(no subject)

[recollecters]

EVENT

REVERTED. "Every moment is a fresh beginning." - T. S. Eliot Happy July, Retrospecters. Can you believe it's been nearly a year since the city was under attack and several of you were pulled and lost in Unreality? Time sure does fly, doesn't it? But don't fret. It seems as though the city is in for a real vacation this time...rest easy. THE BEGINNING Recollé has been fully restored thanks to the effort of the citizens working to paint the city back to life and breaking down the layers separating the city from most of its non-Retrospec users. The sky is painted multiple colors (a permanent fixture, it seems) and some buildings and plants are extraordinary but everything appears to be in solid, functional condition. All buildings are where they should be. The roads are safe. And everyone around you appears to be preparing for one of two celebrations... THE 4TH OF JULY With the 4th of July tomorrow, citizens of Recollé are preparing for their own celebration. Much like last year, the city will be preparing with a large gathering at Peach Beach, food trucks aplenty, discounts at several stores in Tisse and Enprise, and of course at 9pm sharp the beautiful and historical fireworks display will begin. Street vendors sell glowsticks and lemonade as everyone gathers to watch the show in the sky. This year, however, while the fireworks display still shows events of the city's history citizens may recognize a few new scenes added to the show. As they look up into the sky they'll notice scenes depicting several of the events that have happened over the last year ranging from the Retrospec bingo games to the nightmare fog to the mistletoe bats and more. This year will also include scenery and displays from the four regions around the city. Perhaps you recognize these events a little too well. Care to share the tale with your neighbor? TANABATA It seems as though this week is a non-stop celebration though. As the 4th of July ends, several members of the city are hard at work in preparation for Tanabata. Celebrated on Saturday, July 7th this year, residents are hard at work decorating areas in Tribunal Terrace and Chata with massive colorful streamers and moving in several bamboo plants. Stalls are set up and prepared and carnival games line the sidewalks for citizens to play. On the evening of the 7th, all are invited to attend the celebration and try Japanese cuisine, play a few games, and most importantly write a wish on a colored sheet of paper to hang on one of the bamboo trees. No matter how citizens choose to celebrate at this festival, for anyone who makes a wish and hangs it on the tree they will soon receive a Retrospec ticket in their mailbox. While your wish may take time to be granted, good fortune is upon you and a free gift has been provided. THE NPCS NPCs are back in the city and all is well. They are unaware of the layers they were caught between but they are grateful and happy to see you again! Professors will be lenient of students whose finals have been delayed, employers will inquire about your vacation time, and your friends and family may constantly badger you for time and attention. Isn't that nice? In addition, citizens of the city may now place calls to members outside of the city for up to five minutes. While that pesky growling problem still appears at the tail end of all conversations, citizens will be able to reach out to anyone in the world and speak for that length of time. Let's just hope your loved ones aren't too bothered by the previous radio silence. THE DREAMS What was that about resting easy? Perhaps you won't be able to as well as you'd like. Though everything appears to be fine, the moment you close your eyes beginning on July 3rd, you may find yourself plagued by strange, unusual dreams. As you dream you'll find yourself experiencing everything from wild scenarios set in space or on a pirate ship to everyday, mundane interactions. Your dreams will reflect who you are, but...maybe in a different light. Perhaps your siblings aren't related to you in your dreams, or perhaps your hair is a different color. Maybe you find yourself dreaming about a whole different lifestyle than the one you currently possess. Why, you could even be one of the lucky ones and dream about those memories you've been receiving since you've joined the app. Then again, you'll also find that you aren't dreaming alone. When you look, you may find that someone has joined you. It's easy to move in dreams and intrude on other people's dreams. You may choose to watch the scene play out or find yourself able to change scenarios within these dreams. Some of you will recognize what is and isn't real, but...what is real anymore? Aren't you curious what it all means? The moment you