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jigokufever2022-06-24 11:00 am
jigokumods) wrote in jigokufever2022-06-24 11:00 am
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June 2022 Test Drive
MAIN NAVIGATION
1. CLEAN UP
The curse has broken, finally banishing the oppressive air around the city and the many sightless eyes of the accursed haniwa. Life will have to return to normal now but first there is lingering clean-up that must be attended to:SHUTEN CLAN
The Shuten Clan is out in force to rebuild damaged storefronts. Eager oni appear in their festival happi, singing oni working tunes. You can pick up the words easily enough, join in and help out. The mood starts bright, but after a number of unlucky accidents there is less singing and more grumbling. The cursed energy left behind has made all of you much more prone to workplace accidents but the storefronts need to be scrubbed, broken glass needs sweeping, new furniture needs construction. There are any number of thumbs smashed by hammers, hands cut on saws, heads hit with falling debris or that board of wood you didn’t see someone carrying towards you. It’s a cursed day to be out on the job.
Rewards will come in the form of free drinks for a week from specific bars and a generous amount of chips for the casinos. If you aren’t of age to drink or gamble? Well… they’ll look the other way this time. Have fun.
It should be noted that the uniform -- a happi, a hachimaki, and fundoshi -- is required. The Shuten Clan is very traditional, after all.TAMAMO CLAN
The bathhouses in Tamamo clan territory remain full of bloodied water. They need to be drained and scrubbed to make them new again. However, reaching the drains is a tricky business. You can’t simply reach in to pull out the plug, you will have to wade into the water to twist it free. Easy enough, right?
Unfortunately, residual curse energy has made this a very dangerous task. Phantasmal hands will reach out and try to drag you under as you get too close to the drain. The phantasms can be distracted, so you’ll need some teamwork to succeed. Your reward is a significant amount of free bath coupons. Some of the advertised baths even have “special” properties. Take the chance to relax, you probably need it.
Those that are rejuvenated in the newly purified baths will find themselves with seemingly limitless vigor. That vigor may sometimes manifest in the form of desperately needing to fuck the first thing willing to do so. Which might turn out somewhat embarrassing...SUTOKU CLAN
The residual cursed energy in the Sutoku Alliance territory has congregated in their many arcades. The prizes in the UFO catcher machines seem off and they keep shifting around. If you happen to win a prize, the prize slot snaps shut on your hand with amazing force: the machine out for blood. To clear the curse, the prizes need to be removed from the machines and purified with the help of a local shrine maiden. Unfortunately, the key ring to open the machines has been stolen by some of the unruly prizes. You will need to use your UFO catcher skills to fish it back out.
Try not to lose any fingers.
Other machines are shooting tokens out of their coin slots at astonishingly painful speeds. A strange phenomenon, as even the machines that take swipe cards are doing it. Where are those tokens even coming from? You will have to get the machines open and give them a deep cleaning to get all the residual blood off the coins and mechanisms. You need the same keys that are stuck inside the UFO catcher…. Better hope you can fish out the one you need.
For your troubles, you will be given unlimited free plays for a month. Perfect for winning a totally-not-cursed prize for your sweetie.ENMA DEPARTMENT
It’s the Department of the Enma’s turn to go begging for good will. They are considered to be mostly responsible for the way the cursed haniwa were handled in the first place. Enma souls should get out on the streets and see what the people need: Food, clean water, housing repairs and maintenance, as well as exorcisms. They’re all high on people’s priority lists and most people want it done pronto. Try not to get snappy with the angry people, the department’s reputation is on the line.
The Enma is slated to give a press conference at some point. It's up to the rest of the Department to assure that there will be reception to his words. They are likely to be of grave importance to the rest of the city.
A hard day’s work is its own reward, but you’ll also get a day pass to a theme park on the edge of the city – in the name of community outreach, of course.
2. GHOST SHARKS
The very streets themselves are treacherous with residual curses. The isonades may have been intimidated out of town for the moment but the anger of their ancestors lingers in the bloody puddles that still glisten in the streets. Come too close to these puddles and spectral sharks will lunge from beneath the surface: Blood for blood! Lives for lives!
While spectral in nature, the teeth on these sharks can still do real harm to anyone they lash out at. They don’t seem to take damage in kind, but will pop and disperse for a moment when struck. The ghostly sharks are being populated by a magic totem that has been partially buried in the dirt of a local park. Destroy it and the sharks will disappear.
