repeter | JUNE TDM

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! tdm

JUNE TDM

TEST DRIVE

JUNE TEST DRIVE
The city of Recollé. The kids are out for the summer and the weather's just fine. The sun's shining brightly, not a cloud in the clear gray sky. Everything seems at peace and citizens are out and about, smiling to one another and enjoying each other's company.

Oh, and this thing (complete with cardboard cut-out) has currently taken the place of the founders' statues in Recollé Square. But that's probably not a big deal.

What will you do today?

I.
What is this thing? Why is this thing here? For those of you in Tribunal Terrace today you may wish to investigate the five-foot-tall spinning wheel. How did it even get here? And where did the statues of the founders go? Even if you cannot answer those questions, it's hard to ignore the urge to give it a spin.

Check out those colors go 'round and 'round. Depending on what number you land on, you will find a notification pop up on your phone with a short list of…words. Are these supposed to be qualifications? Weird. That was a waste of time.

However, the moment you walk away you will find yourself accosted by various recruiters wherever you go, congratulating you on your impressive resumé and leading you to an office in Chata. Their offices have been equipped with tabletop-sized spinning wheels much like the one in Recollé Square that will spin 'round and 'round, determining the position you qualify for. Are you ready to show how these traits make you the perfect applicant? It looks like you have time to consult with your fellow candidates before your turn comes.

Or perhaps you've managed to resist spinning that wheel. The recruiters absolutely love your willpower and determination and want you to join their team! For those who can resist, they will still find themselves whisked away by recruiters to the same office and thrown straight into training to prepare for interviewing their neighbors. Recruiters will set up pairs of interviewers and applicants, leaving them alone to ask the hard-hitting questions and pick the most qualified candidate. Do your best and beat out the rest! It's your time to shine.

II.
Just because school is out for the summer doesn't mean Apparassage is quiet. Students and faculty alike are bustling about already preparing for the next school year. Campus tours of Recollé University run every two hours, and there are open house tours of the local elementary, middle and high school. Perhaps you're a future student exploring the campus and getting to know your future classmates. Maybe you're faculty or a student guide wrangling the kids and keeping them in line. Or you just might be one of the unfortunate ones who have found yourself with six weeks of summer school.

However, no matter where you find yourself in this district things get a little tricky when you're ready to leave for the day. The sidewalks outside of the buildings have all disintegrated, revealing a large void leading to nowhere beneath your feet. Without a clear path it seems impossible to escape, but stacked at the entrances of every doorway are large tiles with the letters of the alphabet carefully printed on them. When you look across the devoid path, you may notice you have a partner in a similar position with their own stack of letters.

Get ready to expand your vocabulary. Building a bridge of connecting words may be your only chance of getting home before sunset. Strangely, as the letters are laid out they seem to suspend mid-air enough to hold your weight as you make your way carefully across this pit. Balance and precision are key in this game. The stack floats along behind you as you cross the void, letters seemingly adding to the pile to provide more materials to build.

But like all games, there can be only one winner. Those who clear their letters first will arrive outside of the district safely, free now to come and go as they please. For those who do not clear their stack in time, you might have luck jumping from word to word to cross the finish line. Try as you might, if this is the method you follow, the moment you land on the winning word to leave the district the letters will glitch out, sending you plummeting into the void and landing on a long slope down to the bottom. Upon landing, you will see a series of chutes and ladders one can use to climb back up. Some ladders lead back to Apparassage. Some lead straight into Tisse, and some even lead to unexpected places. Where will you end up? The journey is up to you now.

III.
The days are longer, the nights are shorter, the sun is shining and it's noticeably warmer. Isn't it a perfect time for a summer potluck? The citizens of Recollé seem to think so and have all gathered today in Hollingberry Field with friends and loved ones to share food and fun. Kids chase after each other in friendly games of tag and hide-and-seek while other attendants mingle with one another, piling plates of food and sharing with their neighbor.

