AUGUST TDM

[recollecters]

TEST DRIVE

AUGUST TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé. ...yeah. Yeah, it's just sort of a mess... What will you do today? I. What the hell happened here? Perhaps you're new to the city, or perhaps you've finally started to notice just how bad the damage is to the beloved city of Recollé. The convention center is still crumbled in pieces and several local shops have boarded up windows and doors to prepare for reconstruction. Vendors on the street try to urge residents to purchase monster insurance for all of their home and vehicle needs. But the moment you step outside, you'll find yourself greeted by a member of the Recollé Restoration Committee as they thrust a hardhat into your hands and eagerly chatter about your new assignment. Whether you find yourself in Tisse and assigned to haul pieces of stone around or you're placed over in Apprassage to pour cement, you'll find you aren't alone in these tasks. It's nice to meet your coworkers, isn't it? II. But really, what caused all of this? This is completely insane and while some of you may be willing to help rebuild the city, others might wish to solve the mystery. Poking around the various districts, NPCs will explain that monster attacks "sometimes just happen" which seems pretty strange in and of itself. Monsters shouldn't "just happen", should they? And where are these alleged monsters anyway? Careful what you wish for, though. Exploring too much and straying off-task will lead to finding some things you may not want. These creatures will immediately hone in on new Retrospec users and begin to chase them, though they won't outright attack. While the smaller ones may be destroyed with a bit of effort, it might be wise to either cut your losses or find someone with a bit more experience to take on the larger creatures. Don't worry; there's bound to be someone to help. III. By now, you may have heard the rumors from some of your fellow Retrospec users that several members of the network have disappeared. You may even hear the rumors that those members are lost in "unreality" and that the city itself is a bit...unstable. But they're just rumors, right? Everything seems fine as you go about your day (monsters notwithstanding.) However, any time you pass from one district to another suddenly a list of names scrolls past your line of vision . As the list comes to a halt and lands on one name, you may recognize it as a friend or a stranger. If you're lucky, you may get a holographic video connecting you to someone still in the city. If you're even luckier, you may find someone speaking up inside your head due to a telepathic connection. Go ahead and say hi. You just might get some answers from those who have been lost and those you haven't met yet. IV. As the night begins to set upon the city, a warm sleepy feeling rolls through. Whatever you're doing, it's hard to fight off the urge to curl up under a shaded tree and take a nap. After some time it's nearly impossible to ignore any longer and no matter where you are, you'll instantly fall asleep. Strangely, even The place that you wake up, however, may look very familiar to you. You've seen this place before. In fact, you've lived through this very scene before. Maybe it's the little league game you scored your first home run, or maybe it's your high school prom. These are your memories played back to you, and glancing back you may find that again you aren't alone. Any Retrospec user has the ability to pass through these pockets of time and can stumble right into your memories. The memory pockets can appear no matter where a person is, and they'll be able to view and interact with the memories they see. Take a walk through your childhood neighborhood. Sit through the nightmare of your college entrance exams. These memories are yours as you've lived them. However, try not to change anything about the past. Memories can be quite tricky if meddled with too much. BONUS. While the makers of Retrospec are a bit scattered and busy at the moment, it seems as though they have failsafes to keep their systems up and running. The latest update push operates on its own and begins to download to your device. Your profile remains the same as always (your name and your photo), but it appears you won't have access to it until you apply one of the brand new filters to your picture. Seems easy, right? Maybe you should have given this a second thought. As soon as the filter's applied to your photo, you might find that people are stopping and staring at you as you go about your day. They may or may not comment, but what's evident is that something's going on that you're unaware of. A quick glance in your phone's camera, a storefront window or a mirror will reveal all. That fun filter's now applied itself to your face with no hope of coming off for a while. Have fun! 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! For continuity's sake, for the first time we will be stating that the TDM is dated IC 8/17! This is all in one day. Potential applicants/characters on the TDM will revert back to NPC status on 8/18 and will not remember the events of the TDM until the mod-posted Retrospec post goes up 9/1. Members of Group 2, since the TDM can be considered game-canon, prompts III and IV are open for you to tag around to new players while stuck in your locations outside of the city! For Prompt III, members of Group 2 may telepathically connect to someone even if there's a video option, but their faces and surroundings will be obscured! Other members of the game + potential applicants may use video if they wish. For Prompt IV, please remember these are memories from your AU and not your canon! Should characters deviate from these "memories" too much, they will find themselves thrown back to the beginning of the memory to start over! And finally, the filters provided in the bonus are just examples and you can swap in any others you want. Your August TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!

