Chapter 17: The Festival Of Veils

  The day of the Festival of Veils had finally come and transformed Newleaf Village into something almost unrecognizable. By the time the first shadows of evening stretched across the crater, every path and stall had been draped in shimmering cloth and lantern-light. Thin streamers of colored fabric swayed from poles, catching the faint night breeze. Masks, both general ones and some resembling certain Pokemon, hung from every beam and fencepost.

  Incense curled in slow, sweet plumes from clay bowls, the herbs chosen to 'keep lingering spirits from following you home', as Elder Ilyra had put it. The scent mingled with the rich smell of roasting berries and sweet dough sizzling on flat stones. The low, steady beat of drums rolled across the square, a heartbeat for the festival. Every so often, a pipe or flute would cut through the percussion, bright and playful.

  Auri walked beside Yuki down the main path, their matching scarfes and masks catching glints of lanternlight as they moved. All around them, Pokemon in painted masks laughed, danced, or darted from stall to stall. Children wove between the crowd in costumes, some meant to be frightening, others ridiculous, and occasionally leapt out to startle a friend. The mood was a strange mix of celebration and reverence.

  "This," Yuki breathed, her eyes darting everywhere at once,"is one of the best day of the year! No guard drills, no chores, no rules except basic decency. Just everyone enjoying this night together and having a great time. That's how it should be."

  Auri was caught off-guard by how invested Yuki seemingly was in that topic, but nodded along. "You're right. Times were you can just ignore all of your worries, live in the moment and enjoy it... they're rare, aren't they?"

  Yuki sighed. "Yeah, unfortunately they are..." Then she perked right back up. "But that's not something to talk about this evening! You’ve never been to a Festival of Veils before,” Yuki said, grinning up at him. "You’ve gotta let it sweep you up! Tonight’s about keeping the bad things away, so you surround yourself with everything good! Food, music, friends, whatever else you like!"

  They reached the central square, where the crowd thickened around the largest firepit. Ayra darted past them, carrying a stack of something that looked like folded fabric, and disappeared into one of the side streets without slowing down. Yuki gave a short laugh. "I bet she’s been roped into a dozen different things again, like every year."

  A group of costumed kids ran by, chasing each other with wooden sticks decorated like spears. Yuki’s feathers puffed slightly in excitement. "There are games all over the place!" she said, pointing toward a ring-toss booth lit by pale blue lanterns. "And stalls selling super yummy festival treats! You haven’t truly lived until you’ve had fried nanab skewers! Oh, and then there’s the ghost dance later! You really can’t miss that one!"

  Auri scanned the crowd again. He wasn’t used to so much motion and noise all at once, but there was something… steady about the way it all moved together, like a current. It wasn’t unpleasant, just different.

  "Tell you what!" Yuki said, already edging toward the games. "We stick together for the first bit, then we can split if you want. I know you will probably have some time to walk around on your own and there’s too much to see in one go anyway. Deal?"

  He nodded. “Deal.”

  And with that, they wove their way through the festival crowd, the sound of voices and music weaving together into an almost tangible hum in the air. The first thing Yuki dragged Auri toward was a booth run by a pair of cheerful Bellossom, their table piled high with skewered berries dipped in golden syrup. Yuki didn’t even hesitate, she ordered two, pressing one into Auri’s paw before he could protest.

  "Eat," she said, already biting into hers. "Festival rule number one, you do not ever say no to food!"

  The syrup clung to his fur, sweet and slightly tart. It was warm, the berries cooked just enough to release their juice. For a moment, the noise faded into the background. "Not bad," he admitted.

  "Not bad, he says," Yuki echoed, scandalized. "You’ve been here how long and you’ve never-!" She cut herself off, eyes lighting up. "Alright, that’s it! We’re doing the ring toss next!"

  Before he could answer, she had already bounded toward the nearby booth. The stand’s wooden surface was scattered with polished pebbles painted in swirling colors, and behind it, a Smeargle waved them forward. Wooden poles of varying height were arranged in uneven rows; the goal, apparently, was to toss the rings over the poles for points. "Five throws each," the Smeargle announced.

  Yuki went first, her throws wild but energetic. One ring bounced off the tallest pole, another landed perfectly on the smallest one. She spun toward Auri after her last throw, grinning. "Beat that!"

