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Tens of thousands of tourists gathered along the long main street. Most of them were visitors from outside the island, here to experience the festival.
Dressed in rented or purchased traditional Shamouti Island attire, they blended in so well with the locals that it was hard to tell them apart.
Street vendors had sprung up like mushrooms after the rain, lining both sides of the street and calling out to passersby to buy their goods.
By the time Kai and his group arrived, most of the islanders dressed as mystical bird-like creatures had dispersed, leaving only Carol to accompany them. Even Melody had disappeared into the crowd.
However, with so many people crammed into the streets, the group found it nearly impossible to move forward. The sheer number of festival-goers had turned the streets into a slow-moving sea of people.
A distance that would normally take only a minute or two to walk stretched into a gruelling five-minute crawl.
"Come take a look! These are genuine pearls from Shamouti Island, each one perfectly round and lustrous!"
"Sakura Shells, White Spiral Shells, Golden Shells we have every kind of seashell jewellery you could imagine!"
"Orange Cookies! A local delicacy you can only find here come try a bite!"
The air was filled with the overlapping voices of merchants, their sales pitches blending into a chaotic but festive noise.
The sun had completely set, and under the warm glow of lanterns and decorative lights, the island radiated an even stronger sense of celebration.
Kai took a deep breath as he took in the lively scene around him. "This is incredible... The scale of this festival is almost comparable to the Indigo League."
Carol laughed at his remark. "Well, that's not surprising! This is Shamouti Island's biggest annual festival it's the most important day of the year for us. Even in the Orange Islands, not even big cities like Mandarin Island's Trovitopolis hold a festival this grand!"
The pride in her voice was unmistakable. It was clear she took great joy in seeing her home thrive.
As they passed a vendor selling masks, Kai bought several bird-shaped festival masks and placed them on himself, Sabrina, and Misty.
Since they were here, they might as well fully embrace the festival atmosphere. As for Ash and Tracey? If they wanted masks, they'd have to buy their own.
Just then, a long procession of lanterns emerged from the crowd, moving in a slow, rhythmic dance.
At the front of the parade were performers holding colourful lanterns, swaying in time with the beat of drums. But the most eye-catching sight was a massive Gyarados-shaped lantern being manipulated by several performers.
The way it twisted and swayed in the air made it look like a real Gyarados was swimming through the streets!
Slowly but surely, the group made their way forward, eventually pushing past the densest part of the crowd. The moment they left the main street, the number of people around them thinned significantly.
After a bit more walking, Carol led them to a grand banquet hall built in a style reminiscent of Mayan architecture, blending stone structures with thatched roofs.
Inside, torches illuminated the space with a warm golden glow. Several long tables were already filled with an assortment of delicious-looking dishes.
"Everyone, take a seat and make yourselves at home," Carol said warmly. "Feel free to eat as much as you like. After the banquet, I'll arrange rooms for you to stay in."
She personally guided Kai and the others to their table before taking a seat with Maren at another table.
It had been five years since they last met no doubt they had plenty of catching up to do.
Once Carol was out of earshot, Tracey leaned in and lowered his voice. "What do you think? They're treating us like honoured guests, but I can't help but feel like there's more to this."
"Who cares?" Misty shrugged. "The food and accommodations are free, so let's just enjoy it!"
Compared to them, Ash's mind was elsewhere.
He kept glancing around, scanning the room with wide eyes. "That's weird... Where did that girl go?"
"Wait a second," Misty gasped, staring at him in shock. "Don't tell me... You like her!?"
Ash's face turned as red as a Tamato Berry.
"N-no way! I'm just curious, that's all..."
Despite his denial, it was obvious getting kissed by a pretty girl had definitely left an impression on him.
Meanwhile, Kai wasn't paying attention to their conversation. He was deep in thought, trying to recall the details of Shamouti Island's legend and the events surrounding the Legendary Birds.
He remembered that a crazed collector had attempted to capture the Legendary Birds to summon Lugia, the Guardian of the Sea.
But as for the specifics of how the collector was ultimately stopped, his memory was frustratingly hazy.
'Whatever. No point overthinking it. I'll just take things as they come'
As Kai pondered, Sabrina glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "What are you thinking about?" she asked calmly. "Don't tell me you're also thinking about that girl?"
Kai spread his hands in exasperation. "Come on, do I look like some lovestruck kid like Ash? Why would I be thinking about her?"
But deep down, he was taken aback.
'Sabrina actually reacted to that?
Could she be... jealous?'
Sabrina turned her head away without another word. Kai shook his head with a quiet chuckle and reached for one of the unfamiliar fruits on the table. It looked like a pear but was softer to the touch.
The moment he bit into it, a sweet, juicy flavour burst into his mouth.
"This is amazing!" he said in surprise.
Hearing his praise, Sabrina and the others picked up the fruit and took a bite as well. They had to admit it was delicious.
Just then, the sound of a flute filled the banquet hall.
Everyone turned toward the stage, where Melody had appeared completely transformed.
She was no longer wearing her casual clothes. Instead, she wore a flowing white gown, a delicate floral wreath on her head, and a sheer white veil that draped over her shoulders.
She looked almost ethereal, like a spirit of the festival.
Holding an ancient wind instrument, she played a slow, enchanting melody.
"Melody!?"
Everyone, including Carol and Maren, fell silent, captivated by the sight.
Kai and the others were equally stunned.
It was hard to believe that just hours ago, this was the same rebellious girl who had been complaining about wearing traditional clothes.
But while the music was undeniably beautiful, Kai couldn't shake an odd feeling.
It's lovely, but... it feels strangely melancholic.
The melody carried a sense of longing, almost like a lament for something lost.
When the performance ended, Melody stepped off the stage and walked toward Kai and Ash's table.
With dramatic flair, she raised her arms and proclaimed,
"The wrath of the heavens! The world is on the brink of destruction! At the darkest moment, the Guardian of the Sea shall rise, guided by a chosen trainer to quell the fury of the gods!"
Then, with exaggerated grace, she knelt between Kai and Ash, gazing at them with theatrical intensity.
"Kai, Ash, if either of you is the chosen one... then prove it to me!"
Ash blinked in confusion, completely caught off guard.
Seeing his blank expression, Melody snickered and leaned in to whisper,
"Relax. It's just a tradition. We do this every year. Just play along, and you'll be fine."
----
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