[Pokémon] The Hunt for Verity's Treasure

[EmeraldSky]

Rated E for Everyone.


Ash and co.

in

"The Hunt for Verity's Treasure"


Day 1, 6:00 PM

Voices and laughter fill the air as a black haired boy, a black haired girl and a brown haired boy arrive at a wooded area overlooking Lake Verity. "It's great to be home...I think you two will enjoy camping by Lake Verity with my friend Maris."

"Based on what you've told us about her Dawn, she seems like a nice person..." the black haired boy smiles as he pitches his tent.

"Oh, she is, Ash..." Dawn smiles. "We used to camp out here all the time...and Brock, she collects legends and lore too, so if there's a Shinou tale you don't know but want to learn, tell her."

"Will do." the brown haired boy replies as he lets a pink humanoid creature onto the grass.

"Pipi!" A yellow mouse creature with long ears and a thunderbolt shaped tail waves in the pink humanoid's direction.

"Play nice with Pikachu, okay, Happini?" Brock cautions the pink humanoid as she darts off to play. With his Pokemon occupied, he goes to work building a campfire.

"Yah-ho!" a female voice calls in the distance, snapping Dawn from pitching her tent. She glances in the direction of the call, and smiles when she sees a navy haired girl approaching with camping gear of her own.

"Maris!" Dawn abandons pitching her tent long enough to run and hug the girl. "It's great to see you again!"

"Good to see you again too, Dawn--and well done on the great showing in your first Grand Festival." Maris replies before noticing the boys. "So these are your traveling companions you've been telling me about..."

"This is Ash, the gung-ho trainer who dreams of being a Pokemon Master..." Dawn begins, gesturing to Ash. Ash smiles and waves hello before organizing his gear. "and this is Brock, a Gym Leader turned breeder who also moonlights as a performer and folklorist." Brock gives Maris an acknowledging nod before finishing putting up his tent and getting out a black acoustic guitar and tuning it.

"So you collect tales too? Why?" Maris asks Brock.

"I come from a large family, and the best way for all my siblings to go to sleep was to tell them a bedtime story myself--reading a book usually turned out to be an exercise in futility." Brock explains as he tunes. "So I went out and read all the folk tale and fairy tale books I could find, picked the ones I liked, and memorized them. Then, when I joined up with Ash, I realized that there are so many more stories than just what you find in a book--so whenever we come to a new town or city, I make a point to learn a few stories from that area--it makes for a better souvenir than cheap trinkets."

"I'm sure you're asked to share your stories in public a lot..." Maris is impressed. "I collect them to study them--similarities in tales, inferring culture from them, and things like that. Of course, I'd be happy to tell you a few tales from Lake Verity."

"We do tell in public--sometimes as ourselves, and sometimes as the Storyspinners, our storyteller personas." Dawn explains before shooing a blue penguin creature away from the food in her bag. Brock, meanwhile, decides to play a jazzy blues melody to warm up.

Meanwhile, Happini notices a large cloud on the horizon, and that all the boats on the lake are docking. "Pini? Pi pini ha pini pi?"

"She wants to know why all the boats are docking when it's not raining." Brock translates for Maris as he finishes his song.

"Well, there is a story that explains this called 'The Woodcutter Mage'...want me to tell it for you, sweetie?" Maris offers to Happini.

"Pini!" Happini smiles. "Pini pi!"

"She says 'Yes, please do.' Brock translates as he sets his guitar aside and retrieves a tape recorder from his bag. "Okay if I record it so I can learn it too?"

"Sure!" Maris replies before cautioning "Be aware that this story is sad, so don't be afraid to tell me if it's too much for you, okay?" Happini nods. Maris waits until Brock hits the "REC" button on the tape recorder before beginning "There was once a woodcutter who had the gift of magic...he could turn himself into various Pokemon, such as birds or Rattatas, and even knew how to turn himself into a number of human forms. One day, he transformed into a Rattata and dug his way into the royal palace. Once inside, he transformed into a handsome prince and introduced himself to the princess, who was known throughout the kingdom for being very lonely. They talked for a good long time, and eventually fell in love. They wanted to marry, but the notion of a princess being married to a woodcutter just did not happen in those days, and if her father the king ever found out, it would mean the end of both of them."

"Pi ni!" Happini is worried for the princess, but her cry of alarm is thankfully not picked up by the tape recorder.

