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

[ourearth]

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

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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.]

Comments

[scarsolderthanyou]

I. Glitter. Everywhere. (OTA)

When one has to wear skin-coloring on all exposed areas of your body, it makes something of a mess when one is spontaneously covered in glitter from pulling a small package out of one's car trunk that promptly exploded in little bits of colorful metal, or whatever they made glitter out of these days. It's even worse when one has to promptly sit down in the grocery store parking lot because another of those goddamned visions hits and leaves one dizzy.

And then when he tries to climb to his feet again, he can't see properly, and keeps missing the car when he tries to use it to lever himself up.

Sam's day is not going well so far. His month has not been going well so far, honestly, since the sudden increase in his strength after the trip to the fort, but this is just icing on the goddamned cake.


II. Closed to family

His daughter's place is closer than his, since he'd been on his way over there anyway. So that's where he goes, the foundation hiding his gray skin all smeared and stuck with glitter, squinting irritably as he tries to swap his focus between the road and the dashboard of his car (the former being much easier to see than the latter), and also tries not to crush his steering wheel or his hands. His hands are the more likely option.

He gets out of the car slowly at Mary Anne's house and heads inside. It's only long familiarity with the house that keeps him from tripping on the front steps, since he can't really see them very well. "I need a shower, and more make-up," he tells anyone inside. "I've still got some here, right?"


III. Actual Pride Stuff - OTA

Sam's family is usually pretty involved in Pride stuff. Sam is only involved because they are-- there's too much of a crowd for him to be particularly comfortable, especially with his new senses and, this year, an inability to see properly and a high likelihood that he'll hurt something or himself by holding too tightly or touching too hard. Why is his life like this, ugh.

But he's there, wandering around, sitting at the parade with some grandkids, buying snacks. Feel free to run into him anywhere.

I

[iamnotgod]

There's a minor sense of deja vu, when Walter hears the explosion and dashes over to Stone by the man's car - but it's just normal deja vu, so Walter pushes through it.

"Glitter in the eyes?" he asks, coming closer to offer a hand. It's a fair excuse, even if it isn't true.

Even if this was intended to be good, he finds himself thinking, it's still vile stuff.

[scarsolderthanyou]

"Maybe." He's pretty sure it's not that. Was the stupid shapeshifting dragon blind, too? Except he can see Walter coming perfectly clearly. He attempts to grab the hand to pull himself up, and misses. Frustrated, he makes a rumbling growl that makes the windows of his car vibrate.

[iamnotgod]

Walter frowns, concerned. That noise probably can't mean anything good.

"What can you see right now, exactly?"

Walter closes the rest of the distance, correcting for Stone's aim, and holds himself steady so that the man can lever himself back up.

[scarsolderthanyou]

"Thanks." That helps. He does haul himself to his feet, looking annoyed. "I can see you. I can see the store. I can see those cars. I just can't see right in front of my face."

[iamnotgod]

Well, that's at least a straightforward definition.

"So you're farsighted now, then."

He'll let Stone have some space, as opposed to crowding him further.

"At least that has a simple fix."

As long as the requisite glasses weren't expensive.

[scarsolderthanyou]

"Ugh. If glasses even fixes it. For all I know I now have alien dragon eyes, and reading glasses won't do a damn thing." He wipes at the glitter on his face and hands, smearing the foundation that keeps him from being so obviously gray.

[iamnotgod]

"Easier to cover for than if your ears had changed," Walter points out, referring to Sadie.

He tilts his head. "Think you need to get home, and soon," he adds, gesturing to his own face by way of explanation.

[scarsolderthanyou]

"Yeah, there's that," he agrees, albeit will ill grace, and he scowls down at his hands. Still glittery, but now also gray. Yay. "I hate this shit."

[iamnotgod]

"You need someone on lookout so you can get on out of here, or-?"

On the one hand, Stone probably wouldn't appreciate Walter taking shotgun, or trying to help with groceries when it's not really needed. On the other, this would not be an opportune time for a non-Numbered to key in on what's up with the older man.

[scarsolderthanyou]

"I'll go to Mary Anne's, it's closer," Sam grumbles. "I'm pretty sure I can drive like this, if I can just get into the damn car." He won't say no to a little help with the groceries, actually. Since bending down to try and retrieve the last bag isn't going to happen.

Think this is a good place to fade out, then?

[iamnotgod]

"Right."

Getting that last bag is no trouble on Walter's part, as is doing one last check around the car for anything lost or potentially in danger of getting under the wheels.

works for me!

[scarsolderthanyou]

Walter gets a friendly pat on the shoulder for his trouble (a careful one; Sam has learned his lesson from patting poor Benjiro), than Sam is on his way to get cleaned up. And re-foundationed. Ugh, being gray sucks so much.

II

[vernal_miss]

Occupied with watching videos on a tablet laying upside down on the couch when he enters, Sam will hear a hurried thump as she rolls off to the floor and stumble steps up and over to him with the tablet left behind. Much less worried by the layer of glitter, his body language tells her he needs a guide.

“You should... Mum grabbed some not long ago. I’ll find it while you get cleaned up, okay Grandpa?” she answers as she reaches both hands without hesitation for his wrist. Should he follow her lead with tugging towards the bathroom he usually uses, Nel will get him all the way inside.

[scarsolderthanyou]

Lucky for Sam, he knows this house well enough that he manages mostly okay. As annoying as it is to get a guide (and maybe a little bit need one), he knows she's trying to help. "Thanks, kiddo. Might need a little help with that, too, if you feel like it. Apparently I need reading glasses now, and I don't have any yet."

[vernal_miss]

The structure of the home may not change, but Nel kicks aside a toy along the way as part of the process. The way he squints is explained by the reported shift in his vision, and it leaves Nel puzzled. Not that such a thing matters at the moment.

Once she has him in the bathroom, Nel releases his hand, “Yep! I’ll put it on the front of the sink for you.” Helping out does ease her mind a bit. “We can walk to the shop after you get cleaned up and find some glasses I bet.”

His clothes may be another matter, but perhaps a good shake outside will do the trick.

[scarsolderthanyou]

There might be some spare clothes around here, too. He stays the night often enough. "I'm almost looking forward to getting the actual dragon shape back, at this point," he grumbles at his blurry reflection, tilting his head to try and see himself and his smeared, glittery make-up better. "It can't be more annoying than the rest of this."

[vernal_miss]

A fact Nel remembers after a moment of thought. There is that dresser by the bed he uses when he comes over, and that may yield something in the way of clean clothes. Still, she can at least try to minimize the spread of the glitter while he is getting cleaned up.

The grumble is heard clearly enough, and Nel pipes up as she waits to collect the outer layers of his clothes that have the most glitter, “When you do, you might be able to fly without your plane. That part sounds fun.”