June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme

[folkie]

June-July 2025 TDM

Introduction

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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 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.

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]

Pirates of the Loreibbean . ★

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?

• 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.

So Said the Lighthouse Keeper. ★

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.

• 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).

Comments

[apuckalypse]

[There's a few sections where Casey struggles, but that moment on the tower, taking the key and sealing Leo inside the prison dimension with Krang Prime, is the worst of it. He's forgiven himself for it, mostly. Accepted that it was necessary, that Leo saved the world and they weren't given much choice, it was the most efficient option with the lowest cost of life. And the others saved him, in the end. Out of everyone, sensei would understand. He'd done essentially the same thing, after all, saved the world (even a different world, a different timeline) at the cost of his own life.

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.]

[grabaslice]

I can bet. The worst our family dealt with back then were petty crimes, not a war. [He wishes Casey had the chance to grow up that way, but... he can't change their shared past. All they can do is look forward. Knowing that he made the right choice in the end is truly all he needs to feel at ease.

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.

[apuckalypse]

Yeah... me too.

[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.

[grabaslice]

[He would make a joke about Donnie finding a flaw in his plans even now, but stops himself.] They are, but... at that point, we didn't have much else we could do.

[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.

[apuckalypse]

I know! I know. That's not...

[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.]

[grabaslice]

[This is one of those things he has to admit, he didn't think about in the long term. How Casey would cope in a world completely unlike what he knew, alone and floundering in a situation he wasn't prepared for.]

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.

[apuckalypse]

[Those words make Casey's shoulders slump, and he takes a deep breath, fighting the urge to be angry. He'd suspected, before. The way they talked of it, when he thought retrospectively about that day. The way Master Michelangelo's expression had changed, how he'd known at once what Leonardo meant. They'd made this plan who knows how long before it all went down, when the resistance inevitably died and they had no hope except a single, final chance to change everything.]

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!

[grabaslice]

Casey, if I had told you, what would your reaction have been? [Leonardo questions back, calm. He's more than fine if Casey wants to yell at him. He and Mikey sprung this on Casey in the first place.]

I wanted to, but, this was a plan I didn't want to use unless we had to.

[apuckalypse]

I know, I know...

[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?

[grabaslice]

We had a couple variations. We always agreed on you mainly, maybe with someone else if we could manage it. April being one of the main choices. [Leonardo never planned on going, if the rebellion would fall, he would go with it.]

[apuckalypse]

[It's harsh, hearing that answer. Always him. Maybe April if they could swing it. But not sensei. Master Michelangelo was always going to die trying, he made that clear, and... Master Leonardo would go with him, or follow soon enough.

He... gets it. He knows the lore. Sensei misses his brothers. Life's hard enough without them already, and they were waiting for him, wherever the Hamato ghosts go when they die. Casey can't give him that. Another timeline, even if he lived a fulfilling life in the past afterwards, meant he'd probably never see his brothers, those brothers, again. And that's assuming he lived, which, considering the mindscape he'd witnessed, was damn unlikely. He'd spend eternity alone.

Still hurts, though. His chest aches, and he tries to shove it down. He knew already. He knew all of this. The cost was too great, and sensei had fought so hard for so long. He deserved to rest with his family.]

Okay. [He doesn't want to hear it anymore.] Fine. [He doesn't want to think about it.] Sorry you're stuck here with me instead of being with them.

[God. He knows that was childish, and he's not a little kid anymore. The words just came unbidden with no way to take it back.]

[grabaslice]

[That stung. Leonardo's lips pull into a thin line.]

Casey. [He forces himself to take a breath. Trying to remind himself Casey is upset for a variety of reasons. He's working out hurt that is a lot heavier than most people would ever deal with. He was tossed alone into a past he wasn't prepared for.

The turtle rubs his face tiredly, wishing he had the right words. He could fake his way through a rousing speech for troops, but... god his ability to emotionally connect with anyone felt lacking.] You know I don't feel that way. Making this choice was hard and complicated. If I could ensure you lived, I'd accept whatever happened to me.

If I can ensure my son gets a better future, I'll do it. I wish it hadn't come to that, or any of the other losses we dealt with.

[apuckalypse]

[Okay.




Okay, so. It's not like he didn't know. He'd asked the spirit here directly ("Is it okay if I call you Dad?") and gotten confirmation, gratitude, love. He knew.

But Leonardo says "my son" and everything else just falls away. All the anger and bitterness and resignation and those childish thoughts, leaving behind stunned disbelief and joy. He'd never said it before, at least not to Casey's face like that. My son, my son. As easily as Master Splinter had said it around the boys in the past. My son.]

Son? [he echoes, eyes wide as he gazes up at Master Leonardo, jaw slack. He knew, he knew, but sensei actually said-]

[grabaslice]

[He expected more of an argument, but the lack of it leaves Leonardo floundering for a moment.]

My son. [He repeats it, maybe a bit more firmly than necessary. As if to make it stick. Not that he needs to.]

Unless you prefer... I don't call you that. [That would genuinely hurt, but he could handle it. Casey is supposed to grow past him. Become better.]

[apuckalypse]

Ah- [Immediately, Casey reaches out to grasp at Leonardo's arm, as if the very idea of a rejection shoves him partway into a panic.] No, no! That's not it, it's nothing like that. Just... I never...

[Never heard it before, never thought he would hear it, because Leonardo was dead and gone forever, and... and why is he wasting this time trying to be angry? With that panic comes the self-realization: none of the rest matters. Just like he can't undo what happened on the tower with the past version of Leo, sensei can't undo his choices now. Their beds are made, their fates sealed. But they're both here, now.

He doesn't want to be angry... not at his...]

