recolle | FEBRUARY EVENT LOG

EVENT

FOUNDER'S DAY
It's finally here. This is the day the city has been waiting for. It's a day like no other when every resident of Recollé can be found buzzing with energy and excitement. Shops open early. The Recollé High School and University marching bands begin to play, and over in Tribunal Terrace Mayor Mayer strides up to the microphone atop his beloved giant chicken, Seabiscuit.

--wait, giant chicken? You're sure the Mayor has something important to say, but all you can do is focus on the fact that Seabiscuit didn't have bright red feathers the day before. The rest of the Mayor's speech may not get through to you, but it's his last sentence that makes everything official.

"Welcome to Founder's Day! Let's do our part and celebrate the city that we love."

I.
All of the hard work from the days prior has paid off. The weather is slightly brisk with no chance of snowfall until well into the evening and businesses are booming. Shopkeepers and employees working today will have their hands full taking orders from customers and keeping up with demands. Maybe that 50% off deal on wool-knit scarves wasn't such a great idea. On the other hand, residents that aren't working today will find the streets pleasantly busy. Chata has plenty of sidewalk sales to peruse. Music and the scent of cinnamon-sweet coffee will surely lure some people to the businesses in Tisse. School is closed for the day but an open campus tour runs a few times a day at the university, and the Founder's Day play is performed once in the morning and once in the evening at the Atrium.

Are you enjoying a day with your friends? Or are you stuck behind a register wishing you were? Wherever you may be, the spirit of Founder's Day is all around you.

II.
At noon sharp, the bands strikes up again as crowds gather around Tribunal Terrace. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the main attraction! That's right, it's time for the annual Founder's Day Parade featuring the city's newly elected royalty: King Kurt Wagner, Queen Maya Aimoto, Prince Ryoji Mochizuki, Princess Rose Strider, Duke Viktor Nikiforov, and Duchess Arlene Sinclair. The marching bands play with gusto as they stride through the streets, the Recollé High and Recollé University cheerleaders right behind them. Beautiful floats follow in their wake, all decorated with flowers and depicting the historical events of the city. One thing that's different this year, however, is the addition of beads from the King and Queen's float at the end of the parade. The Recollé Royalty's float-helpers sit on the edge of the float tossing colored strands of beads and candy to the audience below. Most residents may not notice, but the beads seem to be shaped like a new logo some residents are quickly becoming familiar with.

Residents will find that wearing the beads will produce some interesting results though. Are you on a romantic date? Your beads might slowly turn red with passion. Are you nervous about one of those floats suddenly veering off and rolling down the hill? Your beads might turn pitch black. No matter what district you're in after the parade these beads will respond to your current mood, and even if you take them off they seem to mysteriously turn back up in your pocket. If you take them off and try to get rid of them often enough, they might just appear around your neck, and you won't be able to remove them for the rest of the day. Then again, this doesn't seem to be a rule so much as a pattern. Perhaps you'll be lucky enough to ditch the beads to your pocket instead of having them prominently displayed no matter how many times you do away with them. Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve. What's up with that?

The beads may not be everyone's first priority. After all, once the parade's said and done someone has to be on clean-up duty. Will you volunteer?

III.
Later, back at Tribunal Terrace, residents who passed by a large metal truck earlier in the week will quickly see what all of the fuss was about as Mayor Mayer walks Seabiscuit down the street, monitoring over a small, gated pen for Chocobo-back rides. You know the Mayor used to own a horse. Seabiscuit has always been a beautiful Palamino with a shimmering coat. Asking most of the other residents, however, will earn you a concerned look. Recollé has always been home to Chocobos. What's a horse?

Nearby there's a petting zoo that has been set up by the same company. Thankfully, those animals look familiar. Goats, sheep, bunnies and other small animals reside in the petting zoo. Are you the type to feed them? Or are you stuck on pooper-scooper duty? Gross.

The Chocobos themselves seem friendly enough, though the little ones are prone to nipping at hair and fingers. Are you brave enough to get closer to take a better look at these mysterious creatures? Do try to be careful...especially since some of them are prone to running away and relocating themselves in other parts of the city. Seems like even the Chocobos want the Founder's Day special from Expressive.

IV.
Mayor Mayer, as good and true as he is, isn't one of the most careful people in the city of Recollé. It would make sense to keep Seabiscuit away from the city's pride and joy, the world's largest ball of red string. If you've been in Recollé for any length of time, you'll immediately recognize the ball. Large enough to see from any district, the ball has been wound and displayed near City Hall for years.

Too bad Seabiscuit isn't one for tradition and this creature does startle easily. It's hard to say what caused the poor thing to become so scared that it kicked the ball right off of its pedestal, but once it starts rolling there's no stopping it. The red ball of string picks up pace, rolling down the streets and unraveling to tangle up anyone in its path.

The string winds its way around the city and all districts, seemingly pulling people in and tying them up with at least one other person. It seems that the only way to undo this mayhem is to find your other half and work together to unravel yourselves.

BONUS.
You don't remember that building in Tisse being there. Was it there before? Perhaps it was empty in the days prior to Founder's Day, but today a small neon sign illuminates the front of the building with the name of its current business.

Retrospec. Huh. Isn't that the name of that app that installed itself on your mobile device? As you've noticed by now, all aspects of the app are available to use. But there's still something ominous about that building. If you're brave enough to go inside, you'll find…

…nothing. The building appears to be empty save for a few chairs in a waiting room-type area and a large fake potted plant in the corner. There appears to be several doors and even an elevator, but it seems no matter how hard you try you can't access any of those. What a waste of time. (And why isn't there a staircase?) There's really no point in staying here when the festival's outside waiting for you. When you try to open the front door to exit though it appears to have locked behind you. Are you alone? Hopefully you aren't alone, that would be quite dreadful.

