introductory mingle: carnivale

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Carnivale Celebration
when: July 1st - July 9th
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

carnivale

In the days leading up to July 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: Carnivale. This holiday is in celebration of music, and the onset of summer and warmer weather. The celebrations are marked by street parties, an extensive program of live musical performances, with a large parade (and paid holiday!) capping it off on July 8th.

celebrating music, and summer

After a couple of months of low-key or even solemn celebrations, it's time for Riverview Quarantine to throw a good, old-fashioned party. Carnivale is a city-wide festival that pretty much everyone gets into, and many residents take the entire week off so they can enjoy all the festivities. With events ranging from impromptu street parties, free live musical performances, food stands, themed club nights, adult lounges with kink shows, and topped off with a massive party parade, the holiday has a lot to offer for anyone who likes to sing, dance, and show some skin!

i. street parties and food

One of the staples of the Carnivale festival is the spontaneous street parties and food trucks and carts. It's not unusual during the holiday to turn a corner and run into a group of people dressed in bright colors and sequins having an impromptu party with a few drinks, and then be invited to join right in! Carnivale is a celebration of music as well as summer, so most shops and stalls will be blasting danceable music into the streets to facilitate these little street parties - it's considered a sign of good luck for the owner of a business if an impromptu Carnivale celebration starts up in front of their door.

Considering the proliferation of street parties and people out and about to celebrate the warmer weather, local business owners also take to the streets. Food carts, stands, and trucks pop up on almost every street corner offering a wide variety of food from savory treats to sweet desserts. Many of the carts are offering one free item to anyone dressed up for Carnivale - anything shimmery, shiny, or brightly colored will do!

ii. live musical performances

One of the major roads in the city center has been completely roped off for the entire week, and all along this street, various temporary stages have been set up, each with a nice hefty sound system. Volunteers hand out printed flyers, and digital boards are set up here and there with schedules of various performances that are all free to attend, ranging from well-known popular music artists to new up-and-comers or independent artists who are looking to make a name for themselves. This event is very widely advertised around the city, and is accepting entries until the very last minute.

At couple of the acts might be familiar faces to some of the residents.

Eichi Tenshouin has signed up himself and his friend Tsumugi Aoba into the music festival as a first-time appearing idol unit called "Higanbana." Dressed in all white with splashes of color (blue, largely, with only their headsets being a red spider lily), they carry a very commanding and angelic image together. They'll have a routine that emphasizes their great harmony with each other, taking turns doing solo lines and joining together to show off each of their talents. Singing and dancing, they interact heavily with the audience and will encourage a lot of involvement with speaking between songs and gestures, winks, and so on. Basically, they intend to make this Riverview's very first prominent "idol performance".

For his performance, Otabek Altin will start with rock remixes of a few popular pop songs. He wants to make sure that it starts off with recognizable pieces for some people, and he certainly thinks it is something that could get people excited even if they don't know it. Then, it shifts into a few original songs. They are upbeat, rock songs that he put together with the intention to make people dance and move, since he is a DJ. He'll end his set with a slower piece he put together that is also an original. Through the entire performance, he's focused and quiet, though he may occasionally try and excite the crowd with a few words.

Any other player-characters who are musically inclined are more than welcome to assume their character was fit in for a performance, and can post up a top-level with a rundown of their performance to get bonus Activity Points for posting a mingle!

iii. carnivale parade

The other main attraction of Carnivale week comes on July 8th, which is a paid holiday for everyone in the city. The Carnivale Parade will be starting out by City Hall and winding through downtown in a lazy pattern so everyone in the city has a chance to see it. There will be all sorts of floats, dancers, marching bands, with all sorts of clubs, businesses, and other organizations represented. The theme is theatrical, big and showy, bright and colorful, sparkly and shiny, with loud music and lots of glitz and glamour. Observers can expect great music, excellent dancing and marching shows, neat vehicles provided by classic car clubs, the fire, police, and Perimeter Guard. They can also expect a lot of party favors, whether it's a sparkly plastic beaded necklace, a fan to take the edge off the heat, candy, popsicles, a temporary tattoo, or any number of other little treats or toys to be tossed into the crowd - some of them fit for kids and teens, others of a more 'adult' nature handed out a bit more discreetly to anyone who looks the part.

