Test Drive Meme #8

[changelinged]

TDM #8 - April/May 2026

🦋 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 and Reserves open on the 18th while Applications open 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.

As the realm welcomes spring back to its embrace, the Ruler of the Spring Court partnered with the Ruler of the Dawn Court have chosen to herald its arrival by setting up a carnival party for their pets Adopted. Of course, the King proposed the setting, playful as he is, and the Duchess, in one of her rare moments agreed, granted that the gathering would be held in the break of dawn. So, hues of orange, pink, and yellow grace the skies of the realm, which are probably better viewed atop of that huge ferris wheel.

Oddly enough, there are only a few fae around and they're not exactly playing into the theme, per se, with all of them attending the party as they are. They're all having fun, though, and riding the different attractions. Perhaps it's mostly due to how vast the area is. The King really pulled all the stops for this to happen. He loves his Adopted, after all. Aside from the various rides, there are a lot of different stalls, too, all selling typical food and wares found in carnivals such as cotton candies, taffy, corndogs, and sodas, which all taste a bit off.

As the party winds down and everyone's eaten, a tall, stately woman stands up on one of the platforms available. 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.

🦋 Mirror, Mirror

CW: body horror, unsettling images, psychological horror

Come one, come all, to the Hall Of Mirrors!

A fae dressed in a suit with a top hat announces, promising a good time and the chance to see nice things inside. Apart from the Adopted's reflection, of course.

As soon as you enter, though, laughter wafts through the air. At first, you think it's probably a magical laugh track they play for all newcomers, but the deeper you traverse this attraction's halls, the sooner you realize, the laughter doesn't stop. Depending on your mood, it seems harmless enough. But the more you think on it, the more menacing it sounds. And somehow, it sounds familiar, too. Maybe that irritating landlord you had before coming here. Or that man who killed your whole family. Perhaps.

Speaking of familiar, you turn to your left or to your right, and there you are. Or are you, really? The thing is, these mirrors don't just show you your reflection, they show you something else:

• From Within: At first glance, you look fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. But upon closer inspection, something akin to a tentacle moved inside your cheek. You blink and there's nothing, until it transfers to your arm instead. Or maybe it moved to your leg. Perhaps this time, it bulges on your side. You think it's just the reflection and you look away. But the hardest pill to swallow here is you see it again without looking at the mirror, moving, crawling on your arm, onto your chest. Somebody get it out! Nobody sees it but you.
• From Outside: Everything seems okay. Sure, the laughter's getting annoying, and the deeper you walk through these halls, your reflection doesn't seem to change much. Did you just get short-changed? Promised a nice thing you'll see and the attraction failed to deliver? You'd hope so, because the moment you look again, you're instantly seeing the reflection of your Court Ruler, or any of the rulers if one's un-adopted, following your every move. And the more you stare, the more you think, hey. Maybe they're not so bad, after all. Perhaps when you get out, you'll have newfound appreciation for them and for this realm. Maybe you'd want to stay.

🦋 Fair Play

CW: kidnapping, loss of agency, unsettling images, body horror, gore

Designed to delight the various Adopted they have brought to this realm, the carnival party has tons of attractions and rides. Of course, with the fae being fae, a lot of them aren't what they seem, even if the rulers always try their best to appease their subjects.

To their credit, though, this party is perhaps the closest they have gotten to recreating something from the human realm to a tee. This is subject to scrutiny whenever an Adopted chooses to try the following attractions, which they will find themselves paired up for each one:

• Ferris Wheel: Harmless enough during the first loop, but on the second, fog begins to creep in, and the carnival below disappears as soon as both of you crest to the very top. Glancing around, you'll find the two of you are the only ones in sight, every other gondola terrifyingly empty. The ride creaks to a full stop. The wind picks up. The gondola sways... and you find yourselves trapped at the top somewhere between ten minutes to a full hour, no doubt beginning to run through all of the usual fae scenarios on how to get out of this situation. Do you have to reveal a secret? Kiss your partner? Offer your undying loyalty to a court ruler in exchange for safety? The answer is you only had to wait for the ferris wheel to creak back to life, but you don't know that.

• Swan Lake: Enjoy a romantic pedal boat for two! At first, the music only adds to the intimate ambiance of the ride, colorful fish gracefully leaping out of the water as if to guide you on your journey. But the deeper out onto the lake you pedal, the small fish turn into bigger fins slicing through the water, that beautiful song in your ear taking on a hollow, haunted sound. And as the melody continues to grow louder and louder around you, a merm pops up out of the lake and snatches your fellow Adopted from the boat in an attempt to drown them. Care for a swim to save them? Or do you turn around and save yourself?

• Bumper Car: The most annoying ride offered, because the moment you dare to honk your horn at another bumper car, instead of the shrill HONK you'd expect, the horn moans in your own voice. Embarrassing, isn't it? Still, it somehow isn't the worst part. The idea of the ride is to purposefully bump into each other, but Adopted will find that the more you bump into a fellow Adopted, the tighter your seatbelt becomes. Another bump, and the leather grates into your torso. Better steer clear otherwise your lungs will be crushed. Good thing the attraction has a timer, right? Wrong. This ride will not let the Adopted go until at least one rider's struggling to breathe.

🦋 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.

Are you all having fun? Make sure to keep both of your hands and feet inside the ride at all times.

ｎａｖｉｇａｔｉｏｎ

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Comments

QUESTIONS

[changelinged]

Feel free to ask any questions you may have by replying to this comment! We already answered some for you. Just click the dropdown below to expand.

ANSWERS TO SOME ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS

Can everyone see my character's answer to the GEIS prompt?

Yes, that's public to everyone unless your character chooses to disclose it to a select few.

When does the GEIS prompt take place relative to the others?

The Lawspeaker will post her question as the party starts to wind down. Your character could answer while still at the party or after it if you prefer.

Do the fae present in the party look human?

