(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

[livingimpaired]

It's not fair, but that is the point of vandalism.

[ A small shrug follows his words. But he finds something "good" in what the young man says. This sort of situation probably is causing a lot of distress. Well, everyone has to find their way to feel in control. ]

Do you think the eggs are on a different level?

[floret]

From the people whose houses these are? Probably...
But all the work we're doing is to bring the levels back together. So if it works, then when the layers are reunited, they're going to have all these days- or weeks-old egg stains on their houses, and it'll be super gross and confusing.

[livingimpaired]

You are right. I'm certain that someone will be grateful if they come to know what you have done for them. [ His tone is sympathetic and calm. Cocking his head to the side, he watches the young man carefully. ]

Ah. I am Kei Shigaraki. Local botherer, or so I've come to name myself these days.

[floret]

I guess. ...though, if they're able to tell that there was egg on their house until someone washed it off, wouldn't it mean I did a bad job cleaning?

[ Now's as good a time as any other for a break, so he drops his brush back in the bucket and turns to properly face Kei. He's all of five feet tall and looks about as worn out as he feels; it's not a scorcher or anything, but after too long outdoors even the mild warmth has started feeling a bit oppressive. ]

Haha. Someone has to do it, probably.
I'm Jamie Doh. I think we might've spoken online once?

[livingimpaired]

I suppose that would mean that you did a poor job, yes.

[ So, this is more like making it so the act never has happened. No reward, no praise, save for Retrospec users that happened to see him now. But it would seem like Jamie Doh expected only those that would egg houses to stop him, rather than those that felt like complimenting him on his actions. Kei stares at the young man, musing over his actions, and reading too deeply into them in the process. ]

I do believe that we have, Jamie Doh. [ His eyes roll up as he attempts to remember. ] It was on the post of telling a horror story on April Fool's Day, was it not? [ Looking down, Kei towers over the young man at well over six-foot. He offers a sympathetic smile as way of apology for his height, without outright mentioning it. ]

[floret]

That's it! The one where you died right after you posted it, right?

[ Jamie's been this size for A While (in fact, there were years of his childhood during which he was even smaller), so he's mostly made his peace with the fact that a lot of the people he'll have face-to-face conversations with are going to be much taller than he is. It might be a different story if Kei were actively looming, of course, but for the moment Jamie feels reasonably at ease! ]

Have you been well, I hope?
I mean, as well as can be expected, given... everything.

[livingimpaired]

That's right. I died horribly.

[ His tone is needlessly chipper for the first time since he has started talking to Jamie. ]

Oh, I've been all right. [ And it returns to a neutral, calm. ] I am hermit by nature, but more than that... I've accepted there is nothing I can do to immediately fix the situation. And so, there is no reason to upset myself needlessly.

[ A beat. ] And how are you?

[floret]

[ huh. He's been nothing but friendly and pleasant all along, of course, but... is it Jamie's imagination, or was he downright enthusiastic for a second there?
...Must be a horror buff! ]

Wow, that's...
Pretty impressive, actually.
I mean, it's one thing to logically understand something like that, but actually being able to internalize it is... really good!

[ but he's been asked a question, hasn't he... ]

I'm all right.
Classes were already over for me, and my boss and roommate are still here, so... it's about the least disruptive something like this possibly could be. Though of course it's disruptive anyway. Although it's not as bad as last month... though of course that whole situation is still ongoing, too...

[livingimpaired]

Thank you. It is ... only a small trick a person like me can do.

[ HA-HA. He's dead inside. ]

It seems as though you've lucked out more than most about this situation. But you aren't wrong. It is, indeed, disruptive in its own way. I'm certain that you have family that you can no longer contact, after all, but at least you have an immediate support system so that you won't feel so helpless.

[ These are the backhanded consoling words of Kei Shigaraki. ]

Yes... it is ongoing. We're uncertain of how long it will actually be, too, but our community is strong enough to endure. [ Or it will self-destruct. ]

[floret]

[ He smiles weakly and kinda messes with his fingers (though it doesn't rise to the level of actual hand-wringing). ]

Well, that's...
I don't have any family in the city. So I haven't been able to contact them anyway, and everyone disappearing didn't really change anything on that front. Ahahaha...

I really am grateful, though. Almost everyone's supporting each other and doing what they can. The people egging houses, too.

[livingimpaired]

[ He hum in a thoughtful way at Jamie's answer. His gaze darkens slightly before he blinks a few times to clear his vision. ]

I understand. I apologize for having brought up a sensitive matter to you so callously. [ A beat. ]

It's true. Humanity is strong and the community made by the people attached to this app is one that fosters and grows that strength. It is an atmosphere of forgiveness and support. [ Turning his head, he looks down the empty streets. ] So, yes, it's worthy of our gratitude... because the way things are, the way we regain our memories ... we could very well have become a different sort of society.

But this shows the warmth that exists within humans, and that is worthy of admiration.

[floret]

[ Jamie waves off the apology, since of course it's not like Kei MEANT to touch on a sore subject!! He also thinks about giving disclaimers about how it's totally fine and he's already used to it so it doesn't really bother him anymore, or whatever, but he doesn't know how convincing he can make that sound; it seems best to just move on. ]

Um...
When you say a different sort of society, what do you mean? Like, Mad Max or the Purge or something?

[livingimpaired]

[ Kei stares at him carefully when the young man waves off his apology. He hums to himself as he wonders about the complacency and desire to please others that -- ah, it reminds him a little of Sakura. ]

But no, nothing like that, Jamie.

