riverviewlogs | monthly mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

Entry tags:

monthly mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: monthly mingle: flower festival
when: The month of April.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

flower festival

In the days leading up to April 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The Flower Festival. Celebrating springtime, beauty, joy, and togetherness, the festival heavily features floral themes and dancing. The advertising mentions that on April 9th, a paid holiday, there will be a Blossom Picnic, as well as lists of various public dances at clubs or other open venues, the River Spirit Procession, and Flower Exchange.

a celebration of spring

The Flower Festival's main event is the Blossom Picnic on April 9th, but it also features traditions of sharing food and drink, and dancing that span over the course of the whole two weeks. There are a large variety of events going on throughout the city, from dancing lessons in any wide variety of traditional dances, to old-fashioned sock hops, to adult raves complete with mild party drugs. Feel free to use the prompts below or create your own event at any point during the festival, and if your character creates an event and hosts it in a top-level, you can submit that thread for extra bonus points.

i. blossom picnic

The main event that kicks off the second week of the Flower Festival is the Blossom Picnic on April 9th. A relaxed and low-key event, it draws several thousand people every year to the spacious Riverview Central Park, where there is a generous lawn lined with various blossoming trees, and families, found families, lovers, and groups of friends are encouraged to lay out a picnic blanket and share food. There will be live bands playing (but not loudly enough to distract from conversation and peacefully watching the petals flutter in the wind), a variety of demonstrations of traditional cultural dances from many different realities and planets, and a ton of ice cream vendors. This is an excellent festival not only for celebrating togetherness with the people who are already important, but for mingling and making new friends.

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

ii. dancing lessons and dances

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

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

As for the Flower Festival dances, they're pretty straightforward - in almost every club, community center, or other public space, there will be dancing at almost all hours of the day or night, formal and informal. Musicians bring out their instruments and play in the street for demonstrations of cultural dances and music at the same time as clubs are offering VIP cover charges for exclusive dances, and you can find anything in between.

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

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

iii. flower exchange

During this year, there's been an influx of people from a dying reality consisting mostly of living plant people, and they've really taken the Flower Festival as a great opportunity to introduce one of their most honored traditions to the people of their new adopted world. The tradition involves sharing various types of flowers with strangers, with each type of flower having a different meaning and effect on both the giver and receiver - the bond of the exchange can spark emotion as well as physical responses that function in a unique way that affects almost everyone that participates, whether animal, plant, or even android.

Any characters exchanging the flowers with other characters, whether friends or strangers, will experience emotional/psychological effects, physical effects, or both once the exchange is complete. Effects can last for as short or long a time as the players involved want, and are as follows:

● Baby Blue Eyes - Trust/Healing the Inner Child
Emotional Effect: Either an inexplicable trust in the person the flower was exchanged with, or a generalized paranoia.
Physical Effect: De-aging. Characters can become a younger version of themselves, physically, mentally, or both. Whether or not their normal selves are of age, de-aged characters may not participate in adult prompts unless they're de-aged to something above 18.

● Chamomile - Peace & Harmony/Animal Support
Emotional Effect: A desire to make peace with one's enemies, or an inexplicable urge to push away loved ones.
Physical Effect: Both participants in the exchange will wake up the next morning with an animal companion that represents their soul/personality. Whether the companion can speak is up to player discretion.
NOTE: Animal companions from this event can be kept for a total of 300 Points. If you wish to keep them, just submit a request under your name on the Activity Bonus Rewards Page. For new players ONLY (players apping/reapping their first character in April) who wish to keep the animal companion but do not yet have points, feel free to submit and I will credit 300 points to be submitted once you have them.

● Rose - Friendship/Beauty
Emotional Effect: Openness and a desire to make new friends, or excessive competitiveness.
Physical Effect: A temporary glamor that makes both participants in the exchange appear as the most beautiful possible version of themselves, and improves their charisma.

● Crepe Myrtle: - Inspiration/Enduring Partnerships
Emotional Effect: New and creative ideas to solve life issues, or finding oneself averse to change.
Physical Effect: As soon as the exchange is complete, the two characters involved will be bound by an invisible tether that keeps them within three feet of each other. The tether won't affect anyone but the characters involved (no, you can't clothesline your enemies with it).

● Valerian: - Relaxation/Heart-Opening
Emotional Effect: A near-complete erasure of anxiety and stress, or a dramatic inexplicable increase in it.
Physical Effect: Forced honesty. Both affected characters become incapable of lying. Whether they're compelled to blurt the truth or if they can keep their mouths shut or talk around the truth is up to player discretion.

[Flower meanings used in this prompt come from this site.]

iv. river spirit procession

The River Spirit Procession is a yearly tradition in the Quarantine where a (usually small) contingent of people walk along the edges of the river carrying candles and dressed as river spirits, and offer sweets and blossoms or petals by tossing them into the river. The offerings are intended to appease the river spirits and guarantee safety from flooding, storms, and to ensure a good growing season. With the flooding that's still affecting the river, the turn out this year is much greater than usual, with a large number of residents entering the processions that happen throughout the month, usually on weekends.