And make sure you wear your waterproof mascara - Carnivale floats have a tendency of spraying or spritzing water, both in an unspoken competition to see who can make the biggest water-refraction rainbow in the air, and to keep observers cool in the new summer heat.

iv. adult: lounges and kink exhibition

Thanks to the Carnivale tradition of showing as much skin as possible, some event organizers' minds have turned to topics of a more adult nature. In the evenings, residents may see clubs doing "lounge nights"; these adults-only events have bouncers IDing everyone at the door to ensure they're 18+. The themes may vary, from very specific niche themes like 'golden age superheroes' to broad themes like 'rainbows,' and each event is clearly marked as what it is - all-nude or clothing-optional, and can host events ranging from amateur to professional exotic dancing, food served off of nude bodies, anonymous masked hookups, or just provide a comfortable space where casual sex is encouraged with whoever happens to be around. Various legal substances can be found at these lounges, but nothing that would cause violation of consent, and every substance would be clearly labeled and have warnings to ensure that no one partakes unless they choose to. Please be sure to warn in the subject line for sexual content or drug use (since some mild party drugs are legal in Riverview).

For the weekend from July 7th-9th, there will be a kink exhibition in one of the large exhibition centers downtown, limited to characters 18+. The exhibition is a sexy adult informational convention featuring various kinks and fetishes. Whether you're into leather, latex, lace, or anything else, you'll be able to find the clothes, toys, guides, books, erotica, fiction, and a wide variety of other interesting stuff to explore. While the atmosphere is sex-positive and there are private and public (for the voyeurs and exhibitionists in the room) venues for having sex, it's definitely focused on exploration and information about different stuff to try.

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 one of the mod-posted prompts for each Communal Floor. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set during Carnivale, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: Roger Patterson Jr.; image ii: Syd Mead; image iii: screencap from the movie Paprika; image iv: siamon89

navigation

Comments

[aeturnus]

Tea it is, then.

[ Truth be told, he's gotten pretty sick of tea over the centuries but at least more modern days have seen twists on old classics and he can deal with that. Nothing he'll get huffy over. ]

If you want, we could grab some sunblock somewhere. Might give you a better fighting chance.

[finethanks]

Is that not strange for just my face and hands? [Well, and his neck too, he guesses. But otherwise, he's not showing much skin... past his wet clothes.]

Even still, it would be a risk that I can't take. I'd rather get a parasol.

[aeturnus]

Not really. Just use it on whatever's showing.

[ That just gets a laugh, and Cain quickly moves aside as someone practically bursts through the crowd to apparently chase after someone up ahead. Rowdy but not necessary uncontrolled, huh. ]

Parasol could work, too.

[finethanks]

Kane-kun could use a parasol himself. It might soften his image a little, you know?

[He teases, watching the stranger chase past them. Ah, he wishes he had that much stamina.]

[aeturnus]

Oh, don't joke. I could totally pull off a parasol.

[ Could you, tho??? ]

[finethanks]

Do you really think so? Someone with your appearance?

[He's doubting it]

[aeturnus]

Sure. I'm a dab hand with cosmetics.

[ Fashion, on the other hand... Well, he does understand it and can use it. But usually just... doesn't. Boring. ]

[finethanks]

Then I should put you in charge of holding a parasol for me, don't you think?

[This is an arrangement he's okay with. Less for him to carry!]

[aeturnus]

What, and risk me ending up in any photos you take?

[ Eichi is an idol. Of course he wouldn't turn down a photo op, yeah? ]

[finethanks]

You shouldn't be afraid of photos if you can pull a look off, Kane-kun. So which is it, I wonder?

[He's teasing so much!!] Look, there's some tea at that stand over there. How's that?

[aeturnus]

More the fact that our two looks don't really mesh.

[ He laughs at the change in subject and starts making his way to the stand Eichi's pointed out. ]

Looks fine to me, Tenshouin-kun. What would you like?

[finethanks]

I enjoy a surprise now and again, so let's see if there's a daily special.

[He loves like, all tea, so he'll enjoy whatever it is this time.] But now I'm wondering about what you just said. Isn't my look the type that can mesh with anyone? Is that an insult, I wonder?

[aeturnus]

Sounds good to me. We'll let fate decide.

[ Sure okay Cain. Sure. ]

More of a comment on myself. You just don't want to let a guy get away with it, huh?

[finethanks]

[Yeah, let fate decide his tea, he's fine with that.]

