introductory mingle: SAMPREMI

[riverviewmod]

who: everyone in Riverview!
what: Introductory Log and Sampremi Celebration
when: March 8th - March 15th
where: In several different locations in the downtown area of the Inhabited City.
warnings: please put any necessary warnings in the subject lines

sampremi celebration

In the days leading up to March 8th, new residents may notice advertising around the city, everywhere from digital screens to paper flyers pasted on blank walls, featuring the name of the spring holiday in celebration of new beginnings, new love, and lust: Sampremi. The advertising mentions that there will be street festivals set up at various locations throughout the week and lists where the market will be set up on each day.

street market

The main draw of the holiday is a roaming street market that features special treats and street food that can only be found during Sampremi, a bustling bargain market with any kind of goods you can think of, and fair games that allow a person to win a prize for that special someone.

i. street food

One of the major draws of the festival is the special street food that can only be obtained this time of year. Almost everything you can buy at the Sampremi Festival is meant to be shared - whether it's one piece of meat on two sticks or desserts baked with a narrow part in the middle for convenient tearing, everything is built in twos. The stalls sell everything from cups of soup, sandwiches, roasted or fried meat, deep-fried vegetables and cakes, dumplings, donuts, bagels, turnovers, and anything else you can think of.

Many of the savory dishes are based on the meat of a particular fowl native to the moon Riverview is situated on that has a taste and texture halfway between chicken and duck, cooked to be spicy (ranging from very mild to throat-burning). Many of the desserts are based around a fruit native to the moon that is spherical, red-orange, and has a light sweet taste that is similar to a combination of mango, pineapple, and strawberry. Both ingredients are considered to be aphrodisiacs. Of course, the foods aren't actually aphrodisiacs and any effect is purely placebo.

ii. fair games

The festival features an entire row of fair games ranging from very high-tech games featuring virtual reality and neon holograms to extremely old-fashioned games with darts and balloons or balls and glasses. The games all have prizes in various shapes and sizes, with the standard stuffed animals, but also with goods and special items donated by any business in the city; ranging from tiny prizes to huge and expensive ones.

Due to the nature of the holiday, many of the stalls are set up to cater to winning a prize for your partner, and due to the nature of the Quarantine, a lot of them involve aiming or other aspects of pretending to fight.

iii. shopping

Originally, the part of the street festival that involved an actual market, with stalls and booths set up with goods, was aimed primarily at romantic trinkets like flowers or jewelry, gifts intended to be purchased for a loved one. As time has gone by, however, this aspect of the market has increased, with many businesses participating, though the emphasis is still on small businesses and anything relating to local culture rather than booths for any of the larger more corporate businesses.

There is still plenty of jewelry to be found, for sure, mostly handmade and artisan, but the scope of the Market has widened immeasurably. The Sampremi Market is an excellent place to find specialty foods, clothing, jewelry, art, or other goods that were originally native to cultures on other planets in this reality, or other realities altogether. Many residents in the city use the market to share their unique cultural goods and traditional dress with others.

iv. adult

In a side alley of the Sampremi Market on any day, one can find an area roped off with a red silken cord, attended by members of the Perimeter Guard in casual dress who will ID anyone entering to make sure they are 18+. Once characters are permitted entry, they will find all of the adult offerings that the market has to offer.

Since Sampremi is, historically, a celebration of lust and physical love, the adult offerings are all set up to cater to two or more people of any sex or gender configuration. One can find an adult or sexualized version of almost anything that's featured in the main market, from fair games to adult goods to street food laced with actual aphrodisiacs (there are always warnings for food spiked in this way to avoid accidental consumption).

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 Sampremi Festival, feel free to write it up!

visual inspiration

click on thumbnails for larger view

Credit (left to right): Theo Prins, andreasrocha @ tumblr, hrormir @ deviantart, nkabuto @ deviantart

navigation

Comments

[rouxgaroux]

Learning about the kind of wolf Derek is, learning about what he has to go through each time, Alcide can sort of understand. Wolves without Alpha blood in them in his world have a harder time distinguishing between that wildness of the wolf and their humanity. But then again they still have the power to make their own cognizant choices. Sometimes the pack "hive-mind" can influence them too. They have no bloodlust, really, not like what Derek is describing. And they can't turn people through bite so there's no point in it unless they're bound for destruction or defending themselves.

Alcide finds himself thankful for both his Alpha blood and that he's never had to deal with that bloodlust or need to procreate. He also really wants to help Derek in any and every way he can - even if it means using his Alpha blood to do it. Knowing this now, he can see why Derek hadn't been so keen to get his wolf back as Alcide had been in the Complex.

"Hey. You're not alone. I'll do what I can." And he hopes that Derek knows that that means he'll do whatever it takes. "I just don't want you to think of or act differently with me if the dynamic of me makin' sure nothin' bad happens includes me goin' all Alpha on you. It won't change how I am in this form. I don't want it to change you or mess with you or anything like that." He stops just short of saying 'what happens as a wolf, stays as a wolf'. But the point stands.

Alcide thinks they are that kind of friends if the situation lends itself to sharing. Maybe another difference between their types of wolves. Alcide can get very emotional around the full moon and is emotional by nature of just being a wolf. His emotions can turn on a dime. And Derek sharing some of himself, showing Alcide that kind of trust, yeah, it means a lot to him. He wants to know Derek even more than he already does. "Maybe we should eventually stash some clothes out in the woods just in case - for both of us. Used to have some hidey-holes back home just in case."

Alcide thinks about that. He and Derek are here. Others from Alpha have to be here too. Right? "Yeah, unless they were sent to another place, through another portal. We just have to keep an eye out... get our sense back in top shape. I found you cause I smelled you." Which, would be hilarious if said to anyone else. But it's normal for them, he thinks.

