folkmeme | February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

February-March 2024 TDM

Introduction

[ TDM Questions ★ Jump to Comments ★ Full Navigation ]
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 canon items from homes especially weapons or other things they may have had on their person when they were pulled from their worlds! There will always be a prompt that provides some sort of "reward" to characters who complete certain tasks.

Current players are 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.

[ Soon You'll Get Better ★ Netfox & Chill]

Soon You'll Get Better . ★

Content Warnings: Power Nullification, Potential Kidnapping, Potential Animal Spirit Harm

The island of Never Fade can no longer be seen in the sky from elsewhere in Folkmore, enclosed within a large purple tinted cloud. Within that cloud, the island is under water—a dreamy purple underwater that all Star Children can breath in if they breath and function in if they function on electricity, so on and so forth. It causes no more difficulties than reduced visibility and greater effort to walk. It's even possible to swim underneath the island, so long as Star Children make sure to make landfall before they get too exhausted and… well… fall.

Friendnapped

The purple water has streaks of silver shot throughout it. Beware, these silver streaks neutralize powers, canon and role abilities alike, for at least an hour. A neutralized Legend won't be able to sense others in danger. A neutralized Myth won't sense danger coming. A neutralized Familiar won't be able to shapeshift to help others. That may set of a danger alarm but not any spidey-sense. These silver streaks are harbingers of spirits recently returned to Folkmore thanks to donations at the Shattered Spoon Shrine: lonely sharks.

The source of the silver streaks in the water, these silver gray sharks swim up and gently bite people. These bites make people go instantly limp but otherwise don't do any damage. They won't even break the skin. Once limp, the lonely sharks take their ~~prey~~ new best friends down to a cave or grotto off the underside of Never Fade. These caves are full of silver water, saturated by the magic of lonely sharks, and the entrances are covered by a thin silver barrier that prevents Star Children from leaving. That means should a Star Child track down where someone is being kept, should they enter its home, they too will be trapped there.

Being held by the lonely sharks isn't the worst experience. These spirits will try to please their new friends, giving them their favorite foods and perhaps even an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Mind, the magic of these items will be neutralized in the shark's cave. It is possible to fight a lonely shark, even to kill one, but that will only be a temporary measure. Star Children will remain trapped and have to wait for the lonely shark to revive—with even more golden cracks than before. In the end, the only way to escape are hugs, cuddles, and other measures of friendship. Once all the golden cracks have thinned and disappeared, Star Children can leave.

Spread the Love

By the time mid-March comes around, most of the lonely sharks have been fully healed and no longer kidnap Star Children. Instead they swim the None of the Above tunnels below the island's surface, where they provide guidance to Star Children who ask them how to get somewhere. If Star Children have nowhere particular in mind, the lonely sharks encourage Star Children to make their way toward the Shattered Spoon Shrine.

The lonely sharks still create silver streaks in the water that neutralize powers, but they will accompany Star Children and warn them of some of the dangers. When voices call their names, the sharks will snuggle up against Star Children to provide comfort. They're devoted to helping Star Children reach the shrine. Once there, they will encourage the Star Children to donate Lore to one of the broken spoons there, each spoon representing spirits who have left, spirits who became shells of themselves from lack of lore, or ghosts.

Star Children who donate Lore will find their companion lonely shark presenting them with an item from home. This may even be a weapon or magical item. Mind, the magic will be neutralized until the Star Child has spent at least an hour away from the silvery water lonely sharks create. Lonely sharks will happily spend as much time with Star Children as they're willing but will show the way back to the surface either via LIM (Lavender Institute of the Mind) or the None of the Above tunnels.

Never Fade is underwater within a cloud.
Silver streaks in the water neutralize powers, both canon and Role based.
Lonely sharks kidnap Star Children and take them to caves on the underside of Never Fade.
Star Children who find those caves are trapped too.
Escape by hugs, cuddles, and being friends.
By the second month, most lonely sharks are healed and found in the tunnels.
Lonely sharks guide Star Children to the Shattered Spoon Shrine to donate Lore to help others.
Either when captive or once donating Lore, lonely sharks will give Star Children an item from home.

Netfox & Chill . ★

Content Warnings: Forced Relocation, Potential Secret Revelation, Potential Coerced Physical Intimacy

With the wide range of Star Children from many different worlds, sharing similarities, it's no surprise when moments of deja vu happen. That sense of the familiar with the new, the sense of something that happened before without quite being able to place it… or perhaps it being impossible. Regardless, when that connective moment happens, the Star Children involved are transported to a windmill home from the Cloud Colonies. They land together on a couch before a large television with all the makings of a movie night. There could be wine and cheese. There could be soda and popcorn. There could be tea or other hot beverages. There's a cozy blanket (only one). The movie has already been selected, and it starts playing.

