Test Drive Meme #2

[changelinged]

TDM #2 - March/April 2025

🦋 Introduction

Welcome to the Pixie Led Test Drive Meme!

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

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

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

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

🦋 The Party

You wake up at a party.

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

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

It's a garden party at the crack of dawn, with the sun still in its early stages of climbing through the yonder, casting a good mix of pastel hues of blue, pink, and beige on everything. Heralding the first day of spring, the Ruler of the Spring Court has found it fitting to arrange this gathering where guests can feel the blades of grass touching their ankles, as well as the rich soil beneath their feet. Flowers of all kinds surround the party as if they were carefully curated. With spring as the "dawn of seasons," which marks a transition from winter's latency to the resurgence of life everywhere, the Ruler of the Dawn Court has also seen it fit to host aspects of this party during the one time of the year that dawn occurs the whole day. Tall candles and torches grace the outskirts of the garden party, providing warmth and an orange glow everywhere. Not one flame goes out even with the occasional wind, the Duchess always makes sure of this.

There are also freshly picked blossoms and branches with leaves on every table accenting the festive spread of food and drinks. This time, a lot of the food prepared for the Adopted guests are familiar to them with a little bit of a twist. Burgers might come in small packages and in toothpicks, while hotdogs in buns are also diminutive. Cookies look delectable but they have a flowery flavor to them, as if eating freshly picked daisies or daffodils. Fruits that may have been present in an Adopted's home, such as pineapples and watermelons, have seeds in odd places. Picking this selection of food is an attempt to be more welcoming and to appease the lovely guests the fae have invited.

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.

🦋 Chance at a Dance

A party is not complete without dancing, of course, and while during the last gathering held for the Adopted, different fae danced to music exclusively for them around a glowing tree, this time they are insisting their guests to join in.

This is a party for you, after all.

If the prodding of the different fae hosts won't convince you, perhaps the music will. They play easily recognizable tunes that their wonderful guests must have heard before. These melodies have certain unique effects to their mortal attendees, which are as follows:

• Upbeat Music: You will believe that you and your dance partner have been friends forever and have known each other a long time.
• Romantic Music: You will become amorous and flirtatious towards your dance partner.
• Slow Music: You will develop some tension with your dance partner. It may be negative or sexual; completely up to you.
• Quiet Music: You will assume your dance partner is a threat and try to fight them.

🦋 Flower Power

At the Spring King's behest, every Adopted should wear a flower corsage or boutonnière to the gathering. After all, this is to celebrate the coming of spring and what better way to do that than to honor everything in bloom.

The thing is, though, the King of Spring, while amorous and friendly, also has a penchant for playing with mortals' memories, if not also affect their desires and despairs.

So, mischievous as he is, he made sure to enchant the different flowers present in every corsage and boutonnière for the party with the effects below:

• Rose: You will recall a horrific trauma
• Carnation: You will see a vision of your future, whether it's good or bad
• Orchid: You will remember a time you lost someone
• Chrysanthemum: You will believe someone among the Adopted is your soulmate
• Dahlia: You will believe you betrayed someone important to you, whether you actually did or not

It is perhaps a good thing that no one but the Adopted are allowed to see these visions and memories, but everyone who wears a corsage or boutonnière will be able to see each other's memories and visions when in close enough physical proximity to the vision-haver, for better or for worse.

🦋 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.

Tell us all of a time you gave someone a gift. Perhaps a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates. Was it appreciated or not? A reward might await the most meaningful gift given.

🦋 Link to Overflow Post



ｎａｖｉｇａｔｉｏｎ

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Comments

[bestials]

[ Hank spreads his hands to show he's not hiding anything. ]

Truth be told, most of the exercise I get is just cleaning up around the house.

[gossiptoilet]

[ John playfully bats him with his fingers. ]

Oh, come on. I'll keep your secret! I won't tell anyone, I swear.

[ He'd totally tell anyone who asked. ]

[bestials]

[ Hank weighs that for a bit. But... If he and John are such good friends, surely he already knows that Hank's a mutant. Right? ]

It's just a mutant thing. Don't worry about it.

[gossiptoilet]

Ohh, I see.

[ He doesn't know what the hell that means but he's going to cover that up. Obviously he should have remembered something that important about his good friend. His good friend...ah... ]

This is terrible, I know, but... I've forgotten your name!

