riverviewlogs | monthly mingle: FAJRO & LUNAR NEW YEAR

monthly mingle: FAJRO & LUNAR NEW YEAR

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

Threaded | Flat

Feel free to post up a top-level for residents of any floor in the apartment building to mingle and meet each other.

ii. Clearing the Air
Link had learned about the tradition of 'clearing the air' through the Perimeter Guard. While stepping in to see what jobs needed to be done, he had overheard a conversation about it and asked for some clarification. He had been thinking about it on his way back to the commons, and come to the realization that the only person he really resented or had any problems with was himself. Even though he still didn't know what had happened then, he knew he had failed to prevent Calamity Ganon from wreaking havoc and he took responsibility for that, not to mention that due to his failure Princess Zelda had been trapped fighting that thing for a century.

He saw no point in sharing this, despite his sudden urge to do so. This was his problem and he could deal with it on his own. Making others worry would only make him feel worse anyway. As the days went on though, his thoughts lingered more and more on these problems, though he didn't know why. Despite the nagging in the back of his head, he remained silent like he always did.

One morning however, he felt...off. He couldn't place it, but it was if the air around him became dark and heavy. During his normal routine in the commons, he glanced at the mirror and screamed in surprise and horror. His skin was black. As black as a deep, empty void. His hair had turned white, and his eyes. The glowed a brilliant, terrible red. It was as if he had turned into a monster.

Link wasn't one to sit and mope over something he didn't like, but he wasn't so sure how others would react to his appearance either. He decided to leave the commons to avoid confrontation with his roommates and camp outdoors and trying to keep his activities limited to after dark. Still, it was a big city. It was impossible to stay hidden from everyone...

iii. Lunar New Year
Before Link's transformation on the 15th, he can been seen walking around town looking at the charming decor and sampling the seasonal foods. He didn't have a dog of his own, but it was fun to see everyone out with their pets. Of course, some were friendlier than others, and he got to scratch ears and rub some bellies every now and then. If you have a dog with you, Link might ask if he can pet it.

Jegichagi
Link liked the jegichagi game the moment he tried it. He can be seen here and there at the beginning of the month practicing with it, and might come up and challenge you to a game. At least, he will before the mist transforms him for keeping his problems to himself. If you find him when he's been turned and and challenge him before running away in terror, he might oblige.

Wish Lanterns
Regardless of whether Link is still harboring his resentment or if he learned to share his feelings, he will be getting himself a lantern and making a wish with it at the end of the festival. He gasps as the bobbing lights explode and fills the sky with brilliant color, and he cups his hands to catch some while letting the rest fall where it pleases, whether it's on him, the ground, or whoever might be around him. If there's any resentment left, he can feel a warm, hopeful energy pushing it out of his mind, and he smiles softly.

Street Food
Before his unfortunate transformation, the easiest way to find Link will be to hunt down the food vendors. It is his goal to sample each and every traditional New Years' food, and he's making good progress. He will always welcome someone to chat with while he eats.

No matter how he looks, Link still has to eat, but he's not going by the food vendors until after nightfall to avoid as much trouble as he can. Still, if you're willing to talk with him, he might appreciate a conversation to distract him. Well, if the glowing red eyes don't make you want to turn and run the other direction.

iv. Wildcard
Have your own idea? Feel free to tag me with it!

i. never clean, never clean

It didn't take too long for Brink to be fixed, compared to the last time that Ivar had killed him. He'd lain at the edge of Dodger's room for weeks before he got in contact with someone who knew how to repair him - this time Brink came back surprisingly quickly, even for himself.

Anyone in the outskirts of town may see a malinois with a black-and-purple collar moving around with an almost manic sort of energy - not the kind typical for an excited dog, but the kind often associated with a mother trying her best to keep her family together. The dog can be found carrying bottles individually into the street and dumping them in or near neighbors' trash cans, dragging old and ripped clothing to the street corner as if building a pile of free donations, and occasionally bringing groceries back with him into the house. The house is... starting to smell like rotting meat, despite his best efforts to stay tidy.

iii. year of the dog

At least Brink is doing his best to attend the celebrations in Dodger's absence. He's been sending his master videos, even if he doubts Dodger is looking at them. Brink can be found wandering around stalls, wearing a pretty new outfit that was given to him by Shigeru Miyata. He looks dazzling, at least, but only seems to be participating in things as much as is requested of him by others. He can be told apart from the real dogs that way, by the solemn indifference he has toward most of this.

Later on in the festival, Brink may be found at the riverbank, head down as he stares at a wish lantern in front of his nose. If anyone comes across him and asks, or is at least still long enough that he notices them there, he will offer his insight: "I do not know if these will work with machines. I do not think wishing is in my programming."

iv. bonus chaos

There is one strange side effect of Brink's involvement in the celebrations... some people may notice some familiar bugs flying around - not many, usually only one or two. Those died out months ago, though, didn't they? Well, there's some here now... and if anyone gets bitten, they're liable to the same results as before. These fireflies will still be around, for a while... but unlike last time, there are only a few handfuls of them, and they'll be dying out by the end of the festival.

Edited 2018-02-03 16:21 (UTC)

i.cleaning house (closed to Matsuno household)

[ Listen. He was over your new house recently, boys. And guess what?

IT'S A PIG STY. Clothes everywhere, girly magazines have pages glued together, there are dust bunnies, suspicious science projects growing in the sink and the list goes on. Aoba isn't going to let this continue!