Comments

[lesinset]

[ It was hard to offend him. Spook him maybe, but he was a lot shy and soft-spoken, which was surprising considering at how good he was with the long dead eye stare that usually scared people. Then again that look was kind of in response to people trying to take swings at him.

He was still going to nervously play with the edges of his sleeves with his fingers, glancing at Fynn once and a while if trying to decide if he was doing the right thing. David did tell him he needed more friends, and the guy seemed nice enough. It could work out, even though he kinda ducks his head at the mentioning of his name. ]

My parents thought it made me fit in better with all the Americans around us. [ And it kinda rhymed with Elizabeth and Annabelle. ] It's nice to meet you, Fynn.

[ No hand shake because his sleeves were covering his hands, so there was a little bob of the head followed by a puff to get his bangs out of his eyes. ]

[rygdea]

[This tall drink of water is more fridgety than a chocobo in front of headlights. Tarr looks so woefully uncomfortable around him, almost as if he's already regretting offering his invite to Fynn. The cop notices this but again, he doesn't mention it. Instead, he merely observes Tarr's behavior with a hint of subtleness on his part. Fynn gets the sense that being too direct with this guy might be a bad idea. He needs to play things cool and just relax. Maybe then Tarr will follow his example and calm down.]

I don't know if a name like "Constantine" fits in well but it's definitely a Western European name. [Fynn knows his name is a tad odd in general too but he can't imagine what's it like to have to assimilate into a culture not your own. America is vastily different from most places in the world. It must be really tough for some people.

Fynn can't help but ponder a bit about that.]

Likewise! Not everyday asks me out for cheesecake.

[If ever at all--]

...Heh. [He just stares at Tarr with such an amused expression.] Seems like you need a haircut, hm?

[lesinset]

[ Tarr was uncomfortable around a lot of people. Fynn was actually one of the few people he had met that he hadn't just continued to ignore while at the bar. That he might be doing a little too much too fast was what worried him really. ]

They liked the name of it I guess. [ And kids liked to call him 'Conny' thanks to it. It was half the reason why he perfected his blank stare. ]

It is a shame you haven't tried any of it before.

[ Since he had mentioned that he went past the place but never stopped in. Tarr was going to let him try a piece and maybe make this work out. Well, whatever this was. He certainly was enjoying Fynn's company despite the rocky start at least.

They reached the shop and Tarr unlocked the door, holding it open for Fynn to go in before closing and locking up. The shop was simple Continental in design; no fancy extra decorations, no overly ornate cravings, just clean lines and soft colors. The display cases where the bakery was displayed were cleared and covered, the shelves behind the long counter also bare. Tarr led the way around the counter through the second door into the kitchen area. Here he turned on a light since the security lights wouldn't do for enjoying a treat. ]

There's a table right there. [ A nod at the small staff table at the one corner, and he started tugging his sleeves up and pinning them into place. ] I'll be right back.

[rygdea]

[Ew, Conny? That's almost as bad as "Fy". His classmates in the police academy used to call him "Fy" and he utterly hated it. His name isn't even tough to remember either! It's just some people are lazy much like Jirou. That overgrown lush likes to call him "Fy" but he earned that right after saving his life. So, Fynn doesn't fuss too much about it.]

