pixieledmemes | Test Drive Meme #3

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Test Drive Meme #3

TDM #3 - May/June 2025

🦋 Introduction

Welcome to the Pixie Led Test Drive Meme!

The prompts will always be game canon, provided both characters who participate in a thread are either already in the game, or get accepted in the next application round.

You do not need an invitation to join the Test Drive Meme, it's open for anyone!

Please indicate character name and canon in the subject line of your top-level. For current characters, you may also indicate your character's court.

For prospective players, Invites open on the 18th, Reserves on the 20th, and Applications on the 22nd. Thanks for checking us out and we hope you'll join us!

🦋 The Party

You wake up at a party.

You're not sure how, exactly, you got here. You may have just been walking in the woods or at a meeting for work or doing any other normal activity for you. But you know you weren't supposed to be at this party, you're fairly certain.

Anyone you ask about it will say the party is for you. You and the others also waking up and looking confused. Further questions will lead to the partygoers insisting you have something to eat. You're starving and others are eating the food without repercussion, so you figure there's no harm in a bite. You finish your portion.

It's another garden party near a large hedge maze in the middle of the night. With his penchant for games the Ruler of the Spring Court decided it would be nice to hold an actual game for all the Adopted present. None of that dreidel game a couple of parties ago. This time, he wants more spectacle with higher stakes. Forced to participate and host aspects of this gathering as well, the Ruler of the Dark Court wanted nothing to do with this, so he figured his participation in itself is for the party to happen at night, during his rule, when his mood is at its most pleasant.

Of course, there is no shortage of light sources such as candles and torches, much to the Earl's chagrin, as well as no shortage of food. This time, the fae decided to try their hand on some pasta. They heard it's a good delicacy from the mortal plane. Thing is, sauces look and smell bizarre. One's purple, while another's bright pink, and they taste fruity, as well as flowery, much like the cookies from the last gathering.

As the party winds down and everyone's eaten, a tall, stately woman stands up and speaks. You feel her voice more than hear it.

I am the Lawspeaker of the Fae, elected by Seelie and Unseelie alike, and you are all, now, subjects of Faerie. You cannot leave this realm once you have eaten our food, and even if you could, there is no saying how much time has passed back where you're from. Your loved ones are likely dead, your problems have likely played out. We require assistance in various matters, and each of you has been chosen for your talent and skill. You will be adopted by one of the Seelie or Unseelie Courts based on your strengths and personality. Your Court will decide what to do with you from there.

As suddenly as she stood, she sits back down.

🦋 Feeling on Hedge

So, what about this hedge maze that seems to have appeared out of nowhere and looming quite eerily beside this night's gathering? For one, peculiar noises can be heard whenever one's near its entrance. From the rustling of leaves to a woman crying, everything seems to be coming from inside.

Of course, the Adopted's participation is required and paramount. Anyone who refuses will be met with harsh penalties and consequences, whatever those may be. They also hint of a prize to anyone who comes out victorious on the other side. It's unclear what it is, though.

The fae know that while the Adopted have been very useful so far, they are also vulnerable and susceptible to fear, so to mitigate that, they have some colorful shots on a table marked LIQUID COURAGE near the entrance to the maze with such effects:

Gold: Essentially a strong drink that gives you profound energy for 24 hours.
Red: Downing this will make you feel warm like an aphrodisiac.
Blue: Basically functions like a normal tequila shot. Or three. Comes with a little bag of salt.

These shots are not compulsory for the Adopted to take, but they will be highly encouraged to do so before entering. Once inside, the rustling of leaves and the sounds of someone crying become louder and even more evident. There are also a few key things that seem to be very clear the longer an Adopted is within the maze's walls:

The maze is moving. How it's doing it, nobody knows. But it appears to be alive somehow, much like the castle grounds, so finding a clear pathway is almost impossible.
Whenever an Adopted turns right two consecutive times, they will see a more positive outcome from a terrible event in their lives. Lost someone? They're now here and alive. Gave up on a dream? You find yourself currently living it.
If an Adopted turns left two consecutive times, they will see someone, a family member or a friend who's still alive and had a deep impact on their lives, bleeding and dead on the ground.

