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Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] repeter2019-03-17 05:32 pm
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TEST DRIVE
MARCH TEST DRIVE
The city of Recollé...

...probably needs your help.

I.
Like most holidays, Mayor Mayer will come up with any excuse to hold a celebration and have fun in the city. Today for St. Patrick’s Day, the city seems to be awash with shades of green almost overnight. Green ribbons, lights, shamrocks and garland adorn every windowfront and street lamp. Corned beef and cabbage are the specialty at several of the hottest restaurants in the city. Shamrock shake season is back in action, and mint-flavored coffees are available at both A Good Bean and Expressive.

You could just celebrate with some fun and silly traditions today. Or you could slowly realize there’s a distinct hissing sound coming from somewhere near your feet. As you look down, a serpent winds itself around your ankles before slithering off down the street to follow someone else. One by one, several snakes of all shapes and sizes begin rising up from bushes and sewers and tall grass, taking up space on the sidewalks and the streets of the city. Traveling in packs, these snakes slowly start invading the city and turning up in places you may not anticipate, leaving you to have to fend them off and chase them out of city limits.

Mayor Mayer puts out an emergency alert, demanding all citizens work together to fight back against this snake epidemic. Will you work together to get rid of these creatures and release them back into the wild? Or will you find yourself overwhelmed and looking for a place to hide?

II.
At the beginning of the month, two large domes eclipsed the Recollé Art Museum and the Atrium, the city’s concert venue. The "Modern Living" display has been open for a few weeks, depicting life in the city of Recollé with art pieces and sculptures inspired by buildings and famous figureheads of the city including the police chief, the fire department, and Mayor Mayer. But even with that display at the frontmost portion of the museum, it’s the commotion further inside the museum that’s drawing in the crowds.

Word on the street is that people are beginning to see famous works of art run amuck through the city. At first, it seems like they’re just stories, but as you step out of the museum after an educational afternoon (or even if you happen to be in Appraassage), everywhere you look the art pieces begin to take on a life of their own, slipping out of the museum into the city. With these figures running around, the city continues to warp to their familiar backgrounds and create a new image of the city itself. Several citizens have been working to try and persuade these pieces back to the museum, but they could use an extra hand. Some of the art pieces are quite talkative and may even befriend some people! Others, however, seem to want to find replacements so they may spend more time outside of the museum, capturing an unwitting suspect to drag back toward their frames and lock them away.

Luckily, there’s a way to combat them after weeks of varying success. Should you encounter one of these works of art, a simple touch with a paintbrush will freeze them, plastering them to nearby objects for easy portability. Good luck getting them to hold still long enough to find a paintbrush though. You may need to work on the art of persuasion in order to send them back.

III.

The Atrium seems to be having trouble with their electricity issue still, the lighting issue still unsolved as employees look into the wiring and circuit breakers to bring back the power. As employees continue recruiting strangers off the street to try and locate the source of error, you’ll find yourself among these groups that are brought into the dark concert hall and sent on a mission to check the sockets of the building and ensure everything necessary is plugged in.

Even with a light source such as a cell phone or a flashlight, the light doesn’t spread too far as the sound of leathery wings flap somewhere above you. The sockets in the walls are filled with cords that are plugged in or places that spark with silver-white lights. Getting too close is dangerous, and should you lean too close to examine you’ll find yourself getting shocked and blown away from the wall.

A small, electric buzz fills your ears as a closed circuit overtakes you, rotating around your body and providing you with a light source and a dangerous kind of weapon. Electrically charged, anything or anyone you touch will run the risk of being shocked and burned. The lights are out in the wings, and somewhere up above you’ll hear the flapping again as a large, skeletal bat swoops down from the rafters to challenge you. This bat is in the same situation as you are, crackling with electric energy that can shock anything that gets close enough. It will be relentless, following you through the music hall until you find a way to escape, or you fight back and shock the creature into a state of confusion. Light returns to the bulbs above for every hit the monster takes, but that’s still pretty dangerous, isn’t it? Fighting fire with fire is a risky position to be in, but it looks like you don’t have much of a choice here.

