COMPLETE: Live from the Fireside, Season 12 (Week 321c: The Legend of Maide, part 3)

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Week 319b: Prince Dustin's Adventure, part 2

(real tale: The Fire Bird)

"It seemed unfair that he be a prisoner in his room, when even the guards of his prison had gone to join the celebration." Brock begins as he arrives onstage, reminding the audience where he left off the previous week. "The city was a blaze of color, light, and sound; but the gardens below seemed to be deserted. This was his big chance to escape!"

He the reveals how Prince Dustin escaped. After going back inside the apartment, he looked around for something--anything at all--that could serve as a rope. There were heavy hangings falling from the high ceiling: he obviously couldn't pull those down. Then he saw the carpet, and he realized that he could make a rope out of that."

"Oh"s fill the air as Brock continues describing the escape. "He found a knife, and ripped many long threads from the edge of the carpet. When he had enough, he set to work making a thick rope--by the time he finished, it was nearly a hundred feet long. Then he tied one end to one of the pillars supporting the roof, and let the rest of it fall down from the window. By the light of the full moon overhead, he could see that the end of the rope reached as far as the branches of a tree growing at the foot of the tower."

The lights dim a little to mimic the moonlit scene Brock described. "By this time, it was past midnight, and the garden below was just as silent as the city outside was loud with celebration." Brock explains. "As Prince Dustin climbed over the windowsill and climbed down the rope, he didn't know or care how he was going to get back in again; just getting away from his prison was more than enough.

He continues "Eventually his feet touched the topmost branch of the tree, but there was rope to spare; so he kept climbing until he was able to grab a branch thick enough to support his weight, and then climbed down to the ground from there."

Applause fills the auditorium at the prince's cleverness. "There was not a soul in sight." Brock intones, quieting the applause. "The guards were all away celebrating in Prince Dustin's honor. Although he was still technically a prisoner within the garden walls, he was enjoying his adventure and the sense of freedom to wander, even in the gardens."

The lights brighten to reveal a kind of garden set, to some awed murmurs. "He made his way along the pathways where the moonbeams strayed. He savored the cool night air, and every so often paused to pick a flower growing near the path." Brock explains. "He eventually came to a hill at the edge of the garden, where he knew a steep cliff overlooking a valley was. Before his father had locked him away in the tower, he had always been forbidden to approach that end of the garden, and he had never done so; but now his curiosity led him on, and he continued along an avenue of overarching trees. But it soon grew so dense and dark, that he was about to turn back, when suddenly, he spotted a misty light beginning to grow brighter and brighter at the far end of the path."

Piqued murmurs go up as Brock continues describing the ethereal scene. "Eager to find out where this light was coming from, he hurried on, and soon arrived at the mouth of a large cave, which, inside, was as bright as the daytime. He peeked from behind a rock; and there, in the center of the cave, a magnificent phoenix was standing there, getting ready to fly through the entrance overlooking the valley. It was stretching its neck and flapping its wings; and, from every feather of these, flashed embers and sparkles of light, illuminating the whole cave. In the center of the cavern floor was a crystal pool, where a broad cascade tumbled from, almost like a flowing veil, and the strong light shed by the phoenix shone through this on to the rock behind it. There Prince Dustin spotted an oval picture, framed in crystal, and hanging behind the transparent cascade - a picture of a beautiful princess. As he looked, her eyes met his."

"Ooh"s fill the room as Brock goes on "Prince Dustin was immediately filled with a great longing to find the subject of this portrait, but it seemed that his only way of doing so was through the help of the great phoenix, which was looking at him as if to say 'Don't you want to come fly with me?' It was then he recognized the phoenix as Moltres, the Herald of Fire."

Cheers fill the air at Moltres' appearance. "Prince Dustin signaled Moltres that he wanted to find the princess--the very Princess Oriana he had been foretold to meet years before--by pointing to the picture." Brock continues. "At this, Moltres spread her wings until the tips brushed against each side of the cave, the feathers quivering intensely and creating a bright flash of fire which almost blinded Prince Dustin."

Giggles fill the air at this. "Then Moltres signaled to our hero to climb on her back. It goes without saying Prince Dustin eagerly climbed aboard." Brock smiles. "In a moment Moltres soared from the cave, and they were soon sailing high over the valley. Some revelers in the city looked up and saw what they thought was a shooting star; but it was really Moltres taking Prince Dustin to the palace of Princess Oriana, just as the seer of the desert had foretold so long ago."

Some applause goes up as Brock goes on "How many miles they flew between the darkest hour and dawn, I don't know. Nestling warm and comfortably among the soft red and orange feathers, Prince Dustin heard the whoosh of the great Pokemon's wings, and knew they were going at a tremendous pace."

He intones "Finally, Moltres, circled in to land, and Prince Dustin saw the great gates and towers of what seemed to be a palace of pure crystal, surrounded by beautiful gardens. Moltres landed on the edge of a broad balcony, and crouched down for Prince Dustin to dismount."

He smiles "The journey had not been in vain. There, on a mossy bank among the beautiful flowers in the garden, he found Princess Oriana fast asleep; and, as he looked down at her, he saw that her face matched the one he had seen in the portrait. He tried to wake her, but her sleep was sound; she did not stir.

