Here stands Mount Mytikas. While it's not the only mountain in Olympia, it's certainly the most notable. Its peak pierces the cloudless sky like a dagger, and the summit is covered in snow, resembling a warm blanket. Many birds fly near the mountain, and compared to them, it seems so magnificent that it's hard to believe it's part of this world.

But this is no ordinary mountain. This is the residence of the Olympic Five — the very first unofficial mascots of the Olympics. Their role is to search for new mascots. They are the guardians of the Olympic spirit, a spirit as wild and untamed as the lands from which they came.

Look at the two dogs at the base of Mount Mytikas. These are German Shepherds, and they are not just any dogs; they are descendants of the original guardians of the mountain. They are trained to be silent, vigilant, and fiercely protective.

As soon as you enter the mountain, the scenery changes dramatically. The walls are adorned with drawings of all Olympic, Paralympic, and Youth Olympic mascots that have ever existed, neatly arranged in chronological order. This displays the evolution of the Olympic spirit through time — some well-known and others long forgotten, but all captured forever in this sacred place.

What we are particularly interested in, however, is the archive located on the second floor. This archive contains everything from the history of the Olympics and the mascots to the history of Olympia itself. It is overseen by none other than Hodori, the orange Amur tiger cub. A note hangs on the door of the archive that reads:

"If you're looking for me, I'm not here right now — I'm at the Asian Games. If you need anything from the archive, please ask Hosuni. Sincerely, Hodori."

So, who are they all? Let me tell you.

Hodori, as you might have guessed, is a tiger. But he isn't just any tiger; he's the mascot for the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. This is a significant role, considering he carries the weight of the world's sporting history on his shoulders or at least the history of the Olympic mascots.

But how did he earn this role? Here's a little secret: he is also the mascot of the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. Furthermore, he serves as the Summer Master of Ceremonies for the Asian Five. Yeah, guys, the Olympic Five isn't the only group of mascots.

His role as the archivist for the Olympic Five is not merely about organizing dusty records; it involves understanding the essence of the Olympic spirit and ensuring it remains pure and untainted by the passage of time.

Hodori doesn't work alone; he has a partner in this monumental task of preserving the spirit of the games. Meet Hosuni, his girlfriend. She resembles him, but is smaller and more delicate, with a grace that might suggest she could have been a mascot herself. Although she's not the talkative type, she knows the archive like the back of her paw.

They are also assisted by two little bears named Gomdoori. These bears are tied together on one leg because one is blind and the other is deaf. They are the mascots of the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul. I'm not sure how effective they are in their work, but it can be amusing to see them bump into each other as they try to help.

Oh, and I almost forgot: those two tigers have a son together. No, it's not Soohorang, although he is their ideological heir. Their son is Wangbomi, born in 1994, and he was once a symbol of Seoul's spirit, at least until 2009. After that, he had a big fight with his father, and they didn't talk much anymore. It's a rather sad situation, I suppose.

Wait a minute, though... what was I just talking about?

I need to tell you a different story!

So, uh...

- - - -

Håkon returned from a walk in the street. He seems to have had a good time because he has a bright smile on his face. His sister, Kristin, was waiting for him at home.

"Hey, Håkon!" she said as she rushed over to hug him. "You're back!"

Håkon's grin got even bigger, and he hugged back. "You know it! Did you miss me?"

"Yeah, of course I did!" Kristin said, her blue eyes shining with happiness. "I just finished cleaning the house and cooking dinner."

...Okay, I've already figured out that I need to talk about them. So, let's get down to business.

Anyway, Håkon and Kristin are not your typical siblings. First of all, they are almost the only humans from Olympia. They're the mascots of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. They live with their foster dad, Sondre, who is not your average Joe either. He's a troll with an amputated leg. You heard that right — an actual troll. But don't let his exterior fool you; he's got a heart of gold, even if it is a little grumpy sometimes.

After the Olympics, the siblings had found their true calling as eco-activists. What do they do? Well, for example, they plant trees in places where they shouldn't, they save animals from danger, and sometimes, they even organize flash mobs to raise awareness about environmental issues. Oh, and they sometimes pour pea soup over paintings in museums, but... let's just call that a phase.

