polymeme | Summer TDM

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! test drive meme

Summer TDM

✖ Test Drive Meme

Ⅰ. ARRIVAL
You can read all about your character's arrival in the game lore.
You land on an island, no surprise there. It’s not particularly large, this island, but what’s really more of note is that the entire thing is a beach. White sand stretches out in every direction, the only greenery being palm trees and impossibly fragrant bushes of flowers that resemble hibiscuses.

Allergic to the sun? Don’t worry, there’s plenty of canopies set up so that you can get some shade. There’s also changerooms with toilets and showers, and also free swimsuits that fit you perfectly! There’s plenty of food stalls - try a corndog, or the fish and chips at “America’s Scrod Basket!” Groovy! Once night falls, you can relax in one of the many hammocks strung up between the palm trees, or catch some Zs on the surprisingly comfortable beach chairs all over the place. All of your basic needs are met, Traveler!

Notes:
1. Please remember to mark threads appropriately with Content Warnings when necessary.

2. These prompts are a jumping off point - how they affect your character and their development is up to you.

3. Have fun!

Ⅱ. BEACH BLANKET BINGO!

All of the residents of this island look like they’ve stepped off the set of a 1960s beach party movie. Catalina Caper, maybe. They’re all extremely friendly, and BOY do they love to dance! Which they do. Frequently.

In fact, did you notice the live band? Because there’s a live band! A few, actually - they rotate through the day and into the evening, although you never actually see them switch. That’s pretty weird.

The island residents will drag you into one of their many, many dance parties whenever they can. Sometimes they’ll just form around you like a horrible flash mob, twisting and shaking like they’ve downed a gallon of redbull.

Maybe you want to get as far away from the water and the parties as possible. Venture further inland and you’ll find yourself still surrounded by sand and a few tropical plants. There’s bound to be a few other Travelers about, but at least it’s quiet.

Wait. What the hell is that, a lawnmower?

Surprise! As you stand there, a dune buggy comes plowing over the hill, spraying sand everywhere. Inside of the buggy is a group of young people, all smiling broadly at you and any other Travelers nearby.

“Hello, friends!” they cry. “Want to take a ride? Charlie’s got a ton of these, you can borrow one!” So if you really feel like careening all over the island, this is a great way to do it!

Notes:
1. These residents of the island are normal humans. Killing them is possible and will affect the colour grading of your Scrywatch depending on the situation.

2. The food is safe to eat, and is consumable by non-human entities.

3. The short creepy guy who has the keys to the dune buggies might be a little pissed if you trash them, but he can be mollified if you listen to his shitty music and tell him it's good.

Ⅲ. SURF'S UP!
CW: drowning, possible death.
As with all of the islands you will visit, you will either see the island as floating either in a horizonless sky, or in the middle of a wine-dark sea. Regardless of which you see, you soon discover that you can go surfing in it.

That’s right - there’s a bunch of boards set up down at one end of the beach. Wander down and you’ll find yourself suddenly embroiled in a surfing contest! That’s right, it’s you versus another Traveler - first one off of their board is the loser! Win and you’ll be the most popular person on the island for the duration of your stay! People will lavish attention and gifts upon you. Lose and you’ll be ridiculed! They’ll probably even make fun of your mom!

Whether or not you care about winning, once you’re in the middle of the contest you and your fellow Traveler will see someone swimming not far away from you. Or they were swimming - now they seem to be going down and popping up, looking terrified. The realisation comes to you suddenly: they’re drowning.

You have a choice here - you can forfeit the win to save this stranger, or you can leave them to their own devices. Your opponent will have the same choice. Be a hero, or be a winner?

Notes:
1. Obviously, the decision to save the swimmer or not will affect the colour of your Scrywatch. Both parties may decide to save the swimmer, or both may decide to continue on with the contest. Your reason for saving them can also make an impact - are you saving them only to be considered a hero by the island residents?

Ⅳ. TERROR AT ROCK-OUT BEACH!
CW: unwanted romantic attention from a monster, optional sexual themes.
You’re just sitting there minding your own business when you suddenly realise that you’re very nearly alone. In fact, it’s just you and another Traveler, maybe a few. Where did everyone go?

Suddenly a shadow falls over you. You turn and are greeted by what looks like a man in a vaguely fish-like costume; it has flat webbed feet, a body covered in what appears to be rubber seaweed, and a triangular head with huge rubber gills sticking out to either side. Its immobile mouth has pointy teeth, and its bug-eyes appear to have pupils merely painted on.

This monster waves its arms threateningly. “Gaaaaah!” it says. Its voice is muffled. “Gaahhhhhhhhh!”

Somehow it is a lot faster than it looks, and the next thing you know it has enfolded you in its embrace.

“You will be Flupper’s bride!” the monster shouts, regardless of your gender identification. It looks at whoever happens to be in your general vicinity. “Who this?”

