August & September 2023 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

August & September 2023 TDM

Introduction

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This Test Drive meme is open to all.
Welcome to Folkmore's bimonthly 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 also allowed to have in-game characters post to the TDM so long as they mark their top levels ‘Current Character.’

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.

Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!


🦊 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.

[ Prompt One ★ Prompt Two]

Oh How Quiet . ★

Content Warnings: Difficulty seeing, possibility of drowning, forced relocation

Fog & Footsteps

Some Star Children find themselves on land. The air is foggy and damp, blurring and distorting vision making it difficult to tell where they are, what’s real and what isn’t until–finally–Star Children find themselves on wet sand. Continue marching forward and trees begin to form a skeletal border, dark shadows growing and stretching further into their depths. Star Children who have experienced being exiled before can feel a path through the trees should they choose to venture further. Star Children who haven’t been exiled can feel resentment building around them and have greater difficulty navigating the path ahead.

Anyone who glances back may find footsteps in the sand alongside theirs. The more anyone looks back, the more prints appear. They’re inconsistent like their maker hops or flies part of the time or fades in and out of the physical universe… or something else. They may be human, or animal, or something Star Children can’t quite put a name to.

The Will or the Wisp

The longer Star Children dwell on them, the more tempting they are to follow—familiarity, comfort, curiosity, something. The footsteps eventually lead Star Children down a branching path toward a wall of thick, colorless fog. Inside the fog, there are enchanting wisps of light dancing just out of reach, urging Star Children to keep following. Just a little further, the sweet voices promise.

Continue onward and soon outlines appear in the mist, showing just who (or what) the earlier footsteps belong to–distorted human or animal shapes that exist only where fog is displaced by the will-o’-the-wisps they carry like lanterns. They lure Star Children deeper into Exile, all the while making promises they have no intention of keeping...

Salvation comes in the form of a fellow Star Child guided toward someone in distress by shifting sands. They radiate starlight that pierces through the thick fog around them, allowing people to find the sandy forest path toward The Beach. Once Star Children reach it, they will both find an old, sea-battered treasure chest which offers characters a personal item from home and either a nonfunctional compass or lantern. A will-o-the-wisp will fly directly into the item, which doesn’t seem to make it work. The compass needle points toward somewhere in Exile, not north. The lantern doesn’t light up. However, when the Star Child is truly lost, the compass will point where they need to go and the lantern will light up any darkness. Each Star Child can only receive either the compass or the lantern.

A Magical Day

Whether passing directly through the forest path or guided back to it, Star Children find a shoreline extending in either direction. Some water laps against the beach, but farther out is the long expanse of tenuous reality. Come September, it fades into the distance until it can no longer be seen. The beach itself is in Exile, heavy with the weight of magic. It feels reassuring and encouraging. Star Children can indulge in a sunless day at the beach, playing in the sand, and soaking in the magic. Those wishing for a bit more warmth can explore the shoreline north to the Boat Bonanza at the port where the Encantado reaches the ocean.

Key Points:

🦊 Star Children may pass through a thick fog to reach a wet, sandy path that passes through trees and leads to The Beach in Exile.
🦊 If they keep looking behind them on the path they will find footprints following alongside their own. Those footprints will try luring characters deep into fog using will-o’-the-wisp lanterns, leading them into the swamp so they can drown them.
🦊 A fellow Star Child can act as a light to guide lost characters back to the safety of shore.
🦊 Star Children that are rescued from the lure or who rescue another Star Child will be rewarded with a non-weapon memento from home and either a compass or a lantern (not both).
🦊 Star Children that don’t succumb will simply continue forward to The Beach without issue and will have opportunities to find a non-personal item from their home worlds being sold at the market. See below.

Christening Ceremony . ★

Content Warnings: Possibility of drowning, fetch quests

Boat Bonanza

Whether venturing up the coastline from Exile, floating down the Encantado River, or simply being plopped into the water, Star Children new and old find themselves in water. A strong wave rolls up the beach to drag suspecting and unsuspecting alike. Playful pinkish-red dolphins spray people off boats into the river. Or Star Children find themselves treading water deeper than they are tall with no land in sight. No worries, those who need help getting out of the water will get it. Along the shore, spirits in boats will pick up anyone in need of a ride and bring them back through the fog to the sounds of shouts and cheers and music to a large clear spot in the fog.