Why, even Mayor Mayer is out today for this summer kickoff with his lovely red Chocobo, Seabiscuit.

As the evening begins to wind down, however, there's a startled cry from the Mayor as he realizes someone has kidnapped his beloved pet from right under his nose. Was it you? How about you? Everyone has become a suspect and it's up to you to solve whodunnit. The Mayor provides everyone with a pen and a pad of paper divided into three sections for a suspect, a method, and a location. Grab a friend (or even a group of strangers) and get ready to interrogate each other to crack this case.

(With a little looking, however, it's easy to see that Seabiscuit's merely wandered down the hill away from the park. But maybe it's better not to tell the Mayor. He seems very adamant about this game.)

For anyone who manages to solve the case, the Mayor will be immensely grateful and reward you with a valuable prize! Congratulations! However, for anyone who fails to solve the puzzle, or even anyone found guilty of this heinous crime, by order of the Mayor you will be subjected to jail time for a full half an hour. (The Mayor can't stay too mad at his citizens. He loves them all.)

IV.
A nice, leisurely stroll through the entertainment district of Tisse seems to be in order. Summer sales are aplenty and now's the perfect time to shop 'til you drop. On the other hand, that doesn't seem to be the only thing dropping in Tisse. Do you hear that? Perhaps it is easy to ignore the sounds of stone crashing to the ground. Construction isn't unusual in this district. You think maybe you passed an ongoing demolition on your way inside a shop. But the crash happens again, and again, and again, a loud string of booms growing closer and closer.

Are those buildings tipping into one another? Or is it your imagination? You may not have time to answer while the string of events is put into motion. A crane swings overhead, knocking into a well-placed boulder that begins to roll down the street. Cranes, pulleys and wires move in sync as the ball rolls right toward you. Will you run? Will you collide right into the next set of traps? You may recall learning about this type of experiment once upon a time, coming to realize the elaborately planned Rube Goldberg machine spans the entirety of the city.

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones and you find a safe shop to dive into to escape. Or perhaps your sole focus is to run and get as far as you can, failing to notice that the large boulder herds you right to the end of the district and into a caged-in area. Make yourself comfortable. Someone from the outside will have to free you. But hey, maybe you aren't alone in this trap. Misery loves company, doesn't it?

BONUS.
The Retrospec app is at it again, just as useless as it's always been. After downloading to your device and allowing you to upload a profile picture, the app seems to take over your phone. Any time you open your phone to use it, a splash screen appears prompting you to pick one of the brightly colored wedges (or one of the two grayed out ones.)

It's time to exercise your brain and buff your trivia stats. Answering a question from your selected category will allow you to use your phone once again, but if you get it wrong? Retrospec will encourage you not to give up and try again.

...or, you know, you could ask someone to help figure out the answer. Hey, that person looks like they're bursting with knowledge! Perhaps it's best to see if they can help you stop this madness.

As usual, any attempt to get the company to reply are futile. Once a question has been answered correctly, phones will return to their usual functionality until the next time it settles into idle mode.

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!

Your June TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hmph. [The pout probably says all that anyone needs to know about Fai's opinion on lip-synching. But that doesn't mean he's going to leave it at that.] I never lip-synched. That's just cheating.

[And then Fai decides that comment was a little too venomous and puts his hand to his mouth--careful not to smudge his very subtle and tasteful makeup--and ducks his head.]

Ah, sorry! I get catty when I've had a few drinks sometimes!

[That's not stopping him from accepting the next fruity concoction from the bartender with a sweet smile and a slight angling of his sunglasses so he can, ahem. Assess the bartender as he walks away from them to attend to someone else. Hey, okay, so he's dating Kaiba, but he's still allowed to look, right?]

Oh, wait!

[Fai grabs for Kenta's empty glass and holds it up to wave the bartender back over.]

Another one of these too, please~ My treat!

[Kenta raises an eyebrow but not because of the assumed cattiness of the comment. Instead...]

