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Save Our Earth Mods ([personal profile] ourearth) wrote in [community profile] saveourearth2019-08-02 09:35 am

More colours than you can shake a stick at, don't even try [Mingle]

Date: Friday, the 2nd of August - officially Saturday, the 10th (and unofficially Sunday, the 11th)
Characters: Open to all!


It is Mossgate's fifth season, and the the first signs come when the flag above the town hall showing the town coat of arms is removed and replaced with the bright and beautiful pride flag. Anticipation is high in the LGBT+ areas of town, and the traditional pride pre-parties take place in the LGBT+ venues on Friday and Saturday nights. Bunting starts to go up along the main streets of town, and volunteers are gathered for meetings and rehearsals. Any latecomers who still wish to volunteer are invited to turn up and make themselves known at this point (especially anyone with a valid first aid certificate!)

Pride officially opens on Sunday, with special free walking tours of the notable LGBT+ venues and sights around town twice a day, as well as open lectures at the universities featuring such topics as “What is a definition anyway: LGBT identities throughout the times” and “50 years and going strong: An overview of the situation of Pride parades worldwide”. Interested parties can sign up online using the local theatre's website, where they will also be able to browse the special LGBT+ program for the week (which, unfortunately, is not free, but those volunteering at any point over the week will be provided with two free tickets as one of their perks – either to be used alone for two events, or with a companion for one). The twice monthly LGBT+ book club is holding a special taster event on Wednesday evening, and the comic store is also holding special events each evening, focusing on a different LGBT+ character or author each night. Some of the religious institutions in the town are holding special LGBT affirmative services, and some are also holding drop in sessions. The RSPCA holds a pride themed dog show. Certain beauty stores, hair salons and barbers are holding trans-friendly sessions and workshops, some outside of normal working hours (although some are only accessible by signing up in advance). During the evening, there will be LGBT+ pub quizzes and special LGBT+ events up and down the high street. And, of course, plenty of other stores will also be taking advantage of the pink pound and the locals will notice the sudden influx of rainbow products, especially in the touristy shops along the beach front.

Something else starts showing up on Sunday and will be found around town the entire week of Pride: Parcels of various shapes, sizes and colours, some packaged like a present, some like regular postal items, some in entirely different ways. They just sit around in places where curious fingers might prod them, annoyed people might move them, or people might pick them up with the rest of the delivery unthinkigly. Essentially, they can be found anywhere, inside and out. They only have one thing in common: When touched, they explode into a cloud of glitter. And the glitter gets everywhere within a fifty metre radius if nothing (like a wall) stops it. The glitter bombs sitting around and waiting to explode seem to get neither less nor more. Those who can recognize Mr Neutral's scent will find it on the packages.

The other thing starts slowly and almost imperceptibly. All around town, things that break the light like thick glass, mirrors, sprayed water, and so on, will grow more likely to show a rainbow. Short rain showers will almost invariably leave one. All of this is still very natural until Thursday, when the strong, lingering, beautiful rainbow left after a rain shower portrays the colours light blue - baby pink - white - baby pink - light blue. By the time the main event rolls around, there is a ridiculous number of rainbows of all Pride flag colours everywhere, and the sky carries multiple rainbows of various identities' colours at the same time.

The main event, of course, being the pride parade, held from 11AM on Saturday the 10th. It starts at the town hall, progresses along the main beach front road and ends up at the Green from around 2PM. It's a massive event, equal to Brighton or Manchester, with plenty of floats and sponsors. All along the parade route, flags, bunting and ribbons float in the sea breeze and barriers have been placed to keep the audience from getting under the feet of the walkers, dancers, prancers and stompers that will make up a part of the parade's diverse make-up. The parade itself is made up of an interesting mix of local businesses and big name sponsors; the local walking society walking behind Absolut vodka, the WI walking ahead of Skittles, and the local scouts being proceeded by Stonewall and followed by the Conservative Party.

The Green has once again been set up with stalls for sponsors and local businesses, including charities like the RSPCA and the Samaritans. Those out for freebies won't be disappointed, with stickers, badges and sweets being handed out left, right and centre, especially by the representations of political parties who are doing their best to build some trust back up with the population. Because every Tory representative called out for increasingly ridiculous reasons, Mary Saunders had to take the Tory stand into her own hands and is brightly chatting with people about everything that is not national politics. The local reproductive health centre also has a stand, handing out condoms, dental dams, and advice.

A dance area and a DJ have been set up around the bandstand, and with several bars having build temporary extensions, the party will go on well into the night, although the parade officially ends at nightfall, when there is a fireworks display. After the fireworks, the Green is temporary cleared, and after it reopens, only those with ID proving themselves to be 18 are allowed back inside. There is, however, an alternative, alcohol free party held in the town hall for any ages.

Pride officially concludes on Sunday evening with the Kings and Queens ball, an extension by tradition that is held in the Hive. With the bar cleared out to make a second dance floor, there is a flamboyant tie dress code, (as long as it's smart and fabulous, you'll be welcomed), and while tickets generally sell out months in advance, Alexander keeps a few to one side for late comers, and volunteers are (again) provided with two as part of their package. When the bell finally tolls at 2AM, and the last partygoers are sent home, Mossgate will return to it's usual, quiet self (but the glitter will take some time to clean up completely).


[ooc: Everyone who comes in contact with the glitter can, but doesn't have to get a plot echo out of it.]
dreamtamer: (around the corner)

Monday

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-04 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
On Monday night Thom comes home from taking Gizmo from a walk, laughing at the glitter in their hair (and Gizmo had a lot of hair to hide glitter in), but confused. It had felt like an echo. Just like before. But nothing seemed to have changed.

Later that night he sends out a message.

