Tale 66: The Mage's Gifts (Brock)

(real tale: The Gifts of the Magician)

"And now, a family favorite..." Brock smiles as he retrieves his guitar. "This one's called 'The Mage's Gifts'."

"Terra's favorite bedtime story..." Ash smiles as he and Misty reach for their instruments.

With that, Brock begins a calm melody. "Once a boy was wandering through a forest one night, on his way home from a hunt. It was late that night, and there was no moon to light his way. Suddenly, he heard a scream way off in the distance, and a mage dashed through some nearby bushes, pursued by a pack of Mightyenas. The boy readied an arrow and fired at the biggest Mightyena, killing it and making the rest of the Mightyenas flee. The mage was grateful, and promised his deliverer whatever he wished in return for spending the night with him." He switches to a voice that sounds more or less like Ash. "I would desire nothing more than a night's rest--I have been hunting all day, and have lost my way back home."

As himself, he continues. "The mage took the boy to his cabin that lay in a clearing. No sooner had the boy arrived, did he lie down and fall into a deep sleep. After some time, the mage's servant girl was quite interested in how the boy saved her master, and asked him to tell her about the encounter. Once the boy had finished his tale, the servant girl instructed him..." He switches to a voice that sounds like a breathier version of Dawn. "If my master should ask if you desire a reward for saving his life, request the third Ponyta that is boarded in the stable."

"And then?" Melody is interested.

"Some time later, the mage returned with a grand haul from his hunt, and the three of them sat down to a great meal together. Besides the meat, there was fruit of all kinds, the finest cheeses, and fresh water unlike any other. When the meal had ended, the mage asked the boy..." Brock switches to a deeper version of himself. "I must thank you again for saving my life--do you desire any reward?" He next switches to his psuedo-Ash voice. "I only want the third Ponyta that is boarded in the stables." As himself, he continues. "the boy replied. The mage tried again and again to talk the boy into reconsidering his offer, but again and again the boy insisted on the Ponyta. Finally, the mage relented, and also granted the boy three magic instruments--a zither, a fiddle, and a flute. The boy was told that should he ever be in danger, to play the zither first. If no help came, he was to play the fiddle, and if still no help came, to play the flute."

"Remember those instruments--they'll be important later." Misty reminds the Meowths as she checks her fiddle's tuning.

"The next morning, the boy thanked the mage again for his kindness and rode off for home with the Ponyta and his three treasures." Brock goes on over a peaceful interlude. "He had not gotten very far when the Ponyta spoke to him, saying..." He switches to his standard female voice. "Rather than returning home now, where you will be lectured, scolded, and beaten, let us visit a few towns first--maybe something lucky will happen to you on the way." As himself, he goes on. "The boy was enamored by the thought of going out into the world and seeking his fortune in a far off land, so he rode on, visiting many villages and towns on the way and helping the townsfolk with their troubles."

"But those are stories in themselves." Ash interjects.

"Before long, the boy came to the capital city of his homeland, where the townsfolk were awestruck by the beautiful Ponyta." Brock continues, lazily strumming a melody Ash recognizes as Hyrule Castle. "Even the king heard of it, and sent messengers to the boy offering to buy the Ponyta for whatever price he offered. At first, the boy wasn't sure, but the Ponyta assured him..." He switches to his standard female voice again. "Do not sell me, but instead board me in the royal stables, and in the morning, all the other Ponytas will be just as beautiful as I."

[Wow...] a Meowth gasps.

[And then?] Mai asks.

"The boy took the Ponyta to the royal stables, where it was given its own stall." Brock replies, now as himself. "Sure enough, when morning came, the other Ponytas were as lovely and strong as the boy's Ponyta. No more did they struggle to trot, and their manes and tails burned as bright as the sun. While the king was amazed at the transformation of his mounts, the groom in charge of the stables grew very jealous of the boy and his Ponyta. For days, he came before the king bearing some charge against the boy, but the king didn't listen, as he was well aware of his groom's jealousy. Finally, the groom came before the king saying that he had heard the boy boasting of how he knew where the king's best Rapidash had disappeared to years before. Of course, the groom was lying through his teeth, but the king believed him. He sent for the boy and commanded him to find the Rapidash in three days, or else."

Melody swallows hard, fearful at what "or else" might be. "The boy's Ponyta was waiting when the boy returned, and said to him..." Brock switches to his female voice again. "Do not worry over the task you have been charged with--in the morning, ask the king for a hundred Tauros, which you will sacrifice to Arceus for safety on your journey. A portion of the meat from the sacrifice will be kept for you. Then, we will depart and ride until we get to a certain river. You will see a Ponyta there, but you are to pay no heed to it. Then you will see another Ponyta, but ignore this one too. But when you see a Rapidash, throw my bridle over it."

