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June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme
June-July 2025 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 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 a canon item from home, 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:
Old wood creaks and groans, barely audible over a howl of wind. Wet droplets of rain hit faces and soak into clothing. Clouds overhead are a murky gray, blocking out the sun. Though summer weather is often somewhat temperamental, a true storm has now hit. Both newly arrived Star Children and veterans may find themselves in the midst of this situation quite abruptly, standing on the unsteady deck of an old, grand ship. Those who run to the nearest rail and peer overboard may be shocked to discover a stark absence of water below. Instead, the view just goes down… and down… The land of Folkmore lies far below, as this ship is flying through the storm, its sails struggling to hold under the force of whipping winds. There is no captain, there is no helmsman- there is no crew at all to be found, only fellow Star Children. And yet… the ship is still moving full speed ahead through the storm, as if it has a destination in mind.
A resounding boom echoes, and those with a keen gaze may just spot something whizzing past, missing the ship by a hair. Was that… a cannonball?
Just like that, a second vessel weaves its way out of a deck of gray clouds, pulling up side by side to the ship the Star Children are on. Lightning flashes, illuminating a whole bunch of sneers across the way, along with some eye patches, bandanas and goggles. Sky pirates are attacking! It's clear from their animalistic features that they're local spirits, but they're hardly as benevolent as those typically seen in Folkmore.
Ready yourselves, Star Children!
Those who wish to return fire will find several cannons lined along the ship's deck, ready to be used. These don't work just like any old artillery, though. In place of those unwieldy metal balls, one must load magic into these cannons. Lore, to be precise! It even says so on a small metal plaque, attached near the firing mechanism: "Connection is one's true ammunition." Find a fellow Star Child and start chatting! The more meaningful the conversation, the grander the magic ball one may blast at the pirates with the cannons.
Unfortunately, the cannons alone are not enough to fight off the pirates, as several of them swing their way aboard with ropes. (Or just fly, if they're bird spirits.) Star Children can head down into the armory below deck to grab a weapon. Yes, even weapons from home (or items that can be improvised weapons) are available, and may be kept after the fight is over. Star Children capable of flight may even be daring enough to make their way to the enemy's ship and deal some real damage over there.
The ship continues to shake and creak and bob in the storm, which may complicate the fight, but not all is lost. There, in the distance, up ahead… A beacon of light flickers, struggling to be seen through the thick clouds. What is that?
Old wood creaks and groans, barely audible over a howl of wind. Wet droplets of rain hit faces and soak into clothing. Clouds overhead are a murky gray, blocking out the sun. Though summer weather is often somewhat temperamental, a true storm has now hit. Both newly arrived Star Children and veterans may find themselves in the midst of this situation quite abruptly, standing on the unsteady deck of an old, grand ship. Those who run to the nearest rail and peer overboard may be shocked to discover a stark absence of water below. Instead, the view just goes down… and down… The land of Folkmore lies far below, as this ship is flying through the storm, its sails struggling to hold under the force of whipping winds. There is no captain, there is no helmsman- there is no crew at all to be found, only fellow Star Children. And yet… the ship is still moving full speed ahead through the storm, as if it has a destination in mind.
A resounding boom echoes, and those with a keen gaze may just spot something whizzing past, missing the ship by a hair. Was that… a cannonball?
Just like that, a second vessel weaves its way out of a deck of gray clouds, pulling up side by side to the ship the Star Children are on. Lightning flashes, illuminating a whole bunch of sneers across the way, along with some eye patches, bandanas and goggles. Sky pirates are attacking! It's clear from their animalistic features that they're local spirits, but they're hardly as benevolent as those typically seen in Folkmore.
Ready yourselves, Star Children!
Those who wish to return fire will find several cannons lined along the ship's deck, ready to be used. These don't work just like any old artillery, though. In place of those unwieldy metal balls, one must load magic into these cannons. Lore, to be precise! It even says so on a small metal plaque, attached near the firing mechanism: "Connection is one's true ammunition." Find a fellow Star Child and start chatting! The more meaningful the conversation, the grander the magic ball one may blast at the pirates with the cannons.
