Entry tags:

*tdm

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 ]
This Test Drive meme is open to all.
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.

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]

Thirteen Knows What You Did Last Summer . ★

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.

🦊 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.

To Prank or to be Pranked . ★

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 free ~~real 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.

🦊 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Casey goes stiff at the callout, his eyes darting towards Hunter and widening, expression showing what can only be called a slow building panic of his own. Oh. Oh, no. Bad enough that Rue knows about this now. But Hunter, too?]

I... I don't want to be.

[He really, really does not like this place.]

Yeah, it's awful, I -

[ He needs to get out of here. His own paper is clutched close to his heart.

But he can't help but ask - ]

Why the heck would they put you here?

[Casey flinches at that, his eyes shifting to fixate on the desk between them.]

D-don't look at me like that... [As if it's so strange to imagine he's done something wrong.] I did something terrible...

[Everyone else knows. Is he here with Hunter because he's gotten away without saying anything for this long already? Is that his punishment- that his new and dear friend learns just what he's capable of, even with those he loves?

Thirteen really is cruel... but he deserves whatever's coming, anyway.]

[ Hunter's eyes go a little wide at that response. No, he just doesn't believe it. Casey? Do something terrible? It just doesn't compute.

Hunter shakes his head hard after a moment. ]

Whatever it says, it's not true. Or there was a reason you can't control.

[Casey's shoulders hunch. A reason he can't control... sure, that part might be true. Does that make it better? Sure doesn't feel that way.]

No, I... I'll tell you. I probably have to.

[They won't be able to leave here until he does, right? He should get it over with. Hunter's been lied to so much already; Casey refuses to contribute to that by letting him believe he's done no wrong.]

Do you remember... how I told you we beat the Krang in the past? The prison dimension?

[ Hunter nods at that, staring at Casey as he listens. He STILL doesn’t believe there’s anything that could be that bad on Casey’s slip of paper. Not even a little. ]

Yeah, I remember. You had to lock them away, again, right?

Right... the plan was that Donnie would get control of their ship and fly it back through the portal while the Krang were distracted, and... we'd close the portal on them from the ground. It was working at first. But they were too strong. They caught us... Leo's team fought as hard as they could, but they couldn't beat him. It was- it was just like the future. No matter what anyone threw at him, it wasn't enough...

[It'd never been enough. Even when all of them were at full power, peak training, Krang Prime always overwhelmed them through raw strength and numbers. It'd been a good plan, a smart move. They just hadn't known.

Casey had known. He should've said something. He'd just been so excited to see sensei doing his best work again-]

In the end, it was the Krang leader and Leo up there, alone, and me with the key to close it off. He was still fighting, but if the four of them couldn't do it together, what could he do alone? He couldn't give up, though... this was our last chance. [His hands curl into fists on the desk.] He always... takes everything on himself... [Just like sensei. But- no. He can't shift the blame. This is his crime, his choice. Leo asked, and he did it.] He- he told me. He'd take Krang to the other side, and... keep him there. And I'd close the portal on... both of them.

[ Hunter listens quietly, fingers twisting gently into his shirt. He can sense Casey’s stress. Regrets, a little, having asked, but …

Then Casey says what he says, and Hunter can’t quite focus. That’s not right, right? It can’t be. ]

But you didn’t, right? You’d never do that. I know you, Casey - you’d never leave anyone behind, especially not Leo!

[Every word is a fresh dagger, carving itself against a still-healing wound. He's right to say it like that. It's more fitting of the image of righteousness and kindness he'd tried to demonstrate so far. It's been said over and over: Casey's so nice, he's so kind, he's so giving, what a good friend. Always so helpful. He would never abandon someone to die like that. Even for the world.

"Casey- Casey, please-"]

I did, [he whispers, forcing the words out somehow. He wants to strangle every one of them, but there's no backing out of this now.] I closed it. I left him there.

[He could dress it up with all the pretty excuses he likes. Saved the world. The only way. He'd been raised to follow sensei's orders. Leo was proud of him. Leo begged him, pain and desperation in his voice, each violent impact from Krang coming through the comm loud and clear. But what good would any of that do? It doesn't change the truth. He's not some good, pure person. He did leave Leo behind. He left him in a space hellscape with an unhinged and very angry murderer. Because he couldn't stand there and do nothing but listen while his sensei was beaten to death, dooming them both, dooming everyone, wasting that one chance. It couldn't be for nothing. Because he's powerless, because he couldn't stand back and watch the entire world burn a second time to save one person. Even the most important person in his life.

It's monstrous, and he's not a good person. He shouldn't let Hunter think otherwise.]

[ Hunter has gone dead silent at that admission. For a moment his brain refuses to even admit that it heard what it heard. Casey? Abandon Leo? No. Absolutely not. There has to be another reason. There has to be SOME reason.

But as the silence stretches, he realizes that Casey isn’t going to follow it up with an immediate explanation. And that is when all the color really drains from his already pale face. ]

But - that’s not - you’re not that kind of person. I know you aren’t.