  He stepped up, narrowing his eyes at the pattern. His throws were measured, each one angled just so, and while two missed completely, three landed cleanly, one on the smallest pole. Yuki groaned dramatically, throwing her wings into the air. "Ugh, you’re one of those 'plan it out and crush everyone without even looking like you’re trying' types, aren't you?"

  He smirked faintly. "You should've expectet that. Also, I’ll take it as a compliment."

  From there, Yuki led him toward a wide, low fire pit ringed with smooth stones. Dozens of Pokemon sat or lounged around the flames, their faces half-lit in flickering orange and gold. The crackle of burning wood mixed with the faint, distant hum of music from the main square. In the center sat Elder Seori, the Ninetales, her pale fur glimmering faintly in the firelight. She sat poised and still, her nine tails curled neatly at her side, golden eyes scanning the gathered crowd.

  When she began to speak, her voice was neither loud nor forceful, yet every ear tilted toward her. It was the kind of voice that seemed to slip past the noise of the festival and into the mind directly. "Before Newleaf Village was formed," Seori began, “this land was bare rock and wind, shrouded in endless night. But in the heart of that darkness lay a gift. The Umbral Abyss was no accident, it was carved into being by the will of one who even the boldest dared not name carelessly."

  Her gaze swept the circle. "A great and terrible power, given as tribute by a legendary Pokemon to our Lord… to Lord Noctem the only lesser Legendary in the crater. The Darkrai, that rules over the entire Umbral Abyss. It was not a gift of malice, but of sanctuary. A place where the night could reign undisturbed, and where those like him might rest, far from the grasping hands of the outside world. The land was molded to his liking, sealed by walls that would keep the curious and the covetous at bay."

  A whisper ran through the crowd at the name. Even Auri caught the slight shift in the air, respect, and a thread of something colder. Fear. Meanwhile Elder Seori continued, her tone calm, steady. "In time, others came. Mythical Pokemon, seeking refuge from the endless schemes of those who would bind their power. They settled in the Umbral Abyss, each finding a place in its shadowed valleys and quiet waters. Peace ruled here, not peace without danger, but the kind of balance only the wild itself can shape."

  The fire popped sharply, and she leaned forward, her eyes reflecting its light. "But no land is hidden forever. One day, a force from beyond the crater walls found its way in. It came with thunder in its voice and storm in its wake. A lesser Legendary, just like Lord Noctem, that we call the Storm Menace, for it wore the powers of the storm. It made the wrong decision and decided to wage war upon Lord Noctem. With it came an army of outsiders, mercenaries, Pokemon bound to its will. They came not to live here… but to take the Umbral Abyss for their own, to wrench it from Lord Noctem’s grasp."

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  She paused, letting the tension hang. "The battle that followed was one of storms and shadow, light and darkness locked in the sky and in the deep places beneath the earth. The very type energies turned traitor, tearing at friend and foe alike. But in the end, the Storm Menace lost and was driven deep into the Umbral Abyss's northeastern edge, where it festers still. We feel it even now… In the sudden growth of wild Dungeons, in the restless stirrings of the land."

  Her voice lowered, carrying weight now. "But victory came at a cost. Lord Noctem, drained by the fight, withdrew into a deep slumber from which he has yet to wake. The Umbral Abyss remained and Lord Noctem even added aditional security, but it was left to those still standing to protect it."

  She let her gaze sweep the circle again. "The first of our settlers came after, guided here by chance or fate. They were few, but they were strong of heart, and when they stood before Lord Noctem in his rest, they were not turned away. They were given his blessing and his one law. The Umbral Abyss would never be opened wide to the outside again. Those who live here live apart, not as prisoners, but as keepers of its peace."

  Her tails shifted slightly, a ripple of pale silk in the firelight. "Remember this story well, for it is not just for show. It is a promise, to those who came before, and to the one who still sleeps beneath the shadow of the Umbral Abyss. We have all taken an oath to protect the Umbral Abyss by living here. Let us all hope our peace will never be disturbed."

  She fell silent, and for a long moment, only the fire spoke. Then, slowly, the crowd began to stir, voices hushed. Auri sat very still, turning the words over in his mind. Somewhere in the back of his thoughts, the name 'Storm Menace' lodged like a blurr. He even fellt some mild disgust towards it. He wasn’t sure why.

