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

[toothaches]

"Yeah? You're from England, right?" He's just guessing. That's why there are differences in their curses, it just makes sense!

[sod_off]

That brow arched up again. "Not what I meant, but yeah. Originally. London." What is Maurice getting at?

[toothaches]

"Cool." And Maurice...just does not elaborate, because in his mind he has presented a complete thought. He continues looking for Horse in the crowd.

[sod_off]

One would think Horse would be easy to spot. But given the variety of the fae and the adopted, it might not be so easy after all. Spike takes his time to finish his cigarette, idly scanning the ground.

Once done, he pinches out the lit end (ignoring the sting of the burn), then drops it to scuff it into the ground more. "Why'd you ask where I'm from?" Because Spike was curious about that.

[toothaches]

Maurice refocuses his eyes and glances over. "Oh, well, you said you had a lot of weird stuff where you live. I've only seen a few weird things where I live. I did se Bigfoot though. Do yall got Bigfoot?"

[sod_off]

The kid thought Spike meant in London. Of course he did. At least Spike resisted rolling his eyes this time.

"Not in England, and also not where I meant I saw the strange stuff." Hazel-eyes flicked over to Maurice, not expecting much in the way of intelligent replies. "I was last in California. City named Sunnydale. It was on top of a Hellmouth. Know what that is?"

[toothaches]

"Oh," Maurice says. Now that he thinks about it, there could just be Different Weird Stuff in places other than Texas. The hangover in the back of his head snores. "Naw, but it doesn't sound like anything good."

[sod_off]

"Least you understand that." Spike muttered to himself, wishing he dared another cigarette. Maybe he'd check the market again, or the alchemist. See if they could make cigarettes.

"I don't think we're from the same world, kid. Vampires where I'm from don't look like you. And there are other vampires here who are different too."

[toothaches]

Maurice heard that and it gets a furrowed brow out of him. Wow, rude. He doesn't say anything though because what Spike says next blows his worldview wide open.

Different worlds.

He'd read enough comic books to get the general idea, but it doesn't help him not suddenly feel even further from home than he already did. He really got himself into a mess this time.

"We don't look that different," Maurice says as though somehow that would bridge the gap between dimensions. He does not say anything about Spike's frosted tips.

[sod_off]

Spike gives him a look. Then deliberately looks the other up and down. Stalking around Maurice too, like a predator. He only stops when he's in front of the younger vampire again.

"I. Don't. Look. Like. A. Walking. Corpse." Spike says clearly, being sure his point is made. "Pale yes, but not like a fresh zombie from some monster movie." Flicking his face slightly to the side, gaze too, and then his face shifts.

Brows becoming more pronounced, eyes yellower, teeth... Well, there are the fangs, as Spike stares at Maurice again. "Hard as this may be to accept, even as it's the shit cherry on top of the shit sundae."

[toothaches]

Maurice leans back a little, not wanting to get spit in his face. Or punched. He'll give that to Spike, he hasn't fed lately so he's not looking his best. Hopefully, the fairies will give him enough blood to fix that.

He starts to avert his eyes, but the very obvious shift in Spike's face startles him back into staring. Even at her angriest, Charlie never looked like that.

"Oh, damn, okay..." Maurice says, equal parts bewildered and unnerved. He wonders if it's something Spike is holding in or something he has to force to the surface. He knows better than to ask.

[sod_off]

Spike seems perfectly comfortable in his game face, and gives Maurice another few inches of space. Studying him, with yellow tinged eyes for several seconds. Then his face shifts back, and Spike huffs a very un-needed sigh.

"Look." With forced patience. "This is all unpleasant. I get that." Arching a brow. "You gonna be alright?" The kid was another vampire, at the very least. A bit pathetic but, well,...a kid. Probably from a very ordinary life. Spike wondered why he even bothered to care a bit.

