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

[spktr]

The little touches are already getting him so flustered but Steven takes a deep breath and keeps his cool, nodding along in response to her words. He isn't surprised to hear she's handling this the best she can, because from what he's seen of Layla, she manages well under pressure. At least Folkmore doesn't hold the immediate dangers of ancient tombs and unhinged cult members out to kill them.

"The whole classification bollocks is just that: nonsensical, as is everything else the bloody fox puts us through. It's all under the guise of bettering ourselves but I've never quite believed that to be true." He looks determinedly set about that, like it wouldn't be easy to change his mind, purely based on the fact that he and Marc were bettering themselves just fine back home, before this place mucked it all up. "I just wouldn't take the whole... horns and claws thing to heart, yeah? Why did she decide Marc should turn into a cat of all things? I don't even know if he liked cats before."

Steven can't help himself as one of his hands returns Layla's touch, patting hers gently, like he's trying to be as reassuring as he can.

"I'm under the 'Legend' role," he says with a sheepish shrug of his shoulders, like he's embarrassed about it. "My eyes shift colors with my emotions, from what I understand. I also have wings but I've learned to keep them... hidden. They're quite large and noticeable otherwise." And the last thing Steven ever wants is attention.

[lilscarab]

In perspective of what she's been through recently with gods and tombs and becoming an avatar and talking to dead people.. yeah this place seems surreal, but it was easier to approach cool minded. It was overwhelming but she could take it slow at least, there was nothing pressing for her attention other than whatever was right in front of her.

Which happens to be a Steven Grant passionately reassuring her that this whole Myth thing is bullshit. She can't help the smile that graces her features, charmed by the man's resolve in this moment. He seems like a push over at times, but he really wasn't and she could appreciate that about him.

"Well, that seems fitting," she would love to see his wings at some point, but doesn't say so right now. "I mean, myth might fit me too, but to think I have something in common with Tony Stark of all people." She chuckles, shaking her head at the thought.

"What even is this place? Stark is alive, I'm made to look like some.., you and Marc have your own bodies, he turns into a cat, you're an angel.." She props her elbow on her knee before resting her chin against her palm, she speaks calmly, though with a strong sense of disbelief. "Steven, there are barely any lights on in this room but I can see just fine... how does that help with this potential thing?" it was rhetorical.

"Maybe I'm the one that needs to be pinched," she doesn't seem overly bothered, just astonished by the whole situation. It seems so.. impossible.

[spktr]

"There's also this-" His face twists into concentration, eyes shutting, and moments later a glowing halo seems to form around his head like a crown. It's far too bright in the dim lighting of the apartment but then he's making it disappear, chuckling under his breath. "I think it makes the whole 'angel' aesthetic a bit too on the nose though, so I'm glad it's not always around."

Steven is a bit shy about his wings, mostly because the body horror of it all sits uncomfortably with him. Most people don't seem to care and have embraced their new appendages but Steven has had a harder time of it. Maybe it's because he feels so displaced in general, being apart from Marc and all. You'd think it would be a positive thing for them to have their own autonomy in different bodies but it just feels wrong still, even if there are perks.

"Ah, so you met Tony already, did you? He's actually a pretty decent bloke. More than I thought he'd be for... a famous billionaire." The guy did save the universe and all though, so of course Steven is grateful. "I think we could all argue bits and pieces of these roles fit us in some way, yeah? I don't think it's so black and white."

Steven takes a quick deep breath and leans into the side of the couch, though one of his hands is still resting against hers, happy for the physical contact. It's so surreal seeing Layla sitting in front of him after months without, and with how things ended back home so quickly, he never had a chance to properly talk to her. Neither did Marc. Honestly, where has he run off to?

"We think it's just a different realm within the vast multiverse, which is apparently very real, mind you. I wouldn't have believed it before but I've met people here who come from different universes yet are the same person. It's bonkers." He shakes his head, thinking particularly of the two Steve Rogers in Folkmore. "I can't make heads or tails of any of it, there's no logic behind it, so I'd assume there's a boatload of magic and god-like interference here. Not that I'd want to compare Thirteen to a god and stroke her ego further, but she's some sort of otherworldly entity, that's for certain.

