riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: carnivale

Entry tags:

introductory mingle: carnivale

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Carnivale Celebration
when: July 1st - July 9th
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

carnivale

In the days leading up to July 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Carnivale. This holiday is in celebration of music, and the onset of summer and warmer weather. The celebrations are marked by street parties, an extensive program of live musical performances, with a large parade (and paid holiday!) capping it off on July 8th.

celebrating music, and summer

After a couple of months of low-key or even solemn celebrations, it's time for Riverview Quarantine to throw a good, old-fashioned party. Carnivale is a city-wide festival that pretty much everyone gets into, and many residents take the entire week off so they can enjoy all the festivities. With events ranging from impromptu street parties, free live musical performances, food stands, themed club nights, adult lounges with kink shows, and topped off with a massive party parade, the holiday has a lot to offer for anyone who likes to sing, dance, and show some skin!

i. street parties and food

One of the staples of the Carnivale festival is the spontaneous street parties and food trucks and carts. It's not unusual during the holiday to turn a corner and run into a group of people dressed in bright colors and sequins having an impromptu party with a few drinks, and then be invited to join right in! Carnivale is a celebration of music as well as summer, so most shops and stalls will be blasting danceable music into the streets to facilitate these little street parties - it's considered a sign of good luck for the owner of a business if an impromptu Carnivale celebration starts up in front of their door.

Considering the proliferation of street parties and people out and about to celebrate the warmer weather, local business owners also take to the streets. Food carts, stands, and trucks pop up on almost every street corner offering a wide variety of food from savory treats to sweet desserts. Many of the carts are offering one free item to anyone dressed up for Carnivale - anything shimmery, shiny, or brightly colored will do!

ii. live musical performances

One of the major roads in the city center has been completely roped off for the entire week, and all along this street, various temporary stages have been set up, each with a nice hefty sound system. Volunteers hand out printed flyers, and digital boards are set up here and there with schedules of various performances that are all free to attend, ranging from well-known popular music artists to new up-and-comers or independent artists who are looking to make a name for themselves. This event is very widely advertised around the city, and is accepting entries until the very last minute.

At couple of the acts might be familiar faces to some of the residents.

Eichi Tenshouin has signed up himself and his friend Tsumugi Aoba into the music festival as a first-time appearing idol unit called "Higanbana." Dressed in all white with splashes of color (blue, largely, with only their headsets being a red spider lily), they carry a very commanding and angelic image together. They'll have a routine that emphasizes their great harmony with each other, taking turns doing solo lines and joining together to show off each of their talents. Singing and dancing, they interact heavily with the audience and will encourage a lot of involvement with speaking between songs and gestures, winks, and so on. Basically, they intend to make this Riverview's very first prominent "idol performance".

For his performance, Otabek Altin will start with rock remixes of a few popular pop songs. He wants to make sure that it starts off with recognizable pieces for some people, and he certainly thinks it is something that could get people excited even if they don't know it. Then, it shifts into a few original songs. They are upbeat, rock songs that he put together with the intention to make people dance and move, since he is a DJ. He'll end his set with a slower piece he put together that is also an original. Through the entire performance, he's focused and quiet, though he may occasionally try and excite the crowd with a few words.

Any other player-characters who are musically inclined are more than welcome to assume their character was fit in for a performance, and can post up a top-level with a rundown of their performance to get bonus Activity Points for posting a mingle!

iii. carnivale parade

The other main attraction of Carnivale week comes on July 8th, which is a paid holiday for everyone in the city. The Carnivale Parade will be starting out by City Hall and winding through downtown in a lazy pattern so everyone in the city has a chance to see it. There will be all sorts of floats, dancers, marching bands, with all sorts of clubs, businesses, and other organizations represented. The theme is theatrical, big and showy, bright and colorful, sparkly and shiny, with loud music and lots of glitz and glamour. Observers can expect great music, excellent dancing and marching shows, neat vehicles provided by classic car clubs, the fire, police, and Perimeter Guard. They can also expect a lot of party favors, whether it's a sparkly plastic beaded necklace, a fan to take the edge off the heat, candy, popsicles, a temporary tattoo, or any number of other little treats or toys to be tossed into the crowd - some of them fit for kids and teens, others of a more 'adult' nature handed out a bit more discreetly to anyone who looks the part.