Boats come into view. Boats of all shapes and sizes, from single person kayaks to large houseboats, fishing craft and sailboats. They rise and fall with the waves but aren't otherwise moving. Ropes, planks, and bridges tie the boats together. Whether approaching by river or by sea, new boats explore the outskirts of the great conglomeration of boats and attach themselves—increasing the size of the gathered ships. So many boats are gathered that the shore isn't visible from new boats tying up.

Everyone's welcome aboard and to wander from boat to boat. Starfish spirits offer games of chance at low tables on broad open decks under awnings. There are even holes in the bottom of the deck, so players can dip their feet in cool water. A cephalopod band plays upbeat music other spirits and Star Children can dance to in competition with a scavenging of seagull spirits singing sea shanties as loudly as they can two boats over. Far from them, jellyfish spirits offer places to rest in quiet, with curtains drawn and sound dampened. Many spirits offer food and drink—seafood or seafood shaped candy or in the case of mystery flavored taffy, sometimes seafood flavored candy. Those who don't want freshly rolled sushi or take a chance with the candies can always see the Wandering Dog cart on the shore, where the dogs try very hard to be included.

Flotilla Afterparty

Come September, nymphs pop up in the waters and start shooing the boats away until only the houseboats and some submarines remain. Some go off on their lonesome, but more of them form flotillas that float along the coastline continuing their activities and coming to shore to pick up any who wish to join them. A restaurant flotilla, a meditative flotilla, music performance flotillas, and even gambling flotillas. Should people want off and the boats aren't ready to go to shore, sometimes Catbus shows up, able to leap whatever the distance.

Fetchquest

At any time, during the boat festival or smaller flotillas, Star Children may find non-personal items from their home world for sale. It may be a weapon or magical item. These spirits can sense who is from the same world as an item and will only offer them to those Star Children. These aren’t free! After all, these spirits pulled up these items from chests in the water. Star Children will need to do a few favors or barter something else to obtain the item from home. Star Children who help in Vasilisa’s, now mostly staffed by spirits, will find they have an easier time bartering… unless it’s in the Cuttlefish Curiosities shop. If the cuttlefish spirit smells a whiff of the grumpy old octopus spirit who has taken over as chef, that Star Child will have to do twice the work.

Key Points:

🦊 Explore your way to Nereid where the Encantado reaches the shore or get dropped into the water.
🦊 Enjoy an enormous boat festival! All kinds of boats! All kinds of activities!
🦊 In September, the boat festival will split into multiple flotillas floating around the shoreline.
🦊 Do favors or barter goods to receive a non-personal item from home. It may be a weapon or magical item. A magical gun from your world? Yes. Your personal magical gun with your dog’s name engraved in it? No.

Comments

[lilscarab]

[She notices his tight squeeze of her hand at the mention of Tony Stark. Part of Layla wonders if he's jealous or something, but brushes it off. Marc has always been protective even when she didn't need it, so she doesn't think too much of it. No, in fact she thinks it's almost sweet - unnecessary but sweet - though last she remembers she's still an Avatar and he isn't.

Was she still an Avatar? Taweret might not be here...]

Then today was just annoying, a bit frightening, but mostly just annoying. [Sure she could have drowned but she was soaked for hours, she can still feel some of her clothing is damp.] So this is part of that potential she mentioned, putting us through trials.. What are they like? I should know what I'm in for.

[spktr]

"Oh, well..." He stammers a bit as he thinks, because while Steven has definitely cultivated a very wary perspective of everything regarding Thirteen and Folkmore, part of it is probably also influenced by Marc's opinions. Not completely, of course, but they tend to agree on a lot in this place which is new. Still, it's nice that Layla wants to hear him out regardless, and the way she's still holding his hand while giving him her full attention is almost enough to fluster him.

God, he's hopeless.

"These trials she puts us through are meant to have us working together with other people, and she seems to enjoy plopping us into uncomfortable or difficult situations with strangers, more often than not. I've always experienced them with people other than Marc which is... confusing." He pauses to look down at their held hands, his thumb idly brushing over Layla's. "The whole 'full potential' bollocks feels like something to keep us motivated, but it makes no sense. Marc and I were already achieving our full potential back home, yeah? And now here it feels like things are even more difficult. Like working backwards."

