riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

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introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and River Festival
when: The month of August; the bulk of celebration will be in week 1, but there is a party and fireworks display on August 14th.
where: Anywhere around the city.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

river festival

In the days leading up to August 1st, residents new and old will notice preparations beginning, a flurry of activity getting the city ready for the upcoming celebration: The River Festival. This holiday is in celebration of the river and the life that it gives to the city, as well as the heat of summer and forming bonds with friends, family, and romantic partners. The celebrations are marked by a community-wide cleanup of the docks and beaches along the river - particularly important considering the recent acid rain - as well as beachfront cookouts and parties (both private and city sponsored) and beach sports tournaments happening on either open stretches of beach or in special clothing-optional beaches, all capped off with fireworks displays on the evenings of August 7th and 14th.

a celebration of the river and togetherness

Following the hedonism of Carnivale, it's time for something a little more low-key and relaxing. The River Festival happens every year in August, and is geared toward community building through cleaning up the beaches and docks along the river and then using all that freshly cleaned beach to gather on. During the first week of August, there are various lightly-themed government-sponsored beach cookouts and parties geared toward family, romantic dates, or casual all-ages get-togethers for meeting new friends; there are also a few more racy parties at clothing-optional beaches around the city. Many private residents also take this time to gather together friends and family, and have cookouts on the beach with all the typical trappings of the beach barbecue. There are also various casual sports tournaments sponsored by community centers, gyms, and sports teams in the city, featuring prizes ranging from notoriety to sports equipment to big bucks. Finally, there are two fireworks displays, one on August 7th and one on August 14th, with free food, and various live performers beforehand.

i. cleaning up

The holiday starts off on a note that is just a bit more sombre than the rest of the season, with the cleanup efforts following late July's strange fog and acid rain blending into the usual tradition of cleaning up beaches and docks along the river. The cleanup is a group effort, with every citizen who is physically able pitching in to comb the beaches, where they pick up fallen tree limbs, garbage, and anything else that's accumulated during the winter and spring, and then raking the beaches to make them clean and ready to use. The cleanup of the docks is similar, with residents sweeping and hosing them down where necessary. This year, there are a lot of repairs to be made to beachfront structures that might've been damaged by the acid rain, so if anyone has some carpentry or building skills, those would definitely come in handy.

This is meant to be a community building effort, so many businesses in the area, more well-to-do private citizens, and the government have pitched in funding to provide lunches, cold drinks, coffee or tea, and snacks to anyone who's helping out with the cleanup efforts. All in all, the cleanup has a very friendly, welcoming vibe.

ii. cookouts and parties

The main traditions of the River Festival involve cookouts and beach parties. On August 7th and August 14th, the government as well as various corporations and businesses in the city, will be providing funds for large beach gatherings. On these days, there will be booths set up offering wares and freebies from various businesses around the city that have helped fund the party, large swaths of cleared beach where residents can don a swimsuit and catch some rays or swim in the river, massive barbecue setups to provide partygoers with all the standard barbecue fare, beach sports tournaments, dancing and musical performances, and fireworks displays (see prompts below).

The holiday isn't just about these big parties, though - many residents arrange their own barbecues, cookouts, beach camping trips, beach bonfires, and other riverside gatherings and outings. Many riverfront businesses offer discounts on services such as canoe or kayak rentals to go out paddling on the river, jetski or motorboat rentals for tubing, wakeboarding, or waterskiing, or mounts to take romantic rides in the surf. Additionally, there is an adults-only section of the beach where any of these activities can be done in the nude in a clothing-optional setting, including the big city-sponsored parties.

iii. sportsball tournaments

Is your character good at playing a particular sport that could, conceivably, be played on a beach? Chances are that during the month of August, a tournament will be set up for them to participate in. The tournaments are pretty standard, generally sponsored by community centers, sports clubs and teams, gyms, and other organizations and businesses in the city, with various levels of specialization, and levels of skill or competitiveness. The prizes also vary, with everything from plain old bragging rights to sports equipment or passes to gyms and community centers, to large lump sums of cash money. Definitely worth it, for characters with a love for sport.

Oh, and a lot of these tournaments are happening on the adults-only clothing-optional beaches, for those grown-up sports fans who like a bit of an extra challenge.

iv. performances and fireworks

On August 7th and August 14th at the end of the large city-sponsored beach parties, there will be evening performances all along the beach. Not as extensive as the musical performances during Carnivale, there are two large-name performers per night, with various lesser-known groups performing at random off and on throughout the day and night. Areas of the beach are cleared for residents to watch and dance to the music, both on the regular and adults-only clothing-optional beaches (acts will switch off between the two areas so both areas get both performances).

Player-characters who are musical artists, DJs, or otherwise perform are free to set up shop around this party and panhandle or put on free performances for publicity.

After the sun goes down, boats will head out into the water carrying a variety of fireworks, and there will be a beautiful display of exploding color in the sky for residents to watch and enjoy. The fireworks are highly advanced, incorporating old-fashioned gunpowder as well as modern technology that result in really beautiful displays that can take the breath away!