"The woodcutter assured the princess that he would find a way for both of them to be together." Maris continues. "So he transformed into a Swellow and invited the princess aboard. They flew all the way to Mt. Coronet, and took shelter in a cave. The king panicked when he found his daughter missing, and ordered the royal army to search the land for her. They looked for many days, but did not find the princess anywhere. Meanwhile, the woocutter and the princess were making the best of living in the cave, but the princess was still cold, no matter how strong the fire burned."

"So what did the woodcutter do?" Dawn whispers, ever aware that she is the closest to the tape recorder's mic.

"He asked if there was any clothing he could bring to keep her warm." Maris replies as she brushes a leaf from her navy blue T-shirt. "The princess replied that her mother the queen kept a magical robe known as the Robe of Flames in her room. Anyone wearing it would be kept warm no matter the weather. So the woodcutter transformed into a Taillow and flew back to the palace, found the robe, and began his trip back with the robe in his beak. A guard saw the Taillow with the robe in its beak and informed the royal wizard, who was not a nice person."

"Oh no..." Now Ash is afraid.

"The wizard gazed into his crystal ball and saw the Taillow flying towards the mountain. So he cast a lightning spell on what he thought was a Taillow, sending it falling into the waters of Lake Verity below." Maris continues.

"Pini....pi..." Happini tears up.

"The princess, however, did not know her lover had been slain, and waited for many days for her lover's return, eventually succumbing to the cold of the cave. Shaymin saw the princess' body and took pity on her, and transformed her into a cloud...people say that when a large cloud appears over Lake Verity, you are not to sail until it disappears, lest you capsize in a storm of a princess' tears...the end." Maris concludes.

"Poor princess..." Ash is touched by the story's sad conclusion. No sooner does Brock hit the STOP button on the tape recorder, does Happini start to cry.

"Come here..." Dawn gives Happini a little hug to comfort her.

"Maybe if you sang a happy song, she'd calm down?" Ash suggests.

"Good idea." With that, Brock retrieves his guitar and leads the singing of In the town, where I was born, lived a man who sailed to sea....

"Good thinking on 'Yellow Submarine'..." Ash smiles at Dawn, who is still holding Happini. He smiles when he notices Happini smile back at him. She then giggles as he leads the enthused chorus of We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine...

 

[EmeraldSky]

Day 1, 6:30 PM

"Okay...who's next to suggest a story or a song?" Brock asks as he sets his guitar aside.

Maris freezes. "You know what we forgot to do?" she asks as she gets up and walks off towards a small shrine-like building overlooking the lake.

"What?" Ash asks as he leads Dawn and Brock over to the shrine, which is not far from their campsite.

"Before anyone camps by the lake, people often leave offerings and prayers to Mesprit--she does rule this lake after all." Maris explains. Dawn unzips her bag and places a coin in the wooden offering bowl sitting by an odd flute-like instrument with a reed for a mouthpiece and a decorative bulb decorated to look like a Poke Ball at the top. Ash is about to remove his hat and bow on one knee to offer a prayer to Mesprit when Maris motions to the flute-like instrument. "Actually, being the ruler of emotion, Mesprit prefers her prayers in the form of songs."

"Prayersongs?" Brock is interested.

"Yes..." Maris replies as she takes a small white reed from the box nearby the flute-like instrument and sets it in the flute's top. "This is a guiflet, or prayerflute. In ancient times, people would play prayers to the Legendaries on these and other instruments. If the Legendary was pleased with the song performed, they would appear to the performer." She offers the prayerflute to Ash. "Why don't you try playing this for Mesprit?"

"Okay..." Ash stammers--the prayerflute is nothing like the Pokeflute or whistles he normally plays. At least those have an actual mouthpiece, but how do I play this thing? he grumbles. He sighs, places the tip of the reed in his mouth, and blows hard, making a loud and flat squawk echo across the lake, scattering any Pidgeys, Taillows, and Starlies from their roosts.

"At least you got a note." Brock sighs. Ash just blows on the flute's reed again, this time a little softer.

"I don't think Mesprit would be too happy with someone noodling around on one of her sacred instruments like a toy." Dawn sighs as Ash experiments with the fingerings for the odd instrument, making flat squeaks and squawks all the while.

After a few more rough notes, Ash finally gets a clean note: a D. Inspired, he noodles around the G minor scale, creating a vaguely Indian-sounding melody with lots of trills and runs up and down the scale as Dawn, Brock, Maris, and the Pokemon look on in awe.

"Wow!" Dawn gasps as the last note dies.