Has anyone ever felt like an echo was happening without getting one?
iamnotgod: A man, hands up at chest level, staring left and down (In The Dark)

Re: Monday

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-04 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd thought that was the case with my first Echo. But it wasn't so much a change as a memory that hadn't made sense at the time.

[But, over the past year, he'd come to understand a bit more of what had gone on.

That's not necessarily helpful to Thom, though.]

Echoes can bring all sorts of things, though, not just memories or physical objects. It might well just be something that isn't relevant to your lives yet, this time.
dreamtamer: (pic#7374738)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-04 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
So it did something, but I can't see it?
iamnotgod: A man staring slightly off-center, looking serious. (Let Me Explain You A Thing)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-04 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
That's the most likely option.

[He'd say 'go ask your mother', but he honestly has no idea if Mary Ann would be able to make anything of this.]

Short of helping brainstorm situations that might trigger Echoes that could add context, though, I'm not sure how to help.
dreamtamer: (Default)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-04 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't know. What if trying to trigger an echo brings up something really scary? Gizmo was really scared by the last one.
iamnotgod: Shade Over Face (What Did You Do To Me?)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-04 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
That's why I'm hesitant to pursue that route.

[A follow-up response is formed in milliseconds, but Walter waits a bit longer than that to send it:]

Speaking from experience, having more than one package go off on you won't trigger another Echo, so don't worry about that.

[It hadn't been set off by him, but he'd been in range.]
dreamtamer: (smile!)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-04 11:48 pm (UTC)(link)
That's good news, then! I thought it was kind of fun, apart from the echo. Gizmo got glitter everywhere!
iamnotgod: A man, sitting and possibly smiling. (Awkward Smile)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-05 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
The glitter's not as much fun to clean up, I can assure you.

[Still, he appreciates Thom's enthusiasm.]
dreamtamer: (pic#8207378)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-05 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I guess there was an awful lot of it.
iamnotgod: A man, staring down and left, looking unimpressed and/or concentrating. (Oh)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-05 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Just don't eat it. Okay?

[Basic health concerns, here.]
dreamtamer: (are you sure about that?)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-07 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Why would I eat it? It doesn't look like it would taste very good.
iamnotgod: A man staring slightly off-center, looking serious. (Let Me Explain You A Thing)

[personal profile] iamnotgod 2019-08-08 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
I've known some kids who did very strange things.

[And for a long time I was one of them, he refrains from adding. They'd never had or been encouraged to try glitter in those days, fortunately.]

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catted: (quiet)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-08 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
When Thom and Gizmo come home, Mary Ann does something very strange.

She ignores them, at least until Thom or Gizmo speak up or step directly in front of her. Normally, she would have called a welcome home out to them when they entered the door.

She's just gotten so used to using this new ability of her to sense life patterns that she just isn't paying as much attention to her surroundings with her other senses any more, at least not to detect people moving around her own house. Sure, she's heard the sounds, but her mind has filed them away as probably the wind or something tipping over.
dreamtamer: (concern)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-08 11:45 am (UTC)(link)
It takes Thom a few minutes to notice. But when she still hadn't said anything to him after a few minutes, he wonders.

"Mum? Are you okay?"
catted: (oh fuck)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-09 03:51 pm (UTC)(link)
The voice that suddenly pipes up next to her makes Mary Ann jump. There's nobody... there. No. There is. But there also isn't...

...there isn't in the way that she's gotten so used to every living being being. Thom and Gizmo both just...

...are like the wall next to them. Or the clay cup on the table. WHAT. And an echo washes over her, though she cannot tell what it is - there seems to be no change, no new memory.

And Thom and Gizmo are still lifeless.

She cannot but stare. "What-"
dreamtamer: (are you sure about that?)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-09 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Thom was starting to get really worried. Why was she looking at him like that? Did something happen?

"Is something wrong?"

catted: (oh fuck)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-09 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
"You are..." dead? No. Not dead, clearly. But...

She blinks, and stares at him again. But no. "...lifeless," she tries to describe it eventually. How else can she say what there is?
dreamtamer: (Default)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-09 04:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Thom stares at her in confusion.

"But I'm alive?"
catted: (uh huh)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-09 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"No, you're not." She can say that with absolute certainty. "And neither is Gizmo.

That plant over there is more alive than you."
dreamtamer: (surprise)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-09 05:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"But I was alive yesterday, right? I don't feel any different?"

Thom was starting to panic a little. He still felt alive, but did this mean he was a ghost now? Could you become a ghost without realizing?
catted: (uh huh)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-09 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"You look alike for... for all normal senses? For everything that most people can see, I think...

You don't look sick. You just," she makes a vague gesture, "you aren't there. Not-" she doesn't want to upset him, but it's hard not to do so when she doesn't understand at all what's happening.
dreamtamer: (pic#7374707)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-08-09 07:59 pm (UTC)(link)
"But I'm not here," he says, visibly worried. "Am I a ghost now? Is Gizmo a ghost?"

Over on the side of the room the dog's attention is caught and he rushes over to Thom, butting his head up against his side. Thom was upset, and he didn't know why.

Thom absently reaches down to pet him.
catted: (uh huh)

[personal profile] catted 2019-08-13 05:57 pm (UTC)(link)
"...I don't think ghosts look that physical?"

What kind of conversation to have is this, even.

A conversation that's their lives now, apparently. "Can you touch things still?"

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vernal_miss: (Lavender)

[personal profile] vernal_miss 2019-08-27 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, but I found out what most of them were later. I still don’t know what a couple may have been.
dreamtamer: (Default)

[personal profile] dreamtamer 2019-09-02 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
I hope I find out soon. It's strange, not knowing.