EmeraldSky
Make the Colors in the Sky!
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This is a prequel to "Pokemon: Magic of a Melody", told from the POV of Kissa, Brock's Persian.
A Night at the Grand Market: Kissa's Tale
I'm proud to be a minstrel's Pokemon.
While it isn't always an easy task, and I can't always deal with tough crowds, stormy weather, and low supplies, I still love my master, and I will do anything to see him happy. If he's cold, I will find something to keep him warm even if I have to make the blanket myself. (he doesn't mind the leaf-and-twine blankets I make at all) If he isn't in the mood to hunt, I will find a river where we can fish together. (although he needs a rod and reel, while I catch them mid-jump) I owe him my life ever since he took me in when I was just a Meowth, so it is only fair I provide for him in return.
But how we met is not the tale I want to tell--not this time.
While we do have a little house in the woods not far from my master's hometown of Hopea, we mainly travel all over the land of Yoso, singing songs and spinning tales to all that want to listen. Well, my master does the singing and tale spinning, while I am content to observe the audience, play the occassional role in a tale, and watch over his instruments from behind the scenes--so he always knows where his instruments and props are at any time.
One of my favorite places to visit is the town of Ourania, home to the famous Grand Market. Every spring, artisans, craftsman, farmers, and entertainers from all over Yoso converge for four days of selling their wares. There's exotic food, games, battles, competitions, and even some prizes. My favorite part of it all (besides hearing my master perform in the inn) is sampling the fish from all around the world.
So there we were on the plains leading to Ourania, trying our hardest to outrun the omnious black clouds filling the sky. Master led the way, his dull red cloak billowing behind him and revealing the harp case and the bag of flutes and whistles he was carrying. I was close behind and was even able to overtake him despite carrying our camp supplies and anything else he couldn't carry on his own. His calls of "Come on, Kissa!" helped me see where he was in the tall grass that was slowly beginning to dampen with the oncoming storm.
I caught up to him some minutes later when we arrived in town, just as the heavens opened up. While my fur was mostly kept dry thanks to the load I carried, I wanted to be out of the rain before my head, my tiara, and my gear were soaked. Fortunately, it wasn't far to the inn--the Shining Wish.
"Good day to you, traveler." the innkeeper smiled as she took the tents and cooking supplies from my back. "It's fortunate you entered before the rains arrived." she added before brushing a wisp of her rich black hair from her face and calling down the hall "Eli! Come start a fire in the fireplace!"
"Yes, Mama!" came the reply as a young girl came dashing down the hall and gasping at Master's red and yellow attire. "Sir Brock, Kissa, what a surprise!" she giggled as she threw all seven years of her into Master's arms. "I didn't know if you would be back for the Grand Market this year...have you gotten to go find the great spellsong yet?"
"I have not gotten the chance to travel for the ultimate spell of Song Magic yet, Eliana." Master replied. "But when I do, I will go to the ends of the world to find it, as I promised Marista as she died."
"Has it been five years since the attack on Amhran Hall already?" Eliana's mother gasped. "Know this, Sir Brock--you've become a fine minstrel in your own right, if you've earned an archmage's gift. Marista would've been proud of you."
"Thank you..." Master smiled. "Would you object to a few tales and tunes for the patrons this evening, Lady Mele?" he asked as he discretely slipped a white flower into Eliana's deep brown hair. Eliana's father was a merchant, so he was away for most of the year, except for the Grand Market, Eliana's birthday, a brief time in the summer, and during the winter, when it was too cold to sail.
"Of course..." Mele smiled. "Do well and your room is on the house."
Since I was tired from running, I decided to curl up by the fireplace, just as Eliana finished arranging the logs in a nice pattern. Mele lit the flames, and I sprawled on the rug, allowing the flames to dry my creamy yellow fur. Then, Mele gave me some milk and Master some fresh Stantler meat and vegetables.
Eliana was first to see the silver tiara studded with jewels on my head. "All hail Queen Kissa!" she joked as she presented me with a Goldeen.
