WaterTrainer243
Veteran Water Lover
ZeldaFan, you have GOT to inform me whenever you update your stories!
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Pokémon: Evil’s Awakening
- Thread starter ZeldaFan20
- Start date
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
Told ya I'd have another one up this weekend. Enjoy!
“YEOWCH!”
Ash tried very hard not to jump off the table, but the feeling of a sharp needle piercing his skin was more than he could bear. As he took slow deep breaths, his eyes wandered around the medical room he was currently sitting in. The finger paintings done by past young patients were quite amusing, as were the seagulls flying around outside the window. What took all the cheerfulness away was an open drawer filled with unused syringes and test tubes.
Even more than losing Pokémon battles, Ash absolutely hated shots. His mother, Delia Ketchum, had often made jokes about the times he would hide under her bed, or in one of the closets, in order to avoid his yearly boosters. Many of their friends and neighbors thought this funny; but to Ash, every shot felt like a death sentence.
“There we go,” the doctor said as she clipped the needle of the syringe and threw it into a red box. The young blue-eyed brunette caught his look of relief as she put the bottle of vaccine back in the cupboard.
“I know it’s no picnic getting these,” she chuckled, “but your records did say that your next Hepatitis B shot was a little overdue.”
Ash smiled sheepishly as he put his shirt back on and grabbed his sneakers. “I guess I never had much time to see a doctor during all my Pokémon journeys.”
The doctor gave him a keen glance, “Well, just be sure that you keep seeing one every six months - especially since you’ve done so much traveling.” She then picked up a clipboard and proceeded to look over it, “Let’s see; height, weight, heart, blood pressure…allergy and drug tests came up normal…excellent reflexes…eyes, ears, nose and throat are all clear…no sign of lice, and you’ve just had your HB shot. We’ve got nothing else to check, so I guess you’re done.”
Delighted that it was all over, Ash thanked the doctor and left the room. Many other Trainers were scattered around the waiting room when he arrived; reading magazines, playing card games, looking at the paintings on the wall. A couple of girls were also returning from their check-ups, and the doctors were calling for their next “victims.”
“Ash,” May called from the far end of the room. Walking in her direction, he could see that all his friends were sitting around a table, comparing stories and battle strategies.
“Pi pika pika,” Pikachu squeaked as he jumped happily onto his Trainer’s shoulder. Ash gave his friend a gentle scratch under the chin, receiving a pleasant coo in return.
“How was your visit?” Brendan asked, “Mine came up clean as a whistle.”
“Yeah, mine too,” Ash replied, not even wanting to mention his reaction to the shot.
Brock stood up at that moment, “C’mon, the Pokémon Center is right across the street. Let’s get the Pokémon over there and go have some fun in town.”
“Hold the phone, guys,” Max intervened, “we can’t just go off like that.”
“I know; do you think I’d forget to mention our plans to Niko?”
Max frowned, “No comment.”
The six humans soon located their guide and talked to him. However, their hopes for fun in town were shattered.
“No can do, swabbies,” he declared, “No one goes anywhere until much later. What do you expect to do in town without any money?”
Ash looked baffled, “What are you talking about? We already have money.” He then pulled the all the bills and change he had and showed it to Niko, who only shook his head in response.
“Hate to break it to ya, but we have a different currency here in the Great Sea. Right after we drop off your Pokémon, we’re all making a stop at the bank to convert your cash.”
Max suddenly slapped himself in the head, “That’s right, I forgot; you only use rupees here, don’t you?”
“Yup.”
“Uh, what are rupees?” Wally asked timidly.
Niko cleared his throat before explaining. “Err-he-hem, rupees have been our region’s currency for thousands of years. Ever since the days of our ancestors, we’ve used different colored gemstones to determine various rupee values. For example, a green rupee equals one rupee, a blue equals five, red equals twenty, and purple equals fifty. Long ago, a silver rupee was worth one-hundred while a gold one was worth two-hundred. Today we don’t use gold rupees anymore, so the silver rupee’s value was elevated to two-hundred, even though they’re not as commonly used as the others.”
May was intrigued by what Niko said about gems being used as money. In school, she’d heard of other cultures using things like shells and rocks as money. Perhaps, she thought, the ancient kingdom that these islands used to be was just like any other country during its time. Her train of thought was then interrupted by Niko as he was directing the last few kids to line up by the door.
A few minutes later, Ash and the other Trainers were at the Pokémon Center, checking Pikachu and the rest of their Pokémon in. While it was only those competing in the Tournament who were required to have their creatures checked, many of the others saw the opportunity and jumped at it. Nurse Joy was only too happy to take care of the Pokémon - even if there was such a big load on her shoulders.
Once their business at the Center was done, Niko led them all to the Windfall Island National Bank. The teller lines were all crowded with Trainers that day as everyone had their money converted. When Ash and Brendan’s turns came, they were amazed to discover that the amount of money they received in rupees was 2½ times greater than it was previously. It wasn’t just them either; everyone was excited to get so much. Niko had to warn them all that to spend all that cash so fast would be an invitation for disaster, although he had a feeling that none of them heard a word he was saying.
Just as Ash and the others left their line to join up with Niko, they spotted Marina and Jimmy coming in through the door. The friends clustered together like a swarm of bees.
“What’s taking you guys so long?” Marina asked, “I want us to go into town together.”
“We’re waiting for Niko to give the word once everybody else is done,” Max replied, “Didn’t you two get your money changed yet?”
Jimmy nodded, “Right after we did, Mako let us all go off on our own. We have to be back to catch the buses at four-thirty, though, so we’ll be on time to get ready for dinner.”
“I hope we don’t have to dress up for it,” Ash said nervously, “I didn’t bring anything fancy to wear.”
The other guys looked at each other; apparently, no one thought about bringing formal clothes.
“Relax,” Niko said from behind, “the last thing His Majesty wants is for his guests to be uncomfortable on their first night. So, dinner tonight is going to be informal.”
The whole group was relieved to hear this, and even more when Niko gave them permission to go.
“However,” he added, “the buses are going to be waiting in the center of Town for us. We all have to meet in the square by four-thirty this afternoon. If you’re late, you’ll be looking for a motel room for the night, and you won’t see me in a happy mood the next morning. Got that?”
Ash and his friends gave their promise, and were out the door faster than a hair being pulled out of the dough. Once outside, they all began talking about where they wanted to go first.
“I want to check out that massage parlor we passed a little while ago,” Marina suggested, “Crazy Tracy’s Health Spa, I think it’s called.”
“Sounds great,” May chimed, “I could use a massage after being in that crowd.”
“Maybe,” Brock said, “but that Potion Shop down the street looked interesting; I’d like to see what kinds of Pokémon Potions they have.”
“There’s a Shooting Gallery a couple of blocks away that uses bows and arrows,” Jimmy cut in, “I’ve always wanted to try that.”
“Did you see that Happy Mask Shop a while back?” Max asked Wally excitedly.
“Yeah,” Wally exclaimed happily, “I’d really like to buy a mask for my uncle; he collects them.”
Ash and Brendan, in the meantime, stood back and watched as their friends’ suggestions slowly became quarrels; each person wanted to see something, and wanted the others to agree. They both looked at each other and shook their heads; neither of them wanted this trip to begin with fighting. Finally, Brendan brought two fingers to his lips, and blew. The sound of the loud whistle instantly brought the argument to a stop. With apologetic eyes, the children looked at their friends.
“Listen, people,” Ash began, “we have the whole trip to see all these places, but we can’t see them if we’re fighting over them. Let’s just look around town first, and see what else is here. I’m sure that there’s tons of stuff to do.”
“Here’s a suggestion,” Brendan added, “I’m sure we’re all pretty hungry, and I remember seeing a café during our ride up from the port. Why don’t we grab something to eat first, and then explore the city?”
Everyone agreed to this, knowing that Brendan was right about them being hungry. In a flash, they all set off down the street to find the café. Along the way, they were greeted warmly by a number of the townsfolk; many of the children even asked for Ash, Jimmy, Marina, and Brendan’s autographs.
“Oh great,” May muttered under her breath, “now their heads are going to swell up even more.” She said nothing aloud, however, and their trek continued.
The walk took them to the center of town, where a large clock tower stood sentinel over the whole area. A small group of people (Brock guessed that they were carpenters from the tools they used) were building another, much smaller tower in the very heart of the square. Other people were busy hanging streamers, wreaths made of fragrant flowers, lights, flags, masks, posters, and other decorations.
“Wow, look at all this,” Ash said in awe, “Is this all for the Tournament?”
“Probably,” Jimmy answered, “but it might have something to do with that banner they’re putting up.”
He then pointed to a large red banner, which was being pulled across - and over - the street by two men. Gold letters on the banner formed the words:
“YAY, A CARNIVAL!” Wally and Max cheered as they took hands and danced around in circles.
“And it starts right after the Tournament,” Brock observed, “It must be to honor the winners.”
“But it says they have it every year,” Marina pointed out, “It can’t be just for the Tournament.”
“You’re right,” said a voice from behind.
Everyone turned around to see who spoke, only to come face-to-face with a young girl. She was tall, slender, fair-skinned, and looked to be around eighteen years old. Her long blue hair flowed gracefully in the wind behind her, and the light blue sundress she wore made her look even more becoming. Before anyone else could speak, Brock swiftly clasped the young girl’s hands, his face turning as bright red as a burning coal.
“Hello, young lady,” he said hastily, “My name is Brock, and my friends and I were just pondering the meaning of all this festive preparation. Of course, I’m sure a pretty little thing such as yourself would be more than willing to…”
“HEY, YOU!”
While everyone else was casting disapproving looks at their friend’s advances, a young boy shot right up to them. Like the girl, he appeared to be in his late teens, but his bright red hair, jeans, and leather vest made him look less appealing than his predecessor. What really caught them off guard, however, was that he immediately laid a well-aimed punch right on Brock’s nose!
Brock fell into a sitting position on the pavement, covering his face with his hands and wailing like a baby. Ash and the others clustered around him, anxious to find out if their friend was badly hurt. Completely offended by this unprovoked attack, Ash stood up and faced the newcomer.
“What did you do that for?” he demanded, “All he was going to do was ask this lady a question.”
The angry boy took no notice of Ash’s declaration, but only snorted at Brock, “Maybe that’ll teach you not to mess around with Nayru like that.”
“Stop it, Ralph,” the young girl said, casting a horrified expression towards the puncher, “That was completely uncalled for.” She then turned to the astounded group, “Please pardon Ralph, he always gets this way when it comes to my safety. By the way, my name’s Nayru, and I hope your friend isn’t badly hurt.”
Brock stood up and assured her that he was fine, despite the fact that his nose still ached like crazy. “I didd’t dow you had a boyfriedd,” he said, holding his nose.
Nayru laughed lightly, “Believe me, he’s not my boyfriend, even though he does tend to think differently.”
Ash proceeded to introduce himself and his friends, all the while casting wary glances at Ralph. Despite the fact that his actions were obviously in the best interests of his friend, Ash was sure that the young man had a serious problem with managing his temper. With this in mind, he decided to redirect the conversation to something a little more pleasant:
“So, Nayru, what exactly is all this for?”
“The Carnival of Time,” Nayru began, “is a festival that has been held in this region since before the legends of the Hero of Time first began. It was originally held to honor the very gods who created our world. As the years passed, however, the Carnival became a way of paying homage to the four elements that keep our planet in perfect harmony: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Either way, it is the most festive time of the year; with colorful masks, games, music, dancing, and feasting…”
“Speaking of music,” Ralph interrupted her, “remember that you’re supposed to meet the band for rehearsal this evening.”
Nayru smiled at her friend, “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.”
Wally suddenly walked forward, “Oh, you’re with a band? Do you play any instruments?”
“Only a small harp that my grandmother gave me,” Nayru replied, “but I’m actually going to be singing in place of the band’s lead singer; she was among those who have been mysteriously disappearing these past few months. It’s been really hard on her fellow members - especially since they were invited to perform at the Carnival this year.”