"Not bad for someone who's never had a lesson!" Brock agrees as he leads the applause. Ash takes a bow for his audience and sets the prayerflute back in its proper place, only pausing to discard the used reed.

A joyous giggle fills the air as a pale pixie-like creature with a pink head appears in the shrine. Thank you for that most spirited prayer, young one. it smiles.

"Thanks?" Ash isn't sure what to make of the oddly soothing female voice that resonates in his head.

In fact, as a reward, I'm going to offer you a chance to take some of the treasures I keep scattered around the lake. Mesprit continues.

"A treasure hunt?" Dawn is excited.

Yes--I keep treasures for those that pray the most fervent prayers all around the lake--but finding what I have saved for you will not be easy. Mesprit cautions. The key to finding the treasure lies within your own story. With that, she disappears in a flash of pink light and silver dust.

"Bye, Mesprit!" Dawn smiles.

Ash, meanwhile, is confused by Mesprit's advice. "What did Mesprit mean when she said that finding what treasure she saved for us lies in our own story?" he asks as he leads the others back to the campsite.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Brock sighs as he begins building a campfire.

"Mesprit is known for speaking in riddles, and it's possible that she left us with a riddle." Maris suggests.

"Don't sweat it, Ash--the answer to the riddle will reveal itself in due time." Dawn assures her friend as she offers Berries to the Pokemon. What the group doesn't know is that the answer is actually right in front of them--and Mesprit's appearing was actually the first step.

 

[EmeraldSky]

Day 1, 8:00 PM

Upon the group's return to the campsite, they first sing a few songs before dinner. Maris volunteers to lead the first song, and before long, everyone sings along with Country roads, take me home, to the place, I belong....

We'll be comin' round the mountain when we come... Dawn leads the next song.

After a few songs, Ash is getting bored of singing. "Since Maris had told a story aleady, why don't we let Brock work his art and see why he's a main attraction wherever we go?" he suggests as Brock stirs the broth for some soup.

"My pleasure, Ash--but in return, I want you to help me with what I will tell, and tell a story yourself." Brock replies.

"Well..." Ash isn't sure at first.

"I have chocolate surprise balls..." Brock coaxes as he gets out a bag of various chocolate balls from his bag. "I'll give you one if you tell..."

"I'll even eat the mint ones first..." Dawn threatens--she knows that that flavor is Ash's favorite, and usually have the better trinkets in a box or bag of chocolate surprise balls.

"It's a deal!" Ash cries as he eagerly digs out a small gold flute with a green mouthpiece and blows a few notes to see if he's in tune.

"Okay..." Brock retrieves his guitar and checks his tuning. "The story I want to tell you is believed to have originated around Pewter City, and is usually titled "The Little Gold Flute"--although some variants will make it a different kind of flute or even panpipes." He listens as Ash tunes a little. "This is one story that my audiences love, so I usually save it for encores, or as an opening or a closing story. If Ash is with me, he'll help by playing the role of the hero and use one of his whistles to represent the titular instrument."

"That's what this is..." Ash shows his whistle to Maris. "Oftentimes, this is what younger kids learning Pokeflute start on before switching to Pokeflute."

"Fascinating! Can you play both?" Maris asks, curious.

"Yes--played Pokeflute for three years and whistle for two and a half years" Ash replies as he sets his instrument somewhere in the grass.

"So anyway, here's my version of "The Little Gold Flute". Brock interjects before beginning "A long time ago, in a place far away from here, there lived a mother and her daughter. Since the daughter loved the color red very much, she was named Akaiko, which means 'red child'. One day, as they worked in the fields..." Brock mimics digging in dirt. "A great Charizard flew down from the sky and snatched Akaiko in his claws. Akaiko's last words to her mother as she was carried away were..." He switches to a breathy female voice. 'Mother, my mother, so dearest to me, someday my brother will come rescue me.'

Everyone laughs at the voice Brock has chosen for Akaiko, but he next switches to a older female voice. "I have lost my only child..." He interjects as himself for a moment "the mother thought as she wept." before returning to his "mother" voice. "Who could this brother be?"

As himself, he continues "Well, some time passed, and the mother had a second child, a son. The child was born looking up at the sky in wonder, so he was named Aozora, or 'blue sky'. The mother wished for Aozora to rescue his sister, but couldn't bear to give her son such a dangerous quest. So, for many years, she locked herself in her room and wept late into the night. But one day, a Murkrow happened to land by a window and said to her..." He switches to a gravely voice reminiscent of a Murkrow. "Your sister's suffering way out there! Weeping in that Charizard's lair! Ruby red stains upon her back, digging up rocks with hands so bare!" He returns to himself. "Aozora happened to overhear this, and asked his mother..."