Expect a knock on your door when he thinks they're all home, equipped with a bucket of cleaning supplies and a box of garbage bags. It's time to make your house somewhat respectable, you slobs. ]

Good morning~

Heibon Special Service~~ ♥

ii. clearing the air (OTA)

[ Just like last time, Aoba avoids the tradition of airing one's dirty laundry like the plague. He comes from a culture that is reluctant to speak negatively in such a direct manner. While he doesn't always shy away from confrontation, it's hard to approach these things head on - particularly because a holiday has dictated the moment when you're supposed to do it. Shouldn't these things come naturally? They should, but when you're the kind of guy who second-guesses himself and sometimes other people, sometimes you need a little push.

Which is why STARTING THE 15TH, Aoba will start to wear hoodies with the hood up and knitted caps over his hair to conceal the affliction. Red-tinged horns are spiraling out from his head that seem to increase his proclivity towards headaches and his color is starting to look more washed out, eventually becoming pure white a week later, and his eye color soon follows. BY THE 21st, if the affliction isn't addressed, he looks completely white.

Those close to him might start to wonder what's up with the new style, others why he isn't taking off his hat or lowering his hood indoors, or why he quickly scurries to his room when he gets home. Or not going out at all after the 21st. You know, suspicious shit. ]

iii. lunar new year/hound town (OTA)

[ Aoba and Ren are enjoying the festivities, switching between various costumes some matching while others don't.

The pair can be found strolling through the street food vendors and participating in games, or Aoba laughing when Ren is accosted by more festive and outgoing locals who fuss over the dog despite the fact he's an Allmate. Ren offers stoic objections as biscuits are foisted onto him and ribbons are tied into his dark blue fur. ]

Aoba. Save me. [ Ren speaks in a startlingly low and manly voice, without moving his mouth or disrupting that perpetual blep. Aoba hides behind his hand and tries to stifle a laugh to no avail. ] Pffhaha! Why, are you in some kind of trouble?

[ ooc: want something specific? feel like doing something else? hit me up via PM or on discord @ saudade#6202 or

dormiveglia ]

i. Cleaning House (Closed to Communal Housing Floor 12)

A. The Flask
[At some point during his cleaning, Billy pauses and stares down at his nightstand where Goodnight's flask with the silver fleur-de-lis stands solemnly between some melted candles and a tiny vase for holding incense sticks; a small memorial in honor of Goody's memory, which he had set up shortly after his arrival four months ago. While it has served as a reminder of what happened to him in Rose Creek, the flask also reminded Billy of the happier times he had with Goody; he couldn't possibly throw it away. Instead, he digs through the drawer, pulls out some new incense sticks, puts them in the vase, and then some new candles to replace the melted ones. He settles down on both knees before lighting up the candles and incense with a lighter from his pocket. For a few minutes, Billy remains silently kneeling in front of the makeshift shrine.]

iii. Lunar New Year (OTA)

[For once, Billy's not dressed in his cowboy attire, but in a brand new, dark blue hanbok. Even his hat has been left at home, leaving the silver hairpin in plain sight.]

B. Food
[While the markets of Riverview have made all sorts of Asian food more readily accessible for Billy, nothing could beat the food eaten during the new year. He's been eating a bit of everything, but now he's eying a gelatinous alien dish filled with...something. He doesn't look disgusted, though. If anything, he seems more curious and is debating whether or not he should risk the possible side effects it might have.]

C. Dog Clothes
[Jina, Billy's harlequin Great Dane, has gone and sat herself in front of one of the stalls selling clothes for bigger dogs. She won't move even when Billy tugs on her leash.]

Jina, you don't need any of that. [Personally, Billy doesn't think dogs are meant to be dressed up in such ways. Wouldn't it make it harder for them to move? Still, Jina's looking up at Billy, almost pouting.] I'll give you another biscuit.

[He tries to bribe her by waving one of the biscuits near her face, but she still won't budge.]

Wildcard (OTA)
[Feel free to make up something completely different, or from another prompt in the log post! PM this account or

mariposahermosa if you'd like to get in touch with me.]

i. cleaning house

Ronan had several boxes of junk to dispose of: rings, strange and nonfunctional batteries, and a mask still covered in dirt from where he’d buried it. There were several other odds and ends. all random, failed experiments. Most of them were normal objects that felt strangely off and decorated with patterns of ravens and vines. Anyone who could sense the arcane would tell that they were anything but normal.

He tried to keep most of them out of sight, but every now and then one fell out of a box as he carried it.

"Stupid fucker," he swore and had to bend over to set the box down, clearly overwhelmed. His raven, Chainsaw, took the opportunity to fly off of his shoulder and perch on the box.

Why did he have to dream so much crap?

ii. clearing the air

Ronan never considered working things out or even unloading his feelings. As always, he buried it all and unleashed it only with insults and sarcasm. On the 15th, he found out just how bad an idea this was.

Large chunks of his skin hardened overnight, turning to red scales. When he looked in the mirror he could have sworn his eyes glowed faintly. He dealt with turning into a demon the only way he could: swearing, throwing objects, and then going to a bar after work to get drunk.

He stormed down the streets, scales glinting in the sun. It was cold enough that his breath was visible, making him look like he was exhaling smoke in preparation to spew fire. That wasn’t too far from the truth.

"What’s your problem!" he yelled at anyone who dared to look at him. His raven, Chainsaw, circled over him. Even she knew to keep her distance right now.

iii. ~~lunar new year~~ dogs dogs dogs

Still red and scaly, but less so now that he’d cooled off some, Ronan figured that there was no reason to take out his anger on the innocent. The innocent being his dogs. Like he cared about anyone else.

Now approaching their full adult size, the dogs Newton, Tesla, and Thorpedo, ambled about on their leashes. Ronan stopped by the stalls and picked up a few dog treats. Whenever they were particularly well behaved around people, he’d give them one. This did not happen often. It was more likely that his raven would pluck the treat from his hand before he could stop her. This time he was ready and he jerked it away from her before turning his attention back to the dogs.