Some of them will, to help make the Adopted feel more comfortable. But most will not bother. Some figure they look similar enough that a human won't be able to tell they aren't one (thus creating an Uncanny Valley sort of effect). Others simply just do not care about the comfort of their guests and will walk around with their full Fae appearances.

What do the carnival junk food taste like?

A running theme in these TDM parties is the idea that the fae can never quite get human food right. So, feel free to play with this as you wish, depending on what you like in your thread. Cotton candies can taste sour. Taffy tastes bitter. The sodas aren't carbonated, etc etc. The world's your oyster.

My character has allergies/food restrictions/a special diet. Will there be a list of ingredients for characters with allergies?

There are always foods that are accessible for a specific character. The fae are trying to kidnap you, not poison you.

What if my character tries to remove the imaginary tentacle they see in the mirror?

They can try with a blade or magic or whatever, but that will only hurt them, and won't stop them from seeing the hallucination on their bodies. Again, they're the only ones who can see it moving about, so it's up to the player how much they want their characters to panic.

How long will my character see the imaginary tentacle?

This is up to the player's discretion. It can be for a few short minutes or up to one hour, whatever works best for your thread.

What happens if they break one (or many) of the mirrors?

They'll shatter and then reform in a few seconds. The fae are hoping you'll get tired of this, eventually.

My character has some kind of power/special ability that lets them see through illusions, can they see through the mirror illusions?

Nope! Maybe somehow it's taking over their power, or it would be especially damning to fall prey to such a thing- it should be a terrifying experience one way or another.

Can my character escape any of the rides?

Now where's the fun in that, though? Sure, your very powerful character can break through any of the rides, but for the purpose of collaborative fun, potent magic will keep them pinned to the rides for however long the player wants.

Is there a height or any kind of restriction on the rides?

Not in the slightest. The fae only know enough about humans to make it look convincing, so there may be stands that suggest height restrictions, but they go unmentioned as set dressing.

How long is my character stuck in the ferris wheel?

Up to you! It can be for a few short minutes or up to one hour, whatever works best for your thread. The whole time, though, the wind's a bit strong, so your character better buckle up and hold on tight!

RE: Ferris wheel - when characters are alone at the top in the fog, can they hear other characters in the other gondolas? What happens if they throw something? What happens if they try to leave their gondola themselves?

For all intents and purposes, they seem to be completely alone- anything thrown into the abyss will not seem to hit anything, and neither character will be able to hear other gondolas. Trying to get out will find them hitting the fog as if it's a solid wall, without being able to go through.

RE: Swan Lake - are characters able to kill the merm?

They are able to attack the thing that is drowning them, and they may appear to kill it insomuch that it will sink to the bottom of the lake and disappear. However, should they go on the ride later, there always seems to be another one...

RE: Swan Lake - what happens if my character is deaf/HoH/some other reason they can't hear the song?

The song is something you feel more than hear- those with no ability to listen will feel it like vibrations inside them, the creeping dread of something large coming that's shaking the earth.

Can my character go for a swim in the paddle boat lake on their own?

If you want, but you will be met with the same being out to drown you for sport. Hope you're a strong swimmer!

How long is my character stuck in the bumper car?

We leave this up to you! It can be for a few short minutes or up to one hour, whatever works best for your thread.

Bumper cars - is there a corner an adopted pair could hang out in after they realize what the seat belt is doing?

You can certainly try! But the cars seem to be attracted to each other and will try to rebel if left idle too long.

Could a character try to drive the bumper cars out of their enclosure for enrichment?

Sure, you can certainly try, but the cars seem to want to be together, so they'll resist attempts to go too far away from their pack.

What happens if my character tries to cut the seat belt of the bumper car?

The seat belt seems to be uncuttable, for some reason- any notch made in it is repaired instantly, and tightens again as a result of it now thinking you want to leave and acting appropriately. It's not done with you yet!

Is there anything/decor/etc we could steal from the event to use later?

Any items you acquire can be kept provided you're staying in the Fae realm, but it's almost exclusively food and terrible carnival prizes. The fae don't really understand why you would want to keep this, but some Adopted can be sentimental.

Are there any game booths inside the carnival?

The only game booth inside the whole carnival is the Duchess Sahar's. Otherwise, all of the other booths are there to sell cheap Court Ruler merchandise, such as photocards and plush dolls, and junk food.

Is my character who's already in-game required to participate in this party/TDM?

Absolutely not! They can definitely opt-out of this party if they so wish. The TDM is optional for existing characters. As with most things, you do not have to if you do not want to.

But what if I want my character to participate?

Then, by all means they're welcome to join in on the fun! There can be any number of reasons they'd be in the party. Either they were compelled to go or they were curious enough to see who the fae kidnapped this time. Take your pick!

Re: QUESTIONS

[fatalexception]

If a character tried to fish in the lake, would there be anything to catch? (Besides, presumably, the merm's attention. Good job Nines you found a way to almost drown without even getting on a boat-)

[elementofcupcakes]

Does the Lawspeaker like candy?

If Yes: Pinkie will send her the nicest piece she has.

If No: Pinkie will send her the nicest piece from King Narciso with this note tied to it:

From King Narciso's Personal Stash

NPC INTERACTIONS - New Characters Only

[changelinged]

It is not clear why you're here. In the hustle and bustle of the party, of different people and fae alike greeting you with small talk and encouraging you to eat, you find yourself in a lavishly decorated table inside a tent in the middle of the carnival with a spread of food and drinks. You don't know how you ended up here. You don't even know this table existed earlier. It absolutely looks vastly different from the others. Bigger and more luxurious with an air of importance to it. You are sure you haven't seen it before.

Or have you?

The food and drinks don't seem untouched, so this just means someone, or perhaps some fae, is dining here. Question is, where are they?

( Mod Note: Tag-ins to the NPCs will only be available over the next month - After May 15th, NPCs will no longer be responding to new tag-ins. )

NEW CHARACTER TOP LEVELS

[changelinged]

If your character is not currently in the game, link your TL here! Put Character Name - Canon at the subject line.