He interjects "So how did Prince Dustin awaken Princes Oriana? I will tell you more next week!"

"Aw"s and applause fill the air as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Week 319c: Prince Dustin's Adventure, part 3

(real tale: The Fire Bird)

"Seeing this, Moltres grew restless, grabbed Prince Dustin with her beak and placed him between her wings." Brock begins as he arrives onstage, picking up from where he left off the previous week. "Then she soared swiftly into the sky."

The lights brighten as Brock continues "Soon they were back in the cave, and Prince Dustin, fearing his return to the tower, spent the day in his warm nest between Moltres' wings. The following night, as dawn approached, Moltres set forth again. But Prince Dustin was again unable to wake the sleeping princess, so they returned once more. But, on the third night, when they reached Princess Oriana, the light of dawn was in the sky, and, as it grew ever brighter, Princess Oriana woke up under her own power to find the young prince sitting among the flowers by her side. She had time to see Moltres pluck a feather from her wing with its beak, and let it fall at her feet, before she soared away. She picked up the feather and placed it by her chest. Then she looked at Prince Dustin."

The Firelights start a soft love theme as Brock continues with a grin "There is love, and there is true love; but the love that awakened at the same moment in two hearts can never be accurately described by mortal words. It was as if she had been dreaming about him all her life, and now she had awakened to find him. It was as if his journey had been to heaven itself. She raised her arms to him, and he embraced her and kissed her. Then they wandered among the flowers and trees, and all the birds understood: they sang so divinely."

"Aw"s fill the room, but then the Firelights' song takes a somber turn, as if they know a villain is approaching. "Towards evening, as the shadows began to fall, Princess Oriana's sister Yugata, who was an evil sorceress, came into the garden and stood behind a tree watching the two lovers."

"I'll soon put an end to this," he grumbles in a young female voice for Yugata, clenching his hands in feigned jealous rage.

He continues as himself "She left that place, and cast an evil spell that summoned the spirit of Prince Dustin before her, where she held it prisoner, but his body remained in Princess Oriana's arms as if he had suddenly died."

Gasps fill the air as Brock intones "Terrified with grief, Princess Oriana carried the lifeless body of her lover into the palace and laid it on a couch in her own room. There, exhausted with the effort, she fell upon it, weeping bitterly. She called his name, but he did not answer."

He assures the fearful audience "She did not know that Prince Dustin was not dead: the sorceress Yugata had cast a spell that allowed her to hold his spirit prisoner. Yet, all the while, that spirit still brimmed with life, and with love for Princess Oriana."

Intrigued murmurs fill the air as Brock goes on "Angry and distraught, Princess Oriana sat by the couch, trying everything to awaken her beloved. Touching him didn't work, calling him didn't work, and even the pure light of love's first kiss didn't work. It was only then she realized that her sister had cursed her beloved!"

"Oh, my wicked sister! This is your work." he nearly screams in a mimic of Serena for Princess Oriana, to the point where many in the audience don't know if Brock has actually become his character or if he is only pretending. "You have bewitched my beloved! No more! No more! Never again! This is the end!"

He continues as himself, much to the relief of the audience. "She ran everywhere, in and around the palace, in search of her sister, her hands clenched in fists of rage, fire in her eyes, her teeth clenched. But she could not find Yugata."

He next reveals where Yugata is. "Eventually a page, terrified at her appearance, confessed that her sister had fled from the palace, mounted on the fleetest steed in the stables. Princess Oriana vowed to follow her and force her to bring Prince Dustin back to life. There was just one problem..."

Gasps go up at the turn of events. "Princess Oriana had never been beyond the walls that circled the vast grounds of the palace." Brock explains "She knew that there were twelve gates, and that only one of these was left unlocked from sunset to sunrise, and no one knew which one it was. On top of that, the law of the palace allowed her to try only one gate every night."

Intrigued murmurs waft through the room "She sat down and thought, and then decided to try the same gate each night until she found the right one. For twelve nights she tried, but each time she found the gate locked and barred." Brock continues.

He then remembers something. "Then she suddenly remembered that when Moltres had brought Prince Dustin to her, she had plucked a bright feather from her wing and let it fall at her feet. She had kept it in a golden casket. Could it be that this feather had magic powers? She hurried to her room, and took it from the casket. As she did so, it sparkled and quivered like a dancing flame in her hand. As she held it, she was convinced that it held magic powers. She looked at the feather, and wished with all her heart that Moltres would come and advise her on what to do."

The Firelights start a triumphant melody as Brock narrates "Hardly had she made the wish, when she heard a faint sound from far away. As she listened, it grew louder, and closer, until she knew it was the whoosh of Moltres' wings. She ran out onto the balcony, and there she saw moltres, like a meteor in the sky, every moment growing bigger. Finally, Moltres swooped down, and her giant wings fluttered and vibrated a moment before she landed on the edge of the balcony, her fiery golden light sparkling on the crystal pillars and shimmering in the air all around."

He grins. "Princess Oriana held up the feather, and Moltres nodded, before urging her to climb aboard. Once Princess Oriana was settled, Moltres took off with a long, jubilant cry, and flashed through the sky."

