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- #21
Episode 13: The Phoenix of a Far Away Land
"So? Did Goukai finally manage to get a good sound?" Misty asked as the group traveled down a path some days later.
"Yeah--I did teach him not to overblow, and blowing gently was the key to a good sound on...any sort of flute, really." Ash replied, beaming with pride as he watched Goukai attempt to perform the children's song "I Hear a Little Fletchling Sing".
[I just wish I could find some more sources for songs--although the books of songs sensei Ash has given me have been very helpful.] Goukai replied as he put his instrument away. [Perhaps if we could see a play in a Gekijou theater, I could be inspired to learn one of the solos...]
"Well, where is a Gekijou theater?" Ash wondered. "All we've seen on the island so far are plains, caves, and the odd dojo or lake..."
[If we continue following this road, we'll come to the town of Kitamata.] Goukai explained. [There, we'll find the Joyous Child Theater...so named because their plays are meant to be enjoyed by all.]
A poster advertising the Joyous Child's latest show got Goukai's attention. [Hm...Moltres and the Princess Va...Varu...Varuen...]
"Valencia." Brock gently corrected Goukai. "You were on the right track, though."
[I don't think I have ever heard that story before...] Goukai mused. [Although...the Joyous Child and other Gekijou theaters do sometimes base a play off of a foreign story.]
Brock studied the poster for a moment. "The play doesn't sound like the version of 'Moltres and the Princess Valencia' I'm familiar with..."
He explained to Goukai "In most versions of this tale type, the hero finds a feather of Moltres on the roadside. In some versions, he attempts capturing Moltres, and ends up with the feather."
He went on "Despite Epona's warnings, our hero takes it to the king, who commands him to find Moltres herself. How exactly our hero goes about this differs from version to version, but with help from Epona and maybe Kitsune, he succeeds. Then the king asks our hero to find the titular princess, even though he does not truly love her--what her name is differs from version to version. She also may or may not have a connection to the Legendaries, as well."
[And then?] Goukai was interested.
"Again, how our hero finds the princess differs from version to version." Brock reminded the excited Kubfu. "Once the princess arrives, she sets a number of impossible tasks, and the hero comes through for her on the king's behalf every time. Towards the end, she asks the king to undergo a test of purity or some other trial by ordeal. When the hero is used as the lab Rattata for the trial, he passes with flying colors--usually thanks to a spell of protection Epona taught him. When the king attempts the trial, he usually pays with his life, or otherwise disappears. The hero is crowned king, he takes the princess as his bride and all live happily ever after."
"Lately, there's been a trend of giving both Moltres and the Princess Valencia more active roles...and the Gekijou theater's version of the story follows this style." Misty added. " In the version we're probably going to see, Moltres' feather is a good thing rather than a bad thing--the hero believes it may heal his king, who is very sick with a terrible disease. Moltres reveals that it is the evil miasma of the evil Koschei that is sickening the king, and the only way to dispel the miasma across the land is to defeat Koschei. But Koschei has put up a magical barrier around his castle, and only ten magical jewels can dispel it."
[How exciting!!!] Goukai cried.
"Moltres tells the archer to find the Princess Valencia, and the adventure begins." Misty continued. "From there, the tale departs from the original story, usually becoming a Zelda-esque quest."
Goukai was confused. [Who is this Zelda? Is she a sage of some kind?]
Ash racked his brain to figure a way to explain "The Legend of Zelda" at a level Goukai could understand. "Do you remember seeing any game consoles in Master Karashi's room back at Kikuzu?"
[Oh, so that's what all those strange boxes connected to the big TV in his room were!] Goukai smiled. [Even though I was never allowed in there to use them...]
"Well, 'The Legend of Zelda' is one of the best loved game series in the world." Ash explained. "The titular Zelda is the princess that rules the far away land of Hyrule--where most of the games take place.
"In most of the games, the hero, Link, has to collect so many magical things to save the world." Misty continued. "So when other media--or even folktales--attempt this, people always compare it to a Zelda game."
[I see...] Goukai smiled.
"Mind you, collect so many shiny things to save the world is not a bad thing in a story..." Brock assured Goukai. "It's what you do with that trope that makes it one of the best things ever, or doomed to be forgotten."
"But we digress..." Ash smiled as he noticed the rooftops of a town in the distance. "That has to be Kitamata..."
[I know the way to the theater...come on!] Goukai motioned for the group to follow him into town...
---------
[...around this corner past the town square....and we're here!] Goukai made a grand gesture to a majestic building with colorful banners hanging from the sloped roof.
"Wow!" Misty gasped in amazement at the beautiful theater.
Brock noticed the theater was beginning to attract a line. "If we're going to see the show, we'd better hurry and get in line for tickets."
Goukai nodded. [It would be a waste if we arrived and the show was sold out...]
"It looks like we've arrived in time for the first show of the day..." Misty mused as she studied the theater's marquee, which read "NOW SHOWING: 'MOLTRES AND THE PRINCESS VALENCIA 12:30 3:00 6:00"
"Have you been to a theater before?" Ash asked Goukai as the group got in line to buy tickets.
Goukai nodded. [Master Mitsu would often take me and the students to see plays as rewards for ranking up or passing some other difficult trial. So I know very well how to behave in a theater.]
He smiled at the group. [I'm so excited! My first time seeing a tale from the mainland!]
