folkmeme | June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

June-July 2025 Test Drive Meme

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).

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[A million ways he can answer that goes through his mind, a lot of them very mean and nasty and not very grown up of him. He just snaps his mouth shut, his mouth pressing into a thin line as he meets Leo's gaze. Even as he also, just without breaking eye contact, takes out a pirate that was a little farther from Leo but still a bit too close for his comfort.]

As much as Cain Instinct is telling me too, knocking you overboard would just have my brother and Casey on me if I did it.

[And he's still leveling his gaze on Leo, which might be a bit weird considering he is Donatello but well... War changes a turtle a little, so does death.]

[So does death. So does being trapped in an empty dimension with a homicidal alien with a hateboner for him, and then stuck in two different interdimensional hubs, watching everyone he loves die one by one in front of him as he frantically tries to keep them all together, and losing his arm.

Leo's own gaze doesn't waver from the taller, older Donnie's.]

Good because I'd take you down with me.

... Hah, I wouldn't put it past you to try.

[He might not be one hundred percent, but he will put up a fight if it comes to that. But not now, energy has to go towards not getting themselves killed by pirates, as he picks off two more and he finally breaks eye contact with Leo.]

I don't care if you hate me, you... My you, has every reason to. So I can't imagine that it's any different for you.

[He doesn't know what Casey has told any of the younger counterparts about their future selves, but honestly? If this Leo knows, he honestly couldn't blame him if he is angry at Donnie.]

Edited 2025-07-12 06:55 (UTC)

Can't hate someone I don't know anything about.

[With eye contact broken, Leo can focus his attention on keeping their six cleared.] Can only hate the first impression I've gotten, which is that you aren't any different from my brother.

[Which... should be answer enough to what Leo knows. Which is: not much. Casey had kept pretty close-lipped about the Donnie of his timeline, the Raphael too now that he thinks about it.]

So, y'know. Hi, I'm Leo, stopped the Krang invasion in Manhattan, now living here. Nice to meet you.

[Well... that's good to know. Although he might make a face about being close to his younger self. But yeah, that does answer some things that had been on his mind.]

I kind of guessed who you are, Nardo. [Just easily slipping into that nickname.]

Donatello, of 2042 New York. Might be stuck here too, not that I have anywhere else to end up after this anyway. A pleasure.

[Now does Leo know that Casey's from 2044? Not that Donnie gave the date to be alarming, just y'know. A guy does tend to remember when he kicked the bucket.]

Don't. [At this Donnie calling him 'Nardo'. That's for his brother. Not this guy. Especially not one taking out frustration on him for no fucking reason.

He takes a leap at a pirate ready to grab at Donnie, cutting him down without hesitation while Donnie gives that little explanation. He soaks up all those details and stuffs them away to roll over in his mind later. When he's alone, probably helping fix up the lair while Peter's getting fresh air topside.

Not that I have anywhere else to end up after this anyway. Christ. Yeah, they're all dead, Casey had said that much in the subway. But still.]

Great. Let's focus on keeping ourselves pirate-sword free and get outta here.

[he lets out a sigh at that "Don't", but he gets it. He's not Leo's brother after all, so getting familiar with him honestly makes that reaction make sense.]

Sorry, Leo. [He manages to get that out before Leo gets that pirate coming at him, which ticks him off a little. He's quickly using his ninpo to change the rifle he has on hand into something a bit more... Crowd control-y, more like a mini-missile launcher, which well.

He did say earlier he might not be able to stay steady, so he has a death grip on his bo staff to try and do just that.]

I can do that, easily.

[He won't fire until he's sure he won't hit Leo, but he's going to do it.]

Great. Let's kick it, then.

[He doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to recognize what Donnie's set up with his ninpo. Leo gives a nod before going low, moving closer to him so Donnie has a clear range all around them.

He'll finish off whatever Donnie can't, but he's not going to get in the way of this.]

[He doesn't say anything word once Leo goes low, instead just going all out on whatever pirates he can hit. It's thrilling, and honestly a nice outlet that isn't snapping at the younger version of his brother.

Also it might give them a bit of a breather too because?]

[Even with the family connection, which does it even work with alternates? Something to consider, later, he kinda of pushed himself a bit too much.

So he is trying his best to not collapse, holding onto his bo staff like a damned life line as he slumps a bit.]

