recollecters: (Default)
Recollé Mods ([personal profile] recollecters) wrote in [community profile] repeter2017-04-16 09:01 pm

APRIL TDM

TEST DRIVE
APRIL TEST DRIVE
The city of Recollé. A beautiful city you've called home for quite some time. While things can be a little weird, isn't that true of all homes? It's fully spring now, and there are flowers to be found everywhere. April's showers are a familiarity as well, the occasional downpour or drizzle keeping you on your toes.

What will you do today?

I.
April showers bring May flowers, right? Well, there are already plenty of flowers to be had, but that part of the old rhyme being true doesn't save you from the first part of it. While the weather forecasters do their best, their success rate for predicting the rain seems to be about fifty-fifty. Unfortunately, sometimes when they do predict the rain happening, they misjudge how bad it's going to be. Was the sky was clear when you last looked outside? It may not be quite so clear now. Hope you remembered to bring an umbrella today.

But it's not so bad, really! Maybe if you forgot to prepare, someone will share their umbrella with you. Not in the mood to talk to anyone? You can probably find some thrifty umbrella vendors on the streets of Tisse. When in doubt, there are always some loaner umbrellas scattered around in Apprassage at the Recollé Library as well. The library asks that you return any of the mismatched loaners found at the door, but it's not like the system is that strongly enforced. Well, other than the library stamp on the umbrellas, that is.

If you find yourself in Chata today, you could always buy a magazine off the street corners to hold overhead. If you look like you may buy something, vendors don't seem to mind if you idle under their awnings. Check out the latest fashions coming this spring while you wait it out. It looks like buckles are in, but some of the high fashion clothes look a little odder than usual. The hot, new dresses range from large like a billowing tarp to appearing more like an artfully arranged handkerchief than anything else. Fashion sure is weird sometimes.

II.
Recollé Square in Tribunal Terrace boasts a huge assortment of flower gardens scattered throughout the district, though they all appear to be whatever citizens felt like planting at the time. In fact, only flowers in Apprassage seem to match, especially around the University. Today, while the rain's stopped, a large group of people seem to be taking advantage of Recollé Square's mismatching for flower picking, crown and wreath weaving, and bouquet arranging. The activities seem to be loosely led by the city's PTA and some of the other socialite groups from around town. Then again, for long-standing citizens of the city this isn't unusual either. You seem to remember that this is an annual sort of thing even though there isn't actually a name for the event.

Some booths are set up around the park to swap seeds, flowers and food for cash or gossip, the guidelines a little more loose outside of the business districts. It seems as though lot of families are picnicking this weekend. There's even some kind of contest going on for the best flower crown - though usually the city tends to collectively pick a kid for the winner, so your best artistic talents might not get you the admiration you crave.

In addition, there's the most accurately judged flower-growing contest if you've been waiting for this day for a year or more, but that event tends to have the same people involved every year and the majority of Recollé isn't too heavily invested in it. They're here for the picnics and flower crowns, and it seems about the same as it always does. This year, though, there do seem to be more flowers than ever...and for that matter, they're a lot bigger than usual, too.

III.
Despite some of the fashion fiascos the magazines are displaying, maybe you should spend some time shopping this week. It may come as a surprise to you that your clothes haven't been fitting properly as of late. Those skinny jeans are just a hair too loose, and your favorite shirt seems baggier than it used to be. The problem, however, is that every shop you go to seems to stock clothes with the same issues. You're down a size or two or three, or maybe they're just marking everything down wrong. And surely you don't have the time or money to replace your entire wardrobe...will you take your chances? Complain to the store's manager? Or maybe you're an unfortunate soul who has to try and explain the unexplainable. Maybe offering a coupon will appease shoppers today.

IV.
Apparently walking around your neighborhood isn't quite as safe as it used to be - or it isn't safe if you want to trust your eyes. One second the little old lady who lives at the corner appears to be walking her pitbull just as she has every day for the last several years. The next, the pitbull is gone and she's walking a rather angry-looking caterpillar. Blink and you'll miss it, but as time goes on you'll see more and more of these larger-than-life insects wandering around. No matter how hard you try to explain it, the only other people who seem to see this as the least bit weird are people with the Retrospec app.

Oh, do you not have the Retrospec app? Think again. The sound of chirping crickets will follow you until the next time you look at your mobile device or a public computer, prompting you to accept a profile and upload a user picture. Congratulations! It seems as though you've been selected to be a new tester!

...it's going to be one of those days.

BONUS.
While the Retrospec app only infrequently has posts from the company itself - and those have thus far proven to be universally useless - this month there is an onslaught of updates. At least once per day there's a picture of a new type of flower or insect, along with a "fun fact" about whatever the company has posted.

