repeter | APRIL TDM

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

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.

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That's one way of putting it.

Best if you stay home and avoid them altogether if you can.

[Katherine's beginning to feel self-conscious, honestly. There's not anything on her face, is there...?

But then the girl responds, and her face falls just slightly.]

I see. [She shakes her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.] My eyes must be playing tricks on me, that's all. I could have sworn it looks just like a...

[Another shake of the head. She's just been working herself too hard, that's all.]

No one's going to give up their whole day just because of some dog-bugs. Did you at least call animal control when you were done brawling?

[She had noticed his umbrella, but Kath was raised not to impose on other people if she could at all avoid it. But now that he's making jokes about it, she'll dip her chin and lift an eyebrow at him, a smile crossing her face.]

A shame when a girl's got to ask for some aid when it's pouring cats and dogs outside. [It should be obvious enough by her expression, though, that she doesn't mean it in the slightest.]

Do you happen to be offering, professor?

[ There’s a point at which you just stop asking questions and roll with it. With Eijun that point is basically the moment you meet him. ]

That’s what four wheel drive is for, dude. You’ve got to look into that.

[ Leo glances at the shop Eijun had plastered himself to, curious, and you know what? He’s kind of hungry, too. ]

If he doesn’t, the cold you’re about to catch will. But you know what they say, [ he says cheerfully, ] you can’t face death on an empty stomach or you’ll never make it into heaven.

[ Is that a thing? Maybe it’ll catch on. ]

C’mon, let’s get some grub.

[ooc: Here's his app! It's a work in progress but has links to his au workshop, too.]

[1. Water Solutions]

[This is the third day in a row that Silver intended to set up shop on the streets to try to sell things and has been impeded by pouring rain. That's it. He needs a new tactic here. But what is going to hold up in all the rain? Not many people are going to stop to pay attention regardless, that's for sure...

After some consideration, he sets up shop with a bunch of buckets, a couple of pots, and a set of drumsticks; he has an umbrella, but rather than using it to keep him dry, it's covering a slightly elevated portable speaker so that he can play music to drum along to. A couple of his favorites for the moment? Singing in the Rain, or Tomorrow from Annie.

...If he's going to be stuck in the miserable rain, he might as well enjoy it.]

[3 - This is why I order online]

[Silver's clothes never really fit nicely, if he's going to be honest with himself. He's tall and thin and most things are either too baggy or too short on him anyway. But this is getting a little ridiculous- did someone shove something in his damn laundry?- and Silver decides to peruse around for at least a couple of somewhat cheaper things.

Of course, absolutely nothing seems to be even remotely acceptable, size wise, and in the end, well, he might as well roll with it. Silver leaves sporting a t-shirt that's so ridiculously long it wraps around and starts looking like a dress. But hey, it was like, four bucks. He'll take the damn shirt dress. It's not like he can't wear it to school or work; there's no dress code against abnormally long shirts and Jaeger really doesn't seem like the kind of guy to give a shit in any capacity.

...Someone please try to get this guy in something sensible.]

[4/bonus - oh man, bugs]

[You know, the first time a dog spontaneously turns into an insect, it's kind of weird. Really weird, in fact. ...Actually, it's still weird the first eighty or so times, what the hell. Did someone slip something into his water? Is this something he needs to talk to Fai about but probably won't? What the hell.

On the other hand, after a while it wraps around from simply weird to actually kind of cool. They're giant bug pets. That's actually kind of awesome. He wants to ride on some kind of big butterfly dog. Eventually he checks his phone to see if he can see about adopting one of the damn things... somehow... without a house... Maybe that was a bad idea. Maybe he can find a stray caterpillar dog instead. But either way, there's this new app on his phone, and if it wants to upload a new picture, he'll have to take a cute selfie (minus the friends.)]

So instead of weird bug facts, how about cute bug puns?

Honey, I tried to ace that test, but with all that buzzing around I could only get bees.

Anyway shitty puns aside where do I get myself a cute caterpillar dog, I can totally sneak it into the orphanage for a few months.

Edited 2017-04-19 01:07 (UTC)

[At the sound of his real name, he automatically sits up a little straighter, driven purely on reflex to Behave™ at the sound. Which is a little bit mortifying, frankly, but what can you do...]

Yes, ma'am.

[That, too, comes automatic — not abashed or guilty, but certainly with the haste of someone who knows it's time to be obedient and is already halfway there.]

...Right, well. I'm sure that's classified knowledge I'd sooner keep to myself, anyway.

Pitcher plants? Their namesake is apt — they have a large leaf in front that forms a sort of tall cylinder, rather like a vase. Or a pitcher.

Are you that concerned about falling into one?

[His own smile becomes a little lopsided at the question.] Why yes, I suppose I am.

[And then a nod towards the library doors, where nothing short of torrential rain can be seen through the glass.] Allow me to shelter you until you're seated, warm and dry, in your own car. I take it you're not against sharing an umbrella? It's big enough for two.

[Just barely, but it is.]

Beg pardon?

[He says, as he glances up from his handiwork to see himself being sighted down the length of a black tulip, which oddly makes something deep inside him twinge in a way that he can't quite explain. Fortunately, though, it's a fleeting sensation, as he raises his hand to the back of his ponytail — and his fingers bump the flower he'd tucked there, which suddenly brings the whole situation to light.]

...Oh. Now there's an interesting one — black tulips are fairly rare, aren't they? Perhaps too rare for your average flower crown, when they ought to be a focal piece.

[...Well, he's mostly right about where this is going, at least.]

