soddersays | SEPTEMBER 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

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SEPTEMBER 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to September's Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: CHILDREN/YOUNG ADULT HORROR.

All Test Drive Memes contain at least one clue to the Deerington's upcoming in-game events for the month! Keep your eyes peeled! But...not literally.

Characters may die during TDMs, but you do not need to count it towards a game-canonical death unless you want to. Consider it a freebie. All TDMs can be considered game canon as TDMs introduce minor aspects about the world of Deerington that can be revisited by characters later on in the game. You may also use TDMs for your application writing sample as well as AC.

CW: Evil dollhouses, potential body horror (turning into a doll), heights, pranks with the potential to cause harm, some stalking vibes
Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

THE EVIL DOLLHOUSE

When you wake up, you find you're not in your own bed, your own room, or even your own house. The room is well decorated, almost Victorian in fashion. The bed is pretty uncomfortable and you're not even sure the mattress is a real mattress. The chairs look like they might be made of plastic and the doors are flimsy. But it might not be what catches your eye, especially if you look out the window.

Through the clear panes (which also seem to be plastic), you will notice you do not see the town of Deerington, or even the outdoors at all. You see a living room that feels larger than life. There aren't any people in it, but as you look around at the fake looking furnishings and the strange view, you might be hit with a realization: you're inside a dollhouse.

The dollhouse has three floors for those who explore; the second floor you woke up on has two bedrooms and a fake little bathroom, all decorated in the same Victorian dollhouse style as the room you originally found yourself in. The bottom floor has a cute little kitchen with small porcelain dolls sitting around the table, a living room with all the basic furniture one would expect to find (in fact, it looks a great deal like the living room outside the windows), and an office filled with books that can't actually be pulled out of the shelves. On the very top floor is an attic. It's dusty and filled with broken toy beds and chairs, a few shattered doll pieces, and on the far wall you'll see another bookshelf. All seems... fairly standard, really, if you're used to seeing dollhouses.

But what there doesn't appear to be is an exit.

While searching, you may run into another Sleeper. A friend or a stranger, it's clear you're both stuck here together. And the longer the time ticks by, the more concerning things get. You might not notice at first, but anyone inside the dollhouse starts slowly... changing. It seems to go at a different pace for everyone, but the results are always the same. Your skin will start to become porcelain, your cheeks more rosy, your clothes made of cheaper cloth material, your joints become stiffer, and your eyes will start to become more and more glass like. If you don't get out of the dollhouse soon, it's clear that you may become the next doll at the kitchen table.

Searching the house again may feel fruitless, but keen observers may find light scratches on the floor in front of the bookshelf in the attic. Maybe they were like that because of someone moving things around or maybe there's a reason. If you decide to eventually pull the bookshelf aside, there will be a large door in the wall. It may seem strange, given that the wall only leads to the outside, but it's the only door to the outside that actually opens. You expect it to open up into the living room, but instead you'll see the grass of the park below. Far below. It's likely you could get hurt jumping, especially if you've started to turn to porcelain, but what other choice do you have?

Once characters take the plunge, they will find that they land rather softly in the grass, despite how high the jump may have seemed. As soon as you are out of the dollhouse, your body will have returned to complete normal.

And the house with the dollhouse in the living room will be nowhere in sight.

THOSE PESKY KIDS

You start off thinking maybe you're just forgetful and moved minor pieces around in your house without paying attention. You might think you're just seeing strange things out of the corner of your eye, because why wouldn't you? It's Deerington. Things are always strange. But each day, there's something weirder going on. Small objects might turn into entire rooms being rearranged, strange sightings out of the corner of your eye might turn into you swearing you saw a lake monster running through the street, and you swear you can hear the rattling of chains or the sounds of someone telling you to leave echoing in your house at night or following you down the street.

A haunting seems plausible. It wouldn't be the first time in Deerington. But no amount of herbs burned, or exorcisms performed, or chants and spell cast will make these things go away. In fact, they seem to just becoming more and more frequent, and more and more intense. Eventually, the strange creatures you see running around may start to try and attack you. They may start to try and kill you. But they always run off before you can attack back or show yourself to be stronger than them. It's probably the first time the monsters have ever been so easily scared.

