Test Drive Meme #3

[changelinged]

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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Comments

[memorycardio]

Oh, I see. Then you are healthy enough. That's good!

[She nods. Okay, then that isn't something to worry about after all. He still looks unwell, though...]

Are you sure there's nothing else you need help with?

[goldenturtle]

[ 'Healthy' isn't an adjective often used in relation to him, even if he can regenerate from almost any injury. Cale usually hears things like 'weak', 'frail', and 'feeble'.

It's actually kind of nice not to have his assurances immediately rejected. ]

...I don't think so? [ Cale looks over at Sophia, scrutinizing her. ] How old are you, Sophia?

[memorycardio]

[Sophia tilts her head to one side, struggling to parse the question- or rather, how to answer.]

I don't know. I have no memory of my creation, and there is no recorded date in my code.

[She looks maybe 14 or 15 at best, but that might not mean that much considering his suspicions (and maybe the context clues).]

[goldenturtle]

[ Huh. Well, that confirms one theory. Cale could easily treat her like her apparent age, but that wouldn't feel right. ]

You seem knowledgeable but inexperienced. [ He exhales slowly, glad for this distraction. ] People will assume you are a teenager who spent more time studying than socializing.

What age would you like to be treated as?

[memorycardio]

[What an odd question. Once again she has to figure out what a good answer would be. What she likes doesn't usually factor in, though most people tend to be respectful of what she doesn't like, so... she can start with that.]

I am not a small child or a pet. Anything else is fine.

[goldenturtle]

[ Cale takes a moment to consider it. ]

Is fourteen acceptable for you?

[memorycardio]

[She hums a few idle music notes, processing.]

That is acceptable! It is close to my version number. Until otherwise confirmed, I will be fourteen.

[goldenturtle]

I'm glad. [ On reflex, Cale reaches over to pat her gently on the head. ] You've done a good job helping me.

My name is Cale Thames. [ And since he asked her age, he figures it's only fair to offer his as well: ] I'm twenty-one.

[memorycardio]

It's nice to meet you. I am Sophia. In case you missed it.

[He had seemed really out of it earlier, so it doesn't hurt to make sure. And oh... headpat. That felt kind of nice? How rare.]

Was I really helpful?

[goldenturtle]

Of course. [ He may be someone who lies, but he doesn't lie to children. ] This maze showed me something unpleasant and you helped by distracting me from that memory.

[memorycardio]

[Oh, how she beams.]

Praise accepted~!

[goldenturtle]

Good. You should always accept praise and rewards for doing well.

[ What a funny kid. ]

Do you have any offensive or defensive abilities, Sophia?

[memorycardio]

Yes. Though this place is not the Metaverse, I have access to a "Persona". I can fight using that.

[goldenturtle]

[ Hm. He can hazard a guess based on her being some kind of AI person, but still — ]

Explain?

[memorycardio]

[....

Actually. She doesn't have anything in her database about what Persona is. It's just what Mona and Skull called her Pithos, and she had no context to question it. Hm.

Well, she can ask later.]

It is a weapon. I can show you, if that would help?

[goldenturtle]

[ ...

That sounds a bit dangerous. ]

...No. It's better to only use it when necessary.

[memorycardio]

Okay. I'll only use it "when necessary".

[Instructions registered! Nice that he seems to be leaving the definition of necessary up to her for the moment. Hopefully she guesses right.]

Would you like to leave this place now?

[goldenturtle]

[ ... ]

Yes? This isn't a place meant for humans or children.

[memorycardio]

Correct! It's unsafe and not friendly at all. I'll calculate an optimal route for us.

[She hops back to her feet, turning in a slow circle as she scans around the maze. Hm. Hmm, hmm, hmm.

...Well, that's troublesome.]

It... seems there is no optimal route. I don't have any navigational info of the area. [She tilts sideways, as if a slightly different angle would help.] This has never happened before.

[goldenturtle]

This maze is essentially impossible to calculate for because its variables are not constant values.

[ Cale went through a similar experience when searching the castle basement for the dragon. ]

Ideally to find the way out you would always keep to one side of the maze wall, but with how the maze shifts that isn't possible either.

[memorycardio]

I see.

[Sophia sits on that one for a moment, trying to find some way around it. She seems to wilt when no answer presents itself, though.]

I'm sorry. I thought I could help, but I'm completely worthless right now...

[goldenturtle]

Hey. Look at me.

[ Cale will wait until she does. ]

Don't apologize. There is no such thing as a worthless person. You will always have value, regardless of circumstances.

[memorycardio]

[She obliges in his direction, but his words merely make her brows furrow, confused by his concern.]

But... I am not a person. I am an AI.

[goldenturtle]

So what? You don't need to be human to be a person.

[memorycardio]

[Confusion intensifies!]

Please explain. What is a person, if not human?