It would be great if no one else can see an Adopted during their most vulnerable, but since the maze moves constantly, another Adopted or two might be able to see them trying to parse out what they're seeing, even if their fellow Adopted can't see it themselves.

🦋 Can't Unseelie It

CW: dismemberment, body horror, forced body transformations, mild gore, asphyxiation, drowning of children, death

The Spring King only wanted some good-natured fun within the maze, but unbeknownst to him, some Unseelie creatures and Unseelie magic have appeared inside, threatening the safety of the Adopted traversing every nook and cranny. Surely this will not have any lasting consequences between the relationship of the Seelie and Unseelie court rulers. Not at all.

A few of these Unseelie beings and Unseelie magic roaming around the hedge maze that the Adopted will have a chance to meet are as follows:

Manananggal: Capable of severing its torso from its legs, this vampiric creature usually preys on sleeping pregnant women and unborn babies. But not anymore. Due to magic put on it, this manananggal will strike anyone it comes across. Better pour salt on its severed lower torso once you find it, or else.
La Llorona: Remember that woman crying? Well, somewhere in the maze alongside the eerie sounds of water flowing, you'll come across a weeping woman cloaked in white with her back turned against you. Be careful not to approach her because once you do, she'll try to choke you to death, reminiscent of how she drowned her own children.
Jersey Devil: The first thing you'll hear once you turn is a high-pitched, blood-curdling scream then the sound of bat wings flapping. You better run as fast as you can to the other direction because this devil is out to attack anyone it sees on its path.
A fountain: How odd. Running from the jersey devil or the manananggal might have made you thirsty so perhaps there's no harm in drinking from it. But just coming in contact with its water will make any Adopted soon realize they have transformed into an Unseelie creature.

Fighting off these creatures might be best with a fellow Adopted. After all, there's power in numbers. Just be careful not to die within the hedge maze. There might be some dire consequences.

🦋 GEIS

You feel a vibration in your pocket sometime after the Lawspeaker addresses everyone. When you search for the source, you will pull out your Leaf, the device the Fae use to stay in touch with each other. Anyone who's used a smart phone will easily recognize how it works.

Greetings, Adopted. This is your Lawspeaker.

To be on theme with our festivities for tonight, we want to know a time in your life when you felt lost and wandering about. Perhaps the most compelling story will receive a reward from us.

ｎａｖｉｇａｔｉｏｎ

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Selene had been learning in bits and pieces about him in other ways. Some things she'd guessed but Spike hadn't confirmed. Other's were smaller things shared tit for tat. They understood one another in a way he hadn't expected.

But that was neither here nor there right then. "Oh we'll get out alright. I don't plan on dying tonight in some stupid shrubbery." Spike replied cockily. "You got a preference on which way we go from here?"

Edited 2025-05-17 03:47 (UTC)

Diana shrugged. "I've always been accused of being left-leaning," she replied with a wry smile. Too liberal. Too bleeding heart. She didn't care. "Might as well stick with what's worked for me."

And she nodded to the left.

But waited for him to go first. The way she figured it, she'd caught him in a vulnerable moment. Spike--actually, most vampires, not just Spike--would want the chance to reassert their certainty, their courage, their toughness.

Who was she to deny him the opportunity?

She wasn't wrong. Spike had already pulled himself somewhat together. Hiding in his attitude and bravado and wearing it like a second skin. What would make him feel better still, would be something to beat up. But at least... At least it had been Diana. If he had to be vulnerable, he trusted her. Or Selene. Both had gotten to see sides to him not many others did.

In any case, he took the lead and headed left. Keeping his senses alert and eyes open, as well as his ears. If it was the maze, then it likely had more surprises for them besides the beasties he could vaguely scent and hear.