[bestials]

[ Hank just chuckles. ]

You know, it's weird. I think I forgot yours too.

I'm Hank. [ He holds out a hand for a shake. ]

[gossiptoilet]

[ He chuckles. ]

Oh, I can't believe you'd do such a thing, I'm wounded.

[ He takes the proffered hand and gives it a shake. John's handshake is a little limp but not excessively so. ]

I'm John.

[bestials]

[ Hank takes the handshake and turns it into another twirl, sending John spinning across the dance floor. ]

Clearly I've got to make it up to you!

let me know if this is okay!

[gossiptoilet]

[ John laughs in utter joy. He's so glad he ran into his old friend at this party.

The last song ends and the music changes mood then, slow and romantic. John draws close to Hank and offers his hand. ]

I love this song; such a classic. Etta James was so elegant.

sure!

[bestials]

[ Hank's joyous smile fades into something a bit more sentimental, as he takes John's hand and pulls him close for a slow dance. ]

Yeah. She definitely has a way with words.

[gossiptoilet]

[ He pulls Hank close and leads the dance, preferring that to following. ]

Mm, I like our times, but the music back then! I've been thinking of starting a vinyl collection and buying some vintage things.

[ Not that he can afford to do such a thing right now. He dreams about doing a lot of things, though. ]

[bestials]

[ Hank lets himself be led, even if he is also more inclined to leading. But he figures it's only fair, since he led the last dance. And besides, he kind of feels like doing whatever would make John happy. ]

What do you mean, "back then?" This song isn't that old, is it?

[gossiptoilet]

Oh, honey, I mean, it's from the last century! I call Gaga's first album 'old'.

[ He does enjoy his modern pop, as well. ]

[bestials]

[ Hank chuckles, a little confused but trying to give John the benefit of the doubt. ]

Last century? No, no... Last decade, maybe, but I still remember buying this vinyl new from the record shop in Cambridge.

[gossiptoilet]

[ John pulls back a bit to give Hank a puzzled, wry grin. ]

I'm sure Etta James was releasing music in the mid-1900s. Almost a hundred years ago!

[ That's a bit of an exaggeration, but who is John to let a little exaggeration get in his way? ]

[bestials]

[ Hank laughs and shakes his head, sure that John must be joking. ]

Come on, John. What year do you think it is?

[gossiptoilet]

[ John angles his head at Hank, still smiling. ]

Oh, come on now. Two thousand and eighteen!

[ Though he's not sure how time is kept in the afterlife. ]

Or at least, it was last I knew.

[bestials]

[ A knowing look comes on Hanks face and he nods. Thankfully, Logan prepared him for this. ]

Okay, this is a time travel thing, then. I'm from Nineteen seventy-three.

[gossiptoilet]

Oh, haha.

[ He grins. ]

Did we meet in the afterlife then? I can't seem to recall.

[bestials]

Afterlife?

[ Hank smiles. ]

Dancing with you sure is heavenly, but as far as I know I'm not dead.

[gossiptoilet]

Oh, well, I am.

[ Still, swaying with Hank is nice. He draws him closer again. ]

This is so odd. I know I've known you for a while!

[bestials]

[ Hank lets himself be drawn in closet, his chest pressing up against John's. ]

Yeah, it's strange... I feel like I've known you forever... But also like I want to keep getting to know you. If you know what I mean?

[gossiptoilet]

[ He smiles sentimentally. ]

Oh, I feel that way too. I'm so glad you do.

[bestials]

[ Hank isn't usually this forward, but... Something is giving him the courage to lean close to John's ear and ask in a hushed voice. ]

Do you... want to go find somewhere more quiet?

[gossiptoilet]

[ John's smile becomes sly and he lets out a pleased 'mm'. ]

You read my mind.

[ Reluctantly, he releases Hank and takes his hand so they can sneak off somewhere. He'll keep an eye out for a good hiding spot, though it's just as likely Hank will notice somewhere good before he does. ]

[bestials]

[ Hank is smiling as he holds John's hand and follows him off the dance floor, except... The further they get away from the music, the more its effects wear off from Hank's mind. He blinks, suddenly not sure why he's holding this guy's hand so flirtatiously. He pulls his hand back, stopping in his tracks as he comes to his senses, stammering. ]

I, uh. I'm sorry, that was... I don't know what I'm doing.