When fishing for wishes, why not wish... for fish?

...okay, that was goofy, even if it did portray Genesis' train of thought fairly decently.

See, clearly this quest, or scenario, or whatever it was, had some kind of fishing tie-in. Which would work out well enough for Genesis, being a Swimmer as he was... if he actually had a Fishing Rod. Not like he could just shove his Frogadier into the well, see what the Water-type could fish up, and call it a day. (For one thing, that seems like it might damage the well, which looked like it was in pretty bad shape already, and Genesis did not want to be the player known for causing all of UNOVR to lose access to the magic wishing well.)

But wishing for something specific, something tangible, seemed like the way to go here. It's not like the powers that be could really grant wishes like "I want to be happy forever", after all. But a new Pokemon, or a Fishing Rod, or something simple but handy like that? That seemed doable. It had to be big enough to not feel like a waste of a wish, though. It was still a wish, after all, and if those could bring about as much as the term seemed to promise, well, it would be wasted on something you could easily get in-game another way.

...like a Fishing Rod, he supposed. That was what Bytes were for, saving and then spending, after all. It wasn't his fault the guy who'd gone wishing before him seemed to be having so much fun fishing in the well's depths, or at least fooling around with his Fishing Rod, at any rate. Even though the sign had clearly said "No Fishing" originally. Part of Genesis wanted to grumble and groan about the lack of rule-following, but that part was outweighed by the part of him that would do the exact same thing in a heartbeat.

Genesis gazed into the well's deep waters, but he couldn't make out much in there, just a few stray sparkles amidst the murky black.

"I wish... I wish for a new teammate that's every bit as amazing as the fish inside this well must be."

A little flattery never hurt, did it?

Genesis didn't have a coin to throw in for good luck--which was probably for the best, given that this well was rumored to have actual living creatures in it, unlike the banal wishing fountains back in the real world--but he absentmindedly traced a circle around the moss that covered much of the well's stone before whimsically throwing a shining pebble in, in place of the coin he didn't have to spare.

Though he waited around for a minute or two after that, Genesis never heard the rock hit the bottom.

Jinx... still felt like she didn't know what she was doing in this game. She could recognize that the wishing well was connected to some sort of quest (or Quest, capitalized, for whatever that was worth), but she didn't know the significance of it, or whether she would know more about it if she knew more about the game lore in general. But it was connected to a capital-Q Quest, and that was enough to pique her interest.

"Well, I can follow the no fishing rule well enough, but if it really is no wishing now... I might have to break the rules just a little there." Jinx was just thinking out loud, punctuating her statement with a soft giggle at the end. If she had a Fishing Rod, she'd probably be just as willing to start breaking that rule as well, but she didn't, and truth be told getting one wasn't high on her priorities list. Magikarp didn't seem that exciting to her, even if they came in different colors or rarities or whatever.

As Jinx climbed up onto the edge of the well and sat there with her feet dangling into it, however, she saw some fish that looked a lot more exciting than just Magikarp in there...

"I wish..."

What did she want to wish for, really? Specifics were probably for the best, she knew--she'd read enough stories about mischievous genies to know that any vagueness could easily be turned against her. But Jinx... still didn't know enough about this game, and about Pokemon in general, to even have a specific idea what to ask for. Some kind of Pokemon, probably--her team was filling up faster than she had expected, but there was still at least one spot left in there, maybe more if she got something neat enough to be worthy of kicking out one of her current teammates--but beyond that... she didn't have a clue.

Which, oddly enough, gave her an idea. She didn't know a ton about the game yet, but there was one way to learn...

"I wish to get a really cool Pokemon the likes of which I've never seen, or heard of, even! Something that'll blow my expectations away and help me explore this world to my heart's content!"

Could a mischievous genie find a way to twist that against her? Almost certainly, sure. But it was worth a shot, at least. Besides, what was adventuring without a little risk to go along with it?

In the middle of the night, at one of the quietest hours of the Briarbane Settlement, a small figure approaches the old well, golden footprints being left behind with her every step. She holds onto ancient stone, gazing into a darkness much different from the one she's used to, and in it she sees a world of fantasy and wonder unlike any other.

Her own wish is whispered, a secret meant only for her and the well to know, but when it is spoken, the cosmos listens, and she becomes witness to what so many others have before...

---

Every time someone speaks a wish into the well, the well responds, the lights of the creatures dwelling within growing brighter and brighter — as if empowered by the desire expressed by those that gaze into these depths. They swim and swarm, forming beautiful nebulas and galaxies alike, and in their wonderous dance, images begin to form before our wishmakers' eyes...

Their wishes; each and every one of them.

The well would show Big Bee his Blastoise's smile; happier what he may have thought possible for the Pokémon to ever be. It thrives, full of glee, and it's all because of something that is incredibly dear to it — something it cherishes more than anything. But, what is it? What could ever make Taka so pleased? It's as if the answer is right out of the Swimmer's reach...

In the same manner, Genesis would see a companion both strong and loyal. A friend, a confidant, a partner to always stand by their side. What kind of Pokémon is it? How will they meet? When will this encounter happen, if ever? The well knows. The well seems to hold all truths. Perhaps it has been revealed to the pebble that sinks deep.

manish's line snaps with the his wish, his bait stolen by the dwellers of desire's deep. In return for his offering, he's shown his wish: the perfect life that can belong to him, amanita, and all the Pokémon they cherish. A life the well might just give him. A life that perhaps exists in the depths within. Their happiness calls to him, luring.

Climbing up onto the edge of the well, Jinx wishes for the unknown, and in return, the unknown calls to her. When her wish is answered, she'll feel the pull of the well, coming dangerously close to falling into its depths. Something rises from the darkness. Something mysterious. Something the small Kindler has never seen before...

Now, Momo wishes for a pupil instead, and when the well hears her wish, her line grows tense. Stand your ground, hold on tight, don't let the strength of your desires pull you into the dark. For her wish is a relentless one indeed, and among the stars that answer to it, the aspiring mentor sees a future full of friendship, valuable lessons, and camaraderie. A future that awaits her within the well.

Forgiveness is earned and never just won, but amanita's wish is still answered to by the cosmos. Within the well, he sees what he wants the most: a life where no truth is enough to pull him and manish apart. A life of happiness. A life as perfect as the one that had been wished for by another. A life that may just exist when swimming into these waters of desire.

And what of Valentine, then? She chooses to trust the well's judgement, and in turn, the truth is shown to her: happiness, joy, excitement, wonder, fulfillment... it all awaits her within these waters. Swim among these lights. Become one of them. Then and only then will she understand true happiness. All she needs to do is to step into the water...

Each and every one of them sees their wishes, each and every one of them hears the call of the well, and as the temptation to jump in grows, another notification appears before them:

WILL YOU FOLLOW YOUR WISHES?

FISH YOU WELL HAS CONCLUDED!

Thank you for participating in this short scenario and for contributing to the development of briarbane's old well! The well is now a permanent part of the settlement, but it's story is not over just yet. Keep an eye for what it might be up to next!

I hope you enjoyed this scenario as much as I enjoyed reading about your characters' wishes ♡