Recollé Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
recollecters) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
recolle2019-05-07 08:25 am
recollecters) wrote in recolle2019-05-07 08:25 am
(no subject)
EVENT
PREMISE • RULES • FAQ • TAKEN • RESERVES • APPLICATIONS
REGAINS • HIATUS/DROPS • PLOT SUBMISSIONS • CALENDAR • MOD CONTACT • NAV
REGAINS • HIATUS/DROPS • PLOT SUBMISSIONS • CALENDAR • MOD CONTACT • NAV
CONTENT WARNINGS:
Slight medical/body horror (optional needle usage/physical changes/ailments) in prompt 5
Slight medical/body horror (optional needle usage/physical changes/ailments) in prompt 5
Prologue.
It's been a quiet week in the city of Recollé. Nothing has been under attack, nobody's gone missing, and that mechanical eye abomination sits almost peacefully on top of city hall watching over everyone. It's hard to say if the machine is even powered on, but it appears to turn in one of the four cardinal directions each day. North, South, East, and then West. It repeats this pattern, but further investigation will reveal that the glass cover of the eye can't be broken and it seems to be projecting a thin beam of light leading to these directions. Should one follow the lights, they'll find that they lead straight to thick metal pipes buried beneath the ground, all leading straight to Peach Beach no matter which direction they run. Strange, isn't it? The pipes are cold to the touch but pulse under your hand...perhaps now isn't the time to meddle with them though.
Instead, a message comes in from the liaison on the evening of the 7th, just as promised.
For what it's worth, I think the eye is no longer dangerous but getting to the source of its brain is going to be a pain in the ass. Let's not antagonize it for now, but...we might need to split the ocean again.
I can't tell you what these numbers mean. They came to me, and I know they're important, but I don't know why. They're coordinates, so I trust you guys to prepare for a leap through time and do what needs to be done. I'll monitor things here, as usual.
07:07:2017
02:01:1917
05:25:1212
10:31:2015
03:21:1954
You can always plug in the current date and location to get back to where you need to be. That's our failsafe, but make sure you time your return just right. Good luck.
At first, plugging in any of these numbers doesn't seem to have any sort of effect. In fact, it feels as though you're standing in the very same spot and even the area around you appears to be the same. On the other hand, the moment you take a step forward you're pitched face-first into an invisible wall, stumbling out to a new location…
Well. Hope you were prepared for that.
It's been a quiet week in the city of Recollé. Nothing has been under attack, nobody's gone missing, and that mechanical eye abomination sits almost peacefully on top of city hall watching over everyone. It's hard to say if the machine is even powered on, but it appears to turn in one of the four cardinal directions each day. North, South, East, and then West. It repeats this pattern, but further investigation will reveal that the glass cover of the eye can't be broken and it seems to be projecting a thin beam of light leading to these directions. Should one follow the lights, they'll find that they lead straight to thick metal pipes buried beneath the ground, all leading straight to Peach Beach no matter which direction they run. Strange, isn't it? The pipes are cold to the touch but pulse under your hand...perhaps now isn't the time to meddle with them though.
Instead, a message comes in from the liaison on the evening of the 7th, just as promised.
For what it's worth, I think the eye is no longer dangerous but getting to the source of its brain is going to be a pain in the ass. Let's not antagonize it for now, but...we might need to split the ocean again.
I can't tell you what these numbers mean. They came to me, and I know they're important, but I don't know why. They're coordinates, so I trust you guys to prepare for a leap through time and do what needs to be done. I'll monitor things here, as usual.
07:07:2017
02:01:1917
05:25:1212
10:31:2015
03:21:1954
You can always plug in the current date and location to get back to where you need to be. That's our failsafe, but make sure you time your return just right. Good luck.
At first, plugging in any of these numbers doesn't seem to have any sort of effect. In fact, it feels as though you're standing in the very same spot and even the area around you appears to be the same. On the other hand, the moment you take a step forward you're pitched face-first into an invisible wall, stumbling out to a new location…
Well. Hope you were prepared for that.
I. The City of Recollé, July 2017
Some of you may recognize this place as the original Retrospec building, the place that once stood where Wiffle-Waffle now remains. Entering the building will show that the Retrospec Headquarters seem to be missing doors and hallways, an elevator permanently grounded to the bottom floor, and a receptionist's desk that's empty. However, lights wrap around the handrail of the staircase, inviting you to walk up toward the second floor. The doors from this floor are missing as well, but there's a door ajar as light streams from it. Pushing the door open reveals a young man in his early 20s, clad in jeans and a sweater vest as he's hunched over a laptop, rapidly typing up a document and steadily working through the reports on his desk. The room doesn't have much space to it, but books about biology and genetics are intermingled with notes about evolution and hybrid animals. Comic books and horror movies sit in a neat pile in a corner near a small TV, screen frozen on a large monster of some sort. A table in the back is home to a few fossilized items in jars, along with empty coffee cups and house plants. In another corner is a clothing rack with a handful of costumes and a sewing machine sits on the floor nearby. Tacked on the wall is a reminder of the dates of the Recollé ReConvention.
