Tale 23: The Shining Ponyta (Brock)

(real tale: The Magician's Horse)


"If there's one thing I've learned on my travels, Shiny Pokemon tend to show up in many tales. More often than not, this Shiny Pokemon is a Ponyta." Brock explains. "I learned this particular Shiny Ponyta tale in Fallarbor Town..."

"No wonder it took forever for us to get on the chairlift to Lavaridge that day..." Ash muses.

Brock just ignores Ash's comment. "Once a young prince was wandering through a forest--we'll call him Tristan. Tristan had been separated from his brothers during a hunt, and was looking for a safe place to spend the night. Just as it started to get dark, Tristan stumbled upon a castle in a clearing.

"Did it belong to a monster?" Melody swallows hard.

"No--but Tristan did spend an hour or two wandering through the many rooms." Brock assures Melody. "Eventually he found the kitchen, which was packed with all kinds of food and drinks. Tristan helped himself, and didn't find it odd that whatever he ate and drank was magically replenished."

"Mm..." Ash's mouth begins to water as he pictures himself in such a kitchen.

"Figured that Ash's favorite part in a tale usually has to do with food." Misty sighs.

Brock just continues. "After a while, Tristan ran into the castle's owner--an old mage. Tristan explained to him why he was wandering through the castle's many rooms, and asked if he could serve as a servant. The mage agreed, and gave him a gold piece a day in return for a day's work. For a while, Tristan made himself right at home tending to the stove and the Shiny Ponyta in the stables, among other things. But he didn't know that his master was a fallen mage, and the fire in the stove was the source of his power. If it ever went out, he would die."

"You're rushing..." Ash whispers.

Brock blushes with embarrassment. "So I am..." he confesses as Misty and Melody laugh.

"And then?" Melody asks as she dries a tear of laughter.

"One day, Tristan forgot to tend to the stove, and nearly let the fire go out." Brock continues. "The mage scolded him for this, and made him sleep in the stables for the night as punishment."

"Are there magic instruments involved here?" Ash interrupts.

"I'm getting to that." Brock replies. "There are magic items, though." He then continues. "As he sulked in the stables, the Shiny Ponyta spoke to him." As a young girl, he intones "Saddle me quickly, and take along the three magic jewels in the bottle on the shelf."

As himself, he continued. "Tristan did as he was told, and stoked the fire in the stove so much, it almost burned the castle to the ground. It was enough of a distraction to allow Tristan and the Ponyta to ride far away from the mage's domain.

"But the mage chased them, right?" Misty asks.

"He chased them, all right--he was hopping mad at finding his castle almost burnt to cinders." Brock replies. "Just when it seemed the mage would catch Tristan, Tristan took a ruby from the bottle and cast a spell..."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Melody fills in the spellsong.

"Thanks, Melody." Brock smiles. "The ruby conjured a great mirror, which shattered when the mage and his Ponyta crashed into it. It bought Tristan and his mount time to run on ahead, though."

"I bet all that glass had to hurt." Ash muses.

"Not to mention seven years' bad luck on top of that." Misty agrees.

"Just when Tristan and his mount thought they were safe, Tristan saw the mage approaching on a cloud. Tristan took an emerald from the bottle and cast another spell..." He motions for Melody to sing another spellsong.

Karuto, iichiida shou... Melody sings.

"The emerald conjured a great forest, which the mage now had to cut his way out of." Brock continues. "It did buy Tristan and his mount time to ride further on, almost to the border of his homeland. But before he could cross the border, he saw the mage approaching in a ball of fire.

"Pini?" Happini asks, excited.

"He took the third gem from the bottle and cast another spell..." Brock replies.

Rou iitsa ron selga viichii... Melody sings without any prompting.

"The sapphire conjured a great river--and you all know what happens when fire meets water." Brock deadpans.

Ash nods. "Water beats fire."

"With his pursuer dead, Tristan and the Shiny Ponyta crossed the border into another land, where they had the first of many more adventures." Brock concludes. "But that is another story for another day."

"Pini pini hapi?" Happini asks as the others applaud.

Brock thinks a moment. "If I get around to thinking up a sequel, I'll include a princess for Tristan to love, okay?"