaxed. She just lay on her stomach, smiling cutely for the audience. "Come on, roll over." I tried again. Still a blank stare. "I'll give you a berry if you roll over." I tried. She complied with this, to a fanfare. True to my word, I gave her a Leppa Berry, which she ate immediately. "Let's try dancing next." I told her.

"Maestro?" Brock motioned to Ash, who played a set of dance tunes for her. I think the Berries helped shake off the opening night jitters, because she danced without my prompting, which got her another Berry.

"Next is the hoop." I told Brock as I set up a small hoop for her.

"Drum roll, please!" Brock announced.

Bobby played a drum roll as Mincina took a few steps back from the hoop, then raced through with a running jump, to a fanfare and another Berry.

By the time we finished our little show, she had eaten 90% of the Leppa Berries we had bought at the store--but if she'll do tricks for Berries, I'm not complaining.

Until next time,

Forest
 
June 9


One of my favorite things to do in the summer (besides seeing Brock) is to explore the Diamond Grove distract--where a good chunk of the shopping and entertainment is located The main mall, Shine Plaza, is there, as is a bunch of local restaurants, theaters, and arcades.

It's also a good place to spot musicians and entertainers performing. Brock says it's one of his favorite places to earn a little extra money. (given the size of his repetoire, he easily earns 1000 credits a performance)

But residents of Pewter can brag that we do have a world-famous act among all the up and coming entertainers--Cantella Luce, an acapella act comprised of six guys that just love to sing! The lead singer, who goes by his stage name Teru, also does the singing voice of Kochou in "Kochou and the Beautiflies". Happini was floored when I told her this, and pleaded for me to take her to see them.

So yesterday we made tracks to the Grove in hopes of catching Teru and co. in action. In between wandering through the shops and admiring some handmade scarves, we didn't see much in the way of entertainers. There was a magician, a juggler, and a musician or two, but other than that, it was quiet.

It wasn't until we got to the square that we spotted a crowd forming around a blonde haired boy in a familiar blue sparkly outfit--Teru wearing his trademark clothes! The other members of Cantella Luce were there too, talking to fans and signing things. Despite the mass of people and the policemen everywhere, the meet and greet seemed to be going well.

I found out that they were going to be kicking off a summer tour in a week, so they wanted to say hi to their hometown fans before they left.

Terra got her favorite Cantella Luce poster autographed by the whole group, I got a CD autographed, and Brock asked Teru to sign one of Happini's Kochou DVDs. Teru did that, and gave her a kiss. (she's STILL telling people that 'Kochou kissed her') I told Brock that we needed a second copy of the signed DVD--so the first one could be displayed.

The concert started some time later--they sang a few songs off their newest album before opening the floor for requests. I asked them to sing 'Summertime Blues', and they obliged with the most high energy version of that song I've ever heard (they just fed off of people clapping along and dancing--even Officer Jenny was dancing!)

We had a blast listening to Cantella Luce that afternoon--I'm proud to say they're from Pewter.

Until tomorrow,

Forest
 
June 10


Well, this wasn't the best way to spend a summer day--but I don't control when Happini gets sick.

She's napping right now, and she'll probably want juice when she wakes up, so I'll just write until she does.

It started this morning, when she woke up crying instead of laughing like she normally does. Brock likely broke a world record running in the room to see what was wrong--the gunk and her feeling a little warm signaled she had caught a bug--no fun for the Pokemon, but not life threatening.

After getting some juice and medicine, I put on "The Legend of Fiaril" While I'd seen the cutesy story about a Beautifly that has to collect all the colors of the rainbow to save her queen a billion times, Happini ate it up (despite falling asleep halfway through)

Then I tried to read her a story, but she kept asking questions about how the story went.

Brock relieved me from Happini duty shortly after that. I don't know just what he did, but by the time I came in from playing outside for lunch, she was out cold.

She was a little hungry at lunch, so I came her some bread and Berries before she fell asleep again.

Ash and Dawn were next to take shots at entertaining Happini. Ash tried to make her laugh by telling a few jokes (but Happini just politely giggled at them.) His comedy's okay, but his best jokes are always done on the fly.