Anyone who looks into it further may start to find weird clues lying around after a monster has been chased off. Footprints that don't look quite monster-like, tapes or records that when played will make strange rattling sounds like the chains you've been hearing, a piece of rubber that looks a lot like the monsters skin... Huh. The more you follow the clues, the more they'll lead you towards the answer to your dilemmas; these aren't hauntings.

They're pranks.

People can work together to catch a monster or ghost (or killing it, if you decide to); catching them will lead to them getting quite flustered and angry, struggling to get away. Pull off the mask or the sheet and underneath you'll find... a very disgruntled townsperson. Maybe your business was taking too much money away from theirs and they were hoping you'd close down with enough scares, maybe you talked back to them one time and they were looking for revenge, maybe you ruined their house or garden when you were fighting the things in Deerington that actually try to kill you, or maybe they were just having some "harmless" fun; they all have a different excuse, but they're clearly angry about getting caught.

They woulda gotten away with it if it weren't for you pesky Sleepers, after all.

Character Arrival

You can read how all characters arrive in Deerington here.

There is not a collective "all these characters showed up at the exact same moment" occurrence in Deerington. Since characters fall asleep, die, or pass out at various times throughout all their worlds, it wouldn't make too much sense if they arrived in game all at the exact same time. There should be some discrepancy between character arrival, whether by a couple minutes, hours, or even days up to a week.

The players are entirely in control of how/when they want to play their characters arriving in Deerington. For TDMs, you can play it like your character has just arrived and that can be maintained as your game canon, or you can wait until game events for that moment. Or you don't need to acknowledge it at all. The flexibility for character allows a bit more of an organic feel to the character arrival situation, so please play it to whatever feels right for you.

If you are interested in having an "arrival" introduction for one of your TDM prompts, you are more than welcome to explore that option.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I thought alchemists were only in storybooks?"

But if Usagi said that he was similar to Ami that meant that he had to be pretty smart. And she was right, they were long gone by now, so she wasn't catching up to them now.

"Sure, it'll be my treat since you're going to be helping me clean up. Or I could cook something since I just picked up groceries yesterday."

"Oh! That's the cool part! People in stories and fairytales and all sorts of things can be here! Like oh oh oh! Not too long ago, Rapunzel was here! Like, THAT Rapunzel! And she was so nice and we traded hair maintenance tips!" because who other than Rapunzel understands Usagi's long hair woes?

She instantly moved to hug onto Makoto's elbow, falling into the old habit of just clinging onto the older girl like she always did.

"Mako-chan's food!" she pumped a fist in the air. "Mako-chaaaan makes the best food EVER!" she's bouncing, excited at having the auburn-haired girl's cooking once again in her life. Her stomach growled in agreement.

Really, leave it Usagi to befriend a fairytale princess and talk about hair tips. Still, Makoto did wonder if that meant that people could come from other kinds of stories.

She smiled as Usagi latched onto her arm, it was a gesture that for some reason she never got tired of. And it was nice that there were a group of girls that didn't think Makoto was scary, or freakishly strong.

"I guess that's decided then. But only after we get the plants taken care of."

Hopefully, they hadn't gotten into anything in the fridge.

Usagi has befriended far more book characters than she realizes.

"Oh and guess what guess what! I have the Sailor V video game! So you can come over whenever to play!" she has no intention of letting Makoto go, the connection she feels when she's with any of the girls having been strained since being apart. With Makoto here and beside her, she just wanted it to feel real, a small bit of fear at the idea of Makoto being a dream.

Well, it was a dream but that wasn't what she meant.

"What did you plant already? Roses?" Makoto adored her roses, after all! "Oh, maybe we can get like actual vegetables and fruits going. Food gets dangerous here all the time."

Mako-chan's food~ Mako-chan's food! She was singing the little chant in her head.

"No, it's too late in the year for roses. I did plant some Asters though which will be pretty, and some snapdragons too. I have a few cucumbers that should be ready in about a month."

Knowing that food would be dangerous, she would definitely make it a point to grow a lot more edible things in addition to the flowers that she usually enjoyed.

"It's cool that you were able to get the Sailor V game. I'll definitely have to come over and try to beat my high score."