"Actually, I received that tiara as a gift from the head mage of the Vatin Lodge, to the north." Master explained in between bites. "This is how Kissa can carry heavy loads, cast some simple magic, and speak the language of humans."
I nibbled at the Goldeen, and savored every fishy bite. "This is very good...."
"You're welcome, Kissa." Eliana replied before showing another man to a table.
His meal complete, Master decided to prepare for his performance. Eliana was by his feet in seconds as he quickly and carefully tuned his harp, anticipating what he would tell. The plungs and plings of tuning harp strings seemed to get the growing crowd's attention as they entered the common room and made themselves at home either at a table or in one of the many chairs scattered throughout the room. I could see common folk and nobility alike, including a cluster of mage apprentices, likely from Masuliro Lodge. One of them, a black haired boy, flashed a smile at Eliana as the high mage in charge rounded up the rest of the group.
"Here's a coin in advance for your performance." Eliana giggled as she presented Master with a gold coin.
"You sure that's all you have? They're practically pouring from your ears!" I stifled a giggle at Eliana's awed face as Master pulled a coin from her ear, to some applause. Eliana's father, a strong and muscular young man, came down from the innkeeper's quarters upstairs at this point, smiling as Eliana told him about Master's magic trick.
"Pay heed, ladies and gentlemen! Sir Brock of Hopea and his speaking Persian Kissa have returned to us again on the eve of the Grand Market to brighten up this dreary night with songs and tales." Mele announced, to thunderous applause.
Master acknowledged his applause and made sure that another, smaller case was close by, then took his harp and strolled to the center of the room, playing the familiar song that Marista always played when she wanted a class's attention. Since she was mainly a storyteller, Master honored her memory by playing that song when he began to spin tales. Judging from his audience, sticking to tales and songs of heroes, how things came to be, and larger than life Pokemon seemed to be the best course--the gross and bawdy ones were better suited to the tavern than the inn. That, and there WERE children present.
I yawned as Master began. "I will answer your requests this evening, so if you desire to hear a particular tale or song, tell me, and I will gladly perform it for you."
"Sing us a song for all the new lovers!" a man requested.
"Lord Minstrel, why do Combuskens scratch at the ground?" a boy asked.
Master decided to honor the man's request first as he played a calm melody. Oh, the summertime has come, and the leaves are gently bloomin'. And the wild mountain thyme grows around the bloomin' heather...
I just nodded my head to the tune as the crowd joined in with Will ye go, lassie, go? And we'll all go together... Out of all the thousands of songs and stories Master knew, that was one of my favorites--I could just picture two young lovers picking the thyme together, lost in the happiness and joy that comes with new love.
When the last note died, Master began the tale the boy requested. I decided to doze off--it was a long journey to get here, and it was refreshing to lie down, never mind the adventures of a Combusken who received a special ring from a Pidgeot, and how subsequentially losing said ring lead to Combuskens scratching the ground. Just lying on the simple leaf-print rug by the fire was enough for now. I don't know how long I slept, but the songs and tales seemed to run into a blur of harp music, words, and the ocassional whistle.
Eliana requesting a tale snapped me to attention: "Sir Brock, tell the story about the tree with magic leaves."
Master nodded and played a soft melody for an introduction. "In a kingdom far from here, there was once a greedy tax collector--we will call him Higure." Shocked murmurs and gasps wafted through the room--tax collectors were no more admired here than in the land of make believe, but the way Master set up the tax collector made you eager to learn if such a greedy person could be defeated.
"Higure so loved material wealth, he would even go so far as to reword the laws of the land to suit his fancy." Master continued.
"Boo!" the black haired mage apprentice jeered, prompting some others to boo Higure (the tax collector's most commmon name when Master told this tale) as well.
"So if someone could not pay their taxes, Higure would take their house, their land, their belongings, their Pokemon--even the clothes on their back." Master continued as the boos intensified--he knew that the chorus of boos was not directed at him, but the scoundrel he was describing. "He did not care if he left anyone with nothing, and even kept a portion of what he collected for himself."