He nods and they head toward the shop. Inside there are all kinds of clothes. Alcide wants to grab the first thing he sees, a plain white tee, anything to be out of the jumpsuit, but he stops himself. He'll look around as they talk. "We'll make this quick enough 'cause I'm right there with ya."

[duelo]

Derek nods, giving Alcide a look of appreciation. He really thinks this will be fine, but it's so much better to be safe than sorry. Derek likes it here so far. The last thing he wants is to unintentionally make it an especially dangerous place for everyone else. It feels like Alcide has lifted a huge weight off Derek's chest. He smiles a little, shaking his head and holding up one hand passively. "I'm not worried about that, man. If I lose myself — which I don't think I will, but I'd rather be on the safe side — you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm not going to hold that against you," he promises in an attempt to assuage his friend's worry.

The idea of just leaving some clothes out in the woods is actually really appealing and Derek's expression, eyebrows lifted with honest interest, shows it. "I did, too, in the preserve back home," he agrees. "I like that idea. So...buy a couple of outfits while we're here, then," he says with a smirk.

Derek nods, thinking. He can't really look for the people that are important to him via his werewolf senses even though he has them, now. He hadn't had them in the Complex and he'd neglected to try in spite of the loss. Katniss and Buffy, he'll just have to look for them with his eyes and hope for the best. They've got to be here somewhere. They have to. If there are others here — he and Alcide, so far, and potentially a few others, although he hasn't really looked — then they've got to come. He's already feeling like a giant piece of himself is missing without them. He can't feel like that forever. And, for Alcide's sake, he hopes that he finds Zatanna, too. She means a lot to Alcide, much the way Buffy means a lot to Derek. "Yeah, that's something that's going to be easier for you than for me, at first. I've got the senses now, but..." his voice trails off and he shrugs, not feeling terribly interested in repeating himself, especially since Alcide already knows; Derek had gotten lazy.

As they move into the shop, Derek doesn't waste a whole lot of time perusing. The first thing he goes for are a few pairs of jeans. "The sooner, the better," he agrees with a grin, snatching a few t-shirts and long-sleeved shirts off the rack. They might not necessarily be Henleys, but they look similar enough. It only takes him a few minutes to grab a handful of outfits and then he's ready to go, but he stays close to Alcide, waiting for them both to be all set. "All right, ready when you are. Let's buy this stuff and go for a run. I'm dying to," he says, making his way toward the register. It's been too long. He needs to stretch his legs.

[rouxgaroux]

It's a relief, really, knowing that Derek can take it. Maybe, deep down, he'd already known that. But the reassurance of the fact is helpful. And with that out of the way except for the concerns of 'what if they're wrong when the time comes' Alcide is more than willing to give it a go. If it fucks anything up between him and Derek, then he'll have to work to fix it. Because either way, he'll be damned if he loses Derek's friendship.

"Yeah, we can get some cheap stuff - plain tees and some jeans." Surely they have cheap items that Alcide and Derek wouldn't mind - ah yeah. Alcide pauses at a stack of different colored V-neck tees. He picks up some and shows Derek. "Like these. Then it don't matter if they're out in the woods."

The two of them shopping. Really, it would be funny if it weren't such a necessity with the dumb as shit jumpsuits the Complex made them wear. Not only do they stick out like sore thumbs, but it just reeks of the Complex, a place Alcide wants to forget... the place, not the people. He shifts from almost amusement at their shopping to so palpably missing Zee. If she doesn't show, he knows the loss will ease with time. Right now it's very real and very present.

Lucky. He's lucky, he reminds himself. Derek is here. That's enough. Others could be too. He's not alone.

"I'll keep an eye out." He assures Derek, knowing that his friend will catch up soon as far as their senses go. "Or, you know what I mean." He'll use those senses.

While Derek's grabbing the henley look-a-likes, Alcide grabs a few plaid western shirts. Then he grabs one of the henley look-a-likes too. This will do. He's never needed a lot of clothes. Following Derek to the register, he grabs a pair of sweatpants and a tank on the way too. "Me too. I'm just gonna be glad to get out of this jumpsuit." He knows Derek will be too.

The check out goes smoothly and they're back out pretty quickly. "We can drop these off in our rooms and I'll meet you at the South gate?"

[duelo]

Derek agrees with a nod as he starts to pull a few more cheap t-shirts — he steers clear of the V-necks, if only because they scream Peter at him — from their racks and shelves. "I appreciate that," he says, acknowledging with another nod that he understands what Alcide means but is intentionally not coming right out to say. "I'll let you know, too, if I see or hear anything about Zatanna or Buffy."

As they approach the register, Derek laughs a little, glancing at his friend. "Tell me about it, we look like we just broke out of prison," he laughs, rolling his eyes. Technically, they kind of did, come to think of it. The Complex was its own special kind of hell, and as they were unable to leave the Complex as far as anyone could tell, that made it an effectual prison, even when they weren't locked up for treason.

Once they move out of line again, Derek starts to lead the way to the door. "Yeah, that's perfect. Give me maybe five or ten minutes and I'll see you then, man." He's a lot more excited to go for a run with someone who can run properly with him than Derek is willing to actually let on where other people can see, but he knows that Alcide can smell it if he's aware of chemosignals the way Derek is. "I'll see you in a few," he tacks on after they've made their way to the housing building. He'll just slip into his shared-by-entirely-too-many-people room, drop off the things he isn't going to stash in the woods, and head back to meet his friend. Thank God, he thinks to himself, for small favors. Having Alcide here is going to make this whole thing a lot easier a transition to make.

For now, he's going to wait at the South gate so he can stretch his legs properly for the first time in almost a month.