Unfortunately, a pack of snotty local children have taken a shine to this magic totem. They are not keen to let you take it from them, nor break it. It’s theirs. It’s special. If you’re feeling brutish or cruel, you can fight the children or deceive them, but your boss would probably suggest you try to bargain with them for appearance’s sake. They’re entirely unreasonable though, as children can be, and it will be quite a chore to get them to agree to your terms.
3. CURSED CORNERS
There are certain corners and alleyways which are simply predisposed to gather cursed energy. These areas are still haunted enough to affect the reality around you. You may experience hallucinations or visions of lost loved ones, past regrets, personal failings. These visions are played out in the area for all to see. You will remain frozen in place until your moment is done, or someone brave comes to pull you out.
Now that the worst of it is over, some of the more morbid and voyeuristic members of the public may be lurking around these haunted areas, waiting to see what horrors will be unveiled. They have out their phones and their cameras to record the show.
The cruelest of the spectators provide commentary to their social media followings as they observe. Anything for that monetization!
The biggest of the streams is a kerakera onna who goes by her channel name: Lipsticki. She leans in over the rooftops to cackle loudly at people’s misfortunes and give petty, scathing commentary about their misdeeds and failings.
4. THE ENMA SPEAKS (PLOT RELEVANT)
Outside the hospital where the Enma was being treated, there is a huge press gathering. The judge arbiter has been deemed fit enough to release. Hungry for word, journalists from every publication swarm the area. Most press-outlets in the city are controlled by the Sutoku Alliance, who have a vested interested in interrogating the Enma.
A number of other onlookers have tacked on as well, including Lost Souls both old and new. Lost Souls may even find themselves ordered to attend the statement by their faction.
It is assumed that the Enma must have something of grave importance to say, after all.
The Enma approaches the podium. He is dressed in his usual suit, his crown, and his stern expression; it puts a hush over the crowd through its tremendous pressure alone. No questions have been asked, yet, but a statement has been prepared. He clears his throat:
"The cause of the curse, the enemy of Jigokucho, is... Haniyasu. The Department's focus will be shifting to determining our next action in regards to this entity. That is all."
Just like, the Enma's secretary and a retinue of armored shinigami move to flank the Enma and guide them to a waiting limo down the steps. The press yells their questions over one another, but are pushed back. The Enma doesn't even seem to perceive them, simply focusing on getting into the car.
Unfortunately, if you're a representative for one of the factions -- especially the Department of the Enma -- that makes you fair game to hound for questioning too. Do you stand your ground or try to run away?
[[banner art by s-tokimura]]
Welcome to the test drive meme!
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no subject
It's alright. [She smiled reassuringly.] There's nothing embarrassing about that, you know? It could happen to everyone.
[ And it had happened to plenty of people already, judging by how easy it had been for her to glean information about this phenomenon. Regardless, Monika gave the girl a bit of time to gather herself- But not much. She would reassure her more right away, but between the curse and the "audience," now was neither the place nor the time. ]
Come on, let's move before it happens again.
[ She doubted any other image would appear to haunt the girl, otherwise she'd be essentially stun-locked there and that wasn't how those things worked. But she didn't want to risk a vision of Sayori or Yuri suddenly appearing and killing themselves in front of everyone. ]
no subject
Still, she was trying her best to keep a positive attitude! Even with the audience before her, she might as well try to make a show out of this right?]
Y-Yeah, let's try and do that! The last thing we would want is another image before us!
[As she tried to give a smile, it was clear she was uncomfortable. With a chuckle or two, she gestured her head toward the side.]
Now wouldn't that be terrible?
no subject
[ Monika didn't waste any time and led the way out of this cursed corner. It didn't take a genius to see the other girl was uncomfortable and feeling embarrassed... Understandably so. If it had been her facing memories of her past, Monika would be hiding underground right this second.
So she changed the topic to something far more mundane. If the girl wanted to speak of the vision, they'd do it in time. ]
I'm Monika. [She smiled.] I'm a recent arrival here. Have you been here for long?
[ Hopefully that didn't sound too weird or forced... She'd been stuck so long in the game, she felt her social skills had gotten worse and worse. ]
no subject
With a sigh, she was thankful that this girl was more than willing to talk about something else.]