Did you know, for example, that wasps feeding on fermenting juice have been known to get "drunk' and pass out? Ancient civilizations burned aster leaves to ward off evil spirits. Ticks can grow from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a marble. Roses are related to apples, raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears and almonds. Houseflies find sugar with their feet, which are 10 million times more sensitive than human tongues. Praying mantises prey on other insects, and perhaps you'd better watch your step.

Wait, what?

As usual, any attempt to get the company to reply about the increasingly disturbing information they're sending out is useless. The daily facts grow less and less useful and eventually seem to be nothing but fun facts about how flowers and bugs could kill you or one another. Kind of unfortunate for you, if this is your first time getting any messages whatsoever from the app. How do you unsubscribe? Good luck figuring it out.

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! The April 2017 TDM directory can be found here. The April 2017 Workshop can be found here. The mod questions comment is here.
browbeater: Which is not very. (This will end as well as I think.)

[personal profile] browbeater 2017-04-21 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
Mako Lou that sounds... frustratingly familiar. do you see anymore bugs?
Mako Lou actual bugs, not computer programming bugs
disaccordant: (02.)

[personal profile] disaccordant 2017-04-21 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
[... WHAT THE—

Brett's hand shoots out to touch whatever just hit him in the back, with his mind blanking for a moment when what he gets is whipped cream.]


...

[And then, promptly, you can see the decision to murder descend upon him as he whirls around.]

Baren!
gudaguda: (pic#11127632)

[personal profile] gudaguda 2017-04-21 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ When she closes the umbrella and puts it next to the door, she forgot to mentally prepare herself for how crowded Aki's room was. Sakura's used to not having much room, but she always enjoyed having everything organised to make use of this space. Aki was just... so different.

Sakura bows, out of habit and slips off her shoes before sliding in. She gingerly avoid stepping on the copy of the Admirable Great Tactics: Perfect Guide as she makes her way over to the centre of the room, wondering how she managed to get that when it was barely out a few months. ]


Mmm... I will.

[ To tell the truth, she was a little uncomfortable now that she realised exactly how soaked she was. So she nips into the bathroom, and after a few moments comes out dressed in green hoodie in this style and white shorts. ]

Sorry, I think my things need a moment to dry. They're hanging in your shower at the minute and I turned the exhaust on.
skald: (kahdeksantoista)

[personal profile] skald 2017-04-21 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
Um, hmm, it's one of those places where they have something different every week or so, so I'm not really sure... [she stands on her tiptoes to try to look at the display case up ahead; curse these seasonal, locally-sourced expensive treats.] I can just grab whatever looks sweetest when I get up there? It's a surprise!
frisyr: (frågar)

[personal profile] frisyr 2017-04-21 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Sure, I like surprises.

[ And he does like pastries... but during that thought, there's a flash of lightning, quickly followed by an extremely loud clap of thunder. ]

I'll get us a table.

[ Before everyone else tries to come in from the rain... ]
skald: (neljäkymmentäkahdeksan)

[personal profile] skald 2017-04-21 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
Tuuri Hotakainen Hmm, what do you mean, familiar? Did you see some too?
Tuuri Hotakainen Also there's a fly in the corner but I don't see any more enormous ones.
Tuuri Hotakainen Haha, unless you mean the random bug facts that keep popping up on this app!
browbeater: Yep. (TFW you gotta but you dun wanna.)

[personal profile] browbeater 2017-04-21 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
Mako Lou um. hmmm.... well
Mako Lou what... are your opinions of horses
Mako Lou and faceless fruit?
sanpaku: (pic#8007397)

chigira ruiji | kimi ni koishitei desu ka?

[personal profile] sanpaku 2017-04-21 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
( ooc; au workshop plotting comment )

i. rainy day man
[ the evening downpour comes so suddenly, hardly anyone has any time to run for cover. fortunately most are not new to the day's odd weather patterns and have come prepared, but the fair few who were none the wiser (or, like ruiji's case, had no means to prepare) get drenched in seconds. he hides under the leather jacket that had been a hand-me-down from his dad, using it as a semi-shield over his head as he jogs towards the nearest store awning—

only to be shooed away from it by a disgruntled and wary shop owner two minutes later.

soaked and grumpy now, ruiji wanders down the streets of the town, trying to stick as close to the buildings as possible, before finally finding himself some shelter... which just so happens to be the same tree you're hiding under.

he scowls (though he's got somewhat of a perpetual scowl) and folds his arms across his chest, trying to stave off the cold. ]


What're you looking at?

ii. wall flower
[ amidst all the flowers and pastels of spring, ruiji sticks out like a rotten, sore thumb. it's half why he's sticking along the outskirts of park, hanging back while the spring festivities take place. (the other half of the reason being there's no reason a member of the [IDK, WHATEVER THE GANG'S NAME IS] gang would ever set foot in a city-wide activity like this... unless it were to cause trouble.

but ruiji isn't here for trouble. surprisingly.

in fact, he seems to be doing his best to appear as inexplicable as possible... even in those scuffed-up jeans of his, and that distinct black leather jacket. but despite his height, he appears to be trying to make himself as small as possible, slinking into the shadows of a nearby stall while his beady eyes scan over the festivities... quietly admiring the arrangements of flowers.

