❈ TEST DRIVE MEME

[fairy_of]

Welcome to Gildenhirst, friends!
It's a TEST DRIVE MEME!!
Premise, Location and more information on the Main Menu.

Our test drive meme is open to everyone, so please stop by for a little fun and see if you’d enjoy playing with us. The TDM primarily takes place in Gildenhirst, the main hub city for Bravely Borrows. The surrounding area of Caldisla is free game though! Please explore the setting as you desire.

  LET'S PLAY DRESS UP

A big part of Bravely Borrows is getting your very own job class! While all characters start the game as a Freelancer and receive a random job asterisk later on, for the sake of testing you may choose from the following job classes to mess around with:

Red Mage ★ Monk ★ Knight ★ Performer ★ Ranger ★ and Freelancer of course
If you desire these threads to be canon, an asterisk was simply loaned to them.
Please return it at your earliest convenience.

  NEED A QUEST?

If you need some direction on how to begin, why not gaze upon some sample quests? Go on a journey. Fuck around and find out. They are completely optional– write whatever prompts you want!

Eggs Aplenty
Oh no. Oh dear. There has been a horrible series of mistakes surrounding ChantiLilly’s egg delivery. For one thing, it was delivered to the Central Market on the Ground Floor! For another thing, there are far too many eggs here. Dozens upon dozens upon dozens of eggs. The bakery’s Patissiere would be grateful if you could help bring these eggs up to his bakery in Rooftop Gardens. You’ll get some gold and some fresh eggs for your troubles.

This Bunny’s Buggin Me
A farmer from Norende is going batty over the swarm of bunnies that have been getting into his fields. Help a fella out, won’t ya? They are swarming en masse and ruining the spring start ups! Don’t expect to be able to herd them out without a fight though– these rabbies really pack a punch! They’re also carnivorous so…. Watch out?

A Rock and a Hard Place
An avid collector is searching for some new specimens. They’ve heard there are some expansive cave systems in the Norende Heights that just might be the perfect spot to collect some geodes. The only problem is that they’re an eensy teensy bit full of kobolds. You’ll be compensated for your troubles if you’d go collect some rocks, and every actual geode will get an extra reward. Please don’t fall off the cliffs…! The paths are narrow and harrowing at times. Good luck!

Have an excellent time, friends!
Thanks for stopping by ♥

QUICK SELECT// MAIN MENU ☆ OOC ☆ JOURNALS ☆ LOGS

Comments

[whenyouneedme]

Hang in there, Pen Pen. You're doing great. Kai wasn't as worried about his own little friend, because Bug truly remained a mystery. Speaking of, Kai was giving the floor a cursory glance before he went scooting his way off the bed. Any rogue fruits underfoot? No? Cool. Time to pad on over to his stuff.

"Let's see..." Now that he was not preoccupied with literally everything else, Kai took a closer stock of what had been on his person yesterday. He was looking for something New and lo and behold there was definitely something new mixed in. "Oh! Yeah, I got one."

It jingled. It jangled. The answer that Shinji and each of them would find was Yes, there were absolutely a few nights' stay in those pouches. How exceedingly handy.

[daikonrose]

Kyoko was only a few steps after Kaito, confident that last night she'd set a bag down that she hadn't had when she left Havenwell. It was--yes, right here, and now that she was actually paying attention to it, it sure was heavy for something she'd managed not to notice for most of yesterday. Look at all these coins! Goodness!

"This... is divine intervention again, isn't it?" Even in Havenwell, they had been given money right from the start, after all. Though it seemed pretty clear that they'd have to pay their ways for real here, there was still a chunk of change to get them started, and a... book? Huh?

Pulling it out, Kyoko set her bag on the floor again so she could hold the small tome in both hands, briefly running a fingertip over the butterfly emblazoned on the front before she opened it.

Ah.

"... I guess an instruction manual was too much to hope for."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Instruction....? Ah, the books. He had mostly forgotten to examine the one he'd pulled out last night, figuring it was less important than everything else that was at hand, but now... Hm.

After pulling out and setting aside another ten gold for the inn, he searches out the book he'd gotten. He's sure he set it with the rest of his things... Aha! Here we go. It's... a bit different than Kyoko's, isn't it? The cover of his has a double-octagon rather than a butterfly, but otherwise there doesn't seem to be anything remarkable going on here. Not on the outside, and not on the inside.

"I guess we really will have to ask around." That's kind of unfortunate.

[whenyouneedme]

"Huh."

There was one more book to complete the trio. A smiley face was sunnily looking up at Kai as he pulled his out to look at. While that was probably predictable for a choice he would have made, it sure did feel weird to be handed that choice without prior input. Perhaps there really was some divine intervention? Some sort of cosmic interview that happened between the doors of their departure and arrival? Such mysteries. It seemed like a nice journal, at any rate.

"Maybe we need to make records of our progress." That felt very video gamey. "At least people seem pretty willing to try and answer questions. Hopefully they can clue us in and point out our best bets for breakfast."