"Such a greedy rogue!" a woman commented. The high mage nodded in agreement, but gently squeezed the black haired apprentice's hand as a warning when he blew a raspberry of contempt at the air, as if Higure was really present.
"Higure's greed was so well known, no one wanted to live in that town, for they feared the tax collector would take everything they owned." Master continued as he played a little more, quieting the boos. "Now, in a neighboring town, there was a man who had a clever son--we will call the son Kaitou. Kaitou's family was not well off, but what they lacked in material things, they made up for in far greater treasures--love, humility, and kindness." Some applause and cheers went up in agreement at this. "Kaitou's father taught him to be generous and humble from birth, and Kaitou had grown into a fine young man." After playing an interlude, he continued. "One day, Kaitou heard the rumors about Higure and was appalled. He pondered for many days how to bring the greedy tax collector to justice. He could not tell the king, for the king would not listen to a simple commoner. Finally, he took it upon himself to outwit Higure." Giggles of anticipation came from Eliana and the black haired apprentice.
"So one day, long before his family woke, Kaitou went to his father's garden, dug up an Aspear tree, and hurried off to the neighboring town, making sure to time his arrival on the day Higure made his rounds." Master continued. "When he found Higure in the town square, he said..." He then used a breathy young male voice to represent Kaitou. "Please sir, I've just arrived in town, and must know how much in taxes a poor man must pay to live here."
"You'll have to pay something..." he replied in a gruff older voice for Higure. "What do you have?" The black haired apprentice watched, impressed, as Master skillfully carried a conversation between the two personas:
"Just this magical tree, and nothing more."
"Magical?
"Whoever touches a leaf of this tree to their forehead turns invisible for several hours."
"Is that so?"
As himself, Master continued. "So Higure took the tree from Kaitou and returned to his house." I snapped to attention--my part in the story was coming up. "Once there, he plucked a leaf from the tree, held it to his forehead, and called to his wife..." As Higure, he called "Meilin, can you see me?"
"Of course I can, dear, I'm not blind." I replied in a pitch perfect mimic of Mele. Laughter went up from the crowd at this, but the black haired apprentice laughed so hard, he almost fell to the floor.
"Higure plucked another leaf and called again..." Master continued before switching to his Higure persona. "Now can you see me?"
"Of course I can see you!" I retorted in my "wife" persona, to more laughter. Eliana's was the loudest, and the black haired apprentice was drying tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Higure plucked a third leaf and called again..." As Higure, he continues "Now?" As himself, he interjects "Meilin was growing tired of the game her husband was playing, so she closed her eyes and said..."
"No, dear...I cannot see you." I replied in character.
"Surprised that the spell had worked, Higure went into the town square. Everywhere he went, people looked away or at the sky--which Higure took to mean he really was invisible." Master continued. "So he went through the market stealing things--Pecha Berries here, a rug there, a whistle here, spices there. But no one said anything, lest they meet the wrath of the tax collector." After playing a tense interlude, he continued. "Eventually he left the village and walked down the road, where he saw the king and his men returning from a hunt. But before he could make off with some of the rare pelts, the guards arrested him. The king was furious and stripped Higure of his title. He eventually became a laughingstock and was shamed all across the land."
"Serves him right for stealing from the king!" a man commented.
"The villagers rejoiced in Kaitou's cleverness, and told of how a peasant boy had deliverd them from the greedy tax collector for many years to come...so ends the tale of 'The Tree with Magic Leaves'." Master concluded.
After the applause died down, the black haired apprentice stood up. "Please, lord minstrel; tell the one about how Sorin flew to the heavens." Cheers went up from the children--tales of the trickster Pikachu Sorin were very popular.
"Once Sorin was out looking for Berries in the woods." Master began over a soft melody. "He was growing hungry--winter was coming and food was becoming hard to find. Not only that, the other Pokemon were well aware that Sorin was a trickster, and no one knew what sort of trick he would pull if they gave him their trust..." The black haired apprentice savored every incident and fiddle interlude like the choicest meat, eyes sparkling all the while at how Pidgeot tried to get Sorin back with a trick of her own, only to earn the red orange and yellow plumes Pidgeots are famous for.
