The Festival of Wishes!

[indigo_league]

Who: Everyone!
Where: Pewter City!
When: June 24th
Summary: It's time to celebrate the Festival of Wishes!


Pewter City is one of those towns that doesn't draw a lot of attention. It's nice and has that museum, but it never seems to be the scene of much excitement.

But today, that's different. Because today, Pewter City has been doffed up to the nines, with visitors arriving from everywhere to celebrate the Festival of Wishes. The skies are crowded with uBIRDs flying in people from all over Johto and Kanto. The streets are filled with cheerful noises and many in the crowd have come in their finest yukata and kimono, adding splashes of colour to what might otherwise be a drab crowd. And if you'd like to try out one of these beautiful garments yourself, there are plenty of nearby shops offering rentals for the visiting crowds.

Stalls have gone up all over town, most hawking various forms of street food: Takoyaki, Yakisoba, Kaarage and many others! And for those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth, there's plenty of shaved ice, chocolate-covered bananas and Taiyaki to go around. Hopefully, you brought an empty stomach, because it would be a shame to miss out on all these yummy goodies.

But it isn't just food stalls that dot the streets. A wide variety of festival games are also available. From shooting galleries to ring toss to small lottery games -- whatever you might be in the mood for can be found here. Stuffed animals and sweets are the most common prizes to be won, but who knows, perhaps if you get very lucky, you might even win an Evolution Stone.

And, of course, no festival would be complete without a Test of Courage. Are you brave? Is fear something you only know from the dictionary? Then why not prove it? Why not enter Pewter City most haunted dwelling (usually just an office building) and show your mettle to your friends or even that special someone? Who knows, you might even earn a kiss if you protect them from the many horrors that dwell within (AKA, volunteers in costumes, a few ghost pokemon, and so many 'creepy' paper mache props)

There are also various stalls dedicated to traditional arts and crafts. From Calligraphy to Origami, if you have an interest in these matters, you'd do well to check them out. And you can do more than just buy some nice decorative pieces for your home, or a cute little origami figure of your favourite pokemon partner; many of the stalls also offer visitors the chance to try their own hand at these traditional skills. Are you the type of person who is always looking to learn a new skill? Or have you perhaps mastered these skills already and do you want to show off? Why not come over here and spend some time?

(Who knows, you might even impress someone special!)

And once night has fully fallen, the skies will light up, not just with the light of the stars and the moon, but with the many bright colours of fireworks! If you aren't completely tired out yet from all the festival games, why not sit down, relax, (maybe drink a beer if you are old enough) and enjoy the beautiful spectacle happening above you.


---


But all of that cheer doesn't really answer the big question -- what is the Festival of Wishes?

Keen eyes (and not so keen eyes, really, they are everywhere) will be able to spot various decorations shaped like the pokemon Jirachi dotting the stalls everywhere. From small plush toys to folded origami figures, Jirachi's cheerful face can be found everywhere. There even is a theatre performance explaining the whole tale, but for those too busy stuffing their faces to partake in (ugh) culture, it all comes down to this: Jirachi is the Wish Pokemon. During the festival, people write down their wishes, hoping that Jirachi might fulfil them.

Of course, there is never a guarantee Jirachi will be around. It's been known to sleep a lot. But why not give it a try? It can't hurt, right?

Comments

[nightyorb]

[Sorry Noodle, but Riz was here first. Maybe not in this particular instant, but like. In general.]

Hey, me politely inquiring about potential crimes doesn't always mean I want to actually do them.

[Riz shifts forward a little so he can lean over, and peer at Mando upside down.]

But yeah, man, I absolutely want and deserve a beer.

[If he already feels sad about his friends not being here, he might as well feel sad and drunk.]

[singlespacedad]

It usually does.

[Sorry, Riz, but it's true.]

[Mando tilts his head back, so he can see Riz's face through his visor.]

All right. I'll go get you a beer.

[nightyorb]

Wow. Just fucking slandered me right to my face.