Some in the audience jump as a sound effect of Moltres' cry plays for effect. "Soon they overtook the setting sun, passed it, and left it sinking on the horizon as they went on into the World of Night and Silence, which lies beyond the western edge of the world." Brock explains. "Moltres blazed along, leaving a trail of light behind her and throwing radiance on the hills and forests; until she came, by way of the Borderless Valley, to the Endless Forest. Moltres swooped downwards and landed before a huge cave. As Princess Oriana dismounted, Moltres plucked two fresh feathers from her wing with its beak and held them out to her. They shone with a brilliant light, and armed with these, Princess Oriana ventured into the gloomy cave."

The lights dim again as Brock goes on "She had not gone far when she heard a voice singing in a language I will not repeat here, and, peering round the edge of a rock, she spotted her sister seated beside a cauldron, where a frozen blue fire was fed with blocks of ice. From the demonic song her sister was singing, Princess Oriana learned that her lover's spirit was in the cauldron. She listened while the sorceress sang...

He then sings as Yugata Furiya, shuru shamato... before continuing as himself. "With a mighty war cry, Princess Oriana rushed forward, and, before her wicked sister could prevent her, she had overturned the cauldron with a crash. Some of the blue fire splashed up in Yugata's face, and with a loud, grating shriek, she fell to the ground dead!"

Cheers fill the air and the lights brighten at Yugata's demise. "Princess Oriana snatched up her lover's spirit, and carried it in her arms, as if it were a living person." Brock explains. "Without waiting another moment, she returned to Moltres, and climbed on her back with a cry of joy. Up in the sky they soared again, and away over the world towards the Palace of the Dawn. As they neared their destination, Princess Oriana watched in awe as the spirit she carried flew down to reunite with its body. When Moltres landed, Prince Dustin came running to her, alive and well. They held each other close for a long time, and it was then Moltres knew her work in this place was done. Without a word she sprang into the air, and was soon lost to sight."

He concludes over a victorious song from the Firelights "Prince Dustin and Princess Oriana were married before the year was out, and, during the celebrations, Moltres circled three times around the palace every night, but never landed. As King and Queen of the Dawn, they reigned for many years, and Moltres was always their friend. On every anniversary, they woke to the sound of her roaring wings. She always brought a single feather from shining wing as a gift, so that whatever joy they wished for was theirs."

"Aw"s and applause fill the auditorium as Brock and the Firelights take a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Week 320: The Three Chests

(real tale: The Three Chests)

"Just a word of warning, this tale might be on the scary side, so if you need to leave the room to calm kids or Pokemon, inform an usher and they will direct you to the closest EXIT sign." Brock cautions as he arrives onstage.

When no one takes up his offer to leave, he begins his tale. "There was once an old farmer who had three daughters. His farmland reached to the shores of a deep lake. One day as he leaned over the water to take a drink, Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon, reached up from the bottom of the lake and grabbed him by the beard. Try as the farmer might to get free, Darkrai only held on more tightly."

"I'll let you go, on this condition: give me one of your daughters for a bride!" he demands in a foreboding male voice for Darkrai.

"Give you one of my daughters? Never!" he shoots back in a mimic of Flint for the farmer.

"Fine, then I'll never let go!" he deadpans as Darkrai.

As himself, he continues "The farmer didn't want to give one of his daughters to Darkrai, but at the same time, he was in Darkrai' s power, and if he didn't do what the crafty Nightmare Pokemon demanded, he would lose all three of them, if not his own life. So had no choice but to give Darkrai what he asked for. When he got home, the farmer told his eldest daughter--whose name isn't important to us--that he had accidentally left a harness down at the lake. The eldest daughter agreed to go down to the lake and get it, and hurried out right then. When she reached the water's edge, Darkrai reached out and carried her down to the bottom of the lake where he lived in a big house. At first, he was kind to her. He made her the lady of the house and gave her the keys to all the rooms and closets. He very carefully explained which of the keys went to what room or what item, and pointing to one silver key, he warned...

"That key you must never use, for it opens the door at the end of the hall." he warns as Darkrai.

As himself, he continues "So the eldest daughter kept house for Darkrai, and for a while, it wasn't any different from being at home with her father. Before long, she was familiar with the house and knew what was in every room and every closet like the back of her hand. At first she felt no temptation to open the forbidden door. If Darkrai wanted to have a secret room, that was fine with her. But why in the world had he given her the key if he really didn't want her to open the door? The more she thought about it the more she wondered. Every time she passed the room she stopped a moment and stared at the door. It looked just like all the other doors that led into all the other rooms. 'I wonder why he doesn't want me to open that door?' she kept asking herself."

He intones "Finally one day, when Darkrai was away, she saw her chance to find out just what was behind the forbidden door."

"Ooh"s fill the air as Brock goes on "It turned out that the room was a storeroom with boxes, chests and old jars piled up against the walls. That was normal enough, but in the middle of the floor was something that terrified her when she saw what it was--a pool of dark red blood!"

Screams of both fear and delight waft through the room. "She was about to close the door shut when she saw something else that made her pause--a lovely shining silver ring that lay in the middle of the pool." Brock continues. "Moments before she could attempt to pick the ring up, she heard Darkrai coming--and the sight of his anger literally scared her to death!"

