Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Quenched Torch

Chapter 37: Twin Flames Burning

Cold mountain air brushed past Rye and Mavy as they walked down the empty dirt roads of Twistfoot Town. The sun had set by this point, so lanterns now lit the path ahead, the stone houses around them, and the rest of the small town as it seemed to loom above the rooftops, following the slope up the foot of Mount Twist. As Mavy kept looking around at what was already all too familiar to Rye, the Treecko pulled out the job's notice, peering at the bottom print. Team Luster had wanted to meet in the square, it seemed, so going off memory alone, he led his Zigzagoon partner towards the main road.

As they turned onto the road, the two stopped as an unexpected anomaly came into earshot: music. Rye's eyes lit up a bit as fond memories came rushing back.

"You hearin' that?" Mavy asked.

"Y-yeah. I guess they're doing the Festival early this year," Rye nodded. Being the uncultured rodent he was, Mavy looked at him in confusion.

"The wut-now?" he asked. Rye gestured him on, leading him up towards the main square.

"It's the Festival of Groudon. It... uh, I-I don't know how to explain it, just..." he said.

"How do you know that? Didja stop by here at some point?" Mavy asked. Rye hesitated a bit.

"N-no, I, uh... I-I lived here," he admitted quietly. Mavy gave a quick noise of understanding, glad to finally be getting somewhere with his team leader. With this in mind, the two stopped as lights ahead came into view. On the path and square ahead, it seemed all two hundred of the town's Pokémon were gathered in some sort of celebration. Their excited chattering, festive tunes, and the crackling of a large bonfire all met Rye's earlobes as he let Mavy watch.

"Th-they should be in there... uh, d-do you mind if we try and find another way around? I don't-" he began.

"Ah, come on, let's go!" Mavy urged him.

"Eugh... a-alright... oh, I-I need to do something, meet me at the fire," Rye said before walking into the square. As Mavy strayed off to investigate one of the festival's many food vendors, Rye perked up as he spied a familiar Marowak at the square's edge handing out painted, full-face bone masks. He'd always been so friendly in festivals past, surely he wouldn't call him out...

"Mr. Ma- er, sir? I'd like a mask, please," Rye said. The Marowak looked up, creases of a smile showing through the eyeholes of his skull.

"Of course, which..." he trailed off, his hidden smile seeming to melt away as he stared into Rye's eyes. "...Treecko? Is that you?" he asked quietly after a bit.

Rye gave him a pleading look. After a bit of hesitation, Marowak grimly nodded and silently pushed him one of the festive masks, much to his relief.

"Th-thank you," Rye hurriedly whispered as he tied the mask to his head. He knew it probably wouldn't do much good, seeing as the rest of his body was visible here, but he figured hiding his face would at least lower the risk of anyone recognizing him.

With the vibrant symbol of Groudon now obscuring his face, he gave the rather gloomy-looking Marowak a quick nod and headed for a seat near the bonfire, where he sat until he was joined Mavy not long after. Rye couldn't help but smirk as he noted the beads around his neck, the meat on a stick he was gnawing on, and the Bidoof next to him he was eyeing. One of them was enjoying themselves, at least.

"Hey, girl. Uh, I like yer tail," the Zigzagoon said. The Bidoof he was flirting with shot him a look of revulsion, causing him to wince to himself. "W-wait, tail? No, I didn't mean to say-" he said hurriedly as she hobbled away. Sighing to himself, Mavy turned to look at Rye before jumping back in panic.