Personally, I'd like to have a picture I can look back on and say "Kane-kun, wasn't this fun?" only for him to be embarrassed, even if it's just a little. [Why is Eichi like this]

[aeturnus]

Oh okay, I think I get it. Only fair if we get a picture like that of you sometime, too.

[ Although Cain feels like that might involve something more candid along the line. ]

[finethanks]

Do you think you can try for something like that, Kane-kun? Go ahead~.

[Bring it, he is never embarrassed! Or so he thinks.]

cw: cain's bad luck, injury

[aeturnus]

Challenge accepted, Tenshouin-kun. Watch me.

[ Don't doubt the master, kid! Once again, someone passes them by while they're in line and Cain automatically moves to the side to get out of the way, bumping into someone else who's got themselves a nice pile of good food and some utensils to use it... except he bumps a little too hard, hissing with one quick inhale before he turns to apologize and reassure the other person he's fine and sorry for that, are you good? Okay? Cool, cool. Bye!

And then he moves to hold his hand over the spot where the knife hit him in the side and frowns. Well, that hurt and he liked this shirt a lot, but at least it didn't hit anything... ]

[finethanks]

Kane-kun?

[This is the worst luck he's ever witnessed up close, and he's witnessed a lot of bad luck. Blood is probably what bothers him the most. He would be a lot calmer with how Cain is if he hadn't only recently saved a friend from dying. The sight of his blood is worrying, and Eichi rushes over, immediately trying to press a hand over his side.]

Are you alright? Here, hold on just one minute... [It will be clear right away from the strangely ice-cold feeling of Eichi's fingertips that he's trying to heal him.]

[aeturnus]

What?

[ It takes a second because the cold registers before what it really means and his mind helpfully supplies the network post where Eichi mentioned a new ability of his. Reaction comes quick after that and he uses his non-bloodied hand to take one of the young man's wrists and pull it away. Not with too much force but also maybe stop? ]

No, hold on, Tenshouin-kun. Remember? I'm fine, it'll heal.

[finethanks]

[Ah, that's right, this guy is actually old, right?]

That doesn't stop the pain now, does it? If I could take that much away, isn't it helping a little? [He's still thinking about Gladio's neck bleeding out beyond the wall, about the mission he'd gone on before where he'd stood helplessly as others defeated a monster. He just wants to do something about this. Can't he do anything?

His fingers curl a little in Cain's grip, now bloody, and then he tugs gently to try and go back to it.]

[aeturnus]

[ That gets something like a sad smile. The sentiment is good but Cain remembers Eichi giving away the downside of using his power, too, via that speculation. He doesn't let go, but his grip softens just a tad. ]

Thank you, Tenshouin-kun, but I've had way worse than this. It hardly rates.

[ ... this is how you do reassurance, right? ]

[finethanks]

[Those words just make him feel worse. He frowns, but eventually his hand goes limp in Cain's light hold.]

I suppose it's true that Kane-kun isn't someone with a weak body like me, where a simple stab like that could be the end of me. Even still, I wonder what the use of this ability is if I can't even relieve a bit of pain?

If I can't practice, I wonder if I ever will be able to manage this much. [He's so bothered by this. There goes his happy festival mood!!]

[aeturnus]

[ Cain lets go, resists the urge to ruffle Eichi's hair or any other kind of fatherly gesture. It's just a weird moment right now where the blood is starting to recede back into his body with hardly a trace on their hands and maybe that eagerness is familiar to him. ]

Most people would have a lot of trouble with a stab wound, I don't think that's just you. If you're looking for practice, I might have a better suggestion. A festival isn't really the best place for that, though, don't you think?

[finethanks]

My performance has already ended, so if you have somewhere in mind that I could practice, then I'd be glad to hear it and leave there now. Through becoming an idol, I was able to find some way to make a difference even with this body of mine, but this place isn't the same, is it?

[He's realized that. It's not quite like the Eluvio, either, but... He glances down at his hand, curling his hands all the way into his palm.] There are friends of mine who constantly put their health at risk to help. They're always supporting me, so I'd like to do the same.

[aeturnus]

It's less of a somewhere and more of a... with someone. I'd like to see the rest of the parade, but if you're that enthusiastic about it...

[ Cain finally removes his own hand now that the blood is gone, wound knitting itself together underneath the ripped fabric. ]

Can't say I don't know what that's like, but you're in a better position to help than I am. So. [ He shrugs. ]