So, what are they talking about?

"Did you make the whole meal yourself?" Håkon asked, his stomach growling at the delicious smell of the food wafting in the air.

"Well, almost," Kristin admitted, a bit sheepishly. Her cheeks flushed a bit. "I still need to go down to the basement to get the last ingredient."

"Sure thing," Håkon said, patting his belly. "But hurry up, I'm starving!"

The girl nodded and headed for the basement door, which groaned as it creaked open. The stairs made of wood going down into the dark looked like a way to another world. She took a breath and went down. Her boots made sounds in the quiet room.

But as soon as she turned on the light...

She screamed.

Her brother immediately came running to her scream.

"What's going on? What's up?" Håkon asked, breathing a little hard from the fast descent.

Kristin just pointed to the bottom of the stairs. Her hand was shaking. There, lying awkwardly on the cold concrete was the body of a dead deer. His eyes were glassy and there was a thin line of blood coming from his mouth. Håkon felt sick and a lump formed in his throat.

"Oh my gosh..." Håkon whispered, his eyes wide with shock. "We need to call the police!"

And four brave and noble police officers responded to the call: Miraitowa, Someity, Tsering, and Khoyutanov. As they surveyed the basement, a mix of confusion and worry flickered across their faces.

"What happened here, again?" Miraitowa asked, his calm voice contrasting with the intensity of his scanning gaze, trying to piece together the circumstances surrounding the grim discovery.

"Well, uh..." Kristin stuttered, looking somewhat panicked. "I went to grab the potatoes, and... it was just here."

An awkward silence followed.

"Oh, well," Miraitowa said, scratching his head. "Should we take a closer look at the body, guys?"

"Miraitowa, that's our job!" Someity asserted, stepping forward. Her unsettling calm was both scary and reassuring, a necessary presence in that moment for Håkon and Kristin. "Let's examine the scene of the... incident."

As they approached the deer's corpse, Miraitowa unexpectedly giggled. Why? Well, the deer's face appeared to be frozen in an expression that was peculiar—its mouth open wide like a tyrannosaurus and its eyes bulging as if it had seen a ghost. If I weren't too lazy to draw it, I would make a meme out of it. Lol.

"What's so funny about it, brother?" Someity asked Miraitowa, curious.

"Just look at its face, guys!" he whispered to his colleagues.

They leaned in closer to inspect the deer's expression, and to their surprise, they chuckled too. Its expression wore a grin that was more humorous than horrifying — except for Tsering. He didn't give a shit. He rarely does.

Eventually, they adopted more serious expressions. The officers knelt beside the deer, and Miraitowa began his examination, poking it gently with a stick as if fearing it might suddenly come to life.

"I think we might be dealing with something... strange here," Miraitowa said softly, his tone cautious as he examined the deer. He turned to Håkon and Kristin. "Have you guys noticed anything unusual lately? Any shady characters hanging around?"

Håkon and Kristin exchanged glances. "All our neighbours are friendly and nice. I can't imagine anyone doing something like this," Håkon said, his brow furrowed.

"What about YOU?" Miraitowa suddenly asked, pointing his stick at them, a glint of suspicion in his blue eyes.

"Why would we ever want to kill a deer?" Kristin replied, her voice quaking with a mixture of fear and anger.

Miraitowa's expression softened as he raised his hand. "We're not blaming you. We're just covering all our bases." He glanced at Someity, who was carefully sketching the scene. "Someity, can you sense anything unusual?"

Someity paused her drawing, a slight twitch in her movements. "I don't feel any malicious intent from the siblings, Miraitowa," she replied, her voice as calm as ever. "But the deer's energy... it's weak, and it has been disturbed."

Miraitowa nodded, his expression turning more serious. "So we've got a crime scene here," he muttered, scrutinizing the basement more carefully. "But who would leave a dead deer in here, of all places?"

Håkon and Kristin looked at each other, distressed. "We didn't do anything!" Kristin exclaimed, her voice shaking. "We're not murderers!"

"Yeah, you don't look like the type," Nyurgun chimed in. "But it's still strange. I mean, why would someone leave a dead deer in somebody's basement? Any ideas, Wangdi?"

