A breeze swept through Ecruteak City, stirring the orange trees and the paper lanterns hung throughout town. Red, yellow, and orange leaves skirted underfoot the bustling crowds, each person wearing a mask resembling a Pokémon. There were no streetlamps or other electrical lights on, and even the moon hid its face; only flames and the millions of stars above lit the city. Hundreds of candles flickered next to the flowing forms of five women. The bright greens, reds, and golds of their kimonos shone in the firelight. The steps of their dance created a song all their own; the crowd was mesmerized and silent, and some of the older men closed their eyes and listened.
In one of the larger homes on the northern edge of the city, a woman shouted, "Hurry up, Kazuo! We're missing the Kimono Girls' dance!"
Kazuo said, "I can't find my mask!"
"I have it right here," she said. Kazuo looked up from the drawer he was digging in to see it dangling from her fingers. It was shaped in the form of Lugia's face, and was crafted from bits of ceramic like a stained glass window. "Are you sure you'll be comfortable? It seems quite heavy."
He grabbed it and sat it on his nose. His eyes peeked through perfectly; he'd made it just right. It matched his white robe with blue trimmings. "It's comfy. It is."
She laughed. Her mask was paper-made, and it was cut to resemble Flaafy's face. It flattered her pink robes. "Okay, dear. Hold my hand so you don't get lost. Stay close."
She led him through the dark streets. The festival was on the west side of town, so the area near their home was completely black save for the stars. "Your father wondered if you were prepared for tonight."
"I'm ready." Panic pricked in Kazuo's chest. As the son of the Storyteller, it was his job to memorize all of the tales his father repeated. If he lost even one word, the story would be changed forever. Tonight was the first night he would be tested, though he was only nine years old. A special gift from his grandfather calmed him during trying times: a gold necklace that Kazuo had worn since the moment it touched his hands. He grasped the oval pendant that lay against his chest and took deep breaths.
A huge crowd had gathered for the festival, and though several stalls were set up, every single person was watching the Kimono Girls. Kazuo and his mother melded into the masses. He stood on his toes but still couldn't see the stage. He eased his way to the front of the crowd, where the other children sat at the Girls' feet. Kazuo knelt and watched them dance, their movements flowing smoother than water. All five of them synchronized perfectly, each step in time.
After a few moments the dance was over. As the women walked off of the stage, Kazuo's father beckoned to him; despite the Entei mask, Kazuo recognized his father's massive stature and bald head. He climbed to the stage floor and stood beside his father, who boomed, "Welcome to the Bellchime Festival, everyone. I am happy to see so many faces, new and old, in our humble city of Ecruteak. If you do not know, I am the Storyteller. This year, however, I will not be the speaker. My son has prepared an old tale for you all. This is his first event, but I'm sure he will not disappoint."
The Storyteller smiled down at Kazuo, and for a moment, his worries faded. He stepped forward at the first beat of the accompanying drum. "Here is a story I am sure you've all heard. Southwest from here, past the homely light of the Olivine Lighthouse, lay four dark islands. Devastating whirlpools surround these isles, ones that could swallow a Wailord and spit him out on the ocean floor, ones that would tear apart the largest ships so that only wood chippings remain! These five Whirl Islands house the spirit of the ocean, the great leviathan known as Lugia.
"Lugia is a protector of the world's oceans. His legendary strength allows him to swim against even the strongest of currents or command them as he pleases. Lugia's roar can split seas and his wingbeats stir ponds across the world. This power is used not in conquering, but in calming. Lugia's one true mission is harmony. When the legendary Pokémon go to war against each other, it is said that Lugia is the one who settles them.
"It is said that, one day, Lugia will appear to one chosen hero. This hero, of pure heart, spirit, and strength, will hold the two keys to finding the legendary leviathan. One of those keys is the Silver Wing, a shining remnant of Lugia's own feathers. The Silver Wing is said to glow, in the hands of the legendary hero, revealing that Lugia is nearby. It just so happens that the Silver Wing is held by the Storytellers' line in Ecruteak City."
Kazuo opened up his gold pendant. "This is the- huh?"
