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June 2023 Test Drive Meme
June 2023 TDM
Introduction
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 and work like "mini-events". For new players and characters, you can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Current players are allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a Log with the prompts they want to participate in.
TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.
Playing and interacting with the 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.
🦊 New Star Children meet the Fox still in their worlds, and she brings them into the new realm of Folkmore. As you follow her, your body begins to change and new characteristics emerge. These may stay for a while, or perhaps they will hide away after. And during all of this, the Fox explains to you where you will be going: to Folkmore.
and then... you fall like a shooting star, falling to the land in a burst of starlight.
🦊 Experienced Star Children are already familiar with this time of the month. There are shooting stars all across the sky, and some fall to the land, which means the Fox has brought new arrivals. These newly arrived Star Children will face some tests, but Thirteen wants the more seasoned residents to participate as well.
Perhaps you follow the falling stars on your own, or perhaps the Fox simply teleports you there, but it appears you too will be part of this.
Content Warnings: Alternate Universe, Memory alteration/altered sense of self, Exhibition
If This Was a Movie
If This Was a Movie
You forget everything the fox told you on your way over. You forget your own history. You remember a completely new one, one that matches whatever story you're now in. It could be a story from your world—a folk tale, a novel, a movie, a telenovella—or one you've never heard of. Whatever it is, this is your life now. Your memories match as though you've lived here your whole life. The tone may match your world, or it may drastically differ.Big Red Button
And you're not alone.
Whatever scene you're in features at least one other Star Child in the same situation you are. They might also be a new arrival, or they may be someone Thirteen has plucked up out of Folkmore and brought here to join you. Whether you've known each other your whole previous life or never met before, you know each other as the people in the story—whatever relationship that is. You don't remember being placed here. It's your life! It always has been.
The two (or more) of you pick up at whatever point in the story it is. Perhaps it'll go the same way as the original story. Perhaps not. You still are you—memories redacted—after all. This story is yours to write together!
The outfits, the setting, the NPCs (played by Spirits going along with things), etc. all perfectly match the story and adapt with you as you create your own retelling.
As it turns out, you aren't only in an entertainment, you are an entertainment. Across Folkmore, large screens showing these stories appear: in every school, in public squares, before a large meadow, in the middle of the desert, you name it. It's also streaming on everyone's relics. Everyone has the chance to see your story play out.
That's not all, Star Children are your key out of the story and into Folkmore itself. Along with these screens, there are big red buttons. Digitally, a big red button appears on people's relics when they watch these stories. It's pretty simple. Someone presses the big red button and you're free! The reason doesn't matter—boredom, pity, recognition, the irresistibility of buttons. These are the only way out, so when you get out is completely up to your fellow Star Children.
Once the button is pushed, an invisible wall between your story and Folkmore falls away. With it, you regain all your memories from home and from the walk to Folkmore with the fox. All you have to do is step out of the story and into the school of Baba Yaga. The school of magic. Thirteen isn't there personally, but you may feel her spirit around you. Baba Yaga—Thirteen—is the school itself.
A small chest is also there as soon as you leave the story containing an item from your homeworld. This may even be a weapon or magical item.
Small bat spirits have a couple stations set up within the school near where Star Children exit their stories. If you're injured or need to rest, they are ready to help treat you or provide you as many pillows and blankets as you wish. If you're hungry or thirsty, the other station has food and drink for all. Steaming tea, freshly baked bread, and all sorts of warm comforting foods. You'd be forgiven for thinking it might be autumn. They want you to be at your best when you leave Baba Yaga and enter the rest of Folkmore via Exile.
Content Warnings: Optional mind/body split, Possible invasion of privacy, Possible monster/creature violence
Eyes Open
Eyes Open
When you leave Baba Yaga, you're somewhere in Exile. Not even the Spirits or experienced Star Children can tell you where exactly you are. The school walks around on its chicken legs. Unless someone leaves at the same time as you, you'll start in different places. You'll have to find your own way out.Cowboy Like Me
If you have been exiled before, you'll have an easier time navigating the land. It'll help guide you toward where you want to go. If you have never been exiled before, you'll have a harder time navigating this section of Folkmore. The trees may try to push you back. Perhaps nothing happens, exactly, but the aura is one that doesn't want you. Regardless, there's enough fog that it's difficult to see where you're going. Attention certainly seems to be on you. Are the trees watching? Is the water listening? Those are simply stories Spirits share to scare new Star Children isn't it?