I wish I had a better answer for you, love. I've been trying to figure it out all these months but... my notes don't align with any sort of logic or reason, and every month gets even more confusing. I'm just happy we're not alone here." He squeezes her hand. "And neither will you be."

[lilscarab]

Her eyebrows go up at the halo, even if it's appearance is short lived. It's beautiful and strange, the man can just make it appear and disappear so quickly. Steven was right, it was very on the nose. Especially if the man has big fluffy white wings on top of everything.

Honestly, everything Steven says is a lot - there is just so much to take in, but she listens carefully, never once doubting the man even if something sounds unbelievable. Steven has been here for months, Marc even longer, whatever either of them have figured out is altogether more information than she has by just sitting here wondering about these things. It's more than she would expect to learn from a short time being here -- honestly? She is lucky to have someone who is so readily open to sharing it.. she can imagine how much worse this would be if she was alone.

Which makes the contact more comforting, it reminds her she's not alone but with a friend who is doing his best to help. It was deeply reassuring and made everything about this less overwhelming.

"Yeah, Stark saved me from drowning.. which I really appreciate," she lifts her eyebrows as if to say no shit to herself, "he seemed a pretty good guy, better than the nonsense I grew up hearing about the man," being so close to the middle east didn't make a lot she grew up hearing very kind to the billionaire.

"Multiverses too, huh? Otherworldly entities.. next you'll tell me Mr. Darcy and Godzilla are real-- wait, don't. I am going to pretend they are still just stories," she chuckles to herself as she flops back, not dislodging their contact, her life line in this moment.

Where the hell is Marc while she's having an existential crisis over the idea Mr. Darcy is real?

[spktr]

Thankfully, Steven's wings are neither white or fluffy. He will show them off one day - maybe when he isn't still in shock of her arrival at all.

"From drowning?" His eyes widen like saucers at the image, instinctively clinging to her hand harder. "Were you down by all those boats then? I'm glad someone was there- blimey. Are you alright?" And maybe it's a good thing that isn't how Marc of all people found her.

Folkmore is a lot to process and it took Steven a few months to really settle in, though he still doesn't like the idea of being settled at all. He always wonders how he'd have made it without Marc around to help, or at least be that grounding presence of someone familiar, and he's happy that they can both be here for Layla. Not that she wouldn't be able to handle her own just fine... but still. He's glad.

"Well, there's quite the few jedi around here... and I've met animals who can talk, so I'm not sure anything is too far out of the realm of reality anymore." He chuckles, shaking his head some, because talking ravens and mystical forces seem like the least of their problems here. "Maybe all those stories are also just pockets of other worlds? It's a bit overwhelming to consider, innit? Then you start to wonder if we're stories and- I just can't go there."

[lilscarab]

"Yeah, I got caught by a wave and pulled into rip current.. I'm fine though, Stark was there to pull me out," she shakes her head like it was nothing. It was terrifying in the moment, she thought she would drown, but then a hand caught her's and pulled her from the current that was keeping her under. It's not like she can't swim, but it was never something she was strong at, growing up in the desert and all. She shifts her hand to hold his instead of his wrist and gives it a squeeze. "Promise."

She listens, her eyebrows finder her hairline at the mention of Jedi, though talking animals doesn't get her too much considering how Marc not only was a talking cat but transformed from being a talking cat right in front of her. With clothes on. For some reason the fact the clothes change too boggles her mind a little.

Not that she wanted to see Marc naked. Really.

"I mean.. we very well might be, but what if..." She thinks about it for a long moment.. "I mean, what if it's less being a story and more that whatever happened made a strong enough echo that it became a story somewhere else? It's still real, it's still us, but our story needed to be told in a place we don't exist because it was important."

[spktr]

"Oh my days... I'm so glad he was there. This place isn't usually so dangerous but you never know with the fox and her games. Sometimes even the most harmless-seeming things can escalate." He looks at Layla with so much concern though, glad she's alright. What an introduction to Folkmore.

The idea of them all being stories in some manner is yet another existential nightmare, but what's one more, really? Steven is starting to get used to those. It's only a theory though and he hopes that's all it remains, because the idea of him not being "real" is already too close to home, and he doesn't need another reason to believe it.