[Oh dear, cute guy even has a cute name. Rhys's attempt at humor is rewarded with a laugh and a sunny smile.]

Fair enough! I suppose when you put it that way, we could both use the exercise. Plus it'll save us the money. And we don't have to get rid of our ice cream.

[Which, let's be real, would have been the real tragedy here.

Completely forgetting that he's still wearing his bright pink flower crown, Fai tips his head to gesture toward the sidewalk that leads in the right direction and starts that way, moving slowly enough for Rhys to join him. (He's 6' tall, however high that is compared to Rhys. He is, however, very skinny.)]

So what would you have been doing if you weren't out enjoying the nice weather and the ice cream? Or is this a normal day for you?

[ Sakura nods, standing up and while she's a little soaked - she's not too bruised. She holds out the bag, indicating that it's still in one piece. ]

I'm okay. So is the bag.

[ With a small smile, she opens it so that he can put the groceries he's gathered up into it. ]

This rain's been terrible, huh?

Okay! They can't be weird if they're old clothes!

[ The thought has cheered up Sakura a little, because finally. They're getting a solution somewhere! ]

I only know of the one in the shopping arcade, do you know any others?

[ Though the bump takes her slightly aback, she's very accommodating. Being out here is better than being at some of the cons she's been at. So with a nod and a demure smile, Sakura adjusts her umbrella and starts getting to a pose. ]

Of course you can. Tag me on the app too so I can see.

[ She adjusts the umbrella so that there's a good light for Rantaro, whenever he's ready. ]

Well... we help families and children who need our assistance. We help connect people with the resources they need, like food or clothing or shelter. We assist with adoptions and foster care. We help victims of abuse and neglect find a safe place to live and people to care for them. Or at least that's the goal.

[And hey, if she doesn't know what a social worker does, at least she (hopefully) isn't already prejudiced toward thinking them completely ineffectual wastes of space the way some people seem to feel.]

Would you rather I didn't pay attention? [ There's a smirk there - Seto knows that he won't be kicked out. if she wanted to, she would have done so a long time ago. Besides, he doesn't do this very often. Once a month, maybe, or thereabouts.

Seto shrugs. ] I happened to be passing through. But then again your lectures are some of the better ones I've sat through. At least you can somehow make quantum mechanics sound interesting.

[ And he's sat through quite a lot of them during his time here. ]

wow. surprised to see you all riled up. didn't know curses were even in your vocabulary, blue.

Exactly like leather! Look, I'm telling you, when it's not inside-out, this jacket actually looks good, I promise. I just didn't want it to get wet...

[ It'll ruin the fabric! ]

Those look like something out of a goddamn video game. I'd wear them, though, especially if you paid me.

It sounds a lot like a poodle. [He laughs] Far too much for a kid trying to fit into a new country and a new school, anyway!

[Since Soujirou's focusing on his own drink for the moment, Fai takes the opportunity to work on his own caramel-chocolate iced coffee (which might as well be ice cream with a tiny splash of coffee). In between sips he lifts the straw and uses it like a spoon to dig out the whipped cream with caramel syrup drizzled over it. Seriously, why does he not have diabetes yet.

He shakes his head at the question.]

I don't think so. I knew people in college who didn't have jobs at all, and weren't even looking. If you're employed, I think you're doing all right. What is it you do, exactly?

[ He's not that great in terms of social media presence, either - sure, he maintains a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and perhaps the odd LinkedIn post for his company, but he absolutely refuses to use Snapchat and the like. What even are those apps for, anyway???

Which is why he's a little bit miffed about being a tester for an app he has no idea if he's going to continue using or not. Oh well. ]

Got woken up by the damn phone chirping with the notifications even though I set it to silent.

Yeah. That. Whoever is pushing this app to us is doing a terrible job.

Also, strangely, I can't find anything much about them or the app online.

Suit yourself.

Call them and say what? A giant wasp attacked me and my dog? Like they'd believe that.

It's just how striking the permanent red is on the white stone. It's a really strong color, so it pops out like crazy, but for an image like this, it works well.

[ She tries not to look too happy at the fact that she's being praised. She doesn't do a very good job. ]

It's gonna be a bitch for them to take off, which was kind of the intention.

Not in the slightest. Thank you.

[Honestly, in spite of how much her father dislikes him, Katherine's never found issue with Ardyn. He's obviously clever, has a lot of practical experience in the law sphere, and has a positively wicked streak of sarcasm that means she's constantly trying to keep from grinning too widely during his lectures.

She'll wait until they're ready to step out into the rain, and then she'll speak again.]

I hope I'm not troubling you too much by dragging you out in the rain like this. I do appreciate it.

[ Please open Ham's Vidya Game Shop on eBay with this offering.

But, when he speaks up, patting at his stomach, she gives him a questionable glance. Now that she has the chance to actually look... she looks to her own less-than-acceptable clothing. ]

..I thought Bigby put the hot water on my last laundry load again...

[ But, the question was obviously a little sharp ended. ]

Yes, your jawline is a bit more prominent. Real movie star quality.

[ First a compliment. Then: ]

But, if you've lost a noticeable amount of weight, then maybe I've lost the 17 year old baby weight.

[ She's coy with her words, but — ]

Did, by chance, nothing else fit?

Ugh, for fuck's sake, Brett, I didn't stop the last twelve times you told me to, what the hell makes you think I'm gonna stop this time?

[ Honestly, man. It's one thing to get into this when they're at school or something, but in the middle of her making a masterpiece? Can't you see how lovely this looks? You're ruining her whole mojo. ]

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APRIL TDM

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Silver | Pokémon Special

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ok :3

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bonus

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