Then it's a pleasure to meet you, Monika! I'm Hu Tao and I've been here for the past 2 months. It isn't exactly the warmest of welcomes but welcome to hell!
[Again, all with a smile on her face!]
no subject
The pleasure's all mine! [She raised a finger.] I have to say, that's not quite what I expected from hell, ahaha.
[ Honestly... She was pretty certain for more than a few offworlders, this was heaven. For people who came from cozy worlds with no troubles though, she could imagine the place being a nightmare. ]
Does stuff like that happen often?
[ The visions, the sharks... Because gosh, like heck if she ever lets a full audience peek even a little bit in her past! ]
no subject
[Again, all with a smile on her face! Perhaps it was her coping with all the unfortunate things she had experience? Maybe but these things don't seem to bother her.
Seeing raining blood, fighting against an entity, and seeing her dead grandfather on one of those creatures at the tower?
Those were things she was fully expecting.]
Although, please don't let that scare you. It was only recently that those events happened. However, most of the time, it is fairly quiet.
[For the most part]
no subject
Oh gosh. [She laughed awkwardly.] I'll definitely have to be careful then...
[ She could already imagine a dozen different kind of predicament she'd get in if that was really something similar to a horror video game, and none of them were pleasant to think about. That girl though, she seemed to be handling things pretty well.
Strange, she seemed to be around her age... Maybe even a bit younger. She came to a natural conclusion. ]
You seem to be doing well in spite of that, did you experience similar things back home? [Immediately, she realized she'd maybe gone a bit too far.] Ah, um, sorry...! I'm being a bit nosy...
no subject
[Perhaps not the raining blood but...!] I'm afraid I'm used to fighting various monsters back home so seeing blood is the least of my worries.
[As she gave a pause, she was looking at Monika to judge her reaction. Despite her jovial nature, she had to wonder how she was taking it all in. After all, it was certainly a lot for someone she arrived here. She didn't mean to give another chuckle but that was how she coped.]
What about you? Are you going to be okay? [Which was a little late to ask but it was better late than never.]
no subject
Ah, I see.
[ It was indeed a lot... Monika was a little bit more shaken at the sight of blood, she was more used to the psychological sort of horror. But she wasn't really queasy, not after everything she'd gone through. ]
Well I can't say I'm used to fighting monsters or blood... [She raised a finger.] But I've seen some really weird stuff back home, so that doesn't feel too bad in comparison, ahaha!
no subject
No matter, it seemed that she'll have to do her best to try to make things was upbeat as possible!]
Oh, is that so? Mind if I ask what kind of things you have seen?
[...Does Monika even want to tell her?]
no subject
Ah, well... [She tilted her head.] Let's just say my homeworld isn't the kindest of places.
[ She looked at the girl apologetically. ]
I'm sorry... For how nosy I am, talking about my own past is a bit hard, ahaha.
no subject
Not at all! If you don't wish to talk about it, it's perfectly fine. We all have our secrets!
[That and all things considered? Hu Tao was just fine to not talk about her own past. She would much rather not have people judge her for being a funeral director.]
Then shall I give you a tour of hell? If you do plan on staying, you might as well have some fun! [Get it? Hur hur hur.]
no subject
Thanks for understanding.
[ Might as well...? Wait. Wait. Was that a pun? ... Amazing!!! Hu is clearly one of her people. Anyone who can pun in such a situation is a good person. ]
Ahaha, sure! [She beamed and nodded.] Let's have one hell of a time!
no subject
[Was Hu Tao having the time of her life with all of these rhymes? You bet she was! That and if Monika was that uneasy, she might as well try to make sure she feels comfortable.]
It'll be sure to compel you.
[That last one was a stretch but oh well.]
no subject
Gosh, you sure got a knack for rhymes, huh?
[ She laughed and shook her head. She could imagine Natsuki getting annoyed if she was here... But it was cute. And she'd join in, but she knew when to admit defeat. ]
Normally I would reply with puns but there's no way I can compete, ahaha!
no subject
[She said before narrowing her eyes and giving a smirk or two.]
You won't know until you try.
no subject
[ Off to a good start! ]
There's a well of words that rhyme with hell, I think?
[ That's a bit cheap, but that works, right? ]