introductory mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Flower Festival Celebration
when: April 2nd - April 15th
where: In several different locations in the downtown area of the Inhabited City.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

flower festival

In the days leading up to April 2nd, residents new and old may notice advertising around the city, everywhere from digital screens to paper flyers pasted on blank walls, all advertising an upcoming holiday: The Flower Festival. Celebrating springtime, beauty, joy, and togetherness, the festival heavily features floral themes and dancing. The advertising mentions that on April 10th, a paid holiday, there will be a Blossom Picnic, as well as lists of various public dances at clubs or other open venues, and adult raves.

a celebration of spring

The Flower Festival's main event is the Blossom Picnic on April 10th, but it also features traditions of sharing food and drink, and dancing that span over the course of the whole two weeks. There are a large variety of events going on throughout the city, from dancing lessons in any wide variety of traditional dances, to old-fashioned sock hops, to adult raves complete with mild party drugs. Feel free to use the prompts below or create your own event at any point during the festival, and if your character creates an event and hosts it in a top-level, you can submit that thread for extra bonus points.

i. blossom picnic

The main event that kicks off the second week of the Flower Festival is the Blossom Picnic on April 10th. A relaxed and low-key event, it draws several thousand people every year to the spacious Riverview Central Park, where there is a generous lawn lined with various blossoming trees, and families, found families, lovers, and groups of friends are encouraged to lay out a picnic blanket and share food. There will be live bands playing (but not loudly enough to distract from conversation and peacefully watching the petals flutter in the wind), a variety of demonstrations of traditional cultural dances from many different realities and planets, and a ton of ice cream vendors. This is an excellent festival not only for celebrating togetherness with the people who are already important, but for mingling and making new friends.

Characters may either pack their own lunches or they can purchase pre-packed Blossom Festival lunches. Stores and street markets are carrying a wide variety of specialty food that is only available at this time of year - predominantly pastries, an assortment of types of candies, and ice cream treats all in various floral flavors, as well as a sort of ambrosia salad based around a sweet rose-flavored cream and a native fruit that is bright green and tastes like a combination of peach and citrus.

ii. dancing lessons

Starting on April 2nd, there will be dancing lessons offered almost everywhere you look! From partner dances to group dances to line dances; sexy and sensual or innocent and childlike - almost any type of dance you can imagine is represented, from any reality or planet that has people in Riverview Quarantine.

Additionally, the Riverview Central Community Center has multiple rooms blocked off so anyone who knows a dance from home can teach it to others in their community - sharing is caring, after all. Characters are welcome to block off one of these rooms and offer lessons in any dance they happen to know from home (and these sorts of thread starters would be eligible for the mingle AC Point bonus)!

iii. flower festival dancing

This is pretty simply what it says on the tin - in almost every club, community center, or other public space, there will be dancing at almost all hours of the day or night, formal and informal. Musicians bring out their instruments and play in the street for demonstrations of cultural dances and music at the same time as clubs are offering VIP cover charges for exclusive dances, and you can find anything in between.

There are also many low-cover-charge raves that allow under-18s so younger characters can stay up all night and dance like crazy. The legal drinking age in Riverview Quarantine is 14, and so anyone over 14 can enter and indulge in a few drinks, dancing, and playing tag with a non-intoxicating version of the colored powder featured at the adult raves. There is copious amounts of security on site to ensure that everyone is safe, as well as nurses and off-duty police officers to offer advice or care for anyone who overindulges out of lack of experience.

Grab a partner, a group of friends, or just cruise and mingle the various dancing events.

Characters may also notice that most of the street markets and clothing shops are offering clothing that features floral patterns, flowers as accessories, and that show a lot of skin - for men, women, and anyone in between!

iv. adult raves

Advertised on flyers and digital screens around the city, made to pop as if they were under blacklight, is a series of adult raves that are happening in various large empty warehouse spaces around the city, including one that is listed as the danger rave and hosted in an abandoned factory outside the inhabited city walls. With bouncers at the door to ensure that anyone entering is 18+, the raves are comfortably adult in nature. Clothing is optional, showing skin is encouraged, and there are a lot of neatly tucked away spaces for attendees to get some time alone with one or more than one person, as well as spaces intended for orgies. The atmosphere is sex-positive and non-judgemental, open to any orientation or preference, with various forms of protection available for free, however, to ensure that everyone plays safe there are sober security teams out en masse at all premises to oversee the events.