"Jesus, Adam’s spoiling you." He reached over and grabbed an outfit clearly meant for a dog far smaller than these three. "You don’t cut this out I’m sticking you in one of these." He waved it menacingly.

The dogs were still far more interested in whoever came close, ready to assault them with wagging tails and slobbery tongues.

a. cleaning house

[Zelda has little in the way of possessions yet, much less anything she can afford to throw away. It's the opposite - she's been actively trying to go out and buy supplies for her life here. She finds herself curious about the custom regardless, and a few nights she goes out to watch the bonfires burning away near the river.

The talk of burning away painful memories touches her, and gets under her skin. She has nothing to burn this way, that wasn't already destroyed in the Calamity. But... she wonders. On the last night of the bonfires, Zelda hovers around the edges uncertainly, a folder piece of paper clutched in one hand.]

b. clearing the air

[Ever since those mists, Zelda's thoughts have turned more and more towards the past. Towards her father. She still feels great sorrow for what happened to him, a great guilt that will never leave her. But it always leads to thinking about their last conversation, and then it itches in the back of her mind, her frustration. Her hurt. Try as she might to turn her thoughts away from it, it always comes back.

So she tries what she used to do to exorcise her thoughts - she buys a journal, and she writes them down. Yet it never seems to come out right. She scribbles in it over and over, crossing things out, rewriting whole passages. A mess. Useless. One night while sitting on a bench in the city while trying to write, she's suddenly struck with blinding frustration. Without thinking she pitches the journal away from herself, where it clatters down on the sidewalk. Maybe even smacking into someone's leg on the way.

She takes a deep breath, face burning with shame, and looks up at whoever saw her rash display.]

I'm very sorry ... I wasn't trying to hit you.

c. lunar new year

[Dogs are one of Zelda's favourite animals, so she's delighted to see all the decorations go up. Even with this lingering resentment in her, it brings a smile to her face whenever a dog goes running past wearing a little red outfit. She brings out her phone and snaps photos of them whenever she can, and then continues to wander through the food carts. She can be found sampling the food around the place, and perusing the cloth effigies on display.]

These are all so cute... how is anyone meant to choose between them?

d. wildcard

[Feel free to tag in with other ideas, or drop me a line at

dudemeister if you wanna discuss!]

a. clearing the air (ota; on communal floor 2)

[ If there was something John didn't do, it was wasting time. As soon as he was settled in, gone through orientation and offered a job, he dove straight into research, to understand and make sense of the place he'd landed in and what his role here could be, what the customs were.

The Fajro celebrations held his interest, and not just because they were happening right now, but because of the idea of clearing out resentment, of voicing out all the things that had been clawing at him since - since Lorna -

He closes the book he's been reading, sitting up on his bunk - the second floor of the communal building is not empty by any means, but John's eyes don't meet anyone's else as he thinks on the meaning of it all, clearing the air, clearing his thoughts and the pain and the anger churning in his gut. Maybe talking about it wouldn't hurt. ]

Guess I've got to make friends, [ he says under his breath, more to himself than anything else. ]

b. lunar new year; market (ota)

[ John is still getting used to the fact that he has set shifts, now, the opportunity to settle down, to live a normal life. It makes him feel strange, like he doesn't quite fit in his own skin, all too used to running.

Maybe he's paranoid. Maybe he just needs to relax. He's really trying to enjoy the atmosphere of the festival, the kind that should transport just about anyone, even the most down-to-earth, work-focused ex-soldier. So far, it only makes him miss Zingo, and his people, and he feels ridiculously, stupidly lonely, all of a sudden. Which he can shrug off. He can get over this.

Only he can't. The weirdness latches onto him until he has to duck away from the market, walking down to the water instead. He's not alone here either, but it's less crowded, it's less suffocating, and he takes his time to breathe, closing his eyes as he tilts his head back to the night sky, and focuses inwards.

Meditation is always his go-to when he feels about to crawl out of his skin. ]

c. lunar new year; wishes (ota)

[ Making a wish is easy. It's the easiest thing he's had to do so far since arriving to the Quarantine. Making a wish is simple. ]

Save me and mine.

[ He whispers it into his lantern, watching it take off and fly away from his reach. And the spectacle is beautiful. John feels like a part of his own heart soars into the sky with the hundreds of lanterns floating up, so many wishes and hopes hanging on the balance. It doesn't mean much, but it also means everything.

He doesn't even turn to the person standing next to him as he ponders: ]

Are we allowed to talk about our wishes, or is it like back home - it won't come true if you say it out loud?

d. wildcard

[ Hit me up with anything - if you'd like to plot or chat, find me at ellievolia/ellie#7042! ]

cleaning house (communal housing, floor 6);

Hey, dude!

[ 'Dude' in this case is totally gender neutral. Whoever happens to be there on floor six, she's calling out to them. ]

You need help clearing out your junk? I mean, like. Not that your stuff is junk, just- Y'know, I'm new so I don't got a lot of clutter myself yet. [ And she won't, if she can help it. Who knows how long all this will really last, after all. ] I'd rather help you out if I could.

[ A beat. ]

Also, burning a bunch of stuff in a bonfire sounds like a ton of fun. We should totally do that, too. I can totally play it out epically if it makes it easier to see your stuff go up in flames, maybe.

lunar new year;

(I, Doggos!!!)

This is the best year already!

