monthly mingle: FAJRO & LUNAR NEW YEAR

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: fajro & lunar new year
when: The month of February.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

fajro & lunar new year

In the days leading up to February 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Fajro and the Lunar New Year. This is a combination of various traditions from several different universes, all of which involve cleaning house, physically and metaphorically, in preparation for the upcoming spring and summer months. The traditions associated with these celebrations involve getting rid of clutter and unnecessary junk that is then burned in large bonfires along the beaches, clearing the air of lingering resentments and old wounds with magical penalties for those who choose not to share, and a broad sampling of Lunar New Year traditions from a variety of cultures.

an opportunity to shed negative energy

There's nothing that's more detrimental to the forming of a good, solid community than lingering resentment and anger - this is something that most residents of the Quarantine tend to agree on. In recognition of that fact, Fajro is geared toward cleaning out the negativity, getting rid of clutter and trash in the home, body, and mind. Residents do spring cleaning in their homes and businesses and either give away or burn the things that they don't need and that are only serving to add an extra burden. Likewise, residents are encouraged to clear the air with friends, family, coworkers, and anyone else interacted with on a frequent basis. The second half of the month is taken up with the Lunar New Year, which is an almost universal tradition in this reality, and focuses on letting go of negative energy and welcoming positive energy into life going into the new year.

i.cleaning house

The first thing that most residents do during the month of Fajro is cleaning house. This means going through all the junk in the house, all the little things that clutter up a place, and clearing them out. A commonly-heard saying in the Quarantine during Fajro cleanup is "does this bring me joy?", a proverb that encapsulates the meaning of the tradition - to shed the parts of the past that bring pain or add to a person's burden, and keep only what brings joy into each person's life. The rest is either thrown away and burned, or donated to bring joy to someone else's life.

After the cleaning is complete, residents carry what they no longer want or need to the beaches of the river, where bonfires are set up each night for two weeks, in order to burn the excess and let the ash float down the river, a symbolic city-wide purging of bad memories, pain, and burdens.

ii. clearing the air

Another tradition in the Quarantine during Fajro is to clear the air with friends, family, acquaintances, coworkers, teammates, or anyone else that takes up space in a person's life. Every relationship comes with some amount of resentment, and the residents of the Quarantine take pride in being able to shed that resentment every year, to start fresh on relationships, building them into something newer and healthier. However, with every wave of new people that arrive during a year, there's a common pattern - those who haven't yet fully come to accept this particular tradition may avoid airing their grievances. Whether it's because they don't care to understand what they're feeling, don't acknowledge the resentment, want to appear strong and unaffected, or just because they don't like confrontation, there are any number of reasons people might choose to keep their hurts and resentments to themselves.

Of course, that doesn't really lend itself to clearing the air, so several of the higher-ups at Gramarye Magic Research came to a quick and easy solution in the form of a magically-infused mist that falls over the city on the morning of February 1st, which will burn off by the evening of February 3rd. Anyone who inhales the mist or absorbs it through their skin by going outdoors or being close to doors, windows, or air vents, during the first few days of February will find themselves thinking more often of the things that have hurt them, the resentments they've built up, and the desire to talk about them, to excise them. Starting on February 15th, any character who has been exposed to the mist and who has still kept their grievances bottled up will find themselves...afflicted with something very uncomfortable to remind them of how unhealthy it is to keep things to oneself and let them fester.

Afflictions can vary in scope depending on how thoroughly the character was exposed to the mist, how intense their feelings of resentment lie, and most of all, player preference. They are primarily physical effects that can range from mildly embarrassing to extremely uncomfortable. Whether it's the addition of a tail or horns, skin that changes color depending on the character's mood, loss of a sense, or any other physical effect, the sky's the limit. Afflictions should be something the character finds uncomfortable, and will last until February 28th or until the character clears the air, whichever comes first. Talking to a third party about their feelings of resentment will provide a temporary relief from the symptoms of the affliction, but the only way to permanently remove it is to talk directly to the source of the problems. If a character carries feelings of resentment toward someone who is not in the game, having a deep conversation with someone in the Quarantine will permanently clear or preempt the affliction.

iii. lunar new year

Originally, Fajro was celebrated all on its own in the Quarantine, but over the years, the traditions have evolved - the major change that's happened in the past decade or so is the addition of an entire other set of traditions surrounding the Lunar New Year, the celebration of which has proved to be a pretty universal constant across many different planets and in many different universes. Lunar New Year is celebrated with special food, activities, and street markets that pop up across the Quarantine throughout the month of February.

