repeter | OCTOBER TDM

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OCTOBER TDM

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yusuke was having a late night. It was a mistake, actually, he hadn't wanted to go out so late but he'd settled down at the library to sketch and finish some commissioned pages for a comic script and then he'd blinked at it was 11:15pm and the fog had well and truly settled in.

Stupid of him really. He'd had to throw all his work into his bag and plan the quickest and safest route home through this fog. He'd had enough experiences with it this month to last a life time.

As soon as he'd heard familiar sounds of... things creeping through the fog, he'd ducked into the nearest, still open shop for a little break and some safety. Yes, he did just almost crash through the door like the hounds from hell were after him. (Maybe they were?)]

... Ah. [This is a little awkward. He brushes off the front of his coat and clears his throat. Might as well... get a coffee... while he's here? It's not like he's been sleeping much this month anyway.]

[ Minato knows that feeling very well. If he blinks and finds himself missing four hours, either he'd fallen asleep at his desk or has achieved flow in his art. It's really too bad he can't do either of these things while working the shop, although this late at night he can doze off a little in between customers, thankful for the little bell on the door that chimes with people enter. Or bang open the door, whichever.

He stands up a little straighter with the new arrival, but that's all the surprise he allows himself to show as he turns and faces Yusuke. ]

Good— [ -night doesn't work. This is why he likes working mornings and afternoons, greetings naturally built into the time of day. ] ...to see you. [ Yeah, that's enough awkward politeness for today. ] What do you want?

[Such is the life of an artist...

Although Yusuke would not be in any position to judge someone for dozing at a ridiculous time of night, when no sane person would be braving the fog for coffee. Sorry, coffee-shop-employee, he didn't mean to startle you.]

I-- [Hm. Hold up, he's just going to examine the board behind the counter. Caffeine would be lovely, but perhaps not ideal this late at night?]

-- a gingerbread latte, please. [That's not 'no caffeine', Yusuke. Hang on:] I suppose it should be decaf though, given the time.

[ Minato stands back and looks up at the board along with him; there's no such thing as gingerbread hell where he came from, so all of this is still a learning experience. It's been a really slow month, so that some nights, he's the only one working here, with nobody to oversee him still checking the recipe, or his lack of a customer service smile, or the way he nods his head towards one of the chairs nearby where Yusuke can wait while Minato starts up the decaf and pulls out the milk, molasses, maple syrup, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar... lots of sugar... there's really no need for caffeine, the sugar will keep him going. ]

Do you care about latte art? I can make flowers and clouds.

[ aka not at all. He's still learning how to foam milk too, but lumpy drops of foam is easy. ]

[Gingerbread anything is a good time. Yusuke takes Minato up on the non-verbal chair offer, and sits himself down to watch the process of creating the drink - the array of ingredients that are pulled out and lined up ready to go into the drink as it is made to create the rich and sweet flavour of the gingerbread.

... If he'd been a puppy, his ears would have perked up at that.]

Latte art?

[Does the artist want to see art in his consumable items? Yes. Yes he does.]

I would be very interested in seeing it - whichever you are most interested in depicting.

[ On hindsight, Minato shouldn't have given Yusuke a choice if he weren't up to doing it, but there's no way he can disappoint him now, so he'll just have to buck up and try his best. At bsing this. He's great at that, getting the coffee poured and mixed first so that he can at least guarantee the drink tastes good, even if it's visually questionable. ]

I'm still learning, but...

[ With the milk steamed and ready, he begins to pour— a drop right in the center to test the foam, but there's too much air and it spreads too quickly to be salvageable. No matter: he drops another next to the side, and a third, the milk spreading where it lands but the edges between white milk and dark coffee remain crisp. ]

Blooming carnations.

[ Those fuzzy petaled flowers. This is art in motion. ]

[The learning process is just as beautiful as mastery of the work itself sometimes. If Yusuke had little animal ears, they'd be pricked up in interest as he watches Minato pour the milk.

...

... Well an attempt was made.

If he tilts his head he can see the shape of the flower, so that's a start?]

I can see the intent. It's quite pleasant, with some more practice it should look truly beautiful.

[... We think that means he likes it?]

[ ...Minato slides the cup over with a sigh, rubbing the warmth into the back of his head after he withdraws his hand. ]

You don't need to lie about it being pleasant. I can take criticism, constructive or not.

