MARCH TEST DRIVE

[recollecters]

TEST DRIVE

MARCH TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé... To infinity...and beyond! I. Wake up, get up, get out there, Retrospecters! Today's a new day and with the roads in place thanks to the efforts of Retrospec users, several locations may be explored. With Pesgare three hours south by boat, Respatrum an hour east and underground, Bosuma two hours west through the Recollé Woods and Magatus seven hours north from the city, visitors may come and go to explore the regions and their points of interest. The travel may take some time and the scenery will change around you as you go. Those same monsters from before continue to lurk just outside of the city and on the path to these locations and wild flora sprawls over various pathways. Take some time to study them if you'd like. And speaking of study, along the way you'll find various road signs and warnings along the way including giant man-eating frogs, fire-breathing horses, severe flood warnings and more. In addition you will find large directories in the middle of the road pointing you in the directions of the four locations. However, you'll also find these helpful guys who just want to do a good job and will get to work on these new roads! But wait, shouldn't they be working on some of the unfinished pathways and not the main ones? How do you stop these crazy things anyway? You may have to find a way to subdue the jackhammers or direct them to a new location. Good luck getting them to listen over the noise. II. Then again, with these pathways open now you may find yourself already in one of these new districts and very, very far away from your home. One minute maybe you're driving along, listening to your favorite road trip playlist as you prepare for Spring Break and the next you'll realize a wrong turn has lead you straight into the heart of a snowy mountain. Has this forest always been here? This seaside village is way too crowded! No matter which of the areas you end up in, it will be up to you to find your way out and back without a map on-hand. There's a good chance you can find strangers or maybe even some friends in these regions to fill you in, but there's always something going on to distract from your main goal. In Pesgare, you may find yourself in the midst of a heavy rain shower. While some of you may be prepared and have an umbrella on hand, others will notice that the rain is an iridescent color that falls and curves in arcs. Getting soaked by the rain may invoke a strange desire to cause a scene and yell dramatically at whoever is close by (and perhaps even belt it out if you're unfortunately unlucky.) In Respatrum, the sound of loud cheering and applause draws your attention to a large stadium. In the center of the ring is a man with a red cape, waving it in front of a burning, burly bull. A final flourish sends the bull back into its pen, raring and ready to go the next round. But wait! Without warning, the organizer of the bull fights grabs you by the shoulders and hands you a cape, shoving you straight into the ring with the crowd roaring above you and the bull bursting out of its cage. What a rush! In Bosuma, the creatures of the forest appear to be out and around including rabbits, squirrels, giant woodpeckers and rainbow-colored deer that aren't afraid to approach people. In fact, all of the creatures appear content to welcome these newcomers and show them around the forest. At night, several large, blooming flowers begin to glow in various neon colors. Colored pollen also appears to be falling from the flowers, leaving a mist over you that sweeps over you like a soft waterfall. Depending on the color though, you may find yourself feeling a little different... And finally, what's going in Magatus? Why it's sports! A winter sports competition is going on at the mountain looming above the Magatus ski lodge and the snow is fresh and perfect! However, landing on the slope is probably a bad idea, isn't it? Hope you're ready for a slippery ride down the mountain! III. Back in the city itself, life goes back to normal and several citizens are preparing for spring. The Recollé Community Center has gathered together to start cleaning up the local parks and community areas to plant brand new flowers to brighten up the city. Are you good with a shovel? Come join them in rehousing potted plants, picking up garbage and dead shrubbery from winter's harsh temperatures and more. If planting's not your style, over at Recollé High School several citizens are working together to prepare for the musical production Villainous, as put on by the high school's drama club! Sets still need to be built, costumes need to be finished and advertisements need to be distributed! For you artistic types out there, the drama club would love your support and time to get them ready as the premiere draws closer and closer. IV. Those of you who have lived here for years know that Mayor Mayer loves holidays. He does his best to never miss a celebration of any kind and while sometimes his efforts are smaller and more personal, this year he seizes the opportunity to celebrate an entire weekend dedicated to St. Patrick's Day! Though the holiday is on 3/17, festivities extend to 3/18 for two days of fun. What does this mean? It means that everywhere you go you'll find discounted prices for anyone wearing green, carts selling corned beef sandwiches and cabbage salads, and for those of legal age bars are specializing in green beer and green mixed drinks for miles. Seabiscuit the chocobo rides proudly through the city with the mayor dressed as a leprechaun, encouraging citizens to hunt for his pot of gold that he's hidden somewhere in the city! A series of clues will lead players onward and spreading out through locations such as Expressive, the Towers, Freshens and more. With luck, citizens playing along will find small golden coins emblazoned with a chocobo portrait! Unfortunately, something seems to be in the air and surrounding these coins. Unknown to the mayor, those who pick up these coins will find themselves hit with the overwhelming urge to find someone not wearing green and pinch them as tradition. Whether you're doing the pinching or you're a walking target, the coins' power over you will only wear off when the deed is done. As for the mayor? Anyone who collects more than 10 coins will find that they're eligible for a prize of $50 which can be collected at city hall. Happy pinching hunting! BONUS. The nice thing is that if you're in the city or if you're in one of the new regions, your phone works. Where would we be without technology? It's nice to be in constant connection with your friends and loved ones with the ability to check emails, social updates, maps and more. However, the internet can sometimes be a strange place and you will find yourself receiving a message from a Retrospec user named Zee Carlisle. Hey newbies, how's it going? You're probably pretty confused, aren't you? I think I can fix that. It's all the text says before you find yourself redirected to a private chat with another Retrospec user. Don't be shy now! Say hi and ask all of the questions you need! 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! 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 March TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!

