OCTOBER TDM

[recollecters]

TEST DRIVE

OCTOBER TEST DRIVE The city of Recollé... When the crypt doors creak, and the tombstones quake, spooks come out for a singing wake. Happy haunts materialize and begin to vocalize...grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize... Every year during the Halloween season, the city of Recollé comes to life with plenty of fall activities for everyone. There's something to do in every district if one were to take a look. What will you do today? I. Family fun seems to be the theme today over in Tribunal Terrace. Several tables are set up and in a semi-circle near Recollé Square with stacks of pumpkins, carving tools, paint and anything else you may need to create your own jack o'lantern. Other stations are set up for face-painting and games to win mini-sized candy bars including a ring toss, bowling, and bobbing for apples. Be careful with the apples though. They like to wiggle and jiggle with their happy little faces staring up out of the water. ...so maybe apple-bobbing is for the brave at heart. Are you the artsy type to carve a beautiful pumpkin? Are you helping to run the games (or even cheating to get more candy)? It's time to relax and let your creativity flow. II. Pumpkin-carving not your speed? Never fear, horror is here. Over in Tisse there's plenty to do for those looking for a little more adventure. Several coffee shops have harvest specials made with pumpkin, maple, and pecan flavors. Over at Flix a monster movie marathon and costume contest are taking place (with a prize of two free passes for the best monster costumes.) But the highlight of this district is the annual haunted funhouse. Anyone daring enough will find the usual spooks and scares in a haunted house, jump scares and fog machines galore. But...the house certainly didn't look so big from the outside. How did you possibly get shuffled straight to the center? No worries. This hall of mirrors will guide you out safely...if the walls closing in don't crush you first. It's a race against time as the halls narrow, and if you're one of the lucky ones you'll escape and exit through the main doors. For those not quite so lucky, the walls will stop just inches from crushing you completely before the floor drops open and you find yourself on a slide, falling through the dark and tumbling into an underground room filled with plastic skeletons, rubber spiders and more. There must be a way out, right? Hopefully you aren't alone and you can navigate the lair with a friend or two. III. Meanwhile, the rest of the city's usual hustle and bustle continues. The shopping districts are busy, students wander the sidewalks after class, and that oddly-shaped ghost appears right in the middle of the crowd. Wait, what? You could have sworn that ghost wasn't there before. Maybe you don't even believe in ghosts. You may blink a few times to clear your vision, but the faint outline of the ghost remains as a few more of them pop up around the city. They won't speak, but they will cause some trouble for anyone who gets too close whether it's by playing pranks on passerbys, stealing items and running away, sitting on a person and applying a gravitational force so they can't move or other crafty, sneaky tactics. Are the ghosts messing with you? Or are you going to find a way to mess with the ghosts? IV. As the sun begins to set, a strange sort of fog rolls in. Several citizens of the city may not even think it's unusual and others seem to capitalize on the weather. The Churchhill Downs Stables are hosting their annual haunted hayrides through Recollé Woods as soon as the sun sets. There are plenty of carts and chocobos saddled up and ready to go. Once passengers are seated the chocobos begin to trot forward into the woods as a pre-recorded ghost tour of the city takes place. The stories range from silly ones about two ghost children who like to play hide and seek in these woods to scarier ones about a jilted lover chasing her husband off a cliff at the edge of ocean. For the most part they're a bit cheesy and in good fun, but something about this haunted ride seems a bit...off. Peering into the fog you may see something strange that follows you, be it a monster or a shadow or an object. You may hear things whispering your name and you may see your greatest fear manifest right out of the fog and chase your cart through the woods. Even worse, it seems to follow you right out of the woods and back into the city. No matter where you run or where you hide, the fears from the fog will track you down and they change for every single person in the city. Will you run or will you fight? You may wish to be careful since the creatures will fight back. BONUS. With only a few short weeks left until the end of October, Retrospec's Halloween Mode is in full swing and popping up on new users' devices. Retrospec users will find their application decked out in cheerful Halloween colors, and their userpics in a randomized (work safe) costume. However, there's always a trick to each treat and this time the seasonal mode can't be turned off for new users. Notifications chime with zombie groans, a rousing game of Candy Crush must be played and beaten before you can use your device again, and the new Trick or Treat function has a few upgrades. When a user enables this function, they will be met with the phrase "Trick or Treat?" Users who select "treat" will get one virtual candy! Yay! The catch though is that they will also find themselves in a costume representing that specific candy. Should a user pick "trick", however, they will find all sorts of harmless but unpleasant things happening to them including but not limited to pranks, being splashed by vehicles driving through puddles of water, being unable to speak in anything but rhymes and other such things. None of these effects last over ten minutes, but the game will show up periodically over and over again and even giving you the option to play the game with others. 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 current players, TDM threads will not count toward your Trick or Treat freebie! Additionally, please remember that TDM threads can only be used for bonus points, not regains. Please note: you will need a reserve to apply, and current characters must have full AC posted at the time of their reservation. Your October TDM directory is here, and your AU workshop is here! Our mod questions thread for this TDM is over here!