awake, however, these dreams will fade away and simply be dreams. THE QUESTS If you're looking for a way to pass the time and bring a little adventure to your life, a new feature on the Retrospec app is the quest hotline! By submitting a request, Retrospec will generate a new task for you to accomplish either in the city or around one of the four regions. While Retrospec cannot claim that all tasks will be exciting, all tasks given are important to the functionality of the city. Or perhaps you're interested in exploring Mementos or Tartarus...? Just what are these new places anyway? Strange. Happy questing! THE REGIONS Travel is available once more for the regions outside of the city, though do watch out for the common monsters that still linger between districts. It will take three hours by boat southward to Pesgare, an hour underground eastward to Respatrum, two hours west via horseback to Bosuma and seven hours via driving north to Magatus. Depending on where you travel though you may find some surprises waiting for you. Fishing season is at its prime in Pesgare and it's the perfect place for a seaside getaway this summer. The region remains untouched and stable, and the economy is thriving once more thanks to the repairs after their tsunami and the work of Retrospec users. In Respatrum, the workers in the mines don't seem to mind the heat and continue crafting and creating. Anyone who ventures into these parts will be put to work, but may be rewarded with small tokens and hospitality from the natives of this region. Bosuma, however, is a little different. The Swamp Witch is nowhere to be found though the forest is alit with bright, blooming flowers, strange multicolored animals and friendly natives from a nearby village in the woods. Monsters lurk the deeper parts of the woods, but one would actively have to go looking for them. But should one linger in this region for too long, they may soon discover that they'll start to see things...not just things, but people. Vivid, life-like forms of people you've seen in your memories will appear before you even if you're unaware of who they are. They seem to beckon you to come closer, happy to see you and encouraging you to explore the forest further. Some of these forms may engage in combat if the relationship you remember is a hostile one. Should you follow or fight them, however, you will soon find yourself lost in the woods and it may take days to return to the city. Do keep sight of what's real, won't you? Finally, over in Magatus, for anyone who has ventured there before they may be expecting the snowy mountains and ski lodge. However, it's summer! Snow isn't fit for the summer and as residents approach the region they'll come to find that the ice-capped mountains have been replaced with cliffs, sand dunes and a desert-esque climate. The iced-over lake is now perfect for swimming and further exploration will lead you to a path in the mountains that's the perfect height for cliff-jumping into waters below. This is the perfect region for you outdoorsy, camping types. Just be careful of the scorpions and rattlesnakes out there. THE CITY It's summer vacation everywhere. How are you spending your days? Maybe it isn't such a bad idea to listen to Joanne and plan your days with fun and exciting ventures. Parties and meetings and spending time with your friends...it sounds nice, doesn't it? Even if some of you may notice your friends seem...off. The city is peaceful. Everything seems to be calm and safe, so much that you may not even notice the difference at first. It all begins in mid-July though. One moment you're sitting in a café and the next you realize you're wearing an apron and you feel as though you should be working behind the counter. One moment you're sitting in your bedroom and the next you look up and notice that the items on your wall have changed. These little hallucinations are minimal and only last a few moments, but they will begin to increase as the month goes on and leading straight into August. But hey. It's probably nothing to worry about. Welcome to recolle's July 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. Regarding Tanabata! If you would like to claim a free 10-20 point item, please head to the regains page and submit as normal! Please indicate that it is a Tanabata freebie. Characters are free to travel to one of the four regions this month (Pesgare, Respatrum, Bosuma, Magatus), but keep in mind the effects/changes as listed above. As a reminder, you may qualify for an additional freebie this month by threading out a dream sequence with at least one person experiencing a new AU! This thread must be at least five consecutive comments from you. Any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for important information as well!

