MAY TDM

[recollecters]

TEST DRIVE

MAY TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé... ...well. Good luck! I. You might've noticed by now that some things in this dear city of yours are a little...weird. Most of the buildings and landmarks around you are only partially visible and the world appears to be covered in all kinds of strange colors. As you step out the door today, you can't quite shake off the feeling that you're being followed. Every time you turn your head, nothing appears to be in your line of vision but the creeping sensation won't go away. However, with one final well-timed turn you catch it out of the corner of your eye: a large paintbrush dripping in your favorite color, floating in mid-air. The brush doesn't seem to go away no matter how long you look at it, but one of two things happens here. For those of you who grab the brush, you'll find yourself suddenly yanked forward as the brush guides you to a nearby building, bush, or busy sidewalk, the colored paint splattering everywhere but leaving behind a black finish instead of the original color. The brush has a mind of its own as it brings you right next to a friend or a stranger to get to work. They must have a brush, too. For those of you who ignore the brush, however...well...it doesn't like being ignored. As you turn away the brush zips forward and begins to paint your face. And your arms. And your clothes? Hopefully someone will come by and try to help soon! II. With that exciting chain of events out of the way, it's time to get to work! It's not hard to notice what it is you're supposed to do now. Certain members of the city have paintbrushes similar to yours and only those with brushes can restore the city as it was. Individually painting the area will highlight all items in black, but pairing up with someone else's color will allow for a bit of color to attach. Blending the brushes together will generate new, bright colors that will stick! Two reds can paint an object red while a red and a blue can change an object to purple. Of course, you're free to go at it alone. There's nothing stopping you from embarking on this journey with your own two hands. On the other hand the longer you work by yourself, the higher your risks become of unearthing something you may not want. One minute you might be painting a garden bench back into existence when suddenly a sound alerts you that something's wrong. The object seems to warp right in front of you, sprouting teeth, eyes, and even sometimes limbs. Non-stationary objects such as vehicles, animals, postal boxes and more will begin to chase painters around all five districts of the city. Stationary objects will do anything to grab you in their grasp and stop your hard work. The only way to soothe these objects is to mix up a new color and douse them with paint, but that just might be a little harder than it looks while you're on the move. III. The strange thing is that even with a large portion of the city invisible to the naked eye, by now everyone around you has accepted that this is just how things will go. If you talk to your family or friends or teachers or co-workers who are without a paintbrush, they'll simply tell you that even though it started a few weeks ago there are other things in the city to worry about. They'll tell tales of people with powers and weird physical changes that shouldn't be possible and they'll point out the thinning monsters that are roaming the city and cleaning up the stray paint. Despite this, life is expected to go on as normal. Classes are still in session and your employers expect you to be at work on time. Grocery stores are up and running and if you can find them several of your favorite businesses are still open as well. Maybe today you're in class procrastinating on a school project, or perhaps you're staring out the window at your boring job waiting for the next time you can catch a break. If you're brave enough, you might be one of those who wanders the half-missing aisles of Freshens because your family still insists on their cookout this weekend. This appears to be the new norm...so what are you doing today in the lovely "city" of Recollé? IV. Several citizens have been using their brushes to expand their horizons and paint beyond the limits of the city, working to recreate the roads to go back to other regions. While this will require far more work and dedication, some of the paths are outlined and cleared. Granted, with the revival of the roads comes the revival of a few other creatures including monsters of varying breeds. Have you ever fought a monster before? No? Well now's your chance! Some of these monsters are easy to take down but others will hunt and attack. While the paint brushes won't do much to deter the creatures themselves, they're useful to paint new hiding spots until you come up with a plan of attack. That counts, doesn't it? Good luck out there. BONUS. Perhaps the strangest thing of all is that your phone works. It's fully functional, colored and solid without having to repaint it into existence. Being able to send texts and check maps are vital tools in the restructure of the city, but at the same time it comes with something you may not want. The Retrospec app appears on your phone and even without setting up a profile you'll find yourself receiving a message from a Retrospec user named Zee Carlisle. Bad timing, this was really bad timing! Hey newbies, sorry, we are a little swamped with the stabilization process right now but let me kick you to some people who can help out. 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. Finally, please remember that this will be the last application month until September! Your May TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!

