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

[deploy]

Oh, I don't know. It's pretty bad.

[The first step is admitting you have a problem. He tilts his head back to eye Jim up from beneath the helmet. Trying to gauge his expression, and see if he isn't just bullshitting him. Jim isn't just skilled at the art of bullshit. He's a master.]

Promise you won't laugh?

[winscenario]

Doubt it'll be the end of the world, though.

[ His smiles stretches a hint, reaching up to his eyes, wrinkling them at the corners. He bites it back some, nodding more solemnly. John's acting weird, but there's also something strangely cute about him, Jim can't quite put his finger on what right now. ]

I... promise I will try.

[ Look, it's the best he can do, alright. Better than lying, at least. And if John won't stop him now, then he'll pull the helmet up and off his head, to see what's this terrible thing he's hiding. ]

[deploy]

[To John's credit, he takes off the helmet all on his own.

It's just his usual mess of hair until the ears pop up, one at a time. Pointed and fuzzy. They twitch, in tune with John's nerves as he waits for Jim's response.]

I woke up like this.

[winscenario]

[ Jim's eyebrows rise slowly, one for each ear that pokes up and out of John's messy hair. He lets out a soft gasp, then covers his mouth with both hands, frozen in surprise for a few good seconds.

To his credit, he doesn't laugh. ]

John... [ Slowly, very slowly, he lowers his hands, lips curled into the faintest of smiles. ] You're so... cute.

[ HE MEANS IT. ]

[deploy]

[Jim doesn't laugh, but saying he's cute is almost worse. John's ears twitch again, his face going significantly redder. His eyes dart away, looking anywhere but at Jim.

Yes, he has dog ears, and yes, he's very shy about it.]

I'm a freak.

[winscenario]

No! No— hey, look.

[ He reaches out and puts his hands on John's arms, gently coaxing him into looking at him. ] There's a species where I'm from, Caitians. They've got like... ears and tails and whiskers, and they're furry in random weird places. Some are even pretty hairy. I mean— point is, they're not freaks. And this doesn't make you a freak, either.

[ Although, yeah, he can see where the embarrassment comes from. But he still doesn't want John thinking of himself as a freak, that's just awful. ]

We'll... uh, figure this out. Find a way to get you back to normal. I promise.

[deploy]

It's more than just the ears.

[John hangs his head, and his ears droop at the same time. They're completely in tune to his emotions, as they would be with any animal.

Now that he's thinking about it, John might have some idea how and why this is happening to him. Forget airing his grievances. He keeps his regrets and bitterness under lock and key. He doesn't want them coming to the surface, never mind out in the open.

The ears and tail are a lot harder to hide, impossible, really, and maybe that's his punishment for all the secrets he'll never speak.

John scoots forward off the chair, just far enough for his tail to spring up behind him, thick and fluffy. It was really starting to hurt.]

Okay, not a freak, but... I have a goddamn tail.

[winscenario]

[ Oh, no... Jim really needs to stop smiling every time the ears shift on John's head, it's just gonna make him feel more embarrassed and upset and he doesn't want that. It's just so endearing, though, he can't help himself.

He hasn't yet been made aware of the effects of the fog earlier in the month, having been out on the mission for a while, so to him John's just an isolated incident. Something must have happened, obviously, because people just don't spring up puppy ears for no reason whatsoever.

Puppy ears and... a tail. Jim looks down when John shifts on the chair, pressing his lips tightly together. ]

You do have a tail. That's a, uh... it's a tail, yup. Definitely a tail. [ He knits his eyebrows together and nods. God, it's so cute, it's killing him. ] Any idea how this happened? I mean, uh... I haven't seen anyone else growing puppy ears and tails.

[deploy]

I've got some idea. It's this stupid festival. The one about airing your dirty laundry in public.

[That's basically John's stance on the matter. What bothers him is nothing he's willing to pour out to strangers, or even his few close friends. Not yet. It's all too old, or too fresh. A scab that will bleed if picked, or a wound that's still raw and already bleeding.

John's tail sinks, the fur compressing. At least his ass isn't going numb anymore.]

Guess that means I'm screwed.

