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Entry tags:
December 2023 & January 2024 Test Drive Meme
December 2023 - January 2024 TDM
Introduction
Overflow TDM post found here
[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.
All TDMs are game canon 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.
🦊 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: School Detention, Time Not Passing, Forced Reflection/Confession, Potential Violence
Welcome to detention. Star Children, whether they're new arrivals to Folkmore or old hands, find themselves sitting at two person desks in a library. Perhaps there's only two Star Children, perhaps up to four or five. Regardless, each Star Child has a slip of paper in their hands which spells out why they are in detention, a secret detention slip no one else can read. Which, whew, because the reason any Star Child is in detention is for something they've never been punished for, something they might reasonably have thought they got away with, something they know was wrong.
The door to the library opens, and Kuma Lisa enters. She explains that Star Children will be in detention for four hours, and by the end of detention, they will need to reflect on what they did and express contrition. The headmistress gives no further guidance before leaving and closing the doors behind her.
Four hours is a notable chunk of time, but it's not so long, is it? Surely it's possible to wait it out without making good on the assignment… Or perhaps it's enough to write about it in one of the notebooks on the table in front of each student, without explaining it to another soul. Star Children are welcome to try whatever they want. However, they may notice an oddity with the clock. Namely, no matter how many times the second hand ticks around a circle to mark a whole minute, the minute and hour hands don't progress. It's the same minute over and over and over—
Detention is four hours, but how long four hours takes is entirely up to the Star Children in detention. Read every book in the library. Throw a dance party. Get high. Pull weapons out of the books. All matter of non-magical weapons. Nothing immediately happens upon pulling those weapons—no monsters to make detention less boring. Unless people make progress reflecting on their transgression, communicating about it with another Star Child, and showing penitence for it, time won't pass. Reality warps to stay in the same minute, minute after minute, hour after hour.
What's it going to be? Never ending detention or personal accountability?
However long it takes, it only takes four hours in the realm of Folkmore.
A word of warning to those who grabbed weapons, they will be attacked on their way home after detention. They will be attacked by creatures out of storybooks. Star Children will need to know the literary weaknesses of these creatures, good luck, or the help of someone else coming along who does know their weaknesses. At least there's some excitement in the day after four long long hours.
Welcome to detention. Star Children, whether they're new arrivals to Folkmore or old hands, find themselves sitting at two person desks in a library. Perhaps there's only two Star Children, perhaps up to four or five. Regardless, each Star Child has a slip of paper in their hands which spells out why they are in detention, a secret detention slip no one else can read. Which, whew, because the reason any Star Child is in detention is for something they've never been punished for, something they might reasonably have thought they got away with, something they know was wrong.
The door to the library opens, and Kuma Lisa enters. She explains that Star Children will be in detention for four hours, and by the end of detention, they will need to reflect on what they did and express contrition. The headmistress gives no further guidance before leaving and closing the doors behind her.
Four hours is a notable chunk of time, but it's not so long, is it? Surely it's possible to wait it out without making good on the assignment… Or perhaps it's enough to write about it in one of the notebooks on the table in front of each student, without explaining it to another soul. Star Children are welcome to try whatever they want. However, they may notice an oddity with the clock. Namely, no matter how many times the second hand ticks around a circle to mark a whole minute, the minute and hour hands don't progress. It's the same minute over and over and over—
Detention is four hours, but how long four hours takes is entirely up to the Star Children in detention. Read every book in the library. Throw a dance party. Get high. Pull weapons out of the books. All matter of non-magical weapons. Nothing immediately happens upon pulling those weapons—no monsters to make detention less boring. Unless people make progress reflecting on their transgression, communicating about it with another Star Child, and showing penitence for it, time won't pass. Reality warps to stay in the same minute, minute after minute, hour after hour.
What's it going to be? Never ending detention or personal accountability?
However long it takes, it only takes four hours in the realm of Folkmore.