And as you enter, Maurice Fitzwilliam suddenly looks up from his laptop and narrows his eyes and asks one very specific question.
"What are you doing here?"
Some of you may recognize this place as the original Retrospec building, the place that once stood where Wiffle-Waffle now remains. Entering the building will show that the Retrospec Headquarters seem to be missing doors and hallways, an elevator permanently grounded to the bottom floor, and a receptionist's desk that's empty. However, lights wrap around the handrail of the staircase, inviting you to walk up toward the second floor. The doors from this floor are missing as well, but there's a door ajar as light streams from it. Pushing the door open reveals a young man in his early 20s, clad in jeans and a sweater vest as he's hunched over a laptop, rapidly typing up a document and steadily working through the reports on his desk. The room doesn't have much space to it, but books about biology and genetics are intermingled with notes about evolution and hybrid animals. Comic books and horror movies sit in a neat pile in a corner near a small TV, screen frozen on a large monster of some sort. A table in the back is home to a few fossilized items in jars, along with empty coffee cups and house plants. In another corner is a clothing rack with a handful of costumes and a sewing machine sits on the floor nearby. Tacked on the wall is a reminder of the dates of the Recollé ReConvention.
And as you enter, Maurice Fitzwilliam suddenly looks up from his laptop and narrows his eyes and asks one very specific question.
"What are you doing here?"
II. The City of Recollé, February 1917
The city of Recollé…though not as you would currently recognize it. The only identifying feature of this land is the miles and miles of peach trees alongside the ocean, the starting foundations for Peach Beach and the woods flanking the area. The land itself seems to be newly inhabited, buildings starting to rise up and foundations stabilized as the people around you are hard at work in making this city into a place that's inhabitable. For those brave enough to venture forward, they may find themselves drawn into the woods, following a path that's less clear-cut than previous paths. Trees grow with tangled roots and the grass is tall and thick. Creatures such as snakes and bears live in these woods and for those who aren't careful where they step, they may encounter these creatures. However, a little bit of walking and dedication will bring adventurers to a wall of thick, green vines and foliage. Hidden just behind the foliage is a door, seemingly brand new and a light peers out from this section of the rocks before you. Sharp eyes will realize that there's a small, familiar logo hidden in the paint of this door as well.
Modernized for the times, the interior of the bunker is clean and orderly. A receptionist desk with a typewriter and rotary phone sit in the lobby, and should one test the phone they'll find everything seems to be in working order. The room is a centralized hub, a narrow hallway leading to four doors with emblems of a wolf, a rabbit, a bear and a koi fish on each. The rooms themselves are locked, but at the very end of the hallway is a large meeting space. Voices can be heard and upon peering inside, one might notice that a door slides open in the wall as the four founders of the city slip through it, the secret passageway closing on its own.
Spread out on the table are several sheets of paper, many of which reflect diagrams of layers, maps of the city, and several contracts and guidelines mapped out. Most familiar, of course, is a contract about the Retrospec project itself:
Clarence Vanderweele, Georgia Mahoney, Phillip Spinnato and Myrtle Cavendish will embark on a venture to begin saving worlds that are being destroyed across the universe. They will organize rescue teams to scout various worlds and collect saplings of the universe left out and lost due to instability of their home worlds. These seeds will then be brought to a safe haven to foster and grow to preserve the worlds in order to rehabilitate, recreate and restructure a universe. Furthermore, the idea behind this project is to undergo the study of layers of the universe and how multiverse theory may be altered to create an offshoot of varying timelines, pull resources and expand the universe as we know it.
With jars of ink in all colors and quills scattered about, it's easy (and tempting, really) to fill in some of the blanks. The company appears to be outlining their objectives and policies and several ideas have been added and crossed out. What's one more? It's not as though they'll really notice, right?
The moment a rule is written, the paper before you seems to absorb it, a distinct, soft click heard from elsewhere as the door behind you locks.
A lone figure suddenly materializes before you. For some, it's a man with a scepter and for some it's a woman with an ancient tome. For others still it's a woman with a sword or even a man channeling a power sort of energy, blue lines faintly glowing in his hands.
No matter the figure you encounter, they all share the same goal. There's an intruder in their midst and they want you gone and away from their research. Enclosed in such a tight space, finding a way out may seem impossible especially as you're fending off someone else's attack. The man with the scepter seems to take on a melee style of combat while the lady knight moves with grace and artful swings of her weapon. Both of these beings can be disarmed with skill and time, and they'll allow you to pass peacefully.
The woman with the tome will attempt to use standard spells against her opponent, anything to disarm or put you at a disadvantage. Elemental spells seem to be her forte along with a range of telekinesis, making objects fight for her. Watch out for chairs, the table, glass objects and other decorations from this meeting room. The only way to defeat her is to remove the tome from her hands and find a spell to unveil the door. She, too, will then let you pass peacefully and even heal you of wounds you receive.
