folkooc | October 2022 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

October 2022 Test Drive Meme

OCTOBER 2022 TDM

INTRODUCTION

[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
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]

SHINING

Content Warnings: Possible insanity via freezing. Temporary nullification of abilities.

COLD AS YOU

You were falling...

The world snaps into place all at once; you are laying on the ground, surrounded on all sides by towering bushes that stretch up towards a beautiful sunset sky. The bushes were clearly flowered at one point, but now the flowers have died and all that remains are browning leaves that are beginning to fall. On the chill air you can sometimes hear the sound of music, too faint to completely determine.

As you stand, you are filled with an intense desire to find someone. You might have an idea of who, but chances are you do not - you just know that somewhere ahead of you is someone that you need to reach. Whether they are friend or lover or enemy remains to be seen.

You wander the maze. If you're the impatient type and you have the ability, you might try to fly out but you will simply be vaulted right back down if you do. Something clearly expects you to play by rules which were never actually explained. As you move through the twisting passages of nature, you will notice that there is a frost creeping along the branches on either side of you. This frost brings a deep chill with it, and it encourages you to move faster, to find that nameless person now now now! If you take a very long time to wander the maze you may very well be on the verge of freezing and half mad with the desire to find someone. If you try to force your way through the bushes, the frost will crawl over your limbs and inspire both the freezing and near madness at once.

When you find your Person, the cold evaporates. The air suddenly feels merely crisp, and the leaves on the bushes seem more vibrant. The two of you now can focus on finding the way out - so much easier now - but any sense of urgency will have passed and you may just walk for hours, talking and sharing things about yourselves.

It is possible to solve the maze alone, but it is much easier (and more pleasant!) with someone else.

KEEP YOUR BRITTLE HEART WARM

When you exit the hedge maze you will find a stunning display of lights: hundreds of candles and lanterns decorate the ground and hang from trees, illuminating a clear path over a gently sloping hill. When you crest the hill you can look down and see a beautiful hot spring sprawled out below. It too is lit up by hundreds of lights, all of them glowing under the late autumn sky as it darkens towards night. There are changing rooms where you can stash your clothes (yes, there are bathing suits for the very shy) and bathing stations to ensure that you are clean before entering.

The water of the springs soothes madness and heals physical injuries or any frostbite that may have been sustained in the maze. It also relaxes you, making you perhaps more likely to open up to anybody else present.

The hot spring is staffed by many mice. They don't speak, but they squeak to one another in such a way that it sounds like they are singing - high lilting chants that seem to promise that everything will be okay. They are happy enough to band together to bring you towels or hot tea. The spring is open 24/7, always with lights to fight the cold and darkness of winter.

HIGH STRANGENESS

Content Warnings: Monster sighting, optional violence.

GLITCH

Folkmore has trains and of course the cat bus, but it also has roads, mostly utilized by horses and bicycles. Maybe you're looking for the convivence store, or maybe you just like walking. However it happens, you find yourself on a lonely road at dusk. It is unusually quiet, almost as if the world is holding its breath.

Suddenly you hear the sound of wings. A man-sized creature soars above you, something with huge red glowing eyes. It drops something at your feet: a walkie-talkie. The creature lands some distance away, staring at you, and a thought arises unbidden in your mind:

Help them.

The walkie crackles and you can hear someone speaking, asking if anyone is there. It is another Star Child, brought into this trial as well. They are in danger somewhere nearby; maybe stuck on the edge of a cliff, or trapped on a rope bridge - whatever it is, they need someone else to help them get to safety. If they have any powers, they have been temporarily nullified, but if the rescuer has powers they remain intact. That's where you come in! Using the walkie you must communicate with one another so that the rescuer can reach the person in trouble in time!

But what if you don't make it in time? Or decide that you're not the hero type? Well. The rescue-ee will suffer a terrible fate... for a few seconds. Then the entire world fuzzes and resets, but this time the roles have been reversed. Both parties will remember what has already happened, so if you just ran off into the woods with no intent of helping the first time you miiiight get your just desserts! This process will repeat over and over, people switching sides every time, until someone is finally rescued or the sun rises. Whichever comes first!