[daikonrose]

"Or maybe it's part of the local culture to always have a planner?" Snapping the journal closed, Kyoko set it aside to investigate the pouch again. "We've already thrown ourselves at the desk lady's mercy, so maybe she won't mind helping us out some more."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Shinji gives each of the three books a brief look of scrutiny - there sure is a suspicious amount of personalization on display, here. It's probably not terribly important, other than the fact that these books would be stashed away with something as vital as money... well, it might become clearer once they start getting information under their belts about this place. Save their games or plan their days, or maybe even something different altogether. He does not know one way or another, so his journal gets set aside for the moment.

"She'd said... we were getting a 'newcomer discount', right?" Something to that effect, anyway. She didn't seem to be too phased that they were basically scrambling to figure things out in front of her, either. "I bet she can help at least a bit..."

[whenyouneedme]

Kai was tapping a thoughtful beat on his journal cover, nodding along. A newcomer discount could have just meant a new to town thing too, not just a "new to this entire world actually" deal. Not being familiar with the currency should have been a clue though? Well, whatever. They were new no matter what, so making the most of their options was for the best.

"Probably. Won't hurt to ask." Hoisting himself back up to his feet, Kai considered the new bag for a moment before he slipped it back on and the book back into its original home. "Let's solve the easier breakfast mystery first."

[daikonrose]

"Breakfast," Kyoko nodded deeply as she rearranged her own new bag, glad they grasped the importance of this meal, "and fish." Thank you Bug for apparently needing Nothing, and fear not Pen Pen they would figure it out. "And if we have to go shopping anyway, we can look around while we're at it."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Breakfast it is. What more would they really need to take with them for exploring besides money and the room key? That's probably plenty, he can save long through his belongings until later. Gotta get the important things sorted first! Breakfast and fish! Let's get to our feet, then.

"We had it pretty easy for a long time," he comments softly. Now they actually have to buy food? Absurd. "Hopefully it's easier to find a restaurant or something around here, at least."

[whenyouneedme]

"Seems like the kinda place that'd have a lot of those," Kai said with a confident nod. He might not have been paying a lot of attention, but Kai had spoken to way more people sort of people than robotic ones in the past day. "Even having an Inn seems wilder than it should be."

Once it was clear they were all good to go and they'd paid their pets adieu with more promises of fish, Kai started them off through the door. Adventure start.

"Guess this is like... our training wheels for getting back into the swing of society," he said with a bit of a huff.

[daikonrose]

"'Training wheels' is a little too gentle," Kyoko grumbled. "But a town that can support an inn is bound to have a restaurant or two, I'm sure." Whether they would be affordable was yet another mystery to uncover.

But here they were in the lobby, less empty than it had been when they straggled in last night, but still quiet and sleepy. Time to lurch over to the front desk to secure their room and beg for aid. Is there maybe a travel guide or something. Help.

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Honestly, with how overwhelming even last night felt while trying to navigate, this probably is 'training wheels' tier for Shinji compared to being dropped into a fully populated Tokyo right out of Havenwell's sparse populace. Ah. Hm. Well. Best not to think about that for too long.

A travel guide would be very helpful, though! Please let them know the best spots to find any kind of information, but Shinji will let the two more socially inclined of the group handle that, while he digs out the coin for an extra night's stay. We can get that taken care of right away, too.

expires

[whenyouneedme]

Leave it to them, Shinji. They would get so many informations. (Hopefully.)

Their cheerful friend from the night before had been replaced by another fella, but Kai figured they'd probably be just as helpful. Good morning, they greeted as the group approached the counter again. How can I help you?

"Mornin'," Kai offered back. "Ah, we're in room 205. We wanted to pay for another night, and were kinda hopin' you could answer some questions."

205? Of course. What did you want to ask?

nah ur still fresh and tasty

[daikonrose]

As reassuring as it would have been to see a semi-familiar face, it was only right that their savior from yesterday should get to rest now. Hello new person, Kyoko was quickly advancing upon you to begin the questioning.

Though what came out weren't really questions so much as desperate declarations. "Hello!! We are in need of fish and other food! And a map! And to learn our purpose here and where the exit is!" Just a few things.

Luckily this morning's receptionist was as unruffled as last night's, and waited patiently for the deluge to end before pulling a folded-up paper map out from under the desk and passing it over with a smooth smile. You might start in the Central Plaza, right here on the Ground Floor.

delicious, right in my mouth it goes

[hedgehogsdilemma]

So cool, so calm! Have you been dealing with a lot of people like them, morning attendant? What a saint, truly. It's encouraging to hear such a levelheaded reply, no fretting or worries that they're asking for more than anyone is prepared to answer for, they should be able to get answers for everything they need to know, right?

Phew.

Shinji has nothing to add - Kyoko truly took care of the most pressing matters upfront, but he does take a glance at the map as he slides up to the counter, depositing their down payment on to the desk. "For tonight," he clarifies softly. Let's get all of these important tasks checked off one at a time.

