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Ethan and the others joined the crowd, slowly moving forward with the other tourists. Two rows of stalls lined the street, selling all sorts of delicious snacks and other trinkets. Seeing Ash look interested, Ethan bought a few treats to share with everyone.
When he saw Misty pause at an accessory stall, only to silently walk away, Ethan approached the stall. He carefully selected a hair clip and gave it to Misty. A smile graced Misty's face. Though she didn't say much, her expression showed she truly loved the gift.
This year's festival, just like previous years, was very lively. They walked a bit further and even saw a elaborately dressed woman performing an exotic dance to music and the cheers of the crowd.
However, unlike Ethan and the other two who were in a relaxed mood, Brock was not enjoying himself. He trailed behind them, looking lovesick, clearly still fixated on the woman from the pier that afternoon. He was even muttering to himself.
"Please wait!"
A voice, old yet full of vigor, suddenly rang out behind them. Ethan turned around and saw an old woman with white hair, less than a meter tall, holding a cane, and wearing a purple robe. The old woman had a large mouth and very dry skin. Her eyes, in particular, looked quite sharp.
Brock, still immersed in the woman's beauty, was startled by the old woman's appearance when he turned around. Caught off guard, he fell back onto the ground.
"Wah! It's a shriveled… shriveled old Kappa!"
"Who's a Kappa!?" The old woman snapped back, then her gaze swept back and forth between Ethan and Brock. She said mysteriously, "Listen well, you two must be very careful of beautiful women, or you'll surely have bad luck today!"
"What are you talking about!" Misty pouted, quickly glancing at Ethan. She said awkwardly, "How could I possibly bring him bad luck!"
"Idiot!" the old woman shouted, "I'm talking about beautiful women, not little girls like you who still smell of milk!"
"What!? You called me a little girl!" Misty instantly bristled. Clearly, that comment struck a nerve.
Beside them, hearing the old woman's warning, Brock looked thoughtful. Only Ethan, knowing she was actually an illusion created by a Gastly and was now targeting them, simply smiled. He didn't pay much attention to her words.
However, Misty didn't want such a rare festival outing to be ruined by this old woman.
"What nonsense! Alright, let's ignore her. Let's get out of here quickly."
Saying this, she pushed Ethan's back with one hand and tugged Brock's ear with the other, then turned and left.
The culmination of this festival was a shrine at the end of the town. When Ethan and the others arrived at the shrine with the crowd, they saw an old priest striking the hourly bell and drum.
"Quiet, everyone! The treasure of Maiden's Peak Shrine is now about to be displayed!"
Beside the old priest, a scroll stood upright, though it was currently covered by a white cloth, preventing anyone from seeing what was painted on it. People gathered around the shrine, listening as the old priest continued, "This painting is a secret treasure that has been passed down in our Maiden's Peak Shrine for two thousand years. It is only exhibited once a year during the Summer Festival. Now, please enjoy it with all your hearts, esteemed guests!"
Saying this, he pulled off the white cloth, fully revealing the scroll to the crowd.
The painting depicted a full-body portrait of a woman. Her eyes looked forward, and her hands were clasped in front of her chest, seemingly in prayer. Although the painting was only in black and white, lacking other colors, it still conveyed the woman's beauty and profound sorrow.
Beside them, Brock was greatly surprised, for the beautiful woman in the painting was none other than the white-gowned woman he had seen at the small pier that afternoon!
The old priest's voice, like a narrator, echoed in their ears: "Two thousand years ago, there was a young couple deeply in love. But due to war, the man was conscripted into the army and went to sea to fight. Before leaving, he made a promise: he would return victorious after the war. The woman waited for many years, but in the end, her man never returned. The endless, bitter waiting transformed her into a rock, standing on the cliff, and to this day, she still waits for her man."
It was indeed a sorrowful legend. After hearing it, people's moods couldn't help but fall. At this moment, Brock, as if enchanted, suddenly asked, "Then, please tell me, where is that rock now!?"
"Eh?" The old priest paused, "You don't know Maiden's Rock?"
Night covered the land. On the cliff by the sea, a wooden hut stood in solitary isolation.
When Ethan and the others ascended the rugged mountain path to the cliff and rounded the hut, they immediately saw a stone statue of a woman situated on a detached cliff face. Who knew how many years had passed; the statue seemed to have become one with the cliff. Waves crashed against the reefs below. In the distance, the lights of Maiden's Peak town twinkled. Even though they were far from the town, they could faintly hear the joyous sounds of the festival carried on the wind.
And here, just like the legend, it seemed filled with desolation.
Looking at Maiden's Rock, Misty whispered, "Do you think this rock really turned into that woman?"
"Who knows?" Ethan shook his head. "At least I don't see any signs of artificial carving."
It was already ten o'clock at night. Overcast clouds suddenly covered the moon. A gentle breeze blew, bringing a chilling coolness. Guided by intuition, perhaps sensing that something was about to happen, Ethan took out two Poké Balls. With a flash of blue light, Charmander and Jolteon appeared at his feet. The fire on Charmander's tail and the occasional flashes of electricity on Jolteon's body, at this moment, not only illuminated their surroundings but also gave him immense peace of mind.
"There's nothing else to see here, is there? Let's go back to town."
Compared to the lively streets, Misty naturally didn't want to stay here longer. But unexpectedly, just as she turned around, she saw the door to the hut behind them slowly opening.
Creak…
At first, she thought it was just the wind blowing the door open. However, the next second, a glowing, blurry human figure suddenly floated out from inside.
"Ahh! It's a ghost!!"
Ethan and his companions have enjoyed the Maiden's Peak Summer Festival, but their peaceful evening has taken a turn! They've encountered the legendary Maiden's Rock and now, an actual ghostly figure emerging from the hut! This appears to be the ghost of the maiden herself, or perhaps a Pokémon related to the legend.
What do you think will happen now that the ghost has appeared? How will Ethan and his Pokémon react to this supernatural encounter?
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