Several Months Later…

"This detour had better be worth it." Ash groaned. Pikachu, riding on his shoulder in the noonday sun, shared that sentiment. They had been walking down a beaten dirt path on an almost barren field for almost 3 hours, with no sign of civilization in sight.

"It will be, trust me. Mashura Town is one of the most scenic places in Sinnoh." Brock assured him from behind his map.

"You sure? I've never heard of it." Dawn questioned.

"Well, that's what the guy at the pharmacy yesterday told me." Brock shrugged.

Dawn blinked. "Pharmacy? I thought you were at the Game Corner. What were you doing at the pharmacy?"

Ash and Pikachu looked at each other and sighed. "He was getting me slee-"

"Pokemon medicine." Brock interrupted. "I was getting some medicine for the trip, in case something came up."

Dawn was still somewhat confused. "Ok…but isn't that at the Pokemart? Why would…hey, what's that?"

All three children turned to look at where Dawn was pointing. It looked like a bright red orb dangling just above the horizon. Intrigued, the group started running towards the object.

As they got closer, it became clear the orb was a huge, decorated balloon. Hourglass symbols and elaborate pictures of Pokemon had been drawn on the surface of the crimson fabric. At the base of the balloon were two people and a Mamoswine. The Mammoth Pokemon was lying on it's side, breathing heavily.

Brock rushed over as soon as he saw the wounded Pokemon, Dawn and Ash close behind. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

The two people sitting beside the Mamoswine looked up. A young woman with scarlet robes and a diamond tattoo on her forehead sighed with resignation. Her long black air had been tousled into tiny knots. "My Pokemon was wounded by an Absol earlier. It just…ran up and bit my Mamoswine on the leg!"

She pointed to the wound on the huge mammoth's leg. Several rags had been hastily wrapped around the Pokemon's ankle, a red dribble signifying a serious wound underneath. Brock brought out his potions to help the Pokemon, spraying the area to heal the wound. It helped, but it was clear the beast wouldn't be walking anytime soon.

Ash turned to the girl. "It needs to go to the Pokemon Centre…is there one nearby?"

"There's one in Mashura…but there's the balloon." The woman's companion spoke up. He was a thin lad with neat brown hair, small glasses and some sort of brown tuxedo. He gestured up to the huge orb above them, which was still tethered to the wounded Pokemon. "That ceremonial balloon can only be carried by a Mamoswine…not just due to tradition, but how much weight is needed to anchor it. If we recall Mamoswine without a proper weight to carry the balloon, it will fly away or get damaged. The two of us have spent DAYS building that balloon, and the ceremony's today!" He groaned.

Dawn brightened up, bringing out a Pokeball. "I have a Mamoswine."

The girl in scarlet smiled joyfully. "What great fortune! You must have been guided here by fate!"

Dawn blushed. "Well, to be honest…"

The young man quickly interjected. "No need to explain, miss…?"

"Oh, I'm Dawn!"

"I'm Ash Ketchum, and this is Pikachu."

"I'm Brock."

The young man in the brown suit nodded. "My name is Malifa, and this is Haneen. Now then, could you bring out your Mamoswine so we can get moving? We're in a hurry."

Dawn nodded, and her Mamoswine appeared in a flash of red light. It was a few minutes work to attach the ceremonial balloon to Dawn's Pokemon, and Haneen was able to recall her own pet to her Pokeball. Once the balloon was secured to a slightly embarrassed mammoth Pokemon, the group began walking down the pathway at a quick pace.

"Many thanks to you, Dawn." Haneen smiled. "This is a very special occasion, and if we could not make it…"

"What's the occasion?" Ash asked.

"'The Rise of Good King Herlim.'" Malifa answered. "It's a yearly festival in Mashura. I'll explain when we arrive."

Haneen's smile broadened. "This year will be very special." She winked to Malifa, who just sighed. "We are all very fortunate to attend. You are all in for a real treat."

Ash smiled. "Sounds great."

Pikachu agreed. "Pika!"


Several miles away from the dirt path was a highway, reserved for large vehicles driving at high speed. The road was very busy, with food, decorations, tools and tourists were brought to Mashura in large quantities for the festival. Trucks and buses would pass through this area in a thick stream, and it wasn't unusual for some of the vehicles to break down on the way.

That's why nobody thought twice about a large red semi truck sitting on the side of the road, out of the way of traffic. Anyone who passed it assumed it was a flat tire or some other minor problem. A few helpful individuals occasionally pulled over only to be silently shooed away by the driver.

The truck had been sitting there for several hours. The driver, a rather large man, was watching the children meeting with those two from Mashura. A pair of hunter's binoculars allowed him a clear view while letting him stay out of their sight.

He smiled when the boy and his friends began their long walk to Mashura. Perfect.

Satisified with what he saw, the watcher put away his binoculars and eased his truck back into the highway. A harsh chuckle escaped his lips, a rare sound coming from him.


Mashura town was, indeed, very scenic. Countless stone buildings had been draped with multicoloured fabrics, ribbons of red, gold and yellow tied between windows. The walls that weren't covered with fabric were painted with elaborate designs of Pokemon. Ash recognized each one, although some of the paintings' colors were downright bizarre. The boy had seen a lot of strange things, but he had never seen a purple Pikachu or a red Frosglass.

The main road was littered with crowds of people watching a parade of Mamoswines going through town, all of them carrying huge ceremonial balloons and guided by several men and woman wearing traditional Mashura dresses. Musicians playing instruments none of the group recognized rode on floats that looked like timepieces covered in rainbows. Butterfree, Beautifly and Mothim flew through the city adding to the beauty of the scene.

Haneen's group quietly slipped in the back of the procession so as not to disturb anyone else. The parade continued without any interruptions, a few people of the town waving to Haneen as she passed. The woman in scarlet strode through town confidently, knowing exactly where to go.

Ash laughed in delight as he looked at the celebration around him. "This is amazing!"

"You have no idea." Malifa remarked.

"So what's this celebration for?"

"Hush." Haneen shushed the children. "I will explain all very soon."

Ash was about to question that, but decided against it. He couldn't wait to hear what all the fuss was about, knowing that it would be a very interesting story.

Hidden in the crowds, the truck driver watched the parade, an amused smirk on his face. If only these cheering crowds knew…

His eye turned to the huge castle in the centre of town. The castle had been built centuries ago, and no architect could explain how it had remained standing for all these years. A huge roof shaped like an onion sat atop a complex array of ancient stone buildings, all of them covered in banners and ribbons for the festival. Looking at it made the man think of predators, decorated with brilliant colors to lure their prey and hide their true purpose.

The man cracked his knuckles with anticipation. He had been waiting for this a long, long time.