Test Drive Meme #3

[changelinged]

TDM #3 - May/June 2025

🦋 Introduction

Welcome to the Pixie Led Test Drive Meme!

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🦋 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

[maellum]

I'm sure. He's flesh and blood, just like you.

[The hand at his arm gives a squeeze. If she doubts Gustave, she'll have to doubt Verso, and she's not particularly inclined to spiral that hard just yet.]

If we're here... it must mean anyone can be here. Anyone that's lost their lives to the Gommage or nevrons or anything.

[She wonders how many of the people she's passed in this miserable party were once dead. All of them? Some? The Fae must have power beyond imagining to pull the dead from different worlds. It makes Maelle's head spin.]

It's no trick. There's no replicating him. He's... he's really here, Verso. Trust me.

[lementeur]

[ Verso may struggle when it comes to trust, but if he is going to have faith in anyone, it ought to be Maelle. She's the reason he had any hope in this Expedition to begin with. The trouble is, Gustave is exactly the right person to use to mislead her, so while Verso does trust that she believes what she saw, he's never going to trust the ones with the power to mess with their heads.

Or, perhaps, he just doesn't want to accept this as a possibility. The risk of consequences are around every corner, it seems, but he needs to remain calm. The natural fear that Gustave's presence could ruin their mission is hard to shake, given he has yet to experience the future Maelle's told him of. Even if there is no more mission for the Paintress to consider, there's Maelle to consider. Her real life to return to. She can't stay here.

But, Maelle now has every reason to avoid any desire to return. She believes there's nothing for her after the Gommage, of course, and now who's here to welcome here? The one person in their party that Verso had accurately labeled a threat to success.

Fuck. ]

It's hard to believe, but I trust you.

[ His smile is uncertain, awkward, with another dodgy glance cast over her shoulder before he focuses back on her.

She's been crying...

The pang in his heart may not be entirely because of what this risks for their return, or the guilt, but something far more selfish. ]

Can't imagine how this must feel for you. You must be happy. Or...that's probably an understatement.

[maellum]

[She breathes out a laugh, relieved, taking Verso at his word. Happy? She's elated. Maelle nods with a watery smile.]

Yeah. I never... not even in my dreams, I never thought I'd see him again, until...

[The next life. Fitting, then. This is it. The thought stirs up too many emotions, and Maelle takes a deep breath, looking to Verso with a bright smile.]

You'll like him. He'll probably have a lot of questions for you, but he's less aggressive about it than Lune. I think he'll like you, too.

[lementeur]

[ He should be just as elated that she is, but of course it can never be that simple. Of course, he's glad that she's not having to suffer for once, but this complicates...so much. Verso isn't ignorant to how this may shift the dynamics of their little group, either. While his mind is already racing ahead on what can be done with this, how to still make this work for him, his heart has stumbled right into the trenches, already scuffed and bruised.

Just talking about Gustave seems ready to set her bursting to happy tears again. There's a twitch as he lifts his hand as though tempted to brush any stray dampness from her cheek, but checks himself at the last minute to casually fold his arms while he tilts his head with a seemingly earnest curiosity, smiling right back. ]

Oh yeah? You'll have to give me some tips on making a good first impression. Is he a fan of moody poetry? Cat jokes?

[maellum]

[There's another laugh from Maelle. It's almost painful, laughing so much after so much despair. Talking about Gustave always hurt, and some part of her still expects to feel the twist in her heart. It's there, but it's something full of warmth and adoration rather than sorrow.]

Oh, he's as silly as you are. You'll make him laugh. Just... [Then, some of the mirth leaves her expression.] Just tell him who you are, Verso. Be honest.

[Not his strongest trait, she knows, but there's no need to lie or deceive here. It's all over and done.]

He'll see what I see.

[lementeur]

[ He doesn't feel very silly right now, or honest, or...anything she might hope him to be. He may have worked hard to cultivate a relationship with her, to get her to see him as someone that she could rely on, but actually hearing her suggest that she sees him as someone worthy, that Gustave will see that, leaves him feeling like there are needles in his chest.

But he brushes past that, like he so often does, offering a half-hearted tease while he lifts his chin and cocks a hip as though posing for a portrait. ]

You mean, a dashing hero type with impeccable wit?

[maellum]

[Again, she laughs. It's a warm sound.]

You did save me.

[On the cliff, that horrific day. She hasn't forgotten that--and won't, even with Gustave returned to her. Verso is far from perfect, but maybe he's just the product of a complicated family. Much of it still doesn't make sense to her, and so many things said by the Paintress sends a chill down her spine if she dwells on them, but she can't. Not now.]

You're one of us. [She motions to his armband. Hers, given to him. Disaster Expedition indeed.] After all we've been through, I think we're as good as family.

[Her expression softens. She has her brother back, but Verso doesn't have his sister. It's not fair. He must feel some sort of way about that.]

You have us.