Awed gasps and "oh no"s fill the air as some terrified children are whisked out of the room to calm down. "This didn't faze Darkrai at all--he calmly led the body into the forbidden room and locked the door." Brock continues. "He remembered that the farmer had two more daughters, so he thought to himself that he'd marry the second sister. When the farmer sent the middle daughter, the same thing happened to her."

The audience waits to hear if the youngest daughter will meet the same fate. "Now it was the youngest daughter's turn to go down to the lake." Brock intones. "Just like the last two times, Darkrai made the youngest daughter--whose name was Lisa--lady of the house, and gave her the keys to all the doors and closets with the same warning against opening the door of the forbidden room."

"If I am lady of the house, why can't I unlock every door?" he muses in a mimic of Serena for Lisa.

As himself, he continues "She waited for a day when Darkrai was away from home, then went to the forbidden room. There lay her two sisters' bodies, just as they had been when they had literally been scared to death. There in the pool of blood sparkled the lovely ring, but Lisa paid no mind to it."

"Wicked old Darkrai! I suppose he thinks that ring will tempt me, but nothing will tempt me to touch that awful blood!" he grumbles in character as Lisa.

He continues as himself "Then she rummaged around, opening boxes and chests, and turning things over. In a dark corner she found two bottles, one marked with a heart, the other with a skull. Figuring the bottle with the heart contained the mystical Water of Life, she sprinkled a little on her sisters, and they returned to life, albeit with no memory of what had caused them to die. Lisa explained to them what had happened, and that she had a plan to get them all home alive. First, she hid her sisters, each in a big wooden chest. Then she switched the labels of the two bottles, put them back, and shut and locked the door of the forbidden room. When Darkrai came home, he found her doing chores as though nothing unusual had happened."

Giggles of anticipation fill the room as Brock continues "After dinner, Darkrai asked for a massage before bedtime. Lisa did her best to massage an ethereal body, and she did it so well that he purred like a Meowth, saying that for doing such a good job, he would allow her anything she wanted.

"I want to send a chest of things to my poor father," he requests as Lisa "Just some odds and ends that I've picked up around the house. I'd be ashamed to have you open the chest and see them. I'd like it if you could carry the chest ashore tomorrow and leave it where my father will find it."

"All right." he smiles as Darkrai.

As himself, he continues "He was true to his word. The next morning he hoisted one of the chests on his shoulder, the one that had the eldest sister inside, and put it where he was sure the farmer would find it. Lisa then convinced him into carrying up the other chest that had the middle sister. This time Darkrai had his doubts, but decided to trust Lisa anyway. Meanwhile, Lisa began to plan her own escape. She pulled out another empty chest and then one evening after she had succeeded in making Darkrai comfortable, she begged him to carry this also to her father. He grumbled and protested but finally promised."

"And you won't look inside, will you? Promise me you won't!"he asks as Lisa, to some giggles as some children return.

He interjects as himself "Darkrai said he wouldn't, but he only said this to appease Lisa."

More giggles go up as Brock describes Lisa's plan. "The next morning, as soon as Darkrai went out, Lisa took the butter churn and dressed it up in some of her own clothes. She carried it to the top of the house and perched it on the ridge of the roof before a spinning wheel. Then she hid inside the third chest and waited. When Darkrai came home, he looked up and saw what he thought was Lisa spinning on the roof.

"Hey! What are you doing up there?" he calls as Darkrai

"I'm spinning. Please don't forget the chest that you promised to carry to my poor old father. It's in the kitchen." he replies as Lisa.

He narrates as himself "Darkrai grumbled, but because of his promise, he hoisted the chest on his shoulder and started off. When he had gone a little ways he decided to take a peek inside. But before he could look, he swore he heard Lisa say

"No! You promised not to look inside!" he pleads as Lisa

"I'm not looking inside! I'm only resting a minute!" he replies as Darkrai, to some laughter. "I suppose she's sitting up there so she can watch me!" he grumbles as Darkrai, to more giggles.

He narrates "When he had gone a bit farther, he thought about trying to open the chest again, but he heard Lisa's voice, as if from a long way off, call out..."

"No! No! You promised not to look inside!" he calls as Lisa.

"Who's looking inside?"he asks, feigning ignorance as Darkrai.

He narrates as himself "Every time he thought it would be safe to put down the chest and open it, Lisa's voice cried out..."

"No! No! You promised not to!" he scolds as Lisa, to uproarious laughter.

"'Mercy on me! Who would have thought she could see so far!" he grumbles in frustration as Darkrai.

He narrates as himself "On the shore of the lake when he threw down the chest in disgust he tried one last time to raise the lid. Immediately Lisa's voice cried..."

"No! No! You promised not to!" he scolds as Lisa.

"I'm not looking inside!"he finally cries as Darkrai, to more laughter.

Brock waits for the laughter to quiet, then continues as himself "He left the chest in a huff, and started back into the water. All the way home he grumbled and vowed he would not carry another chest. When he came near his home he saw the spinning wheel still on the roof and the figure still seated before it."

"Why haven't you got my dinner ready?" he demands as Darkrai.