Sae Niijima - Persona 5

[justiceblind]

Here

Daan | Fear & Hunger: Termina

[livelamentlove]

here kitty kitty

Eponine Thenardier - Les Miserables

[lutin]

https://pixieledmemes.dreamwidth.org/3038.html?thread=9069534#cmt9069534

lestat de lioncourt | interview with the vampire

[perfectionner]

here!

Sho Minazuki | Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

[rulesmasher]

Here!

9S | Nier: Automata

[fatalexception]

Here!

Duchess Sahar 🔥 NPC

[justbefore]

[Typically, the court rulers are found during these parties at a head table or at least moving around and enjoying themselves- not usually doing anything resembling work. But finding the Duchess this time is easy, because lesser fae are running between the stalls, yelling and pulling Adopted in towards a particular booth saying they must come see what the Duchess has done now.

At first glance, it appears to be a simple game booth, Sahar floating gently with her legs crossed in a long, showstopping red and orange dress. To her side is a board covered in seemingly regular, multi-colored balloons, inflated and held in place by what seem to be regular pushpins. There are even darts helpfully lined up on the front of the stall as if to illustrate the point. But unlike a few other stalls, which all seem to have cheap Court Ruler merchandise up for purchase, Sahar's seems to be festooned in little bits of fire strung up like string lights that call out to Adopted who pass by. Perhaps they're promising you a missing memory. The restoration of a person you've long missed or near-forgotten. A new power. Even a chance to go home. And anyone who approaches gets met with her wicked little smile, and a gesture to the darts lined up on the lip of the stall.]

It's really quite simple. Pop a balloon-- [A sweeping gesture behind her to the board, and] -- win a prize.

[The hand sweeps upwards towards the sparkling bits of flame, as if she is really, actually intending on giving away free blessings for a game. But watch for a minute or two and you might see the problem- in that Sahar is flagrantly and unapologetically cheating. Any dart that even remotely gets close to the board is caught into sudden flame and reduced to ashes, met with a loud, shrieking cackle from the woman obviously doing the arson. Even if you try to throw something else, it too will simply burst into extravagant flame and disappear the moment it gets within a foot or so of the board- and that will include Adopted, should they decide to take matters into their own hands. But for those who try and fail, she'll give them the widest smile, and a little flick of the wrist.]

Aww, too bad. Try again next time!

[maritorious]

[Nancy hadn't had a chance to speak to Sahar since her feast the other day, so the opportunity to speak with her patron Court Ruler was not to be missed. She doesn't care about the dart game, though when her dart bursts into flame she does give the ruler a slight look.]

What did you think? [She asks her, eager to hear that her feast had been a succuss.] Did I do alright?

[Tell her she did well, mom.]

King Narciso 🌺 NPC

[bloomings]

[ Because Narciso doesn't want to see whatever the Duchess is up to, and he's sure the Duchess doesn't want to see him either after the painstaking planning stage they had to get this party the way it is, he's wandering around the carnival while greeting lesser fae and Adopted alike.

He's in his full king regalia: a flower crown on his head, an assortment of plants and flowers on his long cape that looks to disappear into the ground, and the smell of springtime whenever he passes by. Every path he takes, he leaves a variety of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. Spring is his season so he's naturally taking full advantage of the turning tide.

Whenever an Adopted passes him by, he'd be whipping out cotton candy to give them with a huge, warm smile. Dealer's choice on what flavor it is, and if it's actually the intended flavor. ]

Here, have some sweet treats, child. [ An Adopted will find they can't refuse no matter how much they want to, even with whatever ward they have in place against his magic. ] Have you tried any of the rides such as the- [ Checks notes. ] -rolling coast her? [ Nailed it. ]

( Mod Note: Tag-ins to this NPC will be limited to five (5) only. Any tag-in exceeding this number will not be entertained. )

[meforsaken]

[Loki rolls their eyes slightly at "child", but takes the treat regardless. At least they're not actually in the form of a child currently, all the mishaps with the orb restoring them to Factory Settings Loki. But that only accounted for their form, not their clothing unfortunately and so they're dressed in something casual probably yanked from Billy's shop. Yes, they're using a glamour for their horns, yes they know that's stupid.]

I'll admit, I do have a bit of a sweet tooth. [they respond with a smile, though not yet taking a bite. They're going to, of course, but they don't wish to talk with their mouth full.]

Your ignorance is almost cute, you know. I thought it a trick at first, the same kind my brother and I play on Midgardians. But nay, I have not ridden any rides yet. I'd rather watch everyone else embarrass themselves first.

Sae Niijima | Persona 5

[justiceblind]

I. A Trap of a Welcoming

[Parties aren't, to begin with, really Sae's scene. One could argue there may be exceptions, but the one finding her in a carnival likely wouldn't be one of them. Many things about the situation have seemed blatantly off. Aside from the obvious.

A sceptic's mind struggles to accept ideas like fae and noble fairy courts. These are the sorts of concepts that belong in fantasy books. She wonders, as she eats, why precisely she has the intense hunger that she does. She's a woman who struggles to put down her work in favour of a meal. To disregard the wariness in abundance just to satisfy hunger is an odd experience, to say the least.

To say nothing of the announcement that is made at the end of it all. A carefully-laid trap? With furrow in her brow, Sae wears her displeasure transparently. She'd like to think herself too clever, too cunning and observant to fall into a trap like this. Something else is responsible for this.]

I won't accept this. [She's on her feet already, hands planted on the table.] I want to speak to whoever's responsible for this. You can't keep anyone here against their will.

[Apparently Sae has missed the memo on the rules of fae kind.]

II. Proper Carnival Assessment

[Considering the state of affairs, Sae hasn't found herself to be in a particularly jovial mood. But if she's not allowed to leave, then at the very least, she can put her time to good use. Right now, that's assessing the carnival party itself, the rides, the other people who are like her and here involuntarily, people who have been here for longer. In short, she's conducting reconnaissance in the most professional manner that she knows how to.