Ah, he doesn't mean to get into all that. He tries to backtrack a bit and smiles up at Layla again, a little sheepishly. "It's just hard to trust an entity who took us away from our homes, no matter the means of getting here. We can't leave, can we? That alone makes me not trust her or her motives. You nearly drowned getting here, how is that meant to help you?"

[lilscarab]

He does have her full attention, her eyes sharp on him as she listens to the man speak, taking in every word fully without doubt. Steven has always been one of the most honest people she's ever met, she cannot imagine that changing in the time they have been apart. There's a warmth in her chest to know he will be open and honest with her, even maybe to his detriment when he seems to sheepishly look at her after admitting something about Marc and himself. It makes her wonder if them moving backwards is why she's here, maybe this Thirteen saw they were losing progress.. though perhaps that's putting too much weight into her influence on them. So she brushes the thought aside.

Layla is glad she asked for Steven's perspective despite what she heard from Marc, it's different in a way, not just brushing it off as bullshit and moving on. And he makes a good point. How was her almost drowning helping her? It wasn't as if she would reject help in that moment, she was in fact hoping someone would.

"I don't know.. maybe her goal was to force me to meet someone. There has to be some goal, be it this 'potential' or something else, even if it's just for entertainment," even chaos was a goal, there has to be a rhyme or reason, even if it's beyond their understanding. Or maybe she was giving too much credit to this fox, Steven mentioned notes and how they don't line up..

"If teamwork seems to be the primary connecting dots here, then.. maybe her goal isn't self betterment so much as interpersonal relationships between the people she's pulling here... or maybe it's the spectacle of it all and we can't leave until she gets tired of us."

[nestingdevil]

A sort of stillness flashes over his face that makes every part of him pause. The slits of his eyes freeze and shrink, his finger hovers and sticks between one tap and the next. And for a while, he stays that way. As if something is echoing, calling back.

Finally, his eyes close and the Sin shakes himself back to the present. "That so?" Greed's neck sinks into his shoulders, making the fur around his collar open and tease his skin. He tests his mouth again as he wanders away, his heels loud then dull, almost deaf in his ears.

"You feel for it, hook, line, and sinker -"

The homunculus finds the rail of the boat when he comes back to it again; like a man adrift and dazed suddenly snapping to reality. "Ah - ? No," he clicks his tongue behind his teeth and finds his smile with a crude, tight curl of his lip. "-it'd be a lot harder to offend me, lovely. Most people tend to say there's nothing they want. Glad you were at least honest with me." He throws his arm out to his side to wave it back and forth as if shooing away his thought. "Everyone wants something, after all. Guess this thing of yours is pretty important."

A second, another, and for a few minutes, the odd sort of quiet settles in. Everything she says is too close. Too close to those final moments, that split-second decision. He'd thrown all of his chips and then some onto that very idea. The idea that humans, despite how fragile they could be, despite how easily they could be overtaken, despite how quickly they could die, in numbers? In determination? In will, power?

Him and his didn't stand a chance.

Greed's mouth tightens; his smile old and tired. Then he drops it all together, and ah, hasn't he always been the Ultimate Shield?

"Can't really argue with that, huh? Fine, suit yourself," the homunculus hums while he shifts his weight, throwing his body in a haphazard, playful tilt. "-but I still think that's a pretty rotten deal for you. Like I told you, I'm not good, but I do have my own standards, Rue." He casts a look over his shoulder. "Don't take me for something I'm just not, hmn? In the meantime, think about it. If you ever need something - "

Another boat sloshes on the water, and Greed turns his eyes back to it. "-feel free. It'd be a shame to waste the offer."

Tav | Baldurs Gate 3 | Legend | New character!

[chaotictide]

Fog & Footsteps / The Will or the Wisp

[Folkmore, the fox had said. And for reasons entirely unknown to him (save for curiosity, save for wondering) Tav had followed. Left the party's encampment and walked a good way into the unknown before he had even deigned to look back.