Little did I know, we would be seeing that apprentice again very soon.
THE END
A Night at the Grand Market: Kissa's Tale
I'm proud to be a minstrel's Pokemon.
While it isn't always an easy task, and I can't always deal with tough crowds, stormy weather, and low supplies, I still love my master, and I will do anything to see him happy. If he's cold, I will find something to keep him warm even if I have to make the blanket myself. (he doesn't mind the leaf-and-twine blankets I make at all) If he isn't in the mood to hunt, I will find a river where we can fish together. (although he needs a rod and reel, while I catch them mid-jump) I owe him my life ever since he took me in when I was just a Meowth, so it is only fair I provide for him in return.
But how we met is not the tale I want to tell--not this time.
While we do have a little house in the woods not far from my master's hometown of Hopea, we mainly travel all over the land of Yoso, singing songs and spinning tales to all that want to listen. Well, my master does the singing and tale spinning, while I am content to observe the audience, play the occassional role in a tale, and watch over his instruments from behind the scenes--so he always knows where his instruments and props are at any time.
One of my favorite places to visit is the town of Ourania, home to the famous Grand Market. Every spring, artisans, craftsman, farmers, and entertainers from all over Yoso converge for four days of selling their wares. There's exotic food, games, battles, competitions, and even some prizes. My favorite part of it all (besides hearing my master perform in the inn) is sampling the fish from all around the world.
So there we were on the plains leading to Ourania, trying our hardest to outrun the omnious black clouds filling the sky. Master led the way, his dull red cloak billowing behind him and revealing the harp case and the bag of flutes and whistles he was carrying. I was close behind and was even able to overtake him despite carrying our camp supplies and anything else he couldn't carry on his own. His calls of "Come on, Kissa!" helped me see where he was in the tall grass that was slowly beginning to dampen with the oncoming storm.
I caught up to him some minutes later when we arrived in town, just as the heavens opened up. While my fur was mostly kept dry thanks to the load I carried, I wanted to be out of the rain before my head, my tiara, and my gear were soaked. Fortunately, it wasn't far to the inn--the Shining Wish.
"Good day to you, traveler." the innkeeper smiled as she took the tents and cooking supplies from my back. "It's fortunate you entered before the rains arrived." she added before brushing a wisp of her rich black hair from her face and calling down the hall "Eli! Come start a fire in the fireplace!"
"Yes, Mama!" came the reply as a young girl came dashing down the hall and gasping at Master's red and yellow attire. "Sir Brock, Kissa, what a surprise!" she giggled as she threw all seven years of her into Master's arms. "I didn't know if you would be back for the Grand Market this year...have you gotten to go find the great spellsong yet?"
"I have not gotten the chance to travel for the ultimate spell of Song Magic yet, Eliana." Master replied. "But when I do, I will go to the ends of the world to find it, as I promised Marista as she died."
"Has it been five years since the attack on Amhran Hall already?" Eliana's mother gasped. "Know this, Sir Brock--you've become a fine minstrel in your own right, if you've earned an archmage's gift. Marista would've been proud of you."
"Thank you..." Master smiled. "Would you object to a few tales and tunes for the patrons this evening, Lady Mele?" he asked as he discretely slipped a white flower into Eliana's deep brown hair. Eliana's father was a merchant, so he was away for most of the year, except for the Grand Market, Eliana's birthday, a brief time in the summer, and during the winter, when it was too cold to sail.
"Of course..." Mele smiled. "Do well and your room is on the house."
Since I was tired from running, I decided to curl up by the fireplace, just as Eliana finished arranging the logs in a nice pattern. Mele lit the flames, and I sprawled on the rug, allowing the flames to dry my creamy yellow fur. Then, Mele gave me some milk and Master some fresh Stantler meat and vegetables.
Eliana was first to see the silver tiara studded with jewels on my head. "All hail Queen Kissa!" she joked as she presented me with a Goldeen.
"Actually, I received that tiara as a gift from the head mage of the Vatin Lodge, to the north." Master explained in between bites. "This is how Kissa can carry heavy loads, cast some simple magic, and speak the language of humans."