This year, the patron animal of the Lunar New Year is the dog, so residents are encouraged to bring their canines out with them to be spoiled, dressed up, and primped.

Thank you to Mari and Anna for suggesting the celebration and submitting the activities and images for this prompt!

hound town

Anyone wandering the city will find it beautifully decorated with beautiful red lanterns, and paper or cloth dog effigies. There are lots of stalls selling adorable themed dog clothing. At night, the red lanterns light up the streets, bathing them in a warm orange-red glow each night.

The entire city looks festive, and residents can be seen wearing red and gold or dog-themed clothing, strolling through the night markets with their pet dogs, sharing drinks of warm alcohol or other warm beverages. Booths selling a small toy called a jegi can be found very commonly, along with instructions on how to play the traditional Lunar New Year game, jegichagi (video), which involves kicking the jegi to keep it from falling to the ground, with the winner being the one to keep it up for the longest number of kicks.

Other booths are selling a wide variety of dog-themed items, red lanterns for residents to carry around on sticks, and giving away some very special red lanterns that the sellers will advise residents to hang onto for later in the season...

wish lanterns

Toward the end of the festival, the special red lanterns that residents received will start to glow, displaying a set of instructions outlined in magical light on the shade - residents are encouraged to take the lanterns down to the beaches by the Fajro bonfires on the last night of the celebration, and whisper to them a wish. Once the wish has been whispered to the lantern, it will lift into the air, hanging there for a few moments with all the other lanterns. For a few moments, the night sky will be alight with bobbing lanterns.

And then they will all pop into an explosion of colorful confetti, showering the crowd below. Anyone standing in the crowd who gets showered with confetti will feel a glowing wave of positive energy sweep through them.

street food and games

Street food is very popular in Riverview, and special food for the Lunar New Year is no exception, and considering how many different cultures and alternate realities have some version of a celebration for the Lunar New Year, there are a ton of seasonal snacks that are being sold from carts and featured in restaurants throughout the city. While you can find just about anything that's ever been associated with the Lunar New Year, some of the most popular dishes are sliced rice cake soup, savory pancakes, a cooked vegetarian salad, stuffed sticky rice cakes, and beautiful candy boxes that are usually given as gifts or brought to Lunar New Year parties. Besides these treats, tiny citrus fruits ranging from mandarin oranges to tangerines to any alien variety of small citrus.

And for people who bring their dogs along, many stalls are giving away complimentary biscuits for them, with the option to buy boxes or gift packs of the biscuits to take home.

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Roman Ignatowski; image ii: Jan Vavrusa; image iii: Federico Belingheri; image iv: Yuechi Lee

navigation

Comments

Blue Sargent | OTA

[amplifyings]

doing a little housekeeping ( cleaning house : communal housing, floor 14 )

[ Blue doesn't exactly have many things yet. She arrived with very little, and hasn't gotten settled in enough for there to be much -- if any -- clutter in her room.

(Not that she was much of the type to let clutter build. Organized chaos, perhaps, but never clutter.)

But that doesn't stop her from roaming the other floors in search of someone in need of a hand -- or two. The wild-haired teen is in a rather upbeat mood, so don't hesitate to recruit her to help when she inevitably comes poking her head into an open door. ]

ain't nothing but the dog in me ( lunar new year )

[ There was likely nothing that could have kept Blue Sargent away from all the festivities -- with every type of pooch walking around, some even decked out in their New Year's best, Blue felt it her duty to go out and pet each and every one of them.

Friend to dogs everywhere, no matter where she might find herself.

