Thread: Live From the Fireside: Season 4 (Week 104: The Thousand Mile Shoes)

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

Week 92: How Sorin Defeated Tanooki

(real tale: The Slaying of the Tanuki)

"This week, I have a little different Sorin tale for you...one where Sorin plays the hero." Brock explains to thunderous applause.

He waits for the applause to quiet, then begins. "Once, near a big river, and between two high mountains, a man and his wife lived in a cottage a long, long time ago. A dense forest lay all round the cottage, and there was hardly a path or a tree in the whole wood that was not familiar to the man from his childhood. On one of his excursions into the woods he had befriended Sorin, and though he knew as well as anyone that Sorin was quite the trickster..."

More applause goes up at the familiar beginning. "the two of them spent a long time together, talking about anything and everything."

"Now one day a wicked, quarrelsome Zigzagoon-like beast known as Tanooki happened to discover Sorin and the man having one of their long conversations." Brock explains. "He hated the man, and was never tired of doing bad things to him. Time and time again he had crept to the house, found some choice morsel or another meant for Sorin, and had either eaten it or trampled it to pieces so that no one else would get it. Finally, the man lost his patience, and made up his mind that he would have Tanooki's head."

Nervous laughter goes up as Brock goes on. "So for many days the man lay hidden, waiting for Tanooki to come by, and when one morning he marched up the road thinking of nothing but the food he was going to steal, the man threw himself on him and bound him up tight, so that he couldn't move. Then he dragged his enemy joyfully to the house, feeling that maybe he had got the better of the mischievous beast which had done so many bad things to him. When he got to the house, he hung Tanooki head first from a beam, and went out to gather wood for a fire."

After waiting a few beats, Brock continues. "Meanwhile, the woman was standing at the mortar pounding the rice with a pestle that made her arms ache with its weight. Suddenly she heard something whining and weeping in the corner, and, stopping her work, she looked around to see what it was. When she saw Tanooki just hanging there, she felt sorry for him and untied him--which prompted Tanooki to dart away from her, making her fall into a pot of boiling water on accident!"

Laughter goes up at this. "Needless to say, it took her some time to recover from all those burns." Brock notes.

He goes on "Then, Tanooki looked outside, and saw the man coming from the forest carrying a large bundle of wood. Quick as lightning, Tanooki not only put on the woman's clothes, but, as he was a magician, he cast a spell..." Brock pauses to sing Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... for effect. "and assumed her form as well. But Sorin saw right through his disguise, and Tanooki had no choice but to run for the forest."

Giggles go up at this. "About then the man had found his injured wife, cleaned and dressed her wounds, and swore revenge on Tanooki for gravely injuring his wife. Sorin heard the ranting and raving, and after hearing the whole story, offered to help the man in whatever way he could."

"Ooh"s and giggles fill the air at this. "The first thing he did was to search the house for materials to make an ointment, which he sprinkled plentifully with pepper and then put in his pocket. Next he took an axe, bade farewell to the man, and departed to the forest. He made his way to Tanooki's house and knocked at the door." Brock pauses to knock in a 'shave-and-a-haircut' rhythm for effect. "Tanooki, was greatly pleased to see Sorin, for when he noticed the axe, started mulling ways to get hold of it."

"And then?" some children ask.

"Tanooki offered to accompany Sorin, which was exactly what Sorin wished and expected, for he knew all of Tanooki's cunning and wiles." Brock explains. "As the two of them wandered through the forest, Sorin carelessly raised his hatchet in passing, and cut down some thick branches that were hanging over the path, but after he cut down a huge oak tree, he decided that it was too heavy for him to carry home, and he would just leave it where it was. This delighted the greedy Tanooki, who said that they would be no weight for him, so they collected the large branches, which Sorin bound tightly on his back. Then he trotted happily to the house, with Sorin following with his lighter bundle."

He returns to his place at center stage, then continues "Meanwhile, Sorin got the idea to set the wood Tanooki carried on fire. Tanooki however, was off in la-la land, oblivious to the smoke and the crackling flames that he heard. It wasn't until he noticed his fur was in flames, and it was almost too late to put it out, did he realize there was any problem."

The audience roars with laughter at this. "Tanooki shrieked with pain, stamping and howling with agony all the while." Brock continues, stomping around the stage himself for effect. "But Sorin comforted him, and told him that he always carried with him an excellent plaster for just such an emergency, which would bring him instant relief. So he took out his ointment, spread it on a leaf of bamboo, and laid it on the wound. No sooner did it touch him did Tanooki leap yelling into the air."

The audience laughs even more as Brock concludes Sorin just laughed as Tanooki raced into the forest, never to return; and ran to tell his friend the man what a trick he had just played."

The crowd applauds as Brock takes a bow....

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


Week 93: Saved from Fate

(real tale: Stronger than Fate)

"Once upon a time, a queen of a far off land gave birth to a healthy baby boy." Brock begins. "The fairies of light gathered around the child--who had been named Kichirou--to bless him, but one light fairy shook her head.

In character as a young girl, he sighs "I fear it is the prince's fate to die by Croconaw or Arbok or Arcanine...there is nothing we can do to prevent this."

Fearful murmurs race through the crowd as Brock continues "The king and queen were heartbroken and decided not to tempt fate. So they built a castle atop a mountain and hired men to guard it day and night, and there Prince Kichirou lived, protected from anything that would potentially harm him."

After waiting for a few beats, he continues "One day Kichirou noticed a Growlithe playing outside his window, and decided that he wanted to have a Growlithe of his own. Since the king and queen never denied him a wish, they decided to grant this one too. They found him a Growlithe, and trained him to protect his master."

Brock then returns to his place at center stage. "Prince Kichirou and his Growlithe were great friends, but one day not long after he came of age, he told his father he longed to see the world."

"I know about the prophecy," he assures the audience in his best Ash mimic, "but my Growlithe will protect me."

"Again, the king could not refuse." he continues as himself. "He gave a beautiful Ponyta from the royal stables to him, and with his Growlithe by his side, Prince Kichirou rode far and wide; delighted by all he saw."

Tense murmurs fill the air as the audience wonders how the three fates will come into play. "One day while visiting another land, Prince Kichirou fell in love with a princess--we'll call her Shina." Brock explains to the audience.

"I wish to marry you," he begins as Kichirou, "but my fate is to die at the hands of a Croconaw, an Arbok or an Arcanine; I don't want to see you broken hearted."

"We shall resist fate," he replies in his best mimic of May to represent Princess Shina. "True love can conquer anything so long as we believe it can."

As himself, Brock continues "And so, Prince Kichirou and Princess Shina were married."

Thunderous applause goes up at this. "A few years went by, and Prince Kichirou learned his father was very sick." Brock intones, signaling his story is not over yet. The two of them traveled to Prince Kichirou's homeland to visit him. One night, while they were fast asleep, Princess Shina suddenly heard a sound that woke her."

Nervous giggles fill the air as Brock peers into the wings, as if he is Princess Shina trying to find the noise that woke her. "She stared into the darkness and spied an Arbok coiled in the corner." Laughter goes up as Brock rears back in feigned surprise, as if the Arbok is really there in the wings. "She tried to remember all she had learned from the fairies of light. Suddenly, she remembered that Arboks loved milk. So she slipped out of bed and filled a bowl with milk." Brock pauses to set a saucer of milk by the wings. "When the creature saw the bowl, it began to lap it up so quickly that Princess Shina worried that it would choke to death."

Laughter goes up at this. "When the Arbok finished the milk, it fell fast asleep, and Princess Shina told the guards to catch it and release it somewhere far away."

He pauses for a few beats before announcing "She had saved her husband from a deadly fate!"

More applause fills the air at this, but Brock still isn't finished. "Sadly, the king died the next day." he sighs. "After the funeral rites were completed, Prince Kichirou ascended to the throne. One day, as he was out hunting with one of his Arcanines, he suddenly tripped over a log on the riverbank. To his astonishment, he heard two voices speaking to him as he tried to regain his bearings. One was Darkrai, and the other Arceus.

In a deeper version of himself to represent Darkrai, he growls "You cannot escape fate. Wherever you go, I will find you."

