pixieledmemes | 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

"If the love was true--and by the sound of your voice, I suspect it was--then there is nothing foolish about not getting over her. That love will wait for the time you are reunited, whenever it may be," Regis' words have no uncertainty now. He may not be able to speak about having lost his love, but he can speak about the strength he finds in love. Of course, while Regis means the words to be comforting and uplifting, he has no idea that the very complicated story of the man beside him adds a whole other meaning to those words.

Blind to the redhead's true nature and thoughts, Regis continues to answering the man's question without hesitation, "You may call them tricks if you want, but I am more inclined to call them tests. Our first "test" was a physical one against a dragon. Having passed that test more-or-less, I believe the Fae are now moving onto testing us mentally, hence the flowers having the power to dig into your memories."

It was, he'd say. Despite everything and the way that he was betrayed, he knows he loves her still. Always. The same can be said for Somnus too. Yet, that's part of why he was so determined to see things through. It's why the cycle must end with him... and the King of Kings. Not the royal before him now, but the one that comes next.

"Trials," he hums, pulling the flower from his person and crushing it harshly in his fist. Aera dissipates as the petals scatter. "Sensible of them, I'd say, to see what we're capable of withstanding." Also cruel? Certainly, but sometimes the harsh option was the best one.

Wouldn't Regis know all about that? Wouldn't his brother's line understand doing what one must despite the pain it may inflict?

"Oh, but forgive me- I didn't introduce myself, did I? I'm Antoine." Regis doesn't know him (yet?), but figures it still is unwise to give even his known name for now.

What Regis knows now of doing what must be done despite the pain it causes pales compared to what he will know in a few years time after his wife has been taken from him and he finds out that the Prophecy will eventually take his son as well. The cruelest thing about him is the optimism that still glows within unaware it will soon be snuffed out by the realism of a harsh world.

"I'm Reggie. It's a pleasure to meet you, Antoine," If Regis has any idea that the redhead has not given his real name, he doesn't show it. Besides, many people are altering or giving other names completely in order to try and safeguard at least part of themselves. He wouldn't blame the man one bit for doing the same.

"The Fae seem to have a habit of pulling people from very important times in their lives, but for your sake, I hope that trend has not continued."

Reggie, he says, and Ardyn can't help the small curl of his lips in amusement at the friendly nickname. Ah, he's being rewarded in such interesting ways for his deceit. No wonder he keeps up with it.

Even if he had been caught in the lie, well... Wasn't there some kind of myth about The Fae and not giving your name? He could probably use that, if he had to, but thankfully he doesn't yet. Granted, once Regis learns his actual name - or worse, his moniker of Adagium - he doubts his false name will be of any real concern.

"Me? Oh, no," he admits. "I was in the middle of waiting for someone, but it was going to be a while still before they arrived." How long had he been sitting there, after all? A few years, at least, but it was hard to tell after a while. When you're over two thousand, the flow of time gets a bit nebulous.

"Even if it will be a while until they arrive, there is still plenty of reason to hope that what the Fae say about how time is passing is wrong. If I am keeping my wife waiting back home, I will never hear the end of it."

Aulea is going to be mad enough since he left the Citadel, got hurt, and made her worry while she was stuck in some safe room that Regis doesn't want to add "making her wait" to that list. It's a good thing he doesn't believe the Fae any farther than he can throw them.

"What do you think of what the Lawspeaker had to say? I don't believe it personally, but all the theories we have come up with in the last few months are just that. It never hurts to get a newcomer's opinion on things."

Even if the Fae were correct in saying that time had marched on without him, well... That would actually be better, wouldn't it? Without the plague he housed deadening the very earth beneath him, perhaps everyone would actually have the chance to live. The alternative is even in his absence The Scourge had rooted itself too deeply into Eos' core; all that would be left is a dark, empty husk and Ardyn when he returned.

Granted, all things considered, those would be his options regardless.

"Hard to say," he admits, bringing up a hand to rub at his scruffy chin idly. "I don't want to believe them, of course, but without any sort of proof- Who knows?" He'll learn of the well that shows them home, probably, at some point. Even then, he'll cast his doubt upon if it's truly a reflection of their star as it is or just something to placate them.

"I'm probably in the unique position though of not really being concerned one way or the other. A shame about who I was waiting for, perhaps, but no one would be waiting for me." And if it sounds sad and tempts at those sympathetic heartstrings of Regis', then good. Just another way to spin the narrative in his favor.

Regis' expression falls and not just because of the man's words. They are sad yes, but the more he talks to the redhead, the more he realizes it's not just the man's words that are sad. There's also something sad in his very being.

No one waiting for him.

Not concerned for the world and the people he's left behind.

A love who passed long ago and no one to replace her.

How difficult it must be to live like that. Regis tries to imagine it, but can't get passed the idea of Aulea being gone so suddenly. How would he even survive that?

Before he can get so caught up in those sad thoughts that is shows, Regis pulls himself away from it. Perhaps a change in topic will help lighten the mood for them both.

"In that case, it seems I'm asking the wrong questions. Do you have any thoughts as to what you might do here since you are in no rush to go back home? The party is restricted to a certain area, but soon you will find there are a great many things to do an explore here."

For all his outward bravado and apparent attempts at detachment, Regis has the right of it: Ardyn is a deeply sad man. He'd sooner carve out his own heart and squeeze it dry of the ugly emotions than admit such a thing though.

"Not as of yet," he answers, scanning the heads of those present at the party. "My inclination is to learn more about these 'courts' they told us about, find out who may be in charge of mine..." Fitting, he supposes, being placed in the 'dark' court. "All in time.

I do tend to be a man of the moment though." This is not true. He is a man of rumination that ruins him. "Why worry about tomorrow when I can have fun today at this party instead?"

Test Drive Meme #2

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