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October-November 2024 Test Drive Meme
October-November 2024 Test Drive
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 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. 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.
Content Warnings: Natural Disaster/Natural Disaster Relief
It seems as if the Star Children will be restricted to Amrita Academy forever, when nothing changes at the one month mark. Yet, after another week has stretched endlessly past, a morning dawns to show that the moat of Lorasses has vanished. The way is clear to discover what the chaotic storms have left behind.
Most of Folkmore's resident spirits return. Good thing Catbus is among them because the train is not operating. Debris litters the tracks throughout the land. Someone's going to have to work to clean all of that up before normal schedules can resume... within the first week or so, everyone fervently hopes.
That is far from the only wreckage from those storms. As Star Children have seen, even Amrita Academy hasn't really been spared; between the Lorasses moat and the various structures built to weather the storms, the past weeks have left a mark on the school.
The rest of Willow shows signs of extreme growth and age, as if decades, not weeks, have passed. Epiphany and Tides suffer major flood damage, and Exile is entirely soggy and saturated with a sense of sorrow. Avalanche debris covers Wintermute, and the mountains aren't in the same place. Cruel Summer is even dryer, cracked, and in part of it littered with exploded, partially melted robot parts. Never Fade may be the best off; the ground has leveled off, and only the unsecured outdoor items have crashed around or dropped off the island. In general, all regions show signs of warping.
Talaria has been outright knocked down (once again) and will need to be rebuilt (once again). The contents of Talarian homes have been thriftily saved by Thirteen (yet again). They'll be back as soon as the homes are ready to be redecorated! There's also a new elevator connecting Tides to a platform in the ocean at surface level, making it a little bit easier to get in or out of the neighborhood. Fly, swim, or use a boat from Nereid marina to reach it.
Many of the buildings throughout Folkmore, businesses and residences alike, have been damaged, some past the point of habitability. For better or worse, some residences will wait unclaimed, as their resident spirits have not returned from wherever they went while gone from Folkmore. Newly arriving Star Children (or those interested in relocating) just might find those residences awfully appealing. As with all unoccupied homes in Folkmore, they're free real estate.
Each neighborhood has a new (and structurally-sound) building near its center: a hospitality station of sorts, stocked with basic foods (to suit a variety of dietary needs, relevant to the known local residents), clean water, personal protective equipment, basic tool kits, fresh clothing, and clean linens. For those ill equipped to cook for themselves for whatever reason, there's also a canteen/soup kitchen area. The canteen tends to collect idle spirits and Star Children who might be willing to assist with any cleanup tasks too big or too complex for one person to tackle on their own.
Working with the neighbors has an additional benefit, of course: sooner or later, whether while helping clear the train tracks or fixing up someone's home or business (including a Star Child's own), shifting the debris will reveal a weathered container of some sort, locked up tight, that will only fall open at a touch if and when the right Star Child finds it. There is only one chest per Star Child. Inside, is an item from home, either that of the resident whose house/business it's found in or the one keyed to the lock. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
There's some good news as well, in the midst of all the chaos: most Star Children will find that their homes are wholly unharmed; their pets, companions, Pokémon, etc. are all hale and hearty, having spent the entire time cozily asleep in their boxfoxes — which can be reused if kept, and just as easily abandoned now that they've released their occupants.
It seems as if the Star Children will be restricted to Amrita Academy forever, when nothing changes at the one month mark. Yet, after another week has stretched endlessly past, a morning dawns to show that the moat of Lorasses has vanished. The way is clear to discover what the chaotic storms have left behind.
Most of Folkmore's resident spirits return. Good thing Catbus is among them because the train is not operating. Debris litters the tracks throughout the land. Someone's going to have to work to clean all of that up before normal schedules can resume... within the first week or so, everyone fervently hopes.
That is far from the only wreckage from those storms. As Star Children have seen, even Amrita Academy hasn't really been spared; between the Lorasses moat and the various structures built to weather the storms, the past weeks have left a mark on the school.
Other regions show clear signs of the warping they have endured similarly.
- Wintermute alternated between blinding light and pitch blackness, with mountains growing and crumbling away alike. Cabins were transformed into igloos.
- Willow experienced all the seasons in a matter of days multiple times, growing crops and new trees, losing old ones, and its buildings weathered as though through decades.
- In Epiphany, the streets ran with water so high it was difficult to walk, and the buildings shifted to reflect related settings.