He then switches to a soft and gentle deep voice to represent Arceus. "There is still a chance for you to escape--look for a hole in sand filled with water that never dissolves."

As himself, he continues "Prince Kichirou was terrified at this, and told Princess Shina what had happened. Princess Shina assured her beloved she would find a way to save him. After thinking for a moment, she remembered a special mint plant an earth fairy had told her about. The four-leafed mint grew in the desert and could keep water in a pit for a year or more."

Awed murmurs race through the crowd. "Princess Shina set out to find the water mint early the next morning." Brock goes on. "She left in the middle of the night, guided by starlight. She rode her shining Ponyta west, toward the desert, enduring heat, storms, and thirst all the while."

"At last they came to a mountain that cast a cool shadow." he continues as he returns to center stage. "The water mint grew at the very top of that mountain, but it was surrounded by a deep chasm. Luckily, Princess Shina had packed some rope." He shows the audience some rope for effect. "She made a large loop with one end..." He proceeds to do this with his own rope. "and tossed the other across the chasm with all her strength, where it caught on a branch." Gasps go up as Brock gives the rope a mighty heave, where it catches on a stake at the other end of the stage. "Trusting this rope to hold her up, Princess Shina climbed across the chasm."

The audience watches as Brock guides a small doll with slightly tanned skin and black hair tied back in a neat ponytail wearing an ornate pale blue outfit across the rope. "The wind assailed her, and still she climbed." he continues as he guides the doll. "Blinded by sand, she felt her way up the mountain to the very top."

Some light applause fills the air when the doll reaches the other end. "She climbed on until she felt plants beneath her feet, and taking one..." Brock sets the doll aside and picks up a mint sprout. "she counted leaves -- one, two, three, four. Her heart pounding, she held fast to the plant and slid down the rock, leaped over the chasm, mounted her Ponyta, and rode for home.

The lights go down as he continues "When she got home, Princess Shina saw her beloved standing near the river beside a pit of sand he had dug. Beside the pit was a pot of water, and only a short distance away stood a hungry Croconaw. Princess Shina ran to the hole and instructed Prince Kichirou to pour in the water. As Prince Kichirou did this, she tossed in the water mint. Sure enough, the water did not seep through the sand, but remained. The angry Croconaw plunged back into the river and swam away."

Mild applause goes up at this. "Prince Kichirou was amazed at all Princess Shina had done--with her strength and commitment, he had overcome the second of the three fates the fairies had predicted so long ago." Brock replies. "Suddenly a wild Ducklett flew past. Prince Kichirou's Arcanine got excited and began to chase the Ducklett, causing Prince Kichirou to trip over him, sending them both tumbling into the river. Luckily, Princess Shina tossed a rope to her beloved and pulled him and his Arcanine ashore."

He concludes "Prince Kichirou stared into his wife's eyes--Princess Shina's bravery had proven to him yet again that her love was stronger than even fate. They lived happily ever after, and went on even more adventures together--but that is another story for another day!"

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...

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


Week 94: The Prince's Pokemon

(real tale: The Three Princes and their Beasts)

"Did you hear? Ash is gonna tell this week's story!" Yuki tells the other Players as some of them gather in the wings, where Brock is on stage explaining that the tale in question was one Ash made up himself.

"The two of them are very close, and Brock has been training Ash as a storyteller..." Lotta muses.

"It's only fair that the apprentice get a turn to perform on occasion." Kano smiles as the audience applauds and a spotlight appears on Ash, signaling he is about to begin his performance.

Onstage, Ash takes a deep breath to calm the Beautifiles in his stomach, then begins "Once upon a time there were three princes, who had a stepsister. One day, they all set out hunting together. While they were traveling through a deep forest, they discovered a great Mightyena with three babies. Just as they were going to shoot, the mama Mightyena pleaded for them not to shoot her, and she would give each of them one of her cubs in return. So the princes went on their way, and a little Poochyena followed each of them."

"Aw..." Yuki smiles.

"Then they found a mama Entei with three cubs." Ash continues. "She too begged them not to shoot her, and she would give each of them a cub. This went on for a while, with the princes meeting a Ninetales, a Lopunny, a Pignite, and an Ursaring, till each prince had a full team of young Pokemon trotting along behind him."

"I bet they were on their toes keeping up with them all..." Rylan grins.

"As the sun set, they came to a clearing in the forest, where three trees grew at each path of a three way fork in the road. The eldest prince--we'll call him Takuya--took an arrow," Ash pantomimes aiming a bow. "and shot it into the trunk of one of the trees. Turning to his brothers, he said..."

"Let each of us mark one of these trees before we travel on different paths." Brock fills in Prince Takuya's dialogue using a slightly high pitched version of himself. "If any one of us returns to this place, he must walk around the other trees. If he sees the mark in the tree has turned black, he will know that that brother is dead or has suffered misfortune, but if the mark glows, he will know that his brother has found fortune."

"So the other princes did as Prince Takuya had said, and when the three trees were marked by their arrows they turned to their stepsister and asked her with which of them she wanted to stay with." Ash continues. Then the brothers separated from each other, and each of them set out down a different road, followed by their Pokemon. The stepsister--we'll call her Aina--went with Prince Takuya, as that was the one she was closest with."

"I wonder what adventures they got into?" Akane muses as she arrives in the wings.

"After they had gone a little ways down the road they came into a forest, and in one of the deepest glades they suddenly found themselves near a castle in which there lived a gang of bandits." Ash replies. "Prince Takuya walked up to the door and knocked..." He knocks on the stage floor for effect. "No sooner had the door opened did Prince Takuya's Pokemon charge in and kill the bandits before the bandits could kill them."

He quickly interjects "Now, one of the bandits was only badly wounded, but he lay very still as if dead like the others."

Yuki swallows hard as Ash continues "The next morning, Prince Takuya went out hunting. Before leaving he told Aina that she might go into any room in the house except into the cave where the dead bandits were. But his instructions went in one ear and out the other--after looking through all the other rooms, she went down to the cellar and opened the door. As soon as she looked in the bandit who had played dead sat up and said to her..."

"Don't be afraid. Do what I tell you, and I will be your friend." Brock fills in the bandit's dialogue in character as James. "If you marry me you will be much happier with me than with your brother. But you must first go into the kitchen and look in the cupboard. There you will find three bottles. In one of them there is a healing balm which you must put on my chin to heal the wound; then if I drink the potion in the second bottle it will make me well, and the third bottle's potion will make me stronger than I was before. When your brother returns from the forest with his Pokemon, you must go to him and say, 'Brother, you are very strong. If I were to fasten your thumbs behind your back with a stout silk cord, could you wrench yourself free?' And when you see that he cannot do it, call me."

Some applause goes up at Brock's performance. "When Prince Takuya returned, Aina did as the bandit had told her, and fastened her brother's thumbs behind his back. But with one wrench he set himself free, and said to her..." Ash continues.

"Sister, that cord is not strong enough for me." Brock retorts as Prince Takuya.

"The next day, he returned to the forest with his Pokemon." Ash goes on. "and the bandit told her to bind his thumbs with a stronger cord. But again Prince Takuya freed himself, though not so easily as the first time, and he said to Aina..."

"Even that cord is not strong enough." Brock replies as Prince Takuya, to some laughter.

"On the third day, on his return from the forest he agreed to have his strength tested one more time." Ash continues. "So Aina took a very strong cord of silk, which she had prepared by the bandit's advice, and this time, though Prince Takuya pulled and tugged with all his might, he could not break the cord. So he called to her and said...

"Sister, this time the cord is so strong I cannot break it. Come and unfasten it for me." Brock pleads as Prince Takuya.

"But instead of coming, Aina called to the bandit, who rushed into the room brandishing a dagger!" Ash announces, making the audience gasp. But Prince Takuya said..."

"Wait for a moment." Brock instructs as Prince Takuya. "I would like before I die to sound three calls on my signaling whistle..." This gives Ash time to dig a whistle from his pocket as Brock continues as Prince Takuya "One in this room, one on the stairs, and one in the courtyard."