He should have been worried. He should have struggled. He should have resisted whatever enchantment this was for the sake of knowing at least ten others just like it- Yet he does not. Some part of him had known, incredibly, that all would be well, and his mind repeated it like a mantra. That him- the rest of him- continued to lie next to the encampment's fireplace in slumber. That he would wake and continue on with his companions. That all would be well.

All would be well.

That sentiment seems like a joke now. The air around him is heavy with a thick fog that clings- soaking through his robe and chilling him to the bone. The fox is nowhere to be seen. And all around him feels utterly strange. Judgemental. Resentful. Somehow.]

Enough of this.

[He speaks abruptly, the timbre of his voice low, artificially rough- in a vain attempt to frighten away whatever lurks around him. He turns on his heels and decides to make his way back whence he came- commencing the long walk back to... anywhere but here, really-

And then he stops.
Did he truly come this way? What were these footprints? Those lights in the distance?]

Hells take me...


A Magical Day

[Finally, finally, finally, the mist clears some shoreline beckons. Not like this shoreline is anything alike anything he has ever seen before. It seems to stretch for miles upon miles- where his vision ceases to register more than a small dot.

There are no landmarks. No signs of settlements, or civilization. What sort of land might this be, which could be so gargantuan? Even the vastness of the Trackless Sea seems absolutely insignificant compared.

He would comment on it, of course. He would express something alike disbelief- yet something else strikes him. Something far more important. Raw magic. In abundance. Yet not even half as terrifying. As a sorcerer, it stirs him, most certainly. It stokes the fire within- making him feel better. Stronger. More lucid. Far more present.

With it would come a certain degree of fear. Even for him- Especially for him. An uncontrolled sort of fear. Perhaps even the desire to check that nothing around him- or on him- was burning. That he still had all of his hair. That he was not either two or twenty feet tall. That there were no Mephits presently chewing on him.

But there is no fear. Just a sense of calm, of peace. If anything, it feels like the Weave is present, binding the chaotic threads of sheer power unto reassuring order.

He advances toward the beach. And he breathes in. Then, abruptly, he leans backward- lying face up in the sand, his eyes looking upward into the starless sky.

Oh, this was wonderful.]

[spktr]

"I think that's one of the most frustrating parts: not knowing why we were brought here, not really. Some people have even returned home and then come back, with or without their memories of this place. What's the point if we go home and don't remember either? Does that mean we've failed if we come back?" Steven sighs, clearly having had a lot of time to think of all these possibilities, but he has few answers. It's frustrating.

"Then there's the more personal gripe: why am I separated from Marc?" And wow, being able to actually talk about that out loud with someone who isn't Marc is such a huge relief for Steven. "Of course there's plenty of perks but it's also very strange. I'm sure it's even stranger for Marc but he doesn't like to talk about it much, like most things." He smiles knowingly at the end there.

While they speak, Tut is still watching them from his perch on a shelf behind them, though he eventually decides to hop down at last, especially now that Steven is here to act as a buffer with this stranger. He slinks over to them and hops up onto Steven's side of the couch, then into his lap, sniffing the air as his big black eyes peer up at Layla.

"Oh! Have you met Tut yet?" Steven perks up at the slug cat's appearance, his free hand reaching to pet his head gently, and he grins up at Layla. "Layla, this is Tut. Tut, this is Layla. She's nice, alright?" Though the slightly chiding tone implies he isn't sure if Tut will be nice. "He's harmless, I promise. Worst he does is knock over ink bottles and bother Marc for his dinner."

[lilscarab]

"Wait we don't remember?" Then what was the point, why be here at all if they don't remember the experience, how is that bettering themselves, how is that reaching their potential. Hearing that takes some of the wind from her sails, because now this place feels pointless. What does it matter if something happens here if they don't remember it, and if they come back later without memories, do they start all over again?

Is it all for nothing?

Even with that bomb, she is glad that Steven can be open with her about his feelings about the whole being separated from Marc thing. She got the feeling that it's a big secret from Marc and has decided to go with it, but it must be hard to keep all of that to themselves. An amused huff leaves her at the mention of Marc not talking about it. He said some to her, but she's not about to spread his confidence in case he's kept it from Steven. If she said anything she would want it to help them, not get between them.