The time always slipped me by. [He explains once they've made it inside the quaint little shop. The colors are nice and crisp here, not overwhelmingly decorative or childish. Just really sophiscated and warm with a hint of a homey kind of vibe. Fynn could really see himself visiting a place like this if he has time to spare.]

Plus, I'm a horrendous baker. I can barely get homemade cookies right. I always make things too sweet.

[Even though he loves chocolate like a fiend, Fynn doesn't like things being too sweet. He has a sophicated sweet tooth.]

Alright, I'll wait here. [Fynn can't help but wonder if this guy is going to bake a cake from scratch. Constantine did say he's the head baker.]

I'll be here yawning to near oblivion. [The cop says tiredly as he let's out a loud yawn. He curls up in the chair, flexible as hell, and rests his head upon the table, accidentally letting his absurdly long hair get all over the place for a min. He's that tired but cheesecake is on the brain.]

[lesinset]

[ Schoolmates were always the worse. They made fun of him for talking, they made fun of him for his name, and heck, they would heckle him to see if he really could punch or not. ]

You have time now. [ And only because Tarr brought him here but he wasn't going to say it. Instead he went over to take a couple plates and forks, then he took a small bowl of sweet chocolate. He warmed it up as he took out the cheesecake and a knife. Back to the chocolate, he first made a small design on the plates before he sliced the cake and set it on the design, adding a few more drizzle of chocolate. The sweetness would help with the darker flavor from the mocha. A few more little pieces to add to the look and he cleaned the knife and put away the chocolate before taking the plates over to the table.

It might be late and it might be a casual cheesecake date, but Tarr was a chef. It just isn't right to bring a plain slice of a tasty cake to a table. ]

Here. Sorry for the delay.

[rygdea]

[Fynn was halfway asleep to lala-land by the time Tarr returned. He stirs awake once the goth baker makes his return. The cop gives Tarr a sleepy smile as he stretches his arms high above his head. Being a civil servant is tiring as hell, especially when no one appreciates your hard work.

Keeping Recollé safe is no easy task, mind you.]

Oh, wow! [Those sleepy blue eyes awake with surprise once he sees his slice of cake. Tarr definitely is leaving quite the impression on this seemingly gruff officer. This is quite impressive since Fynn wanted to tear this guy's throat out a minute ago.] Talk about fancy! It's so...beautiful.

[Fynn almost looks hesitant to try it. Maybe he should take a picture of it first? Yeah! That sounds like an idea.]

Wait, lemme take a pic---

[He takes out his phone.]

[lesinset]

[ He really didn't want to wake the guy but he did promise him mocha chocolate cheesecake, and it would be a shame not to hold up his promise. And well, as much as he plays at being a big bad emo, Tarr was a softie and it showed. He especially liked it when people enjoyed his food, though he still thought he had a lot to learn yet. ]

It's just something I put together. [ And there was the ducking head and slight smile again because Fynn looked and sounded like he really appreciated the piece of cheesecake. It wasn't even his fanciest desert which took the better part of a day to create. ]

Oh? Sure. I don't mind.

[ He sets the pieces down before taking the other seat, folding his hands to keep from fidgeting too much as Fynn goes to take a picture. ]

[rygdea]

[A shockingly goofy grin lingers upon Fynn's lips as he tries to nail the perfect photo. He turns his phone upon its side before flipping it upright again. Fynn is trying to capture the brilliance of this edible masterpiece by capturing the light and shadows at the perfect angles. He particularly enjoys how the tannish hue of the mocha cheesecake stands out against the fine china. It's wonderful contrast especially with bits of dark chocolate sprinkled along the surface and hints of chocolatey goodness drizzled upon the white saucer.]

Really pretty. [Fynn compliments as once he finally takes the picture.] But the "chef" is the real star here!

[Suddenly, he turns his cellphone's camera onto Tarr with a grin.]

Say cheese!