The man with the blue hands, however, won't let anyone escape that easily. Illusions, telepathy and reality-shifting are his strengths. The room will change as he sees fit, reflecting your most inner thoughts or darkest places, stripping you of weapons and utilizing these to defend himself. The best way to defeat him is by breaking through the illusion, but…what will you do when you have the man in captivity?
The choice is yours, Retrospecters. Will you alter history, or leave things as they are now?
The city of Recollé…though not as you would currently recognize it. The only identifying feature of this land is the miles and miles of peach trees alongside the ocean, the starting foundations for Peach Beach and the woods flanking the area. The land itself seems to be newly inhabited, buildings starting to rise up and foundations stabilized as the people around you are hard at work in making this city into a place that's inhabitable. For those brave enough to venture forward, they may find themselves drawn into the woods, following a path that's less clear-cut than previous paths. Trees grow with tangled roots and the grass is tall and thick. Creatures such as snakes and bears live in these woods and for those who aren't careful where they step, they may encounter these creatures. However, a little bit of walking and dedication will bring adventurers to a wall of thick, green vines and foliage. Hidden just behind the foliage is a door, seemingly brand new and a light peers out from this section of the rocks before you. Sharp eyes will realize that there's a small, familiar logo hidden in the paint of this door as well.
Modernized for the times, the interior of the bunker is clean and orderly. A receptionist desk with a typewriter and rotary phone sit in the lobby, and should one test the phone they'll find everything seems to be in working order. The room is a centralized hub, a narrow hallway leading to four doors with emblems of a wolf, a rabbit, a bear and a koi fish on each. The rooms themselves are locked, but at the very end of the hallway is a large meeting space. Voices can be heard and upon peering inside, one might notice that a door slides open in the wall as the four founders of the city slip through it, the secret passageway closing on its own.
Spread out on the table are several sheets of paper, many of which reflect diagrams of layers, maps of the city, and several contracts and guidelines mapped out. Most familiar, of course, is a contract about the Retrospec project itself:
Clarence Vanderweele, Georgia Mahoney, Phillip Spinnato and Myrtle Cavendish will embark on a venture to begin saving worlds that are being destroyed across the universe. They will organize rescue teams to scout various worlds and collect saplings of the universe left out and lost due to instability of their home worlds. These seeds will then be brought to a safe haven to foster and grow to preserve the worlds in order to rehabilitate, recreate and restructure a universe. Furthermore, the idea behind this project is to undergo the study of layers of the universe and how multiverse theory may be altered to create an offshoot of varying timelines, pull resources and expand the universe as we know it.
With jars of ink in all colors and quills scattered about, it's easy (and tempting, really) to fill in some of the blanks. The company appears to be outlining their objectives and policies and several ideas have been added and crossed out. What's one more? It's not as though they'll really notice, right?
The moment a rule is written, the paper before you seems to absorb it, a distinct, soft click heard from elsewhere as the door behind you locks.
A lone figure suddenly materializes before you. For some, it's a man with a scepter and for some it's a woman with an ancient tome. For others still it's a woman with a sword or even a man channeling a power sort of energy, blue lines faintly glowing in his hands.
No matter the figure you encounter, they all share the same goal. There's an intruder in their midst and they want you gone and away from their research. Enclosed in such a tight space, finding a way out may seem impossible especially as you're fending off someone else's attack. The man with the scepter seems to take on a melee style of combat while the lady knight moves with grace and artful swings of her weapon. Both of these beings can be disarmed with skill and time, and they'll allow you to pass peacefully.
The woman with the tome will attempt to use standard spells against her opponent, anything to disarm or put you at a disadvantage. Elemental spells seem to be her forte along with a range of telekinesis, making objects fight for her. Watch out for chairs, the table, glass objects and other decorations from this meeting room. The only way to defeat her is to remove the tome from her hands and find a spell to unveil the door. She, too, will then let you pass peacefully and even heal you of wounds you receive.
The man with the blue hands, however, won't let anyone escape that easily. Illusions, telepathy and reality-shifting are his strengths. The room will change as he sees fit, reflecting your most inner thoughts or darkest places, stripping you of weapons and utilizing these to defend himself. The best way to defeat him is by breaking through the illusion, but…what will you do when you have the man in captivity?
The choice is yours, Retrospecters. Will you alter history, or leave things as they are now?
III. Odryria, May 1212
The planet you've arrived on seems to be in disarray. What once was a prosperous city with tall skyscrapers and natural streams flowing through and beautiful mountains in the distance has turned into a place where crops have burned and buildings have crumbled, plumes of smoke billow up and away from the ground below. Several flying machines streak across the sky, metal falling apart and crashing down with little warning. Mixed among the smoke are colored wisps, similar to the soul energy several of you have become familiar with. As each new citizen of this world runs and fights, preparing themselves for battle and to help stabilize their world, it becomes clear this is a losing fight as residents succumb to the damages, bodies disappearing and soul energy drifting up aimlessly to be lost forever.
