#(and SO sorry for taking eons. i kept pecking away at this and got carried away...this is almost a celebration of everything PLA hahah)

[gogogobarry]

oh i love these prompts! fireworks, tomorrow, or return for it! feel free to pick any you want, or go wild and do all of 'em if you'd like! :D

ONE WORD PROMPT DRABBLES! | not accepting (planning to do one a day!)

fireworks + tomorrow + return for @volot !!

“Hey hey, come one, and come all! Tonight, Jubilife Village is the number-one party spot in all of Hisui! Yes!” Barry proclaims, grinning ear to ear as he throws his arms wide open, gesturing gleefully towards the decorated shops lining Canala Avenue. “Welcome to our first annual spring festival, presented by me--Young Oran, tonight’s Magnificent Master of Ceremonies--and the rest of the Gingko Guild! Not bad for a ragtag bunch of merchants, eh? Oh, and hey--don’t forget, there’s gonna be deals, raffles, games...all that fun stuff, all night long! Let’s just have a blast, okay? Oran out!”

The gathered villagers whoop and cheer as Barry takes a much-deserved bow, some of them already munching on assorted Honey Cakes, fresh-picked Berries, and Beni’s irresistible festival-edition mochi. The entire avenue is strung up in warm lights, with nearly every resident either happily milling about or providing games and wares from their typical wooden stalls. Anthe is all smiles as she shows off her new festival fashions, receiving choruses of oohs and ahhs from an awed audience. Even Dagero seems more energized then usual, his finger flying to the camera shutter as he snaps photos of posing Pokemon, abashed couples, and giggling friend groups against the colorful backdrop. 

For a first-time event held on this scale, everything is going amazingly well so far--and Barry just can’t stop smiling. Even the weather--evidenced by the slew of stars twinkling above his head--couldn’t be more perfect. As he strolls down the crowded village street, hands jammed into the pockets of his Gingko uniform, people pause to offer him words of thanks, maybe even a hearty clap on the back. Yes, Barry can be an absolute nuisance sometimes--his early morning hawking of goods gets old fast--but everyone knows that he’s the true mastermind behind this impulsive festival, working so hard to bring this grandiose vision into reality. Bravo.

“Hey Tules! Everything good?” he calls out, offering the passing Guild member a jaunty salute as they exchange grinning nods. Selling wares isn’t the main point of this event, but Barry still can’t wait for Tuli to crunch the numbers in the morning--the guild is out in full force tonight after all, so a massive profit is inevitable. They were all going to be rich. Maybe grumpy ol’ Ginter would even crack a smile for once...  

Barry’s smile continues to be omnipresent as he rounds on the Gingko camp’s crackling fire, his expression only brightening further once he spots the familiar figure seated at the flame’s edge. Volo had just returned from one of his mysterious regional trips--right on time--so the elder Guild figure understandably seemed a bit out of it tonight, his unwavering gaze fixed on the gaping celestial instability looming over the distant Mount Coronet. Yes, the atmosphere at the camp--somewhat removed from the main festival thoroughfare--is pensive, refreshingly peaceful...until it isn’t. Thank you, Oran.

“Hey, hey...earth to Big Bro! You in there, buddy?” Barry crows impatiently, sliding in right beside Volo and snorting as the older merchant--snapped out of his tired reverie--flinches at his sudden arrival. “C’mon, you’re the one who always tells me to...uh, keep my senses alert, or whatever--what happened to you? Maybe it’s your old age, or maybe I’ve just gotten sneakier, eh?”

“Hm! Maybe you have...” Volo responds lightly, stifling a yawn as he takes stock of the distant festival...and the restless boy who’s eagerly perched next to him, ready to drink in his every word. It’s Volo’s turn to smile now, and the de facto star of the Gingko Guild throws an arm around his wannabe protégé, giving Barry’s shoulder a supportive squeeze. ”I must say, this festival is truly impressive so far, Oran. You should feel very proud, taking the reins to lead something like this all by yourself.”

Barry’s eyes widen, his cheeks almost immediately flushing pink. “I-I had a bit of help. From Tules, Choy, y’know...” he mutters dismissively, clapping an embarrassed hand to the back of his neck. Contrary to his usual all-me attitude, the young blond seems almost flustered as he grins down at his boots, sits up a little straighter. It’s clear that Volo’s approval means so much to him--as usual--even as this rare moment of modesty inevitably fades away.