- Cruel Summer grew hotter and more oppressive, so that survival away from the Selkie River was impossible. On the 13th, there was an explosion, and it rained robot parts.
- Exile was swallowed entirely by the Swamp of Sorrows, leaving no dry land.
- Tides filled with water, dark deep water that could not readily be seen through.
- Never Fade became even more purple, with a thick haze that erased visibilty of borders. It also became steeper, so there was no flat ground.
The rest of Willow shows signs of extreme growth and age, as if decades, not weeks, have passed. Epiphany and Tides suffer major flood damage, and Exile is entirely soggy and saturated with a sense of sorrow. Avalanche debris covers Wintermute, and the mountains aren't in the same place. Cruel Summer is even dryer, cracked, and in part of it littered with exploded, partially melted robot parts. Never Fade may be the best off; the ground has leveled off, and only the unsecured outdoor items have crashed around or dropped off the island. In general, all regions show signs of warping.
Talaria has been outright knocked down (once again) and will need to be rebuilt (once again). The contents of Talarian homes have been thriftily saved by Thirteen (yet again). They'll be back as soon as the homes are ready to be redecorated! There's also a new elevator connecting Tides to a platform in the ocean at surface level, making it a little bit easier to get in or out of the neighborhood. Fly, swim, or use a boat from Nereid marina to reach it.
Many of the buildings throughout Folkmore, businesses and residences alike, have been damaged, some past the point of habitability. For better or worse, some residences will wait unclaimed, as their resident spirits have not returned from wherever they went while gone from Folkmore. Newly arriving Star Children (or those interested in relocating) just might find those residences awfully appealing. As with all unoccupied homes in Folkmore, they're free real estate.
Each neighborhood has a new (and structurally-sound) building near its center: a hospitality station of sorts, stocked with basic foods (to suit a variety of dietary needs, relevant to the known local residents), clean water, personal protective equipment, basic tool kits, fresh clothing, and clean linens. For those ill equipped to cook for themselves for whatever reason, there's also a canteen/soup kitchen area. The canteen tends to collect idle spirits and Star Children who might be willing to assist with any cleanup tasks too big or too complex for one person to tackle on their own.
Working with the neighbors has an additional benefit, of course: sooner or later, whether while helping clear the train tracks or fixing up someone's home or business (including a Star Child's own), shifting the debris will reveal a weathered container of some sort, locked up tight, that will only fall open at a touch if and when the right Star Child finds it. There is only one chest per Star Child. Inside, is an item from home, either that of the resident whose house/business it's found in or the one keyed to the lock. It may even be a magical item or weapon.
There's some good news as well, in the midst of all the chaos: most Star Children will find that their homes are wholly unharmed; their pets, companions, Pokémon, etc. are all hale and hearty, having spent the entire time cozily asleep in their boxfoxes — which can be reused if kept, and just as easily abandoned now that they've released their occupants.
- The moat is gone! Freeeeeedom!
- The train is not operating for one week until October 27th due to debris over the tracks.
- Every region of Folkmore shows scars from the past month's extreme disturbances. Things have not reverted to before.
- Most spirits have returned; some remain absent. Claim the free real estate, if quick or bold enough.
- Hospitality stations have appeared in each neighborhood stocked with food, water, clothing, and linens.
- The canteens serve as a social hub and place to ask for/volunteer assistance.
- One time only, cleaning up or moving debris will reveal a container holding an item from home: yours or the person's you're helping.
- Most Star Children's homes will be unharmed; any damage should match the region's damage flavor. The level of destruction is up to you.
- Creatures in boxfoxes are out, fine and dandy! Boxfoxes can be kept/used again.
Offshore near Agrona Academy, there's something new. Something bewildering, maybe. Something growing. There's also something swimming up to any Star Children near the coast: a very large sea turtle, not willing to come far ashore. She's singing and chirping to get attention, in case being big enough to have a six-foot-long shell isn't quite good enough for some reason. (Or the way she has a blue-green bioluminescent glow when underwater, as becomes quite visible around dusk.)
She's happy to explain that she needs a place to lay her eggs. She doesn't have eggs to lay, just yet, but she wants to have her place all ready anyway. To that end she's busily building a brand-new island not very far from shore. It's just over there, visible once she indicates it with a flipper, barely any higher than the waves cresting around it. Here's the sad part: while she's used a great deal of cleverness in building it, from rocks and sand and bits of broken reef, she's all out of construction materials that she can reach! So she needs help: more construction material for the island.
