August 2022 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

AUGUST 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

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Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.

All TDMs are game canon. You can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Each TDM will provide a scenario for how characters arrive in-game that particular month.

Playing TDMs will allow characters to immediately obtain canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.

Current players are allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a log with the prompts. Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!

TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

Summer Is Over

Content Warnings: snakes, cultists, optional violence.

FALLING DOWN LIKE PIECES INTO PLACE

A breeze with the crisp smell of dying leaves caresses you awake. You sit up to find yourself in the middle of an apple orchard, rows spreading out in all directions. Mouth watering apples hang from the branches, and nobody will stop you from taking one. You can wander the orchard as long as you like, but eventually you will find yourself emerging into the front yard of a little farm. There’s a red barn with perfect white trim set far back, and to one side of the yard is a kiosk modeled to match the barn. This is staffed by a woman who sure looks a lot like the fox that brought you here.

On the side of the kiosk are advertised a few different items: pumpkin spice lattes, hot apple cider, cold alcoholic apple cider, and hot chocolate. The cider, you will be informed, is made on site. (But you have to be of legal age to be given that hard cider!)

There are two other things advertised: APPLE PICKING and a SCAVENGER HUNT.

“You need a buddy for those, though,” the woman running the kiosk will tell you. “Lucky for you there’s plenty of people you can pair up with.”

If you elect to try the scavenger hunt, you and your partner will be handed a piece of paper. On it reads the following:

TAKE A PICTURE OF THE FOLLOWING ON YOUR RELIC! :)

- YOU HOLDING HANDS WHILE YOU GO DOWN A PATH
- FEET WITH AUTUMN LEAVES
- SOMETHING YOU THINK IS TRULY BEAUTIFUL
- A GENUINE SMILE

“When you’re done, bring it back here and show me,” the woman instructs you. “You’ll get a prize if you do.”

It’s an easy enough list, right? Although you have to follow the instructions - you really DO have to find something you genuinely think is beautiful, and that smile can’t be forced! Those might require opening up to your partner a little bit!

If you succeed in the scavenger hunt, you will be gifted with an item from home.


Now, what if you decided to go apple picking?

You will be given a bucket. “Be careful to only pick apples from the trees in the rows,” the kiosk woman tells you with a secret smile. “You don’t want to bother the old trees off the path.”

Yeah. That sure sounds like a challenge, doesn’t it?

If you do stick to the orchard proper, you will be able to pick your fill of apples. All of them are crisp and sweet and delicious. But at some point you will see the other trees.

They’re both huge and old, standing on two sloping hills just past the orchard rows. One of them has apples red as blood, and the other apples gold as the sun. In the shade of these trees are weapons sticking half out of the earth, as if they were carelessly buried many years ago.

If you pick one of the red apples, you will find that you are suddenly besieged with huge snakes. They are as big as anacondas and an inky black that absorbs the light, with eyes the same red as the apples. They aren’t poisonous, but they bite and they crush, so you’ll have to fight them off at least long enough to run like hell!

If you pick the golden apples, a crowd of people will silently begin appearing from the orchard. They are all wearing animal masks… and they are all holding hand scythes. Uh oh. You’ll have to fight them off in order to escape! If you don’t manage that, well, in some places it’s traditional to have a big ol’ sacrificial bonfire…

All the weapons below the trees are non-enchanted items, but you may keep them.

Plaid Shirt Days and Nights

Content Warnings: Optional themes of identity and school trauma.

IMAKEOVER MAKEOVER

Thirteen believes passionately in education. There are, after all, five academies in Folkmore all catering to different types of learning. While these academies are open year round, it becomes apparent if you walk through any of the districts housing shops that back to school is definitely a thing.

A new school year represents a chance to learn more about the world, and about yourself.

Also? It’s a great time for a makeover!

Yes, step into any of the shops selling clothing and accessories anywhere in Folkmore and you will find yourself passionately invested in helping another person discover who it is they want to look like! Do they want to look cool and aloof? Warm and approachable? Are they an e-boy or a cottagcore witch? Punk or prep? You two can figure it out together!

As you shop together you will find it easier and easier to open up to one another, sharing who it is you want to be.

You’ll also be able to score a sweet outfit. Nice.

SAVED BY THE BELL

Wander into any school in Folkmore and you will find a handmade poster instructing all new students and faculty to report to the auditorium. Normal enough, one supposes… but the moment you enter the room you will find reality swims all around you and all of a sudden you’re stuck in a school nightmare!

You know the kind. You’re late for class, no matter how fast you run. You’re in gym class, trying to climb that goddamn rope. You’re getting your books dumped. You’re naked and giving a book report.

These could be memories, but it’s just as likely that they aren’t - you and another person are just trapped in this cliche together. Whichever one of you is in the audience role could maybe help the other one out? Get them some pants or something? Yeah.