Dawn drew a picture of her playing outside (which is hanging on the wall by the window) and sat through "The Legend of Fiaril" again (Happini didn't last through the opening credits this time), and when it was over, it was my turn to stay with her again.

I can hear her starting to whine, so let me go get that juice...

Forest
 
June 11


Like I've said before, Brock is a wonderful storyteller. His energetic and musical style have enthralled audiences the world over. (wonder why he hasn't won a prize for it yet?) Normally, I'm not there to see 90% of his performances, so when he has a gig here in Pewter, Terra and I usually come along to watch, assist with props, and every once in a while, get roped into performing with him.

One day, our local United Journeys chapter (they help less fortunate trainers and coordinators go on their own adventures by donating supplies, Pokemon, and cash). asked him to come spin a few yarns for their summer fundraising drive. Brock gladly accepted, and a few days later, we were all huddled under a big tent in the park listening to him play his guitar and work his art. It was hot that day, so being in the shade was welcomed.

He led off with "Four Words of Wisdom" (where a poor man learns four pieces of advice from a wandering priest and how they prove helpful in his life) Then he told a variant of "The Silent Princess" from Houen that surprisingly didn't involve a riddle. Next came "The Magic Fiddle" (Dawn helped by playing the role of the girl in the story and playing her own fiddle for the titular instrument), followed by "The Greedy Teacher" (a really funny tale from Johto about a boy that outwits the titular teacher)

We got some lunch while Brock took a break, but the second half of the show led off with a bang--he told "The Samurai's Golduck", and then "Reshiram and Zekurom". Next came one of the rare Sorin tales where Sorin plays the hero (a story which explains how the Sevii Islands came to be). After telling "The Legend of the Beautifly", he wound everything up with a crowd favorite--"The White Ekans".

It was wonderful seeing Brock in storyteller mode again--most of his set this time had a lot of stuff I had never heard before ("The Magic Fiddle, "The Greedy Teacher", and my new favorite, "The White Ekans", being some of them.) While we didn't get to assist this time, I'm still looking foward to next time--wonder what tales he'll tell then?

Until then,

Forest
 
June 12

Having a big brother that can cook has its advantages.

Brock has practically millions of recipes under his belt, and they are kid-tested--and I'm part of the testing crew. Most of the time, his recipes are hits. Other times, not so much (Terra would rather forget about the cheeseburger soup incident).

So one day, I found him thumbing through a cookbook and musing about what to make for dinner. The book in question was one where many of his winning recipes had came from--"Kid Eats--Kid Tested, Parent Approved Meals For All Occassions." Now most of the dinner section in that book we had tried and liked, but there were a few that did NOT go over well (such as the cheeseburger soup I told you about before.) Brock's dillema? Finding a dinner we had not tried, but would probably eat. (that's why he is skeptical about anything that claims to be "kid-tested"--in his words, "Whoever said this meal was kid tested has probably never met you guys."

But not all of us live on hot dogs, pizza, and/or macaroni--Terra, Bobby and I actually love trying new foods--so the three of us are often the ones to wind up helping him in the kitchen. (his rule about finding stuff for us to try--if he can't pronounce it, he won't make it--and this is coming from someone who is multilingual.)

We'd had spaghetti for dinner the night before, so the leftover noodles and some chicken thawing in the sink gave Brock an idea--why not try chicken parmigiana? Besides, no one would have a clue that leftovers were in it.

So two pots of leftover noodles, one pound of chicken, a breading assembly line (Terra, Bobby, and me breaded the chicken), a yummy array of herbs, Brock's homemade meat sauce, a heaping helping of cheese, and many flavors of gelato later, dinner was served. But Brock didn't stop there--he turned the lights off, lit some candles, and put on some of Mom's CDs of Italian music and jazz standards. Terra added some greenery to the table, and we were ready.

Our candlelight dinner was a smashing success--the little ones are constantly asking when we can "eat spaghetti and ice cream in the dark" again.

Until next time,

Forest
 
June 13


So Mom and Dad decided we needed to get out of the house for a week, and when we can't go to Worlds of Fantasy for a week, we do have a just as fun (yet cheaper) alternative--Magipark.