[ Rose is absolutely jazzed about all the dog-themed decorations and garb to choose from. Her face practically hurts from how wide she's grinning about it all. She wishes she had a puppy of her own if the way she's petting every single one she possibly can is any indication. Do you have a dog? Congratulations on your new best friend, honestly. Rose will make small talk with the owners as an excuse to pet their pooches.

And if they're wearing an outfit, ]

They're so cute I might actually die.

(II, Wishes)

[ She isn't the only one on the beach. Not by a long shot. Still, the woman keeps to herself as she whispers a wish into a lantern and sets it afloat. After watching someone else relatively close do the same exact thing, she steps over unevenly in the sand. ]

What'd you wish for?

[ she asks, innocently enough. The other person doesn't have to answer but she is curious. So many people seem to have wishes. She hopes they come true. ]

No worries if it's, like, a secret or anything. I'll tell you mine though if you tell me yours.

(III, Fun and Games)

[ Rose's impressive reflexes have people watching her play jegi for a lot longer than even she imagined she'd be able to keep it up. Finally, she'll kick it off to some kid and give them a chance at beating her record. It won't be easy, she lets them know. But they seem determined and she laughs as she moves onto the next thing.

She's no good at the chance games. It just seems like luck isn't on her side. Well. Except for the goldfish one. She's won that way maybe too much, holding a gaggle of plastic bags all containing little confused fishes as they slosh around. She'll look for a tank soon as she's home. They're not dogs, but... She'll be grateful for the aquatic companions's company before long, she's sure.

All these festivities have her famished, however, and before she can stop herself: ] You've got to try these, [ she says, holding out a skewer of sticky rice cakes for whoever happens to be closest. ] They're awesome.

wildcard;

(( ooc: if you have any other ideas or want me to write a specific starter, just hit me up at puddingandpie or Pudding#0541 on Discord! ))

i.cleaning house

Joyce frowns as she hefts the box full of random junk out of her new place of employment. She supposed the former General Manager had a bit of a hoarding problem, but that was fine. She was having a hard time sleeping anyway, given all the excitement of the festival, and cleaning was a part of the festival. If she wanted to make friends and get acclimated, it wouldn't hurt to honor traditions.

Later, as she sat on the beach and watched the bonfires dance before her eyes, she smiled to herself and hugged her knees to her chest, enjoying the beautiful view.

iii. lunar new year

Finding herself with little else to do, Joyce wanders the festival grounds, drinking in the spectacle.

hound town

It's no secret that Joyce has always loved dogs, so wandering through and seeing all manner of canine, and canine themed decoration thrills her to no end. It takes the sting off of her missing her own dog back at Hawkins, the little mutt who had run into the road shortly after Will had returned from the "dead". The costumes are beautiful, and Joyce spends a lot of time marveling at the detail put into each and every one of them.

wish lanterns Joyce talked her lantern down to the beach, wondering what on earth she could wish for. She always struggled with figuring out what it was she wanted from life. Most of her days before Riverview had been spent agonizing over what others wanted.

"I wish I knew what I wanted." There that seemed good enough. The lantern lifted from her hands and joined its brothers and sisters in the night sky.

Street Food and Games

Joyce was having a blast. She never thought in a million years that she would be one who could enjoy herself when she was quite alone... she never really had the opportunity really, to be perfectly honest. But here she was, ordering drinks and food by herself, unfettered by the demands of children or boyfriends. It was nice. She could do what she liked, when she liked, and though the absence of regular conversation was jarring, she felt almost free. Also, she never realized that she was so talented at street games.

a. cleaning house / communal floor fourteen

( The idea of owning enough stuff that you eventually have to clear things out is almost mystifying to Clarice. For so long she's only had herself and her duffel bag to deal with, and she's fairly certain if she had to get rid of anything in that she'd be a little more distraught than the people around her are right now. Actually, the flurry of activity is making her feel pretty bad, considering she's just been hiding in her bunk for most of the day refusing to think about anything close to spring cleaning and change. Somehow though, she finally manages to spur herself into action via some intense mental lecturing - and if it sounds like a certain leading mutant than who cares, nobody will know, it does the trick.

Throwing her legs out from the bed dramatically, Clarice glances back at the border collie currently resting with her head on said precious backpack. )

You look after that for me, all right?

( Leaving Zingo behind, Clarice makes her way out into the halls, watching with her strangely bright eyes as people carry whatever they can to the floor exits. With a quick inhale and a rounding of her shoulders, she moves to anyone who looks like they're struggling. The best offense is a bright smile, even if she's half terrified that people will see the strangeness of her face and run screaming. ) Hey, let me help you with that? ( Holding her arms out to take the load. ) If you want I can tag along, I'll totally make the trip back so much faster.

( Mutant powers, yo. )

b. hound town / lunar new year

( Okay, she really couldn't keep being a hermit. Not when there's some kind of canine festivity going on. She wouldn't do that to Zingo. The dog trots by her side constantly, Clarice continually sneaking glances because she doesn't have a lead yet. Worst dogsitter ever. But the whole thing is charming, from the little effigies she stops to look at, to the toys that she's almost tempted by. When she stops at the clothing stall, however, Clarice can't help but snort. The noise makes Zingo look up at her. ) No, I already pretty much stole you. I sure as hell won't be forgiven if I end up dressing you up too.

( She didn't steal her. Don't quote her on that. Alternatively, hide your dogs.

Eventually lured back to the effigy stall, Clarice caves and hands over the money for a tiny purple one. It feels like she's caught between being thrilled and being guilty, buying something frivolous, but the whole thing is ridiculous anyway. She's in a city on a moon. Besides, she needs stuff in her bunk. She can't be the weirdo with zero stuff. To whoever's looking over the rest, Clarice offers up a quick flash of a smile. ) Cute, right?

c. street food / lunar new year

( Stuffing a sticky rice cake into her mouth with reckless abandon isn't the most sophisticated of impressions but Clarice clearly does not care. The noise she makes is pretty much indescent and yet she's offering no apologies for it. After living on whatever she could steal and MREs, real, actual food feels almost religious. )

Holy crap, this is good.