Among the wreckage a mighty roar can be heard, and should you look up you'll find a majestic lioness running through the streets, a young woman clad in jeans, an old t-shirt, a worn leather jacket and sword in hand atop her back. It's hard to recognize her from afar, but some may come to realize this woman is Wendy Guo calling the shots and giving instructions to soldiers on the ground. The sphinx that she's riding seems agitated, large tail swishing and knocking out enemy forces in the air. The enemies in question are relentless, diving down on their prey and swiping to pull the souls out from their bodies, releasing them and tainting them.
Upon spotting a newcomer, however, Wendy and Surina the sphinx come to a halt and peer down at those standing to the side, eyes narrowed before Wendy speaks.
"What are you standing around for? The world's going to shit. Come see me about your assignment when you're ready!"
The planet you've arrived on seems to be in disarray. What once was a prosperous city with tall skyscrapers and natural streams flowing through and beautiful mountains in the distance has turned into a place where crops have burned and buildings have crumbled, plumes of smoke billow up and away from the ground below. Several flying machines streak across the sky, metal falling apart and crashing down with little warning. Mixed among the smoke are colored wisps, similar to the soul energy several of you have become familiar with. As each new citizen of this world runs and fights, preparing themselves for battle and to help stabilize their world, it becomes clear this is a losing fight as residents succumb to the damages, bodies disappearing and soul energy drifting up aimlessly to be lost forever.
Among the wreckage a mighty roar can be heard, and should you look up you'll find a majestic lioness running through the streets, a young woman clad in jeans, an old t-shirt, a worn leather jacket and sword in hand atop her back. It's hard to recognize her from afar, but some may come to realize this woman is Wendy Guo calling the shots and giving instructions to soldiers on the ground. The sphinx that she's riding seems agitated, large tail swishing and knocking out enemy forces in the air. The enemies in question are relentless, diving down on their prey and swiping to pull the souls out from their bodies, releasing them and tainting them.
Upon spotting a newcomer, however, Wendy and Surina the sphinx come to a halt and peer down at those standing to the side, eyes narrowed before Wendy speaks.
"What are you standing around for? The world's going to shit. Come see me about your assignment when you're ready!"
IV. The City of Recollé, October 2015
An empty classroom on the Recollé University campus is where this coordinate leads, and a quick glance at the calendar gives you an idea that it's Halloween. This particular classroom is decorated with appropriately spooky decor and the atmosphere is quiet. Standing at the front of the room, however, is a young man with brown hair and a lithe, almost scrawny figure. He's standing in front of a white board and appears to be writing fragments of information across the surface.
Missing persons articles are tacked up on a bulletin board next to the white board, all connected together by an array of red string, lines drawn together in a seemingly haphazard pattern. Stacks of psychology books sit on the edge of the teacher's desk and on top of those books appears to be a résumé for one Zachariah Carlisle. He doesn't turn to face whomever has appeared in this time, but as you draw closer it becomes clear that the fragments on the board are lists of the series of events from the last two and a half years of your timeline, beginning with a date four months into this timeline's future. A hand reaches up and the figure before you writes your name on the board, along with a few brief facts about you before he turns, capping the marker and folding his arms over his chest.
"I can't tell if you're early or if you're late, but the future's kind of messed up, isn't it? How can I help?"
An empty classroom on the Recollé University campus is where this coordinate leads, and a quick glance at the calendar gives you an idea that it's Halloween. This particular classroom is decorated with appropriately spooky decor and the atmosphere is quiet. Standing at the front of the room, however, is a young man with brown hair and a lithe, almost scrawny figure. He's standing in front of a white board and appears to be writing fragments of information across the surface.
Missing persons articles are tacked up on a bulletin board next to the white board, all connected together by an array of red string, lines drawn together in a seemingly haphazard pattern. Stacks of psychology books sit on the edge of the teacher's desk and on top of those books appears to be a résumé for one Zachariah Carlisle. He doesn't turn to face whomever has appeared in this time, but as you draw closer it becomes clear that the fragments on the board are lists of the series of events from the last two and a half years of your timeline, beginning with a date four months into this timeline's future. A hand reaches up and the figure before you writes your name on the board, along with a few brief facts about you before he turns, capping the marker and folding his arms over his chest.
"I can't tell if you're early or if you're late, but the future's kind of messed up, isn't it? How can I help?"
V. The Lab of James Halliday, March 1954
Appearing in a waiting room, anyone who finds themselves utilizing these coordinates will be asked to sign in and provide their information for the doctor. There doesn't appear to be an exit to the waiting room, simply a hallway leading north and two halls leading east and west. The lab itself smells sterile and clean, white lights hanging from above as the receptionist (a young woman named Abigail, it seems) appears to be waiting for you to fill out your paperwork.
