pixieledmemes | Test Drive Meme #2

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!tdm

Test Drive Meme #2

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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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Spike's words meld with the music and Maurice doesn't answer at first. He's looking over Spike's features as well as he can in his state. He's not familiar...and he's never met anyone in person with the older vampire's accent.

He's finally starting to feel that first punch. Ough. "D'you know Charlie?"

Spike lashes out with his fist again in a hard punch, then pulls it back. He blinks at the other, but doesn't let him up. "Depends. What's he look like?"

Maurice takes it on the chin and his head bursts with stars. He doesn't hiss or try to retaliate. Spike is literally beating the fight out of him.

"She's...got tattoos...and she's real mean." Maurice finishes at last, struggling for words. Finally, he manages to pull his arm out from under himself and hold up an elbow in defense. He's so glad that Spike is just punching him and not stabbing him.

Well, it's no fun if they're not fighting back. Especially since Spike has no reason to really beat up on this guy except a vague self-defense claim. Not that he cares much about that. "...never met her." It's clear he was thinking before answering. If he's met this Charlie, he does not remember.

Mercifully, no more punches come although Spike is ready if he needs to. The other isn't threatening to kill him still, which also helps. "You still gonna try and kill me?"

He doesn't know her. That means she's going to be so mad when she finds out about him. This is the first thought he has despite not really knowing where he is in time and space right now. His ears continue to ring from the punch and the music.

He thinks about that question. If he keeps attacking this guy, he's going to end up losing a tooth. "...No."

Maurice, at last, averts his eyes. The other dancers blur in his vision.

Well then.

Spike makes a soft snort, then shifts to get to his feet. Mind, he's also hauling the other up by his shirt collar again. Nor is he letting go as he drags the other off the dance floor. If they're going to talk, better to not be in the center of a crowd.

While Maurice did expect Spike to (eventually) get off of him, he doesn't expect to be hauled upright. It was a reminder as to just how strong vampires could be. It reminded him of his scuffle with Horas in the junk yard.

His boots quickly cross one over the other in an attempt not to fall over as he is escorted from the festivities.

"H-hey! Lemme go! I don't wanna fight anymore!"

"Glad to hear it." Spike mutters, letting him go. Doing so by shoving Maurice a bit as they get out of the fray. "You got a name?" Facing the other fully, head raised a bit and arms crossed. Not like an upset parent or authority figure, but more a defiant attitude.

Once released, Maurice puts a few paces between them. He then turns to face Spike and tries not to look absolutely whipped. This was such a cherry on the terrible sundae of a day he was having.

Maurice pushes his hair out of his face. "Yeah..." There's a beat before he offers it up because it doesn't occur to him to do so. He's really wasted. "Maurice. You?"

Nothing unusual about introducing yourselves after getting into a fight on the dance floor. Just guys being dudes.

This is TOTALLY normal alright?

"Spike. You know where you are and what's going on?" He was pretty sure he'd not seen this kid around before. Sudden attempt to be killed aside, Spike would've remembered. Least it was him who'd been the target.

Maurice's gaze wanders away from Spike and over to the party. The tables, the decorations, the strange costumes, the...dawn? The dawn??? Hello? The sun is here? And he's not on fire? Something like horror mixed with hope washes over his face as he realizes the answer to Spike's question.

"Uh...no. No, I don't, I...what? Where is this?"

He has a feeling he's not in Texas any more.

Spike rolls his eyes and doesn't bother to hide it. Then watching the other frankly. "I'd ask what you remember, but it doesn't matter. Congrats, you're at a party in the fairy world. You've been kidnapped, just like the rest of us."

"WHAT!"

Maurice finally becomes animated. He puts his hands on top of his head and turns in place as though searching for an exit.

"That's what that lady was talking about?" He'd only absorbed the fact that the party was "for them" because after that point, he'd stopped listening. Maurice makes a few false starts and stops, his urge to bolt in a random direction rising.

"Woah, I can't be kidnapped, I gotta go to work! I'll get fired!" And that was worse than being kidnapped. All he knows about fairies is Tinkerbell and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Not that he'd admit that last bit.

Spike watches all this rather passively, but does let one half of his mouth curl up in an amused smirk. "I don't think you can do anything about that, mate. Kidnappers don't usually give you a choice." Can you hear the sarcasm in his voice?

Maurice doesn't appreciate this news.

"Aaaaah, crap, I should have just gone home and went to bed! This is so stupid! I'm gonna freakin' lose it!"

He clutches his hair and for a hot second there he does look like he's going to McFreakin Lose It. However, the energy leaves him as suddenly as it arrived and his eyes darken again. Ugh. He hasn't fed all week. He'd been waiting to stake out the Black Friday four am sale at the Big Mart and pick people off like gazelles with the rest of the Murder. At least then, he knew he wouldn't lose his nerve.

Now he's HERE and he has to feed all by himself, this sucks!!! And he is NOT asking this other vampire who just kicked his shit in for help.

"I need to lie down," Maurice says in a hollow voice.

"You're welcome to find a corner and do that. Don't think anyone'll bother you." Spike was somewhat starting to pity this guy. At least a little, in the bottom of his black little heart.

"Can you eat regular food?" Because the last thing they need is a hungry vampire. Even one as pathetic as this one... It'd help with calming the other down too, probably.

The question catches him off guard and he gives Spike a funny look. "Well, yeah...I mean. Can't you?"

Maurice is about to learn there is more than one type of vampire.

"I can. Not every vampire here can." Whether Maurice would pick up on what Spike just implied or not remained to be seen. Namely, that there were other vampires here. "I'm guessing you've already had some food and drink here, yeah?"

"I found a cookie, but it tasted like soap." Maurice is not a fan of floral flavors, turns out. He instantly looks guilty for saying that out loud. "Not that I don't appreciate the refreshments..."

Wait. Is he feeling guilty for possibly insulting the cooking of HIS CAPTORS? Sure looks like it. He's instantly mad at himself for it.

Spike laughs at that, somewhat mockingly. Both for the sentiment and the realization on the other's face. "Well, you're already stuck here then. Consuming the food and drinks means we stay here. Getting 'fired' is so far from what you should be worried about for now..."

He can't believe this. It's happened again. He should have just gone home after having a bad day.

He wonders if being kidnapped by fairies would be worse than being tracked down by a vampire hunter.

Spike is now his main source of information. A lifeline in a way. He looks back at the dancers and now he's really seeing them. Twisted tree faces, spindly faun legs, nymphs made out of water droplets. When Maurice speaks again, it's in a low voice.

"What are they gonna do with us?"

"If you're lucky, adopt you. Not as a child, but more like a pet. It's why so many of us non-fae are around." Spike moved to gesture expansively towards the party.

Maurice looks right at the Lawspeaker in her fancy seat surrounded by her attending fairies. He feels almost as much resentment for her as he does for his sire.

"What if I'm unlucky?"

Maurice was not a lucky man.

"You get killed. And eaten. Maybe not in that order." Spike saw that look, both the fear and the resentment.

So that's how it's gonna be. Well, at least he didn't come to chained up in a spooky basement this time. The party is a nice change of pace.

He thinks about it a little longer before nodding to himself. Then, in a movement as sudden as a sneeze, he crouches down and reforms himself into a large, shaggy dog.

"Do you think this will help?" The dog says in Maurice's voice.

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