If you're one of the many people walking around with their furry companion, expect an excitable and festively dressed teenager to run up asking to pet your four-legged friend. ]

how much is that doggie in the window? ( hound town )

[ It's amazing that Blue has enough room in her small body for the amount of food and snacks that the girl consumes over her time at the festival. She stops at just about every stall to sample something, even returning to a few of her favorites time and time again.

But, delicious delicacies aside, it's the various dog themed gifts and toys that really catch her attention -- picking up various handmade trinkets and looking them over closely, trying on different pieces of beaded jewelry, and eventually donning a pair of dog ears attached to a headband. ]

I don't know... [ She speaks to her reflection, unaware of anyone else nearby. ] it looks like that snapchat filter....

wildcard

anything you'd like, will match tenses and styles! I'm also more than happy to plot or write starters, just shoot a message over to unnideul

hound town

[stantheman]

What's a snapchat filter?

[ Stan happens to over hear Blue's commentary to her reflection and despite relatively knowing that she's not talking to him he asks the question anyway. He's curious, what can he say? ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue hadn't realized she'd been speaking loud enough for anyone else to hear -- or rather, that anyone would have been paying close enough attention to her to hear. -- and she gives the boy a quick once over, sizing him up.

(Such is an automatic sort of reaction when it comes to the opposite sex and Blue Sargent. Blame it on growing up around Raven Boys.) ]

It's an app. You can take pictures and write messages on them, and then send them to your friends. [ She doesn't have any real experience with it. She's only heard. ] There's a filter that gives you dog ears like this.

[stantheman]

[ Stan probably wouldn't blame her. He gives just about everyone judgmental once overs at the very least upon meeting them. ]

Why? That sounds kind of dumb... [ Not necessarily the first thing but it giving you dog ears? Why would anyone want that? ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue would agree, it is pretty dumb and she doesn't exactly see the appeal of it, but every other millennial seems to be obsessed with it. ]

It kind of is. [ Pulling the ears off, the puts them back on the small display that she'd plucked them from. ] Some of the filters are pretty funny. They'll make your mouth really big, or put your face in a sushi roll, but mostly it's dog filters and flower crowns.

[ She kind of likes the flower crowns, though. ]

[stantheman]

Couldn't people just go to a fun house for that... or make a flower crown or whatever?

[ it seems more practical to him. After all then you'd have an actual item and everything, right!? What's people's obsession with things that aren't real in the future? He has no idea. ]

[amplifyings]

Fun houses aren't really in abundance where I'm from.

[ She gives a short chuckle. Blue's pretty sure that outside of a traveling fair she's never seen a funhouse. ]

Probably for the sake of convenience. [ A shrug. ] It's easier to just stick a digital flower crown on than to take the time to make one.

[ Laziness is a big thing in the future. ]

[stantheman]

Oh. There's not a whole bunch where I'm from either. [ Stan says with a shrug. ]

It just seems really pointless..

[amplifyings]

But you've been to one before, haven't you?

[ Blue head tilts to the side ever so slightly -- there's something interesting about this kid. ]

You'll find out as you get older that a lot of things in life are pointless.

[ This attitude is probably why she's a dogsitter instead of a babysitter. ]

lunar new year

[antietam]

[ Adam is not as experienced as Blue in dog-walking, especially not with three overexcited dogs who want to greet every person at the festival. Any time he stops to look at a booth offering some practical pet supplies, they run to the end of their leashes and pull him somewhere new.

This time, when he finds them again in the crowd, they're pawing at someone's brightly-colored legs. ]

Geez, I'm sorry, they're really― [ And finally he gets close enough to look at the person his dogs are harassing. ] Blue! You're here! I mean, you're here, right?

[ She's not a hologram or something? ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue definitely has a newfound appreciation for the Year of the Dog and Lunar New Year in general. Between the festivities and the food, she's been enjoying herself more than she has in a long time -- browsing from vendor to vendor, and even more excitably from dog to dog.