He deadpans as himself "The figure at the spinning wheel made no reply."

"What's the matter with you? Why are you sitting there instead of cooking my dinner?" he demands as Darkrai again, to giggles of anticipation.

As himself, Brock smiles "Still the figure made no reply, and in a rage Darkrai began climbing up the roof. He reached out, clutched at Lisa's skirt, and jerked it so hard that the churn came crashing down on his head. It knocked him off the roof, and he fell all the way to the ground and cracked his head wide open."

The audience roars with laughter, but Brock isn't done torturing Darkrai yet. "He crawled to the forbidden room and sprinkled what he thought was the Water of Life on him. But he didn't know Lisa had switched the labels, and he was sprinkling the Water of Longing on him, and so it didn't help his injury at all. In fact, it made it worse and worse and worse."

After the audience calms down, Brock concludes "Needless to say, Lisa and her sisters, nor anyone else that lived on the shores of that lake, were never bothered by Darkrai again."

Then he remembers something. "'What became of Darkrai?' you ask? No one knows for sure, because Lisa isn't talking!"

Laughter and more applause fill the air as Brock takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Last story for the season, but Ash and the gang help Brock send it off with a three part epic adventure--the new season begins next Monday.

Week 321a: The Legend of Maide, part 1

(real tale: Log, the Hero Who Released the Sun)

The crowd roars as Brock arrives with Ash, Misty, Serena, and Bonnie not far behind. "We're gonna do something a little different--have Misty do the storytelling while the rest of us do the acting." Brock explains as a spotlight appears on Misty.

"Once a poor couple had no children of their own." Misty begins as the others retreat offstage to get their props in order. "Their neighbors all had plenty of boys and girls, but for some reason Arceus did not send them even one. Finally, the woman decided that if she couldn't have a flesh and blood child, she'd have a wooden one instead. So she went into the forest and cut a log of oak until it was more or less the size of a human child. She dressed the log in baby clothes and put it in a cradle. Then for three whole years she and her husband rocked the cradle and sang lullabies to the log baby."

Ley la loo, oh lay la loo... Brock sings for effect from offstage, to knowing giggles from the audience.

"Three years went by, and one afternoon, as the man was out cutting wood and the woman was bringing in the Miltanks from the pasture, the log baby somehow turned into a real baby!" Misty grins. "It was so strong, that by the time its parents got home, it had crawled out of the cradle and was sitting on the floor asking for food. And it ate, and ate, and ate some more, and the more it ate the faster it grew. In minutes it had grown to the age and intelligence level of a young man. From the start, people of the village knew him as Maide, meaning 'made of wood' since no one could think of a better name."

Intrigued murmurs fill the room. "Maide's mom and dad knew from the beginning that Maide was destined to be a great hero." Misty explains. "That was why he was so strong and good. There was no one in the village as strong as he was, or anyone as kind and gentle."

She intones "Now about this time, a great calamity overtook the world. The shining lion Solgaleo, the great moon-bat Lunala, and the golden phoenix Ho'oh disappeared from the sky at roughly the same time, and as a result the world was left in darkness. 'Who has taken Solgaleo, Lunala, and Ho'oh from us?' the people cried in terror.

A spotlight appears on Brock, in the role of the king."Whoever they are, they will have to bring them back! Where, oh where are the heroes that will go forth to find Solgaleo, Lunala, and Ho'oh and return them to their rightful places in the sky?"

"There were many people willing to offer themselves for the great adventure, but the king realized that something more was needed than willingness." Misty interjects.

"It is only heroes of great strength and endurance who should risk the dangers of so perilous a journey." Brock muses as the king.

"So he called together all the brave young men and women of the kingdom and tested them one by one." Misty explains. "He had some potions of strength brought in from the alchemy lab, and these were his hope to find three heroes: one who could drink three bottles of the stuff, a second that could drink six bottles, and a third one that could drink nine bottles."

"I'm assuming they didn't taste that great if you're only calling them 'the stuff'." Serena deadpans from her own spotlight, to some laughter.

"Imagine Hyper Verde multiplied by about ten." Brock explains to the audience, so some more giggles.

"Hundreds of young men and women presented themselves, and out of them all the king found at last two: one was able to drink three bottles of the potions, and the other six bottles." Misty explains. "But that was only two heroes, and so who would be the third?"

"Maide, of course." Ash grins from a spotlight at stage right.

"So the king sent for Maide and sure enough, when Maide came he was able to drink down nine bottles of the strength potions without any trouble at all." Misty continues before motioning for Brock to get back in character again.

"Here now, are the three heroes who are to release Solgaleo, Lunala, and Ho'oh from whoever are holding them in captivity and restore them to their places in the sky!" Brock announces as the king, making a grand gesture to Bonnie, Serena, and Ash for effect, to some applause.

"He equipped the three heroes for a long journey, furnishing them money, food, and drink of the finest caliber." Misty goes on. "He mounted them each on a mighty Rapidash with sword and arrow and a faithful Growlithe."