[Even with his weakened state, watching an older version of his brother let loose like that is awesome. Not in a cool way, but an awe-inspiring way. Awestruck. Full of awe.

But then the onslaught eases, and there are no pirates to be seen now. Just-

Just an older version of his brother struggling to stray upright. If he gets hurt, Casey will actually kill him. But this Donnie seemed a little touchy about Leo wanting to help protect him.]

All right. We're gettin' outta here. [He can see the lighthouse in the distance. That's close enough for him.] Ready?

[Ah, this is familiar. And he hates it, but at least this Leo isn't trying to drag him to safety, away from the Krang. He just looks at Leo, so tired looking and he just growls a bit weakly.]

No. I can keep going, Leonardo. [He can't, but he way too stubborn about this.]

Okay? Great, have fun because I don't wanna.

[If this Donnie needed any proof this Leo is still a teenager, this was it. He's lost so much already and done so much that he just wants to leave while he can.

Leo gives older Donnie one more look before shrugging and swiping his blade in the air to open a portal. The base of the lighthouse is right on the other side waiting as he steps through.]

[Goddammit, he has a feeling that this is going south and really why does he care? This is just a young version of his brother who is very much acting off, and maybe it's because of him. Maybe not. He doesn't know so, so he just sighs and is following Leo through the damned portal, if he isn't too late to, that is.]

[Probably a testament of how not-seriously-mad he is, Leo does leave it open on purpose, only making sure Donnie came through before letting it close. Not that he minds being on floating ships and all, but he is happy to be on solid ground for conversations like this. Too many variables.]

So you just got here, what hasn't been answered yet?

I listened to the Fox. [Because he feels like that might have been an issue with many other turtles before him.]

I've met a few others before you showed up, including Junior. So I don't need to know who is or isn't here.

[And his eyes fall onto Leo's metallic hand, but he says nothing.]

Great.

[That sounded angrier than he meant it. But he catches Donnie looking at his hand and clenches it into a loose fist.]

Me and Don have been here the longest, what else do you need to know?

[Oh, he gets that anger, and he doesn't feel like it's misplaced, as he brings a hand up to rub the back of his head.]

I see, well... That's unfortunate to know about you two?

[And well... shit, now what.]

... sorry for earlier. I had, expectations of you that I shouldn't have. You're not my brother after all.

[Well that sparks something else. Something hot and angry swelling in his chest, like wounded pride but worse.]

What's that supposed to mean?

[Ouuugh boy, he is so stepping into it here isn't he?]

It means I shouldn't be treating you the same. For one, you don't know everything that happened between us so me getting mad at you for that is on me.

Two, you're a kid. You don't need to be dealing with my problems.

[He's not sure if this is the right thing to say, but dammit he'll say it.]

[You know? Leo is outwardly a little disarmed hearing what amounts to a real apology. Emotional maturity? Understanding? What the fuck is this.

But then he says that second part and it has Leo's hackles raising. You're a kid. A kid who was alone in a secret government facility being threatened with experimentation before his twin showed up. A kid who was alone with his brother and mutant boyfriend here before Raph and Casey and April and Draxum and Mikey showed up. A kid who desperately wishes the Fox would bring their father here instead of all these alternate universe versions of his brothers because he hasn't seen home in years now. Who has watched everyone around him die and handled the aftermath over and over.

A kid. Right.]

You're right, I've got my own problems to deal with. So stop taking whatever stupid argument you have with your twin out on me, I already have to deal with feuds with my own brother.

[Too bad Donnie isn't a mind reader, he is completely clueless about everything that has happened to Leo up to this point about Leo wants and needs. He just has a hunch he's making this worse, he stops himself from saying "I know" to Leo saying he has his own issues with his own Donatello.

Instead, he just lets out a frustrated sigh.]

Then I'll leave you alone... Thank you for the help on the ship.

...You're from CJ's timeline, yeah?

[He barely waits for an answer.]

You should go find him. He'll be thrilled.

Sigh.

... I saw him earlier. He was... More concerned about me then thrilled?

[Maybe a little bitterness in him saying that though that he didn't mean to let slip through.]

Probably because you look like death warmed over. [Ever tactful.]

Let him know you aren't dying and he'll perk right up.

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