You never said it... but- I knew. I knew you felt it, and I did, too. [His grip tightens, protective, almost possessive in this moment, the way he'd cling in the early days after finally accepting Leonardo's place in his life. Even then, years ago, he knew.] ...Dad...

[grabaslice]

[His expression softens into something far gentler than he normally would allow himself to be. Casey and their direct family got to see this kind of softness in small snippets before they had to get back to business.

It was something unspoken between them, but everyone knew Casey was his kid. His son. It was just something accepted in the base, by their extended family.

He shifts just enough to bump his forehead against Casey's, a gentle bout of affection that comes easily.

He only sits back slightly to continue the conversation.]

Casey, I wanted to say it, but... I didn't want to feel like I was replacing your parents. They loved you too. [He wants to be respectful to Cassandra and her partner, even now, they are important in his mind. Important to Casey too. He couldn't replace them in any capacity.] But, I've been thinking of you as my son for... a good long time.

[apuckalypse]

[Casey shakes his head again as Leonardo draws back, eyes closed for a moment afterwards.]

You couldn't. Even if I remembered them [and he really, really didn't, especially whoever Cassandra's partner was] you'd never replace them. I can have three parents, or four, or... [four and a half, five? Casey Sr. of this world is also his mom now, she's not quite the same Casey Sr. who birthed him in the apocalypse.] I-it doesn't matter now! I knew it, even if you didn't say it. I couldn't say it, either... I didn't want to distract you, or assume too much.

[It really was the unspoken, obvious secret, though. The rest of his family were his auntie and uncles. Sensei was, well, sensei. And all the Hamatos knew the real meaning behind that term.

It feels really, really good to say it out loud, though.]

[grabaslice]

You never distracted me. You kept me grounded. [He says plainly, simply. A plain truth of things. He feels... silly saying this aloud.

It was always left unsaid. It felt obvious to Leonardo, but, at this point, there wasn't much to lose in being honest. As honest as Leonardo can be, anyway. Some burdens were never for Casey, and he wouldn't put them on the boy's shoulders.

There wasn't a war to fight. There wasn't a time crunch or demands of either of them.] I wanted to give you a future worth fighting for.

[The only reason he would get up some days was his family, Casey included. He cared about the people in the base, the rebellion, earth- but a selfish part of him clung to their family, to the only meaningful connections they had after so long.]

[apuckalypse]

[Ahh, his heart. It is so shaky yet so full right now. Helplessly he presses close to Leonardo's side again, so grateful to have his sensei - his dad - here with him. Even if it's temporary, even if it could be followed up by the worst trial imaginable, even if everyone else hates her, he finds himself suddenly thankful to Thirteen for choosing him. It took a while, but sensei deserves a little peace, too.]

Well... you sure did that. You gave me a future. Even if... I guess I was kind of mad at you for how it went down. I know why you did it.

[He sure said it plainly enough. And he remembers what Raph told him what feels like forever ago now, how Masters Splinter and Draxum had gotten the turtles to leave before Shredder doomed them all. They'd risked their lives for their kids. That's what parents do, fight and protect and yeah, even sacrifice and die for the future of the ones they raised and loved. It sucks, it's awful, he hates it. But he gets it.

His dad did it for love, for him. For his future.]

[grabaslice]

[Casey gets a gentle hug as he presses closer. He can feel his eyes sting a little, threat of tears present. He raises his flesh hand to awkwardly wipe at them, laughing softly.]

You're allowed to be mad, Casey. [He can't fault Casey for any upset. Leonardo isn't unaware he made, well, a unilateral decision.] I'll never fault you for it. I'd still make the same decision, but, I won't tell you how to feel about it

[apuckalypse]

I don't wanna be mad.

[Whether he is or not, he can compartmentalize that, too. He's great at it. He doesn't want to waste a moment of this yelling or lashing out or blaming sensei for anything. It's been close to two years for him, he's had time to aim that anger at lots of other things, channel how he felt, work through his grief, even get therapy. Leonardo died earlier that very day. He deserves better than Casey lashing out for something that can't be changed- that wouldn't be changed, by sensei's own admission.

He can't promise the feeling won't come back later, though, when the buzzing glee wears off a bit, so:] Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day, or the next. We'll see.

[A child's hope: that they'll have as many happy days as they can stand, together again. And maybe then he'll yell a little, as a treat.]

[grabaslice]

Alright, mad later then. I'll try to be ready for it. [He makes a note to brace for the eventual anger. For now, they're just elated the other is alive.]

For now, you're stuck dealing with me being exhausted on you. [As soon as he's able, he's going to take his arm off to spare himself some of the chafing going on there from being on the go for hours.]

[apuckalypse]

I'm cool with that. I think we've got time.

[Casey shifts a bit, working to get himself more under than against Leonardo's flesh shoulder. Mindful of the usual struggles, he casts a glance towards the prosthetic.]

I can keep watch while you rest. Why don't you take it easy? You really look like you need it.

[grabaslice]

[He snorts a little fondly at Casey's shifting, adjusting to keep the boy close. If they weren't so out in the open, he could reasonably get comfortable. He can handle the chafing issue later.]

I've had longer days than this. [Minus the dying thing, shhh.] But, wouldn't hurt to relax a little.

[He loosens up, slightly. Still wound tight.]

I'll probably need your help getting up whenever we land. [He hates admitting that aloud, but, Casey would call him out if he tried to hide it.]

[apuckalypse]

I'm not going anywhere.

[He doesn't even have to ask. The moment the ship sets down, Casey will be right by his side like usual. When he was too young to go on missions, he'd been Leonardo's little shadow, following him throughout the base. He'll be revisiting that old habit, at least for a while with sensei here.]

I've got a place here, you can stay with me. It's safe, and you can rest all you need. On a real bed, even! Oh, and sensei- there's showers, and no water rationing! You can use as much as you want of everything!