APRIL TDM

[recollecters]

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.

Comments

Silver | Pokémon Special

[feistytrader]

[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.

1

[toushiro]

[ ew. it's you, not!big brother.

hitsugaya tries to shuffle along past silver, hoping the redhead won't notice how he's trying to hide his face with his rather large umbrella--and no, he's not going to offer it to silver either.

but when hitsugaya catches a glimpse of just how silver's using his own umbrella...he can't help but stop and give him an incredulous look.

silver. ]

[feistytrader]

[A few people are passing by and passing him some spare change, at least, and he seems pretty content despite being totally soaked.

But once he notices Toushiro somewhere beyond the rain and passing crowds, well. He's calling out to him in Japanese.]

Hey, if I got you to stop, you better come tip.

[...His tone is light, despite their rocky relationship. Is it out of fondness, or is he just not taking him seriously? The world may never know.]

[toushiro]

No.

[ also in japanese. plain and simple. cold. there is no warmth behind his words and he's trying to hide what fondness is left for his older brother. ]

Don't tell me this is how you've been making your money.

[feistytrader]

It sure is. I mean, today it's mostly just for fun, but it makes good money.

[You know, chances are that he's going to take off at any minute, so Silver quickly packs up shop and gets up on his feet.]

[toushiro]

Sure.

[ not believing that at all. and yes, toushiro turns away and looks like he's about to head off.

catch up? y/n ]

[feistytrader]

[y. Silver slips on over towards him and sneaks under his umbrella.]

What do you need such a huge umbrella for? Are you hoping that with the right kind of breeze, you'll take off and fly?

[He'd much rather chat about something that doesn't matter than his finances.]

[toushiro]

[ instead of going along with silver's humor, hitsugaya simply growls to himself, grip on his umbrella tightening. ]

What do you want?

[feistytrader]

Well, I took a vow to make your life as miserable as possible by hanging out under your umbrella.

[He doesn't look at him while he speaks, but he's also looking forward, so it's kind of hard to tell what he's thinking.]

Or maybe I just want to catch up. It's not like I get to talk to you much at school.

[I know you hate me, but I still worry about you. ...He wants to say it, but if he does, Toushiro really is going to leave.]

[toushiro]

You didn't have to hang out under my umbrella to do that.

[ .....he said too much.

hitsugaya walks on, faster, trying to lose track of silver. a part of him knows he shouldn't leave him in the rain like this, but the less rational part of him says screw it. you left, then so will i.

it's too bad he's not walking fast enough to completely distance himself. ]

[feistytrader]

[...That's better than he thought he'd hear, which is why Silver continues keeping up.]

Fine, no umbrella.

[...He puts his stack of buckets on his head instead. He looks absolutely ridiculous.]

So what's up? I'm sure you're doing fine in school, so... Have you had your first kiss yet?

[toushiro]

I don't owe you anything.

[ still cold as ever. keep trying? ]

[feistytrader]

[Well, that stings, but there's no way he's giving up now.]

Not yet, huh? Don't worry, you're smart, athletic, and cute. I'm sure you'll score plenty of dates.

[toushiro]

[ he says nothing, back still turned to silver. he's not buying into his praises.

sorry, he's gonna give you a hard time for....a while. ]

[feistytrader]

Plenty of people are into height differences, too. Or maybe you could start wearing heels.

[Surely something stupid that comes out of his mouth will get some kind of response here-]

[toushiro]

[ ask and ye shall receive.

hitsugaya turns around sharply, eyes glaring daggers filled with hurt into silver's, his grip on his umbrella tightening. ]

Are you getting some sick form of amusement from pestering me like this? Or are you hoping that I'll suddenly strike up conversation with you after everything you've done?

[feistytrader]

[Well. That worked.]

...Mostly the latter.

[This isn't the time to be casual about things, especially not after seeing his expression.]

I mean, there's no way I'll be able to make it up to you, so I guess that's the next best thing.

[toushiro]

...

[ there's something that looks pained that flashes across toushiro's face, but it disappears. don't be weak. don't show him that you care. even if your words are beginning to betray you. ]

Why did you leave?

3

[buncho]

[ Silver, what are you wearing... Mafuyu is also sporting a shirt-dress, but at least she's a girl, and has the presence of mind to tie off all the loose fabric around her waist. Is he really wearing that to school? The one day she chooses to walk to school!! She wants to punch him on the arm for the audacity, but mostly it's god don't walk next to her ]

Nice dress. Any longer and you can forego pants too.

[feistytrader]

...It's probably long enough to lose the pants, but I'm pretty sure that's against the dress code.

[Is that a joke? Is he messing with her-]

[buncho]

[ Mafuyu rolls her eyes and punches him in the arm for messing with her; it's quick but light ]

Since when do you care about dress code? Clearly not by wearing that.

[feistytrader]

Maybe I just wanted to try something different.

[Maybe he doesn't exactly want to describe how all of his clothes didn't fit, nor did anything in the store. Even his pants are looking a little more like capris right now. He's not entirely sure he's not going nuts right about now.]

This was a size small. I'm serious.

4

[parodeity]

man that just opens the door to like
you know what really bugs me
insect puns
i feel this is a neverending spiral of shitty puns
but admittedly thats like how to describe every pun showdown ever

you can probably just get any dog and wait for it to be a caterpillar at this rate

[feistytrader]

You could even say that the bug puns would come

in swarms.

You don't think all the dogs are gonna turn into bugs, do you?

[parodeity]

honestly i think its a possibility
which im sort of like neutral on
though if cats turn into bugs my family will be a fucking mess
my sisters love cats