  Beside him, Yuki let out a soft breath. "Told you the festival was worth it," she whispered. "That’s the real stuff!"

  Shortly after, the two of them wandered back toward the central square, both quiet for a moment. Yuki glanced toward one of the side paths. "I told Tama I’d help her with her lantern before the ghost dance starts. She said she wanted it to be 'spooky but in a cute way,' which is harder than it sounds. I'll see you later!"

  "Yeah, see you later," Auri said with a nod.

  She started to leave, then paused to point at him. "Don’t just stand in one spot the whole time! Go explore! Eat something weird, try a game, maybe talk to someone who isn’t me!"

  He gave her a dry look. "I’ll keep that in mind."

  "Good!" With that, she darted off into the crowd, her dark blue scarf vanishing into the shifting lantern light.

  Auri lingered for a moment, letting the flow of the festival move around him. The drums kept beating, the air full of warm scents and flickering light. He turned toward a quieter side street, just far enough from the noise to think.

  "Quite the bedtime story, huh?" A by now familiar voice said. The voice came from his left, low and conversational. Auri blinked and turned his head just in time to see a shape detach itself from the darker edges of the street.

  Auri tensed slightly, not in fear, but in alertness. "You were at the story circle?"

  Sia gave a lazy shrug, padding closer until she stood just within the light’s edge. "Sort of. I hear it every year, one way or another. Seori’s got the timing down pat, always with that little pause before she says 'Storm Menace'. Gets everyone’s fur standing on end. Nice mask by the way."

  "Thanks. But you don’t sound like you’re much of a believer," Auri said.

  "Oh, I know it happened, though I'm too young to remember the details," Sia replied, casually leaning against a post as if they were just two old friends killing time. "Just… it didn't happen quite the way she tells it. Some quite relevant things fell away. Stories like that tend to get polished and shaped by the victor. You remove some bits, add others. Before long, you’ve got something that works better for you than the original version."

  Auri studied her carefully. "You you think you can tell me the complete version?"

  Her grin was quick, a flicker in the dim. "Maybe, but probably not. I was nine when the 'Storm Menace' was banished. You cannot expect me to understand everything that happened at that time, 119 years ago. But yes, I could probably tell you a far more complete version than that."

  He tilted his head. "Are you going to tell me then?"

  Sia let out a soft, amused hum. "No, I don't think I will. In fact, you're probably one of the last people I'd ever tell the full story to. Trust me, I have my reasons. You'll probably find out in time."

  "Nice to see how you've already decided that I should not hear the full story," Auri said, but there was no heat in his voice. "I guess that also ties directly into why you wanted to get to know me in the first place?"

  "Exactly!" she said, and the grin widened. "Look, I’m not here to mess with you. I'm on your side in pretty much everything here. Just… keep your ears open. There’s more than one way to see this place. And maybe, if you stick around long enough, you’ll hear the rest from me should you not find it out by yourself. But I really thinks it's better if you see for yourself and form your own opinion."

  Something in her tone, light and casual, but with a quiet certainty, made him believe she meant it. Before he could reply, a flicker of movement in the crowd caught his attention. Yuki’s voice carried over the noise. "Auri! Where’d you go this time? I hope you at least had some conversations!"

  He glanced back toward Sia, but she had already taken a step back into the shadows. "Go on," she said. "Can’t keep your partner waiting. We’ll talk again sometime soon."

  Auri stood there for a moment, the noise of the festival seeping back in around him, before turning toward Yuki’s voice and stepping back into the light.

  "There you are!" Yuki bounded over, mask slightly askew from the rush. "Don’t tell me you were off brooding in some alley again! I've specifically told you to talk to someone other than me for once if you already have the chance! Well, no matter, c’mon, the ghost dance is about to start! We cannot miss that!"

  Before he could answer, Yuki had already grabbed his paw and tugged him into the flow of the crowd, weaving between masked Pokemon until they reached the heart of the marketplace again. The music had shifted, drums slower now, punctuated by the hollow, echoing beat of carved wood. The air here felt different, denser and more charged, not unlike the edge of a Dungeon, though softer, more rhythmic. It only took a second for Auri to register the reason for that.

