JULY EVENT LOG

[recollecters]

EVENT

SURF AND SUN With the peak of summer upon the city of Recollé, many people are enjoying some time off to soak up the sun and hit the beach. Pops of green and blue sprinkle the city again though many people don't notice at all. Citizens remain as content as ever, complimenting one-another on their new tank-tops or asking for recommendations of the best ice cream flavors. It's almost as if there's really nothing strange going on here. I. It's a pattern at this point. Those who have been a part of the Retrospec network for long enough have noticed that strange things usually begin on the third of any given month and perhaps some of you may be expecting it. But this time on the morning of the third, everything seems alarmingly normal. Speaking of alarms, yours seems to be going off. "But I didn't set an alarm, it's summer", you might say, but it sounds strangely like the "wark!" of a Chocobo repeatedly. Some of you are able to turn off your alarms just fine, but others may not be so lucky. For a few selected citizens, disabling the alarm reveals a special pop-up notification from your friends at Retrospec. A short message appears: B-I-N-G-O! Looking to collect some of your memories? Ready, set, go. The message quickly dissolves and reveals an electronic 5x5 digital bingo card, each square filled in with an activity to complete. At the center is a prompt that hits almost a little too close to home, whether that be something you would do yourself or challenging you just a little to complete it. Shimmering just under the words of the center prompt, you can barely make out what appears to be a QR code before it promptly disappears. Wait. Perhaps you may recall that someone once mentioned QR codes. Or maybe you're still learning how this network works and you're uncertain what it all means. There's only one way to find out, isn't there? Grab a friend (or even a stranger) and get ready to play in all districts of your beloved city. Then again, maybe you really did get lucky and you weren't saddled with one of these cards, or perhaps you're the type to ignore silly games like this. There's plenty happening in the city elsewhere as everyone prepares for the big Fourth of July celebration. Tisse and Chata are bustling with people stocking up and hosting sales, not at all unlike the Founder's Day celebration. Everywhere you turn you may find yourself face to face with people offering samples or tempting you with the best deals around. Are you a shopper today? Or are you one of the employees counting down the minutes until your shift ends? It's just another day in the city of Recollé. II. Even though it's the middle of the summer, it's unusually warm for this time of year. A heatwave rolls through the city, but for some of you it's getting hotter than ever. It may be an ordinary day for you when it happens. Perhaps you're a student who's trying to enjoy their summer vacation. Maybe you're cramped up in an office all day desperately trying to soak in the air conditioning, or maybe you're running around trying to fill your bingo prompts. There's no telling where you will be when you come to realize a small item has made its way into your pocket or bag. Upon inspection, you find a blue-colored fortune cookie, glowing as bright as the Retrospec logo. Some of you may throw it away, while others of you may accidentally break it or even open it out of curiosity. The moment the cookie is cracked, the glow stops and a puff of smoke emits into the air leaving behind a singular white strip of paper. A short message: "Learn to walk a mile in someone else's shoes." The heat intensifies for those who have read the fortune before a cool, calming breeze floats over you. Like the crash of a wave, you soon find yourself overwhelmed with a memory that isn't your own, or the feeling of power courses through your veins, the wind whispering a message of a power or memory obtained . Will you seek out who these memories and abilities belong to? Or will you keep them for yourself for a while? There's only one way to change back to the way you were, even if you don't know it just yet. Yet even for those who aren't blessed with this fortune the heat's proving to be a bit much. The sun beats down intensely and everywhere you turn there are shops handing out cups of water to help keep everyone hydrated. There are several places you can duck into to borrow their AC, but all around the same time at 8pm on the 3rd, a rolling blackout hits the city. The lights go down and the air units stop working. It begins to have the effect of being cooler outside than it is inside (which you recognize as strange, but with the gray sky overhead it's hard to tell if this means rain or another sunset) and you feel the urge to go outside. That's when it happens. As if on cue, the crickets begin to chirp and cicadas make their presence known. Fireflies begin to pop up in little groups, swirling around Retrospec users in synchronicity. Those off-network will remark how beautiful the bright creatures are, but don't find this behavior strange at all. However, the fireflies will follow users around the city all night long. Will you focus on bringing the power back like you may have once before? Or will you enjoy the show? The fireflies will be with you no matter the choice. III. Down at Peach Beach a celebration's set up to take place over the course of the next two days. A stage sits on the sandy beach to host a variety of musical acts (including a few open mic hours) and food trucks are parked along the walkway. Some of you may