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

[silky_bearing]

"Hmmm" Lorenz makes a show of thinking on Claude's words, one elegant finger tapping lightly against his lips. "Perhaps, then..." His tone almost dangerously serious as he considers his options.

A tone he manages to maintain for only a little bit longer. "I should speak to His Highness about it." As he speaks he leans down closer to Claude's face, reaching out to brace himself against the table in front of him. "To see if we can't, between the two of us, throw you completely off your guard for once."

The faux seriousness breaks in favor of a smug little smirk that he doesn't quite allow to become a grin, one brow quirking up in a challenge before he drops a kiss on his boyfriend's cheek and finally steps back looking far too pleased with himself. A kiss? In public?? Even if only a small gesture of affection it's enough to have his insides fluttering about in a way that tempers his cockiness before he goes off getting too many ideas.

[vrdantwind]

And here Claude was thinking things were going so well they couldn't get better. But Lorenz feeling bold enough to tease? No, even bolder with dropping a kiss (even the most chaste of kisses) on him in public? Okay, surely the night has peaked. Claude's not sure what greater heights it could aspire to.

When he thinks of how miserable Lorenz had been, not so many months ago, how badly he'd just wanted to see the man smile without anything bittersweet behind it...then and now are like night and day.

Claude wonders if he's ever known anyone in his entire life - even Dimitri, and his swings are pretty extreme - who can undergo such dramatic personal change in such a short time as Lorenz can, and has. He really doubts it.

He grins up at Lorenz, eyes bright. "Dimitri's managed it once or twice, but not consistently. I don't think the times he has were even planned." He carefully tucks away that calligraphy somewhere safe before turning back to his origami. "Why don't you sit down with me, though? I want to finish this, but I don't want you running off before I've got a chance to retaliate." He shoots Lorenz a wicked little sidelong look. "Running off after a sneak attack like that wouldn't be very noble of you."

[silky_bearing]

Likely, Claude means for him to have a seat at the station next to him. Or at the very least assumes that is what Lorenz will do. It is after all, a small bench seat. Certainly two children could sit side by side but not two grown men, slight though Lorenz is. But then... the craft is very neatly set up in separate stations and sitting at the next one over would only tempt Lorenz to try as well or deprive someone else of the opportunity.

And so... Lorenz perches daintily on the little bench seat beside Claude, leaning into him a little, arm sliding around his waist to help the taller man balance himself. His face steadily flushes brighter the longer the contact maintains but... is it really so scandalous? an arm around the love of his life?

This place is clearly getting to him.

"If that is what you qualify as a sneak attack then I really must... up my game, I believe is how Stephanie -and Chip- would put it?"

[vrdantwind]

"Oh boy, I don't know if I can handle you borrowing the kinds of phrases Sylvain would use," Claude laughs, even as he leans into Lorenz in return. Really, who ever would have believed they'd have come so far...it's hard to stop wondering over it, especially with the way it warms his heart whenever he thinks about it. Not even just because of how happy he is with Lorenz - though that's a big part of it - but for the greater implications.

If Lorenz can change so completely as this, and particularly if Claude is able to play a big hand in that change...then other people can, too. And that really does make it feel as though his dream can be turned into a reality, sooner or later.

He turns his head, pressing a light kiss to Lorenz's jaw. "But you know...I've been making something for you, too." Which, indeed, he's just finished. He takes Lorenz's hand, placing the little paper crane on his palm. "It's not too close a match to you, but it's the best I could do with the paper they had to work with."

[silky_bearing]

The fact that the crane, that he'd only glanced at briefly, more occupied with teasing Claude than what he was actually doing, was so closely a match to his own yukata makes Lorenz brighten and melt simultaneously. He makes a high-pitched little noise in his throat as he looks down at the cute little thing then back up at Claude.

Then he's abruptly standing, leaning over the table to snatch a strand of fishing line out of the basket of craft supplies so he can thread a strand through the crane, tying one end off in a knot and the other in a tiny loop. Lorenz gestures for Claude to stand, handing the crane back and whirling around. He's practically vibrating with excitement as he leans back a little to make it easier for Claude. "Hang it off my hair pin, دِلبَر "

[vrdantwind]

Claude blinks as Lorenz suddenly springs into action, not following where he's going for a brief moment, but that soon turns into a grin as he realizes that Lorenz is adding his own little twist to the crane Claude made him to turn it into a fashion accessory. "Getting into making cute accessories yourself, Lorenz?" he teases, even as he starts to carefully tie the crane to Lorenz's hair pin. He doesn't want to mess up Lorenz's hair, after all. "Hilda will be thrilled."