Unfortunately, the cannons alone are not enough to fight off the pirates, as several of them swing their way aboard with ropes. (Or just fly, if they're bird spirits.) Star Children can head down into the armory below deck to grab a weapon. Yes, even weapons from home (or items that can be improvised weapons) are available, and may be kept after the fight is over. Star Children capable of flight may even be daring enough to make their way to the enemy's ship and deal some real damage over there.
The ship continues to shake and creak and bob in the storm, which may complicate the fight, but not all is lost. There, in the distance, up ahead… A beacon of light flickers, struggling to be seen through the thick clouds. What is that?
- Star Children (new and old) find themselves aboard a grand wooden ship, flying through a storm. Yes, literally flying!
- Sky pirates attack! They're just the local spirits, but a rowdy bunch nonetheless.
- Use conversation to load up a cannon with Lore energy, then blast it at the pirate ship.
- Alternatively, grab a weapon (possibly from home) from your ship's armory and start swashbuckling.
- Star Children can keep one (1) weapon/item from home and other basic weapons.
Content Warnings:
Other Star Children, both new and old, may find themselves drawn to the floating island of Never Fade. Up here, in the clouds, the storm rages just as fierce, and the native spirits all share the same worry: the lighthouse is broken. Indeed, up on the highest hill of Never Fade stands a towering white spire, its beacon dimmed. 'A ship is coming in at any moment', the spirits all whisper. 'And there's reports of pirates in the area, too. What will we do?'
The goats which are quite common in Never Fade join forces to guide Star Children up the hill towards the lighthouse. And if not guiding, then dragging, chompers clenched around the fabric of sleeves or pant legs as they pull. The rain does not slow, but the wind thankfully blows uphill. Best to just go along with it, so you can go take shelter from the storm inside the enormous spire building, because the goats won't leave you alone otherwise.
Just outside the lighthouse stands a very curious cat. It's so large, it's almost the size of a pony, and its fur is black. No, white. … No, it's black, isn't it? (It really depends on what mood it's in.) Karma the cat peers up at any approaching Star Children with knowing eyes. It dashes inside the lighthouse for a second, then reappears with an envelope in its mouth, holding it out for the newcomer to take. Careful- the paper might get wet in the rain! Come stand under the awning or inside the house as you read:
"The lighthouse keeper is on vacation. Please help! The beacon needs to be charged. We need positive energy to power the light, and negative energy to rotate the lens. Be nice or be mean, both are good! :)"
Are you up for the task, Star Children? Then stay in the lighthouse's near vicinity, or go right on up to the beacon, and do as Karma asked: Either compliment your fellows, or insult them. Share fond memories with one another, or commiserate on how terrible this situation is. Both pleasant conversation and nasty confrontation will do the job. Before long, the light springs to life and the great glass lens begins to rotate around it, a majestic beam of light revolving outward from the spire, piercing the dark clouds.
Those who wait around will see it: that great big wooden ship which comes flying towards Never Fade's docks to make port there. … Is that a hole in its side? And a cutlass sticking out of the mast? Confusion may make way for relief, as all the Star Children aboard disembark, surely bursting with a great tale to tell. Elated spirits bring out the hot soup, bread and all other hearty comfort foods to celebrate the successful arrival. Time to celebrate! Or raid the armory for a free weapon from home, if you haven't gotten one yet- with an emphasis on one, because Karma the cat will attack anyone who got greedy, be it now or during the earlier voyage.
Other Star Children, both new and old, may find themselves drawn to the floating island of Never Fade. Up here, in the clouds, the storm rages just as fierce, and the native spirits all share the same worry: the lighthouse is broken. Indeed, up on the highest hill of Never Fade stands a towering white spire, its beacon dimmed. 'A ship is coming in at any moment', the spirits all whisper. 'And there's reports of pirates in the area, too. What will we do?'
The goats which are quite common in Never Fade join forces to guide Star Children up the hill towards the lighthouse. And if not guiding, then dragging, chompers clenched around the fabric of sleeves or pant legs as they pull. The rain does not slow, but the wind thankfully blows uphill. Best to just go along with it, so you can go take shelter from the storm inside the enormous spire building, because the goats won't leave you alone otherwise.