  Multiple Mythicals were here! Vian the Victini was talking with Captain Kaen, Shae the Shaymin did some weird plant stuff with Elder Ilyra, and he even saw a Phione talking with Tama, Ayra and Neku. Together, their incredible amounts of Type Energy formed a certain pressure, though they remained way more harmonic than the the atmosphere around a Dungeon would. Probably as to not risk forming a Dungeon in the middle of Newleaf Village.

  Auri also had an eye open for Miu, but couldn't find her anywhere. It seemed like the trickster had decided to skip the festival.

  Lanterns ringed the square, their light dimmed so that only the central bonfire cast long, flickering shadows. Every masked face turned toward it as Elder Seori stepped forward again, her nine tails fanned out behind her like pale banners in the firelight. "The dance begins," she said, her voice cutting through the hush. "Tonight, we walk with those who linger, to remind them they are not forgotten, and to guide them toward the light when the veil thins."

  Auri watched as the first pairs stepped into the open space, their movements slow and deliberate. Each dancer’s mask was painted differently, spirals, jagged lines, soft swirls, fantastical creatures or pokemon. But they all carried the same underlying theme, symbolizsing the blending of the living and the spirit. Yuki pressed him forward as well. "Don’t think, just follow the rhythm," she murmured.

  Auri quickly slipped his own mask on properly again, its carved edges cool against his fur. The world narrowed to the shifting glow of the fire, the sound of the drums, and the measured steps of those around him. The dance was simple at first, circling the fire, turning in unison, a silent acknowledgement of the presence they honored. But soon it grew more intricate, steps weaving through others, partners changing as if to mirror the way the living and the departed might pass by one another in unseen moments.

  As Auri moved, the flicker of the fire seemed to catch on the painted masks, making them seem alive. Shadows danced along the ground, stretching and curling like reaching hands. In the crowd beyond the ring, watchers stood quiet, some with their heads bowed, others with faint smiles.

  Yuki spun past him, her mask’s golden streaks glinting in the light, and for a heartbeat he almost forgot they were surrounded by others. Her movement pulled him back into the rhythm, the steady beat of the drums aligning with the steady beat in his chest.

  The dance reached its final phase, a slow, spiraling movement inward, all the dancers drawing closer to the fire until the heat pressed against their skin and fur. Elder Seori lifted her head, voice low but clear: "Go in peace, and return only with the dawn."

  On cue, each dancer turned away from the flames, stepping back into the circle of lanterns. One by one, masks were lifted, the night air cool against flushed faces. The music faded to a single, final drumbeat, and then only the crackle of the fire remained.

  Auri exhaled slowly, the weight of the moment settling over him. The festival’s noise would return in minutes, laughter, chatter, the smell of food, but for now, the square held onto that quiet reverence, the kind that didn’t need words.

  Yuki nudged him lightly. "Not bad for your first ghost dance, huh?"

  He glanced at the fire, then at her, and allowed the faintest of smiles. "Not bad at all. Quite impressive even."

  Yuki beamed and that. "I knew I would find something you'd praise this evening!"

  And with that, Auri's first. but certainly not last, Festival of Veils came to a gentle close.

  Important characters in the chapter:

  Pikachu (Auri) – Level 14

  Ability: Lightning Rod

  Battle Nature: Lonely

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 66

  Attack: 44

  Ranged Attack: 39

  Defense: 45

  Speed: 51

  Total: 245 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Nuzzle], [Tail Whip], [Quick Attack], [Brick Break], [Thunder Wave], [Feint]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Thunder Shock], [Electro Ball], [Swift], [Thunder Bolt]

  Utility Moves: [Nasty Plot], [Charm], [Double Team], [Growl], [Agility], [Dig]

  Torchic (Yuki) – Level 15

  Ability: Speed Boost

  Battle Nature: Hasty

  Stats:

  TE Pool (Health/AP): 69

  Attack: 37

  Ranged Attack: 40

  Defense: 44

  Speed: 35

  Total: 225 (Strength Level: Kid)

  Moves:

  Close Combat Moves: [Scratch], [Quick Attack], [Feint], [Fire Spin], [Flame Charge], [Aerial Ace], [Counter], [Slash]

  Ranged Combat Moves: [Ember], [Sand Attack]

  Utility Moves: [Growl], [Detect], [Dig]

  ??? (Sia) - Level ???

  Ability: ???

  Battle Nature: Quirky