With a slightly knowing smile that she was glad she couldn't see, Diana followed after him. She did consider pulling out her sword, but opted against it. It was always better to resolve a situation peacefully. And if it couldn't be, she had ever confidence in Spike's ability to...

...well, be Spike.

She followed half a step behind.

"Can I ask you something?" she said. Which was a stupid question, because she was going to ask anyway. "Do all vampires in your world end up super strong?"

She just did, and Spike was giving her a look that said that very thing. Then she got to her actual question. "What'd you mean?" Because yeah, they were generally stronger than a human. But it could vary even then.

"Cainites aren't like that," she said. "We don't necessarily...come back super strong. Seems like a lot of the other vampires species do. Lazlo and Nandor and," she made a vague gesture, "everyone else."

Even Selene was strong. At least, by Malkavian standards.

Diana had every reason to feel a little left out.

Not that it mattered. None of this actually mattered. She just wanted to keep Spike talking. Help restore his macho.

If he knew she was doing that, he'd find it cute and sweet. A bit stupid, but still cute and sweet for her trying. He'd probably only accept it from Diana.

"Probably has to do with how vampires work, where I'm from." Spike said. Pausing a moment, listening and tuning into his senses, then deliberately turning a different way than they'd been going. He knew Diana would want to avoid potential trouble.

"I've told you about how that is before, yeah?"

Okay, they were going right.

Groovy.

"You were a little vague," she said, following behind him. "Which is totes understandable. We didn't really know each other when we met the first time. It wouldn't make a lot of sense to tell your life and/or species' story to a total rando." Not that Spike was ever shy.

Shy, no. But he did play some things much closer than anyone would expect. Everyone had their secrets and privacies after all.

"So, where I'm from, basically Vampires are a kind of demon-human hybrid. We're impure, and all that, and not really part of either world. When you die and are turned, which involves you, y'know, dying of blood loss usually and being fed some of the vampire's blood, your soul leaves and a demonic essence sets up shop instead. You've got all your memories, all your knowledge, all your skills. You just lack a soul now, which means your morality is a little different. You don't really care about what's wrong or right the way a human does. It's easier to give in to your darker side, to temptation, etc."

Because that seemed a good place to start. At the next turning point, they went left instead of right. This might be the problem with letting him lead, Diana.

"That demonic essence confers certain strengths too, on the undead body. Because we don't need to breathe, we don't have a heartbeat, we tend to be cool or room-temperature although activity can get what blood there is moving and raise our temp. We need to feed on mammal blood to be at our best and stuff. But we're stronger, faster, bit more agile, more durable, and we heal from most injuries. How long depends on how often you feed, and also age can play a factor. Experience also can play a role too. But we can't go out in daylight without catching on fire. A wooden pointy object through the heart turns us to dust, as does cutting off our head. Our senses get heightened, and we can eat food but it tastes pretty bland. We can get drunk, or high, but usually its harder to do."

Oh look! Another cross-ways. Time to make another decision on which way to go. Right, Left, or Straight ahead.

Diana wrapped her arms around herself, listening to Spike's explanation with a shiver that she couldn't entirely control. They'd had the conversation about morality before, but this was the first time he'd ever spoke about...the soul.

Maybe they were one and the same, but hearing it that way was chilling.

Because Diana did believe in the soul. And she utterly believed that Cainites were capable of not only maintaining one, but bettering one. She was walking proof of that. She'd been a terrible human being, but her journey into the heart of being Cainite made her someone who actually gave a shit about other people.

She was better than she ever could have been if she'd lived and died (probably of childbirth, let's be real) back in the 1700s.

Hearing that Spike...didn't have one. She couldn't really be sure what to do about that.

Of course, she kept all of that to herself for the time being. She just nodded and gave him a signature, "That's heavy, man."

At the crossroads, she tilting her head to the left. "Let's stick with the Disney Land strategy."

