Chapter Text
Chapter 9 – The Festival of Masks
It didn’t take long for Lilac, Carmine, and Kieran to reach the edge of the festival—but for Lilac, the short walk from the village felt longer than expected.
The moment they stepped onto the lantern-lined path, the world seemed to expand.
Lights glimmered from stalls and paper lanterns hung from every post and tree. Masked children darted through the crowd in bursts of laughter, music floated through the air like petals on the wind, and the smell of grilled skewers, caramel sweets, and incense hung heavy in the cool winter night.
Lilac stopped walking. Just for a second.
Her heart picked up.
The scents, the shifting lights, the motion around her—it pressed in from every direction like a wave. Her mind scrambled to focus on something, but everything moved too fast. Too loud. Too much.
She felt a small, familiar shape press gently against her leg.
Applin.
The little Pokémon had slipped from Kieran’s shoulder and was now nestled beside her ankle, his leafy tail flicking as if to say: You’re not alone.
Kieran noticed too. “He’s been staying close since we left the shrine,” he said, gently. “He likes you.”
Lilac knelt to pick Applin up, feeling his tiny weight settle into her arms like an anchor.
“Thanks,” she whispered—not sure if she meant the words for Applin or Kieran.
“Hey, don’t just stand there like a Slowpoke!” Carmine called back with an eye roll. “C’mon, Lilac! You’re missing the best part!”
Kieran leaned closer, speaking low so only she could hear. “We can take it slow if you want. You don’t have to rush.”
Lilac swallowed the tightness in her throat. She adjusted her grip on Applin and nodded. “I’ll try.”
She let out a breath. The world was still loud, still chaotic… but with Applin there, it didn’t feel so unmanageable.
Together, they stepped into the heart of the Festival of Masks.
“So, how do you feel?” Carmine asked, adjusting the mask resting stylishly on the side of her head. “Bet you dream of festivals like this in Paldea!”
Lilac didn’t answer.
It was all too much—too loud, too fast. The colors, smells, sounds, and swarming bodies stirred her anxiety. Her throat tightened, and her thoughts scattered.
“What’s wrong? Lost your tongue?” Carmine teased, not noticing her discomfort.
“Stop it, Carmine—that’s rude!” Kieran stepped in quickly. His concerned voice made Lilac’s heart ache. She didn’t want to seem ungrateful, not after all he’d done for her. “Lilac… if you need some time to get used to it, that’s okay.”
“D-don’t worry, I… I’m fine…” she forced a small smile, though Kieran’s eyes said he didn’t quite believe her.
Applin wiggled against her cheek in support.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, Kiki. Lilac just needs a little push! Like a photo to immortalize the moment!” Carmine nudged her. “C’mon, get your phone out—we don’t have all night!”
Lilac set her Rotom Phone to automatic capture and stepped between the siblings.
“Carmine! You’re stepping on my foot!” Kieran yelped.
“What a drag. You’re not gonna die! Now say Chansey!”
Applin peeked out from Lilac’s arms as the flash went off, his round face squished adorably into the frame.
Flash!
The photo appeared moments later. They all gathered to look.
“It came out well,” Carmine said, critically. “But Kiki, you need to work on your smile. And you, Lilac, loosen up a bit! Anyway, you should know that this whole festival also honors our heroes—the Loyal Three. These masks we wear are representations of them. Did I mention they’re our heroes?”
Kieran gave a quiet chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” Carmine snapped.
“You just… don’t know the ogre at all,” he replied, shaking his head.
“What?! Please. I know Kitakami’s folktales better than you! You’re just a kid who likes the bad guys!”
“I… I’m going to look around,” Kieran muttered before darting away.
Lilac remained quiet for a moment, watching Kieran disappear into the crowd.
Applin curled tighter in her arms, eyes tracking his trainer’s retreating form.
Something in Carmine’s tone rubbed her raw—not just the teasing, but the way it casually dismissed him.
She’d heard that voice before.
Back in Galar, the bullies had used it like a dagger. They laughed when she froze in front of a class. Scoffed when she flinched at loud noises. They acted like it was harmless fun.
That same tone now sat on Carmine’s tongue. And Lilac had had enough of it.
“Carmine, don’t you think that was a bit much?” Lilac frowned, surprised at her own boldness. Carmine might not be all bad, but the way she treated her brother rubbed Lilac the wrong way.
“He’s always like that when things don’t go his way.” Carmine waved it off and strolled toward a nearby food stall.
Lilac remained rooted for a moment, Applin still nestled in her arms, the soft pulsing of his breath a steady rhythm against her chest.
“I… I’ll go check on him.” She ran after Kieran.
“Where could he be…?” Lilac wandered through the crowded street, searching. The lights and noise made it hard to think, and her worry began to mix with disorientation.
“I’m behind you!”
She jumped and spun around. Kieran stood there, holding two candy apples.
Applin bobbed his head happily from Lilac’s shoulder.
“Sorry… I didn’t mean to scare you.” He smiled gently and extended both treats. “I got you something. It’s a Kitakami specialty—candy apples! Pick one.”