—waitaminute he's not planning on stealing them, is he?!

nearby, the owner of that stall keeps sending ruiji half-annoyed, half-uneasy looks. he really wants ruiji to bug off so that people will actually want to approach his stall and buy something, but he clearly doesn't think talking to ruiji would be a good idea. maybe you can help him? or maybe you can just call ruiji out for being a creep, period. ]

iv. public service
[ the incessant chirping hasn't stopped for hours. it's nearly twelve at this point, and ruiji thinks he's just about ready to lose his mind. he was finally able to coerce (read: beat) the necessary solution out of somebody, and if he were in a better state of mind he would have probably taken the time to realize that such a "solution" hardly seemed realistic at all... but at this point he's willing to try anything.

now all he has to do is find someone with a phone.

and then make them give it to him.

even in his aggravated craze, he tries to single someone out who looks like they could probably buy a new phone two seconds later without any problem, but it's not entirely unlikely his judgment falls by the wayside and he picks someone that doesn't fit that description instead.

whoever it is, he corners them easily, slamming a hand right by their head against the wall to practically pin them against it. he leans in low, making good use of his towering height, his low voice, those demon-like eyes. ]


Your phone, [ he says, voice strained against the chirping he can't stop hearing. ] Give it to me.

bonus: wildcard!
[ feel free to see ruiji anywhere around town, causing trouble or not! if you'd like to plot something out, you can PM this journal or respond to the workshop comment. c: ]
flowrite: (tumblr_inline_ncu4ggDI1i1r3leyb)

[personal profile] flowrite 2017-04-21 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Okay, this kid is officially adorable. You're getting adopted Soujirou, whether you know it or not.

Fai just grins.]


Well, it's good that you're getting into this for the right reasons. I mean, so many people are lured toward social work for the fame, the riches....

[He spoons another dollop of whipped cream into his mouth with a wry smile.]
thisloveisjustice: (cheerful)

[personal profile] thisloveisjustice 2017-04-21 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Still, Tatsuo makes a mental note to try to be better about cleaning up after himself in the kitchen. He can keep his part of the lab clean, surely he can manage the odd spoon or coffee mug, too.]

Mmmmmm, lasagna. You make the best lasagna Mrs Yata.

[She isn't the first to think he needs to put a little more meat on his bones.]
zerotohiro: (Because we can)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2017-04-21 12:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Now that the big scary lap-dog is on its merry way and definitely not a giant centipede, he tilts his chin up and flashes a mostly confident grin.]

I'm fine. I can outrun that thing if I really needed to. [That doesn't mean he isn't watching it closely though...] And anyway, centipedes only bite with their feet anyway. If they crawl enough, they'll blister the skin.

[Why this.] You...seem pretty calm about all of this.
wantshappiness: (flustered || worry)

[personal profile] wantshappiness 2017-04-21 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
...I don't think it's in my size.

[WERE YOU ACTULLY GOING TO TRY IT ON, YUURI?]

The sizes in this store seems to have gotten larger since I was here last time...
skald: (kolmekymmentäyhdeksän)

[personal profile] skald 2017-04-21 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
Good idea... [This lightning is the wrong kind of surprise... she resigns herself to being in this coffeeshop for a little while and gets on line before any stragglers coming in from the rain make it longer.

She places their order, picks out their scones, and hovers around the counter until the espressos are ready. If Emil's paying attention, he'd see her go up once they call Julie (with only a sheepish smile in response), and come his way carefully balancing a tray.]


So our scone choices were chocolate chip or cheddar, so... pick whichever you'd prefer.
notbunaga: (Default)

[personal profile] notbunaga 2017-04-21 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
[In the time it took Sakura to do all that, Aki's changed out of her clothes and into simple shorts and a tshirt. At the very least, her messy lifestyle aside, she actually is fairly fashionable if she steps outside, but...in the confines of this room she's a slob. Even her clothing is clearly worn out of its original shape, especially around the collar. Her wet clothes are just hanging over the back of her couch.]

Don't worry about it. You'll probably be here a while anyway, the rain isn't letting up.

[She takes a seat at her table, having already cut them some cake. Vanilla sponge with a cream center and white chocolate icing; at the very least, you can always count on Aki for heart attacks.