"So the bandit consented, and the prince blew the whistle." Ash proceeds to play the Zelda whistle theme for effect. "At the first note, the Vulpix, which was asleep in the cage in the courtyard, awoke, and knew that her master needed help. So she woke the Poochyena by stroking his eyes with her tails. Then they woke the Entei, who heaved against the door of the cage with all his might, so that it fell in a gazillion pieces on the ground, freeing them all. They rushed through the court to their master's aid--the Vulpix gnawed the cord that bound Prince Takuya's thumbs behind his back, and the Entei flung himself on the bandit, killing him."

Some applause goes up as Ash continues "Prince Takuya set a huge bowl before Aina, and instructed her not to come out of the house until the bowl had been filled with her tears of remorse."

He continues. "He called his Pokemon together, and set out on his travels. For a while, Prince Takuya's travels were uneventful until he came to an inn in another land. Everyone in the inn seemed sad, so when he asked them what was wrong, they replied that the princess of the land--we'll call her Remina--was to be given as a sacrifice to a dreadful Hydreigon."

"Why should she die?" Brock declares as Prince Takuya. "I will save her myself!"

"So he set out to the plain where the Hydreigon was to meet Princess Remina." Ash goes on. "As he waited with his Pokemon,a great procession came along, accompanying Princess Remina. When the the procession reached the plain, all the people left her, and returned sadly to their houses. But Prince Takuya remained, and after a few tense moments, he saw movement in the water a long way off. As it came nearer, he knew what it was--the Hydreigon!"

Everyone is on the edge of their seats as Ash continues. "Then Prince Takuya told his Pokemon to attack, and as the Hydreigon approached the shore, the Vulpix drew her tails through the water and blinded the Hydreigon by scattering the water in his eyes. The Teddiursa and the Entei threw up more water with their paws, so that the Hydreigon was both blinded and confused. Then Prince Takuya rushed forward with his sword slew the Hydreigon!

"HAH!!!" Brock stabs at the air with a prop sword, as if the Hydreigon is really there.

Everyone laughs as Ash concludes "When the king learned what had happened, he was amazed that someone managed to slay the Hydreigon, and offered Prince Takuya Princess Remina's hand in marriage as a reward. It wasn't long before Prince Takuya was married to Princess Remina and rewarded with half the kingdom to boot."

"But what about his brothers?" a girl in one row asks.

"As for what happened to Prince Takuya's brothers, that is another story for another day!" Ash replies.

"The crowd roars with applause, but the Players' applause is the most enthusiastic. Brock then acknowledges Ash, who takes a bow...

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

Week 95: The Bridge that Gave Plenty

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 45, story 1)

"In a certain village by Ilex Forest lived a charcoal maker." Brock begins onstage as the audience settles in.

"Seems that a lot of tales from the Azalea Town area have to do with some charcoal maker or another that gets blessed with wealth for being kind..." Lotta muses as the Players listen to Brock's performance from the wings.

"To be fair, that family has been very prosperous for years making Charcoal, so of course a lot of stories sprung up about how they got their prosperity." Rylan assures Lotta.

"One day, he spotted a hungry Zigzagoon, and gave it some food." Brock continues. "His kindness wan't just for the Pokemon--if anyone in the village needed help or was sick, he would move heaven and earth to make things right again. But one person can only do so much, so every night he worried about what people and Pokemon he wasn't able to help."

"And then?" Akane wonders as she looks up from a book.

"One night, Arceus appeared to the charcoal maker in a dream, and told him that as a reward for his kindness, he would give him anything he wanted." Brock goes on. "The charcoal maker replied that he only wanted enough food and water to feed everyone in the village and himself. Arceus then instructed him to travel to a certain bridge."

"So where was this bridge?" Lotta is curious.

"The next day, the charcoal maker spent hours looking for the bridge while in town. Eventually, he found a bridge leading to an array of food stalls, earning it the nickname 'the bridge that gives plenty'." Brock explains. "He stood at one end, but everyone just stared at him."

"And then?" Rylan is intrigued.

"A few days went by, and on the fifth day, one of the food merchants noticed him, and asked why he was on the end of the bridge." Brock replies, as if he can seemingly hear the Players' commentary backstage. "When the charcoal maker explained his dream, the merchant replies that he had a dream where Arceus appeared to him and told him he'd left a treasure somewhere in the charcoal maker's fields."

Everyone gasps as Brock continues "Excited, the charcoal maker hurried home and dug up his field. Sure enough, he found a huge stash of gold and gems--more than most people like him ever earned in a lifetime."

He concludes "He used the money to buy food for the poor and help millions more people and Pokemon, but there was enough left to ensure that he and his descendants would never have to worry about food or money either."

Lotta leads the applause as Brock takes a bow...

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


Week 96: The Hiding Snow

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 46, story 1)


"One day on her journeys, a miko passed through a certain village." Brock begins. "It was getting late, so she asked one of the townsfolk if she could spend the night with them. The woman invited her in, and made her a small meal out of what little she had."

He then looks offstage, as if something is there. "As they were eating, "the miko noticed a lot of rice stalks outside, and suggested..."

In character as Dawn, he asks as the miko "Why don't we bring some of these rice stalks in to cook?"

He interjects as himself "But the miko didn't know the rice belonged to the town rich man."

Concerned murmurs waft through the crowd "The woman pleaded with the miko not to take the rice, for they would most likely be caught and left to some horrible fate if they did." Brock continues. "The miko assured the woman that she had a way to conceal any footprints. She told the woman..."

In character as Dawn again, he explains "Rice and all things in the world are a gift from the Great Lord Arceus. Stealing may be wrong, but sometimes, it is a necessary evil, and Arceus will understand if something is stolen to help another."

As himself, he continues "That night, the woman took a little of the rice, and made some onigiri for the miko. The next morning, the woman was shocked to find that it snowed during the night, covering any evidence of what she did." The crowd laughs as Brock balks at something. "The woman wished the miko well on her journey, but all that day, she worried that the miko was some evil spirit, or even Darkai, tempting her."

The auditorium is silent as the audience waits to hear what will happen next. "Just before she could leave to apologize, the woman was shocked to find the rich man at her door." Brock explains, making a few giggles go up as he feigns surprise over an imagined guest at an imagined front door in the wings. "The rich man just smiled and said that was not why he came at all."

In character as the rich man, he explains "Arceus appeared to me in a dream last night, and told me to share some of my plentiful harvest with the less fortunate. Who knows--maybe the miko that visited you was really Arceus in disguise, testing your faith."

He concludes as himself "It is said that snow hides footsteps, but it will not hide the footsteps of the evil and selfish."

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...

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


Week 97: The Three Riddles

(real tale: "Folktales from Japan" episode 46, story 2)

"In a certain village lived a mother and her only son--who we'll call Shinjiro" Brock begins. "One day, his mother got very sick, and couldn't work. Shinjiro assured his mom he would go into town to get a job. He left for town the next day, and got a job with a renowned juicemaker. Shinjiro proved himself a hard worker, and the owner gave him enough food and money for Shinjiro to support himself and his mom."

Some mild applause goes up at this. "The years went by, and Shinjiro grew into a kind and reliable young man." Brock continues. "One day, the owner called all the workers together, and told them that he would ask them three riddles, and the one that answered them all correctly will inherit the factory when he dies. It turned out that the riddles were not questions, but cryptic phrases: 'The night shiyara', 'The thin voice of the rin at dawn', and 'The thick tamazusa of morning'.

He intones "The owner went on to say that the workers had until the next day to solve the riddles, but the workers had no clue what their master meant, and spent hours discussing and debating possible answers."

Laughter goes up at this. "Shinjiro took advantage of the night off to go see his mom, who had been healed thanks to the food he had sent." Brock goes on to some applause. "As they were visiting and catching up on what had happened since his last visit, a miko came to the house and asked to spend the night. Shinjiro was not tired at all, so he spent the night visiting with the miko, and learning many things from her holy wisdom and all she had heard and seen on her travels thus far."