Lilac hesitated, then chose one and bit into it. Her eyes lit up.
“It’s really delicious! So sweet!”
“Y’know… I helped harvest the apples they use for the festival. Maybe the one you’re eating is one of mine.”
“Then no wonder it’s so sweet! Just like y—uh, I mean… like a good apple should be!”
She blushed furiously and turned away, nibbling at the apple. Why did he make her feel so nervous and happy at the same time?
Applin chirped, clearly proud.
They ate quietly, the sounds of the festival filling the silence.
“I like this,” Lilac said suddenly.
Kieran turned. “What?”
“This.” She motioned to the little space between them. “Us. Talking. Hanging out. No battles, no assignments. Just…”
“Yeah,” Kieran said, surprised by how warm her words made him feel. “I do too.”
“It’s easy,” she added, softer. “Being around you.”
That comment stuck with him. A tiny, glowing ember.
When they finished, Kieran guided her to a mask stall.
“You’re the only one without a mask. Maybe… if you had one, you’d feel more comfortable.”
Lilac nodded and scanned the selection. Masks of the Loyal Three, Pikachu, Eevee, and many abstract designs filled the table.
One mask caught her eye—blue and heart-shaped, resembling flowing water.
“I choose this one!”
“Are you sure? That’s an ogre mask… They’re not exactly popular.”
“I don’t care about that. I like it. And if it represents the ogre—then even better. I’m on your side, Kieran. I admire it too.”
She paid the vendor and put the mask on, resting it opposite her ponytail. “How does it look?”
“You’re… really beautiful. I mean—it looks good! On you!” Kieran blushed as hard as she did.
Applin chittered in support, earning a quiet laugh from Lilac.
A sneering voice cut the moment.
“Well, well. Look who’s hiding behind a mask now.”
Lilac stiffened. Andrea, Harry, and Scott stood nearby—classmates from school, each wearing one of the Loyal Three masks.
“Like the ogre, she’s a villain and a liar,” Harry jeered. “Hiding behind her fake smile—and her fake family.”
“How’s Kieran even putting up with her?” Scott smirked. “Did Professor Jacq beg you to be her friend?”
Lilac’s chest tightened. Her vision blurred, and her breaths came in short gasps. The noise, the shame, the crowd—it was too much.
Applin stiffened on Kieran’s shoulder, his tail twitching like he wanted to fight them.
“Enough! Come with me, Lilac,” Kieran said firmly, taking her hand.
The last thing she saw before the tears came was her bullies fading into the crowd.
Kieran led her to a quiet bench tucked away from the noise and lights. He never let go of her hand.
Applin climbed back into her lap, snuggling close.
“Lilac, try to breathe. Focus with me, okay?”
She was shaking, sobbing, unable to speak.
“No need to talk. Just follow my lead. Let’s start with five things you can see.”
She forced her gaze to focus.
Kieran. The lanterns. The stars. The festival in the distance. The bench they sat on.
“Good. Now four things you can hear.”
Kieran’s voice. The festival’s hum. A Hoothoot calling. Leaves rustling in the wind.
“You’re doing great. Now three things you can touch.”
His hand. Her Jinbei’s fabric. The mask against her temple.
“Two smells?”
“…The fresh air. And the sweet caramel from the candy apples.” She smiled faintly.
“Last one. One thing you can taste.”
“That candy apple… I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”
Kieran exhaled, relieved. “How do you feel now?”
“I think I’m better. Thank you… for helping me.”
She gently stroked Applin’s head in her lap. “And thank you too.”
She couldn’t meet his gaze for long—but something about this moment felt different. So warm. So close.
Kieran was still angry.
Not for himself—for her. Those bullies reminded him too much of his own past, mocked for admiring the ogre, for being different. But now, seeing Lilac in pain… it made his heart burn.
He didn’t know when it had happened—but Lilac had become more than a friend.
Their Pokémon appeared beside them, sensing the shift. Floragato and Furret jumped onto Lilac affectionately. The others followed, crowding around her protectively.
Even Lilac’s Ninetales looked at Kieran with a gentle gaze. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Even Applin climbed onto Lilac’s shoulder, offering comfort.
“Thanks, everyone… and thank you, Kieran.”
“I just wanted to help…”
“Don’t be modest. You knew that technique perfectly—do you use it too?”
“…Yeah. My mom taught me. I… needed it, back then.”
Lilac clutched the edge of the bench, breathing steadier now. Her pulse still thudded faintly in her ears, but the storm had passed. Her gaze drifted to the sky, where paper lanterns floated upward like little stars escaping gravity.
Kieran sat beside her, not saying much, just… being there.
He always knew when not to fill silence.
Finally, Lilac spoke.
“…Your grandmother told me. About your parents.”
Kieran tensed—barely, but she felt it in the way his hand stilled on Furret’s fur.
She glanced sideways. “I hope that’s okay. She didn’t say much, just that they were rangers. That they… helped a wild Pokémon and didn’t come back.”