(CW: DRUG USE) In each location, there is one specific room where attendees can enter, and dance or play tag with brightly colored powder that contains small amounts of a legal party drug commonly available in Riverview, which is absorbed through the skin. Not much more intoxicating than having a few beers, the effects of the drug are a pleasant low-key buzzing euphoria, positive sensitivity to touch, a heightening of desires for intimacy, and a mild lowering of inhibitions. Once a character has been hit with the powder, the color lingers on the skin so other attendees can know who has partaken, but once the powder makes contact with a surface it deactivates, meaning that partakers can safely dance with non-partakers without sharing the intoxicating effects.

Please be sure to warn in subject lines for any threads involving drug use. And remember, there is always security to intervene and make sure everyone is safe.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to set up headers for a communal floor, or threads open to roommates for the purpose of getting to know each other. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set at the Flower Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: third image by Steve Goad; other images found on uncredited on Pinterest or Google images - please let the mod know if you find credit!

navigation

Comments

otabek altin | ota | feel free to encounter at any point during any of these

[bringbackgold]

1 ; picnic

Otabek feels a little uncomfortable at the Picnic, but he's there because that's where everyone seems to be. He got his training done early, and packed himself lunch and a healthy snack for the afternoon. He opts to as he isn't completely sure what food will be offered and available. Ever the practical person, he decides that having a safety net for himself is better, even if it is one he doesn't need it in the end. He can always save it for tomorrow's training food. He's going to spend some time around, so he opts to start exploring Riverview Central Park. He was taking in his surroundings. Dressed in head to toe black, save for a dark grey scarf that hung loosely around his neck, he took to checking everything out.

When he arrives, he does feel a little out of place. Everything is so bright and happy and colorful. And there's so many people. Being the shy person he is, he stopped many times to observe the traditional dances from other worlds, but without saying a word to anyone nearby. When he watches people dance, he gets entranced by their movements and the sound of the music. He's always drawn in to music and the sound of music. He settles here for quite some time.

After awhile, his body starts complaining that he needs food, so instead of browsing the food available at this time (deciding he can do it later in the day), he decides to eat what he packed. He finds a shady spot, settles himself into the grass, and pulls off his scarf. He sits, and starts to work through the food that he has packed for himself - some turkey, rice, vegetables, and a couple pieces of melon. He quietly eats.


2 ; roommates floor 8

He finds the whole situation to be a bit weirdly off. The way it's explained to him, doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. Of course, he doesn't think it'll make sense for some time. He wasn't much one for talking or asking questions, so he just listened, accepted the job he was offered as a DJ - and then led to his apartment. He was sharing a space. It wasn't terrible because he had shared space with others he had been training with in the past. However, since his return to Almaty, he had a private apartment, so he'd have to get used to this again.

Otabek keeps to himself. He makes a quiet effort not to disturb anyone, ad he generally prefers to be left alone. He wakes up early, incredibly early for someone who spends late nights out working. He goes on a run, then showers, and makes his way to the kitchen. Every few days, he knew he would have to prepare himself his next few meals. For early mornings, he ate his breakfast - 2 hard-boiled eggs, and a mixure of berries. He grabs a chair in the dining area, settles himself there, and eats.

In the afternoon, he takes a break in the room, at his desk. He's procured a notebook and pen, and he spends his time in the room writing notes nd preparing things for himself - for both his upcoming programs for competition and his next shows as a DJ. He's relatively undisturbed by the presence of others here. He doesn't have headphones yet, so he doesn't listen to music. He doesn't want to bother anyone.

He likes to keep busy.

