riverviewlogs | introductory mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

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introductory mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Flower Festival Celebration
when: April 2nd - April 15th
where: In several different locations in the downtown area of the Inhabited City.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

flower festival

In the days leading up to April 2nd, residents new and old may notice advertising around the city, everywhere from digital screens to paper flyers pasted on blank walls, all advertising an upcoming holiday: The Flower Festival. Celebrating springtime, beauty, joy, and togetherness, the festival heavily features floral themes and dancing. The advertising mentions that on April 10th, a paid holiday, there will be a Blossom Picnic, as well as lists of various public dances at clubs or other open venues, and adult raves.

a celebration of spring

The Flower Festival's main event is the Blossom Picnic on April 10th, 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 10th. 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

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)!

iii. flower festival dancing

This is pretty simply what it says on the tin - 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.

There are also many low-cover-charge raves that allow under-18s so younger characters can stay up all night and dance like crazy. The legal drinking age in Riverview Quarantine is 14, and so anyone over 14 can enter and indulge in a few drinks, dancing, and playing tag with a non-intoxicating version of the colored powder featured at the adult raves. There is copious amounts of security on site to ensure that everyone is safe, as well as nurses and off-duty police officers to offer advice or care for anyone who overindulges out of lack of experience.

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!

iv. adult raves

Advertised on flyers and digital screens around the city, made to pop as if they were under blacklight, is a series of adult raves that are happening in various large empty warehouse spaces around the city, including one that is listed as the danger rave and hosted in an abandoned factory outside the inhabited city walls. With bouncers at the door to ensure that anyone entering is 18+, the raves are comfortably adult in nature. Clothing is optional, showing skin is encouraged, and there are a lot of neatly tucked away spaces for attendees to get some time alone with one or more than one person, as well as spaces intended for orgies. The atmosphere is sex-positive and non-judgemental, open to any orientation or preference, with various forms of protection available for free, however, to ensure that everyone plays safe there are sober security teams out en masse at all premises to oversee the events.

(CW: DRUG USE) In each location, there is one specific room where attendees can enter, and dance or play tag with brightly colored powder that contains small amounts of a legal party drug commonly available in Riverview, which is absorbed through the skin. Not much more intoxicating than having a few beers, the effects of the drug are a pleasant low-key buzzing euphoria, positive sensitivity to touch, a heightening of desires for intimacy, and a mild lowering of inhibitions. Once a character has been hit with the powder, the color lingers on the skin so other attendees can know who has partaken, but once the powder makes contact with a surface it deactivates, meaning that partakers can safely dance with non-partakers without sharing the intoxicating effects.

Please be sure to warn in subject lines for any threads involving drug use. And remember, there is always security to intervene and make sure everyone is safe.

v. roommates or wildcard

Feel free to use this prompt to set up headers for a communal floor, or threads open to roommates for the purpose of getting to know each other. Or if you have an idea for a prompt that isn't in this list, set at the Flower Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit: third image by Steve Goad; other images found on uncredited on Pinterest or Google images - please let the mod know if you find credit!

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"Not too far at all," he agrees, mildly encouraging. Herding kids back to their homes has been his job for the last couple of nights and he's gotten better at it, more familiar with the effects of the powder, though he hasn't taken any himself. He doesn't like to be impaired.

He leads the way, keeps the path clear. "What's your name, kid?"

He feels better the closer they get to the housing. He knew what he was doing when he ended up in that room, and still didn't feel good about it. He doesn't much like being impaired, either. But he did want to get a better feel for the place, so he still did it. He was having some regrets. He was looking forward to sleeping off the effects of this for the night.

He looks towards Bucky when he asks him his name. "Otabek," he said. He figured his first name was more than enough. If the other wanted his last name, he would ask for it, he was sure. "You?" he asked. Despite the effects going on, his expression didn't change too much. His brows were still furrowed, as if deep in though, and he looked serious.

Six blocks and a turn, and the building is easily within sight. Bucky gets him to the front and the elevators. "Here we go, just about there." Then he can go sleep it off, or whatever he plans to do. He made it back safe, which is where Bucky's responsibility ends.

"Bucky," he introduces himself, by first name only (nickname, technically, since there are very few people he allows to call him James). "I'm on floor five if you ever need anything."