Just outside the lighthouse stands a very curious cat. It's so large, it's almost the size of a pony, and its fur is black. No, white. … No, it's black, isn't it? (It really depends on what mood it's in.) Karma the cat peers up at any approaching Star Children with knowing eyes. It dashes inside the lighthouse for a second, then reappears with an envelope in its mouth, holding it out for the newcomer to take. Careful- the paper might get wet in the rain! Come stand under the awning or inside the house as you read:
"The lighthouse keeper is on vacation. Please help! The beacon needs to be charged. We need positive energy to power the light, and negative energy to rotate the lens. Be nice or be mean, both are good! :)"
Are you up for the task, Star Children? Then stay in the lighthouse's near vicinity, or go right on up to the beacon, and do as Karma asked: Either compliment your fellows, or insult them. Share fond memories with one another, or commiserate on how terrible this situation is. Both pleasant conversation and nasty confrontation will do the job. Before long, the light springs to life and the great glass lens begins to rotate around it, a majestic beam of light revolving outward from the spire, piercing the dark clouds.
Those who wait around will see it: that great big wooden ship which comes flying towards Never Fade's docks to make port there. … Is that a hole in its side? And a cutlass sticking out of the mast? Confusion may make way for relief, as all the Star Children aboard disembark, surely bursting with a great tale to tell. Elated spirits bring out the hot soup, bread and all other hearty comfort foods to celebrate the successful arrival. Time to celebrate! Or raid the armory for a free weapon from home, if you haven't gotten one yet- with an emphasis on one, because Karma the cat will attack anyone who got greedy, be it now or during the earlier voyage.
- Star Children who weren't taken to the ship may instead have been drawn to Never Fade, where the storm rages just as fiercely.
- Goats guide Star Children towards the lighthouse, which is broken. Karma the cat awaits them there.
- In order to get the lighthouse beacon working again, it must be charged with both positive and negative energy. Engage in either pleasant or hostile conversation with a fellow Star Child to help out!
- Once the lighthouse is up and running, the ship from the first prompt will dock at Never Fade, uniting all the Star Children for a great celebration.
- The ship's armory is still available for a free weapon (possibly from home), but anyone who got greedy and tried to take more than one will be confronted by Karma. Literally. (And lose the additional items).
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Prince Consort is a fancy title. Reminds me of some of those telenovelas I watched as a kid, thankfully, you two had an easier time than what happened in those shows.
I'm going to take a guess and assume the invasion was caused by humans...?
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[The best of intentions hardly count when things go that badly. And it was humans that caused the invasion in their timeline, too; for all the blame Leo wanted to place on his own shoulders in the aftermath, it was the Foot Clan that stole the key and opened the portal to start with. Casey doesn't know everything about that happened with Hunter's humans, but then again, without the Luz (or one of the others) from Hunter's timeline, they might never know all the details. Either way it's kind of Hunter's story to tell, so he leaves it at that for now.
Leonardo's unspoken question from before circles back into his mind, and as he gently ties off the bandage and sits back a little, a softer, almost shy smile crosses his lips, his eyes focusing on sensei's arm rather than his eyes.]
I'm- really happy. He makes me happy...
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Good. [The turtle shifts, just enough to ruffle Casey's hair playfully.] You deserve to be happy. If he didn't make you happy, then I'd have some words for him.
[Words being a fun new phrase for katana!]
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Are you gonna give him a shovel talk? Because like four different people beat you to it.
[Maybe a Dad shovel talk is special. Maybe it's extra scary.]
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Decades of grief, of struggling, of loss all made any hint of joy feel like something impossible to achieve. He draws his hand back to just pat Casey's back again in passing.]
I might ask him a few questions, but, if he's already gotten the shovel talk four times, I'll spare him.
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[Sensei. Dad. Basically the most important person in Casey's life growing up, someone he loved and lost and missed every day, someone he talks about all the time because so many relevant moments of his life involved the guy. Thinking about all of that, all of what's happened since and what's happening now, is making his composure crack a little. He did what he set out to do, held it together for the medic stuff, but with nothing to do with his hands anymore it's sinking in more and more that this is the situation he's in, now. With sensei. Again.