"Is it true I have a sister?" Ash fills in Aozora's line.

"You speak true..." Brock replies as the mother. "Because she loved the color red so much, she was called Akaiko, the red child. That evil Charizard who has slain so many took her from me ten years ago."

As himself, Brock continues "Aozora took up a large stick and said..."

"I'm going to slay that Charizard, and save my sister!" Ash triumphantly declares in character as Aozora. "Then he will never harm our land again!"

"Where's the big stick?" Dawn interuppts.

"We're in a forest, not on a stage, so I can't do that much acting." Ash explains. Dawn gives a understanding nod--she's heard and performed this story hundreds of times, and still enjoys seeing Ash slam a big stick on a stage when he says 'Then he will never harm our land again!'

"Aozora left early the next morning, and walked for many miles." Brock continues as Ash walks around the campfire for a moment. "As he wound around a mountain road, he saw a large rock blocking the way--and if he didn't remove it, it would mean a potentially deadly fall." At this, Ash stops walking and examines an imaginary rock by where Maris is sitting. "He thrust his stick under the rock and pushed with all his might..." Ash pretends to push against something heavy. "but his stick broke with a snap!" He claps to illustrate this. "Then, Aozora picked up the rock, and threw it into a ravine with all his strength." Brock narrates as Ash picks up the imagined rock and tosses it away. "When Aozora looked in the place where the rock had been, he saw a tiny gold flute." Ash picks up the whistle he left earlier, which is lying by his feet. "So after examining it for a moment, he picked it up and blew a single clear note..." At this, Ash blows a single high D note. "He tried a few more notes..." Ash starts going up the D major scale. "before trying to play a tune. No sooner had he begun playing, did all the Pokemon of the mountain come to listen and dance to the little flute."

Pikachu, Piplup, Parchirisu, Gible, and Happini opt to dance around the campfire as Ash plays the tune "The Silver Sword". "But as soon as Aozora stopped playing..." Brock interjects as Ash finishes his song. "the Pokemon stopped dancing." Brock waits as the Pokemon retreat back to a blanket before going on. "Aozora took the little flute with him, and continued on his way. Before long, he came to the Charizard's cave high on the mountain. While the Charizard was sleeping, the sheer number of human and Pokemon bones nearby were a testament to how many others had tried to save Akaiko and failed. Aozora also saw a familiar girl in red hammering away at the rock, with tears streaming down her face. Although the girl wanted to cry out very much, if she ever did so, the Charizard would burn her with his flaming tail and scold her, saying..." He switches to a deeper version of himself. "Ungrateful, loathsome Mistress Red! "Since with me you will not wed, day by day, rock by rock, carve for me a handsome cave, or else I'll send you to your grave!"

As himself, he continues "Aozora recognized the girl as his sister, Akaiko, and so he charged into the cave and shouted..." .

"Wicked monster, Evil fiend! For torturing my sister so!" Ash announces. "Till your wretched life shall end..." he warns, turning his cap back and retriving the whistle from his pocket. "On this flute I shall blow and blow!" With that, he starts another reel.

Brock continues over the music "Aozora then began to play the little flute, and the Charizard danced in spite of himself. Akaiko, meanwhile, abandoned her chiesel and hurried outside to watch. Aozora continued to play, and the Charizard continued to dance--the faster Aozora played, the faster the Charizard danced." Maris and the Pokemon laugh as Ash speeds up his reel for a moment. "Akaiko came close to Aozora, wishing to speak to her brother, but she was very aware that if Aozora stopped playing, the Charizard would eat them both." Ash finishes his set at this point. "Finally, the Charizard pleaded..." He switches to his Charizard voice again. "Human, I see that you are stronger! Play no more, torture me no longer! I will send the girl home if you just leave me alone!"

As himself, he continues "Yet Aozora did not stop playing..." prompting Ash to start another set of tunes. "As he played, he led the Charizard to a great lake. The Charizard fell into the water with huge splash, making the water level rise several feet. He again pleaded with Aozora..." As the Charizard, he wheezes "Human, I said that you were stronger! Let me stay inside this pond, and torture folk no longer!" as Ash finishes his second tune. He quickly interjects "Aozora replied..."