Headliner

The movie is roughly based off one of the Star Children's lives, specifically for the Star Child that experience deja vu and triggered this experience. Regardless of the moment of deja vu, the plot of the movie is based off of some real or potential relationship—romantic or queer platonic—in their life. That Star Child can recognize some similarities immediately. If they had any doubts, they get a text message on their relic as the movie starts:

You need to get closer with your companion(s). You can either talk about what happened (or didn't) or not talk wink wink about it with them. The choice is yours (and theirs)! Have fun!

It's possible to ignore the message, at least for a while. The longer the movie plays, the more apparent it becomes that it's based off that Star Child. The starring character's clothes will change to resemble theirs. The cadence of their voice will shift to imitate theirs. Their facial features will shift. These changes will become more and more heavy handed as the movie goes on until even the most clueless companion will have real trouble not picking up on it. It may get harder and harder to distract them from talking about it! There's no pause button, and the only way to mute the movie is to *ahem* distract themselves from it until it becomes an indistinct background murmur.

Remake

If any Star Children thought this experience might have been a Valentine's Day prank, they'll be poorly mistaken come mid-March when it continues with a twist. The movie less closely resembles any one Star Child's life (whew?)… because it blends the lives of all those present together into a new story. One character is based off each Star Child, and it fits the other Star Child into the role of someone who was or could have been emotionally and/or physically intimate with them. If they had any doubts, each Star child gets a text message on their relic as the movie starts:

You need to get closer with your companion(s). You can either talk about what happened (or didn't) or not talk wink wink about it with them. The choice is yours (and theirs)! Have fun!

Not only does each Star Child have to decide what approach they want to take, but the other Star Child may pick up on what they're putting down! One Star Child may want to talk it out, but the other one desperately doesn't. Oh noes, how shall it be resolved? Well, the longer it takes, the more clearly the film demonstrates one way they could resolve it—a fictionalized ending, happy or sad or bittersweet or anything else, between the characters as they more closely resemble those watching them on the sofa. No one's free until they have a heart to heart or a something to something else. Any physical intimacy can do.

Experience a moment of deja vu and get transported to a cozy living room in a Cloud Colony windmill.
For the first month, the 'host' Star Child gets a text letting them know to get intimate—emotionally or physically.
For the second month, all Star Children get that text.
For the first month, the movie is based on the 'host' Star Child's experiences, what did or could have happened. As the movie progresses, it becomes more and more obvious that's the case.
For the second month, the movie is a story blending Star Children's experiences together. That too will become more obvious over time.
Some form of intimacy is the only way out!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Since you’re living here. You need to know where the markets are. [He walks ahead, a tight thread within him easing. He reaches into his bag and produces the container of wrapped grilled chicken sandwiches.]

Here. Have one. [Diluc probably hasn’t eaten anything and he knows all the places to grab more food.] There’s a horse trail I’ll show you. Leads straight to town.

[ Entirely oblivious to Kaeya’s inner turmoil, Diluc just listens in silence as he talks and they begin to walk towards the village. Old habit takes over and Diluc falls into step beside the other man, matching his stride perfectly with ease. It’s how they’ve always walked together— a strange keen sense of one another’s movements without even trying, like twins. Diluc doesn’t even notice it anymore, the raw state of their relationship making no difference.

He perks up visibly at the mention of a horse trail, distracted momentarily from the offer of food. Not for long though, because soon he’s looking down at the proffered sandwich and hesitating. He doesn’t want to impose on him, but… he can’t deny that it feels a little nice having Kaeya take care of him.

He takes the sandwich. ]

A horse trail… Huh. They have normal horses here?

They do. And some conveniences of tech that I never would have thought of outside of Sumeru or Fountaine.

[He smiles as he walks down what used to the path he walked every day. This was the road home. His feet almost take him down a branching path, but he corrects himself.

He let go of his home under the hill. He wolfs down one sandwich as the sounds of people of various sorts filter to his ears. His ears twitch and swivel to catch the sounds.]

And the horses here don’t mind me. Even though they smell a predator on their back. [He hums, snagging another sandwich from the box and if he sees Diluc has finished his, offers him the other one from the box.] Market street here you can get all sorts of things. There is a nice Raven who sells pleasant teas.

