royalooc | Test Drive Meme #4: Season of Ripening

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Test Drive Meme #4: Season of Ripening

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the Royal Decree Test Drive Meme!

If you're new here – hi, hello, welcome! This is your chance to give your potential character a little test run and see how they might fit into the world of Rosavelle. You can find all the relevant info over on our Navigation Page, so take a peek if you need to get caught up on the setting, rules, or just want to gnaw on the worldbuilding a bit.

This TDM is non-canon to the game overall, but feel free to treat individual threads or CR as canon between characters if everyone involved agrees. We've included some prompts and locations below to help spark ideas, but as always, feel free to go off-script and go ham!

The shift in weather Ripening brings to Rosavelle is impossible to ignore. The air grows heavy and thick with humidity that clings to basically everything and unlike the passing showers of earlier seasons, rain now arrives in frequent and stormy bursts - sudden downpours that sweep through the streets and canals with little warning, soaking everything in their path. It rarely rains without pause, but clear skies offer little relief. As the weeks pass, the rising heat turns each shower into lingering mugginess, leaving the whole island feeling stifling. Hope you enjoy being overhheated and damp all the time!!!

It's not all doom and gloom, thankfully. True to the season’s name, fruits begin to swell and sweeten on their branches, with the first harvests ready by midseason - a sure sign that Ripening is well underway.

By now you've likely found your footing in the ebb and flow of island life and you know how things go around here: when someone needs a little warmth, a little effort, or a little magic, the people of Rosavelle come together - and that includes you!

PROMPTS

Honey Downpour

The beekeepers of Primavain are in a panic: the relentless rain has driven their hives into overproduction and now thick, golden honey is starting to pour from the combs in a tremendous waste of hard work and delicious treats! The bees themselves are docile (if a bit reluctant to exit their homes), but the situation is rapidly getting out of hand. Volunteers are needed to help harvest excess honey, redirect curious crowds and maybe convince a few stubborn bees to relocate. Or, if you're less helpful, you could always sample a bit… purely for quality control purposes, of course.
The Drip-Drop Duel

Somewhere in the Castle Grounds, an extremely niche and equally petty disagreement has escalated. Two scholars, both convinced they have perfected the superior rain-deflection Bloomcraft, have taken to demonstrating their work in increasingly dramatic fashion. And now there’s a localized "dueling" ground where rain refuses to fall normally, instead redirecting itself in arcs, spirals, or suspiciously targeted torrents. Spectators are gathering, bets are being placed, and volunteers are being roped in to test the limits of each spell. Step in to assist, sabotage, or simply survive the increasingly creative ways water is being weaponized.
Puddle Predictions

Something odd is happening in the streets of Bellvine Hill: certain rain puddles have started reflecting things that aren't actually there. A clear sky where there should be clouds, a stranger standing just behind you when you’re quite certain you’re alone or fleeting glimpses of moments that haven’t happened yet but will do in just a few moments. Naturally, this has drawn a crowd. Some are treating it like a game, trying to find the strangest reflections, while others are attempting to interpret what they see. Pair up to compare visions, test which puddles are the most reliable (if any) or dare each other to act on what you glimpse. It’s probably harmless. Probably.
Runoff Relay

With the heavy rains feeding into the canals, the water flow through Marelys has picked up speed, carrying with it all sorts of debris from upriver-driftwood, stray fishing gear, and the occasional very confused fish. The dockhands have organized a cooperative effort to intercept anything useful before it's swept out to sea, forming a chain of volunteers along the canal's edge to catch, grab, and pass things along. It's efficient! It's practical! It's also turned into a slightly competitive relay, with different teams trying to outdo each other in speed and quantity. The victor doesn't seem to get anything more than bragging rights, but isn't that what competition is really about at the end of the day?
Canal Critter Convoy

The rising waters have displaced more than just goods - small canal creatures have started turning up in all the wrong places. Tiny fish in fountains, curious crustaceans in market stalls and at least one very indignant waterbird refusing to vacate a bakery doorway. A coordinated effort is underway to gently relocate these wayward critters back to their proper habitats. You can help catch and carry them, guide them along flooded pathways, or simply keep them calm (easier said than done) until more help arrives.
Leaky Greenhouse Blues

The Everbloom's Greenhouse is not supposed to leak. It is, in fact, famously not supposed to leak. And yet, with the relentless rains of Ripening bearing down on the glasswork overhead, a series of suspicious drips have begun appearing in the most inconvenient places possible. Now the gardeners alike scrambling to catch the leaks before delicate plants get overwatered (or worse, offended). Volunteers are welcome to help patch things up, hold buckets in increasingly awkward positions, or attempt to soothe particularly dramatic flora that have decided this is a personal slight. Just try not to track mud everywhere - some of these plants hold grudges.
The Overripe Affair