A word of warning to those who grabbed weapons, they will be attacked on their way home after detention. They will be attacked by creatures out of storybooks. Star Children will need to know the literary weaknesses of these creatures, good luck, or the help of someone else coming along who does know their weaknesses. At least there's some excitement in the day after four long long hours.
🦊 Star Children, new and old, in groups of 2-5 are in detention for something they did wrong & haven't been punished for.
🦊 Kuma Lisa explains detention lasts four hours, and people have to express regret for what they did by the end.
🦊 Time doesn't pass unless Star Children make progress toward that assignment.
🦊 It always takes four hours in Folkmore time.
🦊 Star Children who draw weapons from books during detention will be attacked on their way home.
🦊 Kuma Lisa explains detention lasts four hours, and people have to express regret for what they did by the end.
🦊 Time doesn't pass unless Star Children make progress toward that assignment.
🦊 It always takes four hours in Folkmore time.
🦊 Star Children who draw weapons from books during detention will be attacked on their way home.
Content Warnings: Theft, Glitter Bombs, Minor Power Nerfing
There's a problem with the nonexistent mail delivery system in Folkmore. Gifts are being delivered to residents' addresses—their correct addresses, even if they live in the woods—but those recipients, written on a fat cream label, cannot pick them up, teleport them, or otherwise move them under their own power. These gifts sit in garish and contrasting colors that make certain to draw attention to themselves. Hello, here they are.
Anyone else can pick these packages up, from the person next door to a stranger walking by. There's so many gifts around it's easy to pick one up, remove the label, and go on one's way. Few people are home all the time, and even if they are, what are they going to do? Pick it up themselves? Ha! It's freereal estate. Star Children with abilities to see inside the packages can see something they want badly within as extra motivation to go for it.
When Star Children open their ill gotten gains, these packages explode in a glitter bomb that coats everyone within a ten foot radius. This glitter is impossible to wash out, magic away, or otherwise remove for twenty-four hours. Walk, swim, fly, or otherwise go about with glittery evidence of the crime committed.
Almost always. If it were guaranteed, where would the fun be in that?
The rare fortunate criminal or the original recipient, helped by another Star Child, will receive an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Those who receive an item will stop receiving gifts on their doorstep, whether they stole the gift or received it from a package addressed to them. They can keep stealing other people's gifts, but they will only receive a glitter bomb from then on.
Mischievous Star Children can even prank each other by changing the label and redelivering packages to someone else. Should that person get help to bring the gift inside, it still isn't their gift, not really, so it too will explode in glitter.
There's a problem with the nonexistent mail delivery system in Folkmore. Gifts are being delivered to residents' addresses—their correct addresses, even if they live in the woods—but those recipients, written on a fat cream label, cannot pick them up, teleport them, or otherwise move them under their own power. These gifts sit in garish and contrasting colors that make certain to draw attention to themselves. Hello, here they are.
Anyone else can pick these packages up, from the person next door to a stranger walking by. There's so many gifts around it's easy to pick one up, remove the label, and go on one's way. Few people are home all the time, and even if they are, what are they going to do? Pick it up themselves? Ha! It's free
When Star Children open their ill gotten gains, these packages explode in a glitter bomb that coats everyone within a ten foot radius. This glitter is impossible to wash out, magic away, or otherwise remove for twenty-four hours. Walk, swim, fly, or otherwise go about with glittery evidence of the crime committed.
Almost always. If it were guaranteed, where would the fun be in that?
The rare fortunate criminal or the original recipient, helped by another Star Child, will receive an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Those who receive an item will stop receiving gifts on their doorstep, whether they stole the gift or received it from a package addressed to them. They can keep stealing other people's gifts, but they will only receive a glitter bomb from then on.
Mischievous Star Children can even prank each other by changing the label and redelivering packages to someone else. Should that person get help to bring the gift inside, it still isn't their gift, not really, so it too will explode in glitter.