The audience, meanwhile, is more interested in the riddles from earlier, and whispers race through the room as they speculate and debate their own answers. "Just then, the miko heard a Mightyena howl in the distance, and called it 'the night shiyara'." Brock explains, making some "oh"s fill the air. "They visited some more, until the Combusken called to herald the sunrise, which the miko said was 'the thin voice of the rin at dawn'. As the miko prepared to leave, she told Shinjiro that 'the thick tamazusa of morning' was the morning dew.

More "oh"s and fascinated whispers race through the crowd as Brock explains "Shinjiro returned to town, and told his master that 'the night shiyara' was Mightyena howling at night, 'the thin voice of the rin at dawn' was Combusken crowing in the morning, and 'the thick tamazusa of morning' was the morning dew."

He concludes "The owner left on a long journey the next day--it is said he is still traveling today, confident the juice is in the hands of a wise boy."

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow...

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


Week 98: Sorin and Illumise's Egg Hunt

(real tale: Anansi and Firefly Go Hunting)

One afternoon long, long ago, Sorin was sitting at home resting when he saw Illumise fly past." Brock begins. "When Sorin saw her, he got a fine idea, if he said so himself."

In character as Sorin, he calls to no one in particular "Oi, Illumise! Why dontcha stop in and chitchat with me for a while?"

As himself, he continues "So Illumise did, and they talked for hours. After they had talked for a while, Sorin suggested they go hunting for eggs together in the forest. Now, Illumise knew as well as anyone that Sorin was quite the trickster..."

Thunderous applause goes up at the familiar beginning. "but she agreed to Sorin's proposal, and told him to come to her house at sunset." Brock continues when the applause dies down. "Sorin loved hunting, and he loved collecting all manner of Pokemon eggs. And Illumise seemed like the perfect hunting companion for anyone who liked to sneak around, for she would give him light to see in the dark."

Giggles go up as the audience anticipates what hijinks the crafty Pikachu will get into this time around. "When the sun set, Sorin hurried to Illumise's house. Together they set off for the forest, and there they snuck up on an unguarded Pidgey's nest." Brock continues. "It was nighttime, and there was no moon in the sky. But Illumise opened her wings, and when she did, her tail lit up the forest like it was daytime. It was just enough light for Sorin see not just the six Pidgey eggs, but all the eggs in the immediate vicinity. So he went to work, picking up every single egg out of every single nest in that tree, and placing them carefully in his basket. When he had gathered every last one, he and Illumise hurried to another tree with nests, and the process would begin anew."

He quickly interjects "As the night wore on, Illumise began to grow tired, and she wondered if this wasn't a mistake."

More giggles go up as Brock goes on "Before long, Sorin's basket was overflowing, and as they moved on across the dark forest, Illumise suggested..." In a breathy female voice he intones "Come, let's go to the next tree, and this time you'll fill my basket."

"I'm too tired to do any more hunting," he sighs as Sorin. "I think I'll just take my eggs home."

As himself, he continues "Illumise was furious at this, and flew away in a huff, leaving Sorin stranded in the dark."

The audience gasps as the lights suddenly blink off, leaving the auditorium in complete darkness. "They had traveled for a long, long time, and gone a long, long way, and Sorin had no idea how to find his way home." Brock's voice echoes from the darkness. "As Sorin groped about in the darkness, he bumped smack into what he thought was a house."

When the lights come up on Brock again, he calls as Sorin "Hello! Anybody home?"

In a deep and gravely voice, he answers "Who's that in my house?"

"It's Sorin, your good friend!" he calls as Sorin.

As himself, he explains "Sorin recognized the deep voice that had answered him--he had wandered into Raikou's den!"

"Ooh"s and giggles fill the air at this. "Raikou saw Sorin in the dim light of the den's entryway and let out a huge sigh." Brock continues. "Sorin had tricked him many times before, and every Pokemon knew that nobody makes a fool of Raikou. But Raikou was a clever Pokemon in his own right. And so, although Sorin was no friend of his, he said, very sweetly..." In a gentler version of his Raikou voice, he says "Come in, my friend."

He continues as himself "Sorin stepped inside, and the moment he did, Raikou shut the door behind him."

"Look at those eggs!" he gasps as Raikou as he admires an imagined egg. "Let's boil them and have a feast."

As himself, he continues "Before Sorin could say a word, Raikou put a big kettle on the fire and called out to his wife and cubs..." As Raikou again, he calls offstage "Come see our midnight snack!"

Laughter goes up as the audience pictures the look on Sorin's face as the Raikous enter the room. "So Lady Raikou and the four cubs hurried into the room, and the moment those eggs were boiled, they began to gobble them down." Brock continues as himself. "But after a few minutes, Raikou began wondering if perhaps Sorin wanted some, too. Sorin was nervous surrounded by all the Raikous, and politely declined. He didn't want to upset the Raikous, after all."

Chuckles of anticipation race through the crowd. "So when all the eggs were gone, Raikou waited until Sorin was looking the other way, dropped a Corphish into the kettle, and then covered the Corphish with all the eggshells. He then invited Sorin to stay the night. Sorin nodded when he saw those gleaming teeth, sharp as knives. He didn't want to refuse Raikou."

Brock waits a few beats, then continues. "Before long, everyone was fast asleep -- everyone but Sorin, who was trying oh-so-hard not to fall asleep. When he heard everyone snoring, he tiptoed to the kettle, reached inside to grab an egg, but the Corphish pinched him hard!"

"AI-YAI-YAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" he screams as Sorin, making the audience roar with laughter.

"Are you all right?" he calls as Raikou.

"There are terrible bugs in this house!" he complains as Sorin.

"Bugs?" he gasps as Raikou. "How dare you insult us!!!" Startled screams mix with more laughter as Brock performs a perfect Raikou roar.

Once the laughter calms down, Brock continues "Sorin raced to the door as fast as he could, and Raikou couldn't help but grin as he watched the little Pikachu hurrying home."

He concludes "Needless to say, Sorin never returned to Raikou's den, and he never went hunting with Illumise again!"

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

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

Interlude 17: The Countdown to Week 100

"I can't believe it!" Lotta cries. "It won't be too long before Brock will tell his hundredth story on the show!"

"A hundred stories?" Kano gasps. "I thought it would probably be a cute little segment that would probably taper off after about ten, maybe twenty installments at first. But to have it get as popular as it has, and a hundred stories? It takes someone very special to pull that off."

"Well, Brock is very special, and a master storyteller, at that." Rylan adds as he too enters the cast break room.

"Yeah, he practically needs no introduction." Kano agrees. "So he obviously has something up his sleeve for story number 100...what that something is is another matter entirely."

The room is silent as Lotta and Rylan ponder Kano's point for a moment. After a few uneasy moments, Rylan offers a suggestion as to what Brock could possibly be planning for Week 100. "A story he knows well and loves to tell, like he usually does on milestone episodes?"

"Friends optional." Kano adds, savoring a memory of when Ash and the others joined them onstage.

"Or maybe Wendy will be coming!" Lotta suggests, memories of Brock and Wendy doing their "My Bright Silver Star" routine dancing in her head.

"That kinda files under 'friends optional'..." Kano notes as he makes his way to the oven in the break room and preheats it. "Someone other than Brock telling the story can also be considered 'friends optional...'"

"Ash did a great job with the tale he told..." Lotta agreed. "But, Brock trained him, so I shouldn't be surprised."

Rylan thinks some more. "Brock telling the story as one of his characters?"

"Brock telling a very special tale he's saved for this very occasion?" Akane suggests as she steps in the room to retrieve a costume.

"Brock telling the story in a song?" Lotta wonders. That sounds like something Brock would do...

"Those are all very good suggestions, guys..." a familiar voice interjects.

Lotta, Rylan, and Kano turn to see Brock framed in the doorway. "But I do have something special in mind for the hundredth story--but I'm not going to tell you exactly what it is until the hundredth week comes."

"Fair enough." Rylan smiles as he follows Brock out to the backstage area.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it is sorprendente!" Lotta cries.

Brock just grins at Lotta. Si vedrá.

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

Week 99: Ninetales or Raikou?

(real tale: Jackal or Tiger?)

"One hot night, in a land far from here, a king and queen lay awake in the palace in the midst of the capital city." Brock explains. "Every now and then a faint air blew through the lattice, and they hoped they were going to sleep, but they never did. It was about two in the morning when they woke with a jump at the sound of a howl outside the palace."

