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May 2022 Test Drive Meme
MAY 2022 TDM
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Folkmore's monthly Test Drive Meme! Please feel free to test drive any and all characters regardless of your intent to apply or whether you have an invite or not.
All TDMs are game canon. You can choose to have your TDM thread be your introduction thread upon acceptance or start fresh. Each TDM will provide a scenario for how characters arrive in-game that particular month.
Playing 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 allowed to have in-game characters react to TDMs via the Network or make a log with the prompts. Current players are always encouraged to tag new people on the TDM!
TDM threads can be used for spoon spending at any time by characters accepted into the game.
Content Warnings: Possible insanity via cuts by thorns. Temporary nullification of abilities.
DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS
OUT OF THE WOODS
DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS
The world comes into focus in one sharp, overwhelming rush. You are laying on the ground surrounded by staggering walls of flowers of all types and colors. Their sweet scent fills the air and the sky above is clear, blue, beautiful, and endless. It would be easy to be lulled into a quiet nap in such a peaceful place. You can even hear a soft, disembodied voice singing songs from some unknown place all around you. After some time, this siren song creates an intense yearning that will eventually bring you to your feet and pull you forward. You are filled with the urge to find someone important. You may know who or you might just have some aimless, faceless person at the forefront of your mind.
All you know is that when you finally find them, you'll know. Is it love? Is it a friend you have always needed? The perfect enemy? Only time will tell, but for now, you must find them. The flower maze is dense and for now, it doesn't seem like flying out and above them is an option. If you try, you just wind up vaulted back into the maze. Nope! This trial is about using other means of exploration. Maybe you can destroy the flowers, but you will find that this flower field is apparently endless. If you get cut by thorns along the way, you will become increasingly hectic about finding this mystery person. Some have been thrown into insane desperation just looking for their People among the flowers.
But once you finally find them, you're both filled with relief and the flowers around you blossom wider. You can then treat the flower maze like a solvable puzzle and get your way out of it. However, some people spend a bit more time in the maze since once you do find your person or people, you will be stricken with the urge to talk to them, to "open up" about your yearning to find them...even if you've never met them before!
OUT OF THE WOODS
Just outside of the flower maze is a little festival set up just on the edge of Willow and partway into Epiphany! Little stalls of food and drinks have been set up - and we mean little! The good folk who set up these stalls are magical cats standing upright and wearing clothes like little people! All the stalls are cat-sized and so are the dishes and food - which means most of the people walking through will likely be quite a bit bigger! That's okay, the cat folk seem happy to serve you bigger or multiple helpings of their yummy soups and bread. None of them seem able to really communicate with the new arrivals, but that's okay, their cute meows are fun to listen to anyway.
The music is a bit more pronounced here and a handful of cat couples are dancing around. Don't be surprised if they encourage you to join in the dancing! Maybe you didn't actually find someone in the flower maze - if not, the cat folk will encourage you to dance with another new arrival to get to know them! Because apparently dancing with someone you don't know is a good formal introduction? Ah well. Sometimes it's just the idea that counts.
There will also be some supplies to help patch people up who have gotten a lot of cuts from the flower maze. Some of the bouts of insanity are probably still going a bit hectic, so you might want to lay down in the recovery area until you feel a bit more stable. Talking to people apparently helps with the stability, so maybe strike up a conversation with a fellow newbie?
Content Warnings: Optional selective amensia and/or altered sense of self, possible monster/creature violence, temporary enchantments, forced relocations.
LONG STORY SHORT
DAYLIGHT
LONG STORY SHORT
You're in a very unusual, specific outfit and in a place you might have seen once or twice in a storybook or in the imagination of your childhood. For some, you might pick up on what's happening immediately. For others, you might be so immersed in the role that you don't realize it - but you're featuring in a classic fairy tale. Maybe it's Sleeping Beauty or Little Red Riding Hood or Tale of the White Snake or The Mirror of Matsuyama. Either way, you're the main character or the main antagonist and it looks like you're going to have to play out the story with whoever you're stuck with!