It seems she's got a very loose definition, though, so pretty much anything that can later be covered in sand or dirt is fair game. Lucky that she wants it now. There's a perfect place todump all that debris in the ocean recycle all the debris, anything not structurally sound enough for a repair-in-place job. Bigger is probably better, too. Work together with other Star Children to haul up the big stuff. It brings more and more joy to her songs as she finds the exact place for each and every item, making her island grow bigger and bigger.
Anyone who actively participates will be rewarded five (5) spoons by the turtle directly, as a thank you for helping her to keep her eggs safe. (If anyone asks, she'll explain that it's the number of limbs she has, so she thought it was perfect!) In addition, she gives each person a smooth and shiny sea rock that fits in their palm perfectly! If the island gets big enough to be more than a sandbar, anyone who helped with the construction will find it far more welcoming than those who didn't. She isn't expecting to use anything but the beach.
She's happy to explain that she needs a place to lay her eggs. She doesn't have eggs to lay, just yet, but she wants to have her place all ready anyway. To that end she's busily building a brand-new island not very far from shore. It's just over there, visible once she indicates it with a flipper, barely any higher than the waves cresting around it. Here's the sad part: while she's used a great deal of cleverness in building it, from rocks and sand and bits of broken reef, she's all out of construction materials that she can reach! So she needs help: more construction material for the island.
It seems she's got a very loose definition, though, so pretty much anything that can later be covered in sand or dirt is fair game. Lucky that she wants it now. There's a perfect place to
Anyone who actively participates will be rewarded five (5) spoons by the turtle directly, as a thank you for helping her to keep her eggs safe. (If anyone asks, she'll explain that it's the number of limbs she has, so she thought it was perfect!) In addition, she gives each person a smooth and shiny sea rock that fits in their palm perfectly! If the island gets big enough to be more than a sandbar, anyone who helped with the construction will find it far more welcoming than those who didn't. She isn't expecting to use anything but the beach.
- A large sea turtle—with a 6 foot in diameter shell and about 3 feet tall at the shoulder—starts building an island off Cruel Summer.
- She needs help getting more building supplies. Bring your debris, bigger the better, here!
- All Star Children who help will be rewarded five (5) spoons and a shiny and smooth rock from underwater that fits in their recipients' palms just so.
- Star Children who help find the island more welcoming than those who didn't.
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All of it, [he mutters, looking back at the shelves. Strangely, the junk food is still not cowed into submission by a mean look!] It is not for me.
[So, it is not a matter of his preference, taste, or mood. That would be simpler and he would already be on his way if that were the case.]
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And they didn't give you anything to go off of? Or ... is it a surprise for them, maybe? [ She doesn't bother to wait for the answer, as it doesn't actually matter too much one way or the other. Instead, she's grateful for the distraction from her own problems, opting to turn to face Vergil and throw herself into solving this guy's issue instead. ] Well, tell me about this person. I'm a pretty good judge of character as it relates to snack preferences. And then, if you fuck it up, you can blame it on the weird woman at the snack station.
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I don't know him entirely well. We have only just met, [he says, thinking the disclaimer is important even if it's perhaps not entirely accurate. At this point, he's met Nero several times just not always as himself or in the right state of mind. But that is splitting hairs, and far too complicated a matter to explain to a stranger.] But he seems to possess a great deal of curiosity, and enjoys novel experiences.
[Nero asks an innumerable amount of questions. He's interested in gadgets and tinkering about with them. He didn't hesitate to mix together his condiments to make... What did he call it again? Oh yes, "fry sauce." (It wasn't terrible. Just an odd combination of flavor to texture. Nero is still, however, entirely wrong by trying to claim it is the same as what's on a cheeseburger if one consumes the condiments on their sandwich.) All of those things seem to add up to being curious and not particularly anxious about something new.]
He possesses a quick temper. [Something he certainly inherited from Vergil even if Vergil's expression of aforementioned temper differs drastically. Where Nero is loud and explosive, Vergil is cold and silent in his anger.] But he cares a great deal about the people around him. He is willing to go to great lengths to protect them or see to it that they have what they need.
[The soup kitchen. The orphans he and Kyrie look after. The simple fact he seems willing to give Vergil a chance after everything even if Vergil can't fathom it to be greater than a slim one.]