And she's even more excited when a trio of pooches comes running up to her, jumping and pawing playfully at her legs. ]

Well, look at these little guys! [ She exclaims, crouching down to feed the three a few spare treats she had stashed away in her pocket, her attention completely focused on the pups until the sound of her name has her head snapping up to look at the owner. ]

Adam? [ She blinks, quickly getting back on her feet and looking him over. ] Of course, I'm here. [ She pauses a beat, one of her brows arching high on her forehead. ] There's not a clone of me running around or something, is there?

[antietam]

[ The dogs seem to love Blue, which should surprise no one, and it gives Adam a moment of reprieve while their attention is kept on her and not some other stranger. ]

That wouldn't be the weirdest thing. [ But he's not getting into that. Instead, he smiles and realizes he should try to rein in his dogs. ]

No, it's just that Ronan and I have been here for a while. [ A beat. He motions to the dogs. ] As you can see. There's been no sign of anyone else we know. I'm glad to see you. [ He'd hug her or something but the dogs seem to have the affection covered. ]

Are you adjusting okay? Haven't met any of the resident weirdos?

[amplifyings]

[ Adam's response earns him A Look, but Blue opts not to question it for the moment. Truth be told, she'd rather be a bit more settled in before any revelations of clones starts happening. ]

Ah, so these are yours? [ Which answers her first unspoken question; whether or not the dogs belonged to Adam, or if this was simply his current means of employment. And her expression falters for only a moment as Adam continues. No sign of anyone else we know.

Which answers her second unspoken question; Gansey. The small sliver of hope that the three boys had managed to remain as inseparable as always. ]

I'm... adjusting. It'll take some time to get used to. [ She nods, offering Adam a grin. ] Other than Ronan, you mean?

[antietam]

Yeah. The city did a roundup of strays so they wouldn't be left out in the cold, and, well... [ He and Ronan can't resist strays. ] There's a cat back at home too.

[ He doesn't think to explain where home is when he spots that brief falter. He'd also been silently hoping Gansey followed Blue here, because he would follow her anywhere.

It's been a while since he's seen Gansey, so he understands how she feels. ]

You joke, but Ronan isn't nearly the weirdest or the biggest asshole around these parts. He's been sulking ever since he lost his title. [ He glances around and decides they should probably get out of the way of everyone. He motions for her to follow him along the path, pulling the dogs along. ]

Are you hungry? There's probably an alien yogurt place somewhere.

[amplifyings]

[ Blue smiles softly at Adam's explanation -- there's never been any doubt of Ronan's soft side when it came to animals and she was almost certain that it took very little convincing to get him to take in the group of strays. ]

I have no doubt you've given them all a good home. [ A pause, only long enough for Blue to snort in laughter. ] I'm sure he'll find a way to earn his rightful place back soon enough

[ She follows a few steps behind Adam, the group of dogs weaving their leashes into a nasty knot just waiting to happen and Blue eyes it warily. ]

I haven't tried alien yogurt, it sounds interesting. [ At that she holds out a hand expectantly. ] You also kind of suck at this. Gimme a couple of those.

[antietam]

[ Adam is just happy when the dogs actually follow him, he doesn't think about the tangle that's forming. When Blue holds out her hand, he probably passes her two leashes a little too fast. The two rowdier ones. ]

Not all of us speak dog. [ But he doesn't seem too offended. He points to the dogs. ] That's Newton. That's... Thorpedo, but he responds to Puppy, even if he's getting too big for that. Ronan isn't allowed to name any more animals.

[ He waves the leash he still has. ] This one's Tesla.

[amplifyings]

[ Blue takes a quick moment to untwist the two leashes that Adam hands over before kneeling down and giving the pair of dogs the attention they seem to be so desperate for -- if the way that they continue to excitedly bounce around Blue's legs means anything, at least. ]

You should probably take a lesson or two if you're going to have this many of them. [ She grins playfully up at Adam before turning her attention to each pooch as they're named. ] Puppy is a better alternative than Thorpedo.

