FEBRUARY TDM

[recollecters]

TEST DRIVE

FEBRUARY TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé. What a beautiful, wonderful place. Sure, some things seem a little off sometimes but it's still home. The weather's starting to clear up as little signs of spring appear. What will you do today? I. Spring is in the air and today residents of the city can be found in all districts clearing out the rest of the winter gloom. Snow shovels are replaced for garden trowels as people begin planting flowers, trees, and vegetables. Some residents are in Hollingberry Field over in Viea Village cleaning up stray litter and debris to make the park enjoyable for all. Will you volunteer to help? Are you willing to get your hands dirty, or are you just annoyed that you can't go anywhere without having to side-step a puddle of mud? II. It starts innocently enough. You wake up in the morning, walk into your bathroom to brush your teeth and one of your lightbulbs burn out. That's not unusual. You make a note to buy more lightbulbs next time you head to Freshens. What is unusual is that the rest of the city seems to be experiencing similar problems. One of the theatres at Flix can't seem to get their projector to work and several customers are clamouring to get their ticket refunded. The elevator at the Towers stops working halfway up between floors. Neon signs on some of the shops in Tisse flicker and pop until some of the letters fade. The computers at the Recollé Public Library and Resource Center crash making it impossible to do school work. It's not just outside either. Appliances start acting up. Your phone might ring with a ringtone that isn't your own, but no one else is on the other line. What's causing all of this? It might be worth investigating. III. You realize that it might be wise to check Retrospec to see if any of your fellow residents are posting about similar experiences. You reach for your device, (or perhaps you've managed to wrestle one of the library's computers to work with you) and open the application only to be met with a blast of music. Shutting the app doesn't help. Every time the app is opened, a new song will begin playing on its own. The song changes each time, but they all seem to center on the same theme. The only way to stop the issue is to let the song play all the way through. Good thing you weren't sneaking in some social media time during class or work…were you? Maybe you're one of the lucky ones who escaped having the app automatically downloaded to your mobile devices or appear for you at inconvenient intervals. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore and the next wave of Retrospec users are chosen. New users will hear a very different song as their greeting when the app begins to download, prompting them to notice their profile filled out with their name and upload a picture. The song will autoloop until new users oblige to these steps. Now wouldn't be a bad time to ask fellow users some questions. IV. Billboards, bus stops, and posters make up many of the colorful landmarks in Chata and Tisse. These signs all have a purpose whether it's to advertise new movies at Flix, a special sale at Towers, or a hot new band that will be playing at the Atrium. Too bad things seem to be getting out of hand here, too. What do you mean the sign told you everything must go from the furniture department? Nobody said anything about half-priced movies with all you can eat popcorn! All throughout the city advertisements pop up displaying false claims. Are you one of the residents trying to cash in on these ads? Or maybe you're an employee who has to clean up this mess. Yikes. BONUS. The subway system in Recollé has been down for quite some time now due to construction. It doesn't make travelling through the city impossible, but it does make several people unhappy (including Mayor Mayer.) The non-functional subway has become a part of every day life, but when you pass by over the next few days, you can almost hear the sound of a subway car speeding along the tracks. Any inquiries will be met with disdain, and any attempts to head into the subway station to check things out will be met with construction workers telling residents to scram. It seems that this area is blocked off for now, but that doesn't mean residents can't investigate. Welcome to the recolle test drive meme! All characters will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. You may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own depicting your Recollé AU! Prompts do not have to be set in the districts listed above. You can review our list of locations for what's available. Please note that TDM threads can be used as samples, can be kept as game canon, and can also be used for bonus points for future item regains. Share a few minor details of your AU, tag around, and have fun! The February 2017 TDM directory can be found here. The February 2017 Workshop can be found here. The mod questions comment is here.

Comments

1

[true_noir]

[Well, it wasn't that nobody cared, so much as nobody really cared in a negative way. When the jab at the bit of trash came with that declaration, there was a giggle from one of the girls working on the flower beds in the park. They looked up at the young woman and grinned away from a small shrub they were putting down into the grassy field. They certainly looked more the part right now.]

You seem to be enjoying yourself.

[letteropener]

[Celeste blushes slightly, a little embarrassed. Genuine emotion is not something she's used to showing, and that goes double when it isn't quite appropriate.]

It goes faster and is more fun when you make a game out of it, don't you think?

[true_noir]

mmm, if it is not something you would usually do then yes. I would say that is a good idea. I love this sort of work myself, so I guess it is not needed.

You are enjoying yourself, though, and helping to beautify the city. A good thing either way. [She grinned at her.]

[letteropener]

Actually helping, yes. [As opposed to all the times it had just been for show.] But it got so messy in the first place -- that's sad, really. Wouldn't it be better if we were never needed?

[true_noir]

It would, but I do not think you will make people not be a trifle messy. It is the way of the city I have come to find. Nothing like home. We always clean up, but it was also more important at the vineyard.

[letteropener]

I feel like this was more the a trifle. [And while it had been fun to clean up, she might regret just how much she has to do tomorrow. Her arm is already starting to feel sore.]

[But never mind that!] You lived on a vineyard? [How intriguing!]

[true_noir]

Yes. My mother owns a vineyard near the Pyrenees, where I was raised. It's a lovely place, but rather remote. The sort of place that time has forgotten, if you will.

There are days that I miss France, but this town is so full of new possibilities.

