Tail Tale Game



When we last left our heroes…

“We’ve tried everything we know that defeats a serpent horse in the canon….” Brock agrees.

“Maybe not…” Dawn interjects, a wry smile crossing her face.

“You mean…you’re actually going to try Song Magic?” Ash gasps.

“You can’t! Not at your skill level!” Raina protests. “You’ll tire yourself to the point of exhaustion!”

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take if it means saving my friends!” Dawn assures Raina as she stares down the serpent horse…

Episode 6: The Song of Victory

The boys and Raina watch in horror as Dawn approaches the serpent horse, but the look on Dawn’s face is not fear or nervousness, but one of confidence.

After want seems like an eternity, Dawn finally speaks. “Grant us protection in a gentle breeze! Wind Guardian!” With that, she begins singing in an odd gibberish, making a breeze surround herself, Ash, Brock, and Raina. The serpent horse lunges at Dawn in an attempt to dispel the magic, but is rebuffed by the windy shield surrounding her.

Ash is just as surprised. “No way…Dawn sang…to protect us?”

“Whatever the reason, she wants us to drive back this monster.” Brock replies before readying his weapon again. “So let’s finish this guy once and for all!”

Ash is first to attack. “Wings of flame, bring dawn to a dark sky! Flame Tail!”

“Spirits of the colorborn, sing with my call…Harmony Blade!” Brock’s rainbow swordbeam, turns the fire on the arrow into many colors. The arrow lands in the serpent horse’s heart with an explosion of light, destroying it. Dawn finishes singing some seconds later, dispeling the shields created by Wind Guardian.

“We did it…” Ash gawks before the realization that they’ve won finally sinks in. “WE DID IT!!!” He sweeps Happini in his arms and hugs her, tears of joy streaming down his face all the while.

“Told’ja we’d scare away that mean ol’ monster, didn’t we?” Brock coos to Happini, making her giggle as Pikachu unleashes some joyful sparks.

“Impressive–you and your friends are also fine warriors.” Raina smiles. “You deserve a reward for saving Sundol–name what you wish, and it shall be given to you.”

“Well, before we discuss rewards, how are we going to fix Sundol?” Ash wonders as he looks out over the broken tree branches, damaged buildings, and other debris cluttering the streets.

“It’d take us months to fix that.” Brock agrees.

“Not today, it won’t!” Dawn confidently assures the boys before calling “Heaven’s light, shine down and heal this weary land! Cleansing Light!” With that, Dawn begins singing something in a language Ash and Brock don’t appear to understand at first. The song conjures a bright flash of light and shimmering gold dust, healing any people it lands on and fixing any buildings or objects.

It isn’t until Ash hears Dawn sing E’un concerto d’amore per, vivere e sperare una grande emozione… that he knows the song! “Is that the original Italian version of ‘Concert of Love’? from ‘Yes! Pokemon 5′”

“What I want to know is how Dawn suddenly knows how to speak, much less sing, in Italian.” Brock notes as some of the gold dust lands on a scratch he sustained in the battle, healing it.

“Song Magic comes from your heart’s power, and if your heart is expecially joyful, you may find yourself singing in another language.” Raina explains.

It dawns on Ash that he remembers Arran doing this in the show and the comic. “Dawn must be pretty happy to be singing in a language she doesn’t even know…”

“Loras sings in another language because of your victory over the serpent horse.” Raina replies. “But I can also guide you to where the Temple of the Ruby and Vatradaina lie.”

“Really? Where?” Ash gasps.

“Then we ask this as our reward–where is Vatradaina?” Brock replies.

“To the north of here lie the Sakura Highlands, wherein lies the Temple of the Ruby. The Order of Elementalists also reside there–the High Elementalist will be glad to tell you of the temple’s secrets.

Dawn smiles. “I guess we know where we need to go in the morning…” she smiles as the group turns to leave.

“Thank you, Raina!” Ash calls.

“You’re most welcome…may Karmina be with you on your journey.” Raina replies as the group starts down a path….

I just got off the phone with my wife. She's in hysterics.

Why? My eldest child has a headache.

She said, "Da docta say he no eat enough da vegetable. He onry eat da meat. Dat why da headache."

I said, "Relax. It's a fucking headache. Give him some aspirin, and get that kid back to school."

She said, "Prus he pray da computa too much. He alway pray da computa. Da doctor say it not good."

I said, "He's going to be fine."

She said, "Are you da fatha? He seek. He have da feva."

I said, "There's nothing I can do about it right now."

She said, "He rike da poor Aflican child. He starving. He no eat da vegetable. He onry eat da meat."

The solution?

Tonight, we are all having ox-tail soup for dinner. That shit cost me 80 bucks. But it da healthy food.

To add insult to injury, there's not a single fucking vegetable in ox-tail soup. 80 dollars and nary a carrot.

Man, the shit I go through. I really deserve a medal.

If I had any balls, I'd cut my belly open like a war-weary Jap. My death should be messy and painful just like my life.

Anyway, so long for now.

And Blian Golden Balls to you all.