If you do succeed at a rescue, you will hear the rustle of huge wings once more. This time you don't see the mysterious creature, but you will find a mystery trunk. Inside you will each find some of your canon clothes and a canon item. Looks like teamwork is rewarded! Nearby, there will also be some unenchanted weapons sticking out of the ground: basic swords, guns, shields, etc.

BAD OMEN

You don't necessarily have to have completed the rescue trial to get some goodies, though! Those aforementioned weapons are scattered all over Folkmore. But if you just go to grab any of them you'd better be prepared to fight; after all, nothing comes for free!

As soon as you have pulled a weapon out of the ground, a tall, man in a black suit and hat will appear from seemingly nowhere and attack you. He has no weapons but he is extremely strong. He's also just really creepy - his face looks like it might be fake, somehow. The only way he can be killed is with a wound to the heart - any other supposedly mortal injury will result in another man in black appearing. It is possible for someone with no combat training to beat these creatures, but they really might appreciate a little help from someone with more experience!

The good news is that they won't mess up your clothes any, as none of these creatures bleed. Because that is totally normal.

Good luck!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She dodges to the right to avoid an attack from the newly formed (birthed?) second one then ducked to dodge the first one again. There should have been blood based on where she hit it. A lot of blood. She had accepted her fate of being covered in it when she had gone for the kill. Instead all she had gotten was a second thing. That was what it was. A thing. It was not human. Nothing about it was right enough for that.

She frowned as she kept dodging. They must have a specific weak point. She stabbed her claws into the second, this time in an attempt to incapacitate it from a different artery.

Nope. Just ended up with a third one. Then without skipping a beat she plunged her claws into the third ones head. Nope. Fourth one. Finally she stabbed it directly in the heart. The thing, whatever it was, finally crumbled to the ground finally dead. ]

The heart. Pierce the heart. [ There were still three left and one was getting dangerously close to him now. ]

[The numbers seem to grow and he's beginning to wonder if he should jump in. Not that he has much of an idea what to do. But it seems one of them has decided to give him some attention, as she calls out to pierce the heart.

He jumps back from the creature-thing, letting out a yelp. Shoot, he doesn't really have the time to be hesitant about this. So he calls out rather loudly:]

Mew Mew Metamorphose!

[The flash is quick and it transform him, making him pose like a cat.]

Passionately, grandly, I'm boiling over! In full gratitude, I'll be of service, nyan!

[He internally pleads that no one comment on that dumb catchphrase before moving immediately into an attack, aiming slashes at the thing's heart as instructed.]

Retsuki!

[And a few flashes that look like scars appear before downing the creature.

He internally hates a few more things about this set of circumstances, but goes ahead and jumps over next to Laura to help her out.]

[ Laura was used to a lot of very strange things. This was more than just strange. It made no sense to her. ]

The pose wastes time. [ She said directly as she plunged a claw into the heart of another. She gave him a sidelong glance at what he said next. ]

You do not need to talk. [ Just fight. Just fighting was good enough. ]

Yea, you're telling me...

[He sounds so defeated about it. As much as he'd like to go into full mope mode about this entire thing, he has to focus.

But he wonders... should he be holding back? The Anima back home always turned back into their respective animals after the battle. They were innocent things possessed by Dark Blue to eliminate humanity. Even if this guy doesn't match the description of any Anima he's seen ever, he still wonders.]

Hey... do we... have to kill them?

[And he's apparently wondering too much, because the remaining foe attacks him. Aoi tries to dodge, but is too slow and gets slammed back into a tree a lot harder than he thought these things could hit. And for a second, Aoi crumples to the ground, coughing from the wind knocked out of him.]

Owww....

[He'll be fine, just give him a second.]

[ She watches and frowns. ]

Yes. [ Clearly that answer should be obvious now that he had his run in with a tree. But if he could not handle it she would on her own. She ran in front of the foe that had turned it's attention to him and cut it off before it could reach the tree. This time she took a blow and staggered back. Recovery was easy for her though. Easier than it should have been given the strength. She lunged at it and used the claw in her foot to stab through the heart. Only one left.