The controls were probably a little different since it was a console version rather than arcade, but she was pretty sure she'd be able to figure it out.

"So long as Mako-chan doesn't grow carrots, I'll be a garden taste-tester!" honestly, Usagi's black hole of a stomach could likely handle anything.

At Makoto mentioning that she was coming over, she bounced in front of her for a bit.

"Mako-chan Mako-chan, my house is like, the pinkest of pinks! It's so big! I love it! Oh! And I have a housemate!"

"You know carrots are pretty good for you. But you're welcome to try anything that you want. It's not too late lettuce or radishes."

Well depending on what the weather was like around here. The fact that Usagi had a pink house wasn't surprising, though the mention of a housemate did through Makoto off.

"Huh really? Who is it?"

She was pretty sure Usagi would have said something if Chibiusa or Mamoru were here.

"No! Carrots are evil!" you will never get her to change her mind on this, Makoto, ever.

"His name is Atsushi! I call him Sushi-kun, he's super sweet! And um... he uh... knows about Sailor Moon and... uh, just in case what might happen if an old enemy is here. Rei-chan recommended I let him know. But he's honestly the sweetest, I think you'll like him."

Yeah, she knows, but she does have to remind Usagi that occasionally you had eat something besides sweets and fast-food. So it was a boy, and he was sweet. . . wait and he knew about Sailor Moon! Who was this guy? Even if Rei was the one to suggest it, Makoto was pretty surprised. She'd only ever told Asanuma and that was only because he kind of already knew.

"Is he cute? How old is he? What's he think about Sailor Moon?"

"Oh he's cute, I guess, not my type," because her "type" when it came to guys was "Mamoru," and that was it. She crushed on girls from now until eternity but she hadn't crushed on any guys since being with Mamoru, and honestly, who could blame her?

"But he is cute," she grinned, lightly nudging Makoto with her elbow. "I mean, I already intend to introduce you two since you're one of my besties." And guardians. "But he thinks she's cool! He's well, I mean, he announced it to everyone so I guess I can tell you, he's a weretiger!"

Blushing a little when Usagi nudged her, Makto looked away for a second and rubbed the back of her head. She hadn't meant it like that, besides Usagi still hadn't said how old he was. Though she guessed if Usagi thought he was cool, maybe she could give him a chance. Plus he was a . . . wait, what?

"A weretiger?"

Way to bury the lead there Usagi. It was enough of a shock to make her pause for a second.

"Can he control it? How often does he change?"

Him being cute was way more important than him being a weretiger, obviously!

"I know, it's cool, right? I've never met a weretiger before him. I know a vampire here too! She's soooo much nicer than the vampire that attacked Chibiusa and her friends. And uh... you know, I have no idea how well he controls it. Like, full moons he goes to stay somewhere else but I've never actually SEEN his weretiger form. Oh! And he's 18, I almost forgot! He's a very good cook though! I mean, not as good as Mako-chan, but Mako-chan should be goddess of the kitchen!"

Clearly, Usagi's priorities are exactly where they should be.

Maybe a little, but not much.

"That probably means that he doesn't have very much control, but at least he goes somewhere to keep everyone safe."

So he got a few points for that, and it would depend on just how cute he was as to how many points he would get there. But he was 18, so it was an older guy, and he could cook? There was no way he was single.

"We'll just have to see how good he is. But he sounds like a good guy, how did you wind up living together though?"

There are all sorts of oddities and special powers in Deerington, cute guys who are single though? Infinitely rarer.

"Well, we can ask him, I'll let him know you wanna meet him! Plus I just want you over as much as possible." She snuggles into Makoto more. She's missed all of her friends and Rei and Setsuna have tried to do the noble task of filling Usagi's cuddle quota, no easy feat for even goddesses.

"Oh, well... uuum... okay so don't get upset but giant pieces of glass slammed into my house and broke several windows and put a hole in the roof and Atsushi-kun came to help me clean up the mess. We got to talking and well, I live all by myself which... I'm not very good at that. He was living alone too, so we figured why not live together?"

Well, she couldn't get upset at the fact that Usagi's house got busted up in some freak storm. And it was nice of him to offer to help her with repairs, but why was Usagi living on her own in the first place? Makoto had been her own for a long time so it wouldn't have been a big deal, but Usagi had always been with someone, so why had she been alone here. Makoto would really have to talk to this guy and thank him.