Oh! The strange cat thing is here and she looks at it with wide eyes as Steven introduces them. She carefully offers her free hand for the creature to smell. "Hello Tut. I give nice pets," many of the stray cats in the neighborhood she grew up in loved her, she would feed and pet them all the time.

[tooawesome]

Of course Sharon's a quick learner. That makes the most sense in the world. Alluka nods and appreciates the help. She's gotten a good part of the way done, if only because this task is far more doable than a quest to find a dragon. If no one can help her find one by the time this is done, then she'll have a real mountain of a task. Like that book, except instead of Are you my mummy? it's Are you a dragon?. Alluka knows who her mother is, even if it's been a good while since she's seen her.

"Oh an hour or two, I guess," Alluka answers. She wanted something worthy of handing over to Sir Cuddlefish, not something anyone could toss together without much effort. So when she bought the kit with her spoon, she got this grand thing, something she'd never seen before as a model kit. Somehow, her spoon understands her when she asks for things, even things like this. She's awfully fond of it.

"It could be a lot harder. It's not like we're building it in a bottle." They could even wish a bottle around it in the end if they wanted, but that would feel like cheating. "What kind of boats do you like?"

[staringly]

[She doesn't know where she's going obviously, but she will follow him, because she trusts him already even if he's a younger version of himself. Leia walks with a little more pep.]

Where do you live here?

[hasmuchtolearn]

There's a town called Epiphany, and I live in an apartment there with another Jedi. His name is Ezra. I think you'll like him too.

[It's clear her mood has lifted and it makes Obi-Wan glad and more relaxed too.]

You can stay with us if you like. I'm sure he won't mind.

[fistofvengeance]

[He's slightly jealous, but also, he doesn't really trust Stark all that much. They haven't talked much, and Marc got invited to a party of his once, but even then... Even then, he's got this image in his head of a playboy billionaire who kept getting into his big metal suit to fuck the world up a little more.

The squeeze continues, though not quite as intense.]

They're kinda all over the place. The day I first got here, I got attacked by livin' snowmen and pulled into magic snowball fights. Which was fine, nobody got hurt. But a couple months ago, we all got teleported into the middle of nowhere in a fuckin' desert. No shade, no water, no nothin'. And there were sphinxes and huge sandworms and shit.

[lilscarab]

Sphinxes? Like real ones? [Sure that all sounds annoying or dangerous, she would be the first person to talk about how dangerous it is to be lost in the desert with nothing, especially water, but sphinxes!

She's wondered if such things could be real ever since she learned of Khonshu from Marc - with everything that's happened on Earth with gods and monsters, it shouldn't be a shock yet...

Focus.] And you're alright? Were you hurt? [He seems alright but that doesn't mean he is.]

[fistofvengeance]

[That trial was a lot. So much shit happened to Marc in the span of maybe two days... And even through it all, his biggest concern was Steven. They'd been separated, and he could tell Steven was in the desert somewhere, but the place was so damned big. He'd never felt that lost before.

Needless to say, he doesn't respond right away. His gaze fixes itself on the ground before them as they walk. He knows he can't just stay silent, though.]

... I lived through it. Steven and me, we both lived through it. Made it to shelter after some wanderin'.

[lilscarab]

[His silence speaks volumes. She can hear that it was more than just living through it. More than just him and Steven making it through. They did, but there is still some hurt there, some pain, even if he can't speak on it. Sometimes she wishes she could read his mind so he could communicate without the hardship of finding the words..

But that's not one of her talents and never would be. For the moment, she just squeezes his hand and stays close, wondering what happened in that desert.]

I am glad you both lived through it, that you made it to shelter. The desert is an unforgiving place. [And there is sand in her blood.]

[fistofvengeance]

Yeah. Desert here is extra bad, what with all the weird monsters roamin' around out there. Not that you'd miss much by stayin' away from it. Only thing worthwhile there is the academy anyway, and you can get there by train.

[They round a corner, and the apartment building comes into view. The Wandering Dog food cart doesn't seem to be parked in front right now, which is a shame, because it's one of Marc's favorite places to get dinner. And lunch. It's a versatile establishment. He's not sure if Layla would even want food from here, though. Maybe they should just cook dinner. Something to discuss with Steven later, when he's home.