“Which band are you singing for?” Max inquired.
“Have you ever heard of the Indigo-Go’s?”
Before anyone had a chance to think, the surrounding murmurs of the townsfolk were completely drowned out by the sound of screaming. May and Marina, apparently oblivious to the amount of alarm being created, were currently shrieking at the tops of their lungs, and jumping up and down in the air like two overly excited children.
“OH MY GOSH, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” Marina yelled.
“THEY’RE HERE,” May added, “THE INDIGO-GO’S ARE ACTUALLY HERE!”
“Hey, knock it off, you two,” Ash managed to cut in. Once the noise level had lowered somewhat, he was able to take his hands off both ears and look his friends in the face. “Now, who are the Indigo-Go’s?”
Ash’s question seemed to cause great alarm for the two girls; they just stood there, looking at him, with wide eyes and even wider mouths.
“Who are the Indigo-Go’s?” May echoed in disbelief.
“You’re kidding, right?” Marina included, “They’re only THE greatest rock-and-roll group in the history of the entire world! They’re the poets of our generation!”
“And they’re actually going to perform right here after the Tournament!”
“Oh, I swear I’m going to faint!”
“Please,” Nayru shouted over the girls’ screaming, “there’s no need to get so excited; I mean it’s not like they’re any different from the rest of us. I’ve met them myself, and every one of the band members is quite charming.”
“Except for Evan,” Ralph muttered under his breath. Nayru quickly jabbed her elbow into his ribs, causing him to grunt in pain.
After getting the two girls to calm down a second time, Brendan turned to the islanders again, “Sorry about May and Marina, I guess they’re just so excited to be here. Anyway, did you happen see a small café somewhere around here? We were looking for it when we ran into you guys.”
Nayru nodded pleasantly, “You’re talking about the Crow’s Nest Tavern; it’s a very popular hangout for the local sailors. Just keep going down this street until you see a shabby gray building; the tavern is right across from there.”
“Awesome,” Jimmy said, “Let’s go, I’m starved.”
Brock made his way back to Nayru, “Would you care to join us for a simple meal, my fair lady?”
“Back off, Buster,” Ralph growled.
“Thank you anyway,” the young woman replied, “but I’m afraid we have a lot to do before this evening.” As the two of them walked off, she added, “I hope we’ll see each other again soon.”
“Bye,” Ash waved, “and thanks.”
Soon, the small group of Trainers was once more on the march, and no one could wait to finally get some food in their stomachs. Luckily, the quaint little restaurant wasn’t that far away, and its timeless, rustic appearance was actually very appealing.
“Wow,” Max observed, “it certainly looks like a good place to get some lunch.”
“Let’s go,” Wally declared, and the eight children began climbing the wooden stairs towards the main entrance.
Before his feet even touched the first step, Ash chose that moment to glance behind him. Across the street, just barely noticeable because of the crowd, a strange man had slinked into a nearby alley. Even though the distance between them was too great to memorize any features, Ash was sure that the man had been carrying something on his back. Seeing that everyone else had gone inside, he headed for the crosswalk and carefully reached the opposite street.
The alley turned out to be right next to the gray building. It looked so old and rickety that Ash found it hard to believe that anyone would want to hang around such a place. To his surprise, however, he heard the light whistling of a human further down the alley. Taking cautious steps, Ash quietly made his way down the filthy path. Trash cans, bags of garbage, two alley cats and a rat were all he came across at first. Suddenly, he stopped and dashed behind a large cardboard box: the strange man - a tall, bald man wearing a wide grin - was knocking on what appeared to be the back door of the building. He didn’t speak a word until a small slot near the top of the door slid open.
“What’s going on?” Ash thought to himself.
“It’s me, Borlov,” the man said, “Got a real bargain for ya.”
No words came from inside the dwelling, but a lock clicked and the door creaked open. The grinning man cheerfully pranced inside and the door closed behind him. After waiting a minute or two, Ash stalked up to the door and turned the knob, only to find it locked.
“I wonder if the front door’s open,” Ash thought as he walked back toward the street. Upon reaching the main entrance, Ash casually walked up to the door and tried it. To his delight, the door opened with ease. No one on the crowded sidewalk seemed to take any notice of a young boy walking into the old building.
Ash had to pull his shirt over his nose; age-old dust covered everything in the main room from top to bottom. Piles of wooden crates filled every corner, with cobweb curtains lining them all. Occasionally, a spider would come down from one of the old shelves on the walls. From the looks of the old countertop and the dust covered antique cash register, Ash guessed that the building used to be a store.
“One-hundred,” said a voice from the back. Ash nearly jumped at the sudden noise.
“Don’t be such a rupee pincher, you miser,” said another, “Two-hundred.”
Ash looked around; he could see a light shining through the crack of a rear door. Walking on tiptoes, he stole quietly up to it, and slowly opened the unlocked door just enough to see who was inside. Sitting at a fairly new table was the grinning man, the bulging sack he carried in the street lying in the center of the table. Across from him was another man, the sleeves of his blue shirt rolled up over the elbows.
“That’s gotta be Borlov,” Ash guessed.
“You don’t really expect me to pay that much for this junk, do you, Sakon?” Borlov asked indignantly.
“You gotta be kidding!” Sakon exclaimed, “Do you realize what this is? If that old koot knew about this, he’d have it locked up with the rest of his private collection.”
“That’s enough! It’s not wise to be slanging His Majesty in such a way. Anyway, I’m doing you a favor by paying you less. If this isn’t another one of your cheap tricks, how’d you like if I told him about you?”
Sakon frowned, but then nodded. “Okay, fine, I’ll take it, but you’re guilty too.”
Borlov slammed his hand angrily against the table, nearly causing Ash to fall into the room. “Hey, I know nothing! If it comes to me, I buy it. My Curiosity Shop is a charitable organization that helps people in need!”
“Yeah, right,” Ash thought, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
“I…I understand,” Sakon stammered, “then the total is…”
“It’s fifty now,” Borlov announced, passing two red rupees and two blue ones across the table, “There ya go.”
“WHAT?” Sakon threw up his hands in shock at the even lower amount of payment, “But I thought you said one-hundred!”
Borlov crossed his arms, “Oh, so I guess you don’t want me to take it off your hands.”
Fear seemed to cross Sakon’s face for a moment, but then it twisted and contorted with rage.
“Darn right I don’t!” he bellowed, “I come to you with THE best find in history, and you repay me with a mere pittance?”
“You call it a pittance, I call it sympathy, and it’s the only kind you’ll ever get from me today!”
“Keep your sympathy for all I care, I don’t want it!”
Sakon reached for his sack, Borlov reached for his money. Both men stood up so hard and fast that the table knocked over in the direction of the door, causing the two of them to start throwing fists at each other.
While the two were occupied, Ash happened to notice that the bag had almost gone through the door. With a steady hand, he pulled it closer and reached inside.
The object looked to be about the size of a sweet potato, and was so covered in dried coral that Ash figured it was under water at some point. At first, he thought this thing was too worthless to keep, but the shiny crystalline rock that formed around the coral convinced him that it would look beautiful enough to the right people. A gradual decrease in the level of shouting warned Ash that it was time to leave. He carefully pushed the bag back into the room, and stealthily made his way back to the door.
Once outside, Ash could hear the steady chimes of the town clock. Clutching the strange object inside his pocket, he ran across the crosswalk back to the café without looking back. Upon reaching the beginning of the steps, he stopped to take a breath; he pulled the rock out of his pocket and chuckled to himself.
“Boy, I only just got here, and I’m already having adventures.”
Still amused by what happened, he walked up the stairs and headed into the tavern.
Chapter 7
“YEOWCH!”
Ash tried very hard not to jump off the table, but the feeling of a sharp needle piercing his skin was more than he could bear. As he took slow deep breaths, his eyes wandered around the medical room he was currently sitting in. The finger paintings done by past young patients were quite amusing, as were the seagulls flying around outside the window. What took all the cheerfulness away was an open drawer filled with unused syringes and test tubes.
Even more than losing Pokémon battles, Ash absolutely hated shots. His mother, Delia Ketchum, had often made jokes about the times he would hide under her bed, or in one of the closets, in order to avoid his yearly boosters. Many of their friends and neighbors thought this funny; but to Ash, every shot felt like a death sentence.
“There we go,” the doctor said as she clipped the needle of the syringe and threw it into a red box. The young blue-eyed brunette caught his look of relief as she put the bottle of vaccine back in the cupboard.
“I know it’s no picnic getting these,” she chuckled, “but your records did say that your next Hepatitis B shot was a little overdue.”
Ash smiled sheepishly as he put his shirt back on and grabbed his sneakers. “I guess I never had much time to see a doctor during all my Pokémon journeys.”
The doctor gave him a keen glance, “Well, just be sure that you keep seeing one every six months - especially since you’ve done so much traveling.” She then picked up a clipboard and proceeded to look over it, “Let’s see; height, weight, heart, blood pressure…allergy and drug tests came up normal…excellent reflexes…eyes, ears, nose and throat are all clear…no sign of lice, and you’ve just had your HB shot. We’ve got nothing else to check, so I guess you’re done.”
Delighted that it was all over, Ash thanked the doctor and left the room. Many other Trainers were scattered around the waiting room when he arrived; reading magazines, playing card games, looking at the paintings on the wall. A couple of girls were also returning from their check-ups, and the doctors were calling for their next “victims.”
“Ash,” May called from the far end of the room. Walking in her direction, he could see that all his friends were sitting around a table, comparing stories and battle strategies.
“Pi pika pika,” Pikachu squeaked as he jumped happily onto his Trainer’s shoulder. Ash gave his friend a gentle scratch under the chin, receiving a pleasant coo in return.
“How was your visit?” Brendan asked, “Mine came up clean as a whistle.”
“Yeah, mine too,” Ash replied, not even wanting to mention his reaction to the shot.
Brock stood up at that moment, “C’mon, the Pokémon Center is right across the street. Let’s get the Pokémon over there and go have some fun in town.”
“Hold the phone, guys,” Max intervened, “we can’t just go off like that.”
“I know; do you think I’d forget to mention our plans to Niko?”
Max frowned, “No comment.”
The six humans soon located their guide and talked to him. However, their hopes for fun in town were shattered.
“No can do, swabbies,” he declared, “No one goes anywhere until much later. What do you expect to do in town without any money?”
Ash looked baffled, “What are you talking about? We already have money.” He then pulled the all the bills and change he had and showed it to Niko, who only shook his head in response.
“Hate to break it to ya, but we have a different currency here in the Great Sea. Right after we drop off your Pokémon, we’re all making a stop at the bank to convert your cash.”
Max suddenly slapped himself in the head, “That’s right, I forgot; you only use rupees here, don’t you?”
“Yup.”
“Uh, what are rupees?” Wally asked timidly.
Niko cleared his throat before explaining. “Err-he-hem, rupees have been our region’s currency for thousands of years. Ever since the days of our ancestors, we’ve used different colored gemstones to determine various rupee values. For example, a green rupee equals one rupee, a blue equals five, red equals twenty, and purple equals fifty. Long ago, a silver rupee was worth one-hundred while a gold one was worth two-hundred. Today we don’t use gold rupees anymore, so the silver rupee’s value was elevated to two-hundred, even though they’re not as commonly used as the others.”
May was intrigued by what Niko said about gems being used as money. In school, she’d heard of other cultures using things like shells and rocks as money. Perhaps, she thought, the ancient kingdom that these islands used to be was just like any other country during its time. Her train of thought was then interrupted by Niko as he was directing the last few kids to line up by the door.
A few minutes later, Ash and the other Trainers were at the Pokémon Center, checking Pikachu and the rest of their Pokémon in. While it was only those competing in the Tournament who were required to have their creatures checked, many of the others saw the opportunity and jumped at it. Nurse Joy was only too happy to take care of the Pokémon - even if there was such a big load on her shoulders.