3 ; adult rave cw; for drug use

Otabek had seen the advertisements for the raves geared towards adults. He hadn't originally planned to go to them, as he wasn't a fan of large crowds and people grinding up clos to him. But as he was starting work as a DJ here, he wanted to get to know the crowds that would be attending the clubs that he would work. It was a good way to prepare a set list and get some pieces put together that would be enjoyed. After all, the goal of a DJ was to make sure people got up and would be moving on the floor.

Despite his goal to actually get through this, and at least listen to a few songs, he was uncomfortable among the bodies moving on the floor. He wasn't doing much dancing himself, just moving about awkwardly. He certainly didn't much look like he belonged there. The lack of clothing on so many people hadn't helped. He left his leather jacket behind, but he was still in a t-shirt and black jeans.

He listened, took in the music, and maneuvered through the crowed. He didn't plan on drinking, although he knew there were risks of attending the rave. He didn't walk in without the knowledge of things that could happen. Still, he is pulled into a crowd, and as he escapes it, he ends up in a room with the brightly colored powder. He knows what it is, of course, and he gets hit twice - with a combination of blue and yellow, before he makes his way out of the room. Still, he feels it - that strangely euphoric, unfamiliar feeling. So this was what people felt like when they were on the dance floor at times.

He decides, then, that maybe he had enough of the rave and he should return back to his apartment. He still had to train in the morning, so he wanted to give his body a chance to relax. He made his way out of the club, feeling odd and eager to sleep.

4; wildcard
[ whatever starter you'd like; message if you have questions! ]

1

[howlongiwonder]

[You feel observed. Standing under a nearby tree, arms folded, a strangely dressed woman is staring in your direction. She's not hiding or anything so it's not a stalker, she's just... there.

Despite that blindfold of hers, it really looks like she's staring, with pretty intense curiosity too.]

[bringbackgold]

[ As a performer, he's not unfamiliar with the sensation one feels when being watched. In fact, he's typically accustomed to it. Whether it is from when he is actually on the ice, or when he is at home. However, there's no reason for anyone here to have their eyes on him. He's not famous or popular here. So, the feeling leaves him a little uneasy. He perks a little, feeling eyes on him. His body stiffens in realization that he's being watched.

He shifts a little, food going ignored while he tries to figure out where that feeling is coming from. Most seem to be caught up in their own activities. His eyes drift over to a blindfolded woman.

Was that it? He returns the stare. His own less curious, and more suspicious. ]

[howlongiwonder]

...

[Upon being returned, her own gaze actually wavers. It turns aside first (which is not possible to see), her head turning to follow (which is). Truth to be told, she looks a bit embarassed to be caught staring.

She doesn't move from under the tree, though.]

[bringbackgold]

[ He notes she looks away, so he shifts his attention back to his food, working through the healthy snack in an attempt to not be too bothered by the fact that he was being watched. He settles himself there. He kind of wanted to ask why she was staring, to try and figure it out. He liked to stay to himself for the most part, and it wasn't like he was doing anything to draw attention to himself. So finally, after what seems like quite some time - he packs up whatever's left of his food, he stands, turning on his heel and facing the woman who seems to have her attention on him.

He's looking, now, directly at her. And finally, he starts walking in her direction. ]

[howlongiwonder]

[Ah, he's coming here. 2B isn't easily intimidated but she's not looking for a fight either, and her people skills aren't exactly top notch. What to do?]

That... was quite a lot of food.

[Her gaze still astray, she tries (and fails) to sound casual.]

[bringbackgold]

[ His own skills with people are...pretty basic, really. He's not trying to be intimidating, but his face, sometimes just looks like he is. In fact, his expression has barely changed since she's started staring in his direction. But her statement causes an eyebrow to perk. ]

Not really.

[ He considers what he ate. ]

I'm an athlete.

[ As if that explains everything.

[howlongiwonder]

Ah. I see.

[Yet this explanation is accepted as a perfectly normal one. 2B's own face is usually pretty hard to read, but the fact she didn't change her pose under the tree either means she's either tense, or trying too hard to appear cool and detached.]

I was wondering what do... athletes, tend to eat.

That's all.

[bringbackgold]

[ He's relieved that the explanation is accepted, and no other information seems to be wanted. Although he is relieved, his expression doesn't seem to change. ]

You can just ask.