He raises his free hand to point ahead.]

Apartment's over there. Second balcony from the left, third floor.

[lilscarab]

Academy? In the middle of a desert? [That felt strange to her but this whole place feels strange to her really. Nothing about Folkmore felt right to her, something was always strange around the corner. Though this corner just leads to an apartment building, at least that wasn't too strange.

Though her husband - ex husband? what were they to each other now - was a cat just a moment ago so... Maybe she reached her strange quota for the day.

She looks where he points, her eyes following to the second balcony on the left, third one up. For a mystery fantasy place that this is, the apartment almost seems.. mundane.]

So.. how does living here work? Do you just find a place and apply for a lease or? [It's not like she's got money.]

[fistofvengeance]

[The Fox's academies are in the weirdest places. Marc tries not to question it, because he's already convinced she put those things out in the boonies just to be a pain in the ass. No alternative reasons needed. And while he's a little hurt that Layla's apparently already thinking of finding a place of her own- well- of course she would. Marc's staying with Steven, as he should be, since they're a duo. And Layla... probably needs space from him, after everything. It makes sense. Bitterly disappointing, though.

His shoulders roll in half a shrug, and his eyes roll lightly towards the sky.]

Honestly? You just kinda grab the keys and move in. It's free real estate. [He had to say it.] Only thing you gotta worry about is your spoon. You got one, right?

[lilscarab]

[Really Marc, you haven't even invited her to stay with you, of course she is thinking about her own place or where to stay. Though, she is kind of assuming she can crash on his couch for the time being, but she doesn't even know what they are to each other right now, let alone assuming they are going to live together again after he sent her divorce papers. Unsigned ones.]

Just find a place you like and move in? That sounds too good to be true. [Of course he had to say it and she chuckles lightly at it.]

And you mean this? [She pulls a spoon from her pocket, it looks like it's wooden spoon with a jackal carved for the handle.] Yeah.

[thiscruel]

Eren doesn't explain what he means by "no other ending," nor does Bertholdt ask. He doesn't feel the need. There was no other ending to the battle from which he walked away, either. He couldn't stop and talk things over with Armin; it wouldn't change anything. He couldn't let himself be killed, and Reiner with him. He had no other option than to do as he was instructed, rising high into the sky before blowing it all away.

Whatever deviation he made from the plan was limited by the constraints of reality. He did what he could to save Reiner's life. (According to Annie, it worked; Reiner lived.) He couldn't do anything for the others. He couldn't save his friends.

So he walked away. He has yet to regret that choice.

"It would have been nice," Bertholdt says, still looking at the ocean, though he feels Eren's eyes on him, "if our world wasn't so cruel. I would've liked there to be another way. But…"

That's not the world in which they lived. That wasn't their reality.

"… I'm grateful to Thirteen. For giving us another option."

Us. Not only the two of them; Bertholdt means Annie, as well. But it's just the two of them on this beach, and he says, us.

[thiscruel]

Ezra Bridger. Bertholdt commits the name to memory, as well as the young man's face and voice. It's less a conscious decision and more the result of lived experience. Bertholdt needed to memorize things rapidly while undercover in a foreign land; otherwise, he would have outed himself immediately.

He's surprised by the word "Trench." Is that the name of a place? It must be. But what an unfortunate name; it brings nothing but war to mind—at least for Bertholdt.

His eyebrows rise a bit. "That sounds nice. The free food, I mean. I wouldn't know what to do at a casino"—although Bertholdt has heard of them, at least—"but it sounds like other people would enjoy it."

[spktr]

"Well, that's what I've heard from others, anyway. There are some people who have returned to their home worlds and come back with memories of Folkmore intact, but didn't remember this place when they were back home. It's... discouraging, a bit." A lot, really, but he doesn't like to linger on the idea of this whole thing being pointless. Steven is just trying to find reason of his own amidst the frustration.

The two of them will definitely have to loop Layla in with how they're presenting themselves to the rest of this place, and everything that's happened since, but there will be plenty of time for that once Marc returns. A selfish part of him is also glad to have some alone time with Layla with the shock of seeing her here, even if he wishes she didn't have to deal with this place at all.