Comments

[twostringsonebow]

a. dreamshare

[There's a couple to go through.

Maybe you find yourself on a date with Goro Akechi -- the Goro Akechi, your skipping heart realizes, world famous detective at such a young age..! The way the breeze plays with his hair, how he brushes it out of his eyes... Ah, what a heart throb..♪

He turns to you with a sheepish smile.]

Sorry, it seems we've been caught. My feed has been blowing up for the past five minutes... The press are on their way here too, I'm sure; would you like to make a quick escape?

[Recolle is only so big -- and yes, this is Recolle, albeit with more screens with Goro's handsome face on it -- but there are plenty of places to hide.


A less pleasant dream comes more often than not, though.]

We shouldn't go this way, [it's a soft, high voice unlike the present Goro's, but yours won't be any different.

You're kids, after all.] Um... Why..? Well, I just don't feel like going that way.

[It's the way to your neighborhood, though. The fastest way. You'd already dillydallyed enough with Goro, and you're tired. Your feet hurt. You're hungry, and know your parents are probably worried.

The street seems fine, anyway. What's he so nervous about?]

b. magatus

[Escaping the heat with Magatus's chilly weather would've been a perfect idea...

... if the region wasn't the goddamn badlands now, he guesses. Goro stares woefully at his bag full of winter clothes and sighs, smile waning at the person beside him.]

I don't suppose you have some light wear..?

c. bosuma -- p5 spoiler warning in threads!!

[Lingering for long periods of times had led to people's unusual disappearances, apparently, and though Goro doesn't quite fancy himself a detective it has piqued his interest.

So he visits, he talks around, and he waits.

Putting himself in danger seems to be a common trait between him and the other Goro, the one in his memories, though he at least gives those close to him the courtesy of knowing his destination (along with a "Don't worry -- I'm only visiting! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧" ending) before he stays too long. At least being busy is a constant.

Just when he's to give up and go home, trekking through the forest one last time, there's an annoyed voice that sends a shiver down his spine.]

And just where do you think you're going? [It's a bald man no one but him really has a chance of recognizing entirely, and while there's no sense of real hostility Goro feels one mask slide off and another flit on.

Polite, unquestioning. The man looks him over, then turns away and start to head further in.] We're going this way.

[It's not due to any sense of loyalty or love, but Goro does follow after, eyes burning a hole in the back of the other. A fight may be on its way, but he's quite content with going someplace deeper to settle things.]

d. wildcard

[for anything else!!! hmu @ sundrymunity if you want to plan anything in particular, but otherwise o7]

bosuma,

[adoringpast]

[ "don't worry," my ass. last time sena'd gone to bosuma some weird shit happened, so he's not going to take any chances. the forests are a little familiar to sena due to his last visit - there are still some blue and red flowers that he'd helped paint last may - but it may as well been luck to find goro just in time... only to move even deeper into the forest?

uh oh. ]

Gochan? [ he runs now, grabbing his hand. ] Where are you going?

bae,

[twostringsonebow]

[Goro's look when he turns to see who'd stopped him turns from murderous to blank in an instant, then something fonder when it really is just Mizuki.

Still, he glances back at the figure retreating into the trees and is surprised to find that he's stopped as well, almost mirroring Goro's stance. Goro face his friend again, smile soft and warm and not at all matching the unreadable look in his eyes.]

... I have some unfinished business, Micchan. Stay here, won't you? It'll be over soon.

[adoringpast]

[ those split-second reactions on goro's face just now when sena had grabbed him tells it all - something is definitely up. he just can't be fooled with a smile like that, since it almost mirrors his own whenever he doesn't want to talk about something but wanted to be polite.

he tightens his grip on him, face serious. ]

The forests outside the city are a bad sign, trust me. [ magatus was fucked up as it is, and now it's bosuma's turn to mess people? what is in the plantlife that gives people various curses like this and that? ] You can't go in there. You just can't.

[twostringsonebow]

Micchan, [a little more stern in its softness, almost chiding,] let me go.

[Goro's being patient as he can be, though his shoulders jerk when the bald man speaks up.]

What is that, a friend? ... No matter; bring him if he really wants to come. You're wasting time just standing there.

[There is not a single pleasant thing about the look on Goro's face, no matter how he tries to twist it into something that isn't angry or hateful, but his voice is picture perfect polite, pleasant.]

You can walk me out when we're done, Micchan. You've always had a better sense of direction. Is that satisfactory?

