[MINI EVENT] ☆T A N A B A T A☆

[ulternnpc]

Those from the four regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh will be very familiar with the sight of bamboo stalks that are left outside decorated with colorful and sparkly paper decorations. There are people gathering around, helping one another put up paper amulet of varying colors to tie around the bamboo branches. On each amulet is a single wish that’s been handwritten by someone.

One can only hope that their wish will be heard…

---

At night, there’s a surprise to be found: an alternate colored Jirachi is out dressed in what’s clearly a handmade costume. Around its neck, is a colorful paper chain made of sparkly origami paper.



Not only has Jirachi come to grant wishes, Miniors are out and about bright and colorful. They’ll be dancing around seemingly trying to invite people to come join them in the festivities.

---

((OOC: Happy Tanabata! In the morning is a general mingle post. But as the evening sets in and Jirachi appears, it will start granting the wish written on your amulet whether big or small -- wealth, a long life, or maybe a way to return home. You're free to catch Miniors too, and there's a slightly better chance of encountering a shiny one as well. Just be careful of the ones still in their shell or you might just get a rather explosive surprise...

This event can take place at any town, so feel free to specify a location!))

Comments

Ohritori [back just for the Tanabata~]

[serperiority]

Among he festival-goers, appearing rather confusee, but nevertheless well… a boy who had drifted back home quite somw time ago.
He was surprised to be in Ultern again, but took it in stride.

A. Request

Trip could be found enjoying festival snacks with Serperior, looking a little bit out of place (he didn’t have a yukata, after all!), taking photographs…

If he saw someone he recognized or who, perhaps, seemed to wear a similar size or only a bit bigger… Trip would make a hushed request:

“Hi, sorry to bother you! I just got drifted back, don’t suppose you could let me borrow a yukata? I’ll give it back by the end of the night, okay?”

B. Photo Opportunity

“Would you mind if I take your picture?” Trip asked, peering through the viewfinder, with an uneven smile.

C. Wish

He even wrote and quietly hung up a wish as well, although he was rather shy, and intentionally tried to obscure it behind others’ wishes.

“I want to be strong and remembered. -Trip”

C. (still on hiatus, shh)

[gold_drum]

Finally having an opportunity to wear the yukata a certain Calem once made for him, Gold's joined the party. For today, he's going to forget all his worries and just enjoy the views.

It took him a while to write down his wish, wondering if he should wish for something special this time, or just fall back on his usual wish. A part of him wants to write down wishing to see his family, or Silver, or maybe Trip, but... He doesn't want to be disappointed when it doesn't come true.

In the end, he writes down his usual wish: "I want to be so rich I could buy Arceus!"

And then he goes to hang it up... then stops on the spot, catching sight of the back of the head of someone familiar. Someone he was just thinking about.

The paper amulet escapes his fingers and slides on the air currents, landing right at Trip's feet.

[Gooold! (and it's fine, take your time!!)]

[serperiority]

The very first thing Trip noticed was that it had Arceus' name on it and thought it disrespectful to leave on the ground—(that's the one worshipped in Sinnoh, isn't it?)—hurriedly lifting it, but upon reading the rest, he looked incredulous and conflicted about whether to hang it up or not. Would this sort of thing bring on a curse, rather than a blessing?

Besides that, now, why did that irreverent tone and eagerness to get filthy rich sound so familiar...? Holding the paper amulet close, he turned expectantly in the direction it had blown away from, hoping to see a friend...

The boy in the wind, wearing an unfamiliar yukata, was still easily recognizable as the friend Gold, but for a moment, Trip only stood still, unmoving, only watching, almost as if it weren't wind that flowed between them, but the dividing river of the Milky Way.

[gold_drum]

As Trip picked up the amulet, Gold recalled the book he read with Ai just a while ago, the story of Tanabata. It was the first time he heard the whole story, of the Miltank herder and the princess, who were only able to meet on the seventh day of the seventh month. Gold was a Miltank herder, so did that make Trip the princess?

No, set aside the thoughts of a river of stars flowing through the bamboo. More importantly, was this even the same Trip? The boy had turned around to stare back at Gold, looking the same as ever, but just as wordless as Gold. Was he thinking the same thing as Gold was, or was he just surprised by a random kid staring at him?

As the silence stretched, and the uncertainty remained, Gold felt like he had to be the one to make the first move. He raised his hand slowly in a mimickery of a casual wave.

"Hey man what's good," was probably not how Hikoboshi would greet Orihime after their long separation, but that's what came out of Gold's mouth.

[if he could hear that internal monologue, Trip'd be all: okay, first of all, I am a *prince*--]

[serperiority]

That was... completely ridiculous and utterly anticlimactic!