Don't think he didn't notice. Spike was far more observant and perceptive than most would give him credit for. He remembered their conversations before too. "Just means I'm not a vampire like you're used to, Diana." He pointed out, but didn't say more.

"Left it is then." Spike said, with an 'after you' gesture although he was walking side by side with Diana anyway. He wondered what other questions she would ask. Of course, it wouldn't matter as soon as they made that turn.

Spike didn't react quite as like he'd been 'struck', but the way he stiffened and then hurried forward after a concerned "Little Bit?" made it obvious something was wrong. After several quick steps he was crouching down. Even removing his coat and bundling it up to place it like a pillow. "No, come on. Stop joking." He pleaded, lifting up an imaginary arm as he put his ear to the wrist.

Edited (Decided to add a vision.) 2025-05-19 02:58 (UTC)

Honestly, most of the vampires she was used to sucked, so he wasn't far off.

But all thoughts about morality and souls pretty much went out the window when she saw Spike take off that coat.

Somehow, she knew that when something like that happened, it was serious business. He seemed to love that coat--which was fair enough because it was pretty rad.

"Spike?" she said following after him, kneeling down as he...was listening to something? An invisible seashell? Probably not. "Spike, what's going on, dude?"

She couldn't see Dawn lying there? But he could feel her arm, the weight of it, and skin that was still slightly warm even though there was no pulse. Spike looked between Diana, and Dawn, then back to Diana.

"You don't see anything, do you? Not a girl lying here? About 14ish? Brown hair, slight frame?"

Because his brain was starting to put some things together.

Her eyes bugged just slightly. As someone who spent most of her time rescuing underaged dhampir, she liked to think that she was highly attuned to the sign of teenagers.

The fact that she was seeing none was a bit alarming.

Diana tried to get a glimpse of some kind of aura, but she could only see Spike's there. His emotions were definitely all over the place. But he was also definitely alone so...that was something?

She frowned shaking her head. "Nope. Just you."

She couldn't see it. His gaze focused on Dawn again, lying there...and now he noticed the bite marks. That hint of blood. Fury shot through him, anger and rage combined and fueling it. A snarl bubbled up from his chest, and Spike punched at the ground (leaving a small divot). Then he was on his feet, stomping a bit away from Diana.

"YOU SODDING FAIRIES!" Spike yelled, emotion heavy in his voice. "QUIT IT WITH THE BLOODY VISIONS ALREADY! OR I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET IT! I'LL TEAR YOUR SPINES OUT AND MAKE YOU PLAY 'EM LIKE A XYLOPHONE! I'LL TIE YOU UP WITH YOUR OWN GUTS AND TREAT YOU LIKE ONE OF THEM PAPER-HORSE THINGS YOU BEAT WITH A STICK. SEE WHAT COMES OUT!"

Please don't mind that he's having a bit of a tantrum, yelling at the sky and venting that fury. If he could kick something or throw something he would.

Diana fell back and away from Spike, crab-walking all the way to the nearest hedge. Hell, she almost wanted to go through it. And the little beast in the back of her mind snickered, eagerly pawing at the walls that kept her at bay.

Merde.

No. No, no, absolutely not. Diana would not be giving in to the little beast today, thank you very much.

She clamped down hard, focusing on Spike. The fact that he was ranting in the other direction was good. Good for her control, anyway. Not so great for his emotions.

Did you have emotions without a soul? Apparently so. Something to consider later on.

For now, she held up her hands in a gesture of surrender, palms out, waiting until his tantrum started to fade. As tantrums inevitably did. Then, weakly, she cleared her throat and squeaked, "Piñata..."

Spike knew Diana wouldn't react well, which is why he'd made sure to move away from her. He wouldn't say he felt better after that little outburst, but it hadn't hurt either. As it was, he kicked one of the hedges and pulled some of the leaves and branches off, and stomped on them on the ground.

