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

Fish love them women fear them. Wait. Wrong way.

[cross_swords]

That's a good question. The gunblader crosses his arms over his chest, tilts his head and closes his eyes to think about it. The mannerism is one echoed from his rival though he knows it not. But the thinking is needed because he didn't really grow up with the usual childhood background. Not many story books happened and all of that.

"Fantasy stories they tell to children to give them lessons. The ones that aren't 'behave or the monsters will get you'. Which are way more practical lessons all things considered."

Oh I *like* you. We're gonna get along.

[sod_off]

"That'd be them. They're real though, can be pretty nasty, and have kidnapped you pretty much. Just like a bunch of us here." Spike grinned, easy and almost friendly.

You make my 'second application seems an easy choice' into a far harder one

[cross_swords]

Well that sounds like shit. Seifer sighs and his thumb comes up to rub over his scar.

"Cold iron? Salt?"

A general question of 'do those work or are those just stories?' Clearly the guy seems more adjusted to what is going on, seems right to ask.

I'm sorry? (no I'm not, I'll stop lying)

[sod_off]

"Possible. Dunno for sure. Salt's usually a general good anti-demon and evil energy thing. Don't think the fae count as 'evil' per se though." This guy is adjusting rather well, actually. Spike gives him another assessing look up and down.

"Guessing you've seen some shit, for this to not phase you too much."

I am bringing a pain either way, Seifer or Genesis

[cross_swords]

Seifer would argue demons aren't real, but an hour ago he would have said the same about fairies.

"Way I see it, I'be either gone fully crazy or this is really happening. Given not a day ago I was a Knight magically bound to a crazy Time Sorceress set in conquering the world by destroying time, this isn't too bad."

And if he knew it would be weird here, he'd point out 'monsters come from the moon in a sort of rain'. That was weirder than this.

Oh boy. My vote goes for Blondie here, but I'm biased I admit.

[sod_off]

Spike let out a bark of laughter and a full grin. "Well, that sounds like a right sodding mess. Wish I could say you were crazy, but no such luck." Still with soft chuckles, but that grin remained. "Got a name?"

[cross_swords]

"Major mess," Seifer agreed before gesturing to the state of his coat. "Look at what it did to my coat."

Better to be outraged at that than to process the trauma, right?

"Seifer Almasy. And yours, or do I call you Gothette?"

Because Seifer gives nicknames until people are worthy of better.

[ooc: pls forgive formatting and errors please. Doing phone tags via email reply due to sleepy boy in lap now. I love Seifer too, just have potential for castmates with Gen. but damn, these two are already a hoot]

[sod_off]

"Shame about the coat." It wasn't a bad coat, honestly. Cross on it aside. "Spike. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I'm still determining that." That grin widened a bit with a hint of attitude. "Can tell you and I are gonna get on real well." A bare hint of respect though, in that statement. Under the sarcasm.

[cross_swords]

Do they really count as crosses, especially in this realm and nothing resembling the associated faith behind them? Probably best not to pat him on the shoulder to check.

"Determine at your own speed. Would be different to have someone see it as nice for a change. They've got attitude problems."

Or rather problems with his attitude.

"There any positives for getting on well? Because I'm not looking for minion duty or even right hand man status. I'm about done with orders."

[sod_off]

Oh yes, Spike would either get on well with him or they'd be fighting each other. Or both, depending on their mood. He could work with that.

"Depends. Do you view not being killed or eaten as positive?" Entirely seriously. "Downside is right now they have all the power and advantages."

[cross_swords]

Both was definitely more in Seifer's wheelhouse. His closest friends either deferred to him or believed a quick kick to the shin was the proper way to correct bad behavior.

Maybe Fujin was right. Maybe Seifer just needed more kicks to the shin to be a model citizen.

"Been nearly killed, and eaten, before. They look less intimidating than a dragon, but that's not hard to do. Scales give a real edge. But they almost stink with power."

[sod_off]

"They should. Bunch of us here are all from different worlds. Varying levels of ability to fight back, too. They have to be powerful to do that." Spike snorted. "By all means, give 'em shit if you want. They might respect it if you do it the right way. Just know what you're getting into."

Spike would respect the other if he gave 'em shit. Only reason Spike hadn't was he didn't think it was worth it yet.

[cross_swords]

"As if I ever do," Seifer muttered to himself under his breath. Probably too low for an unenhanced person to hear. And he wouldn't assume enhanced people were around beyond their hosts. Those weren't common where he was. All of that came through magic.

"Guess we'll see if they can fix my coat and if I can get magic from them."

[sod_off]

"Good luck with that." Spike said, sarcastically encouraging. "Any other questions?"

[cross_swords]

As if there has ever been anyone paramagic couldn't draw from. It's the punishment that would go with it that would be questionable.

So instead he gestures around at the other guests. Some of them Adopted.

"Do I have to dress like a Ren-Faire reject?"

[sod_off]

Spike lets his eyes flick with the gesture, before nodding. "Sadly, 's what they have available in the market here. You could try seeing if someone does tailoring. Otherwise what you have on you? That's it for more modern stuff."

[cross_swords]

"Ifrit's balls this place has no fashion sense," he sighs in exasperation.

In fact he watches someone walk by with flowers in their hair and scoffs in distaste. This was going to be a bad experience.

"Next thing you know you'll be telling me there are no cars and no clubs."

[sod_off]

"You said it, not me. You're stuck in ye-olde renn faire times." Spike might've been smirking.

[cross_swords]

Fuuuuuck. Seifer grits his teeth before pushing his fingers back through his hair. Was it too early to take up a drinking habit? He'd be good at that.

"Ever consider just burning it all down?"

[sod_off]

"I'm sure some of the Fae have tried it. Go ahead if you want." Spike wasn't going to judge. It's something he'd consider himself, just burning things down, if he wanted.

[cross_swords]

He really does consider it. Could be useful. Thing was... he didn't want to look into himself. Didn't want to see if he still had the paramagic, if he could still call to it, if his GF was intact.

It would hurt too much to get a no.

"Maybe after I've had something to drink. If only to check for accelerants."

[sod_off]

"Drink and food are over there." A tilt of his head in the direction. "You likely have no choice, given the way they've set us all up. But eating and drinking is how they get you to stay here."

[cross_swords]

Wish someone told him that earlier. But it wasn't like there was somewhere else to go.

"Probably for the best. Not like I have someone waiting back home anyway. Just firing squads."

[sod_off]

"Been there before." Spike said, although he couldn't remember actual firing squads. He'd been in similar enough situations, anyway. "Good luck."

[cross_swords]

"Not equipped for luck. Never was my style."

Which of course was not something someone from another world would get. Which Seifer of course doesn't know. He throws a lazy wave off behind him as he turns away. It makes his coat flare out just enough to reveal the gunblade at his side as he starts off. Food would work for now.