@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 102: Same Old Song and Dance

"I hope your friendship with Egan grows as close as the two of us." Ash smiled as he led the way down the road.

"He's not too bad a person." Misty smiled. "I hope he remembers my lesson about the duet..."

She noticed Brock retrieve a box from his bag as the group stopped to make a temporary camp. "What's in the box?"

"Costumes...in case I want to dress up to tell a particular kind of story." Brock explained as he started a campfire.

Once sure that some meat was simmering above the fire, he opened the box to show his friends the costumes inside. "This one is my most used one..." he explained as he showed Ash and Misty a festive and frilly mariachi suit, complete with a sombrero and Poke Ball maracas. "The persona that goes with it is named Seńor Alegria--Mr. Joy or Mr. Happiness, in case you don't speak Spanish."

"Only Spanish I know is 'hola'..." Ash confessed.

"Musketeer costume..." Brock next showed off an elegant blue and white swordsman's costume with silver trim and a matching blue cape. "Left over from when I played one of the musketeers in the school play one year."

"I would do anything for you, Misty, and me to be the Three Musketeers!" Ash smiled.

"Yeah..." Misty proceeded to grab a stick to stand in for a sword. "All for one, and one for all!"

"I can probably teach you guys some stage combat--a must if you're putting on 'The Three Musketeers'." Brock smiled. "The persona that goes with this one is named Dorian LaMaire, and he specializes in adventurous and romantic tales."

Just as he was about to show off his next costume, he noticed Ami running towards a bush. "What is it, Ami?"

[Someone's here!] Ami called. [Come look!]

The group followed Ami through the brush until they came to a small clearing, where they saw a purple haired girl in an elegant lavender dancer costume dancing with a pair of small puffballs similar to Jigglypuff. "Aw, how cute!" Misty smiled.

Ash, meanwhile, read up on the tiny puffball Pokemon. "Igglybuff, the balloon Pokemon. It likes to sing but is not yet good at it. With praise and encouragement, it will get better little by little."

He was about to complement the girl when he noticed Jigglypuff approaching. "Not today!" he grinned as he snatched away Jigglypuff's mic and stashed it in his bag

The girl, meanwhile, noticed the group. "Oh, hi! Were you maybe coming watch the show?"

"What show?" Ash asked, oblivious to Jigglypuff slapping the two Igglybuffs with Doubleslap.

"My show, Miracle Day." the girl smiled. "My name's Brittany, and these two..." She proceeded to rescue the Igglybuffs from Jigglypuff. "...are my two partners--Bella and Luna."

"We'd love to contribute to the show, but we don't have anything prepared..." Ash confessed.

"That's okay!" Brittany assured Ash. "I don't mind if you just watch from the audience...."

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Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched from the brush as the group and Brittany got to know each other. "Aw, how cute!" Jessie gasped when she saw the two Igglybuffs romping in the grass.

"Jus' tink of da show we could put on wit dose two little guys..." Meowth mused, inspired by a stage set up not far from the clearing.

He imagined Jessie and James as tap dancers dancing with the Igglybuffs as the four admins and Giovanni looked on. "Whateva act ya do wit'em, it would be a hit!"

"Well, if you're so sure we need an act, let's get the two little puffballs, then think of our act!" James suggested as the Rockets huddled to discuss their plot.

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Here we go, off the rails
Don't you know it's time to raise our sails?
It's freedom like you never ever knew... Brittany sang as she and her two Igglybuffs danced to a prerecorded jazzy melody on the stage later that evening.

Don't need bags, or a pass
Say the word, I'll be there in a flash
You could say my hat is off to you... She winked at Ash at this, to the cheers of the audience. Ash, meanwhile, just meekly tipped his hat as thanks, all the while trying to hide his embarrassment.

"What can I say? This has a hot beat!" Misty smiled as she swayed in her chair to the beat of the song.

"Brittany clearly loves doing this--I can sense it in every word of the song." Brock agreed.

Just as the song reached its first chorus, a crash startled the audience as the music suddenly faded out. "Team Rocket!" Ash gasped as sure enough, Team Rocket arrived on the stage.

"And now for our next act, we're gonna make these two puffballs disappear!" James announced over the boos from the audience. But the boos turned to coughs as Weezing used Smokescreen to distract the audience.

Misty wiped the smoke from her eyes. "Hey Brock...think you could use your mariachi singer as a cover while we go rescue Brittany's Igglybuff?" she asked.

"Sure!" Brock offered. "I'll even show off my other costumes and my Lore Stage material too!"

With Brock occupied changing into costume, Ash led the girls towards stage right into the brush. "Once we make sure Brock's covering the show, we'll follow the Rockets' route...got it!"

