monthly mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

[riverviewmod]

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

navigation

Comments

[franciscoramon]

Hey, man. I specifically remember you tellin' me you got a spell that puts people in a giant floating magic bubble. Maybe you were planning on toddler-ifying me and sticking me in a bubble for nefarious and or blackmail related purposes.

[ But the really good thing about being Taako's friend, of course, is that Cisco knows if he were planning some kind of prank, it wouldn't be anything really messed up, or anything actually dangerous. Taako knows him. Knew to give him a heads up, when he'd posted that dumb video message with Loki. Taako's far from being perfect, but in a lot of ways, when it really comes down to it, he's a hell of a better friend than Barry Allen had been.

So Cisco holds out a hand, gesturing for the crepe myrtle, and takes it when Taako hands it to him. He holds his chin high, waiting to start levitating or speaking Greek or whatever sort of silliness is going to happen, but... ]

I think you got a dud, my dude.

[ At which point Cisco turns, fully intending to go and pour the both of them some coffee, so they could dish about this latest strange trend. He doesn't get far. Cisco wasn't expecting any resistance, naturally, so when he takes a step and then feels something tugging him back, as if he's got an invisible rope tied around his waist, he naturally stumbles, reels. Fortunately, he doesn't lose his balance, but he is left spluttering and confused. ]

What the-?

[spellslots]

Fuck, I wish I'd thought of that...

[He could've just popped Cisco in an toddler hamster ball, it would've been hilarious for about five minutes before panic would've set in over having to look after a child. The latter part is why he didn't even consider the idea in the first place.

When nothing happens, Taako makes a bit of a face because he Doesn't Trust Like That and is sure that something is gonna go wrong along the way here, even if it isn't immediately obvious. Until it is immediately obvious as Cisco moves away. Taako feels the pull as Cisco stumbles, and he sort of just looks down between them in surprise for a moment before he bursts into laughter.]

What purpose does this have?

[The question is asked mid-laughter because this is so fucking ridiculous, even if there's a little exasperation in his voice.]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco waves his hand in between them, and low and behold, there is something there. Not tangible, exactly. It doesn't feel like anything - a momentary warmth and vibration in the air, but in the same of a definite tether between them. His hand can pass through it, but when he tries, again, to take a step away, he feels something holding him in place. Like an anchor.

Then Taako starts laughing, and Cisco can't help joining him. ]

I have got! No! Freakin'! Clue!

[ He laughs so hard he staggers a little, which pulls Taako along after him, which only makes him laugh harder. The two of them can't seem to get more than a few feet away from one another, like some kind of bizarre magical three-legged race. And Cisco tries. He twists, he ducks, he contorts himself, but that feeling is there, holding him in place. ]

Maybe try turning into an animal or something, see if that helps.

[ Cisco very much doubts that it will, but maybe if they are lucky... ]

[spellslots]

[This is so stupid; Taako laughs harder when he's pulled forward and tries to tug back a little, seeing if they've both equal control over whatever the hell this is. He's getting a kick out of watching Cisco twist himself around, as if that's gonna help.]

I got one better than that, lemme...

[A wave of his hand and Taako's gone, into the ethereal plane where he tries to walk away from Cisco, until to be pulled up short again.

He reappears with an over the top sigh.]

If this lasts for more than a couple hours you're coming home with me, I'm not dealing with that awkwardness.

[There are no hard feelings between him and Eddie but "hey I'm stuck to your current boyfriend lets hang out" isn't a conversation he wants to have.]

[franciscoramon]

[ If it's a weird feeling, standing next to Taako, seeing him move, and feeling the tug on that invisible tether, then it's even weirder when Taako blinks out of view, off to some other plane, and still feeling the tug when he moves. Somewhere, Taako's trying to go towards the door, and having absolutely no luck at it from the feel of things.

Taako pops back into view with a quip that sets Cisco off again, giggling as he nods his agreement. Probably for the best. And pretty soon he is going to have to start thinking, like Taako, about the practicalities of what they'll do if this lasts for a significant amount of time.

But for now: ]

I wonder if...

[ And with no further warning, Cisco bends his knees and jumps as far into the air as he can. Creative problem solving! Quite the quickest way of seeing whether they could get more distance from one another going vertically, rather than horizontally. But, of course, it doesn't work. Cisco just manages to yank Taako upwards, and then come crashing back down, himself, barely catching his balance as he lands, staggering and laughing so hard his sides are starting to hurt. ]

Okay! Okay, bad idea!

[spellslots]

Fuck!

[He sees where Cisco is going with this the second he bends his knees and manages to keep his balance when dragged upwards. It's a very strange sensation, though it doesn't stop him from laughing.]

You're a fucking dipshit, hang on, I, uh, I think I got something. Lemme just...

[He absolutely does not have something, but he holds a hand out towards Cisco to make it clear he's about to cast a spell on the guy. The great thing about friendship is he knows that Cisco will trust him to do what he wants here.

Which is cast levitate. Giggling helplessly as Cisco floats up a tiny bit before being caught by the tether.]

Cisco balloon!

[Help.]

[franciscoramon]

[ When Taako calls him a dipshit, Cisco just grins, entirely unrepentant. He saw an opportunity and he took it. The same way Taako does a moment later, when he casts that spell.

All of a sudden Cisco feels a strange lurching sensation, like being on a roller coaster right as the car drops down a big hill. He lets out an involuntary yelp as his feet leave the ground, clapping his hands over his mouth. Then the tether catches him, and he giggles helplessly, spinning slowly in place, suspended a few feet above Taako. He bicycles his legs in the air, which only makes him spin in place faster. ]

That is cheating!

[ By continuing to flail, Cisco is unintentionally making himself tilt forward, and his attempt to reverse the process only accelerate it. He's upside-down soon enough, trying to reach out and grasp something to right himself, but he is just far enough away that he can't reach Taako. ]

Little help here?!

[spellslots]

[He can't help Cisco, not that he would anyway because it's hilarious, but Taako is too busy laughing so hard that his stomach hurts, hands braced on his knees so he doesn't straight up fall on the ground cackling. Watching Cisco spin around mid-air is just too good, he can't breathe. He's going to die from laughter and it'll be worth it.]

Let's-- fuck, oh my god. [Words are hard.] Let's go for a walk.

[Is he mean enough to wander around the city with a Cisco balloon?

Maybe.]

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco manages to figure out (and it's an undignified process) how to flail his legs and arms to right himself again, and stay that way. It's not easy, and he has to make constant tiny adjustments to keep himself from drifting too much forward or backward or to the side. Suddenly he's got a lot of sympathy for astronauts. ]

I'm not gonna go flying off into the stratosphere is this flower mojo gives out, am I?

[ Most of the people Cisco had talked to, the effect of the exchange had lasted at least a few hours, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Cisco has survived too many supervillains to be killed in a freak levitating accident by being launched off into space, thanks very much. ]

You better be ready to catch me is all I'm saying.