Golden Jack

When we return to the campfire after the break, the leader announces "Now it is Shauna's turn to share a tale."

The deep brown haired girl nods, gets up, and addresses the group. "Tonight, before the gathering of my fellow minstrels, I tell you the tale entitled 'Golden Jack'."

With that, she begins "Once upon a time--as all good stories are supposed to begin--there was a fisherman who made his keep selling the fish he caught in town. One day, when he was out casting his nets, a bad storm blew up, and just when it looked like the end for the fisherman, a mermaid swam up to him and asked him if he wanted help getting home...."

The scene swirls into a stormy sea, where Misty, in the role of the mermaid, swims up to a man in his boat. "Would you like some help getting home?"

"Of course I want to get home, but it does not look like I will, what with this weather!" the man replies before a wave nearly swamps him.

Mermaid Misty smiles. "If you will give me the youngest thing in the house when you get home, you will have good weather and luck; and I will not demand the youngest thing in the house from you for twelve years."

"Okay, anything to get out of this blasted storm!" the man pleads.

The scene of the storm fades to the man's house some years later. The boy who had come into the world during his father's absence at sea, grew up and grew very strong. Shauna narrates via voiceover as a boy emerges from the house. His name was Jack, and as soon as he was big enough, he learned to handle the plow. When his father was alone with the boy, he often had to cry.

We join Jack as he enters the house's main room, where his father softly cries. "Dad? Why do you always cry every night?" he asks.

"Well, it started on a stormy night long ago..." Jacks father explains. "I got caught in a storm at sea, and was forced to promise a mermaid the youngest thing I found in the house when I got home--you. But the mermaid did not want you until you were twelve years old. Your mom cannot be comforted, we only have you, and it pains her that now we are to lose you."

"I have no objection." Jack assures the teary eyed man. "If she wants to have me, she will probably do me no harm."

The scene fades to Jack and his father at sea, arriving at the appointed place the mermaid had agreed to receive him years before. Jack looks back at his father one last time as Misty takes him in her arms, and both disappear under the water.

Now, when Jack came down to the mermaid's abode, all he had to do was take care of a Ponyta and a Pyroar; it was his business to spread fire before, and oats behind them. Shauna narrates as we see Jack doing this.

Just then, the Ponyta objects, "That's not the way to do it! You should lay the fire behind and the oats before us!"

"What!" Jack balks in surprise. "How are you able to talk?"

"My name is Epona, and I have known how to talk for a long time. If you are true to us, you can deliver us and yourself as well." the Ponyta replies.

"That is just what I'll do!" Jack vows.

"Go into the great room." Epona instructs. "You will see three potions of strength standing on the table, and a great sword hanging from the wall. Drink the potions completely, and then see whether you can lift the sword. Also, there is a comb lying on the table with which you must comb your hair."

Jack nods, goes into the room, and sees the bottles. After drinking the first potion, he finds he can move the sword a little. He then drinks the second potion, and finds himself able to take down the sword from the wall. Then he drinks the third potion, tries the sword, and finds that he can wield it easily. Then he takes the comb and combs his hair; and his hair grows long enough to tie into a small braid, as well as turning gold.

When he returns to Epona, she tells him "Now, pack up all the food, and as much gold and silver as we can carry, and then put on the belt hanging on the wall, and gird on the sword."

Jack complies, mounts Epona, unties the Pyroar, and rides off, the Pyroar running on before him.

But a few moments later, Jack sees storm clouds above him. "It seems the sky is getting black and grey behind us."

"That is the mermaid, who is chasing us," Epona replies. "Take the emerald in the bag, and sing to it 'Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...'"

Jack quickly complies with this. Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...

The emerald glows, and a huge forest miraculously appears in the water, much to Misty's chagrin.

After following the dotted line representing Jack's route, we return to him a little farther on. Suddenly Epona cries "Turn around and look back!"

"I see more storm clouds coming...." Jack notes.

"Take the sapphire in the bag," Epona instructs, "and sing to it 'Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...'."

Rou iitsa ron selga vichiii... Jack sings, making the sapphire glow and create a whirlpool, much to Misty's chagrin.