There's another plate with a slice sitting there for Sakura, whichever chair she decides to sit at. That being said, Aki just flips her tv on and starts idly channel surfing.
]

If you see anything you wanna watch, just stop me...I have netflix too.

[Although she doesn't watch a lot of tv...]
thisloveisjustice: (cheerful)

[personal profile] thisloveisjustice 2017-04-21 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
[For all he does quite well working on his own things in the police lab, Tatsuo is definitely the sort who benefits from having a supervisor. He's rather prone to spinning off on his own tangent if someone isn't there to help keep him on task now and then, much as he might gripe about it later. If he's not watched, Tatsuo can get fixated on a project and burn out.]

As long as it's not out of your way.
extradordinary: (12.)

[personal profile] extradordinary 2017-04-21 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
Ha, right— one sec, here ya go—

[ It's not like Taichi doesn't have any friends, but getting a girl's number in any context is a new and exciting development. Fumbling, he takes his phone out of his pocket and unlocks his screen. ]

Uh, I've got rehearsals after school but we can still totally hang out afterwards! I usually text during class too, anyway.

[ Taichi... ]
zerotohiro: (It's what people do)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2017-04-21 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
I drop it all the time, it'll be fine even if it gets a little wet. I know how to fix it. [Hiro is probably the type to constantly fiddle with his devices anyway. He doesn't seem too bothered and when she offers it, he makes another face upon looking down at the screen.]

To be honest, neither was I. Usually when you're scrolling through apps you don't expect giant bugs to be the first thing that pops up. [He pauses then, figuring out how to click away from the zoomed in picture of the spider before he decides maybe it's not bad to ask.] Do you know anything about this Retrospec thing?
thisloveisjustice: (cheerful)

[personal profile] thisloveisjustice 2017-04-21 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Tatsuo is used to being scolded by his supervisor for occasionally being a scatterbrain, so he just takes the scolding with a nod and a smile.]

Nah, it's okay. I bought one yesterday, but left it in my desk at work. And I already have one at home.
zerotohiro: (Relief)

[personal profile] zerotohiro 2017-04-21 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
I think using the word "cute" and "embarrassed" in the same sentence is half the problem. [Just saying. But she picks up the umbrella for him and though he looks a little uncertain he does take it from her. Once it's up and open he seems to be glaring at the underside of it, but at least he's covered again.]

It's about the time the weather gets a little weird with its rain. Sometimes it'll downpour all day but then sometimes it's really fast. Pretty sure that's why the library started doing this. [There's a half-smile at least.] I didn't realize how long I'd been inside studying. I kinda meant to beat the rain home but...[A gesture.] I'll have to take it back later if the rain stops by tomorrow.
destiny_key: (Happycry!)

Yeah, I'm okay!

[personal profile] destiny_key 2017-04-21 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
both!!!

but brownies if i have to pick lol
thisloveisjustice: (clueless)

btw how tall is Algira? Ikuo is 5'9"

[personal profile] thisloveisjustice 2017-04-21 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
... Let's just go with that. Come on, Alec. The cat's gone.

[But that giant grasshopper is still there and it is creeping Tatsuo out.]
hjalpar: (hlæja)

[personal profile] hjalpar 2017-04-21 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
Take-out's fine.

[ Take out is definitely fine! He tries not to act so frozen around Cain, who he is supposed to know, and softly lowers his arms from their upright position, getting him in a half-hug like they're familiar. ]

I'll let you pick. It's a long walk to Tisse, we'll be hungry by the time we get there!
gudaguda: (pic#11127620)

[personal profile] gudaguda 2017-04-21 01:00 am (UTC)(link)
[ Without much hesitation, Sakura plops onto the seat directly in front of the cake and her eyes light up at how wonderful it looks. She immediately whips out her phone from her pocket and spends a long moment trying to take the perfect picture of it to post online. ]

Hmmm... if only there was a bit more light but nothing a filter can't fix...

[ She's really paying no heed to Aki at the minute, she's registered what she's said but not really acknowledged it. ]
frisyr: (förklarar)

[personal profile] frisyr 2017-04-21 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, thanks... Julie?

[ He cuts them both in half with a plastic knife, so they can have a bit of each one! Carefully sure not to make too many crumbs, he carefully places them both on napkins and also divvies up their allocated butter. ]

Smaklig måltid!
skald: (viisikymmentäneljä)

[personal profile] skald 2017-04-21 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
[She gasps a little to herself, sitting in the middle of a coffeeshop, when she reads this message, because of course it's been driving her insane lately.]

Tuuri Hotakainen They exist and I miss them!
Tuuri Hotakainen ...as an answer to both of those questions, I guess.
Tuuri Hotakainen You think the bugs are something like that? Maybe I could try texting my brother the picture and see if he sees anything odd about it... He doesn't remember horses either.