[adoringpast]

[ goro's never looked at him like that, and it sends the worst kind of shivers down sena spine as he stares right back at his childhood friend. the pleasant mask he usually carries is starting to crack and all sena wants is to put it back again, maybe call ren and ask if he knows how to deal with this...

but he doesn't. can't even bring the urge to snap back at him because how dare he - ]

Fine. [ said a little coldly, but the concern is still there. squeezing goro's hand, he lets him lead them away to... wherever the fuck they're supposed to go. ] But you've got to tell me what's going on.

bosuma

[maskreant]

[ Do you think Ren would let Goro go to Bosuma of all places on his own? Of course he doesn't tell him he's tagging along; he only replies with a "stay safe." The dissonance is real when Ren can be found stalking Goro through the forest just. To make sure.

He doesn't want his boyfriend to lose memories in case it's the same curse. It had a heavy strain last time though... He doesn't quite remember that time all too clearly. Ren has never seen Shido's face in his memories, but he knows that voice. It's him—instantly, he makes a beeline after Goro and nudges the small of his back with a poke. If he turns, Ren's there. Staring him down.

Utter disapproval. ]

[twostringsonebow]

[Of course he wasn't left alone. Goro wouldn't have let Ren come by himself either, just because-- because it'd been so troublesome last time, him not remembering things properly... Worrying and off putting. He hadn't liked it at all, so of course he'd been tailed.

That doesn't stop ire from coming to the forefront, suppressed with a tight smile and clearer in his eyes, the tension in his body. He opens his mouth to say something and thinks the better of it, expelling air instead.]

What?

[maskreant]

[ They are similar in ways they shouldn't be proud of, to be honest. Ren holds onto his sleeve, but not tugging him back just yet. He can see the fire in his eyes and returns his gaze with something similar, though tad more concerned. ]

Don't get carried away.

[ He isn't the only one that harbors dark feelings for this figure... Ren is just as vengeful, but he can see through something that looks like a trap. This is definitely one of them despite how curious he is. ]

[twostringsonebow]

[... That's more relieving, but this still isn't a show he'd ever want to invite Ren to. He glances away, then back again. While their feelings might not totally be in sync... it's good enough.]

Make sure I don't, then.

[And he'll shyly, hesitantly take Ren's hand with his own, walking after the figure at a brisk pace, hiding it like Shido would care. He'd at least make a snide remark about it, Goro knows, just like he knows that if that man turns his head to ensure he's being followed he'll make one about Ren's presence.

Goro knows this man far more than anyone else, and that really sucks. He shakes his head and glances at his new companion, still tense.]

What counts as carried away to you, Ren?

[maskreant]

[ Are they really going to follow this apparition? Ren's noses wrinkles, frown pressed finely, as they trail after the bald figure. Peering forward, he can feel distaste grow second by second relative to his curiosity. Why now? Is this an illusion like October? He knows he lost his opportunity to support Goro at the time, so he's grasping at this chance without another warning. The hold on his hand tightens, hoping this reassures him since he can't persuade him to drop this.

It probably doesn't do much since he can feel his anxiety rise and anger bubble. ]

... When you lose complete control of yourself.

[ He has a perfect image in his mind—it's a memory. There's no need to drag that out. ]

Does your father here look like that, too?

Magatus

[dulynoted]

[ This was a terrible idea. Akira is going on the record with that. So he gives Goro a sidelong glance. ]

What do you think?

[ He sighs, shouldering his own bag. ]

So that's seven hours wasted.

[twostringsonebow]

[God.

They're supposed to be smart, aren't they? They're their father's sons, aren't they? No, this is an unavoidable tragedy, because there's no way they could've know. Magatus was nice and cool before...

... It just... isn't now.]

I'm sorry, Niisan. I thought it'd be... Well, the frozen terror it was before. There's no wolves or large hoofed animals now, which I'm thankful for, but now there's just sand and rocks.

[Huff. So much for showing off his dependability.]

[dulynoted]

[ Well, the asshole's dead so maybe being less like him is for the better.