🦊 Gifts appear outside Star Children's residences, even those without residences.
🦊 Recipients cannot pick up the gift but any other Star Child can.
🦊 Almost all stolen gifts explode in a glitter bomb that leaves glitter for 24 hours.
🦊 Star Children can receive an item from home, even a weapon or magical item.
🦊 Star Children can prank each other by changing the labels/moving the packages.
🦊 Recipients cannot pick up the gift but any other Star Child can.
🦊 Almost all stolen gifts explode in a glitter bomb that leaves glitter for 24 hours.
🦊 Star Children can receive an item from home, even a weapon or magical item.
🦊 Star Children can prank each other by changing the labels/moving the packages.
Helpful Neighbor
Neither is her engagement ring. It belonged to Josh's great-great grandmother and she's not usually into material goods, but the thing is an antique heirloom and she almost literally just got it.
But yes. Stages of grief. Right now, she's stuck in bargaining. If she gets her engagement ring back, Josh will follow. Right?
When she sees the tag reading "Ari," her hazel eyes grow huge and she nods wordlessly for a moment, determined to not cry or let her voice break in front of this stranger.
"It's mine all right. Please, please, fucking please be what I hope it is..." And she eyes the package avidly. "So yeah, help would be great."
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Nanami comes close, crouches, and picks up the box. It's so easy to lift this box, when lifting his own had been impossible. That must be part of it, something that gets people to interact or whatever else the fox wants out of it. She mentioned interacting with others in her introductory speech.
"Would you prefer to open it here or inside?" Nanami asks. Depending what it is, she may wish for privacy. She may even wish he weren't present, but the bare minimum is to leave it up to her.
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But that was in Manhattan. This is Folkmore. Which sounds like the name of a cheesy New Bluegrass festival in Central Park, but no one asked her to name the place.
And interacting with others is quite a feat for Ari outside of her usual circle. Could that be her potential and not comedy or parenthood? She'd think about that later.
Ari bit her lower lip briefly. "...inside. Please."
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Nanami holds out the box. "It is your gift, so you should open it," he says. It worked for his gift. It should work for her. Unless the source of these gifts is capricious. Ah well, they can predict as many futures as they like. They will only live in one.
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She'd been thrown into a land of magic and fairy tales and she had no idea why her potential set her apart from anyone else. What, was Sarah Silverman going to retire or something and there would be an opening in the women's comedy niche she could fill? Would she and Josh make the baby who found the cure to cancer? What?
"Okay. Thanks." Ari took the box with a hand she would swear 'til her dying day was not shaking, thankyouverymuch, and slowly peeled back the packaging. Inside was a small, crushed black velvet ring box.
And inside that was her engagement ring. Which fit perfectly on her left ring finger, the finger that had been feeling rather lonely without its company.
And she's not going to cry. "Thank you. I really owe you one. My name's Ari, I'm from Manhattan. Thanks for, you know. Not opening this and pawning it off."
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The ring inside looks like a diamond. It's clearly an expensive ring and looks like an engagement ring. Nanami is keenly grateful that he did not have to open the box for her and hand her the ring. Small blessings. Her reaction clearly shows she's engaged to someone else (someone not present), so it's truly about that. Not him. He's wallpaper.
"You're welcome, Ari," Nanami says, "This box was clearly labeled for you, not me, so it would have been wrong to steal it. I'm Nanami, from Tokyo." Besides, he was paying it forward, essentially, for the help he received. It's basic human decency. Even Gojo showed it.
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And it's all of the above. She's so glad she got it back and not because it's valuable but because it's there. A concrete symbol of her and Josh's love.
A love it had only taken them nine years to get on the same page for, but that just made it even more special.
She can't beam at Josh, then drag him down so she can whisper dirty suggestions in his ear, so she settles for a smile at Nanami. No dirty suggestions, though, she'd be a hypocrite to dismiss poly relationships but honestly? Other people kind of lost their appeal when she compared them to Josh.