[winscenario]

[ The topic at least helps Jim sober up a little, and he stops staring at John, fighting back the urge to coo. It's kind of impossible to completely ignore the ears and tail (they're too cute, alright, he can't help himself), but at least his look is more serious. ]

Right.

[ Yeah, Jim's not a big fan of that, either. Not that he wouldn't open up to some people about things that might bother him, he just doesn't like the forceful aspect of it. Talk, or else you're stuck like this. It's not honest, or fair. People should have a say on how much they're willing to share about themselves, and with whom. ]

Well... I know I'm probably not like your friends back home or anything, but you can talk to me. Let it out, and see if that works. I promise nothing you tell me will ever leave this shuttle.

[deploy]

Thanks, but no thanks.

[Still, it's a sweet offer, and John's ears flick upwards as he smiles. His tail even swings once.

Jim really is a good friend. They haven't known each other that long, but John does trust him. If someone had to find him like this... He's probably not the worst.

Even if he'd called John cute.]

If it makes you feel any better, it's not anything I'd want to tell my friends back home, either. Nothing against you. I'm just not a big talker.

[winscenario]

[ Jim almost wants to be upset that John dismisses his offer so quickly, but then he catches the little twitch of his ears and he has to put most of his focus into stopping himself from smiling.

Look, he's just too endearing, alright. At least he's not saying it out loud anymore. ]

Yeah, sure. Whatever you want. I mean, you might end up getting stuck like this for a while. [ Forever? ] But you won't hear me complaining.

[ Press your lips in Jim Kirk don't smile and giggle at your friend's misfortune. ]

[deploy]

I mean, they can't keep me like this forever.... Can they?

[John's heard stories. Lots of them. Riverview is a weird place, and it does weird stuff to people. The mistletoe was one thing, sure it had gotten a little awkward, but then it was one and done.

This? John's tail drops low as he frowns, pinching the brow of his nose. At least his hands are still hands and not paws.]

I don't even know where I'd start.

[winscenario]

[ This would be a whole lot more worrisome if John had been turned into an actual dog, so they should just count their blessings. Probably. ]

Well, I don't know. Maybe not? I could try and ask around, if you'd like.

[ He'd never lie just to get John to share more with him than he might be comfortable with. If there's some other way to fix this for him, then Jim will find it, and avoid John the unpleasantness of having to open up when he's not ready to.

He finds himself staring at the twitchy ears yet again, and before he can help himself, he blurts out. ] Can I touch them?

[deploy]

I'd... really appreciate that.

[His tail gives a half-hearted wag.

Lord knows John doesn't feel up to asking for help, he can barely look people in the eyes. He won't shirk his duties while... afflicted with this issue, but he'll be doing his best to avoid interacting with other people outside of his team.

At Jim's request one eyebrow pops, and so does the same ear. He's lucky he can't see himself.]

Uh, well... okay.

[winscenario]

[ Jim ignores the wag rather successfully, nodding and patting John's arm lightly. ]

Don't mention it.

[ It's what friends are for, right? And it makes him feel useful. Something for him to do, to focus on and pour his energy into. It won't give him a purpose for long, but he'll take anything that patches up the hollow, even if only briefly.

John's situation also provides good distraction in terms of entertainment, as much as John hates his current predicament; Jim can't help it. And when he gives him permission to touch the ears, he can't hide his curiosity and excitement, as he reaches out to stroke his fingertips in the same direction of the fur, all the way up to the tips. ]

They're so soft. [ God they're fluffy, he's dying. ]

[deploy]

[John's about to say something, and then Jim is touching his ears, and his mind goes blank. He can't think of anything past the stroke of Jim's fingers against his fur.

It feels good. More than good. Heavenly. John sighs, his shoulders dropping an inch, maybe two, his head falling forward in the direction of Jim's hand.]

Soft? Mm, yeah.

[winscenario]

[ Jim notices the shift in John's demeanor right away, but he doesn't dare say anything, just in case that might be enough to spook him. As it is he has to admit, he is enjoying these little details, the way John leans in towards him, and towards his touch.