The other person in the trial can either match up to the other side of the story or just arrive as themselves and have to play along. Trying to just abandon the trial is quite literally impossible! You're stuck in the weird woods or high tower and trying to "leave" just results in you going in repeated cycles until you wind up where you started. You have a role to fill and you might as well get used to playing roles in Folkmore! It's time to understand how these trials work. What lesson are you supposed to take away?
If you're grumbling about it or are left confused, don't worry! Thirteen will appear to those struggling and explain the situation: "You need to play out the story! C'mon. Everyone knows this story...Right? Well, whatever, it's obvious! If you play your part, I promise I'll give you something you want." Can you really trust a fox though? Especially the fox who brought you here? She laughs before you can really pester her for more information and vanishes in a burst of red dust. Foxes really are mischievous, aren't they...At least most fairy tales are incredibly short, basic, and straightforward so most people should be able to figure it out!
In theory.
DAYLIGHT
At least the Fox wasn't lying. When you complete the task of the story, the fairy tale world will melt into one of the settings in Folkmore and you will be brought back into the current reality. You will be left in the weird clothes, but fear not! A mystery trunk has appeared in front of you and whoever you completed the trial with. Inside the trunk, you will find some of your canon clothes and a few canon items. Nearby, there will be some weapons sticking out of the ground: basic swords, guns, shields, etc. These items might not be enchanted, but at least you have something to work with!
Better yet, you don't necessarily have to complete the Long Story Short prompt to find these trunks either! They seem to be dotted around Folkmore and you might find them just by virtue of exploration! The trunks seem to mysteriously know who is opening them so you won't find someone else's stuff by accident, but you might have to fight over who gets the sword in the stone...
A word of caution to those who grab the weapons...You will immediately be tested on how good you are with them. As soon as you have pulled them out of the ground, the ground will begin trembling and a serpent-like creature will form out of the ground. If you're in Wintermute, you have a sizeable icy creature to deal with. If you're in Cruel Summer, meet the fire-breathing snakey nightmare that's going to try and roast you alive. Don't think Epiphany or Willow will have gentler creatures! They might be covered in moss or flowers but they will hit just as hard. You have to defeat the angry creature - or try running for your life. They are relatively easy to beat and people without powers can manage if they are highly skilled or...really lucky...Or if someone far more capable finds them! Good luck. As a pro-tip, maybe don't pull weird swords out of the ground in the future.
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Mrrrrrph.
He huffs.]
...When you wake up, you better be real nice to me, buster.
[He begins to lean down. Slowly, slowly...he's hoping he might wake up from the proximity, and then maybe it can be blown off as awkward. He has excuses. He's a great liar.
If it's not stopped, however, he puffs his cheeks out - almost defiantly - but eventually lets his eyes fall shut and kisses him. It's very soft and feather-light, but he's hoping...something something fairytale purity that breaks this sleep something.]
cw: mention of self harm
“You think it’s in here? Look at all this trash!”
“Kel, that looks dangerous! Don’t just jump in that dumpster without being careful, idiot!”
He could stay like this for hours. Days. Weeks. Asleep and in a safe space.
The damp lips meshes against him stir him though, mostly because he’s never felt anything like that before. Usually he had to drive his steak knife through his body to wake up and come back to reality, but.. a kiss was so foreign. So different. His eyes open and he simply stares back at his rescuer. ]
…
[ Only now it occurs to him what is happening and he feels his eyebrows pin together slightly as a rush of red flourishes over his cheeks and reaches his ears. At least he doesn’t look mad; just confused! ]
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Hhhhi. You, um. You wouldn't wake up and I think we're trapped in a story, and I know that sounds weird, but...
[He coughs.]
Sorry. About that. That's a weird way to meet someone, I know.
[...But hey, he didn't shove him off or anything.
So Kokichi doesn't mind.]
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Still, he’s a shut in, and the bed is comfortable so although he is awake, he doesn’t exactly want to leave where he’s at (oops.) ]
It’s okay.
I’m sorry you had to do that.
[ His voice is sweet and meek, though there is always a little bit of reluctance in the way he speaks as well. Man. He was just getting to the good part. Did Kel find the mixtape in the dumpster or not? ]
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[A beat.]