You may find yourself heading towards some of the games to play for prizes. Perhaps you're going to some of the rides. Maybe you're planning to get more food to eat, or maybe you're just scoping the rest of the park to see where your feet take you next. Either way, there's a well-dressed woman with ashen hair, piercing dark eyes carefully catching you by the arm. Her expression is stern and serious.

...One has to wonder how often Sae laughs or smiles.]

Do you have time to answer some questions?

[Of course you do, right?]

III. Wildcard

[As it says on the tin. Please use this for anything else you might like to do. You can DM Sae's journal, hash out plans here, or contact me at roseofmay. For those canon familiar, I'm taking Sae post Royal and Strikers.]

ii. (quietly screaming hi)

[reworking]

[Of all the people Sumire would never expect to see here, Sae is definitely at the top of that list.]

Niijima-san? [Sumire’s eyes go wide with surprise, then she shakes off the shock and remembers her manners, offering the older woman a polite bow.] Y-yes, of course! I’ll answer if I can - what would you like to know?

Daan | Fear & Hunger: Termina

[livelamentlove]

[OOC: Please check out Daan's character at-a-glance and general content warnings list if unfamiliar with Fear & Hunger, a cruel game for horror freaks. All prompts OTA and I will match prose or bracket formatting.]

The Party

[Hunger got him, after all. Daan had arrived starved, he couldn't resist the offering of food when presented. The meal was far better than the rotten and moldy rations he'd been scarfing down in Prehevil. A taste of the good life he'd only so briefly known. Other were eating, clearly it wasn't poisoned. Something much, much worse. Trading his soul to be toyed with by some other, unknown force.

Daan is sitting with his head in a hand, the other occupied with a lit cigarette. He rubs at his nose, at the area beneath his eyepatch. Once again, you find yourself in the familiar pit of despair-]

Just my luck.

Mirror, Mirror

[The laughter drew him into this particular attraction. Familiar. Awfully familiar. At first, it sounded like his late wife. Her whimsical, mean laugh when he told her stories from growing up. Then, it twisted, it became another voice. The voice of that monster that had pursued them in town. Who Daan looked over once they killed- who looked just like his father-in-law...

Daan has his scalpel palmed, half hidden in his dominant hand. He's ready to attack, to strike first if need be. He's careful to not be distracted with mere reflections. There's a feeling when someone is near, he can tell the difference, he can-]

... lost in here, too? [it's another party goer he stumbles upon. He can recognize them from the table they ate at, though Daan wasn't exactly in a talkative mood back then. Too busy eating food like a man who starving. Because he quite literally was.

He slips the scalpel back up his sleeve. No need to be threatening, not unprovoked.]

lestat de lioncourt | interview with the vampire

[perfectionner]

mirror, mirror;

[ It's not the first time a party has seemingly been thrown in Lestat's honor, but it is one he's becoming increasingly skeptical of.

The theme, for starters, is one he would never have willingly chosen for himself, preferring something more along the lines of a more elaborate ball or a visceral display of debauchery (or both) than this quaint little circus. But he's willing to play along for the sake of the situation he presently finds himself in, even if it includes ingratiating himself with their exalted captors. (He's already a bit perturbed at having been tricked into eating something that seemingly prevents him from leaving of his own volition.)

The laughter in the hall of mirrors begins innocuously enough — a cheap recording, clearly designed to invoke fear into lesser hearts — but then it veers into more familiar territory, something mocking, and Lestat finds himself whirling around amid countless reflections of his own countenance, knowing it would be entirely impossible for this place to resurrect the dead but weighing the likelihood of it anyway.

Unfortunately, whoever crosses his path next is going to end up hauled off their feet, either by Lestat's grip on their shoulder or a hand encircling their throat before he presses them into the closest mirror with dark eyes and a menacing snarl. ] What is the meaning of this?

ferris wheel;

[ The ride Lestat ultimately resigns himself to, after the hall of mirrors' unique form of torment, seems benign by comparison, even if he could easily ascend much higher on his own power. Some of the cars are already filled when he boards, but his solo status is immediately advertised, loudly and with great abandon, until someone volunteers to be his partner.

Unsurprisingly, Lestat is muttering under his breath at the affront, a blend of very colorful French and English cursing, while actively turning himself away from his fellow occupant until the wheel begins to move again. In fact, it takes him several moments to acknowledge his company — perhaps even the first loop passes before he finally swivels on the shared seat to address them directly, and likely differently depending on whether they happen to hold a note of familiarity for him. ]

You volunteered to put me out of my misery, so I assume you have some sort of ulterior motive. [ or, ] No need to do more than you already have. We can simply wait until the ride stops before going our separate ways. [ or, ] Whatever should we do, now that we've been left alone together?

wildcard

[ if you want a more bespoke prompt or to run into lestat elsewhere, feel free to hmu @ favoritings or pm me with alternate plotting ideas! he's currently sitting in post-season 2 limbo as far as canon point is concerned. ]

Ferris Wheel

[diana_abel]

[There are few things Diana Abel loves more than a Frenchman. There are few things Diana Abel hates more than Cainite dudes. It's quite the situation that she finds herself in.

She was just waiting in line for the Ferris Wheel, tying off the last of the knots in the flower crown she wove for herself, out of the blossoms left in the wake of the King. Barely paying attention. When the carnival barker called out for any other single riders, she volunteered without paying enough attention at all. She even offered the stranger a smile as she pranced up the stairs, settling neatly in the seat beside him, crossing her legs at the ankles. She's wearing a cute dress today that's purple and satin and makes her feel like a siren in an old Hollywood movie.

It's only once the growling starts that Diana begins to pay closer attention. It takes no amount of aura perception to read his mood. But against her better judgement, she's looking closer now, pulling out threads of pale colors that mean nothing good for her.

So, naturally, the ride grinds to a halt. Right at the top. Of course it does.

Merde.

Diana tightens her grip on the safety bar.]

It'll get going again soon.

[An aggressively West Coast American accent. As if it's not her native language and she's speaking it from phonetics.]

We just gotta be patient.

