@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 11: Arrival of a Rival!


"...It was only then that she revealed herself as the shining Goldeen!" Jupiter--in a white, blue, purple, and green costume--concluded her tale. She took a bow for the cheering crowd, just as Ash and Tintri arrived in the outdoor theater.

Tintri noticed Brock was next to perform. [We made it just in time--Brock's about to tell!] he smiled. He watched as Brock--now in his costume--stepped onto the large round stage.

"Number K-42207, telling 'The Rescue of Princess Daisy'. an announcer told the crowd. Brock, meanwhile, took a few breaths to ease the Beautiflies in his stomach.

After he saw the cue to begin, Brock started his tale. "Once a young prince named Lucas was riding through a meadow. The meadow stretched for miles as far as the eye could see, until he came to a deep ditch. He was turning to avoid it, when he heard someone crying for help in the ditch. He dismounted from his Ponyta, and hurried in the direction the sound came from."

Concerned murmurs wafted through the crowd as Brock went on. "To his astonishment he found an old woman, who begged him to help her out of the ditch. So Prince Lucas bent down and lifted her out of the ditch, asking her how she had managed to fall in to begin with."

"My son, I am very poor, and not long after midnight I set out for town to sell my eggs in the marketplace. I lost my way in the dark, and fell into this deep ditch, where I would remain forever if it were not for your kindness." he explains in character as the old woman.

"You can hardly walk; I will put you on my Ponyta and lead you home. Where do you live?" he asks in a mimic of Ash for Prince Lucas.

Tintri grinned at the real Ash. [Brock mimicking you has yet to get old!]

"I'm still amazed he learned my voice in a single day." Ash grinned. He giggled as he savored the memory of Misty's shocked face when Brock mimicked his voice for the first time.

"Prince Lucas lifted her onto his Ponyta, and soon they reached the hut." Brock goes on. "The old woman dismounted, and said to Prince Lucas..."

"Wait a moment, and I will give you something." he instructs as the old woman.

He narrates as himself. "She disappeared into her hut, but returned and said..."

"You are a mighty prince, but at the same time you have a kind heart, which deserves a reward." he explains as the old woman. "Would you like to have the most beautiful woman in the world for your wife?"

"Would I ever!" he cries as Prince Lucas, to the delight of the crowd.

"The most beautiful woman in the whole world is Daisy, the daughter of Rosa, the Queen of the Flowers. She has been captured by a Hydreigon." Brock explains in character as the old woman. "If you wish to marry her, you must first set her free, and I will help you do this. I will give you these three magic jewels: if you sing 'Karuto, iichiida shou...' to the emerald, Arashi, the King of the Braviaries will appear. If you sing 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...' to the ruby, the holy Delphox Kitsune will come to you. If you sing 'Rou iitsa ron selga vichii' to the sapphire, you will see Undine, the Queen of the Sea, by your side. They will help you if you are in any danger. Now farewell, and may Arceus' favor be on your undertaking."

[Spellsongs!] Tintri sparked in excitement.

"Yeah, those are easily my favorite parts of a tale." Ash smiled.

Brock shows three prop jewels to the crowd. "So she handed him the three jewels, and the hut and everything around it disappeared, as if it was a mirage. It dawned on Prince Lucas that he had been speaking to a light fairy in disguise."

"Oh"s go up at this. "After putting the three magic jewels in his pocket, he rode home and told his father the king that he planned to set the daughter of the Flower Queen free." Brock explains. "He intended on setting out the following day in search of the maiden."

He continues "So the next morning, Prince Lucas mounted his fine Ponyta and left home. He roamed around the world for a year..."

He looks up at Ash and smiles. "The adventures he had during that time are stories in themselves."

Giggles ripple through the theater at this. "...but he had found no trace of her at all." Brock continues. He came at last to a hut, where a very old man lived, and asked him..."

"Do you know where the Hydreigon lives who keeps Princess Daisy prisoner?" he asks as Prince Lucas.

"The Hydreigon lives there on the mountain, and he has begun his year of sleep." he explains in a gentle older voice for the old man. "For a year he is always awake, and the next year he sleeps. But if you wish to see Princess Daisy, go up the second mountain. The Hydreigon queen lives there. She has a party every night, and Princess Daisy attends them often."

As himself, Brock continues "So Prince Lucas went up the second mountain. At the peak, he found a castle made of gold with diamond windows. He was about to walk in when seven Hydreigons ambushed him and asked him what he wanted."

"I have heard so much of the beauty and kindness of the Hydreigon queen, and would like to enter her service." he explains as Prince Lucas.