It was late; later than Yuri had meant to stay at the rink. But he'd lost himself; lost to the rhythms of his body, to the addictive feeling of soaring through the air with a properly executed jump, the strike of his blade hitting the ice.

He would regret it in the morning, he knew- but for now it simply left him comfortably exhausted, his muscles aching. Ready for a hot shower, and then falling into the embrace of warm and soft bedding. Yuri had only this on his mind as he rounded the corner into the communal building- and very nearly right into someone's back. A very familiar back. Taller than he was, and with an impressive metal arm.

Blinking sleepily, Yuri jerked back just short of bumping into the other, and he stared, before his green eyes slowly slid towards Otabek, and his confusion only deepened.

"James? Otabek?" he squinted a little; not in accusation, simply confusion. His tired brain not quite able to process the reason for finding his mentor and his best friend together.

There was a pang of shame in seeing Yuri returning from training, especially considering where he had just been. Of course, that part was quickly drowned out by the fact that Yuri was one of very few people (and certainly, the only person here) that he didn't mind physical closeness with.

With the familiar face, he stepped away from Bucky, and towards his friend. He lifted up his arms, showing up the skin splattered with the blue and yellow powders. He needed to shower, too - but for obviously different reasons. He couldn't very well sleep with this all over him. Still, more in Yuri's space - he felt some comfort knowing someone he was comfortable with was there. The shift in his demeanor would definitely be obvious to anyone who had seen him just moments ago.

He closed the distance between himself and his friend. "He walked me back." There was an implication that it was because of the powder that was on him. He hadn't realized that Bucky and Yuri knew each other.

Bucky glances over Yuri when the kid comes up behind him; he's out late, and he looks exhausted. "Yuri," he says, nodding at him once, watching with a bit of amusement as Otabek gravitates toward the blond. They must know each other? The kid seems comfortable in Yuri's presence.

"Just making sure he gets back from the party okay. You wanna see him to his door?"

If it hadn't been obvious enough what Yuri had been up to at first glance, his backpack with his skates slung over his shoulder was a dead giveaway. Yuri just hoped that James wouldn't put together this with the fact that the skating rink was technically closed... but... also lacked any sort of security features or on site staff to keep him from sneaking in whenever he wanted a few moments of the ice to himself.

"Yeah, I can do that," his expression softened a little as he bumped his elbow into Otabek's side, huffing out a soft breath of laughter, and smiling a little, for the sake of his friend, "The cyan blue looks good on you, Otabek," he was referring of course, to the smattering of powder Otabek wore across his skin. Not knowing what it meant, or what it was for.

Otabek leaned into Yuri a little, comfortable in his presence. Even though there was no one here he quite trusted like he did Yuri, he was still learning about his younger friend. But with the effects of the powder lingering in his mind, there wasn't anyone else he'd want to see. At least, in his confused state, he didn't quite understand any implications of that.

He stretched out his arms, looking at them once Yuri mentioned the color. "It was a bad decision," he said, his tone quiet and almost secretive. "I feel horrible," the words came easily. It was not a confession he would typically make (never being much one to talk about his own feelings), but he wanted his friend to have a heads-up that he wasn't feeling himself.

Edited 2017-05-13 20:16 (UTC)

It's good that he's found someone he's comfortable around, especially when Bucky's ears catch the little secret meant for Yuri. He doesn't comment on it, though. He keeps his voice low, touches Yuri's arm briefly to get his attention. "The drug's effects should fade by morning, it's not very potent. You won't be affected by touching the residue on him." The kid should have some idea of what to expect, after all.

"Call me if you need anything, okay? And we're having a mandatory rest day tomorrow."

Yuri groaned at James' words about a rest day, looking slightly betrayed and put out by the prospect. He didn't really know what to do with himself on rest days, and so usually ended up wandering aimlessly, or getting himself into small amounts of trouble.

Still, his primary concern right then was Otabek, his expression softening in sympathy for the other, worried.

"Do you want to come up to my apartment? It'll be a little more private," and he could look after the other, since he wasn't feeling well. "We'll get some water in you,"

He didn't know what sort of 'drug' the other had taken, but he was a little surprised that Otabek would take anything at all. He would have to ask about it, later. But for now, his focus was on making his friend feel a little better.