( She wants to write an ode to it. She wants to eat like five more. Instead she valiantly tries to encourage other people into it. She's hungry, she doesn't want to come across as a glutton. )

You should try this.

d. wildcard

( Hit me up with anything you'd like. You can find me at athosing or on discord under Sarah#9964 if you want to talk first! )

Can change to 'action'

Cleaning house
The bonfires were what got her attention the most. Even in her era, people only burned items if they belonged to the dead, but that didn't seem to be the case here-not entirely, atleast. This, as she was told, was more their way of celebrating the New Year (though why now and not midwinter was what didn't make sense.

Having only lived here a few months, there were few items she thought really weighed her down; a few except for one. This she retrieved back at the farm house; the dress she wore when she first arrived, and was still suffering from the flu.

The dress didn't bring her joy, not really. It reminded her of home, not the good memories of her life before, but the knowledge she could never go back, not even if they allowed it.

She threw the home-spun garment on the fire, watching it burn.

Lunar New Year
Jegichagi

Regardless of how strange it was for a New year to be celebrated this time of the season, Gyda couldn't keep herself away from seeing the celebrations. Everything was so bright and festive, when she was handed a lantern, she saw no harm in accepting it.

At some point, she joined a few other ~~npc~~children at playing some game with a flouncy toy. For all she couldn't really pronounce what the game was called, the rules seemed simple enough and she could follow along even holding the lantern.

The circle consisted of only herself and two other children by the time she lost that round of the game.

Street food/games
The rest of the evening passed by in a better mood. At one of the game stalls, she won a small red and gold dog that was now attached to her belt, along with the red lantern. Part of her wondered at the significance of the surrounding colors, but the majority of her just thought they were nice to look at and wasn't about to question.

She made her way to one of the food stalls, curious as to the stuffed rice cakes being sold there.

[ OOC: KYLO'S JUST HAD A POST-TLJ CANON UPDATE. I tried to avoid spoilers as much as possible in this top-level, but fair warning, any subsequent tag here will probably be full of spoilers. ]

iv. wildcard catchall
[ If there's anyone who could benefit from letting go of past hurt, of resentment, of a mountain of grievances, it's Kylo Ren. And yet, for all his recent talk of letting the past die and walking away from battles of generations past, he clings to his resentment as if it's necessary for his own survival.

In fact, while others may be driven to confront the sources of their grievances, Ren's blessedly under no such compulsions. In the first weeks of February, he's reveling in his own bitterness, and his own... freedom. Snoke no longer looms, larger than life, over him. There are no more expectations. He's not an apprentice, or an attack dog, or a child in a mask. He's not the prodigal son, or some symbol of Hope and Light, if only he could be turned.

For the first time in his life, Kylo Ren just... is.

And, like a youth experiencing those firsts gasps of freedom, he dives right in. He tries all those things he'd denied himself for so long. His moods are freer, his impulses are running loose, and he's going to indulge ~~in a desperate attempt to ignore the full weight of his terrible decisions and subsequent regret~~. And yet, he seems even more miserable than ever. If you thought he was barely clinging to control before, wait til you see him now.

tldr: kylo ren continues to be the hottest of messes. ]

wιѕн lanтernѕ

[ piper hasn't been around long enough to have anything to clean out for... spring cleaning, she supposes. but! the lunar new year is something she can do and she likes the idea of wish lanterns. it's like the disney movie her dad tried to take her too before he got distracted by work. there's a touch of melancholy, but piper still takes part, whispering her wish and letting it go.

and then, quite suddenly, she is covered in glitter, letting out a startled yelp. there is confetti everywhere: her hair, inside her hello kitty tank top and the sleeves of her silvey jacket, she's pretty sure it's in her boots, stuck to her dark braids. she spits a little out of her mouth. why is it always confetti? ]

At least it's not glitter, [ she muses, picking confetti out of her hair. ]

ѕтreeт ғood & gaмeѕ

[ piper is a vegetarian ever since her dad drove her past a slaughter house in chino, but she isn't the kind of harp on about it. if she sees meat, she simply moves on to the next one, happy to try everything else and asking curious questions to the vendors, accepting their suggestions on things to try and collecting a little to go bag.

vendors are just giving it away to her so she usually just leaves the money on their stalls and offers up some of her food to the people nearby to try. ]

Do you want half?

rooммaтeѕ

[ opposed to not having anything to clear out, piper is at least bringing things in to her shared bedroom on the sixth floor. she's used to living with the wild assortment of her siblings through aphrodite; if she can live with drew, she can live with anyone. she does bring in a pretty blue blanket for her bed and screens for privacy, but they're made with a gauzy, thin fabric that can easily be pushed aside.

she tends to watch tv on her device rather than the communal television, but she makes good use of the communal kitchen, making leo's vegetarian enchiladas as a comfort food or miscellaneous veggie sandwiches. she doesn't seem to mind the company and she's always ready with an open, friendly smile and a kind word to the people she's living with. she's neat, mostly, but um. well, she's a teenager so. candy wrappers will pile up in the trash, don't ask questions. ]

wιldcard

[ do yo thang. ]

ii. clearing the air
After Amilyn's first meeting with Kylo—with Ben, damn it—she avoided him, and avoided him even more studiously in the wake of her conversation with Leia. What could she even say to him, anyway? Look what you've done to your mother barely began to cover it.