Once their business at the Center was done, Niko led them all to the Windfall Island National Bank. The teller lines were all crowded with Trainers that day as everyone had their money converted. When Ash and Brendan’s turns came, they were amazed to discover that the amount of money they received in rupees was 2½ times greater than it was previously. It wasn’t just them either; everyone was excited to get so much. Niko had to warn them all that to spend all that cash so fast would be an invitation for disaster, although he had a feeling that none of them heard a word he was saying.
Just as Ash and the others left their line to join up with Niko, they spotted Marina and Jimmy coming in through the door. The friends clustered together like a swarm of bees.
“What’s taking you guys so long?” Marina asked, “I want us to go into town together.”
“We’re waiting for Niko to give the word once everybody else is done,” Max replied, “Didn’t you two get your money changed yet?”
Jimmy nodded, “Right after we did, Mako let us all go off on our own. We have to be back to catch the buses at four-thirty, though, so we’ll be on time to get ready for dinner.”
“I hope we don’t have to dress up for it,” Ash said nervously, “I didn’t bring anything fancy to wear.”
The other guys looked at each other; apparently, no one thought about bringing formal clothes.
“Relax,” Niko said from behind, “the last thing His Majesty wants is for his guests to be uncomfortable on their first night. So, dinner tonight is going to be informal.”
The whole group was relieved to hear this, and even more when Niko gave them permission to go.
“However,” he added, “the buses are going to be waiting in the center of Town for us. We all have to meet in the square by four-thirty this afternoon. If you’re late, you’ll be looking for a motel room for the night, and you won’t see me in a happy mood the next morning. Got that?”
Ash and his friends gave their promise, and were out the door faster than a hair being pulled out of the dough. Once outside, they all began talking about where they wanted to go first.
“I want to check out that massage parlor we passed a little while ago,” Marina suggested, “Crazy Tracy’s Health Spa, I think it’s called.”
“Sounds great,” May chimed, “I could use a massage after being in that crowd.”
“Maybe,” Brock said, “but that Potion Shop down the street looked interesting; I’d like to see what kinds of Pokémon Potions they have.”
“There’s a Shooting Gallery a couple of blocks away that uses bows and arrows,” Jimmy cut in, “I’ve always wanted to try that.”
“Did you see that Happy Mask Shop a while back?” Max asked Wally excitedly.
“Yeah,” Wally exclaimed happily, “I’d really like to buy a mask for my uncle; he collects them.”
Ash and Brendan, in the meantime, stood back and watched as their friends’ suggestions slowly became quarrels; each person wanted to see something, and wanted the others to agree. They both looked at each other and shook their heads; neither of them wanted this trip to begin with fighting. Finally, Brendan brought two fingers to his lips, and blew. The sound of the loud whistle instantly brought the argument to a stop. With apologetic eyes, the children looked at their friends.
“Listen, people,” Ash began, “we have the whole trip to see all these places, but we can’t see them if we’re fighting over them. Let’s just look around town first, and see what else is here. I’m sure that there’s tons of stuff to do.”
“Here’s a suggestion,” Brendan added, “I’m sure we’re all pretty hungry, and I remember seeing a café during our ride up from the port. Why don’t we grab something to eat first, and then explore the city?”
Everyone agreed to this, knowing that Brendan was right about them being hungry. In a flash, they all set off down the street to find the café. Along the way, they were greeted warmly by a number of the townsfolk; many of the children even asked for Ash, Jimmy, Marina, and Brendan’s autographs.
“Oh great,” May muttered under her breath, “now their heads are going to swell up even more.” She said nothing aloud, however, and their trek continued.
The walk took them to the center of town, where a large clock tower stood sentinel over the whole area. A small group of people (Brock guessed that they were carpenters from the tools they used) were building another, much smaller tower in the very heart of the square. Other people were busy hanging streamers, wreaths made of fragrant flowers, lights, flags, masks, posters, and other decorations.
“Wow, look at all this,” Ash said in awe, “Is this all for the Tournament?”
“Probably,” Jimmy answered, “but it might have something to do with that banner they’re putting up.”
He then pointed to a large red banner, which was being pulled across - and over - the street by two men. Gold letters on the banner formed the words:
Come one, come all, to Windfall Island’s Annual
Carnival of Time!
June 31st; beginning at midnight.
Come celebrate the past, present, and future together!
Carnival of Time!
June 31st; beginning at midnight.
Come celebrate the past, present, and future together!
“YAY, A CARNIVAL!” Wally and Max cheered as they took hands and danced around in circles.
“And it starts right after the Tournament,” Brock observed, “It must be to honor the winners.”
“But it says they have it every year,” Marina pointed out, “It can’t be just for the Tournament.”
“You’re right,” said a voice from behind.
Everyone turned around to see who spoke, only to come face-to-face with a young girl. She was tall, slender, fair-skinned, and looked to be around eighteen years old. Her long blue hair flowed gracefully in the wind behind her, and the light blue sundress she wore made her look even more becoming. Before anyone else could speak, Brock swiftly clasped the young girl’s hands, his face turning as bright red as a burning coal.
“Hello, young lady,” he said hastily, “My name is Brock, and my friends and I were just pondering the meaning of all this festive preparation. Of course, I’m sure a pretty little thing such as yourself would be more than willing to…”
“HEY, YOU!”
While everyone else was casting disapproving looks at their friend’s advances, a young boy shot right up to them. Like the girl, he appeared to be in his late teens, but his bright red hair, jeans, and leather vest made him look less appealing than his predecessor. What really caught them off guard, however, was that he immediately laid a well-aimed punch right on Brock’s nose!
Brock fell into a sitting position on the pavement, covering his face with his hands and wailing like a baby. Ash and the others clustered around him, anxious to find out if their friend was badly hurt. Completely offended by this unprovoked attack, Ash stood up and faced the newcomer.
“What did you do that for?” he demanded, “All he was going to do was ask this lady a question.”
The angry boy took no notice of Ash’s declaration, but only snorted at Brock, “Maybe that’ll teach you not to mess around with Nayru like that.”
“Stop it, Ralph,” the young girl said, casting a horrified expression towards the puncher, “That was completely uncalled for.” She then turned to the astounded group, “Please pardon Ralph, he always gets this way when it comes to my safety. By the way, my name’s Nayru, and I hope your friend isn’t badly hurt.”
Brock stood up and assured her that he was fine, despite the fact that his nose still ached like crazy. “I didd’t dow you had a boyfriedd,” he said, holding his nose.
Nayru laughed lightly, “Believe me, he’s not my boyfriend, even though he does tend to think differently.”
Ash proceeded to introduce himself and his friends, all the while casting wary glances at Ralph. Despite the fact that his actions were obviously in the best interests of his friend, Ash was sure that the young man had a serious problem with managing his temper. With this in mind, he decided to redirect the conversation to something a little more pleasant:
“So, Nayru, what exactly is all this for?”
“The Carnival of Time,” Nayru began, “is a festival that has been held in this region since before the legends of the Hero of Time first began. It was originally held to honor the very gods who created our world. As the years passed, however, the Carnival became a way of paying homage to the four elements that keep our planet in perfect harmony: Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Either way, it is the most festive time of the year; with colorful masks, games, music, dancing, and feasting…”
“Speaking of music,” Ralph interrupted her, “remember that you’re supposed to meet the band for rehearsal this evening.”
Nayru smiled at her friend, “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten.”
Wally suddenly walked forward, “Oh, you’re with a band? Do you play any instruments?”
“Only a small harp that my grandmother gave me,” Nayru replied, “but I’m actually going to be singing in place of the band’s lead singer; she was among those who have been mysteriously disappearing these past few months. It’s been really hard on her fellow members - especially since they were invited to perform at the Carnival this year.”
“Which band are you singing for?” Max inquired.
“Have you ever heard of the Indigo-Go’s?”
Before anyone had a chance to think, the surrounding murmurs of the townsfolk were completely drowned out by the sound of screaming. May and Marina, apparently oblivious to the amount of alarm being created, were currently shrieking at the tops of their lungs, and jumping up and down in the air like two overly excited children.
“OH MY GOSH, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” Marina yelled.
“THEY’RE HERE,” May added, “THE INDIGO-GO’S ARE ACTUALLY HERE!”
“Hey, knock it off, you two,” Ash managed to cut in. Once the noise level had lowered somewhat, he was able to take his hands off both ears and look his friends in the face. “Now, who are the Indigo-Go’s?”
Ash’s question seemed to cause great alarm for the two girls; they just stood there, looking at him, with wide eyes and even wider mouths.
“Who are the Indigo-Go’s?” May echoed in disbelief.
“You’re kidding, right?” Marina included, “They’re only THE greatest rock-and-roll group in the history of the entire world! They’re the poets of our generation!”
“And they’re actually going to perform right here after the Tournament!”
“Oh, I swear I’m going to faint!”
“Please,” Nayru shouted over the girls’ screaming, “there’s no need to get so excited; I mean it’s not like they’re any different from the rest of us. I’ve met them myself, and every one of the band members is quite charming.”
“Except for Evan,” Ralph muttered under his breath. Nayru quickly jabbed her elbow into his ribs, causing him to grunt in pain.
After getting the two girls to calm down a second time, Brendan turned to the islanders again, “Sorry about May and Marina, I guess they’re just so excited to be here. Anyway, did you happen see a small café somewhere around here? We were looking for it when we ran into you guys.”
Nayru nodded pleasantly, “You’re talking about the Crow’s Nest Tavern; it’s a very popular hangout for the local sailors. Just keep going down this street until you see a shabby gray building; the tavern is right across from there.”
“Awesome,” Jimmy said, “Let’s go, I’m starved.”
Brock made his way back to Nayru, “Would you care to join us for a simple meal, my fair lady?”
“Back off, Buster,” Ralph growled.
“Thank you anyway,” the young woman replied, “but I’m afraid we have a lot to do before this evening.” As the two of them walked off, she added, “I hope we’ll see each other again soon.”
“Bye,” Ash waved, “and thanks.”
Soon, the small group of Trainers was once more on the march, and no one could wait to finally get some food in their stomachs. Luckily, the quaint little restaurant wasn’t that far away, and its timeless, rustic appearance was actually very appealing.
“Wow,” Max observed, “it certainly looks like a good place to get some lunch.”
“Let’s go,” Wally declared, and the eight children began climbing the wooden stairs towards the main entrance.
Before his feet even touched the first step, Ash chose that moment to glance behind him. Across the street, just barely noticeable because of the crowd, a strange man had slinked into a nearby alley. Even though the distance between them was too great to memorize any features, Ash was sure that the man had been carrying something on his back. Seeing that everyone else had gone inside, he headed for the crosswalk and carefully reached the opposite street.
The alley turned out to be right next to the gray building. It looked so old and rickety that Ash found it hard to believe that anyone would want to hang around such a place. To his surprise, however, he heard the light whistling of a human further down the alley. Taking cautious steps, Ash quietly made his way down the filthy path. Trash cans, bags of garbage, two alley cats and a rat were all he came across at first. Suddenly, he stopped and dashed behind a large cardboard box: the strange man - a tall, bald man wearing a wide grin - was knocking on what appeared to be the back door of the building. He didn’t speak a word until a small slot near the top of the door slid open.
“What’s going on?” Ash thought to himself.
“It’s me, Borlov,” the man said, “Got a real bargain for ya.”
No words came from inside the dwelling, but a lock clicked and the door creaked open. The grinning man cheerfully pranced inside and the door closed behind him. After waiting a minute or two, Ash stalked up to the door and turned the knob, only to find it locked.
“I wonder if the front door’s open,” Ash thought as he walked back toward the street. Upon reaching the main entrance, Ash casually walked up to the door and tried it. To his delight, the door opened with ease. No one on the crowded sidewalk seemed to take any notice of a young boy walking into the old building.