[ It comes out...a little more stern than he intended, and he diverts his attention away. It's painfully obvious that his abilities at socializing are lacking. ]

3

[anotheroldsoldier]

Bucky doesn't party. He doesn't really have it in him these days. He can't let go in crowds, too aware of everything going on around him. He volunteers, instead, to join the crew that walk around and patrol and make sure everyone is having a good time, lend a hand if anyone needs it. He's sitting outside the club, dressed down in jeans and a plaid shirt, but with a volunteer armband wrapped around his bicep. He watches the people leave the club as they have their fill of drugs and alcohol and dancing.

So many of them seem so young. Or maybe he's just feeling old again. During the war, this could have been him, letting loose and having fun, but his fire has long since cooled.

He tosses his empty soda can in the trash nearby and stands up, watching yet another young-seeming kid exit the club dusted in powder. "Need any help getting back?" An offer he's been making to everyone who comes out alone.

[bringbackgold]

Dusted with the colors of his home country's flag, he blinks, looking towards the man who made the offer. His senses were numbed, a little hazy. Even with alcohol being served after competition banquets, he never indulged to the point where he felt quite like this. He's not a fan of it, he realizes. He considers the offer for a few moments. He almost says no. He doesn't much feel like being near strangers anymore, not after being shoved among crowds of people inside. But he's not inside anymore, so he quickly realizes that accepting the offer would probably be the best option.

"Yes," he finally says. He wonders how many people this person has made this offer to, and how many people have turned down the offer or accepted it. He steps in a little bit closer, still keeping himself at an arm's length. "I'm on Floor 8."

[anotheroldsoldier]

The good thing about the legalized drug use during these parties is that it's easy to tell who's taken it. The bright colored smears of powder are tell-tale. Bucky nods when the kid tells him his floor, motions for him to follow. He doesn't get close enough to touch, using gestures instead to guide him away from the worst of the crowd to a smaller, clearer street. The air feels a little easier to breathe here.

"Should just be a ten minute walk to the housing building. You gonna be okay once you get home?"

[bringbackgold]

Otabek is grateful for the distance. He has noticed that he's rather sensitive to touch, but he doesn't enjoy being touched by strangers normally, so he was feeling a little mixed up and confused. He keeps his personal bubble, even as he navigates through the worst of the crowd. He takes a deep breath, getting some air and feeling a little bit better once he does.

He considers Bucky's question. Even if the answer was no, he's not going to say that. "Yes." He knew if he had any problems once he got back, he did have a few people he knew from home to talk to if he absolutely had to. Although he didn't necessarily think he wants to disturb Yuri, or Yuuri and Viktor.

[anotheroldsoldier]

Bucky keeps a careful eye out, but the kid seems steady enough on his own two feet. No further assistance than this is required. A couple of drunk people do narrowly avoid running into Otabek, but Bucky gently guides them to the side as they wobble off.

Years ago, he probably would have been one of those drunk people. Now he's the chaperone. God, this place is good at making him feel old.

"Good. It's a straight shot for six blocks here and then we'll take a left."

[bringbackgold]

Otabek shifts uncomfortably when he sees people coming near. His reaction time is a little slow, so Bucky's guidance keeps them from walking into him. He's grateful, because he wasn't able to respond effectively with what was going on in his system. On any normal day, it would have been an easy thing for him. He's annoyed with himself.

He shifts back, still keeping himself an arm's length away from Bucky. "Six blocks." He keeps moving, motivated to get back as quickly as possible. He counted down the blocks. He keeps his eyes forward, trying to make sure that if anyone approached, he moved. "Not too far." He sounds serious, able to keep his expression even.

[anotheroldsoldier]

"Not too far at all," he agrees, mildly encouraging. Herding kids back to their homes has been his job for the last couple of nights and he's gotten better at it, more familiar with the effects of the powder, though he hasn't taken any himself. He doesn't like to be impaired.

He leads the way, keeps the path clear. "What's your name, kid?"