I nibbled at the Goldeen, and savored every fishy bite. "This is very good...."
"You're welcome, Kissa." Eliana replied before showing another man to a table.
His meal complete, Master decided to prepare for his performance. Eliana was by his feet in seconds as he quickly and carefully tuned his harp, anticipating what he would tell. The plungs and plings of tuning harp strings seemed to get the growing crowd's attention as they entered the common room and made themselves at home either at a table or in one of the many chairs scattered throughout the room. I could see common folk and nobility alike, including a cluster of mage apprentices, likely from Masuliro Lodge. One of them, a black haired boy, flashed a smile at Eliana as the high mage in charge rounded up the rest of the group.
"Here's a coin in advance for your performance." Eliana giggled as she presented Master with a gold coin.
"You sure that's all you have? They're practically pouring from your ears!" I stifled a giggle at Eliana's awed face as Master pulled a coin from her ear, to some applause. Eliana's father, a strong and muscular young man, came down from the innkeeper's quarters upstairs at this point, smiling as Eliana told him about Master's magic trick.
"Pay heed, ladies and gentlemen! Sir Brock of Hopea and his speaking Persian Kissa have returned to us again on the eve of the Grand Market to brighten up this dreary night with songs and tales." Mele announced, to thunderous applause.
Master acknowledged his applause and made sure that another, smaller case was close by, then took his harp and strolled to the center of the room, playing the familiar song that Marista always played when she wanted a class's attention. Since she was mainly a storyteller, Master honored her memory by playing that song when he began to spin tales. Judging from his audience, sticking to tales and songs of heroes, how things came to be, and larger than life Pokemon seemed to be the best course--the gross and bawdy ones were better suited to the tavern than the inn. That, and there WERE children present.
I yawned as Master began. "I will answer your requests this evening, so if you desire to hear a particular tale or song, tell me, and I will gladly perform it for you."
"Sing us a song for all the new lovers!" a man requested.
"Lord Minstrel, why do Combuskens scratch at the ground?" a boy asked.
Master decided to honor the man's request first as he played a calm melody. Oh, the summertime has come, and the leaves are gently bloomin'. And the wild mountain thyme grows around the bloomin' heather...
I just nodded my head to the tune as the crowd joined in with Will ye go, lassie, go? And we'll all go together... Out of all the thousands of songs and stories Master knew, that was one of my favorites--I could just picture two young lovers picking the thyme together, lost in the happiness and joy that comes with new love.
When the last note died, Master began the tale the boy requested. I decided to doze off--it was a long journey to get here, and it was refreshing to lie down, never mind the adventures of a Combusken who received a special ring from a Pidgeot, and how subsequentially losing said ring lead to Combuskens scratching the ground. Just lying on the simple leaf-print rug by the fire was enough for now. I don't know how long I slept, but the songs and tales seemed to run into a blur of harp music, words, and the ocassional whistle.
Eliana requesting a tale snapped me to attention: "Sir Brock, tell the story about the tree with magic leaves."
Master nodded and played a soft melody for an introduction. "In a kingdom far from here, there was once a greedy tax collector--we will call him Higure." Shocked murmurs and gasps wafted through the room--tax collectors were no more admired here than in the land of make believe, but the way Master set up the tax collector made you eager to learn if such a greedy person could be defeated.
"Higure so loved material wealth, he would even go so far as to reword the laws of the land to suit his fancy." Master continued.
"Boo!" the black haired mage apprentice jeered, prompting some others to boo Higure (the tax collector's most commmon name when Master told this tale) as well.
"So if someone could not pay their taxes, Higure would take their house, their land, their belongings, their Pokemon--even the clothes on their back." Master continued as the boos intensified--he knew that the chorus of boos was not directed at him, but the scoundrel he was describing. "He did not care if he left anyone with nothing, and even kept a portion of what he collected for himself."
"Such a greedy rogue!" a woman commented. The high mage nodded in agreement, but gently squeezed the black haired apprentice's hand as a warning when he blew a raspberry of contempt at the air, as if Higure was really present.
