(no subject)

[recollecters]

EVENT

ENCASED. "They are unique in the simplicity, the diversity, the related harmony of the forms of life that they enclose." Marjory Stoneman Douglas The message on the first was probably not that encouraging, but for the next couple of days it appears as though the city remains the same as it was. The paintbrushes from the previous month don't disappear, and the city remains half-painted into existence and a happenstance of colors. The city's quiet and preparing itself for summer...but on the third somewhere around midnight, every user will receive a mass message in their inbox from Zee Carlisle, a man many have heard of by now but that some may not be as familiar with. Okay. The reason we don't reply to you guys when we post to you every month isn't because we don't care and we're sinister, it's because we're busy. Not an excuse, I know. But you're thinking too hard about it. The city itself isn't being hacked, literally. It was a figurative comparison and it's kind of like this. This city and the world you're currently living in exist. Everything about this world is real, you're real, I'm real, etc. But the layers exist in another kind of...realm, I guess? It's freely manipulated beyond the base of the world and that's what's being messed with. Did you know it's hard to trace IPs when they're blocked? Leave that to us. We found a way to break through the blocks on the districts though, but it's up to you guys. Level one. Ready to start generating and get this place back together? Well that's not ominous, is it? THE NPCS What blocks? What the hell is he talking about? It becomes clear the moment you take your first step and a strange, almost invisible ripple appears around you. This ripple might happen right at midnight, or it might occur before or after the time. But not long after daybreak on the 3rd of June, every Retrospec user will notice a few things. The only people they'll be able to notice around the city are those who are also on the Retrospec networks. Friends and family members without the app seemingly have disappeared before your very eyes. No matter where you go to look for them, they've vanished. Animals are still around, and items still exist, but it's just the people who are lacking. The strange thing, however, is that even if you can't see them you can still hear them. Maybe you can hear your parents making dinner in the kitchen, or you can hear your professor lecturing about the importance of showing up for your finals on time. Your annoying co-worker is definitely doing that tapping thing with his fingers against your desk and the worst part is that they can't see or hear you. No matter how hard you try to get their attention, it's as if you aren't there. Trying to call them is a futile effort. Calls are distorted and disconnected, dropping after a few rings. Calling to those outside of the city, however...works? It works! After months and months of being disconnected from the outside world, calls will go through and last for a grand total of 90 seconds. Toward the end, a low, growling noise will filter through the line and distort the phone call and repeated calls to the same person will grow increasingly hard to understand. But hey. At least that's one thing fixed. THE MAINFRAME As of last month, several Retrospec users repainted most of the city into existence but there are still pieces missing! The brushes haven't gone away and while the task of reviving the city is easier now, everything that's been brought back remains a bit unusual. Purple bushes are bright purple and the orange roads are dusted with dirt and drips of colored paint. A lot of the large buildings such as the hospital, the university and more are back though and will need their interiors re-organized. Take some time out of your day to restructure the world around you. You'll never know when you'll need it. THE SOUL ENERGY As you begin to notice the veil that separates you from those not on the app, it becomes quite clear that there are two sides of the same city. Everything you know and love is still in one place, but as you hear the NPCs nearby you'll find that there's no way to get near them. Or is there...? Not long after the first text message, another message from Zee is sent along. The fastest and easiest way to change what layer you're existing on is to generate the energy. It's hard to explain in its entirety but working together will produce the energy needed to bring them back to this layer. It's not a drain or anything, but only you guys can do it. You know. Given where you exist right now. Your energy is staying with you, but the levels will change enough to break down the veil. It's not the same as extracting. We're not doing that here. Pick a district and pick a friend or six. I believe in you guys. Not long after the text, six different links will pop up in your messages, one for each of the districts in the city. Clicking on the links will bring up a map of each district, and each map will have a list attached to it. TRIBUNAL TERRACE Over in Tribunal Terrace, the buildings have mostly been repainted but the NPCs aren't present. With the need to reorganize and bring back the police, the fire department and more, there's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Volunteer with ReVA to create a community event such as a dance, party or other. -Create decorations and hang them in the children's ward at the hospital. -Clean up Recollé Square. -Discuss crimes or wrong-doings you've committed in this life or the past with one other person. -Solve a mystery. -Talk to the dead. -Take care of the firestation dogs. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. APPRASSAGE Several Retrospec users might be stressing about finals and graduations, but it's hard to worry too much when their teachers and classmates are missing. Though the buildings and landscape might be hit and miss, there's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Help someone study for their finals. -Teach someone a new skill and learn a new skill in return. -Tell someone your favorite story. -Repaint the stars and go stargazing. -Paint a self-portrait and have someone analyze it. -Discuss a dark period in your life and create a display based on that. -Gather the horses and chocobos and have a race. -Guide a tour through one of the museums. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. CHATA Even with everything a total mess, there's always time to be kind and try to better humanity. Not sure where to start? Don't worry, there's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Help someone with their grocery shopping. -Donate items to the orphanage. -Attend to the animals at the animal shelter and hold an adoption drive. -Steal from the rich and give to the poor. -Start a food fight. -Reorganize Freshens and move items to different levels of the store. -Create a Kickstarter for a new business and pitch your ideas to people. -Start a petition about something you're passionate about, collect several signatures. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. VIEA VILLAGE Home is where the heart is, but what is it that you love and value? There's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Plant flowers in front of someone's house. -Create and organize a game day in Hollingberry Field. -Set up a stall at the Farmer's Market and sell your goods. -Do yardwork for a neighbor. -Egg someone's house. -Talk about your family and why you love them with someone. -Do something nice for your neighbor like give them flowers or bake them cookies. -Tell someone about a family secret you've been keeping. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. ENPRISE Businesses and empires, items and wares. Enprise's important for those with big goals and big dreams. While those dreams may be on hold, there's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Host a fashion show. -Return wild animals to their cages in the zoo. -Swim with the sharks. -Volunteer to deliver packages around the city for the day. -Rent/buy paintball equipment and start a city-wide game, tagging buildings as you go. -Analyze your dreams/nightmares with at least one other person. -Engage in a duel of your choice with someone. -Pamper someone. Anyone. Any way you can think of. -Have a public debate with someone. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. TISSE Entertainment makes the world go round and there's plenty of entertainment to be found in Tisse. Even if it's just you in the city now, there's a list of tasks assigned as written by Zee. -Complete the Big Bang Burger challenge (or try, anyway.) -Buy a dozen cupcakes from the Confectionary and hand them out to strangers. -Teach a dance lesson at Dancinerate...any kind of dance. -Beat someone at a video game at the Hubbub Hub Arcade. -Steal someone's coffee from the pick-up counter at a coffee shop. -Write a poem about your feelings and share it with someone. -Create a work of art using whatever you can find. -Create a large game of crack the whip at the Stardust, skating and convincing people to skate with you. -Buy someone a drink...anyone...they can even be underaged. (Not that we're condoning that, but trust me, it'll work.) -Host a performance of any kind at the Atrium. -Perform one embarrassing stunt in public. Suggestions, mostly. Leaving this up to you what any of this means, but go forward with good intentions to accomplish them. What do "suggestions" mean here? It means that while these are ideas, things that push and challenge you and encourage building bonds will work the best. But never fret. There are things outside to do, too. OUTSIDE The paint-thinner monsters from last month begin to phase out throughout the month, but several of the creatures around the perimeters of the city begin to move inward, starting to appear around the places that aren't quite filled in yet. Areas that aren't fully painted or areas where tasks aren't being attended to are more prone to being infested with monsters that will need to be defeated. The roads to Pesgare, Respatrum, Bosuma and Magatus seem to have vanished and any attempts to leave will reroute citizens into the woods or into the ocean. The subway tunnels underground are empty and silent, the sound of trains running echoing through them but no trains come. Working together to clear out these areas and ensure that certain areas are receiving high enough energy readings is just as important as completing the above tasks. But then what..? ZEE I know, doing tasks for us is getting old, but given your connection to the world you're the only ones with the right kind of souls to generate the energy field needed to wear down the blocks. Work together. Get to know each other. Make this city your own. And report to me as you cross off tasks so I can track the readings of the district. We'll bring them back. Promise. Welcome to recolle's June log! The information above provides loose guidelines of things occurring this month, so please feel free to make your own prompts based on these. You are also free to create your own logs and inbox threads. Characters will not be able to travel to places outside of the city at this time! As you do these tasks or tasks similar to these, please report them to the correct headers on the JUNE OBJECTIVE REPORTING post in the mod journal! This will help us track what's being done and how it will impact the city for June and July. As a reminder, you may qualify for a memory freebie in June by threading out one district-objective with at least one person you haven't threaded with before. This thread will qualify when there are at least five consecutive comments from you. Finally, if you turn in six threads (one for each district) with your character performing an objective, you will qualify for a memory freebie! The threads must be at least 5 consecutive comments long and at least two of them should be with people you have not threaded with before. Any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here.