"That's a fascinating perspective! I like that more than the concept of us being stories in someone else's world." He smiles, yet still looks a bit concerned about this. "I've noticed a lot of Thirteen's trials are inspired by folk tales which would seem obvious, given the name of this realm." He pauses then, looking at her a bit brighter all of a sudden. "Though I don't know if you've been told about trials yet? I'm not sure how much Marc has shared?"

[lilscarab]

The only reason she kind of thinks that way is because in a way isn't that what's gone on with history in their own world? Stories of the gods they thought were just stories but learned that the gods are real later on. Maybe it's not the perfect example, but it makes sense to her. Who knows how the universe works. She doesn't linger long on it when Steven brings up the trials.

"Folk tales, Folkmore, I can see what you mean," she thinks about it for a second. "Marc mentioned that they are for this potential that the Fox spoke of, but he thinks it's just her having fun with us.. What do you think about them?"

Steven has such a different perspective on things and she respects his mind and how he thinks greatly, she would like to hear what he thinks, his view on them. It would be good to gather information from more than one source as well. Although Marc and Steven are close, they are very different people.

"I want to know whatever you can tell me."

[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."

[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.

[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."

[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."

[spktr]

They'll figure it out, he's sure of it. Or, well, he hopes. Steven isn't the type to lose hope quickly but the longer he's been in Folkmore the less anything makes sense, and the more jaded he's become that any of this is meaningful once they return home. The only balm is the fact that he's met such lovely new people here, made friends, and has gotten closer to Marc too. He can't find fault in any of that.

Tut's acceptance of Layla is sweet and Steven can't stop smiling at their little interaction. The slug cat practically barrels over the couch to follow Layla into the kitchen at the mention of grapes, but Steven's hands catch him before he can, holding him back and laughing at the enthusiasm.

"Now, now. She'll be right back! Impatient little bugger." He speaks fondly, Tut trilling some before he opts to sit in the space between Steven and where Layla was instead, ears perked and tail swishing curiously. "You'd think we never feed him, like he's absolutely famished."

Steven leans an arm against the back of the couch, head resting in his hand as he watches Layla walk into the kitchen. It's an open area so he can still see her as she turns around the counter toward the fridge, and he can't help the openly fond look on his own face at seeing her here, despite his frustration his friend has to be here at all. It's still nice to see her.

"So Marc dumped you here and left without feeding you? Tsk, tsk..." he teases softly, sure that wherever he went, it's for a good reason. Maybe he's picking up food? Steven has been trying out cooking more in Folkmore but they still have a bad habit of ordering out. "You can have anything you'd like. What's ours is yours, of course."

[lilscarab]

She looks back at them, smiling, as she walks to the kitchen, her own expression fond. Tut has already charmed her too - even as strange as the slugcat like thing he is, but he was adorable. "Of course, because you don't feed him enough, don't you know he wants to be a bowling ball full of grapes? How dare you thwart his dreams. Cruelty."

Moving into the kitchen, she putters around the kitchen finding a bowl, digging through the fridge, washing grapes. Even though it takes a couple seconds to locate anything, she seems rather at ease in their space and home. Really, it was easy to occupy space with Marc because she has years of experience with the man and Steven was such a welcoming person that she feels anything but awkward to be shuffling around in his kitchen while he watches. She's glad to have them here with her, she would be so much more lost without them.

"Marc mentioned something about dinner, but I think our emotional reunion scared him off," she teases, but she also doesn't doubt that that might be at least partially the case.

With no reason to linger in the kitchen, she returns to the couch and sits, holding out a grape to Tut. "Does he like the soft ones? I hate them, we'll be good friends if so." She will happily give the slugcat all her soft grapes if he likes them.

[spktr]

"Emotional?" He can't help but repeat curiously, wondering how Marc is holding up after all of this. Steven and him share a Familiar bond where they can feel each other's emotions but Steven hasn't felt anything particularly negative or panicked, which is a great sign, but he can't tell if the happy emotions are his own, Marc's, or a combination of both. "Did he seem... alright?"

Even if she's teasing, Steven also has no doubt the shock of seeing his wife again after so many months played some part in him not being here right now.