Of course, you can try a few things to break out. You can try ramming down the door for example. That won't work, but you may certainly try. Though the city is full of creative people with undoubtedly interesting methods of breaking free, residents locked inside Retrospec will find that the only way to open the door is by using the Retrospec app to post a status update, comment to someone else's status, or post a picture from their Founder's Day adventures. Is there a right or wrong way to do this? That's for you to find out. Time to get creative and maybe make a few new friends!

Welcome to

recolle's February event! As a reminder, all characters will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. As with our TDM, you may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own depicting your Recollé AU! 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, the effects from the beads in the second prompt can last throughout the month if you would like, but will fade as soon as February is over. Additionally, you may post Retrospec updates in your top-levels on this log for the bonus prompt if you wish to keep everything in one place.

As another note, by participating in this log in a thread with five or more comments from you, you are eligible for one free memory regain! This means you can claim a memory without a trigger required. Please see our monthly plotting post for more details.

Any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[In those 20 minutes, Hizuru enjoys his latte. The cat had been a nice touch, although he swears his eyes had watered a little like some freakish conditioned response after sniffling his way through petting Anya's cat for so many years. He's dumped the empty cup in the nearest receptacle and readjusting his scarf to cover his chin when Kiyomitsu approaches.]

Are you hungry?

[Reflex allergies to foam latte cats, incredible...

Kiyomitsu bounces on his toes a little, mostly just reflexively excited to be out of the cafe and back out on the streets so he can really enjoy the festival.]

Mm, I wouldn't mind grabbing a bite before we head into the crowds. If we get something out here, the lines'll probably be at least a little shorter, too.

[The latte cat was just too believable . . .

Hizuru glances at the aforementioned crowds. Even from here, it's plain how busy the festival is. And it's only going to get even busier, which means more waiting times for the two of them.]

You're right. What do you want to eat?

[He almost reminds Kiyomitsu that he's the one paying, but that fact's been established enough for him to refrain from doing so.]

[Reminding him more will just make Kiyomitsu more tempted to steal the check, anyway... IT'S A LOSING BATTLE WITH HIM.]

I'm up for something light! [So he can splurge on funnel cakes and donuts at the fair...] Maybe we can stop by that Thai place that just opened up on the corner and grab a sandwich? Or some soup, I heard they had good curry soup.

[Don't do it.]

Sandwich sounds good. [That's not to say Kiyomitsu can't get curry soup for himself.] Can you lead the way? I don't know where that is.

[TIME TO THROW DOWN OVER THE BILL.]

Sure, sure. It's just down this way--

[And he'll proceed to lead the way down the street, over one, and up toward a quaint little cornershop bistro! It still has a line, but it's definitely nowhere near as long as the lines closer to the festivities would be... The air also smells pretty dang delicious, like fresh-baked bread and spices.]

Ah, I hope it smells this good around here the entire time they're in business. That'd be nice.

[This is a date, not a wrestling match!!

As expected of a holiday like this one, even the new place is bustling. Judging from the aromatic environment, it's no wonder the line is considerable for a joint that's relatively out of the way. Hizuru's gaze wanders to what he can make of the interior.]

It might not be as strong once Founder's Day ends, but you're right – it's a nice smell. They seem to be doing well.

[por que no los dos]

Good, good! I mean, don't get me wrong, Freshens is great and all. It's just nice to see more little shops like this one. Almost makes me want to open something myself someday.

[But he says it with a little laugh because 1) customers at food places are Sometimes Nuts and 2) he's already dedicated his life to the fashion gods.]

[Then Kiyomitsu should have said from the get-go.

The "almost" grabs his attention. Hizuru pauses at Kiymoitsu's laugh, then decides that he might as well ask while they wait in line:]

Is there something else that you want to do for a living?

Mmhm! Once I'm done with studies here, I'm moving out and going to the bigger fashion scenes. I'm gonna be a big label designer.

[Up there with Versace and Alexander McQueen, okay. When he shoots for the stars, he really shoots for the dang stars...]

[That's a pretty far cry from running a bistro. At second glance, however, he can see Kiyomitsu's dedication to fashion just from looking at the guy.]

Sounds like you have a lot of work ahead of you. Good luck.

[A vivid dream like that is enviable.]

Thanks! I'm not gonna accept anything less than success, so even if it's a lot of work, I'm sure I'll be fine.

[Someone sure is confident in themselves, goodness... Though the turn of conversation has Kiyomitsu giving him a somewhat curious look.]

What about you?

[He nods to the first comment. That's admirable, and he can respect Kiyomitsu's determination.]

My dad's an engineer, but I'm not sure. I'm still undeclared . . . It's my second year at the university, so I'll have to decide soon.

Hm... You don't have any idea what you wanna do at all, or do you have a few directions you're looking at?

[He's always been hooked by one or two passions at any given time, so drifting is a little unusual to him.]

There isn't anything I'm that interested in. I'm not especially good at one subject, either. If I can't think of something soon, I'll just follow my dad.

You don't even have any hobbies or anything like that? I mean, hobbies aren't always job material or whatever, but...

[Trailing off, he pauses only to take a step forward as the line moves up. His attention is back pretty soon, and he looks just as curious as before.]

[Following suit, the pause between Kiyomitsu's question and his answer gives Hizuru a short moment to think. His hobby is . . . taking care of Anya.]

Not really. I used to fence, but that was a couple years ago. I didn't think I could go anywhere with it.

(captchaaa)

FEBRUARY EVENT LOG

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