The turnaround time is almost instantaneous as you're ushered back into an examination room. The nurse is chatty and bubbly as she takes your vitals, writing down information as needed. While the nurse won't actually answer any of your questions about this place, she'll ask about your medical history. Regardless of your answer, she'll assure you of one thing.
"Dr. Halliday will take care of you, honey. Just relax. This will only hurt for a minute."
A prick to your skin is the last thing you feel as your eyes drift closed, an overwhelming sleepiness taking over as you fall into darkness.
The next time you awaken it's in an operating room and a young doctor's shining a flashlight into your eyes. Brown eyes peer at you inquisitively, and Dr. Halliday hums before turning back to his wall of specimens and vials of potions. Jars of half-formed creatures glow a sickly sort of green, all labeled with names such as "chimera" or "harpy" or "minotaur." There's another set of jars labeled names such as "Jet", "Rebecca" and "Dylan." Microscopes, petri dishes and several scalpels await on various tables in the room and the doctor hums again before he taps his finger to his chin.
"I believe I'd like to pick your brain for a moment. Just a moment! It's simply for research, you see." With a grand flourish, the doctor gestures to a computer in the corner along with several case files and notebooks of research. "To create the perfect hybrid…years of research will have to go into this, but gathering as much data as possible will help. These tests are quite simple." The doctor reaches over, opening a case of syringes and medical tools.
"We'll start with this one."
While it's possible to dodge the doctor, some of you may not be so quick and will feel another pinch, the effects of the syringe setting in almost seamlessly. Even if your mind becomes hazy, one thing is certain. You should probably get out of here, and quickly. Unfortunately for you, you'll have to find a space that your phone's signal will pick up and allow you to access the Retrospec app. It's a race against time and the orderlies in the lab approaching you, ready to strap you down for more research. The doctor's research is spread throughout the lab in the three separate operating rooms and three separate examination rooms, and upon further investigation it seems as though you (and whoever you came with) are on your own to find a way out.
Think fast; will you save yourselves, or will you try to obtain more information and stop this operation for good?
Appearing in a waiting room, anyone who finds themselves utilizing these coordinates will be asked to sign in and provide their information for the doctor. There doesn't appear to be an exit to the waiting room, simply a hallway leading north and two halls leading east and west. The lab itself smells sterile and clean, white lights hanging from above as the receptionist (a young woman named Abigail, it seems) appears to be waiting for you to fill out your paperwork.
The turnaround time is almost instantaneous as you're ushered back into an examination room. The nurse is chatty and bubbly as she takes your vitals, writing down information as needed. While the nurse won't actually answer any of your questions about this place, she'll ask about your medical history. Regardless of your answer, she'll assure you of one thing.
"Dr. Halliday will take care of you, honey. Just relax. This will only hurt for a minute."
A prick to your skin is the last thing you feel as your eyes drift closed, an overwhelming sleepiness taking over as you fall into darkness.
The next time you awaken it's in an operating room and a young doctor's shining a flashlight into your eyes. Brown eyes peer at you inquisitively, and Dr. Halliday hums before turning back to his wall of specimens and vials of potions. Jars of half-formed creatures glow a sickly sort of green, all labeled with names such as "chimera" or "harpy" or "minotaur." There's another set of jars labeled names such as "Jet", "Rebecca" and "Dylan." Microscopes, petri dishes and several scalpels await on various tables in the room and the doctor hums again before he taps his finger to his chin.
"I believe I'd like to pick your brain for a moment. Just a moment! It's simply for research, you see." With a grand flourish, the doctor gestures to a computer in the corner along with several case files and notebooks of research. "To create the perfect hybrid…years of research will have to go into this, but gathering as much data as possible will help. These tests are quite simple." The doctor reaches over, opening a case of syringes and medical tools.
"We'll start with this one."
While it's possible to dodge the doctor, some of you may not be so quick and will feel another pinch, the effects of the syringe setting in almost seamlessly. Even if your mind becomes hazy, one thing is certain. You should probably get out of here, and quickly. Unfortunately for you, you'll have to find a space that your phone's signal will pick up and allow you to access the Retrospec app. It's a race against time and the orderlies in the lab approaching you, ready to strap you down for more research. The doctor's research is spread throughout the lab in the three separate operating rooms and three separate examination rooms, and upon further investigation it seems as though you (and whoever you came with) are on your own to find a way out.
Think fast; will you save yourselves, or will you try to obtain more information and stop this operation for good?
VI. ??????
Perhaps you're the type to take matters into your own hands, or maybe you're simply curious. It seems as though the timeline-hopping portion of the Retrospec application allows users to input their own information, giving you the option to type in a place and a time of your own. Unlike the other coordinates, however, the moment you shift to this new time a countdown timer appears.
One hour. You have one hour to see your past or your future history, what could possibly happen in this timeline and what may be waiting for you. While this may seem like a wonderful opportunity, do take care…even the slightest change in your timeline may impact the world at large.
