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Test Drive Meme #4
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.
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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.
Unlike all of the other parties the Adopted have attended thus far, this one lacks the fae's usual easy elegance and ethereal beauty. Instead of dresses drenched in shining pearls and gems or sturdy tables full of the most mouth-watering food around, this party looks... cheap.
While the chasm between the Seelie and Unseelie courts has stopped growing, it also hasn't started shrinking. But when it comes to party planning, the Day Duke and the Summer Queen have thrown out the more traditional kind of party in favor of a summer celebration that their human pets might be familiar with. A Renaissance Faire.
But this is the fae interpretation of a human Ren Faire, complete with cheap, itchy costumes, cardboard stalls in the marketplace, and soft, plastic weaponry. Even the fae themselves seem to have gotten into the spirit of the event, masquerading - poorly - as humans playing faerie creatures. Everything within this crafted townsquare is absolutely fake, except for the plentiful faire food and drink that can not be avoided. Newcomers will have massive turkey legs, steaming apple dumplings, and overflowing wooden mugs shoved into their hands as they stroll through the faire.
As the party winds down and everyone's eaten, a tall, stately elf 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.
CW: loss of agency, character death
Between the faeries cosplaying as humans - flat, bland wigs and all - Adopted may catch a glimpse or three of strange figures slinking through the crowd, all dressed up in the same cheap robes, wearing masks made up to look like rats. If an Adopted attempts to catch one of these figures, they’ll find themselves drawn away from the lively crowd into some darkened corner of the faire, where the sound of the festival doesn’t quite reach. The rat man will say nothing if spoken to, only holding out a shining, jeweled crown that all Adopted will feel compelled to wear before they scurry away without a word.
And for most of the party, the rat men seem harmless enough, lurking around and handing out crowns, making a point to hit most of the Seelie court’s Adopted in particular. It just seems like another strange misinterpretation of human tradition by the fae, unintentionally sinister when really it’s all for fun.
But then the party goes silent.
One of the rat men descends into the market square with a cheeky little dance, pipe in hand, already playing a jaunty tune that carries from one end of the faire to the other. Any Adopted wearing a crown will be unable to resist the call of the music, dancing along to every note. And as the figure masquerading as a rat begins to step backwards away from the crowd, they'll find themselves following right after him, forced to mimic his every step.
If they are not stopped by those without crowns, the Adopted will eventually dance themselves right into the forest with their piper, blindly following him even as the trees themselves begin to twist in around them. The further they get from the party, the more the brush becomes so thick it suffocates, vines and branches curling around limbs, trapping the Adopted long enough that they'll be swallowed up completely by the forest, returned to their dorm bedrooms by morning.
CW: loss of agency, unintentional harm, blood and gore
There is a veritable trove of activities the adopted can pick from to entertain themselves for the evening as they battle the relentless heat and scorching sun. But don't be fooled, the activities present aren't mundane and offer some thrilling options.
It should be noted that while of the other weapons to be found all over the faire are plastic, Adopted will see for themselves that there is no mistaking that the items used in these games are incredibly real.
- 🦋 Axe throwing & Archery: Of course, this sounds simple enough, but upon stepping up and picking up your axe or bow, you will find that you cannot stop until all arrows or axes are used (the number of which we leave to you). And your target? Why another Adopted, of course. In a blink, some random Adopted (be they known to you or not) will be selected and strapped to the target board, unable to teleport or wiggle free, trapped in much the same way you are. Until the last munition is used, neither of you can escape.
- Hope you have good aim.
- 🦋 Jousting: Three parties are at war for the jousting trophy - the Seelie, the Unseelie, and the Adopted. Now's your chance to ride for your chosen patron's honor and saddle up. Upon getting on the horse of your chosen patron, it will become impossible to dismount until you win or lose. Take up your lance and shield (did we mention they didn't offer armor?) and knock your opponent off their horse first or risk your own impalement and subsequent dishonor.
- Do not fear, no matter what happens during this event, the horses will be perfectly safe. The Adopted however do not have that same protection.
- 🦋 Darts: Seems simple enough. Much like the other games, once you begin to play you cannot stop until you and your partner reach 0. Upon starting, everything is normal other than the compulsion, but once the first dart is thrown? Well, your partner better have a good constitution because when either of you throw, the other will be hurt in turn. The closer to the bullseye you are, the more painful it will be.
- Isn't teamwork great?
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, tell us all of a time when you saw through a facade that fooled everyone around you. Perhaps the most compelling story will receive a reward from us.
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I just expected him to know better than to toss his dimension around like a salad because a kid asked him to.
[ He's waiting to see if that rings a bell. ]
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[ He nods to himself. ]
You're the one Gwen told me about.
[ Because this level of animosity and annoyance over the Multiverse and knowing him? This is definitely the Spider-Man Gwen mentioned when cutting his hair. ]
You do realize our current situation has nothing to do with me, correct?
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Dryly: ]
The magic spells and misplaced guests seem right up your alley, actually. Someone beat you to the punch?
[ He was just being snide. But really, nothing to do with him? Is he sure about that? ]
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[ He waves a hand towards the fake faire going on around them and the fae pretending to be humans. ]
I am, in fact, working on getting us free of this place. Though you're welcome to beat me to the punch. I'd welcome it.