"Right!" Misty and Brittany replied.

He watched as a bright piano melody kicked off a tropical melody as Brock danced out onstage in the mariachi costume, the audience laughing and clapping all the while as he sang:

La-la-la, la la la, it is so wonderful!
La-la-la, la la la, letters of love and joy!
La-la-la, and it is, la-la-la,
And it is...
OH! MY LOVELY ONE!!!

Oh yes, I understand...
I fall in love so easily...
My heart has been broken...
Too many times to see...
Yet there is, too little space
For me...to get back up again!

And even if they think of me...
As someone much too carefree...
And even if they make fun of me...
Laughing at my foolish deeds...
Follow the dream, just for me...
Follow the dream, just for me...
Follow the dream, just for me...
My dream is alive!

Come on now, la-la-la, it is so wonderful!
La-la-la, la la la, hear the word's beautiful sound!
La-la-la, and it is, la-la-la,
And it is...
My lovely one...

The audience cheered as Brock danced on the stage. "Brock's got the audience entertained, let's go find Bella and Luna!" Ash called as he motioned for the group to follow him into the brush.

"Are you sure he can keep them entertained that long?" Brittany was unsure.

"Sure, I'm sure--he knows millions of songs and stories!" Misty smiled as onstage, Brock emerged in the musketeer costume from earlier to start his first story of the afternoon.

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"The first tale I want to share with you comes from long ago, when the seven regions of your world were but four kingdoms with differing names." Brock, now in character as Dorian Lamaire, began as he lightly strummed a mysterious melody on his guitar. After playing the song for a while, he continues. "Of the four ancient kingdoms, the strongest was the kingdom of Esta and the weakest was the kingdom of Tei. However, the kingdom of Tei proved it was strong in another area--an event immortalized in a tale called 'The Emerald Suicune'."

The guitar stops for a moment as Brock asks "Perhaps you would like to hear the tale?"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" the audience cheers in reply.

Brock smiles and plays some more as he begins "Once an official in the royal court of Tei bought an exquisite statue of a leaping Suicune from a traveling merchant. When she took the statue to have its value determined, the appraiser was amazed! He said to the official..."

He switches to a slightly nasaly male voice. "This is no ordinary statue you have brought me, good lady--this is none other than the legendary Emerald Suicune! I have seen many fine stones and statues, but never before have I seen a statue carved entirely from fine emerald like this!" Some children laugh at the voice Brock is using, so he continues in character as the appraiser. "It is said the Emerald Suicune glows in the dark, keeps where it is placed cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and even repels bugs!" Some of the children laugh again as Brock continues as the appraiser. "Be sure and keep it safe, this is a beautiful and priceless treasure!"

As himself, he continues "Well, word spread quickly through Tei, and before long, the news of the official's find reached the royal ears of the king. The king was piqued, and sent word to the official that he wished to see the statue. But the official was afraid that the king would take the emerald Suicune from her, and spent all that night pondering whether she should flee the kingdom with the statue during the night. But one of her guests, a young man named Kaitou, pulled her aside and said to her..."

"That would not be wise, good lady." he fills in Kaitou's dialogue in a mimic of Ash. "His Majesty would hunt you down for sure, and you would lose both the statue and your life. Try this...go to the king and offer the statue to him as a gift."

He begins a regal melody as he continues "And so, the official brought the emerald Suicune to the king and presented it to him as a gift, just as Kaitou had told her to do. The king as so pleased with the statue's beauty, he had the official promoted to chamberlain."

After playing a tense interlude, he goes on. "Some time later, the king of Esta heard that the king of Tei had received the emerald Suicune, so he called his magistrates before him and said to them..."

He switches to an older version of his "someone's in trouble" voice. "We are the strongest kingdom, so we should have this priceless statue for our own! Send word to the king of Tei that I wish to buy the emerald Suicune from him in return for fifteen towns."

He switches to a higher pitched male voice and feigns surprise. "Fifteen towns?"

"One magistrate gasped..." he interjects as himself.

"That is far too high a price to pay for a statue." he fills in more dialogue, making some children laugh.

Brock switches to his "older king" voice again. "Of course not...once the envoy from Tei brings us the statue, no one will even remember the fifteen towns, and what will Tei do about it if we do nothing?."

As himself, he continues "the king replied. The magistrates were pleased at their master's plan, and immediately sent word to Tei. When the king of Tei received the request from Esta, he was troubled--what if the king of Esta was only going to keep the stone for himself and not deliver the fifteen towns? If he accused the king of Esta of deceiving him, it would lead to war--a war that Tei could not win. But he also noted that he could not give up the statue without a struggle. As he mulled and debated his options, his new chamberlain came to him and told him..."