[ She snorts in laughter, standing back up and motioning for Adam to lead the way. ]

Was the theme on purpose with the other two?

hound town

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco just came here to have a good time, eat some street food, pet some adorable dogs. But he'd made the fatal error of thinking (not even saying out loud!) the phrase 'what could possibly go wrong?' So, naturally, something did.

He's making his way between the stalls, minding his own business, when he feels a telltale lurch in his guts, a sensation as if the world is slipping out from underneath him. It catches him off-guard. He isn't even touching anything, isn't feeling particularly frightened or excited. Nothing that ought to make him particularly susceptible to a vibe. But it happens, anyway, and the next moment he's blinking at a view of that same street, from almost the same position he was in before the vision swept him up. He looks quickly for anything displaying the time, sees a watch on the hand of a vendor that shows only three minutes in the future.

And Cisco watches through the strange, blue-tinted, distorted world around him as someone a ways up the road loses his grip on the metal hand-pushed street cart (the kind people sell frozen treats out of), and it comes careening down, towards where Cisco is standing. Those further up the street see it come towards them and dodge out of the way. Except for one girl, distracted by a display of bracelets. The vision lasts just long enough for Cisco to see the cart hit her, before it's breaking up, dissolving into static and then nothing, leaving him standing stock still, breathing fast and shallow, his mind reeling.

He doesn't have time for an elaborate plan. He's got to do something, quickly, and then deal with the explanations after. Cisco searches the crowd around him, sees with a shock of recognition that same girl, looking at that same jewelry. He walks over, pushing his hair back behind his ears, attempting a nervous smile. He says, with ill-concealed urgency: ]

Hey, um. Hello. Hi. Listen, I know this sounds crazy but uh, you need to like, not be standing there. Can you just... come over here for a minute.

[ And he motions her towards himself, out of the way, with a small glance up the street. He can see the cart, not yet out of control, but there's no way he's making it over there in time. ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue's visited just about every small stall selling brightly colored -- and mostly overpriced -- souvenirs. She knows for a fact that she wants to take something home to remember all the celebrations and festivities, but it's an increasingly difficult task for her to find just the right thing.

Currently, a small display of multicolored, and somewhat gaudy, jewelry has her attention. They likely aren't things that the normal 18 year old would wear, but Blue's style isn't one that's particularly normal and each piece that she tries on somehow seems to fit the.... unique look that she's sporting.

Someone suddenly strolling up to her -- and someone she doesn't know, at that -- immediately has Blue putting her guard up. Narrowing her gaze at the boy approaching her and not letting it up the entire time he speaks.

If anything, her expression only becomes more and more skeptical. ]

Excuse me? [ Blue gives a quick look around, making sure there isn't someone else standing nearby that he could be talking to. ]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco's not dumb; he can see this girl glaring at him, looking suspicious and annoyed, and he gets it. He would be the same way, if a random stranger walked up to him and started talking nonsense. But he doesn't have time for introductions, and he's too worried and frantic from the unexpected vision (he keeps seeing it over and over in his head, the moment of impact, and sometimes, he really, really hates his powers...).

So when she just stares at him, staying exactly where she is, the fear and urgency in his chest twist a bit tighter, edging towards panic, now. He glances once more up the street, thinks about calling out - could he be heard, that far away? What would he even say? Hold onto your cart better, idiot? It seems just as likely that he would startle the guy into letting it go.

Turning back to Blue, Cisco repeats, more urgently: ]

Just- listen to me, you can't be right here, okay? You've gotta move. Like, right now, or you're gonna get hurt.

[ He glances again towards that metal cart, takes a step or two back from Blue, gesturing with his hand for her to follow him. The strain and fear in his expression are obvious. ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue is likely the most wary when it comes to boys -- she's got an entire set of rules of her own that specifically warn her to keep away from boys.

No matter how non-threatening or helpful they are trying to be. (She never said that the rules were foolproof -- or logical -- just that they were her rules.)