Trip hadn't realized his breath had been caught in his throat the whole time, until Gold's incredibly casual greeting blindsided him. He burst into laughter.

"W-wha... was that?!" Trip laughed incredulously, trying to contain it, clamping a hand over his mouth, and failing to supress it at all.

Sure it was Gold, Trip ran over.

Incoming, Gold, a very rare hug from Trip, even if it consisted of tying his arms around Gold's shoulders while leaning forward, to minimize how much of them were in contact! But it was still a hug, and he might even bury his face in his shoulder too.

[Gold decided to go with "prince" to be nice]

[gold_drum]

When Trip laughs, Gold laughs too. The tenseness evaporates. It really is the same Trip!

Or maybe not, Gold briefly thinks when Trip comes up to him with a hug. Trip doesn't do that. But the lack of contact, even while hugging, is familiar, so after a slight freeze, Gold hugs back lightly, not tightening the space between the two in the slightest.

He'd thought a lot what to do if he ever met Trip again, but in this moment, it feels like all that has just faded away. He's not even mad at him for leaving anymore. He's just glad to have him back, without even wishing for it. Maybe it's just for a day, for holiday magic, but he'll take it.

"It's a greeting," Gold finally answers Trip's question, smile clear in his voice. "You don't got those in Unova, Weaving Prince?"

[it's appreciated!]

[serperiority]

Trip's happy with that and lets go, soon.

"Hmm, does that make you the Miltank herder?" Trip asked in a light, teasing tone, tilting is head, clearly unoffended and even playing along.

His partner Pokemon's the Regal Pokemon, after all! Trip fashioned himself a prince, so it wouldn't bother him. Now, if he'd called him a princess, he'd be annoyed, but with this... his tone is playful and light.

"I get them more now than I used to, but not usually like that, no."

Although, it's pretty close to Shamus! That was another guess!

"So, how've you been?" Trip asked, placing his hands in is pockets. "Have you been in Ultern all this time? Or did you get to go back yet?"

B

[domeinion]

Trip!

[Alice turns with a smile, Fate in her arms chewing on a dango stick (at least it's food) and Peeps perched on top of her head.]

I don't see why not! How was home? Or did you drift somewhere else entirely?

[serperiority]

Hi, Alice. It was nice… I really missed it. I still thought of this place and the people I’ve met, though.

[He took a picture while she was smiling. A genuine smile’s a rare shot!]

… how about you?

And is there really anyone who gets drifted to places other than the world they came from? [Trip was surprised to hear that. He wanted to ask if Alice could go home, too, or not… her world stabilized eventually, right? But, did she have a home or anyone to return to? He didn’t know how to say it, so he didn’t yet.]

[domeinion]

Not that I've heard of, but I had to keep the prospect open! I can't assume without checking. I'm sure we're all glad to see you, though.

[serperiority]

[Glad to see him? What a strange thing to hear... well, maybe it isn't, but it's... not something he expected and he's confused, blinking and staring a bit.]

... huh. Don't think I've heard that before.

[He's actually touched and he might be trying hard not to show it too much, especially with the wish he had made. He felt a bit guilty again for the things he said when he couldn't control his tongue. Alice really was kind...]

I think it'd be a little rough, if we just got sent to diferent worlds... imagine getting a different one each time, would you ever find your way back home to your world, if you were always drifting from one world to the next...?

[Well, maybe that'd be easier for Alice to imagine.]

[domeinion]

You're right about that. Especially given how rare interdimensional travel is under normal circumstances. I wonder if that's how the Voices feel, individually or collectively? Then again, I don't know where precisely they all came from or how they became the way they are. I tried to ask back when they were in my head, but I got so many answers they started to bleed together.

[time to do some Trip tags again, sorry for the wait~]

[serperiority]

It'd bite if they were all from different worlds, too, and stuck unable to go home... they probably wouldn't get along too easily, if they were thrown together and all unfamiliar.

[ B! Thought this could be fun... ]

[unchcsen]

So much of what happened in Ultern felt new and strange, but sometimes, Volo got a dose of familiarity, when he least expected it. This time, it was a question from a stranger, holding a contraption that Volo vaguely recognised, though it was smaller and different to the camera he'd seen back then...

"Would you mind if I take your picture?"

Volo remembered hearing the very same thing, from the doorway of a new building in Jubilife Village, back when he was a merchant. He'd been carrying his Togepi that day; now she hovered close to his shoulder, as a Togekiss. Thinking about all those intervening years made Volo feel happily nostalgic.

"Ah...that would be wonderful!" He reached out to touch Togekiss' head. "Would you mind taking a photograph of both of us?"