After following Jack's route some more, we catch up to them farther on. "Look around again. Can you see anything?" Epona asks.

"Yes," Jack replies. "Now I see a fire burning behind us, high in the air."

"Well," Epona replies, "the mermaid is really furious now. She is so furious that one could strike sparks from her eyes. Take the ruby in the bag, and sing to it 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...'."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Jack sings again, making the ruby glow and create a wall of fire, never mind they are underwater. As Misty tries and fails to find a way around the fire, Jack, Epona, and the Pyroar escape to the surface, and make camp in a forest.

The scene fades to later that night. "There is a king's castle here near this forest." Epona explains as Jack eats. "You can go there and take service; but you must come out here every evening, and bring us something to eat."

And so, Jack went to the castle and was taken into royal service as a stable boy. Shauna narrates via voiceover. He had to wash and groom the Ponytas, and the head groom was very pleased with him. We see the head groom smiling as Jack scrubs the last Ponyta's fur.

When he returns to Epona that night, she asked him, "Well, what luck did you have, Jack?"

"I'm in the stable," Jack replies, "and they treat me very well indeed."

"That will never do," Epona notes. "You cannot stay there. Tomorrow, after you have washed the Ponytas, rub dust and straw into their coats."

The scene cuts to the next night, as Jack meets Epona and the Pyroar. "Now I am in the kitchen, and am treated very well." Jack explains as he makes his nightly delivery.

"That will not do either; you cannot stay there." Epona tells him. "Tomorrow morning, after you have cleaned and rinsed the dishes, you must dirty them all again, so that they will drive you out."

"But then I'll get a hard beating!" Jack protests.

"Worry not," Epona assures him. "You will be compensated for your beating in due time."

The scene cuts to the next night. "I'm in the garden now, and they treat me very well." Jack explains as he makes his delivery.

"Well, see to it that you stay there." Epona smiles.

The scene fades to a few days later, where the gardener is busy arranging a bouquet. "Master? Permission to make a bouquet for the princesses too?" Jack asks as he arrives.

"No, not this week." the gardener explains. "I'm afraid that you would not tend to it properly, and I have just enough flowers for this one."

"Please?" Jack pleads. "I'll do my best to care for it!"

"Oh, all right....you can use the sunflowers over there." the gardener smiles, gesturing to a bundle of sunflowers on a table.

Jack carefully bundles the sunflowers together, making sure to mimic the gardener, before tying them together with a light blue bow.

Later that evening, Jack follows the gardener to the princesses' chambers. "Now, mind your manners around Orla, Ariana, and Christina, okay?" the gardener reminds Jack. Jack nods, and adjusts the old cap covering his wonderful hair.

"Take off your cap." the gardener whispers as Lyra, in the role of Princess Orla, Shauna, in the role of Princess Ariana, and May, in the role of Princess Christina, arrive in the room with their lords and ladies.

"But I have a sunburn!" Jack protests, causing the crowd to chuckle as the gardener reluctantly buys that answer.

He walks up to May and offers his sunflower bouquet. "Milady, I too have a bouquet for you." he nervously stammers as he bows on one knee.

May gasps in delight. "They're beautiful, Sir..."

"Jack--or should I say Red Jack, since he always has a sunburn." the gardener explains, to more laughter.

We see a montage of Jack's growing relationship with Princess Christina before the scene fades to a herald in the town square. "Hear ye! The land of Alsia has declared war!" he announces, just as Jack peeks through the crowd. "All men and women that are of age are encouraged to join the fight!"

Jack hurries to the stables. "Please sir, I want a Ponyta, too, so I can fight!" he tells the groom.

There's nothing but an old mare left, who can only move on three legs, and limps on the fourth, Red Jack." the groom replies.

The palace staff laughs as Jack departs, but Jack does not seem angered.

Later, Jack arrives in the forest, where he hides his ragged jacket and his cap, then mounts Epona. His golden hair hangs down his back, his sword is at his side, and the Pyroar follows him.