Are you the kind who wishes to study the dinosaurs up close? Or maybe you just want to go backwards to cram in extra studying for your finals. There doesn't seem to be a limit on locations, and the application appears to be programmed to understand regardless of how obscure it seems.
Take your time exploring, adventurers. You may learn something new.
Perhaps you're the type to take matters into your own hands, or maybe you're simply curious. It seems as though the timeline-hopping portion of the Retrospec application allows users to input their own information, giving you the option to type in a place and a time of your own. Unlike the other coordinates, however, the moment you shift to this new time a countdown timer appears.
One hour. You have one hour to see your past or your future history, what could possibly happen in this timeline and what may be waiting for you. While this may seem like a wonderful opportunity, do take care…even the slightest change in your timeline may impact the world at large.
Are you the kind who wishes to study the dinosaurs up close? Or maybe you just want to go backwards to cram in extra studying for your finals. There doesn't seem to be a limit on locations, and the application appears to be programmed to understand regardless of how obscure it seems.
Take your time exploring, adventurers. You may learn something new.
NOTES.
Welcome torecolle's May event log!
A few notes about the prompts for this one:
Prompt II: You are free to NPC your own fights with the Founders! They will not speak, but you may use their styles of fighting to create your own scenarios and decide if your characters win or not. If you'd like to encounter Vanderweele and try to defeat him, please see the comment linked in prompt II.
Prompt III: Likewise, you are free to NPC your own fights with the flying creatures on this planet if you don't want an assignment from Wendy. These creatures are fairly ruthless and will attempt to tear people apart to steal their soul energy but they will turn into dust once defeated. Likewise, you may explore the city of this planet itself. Strangely, it's similar to Recollé.
Prompt V: You may also NPC your own routes and encounters in the lab. Orderlies will attempt to chase characters down to strap to tables and continue running experiments, and characters will come across several jars of specimens and research, but the exit can be found in the northmost hallway to make the jump back.
You can claim three freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread involving a jump to another time. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread engaging with something in the time jump whether that's writing out a new rule, helping with the battle, speaking to an npc or etc. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for exploring their own coordinates. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
Finally, 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 additional information as well!
Welcome to
recolle's May event log!A few notes about the prompts for this one:
Prompt II: You are free to NPC your own fights with the Founders! They will not speak, but you may use their styles of fighting to create your own scenarios and decide if your characters win or not. If you'd like to encounter Vanderweele and try to defeat him, please see the comment linked in prompt II.
Prompt III: Likewise, you are free to NPC your own fights with the flying creatures on this planet if you don't want an assignment from Wendy. These creatures are fairly ruthless and will attempt to tear people apart to steal their soul energy but they will turn into dust once defeated. Likewise, you may explore the city of this planet itself. Strangely, it's similar to Recollé.
Prompt V: You may also NPC your own routes and encounters in the lab. Orderlies will attempt to chase characters down to strap to tables and continue running experiments, and characters will come across several jars of specimens and research, but the exit can be found in the northmost hallway to make the jump back.
You can claim three freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread involving a jump to another time. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for a thread engaging with something in the time jump whether that's writing out a new rule, helping with the battle, speaking to an npc or etc. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie for exploring their own coordinates. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
Finally, 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 additional information as well!
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"She just came out to her parents," Anna says, her lips barely moving. She only recognizes this person from icons on the app, and even then just barely, but it's enough to know that he's on the app and isn't actually someone who moved into her hometown while she was gone. Nine years ago. Whatever. Time travel is terrible.
"They didn't take it great." No shit.
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Cold comfort as it may be, Malik is also the last person to put any degree of faith in parent-child relationships. This situation could almost be relatable, maybe, had he gone back to his own childhood and changed things. But he didn't. So he's still emotionally distant from the situation, but surprisingly (even to himself) he has some understanding of what a shitty position the girl is in.
"So you're just going to watch and wallow in your own self pity?"
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She doesn't look robotic, so that's definitely a weird turn of phrase. She also asked that question a little too loudly for her liking, so she brings her voice back down and grips the edge of the bench to control herself and get some of that energy out. "I don't want to fuck with things. I shouldn't even be here." And yet she is.
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He's not going to pretend he can deduce why; he doesn't know her. Her personality type, if she dwells on these things or ignores them to cope like he does. He doesn't even know her damn name, so it's not like he's going to pretend he can dispense any sort of advice.
Her commentary, even for as weirdly specific as it is, doesn't get him to bat an eye. They're all a bunch of weirdos on the app, so that just means that her verbal means something to her. It doesn't really matter right now, although he does file that little trivial bit away just in case it matters later.
"It's a pretty sad excuse for whatever it is that you want to do."
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"What do you even say to your younger self?" she asks, not turning her head away but at least trying to make it not obvious that she's staring. The girl's wiping at her eyes anyway. "You see the fucking thinkpieces all the time but nobody ever thinks it could happen." Because it shouldn't. Because none of this is normal anymore.
