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.

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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

[phasers]

[ jim, on the other hand, is watching as spock approaches, and so he has the full minute or so to take in the fact that the other man looks, uh, younger than he's supposed to? not extensively so, but--

he's about to open his mouth to bring it up, since spock's distracted by the cat, but then the hypo hits his neck, and he winces, mouth snapping shut again as he gives it a few seconds to work on his congestion. by the time that's happening, spock's glancing up to meet his eyes again, and he finds himself smiling wryly at the startled response.

wow, been a little while since he's seen spock do that. ]

And you're not my first officer. Yet. In fact, I'd say you barely know me at this point. [ a beat, then a startled little laugh. ] How'd you know about my allergies already?

[sensors]

[ it really is fascinating. markedly but not excessively older than what spock is used to, still easily recognizable. a captain.

and to him, spock is—

??? ]

You are correct. We have not known each other for very long. [ a beat, and then he says, as if it's perfectly reasonable: ]

I did not. However, due to the unprompted inclusion of your lack of anaphylaxis in your clarification when 79.51% of humans would include it as a general measure of well-being combined with the altered state of your breathing pattern from its baseline, it was the logical conclusion.

[ ... yeah, that's spock alright.

also: ]

"Yet?"

[phasers]

Fair enough, [ he agrees, smile widening crookedly, looking deeply charmed by the observations. ] I was getting a little stuffy, I guess.

[ and he's served with spock long enough at this point to know him inside and out. this is just how he shows his concern for people.

the hesitant, tacked-on question makes him pause, considering. technically, they shouldn't talk about it. it's a regulations thing, so no one accidentally changes the timeline they live in. but then again, this place has already bent the rules of what they know of temporal anomalies that at this point, jim's not sure it can hurt anything to tell him. ]

At my point in time, you've been my XO for a while now. As far as I'm concerned, you're the best first officer in the fleet.

[sensors]

Your designation of the level of congestion represented as "a little stuffy" has been noted.

[ dry. brother you sounded like you needed 18 space sudafed.

however, it is nice to not get a weird look for his attention to detail. that is, in fact, a plus. a tiny measure of tension in his neck he hadn't realized he was holding relaxes. he has not, to this point, been quite that type of weirdo at the lieutenant kirk he knows.

the hesitance to answer his question is reasonable. especially since there's a brief moment where spock stops holding his gaze, looking down and to the side not in avoidance but because he's doing calculations. things he knows, things he doesn't know, observations, time frames, conversations with his captain—

—his eyes flick back up, the nictitating membranes under his eyelids sliding back to their usual hidden place after a secondary blink of realization. ]

Of what ship?

[phasers]

[ he huffs, but it sounds more like amusement than any type of rebuke or frustration.

and it sounds like that was the right reaction to have, given the subtle relaxing of tension in spock's posture. he hadn't known spock very well back then, and in the time since their first meeting and jim's promotion to the enterprise, he'd pretty ruthlessly learned to suppress his emotions. jim's grown very accustomed over the last few years to reading a man that many humans would say is a blank, featureless wall.

which is silly, of course. spock tells you exactly how he's feeling if you just pay attention. and at this age? he's practically telegraphing it. he might as well be waving a neon sign.

that glance to the side? yeah. jim doesn't actually have to say, because he's sure spock's already putting it together. still, he's not going to insult his intelligence by pretending he can hide it from him. ]

The Enterprise. [ he gives him a long, sober look. ] .. Chris is okay. [ it's complicated, given his disabilities, but he doesn't have to feel or experience them anymore, so that's the important thing. ] It's a long story, and one I shouldn't really get into, but he's doing well.

[sensors]

[ that relative ease had dissipated upon spock's realization: he remains at the parade rest he'd settled in after administering the hypo, but the set of his shoulders, just slightly...

however, he keeps his attention on the other man's face now, watching him, noting each tic of expression as he speaks.

he is clearly not being told the whole story, and by the captain's own admission—but spock, despite the need crawling up his throat to know, only allows himself a single, sharp nod.

no exhale of relief, no pressing questions. despite not knowing the lieutenant this kirk once was for long, spock has seen and noted his integrity.

he has stated that chris is well and spock has to accept that. ]

—Thank you. For the confirmation.

[phasers]

Of course. [ jim reaches out, squeezing spock's clothed arm briefly. ] I know he's important to you. [ basically family, really. chris had been there for spock when his own father refused to be. ] I'd tell you the whole story, but.. [ well, they both know why he's not supposed to. though if they don't figure out how to leave this place, it may not matter for much longer.

he takes a deep breath--thankfully fully congestion-free now--and releases it in a sigh, then nods in the direction of the rest of the town. ]

Anyway, I was heading that way to see what else is here. I figure we can walk and talk if that works for you. [ and if spock has questions, he can answer them.. possibly. they can also decide on a plan of action from here out. ]

[sensors]

[ spock doesn't jump, or jolt, or anything like that, from the contact: he's aware of jim kirk's penchant for touch, and the courtesy of doing so through his sleeve when it's simply done and not offered for spock to choose is, as always, appreciated.

then he shakes his head. as long as there remains a chance to go home, they shouldn't discuss it, because if spock gets too many details, he'll start planning. and no one wants planning.

(spock dies in every timeline where chris remains unharmed, but spock doesn't know that. it's unlikely it would change his desire even if he did.) ]

I am grateful you can tell me that much.

[ his gaze follow's the other man's off toward the town before he nods his agreement. ]

That is an acceptable course of action.

[ and, as they walk, since their current status is most pressing: ]

I would like your assessment of the information we have been given as to our current situation.