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I'd offer a ride if my tech were still running.
[ Staring evenly at two partygoers play-fighting with silly plastic arming swords in their vicinity. ]
...This doesn't look like a place that would have parts for a particle accelerator lying around, but I'm happy to be proven wrong.
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[ Magic isn't the only solution to their current situation but Stephen believes it will be faster. Still, he has faith in the Tonys to make things work that shouldn't in this place. ]
You should speak with them if you want any technology made. They're usually found in or around the blacksmith's.
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Oh, good. I'm feeling a little more optimistic about not having to start from banging rocks together.
[ He's grumbly, but only because his alternative is crushing despair at the possible collapse of the entire Web. ]
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[ Is that a warning? Maybe. ]
And the magic here can have a very drastic effect on you if you use it. So, perhaps stick with your technology since you seem to have a strong distaste for magic.
[ And a strong distaste for him but Stephen is used to that. ]
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[ The extra obstruction is aggravating, but being stranded in a low tech/high magic universe was always a risk. At least it is closer to how his world works compared to the Popsicle Spider-Man Dimension. ]
Has anyone managed to mix the two?
[ Miguel, if he were a little less extra, would be talking about Tea right now. ]
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[ Uh-ho. Stephen is edging into the tone of voice that warns of a complex magical lecture. ]
It seems harmless and useful at first but it physically changes a person into more of a fae. I've seen people grow horns, scales, and fangs due to using it.
[ Stephen has none of these traits. He doesn't need fae magic. ]
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[ Miguel is fishing around for the Fairy-World equivalent of unspent fuel that (with time) he could extract and experiment with. He is not above putting a 'Clam-Powered Supercollider' idea into practice if that's whats on the table. ]
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[ Very frustrating for the former Sorcerer Supreme. ]
Tony from my universe is working on gunpowder. I'm sure he'd love to discuss bio-fuels with you.
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That’s something. It would help if I can borrow some of your magic for testing until we can find fuel.
[ Miguel sees a two-pronged approach, then. One arm of research into the fuel and another into making machinery responsive to “magic”. He wishes Lyla were here… it would make this go a lot faster. ]
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[ Though... he still has to figure out a few multiverse breaking things that he's not going to mention here lest his new "friend" get pissed again. ]
I have yet to try enchanting technology. It's an interesting thought experiment given how similar magic and advanced technology are.
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[ .... Miguel would not like more Multiverse breaking, but he at least can set aside his reservations to work on a common goal. ]
We'll see if the theory translates into practice.
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[ There are some complications that will require some breaking of the rules but Stephen is keeping those to himself. ]
I'm sure you'll find yourself with plenty of time to work on such things. Between these parties and the occasional crisis there's not much else to do besides fill your day with whatever you want.
[ He side steps a fae coming up to grab something. ]
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Where's that tea you were talking about?
[ Rubbing his temple. He hopes it's something Herbal, so his nerves don't feel like they're on fire in the middle of their conversation. ]
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I think today calls for something lighter. Would you like honey?
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Just tea is fine.
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Besides escaping this place, do you have any other concerns? Or fear of the magic here?
[ He assumes his anger towards him comes down to a fear of magic and a lack of understanding. As a log of anger does. ]
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[ The implication that his fear would be so petty like that annoys him. He isn’t Tony Stark, wringing his hands over some new robot design or nanotechnology until the Avengers call. His burden has grown so much heavier in scale, and he feels like he has no one he can turn to for help. Not really.
he sighs, seeming to at least be comforted by the wave of warmth through his body. It’s like a release valve of all the stress. ]
I will need to learn how the magic here works, one way or another.
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There's no giant hole in your branch of the Multiverse. For one, these fae are precise when they remove someone and second if there is a threat other Masters of the Mystical Arts will handle it.
[ It's arrogance to think his whole universe is collapsing simply because he was removed from it. Not even Stephen is that worried about their removals. ]
A disturbance on that level would disrupt my ability to do magic drawn from the energies of the multiverse and that hasn't happened. It's not good that we've been removed but it's not universe ending.
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[ The lecture is ruining the vibe of their tea. But Miguel is hesitant to reveal the nature of the Web of Life and Destiny if Strange hasn’t sensed it himself. The less meddling, the better.
He is just going to keep drinking from his cup. He looks okay on the surface, despite the insane detail he just revealed. ]
What did Gwen tell you about me?
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[ He says it dryly because even in this short conversation they've had Stephen has learned how true that is. ]
You're from the year 2099 and have developed a technology that allows you and the other Spider-Men you recruit to travel the Multiverse. To fix anomalies, I believe were her words. Which is typically the role of the Sorcerer Supreme. Is yours dead?
[ The mystic arts are better for handling some things but he's trying not to judge too harshly. Trying being the keyword. ]
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[ 'Trying' seems to be enough to smooth over the conversation. He knows he can be difficult. ]
There was a supercollider built on Earth-1610 that shot a storm of anomalies out of their home dimensions. All of that instability has already stressed the connections in our branch of the Multiverse.
[ Maybe his perpetual bad mood can make a little more sense with that context. ]
Your Earth is adjacent enough to observe but wasn't affected.
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wrap?