I mean, it was weird, but…it’s worse if you apologize for it.
[H m p h.]
So, anyway…do you want to get out of here with me?
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Still. It would take effort, wouldn’t it? ]
What for..?
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[He can tell this guy isn't eager to leave, but that's the best idea he has. Kokichi's not too miffed about the idea of going to sleep either (considering his usual sleepless paranoia he certainly needed it), but they were trapped inside a story for now, and he loathed the idea of staying there.
Not while he was being watched. No way.]
I don't mind kissing cute boys, but I don't like being watched by weird foxes.
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When Kokichi talks about the Fox, he hums slightly at that and Sunny does prop himself up on his elbows and takes a gander at the area, seeing if he can spot the fox before settling his gaze on Kokichi. His stomach makes a small rumble too and that’s typically one of the only things that will get him up and moving. Today is no different.
Anyway, his feet swing over the side of the bed and he’s also… in heels? He could probably just take them off but for some reason he feels like he has to wear them. How do you even walk like this? ]
… I’ve never worn a dress before.
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Kokichi's mulling over the possibility that not even the possibility of being watched over by a weird fox will stir this princess from his return to slumberland, but luckily his stomach growls. Convenient.
The guy moves to get up, but then notes his heels and the dress.]
Neeheehee. It's not easy, is it? Not that I've got copious amounts of experience, but I've worn my fair share of disguises, so I know how tough it is...
[Mostly for the purpose of pranks, but still. He'll also refrain from remarking on how that's cute, too, considering the shyness from the first comment. He extends his hand.]
Here. I'm supposed to help you out of here, anyway.
I'm Kokichi, by the way. Kokichi Oma. And you?
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“Omori” is the first thought he thinks about when asked for his name, but he gives the proper answer: ]
Sunny.
[ Well. Here goes nothing. He plants his feet into the ground and wobbles, catching into the other teen’s arm accidentally to catch his balance. Vacantly, he apologizes in a hushed tone and … hikes you the dress? He just has to walk carefully. ]
You’re helpful.
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Sunny picks himself up, and although he stumbles, apologizing, Kokichi shakes his head. It's fine - no need for apologies. That next remark makes him chuckle, though.]
Neeheehee. I'm not used to hearing that. Most people call me a hindrance instead.
[He helps him walk along - hopefully they're not actually in a tower, or anything....or there's at least stairs.]
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Sunny-chan, huh? That’s a term of endearment, is it not? Despite being half Japanese, he’s technically not from Japan, so he’s not really around honorifics much. His friends aren’t Japanese either so of course they don’t use any honorifics. He can only stare at Kokichi like he grew a second head, but okay. Sunny-chan it is.
As they walk along what seems to be a castle hallway of sorts, Sunny is quiet. The walls stone and brick, just like Sweetheart’s castle. This one is less pink and less pompous, though, every time he shuts his eyes he can her castle in his mind. Oh, he couldn’t wait to explore it— smash vases endlessly and collect clams. He knew that part of his adventure would happen next.
They do come across a staircase, though, and it seems to be a long one. Sunny stops in his tracks, though, his feet on the very edge.
IT’S A LONG WAY DOWN.
A rush of anxiousness cascades over him, but he discards the shoes he’s wearing in exchange to go barefoot and takes a careful step to the next stair. ]
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It's part of his carefully calculated image to make himself seem more cute.So at the look he just simply smiles, almost seeming oblivious even though he very much isn't.The hallways of this castle were...empty. Disconcertingly so. This was kind of like what walking down the halls of the Gifted Inmates Academy felt like when the student numbers began to dwindle. It was haunting, in a way - it probably said a lot about what he was coming off of mentally that he half expected some kind of door to appear, creak open, and for the faint sound of Clair De Lune to start playing like some spirit was haunting him.
But Kaede, with her cheerful smiles and her relentless enthusiasm and bright spark to light up any situation wasn't here, nor was her ghost around to mock him. Only him, Sunny, and this castle hallway to make their escape in. He hadn't even begun to consider the fact that he, who was so used to playing the villain role as the Ultimate Supreme Leader, was now playing a rescuer part. That would be a thought he'd mull over later, alongside the fact that he'd given his first kiss away to someone he still barely knew.