[toothaches]

Once Spike puts his scary face away, Maurice shakes himself out and turns back to the dancers. He blows a sigh through his nose and shuts his eyes. After a beat, he says,

"Well, if they don't decide to eat me, I'll make do. Doesn't sound like too bad a deal."

[sod_off]

Spike says nothing at first, then sticks his hands in his coat pockets. "Come on." Indicating the other should follow; time to hit the food table. If Maurice sticks around, he can get the blood later. "Dunno how likely they are to eat you outright, as they brought you here already."

[toothaches]

Maurice opens an eye and watches Spike move toward the refreshments. Sure enough, he follows.

"Well I dunno, Spike, they might get me home and decide I don't match the curtains."

[sod_off]

"Yeah, and that's when you sass off or punch 'em in the nose because sod their bloody curtains." As if that was the most normal thing in the world to do. "Don't think they have the blood out right now, but it's in the kitchen. Either ask one of the servants or find it yourself in the cold pantry."

[toothaches]

Punching seems to be Spike's way of expressing himself, Maurice notes. He just hums a little and nods.

"Oh, I'll ask." Even if they were going to be "pets" of the fair folk, Maurice didn't trust his luck to be able to pilfer through a strange kitchen and not get skinned. "Is it human? The blood, I mean."

He hopes so.

[sod_off]

Violence was one way of expressing himself, that was for certain. If Maurice sticks around, he'll see more of it. Hopefully not directed at himself.

"Dunno. Didn't ask. Tasted like blood." A sidelong glance at the other. "If it bothers you, you could ask on the network for donors. Make sure they know what they're getting into up front, make sure you take care of 'em afterwards."

[toothaches]

"I just know that animal blood won't cut it, that's all."

Maurice imagines how the conversation between himself and a possible donor could go, then he shoos the thought from his mind. No, it's too weird.

"Wait, network?"

[sod_off]

"Really?" That was interesting. Spike didn't necessarily like being reduced to animal blood, but he could drink it. "Not sure they'd go to the trouble of bringing you here 'n shit if they weren't gonna feed you to keep you alive. Ish."

Not far now to the food table. With all the tiny miniature food. And the stuff that tasted like flowers. And slightly uncanny fruit.

"Yeah. Some kind of group chat thing that works through these devices they give us that look like leaves. 'S like a really advanced mobile phone."

[toothaches]

"Yeah. Besides, people are easier than cows. Smaller." When a cow wants you dead it doesn't preach at you or use a stake, it just tramples you into the mud.

The idea of a fancy phone gets Maurice to perk up. He likes gadgets, though he doesn't have a cell of his own. Something to look forward to!

[sod_off]

Okay that first comment gets Spike to stop. With another unnecessary sigh of breath, as he turns to face Maurice. "Here's a tip. Try the butcher's shop. They usually have blood, although it won't be human blood."

Maurice wouldn't last 1 minute in Sunnydale.

[toothaches]

Maurice lets out his own sigh. "That aint what I meant." But he doesn't elaborate.

When they arrive at the tables, Maurice looks over the spread with quiet suspicion. He's already drank the Koolaid, so it's not like he'll be any worse off if he partakes again.

He selects a teensy burger and holds it up with some curiosity. At first, he's baffled as to why they're so small, but then it occurs to him.

"Oh, they're fairy sized."

[sod_off]

"What did you mean, then?" Because it sounded almost like whining to Spike. Who had very little patience for it, even on a good day.

"Fairies are a type of fae, and those fae are what are more dangerous. Beyond that, I don't know why the foods all so bloody small."

[toothaches]

He can feel himself growing reluctant to share information, but he knows it's important, so he presses on.

"It has to be people. Or I'll go crazy." What they had told him specifically is so that he doesn't go feral and get hit by a car, but he's already been hit by a car despite a full tank so...shrug.

Maurice tunes back into what Spike is saying in time to catch that there is more than one kind of fairy. He tucks that info away for later.