During the processions, residents dress as river spirits, which is a relatively broad description and can be taken in a wide variety of ways and leaves a lot up to interpretation. They enter the procession at the place where the river enters the walls and follow the banks of it carrying candles, and often whispering or quietly speaking their gratitude for the river's plenty and their wishes for the year to come. Many residents also bring baskets of young blossoms or petals from flowers, and small sweets such as candy or tiny pastries and throw them into the river to appease the spirits. They carry along the river for as long as they wish to.

ACTION PROMPT: This year, with the flooding, the monsters, and the heavy turnout, the river spirit procession is a little more dangerous an undertaking than usual. After the first procession on April 1st resulted in several residents being swept away in the rising flood waters, and several others being attacked by a loose crocodile, the trouble becomes painfully evident. The Perimeter Guard will be sending out extra detachments and calling in reserve members to help keep the processions safe, and any extra hands to protect those who choose to participate will be more than welcome.

v. roommates or wildcard

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

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: unknown, found on pinterest; image ii: Steven Kent Lomtong; iii: Ryan Talbot; iv: Toru Nishimura

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[Dodger had just been passing by, but... god, the sound of that song has him laughing. God, he hasn't heard that in ages. And he recognizes Peter, although it's been long enough that he doesn't remember his name, if he ever caught it in the first place. If Peter recognizes Dodger, he'll notice that Dodger's right eye has mysteriously grown back, and in return his left arm's skin is horribly disfigured.

And his robot dog is alive and well again. The dog even trots over to investigate Groot by shoving his nose right against him and sniffing.]

Jesus, is that a Walkman? I thought it couldn't get worse than the Zune.

[He's definitely not judging about that. In fact, there's a playful grin on his face.]

[ As K-9 will soon learn, Groot has issues about his personal bubble, and an even bigger issue with mysterious creatures. The instant robo-dog inserts himself into his space, Groot lets out a growl and starts punching at the dog’s snout. ]

Dude, hey, calm down—

[ And Peter tugs Groot away, though the little guy keeps kicking and flailing and snarling. Peter just keeps a hold on him while he tires himself out. He glances up at Dodger, starts saying, ]

There’s nothing wrong with—

[ before he gets a good look at the guy. He frowns for a second, then, as diplomatically as possible, ]

... Didn’t you have one less eye last time?

[Brink bares his teeth when punched, but Dodger is quick to grab onto his collar and hold him back.]

Brink, down.

Understood.

[The dog isn't happy about it, but he moves backward and sits beside Dodger with his ears back. It's only then that Dodger takes notice of the comment about his eye, and responds with an equally diplomatic,]

Uh.. it grew back. [He hesitates.] I'm not knocking the tunes. I've got a Walkman too, but uh.. I haven't listened to it in a couple years.

[He's actually blushing... it shows up very obviously against his pale skin. He barely ever talks about that thing, and he's very quick to try and move off of the topic, nodding at Groot.]

...Is that thing a pet?

[ Groot is hardly happy, either, considering he’s still snarling and uselessly swinging at the air while Peter restrains him with a single hand around the little dude’s waist. Apparently this is old hat for Peter, by now, seeing as how he hardly pays Groot any mind. ]

It grew back.

[ In that flat, disbelieving tone that asks, “That’s really the best reason you can come up with?” Once Dodger mentions having a Walkman of his own, he lights up a little, apparently willing to forgive the lame excuse. ]

Nah. He’s a friend. [ And he glances down at Groot, who’s still shouting an angry, I am Groot! ] Sometimes, anyway. Cut it out, dude.

[ Groot lets out one final huff before sagging in Peter’s grip, shooting the dog a baleful glare. This is as good as it’s going to get, it seems, and Peter contents himself with it. ] This is Groot. And Groot, this is—

Uh.

[ Listen, Peter is pretty awful with names to start with, so the pause is only minimally awkward. ]

Sorry, what was your name again?

[Dodger just shrugs about the eye; the full story takes a lot time to explain, and he's far from proud of it.]

Dodger. [He supplies helpfully. And then hesitates, seeing if he can remember Peter's name.] ...Space-Lord, right?

[He glances back at Groot, and then down at his dog.]

Y'know, he can try to fight Brink if he wants. I doubt he's gonna do much worse than Brink's already handled, right?

[Brink doesn't look impressed with this prospect... well, as unimpressed as a dog can look. But Dodger figures if Brink ends up in any real danger, he can always set the twig on fire.]

Star-Lord.

[ The correction is part automatic, part exasperated, but the slight is forgiven quickly enough. ]

Peter Quill works just fine, too.

[ As it is, Peter looks between Groot, who's throwing a silent tantrum, and the talking dog, who looks about the way Peter feels on the idea, and Peter shakes his head. ]

Rain check on that one, maybe.

[ Groot may be a resilient kid, but Peter would rather not test the upward limits. ]

Is this the same dog that was basically a scrap heap, last time I saw him?

[A hint of a smile appears on his face as he's corrected, and holds back a snarky comment.]

Yeah, Brink's been through the ringer a couple times now. A certain Viking's got it in for him.