The Season of Ripening means abundance but someone may have gotten a little too enthusiastic. A Primavain orchard has produced fruit so perfectly ripe that it's started to… burst. Not rot, not spoil - just gently (and sometimes not so gently) popping open under the pressure, releasing sticky-sweet juice and an almost intoxicating fragrance into the air. It's drawing crowds, insects, and more than a few opportunistic snackers, and the orchard keeper is at their wit's end. Help harvest the fruit before it explodes, find creative ways to contain the mess, or just brave the chaos and see how many you can catch mid-pop. Fair warning: you will get sticky. There is no avoiding it.

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yuno, in her ignorance, will treat Soundwave like she would anyone else: and the same will be true vice versa. As strangers, they are yet stripped of the layers that complicates contact, unmarred by preconceptions of each other.

And yet, it feels as though Yuno means what she says—even if it's a dedicated lie, built piece by piece like a milky white puzzle.

Fake or real, it's constructed with care.]

Wait, really? [Yuno's eye go wide at Soundwave's words.] How old are you? You don't seem all that older than me...

[She seems genuinely surprised, at that.]

And, well... Hehe. [Smiling apologetically at Soundwave's words, she brings a hand to her hair.] It wouldn't be a favour if it wasn't challenging, wouldn't it?

Four million years old.

[Once again, he answers with a straight face, not a hint of lie or a joke that seeks to make the other laugh. Because... Why would he lie about that? Of course, the four million years do not translate to his current look at all. He can't exactly show proof of his age, either, so... All he has right now is his own words.

Oh, so she knows he's going to have trouble making friends on his own, doesn't she... That apologetic smile won't help her. For that, he gives her forehead a light poke.]

I make no promises that I'll be able to make "lots of friends" for Yuno.

[Ah! Awkward...]

Wait, really? [She blurts out, if only out of instinct.] Woa... And yet, your skin is flawless!

[This girl has odd priorities.]

Aw... [Yuno pouts.] Not even five friends? Three? Or even one? It'll be fun, I promise!

[That really isn't the problem here...]

I... I see. Thank you?

[Out of anything he could've anticipated for Yuno to say or react, he certainly didn't expect that! Why the focus on the skin... Although, given her rambling earlier, perhaps it isn't so surprising.]

Yuno.... [He places a hand on her shoulder.] I do not know how to make friends. Or how to approach people with the intention of making friends.

[Maybe if there's something he wants out of someone, then maybe that's a reason to establish contact. Otherwise, he has no clue.]

Hm? What's that?

[Yuno looks at Soundwave, curious and amused by equal measure.]

Making friends is quite easy, I think. You just have to come up with them, maybe have one or two things you share in common, and make sure to talk to them. When you do, keep an open mind and engage with what they like.

In no time, if you hit it off, you will be the best of friends! [She grins, confident, as if it's the easiest thing on the world.] You have to be a little selfless, a little kind, and a little self aware... Crack a joke or two, you know?

It's something that takes practice, of course. [Her smile dims somewhat, melancholic.] It's never easy at first... But you have to try.

[Come up to them, engage with, crack a joke? All things he's never done or rarely do. Still, with how she's encouraging him, he does feel a bit bad of he doesn't at least try.]

If you truly have faith in me that much... Then, I will try my best to not disappoint Yuno.

[It'll likely going to be hard and awkward for him...]

Just trying is enough! [Yuno places her hands on Soundwave's shoulders, delighted.] And, yes, I trust you!

And, [Her tone becomes gentler, softer.] of course, failing doesn't mean you've failed me. Again: just trying is enough.

[Yuno shrugs.] Only if you want to, that is! Not everyone is as sociable as Yuno is~

[Getting this kind of encouragement is... new to him. It feels nice... Does it help to make him believe that he's able to make friends? Probably not. But, just trying is enough, like she said.]

I might need some advice and pointers, along with, ah... skincare advice.

[He shrugs.]

But I suppose if I see someone interesting, I'll... Try to be friends with them.

Of course! It's not like I am going to go everywhere, after all.

[After all, she will be here alongside him! Not like she'll be doing anything important other than sightseeing and mingling in Rosavelle.]

What sort of person is your type, Soundwave? [She smiles, patting his hair gently.] Everyone has someone in mind, after all.

[Ah... She's patting his hair again. His gaze turns away from her, but it strangely feels nice that he makes no effort to stop her.]

My type...? [He hums in thought, unconsciously leaning his head leans into her palm, as if to encourage more.] Unfortunately, I am not "everyone". I do not have a type... Or rather, I have never thought about it.