Suddenly, you may appear to be in another part of Folkmore! It could be anywhere. It could be a public area, a business, someone's home… Wherever it is, if you try to touch something, you realize you cannot. Instead you pass right through solid objects. You cannot open a door, but you can walk right through it. You may surprise someone with your sudden appearance, or perhaps you reach out to people you see for help. Perhaps you simply explore this new area where you were.
Take all the time you want. Hopefully nothing bad is happening back with your body still in Exile… On second thought, perhaps you don't want to spend too long away from your body. You can use your own skills or get help returning to your body or find yourself suddenly back in it. Time to take stock and maybe find your way back to the rest of Folkmore body included.
On your way through Exile, you may come across weapons sticking out of the ground. Swords, axes, shields, bows, guns… All manner of non-magical weapons. They're simply there, scattered here and there, free for the taking. It looks like someone had a bad time trying to get out of Exile. Whoever the weapons belonged to, they don't need them now.
A word of warning to those who grab the weapons, as soon as you do, one of the dangerous creatures in Exile will find you. These creatures don't only have sharp claws or fangs, poison or sharp senses, they are intelligent. You'll need not only the weapon(s) you grabbed but your wits to defeat them or the luck of someone else coming along to help you out.
2 MINAKOOOO
She doesn't hesitate to run toward the sound since she's not going to just let it go around freely to hurt someone. Her hand is already closed around her brooch, ready to transform when she stops cold. The worm is in front of her, ready for a fight but Usagi can only see Minako standing there.
Not a mirage, not a whisper just out of reach in a dream, but the worm is between them and Usagi can't forgive it for getting between her and her best friend, not when she missed Minako so much it hurt.]
We'll fight it together.
[Because there is no question of doing otherwise. She doesn't hesitate to throw up her hand, ready to show this monster it shouldn't mess with pretty soldiers.]
Silver Crystal Power- MAKE UP!
ahhhh usagi!!! ♥♥♥
But..
Well, this is different.
Even though it's - thankfully - only for a moment, the girl can't help but freeze up when she realises who's there, who's talking to her. It's a voice she'd recognize among millions, even though she's not sure how to feel about hearing it right now, when there's such a big danger right between them. She shouldn't be on the other side here, she should be by Usagi's side--
Minako snaps herself out of the thoughts, realising there's no time for this. Instead she throws up her own hand, doing what she ought to do right now - transform. ]
Venus Crystal Power.. Make Up!
[ At least she can feel the familiar power flowing through her, despite being in a different world entirely - not having lost the connection with her planet somehow. Her form shifts into her sailor soldier uniform, still reeling at the transformation even here and even more so Usagi's presence, but not taking her eye off the worm-like creature. ]
Do you know what we're dealing with here?
[ After all-- Is Usagi familiar with this? If she's been here, for how long has she been here? Without Minako?
There's so many questions she wants to ask, even if she stores them in her heart for now. ]
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She barely has time to dodge the blast, feeling the heat just over her head. She would be happy not to see another one of these things but she knows that it can be defeated with teamwork.]
....fire.
[She manages not to trip in the process, making a face as the worm lets out a shriek. She finches but that's not enough to distract her from summoning the Eternal Tiare to her hands, twirling it once.]
We can take it down though!
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(And she knows, she knows, Usagi is so strong and infinitely capable, much more so than some people might assume of the girl, but she's Minako's friend and princess and she has to keep her safe--)
Thankfully the other dodges the blast though, leaving Minako able to focus on what she should do here - getting rid of the threat. ]
Let's go at the same time!
[ Minako may have absolutely no idea about the monsters in this place, but surely they wouldn't be able to just shrug that off, right? She figures Usagi had the same idea, that weapon already in her hands. Minako raises her own gloved hands as well, her chain appearing in it. ]
Venus Love and Beauty Shock..!
[ She can feel the familiar glowing golden light around her, being send at the front of the warm like a blast of light and energy. ]
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[She's not going to let another enemy hurt her friends. She had been helpless to stop Galaxia before- Galaxia wasn't here so the worm was about to experience her frantic desire to save Minako when she hadn't been able to before.
But unlike the last time she encountered this creature, the worm seemed to be able to anticipate the attacks, twisting around at the very last minute to evade both, rearing back to let out an ear-piercing shriek at them.]