[ His eyes dart from Casey’s face down to the paper (which he can’t read) and then back up again. When he speaks again, he means it kindly - there has to be a reason, Casey wouldn’t just do it for NO reason, clearly - but it comes out sounding like a betrayal. ]

Why?

[Casey doesn't answer right away. Something about the tone of Hunter's voice makes him want to leave it at that, offer no reasons or excuses. What else does he need to say? He just revealed himself to be a callous monster and an awful friend, and no amount of excuses can make it better or any less of a betrayal of every promise he's made here. Why? Because the weight of the world is too heavy, and when the hard times roll in he just does what he's told.

Hunter's asking for more, though... he has to say something.]

It was the last mission sensei gave me, [he starts, hesitant, miserable.] Find the Key, stop the Krang. It's why I was sent into the past. To stop everything... because it was... because the world was...

[And suddenly once he starts, he can't seem to stop, a desperate ramble of everything he'd been holding back for the last half-year while trying to pretend like he isn't the worst person to ever step into this family.]

Because- the world died. Everyone died. Billions of people, billions of animals and insects and plants used to live on Earth and they all died because of Krang. No more oceans, no more sun. They ruined the air and turned the rain to acid. That was my home. That was all I ever knew. That's what I was supposed to prevent. And- and we were losing. Again. I failed my mission. I failed sensei. He- he shouldn't have sent me. [You're rambling. You're desperate. You're not making any sense. Answer the question-] You don't understand- I'm useless, I don't have mystic powers, I can't fight the Krang... if I could've done it, I would... if I could've taken his place... but I... and he begged me, Krang was killing him-

[He stops, then, leaning back with wide eyes like he can't believe he'd said any of that, then shifts back and drops his head into his hands, his breath quick and heavy as he starts to sob.]

I'm that... kind of person... that's why... that's why...!

[ Oh. Oh Casey.

That look of almost-betrayal on Hunter’s face softens instantly. He knew there was a reason behind it. It wasn’t just because Casey wanted to, or even wanted revenge, or any kind of selfish thought process. This is exactly the sort of thing that Casey would do, right down to thinking he’s a horrible person for doing it.

(Is he? Well - maybe that’s debatable. Hunter is, perhaps, more willing than most to agree that the act can stain you even if the reasoning is pure. It’s roughly the same attitude he takes towards the atrocities he committed in his uncle’s name. But that just means he has more practice in finding ways to forgive and move on.

And he can easily picture a scenario in which he would sacrifice a friend to prevent what the Collectors did to the Isles. Even Luz. He can picture her going with a smile, the same way Leo probably did. Yeah. He’d have done the same.)

He doesn’t move, doesn’t speak until it’s clear that Casey’s rambled himself to a stopping point. Titan, how long has that been stuck inside his best friend? Has he gotten a chance to talk to anyone about it before now? Only once the deluge stop does he twitch towards Casey, then pauses as he remembers to ask: ]

Can I hug you?

[Casey goes still at the question, briefly, before the helpless trembles and hitched breathing catches up to him again.]

Wh... what?

[Why would he... after all that? Slowly he lifts his head, his eyes an ugly red and wide with disbelief, tracks of tears on his cheeks and more coming.]

D-didn't you hear me?

[He did something that horrible, to a friend even, to his family. Why should he be hugged or comforted?]

I heard you, Casey.

[ He hesitates, torn between surging right into the hug Casey clearly needs and waiting to get permission now that he’s asked. Something in between. Something else important.

He holds out his hand, pinky extended. Not to ask for reassurance this time, but rather to offer it to Casey to take. A guarantee that Hunter still likes him no matter what he says or does. ]

It was awful. Maybe it’s your fault too. I don’t - I don’t know. But you did it for the world, and the world needed it, and both Leos wanted it.

[ He keeps his hand steady as he tries to meet Casey’s eyes. ]

I’d have done the same thing. I’d - I’d do it now if it meant preventing the Collectors from ever coming to my world.

[Casey's gaze shifts to the offered pinky, taking it in for what it is: a reminder of their promise. He listens quietly as he stares at it, only the sound of his harsh breaths cutting through Hunter's answer. Strange... it's almost more comforting, to have it echoed back to him like that. Awful. His fault. But. There's a certain validation in those words, a mark of understanding. To be told it wasn't his fault or they had no choice has been a cold comfort in the past, not meaningless, but still ringing falsely for him. It was something he did, a choice he made. Just because it was arguably the better choice for the world didn't mean it wasn't a choice at all. Or that it was a good one. Lots of people would have done it. Right? For the world? The greater good?

He hates the thought as soon as it enters his mind, and he stamps it down, buries it. That doesn't make it better. But hearing that Hunter would have done it is... he doesn't know what it is. Another reminder of how different from most people their lives have been. Most... wouldn't get it. They wouldn't know what the world was going to become, if they failed. If Leo didn't. If he didn't. And Leo knew- everyone died. Maybe that's why he knew to make sure it was Casey who closed the portal. They both understood the stakes.

Hesitantly he lets his focus shift from the offered pinky to Hunter's face, their eyes meeting at last. The kind, sad understanding that he finds there brings a fresh rush of tears to the forefront, but it's enough to make him lift his hand and curve his pinky around the other's, giving it the gentlest of tugs towards himself, and nods.]