After a montage of Jack traveling, we join him by the battlefield, where he sees that the enemy is so powerful that the king's army is nearly devastated. What can we do?" he worries.

"Raise your sword and sing to the sky!" Epona calls over the noise of the battle.

Jack nods, holds his sword to the sky, and sings Gatrandis favel, secret, edena....
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis....
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si....

The blade glows bright blue on the last "si"... conjuring so many heroes of all types, that Jack can't see the ground. With that, they charge to battle.

Brock, the leader--now in the role of the king--and some attendants look on in awe as Jack and his heroes easily defeat the enemy, despite getting a gash in the leg in the process. Once the last enemy soldier flees in terror, the heroes disappear in a flash of light, and Jack rides away.

The scene fades to the castle, where Jack--now back in his normal clothes--meets Princess Christina. "How has my father fared? It must have gotten very bad when he himself went to battle."

"You should have seen it! Our lord's army was on the brink of defeat, when suddenly, a golden haired hero aboard a shining Ponyta appeared on the hill, held his sword to the sky, and sang a beautiful song! It was in some language I don't know, but on the last note the sword glowed, conjuring warriors, archers, magics, clerics, and many other heroes. They numbered like sand by the sea, and they destroyed the enemy to the last man; but no one knows who this mysterious rider that summoned the heroes might be." Jack excitedly explains.

"Sounds pretty exciting! I wish I could have seen it with Father." Princess Christina smiles before noticing the small gash on Jack's leg. "What happened to your leg?"

"I was so excited to tell you of your father's victory, I fell in a thorny bush." Jack explains.

"Then let me at least bandage it until the healer arrives." With that, Princess Christina ties a silk handkerchief around his leg.

As fireworks light up the night, and the kingdom celebrates the war's end, the king paces the floor. "Just who was that rider that saved me and my army? I wish to reward him the hand of one of my daughters and half the kingdom, and when I join Arceus in heaven the whole of it, if he could only appear to me."

After a montage of imposters at the castle, Jack arrives, where the servants tell him, "Take off your cap, Jack!"

"But I have a sunburn." Jack explains.

"Take off your cap, Jack!" retort the courtiers. "The king wants to speak to you."

"But I have a sunburn!" Jack insists, loud enough for the princesses to hear.

Princess Orla and Princess Ariana giggle at Princess Christina. "Here is Red Jack, surely he is the one who had defeated our enemy, and now he would get his princess." Ariana comments, making Orla giggle.

"Hail and well met, Sir Jack...perhaps you are the mysterious hero that knows the song of power that saved my army from defeat." the king begins. "I see there is a wound on your leg in the same place the hero had his."

A couple of courtiers help Jack show his leg. "I was so excited to tell the kingdom the news, I tripped and fell in a thorny bush in the forest." Jack explains.

"Let me see the wound." the king requests.

The crowd roars when they see Princess Christina's handkerchief wound around it. Not one to be deterred, Jack sings Gatrandis favel, secret, edena....
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis....
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si....

On the last "si" he glows bright blue, revealing himself in his true form--with his sword at his side, his golden hair hanging down his back, and the Pyroar by his side.

Many of the courtiers run to greet Jack, and Jack graciously shakes their hands. "Now then, Sir Jack...which one of my daughters do you want?" the king asks.

Choose the youngest, because they have made so much fun of her on your account. Epona's voice reminds Jack.

"I choose Princess Christina." Jack replies. The crowd roars as Jack and Princess Christina kiss....

---------

"...The wedding day was set, and Jack was crowned king." Shauna concludes. "He ruled long and happily, well loved by his people."

"Aw..." Misty smiles.

"I still don't get how Jack could've made a forest and fire appear underwater." Callum wonders.

"That is the nature of magic--it doesn't conform to the rules that make sense." Brock grins before addressing the group. "This gathering is over, and now it is time to part. But no matter how far we all may roam, we'll be in each other's hearts."

With that, Misty pours out a bucket of water on the campfire, and the group gets up to go their separate ways.

But after a few moments of silence, we see a Pikachu inspecting the smouldering embers before the scene fades out and the credits roll.