No-
[But she refuses to be helpless and just stand there like the last time while her friends are taken. Her eyes narrow as she twirls the staff around again, teeth gritted as she readies for another attack.]
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Not yet, apparently.
Instead she frowns, glancing around her to try and find a different solution to this problem. She could blast out another attack, but there's no telling if the creature won't dodge it again, and the last thing she wants to do is accidentally hit the other sailor soldier here with the attack.
.. Her face falls on the sword she dropped before transforming. Sure, it's entirely ordinary, nothing magical. It's not like the holy sword she used before, but.. it still gives the girl a plan. She's used to having to think quickly on the spot, after all, and Minako is nothing if not creative in battle. (Maybe a little too creative at times, honestly.)
Grabbing the weapon off the ground, she runs up to the creature, especially since its dodging turned it enough so its rear end is over at her side. It gives her the opportunity to slam the weapon down into the tail. Not to injure the creature necessarily, but more so she can press on with all her strength, just enough to she can feel the weapon burying itself through the worm and into the ground, pinning it in place as Minako desperately tries to ignore all the worm gore it gets all over her sailor uniform. ]
Quick, now..!
[ After saying that, she quickly makes sure to get out of the way - so Usagi can fire off an attack the creature won't be able to escape this time. ]
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Right!
[As soon as Venus is out of the way she twirls the staff around again, her attention dead set on the worm. She's not going to give it a chance to get free as it flails frantically.]
Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!
[She puts everything into the attack and with one last shriek, the worm is vaporized with the power of the attack, leaving only the sword embedded in the sand.]
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But once she's sure in that second that the danger really has passed, she doesn't wait. She runs, her still-transformed boots bumping against the ground as she covers the distance between the two of them, until she's right in front of the other girl.
It really is her. It really is Usagi, and she's here, wherever exactly here is. Minako still isn't too sure how to feel about the fox's story, after all. If it had told her that she'd be able to find Usagi here, she would have followed it so much more easily, rather than just following that strange compulsion talking to the creature suddenly gave her.
First her hands fall on her friend's shoulders, but then she seems to think better of it, moving them to slip behind Usagi's shoulders and pull the other girl into a hug. Minako almost seems out of breath, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the battle they've just had.
It's just the overwhelming emotion at seeing Usagi of all people. ]
I had no idea you were here..!
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Usagi had never given up knowing that she would save everyone but she had felt something break in her as days passed without seeing Minako and the others, knowing she couldn't do anything here to save them from Galaxia.]
It's ok, you're here now. I'm so happy.
[And she already felt stronger having Minako by her side, there was nothing they couldn't do together. She pulls away a little with a smile, her eyes shining.]
I've missed you so much!
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There's no doubt about the fact that Minako still looks happy and relieved by the time Usagi says that part, but with the other girl pulling back a little, she might also see a hint of worry creeping into Minako's expression as she looks at her friend. ]
How long has it been..?
[ It's almost ironic, considering Minako remembers arriving in Avalon and the exact same thing happening there. Minako showing up, Usagi already having been there-- without her.
Is she doomed to always be too late for the other?
It's a mental spiral she tries to not dive into too deeply for now, not wanting to look too sad in front of Usagi, but it's impossible to get the worry fully out of her tone or expression.
(At least it means Minako isn't weirded out by the idea of Usagi having been here first, and without her-- that other place made her get used to the idea of time being different in different places. So even though it's odd, and worrying, it's no longer shocking.) ]
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Usagi gives Minako a smile, taking her hands to reassure her.]
A little over two months, I think. But it's ok! I haven't been lonely here, I've met lots of new friends who you will like too.
[It just hurt that the last time she saw Minako and the others they were being ripped away from her by Galaxia. And there was nothing she could do here to save them.]
I get to live in a cottage with lots of flowers and a friend gave me a bunny!
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But it doesn't seem like a total lie. Besides, Minako does know that Usagi makes friends easily - even when she's in a place so far from home.
So despite still having some worry, Minako smiles in a way that isn't fake either. Slowly her own transformation comes undone as well, until they're just standing there together as themselves, Minako's hands still resting in Usagi's own. ]
I'm glad you've been alright. [ There's something a little deeper in her tone, a definite twinge of emotion, because Minako truly means that. So deeply. If there's anything she wants, it's just for Usagi to be happy at all times.