Ash had to pull his shirt over his nose; age-old dust covered everything in the main room from top to bottom. Piles of wooden crates filled every corner, with cobweb curtains lining them all. Occasionally, a spider would come down from one of the old shelves on the walls. From the looks of the old countertop and the dust covered antique cash register, Ash guessed that the building used to be a store.
“One-hundred,” said a voice from the back. Ash nearly jumped at the sudden noise.
“Don’t be such a rupee pincher, you miser,” said another, “Two-hundred.”
Ash looked around; he could see a light shining through the crack of a rear door. Walking on tiptoes, he stole quietly up to it, and slowly opened the unlocked door just enough to see who was inside. Sitting at a fairly new table was the grinning man, the bulging sack he carried in the street lying in the center of the table. Across from him was another man, the sleeves of his blue shirt rolled up over the elbows.
“That’s gotta be Borlov,” Ash guessed.
“You don’t really expect me to pay that much for this junk, do you, Sakon?” Borlov asked indignantly.
“You gotta be kidding!” Sakon exclaimed, “Do you realize what this is? If that old koot knew about this, he’d have it locked up with the rest of his private collection.”
“That’s enough! It’s not wise to be slanging His Majesty in such a way. Anyway, I’m doing you a favor by paying you less. If this isn’t another one of your cheap tricks, how’d you like if I told him about you?”
Sakon frowned, but then nodded. “Okay, fine, I’ll take it, but you’re guilty too.”
Borlov slammed his hand angrily against the table, nearly causing Ash to fall into the room. “Hey, I know nothing! If it comes to me, I buy it. My Curiosity Shop is a charitable organization that helps people in need!”
“Yeah, right,” Ash thought, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
“I…I understand,” Sakon stammered, “then the total is…”
“It’s fifty now,” Borlov announced, passing two red rupees and two blue ones across the table, “There ya go.”
“WHAT?” Sakon threw up his hands in shock at the even lower amount of payment, “But I thought you said one-hundred!”
Borlov crossed his arms, “Oh, so I guess you don’t want me to take it off your hands.”
Fear seemed to cross Sakon’s face for a moment, but then it twisted and contorted with rage.
“Darn right I don’t!” he bellowed, “I come to you with THE best find in history, and you repay me with a mere pittance?”
“You call it a pittance, I call it sympathy, and it’s the only kind you’ll ever get from me today!”
“Keep your sympathy for all I care, I don’t want it!”
Sakon reached for his sack, Borlov reached for his money. Both men stood up so hard and fast that the table knocked over in the direction of the door, causing the two of them to start throwing fists at each other.
While the two were occupied, Ash happened to notice that the bag had almost gone through the door. With a steady hand, he pulled it closer and reached inside.
The object looked to be about the size of a sweet potato, and was so covered in dried coral that Ash figured it was under water at some point. At first, he thought this thing was too worthless to keep, but the shiny crystalline rock that formed around the coral convinced him that it would look beautiful enough to the right people. A gradual decrease in the level of shouting warned Ash that it was time to leave. He carefully pushed the bag back into the room, and stealthily made his way back to the door.
Once outside, Ash could hear the steady chimes of the town clock. Clutching the strange object inside his pocket, he ran across the crosswalk back to the café without looking back. Upon reaching the beginning of the steps, he stopped to take a breath; he pulled the rock out of his pocket and chuckled to himself.
“Boy, I only just got here, and I’m already having adventures.”
Still amused by what happened, he walked up the stairs and headed into the tavern.
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FlamingRuby
The magic of Pokemon
Could Ash have found the Ocarina of Time? ::nudge nudge::
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
You'll have to find out later in the story. In the meantime, here's the next one:
Ash walked up another flight of stairs before actually reaching the tavern. The room itself didn’t look as small as it seemed from the outside, but it was very busy. Every rustic-looking wooden table was packed with people and plates of food – steamed lobster, barbecued shrimp, hamburgers, and even fresh baked bread rolls. The young waitresses (there were only five in number) were busily walking between tables; some took orders, others had large trays of food balanced on their heads.
“Over here!” Marina called him over to their table, next to a window that had a magnificent view of the harbor and its many boats. As he began to sit down, a young red-headed waitress walked over.
“Good day, everybody,” she said cheerfully, “My name is Anju, and I’ll be your waitress today. Are we going to start with drinks and appetizers, or do we need more time?”
Ash quickly glanced over at Brock, waiting for him to start advancing on the lady. To his surprise, however, the young man turned his face to the window, wearing a dejected expression.
Max, who was sitting across from Ash, leaned over, “Brock already tried when we first walked in, only he found out she was married.” Both boys tried hard not to laugh in front of their friend; they had a feeling that his crush on that girl, Nayru, wouldn’t last long.
“I think we’ll just start,” Brendan answered as he folded his menu, “I’m going to have a Cuckoo Salad Sandwich on rye, with a cup of Outset Island Clam Chowder to start.”
Marina spoke up next, “I’ll have the same, but on white bread, and with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.”
Ash almost laughed out loud upon hearing what they ordered. He’d never heard of cuckoo salad before. In order to keep himself from looking like an idiot, though, he succeeded in keeping his mouth shut.
“Cuckoo Noodle Soup for me,” May instructed.
Anju smiled and nodded as she wrote down the order, “Would you like a small salad with that?”
“Please, and with French dressing.”
“Wally and I will be sharing the Jumbo Fried Shrimp Platter,” Jimmy said, “and can we have some extra dipping sauce?”
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll have a child’s order of Greatfish Sticks, please,” Max requested.
Brock gave his order blankly, “Headstone Island Steak…no sides.”
Ash was still looking over the menu when his turn came up. He was sure that the dishes mentioned were just like those he had back home, but the weird names really confused him: Bomb Island Beef Platter, Romani Ranch Chops, Zora Fish and Chips…
“Do you need a little more time?” Anju interrupted gently.
“Huh?” Ash looked up and saw them all looking at him, “Uh, no, I’m good. Let’s see, I’ll have the…uh…”
“If you’ll pardon me again,” Anju said, “I’d recommend the Dragon Roost Ribs; they’re very popular during the summer, and Cajun-style is a frequent request among the tourists.”
Ash smiled as he folded his menu, “Sure, I’ll try that. Thanks.”
Anju was about to collect the menus, but then stopped, “Oh, you children never ordered anything to drink.”
“That’s okay, we forgot,” Brendan said, “Just bring me a Root Beer.”
“Me too,” Wally said.
“Me three,” Max cut in.
“Four,” Brock droned.
“I’ll have some green tea, please,” said Marina.
“Sounds good; I’ll have that too,” May mimicked.
“Orange juice for me,” Jimmy ordered.
“What’s this Chateau Romani Shake?” Ash inquired
“It’s basically a milkshake,” Anju explained, “but it’s made of the finest milk in the region. I admit it costs a tad more than a regular shake,” she paused, then put on a dreamy smile, “but once you taste it, I assure you – it will be worth it.”
Ash grinned, “If it’s that good, I’ll definitely try it.”
“Any specific flavor?”
“Chocolate Double Mint,” he replied after glancing at the many varieties on the menu.
“Excellent choice.” Anju collected the menus, told them that their orders would be ready very soon, and headed off to the kitchen.
Two hours later, the group headed back out into town with full bellies and bright smiles. Before separating, they all agreed to meet in the town square in time to catch the buses back to the castle. The two girls went to check out the health spa, while Brendan and Jimmy headed for the shooting gallery. Max reluctantly followed Brock, who had spotted another pretty girl and was currently heading off to greet her.
“Let’s go see that mask shop,” Ash said after he and Wally were left by themselves.
“Great!” Wally cheered with delight, “I want to see what kinds of masks they have here.”
“And you said your uncle collects them, right?”
“Right.”
Luckily, the Happy Mask Shop – as it was called – was over on the next street, and since the front looked almost like a large masquerade mask, it wasn’t all that hard to find. Filled with excitement, Wally ran up to the clear glass front door. Before he could open it, however, Ash pulled him away, just as another young boy burst through it and ran into the crowd.
Ash stared after the boy: he seemed to be no older than he was. Besides his long purple hair, he was dressed entirely in black…right up to the long cap on his head. Ash had only those few seconds to observe this.
“STOOOOOP, THIIIIEEEEEF!”
Turning back to the door, the newcomers saw a tall, rather scrawny-looking man – possibly the proprietor of the shop - standing next to them. He had a look on his face that was a mixture of distress and anger. If he was shouting after the boy who just left, he must’ve taken something that was very valuable. Without thinking, Ash suddenly took off after the accused thief.
“What are you doing, Ash?” Wally asked in a frightened tone.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back!” Ash ordered as he plunged into the crowd.
The street was packed with tourists and shoppers, so Ash found it very difficult to get around. After a few dozen ‘excuse me’s and ‘pardon me’s, he finally found himself in open space again. He took a hard look at the people as he walked along the street, and even asked some about the whereabouts of the strange boy in black. It took a long time but only a few people had seen him, and Ash was directed to a section of town with many alleys and side streets.
Ash felt very uncomfortable about being in this particular neighborhood. Back in Pallet Town he and his neighbor, Gary Oak (Professor Oak’s grandson), were often warned about such areas being haunted by thieves and ruffians: people who would be willing to cut one’s throat if they wanted anything from them. All Ash could see, though, were bags and cans full of garbage, and an old man dressed in rags sitting on the sidewalk. His fears changed slightly when the man declared that the “young feller in black” had been seen running straight down the street. Thankfully, Ash pressed four red rupees into the man’s hand and headed off in pursuit once again.
The street was quiet, and Ash was about ready to give up after a few minutes of walking. “Besides,” he thought, “I left Wally alone with that shopkeeper; he’s probably worried about me.”
Just then, Ash was startled by the sound of crashing cans coming from the left. In a flash, he darted towards the sound into a rather dirty alley, which ended with a very high stone wall. Sure enough, at the end of the alley, Ash could make out the figure of a person. Walking cautiously, he was soon able to identify the thief who had run out of the Happy Mask Shop. He was crawling around on his hands and knees, as if searching for something. From the toppled trash cans nearby, Ash figured that the boy had tried to climb over the wall, fell, and accidentally dropped the thing he stole; which would explain his frantic searching.
The boy in black chose that time to look up. Upon seeing Ash, he forgot his search and scrambled to his feet. His cheeks were sweaty and pale, and his breathing heavy. It was clear that this young man was terribly frightened.
Ash spoke calmly, attempting to ease his quarry’s fear, “Take it easy, I’m not here to hurt you. Listen, if you’re in some kind of trouble...”
“STAY AWAY!” the boy screamed when he saw Ash take a step forward.
“Okay, okay,” he replied, taking a step back, “I just want to help, that’s all. Look, if that shopkeeper wrongfully accused you of stealing, we should go back and try to straighten it out.”
“NO!”
Ash was thinking that these negotiations were going to take a while. Lowering his eyes, he then caught sight of a parcel wrapped in brown paper. A corner of the package was ripped, so he was able to see a rounded edge of wood lined with spikes, and painted in various colors. From the shape of the rest of the package, he concluded that it was some kind of mask – probably from the mask shop. Happy to recover the stolen item, Ash bent down to pick it up...
“DON’T TOUCH THAT!”
The boy made a fast dive for the package, but Ash pulled it away quickly and his opponent dove right into some more cans, causing the whole alley to echo with more racket than before. Worried that the boy might be hurt, Ash ran over and asked if he was okay. The strange child was dazed, so he couldn’t answer right away. Ash pulled off the hat to check for a bruise or a fracture. After doing so, however, he gasped in total shock:
This boy didn’t have the same small, rounded ears as any normal human being; instead, he had long pointed ears!
After slowly coming around, the boy became aware of what was happening. With another scream he shoved Ash to the ground, grabbed his cap - totally forgetting about the mask, and jumped onto a large overturned terracotta pot.
“You can’t climb that wall,” Ash grunted standing up, “it’s too high.”
