Recollé Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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repeter2017-04-16 09:01 pm
recollecters) wrote in repeter2017-04-16 09:01 pm
APRIL TDM
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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. |
no subject
That's me. I'm sorry I'm a bit late, I had an appointment that dragged out a bit.
[He sits down, hauling up his bag in his lap, and then he... proceeds to start dumping out stuff from his own bag too. Something is going to get mixed up at this rate. Is that finger paint?]
They gave me some papers to hand to you, I think most of it is some standard stuff about job disability accommodations, but most of that doesn't apply to me anyway. [He pauses, and then smiles a bit sheepishly.] I feel like I'm doing this backwards, aren't I?
no subject
[Fai flaps a hand at him dismissively and begins shoving things back inside his bag. When his brain catches up and he realizes Soujirou was reading the cover of his novel he blushes a bit and makes sure to grab that particular item off the table next. (It's an old Harlequin, how embarrassing.) So yes, he's probably not paying complete attention to what goes back into his bag. Oops.
At Soujirou's question he pauses in his own flurry of motion and smiles.]
Maybe we should try this introduction thing again?
[He holds a hand out over the clutter on the table.]
Please, call me Fai.
no subject
But since he's also a bit caught up shuffling around his own stuff, he naturally misses any displacements happening for now. Great job, team.]
Fai? That's a cute nickname. [Things you tell eight years older guys who you just met: This, apparently. He beams, reaching out his own hand and shaking Fai's.]
I bet you couldn't tell, but I'm a bit nervous. [He rolls his eyes slightly at his own expense.] I think I might be a bit hit and miss with first impressions.
no subject
Thank you! I came up with it myself, actually. My name is a bit too French for most people, and it was either shorten it to "Fai" or suffer through my classmates trying to call me "Fifi."
[He shudders in mock horror at the name before grinning again.]
Nonsense! You're doing just fine. [He's... too polite to mention the clothes just yet. Wait until they've known each other for more than five minutes.] And don't worry about the forms just now. Have your treat while it's still the right temperature and then we can get down to business, alright?
no subject
Well, Fifi is pretty cute too. But it does sound a lot like someone's poodle. [He shrugs.] Making your own makes a lot of sense, though. Nothing other kids ever came up with really felt like me.
[Momentarily distracted from the stuff he's left lying on the table still, Soujirou nods in response to Fai's suggestion, taking a huge sip of his coffee drink. It tastes of chocolate and caramel and orange, and nothing at all like coffee - just how he likes it. Life is too short for bitter things.]
I know this isn't properly a job interview, but it's kind of the closest I've ever been to, isn't that odd? The job I have, I got sort of informally through my mom's friend.
no subject
[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?
no subject
He imagines that being an outsider within your own context can't be nearly as bad as being one with no context at all.
He sips at his glorified syrup some more, careful to take it slowly despite himself. Sometimes very cold things make him cough, and it's the last thing he wants right now.]
I work at a daycare. It helps pay the bills, but really... [He shrugs and smiles.] I just enjoy it. I mean, I'm basically getting paid to play, right? And I've always loved kids.
no subject
[It's mostly a teasing sort of question. Mostly. There are never enough of them for the amount of clients they need to serve, and sometimes the amount of work piled on their desks is truly horrific, but he would never actively dissuade someone from wanting to go into his line of work. Unless for some reason they were tremendously un-suited to it, which doesn't seem to be the case at all.]
But that sounds like excellent experience. I assume you want to work with kids primarily?
no subject
I do. I'm sure I can still find time to do fun stuff, but that's not really that important. I want to... help.
[He knows it probably sounds naive when he says it, simplistic and a bit too earnest. He has enough self insight to know that the world is more complicated than that for most people, but that doesn't change how he sees things. His mind has always worked in absolutes, in a way. That's why...]
...I- In some ways I think I'm better at talking to and understanding kids. So yes, I want to work mainly with young people. I'd be better at it, and I think- [He colors very slightly, glancing down.] -I think I'd be good at being on their side.
no subject
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.]
no subject
Ah, yes. The rock star lifestyle of social workers can be tempting for impressionable young people.
[The last words break into not very dignified giggle, followed by a quick attempt not to spray meringue crumbs over the table.]
My mom's a public school teacher, so of course I was tempted at an early age into the adventurous life of those who work incredibly hard for not much money. [His smile warms a bit.] Maybe because mom's always said that it's worth it.
no subject
[I'm so sorry Soujirou, you probably didn't sign up to have Queen lyrics quoted at you. You may be too young to even recognize them. Thankfully after that brief tangent, Fai's smile returns. He picks at his own pastry, nodding as Soujirou talks.]
It's definitely worth it. Just try to keep that in mind, if all you happen to see during this is the 'working incredibly hard' part of it~
no subject
It would be kind of weird if it was, right? I mean, it's not really a job you're meant to enjoy in a "thrills and fun stuff" kind of way.
[It's a far cry away from the future as a professional athlete he's once had in mind. But even though it will probably be harder in a lot of ways, he can genuinely say that it no longer feels like a step down.]
Anyway, we can sleep when we're dead, right? And you don't know you're alive if you don't have something to work hard for. [Morbid, not entirely in good taste, and not an entirely healthy approach to life. He's so ready you've adopted by another human disaster area.]
no subject
Mm~ No, I suppose it's not.
[He's had enough of the 'thrills and fun' sort of work to last for quite a while yet, thank you very much.
And despite the fact that Fai is 100% a human disaster area too, he's also a giant hypocrite and doesn't like to see other people living by the same twisted logic he does. Especially when they're as young as Soujirou.]
Well, I'd say it's easy to tell you're alive when you're drinking as much sugar as we are~! [He laughs] How are your classes going?