[It may at first seem as though it were a pause. Vergil does give himself a moment or two to think if there is anything else that he can think of to describe Nero to her. But his knowledge is limited, and that does seem to be the broad strokes of who Nero is as a person. In the end, he opts not to add anything else and simply looks at her to see what she shall do with this information, if anything.]
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Well, he sounds like a regular Prince Charming. [ She offers as an initial response, once it seems that he's given her all he can. It's not exactly sarcastic -- if this person is indeed exactly as Vergil describes him, he would be kind of a catch, in her opinion. Though there is perhaps a tinge of cynicism gnawing at the back of her mind -- there's no way this guy is as kind or caring as he thinks he is -- it's quickly compartmentalized, not inclined to think too deeply on it or actually voice that particular concern, especially when she's only just met this guy. Who is she to tell him what to believe or who to believe in?
No, the best thing to do here is to help this person win over whoever his mystery friend is, regardless of whether he's got some hidden dark side or not. Maybe it would even gain her something of an ally in this place -- something she sorely needs to feel in control. ]
It sounds like what you need isn't actually the perfect snack. It's an experience.
[ In lieu of explanation, she turns to the shelves and retrieves two things -- a package of sweet fruit gummies, and a small bottle of hot sauce. She holds them up to him expectantly, waiting to see if his reaction will tell her if it's a combination he's tried before. ]
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You are not seriously suggesting to me that combining those would be appetizing... [he says, warily, nose wrinkling further as he finds his imagined version of this combination suddenly forming in a phantom taste sensation. A poor mouthfeel seems to be the least of the problems in this equation.]
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But that's honestly not even the point. You want this guy to like you, right?
[ It's said in a way that indicates this is more of a rhetorical question, or that she's decided already that she's right -- but admitting it is the first step of explaining exactly why she's chosen a bit of a controversial pick here. ]
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[It's also a bit rude to so bluntly state the assumption. Even Vergil knows that.]
[And it is also a gross over-simplification of a very complicated matter.]
[...A very complicated matter that she very much does not have details to, and Vergil is unwilling to provide her with. It's that fact alone that has Vergil closing his mouth and reconsidering what he wishes to say.]
Get to the point then, [he says, folding his arms somewhat defensively, and neither confirming nor denying a desire to be liked.]
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Okay. Let's say you bring him the best snack ever. It's the thing he's been craving it all week and it's like you read his mind. But what he's really thinking about in that moment is the snack. Sure, you provided it to him, and it was a nice thing for you to do, but that's the least interesting part of the equation. The more exciting thing is that he got the snack. He could have done that himself.
[ She'd let the gummies and hot sauce fall to her side a little, but she lifts them back up to indicate to them. ]
If you bring him something weird for both of you to try, it becomes a memory. Something exciting to do for a guy who, as you put it, enjoys novel experiences. And, even better, [ She points to Vergil ] it's one that you're involved in. Now when he sees the bag, he'll think of that funny experience the two of you had together. Even if neither of you really liked the actual snack, he knows you wanted to do something together, and you were willing to try something new to make him happy.
[ It's a little bit emotionally manipulative, of course -- that's about 95% of how Oleandra knows to interact with other people -- but it's hardly harmful in this situation, so she hopes he'll see the sense in it. ]
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[Vergil and Nero do not exactly have many memories with one another. Perhaps he does not look at his time with V with disdain, but there is the inescapable fact that any memory of V is coupled with those of the demon king as well. Never mind the inherent manipulation and deception V had to enact in order to save himself. The first Nero has of Vergil as himself is a violent one, and ultimately ends with Vergil walking away from him to the Underworld albeit for good reasons and the promise to someday return. The most recent...]
[Well, Vergil didn't like the fry sauce, but it does prove the point. It was an experience with Nero, and Vergil looks upon it with fondness even if it was just simple burgers and fries, and a light conversation that did not delve too deeply into anything serious littered with awkwardness.]
[He glances at the items she's selected and is quiet for a moment or two longer.]
Very well, [he says, unfolding his arms enough to hold out his hand for the gummies and hot sauce.] You make a fair point.
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See? I do know what I'm talking about sometimes.
[ There's a spark of realization in her eyes as she takes one last glance at the hot sauce bottle she's handing him, and it occurs to her that if she's going to keep this guy from getting mad at her later, she should probably make sure he's prepared for the hot sauce. So, she points to the bottle that's now in his hands. ]
Are you much of a hot sauce guy, yourself? Like, can you take the heat?
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I'll be fine, [he says as though by his word, something simply will be.]