"Tokyo? Seriously? What's it like? Actually like, not as shown in anime," she asked, curious while still running her thumb over her engagement ring, now safely back on her finger.
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"It's a large metropolitan city. It's huge, the largest city in the world, with twenty-three neighborhood wards and many market areas. The population swells during the day many times its size. The best places to go aren't those advertised to tourists, though the historical places are as noteworthy as promised and you can feel as though you've been transported through time in certain sections. There are festivals throughout the year. At the end of the day, however, it's the people that make Tokyo Tokyo. And even within Tokyo, exactly what that means varies greatly."
He looks at her. "What about New York City?"
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Ari listens intently, soaking in every word and looking more and more fascinated. "Okay, I officially have a suggestion for the honeymoon when I get back home. It sounds amazing."
"Honestly, it's a lot like you describe Tokyo as being. I mean, someone from the Bronx is different than someone from Queens and we all like to pretend that Long Island doesn't exist. My fiance, he's born and bred in Manhattan, his dad owned a world-famous Jewish deli and he's a chef himself. But there are places you've just got to see. Like Central Park. It's this beautiful, huge oasis from being inside one of the biggest cities on Earth. Go in far enough and all of the city noises fade into nothing. So cool and not just for sentimental reasons."
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"I am glad I could help," Nanami says. Hopefully she's either from another world or Tokyo won't be under yet another massive attack by cursed spirits or curse users. Those... take away from the charm. Yet all those millions of people live in Tokyo generally none the wiser.
"Few things are as good as a good deli," Nanami says, showing his priorities. "Central Park sounds great. It must provide much needed relief to many citizens of the city. No need to travel far for a respite." His respite is usually his home.
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Turns out they were unrealistic for most people. Where she lives now would've been outside of her price range if it wasn't for Josh's salary as a chef. Ari's an improv teacher, her salary is barely above poverty levels. But the loft is weird with an overly long footprint, Josh got it for a song and now they share it blissfully.
Except for when she eats crackers in bed and he has to bust out the Dust Daddy. Which for the longest time was his name in her Contacts.
"I'm glad you could help. This ring...it's really special to me. Not just because it's an heirloom, but because it's like. Physical proof of how much Josh loves me and wants us to spend the rest of our lives together. And for once, the rest of our lives sounds reassuring. Not scary."
"I know. I never got to go to it when it was Josh's dad's, but now it's this amazing mix of Gujarati cuisine and Jewish deli favorites. I'm kiiiiinda biased, but if you ever find yourself in New York, go. It's called Shaak and Schmaltz." She can't help puffing up with approval of it, given that it's her fiancé and her best friend running the show.
"But I have a question. Did the Fox ever make what your potential is, you know. Clear and easy to understand? 'Cause I'm kinda at a loss," Ari admitted sheepishly.
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"I will keep it in mind," Nanami says politely. It sounds like a good place to visit. He can recommend it to Inumaki and Okkatsu. If they're lucky, they could go there one day. He hopes they are. Everyone should live long enough to graduate from school.
"The fox told me what role I have in the system she has established here but nothing more particular than that," Nanami says, "Part of potential is recognizing it within yourself. The fox may see all our worlds, but no one knows you better than you do. You may be at a loss now, but if you reflect, you can find it in time."
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"Good. Tell 'em at the door Ari sent you, you'll get the best seats in the house." Because being a crazy popular Manhattan restaurant, it tended towards having a line out the door, influencers and old patrons of the original deli rubbing elbows.
"Well," she said thoughtfully, "I have two possibilities in mind and it could be one, the other, both, or neither. Self-reflection isn't usually something I do, not until something kicks me hard enough that I can't help it."
After all, inspiration comes in mysterious ways. Like seeing a wedding proposal with the karaoke track to "Return of the Mack" playing in the background.
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"You could explore one or both of those possibilities or perhaps the role the fox gave you. They're all valid ways to work on yourself," Nanami says, "Self-reflection doesn't have to be meditation. You can go out and try something. It becomes more than a thought experiment."