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Anna has a point, and Malik's question is an answer in and of itself: He's too stubborn and self-absorbed to care about what some crazy, self-proclaimed "future self" would have to say. Unfortunately, he also lacks enough awareness to realize this.
A shrug, and he continues, "Just tell her what she wants to hear. Or don't. It's really up to you... Or go behind her back and talk to her parents instead, if they're the problem. You know how this plays out. I don't."
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This is difficult. Because he's right, too, or at least he has a point. Was she just here to watch herself be sad? She can be sad plenty on her own time. Doesn't she have something she wants to do here?
"I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought my family would be on board. But I think right now I just wanted someone to prove to me that things were going to turn out okay." She could keep navel-gazing, but it's getting harder to sit idly by. In a moment or two, the girl will be all cried out, and she's going to make her way back to the terminal to start the trip back into the city again.
Oh, shit, she'll be coming to them. Anna fucked up; her eye opens wider. She needs to figure out an answer fast.
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He's also bitter, and can't empathize very well with others, if at all. So he's pretty curt with his words, "If your family doesn't care, you shouldn't either. You weren't going to win their approval if they already had a different idea of how you should be."
Unbothered and unsympathetic, sure. Yet he still continues after a brief pause: "Some people shouldn't be parents, and they are. Then they take it out on you when you aren't the kid they want. Happens all the time."
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"Preaching to the choir, dude. I've got a little sister who's on her way back from work right now. Spent a solid eight years telling myself that I was the burner kid and they could do it better with her."
She shakes her head, then pushes herself to her feet. "But she's not part of the choir yet. You feel like using some of that winning charisma to help convince a crying kid that this ain't her fault?"
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"I suppose I can try, but given that even you aren't listening... I can't guarantee results."
He takes a seat on the bench, as far as he comfortably can from Anna.
"But if you want me to help, I expect something in return. We can discuss details later... Tell me anything else I need to know about her, first."
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"Well, let's see. Right now she only just found out she's gay, she's dropping out of a history program that more or less guaranteed her a full ride at RU because it isn't what she wants to do, her dad is super pissed and her mom isn't much happier, and she wants to fall into a hole with her girlfriend and die there."
She glances over, turning her head a little more than necessary so she can see him out the corner of her good eye. "Anything else you need?"
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Although he couldn't directly relate, Malik does feel the tiniest twinge of sympathy. He hasn't told a soul about his own interest in the same sex, specifically so he can avoid any meltdowns. He doesn't need to paint yet another target on himself, or give others more reasons to hate him. He refuses to be vulnerable like that.
So, this'll be fun, when he no doubt projects his own issues onto Anna under the guise of attempting to be helpful. God, or worse, attempting to actually sympathize with another person. He doesn't think like that though, focused more on the end goal, wherein he gets something out of this endeavor.
"Are you just going to sit there and watch me do all the work?" He doesn't look at her, but he can feel her eye on him.
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The younger Anna, pre-robot, pre-more or less everything, she's sniffling and breathing with difficulty through lips that she already knows are gonna chap, but who the fuck cares. Who cares about anything right now? Her family... disowned her, she can't go back, she can't even say goodbye to her sister... god, and Rose is gonna kill her. Or maybe not. Who knows. It doesn't fucking matter.
She wants to not be here. She wants to fall into a pit and die, or maybe only crawl back out of it when she can stop hearing her dad's voice in her head. It's repeating, it's... she's... it's not stopping, why can't she stop thinking about him calling her that, stop you stupid fucking brain who do you even listen to, and she stomps her feet a couple times like it's actually going to do anything.
Like she's alone here and people are just gonna ignore that. Which they goddamn well should.
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"Do you need help?"
His tone is softer, betraying how he feels and honestly, how he looks. Because he looks like the kind of guy that sells weed to middle schoolers behind Denny's and, it's for that reason that he keeps a careful distance. He may lack awareness on multiple levels, but he at least knows that a sketchy looking dude approaching a vulnerable young woman is not a good look for anyone.
The question is vague on purpose, once again trying to get a feel for Anna's character. This one seems like it'll be a bit easier, if only because the current Anna - older Anna - gave him the framework. And he also just watched part of her meltdown across the street and, well, only certain kinds of people are prone to that. It's the little things he watches for, like those petulant foot stomps. She kinda reminds him of himself, in a weird way, but he pushes that thought aside.
He wonders why he's even bothering to help; he wants a reward, and he wants to be able to rely on favors, but he's grown so bitter and misanthropic when it comes to other Retrospecers, having been burned so many times before. But he's still here, trying to not come across as threatening, because it's not like he really has anywhere else to go or anything to do. At least, that's what he's telling himself.