Comments

misa amane | death note (mia amane)

[lifespanned]

II. bosuma

[ She's spent about half an hour trying to get the perfect shot of these beautiful, rainbow colored deer, feeling an immediate inspiration for them. But, maybe it's because she's too aggressive, or maybe because the deer tower over her short stature that most of them have either skipped around her or just shy away from her presence. It doesn't help that there's a mist of green pollen that pollutes the air, and she makes absolutely no effort to hide her sour expression, camera in her hands and slung around her neck.

To be honest, she looks about five seconds away from a tantrum.

That is, until she sees a deer about to approach you (who happen to be next to her in the park) - immaturely, she starts waving her hands and making little cooing sounds to try and get it to approach her instead. ]

Come over here~ I'll be really nice to you and give you a treat!

III. costume making

Hold still, will you?

[ Mia gracefully is lending her talents to making outfits for the school play, seeing more as an exposure gig than anything else. It shouldn't be too hard for her skill level, at least not in her opinion, but she does seem a bit rushed as she pulls measuring tape around your waist, lips pursed and eyes focused on reading the numbers printed on it. ]

You want to look good, right? If you keep still, I'll make you look better than ever, for sure!

[ Her tone is about half cheery and half pushy, not feeling shy at all to get into your personal space so she can make the most tailored garment. And from the looks of it, she's taking her sweet time getting everything she needs. ]

IV. had it not been for the laws of this land i would've pinched you

[ Does Mia like holidays? Sure. It means fun costumes and sometimes fun, themed stores around the city that she got free things at. That alone is incentive to go outside and try to rack up the handouts. But wearing green? Yuck. It's just so not her color; she can handle a dark red or a blue, but green just goes so against her style that she can't be bothered. Of course, that only has spelled trouble for her throughout the day, meaning that the second that you get within a five foot radius of her and her Very Holiday Appropriate Free Smoothie Thats Probably Made of Kale or Something Equally Healthy and Green, regardless of whether or not you would actually attempt pinching her, she screeches out: ]

Stop!! Don't pinch me, or I'll seriously call the police for harassment!!!!

[ Yes she's being serious. ]

bonus

Look,
I already have a boyfriend,
So I'm not interested in any weird chat roulette, OK?
Please send all professional and personal inquiries to the email listed on my website instead ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

( her au workshop comment is here for anything else you might have in mind! )

IV.

[floret]

Oh no!! Please don't!
I wasn't going to, I promise! I'm not even wearing green, so it's impossible for me to pinch anyone. [ That's logic!! ]

[lifespanned]

[ She'll take a look out his outfit closely, just to make sure there really is nothing green on there. ]

Yeah, you better not. [ Her suspicious look is lessened after confirming that, yes, other people exist that don't participate in this holiday. ] Don't sneak up on me like that!! I was seriously about to like, tell on you to your manager or something.

[ And then she'd have to find a new place for her annoying espresso fix. ]

[floret]

[ There is, indeed, absolutely no green anywhere on his person. But it's not due to any kind of committed aesthetic; he just completely forgot what day it was. (With the added cruel twist of fate that his coat is green, and today is the first day all year that he decided it was warm enough to leave it at home.) ]

Sorry for sneaking. I wasn't trying to, but I'm just one of those people who's kind of hard to notice.

But now I'm wondering what you would have told my manager...

[lifespanned]

I would've told him to be careful about keeping someone who harasses girls, duh. Employers usually fire people that get complaints like that.

[ She hugs herself a little just to get rid of any remaining nerves, as well as shifting her eyes around quickly to make sure no other potential pinchers were in the vicinity. ]

You haven't been getting pinched a lot too, have you? This is seriously the worst holiday ever!!!!

[floret]

[ Oh that's fine then. He thought she was going to tell on him for sneaking ]

...I don't know if it's right to say I've been getting pinched a lot, because I'm sure there are others who have it worse...
But I've been getting pinched a fair amount.
It's kind of awful.

IV

[informantic]

[Heigo immediately throws both hands up like he's had a gun pointed at him, going suspiciously red in the cheeks and ears even though he hadn't planned to pinch her in the first place...]

I'm not! I wasn't! I won't!

[Okay, Heigo, breathe. His intentions weren't at all bad and Christian wasn't around to misinterpret her sudden cry as a sign that they might be, so everything's fine.]

My God, this is a stressful holiday. Why didn't you just wear something green to protect yourself, Mia?

[lifespanned]

[ Oh, it's just him - that's a relief. Her shoulders relax a little bit, though her bottom lip is still jutted out in a pout, her free hand coming to rest on her hip. ]

I don't wear green. And I didn't have time to borrow anything...

[ Not that she even particularly wanted to, since it's not a color she even favors. She huffs a little and hits his arm lightly in a scolding way, all her real aggression and fear seeming to have evaporated away and been replaced with a sort of childish annoyance. ]

You're the one who looks all suspicious!! It's not my fault people take advantage of this holiday to pinch people, especially if you are a cute girl.

i'm doing whatever i want

[axeswing]

[ It's not often that Christian has a day off, but when he does he typically focuses most, if not all, of his attention on Mia. In his opinion it's only fair considering that she's so patient with him and his work, albeit it being necessary. And despite there being some exhaustion lingering in his system he doesn't want to sit in bed and do nothing, so what does he do?

Well, first off, he's waking up to her playing Evanescence at full volume, so it's only logical that he join her while he's brushing his teeth?? Totally using his brush as a microphone, by the way. ]

I wanna lift you up into the light that you deseeeeeeerve!

we're breaking free

[lifespanned]

[ She's just finishing her 85039 step skincare routine, rubbing moisturizer and sunscreen and all those sorts of things onto her face while he belts out into song, smiling a little at just how ridiculous it is. And also because this is the first time in a little while that they've been able to have a morning together as a pair, with their work schedules not exactly syncing up.

She'll hum along with him, not singing the words because she doesn't want to strain her ~*angelic voice*~ this early in the day, but she rests her head on his arm while looking for a brush for her hair and keeps along with the melody until there's an instrumental break. ]

Aren't you tired or anything? You haven't gotten to sleep in for so long!!

[axeswing]

[ Where's the rose water???

But soon enough he goes back to brushing his teeth, allowing her to lean her weight against his arm. ]

I'm fine, I'm fine! I don't wanna stay in bed all day, anyway... [ Noticing that she's searching for something he mentally lists off Mia's usual routine. After all those skincare steps she usually... brushes her hair! He's a master... master... ma... (loona's girl front begins playing)

He hands her her brush from his side. ]

I wanna spend as much time as I can with you.

[lifespanned]

[ He's such a genius, like a real...a real (love cherry motion begins to play)

She takes the brush from him gingerly, smiling and rubbing her cheek against his arm while she starts gently brushing her hair. For a moment, she just admires their reflection, thinking to herself that they really do make a pretty couple, even after they've both just woken up. ]

I wanna spend time with you too! I missed you a lot since you always come home late... [ Which is half an observation and half a complaint. ] So I want you all to myself today.

[ lbr she is like That everyday but. She pauses in brushing her hair to make eye contact with him, linking her arm with his as she naturally always does. ]

Did you want to have breakfast?

[ A rhetorical question, since she knows he could eat for a whole family of four even in the morning, but it's more of a Do You Want to Go Outside or Eat Whats Here question. ]

[axeswing]

[ After another minute passes Vane is leaning over the sink to finish brushing his teeth, reaching for the mouth wash when she links her arm with his. By now he's learned how to maneuver around with her clinging to him like a koala; he grins wide when she questions what to eat: ]

Of course! [ It's the most important meal of the day!! ] I'll whip us up something—what are you feelin', babe? Waffles? Pancakes? I could make you an omelette, if you want.

iv

[maskreant]

[ At first, he recognized her, but didn't think about greeting her until she started screeching right into his ear (it's loud enough to feel that way) about something nonsensical. Sure, it's the holidays, but really?

Instead of walking off, he only closes the distance, then gently knocks on her head. ]

If someone wanted to pinch you, that wouldn't stop them.

[ Recolle is filled with weird people is the lesson to learn here. ]

[lifespanned]

Hey!! Don't treat me like a kid. I'm older than you, you know~

[ Which, automatically means more mature? As soon as he retracts his hand, she moves to fix her fringe and hair, as if a small pat would have misplaced her look entirely. It's hard being tiny and feeling like people are patronizing you all the time. ]

What do you know, anyway? Most people don't want to get in trouble with the police.

[maskreant]

[ Usually, that would work on him, but his memories have broken him into not caring too much about seniority and age. Even if he knows her in passing and he should show some respect, he moves onto the more important part. ]

They can just leave before the police get here.

[ Let him prove a point and pinch her side before walking away casually. ]

[lifespanned]

Huh? You can't do that!!

[ Ow??? He started it, so she doesn't feel bad when she reaches up to catch the back of his collar, keeping one manicured hand there while she leans back with all of her (tiny) weight to try to get him to stop. ]

I already saw you close enough to give a pretty accurate description!! And even if the police won't do anything, I'll totally tell my boyfriend that some weird guy was harassing me, so - [ and he hits the gym like 24/7 ] you better apologize!!

II

[nachetanya]

[ Natalia's allowing herself a bit of a holiday after an event earlier in the month which has left her both with a lot of trauma and a fair bit of community service time. She drove out to Bosuma, and who knows, did Mia and her come together? Is this a chance encounter? Both are possible. But either way, her left (prosthetic) arm at her side, the other woman is gently reaching out her right (bio) hand towards the deer, offering it a warm smile but careful not to make eye contact for fear of spooking it.

... Still, she can't help but be amused to be doing better than Mia at this. It's ... funny? Yeah. ]

She's not that scary, don't worry.

[lifespanned]

[ Her expression sours more at that - is she laughing at her? Mia has certainly never been the most emotionally mature person, especially when it came to people she viewed in not the most positive lighting, so the combination of Natalia's presence with the deer's actions and her words are all just... enough to irritate her more than she normally would get. ]

What's that supposed to mean? I'm not scary at all!!

[ The shrillness of her voice does nothing to keep the deer around them; it even begins to shy away from both of them. In her mind, it's a very well, if I can't have it, then nobody can situation. She lets go of her camera, having lost interest in photographing the deer this close if the other was going to make it into the picture. ]

You're getting in the way of my work, you know.

[nachetanya]

Oh really? I thought I was keeping it still for you...? I wanted to help, after all!

[ But wow, that's... no, it's totally expected. But from the innocent tone in her baby bird voice you'd think she was taken entirely by surprise here. ]

[lifespanned]

It doesn't matter if it's still if you're still in the shot...

[ She's pouting, mumbling her words more to herself than anyone else. What irks her more than anything is the innocent nature of the other's voice, like she totally isn't meaning to do any of this on purpose, so if her next words come off as petty, it's because she absolutely means them to. ]

Don't you have other stuff to be doing than walking around in the park? You're not working here, and it definitely doesn't seem like you have a date.

[mercurio]

uh i'm already taken so!! it's not a weird chat roulette
what's your website?

[lifespanned]

If it's not a chat roulette, then...
This isn't the police or an interrogation, is it?
I paid to use the miamia.com domain!! I'm a good person who doesn't do anything weird

[mercurio]

why would it be the police??
more importantly you're THE mia amane?
no way

[lifespanned]

I guess it would be weird if the police contacted me through text...
But yes, that's me!!
Wow, I am getting so famous if random people online know who I am.