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 the River Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: image i: credit unknown; image ii: Albert Ramon Puig; image iii: Claudio Pilia; image iv: Alan Philips

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[His gaze lowers at the touch, glancing at Al curiously. The lost memories from the effects over the city meant he wasn't so resistant to touching his brother, not when the flashbacks of killing him didn't surface every time he even thought of it - but he didn't forget everything. He knew that this version of his brother was more touchy than the others, he had to wonder briefly if it was because he was younger - not by very much, but enough that he hadn't really spent any time with Ed before arriving here. The others had been to Germany, they lived together before Al arrived in Purg.

Either way he tried not to dwell on it, it didn't seem like a detail worth investing too much thought in. Al was Al and he wasn't about to start reading too much into his every action. As long as he was there, and happy to be there, Ed was just as glad.

At the other's words he shoves the thought aside that despite them, Ed knew that Al wanted to go home. Return to a world with the brother he left behind there, and sometimes Ed wondered if he could ever really be sure that was his own future and not some alternate reality he'd never have. Abandoning his brother for some alien world was such a difficult concept for him to grasp, he almost didn't believe it could be something he'd do.

He shifted, leaning against Al some with a content sigh, determined to just enjoy things for a change and take whatever else as it came with a faint smile.]

We do have that... and anything that does, we'll get through it together. Like we always do.

[ if it's strange for him to be so affectionate, al didn't notice. it seemed normal, even fine to scoot close to his brother and bask in his presence. to reach out and trail his fingers along a firm jaw or along the nape of ed's neck. his fingers linger there a moment, recalling how ed had bound his soul to that armor, at approximately the same spot, and al can't help but wish that he had some mark to acknowledge the sacrifice his brother made to resurrect him fully.

but he had no regrets. not now, not after everything. this might not be the same brother he intended to find in the gate, but it was still ed, and al craved every small bit of affection he could steal from his brother. it didn't quite make up for the four years being unable to feel or touch, but it helped a lot. ]

Mm, like we always do. I'm glad to be here with you, Brother. I missed you a lot, even when I couldn't remember everything. I wanted so much to be able to see you again. To hug you. To know what it was like to feel the warmth of your skin. Remember, that? I can finally feel you.

[Ed watches Al as his fingers move, careful to keep his expression as neutral as possible so as not to concern his younger brother. He couldn't possibly know what he was thinking in that moment, but if he had Edward would have told him not to be ridiculous. After all the work they'd done to get Al's body back, it didn't need to be marked with some reminder, missing years aside. Nevermind that Ed had plenty enough for both of them with the automail his brother still wanted to see gone.

He certainly wouldn't protest the touches, Al could have whatever he wants and he knows that, at least Ed hopes he does. If this is what makes his brother happy, he was fine to ignore his own confusion over the seemingly abrupt change to make Alphonse comfortable.]

I missed you too, Al.

[He shoves the thought aside that sometimes that included even when his brother had been there, because things had been different... felt off somehow. It wasn't important, what was happening in the present was what he should be focusing on. He offers the faintest smile at that, golden eyes closing briefly before shifting to wrap an arm around him, agreeing softly.]

Yeah... And now you can, I'm not going anywhere. Tonight, all we have to worry about is this.

[ al was glad his brother no longer jerked away from his touch like he had that first day they met. he hoped it was a sign that ed had forgiven himself for what he did in the past, but knowing ed, al figured it had to be some other reason. still, he wasn't about to complain. ed was with him, comfortable with his touch and even leaning against him which made al's heart beat a little harder. if this is what it meant to have his brother back, he'd give up everything ( again ) to have it. ]

And it's not much to worry about. The fireworks are nice.

[After enough time Ed had - for the most part - gotten used to Al's touch and resisted the urge to pull away, even when the memory had been there. This was notably more comfortable, though. Relaxed, as if the whole thing was completely natural to him, after the first brief moments of confusion.

Alphonse was, of course, right to doubt Ed's ability to get past things so quickly. It's not every day you murder your own brother, and he was much too laid back compared to how he'd been only a week prior. Completely freezing up and pulling back had given way to curious glances and cautious reciprocation, a far cry from his reactions previously.

He's perfectly content with this, if he had any say, they would stay and make a life here - but he knows it doesn't always work out like that, not in places like these. If Ed notices anything unusual he doesn't comment on it, seeming content to remain as they were, despite retorting mildly as he glanced skyward.]

Yuffie. I have to make it up to her for leaving early at that dance.

[That's it, that's what Ed was worried about. Not pissing her off again. Even if he did have a feeling she would be able to bounce back pretty abruptly, he knew she was upset about them leaving early.]

[ wincing a little as ed brings up yuffie, al feels a splinter of guilt worm its way inside his brain. while he has no regrets about leaving early ( the time he'd had with ed to himself had been more than nice ), he still felt bad for disappointing their friend. because al doesn't much like disappointing people, especially friends, but sometimes he just puts his brother first. it's a habit when all he has is ed, especially here in this strange world where they could be ripped from each other any minute. he doesn't want to waste a single second he has with ed.

so he quickly finishes his ice cream and leans against his brother. he follows ed's gaze skyward and sighs. ]

We both will. We both left early. I hope she'll understand.

