@Scytherwolf;

Episode 21: Once Upon a Sunny Day

"Still miss Blaze?" Misty asked as the group made their way down the road. It had been several days since Ash had bid Blaze, his faithful Charizard, farewell at the Charific Valley, but at the moment, the harsh sunlight beaming down on the trio was the first priority.

"A little, but taking that scenic route allowed me to reflect on what memories we shared together, and I think Blaze is where he needs to be right now." Ash replied as he stepped over a branch in the path. "Besides, he's only a whistle away if I need him."

"I'll never forget when you first taught him to come to you when you whistled." Brock smiled at a memory as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "I'll admit this heat kinda reminds me of him."

"That's not a memory of him I'd prefer to remember." Ash giggled, a little embarrassed over the memory of being on the receiving end of Blaze's Flamethrower. "But I would appreciate something to drink...."

"Here..." Brock offered Ash a can of Fizzo. "It's not fresh water, but it'll do until we get to a river and refill our water bottles, or a PokeMart, so we can get some more water."

"Good thing a case of 36 is only 400 credits..." Misty agreed. "But for now, keep an eye and an ear open for a water source!"

Ash nodded, opened the can of Fizzo, and took a long drink before he heard water trickling in the distance. "Water!" he called, pointing out a leaking pipe gushing out water.

"Finally!" Misty made a beeline to the pipe, but stopped in her tracks when she saw a dull green haired girl in a straw hat arriving to fix the leak.

"Excuse me, but we ran out of water on the road, and we're not sure how far the next town is, so can you let us get some water before you fix the pipe?" Ash asked.

"Sure!" the girl replied, allowing Ash and Misty to get close and refill the group's water bottles. "This pipe is connected to my greenhouse's watering system, so it's safe for human, as well as Sunflora, consumption."

"Thanks!" Misty replied as Brock arrived to fill his share of the water bottles. "I'm Misty, and these two are my companions Ash and Brock."

"Hello there..." Brock smiled at the girl as he worked, at the same time trying to keep himself composed, aware that Misty would drag him away or one of her Pokemon would spray him if he launched into a romantic euphoria over the girl.

"Hi." Ash grinned as he offered Tintri some of the fresh water.

"Nice to meet you all." the girl smiled as she went to work fixing the pipe. "My name's Sonrisa--if you're looking for a town to restock on supplies and rest, my hometown of Bloomingvale is not far from here."

"Thank you for the offer, but where does the pipe you're fixing get to, if you don't mind my asking?" Ash wondered.

"It's part of a massive system of pipes that brings fresh water down from the mountains so I can keep my Sunfloras happy." Sonrisa replied. "Would you like to come to the house and see them?"

"Sure!" Misty replied.

Piqued, Ash consulted his Pokedex as the group followed Sonrisa up the hill. "Sunflora, the sun Pokemon. As the hot season approaches, the petals on this Pokemon's face become more vivid and lively."

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"Here we are!" Sonrisa smiled as she led the way into the greenhouse, where hundreds of sunflower-like Pokemon giggled and sang as they soaked up the sunlight and soft mist falling on them and the other flowers and plants.

"It's beautiful...and all these Sunflora look so happy." Misty smiled as she admired the rows of plants and Sunfloras.

"I keep them watered every day so that when the Sunflora Festival comes around every summer, the crowds love them enough for a prize." Sonrisa explained as she checked on a singing Sunflora, then adjusted the mist flow so the sunflower-like Pokemon wouldn't get too wet. "Other Sunflora breeders will try other things to keep their Sunfloras happy, like personal performers or training regimens, but as for me, I believe all you need is a little sun, a little water, just a tiny bit of fertilizer, and a lot of love--although they do appreciate a nice conversation too."

"I guess there's a grain of truth in talking to plants..." Ash mused as he admired a ring of exotic plants surrounding a clump of Sunflora.

"One of the events during the festival is a Lore Stage--the Sunflora especially love hearing the different storytellers that come from around the world to perform."

"I plan on performing in the Lore Stage, so mind if I practice some of my material on them?" Brock asks, concerned over a Sunflora in one pot that frowned.

"Let me try telling a joke or two to cheer that sad Sunflora up!" Ash suggested before asking the Sunflora "Where did the Meowths go on their field trip?"