[And pet him some more she does! Cradling his face on her hands, her hands run through Soundwave's soft hair, gentle, scratching lightly at his scalp the way one would with a cat.]

Thinking about it wouldn't hurt! Having an idea as to what sort of person you get along with is always smart. No one can truly mesh together with just anyone without folding their self into origami, after all... And you can't bend to people's requests willy-nilly.

[She speaks, matter-of-factly, as if she were imparting the wisdom of the entire universe onto Soundwave's shoulders. Whilst petting him on the head. Of course.]

For example: some people I know are into the mature, milf-y type of women? [What.] Even more so if they have big boobs! That's one of the many examples as to the generic "types" of people are drawn to...

[What an odd sequitur. Is she serious?]

[Having hair feels strange, but he kinds likes how it feels when her fingers run through the soft strands and scratching his scalp. Now he knows how his friends feel whenever he gave them headpats...]

Mm. No point forcing myself to get along with someone incompatible, I know that... I prefer being my true self.

[He may not know who to make friends, but he does know when he won't be able to get along with someone. Still, it's kinda hard to think of what type of person he would like to get along with. He knows the types he'd hate, though.

As for the example Yuno gave, he looks up at her with slight confusion on his face. What?]

Milf-y? Big boobs...? I'm not familiar with those terms.

[...
Yuno was trying to mess with him, really. But, if he doesn't know...]

Don't worry about it! You will learn. Eventually.

[She smiles as she says this, but... does she have to be that ominous...?]

Good job on those panels, by the way! [Yuno grins at a job well done, even if most of it was aided by Soundwave.] You know, I really enjoyed talking... it made all the tedious parts all the better.

What do you plan to do on the rest of your stay? [She tilts her head, thoughtful.] Is there anything you are looking forward to?

[.....?

What does she mean by that? Is she messing around, or is there something truly ominous about those terms he's ignorant of? Soundwave is left even more confused.]

Ah, you did well, too. [Honestly, he doesn't know how much work she did. He was on auto lifting the panels and harvesting.] I....... Had fun talking to you, too.

[Even though it's mostly Yuno doing the chatter. Long pause aside, he does enjoy the company while working. He may not look like it, but he does like a chatterbox... It reminds him of his friends, even if the topics they tend to talk about were eye-rolling worthy.]

I am curious to see what food this place may offer. [Maybe something like honey? Thankfully, he's resisted the urge to gobble up some more.] Aside from that, I may simply explore, for the most part.

[There's a long pause, then he looks at Yuno.]

It may be... Enjoyable exploring with a friend?

Edited 2026-04-09 05:52 (UTC)

[Oh?]

My, my... [Yuno brings a hand to her chin, teasing, despite the initial surprise.] Mister Soundwave, are you perhaps asking Yuno out on a date? You know that I charge money for those, right?

[...That might be too much. She decides to dial it back some more.]

Just kidding! Friendly dates are free... for now! [A carefully timed, light-hearted laughter, if to cheer things up some more.] But, I'd be happy to! It'd be nice to see you eat outside of work, specifically more so when you are skin and bones at the moment being.

[She hasn't forgotten seeing Soundwave gobble down all that honey.]

You might have a sweet tooth. We could always go to a bakery or something of the like~

[A date?! That gets an immediate reaction out of Soundwave, cheeks immediately flaring a healthy bright pink and some sputtering as he tries to get some comprehensible noises out of his mouth.]

A date is not my intention.

[Oh ... oh, she's just teasing him. His expression drops to a his hardest lineface yet, but the blush stays for a few moments longer. What a way to rattle him...]

For now... Does that means I will have to pay you to go out with you in the future. [.......] As friends.

[J-just to clarify that.

He won't deny that he has a sweet tooth, though]

A bakery should be good start... I think. We should treat ourselves to something delicious after some hard work... I'll allow you to pick the food for me, Yuno.

[She'd feel bad for teasing him, were it not for the fact this is deeply entertaining to her. Patting his back, she shakes her head, trying not to laugh outright at Soundwave.]

Aw, Wavey, you don't have to take everything I say seriously... [Yuno sighs, fond.] You don't have to pay me! Asking for money is just like, one of Yuno's charm points, you know?

[She brings her index finger, bringing it to her cheek in a girly gesture.]

Gotta keep people on their toes, after all!

[Soundwave is really, really good to her. It feels as though her cold, frozen heart starts to thaw, bit by bit, and the thought makes her near manic.]

Have you ever had strawberry shortcake? [She settles for, instead, not letting her inner thoughts show on her face.] It's really good! Oh, and there's also fruit sandos, though I don't know if they sell those over here...

