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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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I haven't had anything like that. Though. Probably I should be glad.

[Ashuramaru would give him power if he had the actual demon supposedly sealed inside his weapon. But that comes with the risk of the demon possessing him completely. So probably it was a good thing for not that he wasn't dealing with the demon. Yet.

Especially when it already had those he did mention it to worried. Still. It would come in useful, part of him wonders and thinks. The abilities he would gain from using Ashuramaru's power.]

Still. That's so cool! That you can do that!

My other self had to fight a lot.

[It wasn't great?? Lots of people died. But, he continues:]

I'm glad it's useful for peaceful things now.

[Helping paint a city back, even occasionally helping people with other mundane tasks - the power is at his fingertips, and he can use it to assist people in so many more ways than simply throwing a punch or a kick.

He wonders, sometimes, if his other self would be happier seeing its use in this life.]

Mine did too. I'm glad things are....well, more comparatively peaceful, here. Even if I'm still glad I have something to defend myself with if I have to, with the app and all.

[But still. In this case, Yuu is happier in not necessarily needing to put his sword skills to use. Not here, if he can avoid it. If he can manage it, anyway. He's less sure on another application for his sword skills the same way the other is doing with his strength or whatever though. Unfortunately.]

What do you have?

[This is his life, asking strangers what superpowers they've gained from an app while cheerfully painting stars back into place. Actually, he has to dodge a bit as some extra paint gloops down. Oops.]

A katana.

[He does a quick drawing on some spare paper he had brought to try catch some drips. Which is actually pretty accurate considering the green tint to the blade. Not that it has the actual demon sealed inside, here in Recolle, but still. It was something, and he remembered how to use it.]

You?

[He leans over to peer at it curiously.]

Super strength... And gauntlets.

[If he'll allow Tatsuma the paper for a moment, he'll do a quick painting that looks an awful lot like an ukiyo-e painting of a demon, upper canines curving outwards like fangs.]

I'm... not sure how much it helped, but...

[Evidently it did, because he sure used it.]

And gauntlets? Did you mention those before?

[Yuu doesn't stop the other, letting Tatsuma take some paper to do the painting. Leaning in as he watches the other, watches what the picture is that he produces.]

An oni?

[He's curious, blinking and studying the painting a little, head tilting and making his mop of hair shift a little with the movement.]

Mm. We fought oni, so maybe... it was supposed to turn their power against them?

[Or something. He really has no frickin clue what his other self was up to besides a lot of fighting monsters.]

I remembered the style of martial arts the other me used with them, but I'm still not sure what it is, either. It doesn't look like anything else I've seen.

Hm. So what you -- the other you used with fighting, the martial arts, maybe it was something specific to then? Or a more obscure school of it. There's videos of like everything online these days but even then you have to go through so many to find it, so I dunno if I'd recommend it but otherwise I'm not sure how you'd go about figuring it. Finding the same school here. Or something close at least.

[Yuu gives a sigh, shrugging. But then he contemplates as he keeps working.]

Maybe you'll remember how to fight anyway though? I mean. For me, I remembered using the sword when I was already starting to train and not slice myself in half with it, but.

Oh. I know how to fight with it.

[Eheheh...]

I got that before I got super strength. I just don't know what it is yet...

Yeah I am pretty sure they don't care about things making sense when we remember or get stuff back. At least as far as I can tell. If they even have any control on that.

[They probably don't. At least as far as Yuu figures with how often something gets messed with somehow each month or so usually.]

It sounds like they don't have control over very much.

[Especially if all the... glitches are anything to go by.]

Maybe they just want us to remember as much as we can?

From what I gather. Yeah. But...I dunno. Something about our souls and all. I guess the more we remember, the closer we are to getting all that back?

[However it worked. That seemed to be the goal at least. To get them to remember and have all their belongings and powers from that other life returned.]

'Cause the order doesn't matter, just the memories.

[Is what he's getting from it, anyway.]

Like if we get everything back, we'll be who they want us to be again.

[Which... doesn't actually bother him? But he knows there's got to be a lot of others who would take issue with it.]

Something like that. Like we necessarily want to be the person in our memories. That we want this back. These memories, these powers.

[Especially in Yuu's case, his memories are. Not exactly the happiest, to say the least. They paint a rather bleak and desperate picture, one where he seems perfectly willing to risk himself for those that do get past his walls. Where he goes to dangerous lengths for them because he can't bear losing anyone else after seeing a vampire noble slaughter his 'family' of orphan children from the orphanage he was at. Being taken in by those vampires, the virus. Anyone would prefer more 'normal' memories of this setting if given the choice.]

Yours are bad?

[It's a guess, based on what seem to be pretty harsh words. He actually stops in his work to glance over Yuu's way.]

Y-yeah. Basically. Vampires, a virus that kills off most of humanity. Demons.

[In a nutshell of sorts. Not the most pleasant of memories to get back. Ones he would rather forget. Let alone knowing he will have to deal with fighting for control of his own body from his own demon, and the seraph gene on top of that.]

[Oh.

Well.]

...Tokyo got destroyed in mine. I'm... still not sure why, but...

I think we failed.

[It's not exactly the same - he has no idea what the state of the rest of the world is. But he can definitely sympathize.]

Failed what? To stop something happening to destroy it?

[In Yuu's case, the buildings were fine? More or less, if in varying states of repair and maintenance, with the cities being obviously more populated in comparison. It was more the people that were killed and suffered in the aftermath of the virus. Humanity was close to wiped out, not literally destroyed like Tatsuma is saying here.]

[He nods, still painting even if his gaze isn't totally focused on his work anymore.]

Yeah. I remember people talking about it when I was looking at... what was left.

[And about Yashiro, and about himself - whoever Yashiro was. His memories don't really extend that far, either.]

What was left.

[What exactly had happened? But this....was probably painful. So Yuu isn't sure he should ask. At least not so directly. Instead, he swallows, trying to keep focusing on his own task of painting.]

A lot of the buildings were knocked over.

[What was left.]

We... were probably going to keep fighting, but I don't remember past that.

Knocked over from what? I remember...the buildings back home were fine? Or they seemed to be, more or less. It was just that the people, a lot of them had died from that virus is all.

[So some buildings were older and in more need of maintenance or repair perhaps but. There were obviously some areas in the cities that were better off, more defended and populated in comparison.]

What were you fighting? Do you remember?

[He shakes his head.]

I remember fighting other things, but not whatever caused that.

Oh. That's...probably a good thing? What else did you need to fight? I mean, with what you already got back....

[The strength or whatever. Must have been something pretty difficult to deal with to get to that point? Or for all he knew that sort of thing was just normal back for this guy, in his version of Japan.]