[lementeur]

[ Those needles in the chest are suddenly knives. Somehow, it would have been better if she'd taken the opportunity to tease him with a friendly insult. It had been the perfect set-up, but of course, Maelle would instead take the opportunity to make sure he feels welcome. She must sense his anxiety, maybe mistaking it for jealousy over her found family. That may not be entirely wrong, but it would be a gift were that to be his only problem.

Ruined by his own success. ]

Yes, well...

[ Any attempt at light-hearted banter to deflect is vanished, but for that, his smile is now more earnest than anything he was managing before. That may mean it's more difficult to hide the cloud of pain behind the light blue of his eyes, but it doesn't overcast the warmth she draws out of him.

Unfolding his arms, Verso reaches up to gently settle a hand over her shoulder with an affectionate squeeze. ]

And you have me. I suppose you're stuck with me, no matter where you go.

[ Until he can get her back home, that is. ]

[maellum]

[Pain intermingled with happiness is the norm, now. Maelle smiles and puts her hand atop his. The last thing she wants is for Verso to feel alone. He and Gustave have a lot in common, even beyond her. Surely Verso can find a brother in him.]

I'm grateful I do. We're... in some sort of different world, and we're together. Maybe this is the afterlife. I don't know.

[But it doesn't matter, and she shakes her head. Gustave and Verso here both poke some holes in the afterlife theory, but she vividly remembers petals and ash.]

Whatever it is... it's not bad.

[lementeur]

[ It would be nice to celebrate these little 'wins' with her for as long as possible, but the more Maelle talks, the more that old fear creeps in. He doesn't want to be seen as the bearer of bad news, but he can't let her get too lost in some fantasy life here.

That never goes well.

With a gentle tug, after looking around once more to make sure the ghosts of his past aren't ready to ambush them, Verso will turn and nod towards a nearby bench. Though he drops his hand from her shoulder, there's a little gesture to suggest she go on and sit so they can better talk without lurking around food and potential eavesdroppers. ]

I don't know, either. But whatever this is, it isn't good.

[ He expects argument, for Gustave's sake if nothing else, so he's quick to add on. ]

These things view us as their toys. Look at what they made me see, with Alicia. And now they've seemingly given you exactly what you wanted. They are playing with our heads and hearts, in whatever way best entertains them. This is not somewhere we can let our guard down.

[maellum]

[Maelle goes to sit, scooting over so that there's space for Verso, as if her tiny frame takes up any considerable amount of space. She shouldn't be surprised that he's resistant to anything resembling hope or joy--he always expects the worse. Understandable, but the worst has already happened. She's tired.]

But--[He continues on, and she frowns at him.] What's the purpose? Is it just another thing we'll never understand?

[Just like the Paintress, the Gommage. She's so tired.]

[lementeur]

[ At first, Verso hunches to drape his arms over his knees, still reeling with everything he's learned and all he has yet to discover. There's still so much he's keeping from her, but at the moment he genuinely doesn't know the answer to her questions.

He can't stand living in a state of ignorance. Maybe this is just one more form that his karma is taking. ]

For us, I don't know what this means. But I know it can't remain like this.

[ Glancing sideways, he sits up a little straighter and reaches out to cover her hand with his in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture. ]

Hey. I told you that I'd figure this out. We will together, right? That hasn't changed.

[ What does that mean, exactly? He wishes he knew. ]

Our best bet is to learn everything we can about the fae. How they control this world. How they even brought us here. What they've done with the others they've brought here.

[maellum]

[She watches him put his much larger hand over her smaller one. It is a reassurance, and when she looks into eyes that are a similar shade of blue as hers, she nods.]

Together, yeah. Gustave will want to know... [Everything. About him, their travels, this place.] He'll help. That makes three of us, at least.

[They can search for answers to questions Maelle isn't asking. Fine. Another jolly expedition. The thought fills her with dread. It's heavy in her lungs, and she breathes out, eyes falling down to where Verso's hand covers hers.]

All I know is that I won't lose him again. I can't.

[lementeur]

[ The fae have strung him up so that no matter what he does, it's going to feel like a loss. That may not be much different from the options back home, but at least there, the gods made more sense to him. He knew the stakes.

What is the point of any of this, beyond malevolence? ]

I'll help keep an eye on him, yeah? Keep him out of trouble.

[ As he peers down at her, he's stricken by how much she's exposed her heart to him since they first met. Back when she wasn't sure how to trust him with her feelings. How many times is she going to be forced to grieve a brother?

I'm right here.

Except Verso isn't, not really, not in the way she deserves. As far as he's concerned, she's the only real person here. At least, that's something worth protecting, as he figures the rest of it out.

Until everything can return to the way it should be, he can do his best to keep her from suffering unnecessarily. ]

[maellum]

[There's a lot of reasons why she shouldn't trust Verso. The vital things were forced to light, against his will, and even then there's still so much more Maelle doesn't fully understand. Yet he's been kind to her, and maybe that's all it takes, now. When Maelle looks into his eyes she wants to trust him. Especially now, when her feelings are raw and her eyes are tired from tears. Happy tears, for once. For the most part.]

You can get him into trouble for fun as long as you both can get out of it.

[She says with a sniffle and a smile.]