Comments

soramaru kumou | donten ni warau

[hareru]

( here is soramaru's workshop comment! )

i. paint brush

[ for a couple hours, soramaru thought that he had finally lost his mind. maybe the loneliness finally got to him or maybe he's just having the strangest nightmare of his life.

but the sight of the brush is the last drop for him. he groans and continues to walk away from the giant object.

wrong move.

if anyone is alerted by a shrill scream, they'll find a brush...trying to paint soramaru, who is currently trying to kick it away, in a bright red color. ]

Get off of me you stupid-- Damn it gET OFF OF ME!!!!!!

iii. just another day in the life

[ so what IS soramaru doing during these strange times?

well, if school isn't cancelling classes, then (unfortunately) soramaru can't catch a break. he's currently in the recolle library, studying on some repainted books!

or, well, was. he's passed out now with his book on his face. taking mostly honors classes, sports, AND having to paint the city is no doubt exhausting. snzzzz ]

bonus!

ok can someone explain what's going on???? what is this???? who was that guy??????????????

Bonus

[quiet_storm]

Z҉e҉e҉ ҉C҉a҉r҉l҉i҉s҉l҉e҉ ҉i҉s҉ ҉s҉o҉r҉t҉ ҉o҉f҉ ҉a҉ ҉p҉u҉b҉l҉i҉c҉ ҉l҉i҉a҉s҉o҉n҉ ҉f҉o҉r҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉ ҉g҉o҉v҉e҉r҉n҉m҉e҉n҉t҉
҉
҉H҉e҉ ҉k҉i҉n҉d҉a҉ ҉g҉o҉t҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉ ҉j҉o҉b҉ ҉d҉u҉m҉p҉e҉d҉ ҉i҉n҉ ҉h҉i҉s҉ ҉l҉a҉p҉ ҉a҉n҉d҉ ҉d҉o҉e҉s҉n҉'҉t҉ ҉k҉n҉o҉w҉ ҉w҉h҉a҉t҉ ҉h҉e҉'҉s҉ ҉d҉o҉i҉n҉g҉
҉
҉H҉e҉ ҉m҉e҉a҉n҉s҉ ҉w҉e҉l҉l҉ ҉b҉u҉t҉ ҉w҉e҉'҉r҉e҉ ҉p҉r҉e҉t҉t҉y҉ ҉m҉u҉c҉h҉ ҉o҉n҉ ҉o҉u҉r҉ ҉o҉w҉n҉ ҉o҉u҉t҉ ҉h҉e҉r҉e҉

[hareru]

i...could only read a little bit of it.

so he works for the government but we're on our own? on our own with what?

[quiet_storm]

[Cloud gives up and hits the dial button. He's actually going to use his phone to CALL someone. Retropec's cruelty has no limits.]

[hareru]

[ WHAT A TRAVESTY. USING A PHONE TO CALL

soramaru is just as shocked by this fact (these damn millenials) and picks up. ]

もしもしーいや、sorry-- Hello?

Aaah, I thought I hit "post comment" on this long ago!

[quiet_storm]

[Cloud blinks at the Asian-sounding language and almosts asks about it, but the last thing a newbie needs is someone too nosy to offer any answers.]

Zee Carlisle works for the Recolle government as part of a special project. They're trying to reconstruct reality.

Yeah, it's just as messed up as it sounds.

III

[beneathmoonlight]

[Atsushi is trying his best to deal with the changes, and he’s come to find solace in the Recolle library. He’s not expecting to see someone asleep on the table, and though he probably shouldn’t, he gently shakes the guy by the shoulder to wake him up. Those look like important homework books, after all...]

Sorry to disturb you, but you fell asleep in the library. It doesn’t look very comfortable...

[hareru]

[ important school books they are! ap class text books and a notebook filled with formulas and other notes he can barely understand.

he's sooo close to achieving that sweet, sweet, REM sleep when he's woken up by someone. raising his head in shock, he looks to see atsushi with wide eyes. ]

Wha-- I-- [ he glances at his books, and grimaces a little. ] Yeah, it's not. But it's better than having to do this.

[beneathmoonlight]

Those books do look pretty difficult.

[Atsushi just helps himself to a seat at the table, setting his messenger bag on top of it. Of course he has to give this person a big, warm smile.]

I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Atsushi, what’s your name?

[hareru]

[ ah that's a nice smile. it gets soramaru to relax as he introduces himself. ]

I'm Soramaru. It's nice to meet you. [ a pause. ] You come here often?