Eponine Thenardier - Les Miserables

[lutin]

Party

Eponine wakes, crumpled in a heap with her face pressed to the grass. For a moment nothing seems different, and she lies there, enjoying that peaceful beat before yet another day begins. The sounds of others waking disturbs her. Eponine pushes herself to sitting, looking round in confusion. There had definitely not been so many beggars to fall asleep on her stretch of road when she had chosen it. It was why she had chosen her ditch. And now...

Now the sky is different and there is music and smells that Eponine doesn't recognise. She stands, not gracefully, but rather without thinking. She's more intent on the people around her, their strange clothes. Women in trousers and their hair...

She puts her hand out to someone who glances her way.

"Please. Not for a coin, but for information. Please, only a moment of your time. It is not a scam, I swear."


Mirror Mirror

From Within

Eponine's got no concept of a funfair, but she adores mirrors, so she is quite happy to go inside. At first, the laughter is nice; it makes her smile wand join in the revelry as she turns to and fro in front of a mirror. She reaches out to smooth her tangled, dark hair when she notices it. Something moving in her cheek. She freezes and leans closer. No? There is nothing there. It is a trick of the light.
Or her mind.
She is hungry, and she knows that when she hasn't eaten for several days, she can start to see things that aren't real.
But - la. Again on her arm. And now her leg. Her forehead.
Eponine touches each place, but the thing, it moves fast and she can't catch it.

"La! Stop! Stop!"

She scratches at her skin. "If it is real, stop. And if my head - please. Please, I do not know!"

Fair Play

Ferris Wheel

Eponine's never been on one. Never seen one. When it starts to move, she clutches at the bars tight, her knuckles turning white.

"Is it supposed to be so?" She asks her companion. "No, I don't think I like it. I want to get off."

It's almost as if the contraption hears Eponine and laughs. It groans to a stop, leaving the pair swaying at the top of the wheel. Eponine looks down and shrieks.

"No. No, I don't like it. Make it go down. Make it start. Now!"

Swan Lake

Eponine has a lot of practical skills. Running, climbing, picking locks... or pockets. But swimming is not one of them. In fact, Eponine is not a fan of water at all, not after that night by the Seine.
What had possessed her when she agreed to ride a boat, she doesn't know. But she is here and suddenly, something is dragging her into the water. She shrieks and is rewarded with a mouth full of water. Fighting against what she can only presume is a monster, she kicks, and latches her fingers to the boat.

"Help me, and I shall do anything you want. I swear."

Bumper Car

Now this is a complete mystery to Eponine, having never seen neither car nor ride. At first, she doesn't get it. Her first bump is accidental as she struggles to get the car to move.
"Sorry!" she shouts. "I did not mean -"
But she trails off. Are these belts supposed to do that?
Another bump and the seatbelt tightens again.
Eponine shouts out. "La. How is it that this is fun? It doesn't feel nice? It hurts."

Party

[maritorious]

At first, Nancy thinks it's a trick of the light. Another game the Fae might have been playing. But she sees her again, and she knows, somehow that this is her. Eponine is back, and she doesn't think she's been quite this excited in some time.

Sure that Eponine will recognize her, Nancy wastes no time in throwing her arms around her friend. "Eponine!" She cries out, "Oh I've missed you I'm so happy you're here! Come, let's get something to eat and try one of the rides!"

Cliff Norman | Wilde Life | Dawn Court, ota

[fuckingitup]

[a. Ferris Wheel]

'Kay, well.

[This was hardly unexpected. Despite the fact that they're hanging some unknown hundreds of feet up in the air, Cliff is beginning to clamber over the edge of the little car after five minutes.]

I'm gonna climb down. Good luck.

[b. Swan Ride]
[He swears he doesn't remember actually trying to get into the rides, because there's no way in fuck he's engaging with any of this shit, but here he is, sinking into his seat, waiting for death to take him as the sappy romantic music plays.

Death comes soon enough, but it misses Cliff entirely and snatches his seatmate, disappearing down into the depths of the water.]

Oh shit.

[.....OK so technically they would just revive the next day so it's not that big of a deal and there's like a 50/50 chance it'd be fine if he just rowed away, but.]

Fuck. Shit. Uh. Yell if you're alive.

Ferris Wheel

[maritorious]

[Nancy reaches out and grabs Cliff's hands.] No, no you are not. You are not leaving me up here, not in a million years. you stay right here with me and we'll get down together.

[She doesn't want to sit still and watch you fall to your death.]

Sho Minazuki | Persona 4 Arena Ultimax | New Character, OTA

[rulesmasher]

A. Welcome Party

[A boy with a distinct, scarred face appears amidst the festivities, wide-eyed and confused. Mere moments ago, he was in the clutches of 'General Teddie', but now he's... fine? The red fog is gone. Or, rather, he's far from the roof of the transformed Yasogami High. The Persona fragments, Yu Narukami, even that damned fool, Adachi, are nowhere to be seen...

It's laughable, really. So laughable that the boy, Sho, can't help but stir in their shared consciousness.

What the hell?! We were so close, damn it!

Outwardly, the boy shuts his eyes, inhales slowly, and regains an odd degree of composure. Calm yourself. I will assess the situation.

And let you have all the fun? No way! You already booted me outta the driver's seat before I could kick Narukami's ass!

...True. It was rather unceremonious, and to be thrust from the cusp of what they thought was their victory is only pouring salt in an already open wound...

Sighing, Minazuki relents.

The boy's demeanor shifts once more. The calm composure gives way to something more... erratic as Sho glaress at any onlookers who may have caught them standing like a deer in headlights.]

Hey! The hell're you staring at?!

[Astute observers may notice the twin katanas at his belt. Those familiar with Yasogami High may even recognize the pants and the gakuran tied to his waist.

Irritable, he unsheathes one of the blades.]

This may be a party, but if you don't watch it, I'll cut you like a cake!

[...But seriously, what's up with the carnival? A part of him's more curious about his surroundings, and his body's still fatigued from that close call with Kagutsuchi.]