[Riz feigns offence, even though we all know the truth is a good defence against any accusations of slander.

Also probably not helped by the fact that he adds]

Don't tell 'em it's for me, okay?

[singlespacedad]

It's not slander if I'm right.

[Sorry, kid, he knows you too well by now.]

Of course not. You're going to have to get off my head first, though.

[No one in a bar is going to believe Riz is a Pokemon.]

[nightyorb]

Yeah yeah.

[The people here probably would throw a fit if Riz came within feet of a bar. They are, after all, a super uptight bunch.

Riz lingers on Mando's shoulder until the stand that sells beers comes into sight before he slips down from his shoulders. Once on the ground, he jerks a thumb at a grassy little river bank a little ways away, away from the main road and the crowd.]

M'gonna wait there, okay?

[Seems like a perfect place to lay in the grass, drink an ill-gotten beer and maybe watch some fireworks.]

[singlespacedad]

Go grab a couple of pretzels on your way.

[Mando will buy the beer if Riz gets the snacks!]

[Meanwhile, he heads over to the beer stall. It takes some persuasion (or bullying), but the vendor eventually agrees to sell him what equates to a six pack. A handful of Pokemon help balance the cups--with Bad Bird sneaking a sip or two, much to Razor's utter disdain--as Mando troops over to where Riz has settled.]

Here you go.

[He hands Riz a beer that doesn't have Pokemon spit in it, then lines up the other ones before sitting down himself.]

[nightyorb]

[Mando has given Riz a dangerous task -- not because he isn't capable for some reason of getting snacks (he is very capable) but because it's a 50-50 shot there'll be anything left by the time he gets back with the beers. Once Riz gets snacking, he gets snacking.

(He might not physically be a goblin anymore, but he still has all the eating manners of one.)

When Mando gets back, Riz is sitting cross-legged in the grass. His briefcase is sitting besides him (yes, he did bring it to the festival) with the snacks sitting on top of it. He eagerly accepts the cup of beer Mando hands him, taking a sip, his face scrunching up.]

You know, sometimes I wonder why we drink this stuff at all.

[But also, he's gonna take another drink.]

[singlespacedad]

[Be careful with those snack attacks, Riz. Mando could tell you that as you get older, you'll stop burning them off as fast, and you'll have to start worrying about expanding the waistline on your armour.]

It's too bad they don't have some of the drinks from my world here. You might like those better.

[As in, they're sweet and will get you fuuuuuucked uuuuup.]

[Mando, meanwhile, digs around in one of his pockets until he finds a metal straw with a weird bend at the top. He carefully guides the straw up under his helmet, and then dunks the other end in a glass of beer. Refreshing!]

So why do you deserve a beer today?

[nightyorb]

[Honestly, Riz should not be allowed near super sweet, super fucking up drinks. He's already a weepy drunk with just some beers in him. God (which one though) only knows how bad off he'd be with anything strong in his tiny shrimpy body.

Riz hums for a moment as he takes another sip of his beer.]

That asshole tried to get me to shoot him.

[That asshole being Emet. And considering Riz has frequently referred to Emet in this ways, Mando is fine to surmise who exactly he is talking about.]

[singlespacedad]

And based on how I'm not currently breaking you out of jail, I assume you declined?

[Mando knows exactly who Riz is talking about, and it doesn't surprise him that Emet tried to invoke some violence. He's impressed that Riz resisted, even if those wimpy guns wouldn't have done any real damage.]

[nightyorb]

Bet I could break out of these jails with my hands tied behind my back.

[Though. Probably. Lets not test that.]

I don't wanna play a role in some asshole's suicidal dreams. You know he put my gun to his head and dared me to? That's wrong.

[Riz shoots to protect himself, his friends, the world. Emet for all his many

(many many many many many many many)

faults hadn't been a threat. Just an annoyance.]

[singlespacedad]

Let's try that challenge some other day.

[Should Mando be encouraging jailbreaks? Probably not, and yet here he is. He's the Fun Dad.]