So he keeps going, curling his fingers a little and dragging his nails back down to where the ears meet John's scalp, scratching along the fur. His thumbs sweep up and down the shell of the ear in the meantime, rubbing a little along the edge. ]

[deploy]

[John's eyes slide closed. All the tension melting out of his neck like he's receiving the world's best head massage.

He would be embarrassed, if his brain were working. Instead he's just blissed out, entirely lost in the scratch of Jim's fingers. His tail is wagging a mile a minute.]

Oh, god... [That's about as far as his critical thinking ability goes.]

[winscenario]

[ Funny that John should say that, because that is exactly what's going through Jim's mind at the moment. Yeah, he can see why John would feel embarrassed. He feels his own cheeks heat up a little at the reactions he's getting, but also. He's enjoying it far too much to not take advantage a little.

So as long as John doesn't tell him to stop, he won't.

His nails scratch along the more sensitive spots with care as to not hurt him, then he rubs at the thin cartilage with his fingertips, catching it between his thumb and the rest of his fingers in a careful hold. Running them in gentle circles from bottom to top, then back down before scratching his nails slowly along the fluff again.

Also he's totally watching that tail wagging like crazy. Ups the cute factor by like a thousand. ]

[deploy]

Jim... [John's had a stressful day. Between the initial growth of the ears and tail, and his subsequent panic and desperation not to be seen, he's sprouted a few new gray hairs. With any luck they're in his fur, and not on his head.

Being petted makes all John's worries disappear.

It's like getting your back scratched in just the right spot, with just the right amount of nail, multiplied by a thousand. He pushes his head into Jim's hand, groaning low in his throat. His tail wagging slower, more lazily, as he fully relaxes.

At least until his foot starts tapping on the ground. Then thumping.]

J-Jim!

[More whine than command. God help him.]

[winscenario]

[ And Jim's been having straight up shitty days for a while now, which is in good part why he's allowing himself to enjoy this a lot more than he probably should. For the sake of John's pride if nothing else, honestly, he should've stopped by now.

Even he can see how terribly embarrassing this will be for John once he's back to his senses.

It looks like the excitement is dying down, at least, so Jim doesn't stop right away. Then suddenly John's foot starts hitting the ground, and Jim can't help letting out a soft little yelp when John whines out his name. ]

John—! [ He stops scratching suddenly, covering both pointy ears with his hands and flattening them back on John's head. ] Oh my God, I'm— I'm sorry—

[ DID HE OVERSTEP it feels like he totally overstepped. ]

[deploy]

[Jim stops petting, and John’s leg stops kicking.

It takes him a moment to come back to his senses. John blinks dazedly up at Jim, ears twitching beneath Jim’s hands. His tail stills.]

Huh, what?

[John was blissed out. Completely unaware of what he just did, or how it sounded, or looked. Maybe there’s more to the whole dog thing than just the ears and tail. At least he only has to be half-way embarrassed.

John smiles, tail twitching back to life. There’s a few wags. Just from looking at Jim.]

It’s… okay?

[winscenario]

[ Well... at least John doesn't look too embarrassed when he stops. Or embarrassed at all, even. That's a relief. Jim smooths his hands over the puppy ears a few times, unable to bite back a fond smile at the way they just poke right up in the brief intervals he lets them go. ]

Oh. [ He nods, and pets John's ears again. ] Okay, then. Good.

[ Maybe he can just stick to touches that are a little less intense. John might actually strangle him when he goes back to normal and remembers how he reacted to this. ]

You're so cute, John. [ And because he can't help himself, he scratches the ears lightly and coos a little: ] Such a good boy.

[deploy]

I am?

[John's been waiting his whole life to hear that. At least that's what it feels like when Jim says it. There's no question he's being influenced by his condition, not to mention high on Jim's touch, but there's something real there, too.

John's never been the good boy.

His eyes go large and round, lower lip trembling. His heart feels like it's going to burst. Cheeks, neck, and ears (human ears) pink. Tail wagging so enthusiastically it knocks a tool off a nearby shelf. He hides his face in his hands, shaking his head. Overwhelmed.

He really will kill Jim when he comes back to his senses. Maybe. If he admits any of this ever happened.]