Even if the warm genuine emotion in there slowly morphs into something a little more bombastic and playful - and, most importantly, light - as she adds: ] But surely you haven't been letting any of them replace me as your bestie, right?
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Of course not! We have a special bond forged from doing make-up exams together and spending our allowance at the arcade!
[The bond they had as just themselves meant more to her than anything else in the galaxy, something she was going to fight hard for no matter how hard.
They had their duties as soldiers, Usagi would be Neo-Queen Serenity, but what she treasures most above all is every moment they have together like this, just normal girls living their dreams and finding happiness.
She lets go of Minako's hands so she can link their arms together so she can lead them out of this dreary place.]
Don't worry- we don't have to go to school here. And there are some really cute guys here too! [She teases, giving Minako a grin.]
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So Minako instead just laughs, easily allowing herself to be taken along. Usagi probably knows where to go here better than she does, after all, so she's just along for the ride, already glad enough at just having found the other girl. ]
Cute guys, huh?
[ She's so careful to skirt away from the topic of Mamoru, just in case, but if Usagi is the one bringing up the topic..
.. well, then Minako should probably confess something to her now, huh. Not doing so and then having to do so later would just be awkward.. ]
Actually-- this is going to sound pretty strange. [ At least she's smart enough to add that disclaimer first. Still smiling, but maybe with something a touch more awkward in it. ] But before I showed up here, I was actually stuck in a place that seems.. similar to this.
[ As far as she can tell. She doesn't know nearly as much about this place as she did about Avalon, after all.
And-- yes, it's relevant to the topic of cute guys, okay! She's getting there!
But you have to take these things one by one, rather than dumping everything on poor Usagi at once. ]
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[Usagi misses Mamoru every moment, her smile is a little forced for a moment. Here she can almost pretend that Mamoru is just waiting for her back home, that Galaxia hadn't taken his star seed, and that there wasn't a time when she had been waiting in silence for him to write to her.
But if she could help Minako find happiness, that was enough for her without Mamoru. Minako deserved to be happy- all her friends had made sacrifices for her so Usagi wanted them to find what happiness they could in the time they had left to be themselves.
She looks at Minako with confusion, tilting her head.]
Huh? What kind of place?
[Her first thought was optimistic- maybe Minako and the others really weren't gone, they had somehow regained their star seeds and bodies and were somewhere out there in the galaxy, safe away from Galaxia and the battle she knew she couldn't avoid.
She knew it was a silly thought but Minako was happy, she didn't look unhappy when she mentioned this other place.]
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[ For a moment the girl's voice trails off as they walk. It doesn't feel so easy to describe, especially since she's never had to do so before. Everyone in Avalon knew what that place was, after all.
It's only now she's seeing Usagi here that she finds herself having to describe it, and it makes it quite hard to figure out where to start.
She has an idea though after a moment of thought, and she smiles at her friend. ]
It was kind of an old timey place? But not old timey in the Japanese way! [ You know, the way they learned about while snoozing through history class-- ] More in the European medieval way, with knights and dragons and all.
[ Not that.. dragons are historically accurate..
But still. ]
But it also drew in people from all sorts of other worlds, just like this place seems to be doing.
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[Even if Minako wasn't in some other place in their galaxy, at least she had found herself somewhere else instead away from Galaxia and everything else in their world.
No matter where they were, Usagi just wanted her friends somewhere safe.]
What was it like there? Were there castles and princesses too?
[That was all she had gotten out of world history in middle school. She had been half asleep in class, dreaming of being a princess with her own gallant knight like in a fairy tale. That had been before she learned that she was indeed a princess, even if she wasn't like one of the elegant ones out of the fairy tales.]
There are all sorts of people here. Some from Earth, some from other planets, and some from completely different worlds than ours. I don't know how it's possible.
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It's just that the theming seems to be different - and that the fox seems mighty more suspicious than any of the people who dealt with the problem of them having all been drawn to Avalon. The latter seemed to have been more of a mistake than the intentional way the fox seems to draw them in..
.. she keeps the thought to herself for now though. It feels a little too heavy and serious to share with Usagi, especially since Minako doesn't want to drag down her friend's mood so soon after arriving.
Instead she takes on a more playful - clearly joking - expression, and leans a little closer to Usagi as they walk. ]
Oh, don't we always see a dragon every single time Rei gets mad?