Wangdi Tsering paused from chewing his food. "Uh-huh. I'm hungry."

It seemed the investigation might reach a dead end — until the police began examining the body more closely. Then they found something surprising: a feather stuck in the deer's fur. It was a chocolate-brown feather.

"Well, now we have two theories..." Miraitowa said, holding the cocoa-brown feather up to the light. "Either a bird was fighting with this deer and lost a feather, or..."

"Or someone who is collecting feathers?" Someity suggested, her calm demeanour stark against the rising tension.

"Magique!" Miraitowa exclaimed, swirling the feather around his finger. "This changes everything."

Who is Magique, you might ask? He is a tiny little imp, dressed like a gnome in a red hat and blue clothes, possessing a mischievous smile that makes you wonder if he's up to something. He was the mascot of the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville. The thing about Magique is he's always trying to one-up everyone else. Whenever he tries to draw, he ends up with stick figures that would make a kindergarten teacher weep. When he sings, he hits notes that only dogs can hear. And when he practices kung fu? Let's just say his style could be described as "bullshido." But he's got a good heart, and that's what counts, right?

When officers arrived at his house, Magique was busy doing what he usually did — trying to paint something. This time it was a portrait of Phevos, and as usual, it looked like it was drawn by a drunk toddler. When he noticed the police officers, he quickly placed the brush down, his eyes wide with fear.

"What do you want from me?!" Magique squealed, his gaze darting around the room as if searching for an escape. His tiny hands trembled as he held them up in a defensive gesture.

"We're here because of the dead deer in Håkon and Kristin's basement," Miraitowa explained, his eyes fixed on Magique's face. "We found this feather," he said, holding out the brown plume, "and it matches the description of those found at other crime scenes around the city."

"Ooh, a feather!" Magique exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "But I'm just an innocent artist!" His protests were interrupted by Miraitowa's stern gaze.

"We're not accusing you," Miraitowa said, his tone measured. "But we need to ask you some questions. Have you noticed anything strange happening in Olympia lately? Anything that might be connected to the deer?"

"Hm, I don't think so... I mean, I collect feathers, sure, but I don't go around leaving dead animals in people's homes," Magique protested, his voice high-pitched and trembling. He looked genuinely surprised and scared at the same time. "Right now, I was busy talking with Athena and Phevos! They can vouch for me!"

He immediately went to the landline phone. The dial tone was eerily comforting amidst the chaos as he dialled Athena and Phevos's number.

At that moment, Athena was cleaning the Olympia Museum. When she heard the ringtone, she looked around, ensuring she wasn't imagining things. Instantly, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and answered.

"What now?" she asked, her voice razor-sharp, cutting through the tension.

"Hey, Athena! It's me again! Listen, the police are here, and they've found a dead deer with some kind of feather in Håkon's and Kristin's basement!" Magique said.

"And? What does this have to do with me?" Athena responded curtly.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know," Magique said, his voice shaking a little. "They think my feather collection might be connected to all of this."

"Mind your own business, imp. I'm busy," Athena said sharply before hanging up the phone.

Magique was slightly taken aback; he didn't expect Athena to be so dismissive. He turned to the officers, trying to play it cool. "Well, if Athena says it's not me, then it's not me!"

Our blue-checkered friend facepalmed. "It's not like he's going to confess right here and now."

"So you want me to confess?" Magique said surprisingly calmly. "Well, I haven't seen any deer. But I know who did! It's Cobi! He even drew one!"

Ugh! I don't want to tell you about Cobi. I have tonsillitis! But here we go. 

Cobi is the mascot of the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. He's a beige Catalan Shepherd dog, although he looks more like a mongrel. After the Olympics, he became a stand-up comedian, but he also has a knack for drawing. He even had his show, "The Cobi Troupe," but let's not get into that. The point is, he's a good-hearted pup who's always looking for a laugh, and he's not exactly known for his sneaky habits.

When they asked Cobi about it, he was completely surprised. "Why would Magique say something like that?" he questioned.

"Yeah, we know that," said Miraitowa. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're just gathering information. Cobi, who is the deer you sketched?" 