Why are you apologizing to me? I don't mind. It's not like it's them I come to see anyway.

[He really is here only for Jirou, Juri, however his friend wants to be called at any particular moment.

He gives a small nod of thanks as Fai orders him a drink, but...]

You know you don't have to pay, right? Jirou asked me to escort you tonight.

[And when Jirou asks, you can bet he's doing it seriously.]

Ah, but that was mean of me to say! I try not to be so negative, especially about performers. It's not easy for everyone to get up on stage and face down an audience like that!

[It had been plenty easy for Fai, like he'd been born for it, but it feels like that was a lifetime ago. That's not him anymore.

Fai shoots another charming grin at the bartender as he makes his way back over to them, then waves a hand dismissively at Kenta with the same grin.]

But I want to! It was really nice of you to agree to let me tag along, this is the least I can do to repay you. Besides, I may not be made of money like some people, Mister Fancy Suit don't think I didn't notice, but I can afford it!

... I'm not 'letting you tag along'. Jirou asked me to take care of you.

[And clearly, 'Jirou asked me' is the best reason to do anything for him. If Fai thought the stories Jirou's told him were exaggerated, well...

He looks at his suit as Fai remarks on it and frowns, looking a little confused.]

It's not that fancy. I have better ones.

I know he did, and it was really nice of him too. He's such a sweetheart! But I still want to thank you anyway, since this is probably a pain for you.

[Sorry Kenta, Fai assumes he's a burden until proven otherwise. And then about half the time he still assumes he's a burden.

Fai sips contentedly on his new fancy fruity drink for a moment while the bartender is pouring another drink for Kenta, and then he laughs aloud at the other man's comeback.]

You're not helping your case, you know! So what do you do for a living, to afford such nice suits? In between driving Jirou around and coming to all of his shows, I mean?

It's not a pain. You're Jirou's friend and he asked me.

[Seriously, can you imagine trying to make this man do anything he doesn't want to?

... Well the truth is, he mostly looks intimidating, but he's just a really nice person under all of this.

He stares at his glass when the question comes. Over the years, he's developed some reflexes so he wouldn't just come out with the actual truth, so it's a well rehearsed thing.]

I'm an MBA student and I work part-time in one of my dad's companies for my work placement.

[So his family is loaded, and that's where all the money he spends comes from.]

If you've been to Jirou's place before I live just next door.

[And this is a part of town where the condos are more than just expensive.]

[Fai's eyebrows shoot up at Kenta's answer. An MBA. One of dad's companies. As in plural companies. And yeah, Fai's been to Jirou's place several times before. He knows that neighborhood, and he can guess the tax bracket it takes to live there.]

Hyuu~ That's really impressive! Wow, you and Jirou have such glamorous lives. I guess it's no wonder that you two are best friends, huh?

[There's no malice in the question; Fai already knows he's not Jirou's best friend. The drag queen talks about Kenta enough, he can't help but know it. He also can't help but be a little jealous, but he's at least self-aware enough to know that it's his problem, not Kenta's.]

How did you two meet? I don't think Jirou ever mentioned it. Or if he did, I was really drunk at the time~!

[The money really isn't why they became friends. In fact they connected on a deeper level probably because money never was an issue between them.

Kenta cocks his head to the side, staring at the drink he's holding.]

We met when we were children. We were neighbors and going to the same school. Jirou was one grade above me, though.

[He honestly doesn't remember all the small details because they were small, but he knows it was all Jirou. He had been too shy as a child to approach someone as loud and boisterous as Jirou had been.]

I wasn't living with my parents then.

Ahhh that's really cute! I can just imagine it. I'll bet you guys were adorable as kids!

[By this point Fai's only absently sipping at his drink; most of his attention is on Kenta, and he's got his elbows on the bar in front of him and his chin in his hands.