Tut is a curious little slug cat, his fur sleek and smooth, and his proportions a bit too odd to be the kind of cats they're used to, but he still has a fluffy tail and cute little ears that perk up with curiosity, his tiny hands gripping Steven's leg as he leans in closer to Layla's offered hand. She earns a few judgmental little sniffs, Tut leaning in a bit closer, before he deems her safe and bops his little head against her fingers in a sign of acceptance.

"Aw, see? Of course he likes you. What's not to like?" Steven grins, a flush coloring his cheeks ever so slightly. "If you really want to win him over as his favorite, you can feed him just about anything in the fridge. Especially grapes and berries - he seems to adore those."

[thiscruel]

Surprise passes over Bertholdt's face, clearly startled by the curtsy. He looks a little flustered: no one has ever curtsied to him before, and he's unsure how to respond. Does he salute? Which salute would he use? No, that's not what fancy people do…!

After a moment of mental scrambling, Bertholdt attempts to bow slightly. It's unpracticed, a bit jerky, and obviously an imitation of something he's witnessed but never performed. When he straightens up, he looks less in his element than before: more like a bashful teenager and less like a Legend on a mission. However, when Swan asks her questions, Bertholdt's expression returns to solemnity.

"To be honest, I haven't tried to leave," he admits. "My world… It isn't something that I can return to."

Not without diving back into the slaughter. And Bertholdt doesn't want to cause any more suffering. He doesn't want anyone else to suffer at all.

Swan appears to be moving all right despite the damage to her clothing. So Bertholdt doesn't offer physical assistance, simply turning slightly, indicating the way he came. "Let's go this way. Um, if you don't mind talking while we walk."

[lilscarab]

"If what they say is true, then yes, that's quite discouraging," she doesn't want to linger overlong on the on how pointless that makes this all feel. How disconcerting it is to know that she is likely to live a portion of her life here only to lose it. What if she makes friends? What if Marc and her figure it out.. what if they don't?

No, it wasn't the healthiest thing to get stuck on. Perhaps when they go home permanently they will remember. Or maybe that's a thought to try and placate herself. To make this feel less like a prolonged dream that will end with no memory. She's only just arrived yet she feels helpless in the face of this fox and her games. Taking a deep breath, she steels herself internally against the helpless and hopeless feeling, she will remember, she will return home with her men one day. She's sure of it.

When she gets the little sign of acceptance, she smiles and carefully pets the creature's head. Tut was an interesting creature, she's never seen anything like it. She imagines that if he's normal enough to be a pet and there are sphinxes like Marc said, then there could be a whole array of mythical and strange creatures here.

"He's got good taste, just like his owners," she gives a cheeky smile. "Grapes huh? Here," she untangles their hands and moves to stand. "I haven't eaten all day, might as well grab us three a snack while we wait on Marc."

[thiscruel]

Normally, Bertholdt wouldn't volunteer for such a thing. Not because he's incapable but because he simply doesn't know this person. While he's happy to assist his friends and acquaintances, he's less likely to leap to the aid of strangers.

However, there's a difference between volunteering and being directly asked. Since that's what has happened here, Bertholdt finds himself nodding.

"I'm not busy," he admits honestly. "Do you know what kind of meat you want?"

That would be far easier for him to identify than the ingredients at the grocers.

Fog and Footsteps

[recreator]

[Such is Exile. Absolutely dreadful place with a dense, wet fog which makes navigation nigh on impossible. Emet-Selch had hoped never again to return to this godsforsaken corner of Folkmore, and yet here he is. On a search. And a rather vain one at that.]

[Tav will first hear a rustling through the branches overhead as some manner of creature glides low. This, followed by a dark shadow and a "whoosh" of wind as something quite heavy lands in a nearby thicket (and certainly does not crash into it by any stretch of the imagination). Cursing soon follows, something which sounds suspiciously like:]

Petty and utterly vindictive creature! Just you wait until I get my hands on that rod. "An equivalent trade," she said. "I've barely touched black magic!" Yet know one thought to mention the fool's errand that would await--!

[The silhouette begins to grow taller as it rights itself, and out of the dark appear two luminous yellow eyes, piercing and narrowed and staring straight at Tav.]