So it's not really surprising that when mid-February rolls around, things start happening. It starts out with a paralysis in her left hand, which at first fills her with horror and alarm until a combination of a medical scan and finding out about the mist puts her—not exactly at ease, but at least explains it enough that she isn't afraid that she's had a stroke. Then the throbbing headache starts, which waxes and wanes with the day in a mostly predictable fashion. And finally, most embarrassingly, she wakes up one morning to find that a small, palm-sized pair of Bantha-like horns have sprouted from her temples.

There's nothing for it. She has to talk to the boy. (Man, very well. But still a boy to her, all the more so now.)

[ Primarily this is meant for Kylo Ren, but anyone is welcome to talk to her while she's afflicted, before her confrontation with him. ]

iii. wish lanterns
She takes her lantern down to the beach with everyone else. What will she wish for? It's obvious, of course. There is a whispered prayer for the survival and victory of the Resistance, and then she lets the lantern go.

wildcard
[ Before her clearing-the-air symptoms kick in and after she finally gives Kylo a piece of her mind, Amilyn will be out and about, participating in the various festivities and also happily greeting and playing with any canines that come her way. ]

Edited 2018-02-05 18:53 (UTC)

SIDE A: HERO MODE.

i. cleaning house | option a

[All Might is more than happy to help with the cleaning out part!! It's why one can find him emerging from the apartment complex with a huge and comical pile of boxes on his shoulders and a hearty laugh rumbling in his chest.]

Hello!! If you'd like to add to the pile, feel free! I'm quite the juggler, you see!! Hahaha!

[He's seven-foot-three or so, but he's full of good-natured heroism, so don't be alarmed at his large shadow! He may very well just be lingering around, eager to assist in any way possible. After all, that's the benefit to someone with super strength or speed or what have you. At one point he even nobly assists in carrying a piano overhead, to donate to whatever place may need it, be it a cafe or school or music hall.]

i. cleaning house | option b | limited to two taggers

[Strangely enough, though...

Sometime during helping out in the community housing, All Might disappears coughing around a corridor rather quickly at one point— And making a beeline for the private apartments. All Might also appears to be... steaming... Like... literal steam is rolling off him. This isn't a good thing, one imagines. He doesn't make it to the apartment he's aiming for before a big PAAAAH of smoke envelopes him, and eventually fades to reveal —

S-say, that looks like that Toshinori Yagi guy, once the smoke clears.

IT'S A GOOD THING NOBODY SAW HIM HUH.]

SIDE B: INCOGNITO CIVILIAN MODE

ii. cleaning the air / iii. wish lanterns

[Toshinori's had a time of things the last five or six years, he can't really lie. He also can't deny that there are some... festering feelings, with how certain things went. It makes him a bit more dour than his usual self permits — perhaps a bit too self-reflective. Really now, Toshi...!, he thinks. He's usually better at keeping a cap on these underlying weaknesses, or at the very least focusing on something more crucial. But here in Riverview, nothing is quite as crucial as it'd be at home.

He considers the instructions on the wishing lantern with a mild frown, sitting on the beach. Everyone's quite busy enjoying the night, hustling and bustling, but he can't quite get over the nagging feeling that he should... do something with himself. Say something. Admit his grievances to a paper lantern. That's foolish, though; All Might, number one hero, pillar of peace, he doesn't talk about his personal issues. Especially not to inanimate objects. Just what's getting into him lately... Anyway!!

Aaah, what should he wish for? How difficult, to cut it down to a basic wish.

With a deep sigh, he practices the weight of multiple wishes:]

I wish for peace and prosperity! Aah, that's pretty basic...

I wish for the happiness and good health of those around me! That's a little better...

I wish for good funding for education? That's more specific...!

Edited 2018-02-05 20:25 (UTC)

( Festival Games )
[ Katsura isn't a member of Odd Jobs, but he has been known to follow similar lines of work for the sake of his own ambitions. So throughout the festival Katsura can be found working and volunteering at various booths (sometimes without the actual owner's knowledge). With his hair tied back and his sleeves rolled up he even looks the part of a proper carnival worker (in Japan, at least).

This work is solely to gather information and scout out potential allies, of course, and has nothing to do with the multitude of dogs in attendance. ]

( A - Shooting Booth )
[ It's a pretty simple game: shoot a star out of card with a pellet gun and win a prize! Katsura has a few different ways of calling out to passersby, shouting things like: ]

Test your skills! Anyone can play! Air your grievances by shooting a photograph of someone you hate! Every winner is entered into a raffle for an all-you-can-eat ticket to the rest of the stalls!

[ ... Well, at least Katsura seems perfectly enthused about his job, even if some of the things he shouts are a bit unsettling. ]

( B - Jegichagi )
[ On other days, Katsura can be found standing outside a certain booth juggling a red and gold jegi. It get easier and easier the longer he does it, by the afternoon of the first day he almost looks like a professional. If anyone seems interested in his display he snatches the jegi out of the air and offers it out to the newcomer. ]

Would you like to try?

[ The booth has a gimmick, though. It is simply selling the jegi, of course, but there's a potential discount to be had. You can get one for a third of the price, provided you can keep it in the air for 20 kicks in a row.

On the other hand, if someone approaches with a dog, Katsura is a bit more... direct. With one hand offering out the toy and the other pointing at the dog, he blurts out: ]

I'll give you this if you let me pet you dog.

Edited 2018-02-06 21:33 (UTC)

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

lunar new year.

I. street food;

When you haven't experienced food like Rey has for most of her whole life, it's just a nice night out with some of the local food. For her, however, eating is sometimes a religious experience.