Struggling, you realise that Flupper is stronger than any creature you’ve ever encountered before. You can’t seem to get it to let go of you, and it's rocking against you in such a way that it makes a sound like the soles of sneakers on a gym floor. On the plus side, it doesn’t have any genitals so at least it’s not as bad as it could be. Still, desperate times call for desperate measures! “That’s my partner!” you claim before you can think about how stupid an idea that is.

“You bride? LIES! Flupper can tell!”

“We can prove it!”

“Oh yeah? Tell something only bride would know!”

Oh shit. Now you’re stuck - you and your fellow Traveler have to admit to something true about love or intimacy, under the guise of it being about the other. Flupper’s lie detecting abilities are good enough to call you out on untruths, but not good enough to know who you’re talking about.

He’s not letting you out of his squeaky embrace until you’ve convinced him that you’re a couple.

Notes:
1. It’s up to you how much of this back and forth it takes to convince Flupper that you are ‘brides.’

2. You can choose to abandon someone in Flupper’s grip - this would be reflected in your Scrywatch colour. Probably negatively, unless you feel strongly about the morality of fishman marriage via kidnapping. The ‘bride’ would then be forced to attend an extremely dull ceremony lasting three days and three nights. For the duration of your stay on the island, you would now be married and expected to bring Flupper its slippers and pipe every evening.

3. You can try to kill Flupper. Unlike the other residents of the island, it is extremely resilient and strong. It is possible, however.

4. You can keep this completely G rated - maybe all you know of love is that time in first grade when you got a Valentine card from the cutest kid in class - but if you DO get saucy, please mark your thread with a Content Warning.

Greetings, prospective Travelers! Welcome to the Summer 2021 POLYMYTHOS test drive meme and thank you for your interest in our game! Our next application round will run from June 25 - July 2, 2021. For the months of June, July, and August, we invite you to use this TDM to explore but one of many, many islands within the Endless Isles; use it as an opportunity to introduce and familiarize yourself with the game, form connections with other characters, and just have some fun. (Perhaps while also getting some solid samples together for your application!)

Use the prompts provided below as-is or feel free to write your own set within the environment detailed in each. You're even welcome to access the network via your character's ScryWatch. While there will be some inevitable changes, TDMs may count as game canon and some islands may be revisited in the future. Be mindful of your surroundings -- you never know how you and your fellow Travelers might affect this place in the long run.

Hang ten, Moon doggy! Seeking those killer jams?

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[ yeah. he hates this. this is the worst. loki takes a deep breath before exhaling shakily. he doesn't want to be in this position. he doesn't want to talk about this, but there's no getting around it. ]

No, Thor. We destroyed Asgard to stop Hela and evacuated what was left of its people.

No, that's not — [Thor squinted towards his brother with incredulity.] Loki, why would you say that? We were—are—going back to save Asgard. To save our home, our people. We stole the Grandmaster's orgy ship and everything.

[The goat at his back bleated its annoyance at the lack of food before stomping its departure, but Thor couldn't spare an ounce of his attention to apologize.]

I know that you're the God of Mischief, but even this is too far for you, Brother.

[ loki flinches. on a normal day, this wouldn't matter but loki hadn't seen thor in a month. he died at the hands of thanos to save him. he came back from sakaar to save asgard. he didn't deserve this, surely. ]

Yes. You did. But it wasn't enough to stop Hela. So you gave the order to bring about Ragnarok and put Surtr's crown into the Eternal Flame.

We evacuated the people. Surtr destroyed Asgard.

[Thor brought a hand up to his face, swiping it down to his chin. He took a few paces to his left, then back to his right, hands at his waist.

It wasn't an inconceivable plan by any means, and if they were desperate enough to cause Ragnarok, then things must've gone south, and quickly. The only glimmer of hope was the fact that they'd saved their people.

He pointed a finger in Loki's direction, this time stern and even a bit accusatory.]

No tricks?

[ loki crosses his arms, tired. he wants to be done with this already. ]

No tricks.

[Thor let his hand retreat and fall limply at his side. He held Loki's gaze for one second, then two, then three, then ..

With a heavy sigh from deep in his heart, he shook his head, arching his head back to take in the sky.]

But we saved our people? We got them all out in time?

[ loki looks away. should he tell thor about thanos? about what awaits him? he should but thor will just be angry. he may choose to have nothing to do with loki. and loki is not sure he could take that.

so why not lie a little? it won't hurt anyone but loki in the end anyway. ]

Yes. I brought a larger ship from Sakaar. We left in time.

[Thor exhales a sigh so deeply relieved that it was a wonder he had any breath left at all.

He knew that he would mourn the loss of Asgard in his quietest moments of solitude, but he was able to blanket himself in the incredible solace of knowing they'd, at the very least, saved their people.

Thor closed the distance between them and put a hand on his Loki's shoulder, gripping it tightly and affectionately.]

I'm sorry I doubted you, Brother. I should've known you would do the right thing in the end.