And make sure you wear your waterproof mascara - Carnivale floats have a tendency of spraying or spritzing water, both in an unspoken competition to see who can make the biggest water-refraction rainbow in the air, and to keep observers cool in the new summer heat.

iv. adult: lounges and kink exhibition

Thanks to the Carnivale tradition of showing as much skin as possible, some event organizers' minds have turned to topics of a more adult nature. In the evenings, residents may see clubs doing "lounge nights"; these adults-only events have bouncers IDing everyone at the door to ensure they're 18+. The themes may vary, from very specific niche themes like 'golden age superheroes' to broad themes like 'rainbows,' and each event is clearly marked as what it is - all-nude or clothing-optional, and can host events ranging from amateur to professional exotic dancing, food served off of nude bodies, anonymous masked hookups, or just provide a comfortable space where casual sex is encouraged with whoever happens to be around. Various legal substances can be found at these lounges, but nothing that would cause violation of consent, and every substance would be clearly labeled and have warnings to ensure that no one partakes unless they choose to. Please be sure to warn in the subject line for sexual content or drug use (since some mild party drugs are legal in Riverview).

For the weekend from July 7th-9th, there will be a kink exhibition in one of the large exhibition centers downtown, limited to characters 18+. The exhibition is a sexy adult informational convention featuring various kinks and fetishes. Whether you're into leather, latex, lace, or anything else, you'll be able to find the clothes, toys, guides, books, erotica, fiction, and a wide variety of other interesting stuff to explore. While the atmosphere is sex-positive and there are private and public (for the voyeurs and exhibitionists in the room) venues for having sex, it's definitely focused on exploration and information about different stuff to try.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to meet new roommates, for the purpose of getting to know each other, or hit up one of the mod-posted prompts for each Communal Floor. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during Carnivale, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Roger Patterson Jr.; image ii: Syd Mead; image iii: screencap from the movie Paprika; image iv: siamon89

navigation

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ They more or less started out wandering the loose network of parties together, sure, but at some point – given the press of people, the controlled chaos of it all, and Peter's natural inclination to wander off without telling anyone (not unlike a kid in a candy store, really) – they get separated.

Which, you know. No big deal. Communicators exist for a reason.

It's purely by happenstance that Peter's path crosses with Gamora again, and when he spots that familiar flash of green in the crowd, he smiles to himself, maneuvering through the throng. (He keeps a close eye on his pockets, of course; he knows all too well how easily a wallet can be lost in events like these.) ]

Gamora, hey—

[ Once he finally reaches her, he notices all the food she's carrying, and he nearly laughs at how— lost she looks. He surveys it all for a second, then he blinks. ]

—what the hell.

[ Then he points. ]

Where'd you get a churro?

[ Considering the relative controlled chaos of the streets, Gamora isn't too concerned when she loses Peter in the crowd. (Really, she half expects he was distracted by something shiny that wouldn't necessarily have caught her interest, anyway.)

The downside, however, is that means she's had plenty of time to end up with this small mound of food that she probably won't even dare to test for herself.

She opens her mouth to offer her own greeting, a brief "where did you even go?" or some kind of mild interrogation, but then she just looks down to the food in her arms and the weird... tube thing Peter is pointing at. ]

A what?

[ She has obviously never seen a churro before in her entire life, and if that's what this thing is called, she's going to take Peter's word for it.

But also: what the hell is it? ]

A churro.

[ With another gesture toward the item in question.

And a split-second later, he realizes that churros are obviously not a thing for Gamora, and he explains, ]

It's, uh. Like a sweet kinda fried bread? And they coat it in sugar and cinnamon.

[ ... which, again, might mean nothing to Gamora, which is why he hastens to add, ]

They're good. Like, really good. I promise. Try it.