Comments

[adoringpast]

im coming but would you mind telling me what task it is first?
you really need to cut this weird habit of yours

[roughplayer]

Huh, you're the one who said my brain was too small to understand anything, and that I don't think things through. Who's lacking in smarts now to not figure it out?

Family secrets. You don't talk about your family a lot to others, do you? It only slipped because of how long it's been since you had contact with them. You're a good kid who deserves better.

[adoringpast]

you haven't given me a hint, jackass
jeez, since when are you the middle man with my parents... fine
this better be good
im here now btw so tell me where exactly you are and ill come get you

[ because he's been up and about around town and all. ]

[roughplayer]

父

That's your hint, fellow jackass. Anyway I'm at the swings in the playground. Completely deserted if you're worried.

[ Whenever Sena gets there, Koga's standing on the one of the seats like the punk he is, but not swinging. He's got his arm holding onto the chain of the swing while the other is tapping on his phone. He looks up when he hears footsteps. ]

Here~

action;

[adoringpast]

[ father... his eyes widen at the text and goes running into the park, the playground not too hard to find since there's one mangy mutt just waiting for him. sena sighs and walks up to him with a frown, crossing his arms in a huff as usual. ]

So? Spill it out. What do you know about my dad that I don't?

[ even if mizuki... doesn't know much about his own father either. all he knows is that he's very, very busy, can be a little too hard on him compared to his own mother. even kei doesn't know what to do with him -

or does he? ]

[roughplayer]

[ Koga sighs. He's also jumping off the swing because the last thing he needs is to get shoved off it, there's no telling how mizuki will react. ]

He cheated on your mom with his friend. My mom.

[ He'd add on something like "Why else do we fucking look alike?", or "Did it never cross your mind that we could be related?" with a tone of pure bitterness. Instead, his tone is flat, serene like he was forced to accept a long time ago. ]

That man is my dad too. You can ask Kei for confirmation later.

[adoringpast]

[ well. that's one hell of a bomb that's just dropped on him. mizuki's eyes widen at this revelation, blood running cold at the very thought of his stern father cheating?! cheating. committing adultery on his own mother who may have shared his workaholic tendencies but is still a lot more patient than him —

his mind's connecting the dots, and it finally dawns on him. more like it hit him with a ten-wheeler, but the feeling's still there. he stares at koga in utter disbelief until he manages to force it out: ]

You're my brother.

[ of course he is. same facial structure, the same abrasiveness. anyone can easily see it except him, apparently. ]

I... [ he should say something else, feel something else like happiness. anger. confusion. but instead sena.exe has stopped working. ]

[roughplayer]

[ There's the bomb. ]

Mizuki.

[ Well, that went better than expected. He's serious here— shouting, denial, things like those were expected as the immediate response. But Sena says it and it would be a relief he gets it without further explanation... except not really, he looks frozen like how his eyes and hair remind Koga of winter. Koga's gonna reach out and grab Sena by the shoulders, with a quick squeeze for good measure from his hands. He isn't sure what else to do for him, but how the heck do you reboot sena.exe here. ]

I'm not asking for anything, not even acknowledging it if that's a lot to take in.

...Shit, who am I kidding, of course it's a lot. I'm... I'm sorry.