IV.
There’s also something weird going on at the Recollé Zoo. A silver door stands out against the brick building, but as you approach it, the color shifts from silver to blue. Should you open this door, you’ll find yourself entering an area with a blast of snow hitting you straight in the face, a whirlwind temporarily blinding you as the door closes behind you. Inside an icy cave, you’ll find several small, egg-like structures with unborn creatures suspended in time. The mouth of the cave lies before you, ergo the exit from this weird region.

Be careful on your way out of the cave, however. Even briefly nudging one of these eggs will cause it to splinter and crack, the creature hatching from the ice and beating its small fists against the ice-eggs next to them. It’s a chain reaction as these little monsters awaken one by one, freeing their brethren and swarming the area. Rushing for the mouth of the cave, you may see them disappear into the snow and dive down, hiding in wait and ready for attack as they trip you up, cause you to fall on your face and temporarily freeze your limbs. You’ll have to fight your way through these groups out into the snow and all the way back to the other exit hidden among the tundra. A silver door can be found on top of a snowy hill, but the journey forward is a long and treacherous one.

Better move fast. The snow shifts beneath your feet and you’ll find yourself sinking down the further you go. Hope you dressed warmly.

BONUS.
The new app on your phone won’t leave you alone no matter how many times you quit it. Retrospec is desperate for your attention, blinking and flashing until you open the new message waiting for you. Upon opening it, however, it might not be the message you were expecting to see.

Hey, welcome, sorry this is so last minute but we’re in the middle of an operation right now. I think this was already in the works before the rest of the team disappeared but I’m doing damage control to get you up to speed. Some of the others might be able to explain it better than I can though. Post to the forum, ask around, and forward all other questions to my office.

Z.


The message disappears just as quickly as it came, presenting you with a directory of people to reach out to. However, all of the names seem to be missing, leaving you with a list of randomly generated letters and numbers. Take your chance and click a name. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find someone helpful.

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, threads on the TDM can be used for bonus points but also memory regains. Players may also earn one (1) freebie memory regain by turning in a thread of 5+ comments with a character who's TDMing.

Friendly reminder that current players must have full, passing AC before submitting a reservation or an application.

Your March 2019 AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!
undiningaffection: ([RL] even with)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
You might have a point there, but it hasn't backfired yet. Though I probably just jinxed it, huh?

I know, it's just... they've put a lot of time and effort into getting me this far. Dad drove me to auditions like three or four hours away when I was little. I don't want to disappoint them.
undiningaffection: (I am stealing)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Her brow furrows, and she's tempted to challenge him on that point. But that instant the expression changes, she holds back. She can't fight the feeling that saying much more might be a challenge, and she doesn't want to see what he could come up with.]

[Although... wow, would it be tough to top what he just fed her. She stares dumbfounded. It's a cliche that actors are messed up people to begin with, and it's not like she's never been to a psychic in Hollywood. But... the whole description sends a chill through her. It's outrageous, but something about it feels true.]


I'm running around dressed as a fairy. Do you think identity crises are anything new for me?

[She huffs, turning away with a haughty look on her face.] If all that's going on, it might help if people were a little more kind and supportive to newcomers. Just a thought.
undiningaffection: (Yesterday is nothing)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Asami's first thought is: "Wait, but how will we have time for the game??" It's probably her struggling to come to grips with this, and not just being irresponsible.]

If I'm part of this world, then I'll do whatever I can to help. And I'm willing to learn to fight better too! I won't just sit back and let everyone else do all the work.