Ignoring this remark, the child slammed his hat back onto his head, paying special attention to cover his long ears, and uttered something Ash couldn’t understand at all:
Almost immediately, the spot where the boy stood was surrounded by a bright blue light. It was so bright that Ash had to shield his eyes. The brightness lasted only a few seconds, though, and he was finally able to see clearly again.
“Huh? What the...?” Ash just stood there, completely dumbfounded. The wall was still too high, and there was not enough room in the alley to try and pass him. Yet, where the strange young boy in black should have been...there was nothing.
Later on, the shopkeeper was giving his statement to Officer Jenny in front of the store. Wally then spotted Ash walking up to the building, carrying something under his arm.
“Ash!” Wally cried happy as he ran over and gave him a squeeze.
“Hey, Wally,” Ash greeted him with a smile, “Sorry I scared you like that.”
“That’s okay, I’m just glad you’re back.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re not hurt,” Officer Jenny told him when she walked over, “That thief could’ve been dangerous.”
“Speaking of which,” Ash related, “he got away; but I did manage to get back what he...”
“My mask!” the shopkeeper exclaimed with joy as he snatched the package from Ash. Then he happily grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard, “Oh, bless you, dear boy; you have no idea how much it means to have this back.”
“I c-can onl-ly im-mag-gine,” Ash stammered dizzily before being released, “I’m glad I could help you after that episode.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” the man kept praising him, “I’ll see to it that you receive a proper reward.”
“Gee, sir, you really don’t have to...”
“Oh, I insist; I’m going to let you and your little friend have any mask you want – for free!”
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Officer Jenny interrupted, “but I’d like to get a description of the suspect first.”
Ash thought carefully, “Well, all I remember was that he had long purple hair and was dressed in black. I’m afraid I didn’t get a good look at his face.” He failed to tell the policewoman about the boy’s long ears, or about him vanishing into thin air in the alley. These details, he though, would probably make him appear a little looney.
She then turned to the man, “How about you, Maestro?”
The two boys looked at him, “Maestro?”
“Ah, yes,” the man said as he bowed gracefully to them, “Maestro Masque, world famous collector and salesman of masks from far and near, at your humble service.”
Jenny cleared her throat impatiently, and the Maestro gave his account:
“You see, Officer, I was just putting this mask in the back room when that boy came in. I tried to compliment him on his costume, thinking that he might be preparing for the Carnival of Time. Still, he seemed more interested in my mask that in my compliments; he expressed a desired to purchase it and kept asking how much it was.
“I told him that this mask, among a few others, was to be donated to the House of Wealth for their auction this weekend, and that it wasn’t for sale. After storing it, I offered to show him more exotic masks I had just brought over from India. I only had my back turned for a second, but he slipped into the back room – quiet as a mouse I might add – grabbed the mask and bolted out the door.”
Partially satisfied with his account, Officer Jenny said she would keep an eye out for the thief and that she’d be in touch. After she left, Maestro Masque eagerly ushered the two boys into his shop.
The man certainly wasn’t kidding when he said he collected masks “from far and near.” Everywhere Ash and Wally looked there were masks: on the walls, the shelves, the doors, the windows, even hanging from the ceiling were a multitude of masks. They were all made from various materials: from common things like paper, plastic, and plaster to more exotic ones like ceramic, wood, brass, and even some made of real ostrich feathers.
“Wow,” Wally breathed, completely awed by such a collection, “Uncle Charlie would feel like he’d died and gone to Heaven in this place.”
“Look at all these faces,” Ash marveled.
“I used to have many more in stock,” Maestro explained, “but with preparations beginning for the Carnival of Time, I will soon be sold out of my precious little beauties.” He began dusting a Grecian lady’s mask made of brass-colored ceramic and decked with costume jewels.
“Do people always wear masks to the Carnival?” Wally asked.
“Of course, my child, it has always been a tradition to bring masks to the Carnival. They have always played an important role in the ancient customs of our people.” He then lowered his voice to a mysterious whisper, “Legends even tell us that the Hero of Time himself used the powers of rare and magical masks to protect our world from a great disaster.”
“I’m guessing it wasn’t the flood,” Ash remarked.
“Oh, no no no no, this happened centuries before the Great Flood that locked away the Ancient Kingdom.” Then he turned the subject over to Wally, “Now then, I understand that your uncle is a mask-enthusiast, correct?”
“I’ll say,” Wally agreed, “his whole house is full of masks; every time he sees one at the mall, he has to buy it.”
“Then I have just the thing for you.” Reaching up to one of the top shelves, Maestro Masque brought down a medium-sized cardboard box. Inside were two very interesting masks: one was larger, and painted in many different shades of yellow, orange, and gold. The second was smaller, but was white, and had a large half moon painted in silver on the upper-right corner of the face.
“Now then, these masks are supposed to be a pair, so I’m offering them at the same price as a single mask.”
Wally stood goggle-eyed at the two brilliant faces, “They’re beautiful.”
“Ah yes; these specific masks were often the symbols of unity during ancient times – especially around weddings. It was said that, any young couple to be married at the Carnival of Time was to each bring a mask as a sign of their union. By exchanging these masks, the couple was promised a happy and prosperous life.”
“So these are wedding masks?” Ash chuckled politely.
Maestro nodded, then turned to Ash, “And for you, dear boy, I have the perfect mask.” The shopkeeper danced, almost marionette-like, to the far side of the room. He dusted off an old ebony trunk, opened it and took out a very strange mask.
To Ash, the mask looked like a skeleton face: its large mouth was bearing teeth made of something like gold. Come to think of it, except for its deep blue eyes, the mask itself seemed to be made of gold. Though he couldn’t explain it, Ash could feel a small surge of energy in his fingertips as he touched it. The feeling was exciting, but a little scary as well.
“The Hero’s Charm,” Maestro began, “is an ancient mask worn only by those who have demonstrated true bravery and courage during the days of the great warriors of Hyrule. Wearing it, they say, allows one to see the very life force of his opponents. However,” he lowered his voice to a warning level, “it cannot be worn by just anyone. As I’ve said before; only one with a virtuous heart and a strong sense of justice can be able to unlock its magic. I trust you will find proper use of this mask before the Tournament Finals next week.”
Suddenly, Ash snapped back to reality, “The Tournament!” He quickly glanced at his watch, “We have to be at the town square in fifteen minutes or we’ll miss the bus. Thanks for the masks, sir, and I’m glad I could help you.”
“Good luck!” Maestro called after them as they streamlined out the door hand-in-hand. As he watched them through the glass, he chuckled lightheartedly to himself, “...and have faith.”
Chapter 8
Ash walked up another flight of stairs before actually reaching the tavern. The room itself didn’t look as small as it seemed from the outside, but it was very busy. Every rustic-looking wooden table was packed with people and plates of food – steamed lobster, barbecued shrimp, hamburgers, and even fresh baked bread rolls. The young waitresses (there were only five in number) were busily walking between tables; some took orders, others had large trays of food balanced on their heads.
“Over here!” Marina called him over to their table, next to a window that had a magnificent view of the harbor and its many boats. As he began to sit down, a young red-headed waitress walked over.
“Good day, everybody,” she said cheerfully, “My name is Anju, and I’ll be your waitress today. Are we going to start with drinks and appetizers, or do we need more time?”
Ash quickly glanced over at Brock, waiting for him to start advancing on the lady. To his surprise, however, the young man turned his face to the window, wearing a dejected expression.
Max, who was sitting across from Ash, leaned over, “Brock already tried when we first walked in, only he found out she was married.” Both boys tried hard not to laugh in front of their friend; they had a feeling that his crush on that girl, Nayru, wouldn’t last long.
“I think we’ll just start,” Brendan answered as he folded his menu, “I’m going to have a Cuckoo Salad Sandwich on rye, with a cup of Outset Island Clam Chowder to start.”
Marina spoke up next, “I’ll have the same, but on white bread, and with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy.”
Ash almost laughed out loud upon hearing what they ordered. He’d never heard of cuckoo salad before. In order to keep himself from looking like an idiot, though, he succeeded in keeping his mouth shut.
“Cuckoo Noodle Soup for me,” May instructed.
Anju smiled and nodded as she wrote down the order, “Would you like a small salad with that?”
“Please, and with French dressing.”
“Wally and I will be sharing the Jumbo Fried Shrimp Platter,” Jimmy said, “and can we have some extra dipping sauce?”
“Sure thing.”
“I’ll have a child’s order of Greatfish Sticks, please,” Max requested.
Brock gave his order blankly, “Headstone Island Steak…no sides.”
Ash was still looking over the menu when his turn came up. He was sure that the dishes mentioned were just like those he had back home, but the weird names really confused him: Bomb Island Beef Platter, Romani Ranch Chops, Zora Fish and Chips…
“Do you need a little more time?” Anju interrupted gently.
“Huh?” Ash looked up and saw them all looking at him, “Uh, no, I’m good. Let’s see, I’ll have the…uh…”
“If you’ll pardon me again,” Anju said, “I’d recommend the Dragon Roost Ribs; they’re very popular during the summer, and Cajun-style is a frequent request among the tourists.”
Ash smiled as he folded his menu, “Sure, I’ll try that. Thanks.”
Anju was about to collect the menus, but then stopped, “Oh, you children never ordered anything to drink.”
“That’s okay, we forgot,” Brendan said, “Just bring me a Root Beer.”
“Me too,” Wally said.
“Me three,” Max cut in.
“Four,” Brock droned.
“I’ll have some green tea, please,” said Marina.
“Sounds good; I’ll have that too,” May mimicked.
“Orange juice for me,” Jimmy ordered.
“What’s this Chateau Romani Shake?” Ash inquired
“It’s basically a milkshake,” Anju explained, “but it’s made of the finest milk in the region. I admit it costs a tad more than a regular shake,” she paused, then put on a dreamy smile, “but once you taste it, I assure you – it will be worth it.”
Ash grinned, “If it’s that good, I’ll definitely try it.”
“Any specific flavor?”
“Chocolate Double Mint,” he replied after glancing at the many varieties on the menu.
“Excellent choice.” Anju collected the menus, told them that their orders would be ready very soon, and headed off to the kitchen.
Two hours later, the group headed back out into town with full bellies and bright smiles. Before separating, they all agreed to meet in the town square in time to catch the buses back to the castle. The two girls went to check out the health spa, while Brendan and Jimmy headed for the shooting gallery. Max reluctantly followed Brock, who had spotted another pretty girl and was currently heading off to greet her.
“Let’s go see that mask shop,” Ash said after he and Wally were left by themselves.
“Great!” Wally cheered with delight, “I want to see what kinds of masks they have here.”
“And you said your uncle collects them, right?”
“Right.”
Luckily, the Happy Mask Shop – as it was called – was over on the next street, and since the front looked almost like a large masquerade mask, it wasn’t all that hard to find. Filled with excitement, Wally ran up to the clear glass front door. Before he could open it, however, Ash pulled him away, just as another young boy burst through it and ran into the crowd.
Ash stared after the boy: he seemed to be no older than he was. Besides his long purple hair, he was dressed entirely in black…right up to the long cap on his head. Ash had only those few seconds to observe this.
“STOOOOOP, THIIIIEEEEEF!”
Turning back to the door, the newcomers saw a tall, rather scrawny-looking man – possibly the proprietor of the shop - standing next to them. He had a look on his face that was a mixture of distress and anger. If he was shouting after the boy who just left, he must’ve taken something that was very valuable. Without thinking, Ash suddenly took off after the accused thief.
“What are you doing, Ash?” Wally asked in a frightened tone.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back!” Ash ordered as he plunged into the crowd.
The street was packed with tourists and shoppers, so Ash found it very difficult to get around. After a few dozen ‘excuse me’s and ‘pardon me’s, he finally found himself in open space again. He took a hard look at the people as he walked along the street, and even asked some about the whereabouts of the strange boy in black. It took a long time but only a few people had seen him, and Ash was directed to a section of town with many alleys and side streets.