"Evil fiend, this is my bargain..." Ash intones as Aozora. "Stay at the bottom of the lake, and never do harm again."

"With that, the Charizard sank to the bottom of the lake..." Brock continues. "Aozora took Akaiko by the hand and set out for home. They had not gotten very far when they heard splashing from the lake. The Charizard emerged from the lake, determined to kill the both of them. Akaiko cautioned..." He switches to his "young girl" voice. "You go deep when digging a well, and you pull up roots when plowing a field, but while that Charizard lives, to kind ways he will not yield."

"Aozora raced back to the lake's shore, playing the little flute all the while..." he continues as himself, prompting Ash to play a tune Maris recognizes as the Pokemon Master Victory Song. "He played for seven days and nights, until the Charizard's body came floating back to him." Ash concludes this tune to some applause. "Sister and brother returned home, Aozora carrying the Charizard's corpse in his arms. When the mother saw her two children returning, she smiled with great joy, and ran to embrace them. They used the Charizard's scales and bones to build a house, and the Charizard's teeth as plowshares...and using these plowshares, they never went hungry again. Yet Aozora kept the little flute with him, just in case he needed its song again." Ash adds a little flourish on his instrument before Brock adds "The end."

"Bravo!" Maris applauds. Brock acknowledges Ash, who takes a bow.

"You should see it when we do it on a stage!" Dawn smiles.

"Now, Ash...we'll eat, then you have to tell a story--or else." Brock tells Ash as he ladles out portions of the soup into bowls.

"I know..." Ash assures Brock as he dives into his meal.

After everyone has eaten and the campsite cleaned, Brock addresses Ash again. "Okay, Ash--tell us a tale for your dessert."

Ash thinks for a moment, then addresses the group "Brock taught me this tale in return for me sharing a story for him--I told him 'The Shiny Mermaid', and he told me this one, which is called "The Demon Tauros".

"This is one of many tales involving a certain Gengar in Kanto folklore named Andera, who was known for possessing Pokemon." Brock explains. "The tales usually end with the hero--or heroine--defeating what he had possessed, but he would always live on in spirit, looking for some other Pokemon to possess."

Ash clears his throat and begins "There was once an old man who lived on a mountain with his two grandchildren, a grandson--we'll call him Daiki--and an adopted granddaughter--we'll call her Yumi. Daiki would often help his grandfather in the field or go with him on hunting trips. Yumi would fix meals and help with chores around the house."

"Pika pika..." Pikachu sighs.

"It gets interesting, okay?" Ash assures Pikachu, making everyone else laugh. He thinks as to where he is in the tale, then continues. "One day, the man got very sick, and it seemed he would not recover. Daiki took up all the work in the field and the hunting while Yumi cared for their sofu, as they called him. Daiki was very much in love with Yumi, as he knew that her true mother would have wanted her to marry him, as was the custom in those days. So to comfort their sofu they told him they would wed sometime within the next year."

"Aw..." Maris smiles.

"It was said that the last day of the old year was a time of misfortune and despair, and on the final day of that year, a great misfortune occurred: the Gengar Andera came to the mountain." Ash continues. "Wherever he went, many a disaster followed. On the first day of the new year, Andera possessed a passing Tauros and came to the house, where he saw Daiki bidding Yumi and his sofu> goodbye. Not long after Yumi had closed the door, he knocked on it. Yumi opened the door and saw what she thought was just a Tauros, but was surprised when it asked to marry her!"

"Pini pini!" Happini complains.

"Well, I'm not as good at doing voices as Brock is..." Ash confesses. Everyone laughs, and then Ash continues "He then tried to trick Daiki, but Daiki chased him away. As he fled, Andera gave a forboding warning--if Yumi wasn't given to him in marriage in three days, Daiki, Yumi, and their sofu would all die." He takes his whistle and adds a shuddering note to prove his point.

"And then?" Even Brock is interested, even though he knows the story's saddening conclusion.

"Three days came and went, and on the morning of the fourth day, Daiki went to the forest to cut firewood." Ash continues. "Suddenly, he smelled smoke and saw a thick black plume of smoke down the hill. He raced back and gasped when he saw where the smoke was coming from--his own house was engulfed in flames, and two irises stood nearby where his sofu and Yumi had died trying to escape the flames." Happini begins to cry at this. "Enraged by their deaths, Daiki searched high and low for who had murdered his family, until he saw Andera as a Tauros by a stream. He crept up behind the Tauros and killed it, but Andera assumed the form of a spirit, and flew away to wreak havoc elsewhere--people say when you hear Pidgeys screeching, Andera is close by, ready to bring terror and despair...the end."

