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- #21
Episode 11: The Festival at Ponyta Gate
After a relatively uneventful night, we broke camp and made our way to Ponyta Gate Station--so named because of the many Ponytas passing through the station.
But on this particular day, I noticed many of the Ponytas were dressed in colorful costumes. Takeshi explained that it was the Festival of Ponytas, and told me the tale of how the festival came to be as we watched the beautiful Ponytas parade through the station...
"Wow..." Serena gasped as hundreds of colorful Ponytas paraded inside Ponyta Gate Station. "I wonder what the occasion is for all these beautiful Ponytas...
"It's part of the Festival of Ponytas--which usually falls in the spring, but some places celebrate it in the summer." Kasumi explained. "It is in honor of the legendary Ponyta of heaven, Epona, and her first mortal caretaker."
Inspired, Takeshi dug out his vina and started a quiet melody. "Waku has long been a place of rolling hills and green plains--so it is no surprise that Ponytas and Rapidashes have been raised here for thousands of years." he explained. "But the story I want to tell you concerns the divine Ponyta Epona. "While you may know of her in your adopted home, she appears in folklore around the world. in some stories, she is called from heaven to assist a hero, and in others, waits for a hero to find her. But in some parts of Kanto, she had a bit more humble beginning."
With that, he began his tale. "In a certain village not far from where Rainbow Jewel City is today, Epona was part of a farmer's herd, and his son Hayate looked after her. Only Hayate knew of Epona's divine gifts--her speed, her strength, and her gift of speaking the words of humans, just to name a few."
"Rainbow Jewel City...I would love to see the grand gardens, and perform in the many theaters there." Haruka smiled.
"One day, Hayate and Epona were returning home from town when Arceus, in the form of an old man, met them on the road." Takeshi continued, playing a heroic motif to represent Arceus. "Hayate told Arceus that it was his job to look after Epona, and Arceus replied that if he always cared for Epona well, Epona would care for him in return. He knew the bond between Hayate and Epona was special, and warned Hayate not to sell Epona to anyone for any reason. Hayate promised he would do everything he could to keep Epona safe, thanked Arceus, and waved goodbye as Arceus returned to heaven."
He then intoned "Imagine Hayate's shock when his parents told him that they planned to sell Epona!"
Gasps went up from the growing crowd, but Takeshi quickly assured his audience "Hayate's father explained that the town rich man had seen Epona, and offered a high price for her. Despite Hayate's pleas, Epona was sold to the town rich man the next day."
He went on over a sad melody "The rich man was well known for mistreating those who worked for him, and the Pokemon were no different. Even though she was a divine Ponyta, Epona groaned under the backbreaking work she was forced to do, oftentimes being worked so hard she could barely stand."
Angry murmurs wafted through the air at this. "A year passed, and Hayate met Epona on the road to town." Takeshi went on, still playing his sad song. "He was angry to learn how Epona had been mistreated, but the servant told Hayate that that was how the rich man had gotten so much money--working people and Pokemon to death."
A hopeful chord got the audience's attention. "Hayate got an idea--he would ask to be hired as a servant. This way, he could keep his promise to Arceus."
"Oh"s went up at this. "So Hayate was hired as a servant the next day with his family's blessings, and did every job under the sun without any rest or breaks." Takeshi continued, playing a frenetic tremolo to represent Hayate running this way and that. "But no matter how tired he was, Hayate would find the time to care for Epona, and she soon regained much of her divine strength. Fall turned to winter, and that winter there was a lot of snow. But when winter turned to spring, the snow did not melt! This angered the rich man, as this would mean a delay in planting the crops. By the time the snow did melt, the rich man worked his staff--and Epona--so hard, that Epona decided enough was enough--the rich man had no right to mistreat a god-Pokemon like a common Ponyta!"
Murmurs went up in agreement. "So she sang to heaven..." Takeshi went on.
Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Kasumi filled in the song.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...
Applause went up at the shimmering mist Kasumi's rendition of the Swanna Song created. "As the song's last note echoed into the sky, Arceus appeared in all his glory before the rich man, and scolded him for treating his staff and Pokemon like tools--and especially abusing Epona, a divine Pokemon." Takeshi went on over a grand heroic melody. "He next healed Epona from her weariness, and she broke free from the harness, allowing all present to see her divine speed and power. Arceus then cursed the rich man to live a life of poverty, and to know the pain and weariness he had inflicted on so many others."
"Serves him right for mistreating so many..." a woman agreed.
"Hayate ran to Arceus' side, and begged his forgiveness for breaking his promise." Takeshi went on. Arceus just assured Hayate that he did not know of his parent's plans when he had made his promise, and by following Epona to the rich man's house, he had kept his promise. Epona told Hayate that even though it was time for her to return to heaven with Arceus, she would never forget him, and come down to visit him when she could. Hayate hugged Epona one last time, and built a shrine on the hill where they had enjoyed many a summer afternoon together."
He concluded "From that day forth, every year around the first day of spring or summer, the people let their Ponytas rest for a week, declaring the week the Festival of Ponytas. To this day, we remember how Arceus rescued Epona from oppression, and tell stories of how she aided many heroes, including her first caretaker, Hayate. As part of the festivities, many people dress up their Ponytas, in honor of Epona's divine beauty."
The station square roared with applause, but Serena's applause was the loudest as her friend took a bow...