An odd howl sound effect plays, making fearful murmurs race through the crowd. "Listen to that Raikou!" Brock remarks in character as the king.

"Raikou?" he gasps as the queen. "How should there be a Raikou inside the city? It was only a Ninetales."

"I tell you it was a Raikou..." he counters as the king.

"And I tell you that you were dreaming if you thought it was anything but a Ninetales." he retorts as the queen.

As himself, he adds "The two of them argued like this for some time, until the king proposed a solution. In the morning they would call the guard and ask what that odd howl was. If it was a Ninetales, the king would leave this kingdom to his beloved and depart on a great journey. If it was a Raikou then the queen would go, and the king would take a new wife."

The audience murmurs as they speculate on whether the howl was something else entirely. "So in the morning, the king called the two soldiers who were on guard outside and put the question to them. But the arguement the night before had gotten so heated that the guards had heard everything they said, and they feared what would happen if they said they didn't know what it was. So they told the king it was a Raikou, and true to his word, the king sent away his beloved, the queen crying all the while.

"Aw"s go up at this as Brock goes on. "The royal coach came to a small house on the forest's edge, where a farmer and his wife lived, and left the queen there. The farmer heard the queen crying, and asked her what the matter was. She told him everything that had happened, and the farmer gave her a place to sleep and food and water. In time, she had a son of her own, which she named Riku, in remembrance of the land she and the kind farmer tilled every day."

He waits for a beat, then continues "The years passed without any word from the king. For all the queen knew, she was probably dead for all he seemed to care, though the queen still lived with the farmer, and Riku had grown up into a strong, handsome, and healthy young man. Out in the forest they seemed far from the world; very few ever came near them, and Prince Riku was continually begging his mother and the farmer to go out into the world and seek his own fortune. But she and the wise farmer always counseled him to wait until he was older. Finally, the day came when Riku turned eighteen, when he was allowed to go, with his mother's and adopted father's blessings. So he started off early one morning, with a sword by his side...." He sets a prop sword at his side. "a small bottle to hold water," He shows the audience a prop water bottle. "a few pieces of gold," He pockets a few prop gold pieces. "and a bow, for hunting and as a backup weapon if his sword failed."

The audience watches as Brock slings a bow and quiver of prop arrows on his back. Then, he continues as he walks around the stage. "Many a weary mile he tramped day after day, until, one morning, he saw a forest not unlike the one where he had been born and raised. As he made his way through a thicket, he saw a Pidove which he thought would make a good dinner, so he fired a arrow at it..." Brock proceeds to aim at a hidden target above the stage, but the audience doesn't see where it lands.

When he sees the arrow landed in the yellow area of the target, Brock goes on "...but missed the Pidove, which fluttered away. Just then, he heard a great clamor from beyond the thicket, and, on reaching the spot, he found a woman dripping wet and crying loudly as she lifted from her head an earthen vessel with a hole in it from which the water was pouring. When she saw the prince with his bow in his hand, she called out:

In character as a young lady, he complains "Oh, why must you choose a lady like me to play your pranks upon? Where am I to get a fresh pitcher instead of this one that you have broken with your foolish tricks? And how am I to go so far for water twice when just one journey is tiring enough!"

"I played no trick on you, good lady." he explains in character as a young man. "All I did was shoot at a Pidove that should have served me for dinner, and as my arrow missed it, it must have broken your pitcher. In return, I will give you my water bottle, which will not break easily. As for getting water, tell me where to find it, and I'll go get some while you dry your clothes."

As himself, Brock continues "So the lady showed him where to find water, and when he returned a few minutes later with his bottle filled to the brim, she led the way without a word, and he followed. They eventually came to a hut in the forest, and as they came closer Prince Riku saw the loveliest girl he had ever seen. When she saw him, the girl stepped into the hut, and much as he wanted to see her again, Prince Riku could think of no reason to call her back, and so, with a heavy heart, he bade the woman farewell, and she gave him an emerald as a parting gift." He shows the audience a prop emerald. "But when he had gone a little ways, she called after him..."

"If you are ever in trouble or danger, hold this jewel in your hand and sing this song: 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul.' I will hear it and aid you in whatever way I can." he calls as the woman.

Excited whispers race through the crowd at the mention of one of Brock's gibberish spellsongs. "Prince Riku thanked her and continued his journey, but he thought little of the woman's strange song, and much of the girl." Brock continues as himself. "A month ir so later, he arrived in a great city. He was running low on funds by this point, so he walked straight to the palace of the king and asked for employment. The king said he had plenty of servants and wanted no more; but the young man pleaded so hard that at last the king felt sorry for him, and promised that he should enter his bodyguard on the condition that he would undertake any service which was especially difficult or dangerous."

He returns to his place at center stage as "thunder" and "rain" fill the auditorium. "A few months went by, and on a particularly dark and stormy night, when the river roared beneath the palace walls, the sound of a woman weeping and wailing was heard above the storm."

Fearful whines and gasps of surprise fill the air as a similar moan echoes over the "rain" and "thunder". "The king ordered a servant to go and see what was the matter; but the servant was shaking in his shoes in fear, and begged not to go outside on such a wild night, when evil spirits, monsters, witches, and other fearsome creatures were sure to be on the prowl." Brock explains as the "storm" subsides. "The king, who was very wise and kind to his people, couldn't bear to send out someone who was very clearly afraid. So he bade another to go in his stead, but each one showed the same strange fear. Then Prince Riku stepped forward..."

"This is my duty, your majesty," he announces as Prince Riku "I will go."

As himself, he continues "The king nodded, and off he went. The night was as dark as pitch, and the wind blew furiously and drove the rain in sheets into his face; but he made his way down to the ford under the palace walls and stepped into the flooded water. Inch by inch, and foot by foot he fought his way across, now nearly swept off his feet by some sudden swirl or eddy, now narrowly escaping being caught in the branches of some floating tree that came tossing and swinging down the stream. At length he emerged, panting and dripping wet, on the other side. Close by the bank stood a gallows, and on the gallows hung the body of some evil-doer, whilst from the foot of it came the sound of sobbing that the king had heard. Prince Riku was so grieved for the one who wept there that he thought nothing of the wildness of the night or of the roaring river. As for ghosts, monsters, and witches, they had never troubled him, so he walked up towards the gallows where crouched the figure of the woman."

"What ails you?" he asks as Prince Riku.

As himself, he intones "Now, the woman was not really a woman at all, but a horrid kind of witch who came from the shadow realm, and had no business in the mortal realm. If someone ever wandered into the shadow realm, they would likely be eaten by one of the many monsters, spirits and witches there. That was why she had been sobbing and crying in hopes that someone out of pity might come to her rescue."

Fearful gasps race through the crowd. "So when Prince Riku questioned her, she replied..." Brock intones before switching to a breathy female voice "Ah, kind sir, it is my poor son who hangs upon that gallows; help me to get him down and I will bless you for ever."

He interjects as himself "Prince Riku sensed that her voice sounded rather eager than sorrowful, and immediately figured out that she was not telling the truth, so he decided to be very cautious.

"That will be rather difficult," he explains as Prince Riku, "for the gallows is high, and we have no ladder."

"Ah, but if you will just stoop down and let me climb upon your shoulders," he replies as the witch, "I think I could reach him."

"As himself, he explained "Now Prince Riku knew for sure the witch was planning to kill him by hanging. So he drew his sword, saying that he needed it to lean upon." He draws the prop sword for effect. "Then he bent so that the woman could climb onto him." He pauses to do this. "But when he felt a noose slipped over his neck, he quickly cut it!"

He makes a dramatic stab at the air for effect. "He also ended up cutting the witch's foot as it dangled above him; and with a cry of pain and anger she vanished into the shadow realm."

Sighs of relief and light applause fill the air as Brock sheathes the sword. "After spending a few minutes to collect himself, Prince Riku saw an anklet that had evidently fallen off the witch's foot. He put it into his pocket, and as soon as the storm subsided, he made his way back to the palace. He told the court everything that had happened, took the anklet out of his pocket, and handed it to the king, who, like everyone else, was amazed at the beauty of the jewels inside it. The king was delighted at its beauty, and having praised and rewarded Prince Riku, he gave the anklet to his daughter, who we'll call Taka."