Tut almost immediately grabs for the offered grape with his tiny hands, nibbling away at the soft flesh happily. His ears twitch as he settles down between them, facing Layla, expectant for more of these soft grapes while they pick through the bowl.

"Naturally, he'll eat anything that tastes good." Steven chuckles as he reaches for a couple himself to pop into his mouth. "Well, if he returns empty handed I can make us something in a pinch. I've been learning how to cook better here. There's plenty of time to, after all, so may as well. There's tons of interesting restaurants about too though, if you prefer. There's even a brilliant ramen place where the staff are all, erm... toad spirits. Very strange still but fascinating too. Best ramen I've had."

[lilscarab]

She thinks about how to answer that. Marc seemed happy enough, smiled even. They didn't argue or have anything really negative happen. There were heavy topics, but they didn't dive into them yet. In a way, she was so relieved to see him still alive and well after all the chaos and rejecting Khonshu and her being in a strange new place that she didn't feel the surge of anger and resentment that she knows linger in her heart. Layla knows she's still hurt, but for the moment she just feels.. relieved to not be alone or crazy.

"Yeah, he seemed fine.. I think almost good, for Marc that is," she gives Steven a little smile as she says it, clearly figuring he knows what she means.

Picking through the bowl, she eats a few grapes before handing another to Tut. At first she watches the strange cat slug squirrel thing eat, but he seems happy as a clam, so she keeps feeding him all the soft grapes she finds. This would be a very symbiotic relationship.

"I would love to try your cooking sometime, there is little I won't eat," even soft grapes, she will eat them if she needs to. But her eyebrows go up at the mention of toad spirits. "Is everything here some kind of fantastical nonsense? What's next, unicorns and dragons?"

[spktr]

Steven is cautiously optimistic their reunion went so well but he knows context makes a huge difference, and the fact that Layla only just arrived may be playing a part in the positivity of that interaction. He wants things to go smoothly of course, doesn't want them to fight or argue, but he can't help but wonder how things will go the longer days go on and Marc is forced to face the fact that he should properly talk to Layla about all that happened. Steven witnessed everything back home himself but Layla didn't, and there's so much left up in the air...

Well. That's a tomorrow problem, isn't it?

"For Marc, huh? We should count our blessings." Steven chuckles, stealing another grape for himself while Tut is distracted with Layla's offering. Tut is always happiest when he's got a snack for himself and the fact that Layla is feeding him definitely works in her favor. "For what it's worth, I think he's doing very well with the circumstances, all things considered. He was here two or so months alone and didn't completely fall apart, so I'll take that as a win. He even made friends." He smiles softly. "Of course, he's stronger than he thinks."

Steven pops a couple distracting grapes into his mouth, and at Layla's description of "fantastical nonsense" he can't help but laugh.

"Well, speaking of unicorns..." his voice trails off cheekily. "I know there's at least one around living in the desert with a bloke - a mate of Marc's, actually. I wouldn't be too surprised if dragons are next on the agenda."

[lilscarab]

To hear Marc is doing well is nice. It was worth a lot to know he didn't fall apart while he was alone, that he's made friends. Making friends wasn't his strong suit or her priority, they spent a lot of their time alone together, so to hear he's capable of it here.. She smiles.

"He is stronger than he realizes.. sometimes he doesn't see something about himself because something blinds him to it. His self worth is garbage.. but I do hope it's gotten better in his time here."

She knows he doesn't speak to his mom, that there is a bad relationship there, but she never pushed and he never said. It wasn't hard to imagine his self image has a lot to do with it though. Her father always built her up, but what if his mother tore him down?

Popping some more grapes in her mouth, she blinks in surprise at what Steven says next.

"No.. there's for real a Unicorn? Marc knows a guy with a unicorn? Well, I am going to have to have him introduce me."

[spktr]

It's comforting knowing that someone else here understands Marc the way Steven does, if not better in many ways. Layla has known Marc longer and seen sides to him that Steven hasn't, but together, maybe they can piece together the remaining puzzle that is Marc Spector.

"God, you've only been here ten minutes and I'm already so glad to have someone to talk to about these things. Someone who understands," he says honestly, hoping that doesn't add any pressure onto Layla's shoulders, but Steven appreciates having a familiar friend around.