[ Gamora lifts the churro by the small paper wrap it sits inside, reluctant to touch the sprinkling of sugar and spice that's clinging to the dough (because it looks messy).

And then instead, she offers it to Peter. ]

If you already enjoy them, you try it.

[ She knows how long it's been since he's had Terran food regularly, and while it's been more accessible in Quarantine, she's still offering it as something of a gesture.

... She's trying to be nice, okay? ]

[ Okay, well. If that's the case, Peter will gladly take it from her. But, you know, slowly, so it doesn't seem like he was just waiting for her to hand it over.

(Even though he kind of was. At least a little.) ]

You're missing out, man.

[ And he immediately bites off a piece, letting out a sigh. ]

Oh my god— [ Around the mouthful. Apparently a Ravager upbringing means he has shitty table manners. Who knew? ] —I loved these things as a kid.

[ Apparently he still loves them, considering he's biting off another piece. He gives the food in her arms another glance. ]

So what's all that about?

[ Despite Peter's inability to avoid speaking with his mouth full, there's something oddly endearing about watching how much he enjoys the treat.

(She is absolutely not smiling about it.)

A distraction is more than welcome, and she looks down at the rest of the food she's still holding onto. ]

It seems the vendors mistook my hair for something related to these festivities. I think some of them assumed I painted my skin for it, too.

[ She looks more exasperated than outright disgruntled, at least. ]

But they just kept shoving all of this food into my arms when I walked by.

[ Peter does not laugh at that. He doesn't. Not really, anyway.

But he does snort a little. Sorry, buddy. ]

And you haven't tried any of it?

[ He asks it incredulously, like this is the greatest crime ever committed. Quickly, he gestures for her to hand over some of the stuff, if only so she's not juggling all of it herself. ]

Dude, come on. We're finding somewhere to sit, and you're at least gonna try the funnel cake.

[ She doesn't even know what she's holding, let alone how any of it is supposed to taste, so what was she really going to do with a bunch of unsolicited food?

Apparently, eat it with Peter Quill.

She sighs at him, rolling her eyes like it's some complete imposition, but she does hand off at least half of the food in her arms, and then nods off down the street. ]

Fine, I will try it. But let's at least find somewhere less crowded first.

[ There are a few places to sit intermingled with all the activity, but most are already occupied or are so much in the middle of things that there's no way people are avoiding bumping into each other. ]

[ He flashes her a bright smile when she concedes (because he figures if she's trying stuff, then he's gonna be allowed to pick at it, too), and he arranges the stuff in his arms so he's not in too much danger of dropping or spilling anything.

It takes some doing, but eventually the two of them scope out a spot that's far enough away from the impromptu dance parties and the blaring music that they can actually hear themselves think. Peter plops down in a seat, naming the food as he sets them down on the table. ]

Okay, so we've got popcorn, fries, I'm— actually not sure what these are— [ They're certainly something deep fried, though, and possibly chip-like. ] Cotton candy— [ In a plastic bag. ]

—I... don't know what this is, either. But it kinda looks like chocolate-covered bacon? [ And he peers at it before snapping off a piece and popping it into his mouth. He chews on it thoughtfully, then, ]

Holy shit it is what the fuck.

[ with absolute awe in his voice. ]

[ This is far more to Gamora's tastes, anyway – something quieter, less hectic. She sits opposite Peter, setting down her own armful of food, though she sort of just puts it all in one big pile instead of laying it out neatly for appraisal. She makes note of what Peter names off, lifting a brow when Peter comes to the last thing. ]

I have no idea what either of those things are, Peter.

[ Well, she doesn't know what any of these happen to be, but she's not sure about bacon or chocolate separately, let alone combined.

But, apparently, it's quite the hit, given the way he sounds.

She's still eyeing the bacon thing suspiciously. ]

Edited (when u realize u should have added something more gj me) 2017-07-10 07:14 (UTC)

It's so good. Seriously. [ He snaps off a piece, holding it out in offering. ] Chocolate is, like, this seriously delicious stuff we have on Earth. Usually a dessert thing. And bacon is— some kinda meat. Pork, I think.