[ His own breath is shaky. He's remembering how his mom had to tell him when he was young so he'd hear it from her, not her siblings or their children insulting him. Maybe if he were younger, he'd cry, that's why. He won't talk about that though, he said he wouldn't earlier. Just this. Koga takes his hands off, pointing to some benches. If big bro hasn't fully restored his systems yet, Koga can take him by the arm, no problems there. ]

[adoringpast]

[ he's a little more than out of it, yeah, but he lets himself be led by koga - his little brother?! - towards the benches, seating himself down and... blinking. trying to get the feeling back into his muscles even for just a little until eventually he finds his voice once more, still avoiding koga's gaze. ]

I'd... never thought that--

[ his voice trails off, still looking a bit pained but at least sena.exe is rebooting. his father is more than distant, sure, and he's all too aware that there's no love between him and his mother these days, but he thinks back to that photo koga had delivered to him last month and his fists clenches.

but he lets it go with a deep sigh and meets koga's gaze once more with his sullen own. ]

...How did you find out.

[roughplayer]

[ Koga sits on the bench too, a good arm's length from his half-brother. He just leans back and looks into the clouds after a brief glance to see if Mizuki's some level of okay?

Is he breathing and responsive? Yes. So... ]

Yeah? That makes life complicated and difficult for everyone, and I can know for sure your parents don't want that.

[ He met them. They want simple lives that reward them like a Skinner Box. especially in the case of Itsuki, who apparently needed that life after a... tumultuous one? It's not like his second son has much sympathy for him after all this... and as it stands, he and his wife are far away and that's more than fine. They still can do damage though to the child they seemingy love very much though. Love in their own way. A shitty ass way.

When their gazes meet, Koga actually looks like a mirror to Mizuki. He didn't try to, but it's really the only way he feels about the answer he has. It's a sad truth. Truths, correction. ]

That's a broad question, y'know. There's a lot to find out in my situation.

[ ... ]

My mom, some bits of it a long time ago. Then your mom's emails by accident, then our dad's face looking right at me.

[adoringpast]

[ thankfully he's calmed down for now but too emotionally exhausted to even get angry at the moment so he's just staring at koga with a forlorn look in his eyes. it's ridiculous how they mirror each other, with mizuki thinking that there won't be anyone else that would share the same facial features as him, piercings and bleached hair aside. ]

Does... Does my mom know?

[ because of not then hahahahaha what the fuck. ]

What about Kei-san? Do you know him? He's my dad's brother--

[ their father's brother. uncle. kei has another nephew to fuss over, apparently. ]

[roughplayer]

[ Koga shakes his head. For all his bitterness, Mrs. Sena didn't seem like a terrible person. Guilty of the same crimes as her husband in parenting, but it feels... Weird to hate her. Maybe resent that apparently she was the one who straightened out this mess of a man and that's why they ended up like this... But whatever. ]

My mom didn't want to be a homewrecker for your parents, and neither do I. Your dad was shaken up a little, but no one can make me give a fuck about how he feels after all this.

[ As for the other topic, Uncle-san. To be honest, looking back on what happened with Kei, annoying as it was, it's a little... Funny? Koga put his hand to his temple. ]

He dragged me to church. He seemed to have found this amusing... Weirdass.

[adoringpast]

You too, huh.

[ TOTAL WEIRDASS... but at least he's felt a certain kinship with this guy, even if they've only met a handful of times. ]

I mean to be honest, Kei-san is a better father figure than... our fucking dad, even if he's a weirdo. You don't have to trust him that much, but at least you can say that you have a legal guardian to sign papers with or whatever.

[ that seems to have lightened up the mood at bit? still sighing, though. ]

Look, I... still don't know how to treat you after this. I've been an only child for as long as I can remember and... [ he doesn't want to be seen as an older brother by that much. ]

[roughplayer]

[ Koga laughs bitterly, but not hard enough that he can't stop himself in order to talk again. ]

I guess I need to have someone responsible as an emergency contact.

[ that's going to be both horrifying and funny all things considered. What would Kei even do when he's the way he is and seems incapable of worrying very hard. As for the worries in this situation though? Koga gives Mizuki a shrug. ]

...Well, I can't really give you any tips or suggestions either. We know each other exists and we don't lie or deny it if something comes up. That's a baseline, I guess?

[adoringpast]

Yeah. [ an assured nod ] Yeah, that's a start. No use rushing into shit like this.

[ guess he'll explain koga's past world some other time, when koga finally receives a new memory. and speaking of which - ]

Before I forget, let me know if you get one of those memory flashes? I can answer whatever question you have about what's going on since I've been on this app for more than a year now.

[ it's really the least he can do for him. his new brother. god, he still can't wrap his head around this right now, but he'll get there. ]