As himself, he continues. "The next day, everything happened just as the Ponyta had said, and the Rapidash was corralled and bridled. On the way back, he tossed some of the Tauros meat he had saved to keep the Shadow Murkrows that lived in the forest away. When the groom heard that the boy had brought back the king's Rapidash with two days to spare, he again pondered how he could have the king look unfavorably on the boy."

Everyone listens intently as Brock plays an interlude. "Some time passed, and the groom again came before the king, saying that he had overheard the boy boasting that he knew where the princess of the kingdom had disappeared to some months before. Although the groom was again lying through his teeth, the king believed him a second time. So he summoned the boy and charged him to find the princess, or else."

[Or else what?] Korra challenges.

"Or else the king would have the boy's head." Brock replies. Korra slinks back behind her mother as he continues "The boy was troubled by this command--how could he know where the princess was if she had disappeared months before? Fortunately, the Ponyta was nearby, and she said to him..." He switches to his standard female voice again. "Do not fear, we only need to go as far as the river we rode to yesterday. You will find a Taillow by the left bank--sprinkle it with some water from the river, and it will take its true form--the princess was turned into a Taillow by a witch several months before. So in the morning, the boy and the Ponyta set out, and everything happened just as the Ponyta had said--no sooner did the boy sprinkle the Taillow with water from the river, it transformed into a young girl in a flash of blue. "When the king saw the boy returning with his daughter, he was filled with much joy and happiness, and showered the boy with gifts."

"Then did the groom leave the boy alone?" Melody asks.

"Well, you would think by now, the groom would know to leave the boy alone, but no..." Brock replies as his melody turns tense. "Some time later, the groom appeared before the king a third time, saying that he had overheard the boy saying that he wished to have the throne for himself. Once again, the groom was lying through his teeth, but the king was angry enough to believe him."

Gasps fill the tent. "The king was so angry, he didn't even bother to give the boy a trial, and ordered the boy be killed right away." Brock continues, making Azurill tear up, never mind she's heard the tale hundreds of times. "The day of the execution came, and the boy was asked if he had any last requests. The boy nodded, and asked if he could play one last tune on the zither. Leave was granted, and no sooner had the boy touched the strings, the executioner found himself dancing in spite of himself." He performs a set of tunes on guitar--"The Bluk Berry Flower", followed by "Dusknoir's Dream"

Everyone claps along to the set. "By the time the boy had finished, the executioner was so tired, he delayed the execution for a day." Brock continues as the last chord fades away. "The story of the zither spread like wildfire, and the next morning, a huge crowd had turned out to witness the execution. When asked if he had any last requests, the boy asked if he could play one last tune upon the fiddle." Misty prepares to play at this. "No sooner had the bow met the strings, not only did the executioner dance, but so did everyone else in the crowd." With that, Brock and Misty launch into a guitar and fiddle rendition of "The Trainer's Cap".

"By the time the boy finished, it was dark out, and so the execution was delayed another day." Brock continues when the applause dies down. "On the third day, when the boy was asked if he had any last requests, he asked if he could play one last tune upon the flute..."

"Azu!" Azurill picks up on where the story is going--maybe there's hope for the boy after all!

"The king refused him at first--he had bad memories of dancing away another day. But the princess interceded, saying that it was his last request, and a prisoner's last request must not be refused him." Brock continues. "So the king plugged his ears with wax, and the groom tied himself to a tree to protect themselves. But no sooner had the boy blown one note, did the rest of the crowd dance again, barring the king and the groom." Ash begins the tune "The Meowth's Call" to illustrate this, making the tiny whistle echo through the huge room. "After a few minutes, the mage appeared to the boy in a rush of wind and light." Ash keeps playing as Brock continues in his "mage" voice "What sort of danger are you in, that you have called for me?" He switches to his psuedo-Ash voice. "Someone present here has spoken a lie against me, and now the king wants to put me to death...the executioner is waiting for me to finish my song." As himself, he continues. "the boy breathlessly explained. The mage, meanwhile, charged some red light in his hands and called..." He switches back to his "mage" voice. "Out of the ground, raze all greenery with flame! Fire!"

"No sooner had the mage spoke, did a fireball come flying from the mage's hands, setting the gallows ablaze." Brock continues as himself before switching back to his mage voice. "And who was it that brought a false charge against you?" He returns to himself. "the mage asked. The boy pointed out the groom--who was still bound to the tree--and the mage charged another ball of light, this one blue, and called..." He switches to his mage voice again. "Scatter your chilly sharp blades! Ice!"

As himself, he continues "Icicles came flying from the mage's hands, and they sliced up the tree and the groom to little pieces. The king then realized that the boy was truly innocent, and that his groom had been lying to him all along. So he ordered the boy freed, and offered the princess' hand in marriage as an apology." Ash finishes his song at this point, prompting more applause.

[Very nice!] Mai smiles.

"And so the boy and the princess were married...but the boy kept the three instruments and his Ponyta with him, just in case he needed their power again." Brock concludes. "The end."

The Pokemon's applause is the loudest as the trio takes a bow...