203. Tradition

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Maren blinked in surprise. "You are...?"

The woman removed the mask from her head, revealing her face. It wasn't until then that Kai got a clear look at her a short-haired woman, around the same age as Maren, likely in her mid-twenties.

"It's me, Maren! It's been so long!"

"Ah!" Maren's eyes lit up with joy as she recognized the woman. "It's you, Carol! Since we graduated from Mandarin Academy, it must have been at least five years since we last met, right?"

"Yeah," Carol chuckled. "I never expected we'd run into each other again like this!"

Though she was happy to see an old friend, Maren couldn't help but glance at Carol's strange attire with curiosity. "What's with your outfit?"

"The festival, of course!" Carol waved her hand enthusiastically. "The annual festival begins today. For the people of Shamouti Island, it's a huge event!"

"Oh, it's that time of year already?" Maren said in realization. "So, are you still playing the role of the festival maiden and performing the flute?"

As she spoke, she mimicked the action of playing a flute in front of her lips.

From their conversation, it was obvious that the two were very close friends.

'Mandarin Academy?' Kai had never heard of it. It was probably some kind of school unrelated to Pokémon training.

"I retired from that role a long time ago," Carol said with a shrug. "I'm not a kid anymore, so the title of Festival Maiden has been passed down to my younger sister."

As she spoke, she glanced around, seemingly looking for someone. "Huh? Where did she go?"

At that moment, a girl walked up onto the breakwater.

"I don't want to be some festival girl!" she declared, standing tall with her hands on her hips. "You keep forcing this stuff on me! Sometimes I really wonder what kind of luck I had to be born as your sister!"

Hearing her voice, Kai and the others turned their heads.

The girl was slightly older than Ash and Misty, perhaps by a year or two. She wore a beret tilted slightly to the side, sunglasses on her face, a pink sleeveless top, denim jeans, and an orange crossbody bag. Her fashion sense was clearly modern and stylish.

Despite her younger sister's outburst, Carol didn't seem the least bit annoyed. Instead, she responded with her usual relaxed tone, as if she had already anticipated such a reaction.

"Oh, there you are. What's with that outfit? Where's your festival attire?"

The girl waved dismissively.

"Ugh, I hate it. I'm not wearing something so old-fashioned all day! The festival doesn't start until the evening, so why rush?"

"Honestly..." Carol sighed before turning back to Kai and the others. "As you can see, this is my little sister, Melody. She's a bit rebellious please don't mind her."

"I understand," Kai said with a slight smile. "Everyone goes through that phase."

Carol then shifted her attention to Kai and his group.

"By the way, who are these people with you?"

"Oh! I forgot to introduce them," Maren said. "I was on my way to Trovita Island to visit my parents when I picked up these travellers along the way." She gestured toward Kai and Ash. "These two are Pokémon Trainers, and the others are their companions."

"Pokémon Trainers!?"

The moment the words left Maren's mouth, the festival-goers let out a collective cheer.

Even Melody turned her head with newfound interest.

Not only were Ash and his friends baffled, but even Maren looked confused.

Just as they were wondering what was going on, an elderly man slowly stepped forward from the crowd, removing his mask. His deep voice resonated through the gathering.

"It is foretold... When the world is on the brink of ruin, the Sea Guardian shall appear, guided by a chosen trainer to calm the rage of the gods. And those trainers... are you!"

As he stepped closer, he looked at them seriously.

"You are the ones chosen by the prophecy!"

Perhaps sensing that his words had been a bit too dramatic, or noticing Ash's uneasy expression, the elder suddenly laughed.

"Relax! It's just an old island tradition. We say it every year!"

Ash exhaled in relief. For a moment there, he had thought he was about to be pulled into some world-saving duty.

Just then, Melody walked over and casually examined Kai and Ash from head to toe.

"You two are trainers, huh?" She placed a finger on her chin. "This handsome one definitely looks like a strong trainer, but the kid... eh, I guess it doesn't matter. It's all part of the festival tradition anyway. Alright, come here, you two let's seal the deal with a kiss!"

Before anyone could react, Melody removed her sunglasses and leaned forward. Standing on her tiptoes, she quickly kissed Kai on the cheek, then turned and did the same to Ash.

This instantly set Misty and Sabrina off!

Sabrina furrowed her brows, though hearing Melody mention "tradition" kept her from reacting further.

Misty, on the other hand, immediately bristled like an angry Persian, stepping in front of Kai with an indignant glare.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she demanded.

Melody blinked innocently. "Whoa, why such a big reaction?" She eyed Misty with amusement. "Wait a second... you're not his girlfriend, are you?"

"G-Girlfriend!?"

Misty's face turned bright red. She opened her mouth but had no idea how to respond.

Melody smirked. "No? Hmm... then I guess that beautiful lady behind you must be his girlfriend. And you must be his little sister, right?"

Misty's eyes widened in the offence. "What!?"

She looked like she wanted to argue, but the words caught in her throat.

"Oh? Not his sister?" Melody's smirk deepened. "Wait a second... could it be... you're secretly in love with him?"

Misty's face turned an even deeper shade of red. It was as if Melody had just voiced her inner thoughts for everyone to hear. With so many eyes on her, she felt completely flustered.

Unable to form a coherent response, Misty could only take a step back in defeat.

Meanwhile, the dark clouds that had loomed over the island began to fade, allowing the final rays of sunlight to pierce through.

As the elder raised his arms and declared, "Let the festival begin!" the townspeople erupted into cheers, shaking tambourines, beating drums, and playing their traditional instruments.

With lively music filling the air, Kai and the others were warmly welcomed into the heart of Shamouti Island's town.

Being the most ancient island in the Orange Islands, as well as its geographical centre, Shamouti Island's town was much larger than any of the islands they had visited before. Its population was also notably bigger.

Despite the presence of modern buildings, the town still retained its traditional aesthetic, with wooden structures, totem poles, and ancient symbols scattered throughout.

As they walked through the bustling streets, the entire town was illuminated by colourful lights, and people dressed in traditional festival garments filled the pathways. Just as Melody had said, the Shamouti Island Festival was in full swing.

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