"Aw"s go up at this. "And so, the three heroes rode off in the dark, and while some people were sad to see them go, many of them cheered and wished that they, too, were going." Misty continues. "They rode on and on for many days that seemed like nights, until they had crossed the borders of their own land and entered the boundaries of an unknown kingdom. Here the darkness was less dense. There was no actual daylight, but a faint greyness, as if dawn was approaching. They rode on until they saw looming up before them the towers of a mighty castle. They dismounted near the castle at the door of a little hut where they found an old woman."

"Good day to you, good lady!" Ash calls in character as Maide.

"Good day, indeed!" Misty replies as the old woman. "It's little enough we see of the day since the Nightmare Pokemon captured Solgaleo and handed him over to his henchman, the nine-headed Hydreigon!"

"Darkrai!" Ash gasps as Maide. "Why did Darkrai capture Solgaleo?"

"Because he's evil, that's why!" Misty smiles. "He said Solgaleo's rays blistered him, so he caught Solgaleo and gave him to the nine-headed Hydreigon. He caught Lunala, too, because at night when Lunala shone he could not steal. When he caught Lunala, he handed her over to another lackey, a six-headed Hydreigon. Then he caught Ho'oh because he said he couldn't sleep in the morning because of her. So he caught Ho'oh, and gave her to a third lackey, a normal Hydreigon with three heads."

"Where do the Hydreigons keep Solgaleo, Lunala, and Ho'oh?" Ash asks.

"Listen closely--when they go far out in the sea they carry with them Solgaleo, Lunala and Ho'oh." Misty explains. "The normal Hydreigon stays there one day and then returns at night. The six-headed Hydreigon stays two days and then returns, and the mighty nine-headed monster does not return until the third night. As each returns a faint glow spreads over the land. That is why we are not in utter darkness."

As herself, Misty continues "Maide thanked the old woman and then he and his companions pushed on towards the castle. As they approached it, they saw something weird--half of the great castle was laughing and the other half was crying. So they went back to the hut and the old woman told them all she knew."

"It is because of the fate that is hanging over the king's three daughters," she explains as the old woman. "Those three evil monsters are demanding them one by one. Tonight, when the normal Hydreigon comes back from the sea he expects to devour the eldest, Princess Orla. If the king refuses to give her up, then Darkrai's henchman will destroy half the kingdom, half of the castle itself, and half the shining stones. I dearly wish that some hero would kill the monster, save Princess Orla, and at the same time release Ho'oh, so we may see her golden rainbow again!"

As herself, she continues "Maide and his fellows conferred together and the one they called Tri, because his strength was equal to three bottles of the potion of strength, declared that it was his task to fight and conquer the normal Hydreigon."

She intones "Meanwhile, in the castle preparations for Princess Orla's sacrifice were underway. As the king sewed her into a great leather sack, his tears fell so fast that he could hardly see what he was doing."

"My dear child, it should comfort you greatly to think that the monster is going to eat you instead of half the kingdom!" Brock sighs as the king. "Not many princesses are considered as important as half the kingdom!"

"Princess Orla knew that what her father said was true, and she did her best to look cheerful as they slipped the sack over her head." Misty continues. "Once inside, however, she allowed herself to cry--for all she knew, no one would see her again."

Some angry murmurs waft through the auditorium, but Misty is not yet done setting the tense scene. "The sack with Princess Orla inside was carried down to the beach and put on a high rock near the place where the Hydreigons came up out of the water."

"Don't be frightened, my daughter!" Brock calls to an imagined person as the king. "You will not have to wait for long, for it will soon be evening."

"Maide and his companions watched the king's party disappear, and then Tri solemnly drank down three potions of strength." Misty continues, watching Bonnie open and take a long drink of a root beer as if on cue. "As he was ready to mount his Rapidash, he handed Maide the leash holding his Growlithe."

Bonnie offers Ash a plush Growlithe. "If I need help, I will signal, and only on that signal are you to release my Growlithe."

"Got it" Ash replies as he notes where to squeeze on the doll to make it bark and move around.

"With that he rode down to the beach, dismounted, and climbed up the rock where the unfortunate princess." Misty narrates. "With one slash of his sword, he ripped open the sack and carefully lifted Princess Orla out. She was scared at first, but fear became surprise when she saw who it was."

"You thought I was the three-headed Hydreigon, didn't you?" Bonnie smiles in character. "But I'm not. I'm only someone who has come to rescue you. My comrades call me Tri."

"Princess Orla was relieved that someone had rescued her, and crept away while Tri kept watch." Misty continues. "At first there was nothing to break the glassy surface of the water. They waited, and finally, they saw three swirling masses rolling towards the land."

"Quickly! Get down behind the rock and hide there while I meet the creature and cut off his ugly heads!" Bonnie instructs an imagined person before taking a toy replica of the Master Sword.

"Princess Orla obediently crouched down behind the rock, and Tri, mounting his horse, rode boldly down to the water's edge awaiting the Hydreigon's arrival." Misty intones. "It came closer and closer in long swirls, slowly lifting its three scaly heads one after another. As it approached the shore shore it sniffed the air hungrily, repeating a song of evil magic it had learned from Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon."

Boladh mé rud éigin go maith!
Beidh mé ag titim air agus a dhéanamh cothrom air!
Feicfidh mé pioc a chnámha agus deoch a chuid fola! Brock sings to no particular tune in Eire region Gaelic.

