recollecters: (Default)
Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] repeter2018-01-17 08:44 pm
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JANUARY 2018 TDM

TEST DRIVE
JANUARY TEST DRIVE
The city of Recollé...

What do you mean the city's behaving for once?

I.
The large opaque dome enveloping the entire city continues to stand tall and firm, though this may be the first time you've noticed the dome itself rather than believe it's simply an eclipse effect. Faintly reflective in appearance but blocking the outside world, the dome still allows the warmth of the weak winter sunlight to seep through. It isn't hard to breathe, and the flora and fauna seem to be responding just as naturally as always. But the city of Recollé is pitch black except for the light citizens shine themselves.

The dome stretches incredibly high over the city, but anyone who can get close enough to it will find that they can briefly see themselves in the surface. Upon touching the dome, it appears to be smooth and almost rubbery in texture despite a shell-like shield appearance. Soundproof and unable to provide clues to what's happening outside of the city the dome is also harmless for those who wish to touch it and examine it, causing it to bounce a few times under light impact. However, do be careful not to trigger its defense mode! Should anyone attempt to damage the dome itself, it will light up with a bright, sickening blue color for three seconds before delivering a shock to its attacker and rendering them unconscious for an hour. Perhaps you'll get lucky and you'll only deal with the too-hot-to-touch surface that self-activates when the dome is threatened, or the spikes that appear at the source of impact. The dome seems to have a temperament of its own. It may be best to treat it the way you want to be treated.

II.
Going about your normal day, the darkness seems endless aside from whatever light can be shed via flashlights, cell phones and interior lights inside buildings. However, as you wander the streets of the city, under your feet a swirl of yellow light appears before darting ahead, bouncing and bobbing its way over snow and concrete to create a clear path for you. It's a little convenient to have a guide to follow, but you're not the only one. Others around you are following their own lights and they all seem to gather right at the entrance of the old subway station. Perpetually under construction for as long as you can remember, the station appears to be wide open for anyone who ventures in.

The light will guide you for roughly twenty-five feet before it dies down again. You're allowed to turn back, of course. There's nothing stopping you...except for the vine that suddenly snakes along the ground and wraps around your ankle, hooking onto you and beginning to drag you further into the tunnels. Now would be a good time to start calling for help.

III.

Back in the city itself, it's hard to say who, exactly, is to blame for the first hit. People are minding their own business and moving on as if everything is perfectly natural as usual. However, in addition to the hustle and bustle small barrels appear on every street corner with an assortment of colored guns. The moment you step up to investigate one of these barrels it becomes a little more clear what, exactly, is happening here.

A bright red, green, or blue dot appears on your skin as the laser light hones in on you. Someone's decided to make you their next target in a city-wide game of laser tag and you have precisely ten seconds to run. For anyone tagged by the guns, a confetti-effect of red green and blue dots will appear all over you lasting for up to fifteen minutes before you're back in the game.

Will you grab your weapons and join the game? Or will you dodge as long as you can?

IV.
As the evening sets in, there's a smell in the air. It's not the usual winter-y scent of peppermint or warm soup or anything like that. No, you soon realize that the smell is buttered popcorn and now instead of the barrels of laser tag guns there are carts containing popcorn machines, bottles of soda, candy and more. These carts don't move and they do not seem to be manned by anybody so feel free to take as much as you'd like! At precisely 7pm, the street lights dim a little and the dome above you starts to...glow? It glows and a picture stretches all the way across the sky as a movie begins to play for your enjoyment. Maybe it's the first of the Galaxy Fights series, or it could be that crazy archaeologist turned fortune-hunter Kentucky Smith. The movies will rotate one after the other for the rest of the evening until 7am when the street lamps come on, but for now grab some blankets and a good seat. There's always time for a movie with some friends.

BONUS.
Of course communication to people outside of the city is still out of the question. Of course it is. There are absolutely no signs of that changing anytime soon no matter how many times you call or text or email. Snail mail is nearly impossible and don't even think about videochatting.

On the other hand, it seems as though the powerlines above are beginning to spark, pulsing in patterns of a bright blue color visible to the naked eye. What's up with that? Trying to get a closer look will only reveal a thick, crackling sort of energy that is surely not dangerous in the slightest and is nothing to worry about.

The energy won't leave the powerlines at all, but instead the next time you use your phone for anything a song activates instead. It's loud and it can't be shut down, but once it ends you may find yourself in a video chat with a fellow Retrospec user. Say hi!

Welcome to the [community profile] 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!

For current players, please remember that TDM threads can only be used for bonus points, not regains.

Please note: you will need a reserve to apply, and current characters must have full AC posted at the time of their reservation.

Your January TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!
livingimpaired: (pic#)

[personal profile] livingimpaired 2018-01-18 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I do, indeed.

[ His head tilts in a manner that hints at how defeated that he feels at present. ]

I've found that time has become quite fluid for me until recently. [ A slight pause as he continues to explain. ] I had thought that the darkness outside was normal for weeks, apparently. It makes me start to wonder little things like is my concept of what time it is accurate or has that, too, fallen to the wayside.

[ He hums, thoughtful. ] This app... I had been preoccupied with the dome... you're saying that this app is the cause of all these sudden revelations?
judgementkazzy: (icon 77)

[personal profile] judgementkazzy 2018-01-19 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
You'd be surprised at what passes for normal sometimes.

[ He frowns. If Kei's only recently gotten the app his troubles are just beginning. ]

Basically, yeah. Now that you have it, you're going to start noticing these things.
livingimpaired: (pic#)

[personal profile] livingimpaired 2018-01-19 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
Of that, I am certain.

[ And he sounds honestly serious. How did the others handle so many not acknowledging what is happening in their city? It must feel isolating. He does know something about that, and so he agrees what passes for normal is occasionally very surprising. ]

For how long? For how long will I notice these things? [ Rather is there a possibility that he will return to how he was? Could he return to being like how many of his patrons are? ]
judgementkazzy: (icon 75)

[personal profile] judgementkazzy 2018-01-19 04:52 am (UTC)(link)
As long as you're on the app.

[ After long enough, even finding things strange becomes normal. Kiryu doesn't sound too thrilled, but he's calm about it. ]

I've been on it since May, but I know some people lose access and come back, so there's no way to know for sure.
livingimpaired: (pic#)

[personal profile] livingimpaired 2018-01-19 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
Is that so? How mysterious.

[ And he means that, too. But he cannot come to a good conclusion if he simply rushes forward. These things, especially this thing, needs to be handled carefully. ]

It sounds rather frightening. But that is what you mean by what passes for normal, right? One moment, a person may be capable of noticing a dome covering the entire city and the next... they return to being unable to recognize it before their eyes. Should that happen with me, I shall hope you will forgive me for those circumstances. [ A chuckle. ]

Not that I think that you are the kind of man that holds grudges over such inconveniences, Kazuma Kiryu.