[^^]

[serperiority]

"Don't mind at all," Trip said, smiling and taking a few shots.

It's probably a lot faster than what Volo's used to! Not to mention, he could see the results instantly! Trip already had clear favourites among them, and began deleting the ones he didn't like so much... down to two, both of which he seemed to like.

"Can't really decide between these two," he said, humming thoughtfully, as he tapped buttons on the back of the back of the device.

He turned the digital camera for Volo to see.

[unchcsen]

This was certainly different from the photography studio back in Jubilife Village! None of the setup, and nothing about having to stand still for several minutes. Even then, Volo had ended up being photographed in an awkward pose, with his eyes closed...

Volo was about to ask how long it would take to see the finished photograph, but it seemed it was already done! Not just one, but two, in the blink of an eye!

At first, Volo wasn't sure what he was supposed to be looking at, but he quickly noticed the display screen on the back of the camera, and his jaw dropped. With an excited chirp, Togekiss perched gently upon his shoulder, so that she could take a look as well.

"That's the photograph...? Oh, and another one? They're both very charming - if I may say so, as one of the subjects - but...how do you get them out of your camera? Are they trapped in there?"

[time to introduce Volo to more wonders of modern technology, I guess!]

[serperiority]

T-trapped... [Trip couldn't help blinking in surprise, he'd never heard someone use such words to describe it. It was funny! He couldn't help smirking, but he shook his head and did his best to explain without laughing.] This is a digital camera. No film. They'll "stay" inside, but I can make as many copies as I like outside of it.

[He turned theteal Olympus digital camera over.

If you want a copy, I'll just have to hook this up to a compatible printer or a computer with any printer attached and I should be able to make prints. Do you want to come see? I'm sure we could borrow the library's printer, though colour printing might cost a little. I've got some glossy photo paper with me.

[ volo: i understand approximately none of what you just said :) ]

[unchcsen]

[Volo blushed lightly, but he couldn't help but laugh along. It was a good thing he'd learned to laugh at these misunderstandings, or else he'd be spending all of his time too ashamed to speak, and then how would he learn!?]

Ah, it's been a long time since I saw any type of camera, and it was nothing like this. I confess, I cannot begin to imagine how this process works, so I should love to see it in action.

Oh, but...you were busy capturing photographs, were you not? Would I be taking you away from that? I don't want to interrupt your...

[Work? Hobby?]

...day?

Re: Ohritori [back just for the Tanabata~]

[icfirewarriors]

(Gets a glimpse of Trip's wish).

He scoffs.

"That's it? Why not go all the way?" Shamus had written up a wish as well. "I'm wishing for all of the world's strongest fire type Pokemon. To be fully trained and obedient to me."

1/?

[serperiority]

[Freezing, flustered. He didn't think anyone was reading over his shoulder! And scoffing at his wish, how dare...!]

2/?

[serperiority]

[Turning on his heel, irate.]

Why don't you mind your own—

3/3

[serperiority]

[Oh, but the voice offering (quite fair, honestly, yet completely unsolicited) critique is familiar and it's, in fact, someone he recognized even from Unova!]

Shamus! I haven't seen you here for... longer than I'd been here the last time!

Where were you? Did you go back to Unova a lot earlier than me?

... you're right, I was holding back, but I think it's only supposed to be one wish per person, you know. I felt like I was cutting it pretty close, too...

Re: 3/3

[icfirewarriors]

Yeah, it truly has. Good to see you here. I was hanging around Unova to prepare for the next Don George tournament.

(crosses his arms).

All the more reason to go big! I would've guessed you'd wish for Alder to be champion again so you could have a real battle against him.

[1/2; didn't realize I accidentally switched to action tags instead of prose, but rolling with it!]

[serperiority]

Well, compared to before, I've got at least a bit more awareness of how long I have to go... I'm far from being strong enough to defeat Alder sir. Getting stronger is the first step to achieving that dream.

... besides, it's fine if he isn't Champion. He's still my goal, whether he is or he isn't, even if it's not the way I imagined it would be.

2/2

[serperiority]

[Another tournament? Trip quirked a brow and smiled, thinking of it.] Then, maybe when I get back, I'll join too, though it might take me a little while to catch up to you, since I'll probably be a little further back in the past. You'll wait up, won't you? [He's just kidding, it's not like anyone else will notice his absence!]

... ah, if you didn't realize, we go back to the same moment we left, so I'll have some catching up to do, but the Trip in your time is probably already preparing to... unless he's busy somewhere else... I'm almost curious to know what I'm up to in your time, but it feels almost like spoiling the fun if I ask.