That one came charging at her and sent her flying right next to him. She barely had enough time to brace herself for the fall, digging the claws on her feet into the ground to keep herself upright and steady. She dodged just in time to miss it's next charge and then flipped over it to it's front to plunge her claw into the final one.

With that it seemed over. She turned to him to look. ]

Are you okay?

[Holy cow, she's good! He doesn't even have a chance to get back in the game before it's over.

He gets up and dusts himself off a little. He can't help but stare between Laura and the last of the things defeated.]

Uh. Yea. I heal pretty quickly.

[Any bruises will be gone pretty quick. Fractures might take a few minutes longer. But he's fine. Has no problems walking upright.]

You're really good at fighting.

[He didn't get to contribute much. In fact, he's pretty sure he looked like a complete idiot in comparison. So he certainly doesn't expect the sentiment returned.

Before he can say the last of his catchphrases, he does his best to focus quickly and detransforms back to his normal self, giving a few hectic huffs. He checks himself to make sure the ears are gone and his back in his school uniform. Then lets out a sigh of relief.]

So do I. [ That was probably stating the obvious. Laura was good at stating the obvious though.

She said nothing to the compliment on her fighting skills. That was what she had been made for. Combat was more natural to her than anything was. Instead she looked at him with furrowed brows. ]

Why do you do that? [ The transformation. And the catchphrases. ]

[Hello stress and embarrassment, his old friends. He's not internally panicking. Really. His ears and tail pop back out again. He covers the ears with his hands.]

Do what? [He immediately tries to cover. But he knows she knows better. So there's not point. He silently curses his life for a moment, before sighing.]

I'm... kind of a hero. Back home. [He uses kind of because he still hates it.] I got fused with some rare animal genes, and it gives me magical powers.

And then... I get stuck saying the weirdest catchphrases and... yea. I can't control that much...

[He's sure he sounds insane. He pulls his hoodie up over his ears and tries to squish them back down until they're gone. But he's absolutely nervous now. They're not going anywhere.]

Edited (What is English for 500) 2022-10-28 01:45 (UTC)

How did you get fused? Were you created? [ At least she knew something about being fused and created. It was something she understood and sometimes it was easier to latch on to things she understood. ]

The catchphrases waste time. Someone could attack while you speak.

I have no idea. I was trying to save Hinata, and next thing I knew, I had cat ears and a tail... Hinata's sister is a scientist, or something...

[Even after Natsume explained it, he still was lost...]

When we save the world, it should go away...

[Now he wonders if that means they're never going to go away while he's stuck here. Great...]

And you're preaching to the choir. I don't get a choice when those catchphrases come out of my mouth. It's so dumb.

[His tail flicks to show his annoyance, if his face wasn't enough of an indicator already.]

[ She frowned, her face showing a brief flash of sympathy. There was no way around the fact that she had pretty bad experiences with scientists. ]

I am sorry. [ So she assumes most experiences are negative. ]

Something compels you to say it then?

Thanks... I'm trying my best to get through it. I don't want to be a cat forever.

[He just didn't like getting in an eye-candy uniform with suggestive catchphrases. He might not call it a completely negative experience, but it's still an unwanted one. Do you know how tiring it is to keep your emotions from exploding and not letting your cat ears and tail show? It's very hard. Especially since Aoi is a super emotional guy.]

Yea. I think I've only succeeded at not saying it once. And honestly, even though there weren't bad guys around, I still almost did. Yoyogi said it probably just comes with the transformation, that the words just show up in our minds and it makes us say them. Kind of like in magical girl anime when they say an attack they've never used before or something?

[Did he really just compare himself to a magical girl? He flinches. But jeez, where is the lie, though?]

There are worse things to be.

[ But she cannot really blame him for not wanting to be stuck with a catchphrase and impractical costume. ]

A...magical girl anime? [ Yeah, she's not quite sure what that is. ] Why would you alert your enemies by saying your attack?

