Tale 91: Ninetales and the Tynamo Necklace (Misty)

(real tale: Reynard and the Necklace of Eels)

"One cold winter's day, Ninetales lay shivering in her den." Misty begins. "Her beloved constantly begged for her to find food, and her four little Vulpixes cried that they were hungry."

"How awful..." Ash sighs.

"I would have a heart and feed those little ones." Brock agrees.

"Ninetales shook her head. This was a terrible inconvenience. Starvation would never do. In fact, their starvation and tears inspired her courage." Misty notes. "That is why, as cold as it was and with a brisk wind blowing, Ninetales made her way out of the warmth of the den in search of food. She crept toward the village, being extra careful not to alert the townsfolk or their Pokemon to her presence. But then she noticed she was leaving footprints in the snow. She carefully looked this way and that, making sure there were no hunters or trainers nearby." Nervous giggles go up as Misty looks around the tent, as if looking for intruders herself.

Once all is quiet, she goes on. "She made her way down to the river, hoping she might find a Pidgey or a Ducklett or two. But the hunters and the trainers had been there before her--there wasn't a Ducklett or Pidgey in sight!"

"So what did she do?" Melody asks.

"Suddenly, she smelled something good on that wild winter wind." Misty replies. "So she turned and dashed toward that smell. Before long, she reached the road, and there ahe saw it -- the source of that wonderful aroma."

"What was it?" Ash asks, his mouth watering in anticipation.

"Two fishermen were driving a cart full of baskets." Misty replies. "Ninetales had to smile--'of course, fish are plentiful in wind like this!' she thought. In that cart she saw baskets brimming with fish of every sort, fish from the seas and fish from the rivers--there were Magikarp and Goldeen, Seaking and Basculin, Finneon and Tynamos!"

She stops to interject "Needless to say, Ninetales' mouth watered at the sight.", stifling a giggle at the dreamy look on Ash's face as he pictures the fish.

"Forget Ninetales drooling, Ash is too!" Brock notes.

"But unlike Ash, Ninetales had to figure out a way to trick those fishermen." Misty cautions. "So she stopped and thought a moment. But tricks are second nature to Ninetales too, so it took her only a moment before she knew just what to do. She ran along the edge of the road, taking care to hide herself behind snowy hedges until she was far ahead of the cart. Then she ran to the middle of the road and lay down very still as if dead."

"Did it work?" Brock asks, stifling a giggle of anticipation.

"Sure enough, when the cart reached her, it pulled to a stop." Misty explains. "One of the fishermen thought there was a dead Growlithe in the road, and the other thought it was a Mightyena. But rather than fight over who was correct, they decided to step down from their cart and walk over to where Ninetales lay. "They oohed and ahhed over Ninetales' beautiful gold fur, and the pretty credit it would bring. They agreed to take what they thought was a dead Ninetales to the village, sell it, and split the money."

"Warning, mistake in progress!" Brock announces, making everyone laugh.

Misty is unfazed. "So they carefully put Ninetales in the back of their cart and set off on their way. Little did they know Ninetales was very much alive, and surrounded by all those fine fish."

"Repeating, this is a mistake in progress!" Brock cautions, as if the fishermen in Misty's tale can hear him.

"Ninetales leaned over and began to nibble at the Seaking in one of the baskets, and once she began, she could not stop herself." Misty goes on. "She ate and ate until she was full -- bones and all!"

"I bet she didn't need to eat for a week afterwards!" Ash muses.

"Before long, that basket was empty, but she knew she had to bring some food home for her family." Misty explains "So she reached into the basket of Tynamos and saw there were a dozen or more strung altogether, gill to gill, forming what looked to be a necklace made of Tynamos."

Ash's dreamy look turns to a disgusted grimace. "What girl would want to wear THAT?"

"No sane girl." Brock replies.

"Nintales pushed her paw through the wire loop, so the eels hung like a necklace around her neck, then leapt from the cart." Misty continues. "Just then, the fishermen turned around, and they saw that wily Ninetales wearing the Tynamo necklace. They stopped their cart and leapt down to chase her."

[Go, Ninetales, go!] a Meowth cheers.

"Though the fishermen were pretty fast runners, Ninetales was faster, even wearing the heavy 'necklace'." Misty went on. "Just when it seemed the fishermen would catch her, she rounded a corner and dove into her den, safe and sound."

Cheers go up as Misty concludes "Her husband and children began to cheer when they saw what she'd brought. They skinned the Tynamos, and lit the fire, and soon they were delighting in a wonderful meal. Ninetales, as usual, was congratulating herself on her quick wit and wiles!"

"And I thought Sorin was bad..." Melody giggles as she applauds. "Ninetales is even worse!"