Ash felt very uncomfortable about being in this particular neighborhood. Back in Pallet Town he and his neighbor, Gary Oak (Professor Oak’s grandson), were often warned about such areas being haunted by thieves and ruffians: people who would be willing to cut one’s throat if they wanted anything from them. All Ash could see, though, were bags and cans full of garbage, and an old man dressed in rags sitting on the sidewalk. His fears changed slightly when the man declared that the “young feller in black” had been seen running straight down the street. Thankfully, Ash pressed four red rupees into the man’s hand and headed off in pursuit once again.
The street was quiet, and Ash was about ready to give up after a few minutes of walking. “Besides,” he thought, “I left Wally alone with that shopkeeper; he’s probably worried about me.”
Just then, Ash was startled by the sound of crashing cans coming from the left. In a flash, he darted towards the sound into a rather dirty alley, which ended with a very high stone wall. Sure enough, at the end of the alley, Ash could make out the figure of a person. Walking cautiously, he was soon able to identify the thief who had run out of the Happy Mask Shop. He was crawling around on his hands and knees, as if searching for something. From the toppled trash cans nearby, Ash figured that the boy had tried to climb over the wall, fell, and accidentally dropped the thing he stole; which would explain his frantic searching.
The boy in black chose that time to look up. Upon seeing Ash, he forgot his search and scrambled to his feet. His cheeks were sweaty and pale, and his breathing heavy. It was clear that this young man was terribly frightened.
Ash spoke calmly, attempting to ease his quarry’s fear, “Take it easy, I’m not here to hurt you. Listen, if you’re in some kind of trouble...”
“STAY AWAY!” the boy screamed when he saw Ash take a step forward.
“Okay, okay,” he replied, taking a step back, “I just want to help, that’s all. Look, if that shopkeeper wrongfully accused you of stealing, we should go back and try to straighten it out.”
“NO!”
Ash was thinking that these negotiations were going to take a while. Lowering his eyes, he then caught sight of a parcel wrapped in brown paper. A corner of the package was ripped, so he was able to see a rounded edge of wood lined with spikes, and painted in various colors. From the shape of the rest of the package, he concluded that it was some kind of mask – probably from the mask shop. Happy to recover the stolen item, Ash bent down to pick it up...
“DON’T TOUCH THAT!”
The boy made a fast dive for the package, but Ash pulled it away quickly and his opponent dove right into some more cans, causing the whole alley to echo with more racket than before. Worried that the boy might be hurt, Ash ran over and asked if he was okay. The strange child was dazed, so he couldn’t answer right away. Ash pulled off the hat to check for a bruise or a fracture. After doing so, however, he gasped in total shock:
This boy didn’t have the same small, rounded ears as any normal human being; instead, he had long pointed ears!
After slowly coming around, the boy became aware of what was happening. With another scream he shoved Ash to the ground, grabbed his cap - totally forgetting about the mask, and jumped onto a large overturned terracotta pot.
“You can’t climb that wall,” Ash grunted standing up, “it’s too high.”
Ignoring this remark, the child slammed his hat back onto his head, paying special attention to cover his long ears, and uttered something Ash couldn’t understand at all:
Onjalla, manjalla, CHO-WAY!
Almost immediately, the spot where the boy stood was surrounded by a bright blue light. It was so bright that Ash had to shield his eyes. The brightness lasted only a few seconds, though, and he was finally able to see clearly again.
“Huh? What the...?” Ash just stood there, completely dumbfounded. The wall was still too high, and there was not enough room in the alley to try and pass him. Yet, where the strange young boy in black should have been...there was nothing.
Later on, the shopkeeper was giving his statement to Officer Jenny in front of the store. Wally then spotted Ash walking up to the building, carrying something under his arm.
“Ash!” Wally cried happy as he ran over and gave him a squeeze.
“Hey, Wally,” Ash greeted him with a smile, “Sorry I scared you like that.”
“That’s okay, I’m just glad you’re back.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re not hurt,” Officer Jenny told him when she walked over, “That thief could’ve been dangerous.”
“Speaking of which,” Ash related, “he got away; but I did manage to get back what he...”
“My mask!” the shopkeeper exclaimed with joy as he snatched the package from Ash. Then he happily grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard, “Oh, bless you, dear boy; you have no idea how much it means to have this back.”
“I c-can onl-ly im-mag-gine,” Ash stammered dizzily before being released, “I’m glad I could help you after that episode.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” the man kept praising him, “I’ll see to it that you receive a proper reward.”
“Gee, sir, you really don’t have to...”
“Oh, I insist; I’m going to let you and your little friend have any mask you want – for free!”
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Officer Jenny interrupted, “but I’d like to get a description of the suspect first.”
Ash thought carefully, “Well, all I remember was that he had long purple hair and was dressed in black. I’m afraid I didn’t get a good look at his face.” He failed to tell the policewoman about the boy’s long ears, or about him vanishing into thin air in the alley. These details, he though, would probably make him appear a little looney.
She then turned to the man, “How about you, Maestro?”
The two boys looked at him, “Maestro?”
“Ah, yes,” the man said as he bowed gracefully to them, “Maestro Masque, world famous collector and salesman of masks from far and near, at your humble service.”
Jenny cleared her throat impatiently, and the Maestro gave his account:
“You see, Officer, I was just putting this mask in the back room when that boy came in. I tried to compliment him on his costume, thinking that he might be preparing for the Carnival of Time. Still, he seemed more interested in my mask that in my compliments; he expressed a desired to purchase it and kept asking how much it was.
“I told him that this mask, among a few others, was to be donated to the House of Wealth for their auction this weekend, and that it wasn’t for sale. After storing it, I offered to show him more exotic masks I had just brought over from India. I only had my back turned for a second, but he slipped into the back room – quiet as a mouse I might add – grabbed the mask and bolted out the door.”
Partially satisfied with his account, Officer Jenny said she would keep an eye out for the thief and that she’d be in touch. After she left, Maestro Masque eagerly ushered the two boys into his shop.
The man certainly wasn’t kidding when he said he collected masks “from far and near.” Everywhere Ash and Wally looked there were masks: on the walls, the shelves, the doors, the windows, even hanging from the ceiling were a multitude of masks. They were all made from various materials: from common things like paper, plastic, and plaster to more exotic ones like ceramic, wood, brass, and even some made of real ostrich feathers.
“Wow,” Wally breathed, completely awed by such a collection, “Uncle Charlie would feel like he’d died and gone to Heaven in this place.”
“Look at all these faces,” Ash marveled.
“I used to have many more in stock,” Maestro explained, “but with preparations beginning for the Carnival of Time, I will soon be sold out of my precious little beauties.” He began dusting a Grecian lady’s mask made of brass-colored ceramic and decked with costume jewels.
“Do people always wear masks to the Carnival?” Wally asked.
“Of course, my child, it has always been a tradition to bring masks to the Carnival. They have always played an important role in the ancient customs of our people.” He then lowered his voice to a mysterious whisper, “Legends even tell us that the Hero of Time himself used the powers of rare and magical masks to protect our world from a great disaster.”
“I’m guessing it wasn’t the flood,” Ash remarked.
“Oh, no no no no, this happened centuries before the Great Flood that locked away the Ancient Kingdom.” Then he turned the subject over to Wally, “Now then, I understand that your uncle is a mask-enthusiast, correct?”
“I’ll say,” Wally agreed, “his whole house is full of masks; every time he sees one at the mall, he has to buy it.”
“Then I have just the thing for you.” Reaching up to one of the top shelves, Maestro Masque brought down a medium-sized cardboard box. Inside were two very interesting masks: one was larger, and painted in many different shades of yellow, orange, and gold. The second was smaller, but was white, and had a large half moon painted in silver on the upper-right corner of the face.
“Now then, these masks are supposed to be a pair, so I’m offering them at the same price as a single mask.”
Wally stood goggle-eyed at the two brilliant faces, “They’re beautiful.”
“Ah yes; these specific masks were often the symbols of unity during ancient times – especially around weddings. It was said that, any young couple to be married at the Carnival of Time was to each bring a mask as a sign of their union. By exchanging these masks, the couple was promised a happy and prosperous life.”
“So these are wedding masks?” Ash chuckled politely.
Maestro nodded, then turned to Ash, “And for you, dear boy, I have the perfect mask.” The shopkeeper danced, almost marionette-like, to the far side of the room. He dusted off an old ebony trunk, opened it and took out a very strange mask.
To Ash, the mask looked like a skeleton face: its large mouth was bearing teeth made of something like gold. Come to think of it, except for its deep blue eyes, the mask itself seemed to be made of gold. Though he couldn’t explain it, Ash could feel a small surge of energy in his fingertips as he touched it. The feeling was exciting, but a little scary as well.
“The Hero’s Charm,” Maestro began, “is an ancient mask worn only by those who have demonstrated true bravery and courage during the days of the great warriors of Hyrule. Wearing it, they say, allows one to see the very life force of his opponents. However,” he lowered his voice to a warning level, “it cannot be worn by just anyone. As I’ve said before; only one with a virtuous heart and a strong sense of justice can be able to unlock its magic. I trust you will find proper use of this mask before the Tournament Finals next week.”
Suddenly, Ash snapped back to reality, “The Tournament!” He quickly glanced at his watch, “We have to be at the town square in fifteen minutes or we’ll miss the bus. Thanks for the masks, sir, and I’m glad I could help you.”
“Good luck!” Maestro called after them as they streamlined out the door hand-in-hand. As he watched them through the glass, he chuckled lightheartedly to himself, “...and have faith.”
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indigestible_wad
Well-Known Member
Well, I would guess that that's the skull kid's mask, but I'm not too sure. It is also apparent that the mask trying to be stolen was another powerful mask. Which one is a mystery, since I never played majora's mask.
I do have one thing of concern. THe fact that you use actual countries and continents for your story. It's not a crime to use them, but if you you basically have to change the whole story to fit the fact that pokemon are in places taht we already know firsthand. And taht's all I really have to say.
I do have one thing of concern. THe fact that you use actual countries and continents for your story. It's not a crime to use them, but if you you basically have to change the whole story to fit the fact that pokemon are in places taht we already know firsthand. And taht's all I really have to say.
WaterTrainer243
Veteran Water Lover
Interesting chapter. I'm guessing that person Ash ran into must've been a Shiekah.
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
indigestible_wad: Sorry, I intended them as examples. Don't worry, all I want is for my readers to enjoy it. I managed to take out all but one the countries. Hope it looks better.
WaterTrainer243: Err...close, but still way off. Cheer up, you'll see him again later...and in a very surprising way
.
WaterTrainer243: Err...close, but still way off. Cheer up, you'll see him again later...and in a very surprising way
.
Enix
Best Psychic Type.
Wow, I love this story. It shows so much detail, I can literally imagine an Anime Movie based on these events! I like how you have merged Zelda games with Pokemon Anime, nice concept. Is Team Rocket going to play an important role, or are they going to be behind the scenes or what? Anyways, reading this has inspired me to write my own Fanfiction, but I need to finish the other chapters, get research correct, correct grammar, etc. This is one story I'll be paying very close attention to..........
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
Glad you think so. Yes, TR will play a role in the plot - but I won't say how important. You're writing you're own story? Good luck with it.
Anyway, let's get back to our little tale, shall we? Enjoy!
Ash and Wally had a hard time hanging onto their new masks as they ran through the crowd, trying to make it to the bus in time. Both boys promised each other not to mention what happened to their friends, no matter how exciting it was. By the time they got there, nearly everyone was all set to go, and their bus was almost completely filled with passengers. Niko was jotting down the names of those who were getting aboard. The two boys finally made it to the end of the line just as the last Trainer was getting on. Niko eyed them sternly as they climbed up and sat down, but not a word came out of his mouth.
“That was invigorating,” May cheered as the buses headed up the hill and out of town, “I’m going to recommend Crazy Tracy’s Health Spa to everyone back home.”
“You boys should really stop by for a massage,” Marina said, “Tracy’s a genius.”