"It's kind of make sense, especially if he really helped you with all the repairs. Though Mamoru might be a little jealous when he comes to learn that you shacked up with another guy after a storm."

But Makoto would definitely spend as much time as she could there, playing games, cooking, just hanging out with Usagi. Whatever came to mind.

She blushed and bowed her head.

Would Mamoru be jealous? It... it was just a roommate though. She hated living alone, and she was terrible at it. Alright, not TERRIBLE, Usagi knew how to keep a clean house just fine. She didn't live in a pigsty just because she ate like one.

"Do... do you really think Mamo-chan would be mad?" she looked up at the taller girl.

"Um, if you want, Mako-chan, we could make a room for you at my house, so there's no rush to get home. I have one at Rei's and she has one at mine... though she doesn't stay as often as I stay at hers."

"No way, he wouldn't be jealous of something that simple. And even if he was, I'd make sure he didn't make a big deal about it."

She gave Usagi a nudge, there was no way he'd ever think Usagi would do anything that would put their relationship in danger. If anything he was the one that had a lot of stuff to answer for.

"If you have the room, but don't feel like you have to. I can always crash on the couch when I come to visit."

Having a room for everyone would require a pretty big house, and even if she was going to visit a lot unless she was going to live there she wouldn't need a whole room.

"Ne ne, Mako-chan always to the rescue!" she hugged herself to the older girl which... unfortunately, Makoto very likely felt what was likely "hard" and "crystal" feeling along her side.

Yeah... Usagi might need to explain that.

"I have the room, it's a huge house, honestly. That's why I was so glad Sushi-kun moved in. It... sucked. Mako-chan is even more amazing to me now for being able to live alone so well. You made it look like ART."

Huh, did Usagi have on a brace or something?

"Well I just had an apartment to myself, it's not like I had to keep up an entire house on my own. But if there's just you Sushi-kun then I guess it wouldn't hurt. I could bring you a few thing to help decorate too, I know a few things that are pretty easy to care for."

There was no point in arguing about it, and besides it wouldn't hurt having a place to crash when she wanted to try cooking for more than just herself.

Sort-of. It's a long story but one Usagi would be willing to tell Makoto as the other was one of her best friends.

"Ah, that's great! Oh, did I mention- wait yes I did," she was about to mention the Sailor V game but realized she had already said it. "Anyway, I have a whole bunch of flowers right now, nothing too special. Oh and comfy pillows and blankets of course!" because of course.

"You have such great taste, you should go into interior decorating or something!"

"It sounds like you already had someone to do it."

There was such a thing as having too much, though comfortable pillows and blankets were always a great thing to have. Especially on chilly nights, or after a long day.

"I don't know, I still think I'd like to work in a flower shop or a greenhouse. I'd probably like that a little bit more than decorating for other people."

"Hm? Oh no no, just some stuff I thought looked nice by myself. I didn't, I mean, when I got here no way I could afford something like that... plus no one actually does that here," she waved a dismissive hand.

"Aaah, I can picture you now with a flower shop cafe kinda thing. Everyone falling in love with your cooking and your flower arrangements. But falling in love with Mako-chan is easy to do! I did the day we met!"

"Well if it's all stuff that you liked, then doesn't mean it's better than a bunch of stuff that someone else would pick out?"

Making it personal and unique was the great thing about having your own place. Makoto blushed a little at Usagi's gushing and comments about other people liking her arrangements. It would be nice, for people to like something that she had done, and to not just comment on her appearance or strength.

"I'm not sure it would be that easy. But I'd like to at least try."

"Let's achieve Mako-chan's dream!" Usagi pumped a fist in the air and then hissed in pain because she had reached too high.

"Ow ow ow," she pressed a hand to her side.

"What's wrong?"

Makoto stopped for a moment, checking on Usagi, that was the same side that had felt hard earlier. The blush faded and embarrassment was instantly replaced with concern.

"Did you pull a muscle or something? Why do you have a brace on?"

SEPTEMBER 2020 TEST DRIVE MEME

THE EVIL DOLLHOUSE

THOSE PESKY KIDS

Character Arrival

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