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pixieledmemes2025-03-15 08:32 am
Test Drive Meme #2
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
no subject
Still, the girl is shaking her head, which means that she just got here with the rest of them.
There's a momentary pause when she introduces herself, wondering for a second if that's her age but - no. She's pretty sure that she's just...emotionally behind, maybe, and not actually eleven years old. Which means she's choosing to go by Eleven.]
I've never met anyone called Eleven before. But my mother's name was Penny. Like the coin. [She smiles a little. The sentiment is very obviously genuine - a little surprised by the name at first, but accepting it as part of her just as quickly.] Nice to meet you, Eleven. Did anyone come here that you know, like you did?
no subject
Eleven likes that. It's pretty. She doesn't know the word whimsical, but it would apply here. ]
It's. A number.
[ She explains it to Karen, as if it's something Karen might not know. Just in case. Eleven pulls her legs up like she's seen Laura do earlier, tucking her hands between her knees. ]
No. [ She takes a deep breath, brows furrowing together. ] I went home. To my friends. Then... [ She does not mention the gate. Her lips press together briefly, and she shakes her head. ] Then... here.
no subject
[Look, it's an inane comment. But it's still encouraging the conversation to continue. Karen doesn't particularly have a favorite number. Doesn't feel any kind of way about thirteen, even. She just...feels for this girl. Feels for everyone that's suddenly stuck here, in some kind of realm between worlds. She's been chatting with different people, trying to figure out who might need what so that she can keep an eye out for them.
Part of her thinks that the best thing she can do for Eleven is just be...patient. Steady. An adult that's not one of the adults in charge.
Her head nods a little as she listens to her talk, letting herself lean to the side so she can prop her arm up along the edge of the table.]
Everyone I've talked to has said that too. That they're just suddenly waking up here. Where's home, for you? I live in uh, New York City. Do you know where that is?
no subject
Hawkins. [ A beat. ] Indiana. [ The way she says it is slightly off. Indy and Anna, awkwardly attached to one another, not flowing like it's meant to. That's a pattern with her speech. Subtle enough not to jar, but notable enough to ring ever so slightly off. ]
Is. Your city new?
[ ... is that not what that means? ]
no subject
But this - this she can do. Karen will never forget how it feels to be young, awkward and angry and desperately curious. Equally desperate to never let anyone know.]
Um, no. It's named after York, in England. Here, let's -
[Karen clears out some space on the table between them. She picks up a clean plate and sets it there. There's no judgment as she talks, just an obvious sincere desire to help Eleven orient herself.]
So - Hawkins and New York City are both in the United States. New York City is in New York state, it's over on the east coast here. [She points at the right side of the plate as she talks. It's not a perfect comparison because it's just...her finger and a plate. But it's better than nothing.] And California is all the way over here, on the west coast. [There, she outlines the left side of the plate.] Indiana is here. [Her finger goes back, pointing about a third of the way across the plate from where she'd indicated New York.] I don't know where Hawkins is in the state, sorry.
no subject
She doesn't understand most of it. United States? New York City or New York State? East Coast?
But the plate is a shape, and Karen puts locations on the plate. Like a map - she's only ever seen very local ones of those when Hopper used them, though, so it doesn't quite connect to the larger scope of the world yet.
Eleven reaches for fruit from a bowl. One goes into her mouth.
After a moment of hesitation and some eye narrowing about it, one is placed in front of Karen,
The others, Eleven puts on the plate, roughly in the spots Karen indicated. ]
New York. City. California. [ She says Calee Fore-Nya. She tries. ] Indiana.
[ A nod, and then she looks at Karen. The look is very expectant. ]
Where are. Mexico City? Soviet?
[ Yeah. So, anyway, good luck. ]
no subject
She smiles a little, popping the grape in her mouth that Eleven sets in front of her. Her eyes light up when she places the markers for the places she indicated.]
Yes! Great job!
[The encouragement is quiet and sincere, her enthusiasm obvious.
And then this little girl turns those big expectant eyes on her and asks about Mexico City and Soviet and Karen's brain goes entirely blank for a second. She doesn't know New York, but she knows Mexico City? And a...wildly outdated way to refer to Russia?
Huh. Okay. Well. They were stolen by the fae. This might as well happen. If nothing else, it will be a good distraction. After a moment, she turns and looks at the table.]
We're going to need more space for this one. Want to help me clear some room?
no subject
Clearing the table, thankfully, is a thing that comes easily to her. So easily that Eleven does not think, just does. ]
Yes.
[ She raises her hand, palm outwards, fingers splayed. For a moment, there's the distinct feeling of pressure, like the air is charged before a storm rolls in.
And then the table... is... cleared.
Cutlery, dishes, food, decorations, candles, it's all hurled through the air, breaking and scattering across the grass with a massive ruckus. All that remains are the grapes and the plate already part of the map.
Eleven looks back at Karen expectantly. There's a small trickle of blood under her nose. ]
no subject
And then everything on the table goes flying off the other edge of it, save for the plate and grapes they've been working with. The first and only thing Karen can marvel at is the precision of it.
And then she realizes that she's just kind of standing there, staring at the table and now looking more than just a little surprised.
She drops back into her seat and turns to look at Eleven and -]
Oh, you're bleeding - here, hold on -
[She dips down and gets the linen napkin that fell from her lap when she stood and holds it out to Eleven. Her lips press together and she watches her for a moment, considering. Honestly, this one's on her. It didn't even occur to her that this girl might be wildly and powerfully telekinetic because, like. Why? But why not, they're in a fae realm.
She takes a careful breath. Okay. Most importantly:]
I'm sorry if I look surprised. Um, I have friends that can do really amazing things too, but I've never met someone that can do that. Did it hurt you to do that? Are you okay?
no subject
She hesitates, pauses in the gesture. Eyes going to the napkin, then back up again. She frowns a little, then takes the napkin.
She roughly wipes the trail of blood sideways. There is no delicate, careful dabbing here. ]
You're. Not scared.
[ Surprised, and she apologizes for it.
Oh.
She's Joyce Byers.
She's kind, she's warm, she's patient.
It makes so much sense, then. Karen Wheeler's name, but Joyce Byers, really. That's easier to parse, to make sense of. ]
I'm okay. I'm strong.
no subject
So she rests her fingertips on the edge of the undisturbed plate.]
No. You've been able to do that this whole time, and you just used it to help clear off the table. You didn't even knock over the plate we're already using.
[She is somewhat concerned by what it implies that this girl can blow a whole feast clean off a table and that the fae still managed to trap her here. But that's going to be something to wrestle with later.
Instead, she just gives her head a nod when Eleven says she's okay. She's strong.]
I know. I can tell you're strong. But, um, sometimes things can hurt even when you're strong. The friends I mentioned, that can do amazing things - they get hurt really bad sometimes. But it doesn't make them any less strong. It just means that I get to remind them that it's okay to sit down and take a breath after they do something amazing.
[With that, Karen pulls the chair next to her back from the table, an offering for the girl to sit there before she dives back into this impromptu geography lesson.
Honestly, it's kind of nice to think that she might have finally found the ceiling for weird shit happening. Telekinetic thirteen year old in a fae realm is certainly going to be hard to beat.]