The fury burned hot and quick though, the embers calming to a simmer he'd keep inside himself. Deliberately making himself take a deep breath in, holding, then releasing. Rolling his shoulders.

Only then did he turn to Diana. Or where she had been, as he moved to find her against the hedge. "Sorry. What?" Stalking back over to where he'd made his duster a pillow, with no vision remaining to taunt him at least.

She decided not to move, to stay on the ground. At least for the moment. Normally, this was a more vulnerable position, of course. But Diana could take care of herself, it need be. And it did look like Spike was calming down. As much as Spike ever seemed to be...calm.

"It's called a piñata," she said, using the same cool, even tone of voice that she sometimes used when one of the dhampir kids was having a meltdown. Of course, those meltdowns were usually more about getting sugary cereal in the convenience store than de-boning Faeries. Same principles probably applied, though.

Selene threw hissy fits too.

"The, uh, paper horse thing you hit with a stick. Candies come out. It's Mexican."

Oh. "Huh. Thanks?" Spike was a bit confused, but he was glad to know the word. His threat remained though, but he brought a hand up and raked it through his hair. Then dug in his coat for his cigarettes and lighter. He needed one now. Help calm him more.

"Normally I don't mind when people fear me. Don't want you scared though, Diana. Sorry about that." He meant it; it was why Spike wasn't moving closer to her either.

"It's fine," she said, slowly lowering her arms.

It wasn't fine, of course. Given her long and cruel history of being battered and bruised and damaged mostly by Cainite guys. Her history, however, wasn't Spike's fault. And it wasn't like he'd actually done anything.

Really, it was more about the potential of harm.

And anyone could have that.

Diana pulled herself back to her feet. "I'm not gonna ask what you just saw," she said, "but if you need to, like, talk about it or whatever. I mean, you know I'm not gonna go blabbing about it to anyone."

Even if she hadn't spoken a lot about her past, given how they'd first met? And that Spike was perceptive, he could make several guesses. It was why he'd moved away from her, even while he was furious. Why he was letting her approach if she wanted. Vampire men scared her and liked to hurt her. She was primed for it to be the norm. So Spike was taking extra care with her because he liked Diana. She was a good sort.

"First, I saw someone alive who I know is dead. Then, I saw someone dead, who should be alive." Spike said softly, but knowing she'd hear. "The one is the girl I made a promise to. The other is the girl I made the promise about." Which was about all he wanted to say really. But he felt he owed Diana that much at least in explanation.

The Slayer.

Buffy.

And...another mortal girl? For someone who claimed not five minutes ago not to have a soul, he was damned confusing sometimes. Then again, who wasn't confusing, once you got past the surface level? No one that Diana wanted to know, anyway.

"I guess," she said, with a slight wince, "we need to assume everything we see here is a trick." She paused, realizing that this could also include one another. "I mean, I'm not a trick. But that's something a trick would say so..."

So what? She didn't know how to end that thought.

"You have a scent." Spike said, then realized he should probably clarify. "Not like, you smell or anything. But I'm used to using my nose to track at times. You have a distinctive scent to you. So does Selene. So do most people. The visions haven't had a scent. If I wasn't so thrown by them, I'd probably have realized sooner."

That was how Spike was able to tell at least. "Not sure how to convince you I'm real."

Diana waved it off. "Eh, I don't need much convincing. Talking to imaginary people is kind of a rite of passage for Malkavians, anyway."

Perhaps not to the same extent as Arty.

York girls never did anything halfway.

"I think...the sooner we get the hell outta here, the happier we're both going to be." She paused. "When you're ready, I mean. If you gotta scream a little more, I can wait."

"Done all the screaming I want. Rather beat some heads in at this point." Spike murmured, but still kept his distance. "I think we should also be careful what routes we take." He did not want to be surprised again, thanks.

Re: Visions!

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Warning Incoming Tantrum with language! [CW: Cursing, threats of violence]

Wouldn't have Spike any other way :D

He was due for one, let's be honest.

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