That last comment sounds like it's got a story behind it. Fai doesn't necessarily want to pry--not that he's averse to prying, but he really doesn't know Kenta very well at all. But, well... Kenta was the one who offered the information in the first place....]

Oh?

[That's a lot of scrutiny, and Kenta seems to realize it at the inquisitive sound. He gives a little smile and shakes his head.]

Stuff happened and it was just easier for me to be away for a while.

[Just then, Juri's number is announced and Kenta turns around in his seat, his attention now completely focused on the stage like a switch was flipped. Nothing else exists right now.]

[Oh. Well then.

Some small part of Fai wants to feel rejected at the way Kenta cuts their conversation off just like that, even though Jirou is on the stage and Fai knows that's why they're both there. It doesn't take long before he's watching Kenta just as intently as he's watching Jirou though, kind of bouncing back and forth between the two of them as he drains his current drink and signals for another.

...oh god this is adorable help. This guy is so gone on Jirou.]

[Kenta doesn't even notice he is being watched, too absorbed by what he's watching.

When the number ends, he doesn't clap. But when Juri catches his eyes and winks at him the corner of his mouth goes up in a small smile.

And once Juri has left the stage, he is turning back to his drink and knocking it back. None of the others are that interesting to him.]

Do you know anyone here except Jirou?

Mm, a few of the girls. We're not really close enough to keep up with each other most days, but it's always fun to stop in and catch up. I just don't usually feel safe enough to do that.

[But he's had enough to drink by now that when the bartender stops by with his next alcoholic monstrosity, he feels safe enough to wink at the guy over his sunglasses.

And then his attention returns to Kenta in full force, with a big smile.]

So, Juri was really great, wasn't she?

I don't know all that much about how things go in this business, but she's... unique. she really stands out.

[Kenta switches pronouns rather effortlessly whenever needed, he's just never quite sure when to use which name, so he mostly follows the flow. Jirou/Juri was, until recently, his only contact with the culture and while he's met a few other queens simply because he helps Juri getting ready with the clothes and make-up, he's still not very familiar with all the intricacies.

Which is why he actually takes a moment to look Fai up and down.]

You look good like this.

She's really good. One of the best I've ever seen.

[Fai tries to play nonchalant while he sips his new drink, even though he's scheming internally. He can tell there's interest there, he'd have to be blind not to see it. But do either of them know it's there? Have they ever tried to do anything about it? Meddling with his friend's love life might take some subtlety. Or not. Sometimes the tackhammer approach is best--

The compliment rouses him from his thoughts and Fai finds himself beaming.]

Aw, thank you! You're such a sweetheart, no wonder Jirou likes you so much! [A pause] Say, have the two of you ever tried dating?

[Apparently we're going with 'tackhammer' tonight.]

[Kenta looks... genuinely surprised at the question, although one observant person might notice a flash of ... something in his eyes - a half-forgotten memory of teenage years and feverish bodies.]

Why would we try to do that?

[Never mind the fact that they are basically doing that. Kenta takes Jirou out to fancy restaurants, takes him shopping, they sleep together in the same bed more often than not and basically live together... but none of this seems to click to Kenta.]

Because you can't take your eyes off him? Because he can't stop talking about you? [Fai pauses for a moment to stir his drink with the straw] Because I've never had a guy look at me the way you look at him. Face it, honey, you've got it bad.

[A statement which is perfectly punctuated by Fai being a total dork and pulling the straw out of his drink to lick the whipped cream off the bottom. Dork.

...but he's still right, Kenta.]

[At first, Kenta can't find anything to answer. He just stares at Fai, his face unreadable. He doesn't look angry or surprised, just... blank.

Jirou is his friend. His best friend. For a long time he was his only friend. In his view of the world what he and Jirou have is just ... normal. Maybe they're closer than friends but honestly they're almost brothers.

But Kenta doesn't have experience with having brothers, or with dating, really. On some things he's much more innocent than he looks.]

He was my first friend. My only friend. Of course we're close. That doesn't mean we should go out.