I dunno. I've only fought Chimera Anima before now. They're transformed animals, so I don't really think they know what I'm saying anyway. But in general...? I don't know if I can summon my attack without calling it out.

[Every time he's done it, that's the way it happened. Just like the catchphrases. He has no idea if he could use that attack without using its name.

He does not want to explain magical girl anime, so he's going to do his best to skip over that part.

And he suddenly realises that he's been doing quite a bit of talking about himself. To be fair, Laura's asking questions about him. So maybe it's not his fault entirely, but he still feels bad that he's only sharing his experiences.]

Sorry, I guess I just got caught up in talking about my problems. I'm probably used to whining about it back home.

I'm Aoi Shibuya.

You should try. It would be more effective. [ Free advice from someone made to be a killer!

She does not entirely mind someone else doing all the talking. Despite making some progress recently she's still pretty bad at holding a good conversation. When it comes to sharing information about herself or her experiences she's even worse. ]

I asked. [ So she really does not understand the point of the apology. ]

Laura Kinney.

Thanks. I'll try that next time. [There might be the smallest bit of snark in that. A small bristle of agitation at the thought of being told what to do when you've already been stuck with the things for about a year, now.

Sure it's advice, but he's pretty sure she's not a Mew Mew. So it's hard not to feel like she doesn't truly understand his dilemma. And speaking of Mew Mews, there is something she has that he was curious about?]

What are those claws anyway?

[ She notices that but sees no point in commenting. People have told her that she tended to point out the obvious. There was no need in acknowledging that. Instead she would just answer his question. ]

Part of my mutation. [ With as little description as possible. ]

[Fair enough. Not wanting to talk about those kinds of things is something he can respect. He's not the kind to push for answers, at least. He has no problem backing off from it.

He looks back at the scene where the battle took place not long before.]

Are you new here, too? Or are there things like that all over the place here?

[ She would explain if asked but she is unfortunately not a very forthcoming person. ]

I am new. [ She moves her weight from on foot to the other. ] They appear if you pull a weapon out. [ At least that was what she had picked up from the pattern. ] I do not know if they are everywhere.

[Aoi makes a mental note to not pull any weapons out of the ground.]

I wonder what causes it to happen...

[But oh, well. They're both new, so that means probably no answers for either of them, no matter how many questions they have. So...]

Now what do we do? I don't really know my way around here. And I don't suppose you do either.

[He gives it a bit of thought. He's supposed to be the leader of his group. He still doesn't feel like a very good one. He should try harder. Even if Laura isn't part of his group.]

Wanna stick together while we find our way around? Just in case more of those guys show up. I promise I won't get smacked this time.

The Fox? [ She assumed most things in this place could probably be traced by to something to do with the Fox. What exactly that might mean would be something she would need to figure out. ]

You are correct; I do not. [ She'd have to change that soon. For now though she saw no reason to say no to him. Even if her expression had shifted from completely emotionless to slightly confused. Numbers were helpful in a fight but it still sometimes felt strange for people to want to stay around her. ]

Alright. [ She looked at him for a moment before she just began to walk. ] I have been told people should not make promises they can't be sure they can keep.

[Now that she points it out, the Fox would make sense. Maybe? It is what brought them here. It's better than any answer Aoi can come up with, at least.

And Aoi's used to confusion with him. He kind of just puts himself out there on what he assumes are good reasons. But others may not necessarily see it that way. He'll just make sure to do his best.

He gets ready to move until Laura makes a comment on his promise.

Wow, RUDE.]

I can keep my promises! I know I got knocked aside before, but now I know better!

[And, now he's all flustered again.

He'll still walk with her, but geez. It sure was a blow to his ego. He can't help but sulk a little bit.

He mentally recalls all the times he's been useless, even when being a Mew Mew... And a despondent sigh. What if Laura is right? Maybe he can't keep that promise. Then what good would he be if he got smacked again or worse?]

[ Laura is no stranger to being considered rude. If one of her friends from home was here they would probably point out that she might have been better off not saying that. She does not consider it though. It was just the truth. ]

Good. [ She nods as they both move. ] It is good to learn from mistakes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

October 2022 Test Drive Meme

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