[ She even puts on a joking dramatic tone as she's saying it, clearly just trying to make the other girl laugh. (And Minako knows that it's kind of nice to be reminded of things from home by the people you share it with, especially if Usagi must have been alone here for a while.) ]
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[Usagi pouts before laughing at the memory of running from Rei and her roar of fury when she was picking up her soaked papers.
But she would give anything to just see Rei for a second, even if it was Rei scolding her for not being serious, for not studying and for getting another low mark on her exam again.
She hugs Minako's arm a little tighter with a bright smile, almost as if she was making sure for a moment that her friend wasn't going to be taken away again.]
You have to meet my friend Lan Wangji- he's super serious and strict like Rei but he has bunnies and is really kind-hearted too. And he can cook almost as well as Mako-chan!
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Though it's already nice to just have Usagi here with her, rather than being all alone. ]
You think I'd be able to get along well with someone serious and strict?
[ Granted, Minako isn't really saying it like she necessarily won't be able to get along with Usagi's friend - if anything, it sounds like she's still joking a little.
Though Minako is very well aware she herself is just about the exact opposite of serious and strict.. ]
Or are you trying to trick me into getting scolded?
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[Usagi huffs playfully, unable to help but tease a little. It just wasn't the same if it was just her alone! But like with Rei, Usagi needed someone to keep her grounded and she knew it was out of love and concern to help her to do better when it was difficult to keep going on her own.
But her expression shifts then to one of pride, letting go of Minako to walk just in front, facing her friend with a bounce. She was excited to show Minako around, have her meet her new friends, and show off all the things she learned.]
But I made sure Sailor V has fans already here! I said how great of a heroine she was, the pretty soldier who protects everyone!
[Because while she may be Serenity and Sailor Moon if it wasn't for her friends, especially her adoration of Sailor V at first to inspire her, she would still be crybaby Usagi too scared to face a monster on her own, too scared to save the world.]
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It's really been a while since she's heard that name. Having been away from home for basically a year already, and then not even really hearing her friends mention it much in Avalon.. It almost feels weirdly nostalgic to hear the title again, and Minako ducks her head momentarily as she smiles, like it's just a little too fond and embarrassing.
The smile is still on her face though as she actually properly looks at Usagi again. ]
You talked about her?
[ You know, as if said 'her' isn't walking right here.. Speaking right now..
She figures she should probably ask Usagi if people know about the sailor soldier deal here, just so they can keep a united front when it comes to spreading that information or not spreading it, but-- it can wait just one moment, just so she can first ask: ]
How did that come up? You just couldn't resist bringing up Sailor V out of nowhere?
[ Usagi, you're so cute. This is why Minako can't stop being so terribly fond of you. (Or, rather, it's one of the many, many reasons.) ]
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[After all, she had thought that Sailor V was the superhero she herself wanted to be. Sailor V could do it all, things Usagi couldn't have dreamed of being able to do herself.
And even now, she's still in awe of her best friend, grateful to have Minako by her side especially when she herself falters or needs someone to help her smile during difficult times.
She seems to sense the question Minako hasn't asked but was about to.]
Only one person knows I'm Sailor Moon here. I saved him in the desert thinking he was Luna at first but it's ok, he promised to keep the secret and I trust him.
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But it was Usagi who was the first to see the thing that separated Minako from other people as something great. Something admirable. It makes Minako smile in a way that lingers on her face, even as Usagi manages to answer a question ahead of her even asking it - even though this topic is, clearly, a lot more serious. ]
Got it. So we're still keeping it on the downlow, huh?
[ It sounds like Minako is just fine with that idea. Whatever decision Usagi makes - she's ready to try and stick with it too. ]
It wasn't a secret in the last place I was in, but.. you know, I guess it stands out less in a place like that. [ So heavily fantasy-based. Especially since people had gotten all sorts of powers of their own back there! ] If you think it's better to keep our secret here, then we can do that. I guess there is the possibility of one of our enemies showing up here all over again..
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She is convinced that Thirteen has decided that she will reach her full potential and be her best self as Serenity but she's not ready to let go of being Usagi with all her flaws and shortcomings.
She gives Minako a smile, linking arms again. Everything was going to be ok, Usagi refuses to let that hope waver.]
And I want to live as Usagi just a bit longer, while I can. I know the others aren't here but we're together and we'll do what we always do, protect those important to us no matter what.
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