"Thank you for bringing him back safe, James. He's a good friend of mine," Yuri said, as if James couldn't see that with his own eyes. Otabek being the only person that he'd never greeted by immediately shouting at them or berating them.

Otabek sighs a little. He's disappointed in himself for doing what he did. It wasn't like he didn't know what would happen, he had a little bit of warning. But - he regrets it every second he is standing here. "Let's go." He shifted a little. "To your apartment, I mean." And get water. He didn't want to delay too much

He liked the idea of staying somewhere a little more quiet than his shared space with nine other people.

He nodded towards Bucky, bowing his head. "Thank you."

He was grateful that he got back here safe, but he was also grateful that he was going to spend some time with Yuri alone.

Bucky manages a slight smile at the declaration. He can tell, it's obvious in their body language that they're good friends, close. Like him and Steve, maybe. If he were out of sorts, there's no one else he'd rather look after him than Steve. He figures it's like that. "Any time. You two be safe," he says to them both, giving Yuri a slight pat on the shoulder before he heads back the way he came. Who knows how many other people need walking home?

"We will," Yuri promised, the response a little obligatory- and yet still genuine. More important right then, was making sure that Otabek would feel as well as could be hoped come morning.

"All right," he smiled to Otabek, gently linking his free arm with Otabek's, and leading him inside to the elevator. He didn't break contact there, didn't unlink their arms even once he'd gotten the door to his apartment open.

"Do you want to shower here?" he asked, setting his skates down and toeing off his shoes, talking quietly so as not to wake Eddie up- if he were in the apartment at all. Squinting around, Yuri wasn't quite sure. He might have been out partying too, for all Yuri knew. Or maybe he was another like James, making sure people were getting home safe. He was a police officer, after all.

"If you have your keys I can go up to your floor and get you some pajamas, if you'd like. You can stay the night here, Eddie won't mind," and neither would Yuri, seeing as he'd made no secret of favouring Otabek's company.

"Sure," Otabek said. He couldn't very well sleep with the paint still staining his extremities, and well, Yuri was offering. He stayed close, his arm liked to Yuri's. He felt so at ease, so happy. He was happy to be near his friend. Happier than he had ever even seemed to be in the past. It was definitely a side effect of the drugs in his system. The drugs he regretted. The drugs he was looking forward to sleeping off.

He pulled his keys from his pocket and offered them to Yuri. "Pajamas are in the middle drawer." Otabek mostly kept sweatpants, hoodies, and tees there, but that was what he slept in.

They were the most comfortable things he could think of cozying up in right now, too. He didn't always sleep in all of those pieces, but if he was sharing a space with Yuri, the least he could do is make sure he was fully clothed. "And staying here would be good." He wouldn't even try to pretend like that didn't sound great to him.

Taking the other's keys from him, Yuri nodded.

"All right. I'll be back in a flash. Just leave the bathroom door unlocked and I'll leave them on the counter for you, okay? Towels are in the little linen closet just outside of the bathroom. Help yourself to a big fluffy one, and anything in the bathroom you want to use," he wasn't shy about the idea of slipping into the bathroom while Otabek was showering. It wasn't like he was going to peek, and the shower curtain was opaque. He'd be in and out before the other even noticed.

"Do you want me to make you anything? Some chamomile tea or something?" Yuri liked it, every once in awhile. Just to unwind, help him sleep. And it was healthier than hot chocolate; although every once in awhile he still went for it.

"Only if you're having some," Otabek said. He already felt like he was proving to be an inconvenience, and he didn't want to make Yuri go out of his way even more. He shifted, tugging off his shoes, then his socks, placing them into his shoes so he wouldn't misplace them. He started into the apartment, his footsteps quiet and easy.

Before Yuri would go off to run the errand he had offered to partake in - getting Otabek some pajamas. He looked at his friend. His eyes were tired, a little hazy, but sincere. "Thank you, Yuri." It wasn't like they had been friends long, even if they were close and got close fast. He didn't want the other to think for a moment that this was going to go unappreciated.

He started to, on his way towards the bathroom, tugging off his shirt. It felt dirty, probably thanks to the day, so it was nice to relieve himself of it.

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introductory mingle: FLOWER FESTIVAL

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