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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I.

[ Looks like the rain's not letting up soon, so Mizuki's just gonna pop into a small cafe in Chata to take a load off for a bit. While he waits for his coffee, he reclines back in his chair and opens a page of the magazine he just purchased outside and--

Okay. What the hell. Mizuki did know what he was getting into when he was offered a job to model for this magazine (and of course being subjected to today's terrible fashion trends), but he didn't know the outcome would look THIS BAD. It might not look too bad for most people, but to Mizuki it's just so gaudy that he slams the magazine shut in pure rage. ]

That photographer! He didn't even get my good side right!

[ You might recognize him as the guy in the magazine, or maybe not. Either way, you can't help but stare at his outburst, and Mizuki will quickly notice you and decide to call you out on it. ]

Hey. Don't you know it's rude to stare?

II.

[ Apparently there's no end to Mizuki's fashion disasters. Upon waking up and finding out that his clothes don't fit as much anymore even though some of them have been purchase recently, Mizuki leaves home and goes to the shopping district to do some serious complaining. Because he's that talented at it. ]

How many times do I have to tell you? I've been through four shops for the past half hour, and they all don't have my sizes. Do you really expect me to believe that every article of clothing on sale right now is shrinking? This is so annoying!

[ Wow, he is pissed. Might want to calm him down. ]

Wildcard

[ Hit me up with anything! AU workshop link is right here, in case you still want to work on with more AU shit. Or PP me at

jikochuu, whatever works.]

[Well - she was also staring a little bit because she wasn't sure if this was or wasn't the Mizuki-senpai that she met last time she worked briefly on a modeling job, but at being called out she jumps. And offers a sheepish smile.]

O-Oh! Извините... Excuse me.

[And she'll be properly apologetic now, getting up from where she was to have a proper conversation.]

"Photographer"... Then - you are Mizuki-senpai? I am sorry you are not having a good day....

...Ah, it's you.

[ The girl he met during his work... Anya, was it? Mizuki does calm down a bit, but he's still a bit peeved. ]

I only took up this offer thinking I can somehow pull the outfit off but apparently it's still useless. [ heaves a sigh ] People in the fashion industry can be total weirdos sometimes. Some of them just don't know that they just don't have the creativity for these things.

"Total weirdos"....

[She parrots what he says automatically. This is what she's learning. Still though she hums a sympathetic tone before she tilts her head and offers a smile.]

Ah... But I think - Mizuki-senpai probably did his best? I am sure the photographer was благодарна... very thankful to work with you! I hope they will do better next time.

[clearly this was all done out of the goodness of mizuki's heart]

[ Oh Anya, you sweet summer child. ]

If there is a next time. I'm not even sure how the industry are going to survive the next season.

[ He glares at the magazine again and looks up to meet her eyes. Here, have some stern talking-to with your beloved senpai. ]

This is why you should think very carefully about what you're getting into. Since you're still new and all, I guess it's not too late for you to back out of this field if you're not ready for upcoming downfalls like this.

[Oh boy, a talking to. She seems to absorb... all of this... just like a sponge.]

No... I do not want to back out. I made a promise that I would not, even if things became not easy.

[As evidenced by her language regain. So she offers a smile.]

Kонсультация... I will take your advice to heart!

If you want a decent fit you should have things custom made.

[this comment and the following little sniff appears to float out of the aether - oh, no, never mind. one of the displays merely happened to be a good deal taller than the culprit, something which happens quite often when you're barely scraping past five feet tall.

Nico seems equally unimpressed with the store's selection, if the faintly disdainful glance she's giving the shirt in her hand is any indication. whether she's suffering from the same wardrobe malfunctions or simply possesses a higher standard of fashion than the average consumer is nearly impossible to discern.]

Do I look that loaded to you? I'm just as broke as any college student out there, in case you don't know.

[ Well, that's a lie. The Sena family is a bit well-off, and Mizuki does get paid well in his modeling work, but details, details. ]

What about you? You think any of these shops have clothes that fit someone like you?

[ Oh man, he went there. ]

[you know, Mizuki, she was genuinely trying to be helpful! hell, she might have even offered to do a little tailoring for him if he played his cards right. with three young siblings to support she never really could say no to extra cash, and especially not for something she enjoyed.

but that overflowing compassion? all gone. Nico doesn't need to demand he clarify that statement - she's been hearing variations on that since puberty began. it's an old friend of hers, and good lord does she despise it.

it's very fortunate for Nico that the music playing in this store is pretty damn loud; it neatly covers the sound of ripping fabric as she accidentally tears a hole right into that shirt from clenching her fists too tightly. she replaces it on the rack quickly, hole side facing away, easily playing it off as a coolly disinterested gesture.]

I'm not here to buy, I'm here to check in on the trends.

[that much is true, at least. Nico's tastes run far more expensively than her family could feasibly afford in a million years, and so she substitutes it with her own skill. if she happens to spin it to sound like she's getting inspiration for one of a kind custom pieces, well...who's she to correct those assumptions?]

But clearly it'd be a waste of time explaining something like that to you. Your creativity's probably as shriveled up as that face of yours.

[AT SOME POINT IN HER LIFE SHE COULD FEASIBLY STILL GROW BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE U G L Y MIZUKI]

[ Do you really think he's that desperate for your help, Nico? Thanks, but no thanks. You may have expensive tastes despite your ~tragic backstory~, but Mizuki here has standards. He may take every job offer given to him, but someday he'll be able to choose for himself.

But wow, what nerve. With a "tch", Mizuki leers at her, sizing her up so that their size difference really shows. ]

Hah? This "ugly" mug has been in more magazines than you can ever imagine. It may as well cost more than all the clothes in this dump.

[ okay he's exaggerating but ]

'Sides, didn't you even notice that the trends nowadays are getting real shitty? So much for creativity.

[her jaw sets stubbornly, chest puffing up like an offended bird. if his looming over her was supposed to be intimidating, he was going to be sorely disappointed - if anything, she looks ready for this to escalate into a fistfight now. just give her an excuse to have a tantrum on that expensive face, Mizuki. she'll show you what a woman scorned can really do.]

Oh, really? I guess the standards are different here in America.

[Nico, you've been living in the US for 5+ years now. you don't get to talk like you're just blowing through.]

Weren't you listening just now? I said I was checking what's in, not copying it. Besides, weren't you the one throwing a fit because he couldn't buy anything here?

[if he calls attention to her...physical shortcomings again she'll likely lose all ability to converse rationally. for the moment Nico has just enough focus to bring up this totally devastating point. ha ha ha!! score one for Yazawa!!!]

izumi sena / ensemble stars! (au name: mizuki sena)

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