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

[hellicious]

I'll get a whole bushel.

[His arm resting along the back of the booth behind her lifted, fingers playing with her hair as she sipped and he wore a contented and aroused smile.]

I'm enjoying that you're enjoying it.

[couldkillthedevil]

Mm. Crazily enough, I am.

[And she'd be lying if the dancers weren't quite fun to look at as well, though those thoughts are fleeting as her attention is otherwise entirely taken up by him.

And then a question comes to her head, then, watching that aroused look in his eyes.]

So, what about you? You followed me around the things I had an interest or curiosity in. What booth would Lucifer Morningstar wander into at his own leisure?

[hellicious]

Any one you were manning.

[A grin, because that was clearly the smoothest thing to answer, yes? Of course it was.]

I've likely tried all of it. Or at least, any of it available in our world. There are some things I'd rather not again, like restroom-activities and the like, but candles? Paddles? Crops and whips? Certainly.

[couldkillthedevil]

Restroom-activities... yeah. Let's just say I'm glad to hear you say that.

[Of course he's tried everything under the sun. She's not even surprised.

Her look is considering as he lists off those few things, brows lifting a bit as if to confirm.]

So pain, then. That go both ways, or...?

[hellicious]

Not really pain, though. I mean, it wasn't before. I told you what a gunshot felt like. The rest is along the same lines. Bit of a tickle. Maybe that's why I've been so intrigued with it in others. But as far as giving it...

[He thought about that, wanted to be sure he put it the right way as he wound her hair around his fingers.]

To a person's desire. Some like pain. Others have a few wires crossed and feel it a bit differently. You have to play along that edge. Some like to be pushed right up to it, then comes the balance of keeping them there without tipping them over. I wouldn't hurt anyone really. Not in a way they didn't want to be.

[couldkillthedevil]

[It's hard to remember sometimes that he's literally different around her. After all, she's seen pain flash over his face after she's shot him. How it looked as he bled out on the dirty floor of an airplane hangar. Her experience of him has been far more human than anyone else's.]

Oh, well, obviously. I hardly think you'd intentionally do anything someone didn't want to do just to get your rocks off. But the whole keeping the balance thing, finding that edge. That excites you.

[hellicious]

Of course it does. Keeping someone on that balance of ecstasy without letting them tip over takes practice. And they love it.

[Which he loved doing. Subconsciously, it was because in that moment, he could pretend it was him they loved, or that he was giving them something no one else could. That little peek into his ex lovers had proven otherwise.]

But I'll admit, I'm curious about being on the receiving end with you. To see what that pain feels like. What my limits are.

[couldkillthedevil]

[She's not surprised to hear that from him, both his confirmation in his enjoyment of it and his intrigue at how it'd be with her. If he was anything, it was open to trying anything and everything that might sound fun to him.]

I like certain things in that area myself, honestly. Though I doubt I'd be comfortable using whips or chains or whatever anytime soon on you.

[hellicious]

That's all right. I may be curious, love, but that doesn't extend to making you do something you don't want. Though, you can't give me a tidbit like that and not follow through. What sort of 'things in that area' do you like, mm?

[couldkillthedevil]

Mostly some scratching, biting, things like that. Spanking is alright too sometimes. It's usually the more in the moment things that I enjoy.

[hellicious]

[He'd remembered the little nips she'd given him, the rake of her nails over his ass and he shifted in his seat, body reminding him that, as always, it was ready and raring to go. He drew in a slow breath through his nose before he drifted out in a sigh.]

I quite like those moments as well. Tell me, Chloe, do you like to be bitten?

[couldkillthedevil]

[She notices and smiles, body language deliberately open and welcoming as she gives him the answers to sate -- or rev up -- his curiosity.]

I do. Scratched, too. Like I said, it's hot if it's in the moment. If someone just bit me as foreplay, I'd probably kick that person in the knee.

[hellicious]

What if someone nibbled as foreplay? Right about... here?

[His other hand lifted to trace along the side of her neck, feeling her pulse flutter under his finger as he did.]

[couldkillthedevil]

[Oh. Well then. She shifts, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth as her breathing grows just a bit more shallow.]

Nibbling is acceptable. As is evidence of said nibbling.

[hellicious]

Kinky little minx. Like a bit of marking, do you?

[He thought about that, about her walking around with a reddened ring from his teeth, and yes, there went that flare of arousal again. It grew when he thought about him wearing one from her, something that hadn't really been possible before.]

I think I would too, just to be clear.

[couldkillthedevil]

What can I say? I like having reminders.

[She's thinking about that too, about where she could kiss him and suck and tease a mark into. Of leaving something behind no one else ever could, and him carrying it around with him the next day.

Her hand slides to rest against his knee.]

Yeah? And where's that?

[hellicious]

Anywhere...

[His voice dropped a bit, a husk coming through as she touched him, his eyes flaring for just a moment as his finger slid along her neck again, tapping over her pulse.]

Everywhere. Especially from you.

[couldkillthedevil]

[There's a sharper intake of breath from her as he touches her and tells her what he wants. He'd be able to feel the way her pulse picks up speed underneath his fingers, how a soft shiver runs down her body at the sound of his voice.]

I'm... okay with that. Completely.

[hellicious]

You know what I'd like right this moment, Chloe?

[He can indeed feel that increase in her pulse, his own body tingling as arousal licks through him -- and he hasn't even had anything laced yet. Oh, but wouldn't that just push it further in the best of ways...]

I'd like you to come here and sit on my lap.

[couldkillthedevil]

You would.

[Said with a soft, amused smile, though it's tempered by the faint flush of arousal rising over her skin. Her hand squeezes his knee before drifting away, body angling more towards him as she starts to give him what he wants.]

Come here.

[hellicious]

[He shifts himself, angling sideways and reaching for her, hands already starting to draw her closer. There's another angle to this, of course, such as the fact that not only was he being seen with her in public, but it was now going to be 'known' that they were more than just work partners. That they were a 'them'. That was perfectly find with him.]

[couldkillthedevil]

[It'd never been a secret before, really, though PDA was not her usual way of things. But the mood seemed right here, public enough that others may see them, but tucked away in the corner enough that there wasn't a huge spotlight on them. It feels strangely intimate, despite the setting. Or maybe that's just because she's so focused on him.

Either way, his hands on her give her enough support as she slides a leg across his lap until she's sitting astride him.]

More of what you had in mind?

[hellicious]

Yes.

[The word is breathed out, his hands lifting to smooth over her hair, brushing down along her shoulders before he pulls her down properly into his lap. He couldn't help what may or may not be prodding at her, but he wouldn't press his luck there. More than usual, anyway.]

I'm starting to very much like the way you look when you're above me.

[couldkillthedevil]

[Her mouth practically goes dry when he tugs her further into his lap, because yes, she feels the hard line of him there. It didn't help that he was already shirtless, his chest a warm expanse to touch and feel as her hands stroked up and down.]

Only starting to? You seemed to like it before.

[hellicious]

Oh, I did. I just haven't had the pleasure of repeated instances of it. So far, I'm finding that it's definitely something I enjoy. I also love you in those boots. They do amazing things for your legs...

[His hands were at her hips, resting there and trying very hard not to do something silly -- like grind upwards. That would be too much.

Wouldn't it?]