[CLOSED] A Festival of Surprises

"I didn't really do what you must be thinking. Akane was actually the one to capture Ele, but Ele chose to be my partner in that battle and chose to stay with me afterward because we grew to like each other. As for Lugia, if it hadn't been for Zandrophin and Marcus, then any attacks I used would have been useless in the end," Eira told him, a sad smile on her face as she remembered the battle in vivid detail and how scared she was with everything that had happened. "Be glad you weren't in the middle of it."

*Like Mama and your Papa did?* Grace asked slowly, getting confused at what Scorpio meant.

The queen’s hosting another festival huh? Well I guess it’s a new tradition after the contests. The blue-haired man and his sneasel left his shabby shack of a house and headed back out to the festival. I mean she closes down my job on festival and contest days so why not go out and try to enjoy myself? It’s been a long while since I’ve been out of my house or job… He shook his head and snowflakes fell around him.

Upon arrival, he noted she had gone even farther out on the decorations than she did last time. He reckoned it was due to their new friendship with Celosia that Eirlys could afford these luxuries. He sighed and walked around with Sneasel. Kaname was looking anxiously at one thing, and after repeatedly asking about it, Tsubame trailed his line of sight and saw her. His cheeks blushed as if paint had been spilled on his head.

”Why didn’t you tell me she was here sooner!?” Kaname’s usual expression of judgment was his only reply. ”That’s right you don’t talk… I-I’m an idiot…” He shook his head again, trying his best to remove the blush; that or he was working up the courage to go talk to her. Kaname could only roll his eyes and walk away.

”Hey! Where are you going!? I need my wingman!” To which his best friend only walked away faster.

Even though it was cold outside, the blue haired man was about to break a sweat in his fur-lined hoodie. Thinking it better to wait before talking to her, he migrated to the ice cream stand pretending not to notice Mariko. Also, where is queen Eira? I can’t see her. After recieveing his ice-cream, he noticed Kaname… ’CHATTING UP WITH MARIKO’S SMOOCHUM?! BRO SHE’S TOO YOUNG FOR YOU!’ His thoughts screamed. Shaking his head, he tried to walk away from it all.

Why am I so off about her today…?

Sneasel turned away from the smoochum for a moment to look at Mariko. Unfortunately blocked by a language barrier, kaname couldn’t answer her. After staring at her for a moment thinking of a way he could communicate with her, he turned back to the smoochum after he grew bored of thinking and continued sneasing at the smoochum.

Meanwhile, Tsubame was wandering the festival; making note of the important areas he would visit later. After almost running into Mariko with her exquisite kimono, he was caught off-guard by a good friend from his work. The blue-haired man was awfully surprised to have found his friend there working the festival on their shared day off. She had beautiful long blonde hair and an attitude to match any red-head.

As if his lack of caring and thinking about it made him remember, Kaname turned back to Mariko and raised his arm. On his ribcage was a small scar from a deep cut that she had cured as best as it could have been handled; it was an unusual shape and if she had remembered an idiot like Tsubame after all this time, she would certainly remember the unusual shape of his scar.

Z and his team decided to head off to see the attractions that this festival had and maybe get some snacks as well. They went to a stand that had a game where you could get prizes for fishing fake magikarp from a pool. Z managed to pull out three plastic magikarp before his paper net broke and got a monocle with a clover charm attached as a prize. Z smiled as he had plans on how to use it.

*She has grown used to the cold in her time here, unlike your little human. My Eira no longer needs heavy fur to keep her warm in this weather,* Walrein told Mistletoe before sliding his way back to Eira. Eira smiled down at her long time partner before she cleared her throat, taking up a stance on the stage so that she could address the festival.

"I would like to welcome everyone to the festival! Tonight, I hope you all have fun and look forward to the surprise that it to come at the closing of the festivities. Until then, I hope that you have plenty of fun," Eira motioned for Walrein to go ahead with their first surprise. As she left the stage, Walrein slid onto it. Pausing, he gave a loud call as he summoned a massive wave of freezing air that created ice all over the stage. It was when the ice created enough of a bowl that twin Shimmers came flying out from behind the stage, using Surf together to fill the icy pool with water before landing atop two of the spikes. Walrein gave yet another call as he shot a ball of ice into the air, Flurry swooping in with Toddle on her back, both giving off sound waves as they used Bug Buzz and Hyper Voice together. The two landed atop more spikes as the ice ball finished its arc and began sailing down towards the ground again. Suddenly, a large Kingdra came flying out of no where behind the stage, flipping until it landed safely in the pool. Without missing a beat, Brave used Dragon Pulse on the ice ball and the shards of ice like scales that Flurry had been giving off, creating purple sparkles that cascaded down onto the audience. Grace hurried on stage to bow along with the others as Ele came flying over, leaving her own mark on the performance given by all of Eira's team to welcome everyone to their land.

Mariko gave her applause politely with the rest of the crowd, and gave a sigh of thankfulness that the wait was over and she could stop standing around wasting time.  Not that she didn't have time to waste since she wasn't working at the moment.  Giving a small sigh, she shook her head, trying to get out of the mindset of someone who is constantly working.  This was her problem, she didn't know how to relax and have fun.  "It was nice to see you again little one.  If you see your trainer at some point, please feel free to give him my regards.  Come on Snowdrop, let's go look around.  I'm sure you will like this since it is full of things you haven't seen before."  Mariko said, first addressing the Sneasel in front of her then her Smoochum, who looked up at her while tilting her head wondering what she was talking about.  Mariko merely gave the little one a smile and then began to move, Celeste and Luka moving to perch on her shoulders once more as she began to move.  Snowdrop, seeing her mother figure begin to walk away, moved to get next to her.  Mariko couldn't help the small giggle that accompanied her watching her youngest Pokemon's actions.  Sometimes the baby Pokemon was truly adorable.

Eira smiled brightly at the conclusion of her Pokemon's performance, grateful that it ended so well for them after all of the hard work they had put into it. When she had discovered that her team had been working on this surprise without her, she was quite happy to make it the start of the festival to give them the recognition they deserved for all of their work to work things out together. Noticing Z approaching her, Eira turned towards him with a gentle smile as her Pokemon split up to either join her or enjoy the festival themselves.