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"I think I'll do that. I mean, Josh would be a great dad. I'm just not sure I'd be a good mom. Mine...kinda took off and dumped me at my grandma's when I was four. As for comedy, I've been working to 'make it' for years, but can't the same be said for most people who make it eventually?
And I think I'd like to learn something about self-defense. Can't always depend on a kind stranger to do it for me."
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"Most people must work to make it in whatever their career choice is," Nanami comments, "No matter the field, it takes dedication."
As for self-defense, "Have you checked out the Agrona Academy? It's focused on fighting."
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She wanted to think with all confidence that she belonged in that rank, but it was harder and harder to convince herself that she did after so long doing whatever open mic night would have her with no real results.
"Oh, I'm dedicated. Except for the six months when I kinda sold out and did corporate improv. The salary was great, but it involved selling my soul and it turns out, I liked my soul."
"There's an entire school devoted to fighting? I can't decide if I'm surprised or not surprised at all."
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"Beyond the general school of Kuma Lisa Academy, there are schools devoted to fighting, survival, magic, technology, and the arts. I don't know whether comedy is considered to fall under the arts, but I am sure Tides has places for a comedian to perform." He's only been here a short time, a matter of days, but Nanami has learned what he can. The basics.
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"I can't decide if I'm intimidated or intrigued? Maybe more of the latter than the former. And I'd imagine that the school for the arts would have lessons in comedy. There was a muse for comedy in Ancient Greece. My fiancé told me that when I was feeling low after an open mic night didn't go my way. I'm the heir to a centuries old endeavor."
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He nods. "Millennia even. It's a good tradition that brings joy to many people's lives."
no subject
"That's quite the list of directions. And I thought the Metro was hard to figure out at first, but I'm sure practice will make perfect. There's no charge for any of the transit stations? That's going to be weird getting used to."
And she grins broadly. "That's the goal, at least. When comedy works, really works? It's like magic. There's no other feeling."
no subject
"The currency here, Lore, is based on interaction. When you take public transit, you inherently have multiple interactions with people. Perhaps it's more that transit pays for itself." Or he could be completely wrong, and it's simply free, like the housing.
"I hope you find it," he says. His experience with magic is... more down to earth.
(CW: kink referred to in a joke)
See also, her kneejerk reaction against watching anything directed by Lars von Trier. What the fuck did he do to Bjork anyway?
"Oh, how cool! The Metro needs to adopt that system 'cause even if you're doing your best to mind your own business, the MTA will force awkward interactions. Even if it's just getting all up in some asshole stock broker's armpit during rush hour and he thinks it's your kink." She tried to laugh, but she already missed Josh like crazy.
"Thank you. There's gotta be a comedy club in Tides. If there isn't, I'll make one," she said decisively. "Oh! And have I given you my name? It's Ari, Ari Sloane, but you can follow me at @ ari.snacks69."
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"Unfortunately, I doubt the Metro can run on Lore," Nanami says, "but it should be better funded." He won't be able to think about the subway in Tokyo the same way after the Shibuya incident. However, that seems entirely fair considering everything that happened. He won't let it hold him back from the most common public transport in Folkmore. Perhaps that joke is an instance of the not funny but true. Nanami has known those kinds of men.
"That is the spirit," Nanami says. "I am Kento Nanami. I have not made a social networking account yet."
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"Ehh, probably true. It's New York, everyone's pissed off for one reason or another. Usually as a direct result of the Metro." It was what made New York seem cozy, despite its size. They were all united in being angry about something. That, and there was always a kosher or halal meat kabob seller on every corner.
"Thank you," Ari beamed and took a mini-bow. "Can I ask what you want me to call you? I know that there are rules about that kind of thing in Japan. And you should, even if it's just for watching cat videos!"
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(CW: fundamentalist Christians mentioned)
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