[ Kaeya knows Diluc too well; he’s also done with the first sandwich despite not being part wolf. So he takes the second one with less hesitation, his eyes still shining that soft pale purple. ]

Humans are already, as a species, apex predators. We are already dangerous, even without wolf features. That is why trust must be fostered with the animal first if you intend to ride it.

[ For Diluc, it is a bit of a nostalgic walk as well, but for other reasons. Walking together through the woods, sharing food like this— very much an activity they used to do often in their juvenile years. He wonders if Kaeya is thinking the same. ]

A raven runs a tea shop. Are you certain it isn’t just Fischl making Oz sell tea…

Oh, quite sure. [It’s like a walk back in time. Sharing food as they head off on some adventure. He finishes his sandwich and opens the container of waffle fries.

He snags on and his tail wags.] It’s still cold but. Just like back home you can find some wonderful fare and goods this time of year.

[ Diluc focuses on finishing his second sandwich, but he catches sight of the movement behind them. A large, plush wolf tail wags happily as Kaeya leads him along the horse trail. Kaeya’s sincerest emotions in the moment are obvious and it makes Diluc’s shimmering lavender eyes glow that soft pink intermittently. He’s still clueless about it, but his own mood and emotions are on display as clearly as Kaeya’s.

The distinct smell of horses incites old memories for Diluc as they walk and even while he listens to Kaeya tell him about the village they’re approaching and Lapine, his thoughts occasionally story to what he said earlier about being here for two years. Surely that can’t be true… right? No. It must be exaggeration. It has to be. Diluc finds himself stubbornly not wanting to believe it, even if everything about Kaeya’s appearance right now stands as testament to his truthfulness. ]

You don’t seem particularly dressed for the cold.

[He snorts and laughs out loud. He eats another fry and offers the container to Diluc.] I never dress for the cold. Nor does Rosaria or Eula. We don’t feel it as much.

[The sign for village sticks up at a crossing. He walks straight past it to the sounds of a hustle and bustle he can hear ahead.]

Besides. I can shift whenever I need a little help. [He grins, tail wagging just a bit. Then he reaches within to the wild magic that spirals around the other magic within him. He pulls and a beastman form replaces his human self. He is a tall wolf with a shock of pale blue fur sticking out of the gap in the front of his shirt. He adjusts his hold on the container of waffle fries.]

When all the trials this place threw at us occurred, I got various wolf forms and other shapes from it.

[His voice is deeper, more resonant.] Useful. No?

[ Useful, yes, but pleasant? Diluc would say absolutely not. In his shock, he trips a little over his own feet and almost sends the entire container of waffle fries flying. Thankfully, he just manages to avoid crashing into the giant bipedal wolf but the look he gives Kaeya…

He was certainly not expecting that. ]

Don’t… do that again.

[Well, this was sort of expected. He shifts his feet to be prepared to catch food and Diluc both. His ears lower and his tail wags less.

He sighs.] Right. I’ll warn you next time.

[Better than last time he supposes. But then being a brat and becoming a unicorn was an intentional sass.]

…Some of the residents here are like this.

[They reach a hill and the wind tugs at them. The trees part further down showing pleasant houses, some set inside hills and people heading down a Main Street. Some are human and some very much aren’t. An old squirrel hauls caskets of some kind of ale into their establishment while others busy themselves with day to day life.

Kaeya smiles, once again a more human meld of wolf and man. A soft light dancing in his eye. This was home for two years. He takes a breath and starts down.]

If we hurry we can make it before my favorite baker moves to the next village!

I don’t care what the other residents look like.

[ Diluc responds gruffly, still getting his bearings back, irritated by the awful shock he just received. ]

I did not grow up with them, so I would rather you wouldn’t.

[ He notices the way Kaeya’s body language shifts though and he can’t help but feel a little guilty that his reaction to a skill that the other man is proud of was less than stellar. He swallows thickly, then takes a couple fries as they quicken their pace to reach the baker in time and he playfully — if stiffly — adds: ]

…The next time you do, I won’t spare your ears or fur.

[He trips over his own feet a little. His tail saves him and the fries from a fall. His face darkens a few degrees as his tail wags hard behind him.] ...be gentle and you can pet them all you like.

[He faces forward lest he give himself away. But his tail is a traitor. Continuing to wag, wag, wag.] ...I hadn't considered what a shock shifting would be to you. My apologies.