[whenyouneedme]

The attendant offered Shinji a smile as he took the coinage. Thank you. I will make a note of the extension. Will you need your room cleaned?

"No," Kai piped up. Do not discover their fruits and penguins, please. "It's fine right now, thanks." Slightly more pressing was the attendant's gentle dodging of purposes and exits. This arrival was a lot less forthcoming than Havenwell's had been, even if people had been kind and helpful so far. Perhaps that meant there wasn't a crisis here? Wherever here was. Let's try an easier question. "You said the Central Plaza was... here on the ground floor?"

The attendant gave a little shake of his head as Kai looked over at the lobby. No, no, not the hotel ground floor. The Ground Floor is the lower level of Guildenhirst. The upper levels are the Roof Gardens. I'd encourage you to visit, the views are quite lovely.

[daikonrose]

"Ah... I think I already went there," Kyoko said weakly. She had perhaps not been in the best state to admire the view, but. Anyway. More importantly. "Is... there something in particular newcomers to this place should do right away?" she tried again, more delicate now that she'd blown through that burst of urgent energy and her nerves were creeping back up. Perhaps this would be a more fruitful line of questioning. "We got here yesterday, but I'm not sure we followed all the proper steps."

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Really, none of them did follow whatever instructions they may have been given, huh? Good job, team. Sightseeing isn't exactly on anyone's to-do list right now, but perhaps expecting that the attendant would have all the answers is a little silly. But... if he's familiar with the situation the three of them are in, is it truly too silly? Hm. Hm.

"R-right," sorry sir, they are messes, but hopefully they can get their feet under them a little better today, "do you know... who might help us with that?"

[whenyouneedme]

The attendant made a thoughtful touch to his chin. Particular proper steps, was it. I am not sure there are any specific steps to an adventure, he said, as there are many paths that people take. But if you'd welcome a suggestion, you may be interested in visiting one of the adventuring guilds. They're an excellent resource for new travelers.

Kai considered this quietly, just a touch of a frown on his face. That.. was and was not helpful. Still, it was a place to start. "So... nobody needs our help or anything?"

Oh, someone might! You can find a quest board in the Central Plaza. If someone needs something, you can find out there.

[daikonrose]

Adventures, guilds, quests... Travelers, he called them. So many perplexing words to apply to their situation. Kyoko chewed her lip. She wasn't sure how much more useful information they could expect to get to get out of him, but she tried one more time, tentative.

"And if... if a traveler happens to be lost, what should they do?"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

So they've gone from Offworlders to Travelers, huh? Okay, well... That kind of implies that they're 'just passing through', right? Because that wouldn't be terrible, that would mean there's a way to continue on their journey to Kyoko's home, one way or another.

Hm...

Let him just... take that map and give it a more serious look-over, in case there's some sort of obvious secret to leaving Gildenhirst waiting to be discovered on it.

[whenyouneedme]

The map would helpfully point out that there were several easy exits from town. That way went towards a place called Norende, see. And over that was was Caldisa. Perhaps they wanted to go to the Norende Heights, or the river! So many places they could go. Unfortunately, there weren't any spots clearly labeled 'How to Leave the World.'

Kai watched the attendant make his attempts to not be completely off guard with this question. 'Ask questions' was the solution, and they were already doing that. Scratching the back of his head, Kai let out a soft huff through his nose. Before he could second guess if this was a bad move, he went all in to clarify. "This world wasn't the one we were trying to get to."

Ah, I see! This city was founded by world travelers such as yourselves.

[daikonrose]

"So then... there are more people like us around? Right now?" They didn't all leave after founding the city or something, right? Kyoko pulled in a lip. Even in Havenwell she'd met people who were already familiar with jumping between worlds, so why not here too? With a nod, she looked between Shinji and Kaito. "So then, maybe we can find some super advanced worldhoppers who do it just for fun, and they'll tell us what to do!"

[hedgehogsdilemma]

Ohhh, so there might be other Travelers around who they can ask, possibly? That is... hm. Would there be any way to tell, Shinji wonders? Would they have to figure out who was or wasn't one by asking around? That sounds... less appealing than getting information out of the attendant, but if that's where things end up going...

At least Kyoko sounds enthusiastic about the potential.

"We might," he murmurs quietly from over the map. It can't just be them, after all, and if this is expected as a wholly normal phenomena, whose to say that some of the citizens aren't just here for fun?

[whenyouneedme]

That seemed like it was a pretty safe bet. Even from just the few morning folks that were mingling in the lobby behind them, the vibe didn't feel like a place that harbored a whole ton of distress. If people were distressed about being in a new world, it wasn't anyone in the room right now besides them.

"S'true," Kai affirmed as he set a palm warm against Shinji's back. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the prospects of getting up in peoples' business either, but if it helped! At least they could back up Kyoko's energy here. Kai sent her a small grin. "We can keep an eye out for 'em and get all their secrets."