Early in the morning, Summer waited in front of the civic hall. Yesterday, Kieran's grandparents found out he had become friends with Kieran and insisted on treating him well.
As a result, he stayed at their house for dinner and enjoyed many mochi-like sticky rice cakes.
The taste was sweet and the texture was soft and sticky. Summer found them quite delicious, but why did Kieran have such a strong aversion to this dessert?
"Summer, are you ready?" Kieran, who came running over, looked at Summer in front of the hall and asked.
Seeing Kieran, Summer smiled and greeted him, "Oh, good morning, Kieran. I'm ready. Let's head to the center of Kitakami."
"Good morning, Summer. You seem energetic."
"Because of my work, I've developed the habit of getting up early."
"Work? But aren't you a trainer?" Kieran asked with a puzzled expression.
"No, I'm a ranger."
"What? I thought you were a skilled trainer. Well, as a ranger, you can still train powerful Pokémon." Kieran pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Anyway, Summer, you're amazing. The road from the village to the center of Kitakami is a bit far, so let's hurry."
"Sure, lead the way, Kieran," Summer said.
Crossing a small bridge over a clear stream and climbing a winding mountain path, after more than an hour of walking, they finally saw the hall located at the top of a series of stone steps.
"Whew, Summer, you look so relaxed," Kieran panted.
"That's also because of my work," Summer responded.
Due to the upcoming Festival of Masks, there were many staff members preparing. There was also a group of people wearing fierce green masks with unique attire.
"Everyone, this year we must make sure the event goes perfectly!" the leading man shouted to the crowd in front of him.
"Oh~!"
An event? Summer was curious and asked Kieran beside him, "Kieran, what event are they talking about?"
"Ah, it's the Ogre Clan. They're talking about the challenge event held during the Festival of Masks. They spread out around Kitakami and accept challenges from children. Those who succeed in all challenges receive a reward."
"Have you ever succeeded in the challenge?" Summer asked, knowing that Kieran, a native of Kitakami, must have participated before.
"No." Kieran hung his head in disappointment. "They take it very seriously. I was completely beaten. In fact, no child has ever succeeded in this event."
"Uh," Summer felt a bit awkward. Don't these adults know how to go easy on kids? Going all out against children is pretty lame. Isn't the purpose of the event to encourage their enthusiasm for battles? Their enthusiasm might turn into fear.
"Kieran, that must have been tough," Summer comforted, patting his shoulder.
"It's okay. That was a long time ago. Let's go see the second signboard, Summer," Kieran said with a forced smile. Deep down, he thought, if he were as strong as Summer, the Ogre Clan would be nothing.
They climbed the stone steps and passed through a vivid red torii gate. On either side of the stone path, various stalls were being set up busily, likely to create a bustling scene when the festival began.
"The signboard is next to the shrine, it's a bit hard to find. Let me take you there," Kieran said.
Observing the stalls, Summer responded, "Oh, I'll leave it to you, Kieran."
The signboard was in front of a pavilion next to the Kitakami shrine. Following Kieran's steps and climbing another set of stairs, Summer spotted the pavilion, with a young man in a black coat standing in front of the signboard.
After seemingly reading the signboard's content, the man turned to leave and noticed Summer and Kieran, surprised. "Hey, you're still alive?"
"You're Albert?" Summer recalled. Isn't this the guy he met in front of the station?
"Oh, you remember my name. Haha, so, are you here to read the signboard too?" Albert asked.
"Yes."
"I see. Well, I won't spoil anything then. How should I put it, it's a pretty lousy story," Albert said with a mocking smile, raising his hands nonchalantly.
Hmm, a nasty guy, Summer concluded after more interaction.
"If I were an ogre, with such magical masks, I would definitely..." Albert laughed, "Oh, I almost said too much. Sorry, sorry, I said I wouldn't spoil it."
"By the way, there's another signboard. I hope it changes my mind. Well, I'm off," he laughed and left.
Watching Albert leave, Kieran muttered angrily, "An ogre? You couldn't be further from one!"
"I think so too. Let's read the signboard, Kieran," Summer said, patting Kieran's shoulder.
Kieran nodded silently and walked with Summer to the second signboard.
This story was also brief. It was said that the ogre had four magical masks, each with a unique power.
The green mask could revive dead plants.
The red mask could make flames burn fiercely.
The blue mask could stop rivers from flowing.
The gray mask could shatter hard rocks easily.
The Pokémon companions took and sealed three masks before falling, nearly sealing the ogre's power completely.
"Finished reading? By the way, those three masks are kept here in the hall, over there," Kieran said.
"So, the ogre lost its power and dared not enter the village? But it still has one mask, right?"
"Yeah, it's the green mask. It looks like the masks of the Ogre Clan."
"The ogre's power comes from the masks, but why doesn't it retrieve its mask?"
Now there was a reason to explain the previous story, but Summer still found it odd. Was it because the Pokémon companions sealed the masks? But no one knows the masks better than the ogre, right?
Festival of Masks, right. Why is it called the Festival of Masks? Isn't the one wearing the mask supposed to be the ogre? Shouldn't it be called the Festival of Companions? Unless...
"Kieran, the time the Festival of Masks started and the story on the signboard, which came first?"
"Sorry, I don't know," Kieran replied, hanging his head.
"I'm not pressuring you. I just want to figure out the logical error in it," Summer said. "The ogre might have been wronged."
"Summer! You think so too?!" Kieran's expression was excited. "Right, I know where the ogre lives. We might see the ogre there!"
"Oh, let's go. I'm curious too," Summer said, wondering what the ogre's residence looked like.
"It's called Oni Mountain. Follow me!"
Passing through a narrow mountain path lined with sharp rocks, Summer followed Kieran to the ogre's residence, Oni Mountain.
In front of a barren clearing was a narrow cave, unexpectedly desolate.
"Nothing here. I never see the ogre when I come. Even with Summer, it's the same..." Kieran's tone was low.
"Maybe the ogre is unexpectedly timid," Summer said. Otherwise, they wouldn't always miss it. As he thought this, he suddenly felt a familiar presence, a Grass-type Pokémon!
He turned around abruptly, but there was nothing behind him.
"What's wrong, Summer?" Kieran asked.
"Was it an illusion? Never mind, let's go inside and see," Summer said.
"Okay, be careful not to hit your head."
The inside was dark and narrow, with uneven ground, hard to imagine as the ogre's residence.
"The ogre is really pitiful, living in such a place, it must be lonely," Kieran said.
"Yes, indeed," Summer responded, now even more doubtful of the story's accuracy.
"Let's go out. By the way, Summer, can you teach me some battle techniques? You're really strong."
"Oh, sure, no problem."
After leaving Oni Mountain, they walked back through the narrow mountain path. Hidden behind some rocks, a green Pokémon watched them leave and sighed. Villagers, how annoying.
(End of the chapter)