Fascinated murmurs go up at the name. "Now, in the women's apartments in the palace there hung two cages, in one of which was a Chatot and in the other a Starly." Brock explains. "These two Pokemon, who were Princess Taka's pets, could speak as well as human beings. The next day, as she was walking about with the anklet around her ankle, the Starly said to the Chatot..."

"how do you think the princess looks with those new jewels?" he asks in a high pitched female voice.

"Think?" he gasps as the Chatot. "I think she looks like a washerwoman's daughter, with one shoe on and the other off! Why doesn't she wear two of them, instead of going about with one leg adorned and the other bare?"

Laughter goes up at the accuracy of Brock's Chatot impression. "When Princess Taka heard this she burst into tears," Brock explains as himself. "and told her father she wanted another jeweled anklet to wear on the other leg. So the king sent for Prince Riku and told him that he must get a second anklet exactly like the first within a month, or else."

Murmurs race through the crowd as Brock explains "Now, Prince Riku was greatly troubled at the king's command, but he thought to himself that a month was plenty of time. He left the palace at once, and asked anyone and everyone where the finest jewels were to be found. Though he searched for days, he never found one to compare with the anklet.

When he returns to his place at center stage, he continues "Finally only a week remained, and he was about to give up, when he remembered the woman of the forest, who he had concluded was a guardian or Legendary in disguise, and the emerald she had given him years before. So he took it out of his bag..." Brock shows the audience the prop emerald from before. "and sang the magic song the woman had taught him all those years ago..."

Cheers go up as Brock sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... making the prop emerald glow.

"The emerald glowed, and the beautiful girl he had seen before, appeared to him--he had never forgotten her in all this time." Brock goes on, the glowing prop emerald giving his face an ethereal green aura. "Prince Riku told her his story, and she conjured with her own magic not just one, but three anklets just like the one Princess Taka wore. He then duly presented these to the king with only days to spare."

Applause goes up at this, but Brock's sneaky grin is a signal that the story is not quite over yet. "A few months went by, until the Princess' Chatot and Starly commented that Princess Taka needed some bracelets and necklaces to go with the anklets. So Princess Taka told her father she wanted bracelets and necklaces to match the anklets. The king summoned Prince Riku again and ordered him to get necklaces and bracelets to match those anklets within a month, or else. Prince Riku spent nearly the whole month searching for the jewels, but all in vain. Finally, he invoked the emerald again..." He then sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... again.

Once more the beautiful maiden appeared at his summons and asked what he wanted, and when he had told her, she conjured a beautiful pair of bracelets and necklaces to match, which he presented to the king. Princess Taka next asked that she marry Prince Riku, since he had gotten her all that finery. Prince Riku was dumbfounded at the request, but when he said that was out of his authority, he was thrown into the dungeon right then and there."

The audience gasps, stunned at the turn of events. "Meanwhile the king determined that Princess Taka was of age to marry, so he sent forth heralds throughout the neighboring countries, proclaiming that on a certain day any man worthy of inheriting the throne should present himself at the palace." Brock goes on. "When the day came, all the court were gathered together, and a great crowd of men as well, all of them hoping to gain both the throne and Princess Taka. But before the king could call forth the first man in line, a farmer-- Prince Riku's adopted father--cried out that he had a petition to offer."

"In character as Flint, he continues "Your majesty, you have long lived and administered justice in this land, and know well that Raikou, lord among the beasts, hunts only in the forest, while Ninetales hunt in every place where there is something to be picked up. Today there are plenty of Ninetales gathered here to try and claim your daughter and kingdom: every city has sent them, and they wait hungry and eager; but do not, your majesty, mistake or pretend again to mistake the howl of a Ninetales for the mighty roar of a Raikou."

The auditorium is silent as the audience thinks about what the farmer has said. "You could've heard a pin drop as the court listened, stunned at the turn of events." Brock intones as himself after a few moments. "The farmer went on..." As Flint again, he continues "There is, in fact a royal Raikou bred in the forest who has the first and only true claim to your throne. He now rots in the dungeon, but if your majesty will set him free and clear this court of the Ninetales, I will explain everything"

"Oh"s and wild applause go up as the audience puts two and two together. "The visitors left the palace, and the farmer told the king and his ministers how he had rescued the queen and brought up Prince Riku as his own son. He even brought in the old queen herself. When he saw her, the king was filled with shame and self-reproach, and deeply wished he had not sent her away. He gave his crown to his son Riku, who summoned the maiden of the forest, who was named Kaya, and asked her to marry him. This time, Kaya did not run away, but agreed to be his wife. They were married that very day, and lived long and happy lives. Yet Prince Riku kept the emerald, just in case he needed its power again."

The crowd roars as Brock takes a bow....

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

Week 100a: The Juniper Rod, part 1

(real tale: The Witch of Lok Island)

The crowd roars as Brock runs out to meet them. "Thank you!" he smiles. "In addition to this week being the hundredth story..."

Wild cheers go up at this. "We also have a new face joining the Fireside Players." Brock continues. "So please welcome the lovely Sachi to the stage."

More cheers go up and a bluesy interlude plays as a maroon haired girl in a black T shirt and jeans charges onstage and waves to the crowd. "Thank you!" she smiles before addressing Brock. "I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to be a part of one of the most famous amateur acting ensembles in Kanto." she begins. "I promise I will give my all both in my acting and my music to make you guys known all over the world."

Some "aw"s go up as Sachi and Brock embrace and some of the other Players arrive as the curtain opens on a set of a living room. "The story I chose for the hundredth story is a bit long, so I'm gonna break it up into parts." he explains as Rylan and Yuki claim the couch, Lotta chooses a chair by the couch, and Sachi picks a chair by the set's fireplace.

Once each of the main Players has chosen a seat, Brock makes his way to a chair in front of the fireplace, where his guitar is waiting.

After checking his tuning, he begins his tale. "A long time ago, in a land far away, there lived a boy named Hideki and a girl named Sora." he begins as he plays a soft melody. "They had grown up together, and loved each other like sister and brother. When their parents died, leaving them almost nothing, they were obliged to go into the world and seek their own fortunes. By sheer coincidence, they wound up in service at the same house."

He waits for a beat, then continues "Now, you'd think that they were happy, but every day they found something new to long for or wish for. "One day, it was a little house of their own, then the next day, they would long for a field to go with the house, then they would yearn for a Ponyta to till the aforementioned field..."

Giggles go up at this as Brock goes on. "They complained like this every day until finally, Hideki went to the threshing-floor--where Sora was winnowing grain--and told her he was going to set out to seek his fortune elsewhere."

"Poor Sora..." Lotta brushes away a tear.

"Of course, Sora was very sad on hearing the news and tried to persuade Hideki not to go." Brock continues. "But he didn't listen. Sora relented a few minutes later, and gave Hideki the most precious treasures her parents had left to her--a bell, a sword, and a rod."

"What powers did they have?" Sachi asks, excited at the prospect of magic.

"The bell could be heard anywhere, no matter where it was rung--so Sora had used it to warn her friends of any danger." Brock explains as he plays a mystical melody. "Whatever the sword touched would escape from any evil spell, curse, or hex. The rod would guide the bearer to wherever they wanted to go. She gave Hideki the sword so he would have something to defend himself with, and the bell so that it would warn her when he are in danger. But she asked to keep the the rod, so that she would be able to reach him if he needed her."

"Wow!" Akane is impressed.

"Hideki thanked his beloved, and promised to return to her safely." Brock continues over his peaceful melody again. "They shed a few tears together, which is understandable when one has to say goodbye, and Hideki started off toward the mountains. Then he decided to turn south, and after several days reached the town of Vertania, where Viridian City is today."

"And then?" Yuki asks.