[beneathmoonlight]

I do. I study here and also just read for fun sometimes.

[He’s a huge nerd, okay?]

I’m in my first year of university, but none of my homework looks nearly this complicated.

[A soft sigh.]

I’m surprised the library seems intact after all the changes in the city.

i

[freeloaded]

Ah, Soramaru. There you are.

[ And being painted by one of those giant brushes, no less. Just another day with the Kumous. ]

I heard the school is still open. Shouldn't you be in class?

[hareru]

[ jUST ANOTHER DAY WITH THE KUMOUS????? HE'S GETTING ATTACKED BY A BRUSH LET HIM LIVE FOR ONCE. ]

It's kinda hard to be in class when I have this stupid thing-- LEAVE ME ALONE YOU DUMB BRUSH!!!

[ he's trying to kick this paint brush away but it's so damn persISTENT ]

[freeloaded]

[ No can do, Soramaru, clearly this is just what happens with you people. Shirasu watches this struggle in silence for a moment before giving a soft sigh. ]

It stops if you pick it up.

[ Better listen to the guy with the brush in his pocket, kiddo. ]

[hareru]

[ stop looking at him with that judgmental look.

but yeah, he'll listen to shirasu because, hey, if shirasu says it, then there's a high chance he's right. so, he reaches out to grab the paint brush and-- oh. ]

It stopped fighting.

[ half of his face and clothes are painted red, but hey, does this still count as a win? ]

[freeloaded]

[ that's just his face.

more importantly, are you really telling him you didn't think of that? no wonder your brother had to send someone after you. ]

Sometimes you have to go with the flow instead of going against the current. However... [ he pauses, giving Soramaru's brush a doubtful look. ] Even mine didn't come so quietly.

iii

[twostringsonebow]

[The library remains a favorite haunt, as... unpainted as it is, though blessedly everything within has been taken care of. Students need to cram after all!

Though Goro's not here to do that. He's simply helping out a little, as a favor to a friend, and hums thoughtfully at Soramaru passed out at a table. Should he wake him? Should he leave him be? Tell Rossiu? Hmmmmmmm.

In the end, Goro sets down the books he'd been returning to their places and removes the one off his face, shaking him gently.]

[hareru]

[ despite the startled way soramaru wakes up, it is the best thing for goro to do. otherwise he would end up having some awful neck pain and who wants that??

nevertheless, soramaru jolts awake, staring at goro like a deer in the headlights for a hot second before he realizes what happened. oops. ]

Oh, uh-- sorry about that. Thanks.

[twostringsonebow]

It's nothing. I just know from experience that falling asleep like that leads to only hurt and disappointment.

[Worst sleep ever. Goro picks up his books again, then pauses and sets them down.]

Bored? Or are you having issues sleeping?

[hareru]

No kidding. I've ended up like this way too many times.

[ he glances at his homework on the table and immediately grimaces like he's looking at something gross. homework is gross. ]

Both, kind of? It's hard to manage school, extracurriculars, and...paint the town back to how it was. [ he covers his mouth to stifle a yawn, just for an added point. ]

I still don't understand why this had to happen.

i

[promisedyou]

Oh, you certainly are getting wrecked by a paintbrush.

[says the green haired teenager holding one green brush of her own]

[hareru]

[ SHION DON'T BE PETTY AND HELP HIM???? ]

YEAH, I'M AWARE OF THAT!

[ he gives the brush a kick, but it just comes back with equal force. down soramaru goes. his brothers would laugh at him if they saw him in this pitiful state. ]

[promisedyou]

[She's not being petty. If she was being petty, she would end up taking snapshots and putting it all over the internet.]

Well, maybe you should try grabbing it. Or I could just turn around and pretend this never happened...

[Mio is the worst.]

[hareru]

[ she's a demon. ]

FINE, FINE! [ he reaches out to grab the brush and what do you know! the brush immediately stops struggling. soramaru is actually...shocked. ]

Wow. It stopped.

i

[idealest]

[ Sakichi automatically dashes over to the sound of a shriek, alarm open on his face -- until his eyes fall on the scene. Paintbrushes accosting people have been a nuisance, but hardly life-threatening.

Sakichi calmly plucks the offending paintbrush up by the handle, ending its attack on Soramaru. In his other hand, his own bold green paintbrush matches his equally green hair. ]

Are you alright?