[And perhaps it will be in this instance. Hot sauce guy, Vergil is not, but he's exceptionally stubborn as a counterpoint. So, even if it's more spice and heat than he's used to or prefers, Vergil will power through it.]
[Vergil hesitates a moment before adding,] Thank you for the suggestion. It was...kind of you.
[Kind doesn't exactly seem the right word to use there considering it is not as though she's gone all that out of her way and Vergil hadn't asked for her input in the first place, but it is the best one that Vergil can find for the moment. His gratitude still remains the same regardless.]
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Confidence, I like it.
[ She lifts a hand at his thanks, as if to dismiss it. ]
Don't thank me yet. You can sing my praises once it actually works. [ The image of this guy literally singing is enough to bring a little amused smirk to her face. ] And, just in case your friend is sensitive to spice, you might want to grab a little dairy on the way out. Milk, ice cream, yogurt, something like that.
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I would find it difficult to believe that he is all that sensitive given his...adventurous palate. [It's not all that difficult to envision Nero willingly eating foods that are far too spicy or sour or sweet or whatever else for him to handle on a dare. The boy showboats nearly as much as his uncle, after all, and he possesses just enough of Vergil's own stubborn temperament that even if it were a miserable experience, he'd push himself through it.] But I shall have something on-hand just in case.
[He pauses, visibly considering something for a moment.]
Although for the record, he is not my friend. He is my son.
[Hence the lack of acknowledgment of wanting to be liked—it is far, far more complicated than that—and the appeal of a positive memory. She needn't possess all the details of all the circumstances to piece that much together most likely although Vergil would not fault her necessarily for that to raise questions. Questions he will not answer if she should ask, but it seems to him that it's generally unlikely that she will. Hence the bit of willingness to offer that clarification.]
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No, the most important question here is one that she has to answer herself, and that's What would someone who likes their family say in response to this? ]
... Well, that explains a lot, [ She says, a casual acknowledgement of sorts that serves both as a buffer to collect herself, as well as an indication to him that she both gets it and isn't planning to pry. In fact, she'll offer a bit of self-deprecation instead to turn the subject away from it, both as a courtesy to him and also in the absence of a real answer to that most important question. ] Most kids tend to scream and run away when they see me, so I can't say I'm an expert on that front, but the general principle still stands, I think.
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Well, for what it's worth, I don't believe he would run from you even if he were still a child.
[It may not be entirely that hard to believe for her as well considering Vergil hasn't made a mention of her appearance or regarded her with any sort of immediate wariness. He has, in the end, treated her just the same as he would anyone else. Which is to say that Vergil was prepared to generally dismiss her until she provided him with a reason otherwise. And she most certainly did.]
So, perhaps you have more insight than you realize.
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[ It's just a small, somewhat non-committal noise -- but there's definitely approval in it, as she does recognize there's some truth to what he says. It wasn't so uncommon at the university to see less confusion or distress, given it was a gathering place for adventurers, and they tended to be on the more unusual side. But at home, and in a place like this, where she'd already been commonly regarded as unusual ... ?
Well, it was a bit odd, given his fairly regular appearance ... but a welcome oddity, to be sure. ]
Maybe, maybe not. [ Not if the now-adult-child shared his father's experience in such matters, anyway. ] You haven't so much as batted an eye, after all. Not so common around these parts ... or mine. [ Although she's curious to hear an explanation as to why that is, it's formatted more like an observation than a real question -- an "out", should he not care to explain. ]
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[He hums vague acknowledgement.]
Let me guess, based upon appearance alone, the common assumption is you are something evil just as the common assumption is that I am a human. [Looking her over briefly with a slight tilt to his head, he continues,] How you appear is closer to what I believe most would imagine a half-devil like myself to look like if they were asked to describe it.
You do not look entirely like the demons of my world. A direct comparison like that would generally be an insult to you.[There is a reasonable amount of limbs. There is no foul stench wafting from her. No part of her is exaggerated from what would be a typical human's proportions. Were it not for the horns, tail, ears, and the pigment of her skin, she'd look no different from a human as far as he can tell.] But you bear features of some similarity at least, and I do not find it shocking or whatever else the others might find them to be.
[So, her appearance alone is not enough for him to bat an eye, as she put it. Her features are just plainly that: features. Nothing more, nothing less.]
