The Wishing Tree (2) : Your wish is only said to come true if you grant the wish of someone else; when you write your wish, you must also take one off of the tree and do your best to grant it. What wish do you pull off, and how do you intend to ‘grant’ it? Do you work with someone else to grant this wish, or do you work alone? You may get approval from another player to use the wish their character hung up, but no names are attached so your character may not ever know who wrote it!
There was just no getting over it. Illyria was going to have to climb up into the tree to grab a wish for herself if she was bound and determined to leave the wish she had written down earlier during the day after having snagged an errant slip of paper that had been blown off the table in a gust of wind. Her head turned this way and that way before she cautiously emerged from underneath the shelter that she had decided to hide under until darkness fell. It wouldn't do her any good to be caught in the daytime scurrying up the tree's massive trunk to access the wishes that she couldn't reach without using her glamour. Last year she'd come with Orah in order to fulfil a wish and she had loved the feeling that she got after they had done some yard work for an old lady. The gratitude that Mrs Grant had expressed to Orah and herself had been worth the afternoon of pulling weeds and planting flowers. The simple truth of the whole experience was that she had made someone's day.
This year though, she came alone. The words that were written down on the paper were too heavy of a wish to share with anyone.
Observing a lull in the amount of pedestrian traffic around the grounds did Illyria slowly start making her way to the base of the Wishing Tree and around the trunk to the other side. Hopefully it would not take too long to scramble up into the relative safety of the branches and out of grasping hand range. Once in the cover that the tree's foliage provided she would be able to tie up her own wish, and then choose one to attempt to fulfil on her own.
xShanyume
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2024 9:32 pm
When powered, Eleonora had usually found a way to coax her sister out of the house to join her for a short patrol, a feat easier done when the weather was warm enough to not need a coat or swap her sandals out for boots. However, with what happened last year when they encountered the wasp-like bugs that spit acid, and the General that had kidnapped Alcor amidst the chaos, she did not feel inclined to tell her sister where she’d be this evening.
Though perhaps she should have at least let Indra know. Something to consider next time assuming all went well this evening.
Her wandering eventually led her towards the Wishing Tree where she felt a faint aura. From a short distance away she spotted a small familiar mauvian scramble towards the tree just after a couple passed by her hiding spot. Eleonora could not contain her smile as she cautiously approached, not wanting to gain the attention of the pedestrians who had just ducked into a stall that would be closing soon.
“Would you like some help?” She asked once she was in earshot of a softened tone but not quite whisper.
Illyria froze mid-climb. As the voice floated up to where she was now grasping at the tree's wide trunk with claws sunk deeply into the bark she peered down at the owner of the aura that was right on top of her position. She frowned before at least breathing a sigh of relief. Her inner voice though was giving her a thorough scolding. I should have been paying attention to the auras that were springing up. I can't be making such reckless mistakes. What's going on with me?
Even as she looked down at Eleonora did the Mauvian give the tiniest of smiles to the Super Senshi of Heat before she shook her head, "where did you come from Ele? Was I too lost in my own little world that I didn't sense you?"
If that was the case then she really needed to get back into ship-shape. Releasing her tight grip on the bark of the trunk did Illyria let gravity pull her back down in small movements in order to set all four paws back onto the ground so that she could greet her friend properly: which meant affectionately rubbing against Eleonora's legs. Her wish was still safely tucked away in her little pocket of subspace and she'd need to tie it up still but perhaps Eleonora could help with that ... and perhaps they could catch up as well.
Shanyume
Posted: Sat Jun 15, 2024 10:53 pm
Eleonora’s shoulders rose in a small shrug, an amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Well, ya did kinda look like you were executing some sort of Mission Impossible scene there,” she teased.
“No worries though,” she pointed a thumb over her shoulder in the direction she approached. “I came from that way. I didn’t sense any other powered presences otherwise I’d have drawn them away.”
She leaned over and lifted Illyria in her arms and gave the small mauvian a gentle hug. “If you’re looking to pick a wish, I can lift you up there if you’d like, and I can catch you when you’re ready to come back down,” Eleonora offered since it’d be an easy enough feat.
"Mission Impossible," Illyria queried. But even as she did so did the musical score that was associated with the movies flit through her head. Okay, she could give Eleonora that much. She had been trying to get into the tree without anyone spotting her ... which could have made her some sort of secret agent. Chuckling softly even as the Senshi of Heat lifted her off of the ground did Illyria's chuckles soon turn into a soft, yet, rolling purr. Her paws flashed up to gently bat at Ele's arms before she glanced up to the tree with all the wishes still tied up.