"Pini..." Happini sniffles as Brock dries her tears.

"Not bad...I have taught you well, Ash." Brock smiles as he gives Ash a deep brown chocolate ball with green trim. Ash eagerly smacks the ball against a rock, breaking it open and revealing a wind-up whirligig inside. Maris takes an orange chocolate ball and breaks it open, revealing a Chansey doll. Brock breaks open a milk chocolate ball and gives Happini the top inside.

"The tale I want to tell..." Dawn begins as she breaks open a white chocolate ball and gives the hoop to Piplup . "Mom first told to me after I had been caught fibbing to my teacher about why I did not do my homework. I then had to apologize for the fib. Since then, I've used it as a teaching aid for a unit on good character--the sixth week's virtue is telling the truth. The story is called "The King and the Two Brothers." She takes a bite of her chocolate ball, then begins. "Once a father was exasperated over his eldest son, who was quite the brat. He asked if he would do the chores, or if he'd rather leave and be someone else's son. The older son replied that he would rather be someone else's son, and so he was sent away."

"Mm-hm..." Brock beckons Dawn to go on.

"Meanwhile, the younger son was cutting wood in the forest until he heard a loud cry in the distance." Dawn continues. "He hurried in the cry's direction, and found that it was a girl crying. He assured the girl that he would help her, and told her to wait for him. After he deposited the wood he had cut at home, he returned to where the girl was waiting and led her to his house. When he asked the girl what she had been doing out in the forest, he learned that she was the princess of the land."

"Pini..." Happini gains star eyes over the mention of a princess.

"Happini has a thing for princesses..." Brock explains to Maris as he cradles the starry eyed Happini in his arms.

"Two days later, word spread through the land that the king would handsomely reward whoever brought back the princess alive." Dawn continues. "So the next day, the younger son brought the princess home to the palace. When the king heard the boy's story, he was touched by the boy's kindness, and offered the princess' hand in marriage as a reward. The boy and the princess fell in love, and they were married not long after."

"And they all lived happily ever after--the end!" Ash interjects.

Dawn giggles. "The story's not over there, Ash--some time later, the king learned that the younger son had an elder brother, and summoned both of them to the palace, where they were told to find and kill the ghost Pokemon that had kidnapped the princess. So after preparing for their journey, they looked high and low, spending many months in search of the ghost Pokemon. Finally, they came to an abandoned house in a forest. The older brother was afraid, but the younger brother went inside, where there was not one ghost Pokemon but many--Gastlies, Haunters, Misdreavuses, Shuppets--they were all there having a hopping good time! The one who had kidnapped the princess, a Haunter, clutched one of the princess' combs. The younger son went in and handily killed all the ghosts, reclaiming the beautiful gem-studded comb."

"Then what?" Maris asks.

"The older brother saw the comb and demanded he have it. When the younger brother refused, his older brother tackled him and stole the comb." Dawn continues. "When the two of them went before the king the next day, the older brother boasted that he had gotten the comb, when in reality, the younger brother had slain the ghosts and gotten the comb. But the king saw the ghostly blood on the younger brother's sword, and knew the older brother was lying--the older brother was ordered to be put to death by burning at the stake for lying to the king." Dawn concludes. "As for the younger brother, he and the princess lived happily ever after--the end."

Ash yawns. "I'm tired..."

"Let's sing one last song before we go to bed." Brock suggests before taking his guitar and playing a slow intro. From this valley they say you are leaving, we will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile. For you take with you all of the sunshine that has brightened our pathway a while...

Come and sit by my side if you love me, do not hasten to bid me adieu....but remember the old river valley, and the cowboy that loved you so true... everyone else joins in, unaware that the stories they have told hold a deeper meaning than they know.

 

[EmeraldSky]

Day 2, 6:00 AM

Ash wakes up early the next morning, long before his friends. After making sure that his companions are still sleeping, he nudges Pikachu. "Hey..."

"Pika, pikapi?" Pikachu groggily yawns.

"Want to go watch the sunrise?" Ash asks, offering his hand so Pikachu can climb aboard. Once Pikachu is settled on his usual perch, Ash takes one of his whistles and tiptoes into the night, being careful not to wake the others.