[Where?] the drooping Sunflora asked.

"To the meow-seum!" Ash replied, to a vocal rimshot from Brock.

While all the other Sunfloras, Misty, Tintri, and Sonrisa howled with laughter over Ash's corny joke, the drooping Sunflora sighed. [That was funny, I guess.]

"That was a pretty good joke, Ash!" Misty giggled. "Try another one!"

Ash thought for a moment, then asked the drooping Sunflora "Did you hear about the mummies who went to the theater?

[No, what happened?] the Sunflora asked.

"They gave the actors stage fright!" Ash announced, to a vocal rimshot from Brock.

The other Sunfloras howled with laughter, but the drooping Sunflora only sighed. "Maybe we need to try something besides jokes..." Sonrisa mused.

"How about a song?" Brock suggested, reaching for his guitar case.

"I appreciate the thought, but it's getting late." Sonrisa replied, pointing out the sunset overhead and the yawning Sunfloras as they closed up for the night. "Maybe Sunny will perk up if I bring her to the Lore Stage in the morning..."

"Oh, so that one's name is Sunny..." Misty mused.

"Worth a shot--I think she would like what I have planned to perform." Brock agreed as the group departed.

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"...and they all lived happily for a long time, proving that one hour of joy dispels the cares and sufferings of a thousand years." a girl concluded her story as the crowd in the Bloomingvale Town square applauded.

"Let's see how the Sunfloras liked that story..." the Lore Stage host announced as a group of Sunfloras smiled over the story that had heard, but their combined happiness only filled a rainbow icon on the scoreboard halfway. "They seemed to like it, but it's not enough for a stripe."

"Here we go--Brock's the next one to perform." Misty smiled, giddy over seeing Brock's first Lore Stage performance.

"He should have no trouble if he is as good as he says he is." Sonrisa assured Misty as the stage was cleared for the next competitor.

"Number K-93098, performing the tale 'Kitsune and Moltres'" the announcer told the crowd as Brock made his way onto the stage.

"Break a leg, Brock!" Misty called. Ash whistled in agreement.

Once all was quiet, Brock began "Once upon a time there was a king who had a garden, and in that garden stood a Leppa Berry tree that produced one crystal Leppa Berry every day. But when the time came to pick it, it somehow disappeared, and no one knew who took it or where they had taken it."

Intrigued murmurs wafted through the crowd at this. "Now, this king had three sons, and so one day he called them together, and told them that whoever could find the Leppa Berries, or catch the thief would inherit the kingdom after him, no ifs, ands, or buts." Brock explained. "So the eldest son--whose name isn't important--set out first on this quest, and after going a little ways, sat down under a tree, keeping an eye out for the thief all the while."

He intoned "That night, the firebird Moltres came flying, and you could see her fiery feathers gleaming from a long ways off; but when the eldest son saw Moltres, he was struck with both awe and terror at the same time, and hurried back into the palace as fast as he could go."

The Sunfloras and the crowd giggled as they imagined the comical scene. "The next morning, the Leppa Berry was gone." Brock continued. "By that time the eldest son had regained his composure, and packed his bags in hopes he could find Moltres. So the king gave him everything he could possibly need or want, sparing no expense."

Awed murmurs filled the air as the crowd imagined what the eldest prince could have received. "After the eldest son had gone a little ways, he got hungry, and sat down to eat his dinner by the side of the road." Brock explained, walking around the stage area as he spoke. "As he was eating, the wily Delphox Kitsune emerged from some underbrush and sat by him."

"Please, milord, won't you share some of your food with me?" he asked in a mimic of a young woman for Kitsune.

"Go get your own! This food's mine!" he snapped back in a mimic of Gary for the eldest prince, making Ash chuckle.

"All right, I will." Brock replied as Kitsune.

As himself, he continued "With that, Kitsune disappeared in a flash of fire. After the eldest son had rested, he set off on his way again. Before long, he came to a great town, and in that town was an inn, where there was always smiles and never tears. He thought it a good spot to rest for the night, and went inside. But there was so much dancing, music, games, food, and pretty girls to go around, he forgot all about Moltres, his father, his quest, and the whole kingdom."