[She's rambling yet again...]

[That's a charm point... Really? Soundwave is realizing that himself, honestly. He's taking everything she says seriously, and he's already made a fool of himself thrice to her.

And Wavey...? Well, he doesn't mind the nickname.]

I'll keep that in mind.

[With that, Soundwave regains his composure, as lets out a small sigh. Despite his pouting, he chooses to stick with Yuno, still.

Soundwave lets her ramble on and on while they walk. But once there's an opportunity to interject, he speaks up before she goes into another tangent.]

I can't say I had anything you mentioned. But perhaps, we should stick with a few things for now. We should start with a... A strawberry shortcake? I do not know what that is, admittedly.

[Yuno's eyes shine at the mention of the dessert, hands behind her back, before rushing to walk before Soundwave, walking backwards as to look at him on the face.]

A strawberry shortcake is a fluffy cake filled with whipped cream, and it has strawberries! And, granted, given the sort of produce I've seen in Rosavelle—I am sure their berries must be top notch as well!

[She brings her hands to her face to shield herself from the sun, but her cheer doesn't diminish one bit.]

Sounds tasty.

[As they walk and talk (mostly Yuno talking), Soundwave pulls out a grape juice box out of his hoodie pocket that he's kept hidden in his hoodie pocket, taking a sip through a straw, looking out behind Yuno as she walks backwards. He's still not sure what strawberries are, but he can gather that it's a fruit of some sort. He'll find out once they got their hands on one or two strawberry shortcakes.

The rest of the description, however... It does sound tasty. While he's in a human body, he might as well experience things he's unable to do with his real body - mainly eating the food here.]

I heard from the locals that this season is where produce are ripe, I believe. If it's anything like the honey, we may even be looking at an overabundance of fruits.

You know, [Yuno brings her fingers to her eyes, a closed circle, immitating how a detective would wield a magnifying glass.] I wonder what Rosavelle does with so much produce this time of the year! It must be quite the task to keep them from spoiling and going to waste...

[Their walk come to a pleasant stop as they stop outside a cozy looking café, and Yuno enters, making sure to hold the door open for Soundwave.

She offers an exaggerated bow, too, before giggling. She's so very unserious.]

And, it is tasty! Lookie! They really do have Strawberry shortcake and fruit sandos...

Wouldn't surprise me if magic helped with protecting the produce.

[He shrugs. He's not exactly sure, and it's not like he knows much about growing and harvesting regular fruits, either. Entering the café, he turns to look at Yuno after her exaggerated bow, expression unchanging. She is so unserious... She's making him feel unserious, more than this colorful world does. In fact, she's already broken through his icy exterior. not even giving it a chance to thaw.

Silly Yuno aside, Soundwave is quick to take a closer look at the variety of colorful desserts on display. Even though his flat face still remains unchanged, his eyes sort of twinkles with interest as he scans the fruity desserts.]

There's so much. [Without Yuno, he'd be at a loss on what to pick. There's a lot of option. But for the fruit sando-] Ah... That looks appealing.

[He points to the fruit sandos with slices of strawberry, grapes, and kiwi.]

Oho~ Good choice, sir Soundwave! [Yuno smiles at his selection, finger guns brought to her chin.] You have a really good eye for this sort of stuff! I can tell you'll make it big, out there in this wide world of ours!

[There's no end to her antics, is there...]

And, yeah. I suppose magic helps with everything, if you have it. [Yuno tilts her head.] And- Hai hai! Yuno wants a slice of strawberry kuchen!

[Once they are sat down, poking at their desserts with their designated forks, Yuno marvels at the sweet treat.]

It looks so good... I almost feel bad for digging in, but...

[...Her hunger wins out, in the end, as she looks absolutely delighted by the piece of tart in her plate.]

[He gives her a flat look.]

You're exaggerating.

[Antics aside, he gets himself said fruit sando and a slice of strawberry shortcake. He's not greed for sweets, perish the thought. He wants to try out new stuffs.]

Why would you feel bad? Aren't these meant to be eaten, anyway?

[They do look pretty... But like her, hunger wins out, and he'll dig in his sando first. Remember that expression he had when he tasted honey? He's basically having the same reaction upon his first bite.]

Have you ever seen those cakes that look like puppies, and then you have to decapitate them in order to eat it? [What a morbid way to phrase it...] It feels like that... And it's not like I can take a picture and upload it to SNS, either.

[Yuno pouts, as if the prospect is terrible and life ruining. Alas.]

Do you like it?

[Her chin comes to rest on her hands, as she smiles at Soundwave.]

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