"I'm not quite happy with the thought that you might lure others away if you had sensed them. But I am really, really, really happy to see you. Eleonora."
She glanced up into Ele's face before snuggling down into the arms that held her. Eleonora's words of the idea she had gave Illyria pause as she turned to stare up at the tree. The task of climbing up unseen was highly unlikely to succeed if Ele had found her already but civilians couldn't sense Mauvians. She twisted her small form around to nudge at Eleonora's hand before staring back at the tree, "let's do it. I just need to get as high as the first layer of leaves and then I'm less noticeable I think."
Shanyume
Posted: Sun Jun 16, 2024 3:14 am
Eleonora felt her heart swell with joy with each ‘really’ Illyria added to how happy she was to see her. If she didn’t already know, Ele had a special place in her heart for the tiny mauvian and even though a considerable amount of time passed between meetings, she always enjoyed her company.
“Alright,” she lifted her friend up, past the first layer of branches but close to the trunk where the perch was at its thickest. “Let me know once you’re done and I’ll help you down.” If she picked an easy wish then they might have time to fulfill it now before calling it for the night. Otherwise, if Illyria would like company, they might be able to meet up tomorrow assuming they are both available.
Did she overdo it on the "really"s? Nope. Illyria was truly glad to see one of her friends still hanging in there. Feeling the senshi reposition Illyria got ready and as soon as Eleonora lifted her up into the tree did her claws flash out to grip the bark before she scrambled up into the lowest branch. She turned around nimbly and stared down at Ele before blinking her violet eyes at the young woman before she chose a branch that led into the foliage. Once out of sight did Illyria scan the tree for a moment before she sighed. It looked like most of the wishes were only on the lower level. Concentrating for a moment the tiny scrap of paper that she had snagged earlier materialized and Illyria spent a moment analyzing the words she'd written down before giving the softest of sighs. It'd have to be enough. She couldn't just write down what needed to be said, not without raising suspicions about things.
For a moment she considered the paper before sneaking partway up a branch before attaching the paper to the branch she had chosen. Backtracking a little Illyria stared at the little slips of paper that adorned the lowermost limbs before her gaze picked out a lovely blue paper bobbing around before she made a "psst" noise to Eleonora. "Ready to come back down, and maybe you can help me snag the wish I want to try and fulfil."
Moving to the spot of the tree where Ele had lifted her up did Illyria wait for the senshi to move to be ready to catch her before she turned once more to eye the paper she'd tied up.
Her wish wouldn't be easy to access but the wish inside was genuine, I wish for my friend back
Shanyume
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2024 1:04 pm
While she still had two hands free, Eleonora untied the blue piece of paper that Illyria appeared to be looking at. “Hopefully this is the right one,” she commented as it was a little hard to see in the dim light.
Carefully she lifted the little mauvian from her perch and cradled her in her arms. “I think we should be safe walking around like this. As long as we don’t encounter anyone powered, anyone we might run into would probably assume I was a performer at the festival.” If anything, she resembled a dancer with her long skirt adorned with flame-embroidered trim, a jeweled belt, and a coordinating top; an outfit suitable for the season.
“Here,” she held onto one side of the paper for Illyria to help open. “Do you want to read what it says?”
Illyria's gaze tracked as Eleonora's fingers deftly untied the wish that she had, in fact, been eyeballing. At least that solved the problem of how she might've gotten it down without either chewing the paper to smithereens or shredding it in the process. Grateful couldn't convey just how much it meant that Ele could help her out in this fashion. Even as she moved into a more natural position once Eleonora had plucked her out of the tree did Illyria's gaze flit once more to where she had left her wish tied up before watching a breeze ruffle the other wishes that still had a chance to be fulfilled. At Eleonora's observation about remaining safe while powered she perked her ears up before nodding,
"Even if we were to sense anyone else that was in a powered state, I could flex my ability to mask your presence from them. It would take some concentration to do so but it would add an additional bit of security to our stroll."
Her gaze flashed once more to the slip in Ele's fingers before she gently took the other's help to unfurl the paper before scanning the words inside. Puzzlement flashed in her eyes as Illyria's mind scrambled to make sense of the wish that she'd selected as one to do her best to grant.
"Destiny City has been plagued for too long by these costumed characters/terrorists. I propose we run them out by any means available." Underneath the wish was a penned in URL that obviously gave the person who pulled the wish down a chance to explore further. Wait, what? Illyria's ears drooped just a little lower on what she had read before turning around to glance at her friend's face.