Well. Maybe this was a beginning. Or something. He wasn't used to being hopeful.
They approach the staircase, and they're both peering down. They'll have to be careful. He watches as Sunny discards his shoes - probably a good call - and takes a careful step to the next step down. The staircase creaks, but the only worry to appear on Kokichi's face is a small furrowing of his brow.]
...We'll take this in turns, then...
[He mumbled softly. Kokichi stepped forward after Sunny, the staircase letting out another creeeaaaaak as he stepped. Eugh. How eerie. Maybe Kaede's ghost was lingering after all - it certainly sounded vaguely like an out-of-tune piano.]
cw: anxiety, panic attack … omori spoilers??
Sunny often found himself paralyzed with fear when it came to staircases— often he avoided going downstairs for that reason. His stomach rumbled again. That was the only thing that really pushed him to go down staircases at night; he tried to avoid them at all costs.
He takes another reluctant step, and then another. He grimaces. He can swear he can see and feel the familiar shroud of darkness beginning to rope around him. Kokichi can’t see it, though. It’s all in Sunny’s head. It’s that thing. It’s SOMETHING again. It followed him here.
He can feel it lashing out at him. Kokichi may see him flinch and react to Something, but it looks like nothing is there. At some point, Sunny has to stop, appearing tense before he just.. sits down on the staircase and curls in on himself.
Why was this so hard? It was just a staircase! Why was Something there? Anytime he tried to think why, he couldn’t remmeber. He didn’t know the truth behind it. He had blocked it all out.
He lets out a ragged breath: ]
Kokichi..
Should… we continue down? Is there not.. another route?
[ It was odd talking to someone. Usually when he faced Something he was by himself. He can go down the stairs if he remembers how to PERSIST. Maybe Kokichi can help him remember. ]
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Sunny wasn't okay. He was having a panic attack. Kokichi watched with wary eyes, pausing as Sunny sat down on the stairs and curled in upon himself. He can't imagine what's wrong here, but something distinctly is. Something was affecting Sunny, and Kokichi couldn't even fathom what that might be. But he knew a panic attack when he saw one, and...well. He could only be grateful they hadn't ended up in some kind of factory with crushing parts and the sounds of crunching - otherwise that'd be him, he'd reckon.
For now, though, he's the one to remain strong. Sunny warily asks him if there's another route, if they should continue down. He has to recall some of the times he'd spent before the killing game to get any sense of a comforting tone - he reminds himself of his role as leader of DICE, not Ultimate Supreme Leader - and his tone remains steady, but soft.]
There isn't any other route - I didn't see any doors back there, or anything. There's just this. But you're not alone. We might have to keep going down, but nothing will happen. I'll make sure of it. If you feel unsteady...I'll help you.
[He smiles weakly, even if Sunny can't see it.]
I'm pretty used to stuff like this...not succumbing to despair in these kinds of situations. So. You and me, Sunny-chan. Whenever you're ready - deep breaths, slow steps, both of us.
[Kokichi did not SUCCUMB.]no subject
But then Kokichi stops and starts talking to him. The way the other teenager speaks— he can almost hear Mari’s soothing voice; she was always there to help him along the way.
Until she suddenly wasn’t.
Why did she have to leave so suddenly? And the way she did?
By now, moisture has pricked the corners of his thick lashes, but he nods and takes in a deep, steady breath. He takes it in again, and the strikes that Something assaults him with starts to hurt less. ]
…
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[Sunny has...started crying by this point. Kokichi, for his part, remains steady. Calm and reassuring. He won't go anywhere. In fact, he sits down beside him - he's always been small for his age, and these aren't too small steps, so there's enough room. He doesn't look directly at him, so there's no pressure. He just sits there, looking out into the darkness with a small smile on his face.
It's been a while since he's helped anyone. He'd almost feared he'd forgotten how to do so - but the leader of DICE never forgets. It's like second instinct when it comes back.