But, Blue can sense the urgency. Not just in the boy's voice, but in his clearly panic-stricken expression and the frantic way he continues to try and explain himself with nothing more than vague explanations and even more vague hand gestures. ]

What are you talking about? [ Blue looks around curiously, strange prophecies that usually include serious injury aren't something new to her -- and the more the wheels in her head continue turning, the more this seems like exactly what is happening.

So, as to not end up maimed, or otherwise harmed, Blue carefully -- skeptically, still -- follows the few steps that Cisco takes.

Better safe than sorry, right? ]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco is worrying, in those last moments before Blue moves, that he is going to have to reach over and just grab her, try to haul her out of the way and apologize later. But then she takes one step, and another, and the rush of relief he feels is immense. He keeps beckoning her over, further out of the way, and then the sounds start up. Clattering, up the street. Shouts, gasps, people ducking out of the way.

By the time he convinces Blue to move, there is only been a window of around twenty seconds before that cart comes barreling down, crashing at high speed into the display of jewelry precisely where she'd been standing. She and Cisco are still close enough that they get pelted by a few beads and necklaces that were sent flying by the impact. Then, stillness, and silence. ]

Dios mío, thank fuck, that was way to close.

[ He'd done it. Badly, and narrowly, but he'd done it. Cisco covers his face in his hands, letting out a very shaky sigh. Even though the danger has passed, it's going to take a while for that sour-stomached feeling of panic to settle down. He'd never had to deal with such a tiny margin of time to change things as he had just now. If he hadn't been here...

The people around them are all gawking and staring, but thankfully, they are all looking at the crashed cart, not at Blue or Cisco. They'd managed to move inconspicuously enough that no one had noticed anything unusual. He drops his hands to his sides again, looking at Blue, asking with obvious worry: ]

Are you okay? It didn't- you were out of the way? You're not hurt?

[amplifyings]

[ Blue takes a few more cautious steps toward where Cisco is leading her just as everything begins to unfold in a matter of seconds; the clatter a short distance away, the shouting in an attempt to warn anyone in the direct path of the runaway cart, and then the even louder crash as it collides with the jewelry display that Blue had just been standing in front of.

That Blue would have still been standing in front of were it not for this completely random stranger.

Coincidence. Blue thinks in a way that implies the very opposite. ]

I'm fine, I'm fine. [ Blue's head is on a bit of a swivel, taking in the entire scene before returning her attention to Cisco. ] Thanks for that. [ Then her eyes narrow at him curiously. ]

You knew that would happen? [ Which sounds less like a question and more like Blue stating a fact accusingly blunt. ]

[franciscoramon]

[ All of Cisco's focus and energy and emotion had been directed at averting the crisis in any way that he could. He hadn't been thinking about discretion, much less making a good first impression on this stranger. But now, inevitably, she is asking him questions - ones he isn't prepared to answer. He tries, by reflex, to deflect at first. ]

What, me? Are you joking? I'm not- I couldn't- of course not, how would I- ?

[ But he isn't a good liar, even in the best conditions, and these are far from being the best conditions. His eyes keep getting drawn back to where that cart had crashed, the way it had twisted and broken the stand with the jewelry. How he'd seen, just for an instant, Blue being the thing that was twisted and broken from the impact - but no, he needs to not think about that.

He stops before he can even get through the attempted lie, shoulders slumping as he says, with dawning realization: ]

There's no way that's gonna work, is it?

[ It's only going to embarrass both of them if he keeps on trying, when it's so obvious that he had known. His demand that she move had been too specific, too urgent. ]

[amplifyings]

[ Blue's expression remains as flat as possible throughout Cisco's poor excuse for an explanation -- which really sounds a whole lot more like denying than actually explaining what happened. Or how he knew that it would.

Blue immediately wants to jump to the only thing she knows: she's somehow managed to find a psychic in this place. Perhaps it was something to do with her amplification, maybe she acted like some kind of beacon to those with powers similar to those in her own bloodline.

Maybe it seemed like a jump to make, but even the ever-sensible Blue Sargent was allowed the wishful thought or two. ]

No. [ She shakes her head, arms folding across her chest as she continues to eye Cisco rather scrutinizingly. ]

Care to share your answer with the class?