Comments

[toobigtohandle]

I... guess? I mean you don't have to pay, but we really should not stay outside.

[On a normal day, Kenta would probably refuse coffee with a stranger, but Recolle has this way of pushing random people together... and it's not like he has any pressing matters to attend to. He can definitely spend some time having good coffee with some company until he has to go home.

Maybe he can just call a car to go home. And maybe drive the guy home. Sounds like a good idea if the fog doesn't let up.]

[devilsadvocato]

[Foggy knows tired when he sees it. That sigh and "Why me?" expression however brief is something he sees on his coworker's faces all the time.]

Listen. Uh. I'm sorry to bother you but this is kinda a mind blowing experience that proves ghosts are real and could challenge people's philosophy and attitude toward life and death. Any chance I can buy you a cup of coffee and or other menu item in exchange for an explanation of what the hell is going on?

[devilsadvocato]

You two are going to take over the apartment huh? Sorry Sis but the lease is in my name. You and Jack better get on that modelling career quick so you can afford that studio and the freezer where he'll sleep.

And I'm afraid Jack has some serious competition for your devotion. If you store him in my freezer while you go apartment hunting I'm going to have to take out your ice cream and eat it to make room for him.

[devilsadvocato]

[He sighs.]

Man apples are one of those healthy foods I actually like! I don't think I can give them up. Any chance the local stores carry the type without faces like every other city in America? Or am I going to have to take the bus out of town to get a Granny Smith that won't hold staring contests with me?

I. C.

[handpuppet]

[She takes a good look at the apples, a pause, before looking back at Hinata with the most serious expression.]

It would definitely count as a kiss.

[kabloom]

We'll just have to be extra careful then, won't we?

[ she'll start to wheel herself over to where the pumpkins are. ]

[kabloom]

[ she definitely appreciates the help. mimori does actually look at the reflections, occasionally making a silly face at them. she half expects something to jump out at them, but isn't too bothered when it doesn't.

after a while, though, she starts frowning. ]

Does the passageway seem to get... more narrow?

[kabloom]

I love botamochi! [ ... ] Although that's... not really candy, is it...

[ she just... loves sweets in general, and gets excited... ]

Well, I'll figure it out later after I win.

[ she's onto the scooping part. mimori smiles at him?? ]

[handpuppet]

[Juri turns around and jumps at the sight before her, but despite the surprise and the unsettling feeling she has seeing the costume, she ignores her fears. She leans over to the costume wearer, the voice sounds familiar--]

... Noni?!

[Unlike his creative costume, all she had going was a rather casual Witch costume she manages to create from customizing stuff from the supermarket's party section and some old clothes.

She might be a little jealous, but mostly confused.]

i. b

[handpuppet]

Huh?

[Honestly, she was just spacing out than anything, and only when Nazuna started talking to her that she's back on the grounds of reality. She tilts her head slightly as she blinks.]

Are you an artist?

i

[handpuppet]

[She completely filters out the last bit, Juri's eyes sparkle too much at the thought of fantasy.]

Future love, really!? Is this some kind of magical spell booth?

ii-c

[handpuppet]

[Juri jumps as the walls grind, it doesn't take long before she laughs it off though the fun doesn't last long until she realizes Xiaolang is making a break for it.]

-- ah, Li?!

[That's when the boy falls into a trap door and making Juri scream. She rushes near the trap, head leaning down to check on her friend.]

Are you hurt? You were running really fast just now.

[alienates]

God, why the fuck are we living in a lame adventure novel trope?

[ or... horror? who knows, and also, who cares.

he'll attempt to climb up as well, just in case amanda is doing it wrong or something, but to no avail. ]

Fuck! Now what?

[handpuppet]

[Despite her appearance and most of her interests, Juri seems to be having a fun time at the haunted house. More often than not, the jumpscares make her jump or shriek in surprise, but she'd often laugh about it realizing the danger has passed.

It isn't long before she's lost inside and everything in the funhouse feels a bit unsettling. Sure, it's all props and everything, but sometimes there's a bit of reality based on these fun props and ideas. Fun as it is, it's about time she finds the exit. That's the plan until she trips on something before landing on the floor with a thud, mute in horror that there might be a thing planning grab her next. Juri notices something shifting in the shadows and, taking deep breath as she gathers her courage, she takes a closer look.


... oh!