[She shudders at that last part.] I hope we never have to find out.
decipere: (09-86)

[personal profile] decipere 2019-04-01 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ he can turn her head away all she wants but he continues to stare right at her. honestly, he could be so much worse. he could have just left her alone to deal with those living art pieces or he could have absolutely lied about her new situation, but even he has a heart. he's just being kind of a jerk about the whole thing. ]

Hey, I did help you, didn't I? It's because of me that you're not being dragged off by a bunch of weirdos and going through who-knows-what in who-knows-where! Shouldn't I get a "thanks" for that?
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (come on)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-04-01 01:18 am (UTC)(link)
[Al chuckles a bit, smiling a bit appreciating that even a stranger, thinks he is good...maybe the other's were right, maybe he is way to hard on himself.]

At least your not smacking me with chopsticks, unlike the first time I talked about good and evil. Which, geez, I think I need to get a rabbit's foot or something for my bad luck now that I'm thinking about it.

I don't really think there is anything wrong with that, none of us are born to just give to the world without taking something for themselves.

[Says the theif]

Oh yeah, you could definitely do your own stunts like their nothing.

Who knows, maybe you'll get some magic and really bring magic to every performance.

20 bucks says people will still complain it's a "fake effect" even if it's legit.
dereban: ❥ all icons are my own unless otherwise denoted. (Default)

[personal profile] dereban 2019-04-01 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe.

And I understand not wanting to disappoint other people. If that's what you want.
undiningaffection: (the energy)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Her cheeks flush as she realizes he has a good point. Even if he's being flippant, he did bail her out.]

...yeah, you should. Thank you, and sorry for being a jerk. This has just been... a lot. [She still thinks his presentation needs work, but bringing that up again would nullify the apology and make her seem like an even bigger brat.]

[She peers past him to the frozen art pieces.]

So if everything you just told me is true, are things like that pretty regular?
decipere: (66815261_p18_master1200)

[personal profile] decipere 2019-04-01 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ wow, hey, he actually got a "thanks" from that. he kind of wasn't expecting it with the attitude she was showing him earlier (not that he could blame her. he honestly wasn't that upset about it), but he'll take it. ]

Yep! This city sure became a real hellhole ever since Retrospec opened up!

[ he continues to idly swing his paintbrush around, glancing back at the pieces of art then back at her. he really doesn't seem bothered by this at all. even though he's only been on the app for about a month and a half, he's taking this like he's a retrospec veteran. ]

There are waaaaay worse things than that as well. Last month, we got a bunch of super duper evil clones and grew all sorts of weird animal body parts. Before that, there were giant monsters, hallucinations, abductions, and way more!
undiningaffection: ([RL] Smiling)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
[She allows for the possibility she could be wrong, but he hadn't even hesitated to use his power to save her, even at the cost to himself. He'd have to do something pretty awful to change that opinion.]

To be fair, if I had chopsticks I'd probably be throwing them into the fire. I've never believed in lucky rabbit's feet though. Wasn't very lucky fro the rabbit, was it? [Her expression turns thoughtful.] Tell you what. When we get back to town, I'll try and find you a place where we can get you an omamori. My grandpa gave me one for my first audition.

[The thoughts of how this insane world might propel her acting career are making her forget about the stress, at least for a little while.]

I would love to use magic, but what are the odds of that happening? Oh, I can already see all the videos online trying to break down how the tricks work. They'd be good for a laugh!
undiningaffection: ([RL] feel lonely)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
That's what I hoped to learn by coming here. To see if maybe stage acting would be more fun.

Sounds like I'm going to learn a lot more about myself than I planned, though.
dereban: ❥ all icons are my own unless otherwise denoted. (Default)

[personal profile] dereban 2019-04-01 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
Well, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (come on)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-04-01 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[Al didn't think about it as a cost to himself, he wanted friendship. Almost desperately a friendship that could last and not taken away from him by fate like so many others. Even at his worst, he was usually under the influence of something else or he had very good reason to do it.]

You know, how did a rabbit's foot become good luck anyway? Seems kind of dumb, but so does walking under a ladder...It's just common sense that you don't, if it falls on you, yeah, bad luck, but the ladder didn't do anything.

What's an omamori?

[Al thinks a little bit, about her odds and more importantly, how ridiculous the explanations could go]

Hmmm, I really don't know. Even if you don't have magic, you could get something like super strength or something. So it's still possible for people to go "Wait, how does she lift three people like it's nothing? That has to be CGI right?"