[He pets Brink's head, parting the fur enough to show off what looks like a scar right down the center of his head, where an ax had cracked his skull open.]

Usually I keep him locked up and safe in my flat, but I figured he'd enjoy the festivities. Stretch his legs and all.

[ Peter visibly winces at the sight of that scar. That's a pretty ugly one, robot or no. ]

Well, it's finally nice meeting you in the flesh.

... Sorry about the, uh. [ And Peter glances down at Groot as he sulkily eats another gummy candy. ] Sorry about all of him.

[Dodger isn't as bothered by it, honestly... but his own skin is so mutilated at this point, scars are really just a fact of life to him.]

Yeah, man... it's good to- remind myself I still got friends out here.

[He glances down at Groot, and shrugs.]

Can't knock a feisty pipsqueak, right? Besides - [He waves a hand through the air, creating a flash of sparks through the air.] - I don't see a plant causing me trouble any time soon.

[Besides, Groot is.. cute? Not Dodger's cup of tea, but he couldn't bring himself to pick a fight with the thing.]

[ --awesome. Peter briefly remembers the last time they talked, Dodger had mentioned having abilities, though the shock collar kept them both from a proper demonstration. For a second, he looks suitably impressed. Stuff like that is like something straight out of a comic book.

He nods to a space on the blanket. ]

You wanna join us? I promise Groot won’t attack your dog again.

Uh... sure. Yeah.

[Dodger's form bursts in another flash of sparks, and he reappears a second later, already sitting in the spot Peter had indicated. His dog looks like it might as well be rolling its eyes, before walking over to lay down beside him.]

So... Quill. How's life been treating you the last few months?

[While he speaks, he pulls out a pack of cigarettes and lights one by snapping his fingers, creating a flame just above them as if he's holding a lighter. A moment later he offers the pack to Peter, though he's used to having them turned down.]

[ NO HANG ON WE’RE NOT GLOSSING OVER WHAT JUST HAPPENED

Because Peter is staring at Dodger, completely ignoring the proffered cigarettes.

Then, in a half-octave higher than normal, ]

What the hell was that?!

[Dodger is silent for a moment, just watching him with a look of mild bemusement. He's gotten so used to people taking his teleportation in stride, sometimes he forgets that it's new information to others.]

I told you I had powers. [He replies evenly, waving the cigarettes lightly to re-offer them.] You been here this long and never saw someone teleport?

[ It's only on the second pass that Peter notices the pack, and he raises a hand to turn them down, along with a quick, absent, ] I don't smoke.

[ He'll drink like no tomorrow, and he'll eat his own weight in sugar, but apparently smoking is right out. ]

You said you had powers. I figured that meant, like, "I can throw fire," or, "I can move things with my mind," or, "I can shoot laser beams from my eyes." I didn't think that meant popping around like a whack-a-mole.

[ A pause, then, ]

Also, you literally could've just taken two steps and sat down.

[Dodger shrugs and puts the pack away, having fully expected that.]

Sure, I can throw fire too. And a few other things. [He holds his palm up and produces a fireball in it, before closing his fist and extinguishing it.] Don't see why popping around is any different.

[And he's pointedly ignoring that last point because listen...]

[ And Peter looks suitably impressed by the fireball, too, but— ]

Okay, that's awesome and all, but— seriously. I can understand teleporting if you were, like, half a block away? But you were literally right there.

[ And Peter points at the space Dodger was previously occupying. ]

Two steps.

[Dodger's cheeks are turning pink, and his brow twitches indignantly.]

Fuck off, it kept the- flow of conversation intact. [He huffs, letting out a puff of smoke from his mouth as he does.] Starting to think I prefer people that treat me like a criminal.

['Treat me like a criminal'. Yeah, Dodger, like you haven't killed people since coming to Riverview.]

Did it, though?

[ And Peter has shifted from mildly startled to downright amused. It doesn’t help that Dodger looks embarrassed about this, and it doubly doesn’t help that Peter’s the kind of guy who would poke at sleeping bears if it seemed fun enough. ]

I mean, I guess we’ve got one hell of a topic, now, so fair’s fair. But still, was that seriously the most efficient route to take? Is that just how you get around?

[Dodger reaches over and shoves Peter, but hell, he's laughing. It's a surprisingly genuine sound, coming from someone as rough-looking as him.]

So you've seriously never seen someone teleport. [He lets out another playful scoff.] It's how I got my name - 'Dodger', y'know, for dodging bullets 'n' shit.

[He can't dodge bullets but that's not the point.

While they're talking, Brink has started doing a sort of army crawl toward Groot, and is now laying on his side and reaching his paws up to try and poke him.]

[ Groot seems to notice Brink’s approach, baring his wooden teeth in a snarl, while Peter (who is distracted by seemingly inefficient and impractical uses of super powers) does not. He takes the playful shove without much complaint, however, and snorts out a laugh. ]

See, I thought if anything, it was an Oliver! thing. Like the Artful Dodger? [ It would figure that Peter would be more familiar with adaptations than the source material. ] On account of the stealing.

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monthly mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

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