"Well, you may come with me, and I will take you to the queen." he replies in a guttural voice for the Hydreigon.

As himself, he continues "They entered the castle and walked through twelve rooms, all made of gold and diamonds. In the twelfth room they found the Hydreigon queen sitting on a diamond throne. She was the biggest and ugliest dragon Pokemon under the sun, and larger than her seven attendants put together. Her appearance was an understandable shock to Prince Lucas, and so was her voice, which was like the croaking of many Murkrows all at once. She asked him..."

"Why have you come here?" he asks in a Murkrow-like voice for the Hydreigon queen.

"I have heard so much of your beauty and kindness, that I would very much like to enter your service." he replies as Prince Lucas.

"Very well, but if you wish to enter my service, you must first lead my Rapidash out to the meadow and look after her for three days." he replies as the Hydreigon queen. "But if you don't bring her home safely every evening, we will eat you for dinner."

The crowd shudders at this. "Prince Lucas agreed, and led the Rapidash out to the meadow." Brock continues. "But no sooner had they reached the grass, she vanished. Prince Lucas looked everywhere for her in vain. He finally sat down on a big stone and contemplated his grisly fate. As he sat there lost in thought, he heard a Braviary cry off in the distance."

He shows the crowd the prop emerald. "Then he remembered the three magic jewels, and taking the emerald out of his pocket he sang..."

He then sings as Prince Lucas Karuto, iichiida shou.... The crowd whispers with excitement as the prop emerald glows in response to his voice.

As himself, Brock narrates "The emerald glowed, and he heard a mighty rushing wind. In moments Arashi, the King of the Braviaries, landed at his feet.

"I know what you want of me." he assures the crowd in a strong voice for Arashi. "You are looking for the Hydreigon queen's Rapidash, who is galloping about among the clouds. I will call all the Braviaries of the air together, and order them to catch the Rapidash and bring her to you."

As himself, Brock continues "With that, Arashi flew away. That evening, Prince Lucas heard a mighty windstorm. When he looked up he saw thousands of Braviaries driving the Rapidash before them. They all landed before him and gave the Rapidash over to him. Prince Lucas returned to the Hydreigon queen, and told her that his task was complete. The queen was stunned when she saw him, and invited him to that night's party. She gave him a cloak made of gold, and led him to a huge room where millions of dragon Pokemon were dancing together. But the only human there, it seemed, was Princess Daisy."

He continues "Her yellow and orange dress was woven out of the most beautiful flowers in the world. Her face shone like the dawn. As Prince Lucas was dancing with her, he managed to whisper..."

"I have come to set you free!" he whispers in character as Prince Lucas.

"If you succeed in bringing the Rapidash back on the third day, ask the Hydreigon queen to give you the Rapidash's shining foal as a reward." he replies in a mimic of Dawn for Princess Daisy.

As himself, Brock continues "The party ended at midnight, and early the next morning Prince Lucas led the Hydreigon queen's Rapidash out into the meadow..."

---------

Number S-50396, telling 'The Minstrel Queen'. the announcer explained as Nando took his place on the stage some time later.

[Brock did great!] Tintri raved.

"He usually does, but what's Nando's telling style like?" Ash asked as Nando took his harp and played a gentle melody to compose his thoughts.

"Once upon a time, there lived a king and queen who lived happily and comfortably together." Nando began, playing a soft melody to go with his words. "They were very fond of each other and had nothing to worry them, but eventually the king grew bored. He longed to go out into the world, try his strength in battle against some enemy, and win all kinds of honor and glory--although not necessarily in that order."

Ash chuckled at Nando's quip. "So he called his army together, and told them they were going to a distant land. There a king ruled who mistreated or tormented anyone and everyone he could get his hands on." Nando continued. "The king gave his parting orders and advice to his ministers, bid his queen farewell, and set off with his army across the sea."

Some in the crowd clapped along to the harp's adventurous melody. "Whether the voyage was short or long, I don't know; but at last he reached the realm of the young king. He marched on, defeating all who stood in his way." Nando went on. "Before long, he came to a mountain pass, where a large army was waiting for him in an ambush. What soldiers that did not flee were either captured or killed, and the brave king was taken captive."

[Oh no!] Tintri gasped.

"He was carried to the prison where the young king kept his captives. Saying the conditions were harsh is putting it nicely." Nando sighed over a sad melody. "The prisoners were chained up all night, and in the morning they were yoked together like Tauros and had to plow the land until dark."

"That's not very nice!" someone gasped.