"One morning, he was sitting in the common room of the inn and saw two merchants pass, leading their Ponytas." Brock continues after finishing an interlude to simulate the passage of time. "Hideki happened to overhear their conversation, and discovered that they were talking about the witch said to live where Cinnabar Island is today. Hideki caught up to them in the town square and asked to learn more about the witch. They told him that the witch of Guren Island--as Cinnabar was called in those days--was actually a fairy who lived in a lake somewhere on the island."

"Hm..." Sachi pictures what the island and the witch possibly look like.

"The merchants also told Hideki that the witch was richer than all the wealth of the kings and queens of the world combined." Brock intones, to some stunned gasps. "Many a boy and girl in search of fortune had gone to the island to find her treasure but not one of them had ever returned."

"So did Hideki decide to go?" Rylan is curious.

"When Hideki heard this, he was eager to go to the island to seek adventure." Brock continues over an adventurous melody. "The merchants tried to dissuade him, saying that he was tempting fate. When Hideki still wouldn't take 'no' for an answer, they threatened to keep him back by force."

"So, what did Hideki do?" Sachi wonders.

"He thanked the merchants for the information, and said he would forget the whole thing if they would take up a collection for him to buy a little house for him and his beloved Sora." Brock replies. "The merchants quickly changed their tune, saying that if Hideki was really going to travel to the island, they were not in any position to stop him. So Hideki went down to the port, and set sail for Guren Island."

Everyone is at the edge of their seats, but Brock just smiles and concludes over a playful flourish "But I will tell you what happened next next week!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Congratulations on making the 100th episode of Live on the Fireside, LightningTopaz. I've enjoyed reading the many stories that you've made so far, and I'm certain that I'll keep on doing that :)

Thank you--I'll keep posting them for as long as I can find a good story to tell (although you are welcome to send suggestions)

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


Week 100b: The Juniper Rod, part 2

(real tale: The Witch of Lok Island

"So, what happened to Hideki when he got to Guren Island?" Rylan asks Brock as the curtain opens on the Players and Brock gathered on the living room set.

"Glad you asked!" Brock smiles as he checks his guitar's tuning, then starts a mystical melody. "When he got there, he soon found the pool in the middle of the island. It was surrounded with sea-drift covered with sakura. Hideki noticed at the far end of the lake in the shade of a clump of flowers was a sea-green boat floating on the still water that looked like a sleeping Swanna with its head under its wing."

"How pretty!" Sachi sighs dreamily as she pictures herself in such a boat.

"As Hideki had never seen anything like this before, he crept up to it out of curiosity." Brock explains as he plays a "sneaking" melody. "Then he stepped into the boat to examine it more closely. He had Hardly put his foot in it when he discovered it had turned into a living, breathing Swanna!"

Everyone laughs as they picture Hideki's reaction. "Hideki uttered a cry of dismay at the amazing transformation, but the Swanna only floated more quickly toward the middle of the lake." Brock continues. "Then the Swanna put its beak in the water and dove in, carrying Hideki with it into the depths."

After playing a long harp-like riff to simulate the Swanna swimming, Brock intones "In a moment they had reached the witch's castle, which was made of many tiny glittering seashells. A crystal stairway led up to the door, and it was built in such a way that at each step you took the stair sang like a forest bird. All around the palace were immense gardens and lawns of seaweed set with diamonds and other jewels instead of flowers, and surrounding the gardens was a forest of kelp.

Amazed murmurs fill the air as the Players imagine the castle. "Hedeki stood in the doorway of the castle, and there in the first room he saw the witch lying on a golden bed. She was dressed in sea-green silk as fine and soft as a wave. Coral ornaments were in her black hair which fell down to her feet; and her face was as delicately tinted as the inside of a shell." Brock continues.

"Beautiful witches are even worse than old hags..." Kano muses.

"Hideki was awed at the sight of so beautiful a lady." Brock intones over a tense melody. "But the fairy rose up smiling and went toward him, her steps like the sweep of the waves on the rolling sea."

In character as a lady, he begins "Welcome--there is always a place here for strangers like you. Who are you? Where do you come from? And what do you want?"

"My name is Hideki," he answers in character as a young boy. "I come from Nisambi, and I am looking for enough money to buy a house and fields of my own"

"Very well," he replies as the witch, "your search shall be rewarded,--you shall have your heart's desire."

Rylan swallows hard over the guitar's tense riff. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"The witch then ushered him into a second room, the walls of which were hung with threaded pearls." Brock continues as himself. "She gave him eight different kinds of wine in eight different goblets, each one made of chased gold. Hideki began by drinking the eight wines and, as he found them delicious, he drank eight servings of each, and always he imagined the witch was more and still more beautiful. Had the world ever seen so enchanting a being?"

"Sixty four glasses of wine will do that to you..." Lotta giggles.

"As Hideki drank, the witch told him that the pool of Guren Island was connected by an underground passage with the sea, and that all the wealth of wrecked ships was drawn there by a magic current." Brock goes on. He then gasps as Hideki "On my honor! I am not surprised that landlubbers speak so badly of you. People as rich as you are always making others envious. As far as I am concerned half your fortune would do for me."

"You shall have it, Hideki," he replies as the witch

"But how can you manage that?" he gasps as Hideki.

"I have lost my husband who was an elf," he answers as the witch; "and so if I am to your taste I will be your wife."

The audience applauds at the interplay before Brock continues as himself "Hideki was quite breathless at what he heard. Was it possible that he was to marry the beautiful fairy whose palace was rich enough to contain eight barrels of marvelous wine, and more? He had promised to marry Sora, but memories of Sora were fast becoming clouded by fumes from the witch's brews."

Tense murmurs fill the air. "Hideki told the fairy very politely that he could not refuse her offer, and that he was overcome with joy at the prospect of becoming her husband." Brock intones over an ominous chord. The witch then said she would prepare the feast for the betrothal at once. She set a table and spread it with the nicest dishes Hideki had ever seen, as well as many he had never tasted before. Then she went out into the garden to a fish pond and, taking a net in her hand, leaned out over the water.

As the witch, he calls "Come here, tamer of Pokemon! Come here, come here, miller, tailor, pastor!"

He interjects as himself "Each time she spoke, Hideki saw a Magikarp leap into her net."

"Then that means..." Yuki's eyes widen as she puts two and two together.

Brock seemingly confirms Yuki's prediction a few moments later. "When the net was full, she went back into the palace to the room next to the one where the table was set, and taking a golden frying pan she threw all the Magikarps into it. Yet for some reason Hideki swore that amidst the sputter of the frying, he could hear whispers.

"Who is whispering in your golden frying pan, fairy?" he asks as Hideki.

"It is just the sparks that the wood is throwing out," he replies as the witch.

He interjects as himself "But then he heard the little voices begin to mutter."

"Who is muttering?" he asks as Hideki.

"It is the fat that is melting," he replies as the witch.

He interjects as himself again "Soon the voices began to shout."

"Who is shouting so, fairy?" he asks, a note of fear in his 'Hideki' voice.

"It is only the Nincadas on the hearthstone," he answers as the witch.

As himself, he continues "Now all that was happening began to clear Hideki's head. He was shaking in fear, and yet he also felt a pang or three of remorse. How could he forget Sora for a lady with all the wiles and charms of Darkrai, and likely with evil powers to boot?"

"So what did he do?" Even Akane is shaking in fear over Hideki's fate.

"While Hideki was mulling his predicament, the witch brought in the fried Magikarp and begged him to sit down to dinner." Brock explains to Akane. "As she left to bring him even more wine for him to taste, Hideki sat down and drew the sword Sora gave him, touching the blade to every dish. Amazingly, all the Magikarp transformed into a dizzying array of men and women. They begged Hideki to save them if he wanted to be saved himself."

Yuki grins. I knew all those Magikarps were really people the witch turned into Magikarps!

"As they climbed from the dishes, many of the captives told Hideki that they too came to Guren Island to seek their fortune at one time or another." Brock continues over another tense riff. "They agreed to marry or serve the witch, and the next day turned them into Magikarp just as she had turned those who came before them into Magikarps who were all swimming in the big fish pond. If Hideki didn't do something, they warned, he would soon be in the same state, perhaps fried and eaten by the newcomers!"