When we got to Dryad Den (the Magipark resort that is nature themed), we blew right past the pools, the bikes, and the Pokemon reserve--we wanted to hit the rides!

Mom and Dad took charge of the little ones, while Brock, Dawn, and Ash went with Bobby, Terra, and me, with instructions to meet in the courtyard of Rainbow Faire at noon so we could have lunch (and the little ones could nap) somewhere air conditioned. With walkie talkie in hand, we went our seperate ways.

After going on Raikou's Storm (the other two Beast coasters are at other branches of Magipark), Bobby wanted to ride Diamond's Drop (the huge drop tower that is the icon of Magipark.) Dawn was a little unsure at first, but Terra talked her into going on. She ended up actually enjoying it (and she and Bobby only waited three seconds for the big plunge).

Before long, we found ourselves in Astral Outpost, the space themed area. We found Mom and Dad getting ice cream for Mia (she always has liked Aurora Dots, and gets them every time we go--I'm sure that she's tried all 50 flavors by now) Ash, meanwhile, wanted to explore the Astral Lab (the huge interactive play area in the Outpost), and so after telling Mom and Dad our plans, we went inside the faux steel building looming over the rest of the area.

Now, Brock has tamed some wild simulator rides and some of the craziest coasters, but of all the trips to Magipark we've been on, he has never attempted the centerpiece of the Astral Lab--the simulation ride known only as the Hypertron.

What is the Hypertron? Essentially, you're piloting a spaceship through a hyperspace tunnel that causes it to constantly accelerate, avoiding obstacles on the way. Although you're inside an enclosed simulator that's in a tunnel, the simulator's "windows" are actually screens, making the illusion you are actually in a hyperspace tunnel. They also put you in a red jumpsuit and give you a VR helmet (which contains the scene of the hyperspace tunnel), and a respirator (to prevent hyperventilating--breathing too fast acts as a panic button, stopping the ride if the whole experience is too much for you.

Now granted, you're not actually going as fast as it says you are (Sunny tells me the fastest it goes is a little more than 80 miles an hour, but the effects around you makes it appear you are going even faster), but people did panic on the ride during testing, leading to the ingenious use of a respirator as the panic button.

Despite all of that (and despite the zillions of warnings in the Hypertron area), Brock decided he still wanted to try it, and went to get in the line that snaked through the Lab. Terra, Bobby and me left Ash and Dawn to play with the dancing lasers and walked through the Hypertron's observation walkway, where you could see people getting ready for the ride and the simulators themselves. A few rooms were open, but you could hear the thumping and bumping of the simulators that were occupied in the distance.

Terra found an observation camera depicting people getting ready for and riding the ride overlooking the walkway leading to the rooms with the simulators--we found Brock headed for the preshow room, as well as a few giddy riders running to get back in line and do it all again. Bobby set the camera to follow Brock, and we watched as he was led into the dressing room. He emerged in the suit some seconds later, where he was escorted to an open simulator room.

The camera then blipped to a POV mode inside one of the stealth plane shaped simulators, where an attendent told Brock how to operate the controls and that the ride would stop if the respirator recorded high numbers. Brock nodded to show he understood, and the respirator went over his nose and mouth, the VR helmet went over his eyes (making him look like a red Space Trooper on TV), and the simulator closed him inside.

At first, he looked pretty calm as he took a moment to orient himself inside the "tunnel", making it through Stage 1 speed (the lowest setting) easily. Stage 2 and Stage 3 were no problem either--it was almost relaxing to hear the rhythmic "zisssss-ffffff" of him breathing inside the respirator.

It wasn't until he hit Stage 4 that the respirator numbers jumped really high and the hum of the simulator died down--meaning Brock had tripped the automatic panic shutdown. We met him at the exit a few minutes later--he was quite dizzy and feeling very queasy.

Needless to say, he did not eat anything solid the rest of the day. He'd gladly go on the Hypertron again--just not without taking a spoonful of Queeze-Away in advance.

Until tomorrow,

Forest
 
Hi LightningTopaz =)!! I've been reading, I really like it! Can you tag me for each new entry as well ^_^? I don't wanna get left behind =P
 
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