He hums, and pats at one of his pockets. Despite the prince regalia - purple-and-white, far more formal than his normal - apparently the fox let him keep at least one of his possessions. So, if Sunny needs it, he just idly reaches into one of his pockets. There's a black handkerchief resting on one of his legs now.
Of course, however, if Sunny grabs it, it'll be made clear it's tied to a few other handkerchiefs of varying color that flow out of his pocket. Red, blue, yellow, pink, green, and finally purple. That would result in a small little grin on Kokichi's face. He's a little clown at heart. It's subtle, so it's not enough to be rude - he's not mocking him, but it's still the slightest attempt at lightening the mood. It's worked before for others.]
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Still. He notices the handkerchief and enjoys the idea that it's black of all colors. He does take it, mostly for curiosity's sake, and tugs it along, feeling his eyebrows furrow together at the string of handkerchiefs.
No, he's not laughing. ]
Why are there so many?
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Unified in needing therapy. Copious amounts of it.Kokichi glances over - well, he's not crying, but...]
First of all, I saw clowns do it on TV once and it can get a good laugh out of some people sometimes if you do it just right and they don't see it coming. Not all the time. But sometimes it gets people.
Second of all, it's stupid, silly, and distracting.
[The undertone of this is 'even if it's not too funny, it helped get your mind out of where it was, didn't it?' That's the real point, but it loses its purpose a bit if it's explicitly stated that that's why, instead of implied.
Of course, that's how he got through the killing game at certain points. Saying something ridiculous or doing something dumb during dark moments was one of the best ways to defy despair, he thought. That was why he'd never lose his childish side.]
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[ KOKICHI TRIED. Like always, though, he is slack faced as ever. But it looks like his breathing pattern has returned to normal. Something wasn’t reaching for him anymore, but he still felt it’s looming presence. It talked to him sometimes, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized it never really said anything bad to him, but it was just a burden that was always there.
A hand suddenly settles on top of one of Kokichi’s as Sunny closes his eyes and takes another deep, easy breath for good measure, gently curving his fingers around Kokichi’s hand. ]
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Eventually, you'll laugh.
This was only reasserted when he felt Sunny's hand settle on top of one of his own, making him beam a little. He stuffed the handkerchiefs back into his pocket, and took his hand, gently intertwining their fingers and squeezing it.
They'd share their courage, and that would be what got them down and out of here just fine. At least, Kokichi believed so. Once he was ready, he'd be right beside him.]
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A draw of silence passes through him as he reluctantly looks down the staircase again. Something was still there, but Sunny's stomach growled yet again. ]
... You don't have to keep helping me.
It might be dangerous.
[ says the guy that is holding Kokichi's hand... ]
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Neeheehee. I never have to do anything. Here's a little secret, Sunny-chan: I'm pretty used to dangerous situations. Back home, I used to run a secret organization that had 10,000 members worldwide. So much so that people called me the 'Ultimate Supreme Leader'. A little danger won't stop me! I'm toooootally used to it!
[That was part of a persona he liked to put on - his 'secret organization' was far less impressive than he said - but it was at least true he was very used to danger at this point, and he was, by all technicalities, the Ultimate Supreme Leader.]
Besides. I don't think I'd be doing my role in this story justice that way. Y'ever seen a prince abandon a princess in the middle of their escape? [A ball of confidence, as usual.] Sooooo. Sowwy. We're sticking together.
[Plus, they were still holding hands.]
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HANG IN THERE SUNNY.
Part of the conversation gets unheard, but when Kokichi calls him a princess he feels his face draw warm because.. no, he's nothing like that. He looks away shyly. ]
Suit yourself.
[ Suddenly, his hand slips from Kokichi's and he stands up, looking down at the other teen (and still in his dazzling dress.) ]
I'm tired of wearing this. It's embarrassing.
[ He's going to.. not comment on how comfortable it is, though. ]
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He snickers softly at the reaction he gets for the princess comment, though, and shrugs lightly, standing up as well.]
Ne, really? I don't think it should be. Not just anyone can pull off that look, you know. Besides, skirts and dresses are comfy.
[He takes a step ahead, though.] But if you wanna change, we're gonna have to get out of here first~
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cw: self harm
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1/2
2;2
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