[lesinset]

[ He's just kinda smiling and watching, more then happy that this guy actually thinks that the simple cheesecake was worth capturing on film. Sure it looked good, but it was just easy to make. Then again, he thought a lot of foods were easy to make, especially when he got into a rhythm.

Though he was jarred from that thought as Fynn goes from taking a picture of the cheesecake to holding his phone towards Tarr. Which meant that Tarr's expression froze into this blank stare while he tried to think of a way to hide his face. ]

Cheese? [ And there was a little squeak as he said that. Please excuse him he's a lot shy here. ]

[rygdea]

[That squeak causes Fynn to crack up in laughter. Tarr sounds like a little mouse! How is a big guy like Tarr all mousy and shy like this? It's so weird but definitely adorable on multiple levels. Fynn is feeling quite at ease around this strange goth. He's terribly amused.

It takes him a moment to cease his giggling but once he manages, he snaps a quick photo of Tarr. It's not the best picture since this shy loser is trying to hide and it's a little blurry but it's decent enough to serve as a contact photo.]

Don't worry! No one is seeing this. [He says with a chuckle as he puts his phone away.] Not too fond of selfies, huh?

I can't say that I am either.

[Now tempted to try a piece of this heavenly cake, Fynn picks up the fork and digs in.]

Whoa! [He can't help but look a tad surprise. Mocha cheesecake might end up on his menu for the next few days.] This is great!

[lesinset]

[ Oh, oh no, he was laughing too. It didn't sound like a mean laugh but Tarr was still turning red, his hands waving in front of his face as if he could actually get his cheeks to stop burning, but since that trick wasn't working, he bent to press his face against the table. It took him a few moments to recover and resurface, first by tilting his head up so his eyes were seen and then raising himself a little so his chin was resting on the table. ]

I just find them embarrassing.

[ But he does look pleased at Fynn's response to the cheesecake. It worried him a little that the flavor would be off - after all, it was suppose to warm up a little before eating and it was a day old, but Fynn seemed to enjoy it. Tarr finally straighten and he too dug into his cake. ]

I'm glad you like it.

[rygdea]

[As awkward as this all happens to be, Fynn cannot help but feel grateful nonetheless for this strange little date. The cake is just as good as the company which is quite surprising. Fynn might become a familiar face here at this bakery if it means him scoring the attention of the head baker. The cop can't stop smiling once he catches Tarr blushing from ear to ear. That's really...cute.]

They're only embarrassing if you have something to be embarrassed about. Which in that case, you're completely fine there. [Fynn says with a playful wink. Yes, he's flirting.] So, I take you're into the culinary arts.

I never went to college for culinary or anything but I'm a damn good cook.

[lesinset]

[ How long has it been since he felt comfortable with a new person? True, he wasn't too bad when he was in character; on stage or cooking he had a kind of persona he uses to hide behind. Sitting here like this he couldn't hide, so all the awkwardness of being stuck in his mind was coming out, and yet Tarr didn't feel too weird about it.

And was that a flirt? Tarr looked lok he was a deer caught in some headlights before ducking his head a little. ]

No, not really.

[ A bite of cake to try to not say more - look, he knew that he had either the resting face of someone who was probably a serial killer, but a lot of times in high school people either told him that or asked him if he had a lot of plastic surgery. ]

Mm. My parents thought it would have better pay then singing about broken hearts in bars.

What do you like to cook?

[rygdea]

[The chocobo caught in headlights look fits Tarr rather well, honestly. It's truly the cutest thing Fynn in awhile and he can't stop smiling now. His unexpected date has won his affections for the evening by just being cute and generous with his desserts.]

Well, I bet being an artisan in your craft here definitely pays more than the music gig. Plus, it's probably really fun to bake all these goodies.

[Fynn loves cooking. So if Tarr is anything like him, the man must love being a chef.]

Pasta mainly. Italian dishes but I don't limit myself to just that. I also know how to barbecue and roast a nice duck.