OR you could fly! and people will still try to find the wires...who knows, maybe you'll do a superhero role, cheesy cape and all for, half the budget.

[Al smiles a bit wider, trying to think of ways the app could be good for her acting career or how people might react, is actually a bit fun. His old conspiracy theory gears are turning to try to come up with something ridiculous he might have heard before the app.]
undiningaffection: (With the full force)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 02:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[Maybe that's why it's so much easier to believe, the fact that he's nonplussed by fighting off pieces of art with a paintbrush. She's trying her best to keep her cool, but her eyes get a little wider with each thing he rattles off.]

Good. So not only are evil works of art normal, this is kind of a slow day. Got it. Wonderful.

[She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, tries to remember how to center herself from her five sessions of meditation at that place in Marina del Ray. It works decently well.]

Okay. There's no use worrying about what might happen, we need to fcous on the problem at hand. I'm guessing we should do something about Still Life with Apricots and Pears and Ursa Minor in the Night Sky back there?
undiningaffection: ([RL] It's worth the price)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 03:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I suppose not. If nothing else, I'll never complain about feeling bored with my regular life again.
undiningaffection: ([RL] Curious)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-01 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[That's a good question, and she has absolutely no clue as to the answer.]

I bet it was someone who hated rabbits. That's the only explanation.

An omamori is an amulet... normally get them from a shrine, but I don't know how easy that would be to find here. But there are always other options if I can't find one!

[She snickers, thinking back to some of the shows she used to go to at the Magic Castle when she was still living on the west coast.]

Oh, they'd go nuts trying to figure out how I pulled off that kind of an illusion. But hey, I'd go for one of those super hero movies. If it goes well, you're set for life!

[It's nice to think of the positive aspects of life in this city thanks to the app. She'd been so busy trying to fight off her anxiety she'd never looked for the silver lining.]
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (come on)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-04-01 04:18 pm (UTC)(link)
True, and since they are so freaking cute, a lucky foot was the only thing he could come up with.

[A shrine? Wait...like the one in the festival a couple of months back?]

Any kind of shrine in particular? There are some in the city.

[Al gasps at a idea]

I just realized, if we got everyone on the app that has magic or superpowers, we could make our own magic show!

Oh yeah, I just say cheesy cape cause, that's most of them.

Which I can't help but think "Do they ever trip on those?"

Just imagine Batman sneaking up on someone then faceplants, kinda ruins the dark knight deal.
decipere: (67207252_p46_master1200)

[personal profile] decipere 2019-04-01 09:11 pm (UTC)(link)
That's the spirit! When you're feeling down, just hit that reset button to wipe and hide away all of your sad emotions!

[ does kokichi do that? naaaaaaaah, of course not. he's not talking about this from experience. with the way that he's so flippant about everything, this can honestly just be a random comment. ]

Oh, those guys? Nah, we can just leave them there. What's the point of moving them?
dereban: ❥ all icons are my own unless otherwise denoted. (Default)

[personal profile] dereban 2019-04-02 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
Guess so.

Anyway, it might all suck but hey, at least you're not alone in it. And I'm pretty much always available to talk if you ever want to contact me at a later point, too.
undiningaffection: ([RL] Making a point)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-02 01:13 pm (UTC)(link)
They're so adorable, I don't understand how anyone could ever hate them and their cute squishy little faces. [Let's hope she never remembers the stew she made in Aincrad.]

My grandfather got one from his local Shinto shrine and gave it to me the last time I visited him. I'd be a little surprised if there was one here, but there are other options if we need them.

[She holds up a finger, her tone getting more serious.] But remember! You can't open the bag it comes in to look at it. That would make your luck even worse!

[Her eyes light up at the mention of a magic show.]

That would be amazing! I tried to learn close up magic from a friend of mine but I could never quite get it. But if I had real magic I wouldn't need the tricks. I bet people would love it, too!