[ loki cracks a weak smile, though his heart isn't in it. loki feels his heart is drifting further and further away. but he can try a bit harder, for thor. his brother deserves that much from him. ]

You know me. I prefer a dramatic entrance.

Yes. You always did have a knack for it.

[It hadn't been all that long ago that Thor had returned home to find Loki, disguised as Odin, watching a very melodramatic "re-enactment" of his death. One of his deaths, anyway.

He smiled and let his hand drop back down, taking the opportunity to survey their surroundings.]

Tell me: how long have you been here?

[ loki shrugs. ]

Around a month, I believe. It hasn't been very long.

[ especially to a god. ]

[Thor brought his attention back to his brother in time to see the shrug. Always so non-committal. There was something comfortingly familiar in it all.]

Does time move as it did on Sakaar? [He paused a moment before taking a breath to continue.] I thought I'd said goodbye to you forever while we were there. You know, before we did Get Help. I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you.

[ loki considers this like a nerd would. ]

It is hard to say. Considering what you don't remember, I would think time operates under its own rules in this place.

[ his expression does soften though, a little bit touched to hear that. he's been feeling like he's in flux, trapped in this place, with no idea what's happening elsewhere. and thor was still thor, despite it all. ]

You are?

Yes, it is strange that there are such differences in our memories. You're from the future, so I suppose I'll have to ask you about what's to come one of these days.

[He makes a face of surprised confusion.]

Of course I am, Brother. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but as I said on Sakaar, I've thought the world of you, ever since we were small. [He tightened his lips into a straight line, visage turning somber.] I thought I'd lost you forever when I'd said my piece in that elevator.

[ or thor could . . . not. loki definitely doesn't want to talk about the future. at all. ever. still, it's nice to hear thor's regard. hopefully it'll last long enough.

you are the worst brother. ]

I . . . thought you were fine with it. You said so yourself.

[ it's what motivated loki to come back. that thor was done. that thor thought he was more. loki wasn't ready to give it up. ]

[Thor gave Loki a rueful smile, diverting his gaze to hide the melancholy. He didn't respond right away, instead giving himself time to collect his thoughts and sort through his feelings.]

There's a difference between being fine with something and forcing yourself to accept what you would rather not. I knew that I had to finally and truly acknowledge who you'd proven yourself to be time and again, who I never blamed you for being.

But I'd always hoped great things for you. Wanted great things for you. [He tightened his jaw as he let out a sigh, eyes falling to the ground. He kicked around a small pebble with the toe of his shoe, scuffing the dirt beneath.] You're my brother, Loki. I've believed in that since we met.

[ oh. that hits him right in the heart. loki couldn't help that he was a little shaken. death hadn't given him any closure and for all he knew, thor was alive, cursing his name. or worse, had chosen to forget him. and yes, this thor hadn't suffered the way the one loki died for had but his regard still mattered.

he swallows, voice tight. ]

Of course I'm your brother.

[That takes Thor by surprise: brows raising, head turning. Loki had spent his life declaring his differences, constantly trying to prove that he wasn't a son of Odin.

What had transpired between Ragnarok and whatever time frame Loki had come from to cause such a change of heart?

His brows knitted together for a brief moment before he turned his body fully to face his brother. Brother. He extended a hand towards him, wanting to ensure that he was truly before him, finally embracing Thor as his family.]

Edited 2021-06-21 04:00 (UTC)

[ a part of loki wonders if this is a good idea. thor doesn't remember and it's unfair to him. he doesn't know what transpired. he might change his mind. but then again . . . loki is selfish. he has always been selfish. he's not strong enough to give this up. he missed thor while he was here. he missed him so much.

tentatively, he presses his hand into thor's waiting one. ]

[A tiny, hopeful smile broke out across Thor's lips before he promptly pulled Loki in for a Thor special: tight, loving bear hug with a few hearty pats on the back for good measure.

He released his brother, a hand on each shoulder, allowing himself to take in the sight of him for a brief moment before dropping his hands.]

I must ask you: was it the fight for Asgard that changed your heart?

[ loki looks a little rattled, as he always does when it comes to physical affection. he carefully smoothes his hair down. ]

It was one of the reasons, certainly. Everything was gone so it made sense to . . . stay.

[The thought of the complete destruction and eradication of Asgard still weighed on Thor like a thousand suns, and he faltered as the thought barged its way through to the forefront.

He nodded, resisting the urge to reach out and hug Loki again.]

I'm speaking for a version of me that isn't me, but I'm grateful that you stayed. Where do we settle? Once we've escaped?

[ there it is. thankfully, the lie comes easily. ]

Earth, of course. Where else?

Well. There are many planets in the universe. We could've gone to any of them. [Thor tilted his head, considering.] But yes, of course. Earth makes the most sense.

Are our people happy there?

[ this sure is a hole loki is going to keep digging. he scoffs, eyes slipping to look at the distance. ]

Of course. It's a bit primitive, but we all make do.

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