notice that thanks to the fiasco during the food truck rally, several of the trucks have been stopped with parking boots. The boardwalk has a variety of games and specials to offer as well, fun prizes for anyone who plays along, buckets and pails prime for the taking to build sand castles and several carts selling Recollé's famous Peach Beach popsicles and ice cream parked along the docks. Best of all, the sun is high and the water's fine, the scent of the gray ocean wafts toward the sand. However, for those who venture into the gray ocean you may notice that it takes a little longer than usual to cross the sand to the water, the distance stretching before you. The water's clear as ever and refreshing from the sun, though the waves appear choppier than you recall from the past. Perhaps that doesn't bother you. Perhaps you're a great swimmer or you tell yourself the waves aren't nearly as intimidating as they look. Several citizens are out there surfing and sailing. How bad can it be? Do be careful if you venture further and further from the shore though; after a certain point far enough from the shore, adventurers may find themselves face to face with large, unidentifiable shadows under the water, a slick slide of something brushing against limbs in a gentle caress before the shadows retreat. Walking further will reveal a drastic dip in the ocean floor and you may sink under, the water strangely clear for being gray. Whatever touched you swims out of sight before you can get a close look, but it's clear its multiple fins and limbs propel itself forward and away. Following it seems to be futile. The waves grow rougher and should you travel too far, the water will carry you back to the shore almost as if it's protecting you from harm. Weird, isn't it? IV. But life goes on even aside from the weird ongoings of Retrospec. Life goes on, the world keeps turning, and the mayor still loves holidays. The Fourth of July is no exception and the city is bustling with activity. Much like the day prior, the shopping district and the beach seem to be where many residents gather. Several others enjoy the day in Hollingberry field with friends and family, barbecuing and playing games together. Those with bingo cards will receive another sound of alarm, a startled wark! from their device before there is a flash revealing that one day has gone by since the game began. Those who harbor a power or memory that isn't their own feel the impact a little more heavily, urging them to find their match. However, the world seems to stop as dusk settles around the city. Citizens hustle and scramble to pick the best viewing points for the annual fireworks show. Street vendors sell glow rings and popcorn and sparklers for anyone who wishes to play with the lights. The Mayor sits atop Seabiscuit in Recollé Square with an ice cream cone in hand, anticipating the time the bursts of color will appear. At 9pm sharp, the first boom begins. Displayed across the sky appears the history of the city in pops of shimmering color, pictures painted across the dark tapestry above among the stars. With most of the city distracted though, now may be the perfect time to do some last-minute sale shopping or cross off a few things on your lists without question. It may even be the perfect time to sneak away from the crowds and get up to some mischief. BONUS. It's quiet around the Retrospec building, but the doors unlock for anyone who ventures toward them. They have been locked tight since the first part of May, but you can't help but observe that this seems to happen periodically. A pattern? Maybe, but who are you to look a gift Chocobo in the mouth? For those brave enough to enter the building, they will find that rooms that were previously accessible are no longer available. Doors are missing, the elevator refuses to work, and the secretary's desk appears to be as clear of evidence as always. However, soft lights adorn the handrail of the stairs beckoning characters toward the second floor. There appears to be only one room upstairs and the door is ajar. Is it a trap? Possibly, but further investigation shows that it was simply a careless action. Inside this room is another desk, a laptop seated on its table-top and the room itself not much bigger than a walk-in closet. Scattered around are books on biology and genetics, 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. What is all of this? A note on the desk reveals that all of this belongs to someone named Maurice and that "he better work harder or he will not receive his school credit." But what's an intern doing with all of this research? What a great question. Welcome to recolle's July event! All characters will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. You may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own based on the ongoings of the city! Prompts do not have to be set in the districts listed above. You can review our list of locations for what's available and be as creative as you'd like. As a note, while you are more than free to use this log to play with the bingo cards and regains swap these are in effect all month! You are free to make your own posts all month long as well and these will qualify for your bingo cards. With regards to the regains swap, as per our notes how your characters switch back is up to you! This could be anything from a hug, a synchronized dance, a duel, etc. Be creative! There is no right or wrong answer. Please see our monthly plotting post/event sign-ups posts here and here. Any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here.