The one arguably good thing that had come out of her resurrection a few years ago was the correction of her senses. More notably, her sense of taste. Which is why this usually poker-faced, serious beefy soldier woman can be found stuffing her face with pancakes and sticky rice. Were you expecting her to be using silverware like a proper lady? Hell no, she eats this stuff with her hands, occasionally wiping sauce on her face with the back of her hand or a napkin to clean her fingers. She even slurps a helping of tteokguk right from the bowl like a dirty heathen.

If one wasn't mistaken, it would almost look like she hadn't eaten anything in years. In truth, it's one of the few things Rey has learned to enjoy, and sure as hell doesn't take for granted.

She'll be ignoring any comments on her poor manners (even her elbows are resting on the table) and disgusted looks. It's obvious she doesn't care.

II. wish lanterns;

Okay, so maybe this isn't so bad. If Rey had to pick, a night like this beats being on a lab table with her chest ripped open any day. Not that that has been a conversation topic she brings up willy nilly. Still, she's holding the lantern like it's an alien object, completely unknown to her. Rather, it's the tradition that she seems more or less lost on.

"Wish for what?" she wonders aloud, whether to herself or caught by someone nearby within earshot.

Clearly this is someone who has never blown candles out of a birthday cake before.

wildcard.

[ooc: Got something super special awesome that you want to do with Rey? Feel free to hit me up on plurk (citygrit), discord (revuvuzela#6927), or PM!]

Lunar new year
Hound town

For being on the moon, Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised to to witness a familiar holiday. The years she and her sisters trained in Shaolin, their master always allowed them to take the day off to celebrate the start of the New year; such a celebration was observed by even the monks, however not on this scale. In England, they did no such thing of course, but that only made the memories all the more precious.

The year of the dog was precious, even she had to admit, seeing everyone with their dogs, the prizes and toys given. If she were younger, she would certainly appreciate the game for what it was. Instead, she only strolled through the stalls, admiring those showing off their pets.

street games and food

The games of chance and skill were a good distraction. The entire evening, Elizabeth tried to not think how much her sisters would enjoy the festivities (they certainly would), for doing so would only solidify how alone she felt here.

She had tried her hand at a few games, winning two small, stuffed dogs as well as a red and gold fan (the dogs she gave to a little girl). Childish though the games were, she could appreciate the random skill in them, just to try them out.

Moving from games, she went to one of the booths and bought herself a few small oranges, peeling at one as she observed the crowd around her.

wildcard
Have another starter idea or perhaps setting? Send me a PM at

rschwartz501

Edited 2018-02-06 16:51 (UTC)

[ Jim doesn't need the fog to experience those uncomfortable feelings. or to find himself playing things over in his head to the point of torture throughout the month. He's been carrying an ache in his chest for weeks now and it's not getting any better. On a good day, it feels as though there's a gaping hole in his chest, which is only good because at least then he can drink or go for a run and pretend that he can fill it in and it doesn't look so bad.

On other days, he honestly feels like he could just lie in bed and cry all day, but he doesn't let himself do that, because he knows he'd just spiral down a bottomless pit from there. There's work, missions, things to do— a friend or two to keep him company, if and when they have the time for him. If he has nothing else to distract him, then at least he has the shuttle, and plenty of moon to explore, even if she shouldn't be going out there on his own.

It's quiet at the Perimeter Guard today, something Jim is thankful for. Fewer people around to cross paths with means less questions as to where he's headed or what he's doing, or why he's been flying out there on his own, seemingly with no destiny in mind. But as he reaches the shuttle he finds another obstacle: it's locked.

Huh, that's a new one. The basic code isn't lifting the block either, which only puzzles Jim further. He tries a few other combinations, but it's only with his personal command code that he manages to override the lock in place. He doubts he's in any danger, but just in case, he steps inside cautiously, one quiet foot after the other, glancing around as he stands on the small space between the flight deck and the cargo hold in the back. ]

Anyone here?

a. street food and games

(Brennan still wasn't 100% what he was going to make of this Quarantine. If he understood the people here correctly, he was here because he'd felt out of place back home, something hadn't really jived right, and he couldn't quite argue with that. After Lexa had shown up, after Adam's betrayal...nothing had really felt right. Now that he was here, though, he was quickly beginning to miss everyone back home, Shalimar chief among them. There was no one to steal his journal, no one to tease him about not being a morning person...

...still, he wasn't going to let himself get too down about it. There was no point. So, instead, he's down, enjoying the sweet street vendors and food. At the moment, he was watching a group of local children playing what looked like street hockey, casually eating a cold noodle dish out of a paper carton, and smiling slightly to himself, or maybe to someone else who might stop by.)

Looks like fun, huh?

(And he decided to swallow after talking. Mister Manners, over here.)

b. roommates; floor 2

(Brennan's a big guy, and when he finally makes his way to the floor he's been assigned, steps into the sitting room...thing, giving it a look around, he's struck with a pang of homesickness that he doesn't try to keep from his face. It reminded him of the common room back home, the first place he'd called home in a long time, and he took a deep breath, shaking his head.

Five years...that wasn't too long, right? And they'd never miss him. There was a pang of sadness at that, and instead of making his way to the bed chambers, the big guy just plopped down on the nearest sofa, propping his feet up on a table, not bothering to take off his shoes.

I mean, this is his place now, right?)

c. wildcard

(OOC: Got another thing in mind? Hit me up on plurk at

vikael or drop me a PM here!)

i.cleaning house - bonfire & riverbanks

[Freya doesn't have anything that she can burn or get rid of. She's a vagabond, traveling from place to place with her backpack for company.