The Wing glowed as he held it. The crowd gasped as the shine fell upon their faces.
"Dead!" The shout grabbed the peoples' attention, and they parted for a man wearing a trench coat. He doubled over, panting, and yelled again: "Lugia is dead!"
The Storyteller shoved past Kazuo, who was still gaping at the shining Silver Wing. His father said, "Who are you to say such blasphemy? State your business!"
The man straightened and pulled a badge out of his pocket. "Code name Looker of the International Police. We've been after some high level poachers, and word is that they broke into the Whirl Islands, used their Pokémon to make it past the giant waterfalls, and killed the Legendary Pokémon for its skin."
"That's impossible," said Kazuo. He shut the pendant and continued: "Lugia is too strong to die to poachers!"
Looker said, "Maybe one or two, but thirty at once? I'm sorry, kid. I knew it was important to all of you, so I came here as fast as I could. Lugia is gone."
A harsh wind passed through, extinguishing many candles onstage. Kazuo hugged himself with one arm and kept his other hand on the Silver Wing.
"Forgive me if I find this hard to believe, sir," said Kazuo's father. Even with weight of the news on him, his voice still flowed smoothly and sweetly as honey. Kazuo found a small refuge in that; his father was the unweathered rock.
"Of course," Looker said. "You can believe whatever you like. I just thought it would be right to inform you. We think that the poachers may attack the city as well, so-"
Bong! Bong! Bong! The great bell atop Bell Tower chimed over and over. Kazuo said, "Father- uh, Storyteller, why is the bell ringing? I thought it was only supposed to signify..."
A piercing cry resounded from the east, where Mt. Mortar pierced the night sky, its peak a shadow against the stars. A golden figure soared from beyond it at an alarming speed. Each flap of its wings showered golden sparks on the lands below it. It alighted atop Bell Tower, where its form was barely visible to the festival goers. It flapped its wings, and brilliant feathers shining iridescently floated on the wind. Its neck reared back and it released a deep cry, the lowest pitch a bird could muster. It continued until its breath failed it then started another again and again.
"The legendary bird Ho-Oh has graced us with its presence," said the Storyteller. "It has come to mourn. It mourns the death of Lugia."
The crowd's whispers of doubt and amazement exploded into shouts. They broke into a mad dash to the Bell Tower, but Kazuo knew that the barriers would prevent them from ascending the tower. He used the chaos as an escape from the stage. He popped open his pendant and tracked the enlarging glow of the Silver Wing.
It led him to the edge of the city, where the concrete ended and autumn wood began. Before he took his first step away from Ecruteak, the sound of someone crying reached his ears. He clapped the pendant shut and ran towards the noise. A young woman was curled against the hollow of a great oak.
"Are you alright?" Kazuo asked.
She lifted her face towards his, and her eyes widened. She scrambled backwards, choking on her own tears and screams.
"No, no, wait! I'm sorry, it's just a mask, that's all!" He tore off the Lugia face, ashamed to still be wearing it after what had happened. "What's wrong? I heard you crying."
She wiped at her eyes. Her back was still pressed against the tree trunk, and her movements were skittish. Her white dress was dirty and torn. Her silver hair was wild and muddy. Her voice came out as a whisper: "Why were you wearing that?"
"It's a part of the Bell Festival in Ecruteak City. Every year, we wear masks in respect of the Pokémon we admire the most."
"Why would you choose Lugia?" she shouted. She skirted around the tree trunk and backed away from him. Kazuo noticed that she walked with a limp. "Why would you after you did this? You killed him!"
"What?" Kazuo said. "Wait. I didn't do anything! I love Lugia, I'd never want anything to happen to him. Are you okay? You seem hurt. If you come back with me I can take you to the Center..."
She said, "Mere words. You humans are all the same."
"Wha-? Wait, I said wait!" She half-sprinted, half-limped into the dark of the woods. He wanted to help her, but he was afraid that if he followed, he couldn't find his way back. As he turned around, he opened his pendant. The Silver Wing shone brighter than ever, but the light was fading.