repeter | 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

[Yeah, a pity party.]

...Nah. It's for me.

[His voice finds a bit of an awkward tone.]

Gotta practice making drinks. New night job.

...Mostly.

Aaahhh.

Soooo. Do you need a taste tester?

[He looks a bit surprised.]

Sorry, I prefer drinking sadly by myself.

[A wry smile.]

Actually, yeah. [He nudges her arm.]

Gotta promise me to drink responsibly, y'know.

You do know who you're talking to, right? [Minako and responsibility are this tight.] I'll wait however long it takes for me to stop feeling drunk to drive home if I have to, don't worry.

"Terra, why is the head of the volunteer organization completely fucking wasted in your dorm room?"

"Officer, I can explain."

[Settles his stuff in her car.]

I can only imagine how much of a lightweight you must be. You wouldn't even get coffee with me. [He laughs. Yeah, definitely wasn't because you were a stranger randomly asking her on a date.]

Okay, wait. First, I'm not the head of ReVA, not by a long shot!

[It just seems like it. She playfully whacks his arm as she escorts him to the passenger's side of the car.]

Second, you know why I didn't get coffee with you that first time. We've gotten coffee together plenty of times after. And third!

You're right about me being a lightweight.

[He gets in, grinning at her. Wasn't he feeling completely morose twenty minutes ago?]

You're the head of ReVA in my heart, Minako.

[And a laugh, for good measure.]

I'll go easy on ya, kid.

Aw, that's sweet of you.

But you're a jerk for calling me a kid, jerk.

[And she shakes off some of the water from the umbrella onto him, grinning as she prances to the driver's side.]

[Terra has to pull his seat back because LONG LEGS.

Minako, I tease you because you're the only person I don't feel like is going to harbor or already harbors legitimate resentment towards me.

...is what he would like to say. Instead he gets a little quiet as they drive.]

You know, you always seem to show up when I have no where else to turn.

Or am very, uncomfortably wet.

[She didn't have the towels in the back like she thought, so he gets the tissue box instead. Not...like it'll stop him from dripping everywhere in her car, but it's better than nothing.

Minako slides her eyes over to him when the opportunity presents itself at the next stoplight. She can't tell which direction he wants the conversation to turn, so she simply replies, in a light tone of voice:]

It's not in my nature to abandon someone in need. Uncomfortably wet or otherwise.

...You know, people say I'm brooding, but I'm not about to cry. [He chuckles a bit as he's handed the tissue box.]

...You really know how to talk yourself up as a superhero, don't you?

[Personally, he thinks she's a little bit crazy. Still likes her, though.

"I'm jealous." Another thought that goes unsaid.]

...How exactly did you afford this car, again?

[Oh, so he doesn't want to talk about it. That's fine, Minako can wait until he's ready.

So she rolls her eyes at him, a "just dry off with the tissues already" and an "excuse me, are you sassing the person driving you home?" two-for-one.]

It was a present from my parents.

[More like something she bought with the money her parents left her in their will, but it's easier to say it like that.]

Do you know in Japan, the driver's seat is on the right side of the car? If I ever go back there, I'm in for a rough time.

I am so not okay with you abandoning me. [Going to skip over the parents thing. They've had enough dead parental angst between them already.]

So you don't have to worry about it. [He watches her face a bit as she drives. Would he regress without her?]

Just stay with me and keep bailing me out of shit forever.

You know,

Platonically.

[She laughs faintly.]

I meant to visit, but I'm surprisingly touched by your words regardless. Don't worry, Terra, I'm not going anywhere. I will continue to platonically bail you out of shit for as long as I'm here. I'm apparently a superhero, remember?

Either a superhero or some kind of...perky robot.

Well, hell, I'll drink to that.

...

I mean, I will, like, later.

When we're not in a moving vehicle.

Luckily that'll be sooner rather than later!

[She's pulling up to his place now, neatly parking along the driveway.]

Why don't I bring in the alcohol? You should go on ahead and get dried off or else you'll catch a cold. And don't call me a mom, I'm serious. You're soaked to the bone.

[I thought we established that you're a kid, Minako?

Yeah, best left unsaid.]

You're the boss. [He smiles, popping open the passenger side door.] And my boss, technically.

[Turning away, he gets up and starts heading towards his dorm.]

I'll try to finish changing by the time you meet me. [Running a hand through his very wet hair. Upon reaching his room, he leaves the door ever so slightly ajar so that Minako doesn't need to bother with the doorknob. It takes awhile, but eventually he's able to towel off to the point where he's not quite as drippy as before. Pneumonia is no joke, so he pulls out a sweatshirt to replace his soaked shirt and jacket.]

[She's both at the same time, clearly.

Minako pushes the door open with her hip, one hand occupied with her umbrella and the other arm wrapped around the shopping bag. She hasn't actually been inside Terra's place before, only seen the front when she's picked him up or dropped him off for events, so she lets her gaze wander as she shuffles to the kitchen and unpacks the bottles.

Honestly, she's completely at home despite the fact, puttering around in the kitchen and getting some hot water started.]

Terra, where do you keep your tea?

There's a drawer underneath the sink. [Pulling on his sweater and rolling up the sleeves (because everyone knows not rolling up the sleeves means you're a huge dweeb. Or a cute girl. Terra is neither) he walks up behind her.]

Tea is non-alcoholic, just for reference.

Tea is good for warding off colds. [She replies tartly, but she looks up with a little smirk.]

I guess you could always just splash a little something into it to make it alcoholic. Can't say how it'd taste afterward, though.

APRIL TDM

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