January 28, nine in the morning.
Xia Chi had been up until two or three last night and hadn't quite gotten enough sleep, but he wanted to get his sleep schedule back on track, so he got up with a yawn anyway.
Xia Chi drew back the curtains, letting Kitakami's winter sunshine fill the room.
He had left Larvitar with Director Lin last night instead of bringing Larvitar back. Floragato and Misdreavus, who had gone to bed even later than he had, remained tucked under the covers, fast asleep.
His gaze shifted again to the Teal Mask resting quietly on the bedside table, proof that last night's experiences had been real.
Xia Chi picked up the Teal Mask and examined it again.
Centuries of exposure to the elements had left it worn and damaged, but it was obvious how dearly its owner had treasured it.
Several damaged spots had been patched with wood shavings, and the faded areas had been carefully touched up with plant juices.
But the crystal fragments on the mask had long since fallen off and disappeared, and naturally, the mask had lost its power.
Xia Chi remembered that repairing this mask in the game's story required going to Kitakami's Crystal Pool and defeating a level 73 Milotic, which would drop the [Crystal Fragment] needed to repair it.
Then he would have to take it to the craftsman's descendant-the only person in the village who knew the historical truth, and the only sane person in that entire village of troublemakers-to have it repaired.
He could forget about the first half of that process. Against a level 73 Milotic, Floragato and Misdreavus wouldn't stand a chance, no matter how far they pushed themselves.
But that wasn't the important part. The crystal fragments on the mask were most likely