Gasps go up onstage and in the crowd at Brock's horrifying prediction. "At this, Hideki leapt up as though he was already in the golden frying pan." Brock goes on over a "running" melody. "He rushed toward the door, hoping to escape before the witch came back. But she had heard everything--she turned Hideki into a Froagie, and threw him into the fish pond with her other enchanted captives."

Everyone is on the edge of their seats, eager to find out if Hideki will escape or if he will be rescued. "As Hideki fell towards the fish pond, the silver bell rang..." Brock plays a harmonic A note to represent a bell. "which Sora heard all the way back in Nisambi. She knew from the bell's ringing that Hideki was in grave danger, so she hurried to her room, grabbed the junper rod, and raced out to the path leading out of town. She then held the rod to the sky and sang..." Brock pauses to sing in character as young lady Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

He grins at the crowd. "As for what Sora conjured? You'll have to find out next week!"

"Aw"s and applause go up as Brock gets up from his seat to take a bow....

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


Week 100c: The Juniper Rod, part 3

(real tale: The Witch of Lok Island)

"So, what did the juniper rod turn into?" Akane asks as the Players settle into their seats for the third part of Brock's adventure.

After making sure everyone is present and his guitar is in tune, Brock goes on. "The rod turned into a shining Ponyta, complete with saddle and bridle. Sora mounted and galloped off so fast, the trees and the ditches and the church steeples flew past the girl's eyes in a colorful blur." He plays an adventurous melody to prove his point. "Yet she longed to go even faster, and she urged her Ponyta onward, whispering in its ear..."

His song quiets for a moment as he whispers in character as Sora "The Ponyta is less swift than the Taillow, the Taillow less swift than the wind, the wind is less swift than the lightning, but, steed of mine, you must be swifter than all, for part of my heart is suffering, the dearest half of my heart is in danger."

"The Ponyta understood her, and flew with all the speed of one of the Legendary Beasts." he continues as himself before ending his song. "Finally, they reached the foot of Mt. Moon, where Sora invoked the rod's power again."

He sings Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... as Sora before continuing as himself. "She had barely finished the magical song when the Ponyta transformed into a gold Pidgeot, who then took her to the very summit of the mountain."

"What did Sora find on the peak of Mt. Moon?" Yuki wonders.

"Sora found what looked like a nest made of potter's clay, lined with dry moss." Brock replies. "A Sableye was sitting there, his diamond eyes the only light in the dark. When he saw Sora, he cried..."

He next switches to a Chatot-like voice. "Here is the maid who has come to save me!"

"To save you?" he gasps as Sora. "Who are you?"

"I am Naoki, the husband of the witch of Guren Island. She it is who with her spells confines me here." he replies as the Sableye.

"But what are you doing on that nest?" he asks as Sora.

"I am trying to hatch six stone eggs, and I will not get my freedom until they are hatched," he answers as Naoki.

"That's awful!" he exclaims as Sora. "How can I rescue you?"

"Just as you will deliver your beloved Hideki, who is under the witch's spell," he replies as Naoki.

"Tell me what to do!" he pleads as Sora. "Even if I have to go to the ends of the world!"

Some applause goes up at the interplay. "So what did Naoki ask Sora to do?" Rylan wonders.

"Naoki told Sora to travel to Guren Island herself, and introduce herself as a young man." Brock explains as himself over a tense melody. "Then she would be on the lookout for her chance to snatch an enchanted orb the witch carried in her belt. If Sora could imprison her in it, she would stay in there for all eternity."

"Next question--where was Sora going to get boys' clothes?" Sachi asks.

"When Sora asked Naoki this, he whistled..." Brock pauses to do this for effect, startling a few people in the audience. "and four Clefairies hurried to his side. The first Clefairy held a number of Berry leaves in her hand, the second a pair of scissors, the third a needle, and the fourth an iron. They immediately went to work making a young man's suit for Sora."

"Now how do you make a boy's outfit with Berry leaves?" Kano is interested.

Brock grins before answering Kano's question, playing a playful melody up the musical scale as he explains each step. "With the first Berry leaf, they made a fine shirt. Another leaf soon became the overcoat, and it took two leaves to make the pants. Finally, a hat was cut out of the biggest leaf, and the stems of the leaves were used to make the shoes."

"Oh"s and applause fill the air at Brock's final triumphant chord. "When Sora put on the new clothes, she looked for all intents and purposes like a young man.

"Go now!" he pleads as Naoki. "Hurry, and save your beloved Hideki!"

The audience claps along as Brock plays the Zelda theme for emphasis, "So Sora quickly mounted her gold Pidgeot and in a matter of hours, arrived at Guren Island." he explains as himself over the song. But the song begins to slow down as he continues. "Once there, she sent away the Pidgeot until she needed its help again. Then she plunged downward to the witch's palace just as Hideki had done."

He grins as his last chord fades away. "But did she meet the same fate as her beloved? You'll have to find out next week!"

Applause fills the air as Brock gets up to take a bow...

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


Week 100d: The Juniper Rod, part 4

(real tale: The Witch of Lok Island)

"So did Sora ever save Hideki?" Yuki asks as she settles in a chair on the living room set.

After checking his guitar's tuning, Brock continues "The witch was delighted when she saw what she thought was a young man.

"By my cousin Darkrai!" he gasps as the witch. "This is the handsomest lad that ever I saw, and I think I shall love him for some time."

Nervous giggles go up from the crowd as Brock continues as himself "So she flattered Sora, calling her her beloved. Then they went to a table beautifully set with all manner of good things. But Sora found the magic sword that she had given Hideki, which he had left behind him as he had raced toward the door. She quickly took the sword and set it by her side. Then, after having partaken of the treats on the table, she followed the witch into the garden. The enchantress showed her the lawns set with diamonds, the fountains with their lavender-scented sprays, and last of all the fish pond where thousands of many-colored fish were swimming. Sora appeared delighted and gazed with amazement at the beautifully colored scales and tails."

He intones over a tense chord. "The witch, seeing her so happy, asked her if she would like to live in the palace forever."

"Will you consent to marry me?" he asks as the witch

"Oh, yes indeed!" he replies as Sora, "but first let me try to catch one of those pretty fishes."

"As himself, he continues "The witch assumed the request was a mere whim, and giving Sora the fishing cage said with a smile..."

"Now, fair fisherman, let us see what may be your luck. A rich catch may await you." he intones as the witch.

"I will catch Darkrai cousin!" he cries as Sora over a triumphant chord.

As himself, he narrates over an adventurous melody "With that, Sora quickly threw the witch in the cage. Once sure the witch could not get out, she added..." As Sora again, he calls "Accursed witch, become in body what you are in heart!"

As himself, he continues "The witch uttered a terrifying shriek that ended in a moan as she transformed into the hideous Queen of the Toadstools. Sora threw the cage into the well, and sealed it with a sign of Arceus, where it remains for all eternity."

Wild cheers go up at Brock's triumphant flourish. "Then she ran back to the fish pond, but the fish had already left it and were moving toward her like a procession of festival goers, singing her praises. But just as she was about to touch the first fish with the sword, she noticed at her feet a Froagie. It was crying profusely, But Sora recognized the bell around its neck."

"Is that you, Hideki?" he excitedly gasps as Sora.

"It's me!" he frantically pleads as Hideki.

As himself, he continues "So Sora touched him with the sword, and turned the Froagie back into Hideki. They kissed each other, laughing and crying alternately. Sora then touched each of the fish in turn with the magic sword and they too returned to their human form. As Sora was touching the last fish, who should arrive but Naoki, who had also returned to his true elven form. He thanked Sora profusely for breaking the witch's spell. He then led Hideki and Sora to the witch's treasure chest, and told them to take as much of the jewels and gold inside as they wanted. When they had as many gems as they could carry, Sora conjured a coach big enough to carry her, Hideki, and all the people they had freed; and they were whisked home to Nisambi."

He concludes "Hideki and Sora were married not long after their adventure. But instead of buying a little house and a Ponyta to till the fields, they bought all the fields in the town and settled down as mayor and wife, where they and all the people they had brought from Guren Island lived for many years, becoming what is today Pewter City."

The players' applause is the loudest as Brock gets up to take a bow...