“Man, how does anyone hit those targets?” Jimmy asked forlornly, “I couldn’t even hit one.”
“It’s like Pokémon Training,” Brendan explained, “All it takes is a little practice.”
Max then spotted the masks in Wally’s hands, “Wow, those are cool; did you get those at the mask shop?”
Wally smiled, “Awesome, huh? And it was a two-for-one deal, too.”
“Yours looks a little expensive, Ash,” Brock said.
Ash held up the Hero’s Charm for his friends to see, “Not really; Maestro Masque actually gave me a good price for it.”
May couldn’t help making a face at the sight of such a mask, “It looks weird – almost like a skull with big eyeballs.”
While everyone laughed at this remark, Ash glanced out the window. The bus stopped at a red light and people began to cross the street. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash thought he saw a familiar face in the crowd. Squinting, he was able to get a better look, and nearly jumped.
On the side of the road, where he was looking, stood the same young boy dressed in black. The two boys locked eyes on each other; the stranger staring intently at him. Ash felt a little uncomfortable and tried to turn away, but the unknown boy’s stare seemed to force him otherwise. Suddenly, for the first time, he actually noticed the eyes: first, they were a deep purple, then gradually turned dark red the longer he stared.
“Ash?”
With a start, Ash pulled away from the window. He sank back into his chair, relieved to finally be free of that boy’s hypnotic gaze.
“Ash, you look like you saw a ghost,” Brock said with curiosity, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he replied forcing a smile, “It’s just that I thought…” Ash stopped. He’d turned back around to show them who he’d seen, but the boy had vanished once again.
Back at the palace, everyone headed to their rooms to put their purchases away. Ash took special care to hide his new mask under the mattress. Other kids were putting away more clothes and stuff in drawers and closets. All the while, their conversations kept revolving around the Tournament and how many Pokémon they would be allowed to use.
The mention of Pokémon made Ash feel a little unhappy. His friends – including Pikachu – had always been with him since he started his journey. Being without them, whether it was for an hour or a few days, made him feel somewhat incomplete.
“Hey, guys,” he said as he stood back up, “I’m going to take a walk around the palace for a while. Anybody interested?”
Max looked at him and said, “We just got back from town, Ash. Don’t tell me you want some fresh air already.”
“Nah, I just want to see more of this place, that’s all.”
“Sounds good,” Brock said, “Maybe I’ll come too.”
The two boys left the tower and started down the stairs. On the way they took another look at all the beautiful paintings and statues. The old painting of Ancient Hyrule fascinated Ash a lot more than any of the others; it was hard for him to believe that such a beautiful kingdom would end up buried at the bottom of the ocean for nearly a thousand years. At the end of one corridor, they came to a large wooden door.
“It’s not locked,” Ash said as he tried it, “let’s look in here.”
“Uh, I don’t think we’d be allowed,” Brock said cautiously.
“There’s no ‘Keep Out’ sign, so it can’t be off limits.”
“Good point,” Brock confessed. Feeling curious, they pushed it open and walked inside.
Ash and Brock found themselves in a medium-sized room. The stone walls were lined with glass display cases, each one filled with different kinds of weapons. Swords, spears, shields, and daggers used by ancient knights were the most prominent artifacts. There was even a case that contained boomerangs of various sizes. According to the description card, some were children’s toys, and others were used by hunters and warriors.
Soon, Ash came to a case with three curved swords inside it. The weapons themselves, he thought, couldn’t have come from Hyrule because they didn’t match the style. But then the description on the card caught his eye:
The Gerudo, a fierce tribe of warrior women, hailed from the deserts west of Hyrule. Proclaiming themselves as “chivalrous,” they never stole from women or children, and held a high regard for life.
According to Gerudo lore, only one male child was born within the tribe every one-hundred years. The child, considered to be a blessing from Din - the Goddess of Power, was taught the ancient secrets of the tribe, and trained to be their king and protector. This might also authenticate the myth that all masonry work in the tribe was done by women. Buildings, temples, and bridges of Gerudo origin were never made by a single man, and the tribal women would never let outsiders within their boundaries.
It was also said that anyone who wished to become a Gerudo, or young tribal girls who came of age were required to go through rigorous training and complete dangerous challenges. Punishment for failure varied through the ages: ranging from either banishment, wandering through the desert, or death.
“Sound like a pretty strict bunch,” said Brock, who had come over and read the card over Ash’s shoulder.
“Yeah, I think Misty would feel right at home with those girls,” Ash quipped. The two boys were so busy laughing that they didn’t hear the door slowly creak open behind them. Instead, they kept walking to the back of the room to gaze at more of the ancient weaponry.
“Look at these,” Brock pointed to a case in the far back, “weird, huh?”
Ash, who was just staring at an old suit of armor, walked over to the case. Inside were four strange objects. They were strange contraptions indeed: ranging from small to large size, and appeared to contain chains and springs. The boys were about to read the card when they suddenly became aware of a presence behind them.
“Grrrrrrrrr...soooooolll...”
Although nearly frozen with fear, the two of them slowly turned around. Their eyes widened when they found themselves face to face with a mean looking creature. It was almost completely white; its claws, tail, face, and one large horn were bluish black. The creature looked menacingly at them, its teeth bared and the fur standing on end.
“What’s an Absol doing in a place like this?” Ash whispered frantically to his friend.
“I don’t know,” Brock replied nervously, “but I don’t think it wants us here, either.”
“Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
“Walk slowly; any sudden moves might cause it to attack.”
Ash and Brock made slow steps towards the door, being careful not to make the Absol even angrier. They had just come within a foot of the exit when Brock’s elbow unintentionally grazed a spear, causing it to fall over. Ash quickly grabbed the artifact before it hit the ground. However, the Absol’s eyes blazed and it howled with terrifying ferocity.
“Oh great, now I did it!” Brock said through clenched teeth.
“Quick,” Ash instructed, “let’s run out and shut it in!” He grabbed the door knob and yanked it open, but stopped dead in his tracks.
Standing in the hallway was a young girl, no older than Ash and wearing a light pink summer dress. She had golden hair that reached the middle of her back, bright blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. The girl shouted in surprise when the two of them nearly ran into each other. She was just about to speak when the Absol’s growls reached her ears.
“Sheik, sit,” the girl ordered, walking over to it. The Absol, recognizing the newcomer, sat obediently on the floor and sadly hung its head.
“Naughty boy, you should know better.” She then turned to the boys, “I hope he didn’t scare you.”
“Us?” Brock said, “Nah, I knew he wouldn’t hurt us.”
Ash grinned at him, “Oh yeah, then how come your knuckles were so white?”
The girl giggled cheerfully and walked back over to them, “I’m sorry, Sheik gets a little protective around strange people. Once you get acquainted, though, he’s actually very friendly.”
“Well, glad to meet you, Sheik,” Brock said, putting his hand out to the creature’s nose. Sheik returned the gesture with a snarl, causing the teenager to jump back. Ash, however, received a cautious sniff and a friendly lick when he tried.
“I guess it’s our fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Ash explained, “We were just looking around and couldn’t help walking in here.”
Still the girl smiled, “Yes, my grandfather has a strong interest in ancient weapons; he says that it gives us insight into how our ancestors struggled to survive their hardships.”
Brock nodded, “Interesting philosophy...wait, your grandfather?”
Suddenly, the young girl gasped, “Oh, that’s right; it is always proper for a young lady to introduce herself to her guests.” She curtsied modestly to them and said, “I am Celia, Princess of the Great Sea.”
Ash gasped himself; so she was King Lorenzo’s granddaughter, the owner of that Pikachu he found in the castle’s main hall, and the one who admired him. His mouth began to feel dry again, what would she do when she found out who he was? Maybe she already knew – and she had him cornered! How was he going to get out of this situation?
“My name’s Brock,” his friend spoke up, “I come from Pewter City in Kanto, and I’m learning to become a Pokémon breeder.”
“It sounds very interesting, Brock, and I wish you well in fulfilling your dream,” Celia commented politely before turning back to Ash, “And you are?”
“Uh, me?” Ash stammered, “well, uh...I’m...uh, that is, I...”
“This is Ash Ketchum,” Brock cut in, “He’s from Pallet Town, that’s in Kanto too. But you probably know a lot about him already, Your Highness, considering...”
“Brock, stop!” Ash exclaimed, trying to clamp a hand over his mouth and looking very embarrassed.
“It’s alright,” Celia said, “Not many people are permitted to be in the presence of royalty. Yet, it is also rare to find one’s self in the presence of a well-known Pokémon Trainer.” She curtsied to Ash again, “It is an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Ketchum.”
Ash’s face reddened, but he tried to be as polite as possible, “Please, Your Highness, call me Ash; I mean, we’re all friends here, right?”
“Of course,” Celia replied with a friendly giggle, “and you many call me Celia. Like my grandfather, I don’t care for flattery - except on occasion, and I prefer that people say what they think.”
“Well, I think we’re going to get along great,” Ash announced.
A few minutes later, Celia and Sheik walked with the two boys to the Southern Tower. As they walked on, Ash began to tell his new friend about some of their sillier adventures: like the time they helped try to catch a Sudowoodo to determine whether it was a Rock-type or a Grass-type. Brock just smiled as he listened; it was always nice to make a new friend, royal or otherwise.
Brock was the first one to go through the tower doors when they arrived. Ash was just about to turn and say good-bye when Celia suddenly took him aside.
“Forgive me, Ash, but I must ask you something.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Could I ask you to meet me in the garden tomorrow afternoon? I want to discuss something important with you.”
“Sure, but why not now?” Ash asked.
“I will explain everything when you come. And here,” she gave him a folded piece of paper, “If any guards try to stop you, show them this letter; they will not hesitate to let you pass.” With that, Celia turned and walked quickly down the hall with Sheik following close behind.
Ash just looked on as she disappeared from view. What could be so important that she couldn’t tell him right then and there? While he pondered this, everyone began filing out into the hallway. Niko was in front ushering them into single file when he spotted Ash.
“So there you are,” he said gruffly, “and where have you been?”
“Talking with the Princess,” Ash replied as he stuffed the letter into his pocket, “she just left.”
“Well the next time you go running off by yourself, at least take a tour guide with you; maybe then you won’t get lost. Now, get in line with the others; it’s almost dinnertime, and we don’t want to be late.”
Ash glanced at his watch and saw that it was only 5:30, “It’s a bit early for dinner, isn’t it?”
“That’s enough excuses, now scoot!”
Ash joined his friends among the crowd and they all headed downstairs. Everyone wanted to know what the Princess was like and kept bombarding him with questions. The overwhelmed boy didn't answer them, and soon they all turned their attention to dinner and their empty stomachs.
Anyway, let's get back to our little tale, shall we? Enjoy!
Chapter 9
Ash and Wally had a hard time hanging onto their new masks as they ran through the crowd, trying to make it to the bus in time. Both boys promised each other not to mention what happened to their friends, no matter how exciting it was. By the time they got there, nearly everyone was all set to go, and their bus was almost completely filled with passengers. Niko was jotting down the names of those who were getting aboard. The two boys finally made it to the end of the line just as the last Trainer was getting on. Niko eyed them sternly as they climbed up and sat down, but not a word came out of his mouth.
“That was invigorating,” May cheered as the buses headed up the hill and out of town, “I’m going to recommend Crazy Tracy’s Health Spa to everyone back home.”
“You boys should really stop by for a massage,” Marina said, “Tracy’s a genius.”
“Man, how does anyone hit those targets?” Jimmy asked forlornly, “I couldn’t even hit one.”
“It’s like Pokémon Training,” Brendan explained, “All it takes is a little practice.”
Max then spotted the masks in Wally’s hands, “Wow, those are cool; did you get those at the mask shop?”
Wally smiled, “Awesome, huh? And it was a two-for-one deal, too.”
“Yours looks a little expensive, Ash,” Brock said.
Ash held up the Hero’s Charm for his friends to see, “Not really; Maestro Masque actually gave me a good price for it.”