[letteropener]

I've only seen Paris. [Celeste admits to this a bit unthinkingly, forgetting that, well, most people wouldn't speak of going to Paris so casually.] I have to imagine the countryside is even nicer and more beautiful. What brought you here from there?

[true_noir]

It is lovely, but I imagine much more quiet than here. I have, believe it or not, only been to Paris once, on my way to the flight to America. [She shrugged.] I came here after finishing most of lycee as part of an exchange program. Since then, I have sought to become a citizen, and I hope to bring my mother and girlfriend over one day too.

[letteropener]

Oh, nothing to disbelieve there. Most Americans aren't very well-traveled either, to their own famous cities as well. Out here it's easy to see why people don't want to leave... some days I wonder why I ever left the city.

[Celestia takes half a step back to turn and look over Recolle at large with a fond, wistful smile.]

You chose a good place to come to.

[true_noir]

Yes, I think that's a fair way to describe the city. No matter how much you love your home, you wonder why it is that you took so long to come here, and can't imagine leaving. It really is quite a marvel, and I want to share it with them too.

[letteropener]

[Celestia sighs wistfully. Why HAD she let things go on so long as she did? From this side of the move, her life before seemed -- well, not empty, but certainly not the one she wanted to live.] I'm not certain I'll ever leave again. Even though I know I really should.

I wish you the best of luck in bringing them here! Do you know, I almost think you could grow grapes somewhere around here?

[true_noir]

Oh, you almost certainly could. You just need the right setup to hang them from. Sadly, having enough to make wine would be more difficult in the city, I think. A good vineyard takes a lot, after al.

And I do hope that you come to like the city. It's quite endearing, in its way.

[letteropener]

Oh, this is my homeland, as it were. [Smiling, Celeste shuts her eyes and lifts a hand to her heart, letting old memories was over her.] I grew up here... well, halfway, anyway. I moved away when I was eleven and being back here already makes me wonder if it was all worth it.

[true_noir]

Ahhh, so you have been a while, and now have returned. [She nodded in understanding.] I think that I understand though I have never experienced something like that.

But, perhaps try not to worry too much? It does not help. The worries, they just get into the mind, and once they are there they refuse to stop nettling. Focus on the now, and find what it is that makes you happy and fulfilled, no?

[letteropener]

[Oh my goodness, is this girl actually trying to reassure and help her? Celeste has to put real effort into not laughing, though the feeling is all delight rather than any amusement at Chloe. How wonderful to receive such kindness, sincerely meant and unasked-for!]

I'm not in bad shape, have no worries on that score. I don't think I'd actually give up any of my life so far. As silly a thought as it would be to imagine I could!

[true_noir]

[Weeelll, she was a bit of a busy body and known for inserting herself in other people's problems, even when not asked. So, it was bound to happen at some point? Chloe would have been pleased to know it was appreciated though.]

I see. Well, so long as you are happy, I think that is what is important in this. On a day like today, nobody should have to be unhappy.

[letteropener]

Yes. [Celeste looks up and away at that, brushing a loose lock of hair off her forehead absently. So many out there DID have to be unhappy. Is her own desire to live selfish, because of that? She could be off doing a charity concert, or appearing at a fundraiser, or so many other things where she could do the right thing and give back to the communities that had given her so much.]

[...But then again, she did spend her day cleaning up a park. It may have been smaller, and it may have been something anyone could do, but it wasn't selfish, at least.]

...It really is a beautiful day.

[So much unspoken in that sentiment, only visible in her eyes.]

[true_noir]

[So much unspoken, but the girl was entitled to have a lot on her mind at times. Chloe certainly wouldn't fault her for it, and was almost completely unaware of any issues. She didn't know American celebrities very well, after all, so she had no idea what Celeste was going through. In the end, she smiled up at her and nodded.]

It was nice to meet you, by the way. I'm Chloe.

[letteropener]

[Celeste jolts slightly, having drifted so far into her own thoughts that she'd lost track of her conversation. She shivers and giggles at the same time, really quite a strange sensation, then offers a long-fingered, graceful hand to Chloe.] It's very nice to meet you, Chloe. I'm Tia.

[No telling hesitation there! Her middle name will definitely serve to keep people from guessing her true identity, she thinks, or at least making it slightly harder.]

[true_noir]

[She was in luck today at least. Chloe didn't know her, and so the name worked just fine as Chloe took a glove off to shake her hand. She grinned up at her and nodded.]

It is. I suppose this is one of the nice sides of events like these. We get to meet all sorts of new people along the way, as we clean up the community more.

[letteropener]

[It DID occur to Celeste that perhaps she could use her real name with a girl who may not have even seen her movies -- but honestly, then she'd just talk to her local friends and everything would come out. No, better safe than sorry.]

It gives the community a sense of community. And that's no small thing!

[true_noir]

I think that should be the goal of something like this. Take pride in your community and love it. Give it something beautiful so that you can enjoy it each and every day.

[letteropener]

And if everyone did that, what a community we would have -- what communities, everywhere! [When she is ready, if she is every ready, to crack the veil of secrecy that hides her here and let her true presence be known to the city, then she thinks she knows what her first steps back into social welfare will be.]

[true_noir]

One step at a time. We cannot change the world today, but for now we can settle on changing this city block for the better, yes? The pathway to heaven is paved with baby steps.