[ When this time Kaeya trips, Diluc stops to look back and make sure Kaeya doesn’t fall flat on his face, but unfortunately for the other man, this means that of course Diluc gets a good look at him and the way his tail is moving faster now. He recognizes the sight of Kaeya blushing— it’s one he hasn’t seen since he invited him to stay along with the Traveler and Paimon for dinner that one Weinlesefest. Diluc can’t help the smug satisfaction he feels, nor the light flutter in his stomach. The pink glow in his eyes that ensues is vibrant and fills his entire iris. He scoffs a little at the permission given in response, but he’s flushing a rosy color himself now, Diluc’s complexion too fair to camouflage even the slightest warmth that floods his cheeks. ]

I was not aware you were fond of gentleness.

[ He tosses his red hair over his shoulder and looks away from Kaeya before the blushing gets worse for either of them. ]

Show me this favorite baker of yours.

[Pink. What does that mean?

Diluc's eyes are a new puzzle. A clue is given by the rose color of his cheeks. He lets that clue stay where it is for now. He composes himself and finishes the last fry. He tosses the two empty containers in a near by trash can and leads Diluc to a food stall nestled among other vendors.

People recognize him as he passes, calling out their greetings. He acknowledges them with nods and smiles. The baker at Spun Branches looks like she belongs at a forge with a hammer instead of working dough. She's tall, with long dark hair pinned back out of her way. She smiles wide as she turns to face them.

'Kaeya, you haven't been by in a while.' Kaeya coughs, feeling mildly embarrassed as he says,] I moved recently. I'm still getting settled.

[She nods and looks at Diluc. 'Hello, newcomer. What can I get for you today?' To the side of the stall is a menu. Various kinds of baked goods are listed. She looks at Kaeya. 'Because I know what you want already.' Kaeya smiles in reply. He came here weekly until he had his... terrible month. The smells are divine and not just because he has a wolf's sense of smell. It always smells good around here.] You know, while I'm glad you move around. I still say if you had a stable location we'd all come to you.

['Of course, but where's the fun in that? I like to move around. And I don't want to hear that from a man teaching at a school that moves around too. Professor Alberich.']

[ Seeing the sheer number of people who recognize Kaeya is such a surprising experience to Diluc, but it further drives home to him that Kaeya is not exaggerating about how long he’s been here. Apart from his concern for the other man, there’s a small, insecure, possibly immature part of him that begins to feel… sad and, worse, uncomfortable about it. This is two entire years of Kaeya’s life that he’s missed and while it’s not the first time they have been apart for long stretches of time, it is the first time that Diluc has no idea what might have transpired in that time or what struggles Kaeya has faced. Even when he left to cross Teyvat in search of the truth of the Fatui, knowing he was leaving the younger man in the care of everyone they knew in Mondstadt and, in turn, leaving Mondstadt under Kaeya’s watchful eye, meant he never had to worry. Kaeya kept him abreast of events as they unfolded with Ordo Favonius and, Jean and Adelinde watched over Kaeya. He knew what was happening in Mondstadt without even being there.

This is not like that. Has it been enough time completely apart for Kaeya that he no longer feels so intrinsically linked together? How much change has happened to him that Diluc can’t see? Does Kaeya resent him for not being here with him? Diluc doesn’t ask any of these questions, but he wonders. He wonders so much.

The current complication though is that while Kaeya has his order given to him, Diluc is patting down his coat pockets and realizing he has no Mora. Do they even take Mora here in Folkmore? Probably not. The spoon the Fox gave him… She said it was for everything. ]

Uh…

[ He listens to Kaeya and the baker chitchat while he stresses over the matter of payment, furrowing his brow as he stares at the glazed fruit pastries. His brow goes up when he hears the baker call Kaeya “Professor Alberich”. ]

A glazed fruit pastry for D, please. [Kaeya says as he catches where Diluc is staring. He lightly brushes his fluffy tail against Diluc’s leg as he takes a step closer to him.

The baker nods and makes a small motion. She takes the aforementioned pastry from the case and wraps it in wax paper. Kaeya pauses. Diluc hasn’t seen his spoon here. He leans towards him and looks at him.] Don’t be alarmed.

[He takes his spoon out. Spoons come in all shapes and sizes. Kaeya’s is made of ice and shadowy energy wrapped around a shining four sided star. It has flavors of Mond and the Alberich clan both. He pays for their baked goods and accepts his lovely almond tart.

Then puts his spoon away. He looks at Diluc. The Baker nods once and says ‘it’s busy today. Make sure to visit more often.’ And leaves them be to answer another customer. Kaeya speaks low,] Lets go this way and eat these. I’m pretty sure you got questions and I’m giving you free rein to ask anything.