B. An Ugly Reflection (Body Horror CW)

[Eventually, Sho finds himself drawn to the hall of mirrors purely out of curiosity. It's not like Inaba ever had attractions like this. It was all just boring, and before that, he only had the solitude as a lab rat. That weird laughter makes him bristle, and he keeps one hand on the hilt of one of his swords, but soon the mirrors catch his eye and...]

Ack!

[Something moving under his skin? He doesn't feel it, but he reflexively touches his cheek.

When he blinks, it's gone, but what he sees instead makes hims tagger back, as now his left arm's ensnared by an ugly, dripping tentacle.

Calm yourself, Minazuki tries to tell him. Surely it's only a trick of the— He attacks the mirror, shattering it momentarily, but the broken shards reassemble. Worse, when he looks at his arm, it's still right there.

Naturally, Sho yells, and he even turns his blade at the tentacle, ready to strike.]

I'll make sashimi outta you!

[But there is no tentacle. Though Sho sees it moving around his body, he's only slashing at the empty air.

Someone may want to intervene before this gets out of hand.]

C. Above the Fog

[This sucks. Sho thought he could ride this alone, but nooooo. He just had to be stuck with someone else, forced into this stinking car, which stopped. Damn, busted ride! He glowers, peering down at the fog below.]

...Bet I could bust outta here, but it's a long way down.

[A long way down, and he'd have to let Minazuki use Tsukiyomi to not end up a bloody splat on the ground.

Grumbling, he crosses his arms.]

You better not try anything stupid, or I'll throw ya outta here myself.

[For someone Sho, that's almost polite. The bar is not very high with this one.]

D. Wild Card!

[Feel free to hit me up with other prompts! You can also DM me or hit me up at Dorked. I got permission from Souji's player to have name confusion shenanigans, and Sho is taken from... near the end of the Persona 4 scenario of Ultimax, but still has Minazuki with him. I apologize for this idiot boy's violence and puns.]

A is for Ahh shit this will surely go well

[deathboss]

[Eikichi is still not sure which is worse; a fae run carnival, or a fae run high school party that was the last time they had new people show up.

By now, however, he feels like it's almost his duty (?) to act as a sort of Persona-sensing scout and see who shows up. Maybe figure out which group they belong to, tell them what he knows, etc etc.

Except this guy...feels kinda off. Like he thinks he might have a persona but there's also something else there? Like the feeling he feels when he's too close to Junpei's evoker.

So yeah, he was starring. This guy doesn't have to act like a dick about it. Unfortunately, Eikichi is not..the calmest of his group either. He adjusts the guitar case that's slung on his back.]

Are you threatening me?!

Lena | Ducktales 2017 | Dark Court

[in_her_shadow]

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

[ What really irks Lena, this time around, is that this is actually the sort of thing she'd have loved to do with Webby. Introducing her to the rides and the artery-clogging food, maybe catching a sweet moment in the Ferris wheel, having genuine fun for once... so of course, the Fae have to taint that in her mind. Jerks.

Her mental state only gets worse when she's in the Hall Of Mirrors as the laughter she hears is Magica De Spell's evil cackling. The woman who created her, "raised" her, abused her, "killed" her. It just won't stop, until Lena screams - ]

SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!

[ Her body takes on a blueish, whiteish glow, and she winds up punching the mirror - her magic causing the entire thing to shatter and rain down around her feet. Only her hand is injured, and the glow stops. She holds her aching hand, her knuckles bleeding, as she feels your eyes on her. She doesn't look up, and her voice is sharp and harsh. ]

... It'll be fine. Stop staring.

Ride The Cyclone

[ Not trusting the Fae as far as she could throw them, Lena didn't intend to go onto any rides. But the ever so helpful workers at the Ferris Wheel aren't giving her a choice. She finds herself yanked -

"Come on in, plenty of room!" ]

H-Hey! Let me go! I don't want to ride your stupid - GAH!

[ Since ducks in her world weigh less than starved kittens, they easily lift and throw her inside. Maybe she landed on top of you, or maybe you're about to climb in yourself. Regardless, Lena groans as she tries to get to her feet. ]

Great. Just great. How's this thing gunna try to kill me...?

GEIS - un;featherweightsfan

Huh. So they gave up the whole "give us a story and maybe we'll reward you but never actually do it" spiel. About time.

Okay, newbies, let's get this over with. You're gunna grow antlers and wings and scales and whine about it. Yeah, you've got important stuff at home, we all do, you're not special. You're gunna meet talking animals, and they're just like you, so keep the staring to a minimum.

Oh, and we recently discovered the Fae brought us here because they can't repopulate themselves, so we became the next-gen, apparently.

That should cover the big parts. Insert typical sarcastic teenage comment here, I'm wiped.

Wildcard
[ Make your own prompt! Feel free to plot with me at melcat33 for both plurk/discord ]

9S | Nier: Automata | new

[fatalexception]

[Alright, we're doing this for real this time. This calls for some appropriate background music...]

A. hall of mirrors

[He's not sure when it changed, but the laughter sounds different than when he entered. Familiar. A lot like Adam, actually, and even though he knows that creepy bastard is gone for good the resemblance puts him on edge. At first, he thinks his nerves are just getting to him when he catches a glimpse of out-of-place motion in the mirrors; but then he turns a corner and finds himself facing his image dead-on, and something unmistakably crawls from underneath his visor and around the back of his neck. 9S slaps a hand to the spot and feels nothing out of the ordinary.]

Pod! Scan—

[Oh, right. He had to leave it outside. 9S's own diagnostics are coming up stubbornly normal, everything within optimal ranges even as he looks down and catches a glimpse of something undulating beneath the exposed skin just below his knee. He yelps, instinctively reaching back for his sword and quite possibly elbowing whoever's behind him.]

B. such great heights

[9S meant it when he told Narcisco he was interested in the view from the ferris wheel. What better way to get his bearings than to see the big picture from up high? He just likes to be tall.