"Ooh"s filled the air as Brock went on "The next day, the middle son decided to set out, but the same thing happened to him, and he too forgot all about Moltres, his father, the quest, and the whole kingdom."

"So what did the youngest prince do?" a girl asked as she held a balloon close.

"The next day, the youngest son--whose name was Brian--set out in search of Moltres." Brock replied. "After traveling for a while, he sat down to eat dinner, and just as he was about to dig in, Kitsune emerged from the underbrush and sat down by him."

"Please, milord, won't you share some of your food with me?" he asked as Kitsune again.

"Of course, Lady Kitsune--I'd be happy to share what I have." he smiled in a mimic of Ash.

Misty grinned. "No matter how many times Brock mimics you, Ash--it never gets old!"

"I'm still awed that he learned to mimic me after only hearing me once." Ash mused. "But then again, he's got the talent for it."

Back on the stage, Brock went on "After Kitsune had eaten and drank her fill, she asked Prince Brian where he was going. Prince Brian told Kitsune everything."

"If you will listen to me, I will help you, in return for your helping me." he offered as Kitsune.

As himself, he continued "Prince Brian promised to listen to Kitsune's every word, and so they set off together. After they had traveled for a while, they came to the same town and the same inn where there was always smiles and never tears. Kitsune told Prince Brian what his brothers had done, and what they were still doing."

"If you go in there, you'll go no farther. Understand?" he warned as Kitsune.

He continued as himself "Prince Brian told Kitsune that he understood, and the two of them continued onward, past the inn. When they had gone on a ways, they saw a huge hill way off in the distance."

"Three hundred miles behind that hill grows a gilded tree with golden leaves, and in that tree Moltres roosts." he explained as Kitsune, pointing off to the north for effect.

As himself, Brock continued "So they traveled there together, and as they approached the tree, Kitsune gave Prince Brian some whistling grass, and taught him a little melody to call Moltres--once Moltres heard the song, she would come and perch on his hand."

He paused to pick a suitable blade of grass. "But Kitsune also told Prince Brian to be careful to not touch the tree, for a fearsome troll owned it, and if Prince Brian touched even the tiniest twig, the troll would come and kill him right there."

Fearful gasps filled the crowd as Brock shaped the blade of grass into a grasswhistle. "So Prince Brian blew on the whistling grass..."

Misty immediately recognized the melody Brock played on his grasswhistle. "That's the Pidgeot summoning melody Arran uses in 'The Song Mage Chronicles'!"

"Oh, you guys like that TV show too?" Sonrisa asked. "Sunny and the other Sunfloras like it when I read the episode novelizations to them."

"Yeah--Jelan's my favorite." Ash replied. "He looks cool with a bow, and knows how to play a mean flute!"

"...but when he had gotten Moltres to perch on his fist, he accidentally brushed against one of the tree's branches. But this was enough to awaken the troll." Brock's voice snapped Ash back to the performance in progress.

"WHO IS IT THAT STEALS MY TREE AND MY BIRD?" he roars in one of his deep "monster" voices, to the screams of fear and delight from the children in the audience.

"Thieves think everyone is a thief, but the ones that die don't steal right." he snapped back as Prince Brian.

He interjected as himself "The troll realized that our hero had a point, and so he decided to spare Prince Brian."

"If you can bring me the Legendary shining steed Epona, which one of my neighbors has stolen from me, I will let you go free." he offered in a gentle deep voice, signalling that the troll is in a happier mood.

"Where is he?" he asked as Prince Brian.

'He lives three hundred miles beyond the hill that looks blue in the sky." he replied as the troll.

He narrated as himself "So Prince Brian promised to do his best. But when he met Kitsune, she was not in a very good mood."

"I'm very disappointed in you, milord." he scolded an imagined person as Kitsune. "Had you done as I had told you, we would have been on our way home by now. But as this was an accident, and you have both confessed this wrong and made a promise to make things right, I forgive you."

"Aw"s went up as Brock went on "So they went on their way. After a very long time they got to the hill in question."

"When you come into the stable, you will see many bits hanging on the stalls, some made of silver, and others made of gold." he explained as Kitsune. "Please try not to touch them, or the troll will kill you right there. But there is one bit that is only a humble iron bit--you are to take that one."