[ Diluc feels the tail against his leg and takes the cue to not speak. What really catches him by surprise though isn’t that or even the way Kaeya takes it upon himself to pay for them both. He watches him take out the spoon and the energy transference, he remembers this enough from the Fox that he isn’t alarmed by it, but his mind is focusing instead on how Kaeya referred to him:

“D.”

When was the last time he heard Kaeya call him that? Not in years. He takes the pastry, thanks the baker with a slight smile, then lets Kaeya shoo him away. How… strange… ]

Thank you.

[ He says, fingers a bit tense now as he holds the wax-wrapped pastry and follows Kaeya to the area he mentioned. That’s twice now the other man has fed him. ]

[He leads them over to a little area for people to eat. He drops onto a bench and takes a bite of his tart.

He closes his eye in bliss. His left ear twitches. Is it flaky, buttery, and so so good. His tail wags again. He reaches back and stops it.] Sorry, sorry.

Had to get a bite before you start asking me things. Now, ask as you please.

[ Diluc settles down next to Kaeya, straddling the bench so he can face the other man and be close enough to catch the movements of that tail. He wants a clear view of it in order to give himself a read on how Kaeya feels about whatever he’s talking about. The tail is clearly overactive against his wishes which means it’s honest.

He finds it endearing how it keeps wagging.

Diluc reaches into his pocket and pulls out his own spoon. It’s a beautiful wooden spoon— cecilias carved on the handle, a garnet embedded halfway down the neck, with a lamp grass and a calla lily painted on the inside of the bowl. Other painted embellishments adorn the spoon, the artistic style very distinctly that of Mondstadter artisans. For now, tiny tongues of fire dance around the flowers painted in the bowl. ]

So this… really is used as currency?

[He reaches into his pocket and pulls his spoon out again. Up close the shadows are cut in a distinctive sharp edged style of Khaenri’ahn ruins. The shadows twist and wind around the shining four sided star in the neck giving it more points on one side. The ice is more artistic with grape vines and lamp grass etched into the ice. As it reaches the bowl the lamp grass is joined by calla lilies. The spoon gives off a faint cold aura.]

It holds lore. Lore is made from being social and forming ‘bonds’ with others. Lore is sometimes our only weapon or shield in trials.

[ Now that Diluc can see the spoon up-close and has his own to compare, the first thing that stands out to him is the similarities between the two— the calla lilies and lamp grass. It doesn’t take a particularly deep read to notice the obvious interpretation of these two flowers, especially not when one considers how he used to call calla lilies “Kaeya lilies” when they were small.

It makes Diluc feel warm in the face again. Ah, how embarrassing. Their past history and present with each other is clearly displayed on both of their spoons. Well, he expects Kaeya not to say anything about it anyway. ]

I wonder why bonds specifically are important to the Fox. Because bonds are typically what motivate people to show their worth?

[He visibly thinks it over. He turns his spoon in his fingers. The ice on its side adds more points to the four sided star too. Together the two sides add the missing four points. His mind is elsewhere for a moment.]

…that’s possibly the reason. Bonds can help show or hinder potential. But that doesn’t explain why only familiars can mentally link with legends and myths.

[ Diluc watches Kaeya begin to ponder deeply as he looks down at his own spoon. He too notices the Khaenri’ahn details and though he does hesitate to do so, he reaches out to rest a hand on the sleeve of Kaeya’s coat, as if to pull him out of his own mind before he gets too lost in those thoughts of his. ]

That one is obvious enough to me.

[Lost in thought he doesn’t think twice about leaning into the touch. His mind steadies as he looks at him.]

…Why do you think that is, Diluc?

[ Kaeya not immediately pulling away at his touch comes as both a surprise and a relief to Diluc, and for a moment, he allows the closeness. For that moment, he moves his hand to Kaeya’s shoulder, then gently rubs one of his lupine ears. ]

A choice was placed before you. But which path you should take is not laid out in black and white for you.

[ He withdraws his hand. ]

The Fox made that choice literal.

[He stares at him. His eye wide as the realization of how true that is strikes the core of him. His lips move but no words come out.

His masks are nothing.

The shock holds him fast, but he catches Diluc’s hand before it can fully retreat. He holds it for a second like a drowning man grabbing for the edge of a boat. Then he realizes what he did and lets it go.

He turns his face away for a moment. His ears turn to lower then go back and forward. He’s lost. Why had he not thought of that?

It takes a minute before he says,] …that certainly explains a few things.

[His voice is his usual but there is an obvious strain. The statement has rattled him. It puts a horrible spin on everything he has been through.]

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