[ It’s good to have both in this situation, isn’t it? To have a Rue who can tell the child soldier that it’s not his fault, and damn the world that tries to make it his fault. But perhaps it’s equally important to have a Hunter who can agree that he did a horrible thing, and also understand the full reality of the situation with nothing short of full and unblinking acceptance.

As Casey accepts the gesture and tugs him forward, Hunter surges into a full hug now. Arms tight around Casey’s shoulders, tucking Casey’s head under his chin. He’s here and he’s not going anywhere any time soon. Or saying anything for the moment; Casey looks like he needs a moment to cry. ]

[He absolutely needs that moment. As soon as Hunter's arms are around him Casey practically goes limp, burying his face against Hunter's chest, fingers curling at his shirt just to have something to hold, and he weeps, ugly, choking sobs that wrack through his whole body. In truth he hasn't really talked about this before. When it came up briefly with Leo it was dismissed as a good thing, saving the world, and Casey hadn't wanted to pursue it much because that conversation had been about Leo's struggles. Casey had had no right to glean any comfort when Leo was the one suffering in the aftermath. It would feel wrong to express his woes to anyone else who was there. All he did was close the portal. (He closed a door. Anyone can close a door. Right?) It was Leo who had to bear the price, he was...

He doesn't feel like he deserves comfort, not really. But whether or not he deserves something rarely ever factors into what he gets in his life- that pendulum swings whichever way it will regardless of his own worth. Right now, he's getting a hug, and even if he doesn't deserve it he needs it so, so badly. He bows his head, accepts it, and cries until his throat is raw and his eyes have nothing left to give.

He didn't want to. He didn't want to...]

[ Hunter stays close the whole time, one hand settling gently on Casey’s head while the other soothes slow circles into his back. It’s not okay, but that’s okay too. Casey doesn’t have to be okay right now. Hunter wasn’t there, so he doesn’t have to deal with any more direct burden than what Casey is giving him now. He wasn’t party to any of the consequences of Casey’s decision. All he was holding before was the understanding of what those kinds of horrible stakes are (a world weighted against the life of someone blindingly important), so he has plenty of room left to take this up now.

He stays quiet for a long time, then, until Casey seems like he’s at least slowed down. Only then does Hunter speak again, his voice quiet and gentle. ]

How long have you been carrying that alone?

[ Did Casey tell anyone else the whole story? It doesn’t seem like it from here. ]

[Casey sniffles, shaking his head. While the sobs have trailed off he's not quite ready to pull back just yet, though he'll probably have to apologize for getting Hunter's shirt all gross later. His voice is a little muffled and halting as he responds.]

I haven't... everyone knows already. They were there.

[Or at least they'd heard about it. He doesn't quite understand what Hunter means specifically, thinking only of him closing the portal.]

[ Eh. He can stuff it in the laundry later. Frankly, Hunter hasn't even noticed yet. He's entirely more focused on Casey. ]

Oh. Then that's why, huh.

[ They were there, but they probably didn't understand, did they? Or maybe they understood. ]

Did you tell them all of this, though? About how it feels.

[That finally makes Casey lift his head, messy, red-faced, and confused.]

Why... would I? It wasn't about me. Leo suffered so much, and it's because of me... he's their brother. Peter's boyfriend, Rue's son. It... it would be so selfish, to try and justify what I did to him, just because I feel bad about it... what would come of it if I did?

[Leo told him he'd saved the world, hadn't thrown the blame at him. Rue would probably console him like this. The others... he hadn't dared to even think about asking. It doesn't matter what he feels. Not compared to Leo.]

Because it's hurting you, Casey.

[ Hunter just keeps his face gentle as he looks back at Casey's messy one. ]

I mean, I get it. They deal with enough as it is.

[Hurting him? He wants to laugh- not mocking, just... incredulous. This pain must be nothing compared to Leo being almost beaten to death, to the fear of probably having to die alone in that horrible place, to never seeing his family again. He was saved, but not because of anything Casey did. He'd been off on his own, grieving, clutching Leo's sword close and hating himself.

Hurting him. Hurting him. This pain is something he earned, he doesn't get to shove it onto anyone else.

...Hunter's expression is so gentle, though. So kind. Like he shouldn't... be doing this.]

They don't deserve to... carry more. This one's on me. I hurt them... I almost took Leo away from them forever. This is- it's not even equal.

[Compared to what they must have felt, this really is nothing, surely.]

[ Hunter considers that for a moment. And - well, he understands that too, doesn't it? The need to feel even - the need to not necessarily be transactional, perhaps, but to keep a full tally of what you owe without making the same tallies for what others might owe you. At least, that's how Hunter is used to thinking.

In a way, it's a relief to see something similar in Casey here, even if it's not the same. He doesn't think it's the right move to point out the potential similarities, though. Not now. ]

Maybe they don't. If they're that close to it ... it might hurt.

[ He manages a weak smile. ]

But I don't mind. It can't hurt me - I wasn't involved.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject