folkmeme | February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

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*tdm

February-March 2024 Test Drive Meme

February-March 2024 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 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

[It’s so subtle it could seem Diluc’s imagination but Kaeya’s breath catches. It has been a while since Diluc’s hands wrapped around his waist like this. He lets himself be pushed gently off so they can both stand.]

…yes. It’s best you know where I live. Let’s head out of the village. I need a big enough clearing.

—-

[And that leads us back to the present. The Llama that looks like Lisa drifts over to a pillow on the couch. Kaeya busies himself with pouring some of the non-alcoholic cider into a mug. As if the chaos hasn’t happened. He flicks an ear and sets up the teapot.]

…I’ll show you how the scale works when I take you back to Venti’s. So you know what to expect if you get one with lore.

All right… I suppose that’s—

[ Lisa the llama eying the pillow like that makes Diluc furrow his brow and his mild concern turns quickly into horror. The llama gets too close to the sofa, opens her mouth, and—

Chomp! ]

Hey!

[ Diluc marches over and grabs the pillow, trying to tug it away from the llama. He’s forgotten all about his cider and breakfast. ]

Let go. That’s not for eating!

[Kaeya keeps working on breakfast. His shoulders shake suspiciously, he is holding it in but the laughter is in his eye. He takes out a soft loaf of bread and sets about carving off a section of it.

He busies himself with making French toast. The Llama keeps trying to eat the pillow. She is making an effort for it, but not as hard as she could be. Kaeya covers his mouth and makes small snorting noises.]

[ Diluc doesn’t notice that Kaeya is laughing at his struggle with the llama at first, but as Lisa continues the fight, he’s forced to double his efforts. He can’t give it his all or he risks tearing the pillow in half, so he keeps trying to pry it out of the llama’s teeth. This results in nearly having his fingers bitten off. ]

Such terrible manners. Even your human counterpart is better behaved than you!

[ He gives one more final tug to the pillow, pulling hard enough that if she decides to let go now, Diluc will certainly stumble. This is when he hears Kaeya’s snorting laughter and he looks back at him in surprise. Which gives Lisa the upper hand momentarily. ]

[She lets go when he looks back. If there’s an opening as Kaeya devolves into wheezing laughter she snags the pillow back.

Kaeya has to set the knife down. No accidents in his kitchen. He internally salutes himself as he manages,] Oh, we both know the real Lisa would enjoy this too.

Lisa would join you in—

[ His moment of being distracted gives the llama that opening and Diluc gets jerked forward as he reflexively doesn't release his grip on the pillow at the next pull she makes. He nearly slams into her, but thankfully manages to stay on his feet at least and not make a complete fool of himself.

But he can see that Kaeya is really having a good laugh and the last time he saw the other man smile so easily was at dinner during Weinlesefest. It’s hard not to feel that at least fighting with a stubborn llama over a throw pillow like an idiot is the least he can do to cheer Kaeya up. ]

—in laughing at my expense. But I imagine she would find this struggle—

[ He gives the pillow one last yank. ]

—too much effort. I don’t know how much lore all of this cost.

Not that much. Lore is from talking and making friends. I can make it back without a problem. [He wipes his eye and resumes cutting the bread into slices.]

Having wings makes it quite easy to travel many places. [He waves a hand and sets up a bowl. Lisa the llama doesn’t let go. She takes a few steps to keep her grip.

Kaeya glances back and snorts again.] And a relic is quite handy for long distance chats. Make sure to read the manual. If Venti doesn’t have it. I have a copy of it here.

[ At this point, Diluc gives up. He gives the llama a dirty look, as if to say, “You’ve won this round, but don’t get used to it”, right before he relinquishes the pillow and goes back to Kaeya behind the kitchen counter. He nods to acknowledge Kaeya’s advice about the relic. It’s a strange contraption, but Diluc has looked his over. ]

They’re a bit bulky, in my opinion. But I can see them being useful.

[ He doesn’t ask abiut or comment on Kaeya’s claim that he can make lore back so easily. Something about it sticks in his mind though. ]

[Kaeya puts slices of bread into the bowl to soak up the egg mixture. His tail is tucked neatly to the side in case he makes any sort of mess.

He has an apron hanging on a peg on one side of the kitchen. He doesn’t need it for this. He motions to the cider.]

The relic is a little bulky. Not that bad when tucked into an inner coat pocket. The buttons are claw friendly.

[He checks the heat of his pan and adds soaked slices to the pan. More bread goes into the bowl as the sizzle adds pleasant background noise to their conversation.]

[ Diluc shoots another glare at Lisa the Llama as she gloats over her victory by shaking the pillow in her mouth, but he doesn’t engage again. Instead, he picks up the cider and turns to watch Kaeya cook. Fried eggy bread? The apron seems to suggest Kaeya is cooking a lot more than fruity skewers these days. Diluc is glad for that. He won’t have to worry about Kaeya drinking a lot and not eating healthy here, thankfully. ]

Are those not uncomfortable? Do you never clip them?

[He flips the bread in the pan by jerking the pan by the handle. The flip is practiced. He can almost feel the ghost of Diluc in his kitchen as they work together to make a meal. Making it alone still feels a little hollow.]

I do clip them. I can’t clip them all the way back, that would be unhealthy.

[His claws are part of his beauty routine. He checks his fridge. No fruit. The Winter killed his stocks of it. He moves the first batch of French toast to a serving platter and sets new slices in the pan.]

They’re not uncomfortable, just something to adjust to. I’m used to to it.

[ Diluc is visibly impressed by the pan flip. His imagination comes up with a small montage of Kaeya practicing and failing this move over a dozen times before he finally gets it right and it makes him smile for a brief flash of a moment. In his mind, Kaeya is alone. But he cant help wondering if he truly was alone. ]

…May I see?

[ He asks, meaning Kaeya’s new claws. Diluc isn’t entirely sure why he asks. A part of him is curious about Kaeya’s new features, much in the way a child is, yes, but getting a close look at them involves more… touching. And he’s not so confident that asking to cross that line again right now after their conversation in Kaeya’s study was really appropriate, so he adds: ]

I understand, if you would rather I not.

[He slides finishes slices on the serving platter and adds more to the pan. Then he walks over and offers his hands to Diluc. His claws tip his fingers. They’re well tended and cared for.

Their tips are a little blunted. He painted them a dark blue today. There is a subtle difference in the muscle structure of his hands than the last time Diluc saw or touched them. He is fully melded with the wolf part of him.] I’m alright with it.

Because you asked.

[ Diluc seems fine approaching respectfully right up until Kaeya says what he says. Then he scoffs a little and arches a brow at him before promptly taking hold of Kaeya’s fingers, running his thumb over the nailbeds, tracing the curves of the lacquered claws. ]

Hah. Still upset about that? You said I could touch them all I like.

[ Of course, his little assault on Kaeya’s wolf ears was before Kaeya said that to him. Still, how else is he supposed to respond? A bit of teasing is only natural.

He notices the differences, how Kaeya’s hands have been transformed. His skin is still cool to the touch, but despite those subtle differences, they are definitely familiar to him. Exactly the same hands that he’s known for nearly his whole life. Diluc runs his thumbs back up Kaeya’s claws and fingers to the back of his hands, getting distracted by the new callouses and visible veins he can see now in contrast to his memory of these same hands when they were young teenaged boys. Once again, he keenly feels the passage of time— all those years they’ve spent apart, because of him. ]

I’m just reminding you that you don’t have to assure me it’s alright to refuse. [He has half a mind to catch his hand in his. But he stays still, remarkably obedient.

But then, he was like this as a boy too. He swishes his tail.] Would you like to see my tail too? I’m sure that’s a curiosity, isn’t it?

[ This time Diluc gives a small laugh as he turns Kaeya’s hands over, inspecting his palms and the underside of his claws. ]

You almost sound like you want me to take a look. Does the petting really feel that pleasant?

[Kaeya leans a little closer, smiling as if they’re talking at Angel’s Share.] It’s nice. But you seem so curious so I thought I’d offer.

[His ear tells him that the French toast will need flipped soon. But Diluc’s touch is pleasant.]

I am curious. About much of you here.

[ The increased closeness makes Diluc’s pulse quicken, memories filling his mind of the other man settled in his lap and clinging to him like he’s the only thing keeping his head above water. It had been pleasant. Upsetting because Kaeya was clearly so upset, but being close and holding onto each other like that…

Diluc knows this smile Kaeya gives him all too well. He recognizes what it means and the realization makes him squeeze Kaeya’s hand ever so lightly on impulse. It far from being the first time he’s been on the receiving end of it, Diluc feels the familiar butterflies in his stomach, the desire to reach out and stroke a smooth cheek affectionately, but also the usual fear lancing sharply through him.

At this point, he would normally back away. But he’s also never had Kaeya’s hands in his when he’s been given that beautiful coy smile before. There’s a flash of the other man’s despondent face from earlier in Diluc’s mind. The loneliness of this place, how isolated it is, the little vineyard outside… and the tightness with which Kaeya held onto him, so deeply afraid of someone’s death. It twists Diluc’s heart painfully to consider pulling away now. He’s not sure how to respond. He can smell the toast cooking past its limit too.

And Lisa the llama makes a loud snort of derision behind them in the living room. Diluc swallows hard and gently lets go of Kaeya’s hands. He forgot she was still there. ]

Perhaps after breakfast.

After breakfast. [He agrees. He moves back to the pan and checks the slices. With relief, it’s only a little burnt. He flips them.

He looks back at him, flicking an ear. He can’t help but think about the moment. It was just a little bit but he’s hungry for any crumb he can get. Now he knows how stupid they’ve been.]

What else about me do you want to know?

[ Diluc hesitates, still trying to regain his composure and shoo Lisa as far away from the kitchen as he can. Then he walks fully into the kitchen, to stand beside Kaeya at the stove. ]

How can I help?

[There is a small lance of pain in his heart. He smiles for him and says,] In the pale box there is the bacon. Second drawer on the left.

Don’t judge how much is in there. Half wolf. [He considers it. Then adds,] I eat a lot of meat these days.

[His fridge is a meat lovers dream. But there is cheese, veggies, a bottle of milk. The butter is in a little container. The eggs are in a special rest. It is clear Kaeya cares about eating well here.] If you make the bacon, I can finish these and we can wash up together.

Edited 2024-03-24 03:04 (UTC)

[ And it makes sense to Diluc, once he sees that Kaeya takes great care to keep his kitchen well stocked. If Kaeya is afraid of potential threats in the trials to their lives, it makes sense that he would want to keep his strength up. He needs to be well-fed in order to fight at his best and Diluc sees no reason to criticize him about it. Quite the opposite, in fact— the prep work is smart and praiseworthy. As should be expected of the Favonian cavalry captain. His work ethic truly hasn’t suffered. He feels a bit worse about practically accusing Kaeya of giving up on finding a way out Folkmore. ]

You’ve been here nearly two years. But time does not flow here the same way it does in Teyvat.

[ He takes out the bacon and brings it to Kaeya at the stove. ]

What is the last memory of Mondstadt that you have? What were you doing when you saw the Fox?

[Kaeya puts a pan on the other burner. While it heats up he takes the container of bacon and sets it to the side. He pops the lid off.] I was in Sumeru. Alice set up a summer vacation for Klee. We had just sorted the mystery she set up and were headed back.

Before that, my other trip to Sumeru. And before that, all the way back to when we went to the islands. That is what I remembered when I first came here. The latest is from waking up with new memories.

[He loads bacon into the pan. He slides the French toast into the platter and loads that pan back up.] …Past the fridge is a door. If you step inside and flick on the light. Middle shelf has a bottle of maple syrup.

A friend of mine drilled into my head to keep a full pantry and I never lost the habit.

[It is a decent walk in pantry. It’s well stocked and right in plain view within easy reach is also a modern first aid kit. Folkmore taught him a lot. But there’s also jars and bottles. However the small section set aside for wine. A lot smaller of a section than he would have at home. There’s a lot of apple related things in the pantry…]

[ Diluc searches the pantry for the syrup, but he does take note of a lot of the items inside of it— the jars, bottles, other food in there, and of course the wine. All the apples strike him as a little… strange? Unusual. What’s a half-wolf man doing with so many fruit-flavored things? ]

…Just a friend?

[ He regrets asking as soon as the question is out of his mouth, shaking his head at himself before he brings over the syrup, so he quickly tries to distract Kaeya from it by asking other questions. ]

Do you mean to say you’ve been brought back and forth from this place multiple times? That many times?

I mean that…sometimes we remember more from home here. There it is just another day. Here, that person has fallen into a sleep they don’t wake up from until a few days to a week has passed.

[He sets the syrup aside and flips the other slices in the pan.]

And yes, just a friend. She and her husband were quite lovely. I didn’t see him much but she adored him and vice versa.

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