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Well, that's one of the most interesting things anyone's said to me since I got here, [ She admits with a small chuckle. Someone who was not only some type of kin, but had enough experience with such things to find her appearance rather neutral. She can't help but wonder the type of person she would be if she were able to hide it as easily as he can. ] Half-devil ... so that's the term you prefer? [ She's guessing so, given how casually he used it in reference to himself, but devil is such a loaded word to her, in much the same way demon is. Something more akin to an insult, in her experience. ]
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[The casualness with which he says it—or at least as casual as Vergil is capable of sounding, in any case—is likely indicative that he doesn't find the same weight as her in the terms themselves. Vergil makes no assumption of her own relationship with the label of a half-devil beyond her question implying she likely possesses a different preference for describing what she is to others. An assumption Vergil is willing to state bluntly.]
I assume you prefer something else for yourself to describe what you are.
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Tiefling is the ... umbrella term, shall we say, where I come from.
[ After all, there were circumstances that weren't covered by half-devil or half-demon. A tiefling could exist through many other circumstances besides the nature of their parentage. But, rather than dwell on that, or get into the weeds on why such a term may need to exist, there's a rather distant smile on her face -- she's choosing to politely and cheerfully deflect rather than explain further. ]
Personally, I prefer to describe what I am by my name. [ She lifts the edges of her skirt in her hands, dipping down a little to perform a rather proper curtsy in his direction. ] Oleandra.
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Vergil. [She gets no formal gesturing to accompany his exchanging of his name with her, however.] How long have you been here?
[It is close to around that time when the Fox tends to find others to bring to this realm, but there are enough Star Children and Vergil keeps to himself enough that she could very well have been here for months without his notice.]
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So, she gives him a respectful nod when he gives his name in return; he didn't have to, and she wouldn't have protested if he'd refused ... so that's something. ]
Hardly any time at all. [ If she's being totally honest, the actual number of days thus far is a bit of a blur. She was busy panicking about her plan falling apart, trying to determine if her tracking brand was still working, throwing a tantrum about being forced to yet another location against her will, and then sleeping it off for as long as possible. But one must eat eventually, and so here we are. ] So I suppose you could say I'm still learning the ropes. And the people. [ And, she adds internally, how to take advantage of the bizarre social currency system. ]
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[His time in Folkmore has easily been the longest Vergil has stayed in any one place. Hunted as he was in his youth given his refusal to hide as Dante had, it never really crossed Vergil's mind to stay anywhere. Not until Nero's mother, and even then...]
You'll find the majority of people here to be...well-meaning. [He hesitates to apply the label and does so with a mild amount of barely disguised disdain because, frankly, he's skeptical of the overwhelming amount of altruism that seems to make up the majority of the Star Children. They present themselves as such, but their presentation does not always align with the experience of them. Vergil finds most of the other Star Children to be nosy and intrusive. Their need to help and intervene leads them to ignore any expressed disinterest, and they rarely accept when someone wishes to be left alone. But whether or not that aligns with her temperament, she's likely better equipped to manage it than Vergil is from the looks of things. At least managing it in a way that most would consider kind.] And the fox spirit does as a fox spirit will. When the mood strikes her, she plays her games with everyone here. Sometimes, you've a choice in your participation in them. Other times, you do not. It all depends on her whims.
[Which Vergil does not like. Thirteen has done a few things against Vergil's will as of late that have left a bitter taste in Vergil's mouth and a growing dislike of the fox spirit on top of what he perceives to be incompetence. But he maintains his opinions of their odd host to himself rather than sharing them with Oleandra. She didn't ask, and she'll likely form her own opinions soon enough once enough repairs have been made to the realm and Folkmore is restored completely.]
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So it's absolutely delightful here, is what you're saying. [ The venom in her pronunciation of delightful is far from concealed. If he wasn't sure what her opinion of such things would be, he certainly is now, because the disdain he's got going on is given back in equal measure. ] So the fox spirit is the only authority here? There's no ... I don't know, government or dictatorship in addition? Or some kind of rival anti-fox spirit?
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I'm told that the fae creatures that were here a handful of months back have been more antagonistic in the past, but I did not experience for myself.
[Vergil hasn't really had the opportunity to hear of it in any sort of great detail, but he understands it was a violent affair and more akin to warfare than is typical for Folkmore. So, they really are the only force that appears to fit the bill as being some sort of opposition to the Fox.]
But as far as this realm is concerned, it was created by Thirteen and there is no authority beyond hers and her aspects within this realm.
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