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 Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 7:43 pm
Quote: The Wishing Tree (1): A Destiny City Star Festival Tradition to be held every year; In Town Square, there is a beautiful tree with spreading branches. It is tall, but the lowest branches are easily reached. The city has decorated the tree with small, starlike ornaments and glistening lights. Thick leaves and beautiful purple flowers dangle from the branches, along with a myriad of different colored papers with handwritten wishes. Next to the tree is a stack of blank paper with twine attached, and a handwritten sign that explains: Write your wish on a sheet of paper and tie it to the tree. Take one wish off the tree and do your best to grant it. When you have granted the wish, bury the paper in the park. The papers are biodegradable and filled with seeds. There are no rules for wishing, but you are encouraged to wish for something vague enough that it can be interpreted in many ways so that it can be granted; you do not write your name on it, but it is encouraged to write something that doesn't wish for self gain, but rather something that can make the world a better place. Some wishes dangling from the tree already include things like 'I wish there wasn't so much litter in the park,' 'I wish someone would clean the graffiti off the old historic buildings', and 'I wish there were more volunteers at the shelter.' If you choose to use the Wishing Tree, what do you wish for? If your wish is private, you may write it on the paper and choose a spot in the park and bury it yourself instead of hanging it on the tree.
It looked beautiful, but not…not magical...and people were simply taking pieces of paper off of it and that…maybe she was misunderstanding.
When Sylvie spotted her friend she gave a small wave and crossed the distance between them, wanting to have her questions answered before she….well. Made a fool of herself. “Fiona…this tree, you said it was a Wishing Tree? Is that…does it have powers or is this just…some silly human custom? I’ve been watching it and it looks lovely but…it doesn’t seem…magical.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2025 8:44 pm
Fiona hummed thoughtfully at the question. “I wouldn’t say it’s magical in the sense of being able to heal or make it rain.” Not like what they could do as senshi, or what their Knight counterparts could do. “But I would say that there is something special about this particular tradition.”She motioned with her head and waved her hand for Sylvie to follow her to a table where a few people were gathered and scribbling something on pieces of paper. She gave a polite excuse me and picked up two pieces and moved to the side while she explained, “See the texture on these? This isn’t just made of recycled paper; these small specks you see here are actually flower seeds. After we write down our wish and tie them to the tree branches, we then pick someone else's.” “Sometimes they are wishes that can’t be fulfilled, but other times they are kind of pay-it-forward type wishes; good deeds, I suppose.” Things that better the community rather than something specific that only helps themselves. “Whether you’re able to fulfil it or not, we then plant the pieces of paper and by the end of the season, you’ll see wildflowers growing all over Destiny City.” “I think the tree’s magic is that it inspires people to do better, be better, and help the community.” But even more personal wishes were known to come true. Even she had one granted a few years ago. Fiona then handed one of the pieces of paper to Sylvie and a short pencil to write with. “Write whatever your heart desires.”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:06 pm
“Whatever my heart desires, hm? Do you….believe that they work, Fiona?” The idea of the paper having seeds, that was neat. Flowers were always so beautiful, and getting to be responsible for planting them…that was such a lovely thought. Whoever had decided to do this had clearly thought about what they were doing.
“That’s sweet that people try to do nice things for others…ah. I’m not sure that I have any…real ideas…”
Maybe though. More allies. More friends. More ideas of how to help her world…more courage to go back to her world and try to help…try to…do anything.
More courage period.
In fact…that. She gave a soft sigh and wrote that on the paper. “More courage. Fiona, I have things that I need to do but just…have been…enjoying myself too much…here…to do them…but. I need to stop ignoring…my responsibilities…even if that thought terrifies me…”
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2025 11:46 pm
Fiona looked down at the message Sylvie had written and exhaled slowly, her gaze distant. “That’s a perfect wish,” she said at last, voice quiet by sincere. “I think courage isn’t something you always recognize right away. Most of the time it’s quiet and sneaks up on you in the middle of doing something difficult and only later do you realize how brave you were.”“Sometimes it can present its self in quiet ways, like deciding to get up after being knocked down, to speak a truth when faced with adversity, or go home even when you’re not ready.” She suspected that the responsibilities Sylvie was worried about were regarding her world but didn’t press for clarity. Instead, she reached out and lightly squeezed her friends’ hand. “I know what it’s like to want to stay in a place that feels warm and safe… Especially when know what what’s waiting for you isn’t. But I already know that you’ve already done brave things and when the time comes you’ll do them again.” Traveling across the universe and coming to Destiny was a leap of faith, learning to acclimate with a world different than her own took strength and will power, and finding allies when dangers watched from the shadows took courage. “Sometimes, all it takes is writing the wish and letting it live outside you for a moment,” she added gently. “That’s how change begins. Not with a giant leap. But with a whisper that you’re willing to try.”A breeze rustled the branches from the Wishing Tree, and the soft flutter of paper filled the silence between them. Fiona smiled faintly and met Silvie’s gaze. “Until then, I’ll be here to remind you you’re not alone.”
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 2:33 pm
A perfect wish? She wasn’t completely sure about that, but the words were a balm to her regardless. “Thank you, Fiona. I am so thankful that we were able to meet and become friends, and you…I hope you know that I feel the same. That I wish to be here to remind you that you are not alone either. I know you…well. It seemed like…it seems like you’re a little more happy now, and that makes me feel good as well. Like maybe…and you can absolutely correct me if I’m being stupid but…like maybe our friendship helped us both to find a little more joy in life?”
It was a stretch, she understood that but it was also a really…nice feeling. The idea that she could have a positive impact on someone’s life. Such a different idea than any she had held before but…one that she wished to cling to, even if it was just for a small time longer.
“What shall we do after this? Do you have any plans? Should we go and find food?”
If she were being honest with herself, she absolutely did not want the day to end, and as she put her wish onto the tree, she gave a silent word of thanks. For how everything had come together.
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2025 9:16 pm
Fiona had to admit that since meeting Kemi for the first time she had opened up, albeit slowly. Trusting others and opening up was still difficult, but at least with Sylvie, she was making progress. But it is true that she has had more happier days recently; aside from a large serpent nearly ending the world of course. “I have no other plans. At least not until 6 o’clock. My sister and I are going to visit with our parents for dinner.” In the meantime, the two of them could get a bite to eat and maybe wander around some of the pop-up shops that showed up this year.
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