To Be Continued...
"So? Did Goukai finally manage to get a good sound?" Misty asked as the group traveled down a path some days later.
"Yeah--I did teach him not to overblow, and blowing gently was the key to a good sound on...any sort of flute, really." Ash replied, beaming with pride as he watched Goukai attempt to perform the children's song "I Hear a Little Fletchling Sing".
[I just wish I could find some more sources for songs--although the books of songs sensei Ash has given me have been very helpful.] Goukai replied as he put his instrument away. [Perhaps if we could see a play in a Gekijou theater, I could be inspired to learn one of the solos...]
"Well, where is a Gekijou theater?" Ash wondered. "All we've seen on the island so far are plains, caves, and the odd dojo or lake..."
[If we continue following this road, we'll come to the town of Kitamata.] Goukai explained. [There, we'll find the Joyous Child Theater...so named because their plays are meant to be enjoyed by all.]
A poster advertising the Joyous Child's latest show got Goukai's attention. [Hm...Moltres and the Princess Va...Varu...Varuen...]
"Valencia." Brock gently corrected Goukai. "You were on the right track, though."
[I don't think I have ever heard that story before...] Goukai mused. [Although...the Joyous Child and other Gekijou theaters do sometimes base a play off of a foreign story.]
Brock studied the poster for a moment. "The play doesn't sound like the version of 'Moltres and the Princess Valencia' I'm familiar with..."
He explained to Goukai "In most versions of this tale type, the hero finds a feather of Moltres on the roadside. In some versions, he attempts capturing Moltres, and ends up with the feather."
He went on "Despite Epona's warnings, our hero takes it to the king, who commands him to find Moltres herself. How exactly our hero goes about this differs from version to version, but with help from Epona and maybe Kitsune, he succeeds. Then the king asks our hero to find the titular princess, even though he does not truly love her--what her name is differs from version to version. She also may or may not have a connection to the Legendaries, as well."
[And then?] Goukai was interested.
"Again, how our hero finds the princess differs from version to version." Brock reminded the excited Kubfu. "Once the princess arrives, she sets a number of impossible tasks, and the hero comes through for her on the king's behalf every time. Towards the end, she asks the king to undergo a test of purity or some other trial by ordeal. When the hero is used as the lab Rattata for the trial, he passes with flying colors--usually thanks to a spell of protection Epona taught him. When the king attempts the trial, he usually pays with his life, or otherwise disappears. The hero is crowned king, he takes the princess as his bride and all live happily ever after."
"Lately, there's been a trend of giving both Moltres and the Princess Valencia more active roles...and the Gekijou theater's version of the story follows this style." Misty added. " In the version we're probably going to see, Moltres' feather is a good thing rather than a bad thing--the hero believes it may heal his king, who is very sick with a terrible disease. Moltres reveals that it is the evil miasma of the evil Koschei that is sickening the king, and the only way to dispel the miasma across the land is to defeat Koschei. But Koschei has put up a magical barrier around his castle, and only ten magical jewels can dispel it."
[How exciting!!!] Goukai cried.
"Moltres tells the archer to find the Princess Valencia, and the adventure begins." Misty continued. "From there, the tale departs from the original story, usually becoming a Zelda-esque quest."
Goukai was confused. [Who is this Zelda? Is she a sage of some kind?]
Ash racked his brain to figure a way to explain "The Legend of Zelda" at a level Goukai could understand. "Do you remember seeing any game consoles in Master Karashi's room back at Kikuzu?"
[Oh, so that's what all those strange boxes connected to the big TV in his room were!] Goukai smiled. [Even though I was never allowed in there to use them...]
"Well, 'The Legend of Zelda' is one of the best loved game series in the world." Ash explained. "The titular Zelda is the princess that rules the far away land of Hyrule--where most of the games take place.
"In most of the games, the hero, Link, has to collect so many magical things to save the world." Misty continued. "So when other media--or even folktales--attempt this, people always compare it to a Zelda game."
[I see...] Goukai smiled.
"Mind you, collect so many shiny things to save the world is not a bad thing in a story..." Brock assured Goukai. "It's what you do with that trope that makes it one of the best things ever, or doomed to be forgotten."
"But we digress..." Ash smiled as he noticed the rooftops of a town in the distance. "That has to be Kitamata..."
[I know the way to the theater...come on!] Goukai motioned for the group to follow him into town...
---------
[...around this corner past the town square....and we're here!] Goukai made a grand gesture to a majestic building with colorful banners hanging from the sloped roof.
"Wow!" Misty gasped in amazement at the beautiful theater.
Brock noticed the theater was beginning to attract a line. "If we're going to see the show, we'd better hurry and get in line for tickets."
Goukai nodded. [It would be a waste if we arrived and the show was sold out...]
"It looks like we've arrived in time for the first show of the day..." Misty mused as she studied the theater's marquee, which read "NOW SHOWING: 'MOLTRES AND THE PRINCESS VALENCIA 12:30 3:00 6:00"
"Have you been to a theater before?" Ash asked Goukai as the group got in line to buy tickets.
Goukai nodded. [Master Mitsu would often take me and the students to see plays as rewards for ranking up or passing some other difficult trial. So I know very well how to behave in a theater.]
He smiled at the group. [I'm so excited! My first time seeing a tale from the mainland!]
To Be Continued...