"Your Majesty, a young man in my court named Kaitou has proven to be wise beyond his years." he fills in the dialogue in a mimic of Misty. "Perhaps if I were to summon him here, he would be of service to you."

"The king was pleased by the idea, and summoned Kaitou." Brock continues as himself. "Once Kaitou arrived, the king explained the situation to him and awaited Kaitou's answer. Kaitou thought for a while, then told the king..."

He switches to his "Kaitou" voice. "Your Majesty, the statue must be surrendered for your kingdom's sake. Otherwise, we will be forced to go into a war we cannot win. However, all is not completely lost--let me be the envoy that brings the emerald Suicune to Esta. I will lay down my own life if I do not return with the statue because the king of Esta deceived us."

"The king was pleased with Kaitou's proposal, and the entire court spent three days of praying and fasting to Arceus for Kaitou's safe journey." Brock continues as himself as he plays a festive song. "On the day Kaitou was to set out, Kaitou took the emerald Suicune and wrapped it in a silk blanket, tucked it into a silk bag, and then placed that in a pocket. He set out for Esta with a entourage of attendants, dancers and musicians. The king of Esta welcomed them and a grand feast was held in their honor.

The guitar continues to play for a while, then Brock continues. "When it came time for Kaitou to present the emerald Suicune, he took the silk bag from his pocket and carefully unwrapped the lovely green statue from the silk blanket. After admiring the glittering green Suicune for a moment, he ordered a servant to take it to the other officials of the court so that they too could see its beauty. Kaitou, meanwhile, waited a long time, but the emerald Suicune was not returned to the table, nor were the promised fifteen towns mentioned."

"Now, at this point, I want to stop the story for a moment..." he interjected. "We know that the king of Esta wants to keep the Emerald Suicune for himself, and has no intention of holding up his promise of fifteen towns to the kingdom of Tei. Based on this information, what would you all do if you were in Kaitou's position?"

The audience eagerly speculated and debated for a moment as Brock looked in the direction Ash and the girls had gone. I could hypothetically keep the show going forever with my massive repertoire, but the sooner you find the Igglybuffs, the better!

---------

"...When Prince Brian reached his home–the gardener’s hut where he lived with his wife–he was exhausted, and he lay down on his bed and slept." Brock--now in a prince's costume--continued his next tale. "Princess Christina noticed the handkerchief around his wounded leg, and wondered what it could be. Then she looked closely and saw in the corner that it was embroidered with her father’s name and the royal crown. So she ran straight to the palace and told her father. He and his two sons-in-law followed her back to her house, and there the gardener lay asleep on his bed. The scarf that he always wore around his head had slipped off, and his golden hair gleamed on the pillow. It was then that they realized that this was the hero who had fought and won the great battle."

He concluded "Then there was great rejoicing throughout the land, and the king rewarded his son-in-law Brian with half of his kingdom, and he and his wife Christina reigned happily over it, where they still reign today."

The crowd roared with applause as Brock hurried off to change into another costume...

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Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sang, making the flash from his Mega Ring light up the darkening sky.

"Why didn't they tell me the twerps had superpowers?" James gasped as Luce emerged from the swirl of light and thunderbolts as Mega Ampharos.

"Supaheroes? Where's dere capes and stupid masks?" Meowth taunted as he hugged the crying Igglybuffs close.

"Are you calling ME stupid?" Misty growled before holding her Mega Ring skyward. Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

Jessie was visibly shaking as Michelle emerged as Mega Golduck from the shining waves of water Misty's Mega Ring had conjured. "You can have the puffballs, just don't turn us into Rocket-cakes!" she pleaded as she, James, and Meowth dashed away, leaving the two Igglybuffs and Jigglypuff in the grass.

Brittany emerged from the brush some moments later and ran to hug her Igglybuffs. "Oh, Bella, Luna, I'm so glad you're okay!"

---------

Cheers rang through the air as Brock--now in his normal clothes--concluded yet another tale, but the cheers grew even louder as Ash and the girls returned. "Thanks for covering for me, Brock..." Brittany smiled before accepting a blue Lore Stripe from Luna. "As a reward for your immense skill and creativity, I want you to have this."

"Honest?" Brock was surprised. "When I had no proper competition?"

"Those hoodlums were competition enough, so I think you've earned this Lore Stripe for saving my show." Brittany assured Brock as she pinned the Lore Stripe on Brock's vest, to thunderous cheers.

Yet in all the excitement and relief that the show would go on, no one noticed Jigglypuff hurrying off into the brush with her mic, presumably to chase Meowth...

To Be Continued...