He continued as himself "Prince Brian told Kitsune he would do as she said, but as he was leading Epona from the stables, he accidentally brushed against a stray gold bit, which awakened the troll."

The audience braces itself for Brock to use his "troll" voice again, but Brock decides to narrate the next scene for the sake of time. "Just like before, Prince Brian appeased the troll with a bit of wisdom, and the troll made him an offer: if he could bring her Princess Chelsea, the most beautiful lady in the world, he would let our hero go free."

The children in the audience whispered with excitement over the mention of a princess. "Kitsune was even more annoyed this time, but forgave Prince Brian anyway, as this too was an accident." Brock assured the crowd. "So they set off anew, and after a long, long time they came to the hill where Princess Chelsea was."

"I know you were the one that promised to make things right, but for your sake, you must remain here. I will go on your behalf." he intoned as Kitsune.

He noticed the judges giving him a "hurry" signal, so he condensed some events to save time. "So Kitsune went inside, and returned with Princess Chelsea some moments later. After retracing their steps back the way that had come. When they came back to the troll who had Epona, Kitsune transformed herself into an exact copy of Princess Chelsea, which Prince Brian exchanged for Epona and a crystal bit while the real Princess Chelsea waited outside. When they got to the troll who owned the miracle tree and Moltres, Kitsune transformed herself into an exact copy of Epona, which Prince Brian exchanged for both of them while Princess Chelsea and the real Epona waited outside."

He then intoned "But not even Kitsune knew of the ambush that waited for Prince Brian. As they neared the town with the inn, she watched in horror as Brian was ambushed by his own brothers, put in a barrel and cast him into a lake, and his treasures taken from him. But Princess Chelsea wouldn't say a word, Epona refused to eat anything, Moltres didn't burn so bright as before, and the miracle tree wilted."

"That's not very nice!" a boy protested before his mother quieted him.

Brock quickly assured the antsy crowd "Meanwhile, Kitsune swam out into the lake as fast as she could, retrieved the barrel, and brought it on shore. Then she gently levitated our hero out of the barrel, assessed him for injuries, and assured him that even she did not know he would be ambushed, and so the whole ordeal was not his fault."

He went on "They went together to the royal palace, and when they arrived, Princess Chelsea smiled for the first time in several days, Epona whinnied for joy and eagerly gorged on all the grain and hay given to her. Moltres burned brightly again, and sang before the whole court..."

With that, he sang in a mimic of Misty Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Applause went up as the last note drifted into the sky. "As the last note of Moltres' song rang through the palace, the miracle tree burst into bloom again." Brock went on as himself. "When the king asked to know how everything could have recovered in a matter of moments, Princess Chelsea replied..."

"This is he who set us free!" he explains in a mimic of Sonrisa for Princess Chelsea, to the real Sonrisa's delight.

As himself, he continues "So they planted the miracle tree in the royal garden, and Prince Brian received Princess Chelsea's hand in marriage. As for the two elder brothers, they were stripped of their claim to the throne and banished from the land, never to return on pain of death."

He concluded "The wedding was a grand affair, and it was all the more beautiful when Kitsune arrived to grant her blessings on the happy couple."

"YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!" the crowd cheered as Brock took a bow for the crowd. But Ash and Misty gasped when they saw a smile form on Sunny's face. "I can't believe it...Sunny's smiling again!" Sonrisa gasped.

[What an AMAZING story!] Sunny raved. [I wanna hear more, more, more!!!!!]

Sunny's renewed enthusiasm caused the scoreboard to display a full rainbow--a sign that Brock had won the competition! "Your friend has amazing talent!" Sonrisa raved as the judges arrived to pin a red stripe to Brock's vest.

"I know--and why we look forward to camping every night." Misty agreed.

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"I can't even begin to thank you for bringing Sunny's smile back." Sonrisa smiled as she set Sunny's pot back with the other Sunfloras. "Your story was just the encouragement she needed for tomorrow!"

"Even though we can't stay, just tell Sunny we wish her good luck in the competition." Ash replied.

Brock knelt down by Sunny. "I'm glad you liked my tale...I'll try and come tell for you again sometime, okay?"

[Well, when you do, I can't wait to hear what story you'll tell next time!] Sunny replied, to everyone's laughter as the sun set on a joyful day...

To Be Continued...