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

[sinsrememberd]

Well, you could have picked a better time to show up. I've been here for the past two years and haven't been able to find a trace of you.

[hauntedsavior]

That was on purpose, Elizabeth. I thought you all would've gotten the hint by now.

[sinsrememberd]

The hint? Did you really think we'd just let go?

[hauntedsavior]

Thought I did a pretty good job prying your fingers off of me.

[she's been here two years. god. of course. of course she has. that means she's been dealing with the same bullshit mental gymnastics to ignore everything that happened until now. whatever. it's not Anna's problem to fix.]

They treat you okay?

[sinsrememberd]

Mom and Dad? Of course, they-

[ Elizabeth paused here a moment, and tried to put herself in Anna's shoes. Mostly to make sure she wouldn't just cut off the line of communication. ]

They learned their lesson with you, I think. Gave me more room to breathe.

[hauntedsavior]

[good answer. Beth deserved better than what Anna got. she'd thought that for a while, underneath all the other complicated emotions. it almost gets a positive response before she tries her best to shut that down.]

Did you move here just to track me down? Because mission accomplished. You can go home now.

[sinsrememberd]

No, I work here, too. At the University.

[ And in some other places, but they weren't quite as structured as that job. ]

[hauntedsavior]

Huh. Cello stuff?

[it's hard to imagine her sister doing any more traditional education.]

Or did you give that up?

[sinsrememberd]

Cello 'stuff.' I teach a couple of classes.

[ Of all the things Elizabeth might have considered looking for in a career, teaching was pretty far down. ]

And what have you been up to?

[hauntedsavior]

Same shit as usual.

Hope you enjoyed not having the app. No going back now.

[sinsrememberd]

What does that mean?

[ Either one of them. Both of them. ]

[hauntedsavior]

It means that your life is about to get way more different than you ever wanted it to be.

[and, she thinks, more different than Anna herself wanted it to be. Beth deserves better. Anna's fine with having been a burner kid so they could get Beth right, but this is more than that.]

I got a sword in the mail. For example.

[sinsrememberd]

You got a sword in the mail?

[ Stop that, Anna. You deserved a better life, too. ]

And what does 'same shit as usual' mean? Last I heard you were a student, but I think if that was still the case I'd have found you by now.

[hauntedsavior]

[she will not.]

...They didn't tell you I dropped out?

[sinsrememberd]

No. They haven't told me anything about you since you decided you were done with us.

[hauntedsavior]

They decided they were done with me.

[nice try, but it's not very effective.]

I'm gay, I dropped out of college, I live here now, and I'm not going back. That about catch you up?

[sinsrememberd]

[ For a moment Elizabeth just kind of blinked at her screen, unsure how to answer. ]

Are you happy?

[hauntedsavior]

[that's. not something she was expecting. because there's a real answer to that, but it's sure as hell not the same answer she'll tell her family.]

I'm sorry?

[sinsrememberd]

Are you happy? Not that it's my business at this point, I guess. I just hope you are.

[hauntedsavior]

[her response takes a bit, considering how short it is.]

Why?

[sinsrememberd]

Because you're my sister. You're family, whether you, or mom and dad or all of you don't want it to be the case. You're my sister.

[ And she missed you. ]

[hauntedsavior]

[holy shit.]

Starting to sound like my ex's sister there.

[she's trying to think of an answer that doesn't give it all away, but the problem is she's never been especially good with talking trickily.]

Happier than I was at home.

[sinsrememberd]

Good.

[ That put a smile on her face, but then it was time for the harder question. ]

And would you be happier without me? Even if I can't delete this app, I'm sure I can close it and open it again and I'll be somebody else's problem.

[hauntedsavior]

Now that you're on the app, you're my problem.

You don't know the half of what you might have to deal with.

[sinsrememberd]

[ That was not exactly the answer Elizabeth had been hoping for, but it would have to do for now. ]

Why don't you explain some of it to me, then?