Like an overwhelming vibration striking right to his core, the shock is wearing down, making way for the heel-turn on his grief. Things are peaceful, the danger passed, duties complete. He can turn off the soldier and be what his heart wanted to be since the second he saw Master Leonardo again, alive and breathing: a little boy who missed his dad.]
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Leonardo shifts once again, this time to curl his other arm around Casey. It isn't the most elegant hug to happen on the ground, but, their lives have never been particularly poised and pretty. Leonardo is a little too exhausted to really care about making a good impression on a bunch of strangers on this boat. Not when Casey is here and needs him.]
You're right, it would hit different. I have a pretty good war face, I could put that to good use. [He says quietly back, filling in the space between them.] I won't scare him off though, promise.
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[The hug is a secondary crack, splintering its way through his measured calm, and Casey lets that strong arm pull him closer still, as he feels himself begin to tremble. He's always cried so easily, though he'd learned not to let it happen on the battlefield. (At least, not much. When close family died in front of you there was no compartmentalizing that grief, but he'd gotten pretty good at it anyway. Lots of practice.) They're not in an active battlefield now, though, and it's amazing he's lasted this long.
Sensei's here. He's back. He needs to cry, because he's been grieving this man for years now and he doesn't quite know how to deal otherwise.]
...Sensei... I-I saw you... you died, you were gone...
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That wasn't really in the cards for either of them. Life was a little too messy, uncomfortable, bittersweet for something like this be swept away so cleanly.]
I had hoped you hadn't seen that. [He admits softly back.] I was gone but, I'm here now.
[He can't promise he'll stay forever. It wouldn't be fair. Leonardo isn't sure what this place is like, or if he can make any real promises.] I'll be with you for as long as I can.
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He recognizes what Leonardo is saying - he's been here long enough to know things can be temporary, anyway - but he's nowhere near ready to acknowledge it. Not when they've only just reunited. He can be in denial for a while.
Hopefully his sensei won't begrudge the weakness that is Casey's abrupt need to bury his face into the turtle's scarf and cry for a while. They can talk in a few minutes, he'll pull himself together and not waste any more seconds they have, however long they have. But he can't think about losing sensei again. Not right now. He can't handle it. It's like he's back in that moment again, being torn away from everything and everyone he's ever loved.
Don't leave me again, he wants to scream and howl. Don't ever leave me. You're here now, you have to stay.
But that's not how this works, it never has been. So his weeping is quiet, fingers curled tightly in sensei's cloak, and he does his best to weather this storm.]
no subject
The turtle draws a hand across Casey's back. The weight of his metal fingers were likely a familiar presence to the teenager. Offering soothing gestures out of ingrained habit. Affection and worry sit tight in his chest, but he doesn't rush Casey. They don't need to be quiet and afraid anymore.
They aren't trapped out of sight and living in fear.
Even if Leonardo disappears, if he dies again, he knows Casey won't live in fear any longer.
He murmurs assurances to Casey, starting to rock him after a moment. Another old habit from when Casey was so much smaller. When the war was a scary boogeyman instead of something he had to participate in.]
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Now, with his eyes clenched, his body rocked gently, familiar prosthetic fingers stroking down his back, and those murmured words at his ear (in his voice, sensei's voice) he doesn't know how he could ever mistake one for the other. He's distinct. Strong and assured, carrying authority and a different kind of love. Leo sounds like Leo. Sensei sounds like Dad.
He missed this. He missed this so, so much.
He cries for longer than he'd have liked, until his eyes are ugly red and his face is gross, breathing hard until his throat feels raw. Eventually he quiets, reduced to shuddering breaths and quiet sniffles. Enough. That's enough. He's almost a man now, and it's not that tears are shameful, it's that he wants sensei to know that he's growing strong, not that he's a little boy that Leonardo needs to worry about. He'll be okay. He's mostly okay. He doesn't pull away, but he shifts enough to wipe at his face and clear his throat.]
...I'm okay. [He won't apologize.] I should- you want a mission report? For New York, for- for this world- there's so much...