As unimpressed at the turn of events as he is, Akira isn't going to blame it on Goro. Retrospec is known for making this difficult. So he shoulders shakes his head. ]

Let's just make the best of it. There's likely still something up here worth checking out.

[twostringsonebow]

At the very least, there'll probably be some unique activities.

[Like sandsurfing. That sounds fun. He'll head towards the lodge that's usually here, now turned into more of an air-conditioned heaven, and

oh my god they have lighter clothes available for those who came unprepared. Oh, there's probably some level of godhood out there. Like, it's the tacky Hawaiian flowers, but. There. Goro's taking a straw sunhat while he looks dubiously at the fashion left for those as punishment.]

It's better than dying, I suppose.

[dulynoted]

[ Better than dying. Is their dignity worth this?

Who are they kidding. Their family has been in the mob, they have seen their fare share of terrible, tacky clothes. Track suits. So many track suits.

He may be wearing a pink flamingo shirt but at least it's not a velvet track suit. ]

I'll take it.

[ He puts his sunglasses on. ]

Besides, any distance between us and them will be a welcome change, even if it's temporary.

less pleasant dream

[servileness]

[ As a kid, Clover is a good girl. No, even that young, Clover still really wants to be a good girl for her new family, so the most straightforward path is the way she wants to go.

She can't just ditch Goro, though. That's not what a good girl would do. ]

But home is that way. [ She points. ] What's wrong?

[twostringsonebow]

[Goro hesitates, playing with the hem of his shirt as he looks away.]

No..thing, Clo-chan. I just... want to take the longer way..?

[servileness]

[ Clover considers for a moment, and then she holds out a hand. ]

We can go the long way, if you tell me something. It doesn't have to be everything. Okay?

[ Is that a good compromise? ]

[twostringsonebow]

[He's quiet for a moment, then nods, taking her hand.]

That sounds fair. What is it?

[servileness]

[ She looks at their clasped hands and smiles as reassuringly as a child can. She starts leading him in the opposite direction of where home is. ]

What are you scared of?

a.ii

[compendiem]

[ The tired, lethargic Minato that Goro knows as an adult is even worse as a kid- physically, he looks like he shouldn't be outside at all, bandages wound up on one arm and mouth opening and closing as he gasps for breath despite not walking very fast at all. But he's a very amenable child, barely giving Goro a glance as he nods, sticking close to the other boy's side, gaze always always always pinned to the ground.

Tired, maybe, but arguing would just make him more so, so he would never put up a fight. Minako never led him wrong; he puts his faith in Goro to do the same. ]

[twostringsonebow]

[Goro glances at his slower friend, gently taking his arm to help him along.]

Sorry... I know you shouldn't be out longer than this, Mikkun, I'll try and find a place we can sit.

[Hopefully where his fears won't find him. A konbini, maybe, where they can escape the stuffy warmth of spring turning to summer and pretend they're normal kids.]

Tug me if you start feeling too badly, okay..?

[compendiem]

[ He shakes his head a little, which could mean anything from insisting he's not tired, to refusing an apology that isn't Goro's to make. But he doesn't elaborate, and the lack of expression on his face does little to help. It's only in these sorts of things that he's stubborn in, when he thinks he can get away with pretending he's just fine.

He does raise a hand though, palm flat to shield the one eye that isn't obscured by flat bangs: it's too sunny. Hot. It doesn't have to be indoors, but even the shade of a tree would be fine, for a few minutes. ]

[twostringsonebow]

[Okay. Okay, he can do that, they can find someplace cool and dark. Goro stays quiet as they walk, either comfortable with the silence between them or just relieved they're going a longer way, until they're offered refuge in the form of a sweets store on the side of the road, the colorful pinwheel spinning enough to look like a swirled lollipop.

He looks at Minato for a moment before leading him inside, immediately cooler and darker for the safety of the candy offered there. It doesn't seem like there's anyone around, and Goro lets go of Minato's arm to marvel at the kinds sitting in wooden containers lined with paper, glass roofing their delicate insides.]

Ah... There's so many of them... Mikkun, do you want some?