[One of Fai's eyebrows arches high above the line of his sunglasses, and then Fai stares pointedly at him over them.]

There's no way he's your only friend, a sweet guy like you? You're exaggerating.

[He shakes his head and takes another sip of his drink, still holding the straw to the side.]

Besides, even if that were true--there are friends, and then there are friends. I've had plenty of friends, and none of them have ever pulled the 'I want to devote my life completely to you' thing. Because that look you were giving him? That's what that was.

Just so you know~

... I don't make friends very easily.

[For reasons he's not going to explain now because hey, I just met you.]

I didn't think I was doing anything that out of the ordinary, really.

[That's his normal, and also Jirou's normal, and he honestly doesn't have much to compare it with.]

[Fai squints at him, then smiles brightly again.]

Maybe you just haven't been around the right kind of people! I'll be your friend! I mean, assuming you don't mind how annoying I am.

[He says that completely nonchalantly, as if it's just a given.]

And as your potential new friend, I would advise mentioning it to Jirou. See what he thinks about it!

I can't say I had ever been around the 'right' kind of people before I met Jirou.

[In fact he'd basically been surrounded by the completely wrong kind of people for a child, if you look at it that way.

As Fai speaks self-deprecatingly again, he shakes his head and frowns.]

You're not annoying. Why would anyone say you are?

[He's actually finding Fai really easy to speak to. Sure, it's not the instant, deep connection he feels with Jirou, and obviously they don't know each other's past, and Kenta knows someone hiding something painful when he sees them - personal experience - and he's not going to pry.

But like Jirou, Fai seems to be able to contemplate the lighter things in life and take joy in them. It's easy to see that being dressed like that today makes him happy, and that it shows on his face. Kenta has never really been able to be so free with his expression, not when the people around him keep trying to second-guess what it could mean.]

I'm pretty sure he hasn't thought about it either. Why would he?

Well that's easy enough to fix! I can introduce you to my friends if you want, if Jirou hasn't already introduced you to some of them! A sweetheart like you shouldn't have any trouble making lots of friends--and not just because you wear fancy, expensive suits.

[Not that Fai's friends are the sort to take advantage of that, or so he'd like to believe.

He laughs at Kenta's question, as if the answer is so obvious as to be silly.]

You're only saying that because you like Jirou, and I'm kind of like him. In a less pretty, less amazing sort of way. But we can't all be that crazy-talented and awesome!

[Jirou hasn't thought about it either, hm? Well, that Fai can very easily believe. Jirou's a very live-in-the-moment sort of guy, and both of these dorks seem like they worship the other without really thinking about it. But hey, that's what friends are for: to give them a swift kick in the ass.]

Hmm~ Maybe I'll have to have a talk with him too, then~

You're not less pretty than Jirou.

[This comes out completely naturally, and it's obvious it's not just protesting for the sake of protesting. Kenta really thinks Fai is pretty so he's saying it, that's all.

He doesn't seem all that fazed by Fai saying he will speak to Jirou. He finds the idea a little outlandish and he's pretty sure Jirou will too, but he's not opposed to Fai mentioning it even if he's not sure what the end goal is here.]

I should go and see if he needs to change of if he wants to keep the kimono on.

[Kenta's response surprises Fai--for a rare moment he's speechless before flashing an apologetic smile.]

I'm sorry, I wasn't fishing for compliments there. But thank you.

[He leans over and plants a friendly kiss on Kenta's cheek and then makes a shooing motion with his hand.]

Go on, go take care of your sweetie. I'll hold down the fort here!

[Fai's fighting a low-grade panic at the idea of being alone at the bar, but it shouldn't be a problem. There are bouncers here for a reason, he still has his sunglasses on, and there are plenty of people around. He should be safe enough inside, at least for a little while. He turns to grab both of their glasses and hold them up to flag down the bartender again. Yes, he's absolutely going to drink both of them.]

JUNE TDM

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