Tale 50: The Mighty Ken (Ash)

(real tale: Shepherd Paul)

"Once a man was traveling when he found a baby boy abandoned by the roadside. He felt sorry for the baby and took it in, raising the child as his own son." Ash begins, to some "Aw"s from the crowd. "Because the baby had survived for several days, the man named him Ken, which means 'sword', in hopes he would grow up with the strength and resolve of a sword. Not surprisingly, as Ken grew up, he grew very skilled with a sword."

Once sure his audience is paying attention, Ash continues "The years went by, and before long, Ken had come of age. With his adopted father's blessings, Ken set out into the world to seek his fortune. He had not gotten far when he found a young lady hitting Berries with a bow from thousands of yards away."

"Wow!" Misty gasps as she watches Ash pantomime shooting a bow.

"The girl introduced herself as Yumi, and decided to travel with Ken on his journey." Ash continues. "Then a little farther on, Ken met a boy his age who was turning stone into gems with a single hammer stroke." He pantomimes a hammer stroke for effect. "The boy introduced himself as Iwa, and joined Ken and Yumi on their journey."

"That makes three party members, so who was the fourth?" Brock is interested.

"Then a little farther on, they met another boy about Ken's age cutting through iron with a great axe as if it was wood." Ash continues, pantomiming cutting something with an axe for effect. "The boy introduced himself as Tetsu, and he too joined Ken and his friends on their journey."

"Pika chu?" Pikachu asks.

"The four friends stopped to camp for the night in a forest." Ash replies. "Yumi offered to stay behind and guard the camp while Ken and the others hunted for dinner. Just before Yumi was finished making the vegetables to go with dinner, an earth wisp appeared and asked for a little of what Yumi was making. Yumi politely told the wisp to wait until the food was ready. The wisp waited for a while, but when Yumi wasn't looking, it helped itself to the vegetables and disappeared."

Laughter fills the air as the group pictures Yumi's reaction. "Luckily, Yumi managed to salvage dinner, and though the vegetables turned out decent, Yumi didn't tell her fellow party members about the wisp." Ash assures the group. "Iwa and Tetsu also took turns guarding the camp, and the same thing happened for two more nights--while they were cooking the vegetables, the wisp would appear and ask for some. It would be told to wait until the food was ready, then help itself when the party member in charge wasn't looking. Fortunately, dinner would be salvaged, but not a word was said about the wisp."

The group silently debates how the wisp will be captured as Ash continues "Finally, Ken looked after the camp on the fourth night while his friends hunted. He set to work preparing the vegetables, and the wisp appeared just as before. Ken told it to wait until the food was ready, but before the wisp could help itself, Ken caught it in the act!" He pantomimes catching something in his hands to prove his point. "That night, Ken told his friends what had happened, but before he could show his friends the wisp, he was shocked to find it had disappeared!"

The group laughs as Ash feigns shock at discovering nothing is in his hands. "Yumi told Ken that earth wisps were crafty creatures, and it would be best to find it and asking why it was stealing the party's food. She pointed out the glowing green trail the wisp left as it escaped."

"So where did the wisp go?" Melody wonders.

"The trail ended at a huge hole, where a ladder signaled the way down." Ash explains. "Ken led the way underground, where they emerged into a grotto filled with gems and crystals, making it resemble a valley dotted with flowers and a river. They found a princess there that was being held prisoner by a Salamence. The princess pleaded with the party to turn back, but Ken said he was not afraid."

Pikachu sparks excitedly as Brock retrieves his guitar. "Sure enough, the Salamence arrived with a great roar, and the party ran to battle!" Ash announces.

Misty leads the clapping as Brock plays the Zelda theme for effect. "After a long battle, the Salamence was defeated." Ash narrates over Brock's triumphant flourish some moments later. "The princess was overjoyed to be free, and gave Ken an emerald as a reward, saying it would help him. She also asked that they rescue her younger sister, who was imprisoned by a Garchomp. Ken assured the princess he would do anything in his power to help her, and the party descended farther into the cave."

[What else was down there?] Mai is interested.

"The party descended further into the cave, and came upon another crystal filled grotto much like the first." Ash replies. "The younger princess met them and begged them to turn back, but Ken said he was not afraid as they met the Garchomp--the earth wisp's true form--in battle!"

More cheers fill the air as Brock plays the Zelda theme again. Ash waits for Brock to play another flourish, then continues. "When the Garchomp was defeated and the two sisters had reunited, the party realized thy had a problem--the battle with the Garchomp had caused their only way out to cave in--so how were they going to get back to the surface?"

Concerned whispers race through the tent, but Ash assures them. "Then, Iwa suggested that Ken use the emerald, so Ken sang..." He then sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

"That's one way to get out of a cave..." Misty mused.

"The emerald whisked the party and the princesses to the surface. By the time they came to a town, Iwa and Tetsu each took a princess as a bride, and Ken and Yumi settled down in town, where they all lived happily ever after." Ash concludes.

"You know, that sounds like it could be an RPG of some kind..." Brock smiles as he applauds.

"If it were a real game, I would play it!" Misty agrees.