"There is! I haven't seen it in person but I swear it exists. Yet still not the strangest thing I've seen here," he laughs, scrunching up his nose a bit at a memory. "The giant rabbits hatching out of eggs still win there. I think that's burned into my brain for eternity."

[lilscarab]

In a way she has known Marc longer, but Steven knows all the details that she doesn't. Understands aspects that are real that she never learned from the years of being with him. Not that she knows that, but she gets the feeling that Steven knows Marc better in a way than she does, something she is fine with - well a little jealous of, but perhaps yes, together they can figure out Marc Spector.

"Trust me, after years of being with Marc, it's a relief for me too to have someone who understands how difficult of a man he is," she loves him and she says it with affection, but he is difficult, especially to know and love. "I hope to meet some of his friends here, I am curious what sort of people he has taken up with."

Again, Steven talking about strange creatures makes her eyebrows go up in disbelief. "What, is this a Cadbury egg commercial?" She shakes her head. "Marc mentioned Sphinxes too, I admit, it makes me want to explore the desert to see if they are still there," he said the desert is dangerous but... that's never stopped her.

[spktr]

Steven chuckles. "He's a tough egg to crack sometimes but I think I've gotten the hang of it. You definitely have a different edge though, and I'm sure he'll be more willing to open up about some things here. Or... I hope, anyway. This place has a way of making us more thoughtful and willing to communicate, especially here in Epiphany. Some of these trials force communication too which has been interesting."

To say the least...

The comparison to a Cadbury egg commercial has him laughing again. "I wish it was that cute. Gods, they were horrible. Imagine a horse-sized rabbit, and you're sitting in their giant nest, and you've just arrived here and have no idea what the bloody hell is going on." He shakes his head some at the memory. "I thought I'd gone mad for good."

The desert is an especially dangerous place though and the fact that she'd be willing to explore it isn't much of a surprise. Still, it worries him, his expression suddenly shifting from amused to seriously concerned.

"I wouldn't take it too lightly. The desert here isn't like what we've got back home. There's actual sand monsters and other mystical dangers out there. We- We got stuck there for a time. I'm sure Marc told you though..." And it was horrible, especially with their bond, and feeling the helplessness involved. "I know you're fully capable of taking care of yourself though and the desert is like your home, yeah? But maybe... bring a friend? Or two?"

[lilscarab]

"I think with the different ways we can approach him, together we can crack his shell," she pops some grapes into her mouth before offering more to Tut. Marc and Steven had a special connection, more than just the emotion sharing one, but something deep and personal. They are two halves of the same coin in many ways. She didn't want to get in the way of that.

Though whatever thoughts she was having are abruptly halted when he explains more about these giant rabbits hatching from eggs. "That sounds.. horrifying. I'm glad I only had to deal with fog and rogue waves," not that almost drowning wasn't scary in its own right, but she didn't have to deal with horse sized rabbits.

His expression gives her pause in her hopes to explore the desert, the fact that he warns her against it so readily as well. She knows it would imperative she takes his concerns seriously.

"Once I make a few, I'll see if any want to explore the desert with me," she gets the feeling most people won't want to from the bits and pieces she's gotten from Marc and Steven now. Sounds like whatever happened with the desert was terrible and unforgiving, she wouldn't want to ask either of them to come with her, it sounds as if they've had enough of that to last them. "But if I do, I'll be careful, promise."

[spktr]

"We do make a good team, you and I." Steven says with a little smile, playfully nudging his foot to Layla's when he reaches over for another grape, though he's surprised by his own boldness.

Tut is happy to take all the grapes, his little fingers grasping for the offering greedily, as if he needs to store it all away in case the human changes her mind and takes the grapes back. He's content to sit and nibble between them still, behaving as long as he's got a treat in hand.

Steven is a little sheepish when realizing how he'd reacted to the innocent curiosity about the desert, and he waves his hand a little, trying to be dismissive of his reaction. "Sorry, it's just- well... I'm sure there's plenty to explore out there and some people actually live there, but going in deeper seems dangerous. Of course we wouldn't want you to go alone and I doubt Marc would leave you be if he knew."