[ ... which means nothing to Gamora, once again, and Peter quickly gives a shake of his head to hold off any questions. ]

It's good. I swear.

[ ... At least she's willing to trust him.

She reaches out to take the proffered chocolate-thing, looking it over, and then deciding to simply get it over with as she pops it into her mouth.

She mulls over the flavor, cocking her head in consideration, though her brows lift in apparent approval. ]

Strange, but not disgusting.

[ ... That means it's good. ]

Do Terrans often cover meat with something this sweet?

[ He snorts out a laugh at that, picking off another piece for himself. ]

"Strange, but not disgusting." What a glowing review. We oughta go back to that vendor and see if they wanna jot that down.

[ He offers the rest of the piece to her, once he's had his fill, and starts looking over the other treats Gamora's collected. A baggy of hard candies, what looks like potato chips, a caramel apple wrapped in plastic—

At her question, he glances up. ]

Not that I remember. Usually I just ate them separately, if I ate them at all.

[ Because who needs to fancy up chocolate or bacon? It's chocolate and bacon.

He picks through and finds a small bag of flat discs wrapped in foil to look like coins. He pulls this over, ripping open the bag and pulling off the golden foil. And he grins. ]

Here. [ And he offers this over, too. ] The good stuff, all by itself.

[ "Strange, but not disgusting" is fairly decent praise from Gamora, especially for something as odd as chocolate-covered meat.

She sifts through some of the pile, examining the brightly-colored treats and the overabundance of fried goods, though she doesn't immediately reach for anything to try for herself. Mostly, she's perplexed that all of this exists in the first place.

She looks up again when he finds a bag of... coins? Ah, no, not coins, because they reveal more of that dessert that had been coating the bacon. Maybe it speaks to the fact that she didn't mind the chocolate-covered bacon or that she's willing to trust what Peter offers her, but she doesn't protest as she reaches out for the little disc. She looks it over, making note of the indents left by the foil, and then she takes a small bite for herself.

Apparently, without the bacon, it's much more delightful.

The chocolate earns a quiet hum, and then she's happily popping the rest into her mouth.

(But, unlike Peter, she has the good manners not to start talking while she's eating.) ]

Mm, I see why there seems to be so many foods that involve this now.

[ Don't mind her while she reaches for another coin. ]

Was there only chocolate like this back on Terra?

[ boo. How will people know you’re enjoying your food unless they can see the chewed up lump in your mouth? It’s just common sense, Gamora.

Peter grins at her praise – slight though it is – before he nudges the little baggy closer to her, plucking up a chocolate coin for himself. Ever since he’s been in the Quarantine, he’s been collecting up little bits of chocolate, and probably partaking of more than his fair share. He’s missed chocolate, and it shows with the way he tears off the foil and pops the whole coin in his mouth. ]

Yeah. [ Again, with his mouthful. Old habits die hard. ] Man, I missed this stuff. I used to beg for it as a kid. Mom and I would go grocery shopping, and at checkout, they always had these big displays of candy bars and junk food. I’d pull out all the stops just so Mom would buy me a Hershey’s bar or something, but she never budged.

It’s good, right?

[ There's something intent in the way Gamora watches him as she finishes her second coin before going for a third. She always enjoys hearing anecdotes about Peter's childhood, about his mother – whether the stories come while he's drunk or are more easily shared in sober moments – which is why she always makes a point to listen, instead of brushing it aside.

They feel important, even if she can't parse why.

She unwraps her third coin, offering another hum of agreement. ]

It isn't bad.

[ But she's also on her third piece, so. That's a "yes." ]

But I still don't understand why people would combine it with something else, like that bacon.

[ —wait a minute.

Gamora pauses once she says "bacon" again, and she cocks her head as she considers Peter, her eyes narrowing slightly. ]

That was not Kevin Bacon, was it?

[ Did she just eat Kevin Bacon? ]

Edited (WHEN U HIT REPLY TOO SOON) 2017-07-11 08:31 (UTC)

[ He was opening his mouth to respond – either by rightfully pointing that she definitely has to find the chocolate better than "not bad," considering she's unwrapping her third piece. Or possibly to answer her question about why people dipped things in chocolate – to which his response was going to be, "Well, why not?"