Ash makes good time down the path to Mesprit's shrine, stopping at a inlet on the shore, where he can see the sky beginning to lighten with the pinks and oranges of the dawn. Inspired, he takes his whistle and begins a calm melody as the sun peeks over the hill, one that Pikachu recognizes as "Dancing on the Water". He then segues into a familiar set of polkas, beginning with "Erika's Garden".

Back in the campsite, Dawn is first to hear the familiar notes of a whistle drifting through the woods. "That sounds like Ash..."

"What would he be doing practicing at six AM?" Maris asks as she follows Dawn down the path.

"Maybe he wanted to welcome the sunrise?" Brock suggests as he follows Maris. By the time the others arrive, Ash is winding up the final tune in the set--the Vermillion Polka. The others are about to applaud when a pink light and silver dust appear in the brightening sky.

"Mesprit!" Dawn gasps as she hears Mesprit's playful giggle.

Good morning, everyone, and good morning to you too, Young Master. Mesprit replies. I trust that you have pondered my riddle and wish to seek my treasure?

"Riddle?" Ash is confused.

"Remember what Mesprit told us about her treasure?" Brock asks.

Ash thinks back to what Mesprit told him the day before--the key to the treasure lies within your own story. Then, a theory hits him--were all the stories the group told around the campfire connected? "You mean, the stories we told yesterday are the clues for finding the treasure?"

Correct, and the order you told them is the order of the clues. You will know the clue's location by my star somewhere on the object. Mesprit replies, pleased that someone figured out her riddle. I wish you all good luck... With that, she flies away in a flash of pink light.

Brock thinks about what the group told the previous night. "Okay, so what parts of 'The Woodcutter Mage' would make feasible clues?" he asks the group as he retrieves some sheets of paper from his bag.

"The woodcutter that could transform into stuff..." Ash suggests.

"I said FEASIBLE, Ash--stuff we could find around here that also appeared in the story." Brock sternly reminds Ash. "That means no wizards or princesses either." he tells Happini as he begins writing down some ideas.

"Pi..." Happini sighs.

"Ash knows magic, but I don't see Mesprit's sign on him." Dawn notes as she examines Ash for any sign of the vaguely cicular looking five point star that is imprinted on the entrance to Mesprit's shrine. Brock crosses "magic" and "wizard" off the list he made.

"Ratattas, Swellows..." Maris muses.

Ash bends down to examine a passing Ratatta, but doesn't find the star on it either. "No luck here..." Brock crosses off "Ratatta" and "Swellow".

"Fire?" Dawn asks as she leads the way back to the campsite, but doesn't see the star in the smouldering remains of the fire from the night before.

Brock sighs as he crosses off "fire". "The only things left I can think of are a robe and a crystal ball..."

Pikachu examines a ball he and Happini played with the night before that resembles a crystal ball. "Pika..." he reports.

Suddenly, Maris gasps when she sees the star on her bathrobe's sleeve. "I found it!"

"What?" Ash gasps as Maris shows him the glowing pink star on her bathrobe's left sleeve.

Well done--a flute's song and an evil Charizard hold the key to your next clue. Mesprit assures the group telepathically.

"Then that means the next clue has something to do with 'The Little Gold Flute!'" Dawn smiles as she motions for everyone to huddle and discuss ideas on what the clue could be.

 

[EmeraldSky]

The group gathers in the tent, eager to discuss the clue that Mesprit has left them. "Okay, so what does 'The Little Gold Flute' have to do with our treasure?" Maris asks.

"Based on my notes..." Brock muses as he shows them a list of keywords from the story. "'dirt', 'house' and 'rock'" can be ruled out..."

"Rule out 'flute' too..." Ash sighs as he finishes examining his Pokeflute and both whistles for Mesprit's star and not finding it.

"'Stick' is out..." Dawn agrees as she tosses aside a stick she was examining.

"Maybe we're going at this the wrong way..." Maris suggests.

"Huh?" The others stare at Maris, confused.

"Rather than keywords from the story like with our first clue, maybe the poetic parts of the story hold our clue." Maris explains. The blank looks on the others' faces prompt her to continue "You know, 'Mother my mother, so dearest to me'?"

"Oh, those parts!" Ash sheepishly giggles.

"Which parts do you think have our clue?" Brock is interested in Maris' theory.

"Specifically, the Murkrow's message to Aozora, and Aozora's warning to the Charizard." Maris replies.