What a fool.

[Mando shakes his head.]

Those pathetic guns wouldn't even break the skin.

[nightyorb]

With my luck, it'd recoil and take out my eye.

[Which, all in all, is kind of a cool badass scar to have. But not if you get it in such a lame-ass way. And anyway, Fabian got the market cornered on the badass eyepatch aesthetic. The two of them might be best friends, but they don't have to be similar in every way.]

I don't get why that guy keeps bugging me anyway. I was minding my own business.

[singlespacedad]

Probably because he knows you'll react.

[Mando takes a sip of beer through his straw.]

If you ignored him, he'd go away.

[Pause.]

And then he wouldn't be expecting it when you came at him later, on your terms.

[nightyorb]

[Riz cronches down on some snacks.]

Yeah, they say that about bullies too. Doesn't actually work.

[singlespacedad]

[Mando starts to answer, then pauses to think about it. He's viewing this as if it's his problem, and he's a lot taller, heavier, and scarier than Riz. He hasn't had too many problems with bullies for a very long time; there's something about being a Mandalorian that tends to scare off all but the most determined.]

[But if he was small, like Grogu? No one picks on Grogu now, but is that out of the kindness of their hearts or because he has a Mandalorian or Jedi bodyguard with him at all times? Would the remains of the Empire leave him alone without Mando or Skywalker in his corner?]

[... Mando knows the answer to that. They barely leave him alone with Mando or Skywalker around.]

I'm sorry, kid. Next time he's bothering you, come find me. I'll help you get rid of him.

[nightyorb]

Absolutely not.

[Riz's answer is firm, but not annoyed or unkind. Instead, he just shakes his head, before sipping his beer again.]

Listen, man, it's cool of you to offer, but I've been dealing with bullies since I started kindergarten. It's nothing new.

[He doesn't need people to cause a fuss. He can handle things himself. He won't tell Mando for the same reason he doesn't really tell his mom or his friends -- they'd feel obligated to do something, and really, there are far better ways for them to be spending their time. Riz can handle it.]

If he gets really obnoxious, I'll just fill his house with creamed corn again.

[singlespacedad]

Hmmm.

[That's all well and good in Pokemon world, Riz, where the stakes seem to stay pretty low, but what about when there's actual danger? Mando isn't sure how he feels about this!]

It was pretty funny when you did the creamed corn thing.

Just... if things get serious, you can ask for help. Even Mandalorians ask each other for help when they need it.

[nightyorb]

Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll be fine. It's not like he can do anything more to me than I can do to him. He's got no more powers than me.

[Riz takes another sip of beer, pretty rapidly powering through his glass.]

You don't have to worry, I won't be outta your hair just yet.

[singlespacedad]

Just... be careful.

[Mando passes Riz another beer.]

Especially on those weird weekends. He's a lot more powerful then.

[nightyorb]

Don't worry about me. I've dealt with worse. He can't be any worse than Shadowcat.

[Oh look. The beer must be getting to him already, because he had definitely not intended to ever mention that name to anyone.]

[singlespacedad]

[Which means, of course, that Mando zeroes right in on it.]

What's a Shadowcat?

[nightyorb]

[Shit.]

It's-- she's not a what, she's a who. And anyway, she is not important.

[Riz is for sure making her sound very unimportant with his stammering.]

[singlespacedad]

Okay.

[And Mando takes another sip of beer through his straw. If Riz doesn't want to talk about Shadowcat, Mando isn't going to force the issue. But he's got an inkling that Riz will tell him, once he's had a few more beers.]

[nightyorb]

[Despite Mando's very calm 'okay', Riz is sweating. Mando is just waiting to put the thumb screws on him, isn't he? His mom taught him that interrogation trick.

Clearly what Riz should do (and this might be his alcohol-fuzzed brain talking) is get ahead of him. Give him an explanation that'll leave him satisfied and unlikely to dig further.]

She was my dad's old partner. Work partner, I mean. Not. [he coughs] Not sex partner.