[She hesitates a moment. There's no point in holding back any more, is there? She reaches into her satchel and shows off the magazine cover that includes her in an elaborate "hero fairy" costume.]

I'd take a cheesy cape over all that mess. And yes, I did trip a time or two on set.
undiningaffection: (The black hole in the sky)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-02 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[If only it were that easy. She manages to keep from saying it out loud and finally gets back to her feet, staring at the living art exhibit a moment.]

Is it safe to just leave them here like that, though? What if they start moving again and threaten other people?
undiningaffection: ([RL] Smiling)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-02 01:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, if you're any indication, it seems like I'll be able to meet some nice people here. That'll help out a lot.

Thank you so much! It really does mean a lot, especially facing down all this new strangeness.
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (come on)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-04-02 07:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Maybe one bunny ate one too many veggies off someone's garden? Although I would ask why not have it as a pet at that point.

Shinto shrine? I think I met a priest that maintains one somewhere in the city...bought paper from him to put in a tree.

[Al chuckles and says super lightheartedly]

Do you honestly think my luck can get WORSE? Maybe it's cooldown time or whatever is shorter, but I don't think it can get much worse.

[Al doesn't game much, he would game more if he knew people. But he has an idea of some of the terminology and tries to use it to relate to people. Al is super happy at this moment that they both are connecting and just chilling by a fire like normal people. Despite the bat shit crazy stuff that forced them here.]

I know right! People always want some magic in their life! I can't eat my knife, but I imagine the firewalls or maybe even learning how to dance with my flames could be part of an act!

[Al looks at the magazine cover, oh! So she was at a magazine cover!]

Okay, yeah, the cape would definitely be better than wearing all of that. I take it you see fans tripping all over themselves and go "yeah, I know...I know"
undiningaffection: ([RL] Shadows)

[personal profile] undiningaffection 2019-04-02 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
There are some people who don't like animals. [She turns her nose up at that.] I assume they hate sunshine, ice cream, and joy too.

Oh! Then hopefully I'd be able to find one there! [At the mention of cooldown time, though, Asami looks a little surprised. I wonder...] You'd be surprised how bad things can get if you're not careful. Bad luck could nerf you in ways you're not expecting.

That would be an amazing show! Of course, you'd have to be careful you didn't set anything on fire in the process... or hope there's something with water or ice magic around to take care of it.

[She smiles, though it's a little shy this time.] I get frustrated with that show sometimes, but it's still the sweetest thing in the world that people love my character enough to dress as her. It's why I don't want to give it up completely. But I have so much sympathy, especially walking around a crowded convention!
flametheif40: http://magiicons.tumblr.com/ (come on)

[personal profile] flametheif40 2019-04-03 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
[Al chuckles and turns his nose up and has a mocking tone of voice, pretending to be one of those people]

Sunshine and Joy, please...I can't be bothered with those, I have to be miserable 24/7 or make someone miserable, preferably poor people while I count my money.

[Nerf? Al has to think about that one for a moment or two, she is definitely a gamer if she is comfortable with those terms right? Would she get mad if she found out he didn't really game much?]

I was once walking to the library to actually read, and I found out my classmate can turn into a T-Rex and he nearly ate me. I think the only way for it to get worse, is for things to fall from the sky and try to kill me that way! Bad loot is one thing, the universe trying to go out of its way to kill you? That's just...cursed.

It takes lots of focus but I can use my fire without burning stuff, Sides, maybe just have it on a beach or something and my fire doesn't hurt anyone, water is right there if I take it to far.

[Al turns his head to her and nods gently, listening]

Oh gosh, I didn't even think about other people being around, it gets that full?
decipere: (10KtwVLb)

[personal profile] decipere 2019-04-03 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
So? If that happens then it happens.

[ as she finally stands up, kokichi decides to get up as well. he's... tall, standing at 6'1", so he may loom over her. ]

It's not like putting them back in the museum is going to somehow magically stop them from coming back alive, right?

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