Comments

makeover ~ randomly here just for funsies

[perceptive]

( what is charles doing in a boutique? well, he'd arrived in his x-men uniform, and so he's in desperate need for something normal to wear. except he's now dressed in a flashy orange jumpsuit that's obviously way too big for him. he looks absolutely ridiculous. at the honest commentary, he chuckles good-naturedly, finding equal amusement in his current choice of attire. it's his own fault for having given the boutique owner free rein to pick whatever they like for him. they had seemed truly excited about it which is the only reason why charles had happily acquiesced to being told to put this horrendous outfit on. )

I think perhaps it's the look they were going for considering Halloween's around the corner, but I do think I'd prefer something much more casual. Thank you, darling. ( he smiles, thanking the spirit folk when he's finally handed a blue cardigan, a white shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. ) Well. ( he turns to look at the woman standing across from him, holding out his clothing for her inspection and critique. the look on his face is simply begging for her to be kind to him. he does want to get out of this jumpsuit asap. ) What do you think? This would be an improvement, I hope? ( it is what he typically wears back home. )

You look stunning, by the way. Red suits you very well. ( he stops himself from telling her all about the origins of her red hair as a way to impress her with his knowledge of gene mutation. that is a rather lame pickup line. he'd certainly been humbled by his encounter with moira. )

[expionage]

[Nat crosses her arms, feeling a little bereft without somewhere to really put her hands. It's normally not a problem with her, but the lack of information about this world really has her on her back foot and that's never a feeling she enjoys.]

It depends on if you're going for the college professor look or if you really enjoyed the pumpkin theme.

[At the compliment, she has to stop herself from looking down. She knows that she's wearing a black bodysuit that's pretty molded to her form, but he hasn't really let his eyes stray to her...assets yet. So, he must be talking about her hair.]

Thank you, but I can't take all the credit for it. I was born with it.

[perceptive]

( charles is most certainly talking about her hair. he's keeping his eyes focused up and well away from that bodysuit she's wearing. he's not trying to be labeled as some kind of pervert at first meet. he is, after all, a newly appointed professor. not that he's managed to accept a teaching position anywhere yet before he'd willy-nilly followed a fox into folkmore. )

That's even more impressive then. The natural color of your hair is indeed unique as it occurs in only one to two percent of the population on Earth. Supposing that's where you're from. Excuse me. ( he's going to go into the changing room to get changed out of the pumpkin themed attire. since it is a rather small boutique and he's merely a foot away from her, he'll keep the conversation going. )

I specialize in the area of genetic research. I have a habit, I suppose, of admiring a person's natural features. I apologize if you think I was being forward. ( he pokes his head between the curtains just then. ) The red dress would look lovely on you, by the way. I believe you were considering it? ( he'd noticed her looking at it earlier. he's not reading minds here, not without express permission. ) There is a rather nice cafe across the street from here, if you wouldn't mind having a drink with me after we're both done with our little dress up adventure. ( he gives her a charming smile before pulling the curtains back and stepping out, dressed in proper attire this time. he might have cheated and frozen everyone for a bit while he actually took the time to change and fix his hair up, but he didn't want to waste another second of her perceived time so... )

All yours. ( well, that might be a play on words, but he means the dressing room of course. )

[expionage]

[She's aware of what she looks like, so if he were distracted, well... Then she's doing her job, of sorts. The only other men she knows who haven't taken at least one long look at her body and clothing are Steve and Sam. She likes them just fine. So, at least Charles is in good company.]

I'm from Earth, yes, lately Washington DC. [She's a little intrigued. The man's face seems familiar, but she's not sure why. She should leave now that she's saved him from the hideous orange ensemble.

When he mentions genetic research, she has to stop herself from stiffening completely. She's not very comfortable around any sort of scientist nowadays, and that has nothing to do with this man, she's sure.]

N-no, you're fine. It's just been a while since a man has noticed my hair before anything else. And the dress can wait. I'm not sure what I want just yet.

[She can't help but smile and shake her head.]

You do know that that place is run by cats, don't you?

[perceptive]

( he's immensely glad to hear that she's from earth. not that he's not finding it absolutely fascinating that there are those from other universes here. he's quite excited about that actually. there's really so much to learn in this new realm. )

Cats? ( charles lets out an amused chuckle at hearing that. ) Well, I do love animals. ( not to mention he's curious to find out how a cafe could be run by cats. don't they spend most of their time napping? he thanks the owner of the boutique with a smile when he's handed his uniform in a shopping bag. ) But if you're allergic, we can go somewhere else of course.

( now that charles has completed his makeover, the spirit folk running the store is going to bug nat next, urging her to pick something for herself, but also handing her a neon green jumpsuit... what is with the jumpsuits? )

[expionage]

[Nat's always been more of a realist, considering her line of work. Just finding out about the Asgardians being real and then all the aliens during the Battle of New York was enough for her. She's willing to expand her worldview back home, but here, she wants to just take a break and pause all that new stuff.]

It's charming, but I prefer my coffee to have less fur in it. Not because I'm allergic, but because that seems a bit unhygienic.

[When she sees the attendant approach with the green jumpsuit, Nat's eyes widen before she grabs Charles's hand and heads for the exit.]

Although, you know, I'd rather take the cat hair over that thing. Let's go.

[perceptive]

( charles can't help but let out a hearty laugh at her reaction. well, the jumpsuit does look pretty horrendous. trust him to have been nice enough to put the orange one on for the sake of entertaining the wishes of the boutique owner. it had been pretty quiet in there before the arrival of a few other townsfolk. )

Well, let's not diss it before we've tried it. Perhaps they've found a way to keep the cat hair out of the coffee. I hear there's magic in the air. Quite literally in fact. ( how else would one explain them being here in the first place? he glances down at nat's hand in his as they exit out onto the street. how adorable that she's holding his hand. )

Honestly, if there's a pub around town, I'd rather go there to wind down, but I haven't seen one of those around here. But please, do let me buy you that drink. It's not often a man comes into a strange new town and on the very first day meets an incredibly beautiful woman with a mutated MC1R gene. ( he briefly touches the tips of her hair to indicate what he means by that. )

I'm Charles Xavier, from New York.