"Higure's greed was so well known, no one wanted to live in that town, for they feared the tax collector would take everything they owned." Master continued as he played a little more, quieting the boos. "Now, in a neighboring town, there was a man who had a clever son--we will call the son Kaitou. Kaitou's family was not well off, but what they lacked in material things, they made up for in far greater treasures--love, humility, and kindness." Some applause and cheers went up in agreement at this. "Kaitou's father taught him to be generous and humble from birth, and Kaitou had grown into a fine young man." After playing an interlude, he continued. "One day, Kaitou heard the rumors about Higure and was appalled. He pondered for many days how to bring the greedy tax collector to justice. He could not tell the king, for the king would not listen to a simple commoner. Finally, he took it upon himself to outwit Higure." Giggles of anticipation came from Eliana and the black haired apprentice.
"So one day, long before his family woke, Kaitou went to his father's garden, dug up an Aspear tree, and hurried off to the neighboring town, making sure to time his arrival on the day Higure made his rounds." Master continued. "When he found Higure in the town square, he said..." He then used a breathy young male voice to represent Kaitou. "Please sir, I've just arrived in town, and must know how much in taxes a poor man must pay to live here."
"You'll have to pay something..." he replied in a gruff older voice for Higure. "What do you have?" The black haired apprentice watched, impressed, as Master skillfully carried a conversation between the two personas:
"Just this magical tree, and nothing more."
"Magical?
"Whoever touches a leaf of this tree to their forehead turns invisible for several hours."
"Is that so?"
As himself, Master continued. "So Higure took the tree from Kaitou and returned to his house." I snapped to attention--my part in the story was coming up. "Once there, he plucked a leaf from the tree, held it to his forehead, and called to his wife..." As Higure, he called "Meilin, can you see me?"
"Of course I can, dear, I'm not blind." I replied in a pitch perfect mimic of Mele. Laughter went up from the crowd at this, but the black haired apprentice laughed so hard, he almost fell to the floor.
"Higure plucked another leaf and called again..." Master continued before switching to his Higure persona. "Now can you see me?"
"Of course I can see you!" I retorted in my "wife" persona, to more laughter. Eliana's was the loudest, and the black haired apprentice was drying tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Higure plucked a third leaf and called again..." As Higure, he continues "Now?" As himself, he interjects "Meilin was growing tired of the game her husband was playing, so she closed her eyes and said..."
"No, dear...I cannot see you." I replied in character.
"Surprised that the spell had worked, Higure went into the town square. Everywhere he went, people looked away or at the sky--which Higure took to mean he really was invisible." Master continued. "So he went through the market stealing things--Pecha Berries here, a rug there, a whistle here, spices there. But no one said anything, lest they meet the wrath of the tax collector." After playing a tense interlude, he continued. "Eventually he left the village and walked down the road, where he saw the king and his men returning from a hunt. But before he could make off with some of the rare pelts, the guards arrested him. The king was furious and stripped Higure of his title. He eventually became a laughingstock and was shamed all across the land."
"Serves him right for stealing from the king!" a man commented.
"The villagers rejoiced in Kaitou's cleverness, and told of how a peasant boy had deliverd them from the greedy tax collector for many years to come...so ends the tale of 'The Tree with Magic Leaves'." Master concluded.
After the applause died down, the black haired apprentice stood up. "Please, lord minstrel; tell the one about how Sorin flew to the heavens." Cheers went up from the children--tales of the trickster Pikachu Sorin were very popular.
"Once Sorin was out looking for Berries in the woods." Master began over a soft melody. "He was growing hungry--winter was coming and food was becoming hard to find. Not only that, the other Pokemon were well aware that Sorin was a trickster, and no one knew what sort of trick he would pull if they gave him their trust..." The black haired apprentice savored every incident and fiddle interlude like the choicest meat, eyes sparkling all the while at how Pidgeot tried to get Sorin back with a trick of her own, only to earn the red orange and yellow plumes Pidgeots are famous for.
Little did I know, we would be seeing that apprentice again very soon.
THE END
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