"Okay, I'm lost Eleonora. How could we grant this one? I don't think it's possible, seeing how it paints us in a bad form already. Why would someone write something like this?"
Her fur bristled suddenly at the antagonistic words before she reached forward to claw at the paper. This wish was not going to be granted by anyone, "Ele, get rid of this wish, bury it so no one else finds it. If it means I broke wish etiquette, I don't care. We aren't the problem."
Shanyume
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2024 1:57 am
At Illyria’s kind offer to mask her presence, Eleonora gave her a gentle kiss atop her head. Her kind smile, however, shifted to one of concern as Illyria read the wish written on the blue piece of paper.
“A part of me would like to give this person the benefit of the doubt and think that they mean everyone who is powered, including Agents and Corrupts, or even Dark Mirror senshi. But I very much doubt that’s the case.” It’d been a hot minute since she’d last heard the word terrorist as it associated with the White Moon thrown around so brazenly. However, the media had a way of influencing the minds of citizens unaware of the war raging around them.
Her frown deepened at the idea of burying it. “If I'm being honest, I’d much rather throw this one away. I don’t see how anything beautiful can come from such a dark wish. With any luck what would bloom would become something invasive,” Like a creeping vine that choked trees and covered flowers so they would wither away in the shade much like the chaos that poisoned the minds of many in Destiny City.
“But if you still want me to burry it, I think I’d like to put a rock on it to keep it from growing.”
Illyria's gaze flicked back to the tree. Her mind was working as she took in what Eleonora had considered about the chance that weeds or something dark would take root wherever that wish was buried. She just wanted the paper gone and no one else able to grant it. What would it have meant for those that were actually trying to protect the city. It hurt something inside to think of every day folk banding together to force their unseen protectors out of the city, "I never experienced anything like this ... has there been resentment for a long time against senshi?"
Her eyes narrowed into slits before she meowed with uncertainty, "I thought burying it would make sure it was never found again. If we threw it out somewhere where no one could ever retrieve it though, that could work too. We just can't leave it where it might be found again."
The feline's gaze went to Ele's face before she turned to examine the tree. Most of the other wishes that were there fluttered in the cool breeze that ruffled them and her fur and in her heart perhaps that little slip of paper she had chosen was the only such wish tied up in the tree and they'd done the senshi of the city a huge service tonight by making sure no one found the wish that had been written down.
Shanyume
Posted: Fri Jun 21, 2024 3:01 am
Eleonora nodded solemnly, “It’s been like this since even before I was awakened.” Which, despite her rank, was nearly nine years ago. “I’m sure if I spoke to Athene or Liryn they’d likely confirm it’s been even longer than that.”
The longer she held on to the piece of paper, the heavier the slip felt. The folds and bent edges seemed unexplainably sharp as if they might cut her hand if she squeezed it any tighter in her fist. Carefully she shifted Illyria in her arms before setting her gently on the ground for a quick moment.
“Touch of Heat,” she spoke quietly and watched as both her palms began to glow a warm red.
As if it had been placed in an oven to age, the paper began to turn brown, then blackened despite the lack of flame. Eventually when her magic ended, and Eleonora opened her hand again, in her palm was a small pile of ash which she held out for the breeze to carry away from them.
“Now nothing can grow from it…” Allow nature to take its course and have it become part of the soil, but no seed shall take root, that she was sure of. “We can go pick another if you’d like.” Hopefully something with less dark intent
As Illyria was set down on the ground her mind went over what Eleonora had said about the length of time that it seemed there had been resentment towards the senshi. If that was the case and it had led to someone actually trying to once more trying to rally the city then sadly it looked like things hadn't changed. Her ears twitched for a moment longer before she turned her gaze to Eleonora as the senshi activated her magic in order to turn the paper into a pile of ash. As the ash was caught by the wind and blew away Illyria's gaze tracked it as she gave voice to her thoughts.
"I wonder what's changed now. Since I've been aware of who I am I've never seen a blatant display of aggression from those that live here. I don't think there's ever been a time where I saw a resident of Destiny City act hostile to a senshi. I could just be missing things though."
As Eleonora offered to take her back to the tree to pick another wish Illyria's gaze turned solemn, "I don't think so. The evening has lost its sense of magic in a sense. But even though we didn't grant this wish, the mere act of destroying it ... means that we've done a favor to all our powered allies tonight, whether they know it or not."
Illyria padded back to Eleonora and twined around the young woman's legs before staring up at her and beyond to the stars that shone overhead before she began to softly purr.