But that thoughtful look that crosses her face gives him pause, as well, and he frowns at her.

At her question, he just.

Blinks at her.

He keeps his lips pressed together for a few long seconds, not trusting himself to not laugh in her face, before he wrangles the temptation and answers levelly, ]

No. No, it wasn't that kind of bacon.

[ She would have appreciated the laughing-in-her-face thing much less, honestly.

Excellent self-restraint. ]

Then is Kevin Bacon related to the pork?

[ She has no idea what pork is either, but you know. ]

Not that I know of? I mean, not in any way that should worry you.

[ He frowns a little, and also sneaks a fry from the little tray. He munches on it thoughtfully, then, ]

It’s just a family name, I think? Far as I know, he’s unrelated to bacon, the food, except for probably eating it. He’s probably related to other Bacons, as in people with the surname Bacon, but not all of them.

It’s just, you know. A name. Like how Rocket is “Rocket,” but he doesn’t have anything to do with actual rockets, except for making way too many and enjoying the use of them way too much.

Hm.

[ Gamora seems to find the explanation satisfactory, even if it seems like an odd choice for Kevin and his apparently meat-related name.

Terrans are weird.

So instead, she reaches for the fries that Peter had started to snack on, stealing one for herself. ]

Then what else do you recommend I try?

[ Since she's apparently trusting Peter to show her foods worth eating (or at least worth experiencing, since she would never find them outside of Earth). ]

[ He’s glad she’s satisfied with the answer, because Peter sure as hell had no idea where else he could’ve gone with that.

He surveys the spread of food again. The popcorn can wait, he figures. And the chip things, because he’s not sure what those are. She’s already picking at the fries, so that’s done.

He quickly comes to a decision when he catches sight of it again – the reason why they even sat down in the first place – and he points at the little tray.]

Definitely the funnel cake. [ Which is covered in powdered sugar and drizzles of chocolate, and helpfully has a fork sticking out of it already. ] It’s, like, a necessity for when you’re at a fair.

[ ... technically, this isn’t a fair. But it’s pretty damn close, all things considered. ]

[ Gamora reaches for the tray, looking at the cake somewhat suspiciously. It has what appears to be melted chocolate, and she takes the fork to give it a prod, inspecting it for a moment longer before she wiggles a section free with her utensil. ]

I can already tell this is going to be too sweet.

[ Most of these things seem to have a running theme.

But she lifts the piece of cake to her mouth, taking a proper bite. Her immediate reaction is that she certainly wasn't wrong about how sweet it is, but the fried texture is nice, and her brows lift in approval as she chews.

... She does not, however, realize that she's gotten powdered sugar on her cheek and her chin.

The stuff just goes everywhere. ]

[ Peter may or may not be hoping that her observation comes true, because he's sort of banking on the idea that if it is too sweet, Gamora will pass it off to him.

In which case, yeah, he's totally taking it. Looks like Peter Quill has a sweet tooth.

He claims another fry, munching on it as he looks around at the parties cropping up in front of store fronts, at the restaurants carting out supplies to set up shop to attract customers. It's festive and bright and infectious, and Peter feels himself smiling at the collective sort of cheer and revelry.

When he turns back, he blinks, then grins at the powdered sugar speckling Gamora's face. ]

You got a little something.

[ And he taps his own cheek in demonstration. ]

[ Gamora glances up at him, then frowns as she sets the funnel cake aside, reaching up to brush the back of her hand across her cheek. She comes away with some of the powder, but it also sort of smears itself around. ]

Was that it?

[ What she really needs is a napkin, but that didn't seem to end up passed around with the mountain of food she'd collected. ]

[ ... what is the most delicate way of telling her she kind of made it worse? ]

You, um. [ A beat. ] There's still some left. On your chin, too.

[ He lifts up a hand, though he doesn't make any move to lean across the table just yet. ]

Want me to get it?

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