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"What tipped you off?" she asks, trying to be... dry about it. Trying to maintain composure. She's still hurt, but she's not completely closed off yet. "You see a lot of crying girls around here?" Her father's voice is still ringing in her head on repeat, his accent thick, his tone furious. One word, four letters. And it replaces "girl" in her head before she corrects herself.
She's still not making eye contact and her fists are starting to ball up. Not out of—well, out of anger, yes, but not at him, at least. Rather than waiting for a reply to her sarcasm, she actually offers something. "If you can't pull my dad's head out of his own ass then I don't know what you can do."
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If he tries, maybe he can be a little charismatic, but it's not something that people typically get to see, instead being met with bitterness and rage. It's a weird feeling, not being mad about something, and not talking about himself.
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"Or you could call him a fucking asshole who thinks he knows what's best for me just because he and my mom fucked 19 years ago." How many holds are barred here? That's right. None of them. "He doesn't want me anymore, fine. Let's see how he likes it when he only has one daughter."
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His tone stays even, though he loses some of his animated bounciness as he talks.
"I know it sucks, but it'd suck more if you stuck around trying to be someone you aren't. Then, you grow to resent them, your relationship dissolves anyway, and maybe you drive a knife into their back. I don't know. But as I said... It's better to leave. Spare yourself the drama and complications."
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"I'm not their toy soldier," she says, and she ignores the white-haired woman shifting uncomfortably at the corner of her vision. "I'm gonna have the best life I can with my girlfriend. I'm gonna drop out of school and do what I want and they're just gonna have to deal with never being a part of it." And despite herself, there's the tiniest hint of vindication in the smile that cautiously crosses her lips. "And maybe I'll come back here one day and shove it in their faces. Let them see how much I didn't need them after all."
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"Make them jealous of how happy you are, and you get to control the situation. Turn the tables on them... Give them a taste of their own medicine."
It'd be a lie to say that he isn't delighting in being an enabler. He's usually on the receiving end, or tries to be, to justify the things that he does. His grin is sly, catlike, as he imagines coaxing others into taking the bait. Feeling vengeful and destructive and pissed off, like he has for years.
"If nothing else, maybe you should vent all those feelings they made you repress. It'll make you feel better."
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She looks up at him and her nose is stuffed and her eyes are red and she knows she's going to look like hell on this bus back to the city, but she's. He's validating her. So she can probably trust him at least a little bit.
"I'm gonna go back to the city and be the biggest dyke my dad's ever seen," she says, that vindication still thick in her throat. "I don't need to do everything they fucking want me to do. I don't like history. I don't want to learn about... who fought who and strategies and battles and all of this bullshit! I don't need it! When is it ever going to do anything to help me in my life?"
Anna, the grown-up one, turns her head to the side, away from them, while her younger counterpart continues. "Am I going to lead a... a battalion? Am I going to need to know about the horns of the Zulu or who Ramses the Great fought against? And we don't even live in Germany anymore! Why the fuck does any of it matter?"
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He plops back down on the bench, starting to finally feel his edge soften. Is this what it's like to have a normal (normalish?) conversation with someone? Is this how people talk to one another?
"--Whatever that means. Kissing girls in front of your dad, I suppose." An awkward pause, then: "Or not. I'm not sure how girls handle those sorts of things."
I.E., being a big gay lesbian. Malik is too skittish to use the d word. He's not all about social justice, but he's familiar with using self-deprecating slurs towards himself that he wouldn't want anyone else to call him.
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Younger Anna is kind of plowing through, though. "I'm not gonna. He doesn't get to see that. He never wants to see me again anyway and it's fucking mutual. I'm just gonna... I'm gonna be with Rose and we're gonna be happy together and he'll have to start calling me Anna Geteilt because I'm definitely not keeping his fucking name." But if they're never going to see each other again—nope, not important.
"All I need to know is how to survive. And I'm good at that. I can figure everything out without him." She won't be so bold as to say she doesn't need anybody, but. "God. This is..." There's a thick cough and a sniffle, but she's practically grinning once she recovers. "This kicks the ass of sitting there crying. Do you let people bitch at you like this all the time?"
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says parents with a tone that implies the use of air quotes, if using air quotes wasn't totally passé -- "And I know what it's like to never be the kind of kid that they want."
It hurts. Even as much as he tries to tell himself that it doesn't - Screw all of them! He doesn't need anybody! - it still stings to never be considered worthy enough to have the privilege of having someone to care, or worse, to have the negatives of what he is and is not dragged out and used against him. Bad kid, troublemaker, delinquent, criminal. He fidgets, straightens his posture. Totally unaffected.
"So I think I have an idea of how it feels to be in your position."
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Younger Anna is more surprised that he really does know what she's talking about. "Maybe Beth can do better. They love her more anyway. She won't disappoint them," not that Anna's worried about it anymore, "And who the fuck knows, maybe they won't be as hard on her. Or maybe they will! Who fucking cares. I'm done with this family." She pauses. What he's saying seems to actually hit her.
"So being out on your own is going okay, though?"
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