“...Man, I could’ve used your help with the sales pitch though. Do you know how hard it was to convince Boss Cyllene and Pops that this party was all worth it? Yeesh,” Barry grouses lightly, poking Volo in the ribs. “I kept reminding myself--what would Big Bro say?--and then I just kept talking until both of them rolled their eyes and said party on! Score one for Oran--I learned from the best speaker ever, right? Oh!”

Barry abruptly leaps out of his seat as if zapped by a phantom Thundershock, causing poor Volo to flinch again. “That reminds me! I gotta show you and the whole village something super cool! I know you’re probably pooped, but you don’t even have to move, okay? I’ll be right back!” The overexcited organizer takes a few steps before skidding in his tracks and whirling around. “Oh! And that also reminds me--once I’m done, wanna come down to the Ave and say hi to everybody? I know you’re probably pooped, but I promise the festival’s fun! I mean, everyone wants to see you and hear your latest stories...just think on it, yeah?” But don’t move just yet, Mr. Popular! I’ll be back in a flash--count me down, Big Bro!” 

However, Barry zips off before Volo can even open his mouth to respond (or even count), leaving a very bewildered Hisuian traveler in his wake. What is even happening right now? Perhaps it’s the spirit of the festival, but Barry seems more frenetic than normal...if that’s even possible.

BANG!

A loud sound suddenly tears through the evening air, almost causing Volo to pitch backwards off his log stool. His eyes are immediately drawn skyward, mouth dropping open as multicolored lights dazzle the celestial canvas overhead. The merchant hears oohs and cheering from the Village’s center...and then Barry all but reappears in front of him, panting with hands planted on his knees. Young Oran is positively beaming now.

“Did...did you see that, Big Bro? It worked! They actually work!” he celebrates, dancing around Volo’s log with glee. “I present you with...Hisui’s first homemade fireworks! Look, look, here comes another one!”

Another impromptu firework arcs into the sky, prompting yet another majestic flash. Barry is excitedly rambling on about working with Choy to craft the colorful explosives from the fuses of discarded Pokeballs, but Volo isn’t paying much attention, his unwavering gaze fixed on the brilliant explosions. As the dependable Anvin launches the full arsenal of custom fireworks from the farm fields (Galaxy Corps permission for this be damned!), Barry finally runs himself out of steam and and plops down next to Volo again, the two merchants gazing up at the triumphant scene in thoughtful silence.

The explosions are so bright yet so fleeting, and Barry finds himself wishing that the momentary splashes of color would stick around for just a little longer. He harbors the same feelings towards this festival--this celebration of how far Jubilife has come--and part of him selfishly wishes that tomorrow would never arrive, wishes that he could just capture this singular evening in a capsule and exist in it forever. He lets out a sigh of contentment. Perhaps the fact that he can never return to such a perfect, temporary moment...is what makes tonight so special in the first place. 

Volo’s eyes are also trained on the fireworks, though his gaze lingers on what happens after the explosion, when the discarded, burnt-out embers descend sadly to the earth. He frowns to himself--the fleetingness of this display shouldn’t disappoint him so much, but it does. Inevitably, he finds himself staring at the spacetime distortion portal looming above the Coronet Highlands, the ominous problem that this festival has tried to ignore. Unlike the fireworks, the portal’s light endures. Unlike the fireworks, the portal is only growing stronger, brighter over time. The white light sears Volo’s vision, reminding him of his greater mission. Once he makes his play, there is no returning to the Village, the Guild, anything resembling normalcy. After he’s ascended, he can finally abandon this pointless façade...and become so much more.    

On Volo’s side, Barry sighs again, his hazel eyes twinkling with innocent wonder and big dreams. For someone who’s always rushing towards something new, he is truly content to stay in this moment for once. After all, there’s always tomorrow, and--this time--tomorrow can wait, just this once.

Volo sighs too, turning away from the distortion with a pang in his chest. For someone who always acts so casual and composed, he finds himself filled with an insatiable restlessness, the need to further his own goals preoccupying his mind above all else. The mask he wears is slipping more and more every day. Soon. He is so close. 

Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.