After a relatively uneventful night, we broke camp and made our way to Ponyta Gate Station--so named because of the many Ponytas passing through the station.
But on this particular day, I noticed many of the Ponytas were dressed in colorful costumes. Takeshi explained that it was the Festival of Ponytas, and told me the tale of how the festival came to be as we watched the beautiful Ponytas parade through the station...
"Wow..." Serena gasped as hundreds of colorful Ponytas paraded inside Ponyta Gate Station. "I wonder what the occasion is for all these beautiful Ponytas...
"It's part of the Festival of Ponytas--which usually falls in the spring, but some places celebrate it in the summer." Kasumi explained. "It is in honor of the legendary Ponyta of heaven, Epona, and her first mortal caretaker."
Inspired, Takeshi dug out his vina and started a quiet melody. "Waku has long been a place of rolling hills and green plains--so it is no surprise that Ponytas and Rapidashes have been raised here for thousands of years." he explained. "But the story I want to tell you concerns the divine Ponyta Epona. "While you may know of her in your adopted home, she appears in folklore around the world. in some stories, she is called from heaven to assist a hero, and in others, waits for a hero to find her. But in some parts of Kanto, she had a bit more humble beginning."
With that, he began his tale. "In a certain village not far from where Rainbow Jewel City is today, Epona was part of a farmer's herd, and his son Hayate looked after her. Only Hayate knew of Epona's divine gifts--her speed, her strength, and her gift of speaking the words of humans, just to name a few."
"Rainbow Jewel City...I would love to see the grand gardens, and perform in the many theaters there." Haruka smiled.
"One day, Hayate and Epona were returning home from town when Arceus, in the form of an old man, met them on the road." Takeshi continued, playing a heroic motif to represent Arceus. "Hayate told Arceus that it was his job to look after Epona, and Arceus replied that if he always cared for Epona well, Epona would care for him in return. He knew the bond between Hayate and Epona was special, and warned Hayate not to sell Epona to anyone for any reason. Hayate promised he would do everything he could to keep Epona safe, thanked Arceus, and waved goodbye as Arceus returned to heaven."
He then intoned "Imagine Hayate's shock when his parents told him that they planned to sell Epona!"
Gasps went up from the growing crowd, but Takeshi quickly assured his audience "Hayate's father explained that the town rich man had seen Epona, and offered a high price for her. Despite Hayate's pleas, Epona was sold to the town rich man the next day."
He went on over a sad melody "The rich man was well known for mistreating those who worked for him, and the Pokemon were no different. Even though she was a divine Ponyta, Epona groaned under the backbreaking work she was forced to do, oftentimes being worked so hard she could barely stand."
Angry murmurs wafted through the air at this. "A year passed, and Hayate met Epona on the road to town." Takeshi went on, still playing his sad song. "He was angry to learn how Epona had been mistreated, but the servant told Hayate that that was how the rich man had gotten so much money--working people and Pokemon to death."
A hopeful chord got the audience's attention. "Hayate got an idea--he would ask to be hired as a servant. This way, he could keep his promise to Arceus."
"Oh"s went up at this. "So Hayate was hired as a servant the next day with his family's blessings, and did every job under the sun without any rest or breaks." Takeshi continued, playing a frenetic tremolo to represent Hayate running this way and that. "But no matter how tired he was, Hayate would find the time to care for Epona, and she soon regained much of her divine strength. Fall turned to winter, and that winter there was a lot of snow. But when winter turned to spring, the snow did not melt! This angered the rich man, as this would mean a delay in planting the crops. By the time the snow did melt, the rich man worked his staff--and Epona--so hard, that Epona decided enough was enough--the rich man had no right to mistreat a god-Pokemon like a common Ponyta!"
Murmurs went up in agreement. "So she sang to heaven..." Takeshi went on.
Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Kasumi filled in the song.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...
Applause went up at the shimmering mist Kasumi's rendition of the Swanna Song created. "As the song's last note echoed into the sky, Arceus appeared in all his glory before the rich man, and scolded him for treating his staff and Pokemon like tools--and especially abusing Epona, a divine Pokemon." Takeshi went on over a grand heroic melody. "He next healed Epona from her weariness, and she broke free from the harness, allowing all present to see her divine speed and power. Arceus then cursed the rich man to live a life of poverty, and to know the pain and weariness he had inflicted on so many others."
"Serves him right for mistreating so many..." a woman agreed.
"Hayate ran to Arceus' side, and begged his forgiveness for breaking his promise." Takeshi went on. Arceus just assured Hayate that he did not know of his parent's plans when he had made his promise, and by following Epona to the rich man's house, he had kept his promise. Epona told Hayate that even though it was time for her to return to heaven with Arceus, she would never forget him, and come down to visit him when she could. Hayate hugged Epona one last time, and built a shrine on the hill where they had enjoyed many a summer afternoon together."
He concluded "From that day forth, every year around the first day of spring or summer, the people let their Ponytas rest for a week, declaring the week the Festival of Ponytas. To this day, we remember how Arceus rescued Epona from oppression, and tell stories of how she aided many heroes, including her first caretaker, Hayate. As part of the festivities, many people dress up their Ponytas, in honor of Epona's divine beauty."
The station square roared with applause, but Serena's applause was the loudest as her friend took a bow...