"I made that deer up in my head," Cobi replied nervously, holding up his sketchbook to reveal a surprisingly well-done drawing of the deer. "It was just a doodle for a friend. I swear I had nothing to do with the actual one."

Miraitowa examined the drawing for a moment before nodding. "That deer doesn't resemble the one in the basement," he mused. "I have no idea how it could be related, but we're not ruling anything out."

Someity stepped in, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinized Cobi. "We need to get this right. Can you tell me where you were last night?"

"At home, as usual," Cobi answered. "I was watching reruns of The Office and working on some new gigs for tonight. Nothing illegal, I promise."

"Sure, sure," Someity replied, jotting something down in her notepad. "We'll need to verify your alibi, of course," she added, her voice calm and steady.

They left the dog's house, stepping into the nighttime air filled with bright stars — so many that you can't see in the city because of the light fog. Miraitowa's eyes sparkled with excitement, while Tsering was feeling especially hungry. They needed to find this mysterious stranger before he could cause any more damage.

"That's so strange! A dead deer with a bird feather and no idea who the suspect is!" Miraitowa said to himself, scratching his chin. Someity nodded in agreement.

"Well, maybe one of the mascots is hiding something?" Khoyutanov suggested, his fur ruffling slightly in the chilly evening breeze. "I mean, maybe they're not as innocent as they appear?"

"Nah, forget it," Miraitowa said, shrugging. "Cobi's too nice to kill anyone, and Magique is too... well, clueless to even hold a knife, let alone know how to use it without cutting himself."

"Well, it looks like we've hit a bit of a wall," Someity remarked, still maintaining a calm demeanour despite the seriousness of the situation. "But let's not give up just yet. Perhaps we are missing something."

Suddenly, they heard a faint sound, like footsteps, but it was so quiet that they could barely hear it over the rustling leaves. Miraitowa's eyes went wide as he looked around, and all three of them went on high alert. 

However, the sound soon died down. The officers exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of it. 

"That's weird," Miraitowa said.

Just as he was about to move on, an animal unexpectedly bit him on the shoulder. It was a small bite, but it hurt. Miraitowa yelped and jumped back. He was about to pull the animal off when a bird, resembling a duck, swooped down. It had brown feathers, similar to a deer's.

Both the animal and the duck were trying their best to attack Miraitowa. The other officers quickly came to help. Someity used her telekinesis to keep the bird at bay, while Tsering and Khoyutan tried to scare the animal off with their flashlights. But they were persistent, repeatedly diving at Miraitowa as if they held a grudge against the blue and white mascot.

It turned into a fierce struggle. Miraitowa was bleeding from his shoulder, and it seemed like the animal and bird might win. However, Someity managed to catch the bird, and Tsering surprised everyone with his strength, tossing the animal away.

Once they finally got a look at their attackers, the officers were astonished to discover that the creatures were... a garganey and a least weasel! The garganey was wearing a beret, and the least weasel had a scar over its left eye.

What the...? How did they end up in this situation, and why did they attack Miraitowa?

These questions would be answered when they brought the strange duo to the station.

"That feather looks kind of like the one from the crime scene," said Miraitowa, examining the feather closely. He then turned to the two suspects. "Who are you guys?"

"I'm Nikita Aleksandrovich Kryakutnoy," said the garganey, his thick Russian accent evident and his small body trembling under the harsh lights of the interrogation room. His scarf was slightly askew around his neck, indicating that he had hurried to leave earlier.

"And I'm Karl Ludwigovich Furtzel, German on my father's side," replied the least weasel, his voice squeaky like a mouse's. A scar over his left eye hinted at past confrontations, and his demeanour suggested that he had been in many fights.

"I think I might recognize those names," Someity muttered as she flipped through her notes. "They're from the European Province, and from what I know, they've been involved in some pretty shady business before."

"So we've just run into our murder suspects, huh?" Miraitowa said, his eyes fixed intently on the two small animals.

"Well, judging by the evidence we have," Khoyutanov interjected, eyeing the two with suspicion, "they could be our culprits."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Someity asked, her tone calm yet probing.

"Well, you know," Furtzel began, his voice trembling. "Nikita's an alcoholic. Naturally, he does all sorts of crazy things, and I, being his only friend, just have to listen. He said it