May couldn’t help making a face at the sight of such a mask, “It looks weird – almost like a skull with big eyeballs.”
While everyone laughed at this remark, Ash glanced out the window. The bus stopped at a red light and people began to cross the street. Out of the corner of his eye, Ash thought he saw a familiar face in the crowd. Squinting, he was able to get a better look, and nearly jumped.
On the side of the road, where he was looking, stood the same young boy dressed in black. The two boys locked eyes on each other; the stranger staring intently at him. Ash felt a little uncomfortable and tried to turn away, but the unknown boy’s stare seemed to force him otherwise. Suddenly, for the first time, he actually noticed the eyes: first, they were a deep purple, then gradually turned dark red the longer he stared.
“Ash?”
With a start, Ash pulled away from the window. He sank back into his chair, relieved to finally be free of that boy’s hypnotic gaze.
“Ash, you look like you saw a ghost,” Brock said with curiosity, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” he replied forcing a smile, “It’s just that I thought…” Ash stopped. He’d turned back around to show them who he’d seen, but the boy had vanished once again.
Back at the palace, everyone headed to their rooms to put their purchases away. Ash took special care to hide his new mask under the mattress. Other kids were putting away more clothes and stuff in drawers and closets. All the while, their conversations kept revolving around the Tournament and how many Pokémon they would be allowed to use.
The mention of Pokémon made Ash feel a little unhappy. His friends – including Pikachu – had always been with him since he started his journey. Being without them, whether it was for an hour or a few days, made him feel somewhat incomplete.
“Hey, guys,” he said as he stood back up, “I’m going to take a walk around the palace for a while. Anybody interested?”
Max looked at him and said, “We just got back from town, Ash. Don’t tell me you want some fresh air already.”
“Nah, I just want to see more of this place, that’s all.”
“Sounds good,” Brock said, “Maybe I’ll come too.”
The two boys left the tower and started down the stairs. On the way they took another look at all the beautiful paintings and statues. The old painting of Ancient Hyrule fascinated Ash a lot more than any of the others; it was hard for him to believe that such a beautiful kingdom would end up buried at the bottom of the ocean for nearly a thousand years. At the end of one corridor, they came to a large wooden door.
“It’s not locked,” Ash said as he tried it, “let’s look in here.”
“Uh, I don’t think we’d be allowed,” Brock said cautiously.
“There’s no ‘Keep Out’ sign, so it can’t be off limits.”
“Good point,” Brock confessed. Feeling curious, they pushed it open and walked inside.
Ash and Brock found themselves in a medium-sized room. The stone walls were lined with glass display cases, each one filled with different kinds of weapons. Swords, spears, shields, and daggers used by ancient knights were the most prominent artifacts. There was even a case that contained boomerangs of various sizes. According to the description card, some were children’s toys, and others were used by hunters and warriors.
Soon, Ash came to a case with three curved swords inside it. The weapons themselves, he thought, couldn’t have come from Hyrule because they didn’t match the style. But then the description on the card caught his eye:
Gerudo Scimitars (2000-3000 years old)
The Gerudo, a fierce tribe of warrior women, hailed from the deserts west of Hyrule. Proclaiming themselves as “chivalrous,” they never stole from women or children, and held a high regard for life.
According to Gerudo lore, only one male child was born within the tribe every one-hundred years. The child, considered to be a blessing from Din - the Goddess of Power, was taught the ancient secrets of the tribe, and trained to be their king and protector. This might also authenticate the myth that all masonry work in the tribe was done by women. Buildings, temples, and bridges of Gerudo origin were never made by a single man, and the tribal women would never let outsiders within their boundaries.
It was also said that anyone who wished to become a Gerudo, or young tribal girls who came of age were required to go through rigorous training and complete dangerous challenges. Punishment for failure varied through the ages: ranging from either banishment, wandering through the desert, or death.
“Sound like a pretty strict bunch,” said Brock, who had come over and read the card over Ash’s shoulder.
“Yeah, I think Misty would feel right at home with those girls,” Ash quipped. The two boys were so busy laughing that they didn’t hear the door slowly creak open behind them. Instead, they kept walking to the back of the room to gaze at more of the ancient weaponry.
“Look at these,” Brock pointed to a case in the far back, “weird, huh?”
Ash, who was just staring at an old suit of armor, walked over to the case. Inside were four strange objects. They were strange contraptions indeed: ranging from small to large size, and appeared to contain chains and springs. The boys were about to read the card when they suddenly became aware of a presence behind them.
“Grrrrrrrrr...soooooolll...”
Although nearly frozen with fear, the two of them slowly turned around. Their eyes widened when they found themselves face to face with a mean looking creature. It was almost completely white; its claws, tail, face, and one large horn were bluish black. The creature looked menacingly at them, its teeth bared and the fur standing on end.
“What’s an Absol doing in a place like this?” Ash whispered frantically to his friend.
“I don’t know,” Brock replied nervously, “but I don’t think it wants us here, either.”
“Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
“Walk slowly; any sudden moves might cause it to attack.”
Ash and Brock made slow steps towards the door, being careful not to make the Absol even angrier. They had just come within a foot of the exit when Brock’s elbow unintentionally grazed a spear, causing it to fall over. Ash quickly grabbed the artifact before it hit the ground. However, the Absol’s eyes blazed and it howled with terrifying ferocity.
“Oh great, now I did it!” Brock said through clenched teeth.
“Quick,” Ash instructed, “let’s run out and shut it in!” He grabbed the door knob and yanked it open, but stopped dead in his tracks.
Standing in the hallway was a young girl, no older than Ash and wearing a light pink summer dress. She had golden hair that reached the middle of her back, bright blue eyes, and rosy cheeks. The girl shouted in surprise when the two of them nearly ran into each other. She was just about to speak when the Absol’s growls reached her ears.
“Sheik, sit,” the girl ordered, walking over to it. The Absol, recognizing the newcomer, sat obediently on the floor and sadly hung its head.
“Naughty boy, you should know better.” She then turned to the boys, “I hope he didn’t scare you.”
“Us?” Brock said, “Nah, I knew he wouldn’t hurt us.”
Ash grinned at him, “Oh yeah, then how come your knuckles were so white?”
The girl giggled cheerfully and walked back over to them, “I’m sorry, Sheik gets a little protective around strange people. Once you get acquainted, though, he’s actually very friendly.”
“Well, glad to meet you, Sheik,” Brock said, putting his hand out to the creature’s nose. Sheik returned the gesture with a snarl, causing the teenager to jump back. Ash, however, received a cautious sniff and a friendly lick when he tried.
“I guess it’s our fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Ash explained, “We were just looking around and couldn’t help walking in here.”
Still the girl smiled, “Yes, my grandfather has a strong interest in ancient weapons; he says that it gives us insight into how our ancestors struggled to survive their hardships.”
Brock nodded, “Interesting philosophy...wait, your grandfather?”
Suddenly, the young girl gasped, “Oh, that’s right; it is always proper for a young lady to introduce herself to her guests.” She curtsied modestly to them and said, “I am Celia, Princess of the Great Sea.”
Ash gasped himself; so she was King Lorenzo’s granddaughter, the owner of that Pikachu he found in the castle’s main hall, and the one who admired him. His mouth began to feel dry again, what would she do when she found out who he was? Maybe she already knew – and she had him cornered! How was he going to get out of this situation?
“My name’s Brock,” his friend spoke up, “I come from Pewter City in Kanto, and I’m learning to become a Pokémon breeder.”
“It sounds very interesting, Brock, and I wish you well in fulfilling your dream,” Celia commented politely before turning back to Ash, “And you are?”
“Uh, me?” Ash stammered, “well, uh...I’m...uh, that is, I...”
“This is Ash Ketchum,” Brock cut in, “He’s from Pallet Town, that’s in Kanto too. But you probably know a lot about him already, Your Highness, considering...”
“Brock, stop!” Ash exclaimed, trying to clamp a hand over his mouth and looking very embarrassed.
“It’s alright,” Celia said, “Not many people are permitted to be in the presence of royalty. Yet, it is also rare to find one’s self in the presence of a well-known Pokémon Trainer.” She curtsied to Ash again, “It is an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Ketchum.”
Ash’s face reddened, but he tried to be as polite as possible, “Please, Your Highness, call me Ash; I mean, we’re all friends here, right?”
“Of course,” Celia replied with a friendly giggle, “and you many call me Celia. Like my grandfather, I don’t care for flattery - except on occasion, and I prefer that people say what they think.”
“Well, I think we’re going to get along great,” Ash announced.
A few minutes later, Celia and Sheik walked with the two boys to the Southern Tower. As they walked on, Ash began to tell his new friend about some of their sillier adventures: like the time they helped try to catch a Sudowoodo to determine whether it was a Rock-type or a Grass-type. Brock just smiled as he listened; it was always nice to make a new friend, royal or otherwise.
Brock was the first one to go through the tower doors when they arrived. Ash was just about to turn and say good-bye when Celia suddenly took him aside.
“Forgive me, Ash, but I must ask you something.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Could I ask you to meet me in the garden tomorrow afternoon? I want to discuss something important with you.”
“Sure, but why not now?” Ash asked.
“I will explain everything when you come. And here,” she gave him a folded piece of paper, “If any guards try to stop you, show them this letter; they will not hesitate to let you pass.” With that, Celia turned and walked quickly down the hall with Sheik following close behind.
Ash just looked on as she disappeared from view. What could be so important that she couldn’t tell him right then and there? While he pondered this, everyone began filing out into the hallway. Niko was in front ushering them into single file when he spotted Ash.
“So there you are,” he said gruffly, “and where have you been?”
“Talking with the Princess,” Ash replied as he stuffed the letter into his pocket, “she just left.”
“Well the next time you go running off by yourself, at least take a tour guide with you; maybe then you won’t get lost. Now, get in line with the others; it’s almost dinnertime, and we don’t want to be late.”
Ash glanced at his watch and saw that it was only 5:30, “It’s a bit early for dinner, isn’t it?”
“That’s enough excuses, now scoot!”
Ash joined his friends among the crowd and they all headed downstairs. Everyone wanted to know what the Princess was like and kept bombarding him with questions. The overwhelmed boy didn't answer them, and soon they all turned their attention to dinner and their empty stomachs.
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FlamingRuby
The magic of Pokemon
Nice work...my only nitpick is you spelled Gerudo wrong.
::awaits the Ocarina gag::
::awaits the Ocarina gag::
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
No I didn't. I spelled it exactly as it was spelled in the game.
FlamingRuby
The magic of Pokemon
Oh okay...it just looked like it was mispelled.
WaterTrainer243
Veteran Water Lover
Another good chapter ZeldaFan. So now Ash has met the princess and has already made friends with her. I wonder what she wants him to meet her in the garden for?
indigestible_wad
Well-Known Member
Nearly dropped their masks several times? They either did or didn't. Which was it?
Who's them? Don't use pronouns when they're not refering to the subject of the sentence.
Neither one? I thought it was the whole group that was asking.
Short chapter it seems. I think that there is a small romance budding, from what I can tell, but there is one thing I need to say. It doesn't seem to me that Ash's character is realistic to the anime. He likes the attention. Here, he tried to stop Brock from saying who he was to the princess, and also, he wouldn't be so embarrassed in front of anyone, even the princess.
ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
Thanks for the pointers; I didn't notice those mistakes. I managed to fix them; and, if you remember the earlier chapters, Ash was feeling nervous about being in the presenc of royalty .
.ZeldaFan20
Coral Eye Trainer
Hello, readers! Sorry I haven't written in a while...okay, a looooong while. I'm having finals this weekend, but I did make some adjustments to the previous chapters: I updated the names of a couple of characters, for starters. Once summer officially begins I'll have plenty of time for writing.
Catch'ya later!
Catch'ya later!
WaterTrainer243
Veteran Water Lover
It's ok ZeldaFan, I can wait till then.
babowonsuni
Beginning Trainer
bump to update?