[Ed still has mixed feelings about leaving early. As grateful as he was for any excuse to do so, he struggled with the whole sense of obligation to stay. Even if he had reasoned that Yuffie would have more fun elsewhere with others regardless of his presence in the building. Besides, it was late enough in the night that the whole thing had to have been wrapping up soon enough anyway, right? Those were all things Ed had thought about when they made the decision to go, and yet it wasn't any easier knowing that she was still upset about it. She hadn't said as much, but he could tell.

His priority was always going to be Al, no matter what - or who - happened in their lives. Like his brother, Ed's own thoughts had a tendency to linger on the fact that nothing about this place was permanent. Even if they were happy to send you back on request (once they figured out how) that didn't stop people from vanishing without said request and that similarity stuck out to the older Elric. He'd seen enough people come and go before, and already - barely here two months - he was seeing people go again, without a word.]

She'll come around, I wouldn't worry about it too much, Al.

[For one, because it was Ed's responsibility to worry about, he had agreed to accompany Yuffie and then left... but also, because it was Yuffie and she did seem to have a way of doing just that. Maybe he was underestimating her, but Ed didn't expect her to hold a grudge for long.]

She can't be too mad after a whole week of beach parties.

[ whatever yuffie was feeling, al couldn't help but not care. though he liked her and found her fun to be around, ed's presence always came first. there was no one he'd do more for and there was no one he cared about more. the party had been exciting, but at the end of the day, what al truly enjoys is curling up with a book and snuggling with his brother. and ed had looked so handsome that night that al couldn't help but want some alone time with him. he'd gotten that and he's willing to face whatever wrath yuffie might have in exchange.

that didn't mean he wouldn't make an effort to make it up to her. vaguely, he considers learning how to bake a pie like winry always used to do and then offering it to her in exchange. yuffie does seem to like eating, so it might be a good idea.

for the time being, though, he's content to finish his ice cream and reclining against his brother. between the scent of the water and ed's unique scent, he's reminded of when they were young, playing by the river's edge. time has passed and a lot of things have transpired since then, however, al's glad he can still enjoy simple moments like this with his brother. ]

Mm. Maybe I'll try baking her a pie. There should be recipe books in the library.

[Luckily for both of them it was unlikely that Yuffie was too upset with Al, after all he hadn't been the one to go with her. If she was, that would change the whole dynamic because Ed would lose his patience with her frustration real quick if she tried to pin it on his brother.

Although Ed isn't aware of his brother's thoughts until he speaks, he does know that Yuffie is a food enthusiast, so the idea of trying to make it up to her in that way hadn't escaped him either.

Still, he had to laugh at Al's suggestion, shrugging his shoulders lazily before shifting more comfortably against him once more.]

The library's good for researching this place, but you have all the recipe books you need in your pocket. I don't think a trip to the library's worth it, Al.

[He paused before adding softly.]

Everyone in this place is so pushy about learning how to use this stuff... You'd think they can't survive without it.

You think so, Brother?

[ a small chuckle escapes him and as ed relaxes more against him, he leans into his brother with a small nuzzle. it's nice like this, being able to breathe freely for a while without having to worry about anything. he tries to remember the last time they had a moment of peace like this and can only think of the time they'd stayed with winry while she fixed ed's automail. that had been several years ago. ]

I think people just want to find a sense of normalcy in this place. Something a little like home. I don't mind it much.

Sure.

[There were quiet moments in Purg and Attollo, at least until someone pointed them out, the word "bored" in Purg quickly became taboo. The constant events in this place every month was actually the opposite of what Ed had begun to consider relaxing, but it was nice to have a good time instead of constantly needing to watch your back. What had been years for Al had become Ed's norm, freak weather and vision loss aside.]

Their idea of normalcy is forcing their world's technology on other people? Maybe you should be the one with a computer, Al.

[Just a little snarky, not enough to move him from his relaxed position against his brother. He didn't mind that Cain had given it to him, it had helped. Cain wasn't the problem. It was the fact that everyone else insisted he learn in the first place that left him a little bitter.]

[ brows raising at that suggestion, al turns just enough to better face his brother. sure, neither of them are great with technology, but he's always figured his brother to be the brighter of them both, thus could make better use of the computer ed's talking about. but if his brother thinks he should take it... ]

Are you sure? I mean, we could both use it. It would be good to put research on it, though I don't know how we'd code it like we usually do with our research.

[He smirks at that response, lifting a hand to ruffle Al's hair as if that's the only answer he's going to give to that reaction, setting his hand on the ground to lean back on his arm before speaking again.]

Coding's the easy part. It's research that's the hassle. We'll figure it out.

[ giggling softly as his hair is ruffled, he leans forward as ed leans back, almost burrowing himself into ed's body. the closeness and warmth that he seeks are there and he revels in it. ]

I'm sure we will. We can do anything when we're together.

[He blinks as Al moves to nuzzle closer before smiling faintly.]

We sure can, Al.

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introductory mingle: RIVER FESTIVAL

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