He expected to take the ride alone (if you don't count Pod, who did get to come in with him this time and is hovering near the ceiling, as close to being out of the way as the small space will permit), but he doesn't complain when the fae attendant ushers another passenger into the gondola.]

Hey. Here for the view, too?

C. worm off the string

[Oof. Time to take a walk after those... experiences, get some fresh air... He follows the sound of music, finding himself at the shore of the lake he'd glimpsed from up on the wheel.]

Hey, Pod. Think we could catch one of those?

[he gestures out to the colorful, splashing fish. With a calm Affirmative, the support unit glides out over the water and submerges itself, emerging with a splash shortly afterward to return with something clutched in its manipulators that is decidedly not a fish.]

Report: Unknown object.

Yeah, I can see that.

[9S takes the fuzzy... worm thing from Pod and gestures back to the water, sending it flying back in while he examines its catch. The next splash is far too loud to be made by a pod alone, and even as Pod surfaces and calls out Alert—, scaled hands are yanking the distracted android into the water.

YoRHa-type androids can do a lot of things, but you know what they can't do? Swim.]

D. GEIS (un: nines)

Little late for the warning, don't you think?

E. wildcard/plotting
[Feel free to hit me with a prompt of your own! Places he might be be found besides the above prompts: at the base of the "rolling coast her" (thanks Narcisco) considering if it's worth the risk, on the bumper cars regretting his choices, or wandering the midway trying to find 2B. I'm also cool with tweaking the timeline of events in that lake prompt if anyone wants to join in his angling endeavors! In most locations (though he'll have to leave it outside of rides for the most part,) 9S will be accompanied by Pod 153, a boxy, black floating robot.
As far as canon point, Nines here is coming from right after ending B. You can DM me here or hmu at insanityprelude to plot.]

i heard the word fishing and my fishboy was summoned

[fishermansweater]

[ Finnick is here without Annie, but that doesn't mean he's not thinking of her. There's a huge stuffed toy from a carnival stall set carefully on the ground so he can give it to her when he goes back to the castle. For now, though, Finnick's attention is on the worm-shaped, vividly colored fish. He's been watching them, and they look uncanny. Like furry worms, but they wriggle and jump like fish.

The obvious solution is to try to catch some, so Finnick's been sitting by the side of the lake, a bunch of plucked reeds at his side, weaving a net with mesh small enough to actually catch the things. He's quick at his work, but it's still taken him some time, and he's finally finished.

He's rolled up the legs of his pants and is knee-deep in the water. He hauls in a netload of the little worms and has just started examining them. They're not fish. They're barely even worms, they're more like a toy, really -- then he hears the call Alert, then the splash.

Finnick shoves a handful of the not-actually-fish into his pocket and spins to see what's happening.

When he does, he splashes out into the water and starts swimming towards the commotion. ]

V1 | Ultrakill | Day Court

[mechanicalmortality]

1. totally ordinary swan boat ride

[ One might think, very understandably so, that being grabbed and pulled in by some sort of Fae is going to end with the person in question being drowned. Ordinarily, if they're not able to escape, this might well be the case.

Unfortunately for the merm doing this, V1 is also here. And V1 is very waterproof and feeling great about the idea of ruining this specific fae's idea of fun. So instead of the expected outcome of being dragged into the lake, you may alternatively be startled by a blue robot with glowing yellow wings gleefully boosting across the water's surface by grappling to your boat, popping out from under the water's surface, or any number of stupid dynamic entrances, before it delivers a solid punch to the merm's face and starts throttling it enthusiastically instead.

It can do this all day!! ]

2. anything else/wildcard

[ v1 will not be going on any of the rides but it will be haring around the party and climbing on all the rides and attractions while refusing to actually go on any of them, likely dripping wet. There may be a brightly coloured worm on a string wedged into one of its wing joints that it hasn't noticed yet.

ooc: don't worry about formats, i'll match you! ]

2!

[fatalexception]

[There's a machine climbing the rollercoaster supports.

There's a machine climbing the rollercoaster, and it's dripping everywhere, and Pod hasn't said a word about machine lifeform signals in the area (and he did ask it, just about first thing.) Yeah, okay, this may as well be happening.]

What the hell is this?

[he calls out not the machine or Pod so much as... the world in general, really. But definitely within V1's hearing.]

Pinkie Pie | My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic | Spring Court

[elementofcupcakes]

Party: [ Pinkie has been at the carnival since she heard about it, and was the absolute first to arrive! This day was made for her! All the candy she could eat?! All the rides she could ride?! FOR FREE?! Say less! :D Pinkie is a sugar-induced force to reckon with! She's had WAY too much candy for this early in the day! At least she had breakfast. Her usual method of travel, bouncing, is sped up with her brightest smile! It's almost painful to bear, and almost permanently fixed on her face. ] Best. Day. EVER! Right, Gummy?! [ Her pet baby alligator is sat atop her mane, buried in its curls. It has to share space with pieces of candy, but this isn't new. It simply stares ahead silently. She's waiting in line for more sustenance, feeling her sugar tank running low. And perhaps a corndog can help! But there's some two-legger in front of her.] Some of us need to refuel! Fair Play: Ferris Wheel [ It seems that Pinkie has had a sugar crash and is quietly napping on the floor. Well, not so quietly. She's snoring! There's candy strewn just about everywhere. The seat, the floor, the window?! And there is Gummy, staring at the poor soul stuck in the pod with her at the very top. One eye blinks, then the other. It's perched atop a nest of candy, almost like it was protecting it. A piece of candy that's already sliding down the window hits the floor- ] MINE! [ She bolts upright, blue eyes wide and alert! Who's touching her candy?! ] GEIS: ponkapo Can we do this again?! Please?!

Party

[konamon]

[ her ears shifts towards the voice as she raises an eyebrow over this... alpaca? it has ears and a tail like her, though she has never seen anything like it. though, it seemed like there's a lot of creatures here she has never seen before.

tamamo holds out her paper plate towards pinkie pie. ]

Here, I think I've tried all I wanted for today.