The tradition itself is interesting, like starting over, or new years resolutions but taken to an extreme.] Does this bring me joy? [She repeats the question that she's heard throughout the city.] Huh.

[Freya is barefoot as she steps along the riverbank. She dislikes shoes, though she has a pair of boots tied to her backpack. Light stormy gray eyes take in the fires as the red flames and ash dance towards the sky.] That can't be good for the environment. [She muses aloud as she moves around to see what's burning. The smell itches the inside of her nose whenever the thick scents of plastic or chemicals from paint fill the otherwise clean air.]

Why burn the items instead of giving them away? It's such a waste. [She's talking to herself and doesn't expect anyone to reply despite speaking at audible levels.

Freya can't help but look a little sad as she watches the fires build in strength and intensity. It feels like she's watching memories burn.]

iii. lunar new year - hound town

Oh I like this.

[Freya grins when she finds the stands of dog themed apparel and toys. She doesn't buy anything because she has no money but she wanders through the shops and smiles at the different dog related items.

She lingers at what appears to be a silver key-chain of a husky. It's the closest dog related item that looks like a wolf and so it naturally catches her attention.] I greatly approve of this. [Her head turns towards the proprietor as she asks for the key-chains cost. It's more than what she has on her, which is nothing.

Freya frowns at the little key-chain before putting back.] Oh well. [She can steal it but Freya's the sort of person who only steals things that she needs, not useless little trinkets from people who probably need the source of income.] Hey, what if I do something for the key-chain? Like work here for a bit?

[Another few seconds and Freya is shouting happily from the shop with a pair of adorable fake dog ears on her head.] Come check out the amazing festival souvenirs you can buy! Dogs are the best animal out there! Take a memory of one home with you today! I promise you won't regret it!

iii. lunar new year - street food and games

[There isn't any single point of the festival where Freya doesn't have some sort of snack in her hand. It's usually an orange or something that's small and easy to fit into one of the pockets of her black pants.

Freya hums as she moves through the festivities. She likes the atmosphere, the lights and sounds and the sweet promise of adventure teasing at her senses. Her short stature makes moving through the crowds difficult though Freya is agile, quick and skilled at finding her way around cumbersome obstacles. She flashes the people around her a warm friendly smile, her expression brimming with earnest confidence as she tries to find these games that someone had told her about.

She has absolutely awful aim but that doesn't matter. Freya's favorite part is closing her eyes and seeing what she hits.]

Mm, let's see. [Freya peeks around a corner with a curious stare.] Which way is it?

iv. wildcard

[ooc: Feel free to hit me up on plurk if you'd like my werewolf OC anywhere.

mizuyoko. I'm up for all the prompts or anything else you might want to do. Freya is in the communal housing floor 14 if anyone wants to run into her there too.]

I. Cleaning House:

Lucy was trying to tidy up things around her small home that she shared with those she considered family. She was going through what little she had, trying to determine what needed to stay and what needed to go. Next, came dumping out her back pack to see what needed to be tossed aside. She had a tendency to pile on completed homework assignments and didn't bother to throw those out. Now, she had the chance. The papers were gathered, sorted and then placed in a small bag to be dumped out later.

The young girl paused in her cleaning, feeling something tickling her nose only to sneeze a few seconds later.

"....Dusting's next." Now where did Emma keep the cleaning supplies...

III. Lunar New Year.

The young girl couldn't believe the decorations that were up; all brightly colored and entirely festive. Different scents tickled her nose, and she wanted to go over to each stall to see what was there. As much as she wanted to check everything out she knew she had to be home before dark. Granted, she had her phone on her, and if Victor wanted to get a hold of her, he could call or text... and if she was going to be late, she would let him know.

Plenty to see, plenty do. Now which direction should she go to first?

IV. Wilcard

[If you'd rather do something else with Lucy, go ahead! Always open to plotting too.]

Edited 2018-02-07 22:32 (UTC)

i) cleaning house

(Alyssa has only just arrived in the Quarantine, and there's no way she has amassed anything that needs burning, but she still strolls down toward the riverside to watch everybody throw all their stuff into the fire. She gets that much. For a moment she's stuck standing there in dead silence, hands jammed into the pockets of her jacket as she stares into the flames. It's symbolic or whatever, right. It's for both literally and metaphorically getting rid of things, forgetting about awful stuff that's happened to you. Hiding shit so it's like it never happened.

Alyssa tastes bile in the back of her throat.)

Why put all the ash into the river afterwards, (she says loudly, clenching her hands into fists.) Isn't that kind of bad for the environment?

iii a) hound town / lunar new year

(She's certainly picked an exciting time to arrive here. The festivities are perhaps a little too loud for Alyssa's liking but they're at least interesting, and she's fine with hanging around and watching people, looking at all the stalls. She's interested in the little cloth dog effigies. They're pretty cute, actually, but digging her hands into her pockets produces only chump change. Fifty fucking pence, good for literally nothing.

She frowns, fishing out the tag on the cloth dog.)

What's a unit?

iii b) street food / lunar new year

(Oh good, there's food.

Alyssa's always loved to eat, and trying new food is no exception. She piles up a bit plate with a little bit of everything and finds a place to go sit and happily mow her way through. It's all real good too, and– they didn't have to pay for this either, right?)

This is a pretty sweet deal, huh, (she says to the person sitting next to her, not bothering to finish chewing before she speaks,) I'm probably gonna go for seconds.

Threaded | Flat

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COMMUNAL HOUSING APARTMENT MINGLES

Link | LoZ: Breath of the Wild | OTA

Jamie Dodger, or... possibly just Brink.

Aoba Seragaki | OTA

Billy Rocks | OTA + Closed