[ He lifts his hand up to wave off the idea that it would be anything so violent. ]

What I mean is that the society would be less forgiving, less kind to one another. It would not have a friendly atmosphere to welcome others into its mix. The reason for the lack of welcome is because the person that comes to join would bring with them powers, horrific memories, and the ability to hurt everyone. People then only wish to trust only in who they know, but who do they know?

A distrustful society built on fear of what we may become. That is what we could have been.

[floret]

...Mm.
I guess that could have been possible...
Are you surprised that's not what happened? You talk about it like it would've been... natural, I guess.

and then there was a monologue

[livingimpaired]

It would have been natural, and I wouldn't have been surprised if that is what came to pass.

[ He offers a small nod. ]

But I'm not surprised that this is the community that has come to be, either. [ Breathing out a small sigh, he realizes he's being needlessly confusing. ]

I believe that humanity is generally good. They're able to recognize evil and choose not to do it. The people that come to [ He interlaces his fingers. ] be part of this app are... generally speaking ...those that call to others.

They have the sort of personalities that blend well with one another, and also long for a place to belong. [ There is insecurity in a great deal of the people he talks to; and a wish to not be made an outcast. That wish has then become a desire among the group of the app -- a desire that shows itself in how they generally will not ever reject anyone who comes to join them. ]

That is why it is not surprising that this is the community that came to exist.

[floret]

You've thought a lot about this!

[ so Jamie will think about it too!! ]

...I'm not sure about "good" and "evil," but doesn't almost everyone want to belong somewhere? I know there are exceptions here and there, but humans evolved in community, and we can't survive without it. A lot about group dynamics can be determined by its first members, but I think you'd have to pick them pretty carefully to end up with something that solitary and adversarial.

On the other hand, I guess I can imagine something where there were maybe a few different factions that were all opposed to each other. Stuff like that happens all the time. If the user base gets big enough, it might happen to us too.

[livingimpaired]

I have.

[ Never underestimate how long Kei has thought about "good", "evil," and humanity. Someone has already triggered an unskippable cutscene dialogue with him. ]

A good observation, Jamie Doh. [ He lifts his index finger to point in the young man's direction. ] However, the desire to belong has become a driving force within our community. A person was a soulless murderer in their past life? We still accept them, and tell them that they are nothing like that person ... when we are uncertain of who anyone really is.

The memories we may be extremes of ourselves, but they may also be merely if we have taken one step in another direction. Just one. [ Ain't that the truth? ] But that is an interesting thought... the idea that we shall create different factions. However, I believe that the scales are decidedly toward "good" over those that would wish to cause chaos.

Lucky for us, hm?

[floret]

[ he hits X a couple of times just to see if it'll work but then he settles in to enjoy the fully voiced (and mocapped!) scene. ]

Is anyone certain of who anyone else really is, though? All we can ever do is go by the words and actions we do see, past lives or not.

...It is strange, though, the number of people who sort of... feel like their past selves were... mmmm. I don't want to say "worse," but... less ethical, with radically different values? I've wondered a lot about that. Like, circumstances and social pressures have a lot to do with whether a person will turn to crime or whatever, but... surely we aren't all in better circumstances in this life than we were in that one, right?

[livingimpaired]

You're not wrong. People have their own bias against and for a person. Not every saint is without sin. Not every sinner is without merit. Yet people will come to believe in an image of a person the long that they talk to that person.

[ He turns to look toward the house that Jamie had been cleaning. Yes, no one really knows anyone else. And once someone believes in the good of a person, they won't believe in the evil. ]

I don't believe that we all are in "better" circumstances than what we once were in. I do believe it is as you said, societal pressures is what is keeping a lot of us from acting out. No one wants to become the enemy of humanity, and no one wants to become an enemy of the people here who have regained new powers and abilities.

[floret]

Oh! I actually think it's the opposite.
I mean, I think that a lot of people were in extraordinary circumstances or under certain pressures in their previous lives that led to their doing the types of things they now want to distance themselves from.

But you're right... it's probably less that things are "better" for all of us here, and more that things were just more ordinary. If you're just a normal human living a normal human life, regardless of whether it's a hard or an easy one, you're never going to have to worry about... vampire ethics, or how to kill ghosts, or whatever kind of weird stuff people had to grapple with in other worlds.

[livingimpaired]

Hm... that's true. [ Kei certainly has no wish to become like Kirei Kotomine. The very thought that he may slipping, falling into becoming that man leaves a terrible taste in his mouth. ]

But if I may, Jamie Doh, I have another philosophy about people that I'll share with you now... no matter what anyone recalls from another life that someone loved them in that life. Someone cared about them. Someone worried about them. There is no one without anyone.

I have no idea what you will recall or if you shall learn something horrific about yourself, but ... the world is made up of numbers. There are so many numbers that not one person would find themselves unloved. That is the only consolation I can offer, but I feel it is an important to give when I can.

[floret]

That...
That's a wonderful thing. I never thought of anything like that...

...
Are you really sure, though?
I mean... Aren't there so many numbers that there must be at least a few people out there somewhere who... don't really mean much of anything to anyone?

[livingimpaired]

I am pleased to give you such a revelation, then.

[ Hm. ]

They may not mean much to anyone, but there is someone that values their existence. [ Even if that value comes in crushing their spirit under their heel, a person could argue that's another form of love. Twisted, vicious, cruel, and heartless but another form. ]