"Stop boasting, underling of Darkrai!" Bonnie challenges. "You'll have time enough to boast after you fight."

"Fight?" Brock gasps in a deeper version of himself in English for the Hydreigon. "You want to fight, then, do you? Very well! Blow then with your sweet breath, blow out a long level platform of gold where we can meet and try our strength!"'

"No," Bonnie shoots back. "You blow, and instead of gold, we will have a platform of iron."

"So the Hydreigon blew..." Misty waits as Brock does this, then continues. "...and on the iron platform that appeared from thin air Tri met him in battle."

Serena tries oh-so-hard not to laugh from her place onstage at Brock using a can of air to represent fire, and Bonnie using the toy Master Sword. "Back and forth they raged, Tri striking right and left with his mighty sword, the Hydreigon lunging at Tri with all his scaly heads and breathing fire and smoke from all his mouths." Misty narrates, trying herself not to laugh at how comical the mock battle playing out on the stage looks. "Tri whacked off one scaly head and then a second one, but he was unable to touch the third."

"I have to have help," Bonnie remembers as Brock's next air blast sends her stumbling back.

She then looks in Ash's direction as he sets the Growlithe doll on the floor, his finger poised over the middle of its body. Seilei colfin ar cadram tro... she sings to him.

On cue, Ash gently presses the hidden effect button, making the Growlithe doll bark and jump in Brock's direction. "They released the Growlithe, which bounded forward to its master's side, and soon Tri was able to dispatch the last head." Misty narrates as Bonnie triggers the toy Master Sword's beam effect, prompting Brock to sprawl on the stage to play dead.

"Tri was exhausted, and his comrades had to help him back to the old woman's house where he soon fell asleep." Misty narrates. "The night passed, and dawn appeared. A great cry of relief and thanksgiving went up from all the world. 'Ho'oh! Ho'oh has returned!' people cried as Ho'oh soared overhead. 'Arceus bless the one who has released Ho'oh!' But the biggest celebration of all was the royal court, when they saw Princess Orla safe."

She then tells the audience. "But two princesses were still in danger...we will tell you how one of them was saved next week!"

"Aw"s and applause fill the air as the group takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Week 321b: The Legend of Maide, part 2

(real tale: Log, the Hero Who Released the Sun)

As the group arrives to tell the second part of their adventure, Misty intones "Meanwhile, there was still great sorrow at the palace, and the king knew that two more of his daughters were still in danger."

"Tonight we have to sew up my middle daughter, Princess Ariana, and offer her to the six-headed Hydreigon, who holds captive Lunala." Brock sighs as the king. "Otherwise the monster will devour half my kingdom, half the castle, and half the shining stones. Ai-yai-ya!"

The audience tries oh so hard not to laugh at Brock's subtle reference to the song "Beautifly" and its many versions. "So when evening came, they sewed Princess Ariana in the sack and carried her out to the rock." Misty continues. "Maide and his companions saw the procession move down from the castle, and they saw that the castle was again disturbed, one half of it laughing and the other half crying.

"It's Princess Ariana tonight." she explains as the old woman. "Unless her father, the king, gives her to the six-headed Hydreigon, the monster will come and eat half the kingdom, half the castle, and half the shining stones. He also holds Lunala captive, and the hero that slays him will release her."

"Here is work for me!" Serena triumphantly cries as the second hero.

With that, she opens a can of Oran Power and sips it as Misty narrates "So the second hero--whose name was Sé--drank six bottles of the potion of strength, mounted his mighty Ponyta, and as he rode off he called to his comrades..."

"If I need help, I'll signal for it." Serena instructs Ash, who is again holding the Growlithe doll. "Only then can you unleash my Growlithe!"

After taking the toy Master Sword from Bonnie, Serena walks around the stage as Misty narrates. "So Sé rode to the rock on the shore and released Princess Ariana. He told her who he was, and kept watch for the six-headed Hydreigon. This time, the Hydreigon came in six mighty swirls with six heads that reared up one after another. Princess Ariana ran and hid behind the rock while Sé, mounting his Ponyta, rode down to the water's edge."

She intones "Like his fellow Hydreigon, this one also came sniffing the air hungrily, singing the magic song he had learned from his lord and master, Darkrai..."

Boladh mé rud éigin go maith! Brock fills in the song to no particular tune.
Beidh mé ag titim air agus a dhéanamh cothrom air!
Feicfidh mé pioc a chnámha agus deoch a chuid fola!

"Stop boasting!" Serena demands as Sé. "You will have time enough to boast after you fight!"

"Oh, you want to fight, do you?" Brock retorts as the Hydreigon. "Very well! Blow then with your sweet breath, blow out a long level platform of silver, where we can meet and battle."

"No," answered Sé. "You blow instead, and let it be a platform of steel."

"So the Hydreigon blew..." Misty waits for Brock to do this, then continues. "...and on the steel platform they battled."

The toy Master Sword and the can of air clash again as Misty continues. "Back and forth they raged, Sé striking left and right with his mighty sword, and the Hydreigon hitting at Sé with every one of his six heads and breathing forth fire and smoke from all his mouths. Sé cut off one head, then another, then another, before five heads were gone. He tried hard to strike the last one, but by this time the Hydreigon had grown wary and Sé's own strength was fading."