Ash thinks about both messages. "Your sister's suffering way out there, weeping in that Charizard's lair! Ruby red stains upon her back, digging up rocks with hands so bare..." After contemplating the message for a moment, he sighs. "Sorry guys, I don't see where Maris is getting at with her theory..."

"Think about it in terms of the lake and the surrounding area..." Maris explains. "The suffering sister is a large willow tree not far from here, the Charizard's lair is a cave nearby that tree that is a gem mine."

Brock's eyes light up. "Then that means the ruby red stains part symbolizes that rubies are plentiful in that mine..."

"and the digging up rocks is what you do in a mine, anyway!" Dawn agrees.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash cries as he scrambles to his feet. "Let's go!" With that, he and Pikachu dash outside.

"Wait for us!" Brock and the girls are not far behind.

Ash, meanwhile, dashes through the leafy brush and makes a right around the lake's western shore. After braving the large overgrown roots in the woods overlooking the lake, he comes to a stop by a willow tree that stands not far away from a cave entrance and waits with Pikachu as the others arrive.

Pikachu, meanwhile, sees a red glint in the cave. "Pika chupi?" he wonders.

"I'm pretty sure that that was the glint of a ruby." Ash assures is companion as he smooths back the yellow mouse creature's long black tipped ears in attempt to rid them of burs and thorns.

"Before we go in, though..." Brock retrieves a can of Max Repel and sprays some on everyone. "This is to keep Zubats away."

"I'm sure any Zubats would be asleep by now." Maris notes.

"Better safe than sorry." Brock replies as he flicks on a flashlight and leads the way into the cave.

The group doesn't have to go very far before they come to an alcove with an underground river flowing through it. The many gems in the walls and buried under the riverbed make many colors of light dance through the cave. "It's beautiful!" Dawn notes.

Ash, meanwhile, has retrieved a bag of dirt and a screened in box and is eagerly mining in the riverbed. Piqued, Brock finds more similar boxes and bags of dirt against one wall, leaving behind enough credits for each person's supplies.

"Pini?" Happini is interested in the river.

"Well, there's bunches of sparklies in the water and in this dirt." Brock explains. "We're looking for a very specific kind of sparkly."

"Pika pi chu." Pikachu adds, showing Happini a picture of a ruby in Brock's guidebook of gemstones and minerals.

"To find the sparklies, we first put a little dirt in the box." Brock explains as he shovels a little dirt into the screened box. "Then, we dunk the box in the water and wash the dirt away." Happini watches in fascination as her master submerges the box in the water and shakes it a little to make sure the dirt dissolves completely. "The box has a screen at the bottom, so any sparklies don't get washed away with the dirt." He then shows Happini what he has found: a topaz, a large emerald, and a few garnets and sapphires, but no rubies.

After a while, the group has gone through almost all their dirt and have not found any rubies. "You sure this was the right place?" Dawn sighs. So far, she is the only one to find a ruby, and it doesn't have Mesprit's star on it.

"What was Aozora's warning to the Charizard?" Brock asks Ash as he gathers up what the group has used and sets them in a pile in the far left corner of the room, designated for discarding used supplies.

"Evil fiend, this is my bargain..." Ash intones, turning his cap back. "Stay at the bottom of the lake, and never do harm again."

"Pi!" Happini applauds Ash's performance as the group turns to leave the cave.

"What if the ruby is at the lake's bottom?" Maris suggests as the group emerges from the cave and into the sunshine. "I have a hook we could use to bring any treasure up..."

"Great idea!" Dawn suggests, leading the group over the large tree roots and underbrush to arrive at the western shore, not far from the group's campsite. Maris thin unzips her pack and sets a small box with a hook attached to it on the ground.

"Here goes..." With that, Maris flicks on the power switch, sending the hook into the water.

The group watches the hook for a moment before they hear a soft thunk in the water. "Bring it up!" Dawn urges. Maris nods and sets the direction of the hook to "REVERSE", making the hook wind up to the surface and deposit a ruby that shines with a familiar star on it on the grass.

"A clue!" Ash gasps.

Well done--your next clue concerns a wily Haunter and the tragedy he wrought in the form of a Tauros. Mesprit telepathically replies.

"'The Demon Tauros' holds our third clue." Ash explains.

Dawn sighs. "Time to decipher another cryptic message....."

 

[wolfeydawg]

i find it weird that noone has commented but if you wanna delete mine go ahead. i think that it is rather good now i am interested to find out more about the evil charizard lol..

 

[EmeraldSky]

That Charizard was the bad guy of the story Brock told.