[bringbackgold]

He feels better the closer they get to the housing. He knew what he was doing when he ended up in that room, and still didn't feel good about it. He doesn't much like being impaired, either. But he did want to get a better feel for the place, so he still did it. He was having some regrets. He was looking forward to sleeping off the effects of this for the night.

He looks towards Bucky when he asks him his name. "Otabek," he said. He figured his first name was more than enough. If the other wanted his last name, he would ask for it, he was sure. "You?" he asked. Despite the effects going on, his expression didn't change too much. His brows were still furrowed, as if deep in though, and he looked serious.

1

[yokunaru]

[The thing about this particular festival is that it's literally everywhere. With all the bright colors spread across the city, Otabek's all-black ensemble stands out in the crowd. Yuuri's gaze is drawn to it at first, having seen it out of the corner of his eye.

Then, he's staring for a different reason altogether. With quick steps, Yuuri weaves between the many festival goers until he's standing before the other skater.]

Otabek? [Slowly, a grin unfurls on his lips.] It is you.

[bringbackgold]

[ Otabek hadn't even considered how much he would stand out in the crowd. He typically wore black to avoid exactly that. But with the way this festival was set up, he certainly did. He blinks at his name, and takes a moment. He hadn't really expected to see any other skaters. Or anyone he knew really. And while he didn't know Yuuri well he was a familiar face. ]

Yuuri.

[ He nods. He hadn't really talked to him outside of a little bit of time in Barcelona. He seemed nice, though. ]

I got here a few days ago. Yourself?

[ He's genuinely curious. ]

[yokunaru]

Over a week ago. Viktor's here, too. You'll probably see him around soon. [At the same time, Yuuri wonders if he should simply organize some sort of get-together, now that he's realizing several of them are actually here.

All that's left is figuring out if Otabek remembers anything or not. While Yuuri has an instant attachment to him, simply because he's from home, he'd be the first to admit that he doesn't know Otabek very well. The younger skater's simply difficult to read. Cautiously, Yuuri glances at him.]

Did the portal catch you by surprise, too?

[bringbackgold]

[ His attention solidly on Yuuri, he considers him and what he's said. Viktor was here, too, then. While he had yet to encounter the older skater, it was kind of nice to know that there were familiar faces here. Even ones he wasn't necessarily friends with. He'd much prefer spending time around people he knows than strangers, as it were. ]

A bit. I was in Barcelona then came here.

[ It was a bit of a surprise, at least. One day, he was in his room in Barcelona, the next he was here. It had been a busy time in Barcelona, but his arrival had interrupted his sleep. ]

[yokunaru]

Barcelona.. for the Grand Prix Final?

[Terrible as he is at hiding his emotions, Yuuri's disappointment is visible for a second before he ducks his head slightly so he can collect himself. Well, he'd known it was as a possibility as soon as he encountered Cassian here.

Even without his memories of Eluvio, Yuuri's still glad to see Otabek here safe and sound, so it isn't too difficult for him to muster up a smile, small as it is.]

Well. It's good to see a familiar face here.

[bringbackgold]

The finals are over.

[ The answer comes easily, simply. He knows how everything turned out, and he's not sure whether or not Yuuri does anymore. Still, he doesn't talk about it. He figures it's better to not. After all, what's going on now? Certainly is more pressing to him. He has adjusted well, though, to the shift in location. He's used to moving around, so being somewhere different isn't terrifying, it's how he got here that's odd. ]

It is.

[ He's curious, though, since Viktor is here, too, whether or not Yuri is. He'd be glad to see his friend. ]

You said Viktor is here, too. I haven't seen him yet.

[ He inevitably would soon, though. Especially during this festival, since everyone seemed to gather here. ]

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri nods slowly, not too surprised by his answer. The Final had been over for Otabek and Yurio last time, too.]

He's around the festival somewhere. [Which is...not exactly helpful, considering the celebration seems to be going on across the city.] You could always stop by our apartment later if you want to see him.

[bringbackgold]

I'm sure I'll see him.

[ Otabek wasn't like desperate to see Viktor, really. And if the other was there, he was sure that they would encounter each other. It was inevitable, actually. ]

You're in the community building?

[ For confirmation, just in case he did feel the need to come visit. ]