Comments

[splinten]

Nagging you? You said I've been gungho about it.

[parodeity]

You've been gungho about the opposite.

[ so. ]

I'll slap you if it makes you feel better, though.

[splinten]

[...]

I thought you wanted me to like. Work on the opposite.

[parodeity]

I already told you what I thought about that.

[ ... ]

I'm serious about the slappin' offer though.

[ look, he has a bingo card and he needs to slap someone. ]

[splinten]

You said it made you feel like you weren't an equal.

[...]

Go for it.

[GO AHEAD AND SLAP HIM, DAVE. Get bingo.]

[parodeity]

That wasn't what I meant.

[ or dirk took it to far, or something, but he doesn't explain. he just tugs his shirt sleeve down over his hand before like. lightly slapping dirk on the cheek.

why he felt the need to not make actual contact is a Mystery. ]

[splinten]

[It's a light slap so it's fine. But he definitely recognizes that no physical contact is being given.]

What did you mean?

[parodeity]

[ apparently dave meant it when he said he wasn't in the mood to be touched. he clasps his hands in his lap, his left thumb absently running over his right palm again and again in a monotonously soothing motion. ]

It doesn't really matter. It makes it easier if you're doin' that.

[splinten]

It matters to me. A lot.

[Dirk wants to comfort him. Dirk wants to hold him, and comfort him like they always used to.]

[parodeity]

I already told you once, you just didn't listen.

[splinten]

[He presses his face into his hands, rubs at his eyes under his shades. He takes a moment to breathe.]

I tried. I am trying. Please help me.

[parodeity]

I told you I'd agree with you.

[splinten]

—Shit.

[He breathes in sharp. It feels like the ground has been pulled out from under him]

I didn't think—fuck. I didn't think that would be about... this. I've been tryin' with other things, but every time I bring shit up—when I mentioned the time travel issue with your third job, it felt like you just wanted to shut me down and get rid of me, so I thought—I thought you hated it. I interpreted that as me drivin' you away with my worried brother crap.

I had interpreted your comment as meaning... that it was okay if I kept offerin' things. Like with movin' shit. But also that I should learn to back off when you refused. And that I shouldn't keep sayin' that I was someone you should avoid, and should let myself ask you to spend time with me. Like I did askin' for your help on my squares.

[parodeity]

...I don't know.

[ about any of it. he isn't sure there is a way to keep him close at hand. like a cat that hasn't been treated well, he edges around and treats kindness and cruelty the same. ]

You're not a bad person.

[splinten]

[It's a brief, sad noise of amusement.]

While that's an ethical quandary I struggle with on a regular basis, I don't know that it's particularly relevant. I'd be perfectly fine with being a bad person if it meant I'd be good for you.

That in itself is probably a testament to what kind of person I am, but like I said, I don't mind. Not if it's to stay with you.

[parodeity]

No one can be "good for me". You can't...I have to just learn.

[splinten]

Learn to accept that everythin' is going to be shit, forever, no matter what we do.

[parodeity]

No! Just... [ just. ] I need to learn to...not need anyone. I already knew how. I know how. It's, you just - you just don't.

[ or you spend a lifetime ignoring it. ]

[splinten]

You do, you just ignore it.

[He rubs at one of his eyes. He hates that they aren't his, he hates that he's stuck looking out someone else's eyes.]

I need you.

[parodeity]

You won't always.

[ it's too quiet and his gaze behind his shades is abstract.

dave laughs, because of course there's always more waiting to be remembered. ]

I can't. I have nightmares every night, you know?

[splinten]

You don't ever believe what I say anymore. You wouldn't believe me if I told you I needed you for the entirety of my past life.

[He hears the laugh. He doesn't know what it means. He thinks Dave won't tell him.]

If you let me, I'd sleep beside you every night to fight 'em off. You won't, though, 'cause at some hypothetical point I might not be there. And nothin' I can do or say ever will persuade you otherwise.

[parodeity]

You can't be there now.

[ dave won't let him make the choice he figures is the wrong one. ]

What do I owe you?

[splinten]

I could be if you'd let me.

[He would in a heartbeat, no hesitation.]

You don't owe me anythin'. By the deal, yeah, but I always knew you'd hold back. It's more that I... I hope you'll tell me things. Confide in me. I thought that would be the one thing I could do no matter what else. You won't let me protect you, you won't let me stay with you, but at least you can tell me everythin' that you can't tell anyone else.

[parodeity]

I'm not gonna mess with things how they are. You're, like, happy. And anyway I think Yuratchka wants company, even if he'd never say so.

[ ... ]

Maybe. [ probably?

for the rest, he just...shrugs. ]

You'd just freak out.

[splinten]

You think I wouldn't be with you? I won't try to argue against the thing with Yuri, but you wouldn't make me unhappy.

[Not by being closer. Only by being further away.]

Tell me not to and I'll stay calm. Won't berate you, won't freak out. I'll take deep breaths. Practice my meditation, I'll be so chill I'll reach Nirvana.

[He puts his hands on his knees like he is ready to go 'omm', looking Dave straight on.]