The Shepherd Girl's Flute

"So, what other instruments do you carry with you?" Serena asked as Brock put the harp away.

"Besides my harp, I also carry this." Brock replied before retrieving a leather sleeve from his bag, sliding an almost gold colored flute into his palm. "This is the Wind Dreamer Flute, given to me as a gift from Master Hayato of the Pidgeot sect."

"That explains the tassel on the end..." Serena mused as she admired the red tassel hanging off of one end of the flute. "A red tassel means friendship among the many martial arts sects, so they see you as an honorary member."

"It is also said to bring luck and happiness, like one flute did for a humble shepherd girl." Brock added. "Perhaps you would like to hear the tale?"

"Yes please!" Serena gasped, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

With that, Brock began "Once upon a time, a landlord hired a shepherd girl whose name was Hibiki, which means 'sound' or 'echo'. She was well loved and well liked among the people, but what the people liked most of all was to listen to her playing the flute. Her flute looked very simple, no more than a foot long; but in her hands it became a wonderful instrument. Whenever they had a minute or two to spare, people would sit around Hibiki and listen to her play."

With that, he played an excerpt of "The Royal March to the Aiiro City" on his own flute before continuing "Over time, the landlord grew royally sick of both the girl and her flute. He was constantly finding something 'wrong' with her and scolding her..."

"You little wretch! Do I pay you to sit there and play the flute all day?" he demanded in character as an older man, making Serena jump in surprise.

As himself, he assured Serena "In fact, Hibiki's flute playing did not interfere with her work in the least."

"That still is no excuse to yell at her as if it did." Serena mused.

Brock then intoned "One day the landlord found an excuse to give Hibiki a terrible beating. On top of that, he drove her out of town and trampled her flute into a million pieces." He deliberately played a screechy out of tune note for effect.

"Poor Hibiki..." was all Serena could muster. If Ash were here and this story were real, he'd tear the landlord limb from limb for breaking Hibiki's flute and making her cry!

"Hibiki ran from the landlord's house, and with tears streaming down her face, ran through the streets, out of town, down the dusty road, and all the way to a nearby village, where her grandfather lived." Brock continued.

In a gentle older man voice, he asked as Hibiki's grandfather "What's the matter, my dear Hibiki? Why are you out here all on your own, crying?"

"Grandpa! The landlord beat me, drove me out and trampled my lovely flute to pieces..." Brock sobbed through feigned tears, using Serena's voice for Hibiki.

"Don't cry, Hibiki," he assured an imagined person as the grandfather.. "You can stay with me for now. I will teach you a way to bring justice on the one who has wronged you so."

Serena couldn't help but applaud at Brock's mimicry skill. I'm surprised he can accurately mimic my own voice after only a few minutes!

"The next morning, Hibiki's grandfather made her a new flute, which sounded much better than her old one." Brock went on. "Hibiki was so happy, she played more beautifully than ever. This time it was not just people who enjoyed her song; even the various Pokemon in the forest came and sat around her, listening to her quietly and never wanting to leave. As time passed, Hibiki and the Pokemon became close friends."

He next played an excerpt from "Midday in the Forest" to simulate the passage of time. "Meanwhile, the landlord summoned his sons and said..."

"Last night I dreamed of a beautiful Buneary that shone silver like the moon." he explained as the landlord. "I liked the look of it very much. You must try your best to catch it for me in the forest."

"Father, we have never even heard of such a Buneary!" he gasped in a mimic of Ash. "Where can we go to catch it for you?"

"You hopeless creatures! Didn't you hear what I said just now?" he roared as the landlord, making Serena laugh. "Go and look for it. Whoever finds it will inherit all I have when I join Arceus in heaven."

As himself, Brock went on "The eldest son volunteered to go first, and set off on his way. When he came to the village, Hibiki's grandfather met him, and the eldest son told him why he had come."

"Go to the forest then," he replied as Hibiki's grandfather, "and look for the Buneary! Hibiki is tending my Tauros there. Tell her what you want and she'll help you."

He interjected as himself "So the eldest son went into the forest, found Hibiki and asked her for her help."

"Of course!" he smiled as Hibiki. "I can help you find the miracle Buneary. Come and get it this evening. But you must bring with you a thousand pieces of gold to pay for it."

As himself, Brock went on. "The eldest son presumed that compared with the property he was supposedly going to inherit, a thousand pieces of gold was a pittance. In the evening he returned to the forest with the money and found Hibiki sitting on a tree stump, playing her flute. All the Pokemon were gathered around her entranced, pricking up their ears to listen to the music."

He next played the children's song "I Hear a Little Fletchling Sing" for effect. "The eldest son saw the moon Buneary among them at once. It really did glow silver, like the moon. Hibiki saw the Buneary, put down her flute, stretched out her hand, grabbed it by its long ears, and handed it to the eldest son."

"Here you are. Hold it tightly! If it escapes, it's none of my business." hewarns as Hibiki, making Serena laugh again at how well Brock could imitate her.

"The eldest son paid the money, thanked Hibiki profusely, and set off for home with the moon Buneary." Brock continued. "He was about to leave the forest when he heard Hibiki playing the flute again."

He played a mystical flourish for effect, then continued "As soon as the Buneary heard the music, it burst from his hand and ran for all it was worth. The eldest son searched for it for a long time but could not find it. In the end he had no alternative but to go home empty-handed and tell his story to his father.

"I bet the landlord was mad..." Serena chuckled.

"The second son went to try his luck and met the same fate as his elder brother--time wasted and another thousand gold pieces down the drain." Brock went on. "On the third day, the youngest son went, but he fared no better. It made the landlord very angry to watch his three sons lose three thousand pieces of gold like this, without so much as a piece of fluff to show for it. The next day, he vowed, he would go and catch it himself!"

"And then?" Serena asked.

"So the following day the landlord went into the forest." Brock went on "When Hibiki spotted him, her eyes blazed with fury. Before the landlord could open his mouth, Hibiki took out her flute and began playing."

He played his mystical flourish before continuing "All the Pokemon of the forest--Bunearies, Ursarings, Ekans, Mightyenas, Niinetales, and many different sorts of birds-- came and surrounded the landlord. Terror drove the last drop of color from his cheeks. He fell to his knees in despair and pleaded for Hibiki to have mercy on him."

"Why should I? Do you remember what you did to me?"  he screeches as Hibiki. "At one sound from my flute, these Pokemon will eat you alive!"

"I promise to give you anything you want. Just have mercy!" he pleaded as the landlord.

"Very well. I will spare your life on one condition." he offered as Hibiki. "You must never bully poor folk again! If you don't turn over a new leaf, I won't be so easy on you next time. When you get home, give half of all your possessions to the poor. Is that clear?"

He concluded as himself "The landlord rose to his feet and fled in terror. He followed Hibiki' instructions to the letter and distributed half of his estate to the poor. The people were amazed at Hibiki's brave deed, and loved her even more after that."

Serena applauded at the tale's conclusion. "That was wonderful! I do wish Ash were here to see you perform!"