Kieran looked down at his knees. “Yeah. That’s… what happened.”
There was a pause, like a string pulled taut.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Everyone says that,” he muttered. “But it doesn’t change anything.”
Lilac stayed quiet. Let the words settle.
“My sister remembers them more than I do,” he went on, voice low. “I was so little. I just remember shadows and voices, and then… not seeing them anymore.”
His hand curled into a loose fist. “After that, Carmine started being… loud. Fierce. Like she was trying to keep us safe by being too strong to lose anyone else. And I—I just stopped trying to talk.”
Lilac’s throat tightened. “That must’ve been so lonely.”
“I got used to it.” He looked up at the sky. “Sometimes I wonder if they’d even be proud of me. All I ever do is follow people around. My sister. My grandma. Even you.”
Lilac turned toward him. “You’re not just following.”
“You say that because you’re kind.”
“I say it because I mean it.”
He met her gaze, startled by the firmness in her voice.
“Helping me tonight… that wasn’t nothing,” she said. “It wasn’t small. You knew exactly what to do. You stayed when I couldn’t breathe. You made it safe again.”
She hesitated—then placed a hand gently over his fist.
“If your parents were anything like you… I think they’d be proud. So proud they’d cry.”
Kieran blinked hard and looked away.
“Sorry,” Lilac murmured. “That might’ve been too much.”
“No,” he said quietly. “No one’s ever said that before.”
A breeze passed through the trees. The mask on Lilac’s head shifted slightly. She adjusted it with one hand.
“I chose this mask because of you,” she said. “Because I believe the ogre was never the villain.”
“…I used to think the ogre was me,” Kieran admitted. “Hiding behind a mask so no one would see how scared I was.”
He looked at her, really looked at her.
“But maybe… it’s not about hiding. Maybe the ogre wears the mask to protect what matters. Even when no one understands.”
Lilac smiled. “Maybe we’re all wearing masks tonight—but that doesn’t mean we’re not being real.”
Kieran’s expression softened. His hand slowly, shyly turned beneath hers so their palms met.
“You’re… different from anyone I’ve ever met.”
“So are you.”
They stayed like that for a while. Saying nothing. Holding hands while the festival danced on in the distance.
Lilac glanced around the small, quiet corner they’d found. Paper lanterns drifted in the air like dreams.
“You said you helped with the apples… So your family really is a big part of the festival.”
Kieran nodded. “Yeah. My grandpa makes most of the masks they sell. Grandma organizes the lantern lighting. And the apples—they’ve been our thing for generations.”
He chuckled. “The first Festival of Masks? It was my great-great-great-grandfather’s great-great-great-grandfather's idea. He started it to bring people together after… something bad. I don’t even know all the details. But the ogre mask? That was his.”
“So the whole festival is kind of your family’s legacy,” Lilac said quietly.
Kieran rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy. “Guess so. I never really thought about it like that.”
She gave him a soft smile. “You should.”
A breeze passed through the trees. The mask on Lilac’s head shifted slightly. She adjusted it with one hand as Applin nestled against her shoulder, his body rising and falling with slow, sleepy breaths.
Kieran noticed and smiled.
“Looks like someone’s all tuckered out.”
Applin gave a soft, tired chirp—then wobbled slightly, slipping lower down Lilac’s back. She caught him with one hand and held him close.
“You’ve been a real hero tonight,” she whispered, stroking the smooth curve of his apple-like shell.
Kieran held out a Poké Ball, the red light glowing faintly in the dark. “Thanks, buddy. Time for a break.”
Applin let out one last sleepy trill, then vanished into the light with a quiet hum. The Poké Ball clicked shut.
Lilac watched it for a moment, then turned to Kieran.
“He’s really special, isn’t he?”
Kieran nodded. “He’s been with me through a lot.”
“And now… me too.” She smiled gently.
Kieran didn’t say anything—just clipped the Poké Ball to his belt with care. But in that silence, something unspoken passed between them.
They weren’t alone anymore.
“HEY! You two Luvdiscs!” Carmine’s voice shattered the calm. “I see Lilac’s finally got a mask—and it’s an ogre mask! Kiki must’ve converted you!”
Lilac stood abruptly. Her expression had changed. This was not the shy girl from earlier.
“Stop calling me an outsider and bothering your brother! “What’s your problem? Are you making fun of him too—just because he’s my friend?!”
Her voice had sharpened, no longer soft or careful.
She’d spent years staying quiet. Not tonight.
Not when it sounded so much like the way they used to treat her.
Kieran blinked. Woah…
“Is that how you treat me after I welcomed you into MY land and MY home?!” Carmine snapped. “If you care so much about my brother—prove it! I challenge you to the biggest game of the festival—Ogre Oustin’!”
Tension crackled in the air
like a western showdown.
Lilac didn’t hesitate. “I accept the challenge!”
Carmine watched Lilac take the challenge without flinching.
That fire in her voice…
“Huh,” Carmine muttered, smirking despite herself. “Guess she’s not just some shy foreigner after all.”