[ That's also part of the art world, being told when (all the time) and where (everywhere) ones needs improvement, but practice is something he's going to get no matter what, because learning and improving is part of his job. ]

The beginning skill is hearts, and later ferns... I imagined flowers and butterflies would naturally follow. If you come back in a couple of months, I can show you those.

Fine, but I am not lying.

[He takes another look at the glass, studying the foam.]

Is it heavy handed and lacks a delicacy I can only assume is needed for this kind of art. But the intent is there and the general shape is there. With practice it will look much more impressive.

[But he is still charmed by it, which is an important thing. And with that, he takes a sip, enjoying the sweet, spiced taste of the gingerbread with the slight bitterness of coffee bean in the background.]

I see. I will be sure to do so then.

...Yeah.

[ Minato turns away to refill the water for the next batch of drinks, his appreciation for the arts not as strong as that of food— he can at least guarantee his drinks and meals taste good, even if the presentation is lacking. ]

It's... a different sort of art. You have to work quickly and confidently. Not like paints, that necessitate waiting for it to dry before adding another layer.

That seems counterproductive, unfortunately.

[He takes another sip of the drink, savouring it partially for the taste and partially to take his time and avoid going out into that fog again. ]

With paints you have direct control of the application. It seems with foam art you are having to rely on a sense of luck as well as skill when it comes to distributing the foam in an aesthetic and appealing pattern.

[The challenge is oddly appealing, but he does prefer the idea of his paints and pencils over something with the potential to be so abstract.]

[ Minato nods, lifting his shoulders in a shrug at the same time. ]

If you mess up the foam, you have to brew a new cup. I drank a lot of coffee during my training... [ And all of that came out of his paycheck. If he's getting any better than when he'd started, he might have not wanting to be in the red to thank for that, and taking on these extra late night shifts where college student just want their shot of caffeine to get through the night and don't mind him practicing on their cups.

Speaking of late night shifts, though, that fog isn't avoidable forever. ]

I'm closing up in ten minutes, so last call for any food or drink.

[Ah yes. He can see the cost flashing before his own poor, frugal eyes. Alas, this is one who has truly suffered for his art.]

Oh, I see.

[He glances back out at the dense dog outside. Perhaps planning the quickest route home for the next ten minutes would be the optimal use of time...]

I am fine with my current drink, thank you. [Hm.] You don't have any concerns wandering home in this fog...?

[ Wandering... Yeah, he's still new enough to the city that he still tends to make a wrong turn here and there whenever a new store or person or tree catches his attention and veers him off the course for home, but his only concern would be getting run over by a car in this fog because his clothing tonight is black on black.

It's a concern, but he can't say he's worried, so that gets shuffled to the back of his mind and he shakes his head. ]

Got my car for bad weather, but I was hoping to hold off until it gets too cold to walk. Gas is expensive...

I see.

[He takes another sip of the warm drink, and considers his next words.]

... You don't feel like there is something to be cautious about with this fog? Not just the usual reasons of vision issues.

[Issues like... being stalked by giant paintings or having monsters lurching out at you in the middle of a walk home.]

[ Minato's been living the ignorant NPC life, and he would be glad to keep it that way, but the truth is that he'd been warier and warier of the fog as of late, hints of noise he knows can't exist when he's cutting through the streets or taking refuge inside a store, headphones over his ears to block the sounds. A glance down at his feet as he undoes the apron from behind is telling, but he doesn't say a word about any of that. ]

...Nothing to do about it besides get home as quickly as possible. Maybe don't have sugar at night to fuel an overactive imagination.

[Yusuke just gives him a thoughtful, almost searching look. And then goes back to his drink with little fanfare.]

Perhaps. But I still have work to do, so the boost is welcome.

[And warming. That's the most important thing right now - the weather had been cooling in the lead up to winter, after all, and he'd played the gambling game of "do I wear a lighter jacket or heavier one" this morning and lost.]

Still, I wouldn't linger when you head home. Who knows what lurks in the fog when it's this heavy. It must be quite the cover for an opportunistic robber, as an example.

[Because how to you politely tell a stranger "be careful there might be monsters out there, and while you may be fine given the presumed lack of retrospec knowledge, it would not be worth the risk not to warn you" without getting odd looks?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OCTOBER TDM

iv. a - aka walks in four years later, late, with starbucks

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