Sync the Tempest | Tales of the Abyss | Dusk

[tempeststorm]

[Around the Carnival]

Sync reasons he only has two reasons for continuing to show up at these ‘parties’: the first is requirement - as surely the court leaders would get cranky if the Adopted didn’t show, and there were any number of consequences that might derive from such - and the second is mere habit. There might be something of note worth observing at said gatherings, whether it was the usefulness (or not) of new Adopted, a hint that might be gleamed at whatever happens… any number of reason.

But looking around at the latest attempt at human events by the fae, this was…

“…ridiculous.”

The teen isn’t even bothering to hide his frown this time. While his missions generally didn’t take him to carnivals, he could at least tell the small details that were off about this one.

Perhaps the colors were a tad too bright, hurting the eyes, or maybe the lack of any sort of enrichment outside of one game tent (a court ruler’s, no less) screamed cheapness.

Either way, Sync would have turned around and gone right back to the dorm, except-

Obligatory attendance. Right.

“Might as well get this over with.”

What a wonderful attitude to walk into the place with.

[We Don’t Have Games But At Least There’s Food]

There was a lesson that certain Adopted learned after being here for a while in relation to the food. It was either that a trick lay inside, or the meal was perfectly normal.

(Off tasting, perhaps even bad, but no unusual side effects. Even a coin toss couldn’t help determine which they would end up with.)

Upon noticing someone hesitating to eat…

“It isn’t going to kill you.” Is that a positive assessment? Maybe a bit more would help. “It doesn’t taste the greatest either.”

…it’s up to you on whether you want to try or not.

As for Sync, he had made sure to discreetly watch someone else take a bite of whatever food was offered, and though he had been ready to refuse, one of the fae dressed as a food stall vendor had quickly shoved a cotton candy stick into the teen’s hand before running off.

“…it tastes stale.” Was this what cotton candy was supposed to taste like? He wouldn’t know.

[Mirror, Mirror] - CW: mentions of blood (smashing mirrors), self-deprecation, potential ideation

At the top hat’s invitation, it should come as no surprise that there would be a trick involved. But the fun house had seemed the least busy place here, and Sync liked to avoid the larger crowds, so in he went.

(A mistake. That fact would become quickly apparent.)

At first, the walk down the mirror-lined corridors seemed fairly straightforward. He hated the fact that his own silhouette was reflected back at him so many times over, but that he could ignore.

Even when the laughter started up, familiar as it sounded from a multitude of past shadows, Syn was determined to continue walking until he reached whatever Lorelai-forsaken end this place had.

Until another’s voice joined it, and Sync didn’t need to hear words to know who. The tone was lighter, yet so similar, mocking in its cacophony, and it was so like his-

“Shut… up!”

Perhaps the next Adopted to enter this place might hear it: the crashing echo of something breaking, over and over. If they make it far enough, whether through rushing or simply staying on their due course, their gaze might fall upon Sync, and though he wears his mask as always, nothing can hide the sheer frustration and anger in each punch.

There’s only so many times he can shatter his own reflection before even his gloves are unable to protect his hands. Maybe he hasn’t noticed the rivulets of blood that start to leak from cuts, or maybe he doesn’t even care.

It doesn’t matter. The mirrors simply reform, and the laughter never ends.

[Oh What Fun] - CW: heights

They probably wouldn’t be let free from the carnival until they tried one of the rides, right? The lovey-dovey boat had turned his stomach sour and the idea of being strapped into a vehicular device that he didn’t know how to utilize left him choosing the ferris wheel.

It seemed harmless enough: one loop up to the top, then an easy descent back down to the ground. Simple… except it wasn’t.

The fog rolled in unnaturally quickly, a fact that had him rolling his eyes beneath his mask, but then-

“It stopped?”

Sync has no fear of heights, and so the teen leans out perhaps a tad too far for whoever he’s stuck with’s liking as he glances out the car. All the other riders were… gone? He couldn’t hear anything, could barely see, and…

“Great. Looks like we’re stuck.”

[Wildcard]

((Want another prompt? Feel free to hit me with a wildcard or plot with me at HopeOnWings! I’ll match style so feel free to use whatever you are most comfortable with ^^))

Tamamo Cross | Umamusume: Cinderella Gray | New

[konamon]

01. party
[ one minute she was at the hospital visiting the old man, the next she found herself in goddesses knows where. the whole thing made her uneasy, the people here insists the party is for her but there was no recognition in their eyes. it made no sense, it's one thing if it's rabid fans but it isn't the case at all. though her mind feels foggy, she couldn't think straight to really figure out what's going on.

one thing is certain, and at the back of her head, it's the strangest thing out of all of this... she's starving.

without thinking, she grabs a hotdog. mouth wide open, she takes a big bite. instead of joy, she lets out an inhuman screech. ]

EUUGH!! What the hell is this?!

[ the surprise of the flavor manages to bring her back to the present. sure you can't be picky with food, she swallowed it regardless, but still! why does the hot dog taste like a fruit parfait, of all things?

she sees another person eyeing the hotdog stall and briskly goes up to them. ]

Hey! Don't reach for that hotdog, yer gonna regret it big time. This whole party feels tampered.

02. ferris wheel
[ tamamo doesn't have any problems with heights, she doesn't even have any problems doing idle chitchat with strangers. but stuck in a ferris wheel for an uncertain time?

she constantly glances the window and back to the other person. though she tries to remain cool, her body language betray her uneasiness, her ears are pointed forward as she idly scratches the floor with the point of her metallic cleat. ]

Did they just expect us to do something here? I don't even know ya, what kinda material are they're expecting.

[ either all the anxiety is going to make her explode in front of a stranger, or worse, she's gonna deflate like a balloon in front of a stranger. ]

03. GEIS (un: whitelightning)
For a joke to work, you need a better punchline than that.

04. wildcard
[ bring a different prompt or mix and match prompts, the world is your oyster! feel free to pm this account or pp me at subwaymaster if you'd like a custom starter. tamamo is plucked just after the end of the white lightning arc. ]