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His reaction is a little indulgent, a reassuring peck against Casey's forehead. Something Casey after a certain point would wave off like any teenager would when doted upon by a parent.
Commander Leonardo, Sensei was stern and commanding in battle, but... a doting father when times were quiet. A doting brother when his brothers were near. War eroded pieces of him, but his love persisted.]
I wouldn't mind a mission report, start simple, build up. Might suggest a break to get you something to drink.
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One step ahead of you. [He goes back to his side pouch and withdraws a little water bottle, taking a swig and offering it out to Leonardo. He's gotten into the habit of always carrying water with him, as you never know when you might need some to summon a thing with lore.] Um... okay, I'll go sequential. I fell out of the portal into New York. It was night, everything was so bright, and there were people everywhere... it was like I was in a whole other world. I started looking around right away, but how was I supposed to find the key in the middle of such a huge place? Then I thought, I could find you and ask! Er, the you in the past. So I used that photo you gave me, and-
[Cue Casey launching into a summary of the Rise movie. Enjoy that, sensei, shit got wild.]
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Leonardo is quiet as he listens, arching a brow ridge more than a few times. Thrown off by more than a few choices.
Then again, they had all been kids then. Ones who hadn't lived through war and learned the hard way to adapt or die.
As Casey finishes, he speaks.]
I'm glad it all worked out, but, it was chaotic, wasn't it?
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Still hard to say it, though. He's glad to be done, once the story is told, and at Master Leonardo's comment, he jerks his head with a sharp nod.]
It was... but I was used to chaos. It was really tough on everyone else. [The invasion, fighting Krang- that's just his normal life. The worst of it had been thinking they'd failed. That he'd failed the last mission sensei ever gave him, that it'd all been for nothing.] Now it's over... I didn't think I'd ever see the end to that war.
[Even with everyone else helping to keep him safe, even with hope on their side, he'd definitely had days where he thought the only end he'd see was death. Now he gets to live. He's the only one who gets to live.]
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If he is dead, he did his job. He made up for the war, for his own mistakes.]
I'm glad, that it's over. That you, all of you, are safe.
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[Everyone in the past, at least. And him.]
...But... everyone from home... they're all gone. Donatello called it a "bifurcated time branch"... we didn't change the future, we just made a new one.
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[The rebellion had failed, and he had slowly come to terms with it. Long nights talking with Mikey had helped.]
Even if it's a different branch, it's one that has a chance.
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[He hesitates, not sure how to explain himself.]
I'm glad it exists. I'm... glad they both exist. Like- if we changed the timeline, I'd probably just disappear or whatever, I've seen time travel stuff now. There's all different rules!
[Okay, that's a bit stupid, but look, if both timelines exist, that means he can, too! It's important. For the whole, living thing.]
...It's selfish. I'm happy we stopped the Krang. I just... it's been hard, learning how to live in a normal world. Or at least more normal than where we came from... most people don't get it. And no one else knew you guys...
[He's not alone alone, not really. But he still wishes he wasn't, well. Alone. With his memories, with his grief.]
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I can bet it has been hard to adjust. I wish- [He cuts himself off, shaking his head a little. He could wish as much as he wanted, but that wouldn't change things. He needed to own his mistakes. He learned that the hard way.] I know I should've prepared you more, somehow, it was just something Mikey and I saved for an emergency.
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I'd ask why you never told me, but I already know. [He'd have objected, fought them, tried to look for another way. He wouldn't have wanted to be the one to go. Certainly not the only one. And what made the plan work at all had been that it was the last ditch effort, the only choice. Like the portal in the past timeline, too. Leo didn't tell anyone about his plans.
Leo never told anyone his plans, when there was a chance someone might get in the way. No matter the cost.
His hands clench into fists in his lap. Okay, maybe he's a little angry.]
...You... you still should have!
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I wanted to, but, this was a plan I didn't want to use unless we had to.
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[Casey deflates a little, though not as much as he knows he logically should. As usual, sensei is right. But he can't bring himself to agree.]
Was it... was it always the plan to send someone alone?
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/gently wraps here