[phasers]

[ the cat's following them now, but jim tries to ignore it. he can't keep a cat. he doesn't even know if it's a real cat. he doesn't want either of them to be here longer than they have to be. the cat distribution system will have to find someone else.

thankfully, spock's request distracts him from the little black feline, and he glances askance at him for a moment before making a musing noise. ] Our hosts have an incredible amount of power with no clear source for it.

[ he folds his arms behind his back, tapping one hand into the palm of the other, considering. ]

I've been in similar positions before, though. I'm sure you have, too, even at this point in your career. .. Still, this isn't their first "party" for their kidnappees. This might have been going on for months, years.. longer. They're not willing to tell us what they need us for, and they're seemingly taking people at random-- from other planets, other times, other timelines.. [ he trails off, then sighs. ] I think it's too early to make too many assumptions yet.

[ a pause, and he nods toward spock's kit. ] Have you been taking readings?

[sensors]

[ fortunately, now that spock's aware of an allergy, he will in fact find the cat another home if required. not like he's busy trying to get them home or anything. it's fine. stay away from his not-captain or whatever, he's only got so many allergy hypos to spare. smh.

in the meantime, he agrees with the initial assessment. there's a relevant point he must add that, while he has no desire to share a failing this large, is important for at least someone who knows what spock can and also should have been able to do earlier at the party to be aware of. ]

I was unable to mitigate the effects of the music and flowers. I was also, prior to removing myself from the situation for other reasons, unaware there was anything requiring mitigation.

[ whatever their power is, whatever the level of it is, passed through spock's mental defenses without him even realizing it.

notable. important. worrying. he returns to listening for the rest of the captain's thoughts on the matter, nodding. ]

I agree. [ on what part? oh, all of it? okay. ] I would prefer to fully ascertain the situation before making any plans or decisions on what must eventually be done. [ he glances over at him, head tilting, before speaking again as he returns his gaze forward. ] I did note that it seems an appearance of complacency is largely left alone while any appearance of resistance is 'gently' steered where they desire. I would be unsurprised should they employ harsher methods should those not work.

[ it almost sounds like spock's implying they should attempt to play along to keep eyes off of them while they investigate. ]

I have. A portion of my time taken arriving here was in cataloging. I intend to resume when we reach an area that contains anything I have not already. [ a beat passes. ] I request that for your allergies other than Felus Catus, you inform me, Lieu—Captain, so that I may program them into the tricorder and we are able to scan new substances you encounter before exposure.

[ he doesn't apologize for the slip. they're both used to time fuckery enough to both be aware that the automatic nature of spock's reference won't last long and for said captain to understand the concept. spock didn't forget that he's speaking to captain kirk, it's just that his mouth started to automatically form the word in the flow of conversation. ]

[phasers]

[ troubling. there are certainly more powerful telepaths in the galaxy than vulcans, but there are few with the kind of strong mental shielding and discipline that vulcans employ. that these fae were able to bypass spock's without even alerting him is deeply worrying.

if that's the case, how will they know if they come under some sort of.. spell? if their captors can alter their perception so profoundly with no sign or warning.. they'll have to try to get to know their fellow captives and rely on one another to alert for strange behavior.

he's distracted from musing on the problem by the rest of what spocks says, however. he agrees with pretending to go along with them, at least for now. it's only sensible. (only logical.) the mention of his allergies and the slip of his rank, though, make him chuckle. ]

Just call me Jim, Spock. [ though that might take him even longer to get used to. still, it's important to jim at least that spock knows he's his friend first and his captain second. .. and technically not even his captain right now, since spock at this point in his life serves under chris pike. ]

Anyway, I think you're right about what our hosts like to see out of us, and that may be the best route to go with. [ heavily implied: for now. ] .. And I'll try to remember my allergies, thanks. [ he doesn't have bones here with a scowl and a hypo, so he's going to have to be more careful than usual, he guesses. ] I imagine fairies aren't used to dealing with things like peanut allergies.

[sensors]

[ it is deeply worrying, despite spock remaining as staid as he ever gets at this age in the face of it. so: a knit brow and little else, but even that's still telegraphing wildly compared to his older self.

spock has not yet spoken to many people here, and of the ones he has, he has varying opinions. it would be prudent to get to know people at their baseline personality and watch for changes. he is currently unaware they have reached the same conclusion. but it's just logical, and he would not be surprised to find out.

this is not the first time the other man has asked him to call him jim. it had taken a lot of insistence on chris' part for spock to relent, for various reasons, not the least of which being how much of a higher standard as a vulcan he's being held to. case in point: t'pring's comparatively far more relaxed way of greeting him. sure, he isn't her commanding officer, but if spock so much as made that slip of rank in front of anyone... well. but he had managed to slip into that familiarity with his captain and—

—is there a reason other than that, in this case, save an ingrained sense of propriety? they are not on a starship, they are not on official starfleet business, this man is not (yet, his mind supplies, quiet reminder) his superior officer. there are no other vulcans here so far as he is aware.

this is a weirdly long pause, he realizes, so he snaps himself out of it and gives a quick nod. ]

Jim, then, I request a list of your allergies so that I may record them. [ is it a joke to just repeat the same ask in different wording with the name change... ]

When you were eating [ because they all ate ] did you also notice that some aspects of the food that appeared Terran in nature were not accurate? [ because of fucking course spock noticed seeds in the wrong place in the fruits and shit. ] As though they are attempting to acclimate their captives more gently, but for some reason are either unable to or simply have decided not to ensure perfect substitutes. [ ... which leads into how spock will be scanning everything just in case they fucked something up and there's peanuts or some shit in the middle of a watermelon. ]