"This went on for three years before the king found any means of sending news of what had happened to his dear queen." Nando continued. "He somehow managed to send a letter asking her to sell off everything they owned, in hopes that would be enough of a ransom to set him free."

He next started a hopeful melody. "The queen received the letter, read it, and wept as she said to herself, ‘How can I rescue my husband? If I go myself and the young king sees me, he will take me to be one of his harem. If I were to send one of the ministers...I hardly know if I can depend on them."

As the last chord fades, Nando interjects "She thought, and thought, and thought some more...until an idea came into her head."

Ash giggled at the high note Nando played to simulate an idea lightbulb. "She cut her hair to resemble a boy's hairstyle and dressed herself in a minstrel's clothes. Then she took her favorite harp and without saying anything to anyone, she went forth into the world."

He started a "traveling" melody for effect. "She traveled through many lands, saw many cities, and went through many hardships before she got to the place where the brash young king lived. But that is a story in itself. When she got there, she walked all around the palace and at the back she saw the prison. She went into the great court in front of the palace, and taking her harp in her arms, she began to play all manner of beautiful melodies. All who heard her felt as though they could never hear enough."

[Pretty!] Tintri smiled as Nando played a beautiful dance for effect.

"After she had played for some time, she began to sing the following..." Nando began before singing for the crowd:

I come from my own country far
Into this foreign land,
Of all I own I take alone,
My harp in my hand.

Oh! Who will thank me for my song,
Reward my simple lay?
Like lover’s sighs it still will rise
To greet thee day by day.

I sing of blooming flowers
Made sweet by sun and rain;
Of all the bliss of love’s first kiss,
And parting’s cruel pain.

Of the sad captive’s longing
Within his prison wall,
Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh
To answer to their call.

My song begs for your pity,
And gifts from out your store,
And as I play my gentle lay
I linger near your door.

And if you hear my singing
Within your palace, sire,
Oh give, I pray, this happy day,
To me my heart’s desire....

---------

..."The queen took the short way home, got there before the king, and changed back into her royal robes." Nando continued his tale. "An hour later, all the court was celebrating the king's return. The king greeted everyone very kindly, but he would not so much as look at the queen. But then another problem arose--the court had feared the worst for the queen, and no one knew where she was."

He assured the antsy crowd "Whilst the king was debating with his council, the queen found time to disguise herself. She took her harp again, and slipping into the court in front of the palace she sang the following, clear and sweet..."

I sing the captive’s longing
Within his prison wall,
Of hearts that sigh when none are nigh
To answer to their call.

My song begs for your pity,
And gifts from out your store,
And as I play my gentle lay I linger near your door.

And if you hear my singing
Within your palace, sire,
Oh give, I pray, this happy day,
To me my heart’s desire.

The crowd applauds the song's end. "As soon as the king heard this song, he figured out that the minstrel that had rescued him was his queen!" Nando announced, to more cheers.

He smiled at the enthralled crowd. "Who can tell how happy the king was? In the joy of his heart he gave a great feast to the world, and the whole world came and rejoiced with him for at least a week."

The crowd roared as Nando took a bow, but Ash was shocked to see that Nando had beaten Brock. While Brock's bar was three fourths of the way across, Nando's stretched across the entire scoreboard. Wow! Nando wasn't kidding when he said he's performed for years!

---------

"So, how was the Contest?" Brock asked as the group reunited in the Pokemon Center that evening.

"After Kori made a strong showing in the Dance competition, Zoey edged me in the Appeal round with all these cool combos." Dawn explained. "The finale being this quick Double Team and Quick Attack combo that electrified the audience."

"Wow...I have my work cut out for me in beating Nando." Brock sighed. "He wasn't kidding when he said he was a pro."

He smiled. "Although, he was nice enough to let me learn the story he told." he assured his companions as he unfurled a piece of paper filled with Nando's elegant writing.

"'The Minstrel Queen'...sounds interesting." Dawn mused.

"Well, I will say you both did a great job, even if you lost." Ash assured his companions. "Every trainer, coordinator, and loremaster had to start somewhere..."

"Thanks." Dawn smiled. "Mom didn't win all her prizes and awards overnight--I only have to work hard and come up with creative appeals."

"I didn't become a master storyteller overnight, either." Brock agreed. "It still is a lot of work learning new songs and new stories."

He looked over at Ash. "You still have your competition left...our next stop is Oreburgh City and your first badge."

"Whatever happens on our roads to glory, let's face both the highs of victory and the lows of defeat together!" Dawn vowed.

"Yeah...and no great hero--or heroine--ever fought alone." Brock smiled.

To Be Continued...