She lets out that courage in relief while her shoulders breaks out of its rigid posture. It's Minato! Juri almost lets out a laugh, instead carefully goes around him to reach out for his shoulder and gently shake him awake.]

Hey, Minato, it's okay. It's just a dream.

[usurpers]

[usurpers]

[ he’ll take that as a “i won’t tell anyone” ]

Let’s just get moving.

[bitemefightme]

[Orion blinks briefly.

Goddamnit, how is that his shit is called on so quickly? It's because you don't think your shit through when you lie, Orion.]

So don't add to the bullshit, then. Can't you be one of those people that... calls out bullshit and laughs at it or something?

[Like your bullshit, Orion? He's trying.]

[pronounces]

I'm a face painter. [ well... not really.... but he's gotten pretty good at it since he started. nazuna's got a knack for cutesy things, after all. ] So I can paint something on your face for halloween!

[ he gestures at the little book in front of him, filled with doodles and examples of what he's supposed to paint. ] I can help you be whatever you want to be for the festival~ What do you say?

[pronounces]

[ isn't that the truth. the little kid smiles, looks between the two of them... and then very abruptly holds it out to clover.

nazuna's eyebrows raise, and he smiles at her. ] Looks like he wants you to.

[pronounces]

[ nazuna peers around at mitsuru. he's got red across his nose, but there's nothing in his eyeballs, so...

yeah, could be worse. mitsuru's utterly oblivious, and nazuna reaches around for a baby wipe, carefully adjusting the slightly squirmy child in his arms to dab at his nose like a mom.

luckily, the paint comes right off. crisis averted! nazuna cooes and fusses over mitsuru for just a minute longer until he smacks his hand away with a whiny niichan!!, and nazuna turns him back around, the red streak gone. ] Crisis averted.

[pronounces]

You better not! [ that would be weird in any occasion!!

squaring his shoulders, nazuna turns back to walk through the haunted house. the room they're in is still full of skeletons, lining the walls, but when they walk through to the next room, there's a hallway full of coffins...it's the vampire room. ]

[pronounces]

Right... [ yeah the light ruins it, but nazuna is also a certified scaredy cat, and he definitely wouldn't have done this on his own if his brothers didn't want him to...

the next room they pass into is extremely dark, save for lights on the floor to direct the haunted house goers. the eerie red lights reflect up on what looks like dark, velvet curtains. ] What's this supposed to be...?

[ and as if answering his question, something drops out of the ceiling out from behind the curtains. it's a person dressed as a marionette, a creepy doll, and nazuna squeals and takes a step backwards. nope. nope!! NOPE. ]

[handpuppet]

Oh, they're all cute!

[She looks through all the examples before looking back at him.]

But you can be a painter with practice.

[Juri he probably didn't draw the book.]

[sunderings]

[ Where do you want me to begin?, she asks, but Mattie's already gone and taken the initiative again, hasn't she? Having taken ahold of washcloth, she presses its terry-cloth loops to his face, the material sweeping away the blood at his hairline; the rivulets which had streaked down his temple. And before he'd realized it for himself, he'd bowed his head to aid her efforts, eyes falling momentarily closed as he recalls how she'd glanced away from him—had he spoken too freely, been too informal when he'd assured her that she could rely upon him?

Truly, though, it's a bit difficult to imagine formality when the boundary between student and teaching assistant has all but vanished, and the extent of both Mattie's care and patience (how has he not managed to exhaust it?) for him is--...

Undeserved and troublesome; heartwarming and sincere.

(Perhaps he should have relented and made way to the hospital. In a manner of speaking, he gave her no choice in accompanying him home, staying with him here.) ]

Not so pretty now, I'd wager. [ Lips curving into something of a wry smile, he makes to seat himself upon the tiled floor, sighing lightly once he's off his feet. The pounding ache in his head tells him that the swelling of the injury will likely travel, perhaps bruising into his eye, and if that should happen, he won't at all be able to live up to the title Mattie's appointed him to—'one of the prettiest faces'....

(Did she think that, about him? Is she just teasing? She's probably teasing.) ]

Chocobo theft is, by and large, far more exciting. [ So it is true, then, the rumor which he'd heard about her—even the part about the lion costuming. ] Knowing precisely when to take a risk in order to achieve a goal is a key quality for leadership.

[ Chuckling (and immediately wincing because of it), Sion gestures to the tweezers, the cotton balls— ]

If I pull back my hair, would you be able to clean the wound-area?

[ And already, he's doing just that, combing through ash-blond strands and simply parting the hair where it hurts—he's no need of a mirror for that. ]

1C

[lecturehall]

[keito taps his chin thoughtfully as the apples lazily drift in a spiral of eerie smiles.]

I think the true question is what happens when you catch the unsmiling portion.

[are you kissing apple butt??]