"I have to have help," Serena remembers as Brock's next air blast sends her stumbling back.

She then looks in Ash's direction as he sets the Growlithe doll on the floor, his finger poised over the middle of its body. Seios, higarima laisido... she sings to him.

On cue, Ash gently presses the hidden effect button, making the Growlithe doll bark and jump in Brock's direction. "They released the Growlithe, which bounded forward to its master's side, and soon Sé was able to dispatch the last head." Misty narrates as Serena triggers the toy Master Sword's beam effect, prompting Brock to sprawl on the stage to play dead.

"Sé was exhausted, and his comrades had to help him back to the old woman's house where he soon fell asleep." Misty narrates. "While he slept, Lunala appeared in the sky and a great cry of relief and thanksgiving went up from all the world, "Lunala! Lunala! Arceus bless the one who has released Lunala!"

The king was awakened by the sound and looked out the castle window. When he saw Lunala had returned to her place in the sky, his eyes overflowed with tears of both sadness and joy--happiness that Lunala had returned and Princess Ariana was safe, and tears that his youngest, Princess Christina, was still in danger."

She smiles at the enthralled audience. "So how did Maide save Princess Christina? We will tell you more next week!"

"Aw"s and applause fill the air as the group takes a bow...

 

[LightningTopaz]

@Chimchar98; @The Jingster; @Tophat Dragoneye; @Soulmaster

Week 321c: The Legend of Maide, part 3

(real tale: Log, the Hero Who Released the Sun)

Once sure all the group's props are in place, Misty continues "When Maide and his companions heard of the king's grief, Maide stepped forward and said..."

"This last battle is for me!" Ash vows as he opens a can of Midori Mist standing in for the potion of strength.

"He had no problem drinking down nine potions of strength." Misty narrates as Ash practically drinks down the whole can.

After discreetly tossing the empty can into an offstage trashcan, Ash picks up the toy Master Sword and strikes a heroic pose with it. "Let the night come! I am ready for the monster!" he vows in character.

"That night, he set out, telling his comrades he would signal if he needed help." Misty narrates as Ash and Serena, who is now holding the Growlithe doll, pantomime the conversation. "Maide wasted no time releasing Princess Christina. She fell in love with our hero at first sight, and was so thrilled with his beautiful looks and kind heart, she could hardly keep watch."

She intones "They did not have long to wait, and before long the sea glittered with the swirls of the nine-headed monster who was coming to shore with Solgaleo."

"Wait for me behind the rock!" Ash instructs Serena.

"Be careful!" Serena calls after him.

"Closer and closer came the swirls of the nine-coiled monster." Misty continues, clearly enjoying the enthralled looks on the audience's faces. "One after another of his nine heads rose and fell as he approached, and every head sniffed more hungrily as it came nearer, and each head rumbled as it sniffed..."

Boladh mé rud éigin go maith!
Beidh mé ag titim air agus a dhéanamh cothrom air!
Feicfidh mé pioc a chnámha agus deoch a chuid fola!> Brock sings to no tune in particular.

"Stop boasting!" Ash demands as Maide. "You will have time enough to boast after you fight!"

"Oh, you want to fight, do you?" Brock begins the rigamarole again as the Hydreigon. "Very well! Then blow out a long level platform of sunshine gold. There we can meet in battle!"

"No! You blow. Instead of sunshine gold, we will have a platform of moonlight silver." Ash retorts as Maide, brandishing the toy Master Sword for effect.

"So the monster blew..." Misty waits for Brock to do this. "...and on the silver platform Maide met him in battle."

The can of air and toy sword clash again as Misty narrates the third battle. "Back and forth they raged, Maide striking right and left with his mighty sword, the Hydreigon hitting at Maide with all his nine scaly heads and breathing forth fire and smoke from all nine mouths. Maide cut off head after head until eight lay gaping on the sand. But the last one he could not get."

"I have to have help." Ash muses as an air blast knocks him backwards.

He looks back at Serena, who is pointed to trigger the doll's effects. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Serena obediently triggers the Growithe doll's barking and jumping as Misty continues. "With the faithful Growlithe's help, Maide was soon able to dispatch the last head." As this Ash triggers the toy Master Sword's beam effect, prompting Brock to plop in his chair to play dead again. "Tri and Sé took him to the old woman's house, where he soon fell into a deep sleep."

Misty just smiles. "The next morning, Solgaleo rose at the proper time, and people all over the world fell on their knees in thanks, and crying tears of joy they cried, 'Solgaleo! Solgaleo! Arceus bless the one who has released Solgaleo!' The king's joy knew no bounds, and he offered our heroes his daughters as brides and a portion of riches from the royal treasury as a reward for all they had done."

She concludes "He gave Princess Orla to Tri, Princess Ariana to Sé, and Princess Christina to Maide. Then he gave them each a generous portion of riches from the royal treasury. After a year of celebration, our heroes took their brides and their riches and bidding the king farewell started homewards, where they each reigned over their homelands for a long time."

The crowd roars as the group takes a bow....